Everqueen (Warhammer 30K)
- Thread starter Ashynarr
- Start date
SKsniper128
22050 kg of ordinance per minute
You think a mere thing like 384,400 km will stop the GEoM when he's sufficiently determined about something?
Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
Most of the information I found on the matter said the Primarchs were hidden deep in his labs in the Himalazians, so Sky and I are rolling with that. Better to keep them close and all that, especially if you suspect someone will try to take them.
- Location
- United States, CA
The Emperor used information he had... acquired from Lunar Gene-smiths to aid in the Primarch's development, but they were born/grown/produced on Terra.
(6)
Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
(6)
Including the new routine of putting down the information behind her work on the tablets wasn't much trouble, besides the usual concern of not quite being able to explain everything to the detail she knew subconsciously. Even with the new terminology she had at hand, her awareness of just how much humanity had never explored, or at least did not remember exploring, was made all the more stark to her through what words she was not able to acquire, each hole requiring another adjustment to her estimations and ability to be concise.
The equipment that used to be in the laboratory had all been taken away after her (in hindsight, rather pointed) admission that she could in fact alter their functionality to an unknown degree. The fact that she hadn't actually thought to do that probably didn't change the fact that the equipment had likely been destroyed as all the other small projects she had worked on.
The Emperor sometimes spoke to her while she was working on his assignments, slowing down her work enough to explain each of the parallel processes she was weaving to make the whole functional and even occasionally why. It had started with the clarification of the changes her formulas induced in his thunder warriors, and then a bit into her more involved theoretical designs, and then had somehow moved on to just about anything that involved geneweaving.
He had proven intelligent and attentive, making certain he could follow every step of her work if not the magnitude of detail of her thought processes, both conscious and otherwise, going through countless theoreticals with her that oftentimes ran for hours past when he obviously intended for her to return to her rooms. She even managed to catch him lowering his guard a few times, unconsciously allowing some of his genuine interest and traces of enthusiasm to leak through, though she thought that anyone else would have missed it from how in control of himself he tried to be at all times around her.
...Not that she had any room to speak with how tightly controlled she reigned in her own emotions and psychic aura at all times so as to avoid any… misunderstandings. He probably hadn't ever had someone around who was as in tune with the warp and its nature as he was before - or any sort of match to his skills in general - and so wasn't used to entirely hiding himself from someone who was capable of seeing through his psychic aura to the actual man underneath like she could. Isha doubted even his advisor Malcador saw through more than a fraction of the facade the guardian of humanity wore around himself like clothing, a habit that probably hadn't helped his ability to relate to the rest of his people that much.
The only thing she could really consider a bit uncomfortable about the current state of affairs was the presence of the Sigillite in a few more of these meetings than before. It wasn't that the man was a threat to her even in this state - not when she could discreetly call on root and wraithbone faster than his reactions suggested he could strike - but the fact that his emotions were not so easily concealed from her as the Emperor's were made her somewhat more aware of him in the peripheral of her eyes and mind.
The mistrust was obvious enough that she was mostly sure he wasn't actually trying to do more than the bare minimum to hide it, perhaps out of propriety or simply following the Emperor's judgement on the matter. She couldn't be sure if it was a personal distrust of her or of her people in general, but in either case, Isha felt no particular need to try and reach out to him when they had nothing to talk about. It wasn't like she couldn't imagine a few dozen reasons for it without thinking about it, and nothing she could say would do anything more than her efforts so far had.
The new routine she was living in was working out, and she was feeling less and less of the weight above her head that pushed her to dance a fine line of expectations and judgements. She could almost consider herself satisfied, at least when the massive number of issues the future had in wait for her wasn't creeping around the back of her mind and reminding her of her primary goals.
She didn't feel the shockwave of the warp herself, so much as she felt its effects on the wards. The room shuddered, the normally pristine net of psychic weaving ruffled and wrinkled and frayed as it was thrown out of alignment by the outside force. Isha froze in the middle of her detailing of the latest theoretical posed to her by the Emperor, waiting for some form of follow up, or even an explanation, but neither came even as the hours crept by. Even the normal arrival of a servant bringing meals was absent, leaving her alone with an increasingly concerning list of what happened and no way to obtain information.
The brief thought of opening the doors and asking the guards what had happened almost startled a laugh from her, because there was no way that that situation would end well for her. Her fingers unclenched from around the tablet, the slight indents left by her fingers going unnoticed as she forced herself to set it down. Her attention turned back to the wards above her, each damaged area standing out in her mind vividly after months of being used to the usual uniformity of it all, and she realized that it would be entirely possible for her to press her own power into those cracks and open them up, perhaps reach into the outside world and obtain answers herself.
Part of her wanted to do it, the part that craved the moments of freedom she got while in the laboratory or speaking with the Emperor. The rest of her recoiled, because she didn't know what had caused the damage in the first place, and she had come here in the first place for very specific and warp related reasons. It would be beyond foolish to break the wards, anger the Emperor and risk her own safety just for a short reprieve from something she'd spent more than a local solar cycle getting used to.
She forced her breathing to even out, her mind racing through all the wraithbone weaponry and armor she could summon at the first sign of any danger. The song to make it all appear at once danced on the edge of her mind and tongue, each layer being refined again and again to include each piece, the crafting of a war melody enough to distract her for the next few suspected days while she continued to watch the flaws in the barrier and the massive doors to her room alike. A few hours after the initial attack, she sensed the Emperor's powers reach out and repair the wards, or rather, place another layer of his power over them. It was swifter and cruder than the previous arrangement, but no less effective. Still, no one came to speak to her, not even the usual servants bearing food or guards demanding her presence for their liege.
On the fifth day of her vigil, the doors opened, the Emperor storming in with his emotional turmoil barely constrained around him. His presence seeped into the wards and around the room, making Isha feel smaller for just a moment as her instincts screamed at her that she was in danger before she forced herself to calm down and straighten her spine. She had done nothing wrong, and she would not let him accuse her otherwise even in his current state.
"I would presume that the worst danger has passed?" She asked, watching as his powers started prodding at his wards, likely looking for any signs of her tampering while they were still incomplete and ragged.
A bit more of his attention turned to her, and she could see him force his temper back to a point where anyone else would have thought him perfectly calm, though it only served to highlight to her just how much he must have been feeling. "Danger?"
Isha waved a hand up towards the wards that were even now slowly being slid back into place, their usual suppressive weight growing and adding to his own overbearing aura. "Whatever put the wards in that state was nothing that could be considered weak, and since nothing that would do that would be pleasant news for either of us, I can only assume you've resolved the issue enough for your priorities to finally come around to me."
He temporarily paused in his efforts to fix the wards, some of the weight ebbing away. "You presumed you were in danger?"
"I didn't presume anything," she replied. "I decided that the last five days would be better spent waiting for whatever information you would choose to offer on the matter."
"It has been eight days," he corrected. She winced slightly - it seemed her sense of time had been thrown off by the lack of routine and her own self-defense preparations. "You didn't attempt to peer past the wards?" His question sounded more like a statement.
"No, I did not."
The silence was awkward after that, the Emperor turning some more of his attention back to his repair work on the wards, quickly realigning them. When the last segment slid into place, she sighed and let the last of the warsong fade to the back of her mind, still there if she needed to call on it, but otherwise no longer the most pressing matter at hand.
"There will be changes to the nature of our discussions," The Emperor told her, feeling less like a barely contained storm as his attention turned fully to her. "Your other projects will remain mostly unchanged."
"What sort of changes should I expect?" She asked.
"More focus on practical applications, leaning towards designs and concepts that are best suited for multiple kinds of foe with a single template. There will also be greater emphasis on maximising speed of production without sacrificing quality and ensuring the pool of candidates is not limited by age."
Ah, so he was preparing for his new generation of gene-crafted warriors. "And you trust me to help with that?"
His smile was thin. "No, I am merely consulting you due to your familiarity with such things."
Isha should have expected as such, even while she was wondering why he was bothering when he had all her modification designs already. "Were the designs from the tablet not to your liking?"
"They simply do not fit with the plans I have in mind," he replied. "The psychic focus, for one, seems somewhat insufficient for my needs."
(-highest potential among all candidate species-)
Isha did not let herself react, even as she replied slowly, "I would recommend psychic resistance over sensitivity."
"What brings you to that conclusion?" He asked, voice deceptively calm even as she sensed just a hint of anticipation, enough to put her back on edge, because this had to be a test, but what kind she didn't even know-
(-further modification required to obtain sufficient resonance for deployment-)
"Your species is not naturally hypersensitive to the warp in the way of the Eldar," she said, shifting back and straightening her shoulders. "And I've noticed some genetic traits among my patients that could lead to heightened resistance to the warp with the right sort of encouragement. While having some number of warp sensitive warriors among your armies is sensible, considering the nature of our mutual enemies, it would play better to the strength of your people to try and make them less at risk of dealing with psychic influence of any kind."
"You say that as if warp resistance is an easy thing to integrate into an already developed soul," the Emperor replied. "And I doubt you would approve of any design that would put your own species at a disadvantage."
(-cooperation is irrelevant to our plans-)
Isha couldn't entirely keep the brief welling of distaste suppressed. "My approval is irrelevant on the matter."
The Emperor said nothing in response to that, Isha barely catching the flicker of several things that could have been curiousity or annoyance before he pulled them back and nodded once. "The next time I call on you, I would like to know what methods you have of enhancing warp resistance. Will you need more datapads?"
"No, what I have will suffice," she replied.
He turned and walked back out of the room, the doors shutting with a near silence that felt unbefitting to the welling frustration currently creeping up under her skin. She knew his species was far too young to be anything more than fortunately late growth of the seeds left behind by the Old Ones ages ago, but sometimes-
Isha exhaled, pushing the comparison from her mind, pulling up the genetic sequencing for a flower that had once grown on the Eldar homeworld, a broad-red-petaled species that had grown in the mountains that her people had used as a numbing agent for wounds and childbirth in ages long past. The temptation to make it grow and bloom from her hand, to have something to cradle between her fingers, was outweighed by the mental image of the blossom crushed between cold fingers and dropped at her feet.
She wished she could remember what her people had called it back then.
Including the new routine of putting down the information behind her work on the tablets wasn't much trouble, besides the usual concern of not quite being able to explain everything to the detail she knew subconsciously. Even with the new terminology she had at hand, her awareness of just how much humanity had never explored, or at least did not remember exploring, was made all the more stark to her through what words she was not able to acquire, each hole requiring another adjustment to her estimations and ability to be concise.
The equipment that used to be in the laboratory had all been taken away after her (in hindsight, rather pointed) admission that she could in fact alter their functionality to an unknown degree. The fact that she hadn't actually thought to do that probably didn't change the fact that the equipment had likely been destroyed as all the other small projects she had worked on.
The Emperor sometimes spoke to her while she was working on his assignments, slowing down her work enough to explain each of the parallel processes she was weaving to make the whole functional and even occasionally why. It had started with the clarification of the changes her formulas induced in his thunder warriors, and then a bit into her more involved theoretical designs, and then had somehow moved on to just about anything that involved geneweaving.
He had proven intelligent and attentive, making certain he could follow every step of her work if not the magnitude of detail of her thought processes, both conscious and otherwise, going through countless theoreticals with her that oftentimes ran for hours past when he obviously intended for her to return to her rooms. She even managed to catch him lowering his guard a few times, unconsciously allowing some of his genuine interest and traces of enthusiasm to leak through, though she thought that anyone else would have missed it from how in control of himself he tried to be at all times around her.
...Not that she had any room to speak with how tightly controlled she reigned in her own emotions and psychic aura at all times so as to avoid any… misunderstandings. He probably hadn't ever had someone around who was as in tune with the warp and its nature as he was before - or any sort of match to his skills in general - and so wasn't used to entirely hiding himself from someone who was capable of seeing through his psychic aura to the actual man underneath like she could. Isha doubted even his advisor Malcador saw through more than a fraction of the facade the guardian of humanity wore around himself like clothing, a habit that probably hadn't helped his ability to relate to the rest of his people that much.
The only thing she could really consider a bit uncomfortable about the current state of affairs was the presence of the Sigillite in a few more of these meetings than before. It wasn't that the man was a threat to her even in this state - not when she could discreetly call on root and wraithbone faster than his reactions suggested he could strike - but the fact that his emotions were not so easily concealed from her as the Emperor's were made her somewhat more aware of him in the peripheral of her eyes and mind.
The mistrust was obvious enough that she was mostly sure he wasn't actually trying to do more than the bare minimum to hide it, perhaps out of propriety or simply following the Emperor's judgement on the matter. She couldn't be sure if it was a personal distrust of her or of her people in general, but in either case, Isha felt no particular need to try and reach out to him when they had nothing to talk about. It wasn't like she couldn't imagine a few dozen reasons for it without thinking about it, and nothing she could say would do anything more than her efforts so far had.
The new routine she was living in was working out, and she was feeling less and less of the weight above her head that pushed her to dance a fine line of expectations and judgements. She could almost consider herself satisfied, at least when the massive number of issues the future had in wait for her wasn't creeping around the back of her mind and reminding her of her primary goals.
She didn't feel the shockwave of the warp herself, so much as she felt its effects on the wards. The room shuddered, the normally pristine net of psychic weaving ruffled and wrinkled and frayed as it was thrown out of alignment by the outside force. Isha froze in the middle of her detailing of the latest theoretical posed to her by the Emperor, waiting for some form of follow up, or even an explanation, but neither came even as the hours crept by. Even the normal arrival of a servant bringing meals was absent, leaving her alone with an increasingly concerning list of what happened and no way to obtain information.
The brief thought of opening the doors and asking the guards what had happened almost startled a laugh from her, because there was no way that that situation would end well for her. Her fingers unclenched from around the tablet, the slight indents left by her fingers going unnoticed as she forced herself to set it down. Her attention turned back to the wards above her, each damaged area standing out in her mind vividly after months of being used to the usual uniformity of it all, and she realized that it would be entirely possible for her to press her own power into those cracks and open them up, perhaps reach into the outside world and obtain answers herself.
Part of her wanted to do it, the part that craved the moments of freedom she got while in the laboratory or speaking with the Emperor. The rest of her recoiled, because she didn't know what had caused the damage in the first place, and she had come here in the first place for very specific and warp related reasons. It would be beyond foolish to break the wards, anger the Emperor and risk her own safety just for a short reprieve from something she'd spent more than a local solar cycle getting used to.
She forced her breathing to even out, her mind racing through all the wraithbone weaponry and armor she could summon at the first sign of any danger. The song to make it all appear at once danced on the edge of her mind and tongue, each layer being refined again and again to include each piece, the crafting of a war melody enough to distract her for the next few suspected days while she continued to watch the flaws in the barrier and the massive doors to her room alike. A few hours after the initial attack, she sensed the Emperor's powers reach out and repair the wards, or rather, place another layer of his power over them. It was swifter and cruder than the previous arrangement, but no less effective. Still, no one came to speak to her, not even the usual servants bearing food or guards demanding her presence for their liege.
On the fifth day of her vigil, the doors opened, the Emperor storming in with his emotional turmoil barely constrained around him. His presence seeped into the wards and around the room, making Isha feel smaller for just a moment as her instincts screamed at her that she was in danger before she forced herself to calm down and straighten her spine. She had done nothing wrong, and she would not let him accuse her otherwise even in his current state.
"I would presume that the worst danger has passed?" She asked, watching as his powers started prodding at his wards, likely looking for any signs of her tampering while they were still incomplete and ragged.
A bit more of his attention turned to her, and she could see him force his temper back to a point where anyone else would have thought him perfectly calm, though it only served to highlight to her just how much he must have been feeling. "Danger?"
Isha waved a hand up towards the wards that were even now slowly being slid back into place, their usual suppressive weight growing and adding to his own overbearing aura. "Whatever put the wards in that state was nothing that could be considered weak, and since nothing that would do that would be pleasant news for either of us, I can only assume you've resolved the issue enough for your priorities to finally come around to me."
He temporarily paused in his efforts to fix the wards, some of the weight ebbing away. "You presumed you were in danger?"
"I didn't presume anything," she replied. "I decided that the last five days would be better spent waiting for whatever information you would choose to offer on the matter."
"It has been eight days," he corrected. She winced slightly - it seemed her sense of time had been thrown off by the lack of routine and her own self-defense preparations. "You didn't attempt to peer past the wards?" His question sounded more like a statement.
"No, I did not."
The silence was awkward after that, the Emperor turning some more of his attention back to his repair work on the wards, quickly realigning them. When the last segment slid into place, she sighed and let the last of the warsong fade to the back of her mind, still there if she needed to call on it, but otherwise no longer the most pressing matter at hand.
"There will be changes to the nature of our discussions," The Emperor told her, feeling less like a barely contained storm as his attention turned fully to her. "Your other projects will remain mostly unchanged."
"What sort of changes should I expect?" She asked.
"More focus on practical applications, leaning towards designs and concepts that are best suited for multiple kinds of foe with a single template. There will also be greater emphasis on maximising speed of production without sacrificing quality and ensuring the pool of candidates is not limited by age."
Ah, so he was preparing for his new generation of gene-crafted warriors. "And you trust me to help with that?"
His smile was thin. "No, I am merely consulting you due to your familiarity with such things."
Isha should have expected as such, even while she was wondering why he was bothering when he had all her modification designs already. "Were the designs from the tablet not to your liking?"
"They simply do not fit with the plans I have in mind," he replied. "The psychic focus, for one, seems somewhat insufficient for my needs."
(-highest potential among all candidate species-)
Isha did not let herself react, even as she replied slowly, "I would recommend psychic resistance over sensitivity."
"What brings you to that conclusion?" He asked, voice deceptively calm even as she sensed just a hint of anticipation, enough to put her back on edge, because this had to be a test, but what kind she didn't even know-
(-further modification required to obtain sufficient resonance for deployment-)
"Your species is not naturally hypersensitive to the warp in the way of the Eldar," she said, shifting back and straightening her shoulders. "And I've noticed some genetic traits among my patients that could lead to heightened resistance to the warp with the right sort of encouragement. While having some number of warp sensitive warriors among your armies is sensible, considering the nature of our mutual enemies, it would play better to the strength of your people to try and make them less at risk of dealing with psychic influence of any kind."
"You say that as if warp resistance is an easy thing to integrate into an already developed soul," the Emperor replied. "And I doubt you would approve of any design that would put your own species at a disadvantage."
(-cooperation is irrelevant to our plans-)
Isha couldn't entirely keep the brief welling of distaste suppressed. "My approval is irrelevant on the matter."
The Emperor said nothing in response to that, Isha barely catching the flicker of several things that could have been curiousity or annoyance before he pulled them back and nodded once. "The next time I call on you, I would like to know what methods you have of enhancing warp resistance. Will you need more datapads?"
"No, what I have will suffice," she replied.
He turned and walked back out of the room, the doors shutting with a near silence that felt unbefitting to the welling frustration currently creeping up under her skin. She knew his species was far too young to be anything more than fortunately late growth of the seeds left behind by the Old Ones ages ago, but sometimes-
Isha exhaled, pushing the comparison from her mind, pulling up the genetic sequencing for a flower that had once grown on the Eldar homeworld, a broad-red-petaled species that had grown in the mountains that her people had used as a numbing agent for wounds and childbirth in ages long past. The temptation to make it grow and bloom from her hand, to have something to cradle between her fingers, was outweighed by the mental image of the blossom crushed between cold fingers and dropped at her feet.
She wished she could remember what her people had called it back then.
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Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
AN: More worldbuilding is always fun, both in terms of what things were like on Old Terra pre-Unification and what's happening with the Eldar as a whole. This is a bit of both, and I hope what base I'm laying out will pay out well down the line for both sides of the equation.
Also, I am totally hyped by some of the stuff to come from that pre-Unification book, especially the vindication in my characterization of the Emperor. Other stuff, well, I consider Warhammer canon to be more about suggestions than hardset rules.
Also, I am totally hyped by some of the stuff to come from that pre-Unification book, especially the vindication in my characterization of the Emperor. Other stuff, well, I consider Warhammer canon to be more about suggestions than hardset rules.
- Location
- Scotland
AN: More worldbuilding is always fun, both in terms of what things were like on Old Terra pre-Unification and what's happening with the Eldar as a whole. This is a bit of both, and I hope what base I'm laying out will pay out well down the line for both sides of the equation.
Also, I am totally hyped by some of the stuff to come from that pre-Unification book, especially the vindication in my characterization of the Emperor. Other stuff, well, I consider Warhammer canon to be more about suggestions than hardset rules.
Definitely waiting for more. The fic has really hit its pace with characterisation.
Other stuff, well, I consider Warhammer canon to be more about suggestions than hardset rules.
I'm glad to hear that.
I enjoy the tension you're building between the Emperor and his first peer. The byplay of power and the academic atmosphere remind me of romantic classics like The King and I.
Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
Thank you! I'm really hoping to flesh out Isha and the Emperor as I go along, because they're both the ultimate culminations of their peoples and a step or two outside of them, which is a really unique dynamic to play with in how they plan on handling future events.
Yeah, it's easier to just roll with what best works with the story than to force everything to fit right into the books, especially with the stuff that contradicts each other.
I'm glad! Such old beings with such similar end goals and yet such different values and mindsets when going about it... that's the best sort of introspection fuel one can hope for. This won't end up as a romance, but I hope that the respect they build for each other will come off as realistic for the setting.
I just want to smooch them together and go "now kiss" at this point.Thank you! I'm really hoping to flesh out Isha and the Emperor as I go along, because they're both the ultimate culminations of their peoples and a step or two outside of them, which is a really unique dynamic to play with in how they plan on handling future events.
Yeah, it's easier to just roll with what best works with the story than to force everything to fit right into the books, especially with the stuff that contradicts each other.
I'm glad! Such old beings with such similar end goals and yet such different values and mindsets when going about it... that's the best sort of introspection fuel one can hope for. This won't end up as a romance, but I hope that the respect they build for each other will come off as realistic for the setting.
I await the creation of the "high eldar" faction who escape their fate by sheltering under the Emperor's prescience in the warp. "The choice is to be effed by Slannesh for all of eternity or effed by the Emperor of Mankind for all eternity, and if it's good enough for our goddess, it's good enough for me."
Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
Sadly, I'm still not going to put them into a romantic relationship in the main story. There's two other Isha Flees to Terra threads for the romance stuff.
- Location
- Over the hill and far away
Well then my goodness, where are you going with this?
Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
........friendship???? Mutual respect????? literally people of any combination of genders can interact without wanting to smooch or have sex????????? What are you expecting here????????
- Location
- Over the hill and far away
I mean not to put too fine a point on it but you did call the story "everqueen" so unless the god emperor is planning gender reassignment it has a rather obvious implication.
She's not queen of the elder, she's not queen of mankind, nobody is going to crown her, the emperor isn't going to trust her with an independent power base... so the only way to take up that mantle is marriage.
It's like titling the story "super chef" and being surprised the readers expect food to be involved.
She's not queen of the elder, she's not queen of mankind, nobody is going to crown her, the emperor isn't going to trust her with an independent power base... so the only way to take up that mantle is marriage.
It's like titling the story "super chef" and being surprised the readers expect food to be involved.
Or it could be a reference to the other Warhammer setting where the female leader of the high elves is called the Everqueen.
Another Isha image
Solarion
For Light and Life
- Location
- From Cybertron
So, we found some fan-art of an OC Farseer that fits our vision of Isha better.
It's still not perfect, her eyes and the gems on the outfit should be green, her hair a more vibrant shade of red and a sword isn't really Isha's thing, but close enough.
This is the original art, credit to LPVictoria over on DeviantArt.
This is the original art, credit to LPVictoria over on DeviantArt.
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(7)
Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
(7)
Despite his claim otherwise, Isha caught him referencing back to pieces of her various offerings more than a few times during their discussions. It seemed that he was taking the need for adaptability in the field seriously, throwing out alteration concepts and incomplete systems that she would then prod into completion, explaining why certain aspects wouldn't work or would be less effective than hoped or would overtax other parts of the body.
It was also clear that he was trying to hide what he was aiming to get out of this, presumably in order to make sure she couldn't unfairly manipulate the systems he seemed to already be aiming towards. His ideas would range from the menial to the exotic, sometimes even going over contradictory concepts in the same work period, and many times they sounded to her more like the idle musings of their earlier gene-weaving discussions than the readily applicable practicalities he stated he wanted to focus on.
Isha was not one to be blind to what his aims were, even if he was doing his best to conceal which concepts most had his attention on any particular day. The first sign was his increased focus on modular additions and adjustments over a wholesale systematic overhaul like her formulas, and the second his continued interest in her thoughts on the limits of enhancement for the various subdivisions of the human body: which elements and compounds would integrate most effectively with the skeletal structure, what adjustments to the muscular fibers would keep the normal waste buildup to a minimum, the best balance between synaptic speed and the risk of hypersensitivity from too much simulation.
(Some mistakes did not need to be repeated.)
Despite his efforts, Isha slowly began to piece together the ideal warrior he seemed to have in mind. Mostly it came from a mix of judging his emotional state during their talks, identifying which of the conversations had the most balanced mix of energy consumption and resilience to effectiveness, and the fallback reminders of once being a part of and yet separate from the experimental stage of creating an entirely new breed of gene-engineered warriors.
Isha shook her head minutely, closing her eyes as she dipped her head slightly to hide her face behind the rich red locks of hair. Her fingers dug deep into the soil she had been given to work on today, her inner turmoil being mashed into the granules and ancient clay as she reminded herself that there was a significant difference - the Emperor, for all he made a show of being dismissive, clearly placed a not insignificant degree of value upon her words and opinions.
Then again, considering she was in the strange place between a monopoly on information about the theory and a dearth of information on how that theory was being applied, perhaps she was overestimating her overall input in whatever came out of his laboratories.
"You're frustrated."
Isha didn't pause in her stirring, prodding at some microfauna to see what sort of biome balance she had to work with. "I suppose I am."
She couldn't see his contemplative gaze, but she could feel the weight of his attention shift a bit more towards her and away from whatever inner contemplation had been occupying him. "Have you decided our hospitality is insufficient?"
"No," she replied, one hand reaching up to tuck her hair back behind her ears. The slight drag of the soil smeared into her hair was soothing, and she couldn't keep herself from rubbing some more off of her hand into it before the hand came back down to dig back in. "I have no complaints on the matter."
"Perhaps you feel bored with the projects you've been working on?" He continued to prod idly, no doubt starting to treat this as another test. It didn't feel quite as biting as his previous tests, though, so perhaps it wasn't one?
"No, they've been engaging enough for me."
"Then perhaps," the Emperor said, tone still even and calm. "You find some dissatisfaction in your limited input into my gene projects."
"Not at all." Isha continued to work, the entire microbiome of the soil coming together into harmony and nurturing the soil into something that could resist dry conditions while maintaining its acidic balance. "I can tell you've been reading through and listening to my words, even if you don't plan on using most of it. Whatever design you settle on will no doubt be sufficient for your needs."
The Emperor hummed quietly, not responding immediately. "Your minor bursts of irritation and frustration only became regular after the change to our discussions. Even by your people's logic, there has to be some correlation between the events."
Isha turned her head enough to look at the Emperor, her hands withdrawing from the soil crate now that she had determined the system was self-balanced enough to no longer need her attention. "Correlation does not immediately mean causation," she said, straightening up and running her hands through her hair again. "And I have hardly let my frustration affect my work or our discussions."
"I am aware. However, I would prefer to prevent another outburst like the one you had after working with my Thunder Warrior," the Emperor replied, regarding her with narrowed eyes.
"That was a different situation, and resolved to both our satisfaction, last I was aware." Isha's hands dropped to her sides, fingers still idly rubbing the remaining soil between them, the texture and input of knowledge she already knew settling against the increased confusion and annoyance she was feeling.
What was he hoping to get out of this? Proof of some aspect of her character he could consider a flaw? They were past the point where his anger felt like a threat over her head, which was why she felt more comfortable speaking her mind and even pushing back occasionally. She had thought they were approaching some easy form of amiability. She didn't like the idea that she might have been mistaken.
"It started when I brought up the potential for adjustments to your designs for a psychic focus," the Emperor said, words spoken slowly as if he were puzzling out the answer as he went along. "And more so, you seem almost against looking too much into psychic sensitivity despite that no doubt being a specialty for you. Many of your designs from the tablet had varying levels of sensitivity but, in retrospect, based on some fallback to serve as a safety net."
"And your conclusion?" Isha asked carefully.
"You don't want me to work towards designs that would make any gene-enhanced warriors more like your people."
"I am not blind to your disapproval of my people and their ways," Isha replied. "Why should I make suggestions that you would throw away out of spite, or else use against my people? I am helping you protect your own people, not to slaughter mine."
"You say that after your own claims that you may need to put them down for what they've unleashed on the galaxy with their unearned pride and insanity?"
Isha's temper frayed ever so slightly and she gave the Emperor a cold look. "That is not what I meant and you know it. I am willing to help you with your gene-crafted warriors because I know what is at stake here, but that does not mean I wish to see my people destroyed. In any case, your warriors would hardly be helpless against my fallen children, given the threats they are designed to face."
The Emperor's eyes narrowed further. "And what threats would those be? You seem strangely sure that you know my reasons for creating enhanced soldiers."
Isha gazed back coolly, refusing to be intimidated. "I am not a fool. The Fall had consequences beyond just the destruction of my children's empire. It would also have destroyed the fleets of psychomatons and spirit-drones that my children used to keep their enemies in check, not the least of which are the Krork and the K'nib, or as they are known today, the Orks and the Rangdan."
This time, Isha was sure of the flicker of surprise on the Emperor's face before he schooled his expression. "You know, then."
"I do," Isha responded curtly. "My children and my pantheon waged war upon them long ago, before Asuryan's ban, so I am well aware of the threat they pose to the galaxy and what would happen if they were allowed to reclaim their lost power."
"And despite knowing of the threat they pose and having millions of years in which to do so, your people failed to truly eradicate either the Orks or the Rangdan, only contain them," The Emperor observed. "Hardly a great accolade for such a powerful and advanced species working off the scraps and memories of the Old Ones."
Isha bristled at the implication in the Emperor's words. Her children's sins were beyond counting, but this was not one of them. "We tried. They were too resilient, too dangerous. All our attempts to solve the problem failed; no matter what we did, we couldn't destroy them or cure them-" Isha broke off, grimacing. She had not meant to let that last part slip.
"Cure?" The Emperor's incredulity and astonishment were obvious, and for once he made no effort to conceal his emotions. "How could you possibly cure those abominations? Why would you even want to?"
Isha inhaled sharply. Well, there was no point in concealing it, she supposed, no matter how much she disliked the idea of sharing the memory of one of her greatest failures with the Emperor. But more harm would be caused by lying to him than simply telling the truth.
"I did not wish to cure the K'nib. Those revolting parasites have always been monsters, and deserve only annihilation. The Krork, however, were valuable allies, once upon a time. I...I attempted to find a way to restore their sanity. I failed."
That was one of her most bitter regrets to this day. Gorkamorka had been a good friend and ally, once. He had struggled with how to be more than just a living weapon - all the Krork had - and the potential to grow beyond that, which had existed, no matter how ridiculous the idea might seem to those who had only ever known the Orks. The Old Ones might have created the Krork as weapons, but they had wanted loyal soldiers dedicated to protecting them, not monstrous brutes incapable of anything but waging war only for the sake of war itself. But the Old Ones had not been wise enough to create other safeguards to ensure the Krork never went mad, too assured of their own immortality, and so, in the end, monsters were what the Krork had become without the guidance of their creators.
Isha still wished she could have found a way to save their sanity. The galaxy would be a better place if she had. So many innocents might have been spared, and her own people might not have fallen as far as they had if their oldest allies had still existed to support them. Or oppose them, if needed.
"Why could you not?" The Emperor inquired, his curiosity obvious even as she could see his skepticism of the idea of the Krork ever having been anything more than brutish savages. "I would have thought the knowledge bestowed upon you by the Old Ones would have been more than sufficient to...cure the Orks."
Isha laughed, a bitter and humourless sound. "The Old Ones did not see fit to inform me of the inner workings of either the Ork or Rangdan. It was not within my purview. I studied them both extensively but they had potent defenses designed to prevent them from being truly understood by any outside force. The Krorkian Psychosphere-"
"The Krorkian Psychosphere," The Emperor interrupted, surprise once more colouring his voice. "Is that what the Ork gestalt field is called?"
Isha nodded curtly. "Yes. As you know, the Psychosphere shapes the Orks in every way, their genetic structure, their abilities, their minds...everything. And it is the Psychosphere's malfunction that is the source of their insanity. However, it still retains the defenses created by the Old Ones, and despite my best efforts, I was never able to even diagnose the problem, and therefore unable to devise a cure."
The Emperor's gaze was considering, allowing Isha a moment of silence to privately mourn what had been lost. "I must admit, I had begun to believe there was no limit to your skill and knowledge concerning biomancy."
"I suppose this was one of the least painful ways for you to find out otherwise."
Another moment of silence passed before the Emperor's curiosity apparently got the better of him. "What were they like?"
Isha didn't know where to begin. Did she start with the numerous failed experiments that she had sensed be snuffed out before the Krork had been settled on and finalized? How could she explain the Gorkamorka's virtues to someone who had never met him, and might not have been able to perceive them even if he had? Isha was well aware that her ability to see Gorkamorka as more than just a living weapon had been because of the empathetic abilities she possessed as the Goddess of Life. Even the rest of her Pantheon had found the Two Headed Krork God to be strange and off-putting long before Gorkamorka had succumbed to madness.
Could she explain the almost bipolar nature of her old friend, swinging between the laughter and quips they shot between each other and the barely restrained instincts to fight until there was nothing left to oppose him? What words did she have for how a part of her had withered and died along with Gorkamorka's sanity, that ember of civilization and nobility snuffed out under his increasing bloodlust? Was there any way she could make him understand how it had felt to see that brief, desperate fear and betrayal in his eyes before Gorkamorka stopped being a singular being?
"They were noble," she eventually settled on, knowing that it said next to nothing of value, but having nothing better.
The Emperor's only reply was a thoughtful hum.
Despite his claim otherwise, Isha caught him referencing back to pieces of her various offerings more than a few times during their discussions. It seemed that he was taking the need for adaptability in the field seriously, throwing out alteration concepts and incomplete systems that she would then prod into completion, explaining why certain aspects wouldn't work or would be less effective than hoped or would overtax other parts of the body.
It was also clear that he was trying to hide what he was aiming to get out of this, presumably in order to make sure she couldn't unfairly manipulate the systems he seemed to already be aiming towards. His ideas would range from the menial to the exotic, sometimes even going over contradictory concepts in the same work period, and many times they sounded to her more like the idle musings of their earlier gene-weaving discussions than the readily applicable practicalities he stated he wanted to focus on.
Isha was not one to be blind to what his aims were, even if he was doing his best to conceal which concepts most had his attention on any particular day. The first sign was his increased focus on modular additions and adjustments over a wholesale systematic overhaul like her formulas, and the second his continued interest in her thoughts on the limits of enhancement for the various subdivisions of the human body: which elements and compounds would integrate most effectively with the skeletal structure, what adjustments to the muscular fibers would keep the normal waste buildup to a minimum, the best balance between synaptic speed and the risk of hypersensitivity from too much simulation.
(Some mistakes did not need to be repeated.)
Despite his efforts, Isha slowly began to piece together the ideal warrior he seemed to have in mind. Mostly it came from a mix of judging his emotional state during their talks, identifying which of the conversations had the most balanced mix of energy consumption and resilience to effectiveness, and the fallback reminders of once being a part of and yet separate from the experimental stage of creating an entirely new breed of gene-engineered warriors.
Isha shook her head minutely, closing her eyes as she dipped her head slightly to hide her face behind the rich red locks of hair. Her fingers dug deep into the soil she had been given to work on today, her inner turmoil being mashed into the granules and ancient clay as she reminded herself that there was a significant difference - the Emperor, for all he made a show of being dismissive, clearly placed a not insignificant degree of value upon her words and opinions.
Then again, considering she was in the strange place between a monopoly on information about the theory and a dearth of information on how that theory was being applied, perhaps she was overestimating her overall input in whatever came out of his laboratories.
"You're frustrated."
Isha didn't pause in her stirring, prodding at some microfauna to see what sort of biome balance she had to work with. "I suppose I am."
She couldn't see his contemplative gaze, but she could feel the weight of his attention shift a bit more towards her and away from whatever inner contemplation had been occupying him. "Have you decided our hospitality is insufficient?"
"No," she replied, one hand reaching up to tuck her hair back behind her ears. The slight drag of the soil smeared into her hair was soothing, and she couldn't keep herself from rubbing some more off of her hand into it before the hand came back down to dig back in. "I have no complaints on the matter."
"Perhaps you feel bored with the projects you've been working on?" He continued to prod idly, no doubt starting to treat this as another test. It didn't feel quite as biting as his previous tests, though, so perhaps it wasn't one?
"No, they've been engaging enough for me."
"Then perhaps," the Emperor said, tone still even and calm. "You find some dissatisfaction in your limited input into my gene projects."
"Not at all." Isha continued to work, the entire microbiome of the soil coming together into harmony and nurturing the soil into something that could resist dry conditions while maintaining its acidic balance. "I can tell you've been reading through and listening to my words, even if you don't plan on using most of it. Whatever design you settle on will no doubt be sufficient for your needs."
The Emperor hummed quietly, not responding immediately. "Your minor bursts of irritation and frustration only became regular after the change to our discussions. Even by your people's logic, there has to be some correlation between the events."
Isha turned her head enough to look at the Emperor, her hands withdrawing from the soil crate now that she had determined the system was self-balanced enough to no longer need her attention. "Correlation does not immediately mean causation," she said, straightening up and running her hands through her hair again. "And I have hardly let my frustration affect my work or our discussions."
"I am aware. However, I would prefer to prevent another outburst like the one you had after working with my Thunder Warrior," the Emperor replied, regarding her with narrowed eyes.
"That was a different situation, and resolved to both our satisfaction, last I was aware." Isha's hands dropped to her sides, fingers still idly rubbing the remaining soil between them, the texture and input of knowledge she already knew settling against the increased confusion and annoyance she was feeling.
What was he hoping to get out of this? Proof of some aspect of her character he could consider a flaw? They were past the point where his anger felt like a threat over her head, which was why she felt more comfortable speaking her mind and even pushing back occasionally. She had thought they were approaching some easy form of amiability. She didn't like the idea that she might have been mistaken.
"It started when I brought up the potential for adjustments to your designs for a psychic focus," the Emperor said, words spoken slowly as if he were puzzling out the answer as he went along. "And more so, you seem almost against looking too much into psychic sensitivity despite that no doubt being a specialty for you. Many of your designs from the tablet had varying levels of sensitivity but, in retrospect, based on some fallback to serve as a safety net."
"And your conclusion?" Isha asked carefully.
"You don't want me to work towards designs that would make any gene-enhanced warriors more like your people."
"I am not blind to your disapproval of my people and their ways," Isha replied. "Why should I make suggestions that you would throw away out of spite, or else use against my people? I am helping you protect your own people, not to slaughter mine."
"You say that after your own claims that you may need to put them down for what they've unleashed on the galaxy with their unearned pride and insanity?"
Isha's temper frayed ever so slightly and she gave the Emperor a cold look. "That is not what I meant and you know it. I am willing to help you with your gene-crafted warriors because I know what is at stake here, but that does not mean I wish to see my people destroyed. In any case, your warriors would hardly be helpless against my fallen children, given the threats they are designed to face."
The Emperor's eyes narrowed further. "And what threats would those be? You seem strangely sure that you know my reasons for creating enhanced soldiers."
Isha gazed back coolly, refusing to be intimidated. "I am not a fool. The Fall had consequences beyond just the destruction of my children's empire. It would also have destroyed the fleets of psychomatons and spirit-drones that my children used to keep their enemies in check, not the least of which are the Krork and the K'nib, or as they are known today, the Orks and the Rangdan."
This time, Isha was sure of the flicker of surprise on the Emperor's face before he schooled his expression. "You know, then."
"I do," Isha responded curtly. "My children and my pantheon waged war upon them long ago, before Asuryan's ban, so I am well aware of the threat they pose to the galaxy and what would happen if they were allowed to reclaim their lost power."
"And despite knowing of the threat they pose and having millions of years in which to do so, your people failed to truly eradicate either the Orks or the Rangdan, only contain them," The Emperor observed. "Hardly a great accolade for such a powerful and advanced species working off the scraps and memories of the Old Ones."
Isha bristled at the implication in the Emperor's words. Her children's sins were beyond counting, but this was not one of them. "We tried. They were too resilient, too dangerous. All our attempts to solve the problem failed; no matter what we did, we couldn't destroy them or cure them-" Isha broke off, grimacing. She had not meant to let that last part slip.
"Cure?" The Emperor's incredulity and astonishment were obvious, and for once he made no effort to conceal his emotions. "How could you possibly cure those abominations? Why would you even want to?"
Isha inhaled sharply. Well, there was no point in concealing it, she supposed, no matter how much she disliked the idea of sharing the memory of one of her greatest failures with the Emperor. But more harm would be caused by lying to him than simply telling the truth.
"I did not wish to cure the K'nib. Those revolting parasites have always been monsters, and deserve only annihilation. The Krork, however, were valuable allies, once upon a time. I...I attempted to find a way to restore their sanity. I failed."
That was one of her most bitter regrets to this day. Gorkamorka had been a good friend and ally, once. He had struggled with how to be more than just a living weapon - all the Krork had - and the potential to grow beyond that, which had existed, no matter how ridiculous the idea might seem to those who had only ever known the Orks. The Old Ones might have created the Krork as weapons, but they had wanted loyal soldiers dedicated to protecting them, not monstrous brutes incapable of anything but waging war only for the sake of war itself. But the Old Ones had not been wise enough to create other safeguards to ensure the Krork never went mad, too assured of their own immortality, and so, in the end, monsters were what the Krork had become without the guidance of their creators.
Isha still wished she could have found a way to save their sanity. The galaxy would be a better place if she had. So many innocents might have been spared, and her own people might not have fallen as far as they had if their oldest allies had still existed to support them. Or oppose them, if needed.
"Why could you not?" The Emperor inquired, his curiosity obvious even as she could see his skepticism of the idea of the Krork ever having been anything more than brutish savages. "I would have thought the knowledge bestowed upon you by the Old Ones would have been more than sufficient to...cure the Orks."
Isha laughed, a bitter and humourless sound. "The Old Ones did not see fit to inform me of the inner workings of either the Ork or Rangdan. It was not within my purview. I studied them both extensively but they had potent defenses designed to prevent them from being truly understood by any outside force. The Krorkian Psychosphere-"
"The Krorkian Psychosphere," The Emperor interrupted, surprise once more colouring his voice. "Is that what the Ork gestalt field is called?"
Isha nodded curtly. "Yes. As you know, the Psychosphere shapes the Orks in every way, their genetic structure, their abilities, their minds...everything. And it is the Psychosphere's malfunction that is the source of their insanity. However, it still retains the defenses created by the Old Ones, and despite my best efforts, I was never able to even diagnose the problem, and therefore unable to devise a cure."
The Emperor's gaze was considering, allowing Isha a moment of silence to privately mourn what had been lost. "I must admit, I had begun to believe there was no limit to your skill and knowledge concerning biomancy."
"I suppose this was one of the least painful ways for you to find out otherwise."
Another moment of silence passed before the Emperor's curiosity apparently got the better of him. "What were they like?"
Isha didn't know where to begin. Did she start with the numerous failed experiments that she had sensed be snuffed out before the Krork had been settled on and finalized? How could she explain the Gorkamorka's virtues to someone who had never met him, and might not have been able to perceive them even if he had? Isha was well aware that her ability to see Gorkamorka as more than just a living weapon had been because of the empathetic abilities she possessed as the Goddess of Life. Even the rest of her Pantheon had found the Two Headed Krork God to be strange and off-putting long before Gorkamorka had succumbed to madness.
Could she explain the almost bipolar nature of her old friend, swinging between the laughter and quips they shot between each other and the barely restrained instincts to fight until there was nothing left to oppose him? What words did she have for how a part of her had withered and died along with Gorkamorka's sanity, that ember of civilization and nobility snuffed out under his increasing bloodlust? Was there any way she could make him understand how it had felt to see that brief, desperate fear and betrayal in his eyes before Gorkamorka stopped being a singular being?
"They were noble," she eventually settled on, knowing that it said next to nothing of value, but having nothing better.
The Emperor's only reply was a thoughtful hum.
Last edited:
Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
AN: And so we start getting into some history of the galaxy, though Isha will only be giving stuff in bits and pieces for a while. And surprise, Isha has some complex feelings. Like, you would not believe how mucked up they are. It's a disaster.
The War In Heaven and everything leading up to it, as well as the aftermath, is… immensely complex, and something we've been enjoying developing. We really hope that you find it interesting and fitting with the setting as he delves further in, now that we're past the 'establishing their relationship' section.
Anyways, sorry for being a bit late. A few sections didn't want to flow cleanly, so we figured a day's delay was better than an ugly mess.
The War In Heaven and everything leading up to it, as well as the aftermath, is… immensely complex, and something we've been enjoying developing. We really hope that you find it interesting and fitting with the setting as he delves further in, now that we're past the 'establishing their relationship' section.
Anyways, sorry for being a bit late. A few sections didn't want to flow cleanly, so we figured a day's delay was better than an ugly mess.
Fascinating stuff. I have a burning need to see the Emperor open up more, particularly since Isha seems to be taking every opportunity to be diplomatic and welcoming.
Just having him interact with someone older and more knowledgeable is huge.
The story continues to build anticipation. I enjoy the window into their strange lives, but I'm well aware of the mountain of history yet to come. Great stuff, looking forward to more.
Just having him interact with someone older and more knowledgeable is huge.
The story continues to build anticipation. I enjoy the window into their strange lives, but I'm well aware of the mountain of history yet to come. Great stuff, looking forward to more.
Solarion
For Light and Life
- Location
- From Cybertron
For anyone whose curious, the term 'Krorkian Psychosphere' is from the The Prophets of Waagh audiodrama, revealed by a Madboy named Talker.
(TTS 2)
Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
===================================
Episode 2: A Bit of a Fixer-Upper
===================================
[Scene: A Laboratory in the Palace. The Emperor, Isha, Malcador, and several Custodians enter through the massive doorway.]
Isha: I'm surprised you managed to put something together so quickly. I expected you to be leery of trusting me around your projects.
Emperor: You'd be surprised at how quickly things can get done around here; it's one of the Imperium's strengths, you know.
Isha: Well, I suppose you would have to be with everything so close together.
Emperor: Of course. As far as your work is concerned, we are going to keep track of your speed and efficiency, as well as your behavior. Any misbehavior and our deal is off.
Isha: I understand. Do you have any particular requirements for my work?
Emperor: It's an assessment, so just do what needs to be done.
Isha: Alright, let me know if you need me!
[Moves herself over to the rather laden table of projects, humming cheerfully as she gets to work.]
Malcador: You know, we can still just throw her in the dungeons, it's not as though she needs to eat or drink as a warp entity.
Emperor: True, but this is a better way of assessing her personality and abilities, as well as learning of any hidden plans she might have.
Malcador: (rolls his eyes) Just because it was amusing to toy with the last few Eldar who thought it would be entertaining to try to manipulate you doesn't mean you need to play the same game with this one.
Emperor: None of them were a warp goddess made flesh, especially one well noted to being their mother deity.
Malcador: So?
Emperor: (smirks) Well, it does she mean she'd have a lot of practice in that area...
Malcador: ...I don't know why I expected anything else, given your...preferences.
Emperor: And besides that, she's a living repository of knowledge from the Old Ones themselves; it would be foolish to not try to get what information I can get from her before washing our hands of her.
Malcador: Doesn't that just make her an even bigger risk?
Emperor: She's significantly less powerful than I am right now. Combined with the wards and shackles, I'm confident we can contain her.
[Isha returns to join them, a small bounce in her step. Both the Emperor and Malcador startle.]
Isha: I'm done!
Emperor: You are?
[Malcador and the Emperor move over to the table, checking all the stuff in growing bafflement and concern. The seeds are all clearly altered and the racks of vials, once murky and cloudy, are all now clear and almost shining.]
Isha: I know, I was going a bit slow, but I was taking a few liberties with the seeds… most of them are just fixed, but I modified some of them for drought and disease resilience, as well as fruitfulness, just in case…
Emperor: I see. Is there a reason why you did so?
Isha: Well, I was showing my talents. It's one thing to restore what's there, and another to improve on it. Just because I'm weakened doesn't mean I've lost my touch.
Emperor: And the diseases?
Isha: All of them have been made into ready cures for their respective pathogens.
Malcador: (under breath) I don't believe this, she actually made a fast acting counter-agent to the Life Eater virus…
Emperor: Hmm. Well, this is all certainly impressive and says much of your abilities.
Isha: Thank you. Was that all you needed from me?
Emperor: No, that was merely the first step. Your next task will be to handle the patients currently in the infirmary, if you're willing.
Isha: (beams brightly) Of course! I'm always happy to help people in need.
Malcador: (speaking telepathically) Revelation, are you sure this is a good idea? These are people we're exposing to her, not inanimate objects.
Emperor: We need to assess her capabilities and knowledge as best as we can. Since she's a goddess of healing, this seems appropriate.
Malcador: Very well, but if this goes wrong, don't say I didn't warn you.
Emperor: It's not a problem, I can just wipe their memories afterwards so they don't remember anything, and at worst we can clean up the aftermath. (coughs and speaks to Isha) Leonidas, we're escorting her to the infirmary.
Leonidas: As you say, my liege! In formation!
[The Custodians form an honor guard around the three, and so the walk down the hall begins. The Emperor ends up walking alongside Isha.]
Emperor: So... I take it you haven't had too much trouble adjusting to your new accommodations so far?
Isha: Only a little. Time sometimes still gets away from me, and having the entirety of myself contained in a material vessel is… different.
Emperor: That's actually something I was curious about - I had no idea warp entities could make their own material forms.
Isha: Oh, I and the rest of the pantheon were shaped that way by the Old Ones, since it allowed us to coordinate with our people more effectively. Plus it would be rather difficult to counter the C'tan without some form of access to the material.
Emperor: Interesting…and then Asuryan prevented you from doing so?
Isha: (huff) He did, and I haven't forgiven him since. Doubly so for what he allowed to happen when I found a loophole in his idiotic rules…
Emperor: Loophole?
Isha: We couldn't manifest in the materium, but there was nothing that said I couldn't create something that I could communicate through to express myself to my children.
Emperor: I must confess, I can't see you as the kind of person to go looking for ways to bend the rules like that...
Isha: (laughs) I'm the patron of rebels. What else would you expect from a goddess of life?
Emperor: ...you know, that's a fair point.
Malcador: We're here.
Emperor: Ah, good. After you.
[The Emperor lets her into the infirmary, where her new patients are waiting. Isha immediately skips ahead on seeing the humans in need, hands glowing green as she checks them all over with her powers and starts to fuss.]
Emperor: (speaking psychically) ...that is some impressive work, I have to admit.
Malcador: I suppose it is to be expected of a god-construct designed with an unquestioned mastery of genetic manipulation. Still, it's strange seeing an Eldar being so kind and thoughtful. Are you sure she's not just faking it? No hidden disgust or ego at working with sick humans?
Emperor: She's not hiding anything, she's actually happy to be helping them recover.
Malcador: Are we sure she's an Eldar or a warp entity? She's not exactly filling any of the checkboxes for how they're supposed to act.
Emperor: I can't think of any other being alive who would have the aura, power and abilities she does. I had seen perhaps half of the biomancy techniques she's used so far before this, and they weren't so refined. Perhaps if we keep her around, we could actually accelerate some of our plans...
Malcador: Aren't you worried about her trying to undermine you? If she really is the mother of the Eldar...
Emperor: It wouldn't be anything that we couldn't handle with a solid application of fire if necessary. Besides, I chose patients whose conditions would actually pose a challenge to her.
[Screen shift over to the patients, of which the first two are already healed, looking shocked and elated with all the bandages and wires gone.]
Patient 1: I- my head is clear, and I don't feel like I'm falling apart anymore!
Patient 2: All my mutations are gone! I feel normal!
Patient 1: It's a miracle! Praise the lady!
All of them: (excited) Oorah!
[Back to the Emperor and Malcador, who sit in silence for a moment.]
Malcador: So.
Emperor: This is fine, I have this completely under control.
Malcador: Of course you do.
Emperor: So I may have underestimated her capabilities a little. I wasn't expecting her to be able to do so much so quickly in her weakened state. What else can we use to test her?
Malcador: Do you seriously expect me to just conjure up a solution to your own failed attempt to prove she has a hidden agenda?
Emperor: Yes!
Malcador: Fine, just give me a moment to think...don't we still have that one Thunder Warrior who was scheduled for some experimental gene therapies to see if we could stabilize him? We could use him for this instead.
Emperor: (thoughtful) Yes, that should work. (speaking verbally) Leonidas, bring that Thunder Warrior who was due to be treated tomorrow, here, quickly and discreetly.
Leonidas: As you say, my liege! (off he goes)
[The Emperor and Malcador scoot themselves over to the group of patients, watching Isha work through them like a healing machine.]
Emperor: You seem to be doing well.
Isha: (scoff) I'm not going to be sloppy when lives are on the line. I would have been faster, but I wanted to ensure their constitutions were up to snuff so they didn't have to spend time building their strength back up so that they can get back to their normal lives as soon as possible.
Emperor: Even the one with the warp mutations?
Isha: Oh, yes, that poor girl was easy enough to fix. Chaos may have a fixation on disgusting and harmful mutations, but their methods of doing so are crude and easy to reverse if you know what to do. (distracted with patient) No, stay still while I'm regrowing half your internal tissues, would you?
Emperor: So what exactly are you doing with this one?
Isha: Well, this boy's multi-organ degeneracy was caused by flaws in the genetic matrix along several chromosomal flaws interacting poorly, so I had to unwind and rewrite his genetic sequencing in order to have them produce the appropriate proteins. Once I re-wrapped them all, I sliced out all the currently damaged to dead material and faulty proteins and ground them all into their component material to use as resources for rapid cellular growth to replace the missing tissues. I'm just finishing that up, actually, and then I'm going to do a last go over for any smaller damages or concerns I need to correct before I'm finished with him and I can turn him over to you.
Emperor: Excellent. I'm glad to see your work is going so well. (mentally) Hopefully, the Thunder Warrior will be an actual challenge for her...
Malcador: (peeks in on the scene) They're back with the package. Do you want him brought in?
Emperor: In a minute or two, let her finish up with this first.
Malcador: As you say.
Isha: (steps back and wipes her hands on her clothing) They're all healed up, if you wanted to give them a checkup yourself.
Emperor: I'll have my geneticists and apothecaries do that in a moment. As for you, I have one last task I need you to do for me before you are returned to your rooms.
Isha: Oh? What is it?
Emperor: Malcador? The subject?
Malcador: Bring in the subject.
[Leonidas and another custodian come in, a snarling and writhing Thunder Warrior between them trying to escape, but between the shackles and the muzzle, there's no place he's going, especially being held between the custodians.]
Leonidas: The subject is here for evaluation, my liege!
Emperor: Based on your work with the other human subjects, I trust this one shouldn't be too much harder to handle…
[Isha is perfectly still, but there's a high pitched noise that sounds suspiciously like a kettle about to go off coming from her general area.]
Emperor: Is something the matter?
Isha: (angry) The matter? The matter? What's wrong is how you butchered this poor man's genetic sequencing! What in the name of the Old Ones did you do to him?
Emperor: I'm so sorry my work doesn't meet your exacting standards, but this was all I could do with the limited resources, flawed technology and geneticists with incomplete knowledge that I had available.
Isha: (voice low and dangerous) Then step aside so I can fix it.
Emperor: The warrior, the machinery, or the geneticists?
Isha: Yes.
[Isha shoves the custodians out of the way to grab the Thunder Warrior, who has gone perfectly still and wide eyed at being gently manhandled. The custodians also back away cautiously.]
Isha: (hissing) Time for a health check up.
[Scene goes back to the Emperor and Malcador, with the two custodians also watching the offscreen noises of frustrated muttering from the goddess and yelps and whimpers and occasional scream of the Warrior.]
Isha: (angry muttering offscreen) -can't believe there's no compensation for the muscles literally tearing the body apart, what sort of idiot-
Emperor: ...she's rather attractive when she's angry.
Malcador: (disgusted noise) You have absolutely no taste in women whatsoever.
Emperor: What can I say, I like women with some fire to them, who are willing to push back. It's more enjoyable when there's a challenge.
Malcador: If nothing else, you probably can't make as much of a mess of this as you did with your last relationship. Probably.
Isha: (angry muttering offscreen) -a stupid amount of protien buildup in the brain tissue, how he's even capable of speech I have no clue, what were you thinking-
Emperor: (huff) I'll have you know that was a mutual decision by Alivia and I to put an end to our relationship so that we could both pursue greater goals for the sake of mankind.
Malcador: You left her behind to watch a warp gate by teleporting off-world after dropping the assignment on her without even saying goodbye.
Emperor: ...it would have been awkward. There would almost certainly have been crying and guilt tripping involved.
Malcador: And you would have deserved every moment of it.
Isha: (frustrated huff) Done.
[Screen shifts back over to her just as she lets the Thunder Warrior thump to the floor, insensate.]
Isha: (spins to face the Emperor, finger pointing at him) And if I ever have to deal with gene-work that sloppy again without prior warning, there will be words.
[Storms out of the lab, two of the custodians yelping before rushing after. Another moment of silence between the Emperor and Malcador commences.]
Emperor: I think that went well.
Malcador: Let's see if you still feel that when you see the amount of paperwork this little stunt of yours will have generated.
Emperor: Still, I'm surprised. I had no idea she had a temper like that. I thought she was described as gentle and nurturing.
Malcador: Maybe you should consider not trying to seduce her, since this is a xeno warp goddess. Who knows what kind of STDs she can conjure on the fly for you to suffer from?
Emperor: (now a bit flustered) Just because she's clearly much more intelligent and attractive than expected doesn't mean I'm actually going to try to sleep with her. As I said before, I'm just being gracious because that's the best way to gather information.
[Silent, judgmental look from Malcador.]
Emperor: ...not yet, at least. I can't do that until I can afford to kick her out afterwards.
Malcador: And potentially allow her to run off with the secrets of the Imperium to her people?
Emperor: It will be fine, I have complete control over this situation. She won't learn anything we don't want her to.
[A dataslate comes flying in from the side, smacking the Emperor in the face before it lands in his hands.]
Isha: (In the distance) EDUCATE YOURSELF AND FIX THEM.
[Brief silence ensues.]
Emperor: ...It will be fine, I have complete control over this situation.
Malcador: As you say, my lord. I have no doubt your usual dignity and competence will see you through this situation as well as it has every other time.
Emperor: (dryly) Thank you for the vote of confidence, my friend.
Episode 2: A Bit of a Fixer-Upper
===================================
[Scene: A Laboratory in the Palace. The Emperor, Isha, Malcador, and several Custodians enter through the massive doorway.]
Isha: I'm surprised you managed to put something together so quickly. I expected you to be leery of trusting me around your projects.
Emperor: You'd be surprised at how quickly things can get done around here; it's one of the Imperium's strengths, you know.
Isha: Well, I suppose you would have to be with everything so close together.
Emperor: Of course. As far as your work is concerned, we are going to keep track of your speed and efficiency, as well as your behavior. Any misbehavior and our deal is off.
Isha: I understand. Do you have any particular requirements for my work?
Emperor: It's an assessment, so just do what needs to be done.
Isha: Alright, let me know if you need me!
[Moves herself over to the rather laden table of projects, humming cheerfully as she gets to work.]
Malcador: You know, we can still just throw her in the dungeons, it's not as though she needs to eat or drink as a warp entity.
Emperor: True, but this is a better way of assessing her personality and abilities, as well as learning of any hidden plans she might have.
Malcador: (rolls his eyes) Just because it was amusing to toy with the last few Eldar who thought it would be entertaining to try to manipulate you doesn't mean you need to play the same game with this one.
Emperor: None of them were a warp goddess made flesh, especially one well noted to being their mother deity.
Malcador: So?
Emperor: (smirks) Well, it does she mean she'd have a lot of practice in that area...
Malcador: ...I don't know why I expected anything else, given your...preferences.
Emperor: And besides that, she's a living repository of knowledge from the Old Ones themselves; it would be foolish to not try to get what information I can get from her before washing our hands of her.
Malcador: Doesn't that just make her an even bigger risk?
Emperor: She's significantly less powerful than I am right now. Combined with the wards and shackles, I'm confident we can contain her.
[Isha returns to join them, a small bounce in her step. Both the Emperor and Malcador startle.]
Isha: I'm done!
Emperor: You are?
[Malcador and the Emperor move over to the table, checking all the stuff in growing bafflement and concern. The seeds are all clearly altered and the racks of vials, once murky and cloudy, are all now clear and almost shining.]
Isha: I know, I was going a bit slow, but I was taking a few liberties with the seeds… most of them are just fixed, but I modified some of them for drought and disease resilience, as well as fruitfulness, just in case…
Emperor: I see. Is there a reason why you did so?
Isha: Well, I was showing my talents. It's one thing to restore what's there, and another to improve on it. Just because I'm weakened doesn't mean I've lost my touch.
Emperor: And the diseases?
Isha: All of them have been made into ready cures for their respective pathogens.
Malcador: (under breath) I don't believe this, she actually made a fast acting counter-agent to the Life Eater virus…
Emperor: Hmm. Well, this is all certainly impressive and says much of your abilities.
Isha: Thank you. Was that all you needed from me?
Emperor: No, that was merely the first step. Your next task will be to handle the patients currently in the infirmary, if you're willing.
Isha: (beams brightly) Of course! I'm always happy to help people in need.
Malcador: (speaking telepathically) Revelation, are you sure this is a good idea? These are people we're exposing to her, not inanimate objects.
Emperor: We need to assess her capabilities and knowledge as best as we can. Since she's a goddess of healing, this seems appropriate.
Malcador: Very well, but if this goes wrong, don't say I didn't warn you.
Emperor: It's not a problem, I can just wipe their memories afterwards so they don't remember anything, and at worst we can clean up the aftermath. (coughs and speaks to Isha) Leonidas, we're escorting her to the infirmary.
Leonidas: As you say, my liege! In formation!
[The Custodians form an honor guard around the three, and so the walk down the hall begins. The Emperor ends up walking alongside Isha.]
Emperor: So... I take it you haven't had too much trouble adjusting to your new accommodations so far?
Isha: Only a little. Time sometimes still gets away from me, and having the entirety of myself contained in a material vessel is… different.
Emperor: That's actually something I was curious about - I had no idea warp entities could make their own material forms.
Isha: Oh, I and the rest of the pantheon were shaped that way by the Old Ones, since it allowed us to coordinate with our people more effectively. Plus it would be rather difficult to counter the C'tan without some form of access to the material.
Emperor: Interesting…and then Asuryan prevented you from doing so?
Isha: (huff) He did, and I haven't forgiven him since. Doubly so for what he allowed to happen when I found a loophole in his idiotic rules…
Emperor: Loophole?
Isha: We couldn't manifest in the materium, but there was nothing that said I couldn't create something that I could communicate through to express myself to my children.
Emperor: I must confess, I can't see you as the kind of person to go looking for ways to bend the rules like that...
Isha: (laughs) I'm the patron of rebels. What else would you expect from a goddess of life?
Emperor: ...you know, that's a fair point.
Malcador: We're here.
Emperor: Ah, good. After you.
[The Emperor lets her into the infirmary, where her new patients are waiting. Isha immediately skips ahead on seeing the humans in need, hands glowing green as she checks them all over with her powers and starts to fuss.]
Emperor: (speaking psychically) ...that is some impressive work, I have to admit.
Malcador: I suppose it is to be expected of a god-construct designed with an unquestioned mastery of genetic manipulation. Still, it's strange seeing an Eldar being so kind and thoughtful. Are you sure she's not just faking it? No hidden disgust or ego at working with sick humans?
Emperor: She's not hiding anything, she's actually happy to be helping them recover.
Malcador: Are we sure she's an Eldar or a warp entity? She's not exactly filling any of the checkboxes for how they're supposed to act.
Emperor: I can't think of any other being alive who would have the aura, power and abilities she does. I had seen perhaps half of the biomancy techniques she's used so far before this, and they weren't so refined. Perhaps if we keep her around, we could actually accelerate some of our plans...
Malcador: Aren't you worried about her trying to undermine you? If she really is the mother of the Eldar...
Emperor: It wouldn't be anything that we couldn't handle with a solid application of fire if necessary. Besides, I chose patients whose conditions would actually pose a challenge to her.
[Screen shift over to the patients, of which the first two are already healed, looking shocked and elated with all the bandages and wires gone.]
Patient 1: I- my head is clear, and I don't feel like I'm falling apart anymore!
Patient 2: All my mutations are gone! I feel normal!
Patient 1: It's a miracle! Praise the lady!
All of them: (excited) Oorah!
[Back to the Emperor and Malcador, who sit in silence for a moment.]
Malcador: So.
Emperor: This is fine, I have this completely under control.
Malcador: Of course you do.
Emperor: So I may have underestimated her capabilities a little. I wasn't expecting her to be able to do so much so quickly in her weakened state. What else can we use to test her?
Malcador: Do you seriously expect me to just conjure up a solution to your own failed attempt to prove she has a hidden agenda?
Emperor: Yes!
Malcador: Fine, just give me a moment to think...don't we still have that one Thunder Warrior who was scheduled for some experimental gene therapies to see if we could stabilize him? We could use him for this instead.
Emperor: (thoughtful) Yes, that should work. (speaking verbally) Leonidas, bring that Thunder Warrior who was due to be treated tomorrow, here, quickly and discreetly.
Leonidas: As you say, my liege! (off he goes)
[The Emperor and Malcador scoot themselves over to the group of patients, watching Isha work through them like a healing machine.]
Emperor: You seem to be doing well.
Isha: (scoff) I'm not going to be sloppy when lives are on the line. I would have been faster, but I wanted to ensure their constitutions were up to snuff so they didn't have to spend time building their strength back up so that they can get back to their normal lives as soon as possible.
Emperor: Even the one with the warp mutations?
Isha: Oh, yes, that poor girl was easy enough to fix. Chaos may have a fixation on disgusting and harmful mutations, but their methods of doing so are crude and easy to reverse if you know what to do. (distracted with patient) No, stay still while I'm regrowing half your internal tissues, would you?
Emperor: So what exactly are you doing with this one?
Isha: Well, this boy's multi-organ degeneracy was caused by flaws in the genetic matrix along several chromosomal flaws interacting poorly, so I had to unwind and rewrite his genetic sequencing in order to have them produce the appropriate proteins. Once I re-wrapped them all, I sliced out all the currently damaged to dead material and faulty proteins and ground them all into their component material to use as resources for rapid cellular growth to replace the missing tissues. I'm just finishing that up, actually, and then I'm going to do a last go over for any smaller damages or concerns I need to correct before I'm finished with him and I can turn him over to you.
Emperor: Excellent. I'm glad to see your work is going so well. (mentally) Hopefully, the Thunder Warrior will be an actual challenge for her...
Malcador: (peeks in on the scene) They're back with the package. Do you want him brought in?
Emperor: In a minute or two, let her finish up with this first.
Malcador: As you say.
Isha: (steps back and wipes her hands on her clothing) They're all healed up, if you wanted to give them a checkup yourself.
Emperor: I'll have my geneticists and apothecaries do that in a moment. As for you, I have one last task I need you to do for me before you are returned to your rooms.
Isha: Oh? What is it?
Emperor: Malcador? The subject?
Malcador: Bring in the subject.
[Leonidas and another custodian come in, a snarling and writhing Thunder Warrior between them trying to escape, but between the shackles and the muzzle, there's no place he's going, especially being held between the custodians.]
Leonidas: The subject is here for evaluation, my liege!
Emperor: Based on your work with the other human subjects, I trust this one shouldn't be too much harder to handle…
[Isha is perfectly still, but there's a high pitched noise that sounds suspiciously like a kettle about to go off coming from her general area.]
Emperor: Is something the matter?
Isha: (angry) The matter? The matter? What's wrong is how you butchered this poor man's genetic sequencing! What in the name of the Old Ones did you do to him?
Emperor: I'm so sorry my work doesn't meet your exacting standards, but this was all I could do with the limited resources, flawed technology and geneticists with incomplete knowledge that I had available.
Isha: (voice low and dangerous) Then step aside so I can fix it.
Emperor: The warrior, the machinery, or the geneticists?
Isha: Yes.
[Isha shoves the custodians out of the way to grab the Thunder Warrior, who has gone perfectly still and wide eyed at being gently manhandled. The custodians also back away cautiously.]
Isha: (hissing) Time for a health check up.
[Scene goes back to the Emperor and Malcador, with the two custodians also watching the offscreen noises of frustrated muttering from the goddess and yelps and whimpers and occasional scream of the Warrior.]
Isha: (angry muttering offscreen) -can't believe there's no compensation for the muscles literally tearing the body apart, what sort of idiot-
Emperor: ...she's rather attractive when she's angry.
Malcador: (disgusted noise) You have absolutely no taste in women whatsoever.
Emperor: What can I say, I like women with some fire to them, who are willing to push back. It's more enjoyable when there's a challenge.
Malcador: If nothing else, you probably can't make as much of a mess of this as you did with your last relationship. Probably.
Isha: (angry muttering offscreen) -a stupid amount of protien buildup in the brain tissue, how he's even capable of speech I have no clue, what were you thinking-
Emperor: (huff) I'll have you know that was a mutual decision by Alivia and I to put an end to our relationship so that we could both pursue greater goals for the sake of mankind.
Malcador: You left her behind to watch a warp gate by teleporting off-world after dropping the assignment on her without even saying goodbye.
Emperor: ...it would have been awkward. There would almost certainly have been crying and guilt tripping involved.
Malcador: And you would have deserved every moment of it.
Isha: (frustrated huff) Done.
[Screen shifts back over to her just as she lets the Thunder Warrior thump to the floor, insensate.]
Isha: (spins to face the Emperor, finger pointing at him) And if I ever have to deal with gene-work that sloppy again without prior warning, there will be words.
[Storms out of the lab, two of the custodians yelping before rushing after. Another moment of silence between the Emperor and Malcador commences.]
Emperor: I think that went well.
Malcador: Let's see if you still feel that when you see the amount of paperwork this little stunt of yours will have generated.
Emperor: Still, I'm surprised. I had no idea she had a temper like that. I thought she was described as gentle and nurturing.
Malcador: Maybe you should consider not trying to seduce her, since this is a xeno warp goddess. Who knows what kind of STDs she can conjure on the fly for you to suffer from?
Emperor: (now a bit flustered) Just because she's clearly much more intelligent and attractive than expected doesn't mean I'm actually going to try to sleep with her. As I said before, I'm just being gracious because that's the best way to gather information.
[Silent, judgmental look from Malcador.]
Emperor: ...not yet, at least. I can't do that until I can afford to kick her out afterwards.
Malcador: And potentially allow her to run off with the secrets of the Imperium to her people?
Emperor: It will be fine, I have complete control over this situation. She won't learn anything we don't want her to.
[A dataslate comes flying in from the side, smacking the Emperor in the face before it lands in his hands.]
Isha: (In the distance) EDUCATE YOURSELF AND FIX THEM.
[Brief silence ensues.]
Emperor: ...It will be fine, I have complete control over this situation.
Malcador: As you say, my lord. I have no doubt your usual dignity and competence will see you through this situation as well as it has every other time.
Emperor: (dryly) Thank you for the vote of confidence, my friend.
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Ashynarr
The Immortal Witc)( Empress of Trollkind
- Location
- Alternia
AN: Finally figured out what I wanted to do with episode 2. There were like two drafts before this that were… various stages of worse, and this still seems a bit rushed, but it's setting up for episode 3, which should be the episode that will catch things up to the main story. Anyways, I'm sure everyone's going to realize very quickly there's something strange going on here, so I'm going to get ahead of the questions and clarify:
The main story still won't have romance. Isha and the Emperor are not characters who would see each other in that way, for a LOT of reasons. I don't plan on changing this.
On the other hand, the TTS Emperor? Mr. Eldar Hookers himself? Whoo boy is that another story. I'm still not quite inclined to actually make it a high key romance, but I realized very early on in outlining the TTS version that I would absolutely want to - and at this point even need to - write the Emperor having to fumble and panic over having actual feelings and the sheer embarrassment he makes of himself on his one-sided crush.
To note, though, that I still don't actually plan on making them a couple. And I don't actually plan on overplaying the 'helpless crush' gag, or focusing on it overmuch compared to trying to maintain the plot, but I figured a warning in advance for that sort of content was only fair. This is meant entirely to be some degree of poking fun at the TTS Emperor in comparison to the one in my main story.
The main story still won't have romance. Isha and the Emperor are not characters who would see each other in that way, for a LOT of reasons. I don't plan on changing this.
On the other hand, the TTS Emperor? Mr. Eldar Hookers himself? Whoo boy is that another story. I'm still not quite inclined to actually make it a high key romance, but I realized very early on in outlining the TTS version that I would absolutely want to - and at this point even need to - write the Emperor having to fumble and panic over having actual feelings and the sheer embarrassment he makes of himself on his one-sided crush.
To note, though, that I still don't actually plan on making them a couple. And I don't actually plan on overplaying the 'helpless crush' gag, or focusing on it overmuch compared to trying to maintain the plot, but I figured a warning in advance for that sort of content was only fair. This is meant entirely to be some degree of poking fun at the TTS Emperor in comparison to the one in my main story.
Solarion
For Light and Life
- Location
- From Cybertron
What? No, this is just the second part of a series of sidestory omakes. The normal story will continue as normal.