annexing-antares

[annexing-antares]

Interstellar Side Stories

Chapter 1

Planet: Exby-7

Sun (Thane)

The shuttle doors opened, and the harsh air hit my lungs forcing a wheeze out from underneath the mask. I had never really been a fan of gas worlds, particularly this one, which cared less about the people who lived in the city and more about how much money they could make from harvesting the resources from the planet. 

The thunder from an oncoming ion storm shook the now-closing dome to protect the people from rubble and debris. A loud click noise shook the city followed by the muffled noises of the rocks hitting the top of the dome. I took a breath as the air in my lungs began to lighten up a little bit. 

I looked out into the dreary streets and began to walk through the city. While amidst the stars, I had been told that this sector didn’t harbor much attention from the authorities and, the pathway of Order had no interest in coming to this part of the void mostly because they shared the same resources. With those two factors in mind, I decided that this world would be the best to hide out while I try to figure out what this, Stupid watch was meant for and why the old man wanted me to have the thing so badly. 

I checked over my shoulder making sure no one was following me, then pulled out the silver pocketwatch, and pressed the latch. The cover opened exposing the still ticking hands. “I wonder how accurate the time is?” I looked at the watch then began searching for the closet clock and saw the time, which matched perfectly. My eye twitched, “This can’t be worth conquering an entire system for, and if so, perhaps this might give me a chance of at least trying to survive.” 

I clicked the lid shut and shut my eyes, the copious amounts of Hydrogen in the air weren’t helping my senses making the task of trying to get my bearings and coming up with a  decent plan more difficult. I started rubbing my temples and decided the first plan of action would be to find somewhere to stay, which might help clear up my senses then, I could start to take a look at the watch.

The city began to darken as night fell and the lights illuminated the city bathing everything in soft amber tones.  A flickering neon sign caught my eyes as I saw a crowd of people walk out from the rustic-looking building. 

“It’s probably an inn but, knowing my luck, it’s most likely some club or bar of sorts.” I pressed the mask to my face before taking a deep breath and went inside. 

 From the appearance, my guess was that this place acted as an Inn and bar allowing the patrons to sleep off their drunken stupor. I slid into the booth leaned my head back and stared at the ceiling. 

My mind began to drift off and the memories from the past week began to resurface. 

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My ears rang as another explosion went off and my eyes shot toward the skies as another drop ship arrived. Screams and cries rang out.  I heard Gramps shouting from the distance. “Thane! Where are you?”  I began looking around and then, I saw him checking underneath some rubble and rushed over to him. I was painting by the time I got over to him and said, “I’m right here Gramps I’m-” and before I could finish, he grabbed my hand and pushed something wrapped in cloth into my chest. “You need to leave, get out of this place. Don’t worry about me just go!”  He then pointed to a ship still holding my arm and said, “Run, don’t worry about me or this place! Run”.

The words danced in my mind; “Sir”, a voice cut through my train of thought and I looked down. I saw the Tabaxi looking at me slightly annoyed. “Sir,” she said before continuing, “I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past few minutes, are you ready to order?” 

I looked down at the table and tried scanning the menu, my eyes turned silver and I began to to shift the unfamiliar marks and symbols into ones I could more easily recognize. There was no water on this menu so I would have to settle for something fizzy. 

“How about this one?” I pointed to the line on the menu and she looked and gave me the side eye before walking away and muttered something beneath her breath. 

I was about to go back to my thoughts when I heard the doors open and saw a tall and massive individual stalked in, his six wings tucked in tightly and he sat at one of the stools resting his head in his hands. “A seraphim…What in the void is one of those doing here?.” 

The Tabaxi returned with the orange and red liquid and said, “Enjoy your drink”, a subtle snark in her tone and walked off to assist other people in the room. I decided just in case the rest of that angel's unit showed up, to create a plan of escape and began to scan the walls.

[annexing-antares]

Interstellar Side Stories

Chapter Prologue

Moon (Rafael)

The sound of the abyss was deafening as I was swallowed whole by the mass that shook the mightiest of galaxies to their core. The image of them speaking but no sound coming out burned into my memory before, everything I thought I knew or dreamt of I knew and more as laid before me…

In an instant, I experienced every dream that could have been dreamt of, every pain or sorrow that could have been felt, and every pleasure and joy that radiated through a living creature's body. I became everything that ever had existed and hoped to exist. I had become Everything, Then I wasn’t. 

I appeared on the other side of that dark, screaming mass and looked back at that black mirror. Minutes, hours, or perhaps even centuries passed before I snapped out of my daze. I looked at my wings, the once white feathers now black except for a few at the edge, and my arms scared with the darkness of the void, the Domination. 

I screamed, which soon turned to laughter. “Was I going mad?” I curled myself into a ball, my tears turning to ice. I looked back to the black hole and wondered, “Should I go back through? My friends are probably on the other side or at least, I hope they still are.”

I spread my wings and shot myself back into the black mirror, my hearing going out again and, just as before I had become everything as I passed through every universe and every timeline imaginable, then arrived on the other side to find… Nothing. 

I could feel a hole forming in my chest where my heart should have been, eyes narrowing and I shot back into the deafening place and didn’t look back, there was nothing left for me here besides distant memories and a rage that threatened to tear worlds apart. The only thing left behind were my frozen bitter tears.