Their World 1.2

The Architect Of Darkness

Tekkan
Incursion: Day 1

    "My lord! Something has happened!"
 Mechas tapped his clawed fingers against the arm of his throne. "Vut is it, Orven? Another encounter vith those puny Humans?"
 He was impatient, Orwen could tell. Best to out with the truth quickly. "No sir! An anomaly in space! The stars…"
 Mechas leaned forward, suddenly interested. "Go on… vut about the stars?"
 "They've changed, sir. They are all different. Our astronomers can find most of the ones that we know, but… there are more."
 The large Technan sat back in his throne. He smiled, his fangs glistening and eyes beginning to glow. "This is good. It is as it vus vitten."
 Orwen took a step forward, not sure if he had heard his master properly. "Sir? Written? What was written? Where?"
 Mechas began to laugh. After he had finished, he stood and stepped down from the throne. "Prepare the fleet. All of it this time. It is time to mobilize. Ve vill explore these new vorlds. There are those that dvell on them that I vish to meet."
 The massive demigod walked out of his throne room, his lieutenant right behind him. The two looked somewhat similar, though Mechas was much taller. They both had bulky torsos made of organic metal with six thin telescoping arms ending in broad clawed gauntlets. Something similar made up their legs, but those limbs were thicker. Their necks were equally wiry and ended at their pyramid-shaped heads.
 The main differences, other than general size, was that Mechas was an orange gold shade. Meanwhile Orwen sported cool silver armor that was overall bulkier, but it still left him nowhere near as powerful as his master. Mechas' eyes were bright red and three long black lines traced down his face where Orwen only had two electric blue lines accenting his pale green eyes.
 On the way they passed many pairs of guards and squads of soldiers the same species as them, though most were smaller than Orwen and all were of lesser rank. They arrived at a balcony overlooking a vast staging area. Mechas turned to Orwen, turning him away. Only Mechas could be present when he was about to address his people, and as such Orwen left to be amongst those that would soon receive the message.
 Mechas looked down at his army. He fixed his jaw, an action that raised his vocal volume. He wanted all of them to hear. "My subjects… people of Tekkan."
 All talking and motion below him ceased. He smiled, fangs baring. He was absolute lord of their fates. Everything they said and did, every step they took, was in his name and for his glory.
 He continued. "It is time to go to vor. But this time it vill not be vith our enemy, Scorpio. No, this time it is for a greater purpose. Ve may meet the foe ve know, but they vill not be alone. This time there vill be more. The universe is now full, and may ve revel in it. Rise up and board your ships. Every battle cruiser, every carrier, every dreadnought, and every fighter. Ve vill scorch the stars vith our might, burning our enemies and making new allies. Now… LAUNCH!"
 There was a monstrous roar from below as the crowd bellowed in their salute to him. He vanished from his balcony, walking through the corridors of his palace until he arrived at his private boarding ramp for his flagship. Orwen was standing by the door, waiting. The smaller Technan saluted and followed Mechas aboard.
 Upon reaching the bridge, Mechas sat in a stylized command chair that look for all intents and purposes like a throne. "Orven, vare are you?"
 Orwen stepped up right beside his master. "Here, my lord. Shall we launch at once?"
 Mechas let out a deep chuckle. "Yes, but first… let me see the new star charts."
 On command, a holographic display appeared in the centre of the bridge. It showed the galaxy, stars so small that they appeared as only flecks of dust in swirling clouds that made up the galaxy's arms. A yellow dot blinking near the inner ring indicated where the ship currently sat, on Tekkan. Mechas leaned forward, poking his finger at a point equally far from the centre as Tekkan. The hologram zoomed in on that spot.
 "These stars are not from our galaxy, Orven."
 Orwen nodded knowingly. "That is true, sir."
 Mechas continued. "They did not just come into being, either. They are from another galaxy. One I have not visited."
 Orwen peered closer at the hologram of the star cluster. "Wouldn't it follow that many of these others are similar in origin?"
 Mechas poked one particular star and sat back, watching as the image zoomed in on that star. "Many, Orven? I vould venture to guess that they are all of such an origin. This, of course, means that the people on these vorlds vill undoubtedly be confused. Ve vill be there for them."
 Orwen look confused himself. "We are going to help them, sir?"
 Mechas nodded, laughing quietly. "The like-minded ones, yes."
 The lieutenant caught on, the light of understanding showing on his face. "Yes sir, the like-minded. I see what you mean, sir."
 Mechas pointed to the star system laid out before him. "Take us to the gas giant here. Ve vill find who and vut ve are looking for there."
 Orwen wasn't too sure about it at first, but then Mechas zoomed in on the planet he had indicated. What Orwen saw was massive, and doubtless what Mechas was after. Floating around the gas giant was something big enough to have it's own atmosphere, but it was shaped like no planet or any other thing natural. It was a ring world.
 He looked back to his master. "Aye, sir. We go as you command." Orwen turned to the command crew that had been watching the conversation. "You heard him! Move out! We go! Now!"
 In an instant thousands of warships took to the skies, trails of fire and smoke tracing lines through the atmosphere behind them. They rocketed into space and jumped into slipspace. The journey was over in mere seconds, giving way to the view of a gas giant in the distance. The bridge crew, and even Orwen, marveled at the ring world that floated beside the planet.
 Mechas, on the other hand, saw something else. "Prepare yourself, Orven." His stern tone brought everyone back to their senses. "Those… "like-minded" vuns are here. And they have brought just as many ships as ve."

    "They do not appear to be Humans… their ships are too big, and of different design."
 The bulky apelike alien seated in the command chair snarled. "Then call them. See who they are!" He sounded like he wanted an excuse to fight.
 Truth be told, all of them wanted to fight the newcomers, but it did not look like it would go in their favor. The communications officer did as he was bid and within moments a strange and terrifying face appeared on the view-screen.
 Mechas sneered at these creatures. They were small and fleshy. "Do not attempt anything so foolish as firing upon us. Ve are vell capable of viping you from this existence. Besides, ve are not here to fight you. Ve are here to offer an alliance."
 The seated creature sneered back at Mechas. "We are Jiralhanae! We do not go down as easily as you might expect!" He paused for a moment, his mind coming up with something at least he thought was brilliant. "But I will give you this opportunity. The fight is what I live for!" His bridge crew growled in agreement. He waited until they settled down before continuing. "If you are here to offer an alliance, then you know where there is a fight to be had."
 Mechas nodded. "Indeed, I do. A race that has plagued me to no end. They are called Humans."
 The Jiralhanae on the alien bridge growled at the mention of that race. Their chieftain spoke quickly. "We know of these creatures. We pleasure in the spilling of their blood. You lead us to them and we will kill them."
 Mechas smiled, motioning to Orwen. "I am sending you the coordinates to the vorld ve vill be visiting. Follow after us. Ve vill not engage until you arrive. Also, leave two of your ships here. I vill leave two of mine. I vant to know about this ring."
 The feed cut and there was a slight blip from one of the machines. One of the bridge crew checked it and reported. "They have sent us the coordinates for Earth! What trickery is this?"
 The chieftain chuckled. "No trickery. We will go. It's not like the Humans got up and left their homeworld. Contact two of the Kig-yar shipmasters and have them stay. I wouldn't dream of depriving my own brethren of such a glorious opportunity."
 The communications officer, who was fairly displeased with his station, did as commanded. Within the minute, the two fleets jumped toward Earth. The invasion was soon to begin.