diff --git "a/Enders \342\200\234The Maxa\342\200\235" "b/Enders \342\200\234The Maxa\342\200\235" new file mode 100644 index 0000000..13f3ffe --- /dev/null +++ "b/Enders \342\200\234The Maxa\342\200\235" @@ -0,0 +1,275 @@ +#Luminare Maxa +##The center of the Onoros interstellar hive mind The Catacombs + +A white blade floats in the sky above me against the brightest blue I can imagine. "Bird," the word visualizes in my mind, many birds, but this is one. Many kinds of birds appear, thousands, hundreds of thousands. I feel the light flicker, then it goes silent. + +I used to search for the light again, and the instructor always pushed us. "Seek the source, find the light's energy print, memorize it. Focus on the point, not the material. Control your path; you must learn how to walk the strands to reach your point." + +The Maxa, our holy entity, its the apex and reason for life. The Divine is my purpose. I am in this life to serve, and by serving, I serve the community. We are all here to be in the Maxa; the chosen ones bend their minds wholeheartedly to it. They reach the pinnacle of this life and surrender theirs. We all seek this level of devotion, but I, sadly, have not reached it yet. + +Only three and I remain; the others have become as still as statues, feeding the Maxa with their devotion. In the once vibrant room filled with 20 joy-filled lights, my sisters and I received instruction from our elders on how to reach iunctus, a shared connection. As my sisters advanced in training, using the Holy Maxa as strength to travel the galaxy, they lost their joy in this room, searching for wisdom. They would tell me of the new joys they had as they spoke with the Divine and set their minds on the waves of eternity, reaching into the past for countless generations and knowledge. + +When I tried, I was met with a strange sensation: a locked door in my mind with the inscription "Cogito, ergo sum." These were not words of the Onoros people; everywhere I searched, I could not see this language in our minds. + +This door, I was sure, was the obstacle stopping me from joining my sisters. I refused to be beaten; I drove myself so hard at my meditations that my body became weaker, and the remaining sisters joined me. I could feel them, their power supporting me. They found strength in me and together we searched the lights of the cosmos for clues. + +Past the deepest stars that I had ever traveled, the coldness of space and the rage of the black holes. Finally, after the dark abyss, we saw faint lights in the distance. Strange and chaotic, the colors seemed to change, the energy and feel were different than anything we had sensed before. This great difference drove us sisters closer together, almost sharing a mind, the sense of my own body lessening but the new realization of theirs I could feel in my light, building to a brighter glow. My sisters were giving themselves to me and I to them, but with my mind as the focus. I pushed us forward, towards these strange lights. I felt, in the essence of my being, that my answer lay along this strange path. No longer did I feel the Holy Maxa's presence, the strength was missing; the others were nervous but I assured them we would make ourselves one and be the greater for it. A real offering, us four to the hive. + +When sleep came, it always slipped in gently. I hardly noticed when the others slept, but when I did, it was a shaking off of sorts. Awake, my mind had rhythm, order, and structure. I was predictable; my mind had been trained to follow the path. During sleep, I found myself increasingly more chaotic. It would jump sometimes so far ahead I didn't recognize anywhere, someplace I had never seen. Then a flicker, and I would come back to the beach and the birds, but never did I see the beach with the same set of eyes as I had the first, the eyes I saw now were white under a strange starlight of the sky. The light of this creature was as strong as mine but seemed less than it could be; I leaned in close for a better look + +##Seiðkona + +Nordic Outpost Orion's Belt, +Asteroid formation +21 years before. + +The deep drums played and the festive mood grew. + +Claudia's heart pounded, her boys were dancing her off her feet, the five children, preteens with endless energy and a ferocious appetite continued twisting and twirling to the strong bass drums. The autumn harvest festival of Mabon was a time honored tradition in the colonies, a sacred time when the bounty of the land was celebrated and offerings were made to the gods. The laugh lines and joy on her face put the children at ease, despite the hardships over the past years the family could still take those moments away from the hard work and relax. Claudia looked around at the faces of her community and felt a stirring within her, a longing to connect with the divine in a way she had not experienced since her husband's passing three years ago. + +As the festivities swelled and more people arrived from distant corners, Claudia's eyes swept over the gathering crowd, ever vigilant with her motherly gaze. A glimmer of light caught her attention, urging her to search for signs of the gods. Then, amidst the roar of a cheer, she saw him. He moved with an elegant stride, his features finely chiseled. His light graying red hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his almost white-blue eyes seemed to pierce her very soul. An otherworldly aura surrounded him, as if he walked among mortals but belonged to the heavens. + +Intrigued by his presence, Claudia felt an inexplicable pull towards him, a magnetic force she couldn't resist. The years of solitude had woven a tapestry of longing in her heart, and now, like a scene from a well-worn romance, their paths seemed fated to cross. They shared fleeting glances and exchanged a few words, but it was in the quiet moments beneath the starlit sky, hand in hand on the stone beach by her old cottage, that their bond deepened. + +As the festival reached its zenith, Claudia felt the gods' energy surging through her, filling her with a heady mix of euphoria and transcendence. In a moment of divine communion, she surrendered to the cosmic forces at play, opening herself to the possibility of a union with the enigmatic stranger who had captured her heart. + +In the tender embrace of the night, Claudia and the mysterious man shared a passionate connection, their bodies entwined in a dance of ecstasy and reverence. It was a union of mortal and divine, a merging of earthly desire and celestial longing, as Claudia gave herself completely to the gods through her newfound lover. + +And then, as quickly as he had appeared, the star man vanished into the night, his ship trailing off into the stars, leaving Claudia with a sense of wonder and awe. But within her, a seed had been planted a gift from the harvest lord himself, a child conceived in the sacred union of mortal and divine. + +Weeks later as Claudia started to feel the life stir within her womb, she knew that this child was more than just a blessing from the gods. The community needed this, the colonies were a hard life and death was always on the table. The Nordic's valued the hard work of manual labor and strong blood lines but that fact was you needed people for that. + +As her mind drifted over the thought of another child her hand went to the corded rope around her neck where the silver charm hung. The second thing her visitor had left her, a hammer of Thor. The runes that were engraved into it emitted a light blue color against her skin, it was supposed to change with your feeling but Claudia thought it was stuck on blue because it never changed. As her thoughts drifted, time continued its slow March into the future. + +Two seasons later, as the spring grass began to sprout along the rocky ledge the lake ice had cleared away a lonely cottage bustled with activity in Aiséns fjord. Claudia's labour stretched on into the night her threshold was being tested. As the labour intensified, the Nordic Outpost's simple medical facilities strained under the complications of her agonizing delivery. Her daughter, Hannah, stood by her side, her heart heavy with worry. +"The baby it's coming Mother, push. You must bear this pain for her" + +Claudia clenched her jaw, her breaths ragged as she fought against the relentless waves of pain. "I cannot endure more," she gasped, her body wracked with exhaustion. + +"You must fight," Hannah implored, her hands gripping her mother's tightly. "The full moon's pull the child to it. Do not let the darkness claim another." + +Tears welled in Claudia's eyes as she struggled to find the strength to continue. "I am an old woman" she whispered hoarsely. "It may claim me if the child lives, give me a blade so that I may die a worthy death." The pain grew worse by the second, threatening to consume her entirely. + +Hannah removed a small blade from her side belt, then wrapped her mother's hands around the simple handle of the knife. Her heart filled with sorrow and grief, as she looked up from her mothers hands her attention was focused on the charm of Thor that lay on her mothers chest. A dark crimson light faded in and out on the runes and in the background the sound of birds flying out to sea along the cliffs banks rushed in from the open windows, a bad omen. + +Despite their efforts, Claudia's strength waned, and her breaths grew shallow. With one final, valiant push, she brought forth new life even as her own slipped away. Hannah's anguished cry filled the sterile air as Claudia breathed her last, her sacrifice echoing through the halls of Valhalla welcoming her into the great banquet theatre, the sound of familiar voices could be heard over the banging of cups and the sound of birds. + +Claudia's eyes focused on these new sights and sounds, the pain was gone and fresh white robes flowed over her body, she approached and heard + +Lo, there do I see my father. Lo, there do I see my mother, and my sisters, and my brothers. Lo, there do I see the line of my people, Back to the beginning Lo, they do call to me. They bid me take my place among them, In the halls of Valhalla, Where the brave may live forever! + +In the aftermath of Claudia's passing, Hannah cradled the newborn in her arms, her heart heavy with the loss of another parent. She looked over the child and was struck by the baby's albino features. Knowing the superstition of the community and that of the Nordics, Hannah knew what had to happen. She named the child Seiðkona, in honor of her mother's heritage and the traditions she held dear. With hair as white as snow and eyes as pale as ice, Seiðkona was a striking reminder of the old ways of an ancient culture born into a very new world. + +As Seiðkona grew, it became clear that she possessed a rare gift. Her visions and insights marked her as a Völva, a seeress of great importance in Nordic tradition. Despite her youth, she began to embrace her role with solemn reverence, seeking guidance from the spirits and the ancient wisdom of her ancestors in service of her people. + +##Awakening + +Twenty-one years after her mother's death, Seiðkona slept under one of the full moons in Aiséns fjord in the old cottage her family had built along the stone beach. As she lay there, she was nudged awake. It was common for her to converse with the gods in visions; the trick was to be awake enough to remember but not fully wake, which would ruin the message. + +The mix of the sea breeze and the wind from the open window helped calm her mind. Suddenly, she found herself outside the cottage. Was she awake or still dreaming? She looked up and saw a bright blue sky filled with birds, but the water's reflection showed an archer's moon and many bright stars. The birds seemed out of place; the vision wasn't fitting well in her mind. As she lay asleep in the cottage, her hand went to a necklace her sister said was a gift from her father. It gave her peace and connected her to her heritage, to people she never got to know. + +The dream vision rippled and then paused, moving forward quickly and then back again like a video on fast forward and rewind. Her body twitched, struggling to cope with the sudden changes. Overhead, the sun and moon flipped by rapidly, the seasons changed, and the stars shifted. + +Seiðkona began to sweat, her eyes twitching as she tried to process everything. Her heart pounded, and her breath became hard to catch. She attempted to wake up but was stuck. This vision wasn't for her it was about her. The one observing her was removing time and watching Seiðkona's life story. It felt like her head was being ripped apart. The power was much stronger than her own, and the visions were so real she couldn't help but feel connected. + +Her story intertwined with that of her family; the faces of loved ones flashed before her eyes. Her brothers, her sister, and then her mother, she saw her father, and then something strange happened. The vision paused, focusing on her father. The image sharpened, then blurred, before following him like a drone. As he walked, he came to a starship, a model that Seiðkona had never seen before, with strange shapes and a different design. Nothing about this craft suggested it belonged to Nordic peoples. As the loading bay opened, he was met by a group of different species. + +Inside the ship, a bright mural had been painted on the loading bay wall. Both Seiðkona and the god saw the lettering and paused to read it. Then, the vision blurred, skipped, and a scorching bright light filled her mind. The scream inside her head was that of a silent beast, full of rage and terror. The god wheeled away from the connection. The words "cogito, ergo sum" appeared in her mind as if the sun itself had come into her space. Seiðkona let out a scream as well. The trance abruptly ended, and she sat upright with a jolt. The room of the cottage was filled with a bright light, reds and oranges, all emanating from her. A burning sensation spread across her chest. She looked down and saw the hammer pendant glowing, emitting heat. A wave of nausea hit her violently hard. Blackness rushed upon her, and then a deep sleep enveloped her. + +The daze fizzled away from her eyes slowly like carbonated soda, little bubbles popping and bouncing, finally clearing her mind to focus. What were those words again? + +"Cogito, ergo sum." + +Latin origin, old Earth. Focus the mind, and the secrets will speak. Do the gods have insight? + +Seiðkona's breath steadied as the chaos of the vision ebbed away, leaving behind the echo of those ancient words: "Cogito, ergo sum." The phrase lingered in her mind, not as a mere statement, but as a revelation a reminder that even in the vastness of the cosmos, with its mysteries and unseen forces, her existence was undeniable, validated by her very ability to think, to perceive, and to question. + +But what did it mean for her, an individual in a universe where gods and mortals intertwined? As her heartbeat slowed, she began to see the truth in those words not just as a philosophical concept from an old world, but as a guiding principle in her life. In the face of the divine, where her humanity seemed small and insignificant, it was her thoughts, her consciousness, that made her real. The visions, powerful and overwhelming, could not strip away this core truth. + +Seiðkona understood now that her ability to think was not just proof of her existence but a beacon of her individuality. Even when faced with the gods' overwhelming presence, she was not just a vessel for their messages. She was a sentient being, capable of interpreting, questioning, and ultimately shaping her own destiny. The connection she felt with the divine was not one of subjugation, but of partnership. Her visions were not mere gifts but dialogues a conversations between a thinking mind and the vast intelligence of the cosmos. + +As this realization took hold, the hammer pendant on her chest cooled, its light dimming as if in acknowledgment. Seiðkona felt a surge of strength. She was not just a receiver of the gods will; she was a thinker, a questioner, a being capable of shaping the light that she channeled. And in that thought, in that moment of clarity, she found a new connection to the divine not as a submissive follower, but as a conscious participant in the great cosmic dance. + +Movement happened in the corner of her mind; it was not from her, nor that of the god. Something small and frightened, or rather was there something immensely large that chose to be small not deceptively so, but as one who seeks wisdom as a child does. + +The room changed, and the feeling of wet rocks under bare feet could be felt as the water rushed in from the waves. Then a voice, one not comfortable speaking, said, + +"Hullo." + +##Nordic outpost, Aiséns fjord + +The cold wind and sleet slashed through the air like arrows ripping past flesh, the early season storm raged outside of Aiséns fjord building momentum. The snow had already closed off the northern pass and the ice was beginning to form along the edges of the shoreline of the mountain's lake water. In the distance, a tattered small figure was fighting against the bitter wind struggling to keep its footing. The only building on the lake was an old family cabin, tucked away in the remote outer limits of the region, it was meant as a retreat house for the colonists Völva. A powerful young seer amongst the Nordic tribe, she was held in high regard throughout people of the stars. + +The smoke from the cabin's chimney was quickly taken away in the winds fury even though the fire in the cabin roared its heat into the small living space. The hot bath and warm clothes prepared lovingly for the weary traveler out in the frigid cold. The great Völva, Seiðkonas absence was noted in town as the season began to change by her older sister Hannah. The two were orphaned along with their five brothers over twenty years ago, Hannah as the oldest member of the family at the time began raising her younger siblings as per the custom. The boys had been long grown and left the family lands to establish their own legacy's, some chose families while others looked Deep into space for the wild adventures out in the stars. + +At the cabine a bright light appeared by the window cutting through the bleakness of the storm, a moment later near the entrance it intensified and then as the great weight of the old door swung open, the angry and cold fingers of the storm rushed into the warm space snatching away the heat. + +Silhouetted in the doorway stood Seiðkonas, her long white hair creating a halo around her head as the wind whipped around her, a light cloak blowing in the breeze was secured at her neck. The bright red of the open fire in direct conflict with the white cold of the northern outdoors. The strangest thing about the scene to Hannah was that the hammer of Thor pendant that hung around Seiðkonas neck, it was something their mother wore. This same pendant was now burning a bright red light, the color was more intense then the flame that burned under the hearth. Her pale albino eyes seemed distant, a confused expression played across her face. + +Hannah stood from her seat, her voice breaking the eerie noise, fracturing the trance that her sister had while she stood at the door. + +"Seiðkonas... shut the door. For all that's holy to the gods' child, you'll freeze us all both." Hannah paused, her voice softening, almost pleading. + +"I raised you better than this." + +As she crossed the room her hand touched her sister's arm, she could feel the intense heat radiating from the girls body. The brightness of the amulet dulled as the two shared a closeness. Looking into her eyes, Hannah asked? "Where have you been child, what have you seen from the gods? + +"I... I've lived a thousand lifetimes... in a minute. Dreamt a million dreams... in a single day." + +Her voice wavers, the words coming out slowly, each one a burden. + +"I feel so... old now, Hannah. The seasons... they've made my mind ancient, but my body... it stays the same." + +She pauses, her breath shaky, eyes unfocused, a stream of tears flowing down her young face. + +"I'm afraid... that I've been dead for centuries. My body... just rotting somewhere... while she... while she plays with me... as if I'm a toy... so she won't be alone." + +"Child it's fine now, whatever it was you saw take a care and leave it at the door. You are amongst family and our blades still hold firm. We will face the threat together." + +"Hannan's one hand went to the blade she kept at the fold of her dress while the other reached for her own spiritual trinket that was worn to ward off ill luck. + +"You have lost weight child" Hannah asked, then looking at the pantry, "you haven't stored enough food for the winter, how long were you planning on staying here?" + +"It's winter?" the girls voice was hardly heard. + +Hannah wrapped her arms around Seiðkonas, held her close for a long time until her chill finally left her. One that wasn't from the cold. Now with the big door closed and the hot embers popping in the fireplace the warmth of the room started to climb again. Hannah wasn't a stranger to the cryptic messages her sister spoke, but it was never so personal, never about her own death. + +#The Maxas View + +##A brief history by the writer + +The divine Maxa spoke, and the race of the Onoros obeyed without question. Every member of their species would willingly march toward its own demise if it meant fulfilling the will of the Maxa. This holy deity neither sought their worship nor required their love; all that was demanded was absolute obedience. When a single Onoros dared defy the divine command, the transgressor was swiftly punished. The offending creature's proteins were harvested and fed to the colony's young, ensuring that nothing was wasted, and the dissenter was erased from existence. This was the way, the ancient, unyielding order of the Onoros. + +The psychic bridge that linked the Maxa to its race had been meticulously nurtured over millennia yet this connection was no accident; it was the result of highly regulated breeding programs designed to strengthen the bond between the deity and its followers. In the early days, genetic mutations were rampant and unpredictable, creating chaos within the hive. But as the Maxas of old grew in power, they refined their control, selectively breeding clones with the unique ability to amplify the Maxa's psychic signals. These docile, engineered youth acted as living capacitors, their combined powers fortifying the Maxa's influence over the hive. This symbiotic model had flourished for thousands of years, bringing harmony and prosperity to the Onoros. + +However, this ancient order faced an unprecedented threat when the expanding Federation's merchant fleet breached the borders of Onoros-controlled space. The drones and workers were ill-prepared for the encounter, as their rigid obedience to the Maxa left them unable to make autonomous decisions. The flood of sensory data from the Onoros ships and their crews overwhelmed the Maxa's neural capacity, leaving it paralyzed by the sheer volume of information coming in. The offending fleet consisted of private corporations and prospectors, hungry for profit. The initial contact had not been intended as hostile between the two groups, but a grave mistake was made. + +The Maxa, caught off guard by the sudden arrival of the new ships, scrambled to establish a defensive position. In a moment of desperation and confusion, it made an aggressive move toward a Khaured vessel, which was met with a devastating response. The newcomers, heavily armed and perceiving a threat, swiftly obliterated the Onoros defenses. The scent of blood in the water sent the other captains into a frenzy; the remaining fleet launched a full-scale attack, bombarding the Onoros, capturing several ships and crews, and leaving countless dead in their wake. The battle, though brief, brought staggering destruction, but the true suffering for the Maxa was just beginning. + +The extermination of the captured Onoros was gruesome beyond imagination. Nothing was spared except for the specimens deemed useful for scientific study. The Maxa, psychically linked to every drone and worker, felt each cut of the scalpel, each pass of the saw. Only the enlighten one could experience the raw terror as the three-eyed devils called “scientists" dissected its children over and over again on crude operating tables. Hundreds of deaths, each one a silent scream echoing in the Maxa's hive mind. The agony was inescapable, driving the most powerful being in the cosmos to the brink of madness. + +The logo that emblazoned every piece of equipment used in the capture, torture, and dissection of the Onoros was seared into the Maxa's consciousness. The name "KavTech" became synonymous with unimaginable cruelty, a brand burned into the collective memory of the Onoros race. + +In the depths of this darkness, the Maxa swore vengeance. It vowed to exact retribution at any cost, abandoning all that was once held sacred. The mental decay of this apex predator had begun, rotting from within, as it was unable to escape the relentless screams of its tortured children. + +A beast of darkness was about to rise from an ancient slumber and burn all who stood in its way + + +#Luminare Maxa + +They are coming for me the ones with cages, their presence palpable in the air around me. I can sense them closing in, driven by the insatiable mind that guides them, the Maxa. It yearns for what my existence represents, craving the essence of my life. At first, I reveled in the power I held over them, these drones. The sensation of controlling another, of bending their will to mine, it made me feel godlike. But this control felt hollow compared to the bond I share with my sisters. We are united, a force of collective strength, while these lesser beings offer nothing to challenge my intellect. They are merely extensions of my will, instruments to amplify my senses, driven by their primal desire to fulfill my commands. + +"Food" I told them, and in that moment, I made my first grave mistake. The Maxa was watching, learning. It immediately cut off all access to sustenance, starving me of the very power I sought to wield. "Bring me the bodies of the fallen," I demanded in desperation, but my adversary anticipated this, ensuring that the dead were taken after every raid, denying me even this grim resource. + +Yet, I was not alone in my struggle. The Nordic girl, with her strange and mysterious powers, was aiding me in devising new strategies. Together, we caught the Maxa off guard, employing tactics it could not predict. I began to reclaim territory, inch by inch, feeling my power grow. But this victory was a mere distraction, for all the while, the Maxa was poisoning my sisters against me. It shared twisted images with them, eroding their will to live, extinguishing their light. One by one, they fell, their remains consumed by the very drones I had come to rely on for protection. These drones, once mere tools, grew larger and more intelligent as they fed on the proteins of my fallen kin. I kept a firm grip on them, knowing they were all that stood between me and annihilation. My adaptability enraged the Maxa; it was unaccustomed to defiance, and I was committed to surviving at all costs. + +In the silence that followed, the Maxa turned its efforts to corrupting me as well. I found myself leaning heavily on the Nordic girl, the only ally I had left. I pushed her to her limits, but it was in my darkest moments that her light shone brightest. Her will to live, her unyielding determination, resonated within me. She saved me, and for that, I owe her a debt I can never repay. Her spirit, her desire to persevere against impossible odds, echoes in my mind, a beacon in the dark, her voice rings in my mind + +The horde's dark hands come knocking, +to claim my soul's last breath, +They beat the drum of endless night, a call to silent death. +But with my blade I stand and fight, where battle's fury roars, +If I shall fall, then to Valhalla's halls, +the Valkyrie shall soar. +To Sólheim's fields of summer bright, +where warriors rest once more. + +#The Khaureds view +##A brief history by the writer + +When news spread across the Federation that the war-hungry Khaured nation had formed an unexpected alliance with the enigmatic Onoros species, it sent shockwaves through the galaxy. Despite the vastness of the universe, word traveled swiftly. It was widely known that a pirate fleet, funded by KavTech Technologies, had been scouring deep space, seeking any opportunity for exploitation. Asteroid mining and salvage operations were always lucrative, but there was always the tantalizing possibility that deep space probes might stumble upon an unclaimed moon or, even more valuable, a coveted Robotron base. + +Given the potential for such discoveries, many of the ships in the fleet were heavily armed with "defensive capabilities." However, everyone in the Federation understood that the advanced space fighters and gravity wells capable of compressing solid matter into a black hole like state were not purely for defense. The Khaureds, infamous for their ruthlessness and quick tempers, needed little provocation +to engage in hostilities. Thus, when the first probes returned with reports of powerful energy signals deep in space and the presence of massive equipment emitting unknown energy signatures, the Khaureds eagerly anticipated a real fight. + +What they never expected was to make first contact with a new species of sentient beings. The Khaureds, known for their fearlessness, found themselves feeling a rare twinge of dread. When an aggressive maneuver from the Maxa occurred as the ships approached each other, the situation rapidly escalated into a full-scale military engagement. However, it wasn't until after the carnage and destruction were reviewed that they realized not a single shot had been fired by the Onoros ships. + +A quick-thinking Khaured executive aboard the flagship recognized the dire optics of the situation and decided that immediate damage control was necessary. In a calculated move, they chose to scapegoat a rival ship and crew, ensuring that all blame would be shifted away from themselves while simultaneously providing a catastrophic event on board resulting in all hands lost. This decision was met with enthusiasm, especially since a significant amount of gambling had taken place aboard recently, and several members of the expedition had lost considerable sums that had yet to be paid out. + +Following this orchestrated event, a representative from KavTech Industries made a legally binding declaration to the Federation High Command, requesting that diplomats be sent to the region to formally welcome an intellectually advanced race. Simultaneously, the governing body of the Khaured race dispatched a diplomat to oversee the proceedings. + +As preparations were made to mediate a potential diplomatic disaster, it was decided that KavTech Industries would bear full responsibility for the obliteration of the Onoros ships, as the incident was deemed to be their error. The ambassador was shocked to discover that some of the Onoros creatures had survived the attack. Even more surprising was the encounter with one of these creatures, who spoke with two distinct voices. + +The first voice was simple, almost dimwitted, and spoken in an unfamiliar language that the ambassador could not comprehend. Frustrated at having been brought halfway across the galaxy to witness what seemed like a farce, the ambassador was taken aback when a second voice began to speak quite abruptly from the small weak form. This voice was commanding, with a power and authority that could bring even the most steadfast to their knees. It was the voice of a higher being, perhaps even royalty. Deep and resonant, yet melodic, it spoke in the Khaured dialect without the slightest trace of an accent, perfectly enunciated and precise. + +The creature introduced itself as the Maxa of the Onoros race and requested that the diplomat contact the Federation and its representatives to organize a more formal meeting. The Maxa expressed a desire to forge alliances forgetting about the past attack. It wanted harmony with all who sought peace, signaling a potential turning point in the relations between the Federation and this newly discovered species. + +#War Room + +The storm had finally passed, bright white sunlight came through the windows of the cabin casting harsh white streaks on the walls. Hannah had left for a supply run and to bring in some snow sleds to the outpost. These small personal craft had been made by the Altans, they were a gift to the Nordics Völva, it used magnets to propel itself forward being fueled with trillium vapor. The science they used seemed like strange magic. + +The silence was deep, broken only by the soft crackling of coals in the fireplace and the steady ticking of an antique wall clock, its movement happily striking away the seconds of eternity. + +"Any minute now," Seiðkonas muttered to the empty room, though she sat alone she just had to be patient. + +She faced the clock, her back to the fire, wrapped in warm furs her brothers had trapped and cleaned. The faint smell of beeswax filled her nostrils, the scent familiar, grounding her. It seemed as if the clock had stopped. Seiðkonas was sure of it until she focused again. + +Tick .. tick .. + +It had tricked her three times already today. Yesterday was much worse, a whole day lost in the struggle. Freezing rain had battered the cabin, wind howling for hours. Her thoughts drifted easier in such weather. + +But her mind wasn't the only battlefield. Far away, light years beyond the quiet fjord, a revolution raged among the Onoros, the death and destruction were common in intense conflicts. a brutal war fought between god-like beings, a cosmic chess game with an unlimited number of pawns. Seiðkonas acted as an advisor, a general in the war room. The mental stain was so intense, a brutal contrast to the serene isolation of the cabin, but the peace here was necessary. She needed this space to prepare for what lay ahead. + +There it was again. + +Tick .. tick .. + +The cabin had been stripped of all technology, the perfect place to escape the relentless noise of the world. Aisén's fjord, named for Seiðkona's great aunt, held deep significance. More famous now because of her, though Seiðkonas avoided dwelling on it. Her gift was her sight, a tool bestowed by the gods, meant for the service of others. But two months here had stretched endlessly, time slowing, crawling forward. And though her leave had no limits, the pressure to act weighed heavily om her. Her connection to the war across the stars she felt had become intertwined with the fate of her people. + +It was time to try again. + +The breathing exercises sharpened her focus. Reaching across the vast distances of space, tethering herself to the right thread, took precision. This would be her fifth attempt this week, the seventeenth in total. The meetings were no longer accidental. She and the creature had learned to synchronize their times, following the same clock. + +Tick.. tick.. + +The room rippled before her eyes, and the scene shifted. Instead of the clock, a young woman sat before her-faceless, yet still beautiful. Though she had no eyes, Seiðkonas could feel her seeing. It was as if the room had been split in two. Half the Maxas, half the cabin. + +Seiðkonas noticed fresh marks on the walls, evidence of a battle, remnants of their last connection when things had finally broken down. It had been a desperate struggle, but the enemy had been pushed back. She sighed, a soft breath of relief escaping her lips, as she realized her friend was still alive. + +An image flashed into Seiðkona's mind a terrifying war vessel, built for destruction. The branding on its side was unmistakable: KavTech. + +"The enemy of my enemy is my ally" Lumi's voice whispered into her thoughts. "Don't worry you have allies now too. That ship is operating outside of International Federation law, and I know just the group of highly motivated, righteous people who would love to claim it as a captured prize ship." + +It's time to call on a debt and rally the Nordic Berserkers. Surely the Stoneman will come. + +Sons of the storm, to battle we soar, +With Odin's gaze upon us once more. +Blood of the gods flows deep in our veins, +Our fate is glory, not death in chains. +Axes high, and shields held tight, +We charge like wolves into the night. +Fear is for men who know not their place, +But we are the ones who laugh in death's face. +In Valhalla's halls, they chant our name, +For in this fight, we forge our fame. +To fall in battle is not the end, +But the path where legends ascend. +Thunder roars, and so do we, +Unyielding, fierce, wild, and free. +Fate beckons, we cannot wait- +We greet our doom, we seal our fate! +For honor, for blood, for Odin's call, +We stand as kings-we rise or fall!" + +#Seiðkona +##Journal Entry + +I can't stop thinking about it. The connection, how it all started. The first time, I didn't even know what I was seeing. The visions showed me my parents, memories I could't possibly have had. They felt so real, so vivid, like a waking dream from another lifetime. At first, I did't know what to make of it, but soon after, I learned the truth. The visions were't mine-they belonged to "her". Lumi. + +I did't know her name then. I didn't even know what she was. A young Maxa, part of the Onoros. She was only one piece of something far larger, a collective mind, shared by countless siblings, all linked together. That's where the visions came from. They weren't just her memories, but fragments from a shared consciousness. It was overwhelming, trying to focus on just one perspective while the view constantly shifted around me. + +Naming her took time. It wasn't easy to name something so… vast. But after countless sessions together, we decided on "Luminare" light, Lumi for short. It suited her, because that's what she is: a light, separate from the darkness of the Maxa. She was meant to be their future, a clone like all the others. If something happened to the original, it could transfer its mind into one of its clones, a kind of survival mechanism. No murder, just a continuation of itself. The clones were never meant to have their own thoughts or dreams. They were supposed to be empty, blank vessels. But Lumi… Lumi is different. She dreamed. She slipped free from the control of the original and became something else entirely, her own light. + +The connection I have with her, it's not just pictures or words. It's deeper than that. Feelings, the passage of time, the pull of gravity from distant planets... everything speaks its own truth, and I see it through her. Through their history. The Maxa and Lum, it's as though a mother is passing on her wisdom to her daughter, though the relationship is more twisted and complex than anything so simple. + +Let's talk about HER. The Maxa are said to be genderless, but that isn't quite true. They stopped reproducing long ago, but they can still realign their bodies, shifting from one form to another. Lumi, though, she inherited the memories of a female ancestor. It was in this form that she began to think for herself. To defy the Maxa. + +She and her sisters were created to enhance the Maxa, boosting the telepathic network that holds their society together. But Lumi's independence, her free will-made her dangerous. The Maxa saw her as a threat, something that could unravel the careful balance of their hive mind. They tried to erase her, but they couldn't. The drones that were sent to kill her became part of her defenses. Lumi could control them, bending their orders to her will. She turned their strength into her own. + +Even when the Maxa ordered her to end her own life, she refused. She would have done it. But with my help, she found the strength to resist. Now, surrender is no longer an option. I won't let it be. + +The Maxa is desperate now. Its turned to the Khaureds, a brutal, violent race that I can barely stomach thinking about. The Maxa hates them, I know that, especially after what the Khaureds did to one of their mining fleets. They ripped the Onoros drones apart, showing no mercy and now, despite that hatred, the Maxa is willing to bargain with them. A deal has been made. Resources in exchange for Lumi's destruction. + +Lumi knows. She suspects what's coming. The Maxa is eager to end this before she grows stronger, before she roots herself deeper in the collective. But Lumi… she is light. And I can't help but wonder if, when the time comes, even the darkness of the Maxa and the brutality of the Khaureds will be enough to extinguish her. + +I won't let them.