The Proxy War - Chapter 1 (FT, CLOSED)

[Kiruri]

The room was quiet. Too quiet.

Why is it quiet? I do not like it being quiet. It makes me feel uncomfortable...

My eyes are fixed upon his hand as he lifts it. I hear his breath fog the inside of his glass as he sips it. I can feel the liquid touch his lips as he drinks. The sound the glass makes as he sets it upon the table is heavy, loud, but in reality, it is silent.

I know why. Because it's too silent is why. Here there are no other sound that overshadow those which would be too faint, too muffled, to be even heard.

His voice, so loud that it would make thunder seem as quiet as a needle dropping, breaks the stillness that had engulfed the room. But in reality, he whispered.

"Ashika..."

My eyes focused on his mouth, centered on his lips.

I swear I could see the words come out of his lips, but they weren't words, they were colors, all resembling black. It is simple, I did't hear, My eyes just saw.

"I'm sorry for your loss. He was a great Kiruri, no other like him has ever existed."

It was all normal now. At least I heard words this time... but I'm sure I still saw the same faint colors as before. Shades of black.

"I know it must be hard for you. I can't imagine what it is you are going through. Just know that we are all here to support you in any way we can. I remember once when..."

I was blind even though my eyes could see. I was deaf even though my ears could hear. I was mute even though I'm sure my lips moved and my throat vibrated. I can't remember what I said, if I did say anything. Or perhaps I do remember. Maybe I just want to forget?

There were others, but I only saw one. Silent music was playing, that I know for sure.

Is it me, or am I going crazy?

...

I know he's watching, I can see his eyes. Why do I see these things?

It all started with my mother's murder...

He was there, I saw from the shadows...his eyes.

His eyes looked at my direction but I know that the shadows covered me. They hid me... at least... that's what shadows do, right? Its their nature I suppose...

Those same eyes... I still see them in my mind. They are present as my father is being murdered. They don't blink, they don't cry, they stare and stare and stare and keep staring. Even though those eyes have a body, I cannot see it. Is that wrong?


My eyes are fixed upon my father's hand as he lifts it. I hear his breath fog the inside of his glass as he sips it. I can feel the poison touch his lips as he drinks. The sound the glass makes as he drops it to the ground is heavy, loud. It isn't silent.

I know why. Because he was betrayed is why. Here there is no other sound that overshadows those which imply death, those which tend to suffocate life until life itself is too faint, too muffled to be even heard.

His voice, so loud that it would make thunder seem as quiet as a needle dropping, breaks the stillness that had engulfed his vibrant life. But in reality, he whispered.

"Ashika..."

my name...

Meto Kiruria Moon, Kiruria System

It was a strange day, supposedly of mourning, or so dictated the Kiruri tradition, but contrary to all common sense, the population which had just lost their leader in what seemed a murder, was as glad as could be, euphoric even. In fact... there had been no official mourning, no one even knew if there had been a burial of the late Emperor.

The ecumenopolis of Meto Kiruria was in celebration. That fact alone was as clear as rainwater. Multitudes gathered around the 'new' Imperial Palace. A new emperor was to be proclaimed, a new house to replace the old, hated, dynasty. All through the empire you could see the numerous KIBU sponsored propaganda blame the Da'taal dynasty as the source of all the empire's problems. Some of this propaganda even went as far as claiming: "Be glad, fellow Kirurian, for the old king is dead!" as a stereotypical representation of all the alien populations that made up the empire stood behind a burning flag, a flag with the Da'taal house emblems.

Of course, that propaganda wasn't the least bit a shock to the population at all, it had long received their blessing. The KIBU so astutely introduced its anti-Da'taal propaganda years before the emperor's death. One such old propaganda stated: "Lay claim to what is yours! The Emperor's head on a silver platter!" as the image showed a bloody headless Kiruri wearing the colors of the Imperial House.

What is a surprise, however, is that the extremely conservative and traditionalist Council of the Founding Tribes, the interim emperors if you will, broke away with all tradition and all laws and chose from its own ranks a new emperor and a new imperial house, despite the fact that the Da'taal house had, for a thousand or more years, held divine claim to the throne, and legitimate heirs of said house still existed. Had the KIBU's propaganda stolen the minds of these supposed wise men as well? Without a doubt.

"It is by the grace of our Holy Father Santur himself, with the approval of our council, that we as heads of the founding tribes, proclaim as the legitimate Emperor of the Kiruri and the Kiruri Empire, Shizu Ra'teem. Our new Emperor, son of Kir'ur, our Holy Mother, and his house, House Ra'teem, original founder of the first Kiruri Empire, and with the prestige that comes along with said title of Founder, is hereby given the divine power to rule over all. As such, our council bestows upon his Imperial Highness the Crown of Santur, symbol of his divine rule. May he reign long, with health and power! "

No one even knew of the terrible war which would come to be amid euphoric cheers of a jubilant crowd.

1st Imperial Decree

"With the power that has been bestowed upon me I decree that House Da'taal be abolished, all members of said house and its respective branches to be imprisoned. Princess Ashika is to be tried for treason!"

The crowds roared even louder than before, chanting "Death to Ashika". Emperor Shizu stood and left, entering his new Imperial Palace. From the sidelines one could notice a sinister smile, that of Ra Bantaak. He knew all to well that not one of the many strings around his puppet would ever loosen up.

Former Imperial Palace, Vardune, Kiruria Proper

The entire palace was in shock. All those within the palace's walls knew of the truth behind the KIBU's lies. They, the loyal subjects of House Da'taal, who had gathered in one of the palace's many rooms, just stayed there, silently, without moving even an inch. They witnessed from afar how the old millennial empire succumbed to the past and how the new Emperor embraced the present, with a firm hold over the future. These loyalists saw how the princess, the true heiress' life was, if no one did anything, almost over.

"I shall inform the princess at once..." spoke the Majordomo.

As events were unfolding in the Imperial Palace of Vardune... somewhere en route to the planet Mayokia:

"Sir...I have just been informed of the death of Emperor Da'taal..."

The Kirurian ambassador to Xiscapia stood silently, looking at information on the screen. He showed no sign of sadness.

"Just make sure that fox scum Xiscapian don't get a word of it. He is to be arrested as soon as we land on Mayokia."

"Do you think he'll go down easy?"

"He would be dumber than he looks if he didn't surrender..."

the soldier nodded, and went back to his position.

"Oh! Ambassador Vulpe..." said Ruuyian, the Kiruri Ambassador, "I have just been informed that we are nearing our destination, Planet Mayokia. We are very glad that you have agreed to this tour of our Empire before you leave. Is there anything you would like to know?" he sat down. The room was elegant, fit for royalty. A light hum could be heard... it was the hyper-drive.

[Xiscapia]

Transport en route to Mayokia...

Though he was reclined in a cozy alcove of the starship in a plush, true-leather seat that conformed to the contours of his body, holding a glass of Alversia's finest vintage white wine and with nothing more troubling ahead than a tour of the Kirurian Empire, Imperial Ambassador Vulpe wasn't the slightest bit relaxed. His tail whipped and snapped against that lovely chair as he stared out the view panel at the swirl of hyperspace beyond, drink untouched, ears low but eyes wide open as he tried to put his finger on exactly what the problem was. It was frustratingly intangible, something he could feel but not quite define, at the edge of his consciousness like something he'd forgotten and was trying to remember. Maybe it was the general air of the nation he was about to enter again that got to him, and how it openly mocked and even seemed to enjoy the idea of sedition and overthrow of its ruler in House Da'taal, and as someone who was close to the House in general and a few of its members in particular it made him uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the way his Imperial Marine guard detail, a couple of Xiscapian veterans of the Danaversian War, ceaselessly walked from one part of the cabin to the other, the power-armored soldiers seeming on edge, listening to warrior instincts that Vulpe had never really honed.
But, he decided, it was probably just that someone that he desperately wanted to see again.

"Oh! Ambassador Vulpe...I have just been informed that we are nearing our destination, Planet Mayokia. We are very glad that you have agreed to this tour of our Empire before you leave. Is there anything you would like to know?"

Blinking himself out of his revere, the alabaster kitsune looked up at Ruuyian before smiling faintly and raising his glass to him, smoothly falling back on the autopilot of social graces. "I'm very happy to be here, Ambassador," he told him honestly, forcing himself to take a sip of the drink. "There is one thing I would like to know, if you could tell me." Vulpe leaned forward, previously flattened ears perking, plume going still for once. "Will I have the honor of having Princess Ashika accompany me today? I am given to understanding that she expressed an interest in guiding my tour personally."

[Kiruri]

Transport entering Mayokia...

Ruuyian looked directly into Vulpe's eyes, his own glistening with water... just enough to be obvious how he felt, but not enough to form a tear. Ruuyian was holding back all his sentiments. He had no other choice.

"I...umm..."

He looked around the room, making sure no one of importance could hear him, he also glanced at the Xiscapian guards, making sure they were at a reasonable distance. Ruuyian leaned closer, and whispered:

"I have no time to explain the situation we're in... Emperor Da'taal has been murdered... the Empire will soon crumble into chaos and war..."

Ruuyian finished his glassful in one quick motion... his drink was one of the Kiruri's strongest liquors,

"If I arrest you... you are going to die..."

He looked down, not wanting to look at the Xiscapian. The view panel clearly showed the ship was entering Mayokia's atmosphere... it was just a matter of time before it would all begin. Ruuyian continued speaking, his voice low:

"I'm truly sorry... I...I have arranged for a distraction... you and your kind have to escape as soon as we land...don't look back..."

He took out a small orb, it was a hologram-projector.

"This will show you where to go... you're going to have to blend.... you all have to become as close to a kiruri as possible. The orb will lead you to an old room within the hangers, there's civilian clothes there and everything else you'll need to escape..."

Ruuyian placed the the orb in front of Vulpe. He, without awaiting a word from the Ambassador, stood up and walked away, into the flight deck. The Xiscapians were about to enter the lion's den, right at the heart of the beast, a place dominated by the KIBU.

Imperial City of Mayokia

The transport was entering the city, heading toward a small civil spaceport in the east end of the giant metropolis. It was a mostly civilian area with little military presence, although, as always, the KIBU were quite present.

Through the view panel one could begin to see the mega skyscrapers that adorned the Imperial City. Most of these buildings were themselves adorned with large screens, which of course projected the KIBU's horrid propaganda. The plethora of crafts zoomed by as the ship adjusted to the planet's traffic system.

One screen showed what seemed a news bulletin:

A Rusani or human female mouthed the destruction of Vardune Palace's northern facade in Ruuyian's native tongue. Subtitles detailing more could be seen in the strange Mayoki language. The female said that the Da'taal supporters had secured the palace and its destruction was imminent for the security of the new Emperor. The screen switched to a full sized video; live footage of a tank zooming past the rubble of the palace walls as it fired and another part of the palace crumbling as the shot hit. The transport zoomed past the screen and nothing more could be seen...

Back on Vardune...

It was as if an earthquake hit. The walls of the palace, of my home, of the symbol of my dynasty's millennial reign shook. I practically fell out of my bed... but I was a ready awake... I was aware... I wish I could have saved my friends, all those which saw me grow up before their own eyes... but I barely saved myself...

The Imperial soldiers, upon order of the new emperor, bombed the palace's entrance. The rubble of the ancient palace walls were mere pebbles for the 2 tanks that pushed their way in, unopposed. Each tank shot one more shot, one aimed at a tower, presumably where the House Guards kept station. The other aimed toward the palace's servant quarters, a common room usually used by the servants for announcements of the highest importance.

The soldiers kept shooting; fighting against broom-wielders, chefs and their cooking utensils, and cleaning products. The tanks kept eating at the ancient, defenseless palace...

Imperial City of Mayokia

The transport was slowing down; it was clear that they had reached their last stop. The hanger opened and the transport swiftly got into position as it finally rested.

For a brief second everything was quiet, peaceful.

A loud bang was heard. The explosion was heavy and deafening, and it came from the ship's control room. The ship fell slightly forward, enough to cause a slight loss in balance, but not enough to prevent walking. Smoke started to fill the room as alarms within the ship and outside of it began to ring all around. The Xiscapians had to exit as fast as possible, hide from all those who were coming in response to the alarms' calls, and head to wherever the orb led them.

[Xiscapia]

Transport en route to Mayokia...

"I...umm..."

Focusing properly, the Imperial Ambassador looked at the man for the first time, really looked at him. The filmy, glistening quality to his eyes stunned him as he realized that Ruuyian was actually on the verge of tears, a sudden lurching in his gut that had nothing to do with the smooth flight of the transport. Setting his drink aside, the wine already forgotten, Vulpe went to stand. "Ruuyian? What's wrong? Why-"

"I have no time to explain the situation we're in...Emperor Da'taal has been murdered...the Empire will soon crumble into chaos and war...If I arrest you... you are going to die..."

Vulpe blinked. He opened his mouth, muzzle working uselessly as he tried to form words, but nothing came out. Da'taal, murdered? War? His own life in danger? Slowly, the Xiscapian eased back into his seat, staring at the Kirurian Ambassador, hands gripping the armrests. "I don't..." he finally managed as he glanced over his shoulder, seeing the whitish haze outside that indicated they had breached orbit and were entering atmosphere, trailing off.

"I'm truly sorry... I...I have arranged for a distraction... you and your kind have to escape as soon as we land...don't look back...This will show you where to go... you're going to have to blend.... you all have to become as close to a kiruri as possible. The orb will lead you to an old room within the hangers, there's civilian clothes there and everything else you'll need to escape..."

Still both dumbfounded and gaping, he took the hologram orb, more by automatic reflex than any conception of what he was actually doing. Yet the weight of the piece of technology in his hands assured him that this was no tasteless practical joke or bizarre misunderstanding -this was really happening, and Ruuyian was utterly serious. But before he could say anything the Kirurian had already whipped around and was striding away to the far hatch. Both of the Imperial Marines had stopped and were watching the man as he went by. Taken aback, Vulpe finally stood. "Ambassador, wait-"

He was gone. Slowly, he turned to look at the viewing screen to the outside as they descended over Mayokia, half expecting to see the Imperial City in flames. But it was peaceful, quiet, except for the massive monitors that hung off the sides of some of the buildings they passed, displaying news broadcasts that told him everything he needed to know about the state of affairs. Troops advancing on Vardune Palace, the place where Vulpe had spent many happy days with members of the house of Da'taal, the new Emperor ordering the place to be secured, tanks shelling the buildings and more. "Ashika..." he breathed, wondering if she was in there and somehow knowing that there could be nowhere else.

"Sir?" Sergeant Iiton and Corporal Tane were striding over to him, and though their armor was faceless the voice of the first Imperial Marine held concern even through the synthesized, static-laden wash of the vox. "Sir, we have reason to believe that you're in danger. We need to evacuate you to a secure location-"

"What? No, no! We have to get to the Princess!" he exclaimed, turning to the soldier with wide-eyed shock. "Didn't you see the news?" he gesticulated wildly at the screen already long gone past. "She's in danger, there's already tanks knocking down the walls! We have to get her out of there!"

"Sir, our first priority is your safety," Iiton told him sternly. "There's nothing we can do for her now. Our objective is to get you off of this ship without getting you captured or shot. Then we can figure out what to do. But you have to trust us to protect you."

The white-furred Xiscapian hesitated. "The Ambassador gave me this hologram projector," he said finally. "He told me it will guide me to a supply drop of some kind in the hangers. From the way he said it I'll be arrested on landing. Can we get off the ship before that?"

"We'll just have to make a break for it on setting down," the trooper said grimly, rifle in his arms. "Which won't be long now. Just-"

An explosion rocked the ship, making Vulpe stagger and his two escorts sway marginally, but all kept their footing as their long tails curled outwards to assist their balance. "The Ambassador must have set that off! Go!" Iiton shouted and Vulpe had no choice but to turn and run, guided by Tane to a small airlock off the main way that they could drop out of, boots slamming against the deck. Hitting the floor from a jump, robes flapping about him, the envoy consulted the hologram sphere as his two soldiers took up their positions, trying to cover as much of the bay as possible with their weapons, scanning religiously. Standing between them, the Xiscapian made a silent appeal. Emperor, don't let me down now, I just need to get out of here...

[Kiruri]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport, Hangar 1A

The hangar had no visible weaponry, no mounted turrets, no anti-personnel pop-up guns mounted anywhere, nothing. It was pretty much defenseless. As civilian and as defenseless as any Home for the Elderly Kiruri back on Kiruria.

The hangar was large enough for only one ship, there wasn't as much space as one would have thought. The craft that had carried Vulpe and his men practically took up most of the space, were it not for section toward the north that was occupied in its totality with an assortment of machines; most likely dedicated to maintenance.

With close observation, one could see there were no windows. Nothing connecting the hanger to the outside world except for the large overhead opening that allowed ships in and out, but it alone only pointed toward the sky.

There were also no windows that would let anyone steal a view of Hanger 1A from within the main building. That would also suggest that there was no Hangar 1A control room, no Hangar 1A personnel, or anyone dedicated to taking care of the ships and passengers that happened upon A1...

Why the secrecy? Was the KIBU behind all this, or was the government the mastermind behind Vulpe's ordered assassination? Did they not want the population, which so openly praised the bloody dismemberment of the former Imperial House, to know of Vulpe's own elimination? Or was there someone else, someone who would like for no one else to know of the Xiscapians?

There are many many questions... but where are all the answers?

Why did the Ambassador help Vulpe? Did he know something only a select few knew? Was he in some sort of danger, or was he expecting danger to find him in a very proximate future? What had his fate in store for him? Either way, it was apparent no one else was coming out of the transport.

As they consulted the hologram, fidgeting with it to uncover its truths, the orb flashed befre them, hovering a foot above the floor. From its top a small opening propped up, and a light began to beam out. In a matter of seconds, a highly-detailed hologram map of the area appeared before them. A moving dot within the hologram traced the route that the Xiscapians had to follow. It blinked constantly as it came to a stop in a room northeast of their current location. It was quite some distance from where they were, or so it seemed.

Would they run for it? Where there any KIBU guards awaiting? Or instead of KIBU, were it soldiers loyal to the new Emperor? Whatever their fate was, one thing was clear.... they would have to run for it, think fast, no time for hesitation...

the orb continued replaying, the dot blinking the same way it had the first time, tracing the same tract as before...

In front of the craft was the large lone door; the only gateway to the innards of this unknown world, the only gateway toward safety, the only gateway toward perdition.

The all too familiar sound of a large door propping open was heard. In came a crew of Firefighter droids, with their respective fire-combating machine. 5 unarmed droids, only capable of extinguishing fires and of nothing more. With these droids came a few male Mayoki civil officers, most likely of Port Authority. They were no match for the Xiscapians should either one choose to confront the other. But for the time being, it seemed that no one else was to enter Hanger 1A, and no one had noticed the Xiscapians.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport, Hangar 1A...

Watching the hologram burst to life, Vulpe felt his mouth go dry as he watched the line chart itself out to that distant point. He had been expecting some place close by, a room or two away, but judging by the range on this they were going to have to cover a lot of ground to get to the supplies, without getting cornered or shot by the local security forces. Before he could voice his dismay Tane was pushing at him, shoving the other Xiscapian towards the sole exit door. "We need to move now sir!" Out in front Iiton was leading the way, rifle out as he pounded towards the large hatch, the noise of jogging feet compounded by the slam of his power armor against the hanger floor. Getting into stride, Vulpe followed with his other guard close behind, unable to comprehend how things had gotten so badly so quickly.

The door groaned open before they reached it and the Imperial Ambassador automatically slowed, eyes darting over the firefighting drones and small group of Port Authority that passed through, intent on the transport. They didn't see Iiton, or Tane stepping out to cover him, until it was far too late. Gun already up, the leading soldier pulled the trigger and a blue-green bolt left the bulb on its underside, striking the first Mayokian with the hiss of electricity before the civil officer even knew what hit him. He collapsed, and the next looked over only to get a blast of the same to the face courtesy of Tane, dropping almost at the same time as his comrade, soundlessly. The third stopped short, her eyes wide, but even as she turned, perhaps to run, perhaps to shout a warning, Iiton shot her, sending her crumpling at the back of the party, the flashes making shadows dance on the walls.

Not even slowing down, Iiton darted over the supine bodies and the other two kitsune followed, rushing out into Mayokia beyond.

"Why did you do that?!" Vulpe demanded, looking over his shoulder at the unconscious trio lying about the entrance. "That wasn't necessary! I could have negotiated-"

"The hanger was too small for us to sneak past and we didn't have the time to talk," Iiton bit out, weapon swiveling again as they followed the instructions of the hologram. "We don't want them pointing out where we went either. Besides, they were only stun blasts. They'll be fine in a couple hours. What matters is getting to that room, Ambassador."

Shutting his mouth as they ran, Vulpe said nothing.

[Kiruri]

The Palace Skirmish

I watched... unable to do a single thing... I was a bystander to the destruction of my own home. A mere onlooker capable of nothing. I was also a target... rather, THE target... and if it weren't for my loyal guards THEY would have 'hit the bull's-eye'... I'll have my revenge...

Ashika managed to escape the fury of Shizu's tanks. Her getaway was guaranteed thanks to the help of what few loyal house guards remained in the Palace. House Da'taal's own lightly armed force, the guardians of all who bore the Da'taal name, were a mere 1000 men; the palace only accounted for about 100. Most stood ground, fighting off as much as possible; if anything, to secure the princess more time. A small group of 5 men met the princess as she escaped the crumbling palace and asured her of the urgence to meet the members of a reasonably large resistance group. The group plunged onward into the underbelly of Vardune, the darkest part of the city; its underworld. Here she would soon meet the members of "The Velvet Resistance", a loyalist group formed by other "lesser" members of the Da'taal house, of its sub-houses, and of a few aristocrats still loyal to the former regime, fearful of what their fate would be in Shizu's New Regime.

Of the Vardune Palace, only ruins were left. Fires ate away at what little was left. A few walls still stood. Only one wing of what was the millennial palace still "survived"; that which held the Palace's Archives and Treasure room; both filled with priceless valuables. All in all, the millennial palace of Vardune, the sole representation of the Kiruri's Hegemony in the region, the sole remnant of Da'taal power and leadership, the sole representation of the relative unity which held together the empire and its diverse ethnocentric populations had fallen. This event would mark the crumbling of the Kiruri Empire. The destroyed palace fed the fire that would soon culminate in an explosion of many nationalist rebel groups and ethnic insurgents the empire over.


Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport

The three Mayoki laid there; motionless. If anything, the three were closer to "lifelessness" than to life itself. They were no match for the highly specialized Xiscapians. These Mayoki were mere civil guards. It was, however, thanks to the actions of the two Xiscapian guards that no other emergency alarm was activated, nor was any call for backup made. In fact, the only alarm which was first activated was the first one within the Hangar. Of course, by now it was already calmed and quieted thanks to the work of a few droids.

However, something that the three Xiscapians did not even think of, for whatever reason, was the chance that these firefighting droids, unbeknownst to anyone, could have actually played a far larger role. The event that had transpired in Hangar 1A was all recorded. Each trigger that was pulled, each shot that was fired, every feature visible and every little possible detail was now recorded and kept safe well within the cold, hard memory disc of every droid in that hangar. To make matters worse (or better, depending...), all droids were capable of (and they indeed did so), capturing the events from their individual perspectives and angles. This key information would, without a doubt, fall into the wrong hands. But, who's hands?

Vulpe and his group managed to reach their destination. The path that the orb had drawn up for Vulpe was a long ways away from any other "highly transited" one. It was narrow, long, had only two connections to other pathways, it was dark. At least the long hallway had all the security measures befitting any maternity ward, so the trio could keep their minds at ease (at least to some extent).

Once at their destination the group found the hidden door. The closer Vulpe got to the hidden entrance the orb that had led them there vibrated violently and blinked its lights accordingly. The clever bunch managed to prop open the door. The room was small, dimly lit, mostly dusty. It was apparent someone had been here before quite recently. There were footprints close to the door. They contrasted with the rest of the floor, carpeted by a relatively thick layer of dust. The group entered. They managed to keep the orb's light on enough to make out the contents of the room. Once inside the trio could see stacks of boxes piled up everywhere. They were medical supplies. On one side of the small room the trio found a table without a single particle of dust upon it. A large box or rather metallic container laid on its surface. A dim almost unnoticeable light emitted from the container's midsection.

They opened the container. A small white light blinked constantly, as if it were sending a signal, but no one paid it much mind at the moment. If anything, it currently served the trio as a stronger source of light.There were clothes and documents among other things. There was one set of very luxurious civilian clothes. These reminded Vulpe of the way the upper-class Kiruri dressed. It was more than likely meant for him. There were two other sets of clothing, but these were lacking in all senses, nowhere near the quality of the first set. The group didn't know it perhaps, but they could deduce, that these clothes were fit for servants. There was money, lots of money neatly organized on the bottom left-hand side of the container. There was also a card among the loads of cash. It was identification. The card had Vulpe's picture, albeit it was different. The eyes' color didn't match, his ears were different, the color of his fur different as well. It was a kiruri version of Vulpe. There was only one identification cards.

Searching deeper within the contents of the metallic box the group dug out enough containers clearly marked "paint" in kiruri. It matched the color of Vulpe's fur on the id card's picture. There was a small box with the kiruri word for "eyes" written on its top. There was also a larger box entitled "ears". There was one box entitled "hands". Next to the container was a small datacard, a map and a keycard. Apart from that, there was nothing else.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport, Secret Room...

In a matter of seconds they were hustling up the hallway, Iiton still leading with Vulpe behind him and Tane bringing up the rear, always checking every angle for security devices, drones or more port authority officers. His vulpine eyes naturally cut through the darkness while their sensors made it a non-issue, but they had to come to a stop in the middle, as the hologram indicated this was where the promised room was, despite the lack of a door. Without needing to say it the Ambassador immediately began feeling around the wall as his soldiers covered him, running his hands over its surface in an effort to find the hidden button or pressure plate that would unlock it. A click sounded, his tail whipped, and the Xiscapian gave a little grunt of success, which was cut short as Iiton pushed him aside and entered the room first, sweeping the room before signalling that it was clear. Vulpe and Tane entered directly afterwards, closing the door behind them.

Booted feet making tracks through the dust, the trio approached the box left for them on the table, clearly new and no doubt the supplies they would need to blend in and survive on Mayokia. As Vulpe put the hologram down the Sergeant, senior of the pair of troopers, stepped into his way again, a hand up. "Let me open it, Ambassador. Corporal, watch the door, I'm going to clear this package and then appropriate some of these medical supplies, we'll probably need them. We move quickly, I want us out of here in five minutes."

Once Iiton's paranoia was satisfied he moved off to ripping open a few of the crates of medicine, scooping up the kind of first aid, painkillers, hypos and stim-packs that would be useful on the fly. Nearby the other Imperial Marine was watching the door as ordered, rifle pointed squarely at it, statuesque. Ignoring both of them for the moment, Vulpe delved into the contents of the box that had been left for him. Pulling out the first set of clothes, he examined them critically -the kind of ornate, finely-made outfit favored by wealthy Kirurian, no doubt meant for him. The other two sets were obviously for persons of a lower class, for his two guards to pose as his servants.

Passing over the money for the moment, he picked out the I.D. card and stared at it, frowning. The picture looked a lot like him, but it was also wrong -his eyes were blue rather than their natural orange, his ears were somewhat sloped instead of the perfectly erect look they currently had, and instead of the lovely white coat he had been born with this one was dull brown. He was only a little assuaged when he dug out the four different containers, labeled "paint" in brown as well as "eyes" and, bizarrely, "ears" and "hands." The only other items were a datacard, a map and a passkey. Putting the latter three aside, he cast his eye back over the smaller containers.

"Eyes probably has contact lenses," he muttered to himself, "but do they expect me to dye myself brown somehow? And what am I supposed to do with 'ears' and 'hands?'" He considered opening them, but considering he didn't know what was inside or how any of it worked, he balked. A little exasperated, the kitsune picked up the datacard. Maybe it would have instructions on it about how to complete his disguise with these...whatever he'd been given.

"Sir," Iiton called, "we need to hurry."

"I know, I just...I'm not really sure what I'm doing here..."

"Corporal, assist the Ambassador."

Tane was at his side in an instant. "Sir, let me take that," she said, reaching out and grabbing the datacard from his hands. That was how it was with his guards in tense situations -they asked, but they were really ordering. "I'll read it, you open those containers up. If need be I'll instruct you."

"Alright." Sighing, he started to open up the containers, working quickly to the sound of Iiton mauling another box.

[Kiruri]

Despite the fact that most all Kiruri's natural fur color was a gray-white, or any other variation of white, much like Vulpe's, it was clear that those who had contact with the Xiscapian would recognize him easily if he kept his original fur color along with all other unique features. There was also the matter of Vulpe being a Xiscapian and not a Kiruri. Even though both species had many similar physical traits, the differences were obvious. It wouldn't be hard to point Vulpe out in a crown of white-furred Kiruri. To blend in, Vulpe had to become a Kiruri.

The box labeled "eyes" did indeed have contact lenses, one pair for each of the three. The Kiruri, apart from rare cases, all had either blue or green eyes. Whenever they didn't have blue or green, their eye color was never that of Vulpe's. It wasn't coincidence that these contact lenses were developed to counter the user's original eye color so well that it would perfectly turn the user's eyes the color he wanted. No visible trace of the trio's eye color would be left behind.

As for the ones labeled paint, it might have seemed a bit unnecessary considering most Kiruri had a similar fur color to that of Vulpe's, which in turn would make him quite the common Kiruri, but as a measure of safety, the guy who left the container there thought it best if all of the characteristics that made Vulpe "Vulpe" were covered up, hidden behind a shroud of common Kiruri traits.

Even though the container said "paint" it was in fact, not your everyday common liquid paint. It was a powder, developed specifically for cosmetic purposes. It was quite common for Kiruri outside of planet Kiruria to change the color of their fur. Brown was the preferred color for those Kiruri in the warmer and tropical planets.

This powder only "painted" that which was fur or fur-like. The Xiscapians would have to disrobe, powder themselves brown, and get dresses in the offered civil clothing.

The boxes labeled "ears" and "hands" both contained perfectly tailored ears and hands. These body parts were very distinct from Xiscapians. They fit as gloves. They would blend perfectly with the rest of the body. No one would ever tell they were fake. All of this was explained in the datacard.

The trio would need to move very quickly, as fast as possible.

Meanwhile, in Meto Kiruria...



The empire was starting to see the beginning of Shizu's paranoia. 10 prominent and well known aristocratic politicians (in fact, only mere advisers) who had voiced concern over the destruction of Vardune's palace fearing the event would only serve to weaken the empire, were massacred as their craft exited the Imperial Advisory Building. The Imperial Guard, with orders from the Emperor himself, apart from assassinating the ten, placed the entire building on lock-down. A tense shoot-out occurred between two advisers and their respective guards and the Imperial Guard. The situation soon prompted the Emperor to order the arrest of all advisers. The powerless political class of the capital was in crisis. Among the members of this political class were the highly respected men of the Founding Tribes. A group which once called Shizu among their ranks and which had not so long ago crowned him Emperor of the Kiruri.

"Loyalist scum have betrayed the empire... these parasites have betrayed you and your emperor. We have to cut them out of existence before they become an infestation. I, your humble server, seek your protection, your well-being, and if force be the only means of securing that protection and well-being, then so be it. Denounce all loyalists. Even if he is your neighbor or even if he is your son, if you suspect he is a loyalist, then he is a parasite of our society, ready to harm you in the name of evil. Are you going to sit and watch as this parasite sucks the life out of your empire?..."

These were the words of the emperor in his public announcement.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport, Secret Room...

"...so the 'eyes' are contact lenses, the 'paint' is a fur powder and the 'ears' and 'hands' are sheathed over our real ones."

Vulpe stared down at the assortment of disguise equipment. Once it was donned all three of them would vanish beneath the fake features, to the point that none of their own mothers would recognize them. It was that, not the bomb or the gunning down of the port authority or even all of this running and hiding, that made it finally hit Vulpe; the nation was in a state of crisis. If he was found he'd be arrested and disappeared at best, and Iiton and Tane probably wouldn't even get that much consideration. These things were necessary for their very survival.

"Ambassador?" Tane was saying. "Sir? Do you understand, sir?"

"Yes," he swallowed, picking out the contact lenses. "I, I'll just get started then, shall I?"

"Corporal, outfit the Ambassador in his disguise. When you're done have him do the same to you, and then you can take my position while he does me."

"Yes sir. Ambassador, lenses first, then undress and we'll put the powder and faux ears and hands on you."

Her voice was perfectly calm, and the other Xiscapian just nodded as he held one eye open and then the other, inserting the pair of cool blue contact lenses. Blinking a few times to make sure they had been properly inserted, he lost no time in disrobing, boots first and then through his underwear, tunic, robes and all the rest until he stood nude as Tane set her rifle down, pulled her gauntlets off and dipped her hands into the powder. She worked quickly and methodically, leaving no part of him untouched from even between his toes all the way up to the tips of his ears, going between his legs, under his arms, beneath his hair and everywhere in between, while he just stood, sat and lay as still as possible, not at all embarrassed but only concerned that she would cover him in his entirety. Once she finished he slipped the ears on over his head, grimacing as they seemed to meld with his natural ones, but that was nothing compared to when he pulled on the glove-hands. They all but fused with his arms, and though they fit perfectly he knew full well that they weren't really a part of him.

Even so, he got some good use out of them as Tane removed her armor, laying the pieces out in a neat pile, and unzipped her body glove, placing it to the side as well to expose her gray-furred body. She was, he had to admit to himself, fascinating to touch, same as Iiton. There was something strangely powerful about the way she inspected herself when they were finished, now a brown-furred, green-eyed Krirurian vixen for all intents and purposes, then calmly picked up her rifle and, completely naked, went to guard the door. Iiton was much the same, body lithe and defined by both muscle and mechanical implants in the way of a soldier that even the similarly-augmented Vulpe couldn't achieve, but they both looked alike by the time he was done, save for eye color and different statures. Once they were done the two males stood together with Tane still watching the door, armor and robes stashed away in an emptied medical crate, and Vulpe reached for the set of noble's clothes, thinking it was like watching a room of strangers.

"Wait," Tane interrupted, not looking back but still somehow knowing what he was about to do. "They'll be looking for three of us. They won't know exactly who I or Iiton are, but they'll know you came in with two guards."

"Yes?" Vulpe asked.

"So they'll be expecting it to be a male 'leading' two others. If I put on the fancy stuff, it'll be a vixen leading two males. Less recognizable."

"But there's only one I.D. card, and it's for me."

"So? Maybe you're my driver and I don't need I.D."

Accepting this, Vulpe stepped aside as Tane handed off her rifle and traded places with Iiton. Dressing quickly, she took some of the money. "Vulpe, you should take the map, pass key and datacard, as well as the I.D. We'll split the cash between us, so if we get separated we'll have something to fall back on." She went back to her post, now a female Kirurian noble holding a rifle twice her size, as Iiton and Vulpe donned their own servant's garb.

"Can't take the rifles or grenades," she said as they emptied out the rest of the box. "Just pistols?"

"No," Iiton shook his head as he slipped a brick of bills into one of his pockets. "No Kirurian carries guns as big as the AXES, they'd be recognized as Xiscapian. We'll have to rely on unarmed for the moment. We should be able to get some local weapons later." He looked to Vulpe. "What next?"

Realizing that he was the one with all the means of direction, Vulpe first consulted the hologram orb that had led them here, then the map provided with the datacard. One of them would give them their next path.

[Kiruri]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport

Vulpe became aware that the orb which had led them to the relative safety of the hidden room had already completed its purpose. He set it down as it did nothing despite his persistence with it. On the other hand, he held a map. It was detailed and written in the Kirurian language; one which Vulpe could understand as best as any natural born Kiruri.

This was a map of the one section of the city. It described Mayokia as an immense metropolis who's center spanned more than one hundred kilometers. Its center was subdivided into 3 sections, similar to the stratification of a rain forest. The third section was the uppermost. Here is where Hema spaceport was located. To be exact, the three Xiscapians were on the easternmost end of the center of the Imperial City, right on the uppermost section.

The map had a little text description, explaining that the three levels basically divided the population based on wealth. Unwittingly of course, but as is the natural structure of things, the rich always get the best seats in the house; and it just so happened that section three was it. After all, it was the only one to be kissed and hugged every day by the warmth of natural light.

The map had one bright and noticeable red line which traced a path from Hema spaceport to about 10 kilometers toward the center of "the center". It stopped right in front of a building generically named "The Palace". Apparently it was an apartment building as near it was scribbled: "Apt. 20 B, use key".

That was basically it. That was what the map was indicating. It was up to the three to use wits and intuition in order to get out of Hema and into the streets; that was the starting point the map indicated.

Perhaps it wasn't apparent, but someone didn't want the population of the Imperial City to know of Vulpe's existence. All search operations were to be as secretive as possible. Covert operation. The three could use that to their advantage. And on top of that, they were hidden quite well, even in plain sight.

The next move was, in fact, to move; move out of the hidden room and into the city.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport, Secret Room...

Having set the orb aside in the same bin where they had stored the robes and armor after it become clear that it was now useless, Vulpe examined the map. Both Iiton and Tane had chipware -software loaded into their neural ports- that allowed them to read, write, speak and understand the Kirurian language, but the Ambassador was the one who really knew it, as opposed to having a machine translating in his head. Sometimes there was no substitute for the real thing. First tracing the scarlet line with a finger (it didn't look like his at all) Vulpe then read the various descriptions and secondary details, aware that they would be useful to know. He hadn't gotten a comprehensive overview on Mayokia.

"<We're headed to here,>" he told his guards in Kirurian so they would get used to hearing him speak it. "<It's roughly ten klicks from here, towards the middle of the city. Looks like it's an apartment building called 'The Palace.' Apartment 20 B. The map indicates we should use a key to get in; I take it that's the keycard.>"

"<Probably a safehouse,>" Iiton commented, also switching to Kirurian. "<We should get moving. We've spent too much time here already.>"

Stowing the map, Vulpe checked himself a final time. He had the indicated key as well as the I.D., datacard and a sizable amount of cash. Apart from their clothes, all Iiton and Tane had was the rest of the money. It would have to be enough, and he was confident that all of that would get them ten klicks to the Palace. Looking to Iiton, he nodded, who nodded back, and a final nod sealed the deal. With Tane leading the way, they stepped back out into the hallway.

"<First step is to get out of Hema Spaceport,>" Iiton intoned, quickly adapting to the more unusual speech patterns. "<Even if we're not already publicly wanted, the explosion gives them an excuse to lock down this installation. We want to be out of here before that happens.>" All three Xiscapians picked up the pace, the two males hurrying behind the vixen, with Vulpe in the middle and Iiton bringing up the rear. Once they were out on the street they would consult the map again and figure out the best path to the Palace -if they got that far.

[Kiruri]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport, Main Entrance (Exit to Section 3)

Hema was quite busy this time around. It would seem most people here were leaving, not coming. Vulpe glanced around at the panels with flight destinations, arrivals, and all the other useful travel info. Most, it seemed, were destined to either Meto Kiruria or the neighboring Rasumia, more specifically, New Kiruria, one of the moons of Rasumia.

A quick glance would suggest most people here were Kiruri. The rest were Mayoki. No humans at all. The Kiruri also seemed to be of higher social status. Their clothing was noticeably more couture than that of the Mayoki. The Kiruri seemed to head either toward the capital or Rasumia's moon while most Mayoki headed toward Rasumia.

Vulpe noticed something quite peculiar. Every so often he would see a sign that read, in various languages including Kiruri, "To Section 2". Apparently the spaceport went deeper than Section 3; having opened access to at least the lower Section 2. Out of this section came those which to him appeared less wealthy. None were Kiruri, all were Mayoki.

All in all... these people seem to be fleeing; the reason unbeknownst to Vulpe.

Finally! The bunch had made it to the main lobby, the main entrance of Hema Spaceport. Or perhaps, looking at it from a better more appealing point, the Main Exit toward Section 3. Nothing, nobody, not even the civil guards had stopped them along their way. They were, indeed, quite normal looking and everyone around them was submerged in their own little worlds, too busy to do much of anything else. Vulpe, Tane and Iiton were lucky, for by the time they got out of the spaceport area they were in, the guards had blocked access to it; claiming repairs were being made.

Almost as soon as they were about to reach for the exit, a somewhat elderly (at least in appearance) Mayoki male approached them. He seemed quite eager. He spoke in Kiruri "<Hey! You! Yes! I know you! I've seen you on holovid!>" He was referencing the group leader.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Hema Spaceport, Main Entrance (Exit to Section 3)...

"<Section Two?>" Iiton asked, noting the flow of Mayoki one way and Kiruri the other as they paused at the crossroads.

"<The middle level of the city. The socio-economic stratification here is probably based along racial lines,>" Vulpe explained. "<Hence most Mayoki literally live below the Kiruri.>"

"<Thank the Emperor we're on Section Three then,>" Tane chimed in.

"<Quiet. Let's just keep moving.>"

Glancing over his shoulder, the Ambassador breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the civil guards moving to block off the halls that they had just come from. That meant they would be standing guard, as opposed to actively searching for him and his escort. Perhaps no one was yet aware that the Xiscapians were no longer aboard the diplomatic transport, or even in the restricted section at all. Turning about, he spied the exit to Section Three and couldn't help but smile. They were almost out, and once they entered Mayokia proper they would be able to vanish into the streets to find their safehouse.

"<Hey! You! Yes! I know you! I've seen you on holovid!>"

That made his blood run cold. Normally his ears would have reflexively flattened against his skull, but his disguise didn't permit that so all that happened was that Vulpe's tail swished, sure that one of the guards was calling after them. But when he turned, ready to dodge a shot or a swing of a baton and run for it, he saw the Mayokia man sweeping right past him, intent on Tane, eyes bright. For her part the vixen looked confused, and she slowed for a moment as she tried to figure out what was going on. As smooth as could be, Iiton interposed himself between the interloper and his "mistress", and Vulpe took the hint and fell in on the other side.

"<I don't think so,>" Tane said, picking up her pace again and injecting just the right mix of puzzlement and arrogant disdain into her voice. "<You must have me confused with someone else. Come, servants.>"

[Kiruri]

"<Confused!?>" shouted the man as he quickened his pace, trying without avail to match that of the faux-kiruris. He gave up and from the distance yelled at them: "<You kiruri are all the same! To think you could show some compassion... how naive... but just you wait, your time will come!>"

He waved his fist angrily at them. His mouth moved, presumably still yelling his mind out, but the ambient had engulfed his voice and the crowds his image. He had disappeared, but his comments still lingered. Quite a few people, those who had heard the man ramble on, eyeballed the Xiscapian trio. Some left it at that and continued on their way, but others glared at them quite intensely. As if trying to shoot knives with their eyes, these people practically barraged the trio with a whirlwind of assorted lethal pointed objects. They, however, were unharmed and continued on their way, intent on getting to their destination as fast as possible.

The cityscape was quite decadent. It was apparent that at one time the area Vulpe, Tane, and Iiton were traversing was economically prominent. Perhaps a place where the wealthy dinned, shopped, and enjoyed the nightlife. But now, most buildings were quite deteriorated. A few were barred, abandoned or closed, but despite the lack in quantity (which would make said buildings stand out), they somehow managed to fit in. At least it didn't seem abnormal or shocking considering the state in which everything else appeared to be in.

All around one could see signs and propaganda posters as well as a few hologram ad buildboards all pertaining to the former royal family. "The cause of all your troubles", "They eat, dine, sleep in safety and enjoy life while you rot away in filth and misery", "What about you? Wouldn't you love to see this day?" (followed by an animated image of a Kiruri wearing royal clothing, decapitated by a male Mayoki, blood spewed onto the executioner as he lifted his fist in a triumphant way)

Ads showing the logo of the KIBU were scattered here and there. However, they were all large and quite prominent. Most were plastered with the picture of three men. One Vulpe recognized, it was the human whom the former Emperor has asked him to meet, the Emperor's most trusted adviser and the apparent head of the KIBU. The other two were unknown to Vulpe, but it was quite obvious they were important as the text below their portrait stated: "Your Protectors, Your Saviors. Kiruri Imperial Banking Union"

As the group traversed onward toward their destination, the aura which the city itself emitted got progressively darker. The eerie propaganda which bombarded the three and the decayed state of many buildings along with the fact that there were practically no kiruri's out and about had made them feel quite uncomfortable, to say the least.

They, never the less, continued onward. Vulpe's eyes were the first to notice a kiruri child in the near distance. That sight gave him peace, even if only a bit; perhaps due to the innocence in a child so young, but it didn't last.

"Thief! This monster has stolen from me! Give me back whats mine thief, you devil! Give it back!" A mayoki woman, dressed to match the dirty cityscape, violently shook the child in all directions. She grabbed hold of the his small wrist and lifted him only to throw him violently toward the floor. Vulpe could hear the impact his body made when it crashed.

"Help! Help! Someone! This monster's a thief!" Screamed the woman. "Where's and officer when you need one! He's responsible, I saw him!"

She continued with the violent shaking. The child could barely take a breath as the woman continued her harassment. A small crowd had formed around them, they all yelled: "Damned kiruri, always taking!", "Someone should rid us of these thieves!" "The KIBU ought to be here any moment now, no need to worry!" "Typical, they leave these orphans to suck the blood out of Mayokia!" Most cheered on the woman. Just then, as if to settle the restless crowd, a patrol of KIBU guards came. The men, apparently Mayoki and clad in full body armor, got out of their vehicles and pushed the crown aside:

"Alright folks! Calm yourselves down, we're here"

One guard approached the woman and child. He looked down at the small kiruri male who was to afraid to even cry and then at the woman, who now clenched the boy's wrist, asking: "What's the problem here m'am?"

"This!" She said, as she threw the boy on the ground. He got on his knees, trembling so much, that he had to put his hands on the floor to prevent himself from loosing balance.

She spoke again: "That thief stole something that belongs to my own child. How dare he! As if they haven't stolen enough!"

The guard crouched down, he grabbed hold of the boy's shoulders and asked him: "Tell me, boy... is this true?"
He timidly shook his head from side to side. Just then the woman frantically accused him: "Liar Liar! This thief's a liar!" The crowd yelled in retaliation: "That's a liar right there!", "I saw it steal and I'm no liar!", "He's guilty, just look at him! Not even capable of speaking because of his guilt!"

The other guard did his best to calm the crowd down. The other guard, the one who had asked the child if he was innocent, stood. He took his right hand to his right side, just above the waist, and pulled something out. He spoke: "Do you know what this is?" He pointed the item toward the child, he looked at it and shook his head side to side once again. The guard spoke, his tone more aggressive: "You're going to give this woman back what you stole, understand?" The guard now put the strange object right on the boy's forehead. He, the boy, managed enough valor to speak "but...I have nothing..."

Vulpe heard a gunshot, and then a cheerful crowd yell in jubilee. He saw as the woman thoroughly searched the motionless boy's clothes. "Where is it!" she mumbled, and just then a small figure tugged on the woman's clothes. A child spoke: "Mommy! I found it. It was in my pocket" The woman grabbed hold of her child. She was weeping and crying. Despite that she told her son: "Oh! my dear boy! Thank the KIBU you're alright! Don't ever get near this filth ever again, understand?" She then looked up toward the guard which had helped her, "Thank you! You truly are our saviors!"

The guard then replied: "Just doing our job m'am. The KIBU always does their job" the guard took up the oppertunity to pronounce some KIBU propaganda: "The KIBU is always here to serve, we are your protectors"

The trio now had a choice to make. They could continue on their way walking, or use a cab. They spotted a sign which indicated where cabs would wait for their passengers.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Streets...

Rolling her eyes with just the right amount of contempt, Tane swept away from the man, followed quickly by her two servants. Neither side had even touched the other, but his words clearly carried further than any of them knew, because people started to actually look at them, faces contorting into ugly scowls and sneers. Subconsciously they clustered, the two tods hemming in the vixen, and Vulpe could feel his guards tensing, ready to repel an attack. But whatever it was, their status or the mean looks Tane and Iiton were giving out or the sheer hassle of interdicting them, let them permeate through the crowd and finally out onto the street. Away from the masses of people and the starport, Vulpe heaved a sigh of relief, but there was no time for anything else because the other two were hurrying, intent on putting distance between themselves and all of the potential threats behind them.

He'd never experienced that kind of hatred before from so many sides. Of course there'd been other Imperial representatives who'd encountered similar, even to the extent of being kicked out of conferences once or twice due to xenophobia, but nothing like this; it made him feel cold inside, and yet there was a simmering anger there too. Could the Kiruri really deserve that kind of treatment? Vulpe had never pretended to like or agree with the concept of nobility, not even in Kiruri, and he wasn't much of one for displays of wealth, but he'd never had any idea that it had gotten this bad. Where was this all coming from?

He got his answer swiftly. Among all the rundown buildings the great billboards and holograms displayed some of the most blatant propaganda he'd ever seen, and as they walked he couldn't help but stare up at it, uncomprehending. The Kirurian Royals had never exactly seemed like they were "Kiruri of the people" or even particularly populist, but to have this kind of venom spewed at them wasn't anything he would have thought possible before. Seeing the sign depicting the decapitated Kirui made him turn away, stomach roiling as he focused on keeping from being sick. Beside him Tane was staring too.

"<The fuck? Is that even legal?>"

"<It is now,>" Vulpe said, waving a hand at all the KIBU advertisements.

"<Who are those guys?>"

"<I've met the one on the left,>" he lowered his voice. "<He's the director of the Kiruri Imperial Banking Union, and one of Emperor Da'taal's closest advisers. I'm guessing his allegiance has changed...>"

As they got deeper into Mayokia his misgivings about everything deepened as well. Nowhere was the unease more apparent than in Tane and Iiton, their eyes constantly flicking from side to side as they watched all around them, staying alert. The boards were obviously putting thoughts of violence into people's heads, and as the only Kiruri-looking people around they were the prime targets; perhaps the only thing that had saved them so far was the fact that there were three of them and they moved fast. Eyes landing on a Kirurian child on the other side of the street, Vulpe found himself relaxing slightly. If kits like that could be outside by themselves then things couldn't be that bad, could they?

The woman who came after the boy slammed him down so hard he could hear and almost feel flesh smacking against pavement. Gasping, he started to step out towards him, raising a hand before Iiton put his arm out, blocking him from going any further. "<Not our fight, Ambassador,>" he muttered, Tane on his other side making it clear that they'd restrain him if they had to. So he could only watch in growing horror as the scene played out, all of them drawing back a bit as the KIBU cruisers pulled up, less trying to make themselves inconspicuous than completely invisible. Knowing what was going to happen before it did, Vulpe turned away, but even that couldn't block out the bark of the gunshot or the thud of the child's corpse hitting the concrete.

Stumbling into a nearby alleyway, barely seeing anything, he propped himself against a wall, palms splayed against it, and threw up, bile splattering on the ground as he heaved, still able to smell the blood from the killing in his nostrils. Tane stood just back from the mouth of the alley looking out while Iiton had automatically taken up another position on the opposite side, looking down it for any side of intruders and putting himself between Vulpe and the rest of the trash-littered byway. Heaving, Vulpe gagged as much from the smell as anything, but he had nothing left to give; his stomach was empty. Spitting a few times, he wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve and staggered back, the acid taste still in his mouth as he blinked back tears, trying to contain his own reaction. "Oh Emperor...he didn't even take anything and they just killed him..."

Tane glanced back. "That was the most fucked-up thing I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of fucked-up things today."

"<Keep it Kirurian,>" Iiton said, still facing down the alleyway, eyes scanning it.

Breathing heavily, Vulpe faced him. "<We didn't even try to stop it.>"

"<There was a crowd. If we had tried anything we would have had to fend them all off, and then those uniformed thugs would have been all over us.>"

"<They executed a child in the street for no reason,>" he grabbed the other kitsune's shoulder, forcibly turning him around. "<We didn't even try->"

Iiton slammed Vulpe in the chest with both palms, sending him stumbling backwards, arms flailing. Before he could fall the other Xiscapian caught him and, turning quickly, shoved him against the alley wall, pressing up against him with their snouts almost touching. Winded from the blow, the diplomat stared into the soldier's eyes as he gasped for breath, blue on green and fake either way, but his surprise and the Sergeant's flare of anger were both very, very real.

"<Your life is the most important thing,>" he told him, voice still even. "<When we took the assignment to protect you both Corporal Tane and I swore that, if necessary, we would die to protect you. Your life is worth more than either of ours, and if it's worth that, it is worth more than that of a random Kirurian on the street, child or not. Now that all this shit is happening and KIBU would no doubt like very, very badly to get their hands on you, it is imperative that we keep you safe. If that means we have to stand by and do nothing, I'll do that just as readily as I would kill or die for you. And as long as we are in this situation where your life is in danger, I am in charge. Not you. Do you understand me?>"

He looked away, only just getting his air back. "<Yes, Sergeant.>"

"<Good.>" The Imperial Marine stood back, checking up the alleyway again. "<We'll go back out there when the KIBU men are gone and most of the crowd has dispersed. We'll hail a cab and get dropped off a couple blocks away from our destination, then walk the rest of the way. Corporal, let me know when it's clear out there.>"

"<Yes sir.>"

[Kiruri]

The empire was much in the same state as Mayokia. The KIBU practically controlled the population through their highly effective propaganda machine and in many planets they even surpassed the local governments. They operated illegal paramilitaries and police forces allowing themselves the power to enforce their own agenda. In fact, many citizens came to view the KIBU as real protectors, as the legitimate rulers, and as an ideal new government. In their eyes, the KIBU lacked the corruption and bureaucracy of the imperial administration.

The new regime was far too occupied with annihilating all traces of the Da'taal house and with finding the renegade princess that they paid little attention to the events unfolding outside of Kiruria. The megalomaniac Emperor Shizu Ra'teem was too blinded by his paranoia to even notice that his radical actions were fueling the people's hatred toward him and the Kiruri. His very public ordered assassination of key politicians and members of the ruling aristocracy had forced the empire's political class into chaos and terror. All those who at one time supported the Da'taal regime had either abandoned politics and gone into hiding or switched allegiance for fear of ending up on a black list. His Majesty's fear mongering gained him more and more enemies by the day, and his blatant hatred for all things alien fueled the other races' hatred toward the Kiruri.

--.--.--.--.

Imperial City of Mayokia, Streets...

Once the crowd dispersed the trio went on their way. The body of the young Kiruri still motionless in his own pool of blood. Those who passed by angrily mouthed words of hatred toward the child and some smiled at the scene confident it was one less Kiruri. For the moment, though, it seemed no one was going to clean the mess up. To them it was too much of a hassle.

The group caught their cab and they gave the driver their destination. It was quite to their surprise that the cabby was a middle-aged Kiruri. He said to them once the cab had started its voyage: "That's the reason most of us are leaving this place. At least, those that can." Right before the cab reached its objective the Kiruri cabby handed Vulpe a small pamphlet. "Perhaps your mistress might be interesting in considering a donation to the cause". The cab halted and out went the three Xiscapians.

The pamphlet seemed to be about an extremist Kiruri group resident in Mayokia intent on preventing 'an abuse on the righteous people'. The paper didn't explain what exactly the group did to prevent said abuse but did quite well in letting the reader know of their extremist kiruri-centric and xenophobic ideals.

The area they were in was at the opposite side of the spectrum in comparison to what they first saw when they exited the spaceport. The buildings were clean, modern, well maintained. KIBU propaganda abundant as always but aimed at a mostly Kiruri and foreign population. Everyone seemed rich, or at least well-off and the majority of the passersby were Kiruri or of some other alien race. There was a large plaza nearby with an impressive fountain in its middle and in the center of that fountain a large and glorified statue of the director of the KIBU. Kiruri, Mayoki, Human, and other alien children played innocently near the fountain. Young couples sat at the benches laughing and kissing, older couples held hands as they traversed the plaza. The shops were filled with very expensive wares, at prices that seemed quite literally exaggerated. Advertisements showed beautiful Kiruri models wearing the latest fashions. The streets were quite literally spotless. And to think that a world such as this coexisted at a mere distance from one where dirty streets, run-down shops, misery, and assassinations were as commonplace and natural as the air everyone breathed. Quite a few Kiruri Imperial Guards and local policemen blocked the ways into this section of the city, deterring any unwanted citizen from pestering the rich.

The apartment building which housed the trio's hideout was quite the building. It's design was modern, elegant, and luxurious. They made their way toward the apartment with haste and without any hassle from anyone.

The apartment had a beautiful view of the city. It was spacious and filled with all the latest commodities. It was stocked with food, medicine, and other supplies. It only had one bedroom, but it itself could have well been divided into at least three other rooms spacious enough to comfortably fit a twin sized bed.

There was more clothing and more of the same supplies that they had found at the spaceport in order to conceal their true identities. There weren't any weapons nor any documents telling them what to do or any other clue as to what their next move should be. They reasoned they would have to wait at least for a bit.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Streets...

Sitting in the cab in the middle on account of his "mistress" loudly demanding a window seat -a ploy to ensure that the Ambassador got the center seat- Vulpe stared out the windshield of the car as it rolled, just trying to focus on not doing any dry-heaving. The body had still been there, not removed by the men who had created it, and as much as no one else seemed very bothered by it the more he had to clamp down on his own feelings. He barely looked at the pamphlet the cabby handed over, taking it more out of ingrained politeness than out of any real interest, and by the time he'd flipped through it he was trying to figure out what in the universe was wrong with this city. Murderous racists on one side and homicidal speciesists on the other, and it seemed at least one side was quickly losing any restraint it might have once had. As soon as they'd been let out at their destination he dropped the pamphlet in the trash, not even caring if the driver saw.

Looking up and all around at the new place, he was struck by the raw difference in the buildings alone. In the more traditional parts of the Kitsune Empire, where everything was built underground, one part of a city looked pretty much like another, and the only way you could tell the income level was on the inside, but here it was proud and visible from a distance. The people were different too, many more Kirurian like themselves walking the streets and flashing on billboards high above, but he stared at the propaganda here too, which was softer and more cosmopolitan -no decapitations- but just as obvious as in the lower sections. The statue of the director of KIBU just seemed like the natural progression -the bank had tendrils everywhere, the only difference being how it manifested its power. But even looking at the Imperial Guard and police manning their barricades, Vulpe had to wonder how long they would last before KIBU's troops came here too.

Iiton kept them moving, blending seamlessly with the population along the streets until they reached their destination, and inside they were up and entering the suite in less than a minute, so fast that Vulpe never even had time to think about his own fear of heights. By the time he found himself remembering, staring out at the view, Tane was drawing the curtains, plunging the living room into gloom as Iiton swept the place, checking it for traps, bugs and the like as he stalked from room to room, snout turning this way and that. Keeping herself nearby, the vixen couldn't help but look around in spite of herself, and Vulpe could tell she was impressed; this was much higher-class than most Imperial Marines usually interacted with. At long last Iiton pronounced the place clear and ducked into the kitchen, starting to organize their supplies. Wandering into the bedroom, Vulpe settled onto the bed.

"We've got plenty of food, medical supplies, papers and I.D. cards to go with our appearances, more of the paint and stuff, key cards...whoever put us up did a good job," Tane said as she stepped into the room. Even after the long trip from the starport to here she still managed to look like a minor noble, elegant and haughty to the last in her fine dress and practiced movements, not a single motion wasted. "Only one bed, but that's fine, only two of us are going to be sleeping at a time and it's probably best that one of us is always with you," she continued, checking the closet idly. "A whole wardrobe of outfits too. We'll be set for a good long while."

"I didn't come here to take some kind of vacation. Especially not after all of...that..." he waved a hand at the general outside. "What do we do next?"

"Wait," she told him simply. "The people who put us up here will come by eventually. Then we'll start getting a picture of what's going on here, and why KIBU wants you so badly."

[Kiruri]

Imperial City of Mayokia
15 days later...

The situation had gotten significantly worse. Exactly 15 days after the trio had settled into their hideout the Emperor had dismissed the Mayokian viceroy as well as the elected governor (both men quite fond of speciesists policies) and in their stead had decreed that the position of viceroy (a title that now granted full planetary control) would go to a man by the name of Devinice Guilles.

Devinice Guilles was one of the men Vulpe and the others had seen plastered upon most of the KIBU's propaganda. A human born and raised on one of Mayokia's moons and the man behind KIBU's operations here.

The KIBU and its subsidiaries had long held control over Mayokia's political affairs. In time, many of its citizens even came to view the KIBU as the true planetary government. The company itself assumed the role the state tried to play regarding matters such as security. Mr. Guilles' KIBU policies favored those less fortunate; those who were marginalized by the imperial government's kiruri-centric policies, and as such was able to win the favor of a mostly alien population.

The KIBU's actions to secure its "rightful place" in Mayokia had finally accomplished their goal. But they also backfired. In fact, this happened throughout the empire. Their "negative" propaganda brought about a new sentiment among a sector of the empire's more extremist population. A significantly strong group of Mayoki nationalists and separatists was now formed.

The KIBU would soon have to deal with these.

Viceroy Guilles merged the planet's own security force and local police with the KIBU's private army.

As these events unfolded, Vulpe and his guards kept tried to keep themselves as informed as possible. The news constantly warned the population about the dangers of the Da'taal family remnants who had gone into hiding and of Princess Ashika; who was titled a ruthless, merciless traitor set on destroying the empire.

Isolated fights had propped up all around the empire. One such battle occurred on Meto Kiruria. Loyalists sought to capture key imperial advisers but failed. In retaliation, the Emperor blockaded the kiruria system from the rest, granting only KIBU ships and personnel the ability to travel in and out of Kiruria.

Despite these 15 days in hiding, no one had yet come to their aide. No communication with those who had provided their hideout, no communication with anybody.

---------------------------

KIBU Kiruria HQ, Meto Kiruria

Ra's office overlooked the Emperor's Palace. The city was surprisingly busy despite the blockade-of-sorts imposed by His Imperial Highness.

"So...its as I suspected, right?"

Ra spoke without turning toward the door; his sight set on the palace outside his window. The door gave a little thud as it shut and a man's voice responded:

"Without a doubt."

There was a small silence as the man who just entered walked slowly toward Ra. Ra turned around as the other man neared his desk and quickly sat down. He spoke:

"Well... nothing is lost, if anything, this may prove to be to our advantage. We've already made some early contact with them. Have you sent out our convoy to the rendezvous?"

"I have", said the man, "Its on its way as we speak. Maura Siik, the woman you recommended, is in charge of negotiations."

The man handed Ra some documents. They contained various information regarding Vulpe's ongoing search and of Ashika and her band of rebels' base of operations. Ra smiled as he skimmed them. It was apparent the info was what he hoped for.

"Hmmm...." Ra stopped flipping through the papers and settled on one; looking at it intently. "So, Vulpe's exact whereabouts are still unknown?"

The man responded: "Sadly, that dog's whereabouts are unknown. We believe he's been receiving help from a kiruri rebel group located on Mayokia or one of its moons. We do know he's in the Imperial City, possibly on the second or third level of the city's center. I doubt the scoundrel will make it out alive."

Ra laid the documents down and turned to look out his window.

---

Rendezvous Point

Somewhere quite far away from the Empire, awaited a ship and her crew. They were the first from the empire to have traveled so far away from home. They awaited another ship, from another company, that was from a place never before visited or even heard of back in Kiruria. This rendezvous was crucial for the KIBU, it was in the KIBU's best interests, and for a moment, it seemed that it too was in the best interests of this alien company.

The humble ship lay adrift. It was a small cargo ship refitted for such far away travel with the right sensors, shield generators, and weapons. It could, perhaps, stand up to a pirate's ship, but it would never pass as a war vessel.

Maura Siik, Captain Maura Siik, leader of the KIBU's negotiation's delegation looked out at the darkness of space from the ship's bridge. There was something terrifying about being alone in such vast emptiness. She was a tough woman and kept her emotions in check. Captain Siik ordered her crew to man their positions, preparing for possible contact.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Apartment...

"Eventually" was proving to be a long time. After the first couple of days the three had fallen into a kind of routine, which didn't consist of much more than eating, sleeping, keeping tabs on the news and, occasionally, one of them ducking outside to snag a newspaper or check on the situation in the surrounding city block. It was done surreptitiously and usually at night, letting as few people see them as possible, and always by one of the Imperial Marines; Vulpe wasn't allowed outside at all. During that time there was no contact from their mysterious helpers, or indeed anyone at all, not even from the Kitsune Empire, insofar as they had any way to receive interstellar messages. The only information they had from the outside came in the form of broadcasts and papers, which they all quickly learned not to trust.

To pass the time both Iiton and Tane took it upon themselves to start teaching Vulpe the basics of hand-to-hand combat. Though they were there for his protection neither of the other kitsune pulled any punches, and he was always sore, aching and even a little bruised by the end of their sessions of endless strikes, grapples and throws, but he kept at it. If he was in pain he was at least still alive, not just wasting away in this apartment as the revolution went on around them. The time he wasn't getting beaten up by his guards was spent poring over all the information he could get his hands on about the situation outside, no matter from where or how biased it was. He had to read through endless propaganda and lies, but Vulpe was able to piece together a few crucial facts.

Things were getting worse. Mayokia had had a change in government more in line with KIBU policies, represented by one of the corporation's frontmen, Devinice Guilles, taking up the viceroy position. It was a blatant power grab, but no one seemed to mind the way the papers told it, and Vulpe wondered how far it would go before the planet was simply a KIBU subsidy in and of itself...and there were no more Kiruri left anywhere. Already the police, planetary militia and corporate security force were fusing together, and it wasn't difficult to tell why. Mayokian nationalist sentiments were on the rise, and they had no interest in being a part of this new, grand empire that KIBU was forging.

But most important to him was the knowledge that Princess Ashika had not been captured or killed. He was sure it would have been everywhere if the regime had managed to subdue her, but there was no news about her and last he knew she was still at large. Vulpe didn't believe for a second that she was a traitor bent on destroying the empire, at least not the legitimate empire she had known before, but he wondered what she was doing out there. KIBU wanted her badly, even more than him, and every night he fell into bed with Iiton or Tane, bodies wrapped around each other, and thought of her.
Would he ever see her again?

What worried him most was the lack of any reports about the Kitsune Empire. From the sound of it battles had already broken out here and there, including the loyalist defeat at Meto Kiruria, which he didn't know if he could believe or not. But if there had been fighting then his own people had to know about it, at the very least by now his disappearance was evident, and he knew the Imperial Administration wouldn't support KIBU. Yet if that was true then where were they?
Holding on to the hope that he would hear from the Motherland one day, Vulpe waited.

[Kiruri]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Mayokia
21:45 Local Time
20^th Day

Near The Third Level Entrance Into The Ravina Sector

The 20^th day was almost gone. It was night-time now and the city was oddly quiet. The normal bustle of the metropolis and the hustle of the plaza down below the apartment wasn't there. That dead silence evoked an eerily feeling; Is it me or are things too quiet?

It was after a certain hour, just before the sun dipped past the horizon and right before the city lights replaced the once starry night-sky, that the Imperial City began its quiescence. It almost seemed that the beast was dormant, motionless, dead. It was, for a brief moment, peaceful. There was peace despite that ever present eerie feeling that accompanied the desolation. Despite the thunder and lightning and the violent rain, as the droplets hit the building, its windows, and made that calming pitter-patter noice, for a moment, it seemd as if everthing was alright. A nice dark and gloomy feeling overshadowed everything else for a brief second or two.

Tonight was the first time it had rained since the three had arrived. A particularly strong storm had been brewing since the start of the day and the weather section of the local news warned the populace that this time ´round this "mega-storm" of sorts was going to hit many sections of the city hard. Vulpe was right in the middle of the storm's path.

As the storm began to unleash its energy, that along with the city's stillness, made it seemed that the skies were roaring with fury, punishing the evil that ran a muck in the streets. The rain poured hard and chipped away at the buildings' decaying facades. The rain wanted to wash away all the unpardonable sins committed. It tried its best, to no avail.

One of the Xiscapians looked out the window. The Plaza was mostly empty. A parked cruiser here and an AirSpeeder there, and two shady figures exchanging who-knows-what under the dim lights and cold, pouring rain.

A thunderous Zap was heard. It startled Vulpe, at least. Milliseconds after the strange noise a bright yellow flash illuminated the cityscape. It seemed, for a mere second, as if the sun had reappeared, but almost as soon as it appeared did it disappear. In fact, all the lights went away with it.

Looking out the window once more, the Kitsune noticed that all the lights, as far as the eye could see, were suddenly and simultaneously shut off. A sector-wide power-outage?

Three heavy knocks, one right after the other, were heard. It was here! Someone was knocking at their door and before anyone could react, three more, exactly alike, were heard.

[Kiruri]

Club Fremde, South Ravina Sector
20:30 Local Time
20^th Day

Rendezvous Outside Club Fremde. Diraan Tohr awaits Lina Mey

"Ravina, the slums' best entertainment district."

Lina smirked, "The empire's finest cheap alcohol, rundown brothels, drug dens, crime-ridden pubs, and shady clubs, only in Ravina." She inched closer to him, mostly because she was trying to avoid, at all costs, the water drips from the city levels above.

"So, Lina, today's the night, right?" Diraan, the 30 year old human male with dark brown hair and green eyes spoke in a hushed tone of voice despite the fact nobody would care what he was talking about nor was there anyone reasonably close to hear them.

Lina, on the other hand, spoke in her normal tone. Her voice, far louder than his but still hushed, almost startled him: "Do you really have to ask? Of course it is..." Lina looked behind her, toward Fremde's entrance. "Fremde's in it too. We'll be coming back here. If we're to leave Mayokia, we'll first have to leave the city. What better way than through her ancient rivers?"

"Best way to go unnoticed..." Diraan breathed in deeply, then he sighed: "We're not the only ones that know The Rivers are the best way to smuggle in and out of the City. There's more than one unwanted fellow out and about, traversing the same path we're forced to walk. No chance of going through the lower levels?"

"And risk KIBU's random and unpredictable round-ups, check-points, and constant patrolling? You know we have no other choice. Anyway..." Lina looked back once more, she continued talking while her gaze was set on the club's entrance: "we'll get rewarded handsomely for this job. Just..just be ready. I'll meet you on the surface, near Ravina's entrance, the Third Level one, in one hour..." She started walking toward the club, looking back at Diraan once; "just have my ride ready, will ya?" She flashed him her famous"it'll all be good" smiles. Diraan nodded and went on his way.

[Xiscapia]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Apartment...

"Back."

Stumbling into the bedroom where Tane had pushed him, Vulpe found himself crouching on the floor as if by magic. His eyes had grown wide and luminous in the nearly complete darkness, ears quivering high on his head as the next series of knocks came, the only thing he could hear apart from the rain on the windowpanes and his own heavy breathing. Could the power outage and the presence of someone at the door possibly be a coincidence? He could just barely make out Tane's shape in front of him where she crouched on the floor, tail between her legs, utterly still and alert. She'd put herself between him and the rest of the apartment, leaving only the window at his back -the window that would have to be the only exit if worse came to worst.

Vulpe couldn't see or even hear him, but he knew Iiton was near the door, at least he'd been in the kitchen when the power had gone out. Now it seemed the soldier had moved, because he called out: "Who is it?" He sensed the kitsune moving more than anything, vacating his previous position in case the person on the other side shot through the door at him, and he could imagine his guard assuming a position in cover, waiting for the sign that would have him attack, retreat, open the door or otherwise. Vulpe found himself holding his breath as he waited for the response. Either their mysterious benefactors or the government had found them. This was the moment of truth.

Imperial Palace, Xiscapia...

Folding her hands in her lap, the Vanadict waited patiently. As the Kitsune Empire's Chief Ambassadress and the head of the Diplomatic Corps she wouldn't normally be the one to do something as mundane and banal as check up on individual Ambassadors, even promising ones like Imperial Ambassador Vulpe, but this wasn't a normal situation. The Xiscapian representative to the Kirurian Empire had failed to check in at the assigned time, and though the Kirurian transport reported as having arrived it seemed like no one knew where the kitsune had actually ended up. Then the officials of the Diplomatic Corps started getting conflicting reports: he was touring a distant, isolated part of Mayokia and was out of contact. He'd taken ill and was under the care of a group of the finest medical professionals, and said medical professionals assured them that all was well without actually being able to get Vulpe to give them his personal assurances. He was off with Princess Ashika and had asked not to be disturbed -a story that had briefly sent a scandalous flutter through the Corps. And so on.

But these lies were bumping up against other, more disturbing kinds of news. Xiscapian's spymasters in the Imperial Intelligence Department hadn't had the time, resources or will to set up a very extensive network in the Kirurian Empire, but now it seemed that every single one of their informants, sources and snoops had fallen off the grid -simultaneously. Then there were confirmed reports of Xiscapian merchant vessels being turned away from Kirurian ports before they could get close, citing expanded "restriction zones" and traders even being kicked out in the middle of deals, much to their dismay. Corporate and individual demands had weighed heavily on the Diplomatic Corps, but contact had been tried repeatedly with no avail. Until now.

It seemed she'd finally gotten through to them, or, at least, gotten through to someone. The man she had first spoken to seemed to have recognized her, and promised to route her transmission. The Vanadict had waited patiently, watching the reflection of her own pale skin and wine-red hair in the mirror of the viewscreen. Eventually someone she could talk to was going to replace it. She didn't think whoever ended up on the other end was going to do anything more than lie to her, but she was a diplomat: she didn't need the truth to get answers.
Sometimes a lie told all the truth one needed.

[Kiruri]

Imperial City of Mayokia, Mayokia
21:55 Local Time
20^th Day

"We're here on behalf of her majesty, Empress Ashika. Hurry up and open the damn door if you wanna leave this hell-hole planet. We've got little time." She waited a brief second before continuing, not allowing the person behind the door time to respond until she was done with what she wanted to say: "Take this into consideration... who else would know you're here, Vulpe?" She knocked again in the same pattern as before only harder.
"Make it snappy damn it... we ain't got all night and the bombs will be above us if you don't get moving...Open up!" She knocked again, harder.

---

Main KIBU HQ, Meto Kiruria

Long before the coronation of Emperor Shizu Ra'teem, during the reign of Moeurk Da'taal, when the Kiruri decided to open the nation's borders, the Foreign Affairs department was completely handled by the KIBU. They sought total control of the empire's international relations under the guise of "securing the nation's commercial interests" and before the end of Moeurk's reign the KIBU got it.

...

"Madam?"

A frail whisper broke Mora Ví's train of thought. She was meditating, as she always did, in the dimly lit, almost pitch black, "cave" of a room she called office. Mora was a religious zealot of sorts, interested in the extinct traditions and cults of her people. In her spare time she visited the ancient ruins that covered her ancestral homeworld.

Right in the center of her "cave", she sat. Legs crossed. Here eyes were shut and her face expressionless. The lack of light made her almost seem as if she were the statue of some ancient unknown goddess.

She opened one eye, looking for the source of the "whisper" that dared disturb her religious rites. As soon as she found it she closed it, dismissing it as something of little importance, an annoyance.

Without the slightest change in her emotionless face she spoke: "What is it? Why have you disrupted my meditation? Your reason better be good, boy."

The man at the door stuttered as he mustered the words to give his boss what would, undoubtedly, be bad news: "I..I..I mean no disrespect, bu..b..but it would s..seem that a v..very important Xiscapain diplomat is requesting an a...au..d...dience with you. She inquires a..about V..vu..vulpe."

Mora opened both her eyes and a faint smirk could be distinguished: "Audience granted. I'll be a moment."

The frail messenger bowed and hurriedly ran back to inform the others.
---

The screen flickered on. Mora Ví was standing in position. The cameras and other apparatuses were on and in a moment they began transmitting.

A petty officer was the first to greet The Vanadict. He informed her that an audience was granted with the Head of the Empire's Diplomacy, Mora Ví. The screen switched to show Mora. She was dressed in an all grey KIBU uniform. Her black hair was tied back and her face was her customary expressionless.

"Yes?" She said with a harsh voice.

[Xiscapia]

Deepest apologies for the long wait. If I ever give a long delay like that again please feel free to TG me.

Imperial City of Mayokia, Apartment...

Vulpe felt his breath catch in his throat when he heard the person behind the door say his name. He still wasn't sure if he believed that they were a friend, but either way they knew he was here. No one would have come to the apartment in the middle of the night without a reasonably good suspicion that he was here. It also occurred to him that if it was the government they probably wouldn't have bothered knocking. But he still didn't move, knowing that Iiton was no doubt having similar thoughts.

He barely heard the Imperial Marine moving in the gloom, and just the barest haze of light fell onto him where he was kneeling behind the counter, keeping the kitchen between him the door. The tod had yanked on a string, opening the front door a few inches with the connection, tense as he waited for the grenade or hail of gunfire that would come through if the intruder was trying to kill him. A few seconds passed and he finally spoke again, not so much as lifting his head from cover as he sniffed the air for the scent of anyone or anything that could be outside. "Enter, slowly. If you have friends with you they can stay outside. Who are you?"

Imperial Palace, Xiscapia...

"Yes?"

The Vanadict blinked. Xiscapians in general were not really known for their politeness, but her position and her own respectful treatment of people usually got some manners out of her fellows, to say nothing of foreigners. Particularly foreign Heads of Diplomacy in positions roughly equivalent to her own. The vixen's surprise was momentary, however, and well-hidden at that. A smile automatically came to her face, and she rose and bowed to Mora Ví before settling back into her seat with her hands folded.

"Head Ví," she greeted her with an incline of her head. "Thank you for taking my call. I know it must be an inconvenient time for you. How are things? Foreign Affairs are not too tiring, I hope?"