Acron.
A planet among the stars; one of untold number but nestled in the breadth of an arm of the milky way. Many believe - or have been told - that humans were the first to bless the stars in this part of the galaxy. That they documented and dominated space... and wiped out countless species in the process until they grew secure enough to not fear their neighbor. The massive armada of the Human alliance had been tested against synthetic uprisings and a darker species from beyond the galaxy that had been set loose an untold millennia ago; the Vrinn.
But these are distant memories; Acron lies on the borders of current Coalition of Humanity space. A small nation of a few system, Acron boasts significant power to the other neighboring fledgling states... but only at their prime. A fascist nation, they foolishly invoked the wrath of humans so long ago and were forced to reform for survival. Some hated it; saw it as bending the knee even when faced with so many human ships that they could blot out the stars. Others used it and steered the nation ever onward.
But this was long ago; now these factions still bicker... but few could have foreseen what would happen to the royal family coming...
One of the many royal guards grumbled in response to a fellow guard; their heavy suits and weapons at a low carry as they stood in the courtyard of the family's palace. The metal walls of the building were well fortified and guarded; a compound shield in place to protect them from orbital strike as well. It was precautions taken by Rhiannon's father in an effort to prepare for the worst. Men and women from the system that bore distant relations with the Acronian family tree had been preaching that they should militarize once more. To accept their right to domination now that the human navies had departed their space to protect their "core". After all, humanity had stated that smaller scale wars between the various powers was fine; it would help ensure balance and conflict never truly escalated too far.
But it also meant their planet's vast green-blue skies were locked behind the purplish tint of a shield... and that their servants were now mostly replaced with armed guards.
Rhiannon was still in bed; still in her room... and she could hear the teetering of footsteps as an elderly and sparkling familiar face moved to push her clothes to her bedside. Her family's long-standing servant Kalnan; nearly a century old with much of his body now made of cybernetics that they had adopted from loose trade and research with humanity and other distant powers.
"Lady Rhiannon; it is time to awaken. Your father wished to see you today and you're still not dressed." The old man reached to carefully stroke a wizened strip of grey fuzz on his chin, closing his mechanical red eyes. "I certainly hope you have not been running around with hopes of romance in days like this... the guards are stretched thin enough watching the whole family."
A planet among the stars; one of untold number but nestled in the breadth of an arm of the milky way. Many believe - or have been told - that humans were the first to bless the stars in this part of the galaxy. That they documented and dominated space... and wiped out countless species in the process until they grew secure enough to not fear their neighbor. The massive armada of the Human alliance had been tested against synthetic uprisings and a darker species from beyond the galaxy that had been set loose an untold millennia ago; the Vrinn.
But these are distant memories; Acron lies on the borders of current Coalition of Humanity space. A small nation of a few system, Acron boasts significant power to the other neighboring fledgling states... but only at their prime. A fascist nation, they foolishly invoked the wrath of humans so long ago and were forced to reform for survival. Some hated it; saw it as bending the knee even when faced with so many human ships that they could blot out the stars. Others used it and steered the nation ever onward.
But this was long ago; now these factions still bicker... but few could have foreseen what would happen to the royal family coming...
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"A fine day, isn't it?"
One of the many royal guards grumbled in response to a fellow guard; their heavy suits and weapons at a low carry as they stood in the courtyard of the family's palace. The metal walls of the building were well fortified and guarded; a compound shield in place to protect them from orbital strike as well. It was precautions taken by Rhiannon's father in an effort to prepare for the worst. Men and women from the system that bore distant relations with the Acronian family tree had been preaching that they should militarize once more. To accept their right to domination now that the human navies had departed their space to protect their "core". After all, humanity had stated that smaller scale wars between the various powers was fine; it would help ensure balance and conflict never truly escalated too far.
But it also meant their planet's vast green-blue skies were locked behind the purplish tint of a shield... and that their servants were now mostly replaced with armed guards.
Rhiannon was still in bed; still in her room... and she could hear the teetering of footsteps as an elderly and sparkling familiar face moved to push her clothes to her bedside. Her family's long-standing servant Kalnan; nearly a century old with much of his body now made of cybernetics that they had adopted from loose trade and research with humanity and other distant powers.
"Lady Rhiannon; it is time to awaken. Your father wished to see you today and you're still not dressed." The old man reached to carefully stroke a wizened strip of grey fuzz on his chin, closing his mechanical red eyes. "I certainly hope you have not been running around with hopes of romance in days like this... the guards are stretched thin enough watching the whole family."