The Rites
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The Rites[edit | edit source]
| Chapter 23: "The Rites" | |
|---|---|
| Major players | Universal Council |
| Vote outcome | |
| Major events | |
| Timeline Chronology | |
| Previous Chapter | Next Chapter |
| "Maelstrom" | "Shockwave" |
Summary
Unfortunately, due to the lack of a Quantum Drive, the station’s security protocols are not as robust as usual, and it appears that – whoever this thief was – they were able to slip through undetected. Now, if you have all come to your senses… the Universal Council’s supply of Solid Quantum – the new material discovered when clearing out station Ignis – has been stolen. In the face of this, Cillian Mercer – who we welcome as a councilmembers for this conference – has made good on his word to challenge the Valkyrie Bryn to a Rite. Thus, the vote placed before the Council is as follows:
Does the Council allow the Rite to continue, leaving Bryn and Mercer to settle the matter themselves? Your faction contact will issue a statement shortly in your respective vote channels before the commencement of the vote, twelve hours from now. Rites are a long-standing practice and tradition within the Union; though they can take many forms, this particular Rite is one of single combat – to the death. As we speak, Commander Conners and his team of Valkyries continue to make headway in their search for Sera Varse, with the Commander stating in his latest transmission that his team will be reporting her capture very soon. Some of our officers in communications have claimed to hear faint whispers in the scientists’ reports, though others attribute this noise to the missing Quantum Drive, and the resulting lack of power. Given the covert nature of the current operation, Conners is avoiding using Nexus lines, so our communication with his team is significantly slower than normal.
Scientists on Mímir continue to notice developments in the Cradle’s signals. All the same, members of all factions are urged to be on the lookout; Solid Quantum has the potential to allow anyone to brave the volatile energy of the wormholes and cross into other galaxies. Councilmember Mercer has demanded the Rite take place on the boundary of the Union and the Federation, close to the neutral center of the Core Systems.
Transcript
Report from the 39th conference of the Universal Council: time of ζ Sagittarii 3.32
Held on station Ignis, in the neutral center of the Core Systems.Councilmembers for the Empire: Ivona Craine, Ji Young-Joo, Sofia Neputus
Councilmembers for the Federation: Áurea Adonis, San’a, Victor Huxley
Councilmembers for the Union: Cillian Mercer, Aish Fenix, Trice ChavosThe following is a transcript of the briefing on the relevant vote for those involved in the Explorer program:
… calm yourself, Mercer – and you as well, San’a and Lady Craine. We will reach the concerning vote in due course! Now, if you have all come to your senses… the Universal Council’s supply of Solid Quantum – the new material discovered when clearing out station Ignis – has been stolen. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a Quantum Drive, the station’s security protocols are not as robust as usual, and it appears that – whoever this thief was – they were able to slip through undetected.
The Council must stress that this is not a time for pointing the blame at any one faction. Now is a time for careful examination of the crime, in order to place clear blame on those responsible. All the same, members of all factions are urged to be on the lookout; Solid Quantum has the potential to allow anyone to brave the volatile energy of the wormholes and cross into other galaxies.
As we speak, Commander Conners and his team of Valkyries continue to make headway in their search for Sera Varse, with the Commander stating in his latest transmission that his team will be reporting her capture very soon. Perhaps, somewhere on the edge of the Core Systems, she has already been found. Given the covert nature of the current operation, Conners is avoiding using Nexus lines, so our communication with his team is significantly slower than normal.
Scientists on Mímir continue to notice developments in the Cradle’s signals. Some of our officers in communications have claimed to hear faint whispers in the scientists’ reports, though others attribute this noise to the missing Quantum Drive, and the resulting lack of power.
Considering all these factors, the Council will now turn its attention to the current vote. Following the disruption of Union relocation efforts during the previous conference, the epidemic plaguing the Union’s systems has spread rapidly. Its people, many of whom are still aboard the Bastion, are close to rioting, all while the Union continues to pay reparations for the damages on Vargas.
In the face of this, Cillian Mercer – who we welcome as a councilmembers for this conference – has made good on his word to challenge the Valkyrie Bryn to a Rite. Rites are a long-standing practice and tradition within the Union; though they can take many forms, this particular Rite is one of single combat – to the death. Councilmember Mercer has demanded the Rite take place on the boundary of the Union and the Federation, close to the neutral center of the Core Systems.
However, many on the Council have taken issue with these proceedings. Councilmember San’a has rebutted that it seems councilmember Mercer’s issue is not with Valkyrie Bryn, but rather the proceedings of the Council itself. As such, she has volunteered to represent the Universal Council in this very same Rite, replacing Bryn as councilmember Mercer’s opponent. Mercer has countered that the Council has no business involving itself in a dispute of this nature. However, invoking the practice of a Rite outside of Union systems is, itself, unprecedented. Thus, the vote placed before the Council is as follows:
Does the Council allow the Rite to continue, leaving Bryn and Mercer to settle the matter themselves? Or does the Council interfere in this matter, having San’a act as a replacement for Bryn on behalf of the Council in the dispute?
Your faction contact will issue a statement shortly in your respective vote channels before the commencement of the vote, twelve hours from now.
Faction Storylines
Transmission from Áurea Adonis, 467th President of the Federation’s 2nd Sector, 4th President in the time of ζ Sagittarii 3.32
Good sol, citizens of the Federation. I am told some of you Explorers may well be my constituents – I hope I am representing you well, and that you are pleased with my presidency so far.
At first glance, it may be tempting to look at this vote from the perspective of inter-faction conflict. This is naïve, and a large part of the game those who hold power in the Union are playing. Some of you may be confused by my collation of the Union and “power”. Make no mistake, Explorers – the balance of power exists in every faction; the only difference lies in its transparency.
No, there are much larger matters at play in this vote. If the Council lets this challenge proceed, they set a precedent for the Union to employ Rites in future. Of course, we may refuse them, but the Rites hold a pretext of honor – in so much as the Union folk possess this trait – and honor is what turns sensible people into fools. San’a’s actions today are a perfect example of this. As such, the Rite is clearly too dangerous to be acknowledged.
That will be all; I trust that the correct course of action is now clear to you.
Áurea Adonis
Empire Storyline A directive from Ji Young-Joo, emissary of the Emperor
A curse on whatever wretch took the rest of the Solid Quantum for themselves! By the Emperor – may he outlive the stars – if they were stood in front of me, I’d choke their heart until it burst! No doubt it was a Federation citizen; most likely their thin, money-hungry hands couldn’t resist the smell of potential profits. A shame, indeed! It is good that both Lady Craine and Lady Neputus are here – the presence of such promising progenies in our faction is a balm to my soul.
In more recent developments, House Praetor and House Neputus have begun the process of adapting the Edens they have been gifted; a process that is always astonishing to behold. If some of you are members of these respective houses, I would urge you to examine it in as much detail as you can, and notice as the small changes to the planet begin to slowly affect you.
The repairs on the Imperial capital are also fast approaching their end. We may thank the Oracle for blessing us with our glorious Imperial steel, which makes intricate structures possible to construct in such a small span of time. Of course, our Imperial citizens are anxious, having Valkyries threading themselves through our borders at present. But soon, all this will be over – Sera Varse will be captured, and the Empire will be ready to take its place once again as a beacon of guiding light for the Core Systems.
For see how they falter without our presence! The Union is cracking at the seams, they grow desperate – as most rats do when backed into a corner – and the Federation clings to their advantage like the pathetic, baseless fat-cats they are.
But now, Imperials, the time has come, at last, for one of the Oracle’s recent songs to come to its end. Do not be mistaken on whether or not blood will be shed; for the path of the Council’s decision on Vargas has brought us here, to the eve of certain death. The Union and the Federation are now completely at each other’s throats, and it is certain that one of them will perish… Perhaps the die of fate is already cast, but it pays still to be cautious.
Do we wish it to be Mercer, the lawless mercenary who lays waste to entire planets? Certainly, when facing Valkyrie Bryn, the dog’s death is all but assured – San’a does not have the combat experience to compete with one such as Bryn. Or do we wish for Mercer to continue his raucous disruption of the Federation’s systems, laying waste to one of their councilmembers, and a political symbol for their Valkyries?
There is glory in death, Imperials – though no doubt these contemptuous fools will not find it.
Sic itur ad astra.
Comm from Aish Fenix, Union member and Vox representative
Holy hell, okay, you could have cut the tension in that room with a brick, that’s how tight it was. I was expecting San’a to explode when Mercer called Bryn an “honorless bastard”, but Ivona getting in-between the two was really unexpected – looks like Miss Prissy’s got a practical side to her, too. Seeing all three of them staring daggers at each other, though… really makes you think, one wrong move and this whole “Universal Council” thing just comes tumbling down.
It’s not that I disagree with what Mercer’s doing, mind you, it’s just… how he’s doing it that gets to me. Appeasing the Union with a show of force is one thing – if there’s anything our members respect, it’s a Rite – but he could’ve laid off the insults a little. What’s the use in getting San’a riled up like this?
Anyway, like I was saying – the Union needs this fight. A good quarter of our people are still on board the Bastion, and more are getting sick by the minute. Some established communes on the ship are already starting to riot – if this keeps up, we’ll have a real catastrophe on our hands. Remember, we’re still holding most of the Ojin-Kai on board as well.
What’s more, we kinda need to make sure Mercer actually wins this – yes, Rites are final, but sentiment towards the Federation from our side isn’t exactly great right now. Unfortunately though, having Mercer win is part of the problem right now: do not relay this to the other factions, but it was Mercer’s Viper ship that Trice used to save Sho – it’s damaged, not unusable, but a Union Viper’s something you build yourself. If you’re not flying your own, you’re operating at half capacity, at most.
No, Mercer has to use his own ship, so the question we need to start asking is: who can he beat? Sure, Bryn is a 2nd-ranked Valkyrie, but he’s been on combat duty for the last few decades – we know what he’s got in the tank. San’a on the other hand… there’s very, very little combat data on her, and what there is doesn’t look good for us. Unorthodox, close combat, fast-paced. Especially with a damaged ship, that combo’s not exactly a recipe for success.
Problem is: if San’a wins, we might still be able to contain the damage. If Bryn wins… I don’t know, Comrades, give the Union clans something to rally behind and they’ll do it. Maybe I’m catastrophizing here, but we might be looking at a full-scale war. I’ve been running this round my head for the last few hours, and I’m struggling to see a way out of this. The halls on this station are so fucking empty.
Keep your heads high, Comrades – if you can.
Aish.
Voting Results
The Universal Council has consolidated the votes of each of the factions: Interfere in the Rite 1 (Empire) , Allow the Rite to continue 2 (Federation,Union)
The final vote is in favor of having Cillian Mercer and Valkyrie Bryn continue their Rite undeterred by the Council. Word has been sent to both men, with the battle lines being drawn on the border between Union and Federation space. Delegations from both factions will be spectating the event, with Mercer’s delegation mostly consisting of Gamayun clan members, and Bryn’s being composed of his Valkyrie brethren. Takeyon LLC, the largest media Corporation in the Federation, will be transmitting the Rite across the Core System via the Nexus network, so any who are interested will be able to watch it live.
Titanomachy[edit | edit source]
Summary
Mercer’s face contorts – he tries to pull the ship back, but Bryn’s arm catches it, ripping the entire front off the Sepulcher, sending a crushing volley in Mercer’s direction. Then…
San’a’s Valkyrie – a rush of blades and metal – screeches towards them. As the glint of the passing star breaks across the bow of an assembled ship, a flash of fire tears through the borders, and a single vein of pure red light pierces the tension, shattering it like a sheet of glass. Quickly, mechanically, he slices his blade up in one smooth motion, splitting the ship in two – Mercer’s bones shatter with the sheer force of the blow.
Bryn sees San’a, her Valkyrie unit hovering just out of reach, but getting closer; Mercer is saying something, but Bryn can only hear the pounding of his own heartbeat. As colors return, the scene is suddenly crystal clear: in an act of desperation, Bryn has blocked Mercer’s blast with the cockpit of his Valkyrie, shattering the front window and managing to free one arm. It's too late however – Mercer’s ship is on him in seconds, its needle-like front ramming into him. Mercer moves down, spinning his ship into a dive as its wings pull back, the screeching of his engines lost to the void. Bryn screams, and feels the thrust of Mercer’s wing under his left arm as it tears itself away, sharp edges hurtling toward San’a. The Valkyrie’s plates begin tearing – Mercer has managed to twist the tip right between its left leg and pelvis. The wings push against his arm, moving his own sword closer and closer to his exposed cockpit.
Bryn looks up at Mercer, at the haggard, smiling face of the man who just killed his fellow Valkyrie.
Transcript
Mercer’s Viper, the Sepulcher, moves side-to-side, its thrusters beating a steady rhythm. Bryn’s Valkyrie coils itself into position, its inner mechanisms whirring a silent song of death. Around them, the faint borders of an arena have emerged.
Behind Mercer, the jagged shapes of the Union ships house various clan members. Aish Fenix is among them, her Viper hovering slightly away from the main group. Her face is tense, sharp. Behind Bryn shines smooth Valkyrie steel, and the eyes of San’a, watching the Rite with rapt attention.
As the glint of the passing star breaks across the bow of an assembled ship, a flash of fire tears through the borders, and a single vein of pure red light pierces the tension, shattering it like a sheet of glass. Both men roar a battle cry, kicking their engines into sudden, furious life. Bryn’s assault is swift and confident; a trickle of bright gold runs across the surface of his Valkyrie as it fires strips of energy in Mercer’s direction. Mercer rolls his ship smoothly to the side, not allowing the assault to halt his approach. Bryn’s rear thrusters kick in. “Shit-“ the on-board transmission picks up, as the Valkyrie makes a desperate bid to outmaneuver the Sepulcher.
It's too late however – Mercer’s ship is on him in seconds, its needle-like front ramming into him. The Valkyrie’s plates begin tearing – Mercer has managed to twist the tip right between its left leg and pelvis. Bryn’s hand shoots down, looking the tear the Sepulcher apart. At once, three sharp metal prongs emerge from its front, jutting directly into the Valkyrie and pinning both arms to its torso. Through the screeching lights of his HUD, Bryn sees Mercer smile, and the front of the Sepulcher opens, a glowing blast of energy beating at its center. He braces himself… in an instant, the view-feed goes completely white.
The image judders as the Rite slowly comes back into focus, its colors faded. Bryn’s Valkyrie slumps down, motionless. As colors return, the scene is suddenly crystal clear: in an act of desperation, Bryn has blocked Mercer’s blast with the cockpit of his Valkyrie, shattering the front window and managing to free one arm.
Mercer’s face contorts – he tries to pull the ship back, but Bryn’s arm catches it, ripping the entire front off the Sepulcher, sending a crushing volley in Mercer’s direction. Mercer moves down, spinning his ship into a dive as its wings pull back, the screeching of his engines lost to the void. Bryn pulls both arms in, follows him down.
All of a sudden, a shudder runs through Mercer’s ship. Bryn smiles to himself – looks like the intel they got about the Sepulcher being damaged was dead-on. Sensing an opening, the arm of the Valkyrie unit extends into a BOKKA Blade. Suddenly, the Sepulcher wheels round – a ruse! Bryn halts frantically, and Mercer grins as the Sepulcher’s wings unfold themselves around the Valkyrie. Bryn tries to turn, but realizes too late that he’s played right into Mercer’s hands. The wings push against his arm, moving his own sword closer and closer to his exposed cockpit.
Bryn sees San’a, her Valkyrie unit hovering just out of reach, but getting closer; Mercer is saying something, but Bryn can only hear the pounding of his own heartbeat. Then…
San’a’s Valkyrie – a rush of blades and metal – screeches towards them. Bryn screams, and feels the thrust of Mercer’s wing under his left arm as it tears itself away, sharp edges hurtling toward San’a. Her Valkyrie unit is ripped apart on impact. San’a’s body hangs among the shattered, twisted metal, thin drops of blood drifting across her chest.
Bryn looks up at Mercer, at the haggard, smiling face of the man who just killed his fellow Valkyrie. Quickly, mechanically, he slices his blade up in one smooth motion, splitting the ship in two – Mercer’s bones shatter with the sheer force of the blow. Bryn’s arms hang limp as he unfurls himself from the wreck of the Sepulcher, and moves toward his fallen friend.
And thus… the Rite is concluded.
| Expedition to Mímir: | The Catalyst • The Shard • The Crossroads • The Void • Subjugation • The Cradle • Dire Straits • Last Stand |
| Assault on the Crimson Wolves: | The Crimson Wolves • The Ides • Groundswell |
| The Morn Conflict: | On the Brink |
| The Pinnacle Incident: | Quantum Sickness • First Steps |
| The Vargas Epidemic: | Blackout |
| The Opening: | First Contact |