The Asteroid Home
DescriptionThe Asteroid Home follows a recovering King Trimdin as some unexpected friends return for a second chance at finding a home.
MessageThe Asteroid Home contains content some may find triggering. Reader discretion is advised.
ImageWRTN/The Asteroid Saga
Original Trilogy - 3 Of 3 • 30,000 Words
Table of ContentsPrologueChapter 1 - HomecomingChapter 2 - Catch UpChapter 3 - KiranChapter 4 - DiscoveryChapter 5 - RestorationChapter 6 - HistoryChapter 7 - Pains & PlansChapter 8 - The King of GodsChapter 9 - HumanityChapter 10 - A New HomeEpilogue
3 Months After The Departure…A craft entered the orbit of Earth, tiny compared to its destroyed body and barren soul. In it, two humans sat, guiding their ship toward the planet. But to their surprise, what once was had now vanished; their home, destroyed.“What the hell happened?” one of the men said.“The Earth, it’s a total mess!”“How much did we miss on this damn mission?”The two astronauts looked at each other, squished by the tight interior of their cabin.“Well, that explains why we couldn’t talk to mission control,” one said plainly.“Shit. Holy shit.” The man turned around in a panic and quickly started scanning the space around them, spying for any signs of human activity.The captain looked out the window of their capsule, staring at the sphere below.“It was once so beautiful, so magical.”“It sure was,” said the other man at the radio.“Did you get anything yet?”“Kind of, but the signal is faint.”“What’s the source?”“I’m not sure; let me try to pinpoint its location.” The man took hold of his headphones, looked down at his monitor, and attempted to discover the precise source of the message. He twisted a few nobs, pushed a couple of buttons, and honed in on the signal.“I’ve got it! It's the space station, the International Freedom Station!”“What’s the message?”“Just a series of short ticks and long taps.”“Let me hear that.” The more experienced pilot floated over to the post. He put on his pair of earbuds and listened.“Three short, three long, and three short. And it repeats.” The man looked out the window again. “It’s a Goddamn SOS!”“I knew that. Do you think anyone’s on the station?”“If you knew that, then you wouldn’t hold your hopes out.”“We should head there, anyway. It’ll be loaded with supplies.”“If what I think happened, happened, then we’ll need everything we can get.”The two men sat back in their seats and set course, matching their orbit with the station. Smoothly and swiftly they reached their destination, though instead of life, the place was dead; no lights, no movement, nothing.“That’s not a good sign,” one of the men quipped.“I’m not surprised. The war caused this poor station to be a battleground of ownership. It’s been empty for months.”“Didn’t you spend some time here?”“Long ago, my friend, back when I thought our world was the only.”“The habitation systems are probably down. But it’s nothing a reboot won’t fix.”The pilot directed the ship toward a connector in the starboard section.Similar to a football field in size, the station spanned many yards across the darkness of space around the crimson Earth. Like many before, the International Freedom Station was constructed of different modules, a display of national flags and symbols covering its white and silver exterior. A large, cylindrical build allowed it to have vast arrays of solar panels, their glaring blue hue absorbing energy exponentially.As the ship neared the docking bay, its computer system locked onto a target and aligned itself. Inch by inch, their destination came ever closer. And within seconds, they were attached, little arms grabbing hold of small notches in a ring surrounding the exit.“Docking Successful,” their computer screen read.“Ha, great!” the pilot screamed.The men unstrapped themselves from their seats, quickly bolting to their spacesuits.“Damn, these things got really beaten up, didn’t they?”“That’s what happens when you battle on an asteroid,” his underling responded.“Very funny. Now let’s get into this station.”A lever sat on the side of the door, heavily banged up with deep dents covering its dull exterior. But with enough brute strength, they opened it, entered the airlock, closed the hatch behind them, and matched its pressure with that of the larger vessel.“The pressure is too low. I think you were right.”“Well, they didn’t ask an engineer to come on this mission for nothing!”“You’re saying that like we did this willingly.”“I was fine with going to Pluto. I didn't agree to meet an alien, battle an evil queen, return to a destroyed Earth, and learn that everyone I loved is likely gone.” “I don’t think that was part of the draft description.”“It wasn’t…” he responded, his voice strained as he looked his partner in the eye. “It wasn’t at all.”“Oh, bud, we’ll make it through this. I know we will. Okay?”“Okay.”The men were in agreement, and soon, opened up the hatch into the station. It was dark inside, empty and cold. A sea of items floated around endlessly; laptops, books, food packages, and more. Both entered cautiously, turning on their flashlights and steering through the mess.“We're definetly alone,” the engineer said.“Let’s scrap this thing for everything we can.”The men got to work, the pilot investing time into every nook and cranny, finding groves of vacuumed-packed food and dozens of sealed plant seeds in the greenhouse. He examined everything he could, saving what was possible. Water was also a necessity, as to which the station's sanitation station for waste seemed to produce an excess of.The other man plugged his computer into the faulty electrical system, attempting to discover and troubleshoot any issues. It appeared that the main circuit breaker was overloaded, and, with the quick flip of a switch, power was yet again delivered to the station.They soon came back together, confident with their discoveries.“That wasn’t a total lost cause… thankfully,” one of the men said.“We got plenty out of it, that’s for sure. The station’s on, we have resources for the next few months, and if we play it smart with the greenhouse, we could last for years.”“So now what?”“I’m not sure. This is not what we signed up for.”“You’re telling me!”“We should cannibalize the station to assist the ship's restoration; it is our lifeboat. But we can survive here, too, and maybe find others on Earth. That’s the best option.”“Things are slim, but our best bet is here.”“Then it’s settled. You get on the repairs, and I’ll get on working with the greenhouse and water supply. This is our new home; this is the last residence of the human race.”The two men got to work. They knew the journey ahead would be challenging, but worth it. Nothing is more important than life, than believing in salvation.And soon, the men would get what they wanted: a place for humanity to thrive.~~6 Months After The Departure…“Hello! Can anyone hear me? Is anyone out there?” This message was broadcasted out of the craft, but no one reciprocated. The International Freedom Station stood tall, dancing around a desolate Earth, a man and his partner stranded within its safety.“When you’re in the middle of space, it’s pretty hard to get any responses, isn’t it?” the man joked to his companion.“What the hell do we expect? Everyone’s dead. There’s no one out there. We’re lucky if our cries even reach the surface.”“The antennas are just a bit… dysfunctional. Though I’ve seen you do nothing about it, Mr. Engineer. Don’t you have a degree in this stuff?”“I’m not a magician. I’ve done what I can to strengthen the signal.”“Have you decoded more of the stored transmissions?”“I’ve gone through what I can, and it seems pretty telling.”“What is that?” the man asked his crewmate.“Nukes. It may have been out of anger, it may have been out of pity, but someone pressed the finalizing button. Retaliations soon occurred, causing everyone to destroy everything, including themselves. Between the gust of fire and acid rain, no one’s surviving that.”“So, we are officially the last of humanity?”“It seems so…”The two men sat down, staring out the massive cupola of the station.“Much has happened to us in the past few months. We were meant to be the first of something, not the last,” the leading man reminisced.“Our friends, our families, our society; they’re all gone. Everyone we have ever loved is dead. Never mind in the worst way possible: a fiery hell.”Together they fell silent, letting their thoughts take hold in their heads.“Today, the last of the human race continues to live. Our existence, our place in the universal saga, is ending. That's it,” he expressed.“At least we have the safety of this station, but isolation is no light concept. Our only hope is that something heard my meager cries. That’s all there is left for us…”As the man said that, a sudden message began to transmit to their intercom system. It was in a foreign language, exotic and mysterious.“Udenfy ves, ths ryal comuncte lne of Trm-King, du yo cpy.”“Oh my God!” one shouted, the message playing loudly throughout the station.“What was that?”“It was a message from the speaker. Should I respond?”“Yes!” he said. “Though what type of twisted coincidence was that?”“A good one,” the commander said as he ran to the receiver. “Who is this?”There was no response.“We are two human astronauts stuck around the Earth. War has ravaged our home; we have nowhere to go.”Nothing.“Please, respond!”Both men stood in silence, waiting.Steadily, they picked up the microphone and pressed the shiny silver button on its side. “Can you help us, whoever you are?”“Hlp?” it responded.“Yes, yes, help. We need help! We’re trapped in a big hunk of metal circling a blue marble-looking thing. My buddy and I are the last of our species.”“Hlp?”“Help! Do you need our names? We are Tim and Claren, and we need help.”“Tim? Claren? Tim n Claren!”“Now you're getting it,” the man said with a sigh of relief.The radio fell silent again.“What happened?” his crewmate asked.“I’m not sure. I was just getting the message out to them, but then—”“Hello. Tim and Claren, are you there?”“YES, YES, we are. And you speak English, finally.”“Do you know who it is, though?”“No, who's this?”“Think about it for a second…”The voice sat in their minds. It was recognizable, distinct. And at that moment, Tim and Claren realized precisely who they were talking to.“Wait a minute. Trimdin? Trimdin? TRIMDIN!”“It’s Trimdin?” Claren asked, getting up and walking towards Tim.“Yeah!”“Holy shit, what! How did the signal reach so far out?”“Who cares!”“Do you think he can save us?”“Let me ask,” Tim responded, forcing his attention back to the conversation with their alien friend. “Hey, uh, Trimdin, we’re trapped in orbit around the Earth.”“Around Earth, you say? Trapped? Are you asking to be saved?”“To put it lightly: yes.”“Do you have a precise location?”“All I’ve got right now is orbital velocity.”“That’s fine, I have my ship in the area. Let me get it over to you.”“A ship in the area? Where?” Claren asked.“How long will it take?” Tim questioned Trimdin.“Not very long. It should be there in 3, 2, and….” A massive vessel showed up in the space around their station. “You see it?”“We definitely see it,” Tim responded in awe.“That thing is freaking huge!”“You’re damn right it is. It’s my personal Royal ship. It will beam your craft up into its bay, and from there, deliver you directly to me.”“The whole station is going to fit in that thing?” Claren asked.“Station? God no. But you still have your tiny ship, right?”“Of course we do. And Claren has even been doing some repairs to it.”“Wonderful, I cannot wait to see that thing again! How’d the parts work?”“They worked good enough to get us home. We still have no idea how you had the exact parts to fix our ship.”“We’ve captured a few human vessels in our time. Regardless, I shall see you when you get here, my dear friends. There is much to tell you about, and I’m sure you feel the same.”“You bet, your majesty,” both said together into the mic.“See you then!”The transmission cut out, and, quickly, the men rushed into their old ship, slipping on their battered suits and packing everything they could into it, detaching from the station.“Farewell,” Claren said somberly.“We are leaving man’s most impressive feat behind: a ruined sanctuary."“Impressive and depressive,” Claren said back.In unison, the men looked longingly at each other, sitting once again in the very thing that brought them to their not-so-little green friend.And as they reflected, a stream of bluish light surrounded the craft, moving them closer and closer to the opened bay door of the larger vessel.Soon, they were fully engulfed by it and blasted off towards The Asteroid Belt, toward their new home. Toward a new beginning.
The clobbered capsule clashed with the clean core of the craft, steamy streaks of gas surrounding it and a rush of oxygen blasting into the now-closed bay. Tim and Claren remained seated, watching the wonders of alien technology meld with their own. Quickly, they were encircled by mechanical arms, some of which grabbed firmly onto them and locked their ship in place. The men unstrapped from their seats; from there, a bellowing voice spoke out on their comms, talking directly to the fascinated men.“Tim. Claren. You are sitting in one of the largest ships in our solar system: The Grandiant. It is the premiere vessel of The Belt, incomparable in speed. As we speak, it is rushing you to The Capital, where we will once again see each other. Right now, all you need to do is stay put and keep your suits on. We’ll have an upgrade for that soon, but things will be rocky when you first get here. Just know that you are in good hands, and that we have suffered quite a bit since you were here. I’m sure you could say the same. We will discuss it all in no time.”“Trimdin,” Tim asked, “how long will it take to get us there?”“A few minutes at worse. Traveling this distance takes a bit of time.” “Well, it’ll be shorter than anything we’ve ever taken.”“Good, then. Enjoy the ride!”Wait,” but the radio cut out on Tim. “That was a fruitful conversation,” Claren joked.“At least he answered my first question.”“At least. I’m sure we can ask more when we arrive. There’s just so much to learn.”“We’ve only seen a fraction of what his society was capable of. And with this mega-ship, it’s obvious that they are ahead of us in every metric.”“Yeah, it's remarkable.”“It truly is. You should look at some of their tech when we get there. It’s probably an engineer's paradise.”“I’ll have a field day, and I’m sure you will, too. There are probably plenty of ships to pilot in Trimdin’s forces, and years of new scientific advancements.”“For sure!”“I guess being the first humans to discover an alien society paid off, Tim. Good thing you helped Trimdin when you did, when you saw his injury. Or else, we would have died on that dumb rock all those months ago.”“I think we could attribute more than just that. We saved them from tyranny, and in return, we got some ship parts. But now, we are getting the full reward.”“A life for a life, a save for a save. We rescued them, they rescued us. A balance, a compromise, an ending. It’s almost perfect!”“Slow down, Claren, no need to get philosophical. We were just lucky, and unlucky, all at the same time. The price of this journey was the end of another, of our own species. But who knows what would have happened if we got back in time, before the bombs? We understand little about what we are heading towards, about Trimdin’s home. About our home.”“We know enough to recognize that we were blessed to be off-planet when it happened. Earth was on a downward spiral for too long with all the division, all the competition, all the fighting; it was endless, painful. I loved Earth as much as anyone would, but hated the idiots on it. And we’re not innocent in any of it.”“We were just doing our jobs, and everyone was to blame. As a species, we destroyed ourselves. It was hell until the very end, and we are just part of that fate.”“You hated talking about it at the station, but we must face it soon. Our damn mission was a part of their larger scheme of warring egos. ‘Exploration’ it was called, when in reality, it was exploitation. A desperate rush to prove superiority before we blew ourselves into oblivion. I guess they couldn’t hold out long enough, those bastards.”“Claren, we were assigned the impossible during an unimaginable time. Launching a Pluto mission by the decade's end was an insane proposition, and both sides knew it. Everyone did. We knew that The Belt would cause trouble, we knew the stakes were high, and we failed. But our failure is not what caused the end, it was everyones. We share a destiny with billions of others, ours is merely coming later.”“But everything was riding on our task; it was either them or us, and they won,” he responded somberly.“Claren, stop that; no one won. Everyone lost. In the six months we were gone, three of which we had zero communication with mission control, anything could have happened. So stop; there’s no need for pessimism.”“If that’s your wish.”“Thank you. I understand your worries, but let’s just focus on our travels.”“Sure, sure. If ‘travels’ are more interesting to you, then so be it.”Out of nowhere over the intercom system, a reminder came through. “Two minutes until arrival,” it said in a robotic voice.“We’re almost at The Capital,” Tim exclaimed.“Cool,” Claren yapped, giving a slight smirk toward his partner.“We will figure it all out, Claren. Trust me. We have found a new home, a new place to start, and from there, we will learn our fate.”“A home. A new home. So, this is almost like a homecoming?” Claren laughed.“What do you mean?”“It’s like we are going to school. The parts were our first year, and now we're coming back for our second. We’re more knowledgeable; more jaded; more familiar. It’s like Goddamn high school.”“I’ve been out of it for a while, but I see what you mean. My teen years were ruined by the pandemic of 2020. Not fun. Though I’m glad you 2030s kids had a better time.”“Ha, we sure did! Though I’m sure you had loads of pleasure sitting at home on your tiny computers using that ancient software. Such a weird time.”“You talk about it like it was decades ago.”“It was decades ago!” Claren joked.“I think I’m starting to show my age.”“What! No! If anything, you’re lucky you missed dances.”“Were they that bad?”“YES, they were! Though I hope this one's a bit better.”“I’m sure it will be!” Tim laughed loudly. “You see, isn’t it so much better to talk about this than mope around and be all serious? Sometimes a good joke can clear the air.”“Yeah, it is. I don’t want to be all sad, but I need some closure. Once we get there, we really need to talk with someone, get things together, and come to peace with everything. So much has happened, I mean, we went from crash-landing on an asteroid to traveling in our alien best friend's supership!”“It’s been a wild ride, I’ll tell you that, and we deserve to know everything we can. Though at the same time, I’m not sure I want to. I enjoy making random references to high school more than reminiscing on all that death and destruction,” he responded.“But there is more to uncover, and I know it. What about the other team, what about bunkers? Did any trillionaires manage to escape on their shitty ships? I need to know the end of the story, the real end. Both of us do.”“Everyone’s dead. If we couldn’t make it through The Belt, no one could. And what if you don’t like the real answer, what if I don’t? What if we are totally alone, destined to die, never knowing the full story? What happens then?”“Even if we only uncover a fraction of what happened, I will die in peace.”“Well, I can guarantee you that,” Tim replied. “The two of us are the only redemption for them, for those who were lost.”“Humanity has come to its end, and now we must pass the torch to the next. We eradicated ourselves, and that’s the lesson; now, we have the chance to ensure that it never happens again.”“Exactly,” Tim answered. “You’re getting it.”“I’ve got to say, these have been a long few minutes. You think we’re almost there?”“I think so…” At that moment, another voice came booming into their craft.“Approaching The Capital, docking sequence to start momentarily.”“Well, there’s our answer,” he cheered.“I wonder what tech they use to move so fast?” Claren questioned. “We take months, they take minutes. That must be a fine engine.”“Guess that’s what happens when your civilization relies on space travel. These ships are to them what cars were to us. This is just a simple commute.”“That's one way to put it.”“Now, make sure your tank is full. Who knows what we’ll be walking into?”“Trimdin said to keep them on, so good call. I just hope we don’t need them forever.”“I don’t think we will. Remember when he came into this ship all that time ago? He was unaffected by our atmosphere, which made me think: maybe his species has the same needs as ours?”“Yeah, you’re right.”“If that's true, then maybe we’ll be okay. Though that was just a guess. For all we know, he was wearing a suit himself and we had no idea. Or maybe they don’t even need to breathe anything? There are so many questions.”“Well, I think that will be remedied soon,” Claren quipped, feeling the bumps of the larger ship docking with the asteroid. “Remedied for sure.”The Grandiant began to seal itself into place as it slid into the area, it soon closing and pressurizing. Its sleek design and metallic exterior allowed a pronounced reflection off the port's shining lights, creating a form of ethereal beauty to the specialized vessel. The main exit of the craft aligned closely with a doorway inside the docking area, it leading directly into the asteroid.The two men began to feel the light gravity overwhelm them, their covered arms gently floating downward. Yet again, the robotic voice came through, now indicating that they could leave their capsule. So, the men carefully walked toward the hatch, Tim grabbing the lever on the side of the door and lifting it. Both walked into the airlock, closing the first one behind them and now staring toward the second one. Tim yet again approached the door, this one leading to the exterior of their vessel. Claren stayed behind him, watching sensors around the frame, monitoring the pressure and oxygen levels within. He pressed a button, allowing it to match the environment set around their ship. Tim smoothly opened the hatch, revealing the immaculate white interior of The Grandiant. From there, they walked out, the men standing on solid ground for the first time in months.“Damn, this thing looks so cool,” Claren commented.“It feels so big yet this is only one part of the entire thing.”“How do they fit this in with the asteroids in the area? It’s almost the size of one itself.”“Hey, they got some pretty big ones out here, and you know it. Some of the rocks around here were almost planets at some point.”“Sure, but it’s still impressive. I would never expect an entire civilization to exist in these boulders.”“Is that so?” someone said into Tim and Claren’s earpieces.“Whoa, what was that?” Claren asked Tim.“Why, it’s me, my dear friends.”“Trimdin?” Claren questioned.“Yes?”“Oh! Hey,” he responded.“Hello, your majesty,” Tim added.“How did you connect to our earpieces?”“The same way I detected your signal around the Earth,” The King quipped. “Welcome, my friends, to The Captial, the largest city in The Belt and home of his majesty King Trimdin. I will be entering the bay with a legion of guards, so be prepared to greet them and show respect to me. It’s just a formality.”“We get to show respect to the great King Trimdin, such an honor!” Claren jested.“Hey, if it is tradition for them to do this, then let's appreciate that. This is their home, their king, their culture. We are just guests, so respect them,” Tim demanded.“Fine.”“Good. Now pay attention.”An opening appeared opposite Tim and Claren’s ship, the men standing right in front of it and staring toward the snowy void. Then, a tall figure walked out, a crown shining on his head and a majestic red robe wrapping him. A small group of alien soldiers stood to his side, weapons holstered but shields up, leading the influential ruler toward them. Trimdin’s smile was grand, stretching corner to corner across his green-tinted face, The King’s prominent eyes gazing directly at the men.“We meet again at last!”“Yes, your majesty, we have,” Tim replied, placing his clunky knee on the ground. Claren quickly did the same.“I am so glad to see that you have made it. We have much to give you, much to tell you, and much to help you with.”“Absolutely. Sir, we helped you all that time ago, and are honored that you’re willing to do the same for us.”“Yes, yes, we are truly honored,” Claren added.“That is wonderful to hear, and I thank you for being respectful. It’s not usually my thing, but all my top advisors recommended I do. Though we should really be bending the knee to you, and you’ll soon realize why. Quite a reputation follows your names.”“Reputation? What do you mean?”“Do you remember how when you mentioned your names, they instantly got me to come over and talk to you?”“Sure,” Tim said back.“Well, ‘Tim’ and ‘Claren’ are two words that get everyone’s attention around here. They have a certain Godlike presence.”“Godlike?” Claren repeated.“I may or may not have deified you guys while you were gone. Oops.”“Oh,” both men remarked.“So, you are now Gods… along with my brother. And honestly, you may have more power than me because you're actually here. To us, you are living, breathing icons, which comes with good and bad things.”“And I am assuming that is just the tip of the iceberg?” asked Claren.“There is a lot more, but that’s the big one. Now, how about new suits?“Those would be perfect upgrades… that is, if you have them?”“Are you really casting doubt, Claren?”“No, I’m sure you can do it, especially with the might of your subjects, your majesty.”“Great! Let’s get on our way,” The King stated, ending the conversation and turning again toward the opening.Everyone else followed, with Tim and Claren being pushed forward and a mob of soldiers surrounding them. They swiftly walked through it, realizing it was an elevator, and the door slid behind them. Suddenly, they jolted upwards, rocketing toward the core of the rock. The journey took little time, as they soon reached the top of the seemingly endless void and walked out, revealing the beauty contained behind it. They entered the Royal command room, the infinite sea of monitors and strikingly long table stunning the two men. The space's deep maroon contrasted with the ship, but its gold trim and the rich white furniture brought them right back. On the screens, footage from cameras around The Capital streamed, giving insight into the city's happenings. Tim and Claren stood amazed, dazzled by the wonder of it all.“Damn, your majesty. This is one way to show off!” Tim praised.“That was not the intention,” The King cracked.“It worked regardless,” Claren replied.“Follow me to our research and development laboratory.”“Do we need citizenship? You know, like take a test or something?”“At some point, yes. But you will need to study a bit on some of our history before you are granted it. Like all immigrants, you need to be well educated on the place you are moving to, regardless of status. It is only fair.”“We get it. On Earth, going on vacation was tough enough, never mind moving. That was next to impossible. So trust us, a little test is a dream in comparison.”“Remarkable. I am sure you will have a great time hearing about our past and its many twists and turns. Now, to the lab!”“To the lab!” they chanted together, the group now moving through the castle and toward the room. Within moments they arrived outside its entrance, opened it, and walked into the mysterious space. It was enormous, covered in grayish paint with swaths of different experimental technologies standing on large desks. Unique armor styles, mechanized suits, and next-generation engines sat idle, waiting for continued work. But in the very corner, two large models stood, closely matching the size and shape of the men. They held a strange green shade, similar to King Trimdin, with little devices resting near the ears.“What-What are those? The figures. What are they?” Tim asked timidly.“Yeah, and why are they that color?”“Ah, I see they caught your attention. That’s exactly what we wanted. Those are your new suits, and they have a little surprise built-in.”“New suits? But there is nothing there; it's just green.”“Well, if we just press this button…” Trimdin pushed something on a table nearby, and in an instant, the garments got much darker, revealing the true extent of their existence.“Whoa, how’d you do that?” Claren pressed.“These are new technologies. Well, new to you. We call them ClearSuits, made by our finest designers using a nanotech fabric that can become next to invisible around its user. The only side effect is the green tint, but you will not need them all the time, our natural environment being close to what was on Earth.”“So I was right!” Tim exclaimed.“About what?”“Just a theory I had.”“Are they fireproof?” Claren asked.“Not currently. We have been unable to stop flames from eventually getting through, but they do fend off the heat and burns for a while.”“That’s better than these damn things!” Tim added. “One spark, and they’ll go up. We’ve had issues with it in the past if you can’t tell.”“Don’t worry, these suits will work for all your needs. But the main event here is not the suits, but the device on the side. Language will be a barrier here, so those little things will translate what we say into English in real-time. And since everyone else wears one, they can do the same. They also act as a container for the suit, meaning that, when you want, the particles can extend on or off your body.”“Do all your subjects wear a translator?”“We all do, and we all have a suit as well.”“Were you wearing one when we first found you?”“I was,” The King admitted with his bellowing voice streaming to the men's ears. “But I got a tear in my suit, one deep enough to cut me. I was in serious trouble, but Tim, you found me and brought me in. When my sensors recognized it was a safe environment, it turned off, and then you could help me.”“Huh, just like that? It seemed so different on our end. We didn’t even notice the suit or the translator. But I guess we just didn’t know what to expect or what you looked like.”“No, you didn’t, but I am surprised you didn’t realize it earlier. Do you think that I would be able to understand English but not speak it by default? A translator for us is only one way. And I could only write because it told me what symbols to put down.”“How?” Claren questioned.“It just told me where to make a line and I followed. Nothing more.”“Man, it’s really that simple. I thought it had a meaning, that we had some lingual connection or something along those lines.”“That’s a different story. Now, take off those old suits and slip into the new ones! After this, we’ve got a quick meeting, and then I’ll settle you down for the night. How’s that sound?”“That’s good with me. How about you, Claren?”“I’m fine with that.”Perfect! I hope you enjoy them greatly. There is so much to uncover, so much to learn, and I can’t wait for you to see it all. Our home, no matter what, is yours now. Forever.” King Trimdin looked at the men, shedding a slight tear, happy to see his friends again. Tim and Claren glanced back similarly, satisfied yet curious about their future. Together, they took off their beloved suits, removing their gloves, helmets, pants, and torso pieces, revealing the black outfit underneath. The new suits were then turned off, the nanoparticles moving upwards towards the little earpieces. The men then took those off the mannequins, putting them on their ears, and activating them with a tap. Instantly, they were covered in a layer of tiny dots, forming a suit that fit snugly around them. Once complete, they turned transparent, presenting the men in their entirety with only the slight tint tainting their image.“Oh, damn, these things feel so good,” Claren expressed.“Those were coffins in comparison. Man, oh, man,” Tim said, twisting his body.“Good. Now, let’s get going!” Trimdin said in his native language, the men understanding him clearly for the first time in their lives. Everyone walked out together, Tim and Claren yet again guided through the palace, being led to a massive surprise.
Citizens gathered near the palace from around The Capital, waiting to see the men. A camera was set up outside, allowing everyone to watch across The Belt, and watch they did. Millions tuned in to see Tim and Claren, to see that the mythical figures existed, even if only through a screen. Excitement was rampant, even among the Gods themselves, who stood behind the doors to the crowd, thrilled to meet the populace of their new home.“You should have told us we were going on TV. I would have put my dress shoes on,” Tim laughed.“Yeah, a little warning next time.”“This is much better. They want to see you for who you are, for the heroes you are. No fancy clothing would make it better,” The King replied.“Whatever you say, your majesty.”“Are you ready for it?”“I think so,” Claren answered.“Especially with these translators. I have to say, they do a good job amplifying sounds. I can hear everything now.”“Good. And if you ever notice any disparities or discomfort, I’ll get my teams right on it. To most citizens of this kingdom, you are the best of the best, and deserve exactly that.”“Well, thanks. Thanks for everything you have given us; the parts, the save, the suits, everything.”“No, no, thank you.” He switched his attention to the guards in the room. “Now, open these doors. Let the mobs meet the Gods!”Right then, they swung open the entrance, revealing the masses below. The three of them walked out onto the platform, the infamous microphone sitting where it always has, centered and idle. They collectively smiled, waving at the subjects as they cheered.Tim and Claren could fully understand what the alien public was saying, them screaming a wide choice of words and phrases towards the adjusting men.“Tim! Claren!” they cried.“Is it all true?” another shouted.“Bring back our Master! Bring back the real God!” someone chanted.“We love you!” one from the front row said.The men looked at every being they could, attempting to decode their cries.“They really seem to like us, Tim!”“They sure do. I’ve got to give it to you, Trimdin. You took our small act and made it into a God-given miracle.”“We needed heroes; I needed heroes. The majority of us needed you!”“The majority? What do you mean? And what happened? You’ve been all mysterious about it, like we shouldn’t know?” Tim pressed.“You should know, and you will. I’m not trying to be mysterious, I just need a second to figure out how to tell you. Regardless of how safe I try to make it, this place still harbors many dangers. There is so much that has occurred in just the past few months alone, so many changes that I've made, but all you need to know right now is that you are safe.”“Well, the sooner we start, the better,” Claren added. “I am dying of anticipation.”“When we finish this and get you set up, I’ll tell you anything and everything you want to know. I’ll give you the full story.”“Deal,” Tim responded.“You guys aren’t used to the time here, but it is actually late in the day for us. The evening will soon occur, so you’ll need a place to sleep.” The King continued to wave.“How does that even work, with living in an asteroid and all? Like, above us is just the brightness of random lights, so how’s that all go?” he screamed over the crowd.“Those are not just lights; they are adjustable panels. When it is night, we make them dark, and everyone rests for a few hours. The brightness is brought back up in the morning.”“So it’s all artificial? There's no sun?”“It’s based on the sun, actually!” Trimdin replied.“Awesome.”“I bet it is for you, Claren,” Tim teased. “This really is an engineer's paradise.”“An engineer, you say?” King Trimdin questioned. “If you ever want a solid job, we’ve got a need for that type of work. You know, with all the innovation and stuff.”“Yeah, yeah, I would love to. But can we end this hand-flapping and smiling now? I’m getting tired.”“If that’s what you want? I think they got enough content for weeks worth of rewatching, and an experience unmatched by anything else.”“I never thought anyone would want to see me just for the sake of my existence. That is a whole new experience,” Claren said.“Get used to it. For better or worse, your existence is now the focus of many across The Belt.”“It seems to be pretty good! We came from a world of hate, a world where there was only division and unrest. In comparison, this shows how shitty Earth got.”“That’s a strong statement,” said Tim, “but this place can’t possibly be worse than what we came from.”“Oh, you just wait, my dear friends. That was all this place was before me, before my brother. We have been the only two kings to ever bring it to this height, this amount of joy. But even still, some bandits are looking to breed hate, to stem it from the evils of before.”“I’m guessing that will be part of the history lesson?” Claren quipped.“Definitely. War is riddled within it; fighting was a constant. Whether they are recent or from millennia ago, conflict has always been with us. Now, go inside, your room is just waiting to be lived in.”“Absolutely, our king.”“Great. You go on ahead, my guards will show you the way. I just need to get someone quickly, someone of great value for your safety.”“Ah, our safety. I guess the most powerful being in the solar system can’t protect us?”“How flattering. I wish I could, but, you know, I’m a king. I’ve got a job. But this soldier I’m getting you is top of the line; she is the soldier. She fought in the last war and was the one to end it. Nothing can get through her.”“Well, now I’m excited,” Tim stated.“She must be something.”“Trust me, she is. She’ll protect you and be loyal for as long as you live.”“Then it’s settled. Claren, let’s see our new chamber.”“Okay!” he responded, and the two men turned around, commanding the guards to take them. Trimdin stayed behind, pulling a gadget out of his pocket and dialing a number. Moments later, someone on the other end picked up, and The King told her precisely what she needed to hear.“They’re here,” he said in a deep voice.“Who’s here?” she asked back.“Have you seen the news?”“No, not yet. I’ve been a bit busy. You know, using my ‘vacation’ time.”“Well, are you ready to get out of ‘vacation’ mode? I’ve got something better for you to do."“And what exactly is that?” she coyly said back.“Tim and Claren are back, and they need protection. Twenty-four-seven, all day every day. They need someone to keep them safe from the you-know-whos that are left. They need someone they can bond with, someone they can count on, someone who can guard their lives. And only you do I trust with such a task.”“They’re back? Tim and Claren?”“They require a guide, a protector, and I am assigning you to them.”“Well, sir, that is an honor, and I am happy to accept this assignment. I promise to do everything I can for them, and recognize the importance of this mission.”“Excellent. Can you be here by tonight, bags packed and all? They need you.”“Of course. I was getting bored, anyway,” she replied.“See you then, Kiran.”“Yes, your majesty, indeed. I’ll see you then.” The call ended, and a grin graced Trimdin’s lips. He quickly turned around, leaving the crowds and marching back into the palace toward the men’s room, prepared to hear their stories. Prepared to tell them the truth….~~Knock, knock, knock. A hand lightly pounded the exterior of the door, and when opened by Tim, Trimdin walked in, smiling gleefully.“Why, hello. Welcome back,” Tim greeted.“Hello to you, too,” The King responded.“Has your little business been taken care of?” Claren shouted from across the room, eating a package of food.“Yes, it has, dear friends. She will be here soon enough.”“It’s nice to see that you had your teams unpack our ship,” Tim commented.“Had a feeling you would appreciate that,” the ruler said back.“What’s her name? The soldier, I mean,” Claren asked.“Kiran, Kiran Samdin, one of our best soldiers. She was taking a ‘break’ for a while, but I was able to get her back for you two.”“Quite the honor,” Tim replied. “Hopefully, we won’t be too much of a nuisance.”“Oh, no. Annoy her as much as you want. Ask questions, get to know her, explore together; she will be heavily compensated for such activities. We are good friends, and she is more than willing to work with the Tim and Claren.”“Is that so?” Tim answered.“Yep. Now, let’s catch up a little. How about you two first? I want to hear more about the very men I’ve helped so much.” King Trimdin walked over from the doorway, following Tim to the table Claren sat at. The three circled the slab, placing their hands down and preparing to speak.“Who’s going first?” Trimdin questioned.“I guess I will,” Claren replied, finishing his meal.“Good, now start at the beginning. Talk about your life on Earth, where you’ve been, who you are, and so on.”“Sure, sure. Let’s see, I was born all the way back in 2020, am now thirty Earth years old, and lived in the United States of America for my whole life. My parents are… I mean were alive throughout it all, but I never had any siblings, only a boyfriend. As I got older, I fell in love with building, especially engineering, which is what major I eventually chose in college. From there, I got better and smarter, eventually graduating early and landing a job with a space company attempting to build the next rocket to take us to the outer solar system. And then, The Crunch happened.”“What’s that?” Trimdin asked curiously.“The Crunch was where everything we were working on was stalled, as war soon began. Earth’s history is long and complicated, but two alliances had risen within my time on the planet: Arcadia and Oceania. Both competed for resources, for money, for territory, and soon, the dick-waving started.”“Dick-waving,” Trimdin laughed nervously. “Sounds familiar.”“They wanted a goal to beat each other with, something big and bombastic. And, of course, it had to do with space. They wanted to see who could get to Pluto first, who could be the first to make it to the edge of the solar system. So a race commenced, and the crunch to finish our ships initiated. We worked, and worked, and worked, with the due date steaming closer and closer for a December 2049 launch. But both sides needed astronauts to take such a journey, but no one wanted to go.”“Is that you two?” The King interjected.“Yes,” Tim replied.“So they had a draft. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who could qualify to be an astronaut were automatically placed in. Together, the two sides would draw their contenders, and the respective citizens would train as one to beat the other. Our country, the United States, was part of Arcadia, so Tim and I were eventually selected to be part of the program, and we worked with each other from there.”“Huh!” King Trimdin reacted. “That’s one hell of a story, Claren. And I’m assuming Tim’s is similar. Is that right?”“Pretty much,” Tim responded. “I grew up in America and am fifteen years Claren’s elder, but we have one main distinction in our stories. You see, he built the very thing I love: ships. My fascination with space and science has always been at the forefront of my life, and being a pilot was a dream come true. Unfortunately, my love of the great beyond really cut me from having any Earthly connections, as I only had my mother and father left for a while. But when they died many years ago, space became my home. Then, I was selected for this mission, and the rest is history.”“Well,” The King said tenderly, “I am sorry for both of your losses. You said over the radio that Earth is gone. Nuclear war, was it?”“That appears so. We don’t know why, but we know how. The last few messages we could detect were just SOSs, nothing else,” Claren responded. “It’s something that has been lingering with me this entire time. Sure, times were tough and tension was rising, but did we really need to end ourselves that badly?”Tim looked intensely at his partner. “Don’t get into this, Claren. Trust me, we will never know the real answer.”“The real answer to what?” Trimdin questioned.“Ah, nothing, Claren’s just fixed on this idea that we had something to do with the end of the world, that we are part of the blame for our extinction.”“I’m not fixed on that; I just want to know how it all ended. The last time we communicated with Earth, our ship broke down, at the height of the race, don’t forget. The other team likely succeeded in getting through The Belt, and since we had already lost, I guess the punishments were handed out early.”“But that’s a strong assumption,” Trimdin challenged.“Not really,” Tim chimed in. “The stakes were high, and the Oceanic team likely won, so who knows what they did to Arcadia? But it doesn’t matter, because what happened has happened; our failure of a society has collapsed.”“That is simply not true, dear Tim,” Trimdin stated, peering directly at him. “If there is a lesson to be learned, then nothing is a failure. Humanity has seemingly ended, but now you can help us avoid such mistakes. Alongside me, I hope we can all work together to make The Belt a better place for all.”“I was saying that before to Claren,” Tim responded. “We are glad to help you wherever we can, though I doubt we will change its course too much.”“Why yes, that may be true, but that doesn’t negate the fact that you are likely more important than anyone in this universe. You are the last living remnants of a planet, never mind a species, one powerful and mighty. You have much to teach and learn; a way to continue your universal journey.”“Well, we brought a few plant seeds, so technic—”“Claren!” Tim shouted. “Not the time for a life joke.”“Sorry.”“Oh, no, it’s fine, Tim. If anything, it is great that you brought a few plant samples with you. Do you mind if we study them?” Trimdin asked.“Sure, sure, go ahead,” Tim responded.“Great, now where were we?”“We were just going over our depressing stories,” Claren said.“Right. I am saddened by why you are here, but happy for the future that can be built. We have considerable amounts of information to decipher and unravel, and this talk has shown me where you’ve come from. You have been on unfathomable journeys, unknowable narratives, but now, it is time to tell you mine.”
“Quinten was the start of it all, the root of all evil. He and his Devilish mindset corrupted the minds of his followers.” King Trimdin continued to sit at the table with Tim and Claren, delving deep into the lore of his previous adventures.“And then what happened?” Claren asked childishly, as if waiting for the next page of a fairytale.“Oh, we had a war alright, but one I gravely regret, one that has caused me much shame. I realized that I was letting my drive for revenge overpower my ideals, twisting the morals of my brother. I could no longer take it, no longer wanted to take vengeance, so I surrendered.”“But he wanted to fight in a duel? Why?” Tim asked.“Honestly, I’m not sure, but I think it had to do with his ego. Quinten thought that if he was really going to save The Belt, then he had to win the battle fair and square. He may have been deceptive but was always honorable, so when he lost, instead of taking my mercy, the unthinkable happened.” Trimdin looked down, extremely distraught by his thoughts.“Suicide?” Claren questioned.“Yeah.” Trimdin suddenly coughed, clearing his throat. “He killed himself. In front of me. I could have stopped it, I should have done something, but it was too late. I was so tired, so confused, so angry, so stressed. Nothing could be done at the moment.”“That’s a lot, your majesty,” Tim added. “I am surprised so much took place in such a short period of time.”“In about two weeks, I became king, declared war, fought a battle, and ended my enemy's life, yet was it worth it? Were all the lives lost, even though they were so few, worth it? I don’t think I will ever let go of the last words I said to his corpse: ‘I hated you for years, planned to finish you for years, but now that it has finally happened, all I feel is pain.’”“His death never satisfied you?”“No, it did not, Claren. I don’t think it ever could, even with my vendetta against him. It would have only led to me realizing the truth.”"Well,” Tim interjected, “we never could have guessed that any of that would happen to you after we left. I thought you would just be having the time of your life or something, but it is great that you have learned such an important lesson.”“An important lesson indeed. After The Queen, I thought I could take on any enemy, but now, I regret even that part of my past. She was terrible, don’t get me wrong, but I let my anger lead to death, twice I may add. My brother would hate me for that, and nowadays, I hate myself for it.”“The war between Trimdin and Quinten. It sounds almost like a book. You know, the tale of two enemies, drawn together by hate and forced apart by revenge. Would be a good read,” Claren joked.“I’m pretty sure you're missing the point of this meeting,” Tim scolded.“Now, now, my dear friends. It will soon be in a book: the history book!”“That’ll be a good tool for us to have. We do need to continue our education, don’t we?”“Yes, I will have Kiran set you two up with that. You could probably visit the Royal Library, or just use the computer. Whatever I can safely clear for you.”“Where’s the Royal Library located?” Claren inquired.“Just south of the castle, going toward the newly-constructed memorial grounds.”“Fantastic!”“Where even is Kiran? It has been a solid hour since you said she was coming.”“That is an excellent question, Tim. Let me make a quick call.” Trimdin got up from his chair, pulled out a device from his pocket, and appeared to press a button. Quickly, a connection was made, Kiran soon on the other end.“Your majesty?” she asked.“It is almost nightfall. Where are you?”“I am just arriving. Coming from Eros is not an easy trip. Very bumpy. I’m docking right now, should be there soon.”“Great, I will have guards escort you to your quarters, and then you can meet up with us. Soon after, the resting hours will commence.”“Yes, sir,” Kiran responded. “I’m moments away.”“Farewell, soldier,” The King said, ending the call and turning his attention back to Tim and Claren. “She’ll be here shortly!”“Wonderful, just wonderful,” Tim responded.“Hey Trimdin, what did you use to call her? Is that a phone or something?”“Why, yes, it is Claren. A specialized communicator, once used by my brother. It is rather outdated, but I love it dearly. Most of the time, we do it through our earpieces, which is an upgrade I can request for you to have, but for larger conversations, we can now use our suits and holographic technology. The workings of that one are bleeding edge, but the trials have been doing well.”“Why don’t we get the phone call thing by default? Aren’t we Gods?”“We can activate it whenever you want; we didn’t think overloading you with features was a good idea. Plus, isn’t discovery a fun thing to do, anyway?”“I guess if you put it that way,” Claren answered. “So how does it work, is there like a network of satellites connecting every device?”“Claren, this is not twenty questions,” Tim commanded. “I’m sure Trimdin would love to answer that, but we have more important things going on.”“No, no, Tim, it’s perfectly fine. This is all part of the experience. Now, Claren, I honestly have no idea when it comes to that type of thing. But you can always go around town, visiting the many scientific buildings and personnel we have. The Belt definitely doesn’t lack intelligence.”“Well then,” Tim readied himself, “if we can ask anything, then can I learn how to fly literally any of your ships? Like, any of them at all? The Grandiant was quite a beautiful vessel, so if there is even a chance—”“Yes, you can. One hundred percent, dear Tim.”“Oh, it was that easy?”“You have more power than you think over me. If I even think of defying you, and the citizens know about it, I could get dethroned,” King Trimdin joked.“I can’t wait!” Tim said, grinning profusely.“Now, let’s get prepared to see Kiran. We’ll meet her in the Royal courtyard. It is quite nice now, as we had recent reconstruction done after the war to fix a ‘flaw’ with the design.”“What kind of flaw?” Claren questioned.“Oh, just a silly old secret entrance installed by The Queen that leads to Quinten’s secret bunker. Nothing more.”“I’m guessing you don’t want to tell that story right now?” Tim asked.“Not really,” Trimdin responded, lightly laughing. He then moved towards the door, opening it. “So, are you two ready?”“I guess? We’re not wearing much, besides our ClearSuits, that is. Our black undersuits aren’t the fanciest things.”“I’m sure she won’t mind. This is no grand event, just a quick meet and then off to bed. But that raises the question of clothing, which we will get on to for you.”“Well then. Claren, you ready?”“Yeah, I sure am, Tim.”“Great!” said Trimdin as he walked out the door, the two men getting up from their chairs and following him to their new friend.Together they entered the luscious courtyard, walking into the ample open space in the center of the palace. All around, stone walls towered them, the only light supplied by the dimming panels above.Nighttime was soon to set in, but the three showed no sign of tiredness. Within moments, a barrage of guards came through, the alien of the hour striding in and quickly kneeling in front of The King.“Your majesty,” she said, looking down from his magnificent crown and towards his large, dark eyes, “I have arrived.”“The honorable Kiran Samdin, Special Forces Agent for The Royal Army. It is great to see you again. You may rise, and the other can leave us. May we have a fruitful conversation regarding our unique guests,” he said, with the legion quickly exiting the area.“Thank you, sir, for this remarkable opportunity.” Suddenly, Kiran got up, now staring directly at the two men. “And thank you, I have heard much about your adventure with our dear king, and am thrilled to be working with such faithful beings.”The men smiled promptly, fascinated by her attire. She wore thick, epic armor, shining brighter than a newly minted coin, with a striking sword sashed to her side. Her height was similar to that of Trimdin before his transformation, before becoming king: around the size of an adolescent.Tim and Claren, without delay, walked forward, now standing directly next to Trimdin and facing their new companion.“Kiran, these are quite obviously who you think they are. Tim, Claren, same to you,” Trimdin stated.“Yeah, I think we could deduct that,” Tim responded. “So, Kiran, it’s great to meet you.” He stuck out his hand, attempting to shake hers.“Likewise,” she reciprocated. “What are you doing with your arm?”“Oh, it's just a handshake. On Earth, we greet each other by extending our hands and interlocking them briefly, showing that you are welcomed.”“Interesting,” Kiran responded. “We don’t do that here. It seems a bit… aggressive.”“Well then,” Tim said, defeated, slowly dropping his arm back to his side.“Anyway, we are truly excited to have you working with us,” Claren quickly interjected. “I know we have a lot to explore and discover, and I hope we can become great friends, just like we did with Trimdin.”“I’m sure you all will. The three of you have done much for me, so I can’t wait to see what you can do together!”“Absolutely, your majesty. I swear that I will defend them with my life, to ensure their safety against the evils of the world, and I will do whatever they ask, whenever they ask,” Kiran pledged.“And I know you will. This will likely be a lifelong commitment, but I can assure you that compensation will be heavy. Never will you struggle, just as it should be for everyone.”“I’m unable to express the great honor this gives me.”“You never have to. This is a present, a gift from me to you. It is the ultimate job any soldier could ask for,” Trimdin replied.“So,” Claren started, “are we beginning our adventures tomorrow?”“Whenever you want,” Kiran answered.“Yes, whenever. And whatever you need to make the trips will be covered. Fuel, food, rooms, security, and anything else will be automatically billed to me.”“Really?” Claren asked.“Like I said before, only the best for you two. Your protection and well-being are our responsibility.”“Can we take The Grandiant?” Tim questioned.“Sure, why not.”“Kiran, what do you think of all of this?”She looked at Claren, seeing his excitement growing rapidly. “I’m on board. Tomorrow it is. I’ll take care of all our IDs tonight, and in the morning we'll get you dressed up, but we’ve got to leave as early as possible, especially with the traffic and danger of traveling mid-day.”“They don’t need identification. I’ll just send a Royal order excusing them from any and all checks. If they need proof, just call me up.”“I stand corrected. No matter what, set your alarms. Where do you want to go first?” Kiran asked.“I know! Bring them to The Museum of Beltian Science on Vesta. You three will love seeing the amazing advancements of our technology and discoveries,” The King suggested.“That’s perfect for us,” Tim responded. “I’ve dabbled in things related to biology and botany with all my time in space, plus Claren here is a full-blown engineer.”“Yeah, that sounds like a good first destination,” agreed Claren.“What about security… besides myself? Vesta’s been having a ‘crime’ spree recently, haven’t you heard.”“A crime spree? What do you mean?” Tim asked.“Oh, it’s nothing,” Trimdin said back, “just some bad actors after the fall of Quinten. They are no worry, though. Vesta’s subjects are extremely loyal. Plus, I’ll send extra guards and our most trustworthy pilot with you!”“Then it’s settled,” Kiran stated. “The museum it is. And while we’re there, we can check out some of the great food they’ve got. Surprisingly, the home of science is also the home of some delicious delicacies. Strange, I know.”“Nothing strange about it. Tim and I have been eating vacuum-sealed junk and kale for the past nine months. Some good grub might do.”“Their infrastructure sucks, though,” Trimdin added. “Half the things built there are based on 'environmentally friendly' and 'clean' materials. Their bricks are made of plants!”“I have to ask,” Tim began, “what kind of food do you even have here? How does stuff even grow? How do the plants in this bloody courtyard grow? You have no sunlight? Are there animals? Do you eat meat? What other creatures live in The Belt?”“And you were yelling at me for asking questions!” Claren quipped.“You’ll see it all soon,” Trimdin interrupted. “Trust me, it's not as weird as you think. We have much in common, and our history will prove that so.”“Nevertheless, your majesty, I am quite tired. May I head to my quarters?” Kiran requested.“Of course. I should be on my way, too. I’ve got a busy day. The memorial opens tomorrow, and I’ve got to make some last-minute approvals. That’ll leave you on your own.”“I’m sure that’s fine. We’re quite tired as well,” Tim added. “We’ve been sleeping in zero-gravity sleeping bags for too long. Goodnight!”“Farewell,” Trimdin said, with a sudden purple glow surrounding his hands.“What are you doing there?” Tim asked. But before he could get an answer, The King blasted upward, leaving them behind.“Where is he even going?” Claren questioned.“It’s just his final sweep. He does it every night.”“Interesting. Well, let’s go, Claren. See you, Kiran.”“So long,” she responded, and they all promptly left the yard, the panels above going fully dark, encompassing the entire populace in a deep shadow.~~Tim and Claren sat in their new bedroom, lying parallel to each other, the table they once sat at across the room. All lights were off, just a mere streak of white streaming through their window from the lamps outside the castle. But the men were not silent; if anything, they were more riled up than ever, waiting for the day ahead.“I’ve got to say, Tim, this room is nice. And I mean, think about it. We are about to sleep in a freaking castle. In a damn asteroid. With our alien friend just down the hall! What have our lives come to?”“I don’t know, bud, but this is the best homecoming I could’ve asked for. Almost half of my life has been spent exploring; has been dedicated to space. But this moment, this past year, has been the craziest part of it all. I’ve lost everything and nothing all at the same time.”“My entire life was on that planet; everyone I loved is gone. I know that we are both devastated, but it hurts the most for me. My parents have perished; my lover is lost. No matter what Trimdin can give us, I don’t know if it can ever compensate for that.”“Trust me, Claren, nothing can replace those you have lost, but we have the opportunity of a lifetime, a second chance to live. And I know they all made it to Eden, every person on that planet.”“I’ve never asked you this, but are you religious? My parent’s used to speak about Eden all the time, but I never understood it.”“Religious? No. But I do like the thought that they are all safe somewhere, that they will have a better life beyond the infinite.”“I will always wonder what’s out there, what we don’t know, what Trimdin doesn’t know. I mean, he has literal superpowers, and we know it is as much a spiritual process as it is a biological one. What does that mean for us?”“I think he’s a Demigod,” Tim suggested.“A Demigod?”“Yeah, I think the powers were given to him by some higher power, and Trimdin is just a physical representation of that. He doesn’t have enough to be a God, but just enough to be sort of one.”“I never thought about it that way.”“I’m sure we’ll learn more during our history lesson. The king thing has to come from somewhere. There is no way it just showed up one day.”“My big question is, why only one? Why is it only contained to the monarch of the time, and is it passed down? Like if they have kids, do they gain powers?”Tim stared blankly at Claren. “Now, that’s a good question. I mean, there really is just a laundry list of these things. The language, the environment, the magic; the longer we’re here, the more confusing things get.”“I’m pretty sure that’s the nature of integrating into an alien society,” Claren joked back. “I get what you mean, though. All these different thoughts have coursed through my mind and I have no idea what to do with them anymore. Talking is the only thing that stops it. But the ringing keeps coming back, the thoughts keep piercing through.”“Answers are coming, I can guarantee that. Trimdin may not know everything, but with the resources of this world, of this society, we can learn whatever we want. The closure is coming, it must, and I know that our futures are bright, no matter the pain we have suffered,” Tim answered, trying to mollify Claren’s worries.“I know I keep saying this, but you’re right. You always are. Anyway, let’s shut up and take advantage of these soft beds. Like you told Trimdin and Kiran, those shitty sleeping bags at the IFS were, well, shit.”“Fair enough,” Tim responded, leading the conversation between the two men to a close. Now only one thing stood to come: the morning ahead.
The two men stood outside their room, waking up a mere hour before. They donned new garments under their suits, wearing nicely fitted white shirts tailored after King Trimdin and inky pants.A legion of guards quickly surrounded them, and their dear friend Trimdin marched forward, Kiran next to him. On the castle's exterior, the lights had only begun to rise in brightness, signaling the radiant day to come.The four were led through the residence toward the docking station, toward The Grandiant. Throughout the night, the vessel was prepared for the trip ahead. A myriad of protectors loaded themselves onto the ship, quickly inspecting it before their adventure. Once approved, Tim, Claren, and Kiran walked forward, said goodbye to their king, and strode through its bay. They were led into an elevator and, from there, showed both the living quarters and the command room. Within minutes they were cleared for takeoff, Tim and Claren ready to be shot into the unknown just as they were on Earth all that time ago.The Grandiant typically had no pilot, controlled automatically by a computer, but this mission was different. Captain Landun of the Royal Space Force was assigned to drive the three of them around The Belt, bringing them wherever their hearts desired.A holographic map sat in the middle of the control room, presenting key hubs across the kingdom. The space was aptly designed like the rest of the ship, with sparkling chrome accents throughout a mostly white layout. Multiple monitors surrounded the back wall, different soldiers sitting in front of them on curved contemporary chairs doing basic surveillance. Mechanics and engineers were close by, but most of the room was empty.After everyone settled, comms came in from the radio, speaking to the charismatic Captain Landun and the flight crew. “This is Base Control, do you read?” they asked.The captain sat at the front of the ship, pointed directly toward a massive screen that gave insight into the space around the ship. With haste, he responded. “Base Control, we hear you loud and clear. Let’s get this show on the road! Our celebrities can’t wait much longer!”To the pilot's side, seats were reserved for Tim, Claren, and Kiran, who could actively hear the conversation between the ship and The Capital. The men’s earpieces worked overtime to translate the messages.“Everything’s set here, Grandiant. We’ve got reports of low traffic to Vesta, and the museum has closed for the day, so safe travels!” Base Control said over the radio to the captain. But then, out of nowhere, a familiar voice pierced their ears. “And if ANYTHING goes wrong, tell them I sent you.”“Haha! Of course, your majesty, we’ll surely mention that if there is any trouble.”“Good. You are now set for departure. Depressurization will happen in 3, 2, and….” On the monitor in front of them, they could see massive vents open, but not to let air in. Instead, they were sucking it out, emptying the docking station of any gas. The vehicle remained habitable, but the space around them had been matched to the surface. Then, the large doors opened, presenting the deep void of space to the lifted ship. The Grandiant sped toward the vacuum, exiting the bounds of The Capital. Leaving the safety of King Trimdin…~~Even though Vesta was only a few minutes across The Belt, chatter soon started, especially between the two men and their pilot.“So, Captain Landun, how long have you been flying for?” Tim asked.“Many, many years, my fine sir. I’ve been through every modern era of this kingdom, flying each ruler across the system and even the galaxy.”“Damn!” Claren responded.“What was it like under The Queen?” Tim questioned.“Well, that was definitely a special time to be part of the forces. As we all did, I followed her orders, and to me, she was not as bad as everyone paints her to be. Sure, she was a little tyrannical, but she put so much money toward this sector I didn’t care much.”“Why?” Claren said.“She wanted to go to war. It’s that simple. She wanted to destroy everyone and everything she could. Billions of dollars went to Quinten and his forces, advancing them to ridiculous heights.”“King Trimdin never really explained that part to us. Like, seriously, how could such a small faction do so much damage?”“He had the best soldiers in The Belt working for him, and with infinite resources alongside years to build, anything was possible,” he responded.“Then why do you seemingly sympathize with her if she drained The Royal Army of resources for Quinten’s?“Ah, that’s the thing,” Captain Landun said, scratching his head. “I was part of Quinten’s army for quite a while, quite a damn while. But eventually, I went against orders, as they wanted me to infiltrate an enemy ship and take its passengers to The Capital, where they would be slaughtered. At the time, I was going through financial hardship, so I took a bribe from the foreign force instead. I was kicked out of the military, but they still murdered who they needed to, all while I secured some well-needed cash,” he said, smiling briefly.“Why would they let you even live after that?” Tim said.“Trust me, those two bastards were more corrupt than I ever was. They needed people to listen, regardless of who they were. So, they let me go with a light punishment.”“I guess they did. Good thing you got out of there,” Claren mentioned.“Yeah, good. Very good,” he responded. “I needed that money more than revenge.”“Is that why you were with them?” Tim asked.“Quinten’s entire thing was revenge. My family was killed during the Cross-Beltian Wars and Quinten offered a solution, so I followed him.”“Did it bring you happiness?”“No,” he responded.“Well, revenge is not the best way to get it, that’s for sure,” Kiran butted in. “King Trimdin has made that clear.”“He’s made a lot of things ‘clear’ to say the least,” The Captain remarked.“What do you mean by that?” Kiran replied angrily.“Oh nothing, it's just that he was initially going in the right direction with everything, but one measly battle stopped him from reaching his full potential.”“That battle murdered hundreds. I would not call that measly.”“Woah, woah, let's calm down,” Tim interjected. “We’re all on the same page here. No need for aggression.”“I agree,” Captain Landun reciprocated. “Plus, we’re almost there. Vesta’s right up here.” On the large monitor in front of them, it stood proud and tall, the oblong asteroid growing slowly as they got closer.Moments later, The Grandiant was lined up with the docking station of Vesta, allowing them to connect with their destination. Finally, they landed, multiple guards promptly walking out and standing around the ship. A pathway toward The Museum of Beltian Science had to be created, ensuring the safe appearance of the three.Mobs already began to grow, even though there was no official news of their arrival. Seeing The Grandiant in the docks, no matter how much they hid, was enough to cause disorder. Though it was nothing they couldn’t handle, as Tim and Claren, following the lead of Kiran, eventually made it to the surface via an elevator.The facility, which had large arched doors, was a deep blue on its exterior. Just like much of the architecture in The Belt, it was partnered with thin layers of gold around the edges. Daunting windows let them peer into the mysterious building, showing its uniquely fashioned interior. Nothing was one consistent look; different eras of The Belt’s history pop out as if vying for attention.Vesta itself held a modern style, matching more closely what the men had seen in The Capital: large, spanning buildings with wide streets and vendors on every corner. Crowds from the community clamored, trying to not get caught in the chaos.Through the craziness, the trio eventually made it inside, being sealed in with an assortment of guards around the entrance. And from there, things quickly started.“Gee, that was a lot just to get in here,” Tim commented.“I guess the news broke,” Claren added.“Well, you’re here. Welcome to Vesta!”“Kiran, we can’t thank you enough for joining us.”“It is amazing that you are here to teach us this and keep us safe. From the way The King talked about you, it sounds like you’re more effective than an entire damn army.”“That guy throws way too many accolades my way,” Kiran responded. “We literally only met a few months ago, and all I did was get the attention for the words HE said. ‘Quinten is dead,’ that’s all I was there for.”“I had that feeling,” Tim said back. “He blew us a bit out of proportion, too. We are Gods now, but why, we don’t know.”“So we can all agree that Trimdin is a bit eccentric?” Claren joked.“That’s him alright,” Kiran responded.“Were you loyal to The Queen?” Claren suddenly asked.“That’s a hard one. We all were, just as Landun said. I hated her, but she was the ruler throughout my entire adult life, right up until I became an Agent. But I never killed for her, and that’s the biggest distinction.”“How old are you, anyway?”“Let’s see, how do I put this in Earth years for you? Give me a second… carry the one, put the five there, uh, twenty? Twenty Earth years.”“That’s it!” Tim reacted. “You look much older than that.”“Well, The King is only twenty-five Earth years old, so put that into perspective.”“Seriously?” Claren shouted.“Our aging is different, clearly,” Tim responded. “Trimdin looks older than Claren, but he’s thirty.”“Thirty?” Kiran laughed. “And let me guess, you’re probably around forty-five?”“Hey, don’t make me feel old!”“Old? Around here you’re still pretty young. Sure we mature faster, but we live for an average of one hundred eighty Earth years.”“So I’m not geriatric yet?”“Tim… come on. You’ve got a lot left in life!” Claren exclaimed.“Thanks,” Tim said, looking dead into his partner's eyes. “How about we get to the real science? I mean, this age thing has already piqued my interest, so what’s next?”“The way this is set up is that it goes from newest to oldest. That means the most recent innovations are here at the front.” Kiran laid her arms out, presenting the first exhibit. “Let’s look at these plasma shields. Blocks all bullets, metal or laser, from penetrating.”“Were they used in the war? Against Quinten?” Claren asked curiously.“They were. Quinten’s teams were the first to have them, actually. His R&D department was quite good, so the Royal one had to catch up quickly. We did… eventually.”“How was he even able to get ahead of the freaking ROYAL research team?”“Yet again, as The Captain was saying, a lot of money was funneled to Quinten. That monster, who was already unfathomably rich, only became richer. King Trimdin honestly entered a fairly cleared kingdom, most of it already siphoned off to Quinten.”“Damn, the more we hear, the more remarkable it is that Trimdin won. That was one war,” Tim stated.“That bitch of a queen was only in rule for five years, FIVE, yet patted us dry. Everything was just pure forced labor, pure military training. Those sick bastards were planning conflict from the beginning, just not one against Trimdin.”“Then who? Who else would they fight?” Tim challenged.“The Kuipernians,” Kiran responded.“Who the hell are those?”“Our biggest enemy… and ally. It depends on when you’re asking.”“The Kuipernians? Like, as in the Kuiper Belt?” Claren questioned.“Are you familiar with them?”“Are you telling me there’s another alien society near Pluto? Really?” Tim exclaimed.“Of course. Has His Majesty not educated you on them? They are why Quinten wanted revenge, why he loved war.”“Tim, you hear that. Even if we made it to Pluto, we were destined to run into aliens.”“Guess so. How did we never notice? You know, humanity. You’re telling me that not one, but TWO alien societies exist in this solar system, and we never knew until now?”“There are much more than two, dear friends. Life is everywhere. Alliances surround us. Travel between nations is common. We are nowhere near alone.”“As if everything we had already been through was not enough, now you’re telling us that the solar system, never mind the universe, is sprawling with life?” Tim shouted.“I didn’t think that was such a big deal. Sorry for giving you existential crises.”“No, no, Kiran, it’s fine. Just a bit mind-boggling. I spent my adulthood in the void, searching for such things, so the fact that you’ve just satisfied that in one minute is impressive. Though I don’t know what I expected.”“This is life-changing. Not only did we find the first civilization outside of our own, but we have confirmed that there are more than we could have ever imagined.”“I guess the museum has already done its part!” Kiran jested. “This is why Trimdin assigned you to me.”“He knows his stuff, I’ll give him that. That alien knew what he was doing when he met us, knew what he was doing when he killed The Queen, knew what he was doing when he became king, and knew to give us to you. Where does it end?” Tim questioned.“His brother was a smart king, too. I was only a kid, but I remember the day I saw his first speech. He gave us everything we wanted, everything The Belt needed. He made peace with the Kuipernians, started welfare programs, raised the standard of living, held Quinten’s tyranny at bay… or so he thought. Trimdin has just taken inspiration from that.”“When he talked about him, we were instantly impressed. Right, Tim?”“Yeah, he sounded like a good guy. That only made his demise even more tragic. Poison, was it? On his birthday? By the wife? Ridiculous.”“The death shocked everyone, even the Kuipernians. All our allies were scared, and I had just started training in The Royal Army. Things were shaky.”“The history of this place is crazy. Damn crazy. Anyway, what’s next here?” Tim walked forward down the hall. “Ah, 2038, The Grandiant is built. That seems relevant to today.”“It was built under the monarch's rule before Trimdin’s brother. He was a strange ruler, to say the least, attempting to live a lavish life while war ravaged around him. He was full of himself; the best thing he did was train Nardyn to rule.“Nardyn? Wait, is that the name of Trimdin’s brother?”“Yes. Yet again, did King Trimdin not tell you this?”“Somehow not,” Claren answered.“In all the confusion and questioning, his name never came up. It was just always ‘Trimdin’s brother.’ But Nardyn, King Nardyn. Now that’s a name.”“Here, let’s recap what we have learned this morning: aging, life, and names. Is there anything else you could ever need to know?” Kiran asked sarcastically.“This journey has already garnered some serious information. And we’re only two exhibits in!”“Shit, that’s it?” Claren hysterically screamed.“I mean, there is still a millennium of scientific discoveries ahead,” Kiran quipped.“How long has your world existed?” Tim questioned.“For thousands upon thousands of years, Earth or Beltian. We have had hundreds of monarchs, dozens of dynasties, but none have managed to cause the chaos of the last few.”“Where does that king thing come from, anyway? Claren and I were talking about it last night. What are the powers that Trimdin has, and why don’t more have them?”“That’s a loaded question, Tim. And unfortunately, we’re not too sure. Every major civilization has someone with powers, but all we have about their origin here are the tales of the First King, which were written almost fifty thousand years ago. Before that, we have no record of anything; no rulers, no powers, no subjects, nothing. The Belt appeared to be empty. We don’t know how we got here; we just did.”"But what about the First King? Where did he get them from?”“He claims it was bestowed upon him by a figure. All he could describe it as was ‘le sqott,’ which literally translates to ‘the spot.’ Some higher being visited him and ‘touched his face with the hand of the universe.’ Or so he claims. He was known to be insane, to be an evil ruler, someone who needed to be removed from power. Though his abilities were too strong; every attempt at his life failed. Except one. After years of going on a wild hunt to recreate the encounter, a subordinate tricked him into thinking the God-like figure came back, saying that if he died right now by his hand, he would be sent to some place called The End Realm. Of course, this was total BS, but they were able to murder him, quickly discovering that his powers were passed on to them. That was the start of the lineage.”“So some crazy dude just gained them randomly and someone just happened to kill him? That’s how all of it started?”“That’s the current story. We really have no records of it besides his own accounts, but by no means was he a reliable narrator.”“Though what about everything else? The advancements, the technology, the evolution? How does that link to now?” Claren asked.“Well, let’s keep going down this hall. The answers lay ahead,” Kiran responded while marching forward, bringing them closer to the true discovery.Closer to the dangers of Quinten.
On the other side of The Belt, excitement ran high, as a promise made was about to be fulfilled; the first steps toward restoration were soon to begin. King Trimdin sat on his throne, prepared to speak at the site's opening. Ready to confront the pain he caused.“Guards, bring me my armor!” He put down his script and lifted himself.Seconds later, four aids came out of hiding, steadily holding The King’s armor. This set was different from the one he wore during the war: it was newer, slimmer, and incorporated the greatest protective technology available. But little hints toward his sibling's shell had been added, like black shoulder pads and a blue torso.“Thank you,” Trimdin said to the soldiers. “What is the status of Tim and Claren? How’s Kiran doing?”One of his underlings tapped on the side of their ear, getting a detailed report of their location and doings. “They are safely on Vesta, still exploring the museum. Large crowds have surrounded the building, but they’re protected.”“Perfect! How about The Capital? Is everything good out there before I do this?” At the same time, the suit was being placed on King Trimdin.“The crowds will only consist of veterans, and all other viewers will be at home. We have taken extreme precautions.”“Good. I’ve given Quinten’s former soldiers everything, yet still, some want to kill me? His brainwashing was pretty damn good, I guess.” The last pieces of armor were applied.“Ha, your majesty. Those Quinten wannabes are nothing. This armor is bulletproof, blasterproof, and bombproof. Plus, your magic can stop anything if you act fast enough.”“I know,” The King responded kindly. A sword was placed in the sheath on his waist. “Thank you all.”“Your welcome, sir,” they said in unison.“Now, let’s get going!” From there, they marched out of the palace onto the platform looking below. He quickly moved down the grand staircase to a small vehicle, one that would drive him toward his destination: the memorial, which lived at the heart of Quinten’s home, forcing Trimdin to face the battlefield that scarred him.The drive was quick, The King watching as the small audience came into view around the walled garden. The once beautiful homes were torn and recycled; the bloody streets were demolished and replaced with graves. A large tower sat between it all, each level representing a life lost at the hands of the war.In a show of grace, King Trimdin got out of the vehicle and lifted himself, the purple presence presenting itself for this all-important day. He quickly landed directly on the stage set up for his appearance, now able to look dead on at the suspiciously silent crowd behind the magnificent microphone he stood against.Within moments of settling into position, Trimdin began to lean forward, displaying a large smile. The masses below watched, waiting for his first words.“Hello, veterans and any viewers at home. The past few months have been filled with turmoil, fueled by revenge, and I am sorry that much of that has been caused by me. The Queen: I killed. Quinten: I killed. And tragically, many of my own citizens: I killed, all due to my terrible practices.”Many in the audience stared blankly at The King.“No matter what, there is nothing I can do now to make it up, but I pray that I can at least ease the pain. If you are familiar with my previous speech, you would remember that I promised you all something; I promised a place dedicated to those we have lost, not only in this war but in every war ever committed by the rulers of this kingdom. It has been long overdue that our soldiers get the respect they deserve, that their families feel closure for their wrongful yet patriotic deaths. Now it is finally time that we appreciate the strong fighters of our society, protecting us from evil.”The crowds below remained silent.“So here it is, The Beltian War Memorial, built to withstand the test of time and prove our resilience. The large tower at the center of this all is devoted to the hundreds we lost during The Asteroid War alone, their bodies kept inside. And each of the much smaller stones surrounding it contains the names of every soldier. The rest of this former arena for the rich has been flattened into a field of flowers, each color representing a different era in our history. Tours have been designated to run daily, making this site a fantastic destination to learn about not only the horrors of conflict, but the troubling truth of revenge. Never, and I mean NEVER, should these events be repeated, should these mistakes be emulated. I am taking my personal lessons, things that are near and dear to my heart, and using them to ensure the safety of this beautiful society we have.”No noises commenced.The King continued to smile. “My rule will be one of prosperity, not depression; one of love, not hate. The criminal beliefs of The Queen, Quinten, and their associates have nearly been rooted out, have almost exited our world, so now we can focus on healing. Even though I have called it restoration, it truly isn’t. I don’t want to ‘rebuild’ what was here before, because, excuse my language, what was here before was shit. Following my brother's principles, alongside my own, our home will come into a new age of being. One that stops war; one that makes friends, not enemies; one that knows the citizens are more important than anything that will come out of my mouth. We are run by you, for you, regardless of the monarchy that stands. And this leads to my final topic of which I wanted to discuss. Everyone across The Belt should know that I will not name a successor at the end of my reign because, by the end of it, we will become something unseen in our history: a democracy.”Gasps were audible. Everyone was in shock.Wait, what?” one veteran screamed up to King Trimdin.“A democracy? What the hell is that?” another whined.“Yes, yes, you heard me right. We will no longer be a kingdom, you will no longer be forced into the tyrannical regimes of the past. Rather, we will be a republic with an elected leader, one where the actual inhabitants of The Belt will rule.”“How does that work?” one asked in the audience.“But King Trimdin, we need a monarch. It’s who we are; it’s a tradition. You can’t do this!” a citizen in the corner screamed.“We don’t want a damn republic!” an old guy in the back said.“We need to get revenge!” one screamed.“I’m sorry,” King Trimdin responded, “I thought you would all love this. It shows progress; it shows evolution. We are moving past the jaded system of the past toward something new. Is that not important?”There was rustling in the crowd, many getting up from their seats, ready to leave, only a few appearing to stay.“This is a net positive, everyone. You will have better freedoms, guaranteed freedoms! How could you not want that?” Then King Trimdin remembered what Quinten had told him all that time ago: “Your military is made up of a bunch of volunteers and under-experienced idiots. My veteran soldiers had a lot of time to train while The Queen was in power. Mine were ready, yours were not.”“The entire audience are veterans, right? That means that they are almost entirely former workers of Quinten, were former followers of his rhetoric. And that could mean…” While most of the crowd was getting up, a suspicious figure remained, out of nowhere holding a gun in their hand. “Oh shit,” The King said to himself.The gunman lined up their shot, aiming directly for Trimdin’s head. Guards quickly realized what was happening, some rushing into the crowds while others ran toward The King. But it was too late.The shooter quickly pulled the trigger of his long-barreled handgun, unleashing an array of bullets toward the still-unprotected Trimdin. In a move of instinct, The King made his magical magenta mist form around his hands, hastily trying to apply a shield. But with pellets piercing forward, there was little time.Just as the first bullet was about to hit King Trimdin, he was able to apply protection, merely stopping the shell from killing him. Then, the rest of his body was covered, stopping all projectiles from hurting him.Moments later, the shooter was tackled by guards, stopping the endless spray of slugs. From there, King Trimdin instantly floated in the air, scared for his life, following protocol and heading directly toward the castle for safety.But unfortunately for him, that was only the start…
“This place keeps getting cooler and cooler,” Claren said. The men and their alien escort continued through The Museum of Beltian Science, examining each innovation.“So this was your first hyper-speed engine?” Tim asked Kiran.“Yes, and without it, we would’ve never been able to trade with the Kuipernians.”“Damn, it was invented quite early on, too. Almost ten thousand years!” Claren added.“You need a bit of haste to travel in space. We can’t wait months, years, or decades just to make it to another nation,” Kiran joked.“No kidding. Our ships on Earth were nowhere even close to this. Our asses took months just to get here.”“I guess my car analogy checks out,” Tim whispered to himself.“We still have more! Come along, now,” Kiran commanded, pointing them forward.Periodically the three would stop at big moments of discovery. The list went on: cloning, weapons of mass destruction, vaccination, decoders; the further back they went, the more primitive the technology got.“Here is the first translation device,” Kiran said, pointing out a large metal box with grills on the top. “Once we started making these, our ability to communicate with the galaxy at large was heavily improved. No matter if we met with a civilization for the first or for the millionth time, they have become useful.”“How long does it take for the translator to work with new languages?”“There is no delay. You see, the technology is based on The King. Any language he can speak, we can translate,” she responded.“How many can he speak?”“All of them. Trimdin, now that he is ruler, can use any language in the universe, even if we don’t know where it originates from. Your little earpieces can convert conversations from any alien tongue no problem.”“If the language exists, The King knows it, and from there, you base your translations?” Claren questioned.“Yep. And it has worked every time”“Okay then,” Tim said. “So that’s how you know English?”“Eh, our relationship with English is another thing. I’m unsure how to explain it, but our language is very similar to yours. Beltian, as we call it, is like a simplified version of English. We are not sure why they are so similar, but they are.”“So there is no direct connection, but they are eerily similar. That answers about… nothing at all,” Tim said jokingly.“Hey, that’s all I know.”“It’s fine,” he laughed. “Just strange.”“Trust me, the more you know about the universe, the less sense it makes,” Kiran responded as she continued to lead Tim and Claren further toward the beginning of time, steaming toward the tale of The Belt's first weapons.“The automatic rifle was invented almost twenty thousand years ago and revolutionized wars. Before, the classic long-barreled handgun worked well for small and accurate assassinations while the bigger semi-auto was for fighting.”“I’m assuming you studied all this for your military training?” Tim asked.“Unfortunately. I’m more of a sword-fighter, as there’s more skill to that than just blasting an enemy full of shells, but mass murder is easier with guns.”“Yeah, we know that all too well. Earth had one too many wars in its days, each worse than the last. And when it came to Arcadia and Oceania, they were brutal. That’s why I stayed in space as much as possible, to escape the ugliness of it all.”“I was not as lucky,” Claren said. “War destroyed my home, our home. We definitely know it all too well.”Kiran looked at the two men in solidarity. “I’ve heard about Earth before. The blue marble of infinite water and luscious land that sits in the middle of our sky; the small dot that houses billions of beings. We don’t learn much about it, but I know you both loved it, that it was your native land, and I can easily understand the pain of seeing history run its course. Your society fell to the very thing mine was close to: self-destruction.”“And I think that’s why we are here,” Tim responded, “to make sure the same mistake is not made twice. Trimdin has done a good job so far, but it needs to keep going.”“Yes, it does,” inputted Claren.“The history of The Belt, even though you know only a fraction of it still, has repeated itself one too many times, and I think I can speak for everyone when I say that both Trimdin and you two can make the changes needed.”“And we will. We have to. Why else would we have lived? Why else would Trimdin have been able to kill The Queen? Fate may be playing a part in this.”“Ah, yes,” Claren joked. “How can a man of science believe in fate?”“No, dear Claren, I am a man of fact and logic. But it’s reasonable to think that, after everything we’ve seen, fate may be real.”“It is,” Kiran said coldly. “Fates are real. Religions are real. Gods are real. It all is.”“Really?”“Every civilization in the galaxy, and maybe the universe, appears to have some concept of a higher being, of a power above us. Trillions have been poured into the research of it, and all signs point to yes. Even though the First King was insane, he was probably right. He probably did see ‘le sqott.’ Let’s do a quick test. What do you call the afterlife?”“It depends entirely on which religion you follow. Some don’t have one, some believe in reincarnation, some call it heaven, some call it Ede—”“Eden. Oh yes, Eden,” Kiran interjected. “Everywhere we have gone, they have all had some variation of that name. Eddene, Elden, GkEdyn, and even in Beltian it's Edn. Sure they may have other names, but we all have an Eden.”“Seriously?” Claren questioned.“Yeah, seriously.”“Is this another example of ‘no direct connection but are eerily similar?’” Tim asked.“Exactly. That seems to be a constant.”“You were right when you said that the more you learn about the universe, the stranger it gets. Totally.”“What can I say?” Kiran responded.“Trimdin did not prepare us for such revelations, especially in a science museum.”“I don’t think he prepared me, either.”“What do you think Trimdin is doing right now anyway?” Claren asked Tim.“I’m not too sure. He said something about a memorial yesterday.”“Yes, he did,” Kiran answered. “The Beltian War Memorial is opening today.”“Is that for The Asteroid War?”“It is more for all conflicts fought in The Belt. War is so common that we rarely respect the soldiers who’ve died. And that lack of respect, that lack of closure, is what led to the vengeful army of Quinten.”“So that’s why he’s doing it: just to stop others from rising and take Quinten's place?”“No,” Kiran interrupted, “it’s because he feels the need to respect them, too. If there is anything King Trimdin learned from his tenure, it’s that hate will not get him anywhere, but love and care will. Stopping the cycle is more important than continuing it. If only some of those separatist bastards could recognize that!” she screamed.“Woah, calm down. What do you mean? Quinten’s army surrendered, right? You are literally the reason they did.”“MOST of them did. MOST. But there are still some factions out there trying to cause mayhem. The Royal Army has been doing a good job of taking care of it, but they are stubborn, to say the least. I took care of as many of them as I could over my break, but one girl can’t stop an army.”“So they’re still out there; that’s what your vacation was?” Claren asked in fear.“Duh, why do you think Trimdin assigned me to you? Sure, I am supposed to be your friend, but also your protector,” Kiran said.“We don’t need protection; Trimdin does. Isn’t their entire goal to kill him?”“Yes…”“So wouldn’t it be better if you were protecting HIM?”“You really undervalue your importance, don’t you?”“What do you mean?” Tim asked.“You are freaking Gods walking amongst us. You are the most popular—and only—humans in The Belt. You are best buddies with the Goddamn king! If there was anyone those assholes would want, it's you!”“So why did we come here if we would be in even the slightest bit of danger?”“Because you are not. We brought a legion of guards here, you have me, and the people of Vesta are extremely loyal subjects. Nothing can happen to you.”“But what about the crime sprees; what about that scummy pilot, Captain Landun? He literally admitted to liking The Queen, and you did not seem to like him either.”“Fine, Tim, you’ve got me there. The Captain is not my favorite, but I trust The King’s judgment. He would never send us with an untrustworthy pilot or to an unsafe place.”“I don’t know, Kiran. If there are Quinten sympathizers out there, we should be more careful. Trimdin should be more careful. I’m sure they can mask themselves pretty well, and, as always, anything could happen….”At that moment, the earpieces planted in each of their suits started to beep, telling them to tap it to answer. All three did, a call quickly steaming into their ears.“Tim, Claren, Kiran! Can you hear me?” a distressed voice said into their ears.“Who is this?” Tim asked.“It’s Trimdin.”“I see you’ve activated our phone abilities,” Claren joked.“Your majesty, what do you need?” Kiran waited for a command.“I need you to run. RUN, RUN, RUN!”“Wait, why?”“There was an assassination attempt on me. I don’t know if it was organized, but you need to come back to The Capital NOW. We can’t risk your lives.”“Wait, what did you just say?” Claren screamed.“Absolutely, sir. They’ll get home safe. Is this a Code Green or Red?” Kiran questioned.“Red for now. Let Tim pilot. Don’t trust anyone besides me or yourselves. No guards, no Captain Landun.”“Why?”“None of them are responding to my transmissions. I went to tell them about bringing you home, but I have gotten no response. They may have turned, they may have been killed, or maybe the communicators are just off. I don’t really know, and don’t really trust anyone here.”“Okay then, your majesty. Code Red it is.” Kiran turned her attention to Tim. “Do you think you could figure out how to fly our ships?”“Probably,” he responded.“That’s good to hear!”“Then we can do this,” she said back.“What about weapons? Do we need weapons?” Claren asked nervously.“I always travel with a sword,” Kiran proudly stated, tilting her hip toward Tim and Claren. “But for you two, I’ve got no idea.”“Only kill if needed!” Trimdin reminded them. “Please, I don’t want to add to the memorial the same day I opened it.”“No problem, your majesty. But if they attack us, I’m going for the final blow.”“Wouldn’t expect anything different, soldier. Protect Tim and Claren at all costs.”“Yes, sir.”“Then it’s settled. Get the hell out of there and be safe. Go silent. No calls, no radio, nothing. Not even to me.”“Absolutely, your majesty!” And with that, Tim, Claren, and most importantly, Kiran, were set on an unexpected adventure to escape the very place they thought safe, imprisoned by the home of scientific discovery.
“Okay, Kiran, what’s the damn plan here? What’s next!” Claren began rapidly firing questions toward their protector.“Calm down,” Tim said. “Kiran, what do you want us to do? Aren’t we surrounded by guards? Or, at least, we were.”“Do you want to go see?” Kiran looked at the two men, intensely gazing at the green tint of the ClearSuits.“...Sure?” Claren responded worriedly.“Sure? No, you mean SURE!” Kiran said, pulling out her sword, grasping it with both hands. “Let’s go see what's in store for us boys.”“I’m beginning to see why Trimdin gave you to us,” Tim joked.“Just wait until you get to see me in action.” With that, they began to stride forward, marching toward the museum's entrance. Tim and Claren followed the offensive Kiran.They passed each previous exhibit, getting closer to where they had started. And as they did, the three began to see the massive windows of the front, looking out and noticing that it was empty. Everything was empty. The crowds and guards of before disappeared; no signs of life persisted. All they could see was the gorgeous front lawn of the museum.“Where did all the soldiers go? The citizens?”“Trimdin made the right call to say Code Red. Either they turned or got killed. How it happened while we were in here, I don’t know, but it’s the only explanation.”“I mean, a mutiny on that scale would be insane, but there is no way they were all murdered. We would have heard something.”“Could they have just been captured?” Claren asked.“Theoretically,” Kiran responded. “And I’m sure that shithead ‘Captain’ Landun was at the forefront of it.”“I knew that bastard was suspicious.”“He got on my nerves, and I only talked to him for a few minutes. I totally believe that he would throw something like this for a few bucks. But the rest of those guards, I’m not sure. I knew some of them; I’ve trained with them. They were good souls.”“Either way, we can’t trust them,” Tim said as they got closer to the door. The entire scene outside was still barren. “Before we go out, we should throw something and see if it’s safe. Maybe they trapped it.”“Oh, good idea,” Claren said excitedly.“Come on, this is not my first rodeo. Let’s see, what should I use?” Kiran looked around her body, trying to find a small, detachable item.While that was happening, Tim saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was matte, unsuspecting. It had a peculiar look, a reddish glow. And it sat right outside the museum, pointing directly at them. “Claren, do you see that?” Tim pointed out the window to the small buried device.“Yeah, Tim, I do.”“I think it's a camera.”“A camera, where?” Kiran said urgently, stopping her search.“Riiiightttt there,” Tim said in a drawn-out way, comically dramatizing its importance.But Kiran showed no smile; instead, a look of concern hit her face. “We can’t get out this way. That’s no camera, it's a sensor. A sensor that, once we get too close to it, will freaking explode us into smithereens.”“Oh,” Tim said quietly.“So we should not take this way?” Claren commented.“No, we most definitely should NOT.” The three of them backed away slowly.“Is there another way to get out of here? How far is The Grandiant from here?”“Let me think. So, not to confuse you two, but ships dock under the cities. All asteroids with major settlements are split in half, the top part having the living area, the bottom part dedicated to docking, trade transports, and more.”“Kiran, slow down. That’s all well and good, but how does that help us? There are a dozen layers between us and that, so who cares?”“Well, you should let me finish. This is a central building of the Vesta, right, and I know that they constantly have new artifacts being shipped in all the time. And, if they have enough shipments, they may have a direct connection between the two halves.”“Wait a minute, are you saying there may be an elevator around here that could bring us down there, just like the one we used at the ship to get here?” Claren asked.“Possibly, though if I can deduct that, then anyone could. But, and this is a huge but, there’s a slight chance they forgot. We are more likely to die going out this door than trying to find a stairway to the underworld.”“Hey, I’m willing to take that chance. Claren and I have played with luck so many times; what’s one more time going to do?”“Even if we die here, we at least got the chance to live a new one. The people of Earth never got that. My mom never got that. My dad didn’t. My boyfriend didn’t. We’ve made it further than I could’ve thought, and I hope they’re proud of that.”“Claren,” Tim said emotionally, “that’s what I need to hear right now. That’s what I was telling you on the ship. They all loved you, and I know you loved them, and I am sorry that our dumb mission took you away from them. I’m sorry that the idiotic race between the nations pulled you from them. But I am glad that it brought you to me. We have been through so much in so little time, but there’s no one else I would have done it with.” He began to shed a tear, peering deeply into his partner's eyes.Kiran stood by proudly, smiling at the blossoming friendship.“Thank you, Tim. Thank you.” His eyes also began to water. “There has just been so much damn pain and not enough space to get it sorted out. Shit is constantly thrown at us, at our happiness, thwarting whatever sense of normalcy in our lives. But as you said, I am happy to go through it with you. You’re here to balance me out, to smarten me up, but also here to help me get up when I fall.”“Well, buddy, for all that wisdom, I get back pains in return,” Tim said, laughing.“Whatever it is, it’s working,” Claren responded. “I think the closure starting to happen, Tim. It’s starting to come, I can feel it already. The once warm blanket that wrapped me is coming back, slowly.”“I told you it would. Now, we need to get going, right Kiran? I’m sure you no longer need to see this sob story.”Kiran looked up at Tim, showing visible tears on her face as well. “Ah, yeah, sure, let’s get going,” she said, wiping them off.“I didn’t think we were being that dramatic. We should be actors, Claren!” Tim said, holding back some of his emotions.“It was quite the show,” Kiran responded with sniffles. “Now, follow me.”Yet again, the men trailed Kiran, quickly coming across a small tablet device that, with a few clicks of a button, showed a blueprint of the building.“We’re here and… yes, okay, there, and… ah, yes, here we go!” Kiran exclaimed. “It says that if we just go down this hallway, there will be a door. Behind that door is a maintenance room where they store and repair certain display pieces. BUT, if we keep going in the room, we should get to a large staircase that will lead to an elevator. That elevator apparently leads directly to a ship in the docking area.”“Great, that sounds easy enough,” Tim said.“Though there’s one thing: we need a passcode for the elevator to work.”“A passcode? How would we get that?”“There are many ways, many devices that can do it. But we don’t have any one hand right now, not unless you two have anything up your sleeve?”“I don’t think so.”“Not surprised. If only I had that damn thing I used on the vault!”“What thing,” Claren questioned.“When I first encountered Quinten during the war, I used a device that allowed me to crack the code to open his bunker. Though I don’t have anything close to that here.”“Do you think we could just bust it open?” Tim suggested. “I mean, that steel blade of yours can do a lot more than look pretty.”“That elevator uses the hardest lock system in The Belt. My sword will break before the door even gets a dent.”“Maybe we’ll find something on the way. That’s simple enough,” Tim said back.“I like simple!” Claren responded.“Good enough.”Quickly they made their way toward the maintenance room, safely getting away from the dangerous entrance of the museum. From there, they kicked down its door with ease, entering cautiously. The area matched much of the looks of the rest of the building, only having one key distinction: the organization. Instead of the clean and pristine it bore outside of it, the room was scattered with dozens of pieces, technology old and new sitting around on tables. Things were unfinished, abandoned for their arrival that morning.“Well, this place needs some spring cleaning,” Claren quipped.“That’s to put it lightly,” Tim commented.“This is a good thing, though. Look around and see if you can find anything labeled DECODER. We may get lucky with all this junk. An older model may be here for display.”“What would it look like?”“Usually, they have a small screen on them and a wire that you hook up to the device you are trying to open. Something like that.”“Very detailed,” Tim said sarcastically.“Sorry, did you want a full 3D scan of one?”Tim stayed quiet, not responding.“Exactly,” she added with a light giggle. “Let’s get to work.”The men instantly started looking around, scavenging the gray table for any signs of one. Kiran did the same, scoping out for the familiar device, looking for as long as they could.But on the opposite end of the room, the large slope down toward the elevator stood, existing precisely where the blueprints said it would be. Only one thing stood out, imperfectly matching their preconceptions: the size of the elevator. Instead of a large shaft leading down to the docks, it was a small transport, specially designed for item movement, not men. The trio of Trimdin’s friends continued to look for their needed device, not noticing the trouble they were soon to encounter.“Have you found anything?” Kiran yelled to Tim, who was inspecting a small gadget.“Nothing yet!” he responded. “I saw a small dagger, that’s about it.”“What about you, Claren?”“I found something with a screen, but no wires or anything.”“Damn it!” Kiran shouted. “Maybe we should just go to the sword thing,” she said in a small fit of rage. Kiran quickly rushed to the staircase, went down it, and uncovered the elevator. “Oh, that’s not good.”“What is it?” Claren yelled from the top.“Can one of you come down? I’ll need to do a bit of a size comparison.”“A size comparison?”“Yeah, just get down here,” she commanded.Tim rushed toward Kiran, leaving Claren alone in his search. “What is i… WHOA! Is that the elevator?”“I have a feeling this won’t be big enough for us,” Kiran said, looking at it. The lift was skinny and short, barely able to fit the much smaller Kiran. “This thing was clearly designed for item transport, not human.”“I guess so. We could go one by one if we really squish in. Or maybe it’s big on the inside and just small out here?”“Squishing might be possible, but who knows how big the shaft is?”“What the hell are you two talking about down there? I’m a bit concerned based off of the words ‘size comparison’ and ‘shaft.’” Claren jokingly yelled down the stairwell.“Come on man!” Tim shouted back. “No need. Just focus on finding the decoder.”“Well, next time you should stop making good joke setups!”“It’s not a good joke. It’s juvenile.”“I don’t get it,” Kiran said to Tim. “What does he mean?”“Nothing. Claren’s just being a smartass.”“A smartass? If he keeps distracting us, I’ll kick his ass,” Kiran quipped.“You hear that, Claren?”There was no response.“He heard you,” Tim told Kiran.“I sure hope he did. Now, back to the task. The only risk with going one at a time is that they could ambush us,” Kiran added. “I must go first with my blade, ready to fight.”“Fine, but what if you get captured or killed? Then we are defenseless.”“Did you see any functional weapons out there? A knife or something?”“A knife…” Tim thought to himself. “I looked at quite a few things, but a knife….”“Wait, didn’t you just say you saw a small dagger? Where was it?”“You’re right! I totally forgot. It was in the corner of the room, first shelf. It said something along the lines of being ‘the blade that killed Queen Calidon.’”“I wonder why that would be here, in the science museum?” Kiran responded.“My suit told me that it’s made of ‘foreign metals,’ so they were inspecting its origins.”“Wait, Queen Calidon? The Queen? That dagger?”“What are you talking about?”“Do you not remember how it looked? The dagger. That’s the dagger, Tim. It’s the one you gave to Trimdin, the one he killed The Queen with!”“Wait. Queen Calidon? That was her?”“I really need to brush you up on our history.”“Clearly,” Tim said back.“Anyway, go up there and get that dagger. And maybe get Claren while you’re at it.”“I wonder if he’s found anything…” Tim said. And at that same moment, just like many before, they heard a cheer.“I found it, I Goddamn found it,” he yelled.“I’ve got to stop with the coincidences,” Tim commented.“What?” Kiran asked.“Just talking to myself.”With haste, the two ran back up to Claren, who was proudly holding a device in the air.“Tim, Kiran, I think I found it. I did some light digging and found a file on code tech. Then, it said there was going to be an exhibit on it, so I searched for what they were going to put on, and I found it. The Fifth Generation Royal Decoder!” he said.“Good job, man!” Tim came over to Claren and hugged him kindly. “Good job.”“Claren, we have something to tell you, though.”“What is that?”“You see, the elevator has a bit of an issue.”“An issue?” Claren asked, worried.“The size of the elevator is, well, problematic,” Kiran said, trying to be subtle.“It’s too small,” Tim blurted out. “We can barely fit through the doorway, Claren. It will be a tight fit, and we have no idea how large the thing is inside.”“That doesn’t shock me,” Claren said. “An elevator made to transport items will likely be the size of an elevator for those items.”“Great,” Kiran responded, “but that does not solve our problem.”“We’re used to small and confined spaces, Kiran,” Claren stated. “That’s what exploration is all about, right Tim.”“Unfortunately, I’ve gotten paid more than once to risk my safety and live in a cramped space station for months at a time. We can likely squeeze in.”“Well, then grab the dagger and go! We have no time to waste.”“Wait, dagger?” Claren asked.“I’ll explain later,” Tim said back, rushing over to the knife in question. Its shining exterior and prominent tip displayed itself beautifully, reminding Tim of the adventure to get the parts. He then walked by Claren, marching downward with Kiran.“Is that what I think it is?” Claren commented as they moved.“Yes, it is. You made a defibrillator out of it… somehow.”“I still have no freaking idea how that worked,” he said, following them diligently."Again, fate. We have had some extreme luck,” Tim mentioned nearing the elevator, the decoder in Claren’s hand.“If we’re lucky enough, this will all work,” Kiran added.“It should. It has to.”“It will,” Claren said, placing the gadget next to the number panel. Kiran detached it from the wall, keeping the digits illuminated and functional while exposing a wire. Then, the two parts of the puzzle were connected, their decoder starting its calculations.“How long do these things take?” Tim asked.“Claren, you said it was Gen. Five, right?”“Yes.”“Then it will take about two minutes. The ones we have today are super quick, but single-use. These things, I am not as sure about, but I do know that they last a lot longer.”“That comes at the cost of speed, I’m assuming?” Claren said.“Sadly.”“Well, we’re burning good time by talking. We should come up with a plan for this damn thing. What do we do when we get down there?”“I’ll go first and wait, scoping out the area. Then you, Tim, with the dagger ready. And finally, Claren. If you can find a pipe or something, use that. As long as it causes pain.”“Fair enough, I ain’t a good fighter anyway.”“Good. And when it comes to the location of The Grandiant, it is fairly close by. If I remember correctly, it was parked in docking station C, close to the center of Vesta. We are in the eastern part.” “How do you know all of this,” Claren naively asked.“Hey, Claren. When you get this far into the story, you don’t ask questions. I made that mistake with Trimdin. Trust me, she knows what she is talking about.”“Yes, thank you, Tim. My entire job is to know everything to keep you safe. I inspected it all. I know it all.”“Sorry I ever doubted you,” Claren responded mischievously.“Once we all make it down there safely, we have to make it to the ship. Then, just like the elevator, I’ll board first and clear it. Who knows what still lingers on it?”“What if we flew something more unsuspecting? Maybe one closer?” Tim asked.“You mean, like steal a ship?” Claren added.“I don’t know. We’ll see. That would probably be the smartest move, but The Grandiant is Royal property. It was not cheap to make.”“Safety is more important. I can fly anything you throw at me, minus a few translations, maybe.”“Okay then, we’ll find the closest ship. No matter what, we need to be stealthy. Are you ready?” Kiran asked.“Yes, we are,” Tim answered for them both.“Perfect, because I think the decoder is too.” Right then, it made a beep sound. “Claren, here’s the code.”Claren fitted the number panel back on a bit more snugly, inputting the display of digits on the screen. “5172017,” he typed, a small chime following. And then, like magic, the elevator door opened, unveiling its size.“That’s a bit bigger than expected,” Kiran mentioned, “but the plan still follows.“Yes, ma'am.”And with that, Kiran fit herself into the box, her armor rubbing against the sides. She held her sword with two hands in front of her, prepared to fight the minute she got there.Tim and Claren remained, waiting for it to return and talking about their next step.“All of these pains and plans are getting tiring,” Claren cried to Tim.“We’re almost back to the safety of Trimdin. I still don’t get why he would send us all the way here if there was even the slightest chance of danger. It just seems silly.”“As Kiran said, Vesta is seen as pretty safe. It’s probably a Royal anchor on this side of The Belt. I mean, we traveled to the other end of this ring of rocks. That’s no short distance.”“Yeah, but to me, that makes it even weirder. You realize it has only been a day and a half since we were in orbit around Earth. A DAY AND A HALF. Forty-eight hours ago, we were in our sleeping bags, thinking the end was near. The craziness has been non-stop since. Now all I want is a damn nap. A damn break.”“I think Trimdin can do that. If anything, he can do that.” Claren said somberly.“Good,” Tim said, followed by an unexpected chime. The elevator door had opened, now inviting his presence. “It’s my time to go!” he quipped.“Be safe, Tim,” Claren responded, watching his commanding officer enter the small space. He had to crouch down, his ClearSuit condensed against the white sides of the wall.“Adiós!” Tim yelled as the gate closed, shooting him down toward the bay area.“And then there was one,” Claren said, feeling the room's emptiness. “I guess I’ll go find that pipe.”Claren began to walk away from the elevator, heading toward the maintenance room. He looked around at the scattered mess, searching for something long, something metal. Every corner was searched, all in the hopes he would find something.As he skimmed, minutes went by, seemingly without sign of the elevator’s return."What the hell is going on? Tim should have sent it back up by now, right?” Claren questioned aloud. “And is there anything here I can use as a damn weapon!”He soon found himself near the same place the dagger was once held, reading the sign attached. “I’ve got to say, their language really is similar to ours.”Claren kept examining the room, looking at dozens of gadgets and gizmos, all totally useless to him. That was, until he saw a short stick on the ground under one of the tables.“What’s this?” He ducked down, reaching over to the rod. “Is… Is this a baton?” Claren got closer. “Quite a shiny one at that!” The baton was silver plated, with a stubbed point at each end. “That’s the best I’ll get!”Claren got up from the ground, now heading directly toward the elevator. It continued to look as unsuspecting as before, like nothing had changed. And this belief remained, as the all-important chime came through, indicating that the cab had arrived.“Finally,” he exclaimed, excited to enter.The space was tight, so he ducked his head and stuck the stick in front of him. Buttons sat inside, with one at the bottom having a clear picture of a ship. He pressed it, the elevator door slowly closing afterward.“How the hell did Tim fit in this thing!” Claren shouted.The elevator started to move downward toward the docking station. Everything was seemingly normal. Claren could feel the gravity pulling him down slowly, a light-up graphic indicating his descent.“I can’t wait for this adventure to stop. Every second I’m blindsided by a new event, suffocated by danger. Where does it end?” he complained to himself.Eventually, the elevator came to a roaring halt, Claren sensing the solid structure of rock below him. “Finally,” he stated.The shaded slammers slid open, revealing the requested region within Vesta. A wide space sat before him, inviting the crushed Claren in. He quickly walked out, waiting to watch the whimsical ways of the docking stations. But they never came.Tim and Kiran were nowhere to be found; everything was empty. All ships had left, leaving Claren stranded.“Hello!” Claren screamed, confused, his voice echoing in the large chambers. “Where are you guys? Tim? Kiran?” He got his baton ready, gripping it with two hands and lifting it vertically in front of his chest.“Where the hell is everybody?” Claren started to get nervous, sweat collecting around his forehead. Swiftly, he looked around his periphery, swinging his stick senselessly.“Something’s wrong, very wrong,” he voiced, still standing mere feet away from the now-closed elevator door.“Oh, dear Claren. Something is definitely wrong,” a voice said behind him. Suddenly, Claren's head was covered with a sack, a string tightened around his neck as he dropped his baton, suffocated by danger.
“Your majesty! Your majesty!” an aide screamed through Trimdin’s bedroom door.The King secured himself in the castle, refusing to let anyone see him, sitting at his desk and contemplating his decisions.“Your majesty! It’s urgent.”“Get away!” he growled, trying to thwart their efforts. “I am not leaving this room until Tim, Claren, and Kiran come back and The Capital is secured. Something’s going on, something very wrong, and I can’t trust any of you.”“Sir, their lives are not nearly as important as yours. An assassination attempt on the King of The Asteroid Belt should not be taken lightly. We need swift action against them, crushing these outstanding rebels.”“Is there any news from Vesta yet?” Trimdin quickly asked.“Every attempt to contact Captain Landun and his crew have gone nowhere, sir. Vesta is silent, too. There’s been no activity of travel around it; everything is eerily still.”“Have the autonomous drones made it?”“No. They were shot down as they approached.”“How do I know you are telling the truth?” The King asked."Until you walk out of that room, you’ll just have to trust me.”“Fine!” he said in return. “Did the shooter get arrested?”“They’re in Royal custody as we speak.”“I really thought Quinten’s death would be the end of the mayhem. But it’s no surprise some of those imbeciles would want to rise again. It’s in their nature.”“Your majesty, you have done everything you can to stop them, but some need to learn the lesson themselves. You can’t expect everyone to be taught by your mistakes. They will all see in time that you are correct, but they need to do it on their own, just as you did.”“I don’t think anyone can ever repeat it the same way I did. One too many factors played into that one,” King Trimdin joked.“Of course, sir, but what I said is still true. You are fortunate to have learned these lessons, fortunate that millions are willing to listen to them, but you can’t take that for granted. These stragglers are looking for the validation they need; for the validation their pain brings them, and they won’t stop until they find it. Or, at least what they think it is.”“When did you become so wise?” Trimdin questioned his hidden aide.“I picked up a few things from your brother, to say the least.”“Do you think he would be proud of what I have done so far?”“Oh, my king, he’d be more than proud. You’ve caused more disruption than he did in five years. He was no light ruler; so much changed the second he came into power, but you have easily beat him with your accomplishments.”“Would he be proud of me?”“I think so. Lessons have been learned, evil has been swayed, war has been ended; that seems to fit the criteria well.”“And there’s just so much more. This place, our home, deserves so much more than stingy mineral families and corrupt rulers. It needs more than what my measly ideas can bring it. The subjects have earned their right to rule themselves.”“Your majesty, what you said today was revolutionary,” they said, still talking through the door. “Those few words will forever change the way The Belt works, and I think support is much better than what you saw in that crowd. It was just the right thing at the wrong time.”“Democracy is our future. I am not. That IS what my brother wanted.”“Well, if anyone can do this, it is you, sir.”“No, my brother was the mastermind of it all. He was a kind ruler, he cared for his subjects, and all I’ve done is continue that. The only difference is that I am here to see it out,” Trimdin began to shed a tear.They could hear his muffled weeping through the panel. “You are not the only one; you are not alone. I’m here, and so many others across The Belt are here, waiting for you to finish what he started all that time ago. Never mind that Tim and Claren, two HUMANS, are an audience to it as well. More beings than ever want to help you continue his legacy, and I know that he is watching you in Eden with a smile grazing his face.”“Thank you. I doubt most Royal leaders talk to their subordinates like this. You know, talking about feelings and stuff through a door like a teenager.”“This is a first for me, sir, but I enjoy it. These are the words of someone who was thrust into kingship without time to train, prepare, or really understand what they were getting into. But they love it all the same, being more diehard and committed than any experienced ruler would be. That’s what makes them special; that’s what makes you special.”“You could be a therapist. The way you say things is strangely comforting.”“I wish I went to school for that instead of public communications,” they responded.“Me too,” The King laughed. “Those Goddamn degrees mean nothing these days! Anyway, have you heard anything yet about, you know, the actual situation at hand?”“No, your majesty, but do you really think they will tell me? I’m too low ranking; they’d rather send someone here to barge down your door and tell you.”"Probably,” Trimdin said back humorously. “They won’t even want to talk to me, though. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them mutiny after all this.”“Sir, they won’t do that. It’s just a few rotten apples, nothing more.”“Everyone says that, yet it continues happening. How many ‘rotten apples’ are there? And what about the apples that are rotten on the inside but bright and beautiful on the outside? The ones we pick up and eat, trusting them based on appearance, but soon learn that they’re rotten to the core? What about them?”“The illusion of something can be much stronger than the real thing.”“I had an illusion of power, of revenge, of self-worth, but learned that it was nothing but hate. Quinten had real power, real revenge, real self-worth, but was poisoned by his ego. My illusion won, but just by a hair.”“Is that the lesson, your majesty? That an illusion is better than the real thing?”“No, we should not seek these things in the first place, real or not, and recognize that both are a dangerous path to follow, extreme unpredictability plaguing it.”“Ah, I see. Your brother’s smarts are starting to shine through,” they laughed.“He was smarter than I’ll ever be. He was a good negotiator, as well.”“Quinten was pretty good, too. That day he came to the palace and called for war still stuns me. He was the master of trickery, of convincing others to follow him. He made a living off of it. That and his strategizing.”“Yeah, he always knew when it was the right time to do something. He was timely with everything. That’s the only way he could one-up me.” King Trimdin fell quiet. “It was his worst trick.” He began thinking back to the war, glimpses of the bloodshed flashing through. It was so vivid, so clear, feeling like it had just happened again.“Your majesty?” the aide questioned after a few moments passed.“Just give me a moment.” The King got up from his chair, slammed it in, and started to walk around anxiously.“Is it all coming back again? The images?”“Just give me a second.”“Sir, just lay down and think happy thoughts. It’s okay. You're okay.”“How could I ever let that happen!” he screamed to himself. “The damn trickery!”“Sir!”“All those families I let down, all the subjects I got killed, just for vengeance!” King Trimdin continued to stand, now throwing his hands violently in the air.“Sir, do I need to come in there? You need to calm down. Everything is okay.”“It will never be okay. How could it be? You can’t call the slaughtering of hundreds a mistake, can you?”“It was. That’s all it was. You have done everything, have taken away the Devil that did it, have made a memorial and retributed them. Now you must learn to live with that. But that pain, those losses, have brought freedom and justice to all in The Belt. That is something truly wonderful.”“How can it ever be right if so many had to fall to make it happen?”“All good things come from somewhere bad. There can never be happiness without pain first. Once you hit rock bottom, it is only up from there.”“But that doesn’t mean it should have happened.” He was starting to calm down, the extreme emotions settling.“No, it doesn’t,” the assistant said somberly, “but that doesn’t mean that you have failed, that you have caused a negative overall.”The King began to feel better, walking back to his desk and loudly dragging his chair back out, sitting down with a notepad and communicator in front of him.“Good! Thank you for listening. I guess I really should be a therapist.”Trimdin lightly giggled at the joke, transitioning to a calmer state. “You really should,” he said to them. “You really, really should.”“Without everything you’ve done, that wouldn’t be possible. Without the things you have brought to The Belt, the changes you have made, I would have never even made it out of the mines. You did that, sir.”“It was not me. I was just the one watching over it all.”“Even still, it’s because of your leadership. Between your might, your kindness, and your care, you are single-handedly changing Beltian's lives.”“If you want me to write a letter of recommendation to a university, I’ll do it. You NEED to be a therapist at this point!”“If you make it free, I’ll do it. Add it to your welfare budget or something.”“It’s the job you are clearly destined for. Get me the papers!” he quipped.“That’s the King Trimdin I like to hear! I hope it lasts,” they said.“I kind of hope so, too.” But it didn’t.The next second, The King’s communicator started to ring. He picked it up, suddenly seeing the caller's name: Kiran.“What the hell?” he said, confused.“What is it?” they yelled back.“I’m getting a call… from Kiran? Why would she call me? I told them to go quiet.”“Maybe they’re here? Maybe they have arrived back safely?”“Well, is anyone here to kick down my door?”“No.”“Then something’s wrong.”“Can I come in, then?” the aide asked as the ringing occurred in the room.“Why not at this point?” He got up, walked to the door, and promptly unlocked it, letting his underling in.“Thank you,” they said while closing it. “Now answer the Goddamn thing!”“Wow, you’re showing such kindness to your employer. Maybe I’ll change my mind on the free college thing.”“Answer it.”“Okay!” he responded, pressing the proper button and starting the call. “Why the hell are you calling me, Kiran?”“Oh, dear Trimdin, did you really think it was your damsel soldier? Do you think those men were going to make it off Vesta easy? Don’t be so ridiculous. We’ve got them; we’ve captured them. And that legion of guards you sent? Killed, every single one, including that frivolous Captain Landun. Damn traitor.”"Who are you?” Trimdin screamed into the phone. “You know who we are. From the ashes of Quinten, we have risen. The Children of Quinten are coming, your majesty, and we’re starting with your measly friends. You think you’re The King of Gods, The King that saved us from tyranny. But all you’ve brought is pain.”“Where are Tim, Claren, and Kiran? What have you done with them?”“The same thing The Queen did to you all that time ago. Start with the verbal torture, but then get to the real physical stuff.” In the background of the call, they could start to hear faint screams, quickly noticing whose they were.“I’ll send an entire army to your doorstep! This is an act of war. You are killing Royal subjects of the highest caliber. You don’t dare want to be met by that.”“As far as we’re aware, two aren’t even Belitan. They’re not even citizens.”“We should have done those citizenship tests sooner,” Trimdin said to his aide.“You should have. But instead, you sent them to the science hub of The Belt, thinking they would be safe, didn’t you?” one of the Children taunted.“Tim, Claren, and Kiran, if you can hear me, I am coming for you!”“They can’t hear you. We’ll have them bleeding from their ears soon, anyway. You can pick up their ashes when we’re done with them!”“You bastards. What the hell? I mean seriously, what the actual hell? I’m doing everything I can to make this place better, and all you want to do is poison it. Who is gaining from your brutal beliefs besides yourselves? If you want revenge, fine, but don’t subject others to your pain. All that I can tell you is that it will never satisfy you, it will NEVER lead to the happiness you think it will bring.”“But oh yes, it will,” everyone on the other end said in unison.“Such a Goddamn cult,” the aide whispered to Trimdin.“I am going to send every ship, every soldier, every weapon, every bomb, everything to your location. You will be crushed. There is no in-between.”“Then we will just kill them a bit faster. Get your knives out, boys. These lambs are about to go to the slaughter,” they commanded, it being picked up by their communicator.“Wait, how can we solve this more diplomatically? There’s no need for any knives.”“Surrender. Surrender your government, your subjects, your life, to us. That’s it. Do you find that a worthy trade?”“The lives of millions for three?”“Would you not say that they are worth it? I mean, two of them are Gods, right? Does that not increase their value tenfold?”"It does. But you can’t—”“Yes, we can,” they cut him off. “It’s an easy trade, dear Trimdin.”“God, you even talk like him. How does it feel to love that psychopath so much, to follow that unsensible villain?”“Sensibility went out the window the second you became king. Your brother was handled quickly, but you are much harder to exterminate. You’re a cockroach of his ideology, never quite dying no matter how many times we try to stomp it out.” “Tell me about it,” The King said under his breath. “Oh, stop it. If there was one thing our Master was good at, it was keeping things concise with you. I swear, all you Royalists are pure chatterboxes. We eventually gagged your little friends because they wouldn’t shut up,” they cackled over the call.“You’ll see why when we come to destroy you. I have learned from the past, understand your deception, and am more ready than ever to beat your furious asses.”“See you then,” they said elusively, promptly ending the call.Shivers were sent along King Trimdin and his aide’s spines; fear of what would come clogged their psyche. Tim, Claren, and Kiran were in real trouble, and The King of Gods was not prepared to handle it.
King Trimdin rushed out of his room, his aide closely following. He stormed toward the command center, toward his advisors, seeking the help he needed to save his friends.Quickly they barged in, many of them staring at the distraught Trimdin.“I just got a call from someone. They’ve named themselves the Children of Quinten.”“Your majesty,” they all said in unison, kneeling.“Oh, stop the formalities. Can you trace the location of Tim, Claren, and Kiran?”“Yes, sir,” one said in the corner, “do you want the locations of their ClearSuits?”“YEAH.”“Give me a second, sir.” They hastily input something into their computer nearby, linking to the suits and locating them. “I’ve got it!”“Where are they?” Trimdin shouted.“It looks here that they are still on Vesta, deep in its core. They haven’t gone far.”“Good. So what the hell do we do now?”“Well, my king,” a general commented, “what did these ‘Children of Quinten’ say?”The King’s aide suddenly stepped into the conversation. “They murdered the entire legion sent to protect them and are actively torturing the men and their officer.”“They aren’t joking around, then?” the general said back.“No, they’re not,” Trimdin responded. “Those assholes just added thirty new graves to the memorial!”"Did they make any offers? Negotiations?”“Yes… my surrender… and the entire government.”“Sounds like Quinten, all right,” a soldier in the room added.“It sure does,” King Trimdin said, “and they have us in a similar conundrum, too. If we try to attack and they detect it, they will just kill Tim, Claren, and Kiran faster. If we do nothing, they will still die. AND, even if I did surrender, they would probably kill them anyway. How do you get out of that?”“You don’t,” the general said. “You just don’t.”“What do you mean?”“Is sacrificing The Belt worth it for their lives, sir? At the end of the day, two of them are humans who have no home here.”“How dare you!”“Your majesty, I am just stating the truth. You’re the one who almost lost a war because you let your revenge, your personal hate for Quinten, blind you. You’re the one who sat in his bedroom and refused to consult others like an adult! Don’t let your personal love for them, your emotions, hurt The Belt again.”“They are entirely different from Quinten and me. That bastard is why my brother died, the reason this kingdom went under. But Tim and Claren, they are going to be the reason it rises again. How is it bad that I want to save them?” Trimdin shouted back.“Sir, calm down,” his assistant said. “We’ll figure this out.”“Yes, we will. We need to do something.”“We can’t. Your personal feelings can’t get in the way of ruling, sir. We should ask the subjects what they want instead of doing everything behind closed doors? Let’s see if they truly care for these men, for dear Kiran?”“They do. They have to. Without them, I would have never killed The Queen. They are the last of humanity, the last of their kind, and I would not be here without them!”“You talked of democracy, so let’s get it started. Get on a broadcast, tell Beltians what is happening, and let them vote; let them choose what THEY want. This is their home, this is their Belt, and they have the right to make the decision of whether or not we should go after these ‘Children.’” The general looked straight at The King, fully challenging him.“I do want democracy, I think we need it. But is this really the time to implement it when so much evil is lingering?” he laughed nervously.“What time would be better?”Trimdin stood perplexed.“When?” they said again.“I don’t know. Later? When my friends aren’t in crisis.”“Whether or not they are friends doesn’t matter,” they responded. “The lives of Beltians, of your subjects, are most important.”“What the hell do you want me to do? The choice is impossible.”“Leave it to the citizens,” they commanded. “What time is better?”The King was dumbfounded, staggered by the words of his advisor.“Now…” he said in return.“Good. Now is the time.”“Get me the public relations department and the head of the Royal Beltonian Broadcasting System,” The King ordered. “I’m going to prove they care!”~~Deep within Vesta, Tim, Claren, and Kiran stood, tied to poles. They lay bare, gagged by large strips of cloth, dyed by the blood running down their faces.“Oh my, The King is one idiot,” one of the Children said. “Such a Goddamn idiot.” The call had already ended, the three adventures desperately crying for help.“As for you three, we expected better. You’ve been labeled ‘Gods,’ but you’re more mortal than that bastard.”Surrounded by gray stone and large knives, the room they were contained in was nothing short of horrifying for the two men and Kiran to see.“Now, I’m sure you're wondering a million things, right? Like ‘where did you come from’ or ‘why are we here?’ Well, you already know. Especially you, Kiran Samdin. If anyone does, you do. But I doubt your cargo has any idea what is happening. Do they?”Kiran, tied slightly lower than the humans next to her, violently shook in anger.“Trimdin gives you too much credit. ‘Ending the war.’ Really? You did jackshit until you pulled that gadget out and decoded the vault. Yeah, I was there, and damn did I enjoy mowing down the Blue battalion. Sad you weren’t one of them!” they laughed hysterically.They then switched their attention to the men. “And you two are terrible representatives of humanity. Your species was nowhere near ours, but you had some potential. Too bad you’re all that’s left!”The men, blood covering their suits, started to have tears visibly fall down their faces.“Was it nuclear weapons that ended it all? Something along those lines?”They twisted and turned similarly to Kiran.“Ah, it was! Well then, how about we give you some options? When we kill you, how does burning alive sound?”“Oh, yes, good idea, Master,” someone said in the corner of the room.“I’d say so. How about you guys?” The alien looked directly at them, their large, beady eyes pointed toward them. “Numbers 36, 42, and 90, take these bastards down! Let’s do it Earth’s way: in a ball of fire!”Three soldiers got up and marched toward Tim, Claren, and Kiran, knives in hand. Together, their limbs loosened from the stakes behind them, handcuffs being quickly placed around their wrists.“Good! Now, how should we do this? I think a broadcast would be nice!”“A broadcast? Now you’re talking my language,” Number 90 said, who was tightly holding onto Kiran.“I’m sure I am, dear Child. The Master always wanted to do a Belt-wide execution,” they said eagerly. “Lord, we will honor your wishes. Your children are here to continue your legacy, your greatness, and we will murder the weak friends of King Trimdin to prove it!”Every soldier stared in solidarity with the towering creature, quickly kneeling.“Tim, Claren, and of course, Kiran,” they said slyly, “you are getting the best present you could: the chance to go to hell!”With that, the lead alien walked toward a doorway in the torturous lair. Promptly, the three of them followed, pushed by their respective guards. They were driven through a dark, blackened hall, small lamps seldom lighting the entire passage. Quickly, their destination was revealed: a large auditorium with hundreds of figures in the audience.“I’m sure you didn’t expect this!” The ‘Master’ said to them. “We didn’t have long to set things up, so this is the best we’ve got.”Tim, Claren, and Kiran stood amazed, shocked by the sheer number of beings suddenly standing and cheering with their arrival. The floor below them was solid stone, the same as the walls behind the large stakes they were set to burn on.“These are the Children of Quinten, my dear friends. Every single one of them is here to watch you DIE. They are here to revel in your pain!” they shouted toward the crowd, one that rallied in response.Kiran started to show fear in her eyes as they enlarged. She began twisting and turning yet again, but to no avail. The soldier holding her still eventually whacked her on the back with their baton, though to the disapproval of their leader.“Hey, no need for the extra abuse. Save that for the show!”“I’m sorry, sir. Kiran here was just acting a bit out of order.”“Oh, I’m sure she was. She’s the rebellious type, to say the least.”This angered Kiran even further.“She's barely 'rebellious,'” Number 90 said. “She’s barely got enough strength to hold a gun!”“Fuuuu you! Fuuu you!” she tried to scream."What’s that? We hurting your ego? Offending you, maybe? Too bad! We only needed the men; your arrival was a gift from Quinten himself!”Kiran wiggled her arms around in the handcuffs, maddened by the comments.Tim and Claren stood still, petrified by the pure evil on display.“That’s enough time-wasting. Get their asses on the stakes!” they commanded.Seconds later, the three prisoners were brought over to towering poles. They were perfectly centered on the ‘stage,’ a large pile of fuel sitting beside each one. One by one, they were attached to the new set of stakes, forced to gaze at the riled audience.Before they were raised, the chief of the Children added one order: “Remove the gags. They want to hear them scream!”Suddenly, the already rambunctious crowd got even wilder, as Tim, Claren, and Kiran’s masks were removed, their bloodied faces finally having a large weight removed.“You motherf—”“Hey!” Tim interrupted Claren.“Ha, ha, ha, I see that you’re quite excited!” they taunted.“We’re quite excited to beat your Goddamn asses!” Kiran shouted.“How do you think you’re doing that? We took your swords, knives, and… batons? You’ve got nothing,” they said, holding the items out in front of them.“You heard King Trimdin. He knows what you're doing, he knows where we are, and he is going to save us! He has to.”“Kiran, you know more than anyone that Trimdin won’t come. Or, at least, his advisor won’t let him come. He acts out of emotion, not strategy, and that’ll be his downfall.”“That emotion is why he is such a good ruler!” Claren screamed down toward the Children. “The Queen was an evil, heartless bitch, and from what we’ve heard, your ‘leader’ was quite the same!”Gasps arose from the room in front of the men and their companion. The Master looked up at Claren, smiling greatly.“Oh, you’ve just said something you will regret!” they said playfully.“I don’t regret a damn thing.”“Claren, stop it!” Tim screamed.“How about we set you aflame first, Claren? How would you like that?”“I’ve already been to hell and back!” Claren exclaimed.“You’re not helping,” Kiran said softly.“The angrier he is, the better the screams feel as his blood begins to boil and his skin slowly peels off.”“You ‘Children of Quinten’ are a bunch of sickos!” Tim shouted.“How exactly are we the sick ones? How exactly are we doing anything worse than what your wimpy king has done? Then what his brother did? Then what you’ve done?”“Trimdin and Nardyn saved The Belt from war and tyranny. In what way does that compare to you?” Kiran asked.“Saved? SAVED? What good have they brought? Nardyn let the Kuipernians get away with mass murder, axed millions of jobs in the mining industry, and forced us into free labor, promised pay through government-funded ‘support plans.’ But no one saw a cent of that!”“It was not free labor, it was just higher taxes to pay for welfare, you selfish bastards. He wanted to pull thousands across The Belt out of poverty, out of real forced labor, and he succeeded,” Kiran responded viciously. “Nardyn stopped the war machine, ceased the malicious monopoly of the mineral families, and helped all Beltians, not just the rich!”“Wait a Goddamn second,” Tim suddenly stated, “is this seriously a fight between capitalism and socialism?”“What are those?” one of the Children asked.“Yeah, what are you talking about?” Kiran questioned.“It may be different here, but you are literally fighting over something that we had wars about for centuries on Earth. The question between an open market and a controlled market, between the bourgeoisie and the people? Sound familiar, right Claren?”“I don’t know, I fell asleep a lot in history class, but that sounds correct.”“Who cares about your petty wars on Earth? Your measly planet is gone, destroyed by your species' own hubris, so don’t try to tell us what is right or wrong; what is or isn’t,” they shouted back to the men.“But that’s the entire reason we came here,” Tim said. “There’s a reason we lived, that we escaped the demise of our civilization. And this may be why.”“What are you talking about?” Kiran asked.“They’re delusional,” The Master screamed to everyone, “trying to escape with lies!”“Kiran, you said earlier that it is all real, all of it. You said that thing about Eden, about fate, about destiny. We are here because of those.”“Shut up! We should have left the gags on!”“We prefer it this way,” Claren joked.“Well, I’m sure you won’t when we start the show. Guards, get the fuel ready. We’re about to have ourselves a cookout.”At that moment, the numbered soldiers picked up the cans of fuel and opened them. They were large and red, with a skull on the outside. It had the word “Petrlm” on the side, and Tim and Claren quickly understood what it meant.“Are you seriously using crude oil on us? Can’t we at least get the luxury of the refined stuff?” Kiran quipped.“It’s all we have, dear friend. When you’re a secret underground organization in constant hiding, you have to use what you have. Plus, you don’t deserve it.”“At least Quinten taught you honesty,” Claren whispered.“What about ventilation?” Tim suddenly asked. “If you light us in here, won’t you all suffocate in this enclosed space?”“We’ve got vents, you bumbling fool. We’re always a few steps ahead. Don’t think you can stop us THAT easily.”“It was worth a shot,” Tim said, as he was covered in the slippery, thick, and goldish black substance. It sat on top of the complex structure of their suits, the goop slowly rolling down their bodies.“How’s it feel to know death is right around the corner?” one of the audience members shouted out to the two Gods.“It’s not the first time!” Claren yelled in response.“You can say that again,”“You two are really comfortable with death?” Kiran said to them.“A little too comfortable,” The Master expressed. “Do we have the cameras ready? These puppies are going to be the light of the night soon!”“What can we do to stop this,” Kiran asked. “How can we compromise?”“Why are you trying this AFTER we covered you in fuel?”“It doesn’t matter when, it just matters how. How can we live?”“Get your king to surrender, to give The Belt to us, with no protests or hardships.”“You know we can’t do that! Anything else?” she pleaded.“I’m assuming you can’t bring our Master back from the dead, right?”"No, we can't. And it'd be a mistake if we could," Claren shouted.“The only mistake made was not having The Queen kill you. We knew you crash-landed here all that time ago, we knew that Trimdin found you, but never thought all of this would happen. We never thought Trimdin could actually do it.”“But he did,” Kiran said, slightly mesmerized.“Enough, enough, enough,” they roared toward both the adventurers and the audience. “It’s time.”Suddenly, a group of fighters came from doors on the opposite end of Tim, Claren, and Kiran, walking through the crowds with large rods of fire held in the air. The crimson flames crackled crisply as they neared, embers flying off into the void of the room.“Be careful with those things!” The Master mentioned as they approached. “Don’t light them until I tell you.”Large lenses sat around the men and their alien friend, prepared to record the very deaths they so badly wanted to avoid.The soldiers with sticks had now made it to the main stage, to where their stakes were, and readied to ignite them.But just as they gained on them, a ringing started."What the hell is that noise?” The Master asked.“What’s happening?” Claren asked Kiran.“I’m not sure,” she responded.The effects continued, coming from The Master’s pocket, interrupting their session.“Who in the damn world is calling me right now!” they screamed madly. “Number 2, can you pick it up for me.”“Of course, sir,” they said back, coming up to their superior and lifting the small metal gadget from their pocket. Quickly, they hit the accept button, and a distressed voice blasted into the air.“MASTER, MASTER, they are here. The entire Royal Army is here! And citizens are trying to raid our entrance. Should we execute Order 1?”“What!” they growled, snatching the device from 2. “What do you mean the entire Royal Army? How Goddamn stupid is he? Don’t summon Order 1; just make sure they can’t land on Vesta and execute the subjects trying to intervene.”“Sir, they have already destroyed our ship forces.”“And you call me NOW!”“Master, I am so sorry. Please forgive me.”Tim, Claren, and Kiran all showed slight smirks in the background.“Sorry? What the hell is ‘sorry’ going to do! Number 77, find this idiot and kill him.”“Absolutely,” they responded.“Wait, sir, no. Please,” they begged.“Give me a status on the army. How close are they?”“Very. I mean VERY!”“What does that mean?”“Like, they are in the command room right now, holding a gun to my head.”“You piece of shit!” The Master snapped the device in half. “They know where we are.”The mob of Children and traitors of all kinds gasped in pure shock, frantically starting to rise from their seats and scared.“Everyone, don’t worry. They can’t get to us here! This place was built during the Cross-Belitan Wars to withstand a million bomb strikes. Let’s watch the main course here!”“Your Master is lying!” Kiran shouted. “This place probably couldn’t hold off a single explosion! Vesta’s not known for its expert build quality.” She gave a deadpan stare to them.“Trust me, my Children! Our lord and savior, Quinten, chose me to lead you and be a facilitator between Him and you. And He has told me that we are safe!”“But you’re not!” Claren shouted. “There are no facilitators between the living and dead, Mr. Master.”“Claren, don’t speak about things we don’t understand,” Tim muttered.“Why do you suck all the meaning out of what I say!” Claren shouted at his partner.“Claren, this is DEFINITELY not the time.”“Oh my, just light them now.” The Master instructed.Quickly, the mob of fire-holding soldiers stood around Tim, Claren, and Kiran, lighting the ground below them. They had laced it with large piles of fibers and drenched it in fuel. Flames swiftly came about, burning under the tortured group of souls."Good. It has started. This is the end of humanity!”Large cheers filled the auditorium as the fire crept closer and closer to the stakes.But as that happened, another noise occurred, this time from Tim, Claren, and Kiran’s ear devices. “I’m here…” it spoke to them from a personal message, the voice clearly Trimdin’s.And at that moment, the entire room shook, the blaze below burning from side to side. Suddenly, a large explosion sounded, the boom blasting throughout.“Goddamn it! Can we speed this up a bit!” The Master screamed at his soldiers, the audience in peril. “Everything is fine,” they told them, “King Trimdin is weak!”Though the rumbling of the room said different, and when a massive hole was blown in the roof, their tune changed.“Oh shit!” The Master yelled.“‘Oh shit’ are the exact words I wanted to hear!” a roaring voice responded as they dropped down from the sky. A massive robe, redder than blood, covered their blue armor and matched the large, golden crown on their head. A purple glow encapsulated their hands.“The King himself is here to visit!” they said. “Are you ready to negotiate?”“Put out that fire!” Trimdin responded with vigor.“Surrender, and your friends will live.”“This is much larger than me! I’m guessing you missed my little speech?”“I must have. I was too busy trying to kill your little pawns.”“Let’s just say I’ve got a bit of backup!”Abruptly, a shower of soldiers dropped from the hole, landing in the crowds and disabling dozens of Children.“I don’t think you’re ready for this.” The King said, prepared to fight with a smile on his face. “Not ready at all…”
A legion of soldiers collected on and around Vesta, ships of all sizes flying and trying to dock. Citizens from every corner of The Belt came to help under the command of King Trimdin, who, with an empowering broadcast and promise of choice, convinced them to fight for the future builders of their home: Tim and Claren.In the underground base, hordes of fighters dropped down into the atrium using newly designed mechanized suits, protecting them from the precarious fall. Attached to them were large guns, though they were deactivated, instead opting for mass tasers to incapacitate the cult followers.But on the other side of the room, the pile below was still set ablaze, Tim, Claren, and Kiran tied to their stakes, the flames getting ever closer. Though King Trimdin was on their tail, confronting The Master head-on.“Guards, get your guns ready,” they commanded, “and point them at the men!”“You won’t. You can’t.”“Why do you Royalists always say that,” The Master responded. “You know I will.”“Because you have all the strengths and weaknesses of Quinten. That’s how.”“And so do you. You figured that one out quickly.”“We had the same flaws, but different ideals. Though now I have the real power!”“I’m done with this. Shoot!” Right then, each soldier on the stage lined up their shots, preparing to fire at the soon-to-be burned beings.King Trimdin, in response, darted straight forward, whisking through the air and lunging at the enemy troops. In moments, he collided with them, grabbing the tip of one of their weapons and activating his shield.The Master pulled out their pistol from his satchel on his side, aiming it toward Tim’s head. Kiran’s sword and Tim’s dagger dropped onto the floor.The King pushed the soldier with the gun over, pulling it out of their hand and flipping it around. He quickly got hold of its butt, slipped his fingers onto the trigger, and did the unthinkable. A barrage of bullets shot out from it, hitting every rival on the stage.Then, he turned his attention toward The Master, who was just about to pull the trigger just as he did. Trimdin swiftly pointed his weapon toward them, aiming at their head and letting it loose before a single shot could be fired from their pistol.They promptly fell to the ground, The King surrounded by a blood bath of his own making. Though only one thought remained in his head: to save his friends.As The Royal Army continued to invade, Trimdin switched his attention to the fire, watching as it loomed near the men’s feet. “How do I put this out?” he said, rushing over to it.“Hey, your majesty!” Kiran yelled.“Is there like water or something to put this out? Also, what are you covered in?”“Petroleum,” Tim responded. “They really wanted us to burn.”“Well, you will if I don’t put this out.”“Can’t your magic do something? I don’t know, like make gusts of wind or something?” Claren questioned.“I can push things back?” Trimdin said unconfidently.“Could you push the fire back?”“I… guess? But it’s not easy.”“Good enough, just get it done!” Tim screamed, the fire sitting right under his sole.“Let me try,” The King responded, knowing the risk of doing so, now needing to save humanity with the very thing that eradicated it: a gust of fire.At that moment, he floated lightly into the air again, the lavender haze known by all wrapping around him. Then, a sudden spin started as he powered up, cupping his hands together. And with a massive scream, Trimdin released a vast blast, pushing back everyone and everything within its vicinity. Even the soldiers in the suits got forced back, the pure power of it almost half of that when he transformed into the king. Though most importantly, the fire was blown out, freeing the three from their hellish death.“Oh my God,” Tim cheered, “it worked!”“Damn,” Claren commented.Trimdin, who was still in the air, quickly collapsed from exhaustion.Guards from The Royal Army came up the stage stairs, moving toward The King and the trio. They were cut down from their stakes, helped toward the ground, and given water from a canteen, moistening their cracked mouths. But they did not care about getting hydration, collectively rushing to The King, worried about his health. They all knelt next to him, his bulked body flat on the hard stone.“Trimdin! Trimdin!”His eyes were closed, remaining breathless.“Your majesty!” Kiran yelled.No response.“My king, it is over.”Nothing.“Sir, you did it. You saved us!”A gasp came in, his mouth slightly opening.“Did it work?” The King asked."Yes. Yes, it did,” all three said in unison.And a small smile sat on his face, happy to hear the voices of his friends.~~A week passed since the Battle of Vesta. The King, Tim, Claren, and Kiran safely made it back to The Capital, mostly undamaged, if not for a bit of trauma. They held their respective blades, relieved to return home. Scars, left by the torturing, had begun to heal on all three, finding The Capital more comforting than ever.As he always does, Trimdin was preparing to give a speech after he recovered, suffering from extreme fatigue. But he was ready today, ready to thank his subjects for their effort as he sat on his home: the throne. Though unlike usual, he was not reading a script; there were no words made for him to declare. So, as he walked out the infamous doorway, he had no idea what he was going to say. All he knew was that it was the truth.Tim and Claren stood next to him as he left, Kiran in the background, guarding them. The big, black microphone lay on the flat surface, staring directly at him while a mob of subjects watched either live or through the broadcast. But instead of the despair felt after the war, this crowd was excited, ready to hear an optimistic speech about the future. And King Trimdin delivered exactly that.“I don’t even know where to start this. For the hundredth time during my rule, I am standing in front of this Goddamn podium. This location has been where the beginnings and ends of the worst things in The Belt have been announced. But today, of all days, I’ve got good news, hopeful news, to say the least. Fortunately, we have almost every Child of Quinten in custody, their ring leader dying at my hands. But we lost so many in the process, including a legion of guards and the honorable Captain Landun of the Royal Space Force. Nevertheless, this day is the start, the dawn of big changes for our world. Quinten will never be gone, and I’ve known that since the day he killed my brother, but I think we can move on from him. As much as we like to immortalize the good, history also tends to immortalize the bad. So, let’s not give that luxury to Quinten. Let us remember his efforts as they were: acts of pure evil. And we have the perfect people to help us with that. Tim and Claren, as you all know, were the men who helped me save you. They are why I am here today, that my brother will be avenged. But they are also the last of their species, the last of their civilization. Humanity is gone, destroyed by their own insistent need for more. We should learn from that, learn that conflict is not the solution, because just as it did to Earth, it will do to us, too. Earthlings and Beltians have much to learn from each other, and that is why they are here: not to seek refuge, but to ensure our future, one that they couldn’t do with their own. This is their place now, a new home for them to love and live for. Because as we transition toward democracy and freedom for all, no one is better to lead us than these two. They ARE the future, and together, we can make The Belt a truly perfect place to live. Trade is at an all-time high, unemployment is low, and with the new welfare law I am writing up, there will be something called ‘universal income.’ The details are unneeded; let’s just say you will all get a check from the Royal government each month for the rest of your lives!”The crowds below King Trimdin and the men were cheering for the news.“But no, oh no, that’s not all. The wealth of this kingdom will never be locked away from you, the citizens, again. We are closing the class gap each day, and now everyone below a certain income level will be given FREE education. But university prices across the board will be lowered regardless, unlocking knowledge for millions of Beltians. This is what my brother wanted, this is what I want, and I am sure it is exactly what you want. Though in the future, I will stop just ‘making up’ laws; instead, we will draft them and let you vote!”Everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs, clapping and whistling in happiness. A small tear fell down the cheek of Trimdin, overwhelmed with emotion.“Now, lastly, I am going to have the legends themselves give a personal thanks to all of you. Without your support, they would not have been saved from ‘The Master’ of the Children of Quinten. Give it up to Tim, Claren, AND Kiran.”Kiran, who did not expect such a mention, was pushed up toward The King and the men, who were wearing newly tailored black clothes. Their ClearSuits, which before gave off a green tint, now had a more natural white one, making them almost translucent over them.Together, the three stood proudly, Kiran on a small pedestal to match the height of Tim and Claren. King Trimdin moved back, letting them see the array of aliens below.Yet again, the men were reminded of the swarms who had loved and supported them all that time ago. But the only thing Kiran could think of was the end of the war, as she stood up there, staring at friend and foe, trying to calm the impending battle. But it did not matter, as the three of them quickly got to their objective: to speak.“Hello!” Tim said into the system.“Yes, hello,” Claren nervously echoed.In the audience, there were a myriad of different responses.“Tim!” one shouted.“We love you!” another screamed.“Save us!” a figure in the back mentioned.“This is just like the first day we were here!” Tim stated. “It’s so great to be here, to help you all. We will be on even terms soon, trust us.”“Thank you for your votes to help us, for your fight to help us. Tim, Kiran, and I were uncomfortably close to dying. AGAIN!”The subjects laughed loudly, rumbling the ears of the men and Kiran.“And don’t forget to thank King Trimdin for bringing them here, for allowing me to serve them, for ensuring that we could be saved,” Kiran butted in.“Of course. We thank you for the services you have provided, and we will do the same. Whatever The Belt needs, whether it’s hope or help, Claren and I will be here. It is our destiny to be here, to help you, and with the ever-loyal Royal Army alongside a dedicated king, we can promise that things are changing for the better. Things will be in your hands now!”“Absolutely!” Claren added.“Beltians, this IS their home; this is how we will grow and evolve. A bright future is ahead, one where peace and justice are reached. That starts today!”Behind her, Trimdin watched as Kiran and the others commanded the stage, thinking to himself. This is the place you dreamed of, Nardyn. It’s becoming real before my very eyes. Now, all there is left to see is what the next saga brings, where fate takes me. I just wish I had your guidance; wish I had you here to see it.“I am…” a sudden whisper said into The King’s ear.“Nardyn!” King Trimdin abruptly shouted, interrupting his friends in front of him. He looked around, trying to find his beloved brother, but to no avail.Tim, Claren, and Kiran turned to look at him, confused by the sudden scream.“What is it, your majesty?” Kiran asked.“Yeah, why did you say Nardyn?”“Oh, nothing.”“Well then,” Tim said, “I think we’re done here. We’ve done all the praising we can!”“Good, good,” Trimdin said back, dazed from the words he heard. “Very good!”“Are you sure you’re okay?” Claren questioned.“Yes. It was just a memory. A good one.”“Fantastic, sir!” Kiran responded. “Now, let’s go.”All four of them started to walk away from the podium and toward the castle, ready to plan the future of The Belt, prepared to see where luck would bring them.But those two words kept ringing throughout King Trimdin’s head, bringing a smile to his face. Each time he heard it, the presence of his brother came back:“I am….”“I am….”“I am….”He is.
9 Months After The Departure…"Empress Madeln.”“King Trimdin.”“It’s so great to finally meet you.”“Likewise, your majesty.”“We’ve got a few matters to discuss. You know, Quinten and such.”“Why yes, I am sorry his vendetta against us caused so much trouble in The Belt.”“No, the Kuipernians are not at fault. You are not at fault. That was an old battle; it’s history. Quinten was a troublemaker all on his own.”“I have heard much about the effects. He’s the one that killed Nardyn, right?”“That was years ago. I am here to represent his legacy, to continue what he started.”“He was incredibly level-headed, even as he pulled us out of war. He knew how to talk and compromise when needed, but was bold in action.”“If there is anything he's known for, it’s that. Nardyn knew how foolish the Cross-Beltian Wars were; knew that we both were hurting from them.”“We both did. I’m not a fan of conflict, but that fool of a king before Nardyn was not my favorite. He made things… difficult.”“Well, he’s long gone, but back to why I am here. Many within The Belt are seeking an ‘apology’ from your empire. I understand that—”“Already done. The quicker we can end any form of quarrel, the better.”“Are you sure?”“Yeah, why not. As you said, it’s history now. We are at peace, and trade is better than ever! We got the water, you got the minerals. I’ll do anything to keep that going.”“I’m glad to hear that. Now, what about other matters?”“How are the ‘Children of Quinten’ going?”“A good number are locked up and going through due process, but some resistance groups pop up weekly. They usually disband the second they realize it's a cult.”“Wonderful. We don’t need any of those pesky separatists right now. You, more than anyone, know the need to suppress uprisings and silence negative press.”“Sure, Madeln.”“What do you mean by that?”“I don’t really do that type of stuff. I’m sure you’ve heard I’m making the first Beltian Republic.”“I did hear about that. I have no idea what that entails, but it sounds fairly interesting. Will it change trade at all?”“No, it’s just a bit of a shake-up in government, not a regime change. I’ll still be king; there will just also be an elected leader as a representative of the people.”“What about the powers? We’ve got to keep these things somewhat exclusive.”“That I’m not sure about. I don’t want a successor, but what will happen if I don’t?”“You might want to figure that one out. These things can’t get into the wrong hands.”Empress Madeln suddenly showed a shimmering sage around her skeleton fingers.“You’re telling me! How about your side of the system? Any news?”“Not really.”“That’s good.”“Well, there is this one matter that I think you will know more about.”“What’s that?”“Those two foreign creatures are still with you, right?”“Tim and Claren? Yeah, of course. Where else would they go?”“They are human?”“Yes.”“The last?”“As far as I know of.”“Are you sure, Trimdin?”“We’ve scanned Earth, and there are no signs of activity. It’s still a ball of fire.”“There aren’t any more?”“Madeln, where are you going with this?”“Let’s just say I found a little ship orbiting Pluto a while ago. It had no fuel.”“So?”“We captured the vessel and brought it in for inspection.”“Wait a second, did you say around Pluto?”“When we opened it, these strange creatures wearing big, bulky blue suits stared at us, terrified. We didn’t know what they were until your broadcasts of the men came around.”“You can’t be serious? We thought they died. There’s no way they made it.”“I thought about telling you earlier, but wanted to wait and tell you live—”“Where are they right now?”“We’ve got them in a secure location, monitored twenty-four-seven by a team.”“There is absolutely no way this is true? How can they be alive?”“Do you want to see them?”“Uhhh, yeah!”“Do you want to keep them?”“What do you mean? They’re not pets.”“I don’t care what they are, they aren’t Kuipernian. That’s all I care about. Plus, this is no place for them to live. Our resources are already spread too thin.”“You don’t understand how big this is. For Tim and Claren, this is the best thing they could ask for. ”“You’re taking a liability off of my hands. It’s more of a favor than a gift.”“This is a gift, likely one of the most important ones in history.”“I’m glad you like it, then.”“So, have you communicated with them? What do you know?”“Let’s go and see them right now.”“Really!”“Calm down, your majesty.”“Sorry, I’m just excited. Let’s go!”At that moment, the two monarchs rose from their respective seats in the chamber of the Kuipernian castle, marching out an arched doorway toward a shimmering silver hallway. They walked, and walked, and walked, adventuring through the palace into an elevator. From there, they entered and inputted their destination, swiftly being delivered.A large sign loomed over them when they exited, stating “Research and Habitation.” Soon after, they arrived at a large glass cell, with two figures sitting inside it. Both beings stared in the opposite direction of The King and Empress, unaware of their arrival. But with a quick tap on the transparent wall, the creatures jerked around, revealing themselves.“Well, I’ll be damned, Madeln. You weren’t kidding!”"No, I definitely wasn’t.”“Tim and Claren are going to like this. They are going to like this a lot!”“I’ll have them packed up quickly. I’m sure you need to head home.”“That would be great. Have my guards load them onto The Grandiant. Thank you, Madeln, for this gift!”“We were getting rid of them either way. I held out just in case.”“Good thing you did. Very good thing.”King Trimdin stared at the beings, in pure awe of their existence. Their faces were beyond familiar to the experienced ruler, aware of the sheer fear and excitement they appeared to be going through, their eyes wide open but their mouths sewn shut.Together, the rulers walked away, Trimdin excited to bring his friends the miracle of a lifetime. Eager to bring two humans home again…
King Trimdin, Tim, Claren, Kiran, and more will return exclusively to WRTN.
Prologue
3 Months After The Departure…A craft entered the orbit of Earth, tiny compared to its destroyed body and barren soul. In it, two humans sat, guiding their ship toward the planet. But to their surprise, what once was had now vanished; their home, destroyed.“What the hell happened?” one of the men said.“The Earth, it’s a total mess!”“How much did we miss on this damn mission?”The two astronauts looked at each other, squished by the tight interior of their cabin.“Well, that explains why we couldn’t talk to mission control,” one said plainly.“Shit. Holy shit.” The man turned around in a panic and quickly started scanning the space around them, spying for any signs of human activity.The captain looked out the window of their capsule, staring at the sphere below.“It was once so beautiful, so magical.”“It sure was,” said the other man at the radio.“Did you get anything yet?”“Kind of, but the signal is faint.”“What’s the source?”“I’m not sure; let me try to pinpoint its location.” The man took hold of his headphones, looked down at his monitor, and attempted to discover the precise source of the message. He twisted a few nobs, pushed a couple of buttons, and honed in on the signal.“I’ve got it! It's the space station, the International Freedom Station!”“What’s the message?”“Just a series of short ticks and long taps.”“Let me hear that.” The more experienced pilot floated over to the post. He put on his pair of earbuds and listened.“Three short, three long, and three short. And it repeats.” The man looked out the window again. “It’s a Goddamn SOS!”“I knew that. Do you think anyone’s on the station?”“If you knew that, then you wouldn’t hold your hopes out.”“We should head there, anyway. It’ll be loaded with supplies.”“If what I think happened, happened, then we’ll need everything we can get.”The two men sat back in their seats and set course, matching their orbit with the station. Smoothly and swiftly they reached their destination, though instead of life, the place was dead; no lights, no movement, nothing.“That’s not a good sign,” one of the men quipped.“I’m not surprised. The war caused this poor station to be a battleground of ownership. It’s been empty for months.”“Didn’t you spend some time here?”“Long ago, my friend, back when I thought our world was the only.”“The habitation systems are probably down. But it’s nothing a reboot won’t fix.”The pilot directed the ship toward a connector in the starboard section.Similar to a football field in size, the station spanned many yards across the darkness of space around the crimson Earth. Like many before, the International Freedom Station was constructed of different modules, a display of national flags and symbols covering its white and silver exterior. A large, cylindrical build allowed it to have vast arrays of solar panels, their glaring blue hue absorbing energy exponentially.As the ship neared the docking bay, its computer system locked onto a target and aligned itself. Inch by inch, their destination came ever closer. And within seconds, they were attached, little arms grabbing hold of small notches in a ring surrounding the exit.“Docking Successful,” their computer screen read.“Ha, great!” the pilot screamed.The men unstrapped themselves from their seats, quickly bolting to their spacesuits.“Damn, these things got really beaten up, didn’t they?”“That’s what happens when you battle on an asteroid,” his underling responded.“Very funny. Now let’s get into this station.”A lever sat on the side of the door, heavily banged up with deep dents covering its dull exterior. But with enough brute strength, they opened it, entered the airlock, closed the hatch behind them, and matched its pressure with that of the larger vessel.“The pressure is too low. I think you were right.”“Well, they didn’t ask an engineer to come on this mission for nothing!”“You’re saying that like we did this willingly.”“I was fine with going to Pluto. I didn't agree to meet an alien, battle an evil queen, return to a destroyed Earth, and learn that everyone I loved is likely gone.” “I don’t think that was part of the draft description.”“It wasn’t…” he responded, his voice strained as he looked his partner in the eye. “It wasn’t at all.”“Oh, bud, we’ll make it through this. I know we will. Okay?”“Okay.”The men were in agreement, and soon, opened up the hatch into the station. It was dark inside, empty and cold. A sea of items floated around endlessly; laptops, books, food packages, and more. Both entered cautiously, turning on their flashlights and steering through the mess.“We're definetly alone,” the engineer said.“Let’s scrap this thing for everything we can.”The men got to work, the pilot investing time into every nook and cranny, finding groves of vacuumed-packed food and dozens of sealed plant seeds in the greenhouse. He examined everything he could, saving what was possible. Water was also a necessity, as to which the station's sanitation station for waste seemed to produce an excess of.The other man plugged his computer into the faulty electrical system, attempting to discover and troubleshoot any issues. It appeared that the main circuit breaker was overloaded, and, with the quick flip of a switch, power was yet again delivered to the station.They soon came back together, confident with their discoveries.“That wasn’t a total lost cause… thankfully,” one of the men said.“We got plenty out of it, that’s for sure. The station’s on, we have resources for the next few months, and if we play it smart with the greenhouse, we could last for years.”“So now what?”“I’m not sure. This is not what we signed up for.”“You’re telling me!”“We should cannibalize the station to assist the ship's restoration; it is our lifeboat. But we can survive here, too, and maybe find others on Earth. That’s the best option.”“Things are slim, but our best bet is here.”“Then it’s settled. You get on the repairs, and I’ll get on working with the greenhouse and water supply. This is our new home; this is the last residence of the human race.”The two men got to work. They knew the journey ahead would be challenging, but worth it. Nothing is more important than life, than believing in salvation.And soon, the men would get what they wanted: a place for humanity to thrive.~~6 Months After The Departure…“Hello! Can anyone hear me? Is anyone out there?” This message was broadcasted out of the craft, but no one reciprocated. The International Freedom Station stood tall, dancing around a desolate Earth, a man and his partner stranded within its safety.“When you’re in the middle of space, it’s pretty hard to get any responses, isn’t it?” the man joked to his companion.“What the hell do we expect? Everyone’s dead. There’s no one out there. We’re lucky if our cries even reach the surface.”“The antennas are just a bit… dysfunctional. Though I’ve seen you do nothing about it, Mr. Engineer. Don’t you have a degree in this stuff?”“I’m not a magician. I’ve done what I can to strengthen the signal.”“Have you decoded more of the stored transmissions?”“I’ve gone through what I can, and it seems pretty telling.”“What is that?” the man asked his crewmate.“Nukes. It may have been out of anger, it may have been out of pity, but someone pressed the finalizing button. Retaliations soon occurred, causing everyone to destroy everything, including themselves. Between the gust of fire and acid rain, no one’s surviving that.”“So, we are officially the last of humanity?”“It seems so…”The two men sat down, staring out the massive cupola of the station.“Much has happened to us in the past few months. We were meant to be the first of something, not the last,” the leading man reminisced.“Our friends, our families, our society; they’re all gone. Everyone we have ever loved is dead. Never mind in the worst way possible: a fiery hell.”Together they fell silent, letting their thoughts take hold in their heads.“Today, the last of the human race continues to live. Our existence, our place in the universal saga, is ending. That's it,” he expressed.“At least we have the safety of this station, but isolation is no light concept. Our only hope is that something heard my meager cries. That’s all there is left for us…”As the man said that, a sudden message began to transmit to their intercom system. It was in a foreign language, exotic and mysterious.“Udenfy ves, ths ryal comuncte lne of Trm-King, du yo cpy.”“Oh my God!” one shouted, the message playing loudly throughout the station.“What was that?”“It was a message from the speaker. Should I respond?”“Yes!” he said. “Though what type of twisted coincidence was that?”“A good one,” the commander said as he ran to the receiver. “Who is this?”There was no response.“We are two human astronauts stuck around the Earth. War has ravaged our home; we have nowhere to go.”Nothing.“Please, respond!”Both men stood in silence, waiting.Steadily, they picked up the microphone and pressed the shiny silver button on its side. “Can you help us, whoever you are?”“Hlp?” it responded.“Yes, yes, help. We need help! We’re trapped in a big hunk of metal circling a blue marble-looking thing. My buddy and I are the last of our species.”“Hlp?”“Help! Do you need our names? We are Tim and Claren, and we need help.”“Tim? Claren? Tim n Claren!”“Now you're getting it,” the man said with a sigh of relief.The radio fell silent again.“What happened?” his crewmate asked.“I’m not sure. I was just getting the message out to them, but then—”“Hello. Tim and Claren, are you there?”“YES, YES, we are. And you speak English, finally.”“Do you know who it is, though?”“No, who's this?”“Think about it for a second…”The voice sat in their minds. It was recognizable, distinct. And at that moment, Tim and Claren realized precisely who they were talking to.“Wait a minute. Trimdin? Trimdin? TRIMDIN!”“It’s Trimdin?” Claren asked, getting up and walking towards Tim.“Yeah!”“Holy shit, what! How did the signal reach so far out?”“Who cares!”“Do you think he can save us?”“Let me ask,” Tim responded, forcing his attention back to the conversation with their alien friend. “Hey, uh, Trimdin, we’re trapped in orbit around the Earth.”“Around Earth, you say? Trapped? Are you asking to be saved?”“To put it lightly: yes.”“Do you have a precise location?”“All I’ve got right now is orbital velocity.”“That’s fine, I have my ship in the area. Let me get it over to you.”“A ship in the area? Where?” Claren asked.“How long will it take?” Tim questioned Trimdin.“Not very long. It should be there in 3, 2, and….” A massive vessel showed up in the space around their station. “You see it?”“We definitely see it,” Tim responded in awe.“That thing is freaking huge!”“You’re damn right it is. It’s my personal Royal ship. It will beam your craft up into its bay, and from there, deliver you directly to me.”“The whole station is going to fit in that thing?” Claren asked.“Station? God no. But you still have your tiny ship, right?”“Of course we do. And Claren has even been doing some repairs to it.”“Wonderful, I cannot wait to see that thing again! How’d the parts work?”“They worked good enough to get us home. We still have no idea how you had the exact parts to fix our ship.”“We’ve captured a few human vessels in our time. Regardless, I shall see you when you get here, my dear friends. There is much to tell you about, and I’m sure you feel the same.”“You bet, your majesty,” both said together into the mic.“See you then!”The transmission cut out, and, quickly, the men rushed into their old ship, slipping on their battered suits and packing everything they could into it, detaching from the station.“Farewell,” Claren said somberly.“We are leaving man’s most impressive feat behind: a ruined sanctuary."“Impressive and depressive,” Claren said back.In unison, the men looked longingly at each other, sitting once again in the very thing that brought them to their not-so-little green friend.And as they reflected, a stream of bluish light surrounded the craft, moving them closer and closer to the opened bay door of the larger vessel.Soon, they were fully engulfed by it and blasted off towards The Asteroid Belt, toward their new home. Toward a new beginning.Prologue
Chapter 1 - Homecoming
The clobbered capsule clashed with the clean core of the craft, steamy streaks of gas surrounding it and a rush of oxygen blasting into the now-closed bay. Tim and Claren remained seated, watching the wonders of alien technology meld with their own. Quickly, they were encircled by mechanical arms, some of which grabbed firmly onto them and locked their ship in place. The men unstrapped from their seats; from there, a bellowing voice spoke out on their comms, talking directly to the fascinated men.“Tim. Claren. You are sitting in one of the largest ships in our solar system: The Grandiant. It is the premiere vessel of The Belt, incomparable in speed. As we speak, it is rushing you to The Capital, where we will once again see each other. Right now, all you need to do is stay put and keep your suits on. We’ll have an upgrade for that soon, but things will be rocky when you first get here. Just know that you are in good hands, and that we have suffered quite a bit since you were here. I’m sure you could say the same. We will discuss it all in no time.”“Trimdin,” Tim asked, “how long will it take to get us there?”“A few minutes at worse. Traveling this distance takes a bit of time.” “Well, it’ll be shorter than anything we’ve ever taken.”“Good, then. Enjoy the ride!”Wait,” but the radio cut out on Tim. “That was a fruitful conversation,” Claren joked.“At least he answered my first question.”“At least. I’m sure we can ask more when we arrive. There’s just so much to learn.”“We’ve only seen a fraction of what his society was capable of. And with this mega-ship, it’s obvious that they are ahead of us in every metric.”“Yeah, it's remarkable.”“It truly is. You should look at some of their tech when we get there. It’s probably an engineer's paradise.”“I’ll have a field day, and I’m sure you will, too. There are probably plenty of ships to pilot in Trimdin’s forces, and years of new scientific advancements.”“For sure!”“I guess being the first humans to discover an alien society paid off, Tim. Good thing you helped Trimdin when you did, when you saw his injury. Or else, we would have died on that dumb rock all those months ago.”“I think we could attribute more than just that. We saved them from tyranny, and in return, we got some ship parts. But now, we are getting the full reward.”“A life for a life, a save for a save. We rescued them, they rescued us. A balance, a compromise, an ending. It’s almost perfect!”“Slow down, Claren, no need to get philosophical. We were just lucky, and unlucky, all at the same time. The price of this journey was the end of another, of our own species. But who knows what would have happened if we got back in time, before the bombs? We understand little about what we are heading towards, about Trimdin’s home. About our home.”“We know enough to recognize that we were blessed to be off-planet when it happened. Earth was on a downward spiral for too long with all the division, all the competition, all the fighting; it was endless, painful. I loved Earth as much as anyone would, but hated the idiots on it. And we’re not innocent in any of it.”“We were just doing our jobs, and everyone was to blame. As a species, we destroyed ourselves. It was hell until the very end, and we are just part of that fate.”“You hated talking about it at the station, but we must face it soon. Our damn mission was a part of their larger scheme of warring egos. ‘Exploration’ it was called, when in reality, it was exploitation. A desperate rush to prove superiority before we blew ourselves into oblivion. I guess they couldn’t hold out long enough, those bastards.”“Claren, we were assigned the impossible during an unimaginable time. Launching a Pluto mission by the decade's end was an insane proposition, and both sides knew it. Everyone did. We knew that The Belt would cause trouble, we knew the stakes were high, and we failed. But our failure is not what caused the end, it was everyones. We share a destiny with billions of others, ours is merely coming later.”“But everything was riding on our task; it was either them or us, and they won,” he responded somberly.“Claren, stop that; no one won. Everyone lost. In the six months we were gone, three of which we had zero communication with mission control, anything could have happened. So stop; there’s no need for pessimism.”“If that’s your wish.”“Thank you. I understand your worries, but let’s just focus on our travels.”“Sure, sure. If ‘travels’ are more interesting to you, then so be it.”Out of nowhere over the intercom system, a reminder came through. “Two minutes until arrival,” it said in a robotic voice.“We’re almost at The Capital,” Tim exclaimed.“Cool,” Claren yapped, giving a slight smirk toward his partner.“We will figure it all out, Claren. Trust me. We have found a new home, a new place to start, and from there, we will learn our fate.”“A home. A new home. So, this is almost like a homecoming?” Claren laughed.“What do you mean?”“It’s like we are going to school. The parts were our first year, and now we're coming back for our second. We’re more knowledgeable; more jaded; more familiar. It’s like Goddamn high school.”“I’ve been out of it for a while, but I see what you mean. My teen years were ruined by the pandemic of 2020. Not fun. Though I’m glad you 2030s kids had a better time.”“Ha, we sure did! Though I’m sure you had loads of pleasure sitting at home on your tiny computers using that ancient software. Such a weird time.”“You talk about it like it was decades ago.”“It was decades ago!” Claren joked.“I think I’m starting to show my age.”“What! No! If anything, you’re lucky you missed dances.”“Were they that bad?”“YES, they were! Though I hope this one's a bit better.”“I’m sure it will be!” Tim laughed loudly. “You see, isn’t it so much better to talk about this than mope around and be all serious? Sometimes a good joke can clear the air.”“Yeah, it is. I don’t want to be all sad, but I need some closure. Once we get there, we really need to talk with someone, get things together, and come to peace with everything. So much has happened, I mean, we went from crash-landing on an asteroid to traveling in our alien best friend's supership!”“It’s been a wild ride, I’ll tell you that, and we deserve to know everything we can. Though at the same time, I’m not sure I want to. I enjoy making random references to high school more than reminiscing on all that death and destruction,” he responded.“But there is more to uncover, and I know it. What about the other team, what about bunkers? Did any trillionaires manage to escape on their shitty ships? I need to know the end of the story, the real end. Both of us do.”“Everyone’s dead. If we couldn’t make it through The Belt, no one could. And what if you don’t like the real answer, what if I don’t? What if we are totally alone, destined to die, never knowing the full story? What happens then?”“Even if we only uncover a fraction of what happened, I will die in peace.”“Well, I can guarantee you that,” Tim replied. “The two of us are the only redemption for them, for those who were lost.”“Humanity has come to its end, and now we must pass the torch to the next. We eradicated ourselves, and that’s the lesson; now, we have the chance to ensure that it never happens again.”“Exactly,” Tim answered. “You’re getting it.”“I’ve got to say, these have been a long few minutes. You think we’re almost there?”“I think so…” At that moment, another voice came booming into their craft.“Approaching The Capital, docking sequence to start momentarily.”“Well, there’s our answer,” he cheered.“I wonder what tech they use to move so fast?” Claren questioned. “We take months, they take minutes. That must be a fine engine.”“Guess that’s what happens when your civilization relies on space travel. These ships are to them what cars were to us. This is just a simple commute.”“That's one way to put it.”“Now, make sure your tank is full. Who knows what we’ll be walking into?”“Trimdin said to keep them on, so good call. I just hope we don’t need them forever.”“I don’t think we will. Remember when he came into this ship all that time ago? He was unaffected by our atmosphere, which made me think: maybe his species has the same needs as ours?”“Yeah, you’re right.”“If that's true, then maybe we’ll be okay. Though that was just a guess. For all we know, he was wearing a suit himself and we had no idea. Or maybe they don’t even need to breathe anything? There are so many questions.”“Well, I think that will be remedied soon,” Claren quipped, feeling the bumps of the larger ship docking with the asteroid. “Remedied for sure.”The Grandiant began to seal itself into place as it slid into the area, it soon closing and pressurizing. Its sleek design and metallic exterior allowed a pronounced reflection off the port's shining lights, creating a form of ethereal beauty to the specialized vessel. The main exit of the craft aligned closely with a doorway inside the docking area, it leading directly into the asteroid.The two men began to feel the light gravity overwhelm them, their covered arms gently floating downward. Yet again, the robotic voice came through, now indicating that they could leave their capsule. So, the men carefully walked toward the hatch, Tim grabbing the lever on the side of the door and lifting it. Both walked into the airlock, closing the first one behind them and now staring toward the second one. Tim yet again approached the door, this one leading to the exterior of their vessel. Claren stayed behind him, watching sensors around the frame, monitoring the pressure and oxygen levels within. He pressed a button, allowing it to match the environment set around their ship. Tim smoothly opened the hatch, revealing the immaculate white interior of The Grandiant. From there, they walked out, the men standing on solid ground for the first time in months.“Damn, this thing looks so cool,” Claren commented.“It feels so big yet this is only one part of the entire thing.”“How do they fit this in with the asteroids in the area? It’s almost the size of one itself.”“Hey, they got some pretty big ones out here, and you know it. Some of the rocks around here were almost planets at some point.”“Sure, but it’s still impressive. I would never expect an entire civilization to exist in these boulders.”“Is that so?” someone said into Tim and Claren’s earpieces.“Whoa, what was that?” Claren asked Tim.“Why, it’s me, my dear friends.”“Trimdin?” Claren questioned.“Yes?”“Oh! Hey,” he responded.“Hello, your majesty,” Tim added.“How did you connect to our earpieces?”“The same way I detected your signal around the Earth,” The King quipped. “Welcome, my friends, to The Captial, the largest city in The Belt and home of his majesty King Trimdin. I will be entering the bay with a legion of guards, so be prepared to greet them and show respect to me. It’s just a formality.”“We get to show respect to the great King Trimdin, such an honor!” Claren jested.“Hey, if it is tradition for them to do this, then let's appreciate that. This is their home, their king, their culture. We are just guests, so respect them,” Tim demanded.“Fine.”“Good. Now pay attention.”An opening appeared opposite Tim and Claren’s ship, the men standing right in front of it and staring toward the snowy void. Then, a tall figure walked out, a crown shining on his head and a majestic red robe wrapping him. A small group of alien soldiers stood to his side, weapons holstered but shields up, leading the influential ruler toward them. Trimdin’s smile was grand, stretching corner to corner across his green-tinted face, The King’s prominent eyes gazing directly at the men.“We meet again at last!”“Yes, your majesty, we have,” Tim replied, placing his clunky knee on the ground. Claren quickly did the same.“I am so glad to see that you have made it. We have much to give you, much to tell you, and much to help you with.”“Absolutely. Sir, we helped you all that time ago, and are honored that you’re willing to do the same for us.”“Yes, yes, we are truly honored,” Claren added.“That is wonderful to hear, and I thank you for being respectful. It’s not usually my thing, but all my top advisors recommended I do. Though we should really be bending the knee to you, and you’ll soon realize why. Quite a reputation follows your names.”“Reputation? What do you mean?”“Do you remember how when you mentioned your names, they instantly got me to come over and talk to you?”“Sure,” Tim said back.“Well, ‘Tim’ and ‘Claren’ are two words that get everyone’s attention around here. They have a certain Godlike presence.”“Godlike?” Claren repeated.“I may or may not have deified you guys while you were gone. Oops.”“Oh,” both men remarked.“So, you are now Gods… along with my brother. And honestly, you may have more power than me because you're actually here. To us, you are living, breathing icons, which comes with good and bad things.”“And I am assuming that is just the tip of the iceberg?” asked Claren.“There is a lot more, but that’s the big one. Now, how about new suits?“Those would be perfect upgrades… that is, if you have them?”“Are you really casting doubt, Claren?”“No, I’m sure you can do it, especially with the might of your subjects, your majesty.”“Great! Let’s get on our way,” The King stated, ending the conversation and turning again toward the opening.Everyone else followed, with Tim and Claren being pushed forward and a mob of soldiers surrounding them. They swiftly walked through it, realizing it was an elevator, and the door slid behind them. Suddenly, they jolted upwards, rocketing toward the core of the rock. The journey took little time, as they soon reached the top of the seemingly endless void and walked out, revealing the beauty contained behind it. They entered the Royal command room, the infinite sea of monitors and strikingly long table stunning the two men. The space's deep maroon contrasted with the ship, but its gold trim and the rich white furniture brought them right back. On the screens, footage from cameras around The Capital streamed, giving insight into the city's happenings. Tim and Claren stood amazed, dazzled by the wonder of it all.“Damn, your majesty. This is one way to show off!” Tim praised.“That was not the intention,” The King cracked.“It worked regardless,” Claren replied.“Follow me to our research and development laboratory.”“Do we need citizenship? You know, like take a test or something?”“At some point, yes. But you will need to study a bit on some of our history before you are granted it. Like all immigrants, you need to be well educated on the place you are moving to, regardless of status. It is only fair.”“We get it. On Earth, going on vacation was tough enough, never mind moving. That was next to impossible. So trust us, a little test is a dream in comparison.”“Remarkable. I am sure you will have a great time hearing about our past and its many twists and turns. Now, to the lab!”“To the lab!” they chanted together, the group now moving through the castle and toward the room. Within moments they arrived outside its entrance, opened it, and walked into the mysterious space. It was enormous, covered in grayish paint with swaths of different experimental technologies standing on large desks. Unique armor styles, mechanized suits, and next-generation engines sat idle, waiting for continued work. But in the very corner, two large models stood, closely matching the size and shape of the men. They held a strange green shade, similar to King Trimdin, with little devices resting near the ears.“What-What are those? The figures. What are they?” Tim asked timidly.“Yeah, and why are they that color?”“Ah, I see they caught your attention. That’s exactly what we wanted. Those are your new suits, and they have a little surprise built-in.”“New suits? But there is nothing there; it's just green.”“Well, if we just press this button…” Trimdin pushed something on a table nearby, and in an instant, the garments got much darker, revealing the true extent of their existence.“Whoa, how’d you do that?” Claren pressed.“These are new technologies. Well, new to you. We call them ClearSuits, made by our finest designers using a nanotech fabric that can become next to invisible around its user. The only side effect is the green tint, but you will not need them all the time, our natural environment being close to what was on Earth.”“So I was right!” Tim exclaimed.“About what?”“Just a theory I had.”“Are they fireproof?” Claren asked.“Not currently. We have been unable to stop flames from eventually getting through, but they do fend off the heat and burns for a while.”“That’s better than these damn things!” Tim added. “One spark, and they’ll go up. We’ve had issues with it in the past if you can’t tell.”“Don’t worry, these suits will work for all your needs. But the main event here is not the suits, but the device on the side. Language will be a barrier here, so those little things will translate what we say into English in real-time. And since everyone else wears one, they can do the same. They also act as a container for the suit, meaning that, when you want, the particles can extend on or off your body.”“Do all your subjects wear a translator?”“We all do, and we all have a suit as well.”“Were you wearing one when we first found you?”“I was,” The King admitted with his bellowing voice streaming to the men's ears. “But I got a tear in my suit, one deep enough to cut me. I was in serious trouble, but Tim, you found me and brought me in. When my sensors recognized it was a safe environment, it turned off, and then you could help me.”“Huh, just like that? It seemed so different on our end. We didn’t even notice the suit or the translator. But I guess we just didn’t know what to expect or what you looked like.”“No, you didn’t, but I am surprised you didn’t realize it earlier. Do you think that I would be able to understand English but not speak it by default? A translator for us is only one way. And I could only write because it told me what symbols to put down.”“How?” Claren questioned.“It just told me where to make a line and I followed. Nothing more.”“Man, it’s really that simple. I thought it had a meaning, that we had some lingual connection or something along those lines.”“That’s a different story. Now, take off those old suits and slip into the new ones! After this, we’ve got a quick meeting, and then I’ll settle you down for the night. How’s that sound?”“That’s good with me. How about you, Claren?”“I’m fine with that.”Perfect! I hope you enjoy them greatly. There is so much to uncover, so much to learn, and I can’t wait for you to see it all. Our home, no matter what, is yours now. Forever.” King Trimdin looked at the men, shedding a slight tear, happy to see his friends again. Tim and Claren glanced back similarly, satisfied yet curious about their future. Together, they took off their beloved suits, removing their gloves, helmets, pants, and torso pieces, revealing the black outfit underneath. The new suits were then turned off, the nanoparticles moving upwards towards the little earpieces. The men then took those off the mannequins, putting them on their ears, and activating them with a tap. Instantly, they were covered in a layer of tiny dots, forming a suit that fit snugly around them. Once complete, they turned transparent, presenting the men in their entirety with only the slight tint tainting their image.“Oh, damn, these things feel so good,” Claren expressed.“Those were coffins in comparison. Man, oh, man,” Tim said, twisting his body.“Good. Now, let’s get going!” Trimdin said in his native language, the men understanding him clearly for the first time in their lives. Everyone walked out together, Tim and Claren yet again guided through the palace, being led to a massive surprise.Chapter 1 - Homecoming
Chapter 2 - Catch Up
Citizens gathered near the palace from around The Capital, waiting to see the men. A camera was set up outside, allowing everyone to watch across The Belt, and watch they did. Millions tuned in to see Tim and Claren, to see that the mythical figures existed, even if only through a screen. Excitement was rampant, even among the Gods themselves, who stood behind the doors to the crowd, thrilled to meet the populace of their new home.“You should have told us we were going on TV. I would have put my dress shoes on,” Tim laughed.“Yeah, a little warning next time.”“This is much better. They want to see you for who you are, for the heroes you are. No fancy clothing would make it better,” The King replied.“Whatever you say, your majesty.”“Are you ready for it?”“I think so,” Claren answered.“Especially with these translators. I have to say, they do a good job amplifying sounds. I can hear everything now.”“Good. And if you ever notice any disparities or discomfort, I’ll get my teams right on it. To most citizens of this kingdom, you are the best of the best, and deserve exactly that.”“Well, thanks. Thanks for everything you have given us; the parts, the save, the suits, everything.”“No, no, thank you.” He switched his attention to the guards in the room. “Now, open these doors. Let the mobs meet the Gods!”Right then, they swung open the entrance, revealing the masses below. The three of them walked out onto the platform, the infamous microphone sitting where it always has, centered and idle. They collectively smiled, waving at the subjects as they cheered.Tim and Claren could fully understand what the alien public was saying, them screaming a wide choice of words and phrases towards the adjusting men.“Tim! Claren!” they cried.“Is it all true?” another shouted.“Bring back our Master! Bring back the real God!” someone chanted.“We love you!” one from the front row said.The men looked at every being they could, attempting to decode their cries.“They really seem to like us, Tim!”“They sure do. I’ve got to give it to you, Trimdin. You took our small act and made it into a God-given miracle.”“We needed heroes; I needed heroes. The majority of us needed you!”“The majority? What do you mean? And what happened? You’ve been all mysterious about it, like we shouldn’t know?” Tim pressed.“You should know, and you will. I’m not trying to be mysterious, I just need a second to figure out how to tell you. Regardless of how safe I try to make it, this place still harbors many dangers. There is so much that has occurred in just the past few months alone, so many changes that I've made, but all you need to know right now is that you are safe.”“Well, the sooner we start, the better,” Claren added. “I am dying of anticipation.”“When we finish this and get you set up, I’ll tell you anything and everything you want to know. I’ll give you the full story.”“Deal,” Tim responded.“You guys aren’t used to the time here, but it is actually late in the day for us. The evening will soon occur, so you’ll need a place to sleep.” The King continued to wave.“How does that even work, with living in an asteroid and all? Like, above us is just the brightness of random lights, so how’s that all go?” he screamed over the crowd.“Those are not just lights; they are adjustable panels. When it is night, we make them dark, and everyone rests for a few hours. The brightness is brought back up in the morning.”“So it’s all artificial? There's no sun?”“It’s based on the sun, actually!” Trimdin replied.“Awesome.”“I bet it is for you, Claren,” Tim teased. “This really is an engineer's paradise.”“An engineer, you say?” King Trimdin questioned. “If you ever want a solid job, we’ve got a need for that type of work. You know, with all the innovation and stuff.”“Yeah, yeah, I would love to. But can we end this hand-flapping and smiling now? I’m getting tired.”“If that’s what you want? I think they got enough content for weeks worth of rewatching, and an experience unmatched by anything else.”“I never thought anyone would want to see me just for the sake of my existence. That is a whole new experience,” Claren said.“Get used to it. For better or worse, your existence is now the focus of many across The Belt.”“It seems to be pretty good! We came from a world of hate, a world where there was only division and unrest. In comparison, this shows how shitty Earth got.”“That’s a strong statement,” said Tim, “but this place can’t possibly be worse than what we came from.”“Oh, you just wait, my dear friends. That was all this place was before me, before my brother. We have been the only two kings to ever bring it to this height, this amount of joy. But even still, some bandits are looking to breed hate, to stem it from the evils of before.”“I’m guessing that will be part of the history lesson?” Claren quipped.“Definitely. War is riddled within it; fighting was a constant. Whether they are recent or from millennia ago, conflict has always been with us. Now, go inside, your room is just waiting to be lived in.”“Absolutely, our king.”“Great. You go on ahead, my guards will show you the way. I just need to get someone quickly, someone of great value for your safety.”“Ah, our safety. I guess the most powerful being in the solar system can’t protect us?”“How flattering. I wish I could, but, you know, I’m a king. I’ve got a job. But this soldier I’m getting you is top of the line; she is the soldier. She fought in the last war and was the one to end it. Nothing can get through her.”“Well, now I’m excited,” Tim stated.“She must be something.”“Trust me, she is. She’ll protect you and be loyal for as long as you live.”“Then it’s settled. Claren, let’s see our new chamber.”“Okay!” he responded, and the two men turned around, commanding the guards to take them. Trimdin stayed behind, pulling a gadget out of his pocket and dialing a number. Moments later, someone on the other end picked up, and The King told her precisely what she needed to hear.“They’re here,” he said in a deep voice.“Who’s here?” she asked back.“Have you seen the news?”“No, not yet. I’ve been a bit busy. You know, using my ‘vacation’ time.”“Well, are you ready to get out of ‘vacation’ mode? I’ve got something better for you to do."“And what exactly is that?” she coyly said back.“Tim and Claren are back, and they need protection. Twenty-four-seven, all day every day. They need someone to keep them safe from the you-know-whos that are left. They need someone they can bond with, someone they can count on, someone who can guard their lives. And only you do I trust with such a task.”“They’re back? Tim and Claren?”“They require a guide, a protector, and I am assigning you to them.”“Well, sir, that is an honor, and I am happy to accept this assignment. I promise to do everything I can for them, and recognize the importance of this mission.”“Excellent. Can you be here by tonight, bags packed and all? They need you.”“Of course. I was getting bored, anyway,” she replied.“See you then, Kiran.”“Yes, your majesty, indeed. I’ll see you then.” The call ended, and a grin graced Trimdin’s lips. He quickly turned around, leaving the crowds and marching back into the palace toward the men’s room, prepared to hear their stories. Prepared to tell them the truth….~~Knock, knock, knock. A hand lightly pounded the exterior of the door, and when opened by Tim, Trimdin walked in, smiling gleefully.“Why, hello. Welcome back,” Tim greeted.“Hello to you, too,” The King responded.“Has your little business been taken care of?” Claren shouted from across the room, eating a package of food.“Yes, it has, dear friends. She will be here soon enough.”“It’s nice to see that you had your teams unpack our ship,” Tim commented.“Had a feeling you would appreciate that,” the ruler said back.“What’s her name? The soldier, I mean,” Claren asked.“Kiran, Kiran Samdin, one of our best soldiers. She was taking a ‘break’ for a while, but I was able to get her back for you two.”“Quite the honor,” Tim replied. “Hopefully, we won’t be too much of a nuisance.”“Oh, no. Annoy her as much as you want. Ask questions, get to know her, explore together; she will be heavily compensated for such activities. We are good friends, and she is more than willing to work with the Tim and Claren.”“Is that so?” Tim answered.“Yep. Now, let’s catch up a little. How about you two first? I want to hear more about the very men I’ve helped so much.” King Trimdin walked over from the doorway, following Tim to the table Claren sat at. The three circled the slab, placing their hands down and preparing to speak.“Who’s going first?” Trimdin questioned.“I guess I will,” Claren replied, finishing his meal.“Good, now start at the beginning. Talk about your life on Earth, where you’ve been, who you are, and so on.”“Sure, sure. Let’s see, I was born all the way back in 2020, am now thirty Earth years old, and lived in the United States of America for my whole life. My parents are… I mean were alive throughout it all, but I never had any siblings, only a boyfriend. As I got older, I fell in love with building, especially engineering, which is what major I eventually chose in college. From there, I got better and smarter, eventually graduating early and landing a job with a space company attempting to build the next rocket to take us to the outer solar system. And then, The Crunch happened.”“What’s that?” Trimdin asked curiously.“The Crunch was where everything we were working on was stalled, as war soon began. Earth’s history is long and complicated, but two alliances had risen within my time on the planet: Arcadia and Oceania. Both competed for resources, for money, for territory, and soon, the dick-waving started.”“Dick-waving,” Trimdin laughed nervously. “Sounds familiar.”“They wanted a goal to beat each other with, something big and bombastic. And, of course, it had to do with space. They wanted to see who could get to Pluto first, who could be the first to make it to the edge of the solar system. So a race commenced, and the crunch to finish our ships initiated. We worked, and worked, and worked, with the due date steaming closer and closer for a December 2049 launch. But both sides needed astronauts to take such a journey, but no one wanted to go.”“Is that you two?” The King interjected.“Yes,” Tim replied.“So they had a draft. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who could qualify to be an astronaut were automatically placed in. Together, the two sides would draw their contenders, and the respective citizens would train as one to beat the other. Our country, the United States, was part of Arcadia, so Tim and I were eventually selected to be part of the program, and we worked with each other from there.”“Huh!” King Trimdin reacted. “That’s one hell of a story, Claren. And I’m assuming Tim’s is similar. Is that right?”“Pretty much,” Tim responded. “I grew up in America and am fifteen years Claren’s elder, but we have one main distinction in our stories. You see, he built the very thing I love: ships. My fascination with space and science has always been at the forefront of my life, and being a pilot was a dream come true. Unfortunately, my love of the great beyond really cut me from having any Earthly connections, as I only had my mother and father left for a while. But when they died many years ago, space became my home. Then, I was selected for this mission, and the rest is history.”“Well,” The King said tenderly, “I am sorry for both of your losses. You said over the radio that Earth is gone. Nuclear war, was it?”“That appears so. We don’t know why, but we know how. The last few messages we could detect were just SOSs, nothing else,” Claren responded. “It’s something that has been lingering with me this entire time. Sure, times were tough and tension was rising, but did we really need to end ourselves that badly?”Tim looked intensely at his partner. “Don’t get into this, Claren. Trust me, we will never know the real answer.”“The real answer to what?” Trimdin questioned.“Ah, nothing, Claren’s just fixed on this idea that we had something to do with the end of the world, that we are part of the blame for our extinction.”“I’m not fixed on that; I just want to know how it all ended. The last time we communicated with Earth, our ship broke down, at the height of the race, don’t forget. The other team likely succeeded in getting through The Belt, and since we had already lost, I guess the punishments were handed out early.”“But that’s a strong assumption,” Trimdin challenged.“Not really,” Tim chimed in. “The stakes were high, and the Oceanic team likely won, so who knows what they did to Arcadia? But it doesn’t matter, because what happened has happened; our failure of a society has collapsed.”“That is simply not true, dear Tim,” Trimdin stated, peering directly at him. “If there is a lesson to be learned, then nothing is a failure. Humanity has seemingly ended, but now you can help us avoid such mistakes. Alongside me, I hope we can all work together to make The Belt a better place for all.”“I was saying that before to Claren,” Tim responded. “We are glad to help you wherever we can, though I doubt we will change its course too much.”“Why yes, that may be true, but that doesn’t negate the fact that you are likely more important than anyone in this universe. You are the last living remnants of a planet, never mind a species, one powerful and mighty. You have much to teach and learn; a way to continue your universal journey.”“Well, we brought a few plant seeds, so technic—”“Claren!” Tim shouted. “Not the time for a life joke.”“Sorry.”“Oh, no, it’s fine, Tim. If anything, it is great that you brought a few plant samples with you. Do you mind if we study them?” Trimdin asked.“Sure, sure, go ahead,” Tim responded.“Great, now where were we?”“We were just going over our depressing stories,” Claren said.“Right. I am saddened by why you are here, but happy for the future that can be built. We have considerable amounts of information to decipher and unravel, and this talk has shown me where you’ve come from. You have been on unfathomable journeys, unknowable narratives, but now, it is time to tell you mine.”Chapter 2 - Catch Up
Chapter 3 - Kiran
“Quinten was the start of it all, the root of all evil. He and his Devilish mindset corrupted the minds of his followers.” King Trimdin continued to sit at the table with Tim and Claren, delving deep into the lore of his previous adventures.“And then what happened?” Claren asked childishly, as if waiting for the next page of a fairytale.“Oh, we had a war alright, but one I gravely regret, one that has caused me much shame. I realized that I was letting my drive for revenge overpower my ideals, twisting the morals of my brother. I could no longer take it, no longer wanted to take vengeance, so I surrendered.”“But he wanted to fight in a duel? Why?” Tim asked.“Honestly, I’m not sure, but I think it had to do with his ego. Quinten thought that if he was really going to save The Belt, then he had to win the battle fair and square. He may have been deceptive but was always honorable, so when he lost, instead of taking my mercy, the unthinkable happened.” Trimdin looked down, extremely distraught by his thoughts.“Suicide?” Claren questioned.“Yeah.” Trimdin suddenly coughed, clearing his throat. “He killed himself. In front of me. I could have stopped it, I should have done something, but it was too late. I was so tired, so confused, so angry, so stressed. Nothing could be done at the moment.”“That’s a lot, your majesty,” Tim added. “I am surprised so much took place in such a short period of time.”“In about two weeks, I became king, declared war, fought a battle, and ended my enemy's life, yet was it worth it? Were all the lives lost, even though they were so few, worth it? I don’t think I will ever let go of the last words I said to his corpse: ‘I hated you for years, planned to finish you for years, but now that it has finally happened, all I feel is pain.’”“His death never satisfied you?”“No, it did not, Claren. I don’t think it ever could, even with my vendetta against him. It would have only led to me realizing the truth.”"Well,” Tim interjected, “we never could have guessed that any of that would happen to you after we left. I thought you would just be having the time of your life or something, but it is great that you have learned such an important lesson.”“An important lesson indeed. After The Queen, I thought I could take on any enemy, but now, I regret even that part of my past. She was terrible, don’t get me wrong, but I let my anger lead to death, twice I may add. My brother would hate me for that, and nowadays, I hate myself for it.”“The war between Trimdin and Quinten. It sounds almost like a book. You know, the tale of two enemies, drawn together by hate and forced apart by revenge. Would be a good read,” Claren joked.“I’m pretty sure you're missing the point of this meeting,” Tim scolded.“Now, now, my dear friends. It will soon be in a book: the history book!”“That’ll be a good tool for us to have. We do need to continue our education, don’t we?”“Yes, I will have Kiran set you two up with that. You could probably visit the Royal Library, or just use the computer. Whatever I can safely clear for you.”“Where’s the Royal Library located?” Claren inquired.“Just south of the castle, going toward the newly-constructed memorial grounds.”“Fantastic!”“Where even is Kiran? It has been a solid hour since you said she was coming.”“That is an excellent question, Tim. Let me make a quick call.” Trimdin got up from his chair, pulled out a device from his pocket, and appeared to press a button. Quickly, a connection was made, Kiran soon on the other end.“Your majesty?” she asked.“It is almost nightfall. Where are you?”“I am just arriving. Coming from Eros is not an easy trip. Very bumpy. I’m docking right now, should be there soon.”“Great, I will have guards escort you to your quarters, and then you can meet up with us. Soon after, the resting hours will commence.”“Yes, sir,” Kiran responded. “I’m moments away.”“Farewell, soldier,” The King said, ending the call and turning his attention back to Tim and Claren. “She’ll be here shortly!”“Wonderful, just wonderful,” Tim responded.“Hey Trimdin, what did you use to call her? Is that a phone or something?”“Why, yes, it is Claren. A specialized communicator, once used by my brother. It is rather outdated, but I love it dearly. Most of the time, we do it through our earpieces, which is an upgrade I can request for you to have, but for larger conversations, we can now use our suits and holographic technology. The workings of that one are bleeding edge, but the trials have been doing well.”“Why don’t we get the phone call thing by default? Aren’t we Gods?”“We can activate it whenever you want; we didn’t think overloading you with features was a good idea. Plus, isn’t discovery a fun thing to do, anyway?”“I guess if you put it that way,” Claren answered. “So how does it work, is there like a network of satellites connecting every device?”“Claren, this is not twenty questions,” Tim commanded. “I’m sure Trimdin would love to answer that, but we have more important things going on.”“No, no, Tim, it’s perfectly fine. This is all part of the experience. Now, Claren, I honestly have no idea when it comes to that type of thing. But you can always go around town, visiting the many scientific buildings and personnel we have. The Belt definitely doesn’t lack intelligence.”“Well then,” Tim readied himself, “if we can ask anything, then can I learn how to fly literally any of your ships? Like, any of them at all? The Grandiant was quite a beautiful vessel, so if there is even a chance—”“Yes, you can. One hundred percent, dear Tim.”“Oh, it was that easy?”“You have more power than you think over me. If I even think of defying you, and the citizens know about it, I could get dethroned,” King Trimdin joked.“I can’t wait!” Tim said, grinning profusely.“Now, let’s get prepared to see Kiran. We’ll meet her in the Royal courtyard. It is quite nice now, as we had recent reconstruction done after the war to fix a ‘flaw’ with the design.”“What kind of flaw?” Claren questioned.“Oh, just a silly old secret entrance installed by The Queen that leads to Quinten’s secret bunker. Nothing more.”“I’m guessing you don’t want to tell that story right now?” Tim asked.“Not really,” Trimdin responded, lightly laughing. He then moved towards the door, opening it. “So, are you two ready?”“I guess? We’re not wearing much, besides our ClearSuits, that is. Our black undersuits aren’t the fanciest things.”“I’m sure she won’t mind. This is no grand event, just a quick meet and then off to bed. But that raises the question of clothing, which we will get on to for you.”“Well then. Claren, you ready?”“Yeah, I sure am, Tim.”“Great!” said Trimdin as he walked out the door, the two men getting up from their chairs and following him to their new friend.Together they entered the luscious courtyard, walking into the ample open space in the center of the palace. All around, stone walls towered them, the only light supplied by the dimming panels above.Nighttime was soon to set in, but the three showed no sign of tiredness. Within moments, a barrage of guards came through, the alien of the hour striding in and quickly kneeling in front of The King.“Your majesty,” she said, looking down from his magnificent crown and towards his large, dark eyes, “I have arrived.”“The honorable Kiran Samdin, Special Forces Agent for The Royal Army. It is great to see you again. You may rise, and the other can leave us. May we have a fruitful conversation regarding our unique guests,” he said, with the legion quickly exiting the area.“Thank you, sir, for this remarkable opportunity.” Suddenly, Kiran got up, now staring directly at the two men. “And thank you, I have heard much about your adventure with our dear king, and am thrilled to be working with such faithful beings.”The men smiled promptly, fascinated by her attire. She wore thick, epic armor, shining brighter than a newly minted coin, with a striking sword sashed to her side. Her height was similar to that of Trimdin before his transformation, before becoming king: around the size of an adolescent.Tim and Claren, without delay, walked forward, now standing directly next to Trimdin and facing their new companion.“Kiran, these are quite obviously who you think they are. Tim, Claren, same to you,” Trimdin stated.“Yeah, I think we could deduct that,” Tim responded. “So, Kiran, it’s great to meet you.” He stuck out his hand, attempting to shake hers.“Likewise,” she reciprocated. “What are you doing with your arm?”“Oh, it's just a handshake. On Earth, we greet each other by extending our hands and interlocking them briefly, showing that you are welcomed.”“Interesting,” Kiran responded. “We don’t do that here. It seems a bit… aggressive.”“Well then,” Tim said, defeated, slowly dropping his arm back to his side.“Anyway, we are truly excited to have you working with us,” Claren quickly interjected. “I know we have a lot to explore and discover, and I hope we can become great friends, just like we did with Trimdin.”“I’m sure you all will. The three of you have done much for me, so I can’t wait to see what you can do together!”“Absolutely, your majesty. I swear that I will defend them with my life, to ensure their safety against the evils of the world, and I will do whatever they ask, whenever they ask,” Kiran pledged.“And I know you will. This will likely be a lifelong commitment, but I can assure you that compensation will be heavy. Never will you struggle, just as it should be for everyone.”“I’m unable to express the great honor this gives me.”“You never have to. This is a present, a gift from me to you. It is the ultimate job any soldier could ask for,” Trimdin replied.“So,” Claren started, “are we beginning our adventures tomorrow?”“Whenever you want,” Kiran answered.“Yes, whenever. And whatever you need to make the trips will be covered. Fuel, food, rooms, security, and anything else will be automatically billed to me.”“Really?” Claren asked.“Like I said before, only the best for you two. Your protection and well-being are our responsibility.”“Can we take The Grandiant?” Tim questioned.“Sure, why not.”“Kiran, what do you think of all of this?”She looked at Claren, seeing his excitement growing rapidly. “I’m on board. Tomorrow it is. I’ll take care of all our IDs tonight, and in the morning we'll get you dressed up, but we’ve got to leave as early as possible, especially with the traffic and danger of traveling mid-day.”“They don’t need identification. I’ll just send a Royal order excusing them from any and all checks. If they need proof, just call me up.”“I stand corrected. No matter what, set your alarms. Where do you want to go first?” Kiran asked.“I know! Bring them to The Museum of Beltian Science on Vesta. You three will love seeing the amazing advancements of our technology and discoveries,” The King suggested.“That’s perfect for us,” Tim responded. “I’ve dabbled in things related to biology and botany with all my time in space, plus Claren here is a full-blown engineer.”“Yeah, that sounds like a good first destination,” agreed Claren.“What about security… besides myself? Vesta’s been having a ‘crime’ spree recently, haven’t you heard.”“A crime spree? What do you mean?” Tim asked.“Oh, it’s nothing,” Trimdin said back, “just some bad actors after the fall of Quinten. They are no worry, though. Vesta’s subjects are extremely loyal. Plus, I’ll send extra guards and our most trustworthy pilot with you!”“Then it’s settled,” Kiran stated. “The museum it is. And while we’re there, we can check out some of the great food they’ve got. Surprisingly, the home of science is also the home of some delicious delicacies. Strange, I know.”“Nothing strange about it. Tim and I have been eating vacuum-sealed junk and kale for the past nine months. Some good grub might do.”“Their infrastructure sucks, though,” Trimdin added. “Half the things built there are based on 'environmentally friendly' and 'clean' materials. Their bricks are made of plants!”“I have to ask,” Tim began, “what kind of food do you even have here? How does stuff even grow? How do the plants in this bloody courtyard grow? You have no sunlight? Are there animals? Do you eat meat? What other creatures live in The Belt?”“And you were yelling at me for asking questions!” Claren quipped.“You’ll see it all soon,” Trimdin interrupted. “Trust me, it's not as weird as you think. We have much in common, and our history will prove that so.”“Nevertheless, your majesty, I am quite tired. May I head to my quarters?” Kiran requested.“Of course. I should be on my way, too. I’ve got a busy day. The memorial opens tomorrow, and I’ve got to make some last-minute approvals. That’ll leave you on your own.”“I’m sure that’s fine. We’re quite tired as well,” Tim added. “We’ve been sleeping in zero-gravity sleeping bags for too long. Goodnight!”“Farewell,” Trimdin said, with a sudden purple glow surrounding his hands.“What are you doing there?” Tim asked. But before he could get an answer, The King blasted upward, leaving them behind.“Where is he even going?” Claren questioned.“It’s just his final sweep. He does it every night.”“Interesting. Well, let’s go, Claren. See you, Kiran.”“So long,” she responded, and they all promptly left the yard, the panels above going fully dark, encompassing the entire populace in a deep shadow.~~Tim and Claren sat in their new bedroom, lying parallel to each other, the table they once sat at across the room. All lights were off, just a mere streak of white streaming through their window from the lamps outside the castle. But the men were not silent; if anything, they were more riled up than ever, waiting for the day ahead.“I’ve got to say, Tim, this room is nice. And I mean, think about it. We are about to sleep in a freaking castle. In a damn asteroid. With our alien friend just down the hall! What have our lives come to?”“I don’t know, bud, but this is the best homecoming I could’ve asked for. Almost half of my life has been spent exploring; has been dedicated to space. But this moment, this past year, has been the craziest part of it all. I’ve lost everything and nothing all at the same time.”“My entire life was on that planet; everyone I loved is gone. I know that we are both devastated, but it hurts the most for me. My parents have perished; my lover is lost. No matter what Trimdin can give us, I don’t know if it can ever compensate for that.”“Trust me, Claren, nothing can replace those you have lost, but we have the opportunity of a lifetime, a second chance to live. And I know they all made it to Eden, every person on that planet.”“I’ve never asked you this, but are you religious? My parent’s used to speak about Eden all the time, but I never understood it.”“Religious? No. But I do like the thought that they are all safe somewhere, that they will have a better life beyond the infinite.”“I will always wonder what’s out there, what we don’t know, what Trimdin doesn’t know. I mean, he has literal superpowers, and we know it is as much a spiritual process as it is a biological one. What does that mean for us?”“I think he’s a Demigod,” Tim suggested.“A Demigod?”“Yeah, I think the powers were given to him by some higher power, and Trimdin is just a physical representation of that. He doesn’t have enough to be a God, but just enough to be sort of one.”“I never thought about it that way.”“I’m sure we’ll learn more during our history lesson. The king thing has to come from somewhere. There is no way it just showed up one day.”“My big question is, why only one? Why is it only contained to the monarch of the time, and is it passed down? Like if they have kids, do they gain powers?”Tim stared blankly at Claren. “Now, that’s a good question. I mean, there really is just a laundry list of these things. The language, the environment, the magic; the longer we’re here, the more confusing things get.”“I’m pretty sure that’s the nature of integrating into an alien society,” Claren joked back. “I get what you mean, though. All these different thoughts have coursed through my mind and I have no idea what to do with them anymore. Talking is the only thing that stops it. But the ringing keeps coming back, the thoughts keep piercing through.”“Answers are coming, I can guarantee that. Trimdin may not know everything, but with the resources of this world, of this society, we can learn whatever we want. The closure is coming, it must, and I know that our futures are bright, no matter the pain we have suffered,” Tim answered, trying to mollify Claren’s worries.“I know I keep saying this, but you’re right. You always are. Anyway, let’s shut up and take advantage of these soft beds. Like you told Trimdin and Kiran, those shitty sleeping bags at the IFS were, well, shit.”“Fair enough,” Tim responded, leading the conversation between the two men to a close. Now only one thing stood to come: the morning ahead.Chapter 3 - Kiran
Chapter 4 - Discovery
The two men stood outside their room, waking up a mere hour before. They donned new garments under their suits, wearing nicely fitted white shirts tailored after King Trimdin and inky pants.A legion of guards quickly surrounded them, and their dear friend Trimdin marched forward, Kiran next to him. On the castle's exterior, the lights had only begun to rise in brightness, signaling the radiant day to come.The four were led through the residence toward the docking station, toward The Grandiant. Throughout the night, the vessel was prepared for the trip ahead. A myriad of protectors loaded themselves onto the ship, quickly inspecting it before their adventure. Once approved, Tim, Claren, and Kiran walked forward, said goodbye to their king, and strode through its bay. They were led into an elevator and, from there, showed both the living quarters and the command room. Within minutes they were cleared for takeoff, Tim and Claren ready to be shot into the unknown just as they were on Earth all that time ago.The Grandiant typically had no pilot, controlled automatically by a computer, but this mission was different. Captain Landun of the Royal Space Force was assigned to drive the three of them around The Belt, bringing them wherever their hearts desired.A holographic map sat in the middle of the control room, presenting key hubs across the kingdom. The space was aptly designed like the rest of the ship, with sparkling chrome accents throughout a mostly white layout. Multiple monitors surrounded the back wall, different soldiers sitting in front of them on curved contemporary chairs doing basic surveillance. Mechanics and engineers were close by, but most of the room was empty.After everyone settled, comms came in from the radio, speaking to the charismatic Captain Landun and the flight crew. “This is Base Control, do you read?” they asked.The captain sat at the front of the ship, pointed directly toward a massive screen that gave insight into the space around the ship. With haste, he responded. “Base Control, we hear you loud and clear. Let’s get this show on the road! Our celebrities can’t wait much longer!”To the pilot's side, seats were reserved for Tim, Claren, and Kiran, who could actively hear the conversation between the ship and The Capital. The men’s earpieces worked overtime to translate the messages.“Everything’s set here, Grandiant. We’ve got reports of low traffic to Vesta, and the museum has closed for the day, so safe travels!” Base Control said over the radio to the captain. But then, out of nowhere, a familiar voice pierced their ears. “And if ANYTHING goes wrong, tell them I sent you.”“Haha! Of course, your majesty, we’ll surely mention that if there is any trouble.”“Good. You are now set for departure. Depressurization will happen in 3, 2, and….” On the monitor in front of them, they could see massive vents open, but not to let air in. Instead, they were sucking it out, emptying the docking station of any gas. The vehicle remained habitable, but the space around them had been matched to the surface. Then, the large doors opened, presenting the deep void of space to the lifted ship. The Grandiant sped toward the vacuum, exiting the bounds of The Capital. Leaving the safety of King Trimdin…~~Even though Vesta was only a few minutes across The Belt, chatter soon started, especially between the two men and their pilot.“So, Captain Landun, how long have you been flying for?” Tim asked.“Many, many years, my fine sir. I’ve been through every modern era of this kingdom, flying each ruler across the system and even the galaxy.”“Damn!” Claren responded.“What was it like under The Queen?” Tim questioned.“Well, that was definitely a special time to be part of the forces. As we all did, I followed her orders, and to me, she was not as bad as everyone paints her to be. Sure, she was a little tyrannical, but she put so much money toward this sector I didn’t care much.”“Why?” Claren said.“She wanted to go to war. It’s that simple. She wanted to destroy everyone and everything she could. Billions of dollars went to Quinten and his forces, advancing them to ridiculous heights.”“King Trimdin never really explained that part to us. Like, seriously, how could such a small faction do so much damage?”“He had the best soldiers in The Belt working for him, and with infinite resources alongside years to build, anything was possible,” he responded.“Then why do you seemingly sympathize with her if she drained The Royal Army of resources for Quinten’s?“Ah, that’s the thing,” Captain Landun said, scratching his head. “I was part of Quinten’s army for quite a while, quite a damn while. But eventually, I went against orders, as they wanted me to infiltrate an enemy ship and take its passengers to The Capital, where they would be slaughtered. At the time, I was going through financial hardship, so I took a bribe from the foreign force instead. I was kicked out of the military, but they still murdered who they needed to, all while I secured some well-needed cash,” he said, smiling briefly.“Why would they let you even live after that?” Tim said.“Trust me, those two bastards were more corrupt than I ever was. They needed people to listen, regardless of who they were. So, they let me go with a light punishment.”“I guess they did. Good thing you got out of there,” Claren mentioned.“Yeah, good. Very good,” he responded. “I needed that money more than revenge.”“Is that why you were with them?” Tim asked.“Quinten’s entire thing was revenge. My family was killed during the Cross-Beltian Wars and Quinten offered a solution, so I followed him.”“Did it bring you happiness?”“No,” he responded.“Well, revenge is not the best way to get it, that’s for sure,” Kiran butted in. “King Trimdin has made that clear.”“He’s made a lot of things ‘clear’ to say the least,” The Captain remarked.“What do you mean by that?” Kiran replied angrily.“Oh nothing, it's just that he was initially going in the right direction with everything, but one measly battle stopped him from reaching his full potential.”“That battle murdered hundreds. I would not call that measly.”“Woah, woah, let's calm down,” Tim interjected. “We’re all on the same page here. No need for aggression.”“I agree,” Captain Landun reciprocated. “Plus, we’re almost there. Vesta’s right up here.” On the large monitor in front of them, it stood proud and tall, the oblong asteroid growing slowly as they got closer.Moments later, The Grandiant was lined up with the docking station of Vesta, allowing them to connect with their destination. Finally, they landed, multiple guards promptly walking out and standing around the ship. A pathway toward The Museum of Beltian Science had to be created, ensuring the safe appearance of the three.Mobs already began to grow, even though there was no official news of their arrival. Seeing The Grandiant in the docks, no matter how much they hid, was enough to cause disorder. Though it was nothing they couldn’t handle, as Tim and Claren, following the lead of Kiran, eventually made it to the surface via an elevator.The facility, which had large arched doors, was a deep blue on its exterior. Just like much of the architecture in The Belt, it was partnered with thin layers of gold around the edges. Daunting windows let them peer into the mysterious building, showing its uniquely fashioned interior. Nothing was one consistent look; different eras of The Belt’s history pop out as if vying for attention.Vesta itself held a modern style, matching more closely what the men had seen in The Capital: large, spanning buildings with wide streets and vendors on every corner. Crowds from the community clamored, trying to not get caught in the chaos.Through the craziness, the trio eventually made it inside, being sealed in with an assortment of guards around the entrance. And from there, things quickly started.“Gee, that was a lot just to get in here,” Tim commented.“I guess the news broke,” Claren added.“Well, you’re here. Welcome to Vesta!”“Kiran, we can’t thank you enough for joining us.”“It is amazing that you are here to teach us this and keep us safe. From the way The King talked about you, it sounds like you’re more effective than an entire damn army.”“That guy throws way too many accolades my way,” Kiran responded. “We literally only met a few months ago, and all I did was get the attention for the words HE said. ‘Quinten is dead,’ that’s all I was there for.”“I had that feeling,” Tim said back. “He blew us a bit out of proportion, too. We are Gods now, but why, we don’t know.”“So we can all agree that Trimdin is a bit eccentric?” Claren joked.“That’s him alright,” Kiran responded.“Were you loyal to The Queen?” Claren suddenly asked.“That’s a hard one. We all were, just as Landun said. I hated her, but she was the ruler throughout my entire adult life, right up until I became an Agent. But I never killed for her, and that’s the biggest distinction.”“How old are you, anyway?”“Let’s see, how do I put this in Earth years for you? Give me a second… carry the one, put the five there, uh, twenty? Twenty Earth years.”“That’s it!” Tim reacted. “You look much older than that.”“Well, The King is only twenty-five Earth years old, so put that into perspective.”“Seriously?” Claren shouted.“Our aging is different, clearly,” Tim responded. “Trimdin looks older than Claren, but he’s thirty.”“Thirty?” Kiran laughed. “And let me guess, you’re probably around forty-five?”“Hey, don’t make me feel old!”“Old? Around here you’re still pretty young. Sure we mature faster, but we live for an average of one hundred eighty Earth years.”“So I’m not geriatric yet?”“Tim… come on. You’ve got a lot left in life!” Claren exclaimed.“Thanks,” Tim said, looking dead into his partner's eyes. “How about we get to the real science? I mean, this age thing has already piqued my interest, so what’s next?”“The way this is set up is that it goes from newest to oldest. That means the most recent innovations are here at the front.” Kiran laid her arms out, presenting the first exhibit. “Let’s look at these plasma shields. Blocks all bullets, metal or laser, from penetrating.”“Were they used in the war? Against Quinten?” Claren asked curiously.“They were. Quinten’s teams were the first to have them, actually. His R&D department was quite good, so the Royal one had to catch up quickly. We did… eventually.”“How was he even able to get ahead of the freaking ROYAL research team?”“Yet again, as The Captain was saying, a lot of money was funneled to Quinten. That monster, who was already unfathomably rich, only became richer. King Trimdin honestly entered a fairly cleared kingdom, most of it already siphoned off to Quinten.”“Damn, the more we hear, the more remarkable it is that Trimdin won. That was one war,” Tim stated.“That bitch of a queen was only in rule for five years, FIVE, yet patted us dry. Everything was just pure forced labor, pure military training. Those sick bastards were planning conflict from the beginning, just not one against Trimdin.”“Then who? Who else would they fight?” Tim challenged.“The Kuipernians,” Kiran responded.“Who the hell are those?”“Our biggest enemy… and ally. It depends on when you’re asking.”“The Kuipernians? Like, as in the Kuiper Belt?” Claren questioned.“Are you familiar with them?”“Are you telling me there’s another alien society near Pluto? Really?” Tim exclaimed.“Of course. Has His Majesty not educated you on them? They are why Quinten wanted revenge, why he loved war.”“Tim, you hear that. Even if we made it to Pluto, we were destined to run into aliens.”“Guess so. How did we never notice? You know, humanity. You’re telling me that not one, but TWO alien societies exist in this solar system, and we never knew until now?”“There are much more than two, dear friends. Life is everywhere. Alliances surround us. Travel between nations is common. We are nowhere near alone.”“As if everything we had already been through was not enough, now you’re telling us that the solar system, never mind the universe, is sprawling with life?” Tim shouted.“I didn’t think that was such a big deal. Sorry for giving you existential crises.”“No, no, Kiran, it’s fine. Just a bit mind-boggling. I spent my adulthood in the void, searching for such things, so the fact that you’ve just satisfied that in one minute is impressive. Though I don’t know what I expected.”“This is life-changing. Not only did we find the first civilization outside of our own, but we have confirmed that there are more than we could have ever imagined.”“I guess the museum has already done its part!” Kiran jested. “This is why Trimdin assigned you to me.”“He knows his stuff, I’ll give him that. That alien knew what he was doing when he met us, knew what he was doing when he killed The Queen, knew what he was doing when he became king, and knew to give us to you. Where does it end?” Tim questioned.“His brother was a smart king, too. I was only a kid, but I remember the day I saw his first speech. He gave us everything we wanted, everything The Belt needed. He made peace with the Kuipernians, started welfare programs, raised the standard of living, held Quinten’s tyranny at bay… or so he thought. Trimdin has just taken inspiration from that.”“When he talked about him, we were instantly impressed. Right, Tim?”“Yeah, he sounded like a good guy. That only made his demise even more tragic. Poison, was it? On his birthday? By the wife? Ridiculous.”“The death shocked everyone, even the Kuipernians. All our allies were scared, and I had just started training in The Royal Army. Things were shaky.”“The history of this place is crazy. Damn crazy. Anyway, what’s next here?” Tim walked forward down the hall. “Ah, 2038, The Grandiant is built. That seems relevant to today.”“It was built under the monarch's rule before Trimdin’s brother. He was a strange ruler, to say the least, attempting to live a lavish life while war ravaged around him. He was full of himself; the best thing he did was train Nardyn to rule.“Nardyn? Wait, is that the name of Trimdin’s brother?”“Yes. Yet again, did King Trimdin not tell you this?”“Somehow not,” Claren answered.“In all the confusion and questioning, his name never came up. It was just always ‘Trimdin’s brother.’ But Nardyn, King Nardyn. Now that’s a name.”“Here, let’s recap what we have learned this morning: aging, life, and names. Is there anything else you could ever need to know?” Kiran asked sarcastically.“This journey has already garnered some serious information. And we’re only two exhibits in!”“Shit, that’s it?” Claren hysterically screamed.“I mean, there is still a millennium of scientific discoveries ahead,” Kiran quipped.“How long has your world existed?” Tim questioned.“For thousands upon thousands of years, Earth or Beltian. We have had hundreds of monarchs, dozens of dynasties, but none have managed to cause the chaos of the last few.”“Where does that king thing come from, anyway? Claren and I were talking about it last night. What are the powers that Trimdin has, and why don’t more have them?”“That’s a loaded question, Tim. And unfortunately, we’re not too sure. Every major civilization has someone with powers, but all we have about their origin here are the tales of the First King, which were written almost fifty thousand years ago. Before that, we have no record of anything; no rulers, no powers, no subjects, nothing. The Belt appeared to be empty. We don’t know how we got here; we just did.”"But what about the First King? Where did he get them from?”“He claims it was bestowed upon him by a figure. All he could describe it as was ‘le sqott,’ which literally translates to ‘the spot.’ Some higher being visited him and ‘touched his face with the hand of the universe.’ Or so he claims. He was known to be insane, to be an evil ruler, someone who needed to be removed from power. Though his abilities were too strong; every attempt at his life failed. Except one. After years of going on a wild hunt to recreate the encounter, a subordinate tricked him into thinking the God-like figure came back, saying that if he died right now by his hand, he would be sent to some place called The End Realm. Of course, this was total BS, but they were able to murder him, quickly discovering that his powers were passed on to them. That was the start of the lineage.”“So some crazy dude just gained them randomly and someone just happened to kill him? That’s how all of it started?”“That’s the current story. We really have no records of it besides his own accounts, but by no means was he a reliable narrator.”“Though what about everything else? The advancements, the technology, the evolution? How does that link to now?” Claren asked.“Well, let’s keep going down this hall. The answers lay ahead,” Kiran responded while marching forward, bringing them closer to the true discovery.Closer to the dangers of Quinten.Chapter 4 - Discovery
Chapter 5 - Restoration
On the other side of The Belt, excitement ran high, as a promise made was about to be fulfilled; the first steps toward restoration were soon to begin. King Trimdin sat on his throne, prepared to speak at the site's opening. Ready to confront the pain he caused.“Guards, bring me my armor!” He put down his script and lifted himself.Seconds later, four aids came out of hiding, steadily holding The King’s armor. This set was different from the one he wore during the war: it was newer, slimmer, and incorporated the greatest protective technology available. But little hints toward his sibling's shell had been added, like black shoulder pads and a blue torso.“Thank you,” Trimdin said to the soldiers. “What is the status of Tim and Claren? How’s Kiran doing?”One of his underlings tapped on the side of their ear, getting a detailed report of their location and doings. “They are safely on Vesta, still exploring the museum. Large crowds have surrounded the building, but they’re protected.”“Perfect! How about The Capital? Is everything good out there before I do this?” At the same time, the suit was being placed on King Trimdin.“The crowds will only consist of veterans, and all other viewers will be at home. We have taken extreme precautions.”“Good. I’ve given Quinten’s former soldiers everything, yet still, some want to kill me? His brainwashing was pretty damn good, I guess.” The last pieces of armor were applied.“Ha, your majesty. Those Quinten wannabes are nothing. This armor is bulletproof, blasterproof, and bombproof. Plus, your magic can stop anything if you act fast enough.”“I know,” The King responded kindly. A sword was placed in the sheath on his waist. “Thank you all.”“Your welcome, sir,” they said in unison.“Now, let’s get going!” From there, they marched out of the palace onto the platform looking below. He quickly moved down the grand staircase to a small vehicle, one that would drive him toward his destination: the memorial, which lived at the heart of Quinten’s home, forcing Trimdin to face the battlefield that scarred him.The drive was quick, The King watching as the small audience came into view around the walled garden. The once beautiful homes were torn and recycled; the bloody streets were demolished and replaced with graves. A large tower sat between it all, each level representing a life lost at the hands of the war.In a show of grace, King Trimdin got out of the vehicle and lifted himself, the purple presence presenting itself for this all-important day. He quickly landed directly on the stage set up for his appearance, now able to look dead on at the suspiciously silent crowd behind the magnificent microphone he stood against.Within moments of settling into position, Trimdin began to lean forward, displaying a large smile. The masses below watched, waiting for his first words.“Hello, veterans and any viewers at home. The past few months have been filled with turmoil, fueled by revenge, and I am sorry that much of that has been caused by me. The Queen: I killed. Quinten: I killed. And tragically, many of my own citizens: I killed, all due to my terrible practices.”Many in the audience stared blankly at The King.“No matter what, there is nothing I can do now to make it up, but I pray that I can at least ease the pain. If you are familiar with my previous speech, you would remember that I promised you all something; I promised a place dedicated to those we have lost, not only in this war but in every war ever committed by the rulers of this kingdom. It has been long overdue that our soldiers get the respect they deserve, that their families feel closure for their wrongful yet patriotic deaths. Now it is finally time that we appreciate the strong fighters of our society, protecting us from evil.”The crowds below remained silent.“So here it is, The Beltian War Memorial, built to withstand the test of time and prove our resilience. The large tower at the center of this all is devoted to the hundreds we lost during The Asteroid War alone, their bodies kept inside. And each of the much smaller stones surrounding it contains the names of every soldier. The rest of this former arena for the rich has been flattened into a field of flowers, each color representing a different era in our history. Tours have been designated to run daily, making this site a fantastic destination to learn about not only the horrors of conflict, but the troubling truth of revenge. Never, and I mean NEVER, should these events be repeated, should these mistakes be emulated. I am taking my personal lessons, things that are near and dear to my heart, and using them to ensure the safety of this beautiful society we have.”No noises commenced.The King continued to smile. “My rule will be one of prosperity, not depression; one of love, not hate. The criminal beliefs of The Queen, Quinten, and their associates have nearly been rooted out, have almost exited our world, so now we can focus on healing. Even though I have called it restoration, it truly isn’t. I don’t want to ‘rebuild’ what was here before, because, excuse my language, what was here before was shit. Following my brother's principles, alongside my own, our home will come into a new age of being. One that stops war; one that makes friends, not enemies; one that knows the citizens are more important than anything that will come out of my mouth. We are run by you, for you, regardless of the monarchy that stands. And this leads to my final topic of which I wanted to discuss. Everyone across The Belt should know that I will not name a successor at the end of my reign because, by the end of it, we will become something unseen in our history: a democracy.”Gasps were audible. Everyone was in shock.Wait, what?” one veteran screamed up to King Trimdin.“A democracy? What the hell is that?” another whined.“Yes, yes, you heard me right. We will no longer be a kingdom, you will no longer be forced into the tyrannical regimes of the past. Rather, we will be a republic with an elected leader, one where the actual inhabitants of The Belt will rule.”“How does that work?” one asked in the audience.“But King Trimdin, we need a monarch. It’s who we are; it’s a tradition. You can’t do this!” a citizen in the corner screamed.“We don’t want a damn republic!” an old guy in the back said.“We need to get revenge!” one screamed.“I’m sorry,” King Trimdin responded, “I thought you would all love this. It shows progress; it shows evolution. We are moving past the jaded system of the past toward something new. Is that not important?”There was rustling in the crowd, many getting up from their seats, ready to leave, only a few appearing to stay.“This is a net positive, everyone. You will have better freedoms, guaranteed freedoms! How could you not want that?” Then King Trimdin remembered what Quinten had told him all that time ago: “Your military is made up of a bunch of volunteers and under-experienced idiots. My veteran soldiers had a lot of time to train while The Queen was in power. Mine were ready, yours were not.”“The entire audience are veterans, right? That means that they are almost entirely former workers of Quinten, were former followers of his rhetoric. And that could mean…” While most of the crowd was getting up, a suspicious figure remained, out of nowhere holding a gun in their hand. “Oh shit,” The King said to himself.The gunman lined up their shot, aiming directly for Trimdin’s head. Guards quickly realized what was happening, some rushing into the crowds while others ran toward The King. But it was too late.The shooter quickly pulled the trigger of his long-barreled handgun, unleashing an array of bullets toward the still-unprotected Trimdin. In a move of instinct, The King made his magical magenta mist form around his hands, hastily trying to apply a shield. But with pellets piercing forward, there was little time.Just as the first bullet was about to hit King Trimdin, he was able to apply protection, merely stopping the shell from killing him. Then, the rest of his body was covered, stopping all projectiles from hurting him.Moments later, the shooter was tackled by guards, stopping the endless spray of slugs. From there, King Trimdin instantly floated in the air, scared for his life, following protocol and heading directly toward the castle for safety.But unfortunately for him, that was only the start…Chapter 5 - Restoration
Chapter 6 - History
“This place keeps getting cooler and cooler,” Claren said. The men and their alien escort continued through The Museum of Beltian Science, examining each innovation.“So this was your first hyper-speed engine?” Tim asked Kiran.“Yes, and without it, we would’ve never been able to trade with the Kuipernians.”“Damn, it was invented quite early on, too. Almost ten thousand years!” Claren added.“You need a bit of haste to travel in space. We can’t wait months, years, or decades just to make it to another nation,” Kiran joked.“No kidding. Our ships on Earth were nowhere even close to this. Our asses took months just to get here.”“I guess my car analogy checks out,” Tim whispered to himself.“We still have more! Come along, now,” Kiran commanded, pointing them forward.Periodically the three would stop at big moments of discovery. The list went on: cloning, weapons of mass destruction, vaccination, decoders; the further back they went, the more primitive the technology got.“Here is the first translation device,” Kiran said, pointing out a large metal box with grills on the top. “Once we started making these, our ability to communicate with the galaxy at large was heavily improved. No matter if we met with a civilization for the first or for the millionth time, they have become useful.”“How long does it take for the translator to work with new languages?”“There is no delay. You see, the technology is based on The King. Any language he can speak, we can translate,” she responded.“How many can he speak?”“All of them. Trimdin, now that he is ruler, can use any language in the universe, even if we don’t know where it originates from. Your little earpieces can convert conversations from any alien tongue no problem.”“If the language exists, The King knows it, and from there, you base your translations?” Claren questioned.“Yep. And it has worked every time”“Okay then,” Tim said. “So that’s how you know English?”“Eh, our relationship with English is another thing. I’m unsure how to explain it, but our language is very similar to yours. Beltian, as we call it, is like a simplified version of English. We are not sure why they are so similar, but they are.”“So there is no direct connection, but they are eerily similar. That answers about… nothing at all,” Tim said jokingly.“Hey, that’s all I know.”“It’s fine,” he laughed. “Just strange.”“Trust me, the more you know about the universe, the less sense it makes,” Kiran responded as she continued to lead Tim and Claren further toward the beginning of time, steaming toward the tale of The Belt's first weapons.“The automatic rifle was invented almost twenty thousand years ago and revolutionized wars. Before, the classic long-barreled handgun worked well for small and accurate assassinations while the bigger semi-auto was for fighting.”“I’m assuming you studied all this for your military training?” Tim asked.“Unfortunately. I’m more of a sword-fighter, as there’s more skill to that than just blasting an enemy full of shells, but mass murder is easier with guns.”“Yeah, we know that all too well. Earth had one too many wars in its days, each worse than the last. And when it came to Arcadia and Oceania, they were brutal. That’s why I stayed in space as much as possible, to escape the ugliness of it all.”“I was not as lucky,” Claren said. “War destroyed my home, our home. We definitely know it all too well.”Kiran looked at the two men in solidarity. “I’ve heard about Earth before. The blue marble of infinite water and luscious land that sits in the middle of our sky; the small dot that houses billions of beings. We don’t learn much about it, but I know you both loved it, that it was your native land, and I can easily understand the pain of seeing history run its course. Your society fell to the very thing mine was close to: self-destruction.”“And I think that’s why we are here,” Tim responded, “to make sure the same mistake is not made twice. Trimdin has done a good job so far, but it needs to keep going.”“Yes, it does,” inputted Claren.“The history of The Belt, even though you know only a fraction of it still, has repeated itself one too many times, and I think I can speak for everyone when I say that both Trimdin and you two can make the changes needed.”“And we will. We have to. Why else would we have lived? Why else would Trimdin have been able to kill The Queen? Fate may be playing a part in this.”“Ah, yes,” Claren joked. “How can a man of science believe in fate?”“No, dear Claren, I am a man of fact and logic. But it’s reasonable to think that, after everything we’ve seen, fate may be real.”“It is,” Kiran said coldly. “Fates are real. Religions are real. Gods are real. It all is.”“Really?”“Every civilization in the galaxy, and maybe the universe, appears to have some concept of a higher being, of a power above us. Trillions have been poured into the research of it, and all signs point to yes. Even though the First King was insane, he was probably right. He probably did see ‘le sqott.’ Let’s do a quick test. What do you call the afterlife?”“It depends entirely on which religion you follow. Some don’t have one, some believe in reincarnation, some call it heaven, some call it Ede—”“Eden. Oh yes, Eden,” Kiran interjected. “Everywhere we have gone, they have all had some variation of that name. Eddene, Elden, GkEdyn, and even in Beltian it's Edn. Sure they may have other names, but we all have an Eden.”“Seriously?” Claren questioned.“Yeah, seriously.”“Is this another example of ‘no direct connection but are eerily similar?’” Tim asked.“Exactly. That seems to be a constant.”“You were right when you said that the more you learn about the universe, the stranger it gets. Totally.”“What can I say?” Kiran responded.“Trimdin did not prepare us for such revelations, especially in a science museum.”“I don’t think he prepared me, either.”“What do you think Trimdin is doing right now anyway?” Claren asked Tim.“I’m not too sure. He said something about a memorial yesterday.”“Yes, he did,” Kiran answered. “The Beltian War Memorial is opening today.”“Is that for The Asteroid War?”“It is more for all conflicts fought in The Belt. War is so common that we rarely respect the soldiers who’ve died. And that lack of respect, that lack of closure, is what led to the vengeful army of Quinten.”“So that’s why he’s doing it: just to stop others from rising and take Quinten's place?”“No,” Kiran interrupted, “it’s because he feels the need to respect them, too. If there is anything King Trimdin learned from his tenure, it’s that hate will not get him anywhere, but love and care will. Stopping the cycle is more important than continuing it. If only some of those separatist bastards could recognize that!” she screamed.“Woah, calm down. What do you mean? Quinten’s army surrendered, right? You are literally the reason they did.”“MOST of them did. MOST. But there are still some factions out there trying to cause mayhem. The Royal Army has been doing a good job of taking care of it, but they are stubborn, to say the least. I took care of as many of them as I could over my break, but one girl can’t stop an army.”“So they’re still out there; that’s what your vacation was?” Claren asked in fear.“Duh, why do you think Trimdin assigned me to you? Sure, I am supposed to be your friend, but also your protector,” Kiran said.“We don’t need protection; Trimdin does. Isn’t their entire goal to kill him?”“Yes…”“So wouldn’t it be better if you were protecting HIM?”“You really undervalue your importance, don’t you?”“What do you mean?” Tim asked.“You are freaking Gods walking amongst us. You are the most popular—and only—humans in The Belt. You are best buddies with the Goddamn king! If there was anyone those assholes would want, it's you!”“So why did we come here if we would be in even the slightest bit of danger?”“Because you are not. We brought a legion of guards here, you have me, and the people of Vesta are extremely loyal subjects. Nothing can happen to you.”“But what about the crime sprees; what about that scummy pilot, Captain Landun? He literally admitted to liking The Queen, and you did not seem to like him either.”“Fine, Tim, you’ve got me there. The Captain is not my favorite, but I trust The King’s judgment. He would never send us with an untrustworthy pilot or to an unsafe place.”“I don’t know, Kiran. If there are Quinten sympathizers out there, we should be more careful. Trimdin should be more careful. I’m sure they can mask themselves pretty well, and, as always, anything could happen….”At that moment, the earpieces planted in each of their suits started to beep, telling them to tap it to answer. All three did, a call quickly steaming into their ears.“Tim, Claren, Kiran! Can you hear me?” a distressed voice said into their ears.“Who is this?” Tim asked.“It’s Trimdin.”“I see you’ve activated our phone abilities,” Claren joked.“Your majesty, what do you need?” Kiran waited for a command.“I need you to run. RUN, RUN, RUN!”“Wait, why?”“There was an assassination attempt on me. I don’t know if it was organized, but you need to come back to The Capital NOW. We can’t risk your lives.”“Wait, what did you just say?” Claren screamed.“Absolutely, sir. They’ll get home safe. Is this a Code Green or Red?” Kiran questioned.“Red for now. Let Tim pilot. Don’t trust anyone besides me or yourselves. No guards, no Captain Landun.”“Why?”“None of them are responding to my transmissions. I went to tell them about bringing you home, but I have gotten no response. They may have turned, they may have been killed, or maybe the communicators are just off. I don’t really know, and don’t really trust anyone here.”“Okay then, your majesty. Code Red it is.” Kiran turned her attention to Tim. “Do you think you could figure out how to fly our ships?”“Probably,” he responded.“That’s good to hear!”“Then we can do this,” she said back.“What about weapons? Do we need weapons?” Claren asked nervously.“I always travel with a sword,” Kiran proudly stated, tilting her hip toward Tim and Claren. “But for you two, I’ve got no idea.”“Only kill if needed!” Trimdin reminded them. “Please, I don’t want to add to the memorial the same day I opened it.”“No problem, your majesty. But if they attack us, I’m going for the final blow.”“Wouldn’t expect anything different, soldier. Protect Tim and Claren at all costs.”“Yes, sir.”“Then it’s settled. Get the hell out of there and be safe. Go silent. No calls, no radio, nothing. Not even to me.”“Absolutely, your majesty!” And with that, Tim, Claren, and most importantly, Kiran, were set on an unexpected adventure to escape the very place they thought safe, imprisoned by the home of scientific discovery.Chapter 6 - History
Chapter 7 - Pains & Plans
“Okay, Kiran, what’s the damn plan here? What’s next!” Claren began rapidly firing questions toward their protector.“Calm down,” Tim said. “Kiran, what do you want us to do? Aren’t we surrounded by guards? Or, at least, we were.”“Do you want to go see?” Kiran looked at the two men, intensely gazing at the green tint of the ClearSuits.“...Sure?” Claren responded worriedly.“Sure? No, you mean SURE!” Kiran said, pulling out her sword, grasping it with both hands. “Let’s go see what's in store for us boys.”“I’m beginning to see why Trimdin gave you to us,” Tim joked.“Just wait until you get to see me in action.” With that, they began to stride forward, marching toward the museum's entrance. Tim and Claren followed the offensive Kiran.They passed each previous exhibit, getting closer to where they had started. And as they did, the three began to see the massive windows of the front, looking out and noticing that it was empty. Everything was empty. The crowds and guards of before disappeared; no signs of life persisted. All they could see was the gorgeous front lawn of the museum.“Where did all the soldiers go? The citizens?”“Trimdin made the right call to say Code Red. Either they turned or got killed. How it happened while we were in here, I don’t know, but it’s the only explanation.”“I mean, a mutiny on that scale would be insane, but there is no way they were all murdered. We would have heard something.”“Could they have just been captured?” Claren asked.“Theoretically,” Kiran responded. “And I’m sure that shithead ‘Captain’ Landun was at the forefront of it.”“I knew that bastard was suspicious.”“He got on my nerves, and I only talked to him for a few minutes. I totally believe that he would throw something like this for a few bucks. But the rest of those guards, I’m not sure. I knew some of them; I’ve trained with them. They were good souls.”“Either way, we can’t trust them,” Tim said as they got closer to the door. The entire scene outside was still barren. “Before we go out, we should throw something and see if it’s safe. Maybe they trapped it.”“Oh, good idea,” Claren said excitedly.“Come on, this is not my first rodeo. Let’s see, what should I use?” Kiran looked around her body, trying to find a small, detachable item.While that was happening, Tim saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was matte, unsuspecting. It had a peculiar look, a reddish glow. And it sat right outside the museum, pointing directly at them. “Claren, do you see that?” Tim pointed out the window to the small buried device.“Yeah, Tim, I do.”“I think it's a camera.”“A camera, where?” Kiran said urgently, stopping her search.“Riiiightttt there,” Tim said in a drawn-out way, comically dramatizing its importance.But Kiran showed no smile; instead, a look of concern hit her face. “We can’t get out this way. That’s no camera, it's a sensor. A sensor that, once we get too close to it, will freaking explode us into smithereens.”“Oh,” Tim said quietly.“So we should not take this way?” Claren commented.“No, we most definitely should NOT.” The three of them backed away slowly.“Is there another way to get out of here? How far is The Grandiant from here?”“Let me think. So, not to confuse you two, but ships dock under the cities. All asteroids with major settlements are split in half, the top part having the living area, the bottom part dedicated to docking, trade transports, and more.”“Kiran, slow down. That’s all well and good, but how does that help us? There are a dozen layers between us and that, so who cares?”“Well, you should let me finish. This is a central building of the Vesta, right, and I know that they constantly have new artifacts being shipped in all the time. And, if they have enough shipments, they may have a direct connection between the two halves.”“Wait a minute, are you saying there may be an elevator around here that could bring us down there, just like the one we used at the ship to get here?” Claren asked.“Possibly, though if I can deduct that, then anyone could. But, and this is a huge but, there’s a slight chance they forgot. We are more likely to die going out this door than trying to find a stairway to the underworld.”“Hey, I’m willing to take that chance. Claren and I have played with luck so many times; what’s one more time going to do?”“Even if we die here, we at least got the chance to live a new one. The people of Earth never got that. My mom never got that. My dad didn’t. My boyfriend didn’t. We’ve made it further than I could’ve thought, and I hope they’re proud of that.”“Claren,” Tim said emotionally, “that’s what I need to hear right now. That’s what I was telling you on the ship. They all loved you, and I know you loved them, and I am sorry that our dumb mission took you away from them. I’m sorry that the idiotic race between the nations pulled you from them. But I am glad that it brought you to me. We have been through so much in so little time, but there’s no one else I would have done it with.” He began to shed a tear, peering deeply into his partner's eyes.Kiran stood by proudly, smiling at the blossoming friendship.“Thank you, Tim. Thank you.” His eyes also began to water. “There has just been so much damn pain and not enough space to get it sorted out. Shit is constantly thrown at us, at our happiness, thwarting whatever sense of normalcy in our lives. But as you said, I am happy to go through it with you. You’re here to balance me out, to smarten me up, but also here to help me get up when I fall.”“Well, buddy, for all that wisdom, I get back pains in return,” Tim said, laughing.“Whatever it is, it’s working,” Claren responded. “I think the closure starting to happen, Tim. It’s starting to come, I can feel it already. The once warm blanket that wrapped me is coming back, slowly.”“I told you it would. Now, we need to get going, right Kiran? I’m sure you no longer need to see this sob story.”Kiran looked up at Tim, showing visible tears on her face as well. “Ah, yeah, sure, let’s get going,” she said, wiping them off.“I didn’t think we were being that dramatic. We should be actors, Claren!” Tim said, holding back some of his emotions.“It was quite the show,” Kiran responded with sniffles. “Now, follow me.”Yet again, the men trailed Kiran, quickly coming across a small tablet device that, with a few clicks of a button, showed a blueprint of the building.“We’re here and… yes, okay, there, and… ah, yes, here we go!” Kiran exclaimed. “It says that if we just go down this hallway, there will be a door. Behind that door is a maintenance room where they store and repair certain display pieces. BUT, if we keep going in the room, we should get to a large staircase that will lead to an elevator. That elevator apparently leads directly to a ship in the docking area.”“Great, that sounds easy enough,” Tim said.“Though there’s one thing: we need a passcode for the elevator to work.”“A passcode? How would we get that?”“There are many ways, many devices that can do it. But we don’t have any one hand right now, not unless you two have anything up your sleeve?”“I don’t think so.”“Not surprised. If only I had that damn thing I used on the vault!”“What thing,” Claren questioned.“When I first encountered Quinten during the war, I used a device that allowed me to crack the code to open his bunker. Though I don’t have anything close to that here.”“Do you think we could just bust it open?” Tim suggested. “I mean, that steel blade of yours can do a lot more than look pretty.”“That elevator uses the hardest lock system in The Belt. My sword will break before the door even gets a dent.”“Maybe we’ll find something on the way. That’s simple enough,” Tim said back.“I like simple!” Claren responded.“Good enough.”Quickly they made their way toward the maintenance room, safely getting away from the dangerous entrance of the museum. From there, they kicked down its door with ease, entering cautiously. The area matched much of the looks of the rest of the building, only having one key distinction: the organization. Instead of the clean and pristine it bore outside of it, the room was scattered with dozens of pieces, technology old and new sitting around on tables. Things were unfinished, abandoned for their arrival that morning.“Well, this place needs some spring cleaning,” Claren quipped.“That’s to put it lightly,” Tim commented.“This is a good thing, though. Look around and see if you can find anything labeled DECODER. We may get lucky with all this junk. An older model may be here for display.”“What would it look like?”“Usually, they have a small screen on them and a wire that you hook up to the device you are trying to open. Something like that.”“Very detailed,” Tim said sarcastically.“Sorry, did you want a full 3D scan of one?”Tim stayed quiet, not responding.“Exactly,” she added with a light giggle. “Let’s get to work.”The men instantly started looking around, scavenging the gray table for any signs of one. Kiran did the same, scoping out for the familiar device, looking for as long as they could.But on the opposite end of the room, the large slope down toward the elevator stood, existing precisely where the blueprints said it would be. Only one thing stood out, imperfectly matching their preconceptions: the size of the elevator. Instead of a large shaft leading down to the docks, it was a small transport, specially designed for item movement, not men. The trio of Trimdin’s friends continued to look for their needed device, not noticing the trouble they were soon to encounter.“Have you found anything?” Kiran yelled to Tim, who was inspecting a small gadget.“Nothing yet!” he responded. “I saw a small dagger, that’s about it.”“What about you, Claren?”“I found something with a screen, but no wires or anything.”“Damn it!” Kiran shouted. “Maybe we should just go to the sword thing,” she said in a small fit of rage. Kiran quickly rushed to the staircase, went down it, and uncovered the elevator. “Oh, that’s not good.”“What is it?” Claren yelled from the top.“Can one of you come down? I’ll need to do a bit of a size comparison.”“A size comparison?”“Yeah, just get down here,” she commanded.Tim rushed toward Kiran, leaving Claren alone in his search. “What is i… WHOA! Is that the elevator?”“I have a feeling this won’t be big enough for us,” Kiran said, looking at it. The lift was skinny and short, barely able to fit the much smaller Kiran. “This thing was clearly designed for item transport, not human.”“I guess so. We could go one by one if we really squish in. Or maybe it’s big on the inside and just small out here?”“Squishing might be possible, but who knows how big the shaft is?”“What the hell are you two talking about down there? I’m a bit concerned based off of the words ‘size comparison’ and ‘shaft.’” Claren jokingly yelled down the stairwell.“Come on man!” Tim shouted back. “No need. Just focus on finding the decoder.”“Well, next time you should stop making good joke setups!”“It’s not a good joke. It’s juvenile.”“I don’t get it,” Kiran said to Tim. “What does he mean?”“Nothing. Claren’s just being a smartass.”“A smartass? If he keeps distracting us, I’ll kick his ass,” Kiran quipped.“You hear that, Claren?”There was no response.“He heard you,” Tim told Kiran.“I sure hope he did. Now, back to the task. The only risk with going one at a time is that they could ambush us,” Kiran added. “I must go first with my blade, ready to fight.”“Fine, but what if you get captured or killed? Then we are defenseless.”“Did you see any functional weapons out there? A knife or something?”“A knife…” Tim thought to himself. “I looked at quite a few things, but a knife….”“Wait, didn’t you just say you saw a small dagger? Where was it?”“You’re right! I totally forgot. It was in the corner of the room, first shelf. It said something along the lines of being ‘the blade that killed Queen Calidon.’”“I wonder why that would be here, in the science museum?” Kiran responded.“My suit told me that it’s made of ‘foreign metals,’ so they were inspecting its origins.”“Wait, Queen Calidon? The Queen? That dagger?”“What are you talking about?”“Do you not remember how it looked? The dagger. That’s the dagger, Tim. It’s the one you gave to Trimdin, the one he killed The Queen with!”“Wait. Queen Calidon? That was her?”“I really need to brush you up on our history.”“Clearly,” Tim said back.“Anyway, go up there and get that dagger. And maybe get Claren while you’re at it.”“I wonder if he’s found anything…” Tim said. And at that same moment, just like many before, they heard a cheer.“I found it, I Goddamn found it,” he yelled.“I’ve got to stop with the coincidences,” Tim commented.“What?” Kiran asked.“Just talking to myself.”With haste, the two ran back up to Claren, who was proudly holding a device in the air.“Tim, Kiran, I think I found it. I did some light digging and found a file on code tech. Then, it said there was going to be an exhibit on it, so I searched for what they were going to put on, and I found it. The Fifth Generation Royal Decoder!” he said.“Good job, man!” Tim came over to Claren and hugged him kindly. “Good job.”“Claren, we have something to tell you, though.”“What is that?”“You see, the elevator has a bit of an issue.”“An issue?” Claren asked, worried.“The size of the elevator is, well, problematic,” Kiran said, trying to be subtle.“It’s too small,” Tim blurted out. “We can barely fit through the doorway, Claren. It will be a tight fit, and we have no idea how large the thing is inside.”“That doesn’t shock me,” Claren said. “An elevator made to transport items will likely be the size of an elevator for those items.”“Great,” Kiran responded, “but that does not solve our problem.”“We’re used to small and confined spaces, Kiran,” Claren stated. “That’s what exploration is all about, right Tim.”“Unfortunately, I’ve gotten paid more than once to risk my safety and live in a cramped space station for months at a time. We can likely squeeze in.”“Well, then grab the dagger and go! We have no time to waste.”“Wait, dagger?” Claren asked.“I’ll explain later,” Tim said back, rushing over to the knife in question. Its shining exterior and prominent tip displayed itself beautifully, reminding Tim of the adventure to get the parts. He then walked by Claren, marching downward with Kiran.“Is that what I think it is?” Claren commented as they moved.“Yes, it is. You made a defibrillator out of it… somehow.”“I still have no freaking idea how that worked,” he said, following them diligently."Again, fate. We have had some extreme luck,” Tim mentioned nearing the elevator, the decoder in Claren’s hand.“If we’re lucky enough, this will all work,” Kiran added.“It should. It has to.”“It will,” Claren said, placing the gadget next to the number panel. Kiran detached it from the wall, keeping the digits illuminated and functional while exposing a wire. Then, the two parts of the puzzle were connected, their decoder starting its calculations.“How long do these things take?” Tim asked.“Claren, you said it was Gen. Five, right?”“Yes.”“Then it will take about two minutes. The ones we have today are super quick, but single-use. These things, I am not as sure about, but I do know that they last a lot longer.”“That comes at the cost of speed, I’m assuming?” Claren said.“Sadly.”“Well, we’re burning good time by talking. We should come up with a plan for this damn thing. What do we do when we get down there?”“I’ll go first and wait, scoping out the area. Then you, Tim, with the dagger ready. And finally, Claren. If you can find a pipe or something, use that. As long as it causes pain.”“Fair enough, I ain’t a good fighter anyway.”“Good. And when it comes to the location of The Grandiant, it is fairly close by. If I remember correctly, it was parked in docking station C, close to the center of Vesta. We are in the eastern part.” “How do you know all of this,” Claren naively asked.“Hey, Claren. When you get this far into the story, you don’t ask questions. I made that mistake with Trimdin. Trust me, she knows what she is talking about.”“Yes, thank you, Tim. My entire job is to know everything to keep you safe. I inspected it all. I know it all.”“Sorry I ever doubted you,” Claren responded mischievously.“Once we all make it down there safely, we have to make it to the ship. Then, just like the elevator, I’ll board first and clear it. Who knows what still lingers on it?”“What if we flew something more unsuspecting? Maybe one closer?” Tim asked.“You mean, like steal a ship?” Claren added.“I don’t know. We’ll see. That would probably be the smartest move, but The Grandiant is Royal property. It was not cheap to make.”“Safety is more important. I can fly anything you throw at me, minus a few translations, maybe.”“Okay then, we’ll find the closest ship. No matter what, we need to be stealthy. Are you ready?” Kiran asked.“Yes, we are,” Tim answered for them both.“Perfect, because I think the decoder is too.” Right then, it made a beep sound. “Claren, here’s the code.”Claren fitted the number panel back on a bit more snugly, inputting the display of digits on the screen. “5172017,” he typed, a small chime following. And then, like magic, the elevator door opened, unveiling its size.“That’s a bit bigger than expected,” Kiran mentioned, “but the plan still follows.“Yes, ma'am.”And with that, Kiran fit herself into the box, her armor rubbing against the sides. She held her sword with two hands in front of her, prepared to fight the minute she got there.Tim and Claren remained, waiting for it to return and talking about their next step.“All of these pains and plans are getting tiring,” Claren cried to Tim.“We’re almost back to the safety of Trimdin. I still don’t get why he would send us all the way here if there was even the slightest chance of danger. It just seems silly.”“As Kiran said, Vesta is seen as pretty safe. It’s probably a Royal anchor on this side of The Belt. I mean, we traveled to the other end of this ring of rocks. That’s no short distance.”“Yeah, but to me, that makes it even weirder. You realize it has only been a day and a half since we were in orbit around Earth. A DAY AND A HALF. Forty-eight hours ago, we were in our sleeping bags, thinking the end was near. The craziness has been non-stop since. Now all I want is a damn nap. A damn break.”“I think Trimdin can do that. If anything, he can do that.” Claren said somberly.“Good,” Tim said, followed by an unexpected chime. The elevator door had opened, now inviting his presence. “It’s my time to go!” he quipped.“Be safe, Tim,” Claren responded, watching his commanding officer enter the small space. He had to crouch down, his ClearSuit condensed against the white sides of the wall.“Adiós!” Tim yelled as the gate closed, shooting him down toward the bay area.“And then there was one,” Claren said, feeling the room's emptiness. “I guess I’ll go find that pipe.”Claren began to walk away from the elevator, heading toward the maintenance room. He looked around at the scattered mess, searching for something long, something metal. Every corner was searched, all in the hopes he would find something.As he skimmed, minutes went by, seemingly without sign of the elevator’s return."What the hell is going on? Tim should have sent it back up by now, right?” Claren questioned aloud. “And is there anything here I can use as a damn weapon!”He soon found himself near the same place the dagger was once held, reading the sign attached. “I’ve got to say, their language really is similar to ours.”Claren kept examining the room, looking at dozens of gadgets and gizmos, all totally useless to him. That was, until he saw a short stick on the ground under one of the tables.“What’s this?” He ducked down, reaching over to the rod. “Is… Is this a baton?” Claren got closer. “Quite a shiny one at that!” The baton was silver plated, with a stubbed point at each end. “That’s the best I’ll get!”Claren got up from the ground, now heading directly toward the elevator. It continued to look as unsuspecting as before, like nothing had changed. And this belief remained, as the all-important chime came through, indicating that the cab had arrived.“Finally,” he exclaimed, excited to enter.The space was tight, so he ducked his head and stuck the stick in front of him. Buttons sat inside, with one at the bottom having a clear picture of a ship. He pressed it, the elevator door slowly closing afterward.“How the hell did Tim fit in this thing!” Claren shouted.The elevator started to move downward toward the docking station. Everything was seemingly normal. Claren could feel the gravity pulling him down slowly, a light-up graphic indicating his descent.“I can’t wait for this adventure to stop. Every second I’m blindsided by a new event, suffocated by danger. Where does it end?” he complained to himself.Eventually, the elevator came to a roaring halt, Claren sensing the solid structure of rock below him. “Finally,” he stated.The shaded slammers slid open, revealing the requested region within Vesta. A wide space sat before him, inviting the crushed Claren in. He quickly walked out, waiting to watch the whimsical ways of the docking stations. But they never came.Tim and Kiran were nowhere to be found; everything was empty. All ships had left, leaving Claren stranded.“Hello!” Claren screamed, confused, his voice echoing in the large chambers. “Where are you guys? Tim? Kiran?” He got his baton ready, gripping it with two hands and lifting it vertically in front of his chest.“Where the hell is everybody?” Claren started to get nervous, sweat collecting around his forehead. Swiftly, he looked around his periphery, swinging his stick senselessly.“Something’s wrong, very wrong,” he voiced, still standing mere feet away from the now-closed elevator door.“Oh, dear Claren. Something is definitely wrong,” a voice said behind him. Suddenly, Claren's head was covered with a sack, a string tightened around his neck as he dropped his baton, suffocated by danger.Chapter 7 - Pains & Plans
Chapter 8 - The King of Gods
“Your majesty! Your majesty!” an aide screamed through Trimdin’s bedroom door.The King secured himself in the castle, refusing to let anyone see him, sitting at his desk and contemplating his decisions.“Your majesty! It’s urgent.”“Get away!” he growled, trying to thwart their efforts. “I am not leaving this room until Tim, Claren, and Kiran come back and The Capital is secured. Something’s going on, something very wrong, and I can’t trust any of you.”“Sir, their lives are not nearly as important as yours. An assassination attempt on the King of The Asteroid Belt should not be taken lightly. We need swift action against them, crushing these outstanding rebels.”“Is there any news from Vesta yet?” Trimdin quickly asked.“Every attempt to contact Captain Landun and his crew have gone nowhere, sir. Vesta is silent, too. There’s been no activity of travel around it; everything is eerily still.”“Have the autonomous drones made it?”“No. They were shot down as they approached.”“How do I know you are telling the truth?” The King asked."Until you walk out of that room, you’ll just have to trust me.”“Fine!” he said in return. “Did the shooter get arrested?”“They’re in Royal custody as we speak.”“I really thought Quinten’s death would be the end of the mayhem. But it’s no surprise some of those imbeciles would want to rise again. It’s in their nature.”“Your majesty, you have done everything you can to stop them, but some need to learn the lesson themselves. You can’t expect everyone to be taught by your mistakes. They will all see in time that you are correct, but they need to do it on their own, just as you did.”“I don’t think anyone can ever repeat it the same way I did. One too many factors played into that one,” King Trimdin joked.“Of course, sir, but what I said is still true. You are fortunate to have learned these lessons, fortunate that millions are willing to listen to them, but you can’t take that for granted. These stragglers are looking for the validation they need; for the validation their pain brings them, and they won’t stop until they find it. Or, at least what they think it is.”“When did you become so wise?” Trimdin questioned his hidden aide.“I picked up a few things from your brother, to say the least.”“Do you think he would be proud of what I have done so far?”“Oh, my king, he’d be more than proud. You’ve caused more disruption than he did in five years. He was no light ruler; so much changed the second he came into power, but you have easily beat him with your accomplishments.”“Would he be proud of me?”“I think so. Lessons have been learned, evil has been swayed, war has been ended; that seems to fit the criteria well.”“And there’s just so much more. This place, our home, deserves so much more than stingy mineral families and corrupt rulers. It needs more than what my measly ideas can bring it. The subjects have earned their right to rule themselves.”“Your majesty, what you said today was revolutionary,” they said, still talking through the door. “Those few words will forever change the way The Belt works, and I think support is much better than what you saw in that crowd. It was just the right thing at the wrong time.”“Democracy is our future. I am not. That IS what my brother wanted.”“Well, if anyone can do this, it is you, sir.”“No, my brother was the mastermind of it all. He was a kind ruler, he cared for his subjects, and all I’ve done is continue that. The only difference is that I am here to see it out,” Trimdin began to shed a tear.They could hear his muffled weeping through the panel. “You are not the only one; you are not alone. I’m here, and so many others across The Belt are here, waiting for you to finish what he started all that time ago. Never mind that Tim and Claren, two HUMANS, are an audience to it as well. More beings than ever want to help you continue his legacy, and I know that he is watching you in Eden with a smile grazing his face.”“Thank you. I doubt most Royal leaders talk to their subordinates like this. You know, talking about feelings and stuff through a door like a teenager.”“This is a first for me, sir, but I enjoy it. These are the words of someone who was thrust into kingship without time to train, prepare, or really understand what they were getting into. But they love it all the same, being more diehard and committed than any experienced ruler would be. That’s what makes them special; that’s what makes you special.”“You could be a therapist. The way you say things is strangely comforting.”“I wish I went to school for that instead of public communications,” they responded.“Me too,” The King laughed. “Those Goddamn degrees mean nothing these days! Anyway, have you heard anything yet about, you know, the actual situation at hand?”“No, your majesty, but do you really think they will tell me? I’m too low ranking; they’d rather send someone here to barge down your door and tell you.”"Probably,” Trimdin said back humorously. “They won’t even want to talk to me, though. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them mutiny after all this.”“Sir, they won’t do that. It’s just a few rotten apples, nothing more.”“Everyone says that, yet it continues happening. How many ‘rotten apples’ are there? And what about the apples that are rotten on the inside but bright and beautiful on the outside? The ones we pick up and eat, trusting them based on appearance, but soon learn that they’re rotten to the core? What about them?”“The illusion of something can be much stronger than the real thing.”“I had an illusion of power, of revenge, of self-worth, but learned that it was nothing but hate. Quinten had real power, real revenge, real self-worth, but was poisoned by his ego. My illusion won, but just by a hair.”“Is that the lesson, your majesty? That an illusion is better than the real thing?”“No, we should not seek these things in the first place, real or not, and recognize that both are a dangerous path to follow, extreme unpredictability plaguing it.”“Ah, I see. Your brother’s smarts are starting to shine through,” they laughed.“He was smarter than I’ll ever be. He was a good negotiator, as well.”“Quinten was pretty good, too. That day he came to the palace and called for war still stuns me. He was the master of trickery, of convincing others to follow him. He made a living off of it. That and his strategizing.”“Yeah, he always knew when it was the right time to do something. He was timely with everything. That’s the only way he could one-up me.” King Trimdin fell quiet. “It was his worst trick.” He began thinking back to the war, glimpses of the bloodshed flashing through. It was so vivid, so clear, feeling like it had just happened again.“Your majesty?” the aide questioned after a few moments passed.“Just give me a moment.” The King got up from his chair, slammed it in, and started to walk around anxiously.“Is it all coming back again? The images?”“Just give me a second.”“Sir, just lay down and think happy thoughts. It’s okay. You're okay.”“How could I ever let that happen!” he screamed to himself. “The damn trickery!”“Sir!”“All those families I let down, all the subjects I got killed, just for vengeance!” King Trimdin continued to stand, now throwing his hands violently in the air.“Sir, do I need to come in there? You need to calm down. Everything is okay.”“It will never be okay. How could it be? You can’t call the slaughtering of hundreds a mistake, can you?”“It was. That’s all it was. You have done everything, have taken away the Devil that did it, have made a memorial and retributed them. Now you must learn to live with that. But that pain, those losses, have brought freedom and justice to all in The Belt. That is something truly wonderful.”“How can it ever be right if so many had to fall to make it happen?”“All good things come from somewhere bad. There can never be happiness without pain first. Once you hit rock bottom, it is only up from there.”“But that doesn’t mean it should have happened.” He was starting to calm down, the extreme emotions settling.“No, it doesn’t,” the assistant said somberly, “but that doesn’t mean that you have failed, that you have caused a negative overall.”The King began to feel better, walking back to his desk and loudly dragging his chair back out, sitting down with a notepad and communicator in front of him.“Good! Thank you for listening. I guess I really should be a therapist.”Trimdin lightly giggled at the joke, transitioning to a calmer state. “You really should,” he said to them. “You really, really should.”“Without everything you’ve done, that wouldn’t be possible. Without the things you have brought to The Belt, the changes you have made, I would have never even made it out of the mines. You did that, sir.”“It was not me. I was just the one watching over it all.”“Even still, it’s because of your leadership. Between your might, your kindness, and your care, you are single-handedly changing Beltian's lives.”“If you want me to write a letter of recommendation to a university, I’ll do it. You NEED to be a therapist at this point!”“If you make it free, I’ll do it. Add it to your welfare budget or something.”“It’s the job you are clearly destined for. Get me the papers!” he quipped.“That’s the King Trimdin I like to hear! I hope it lasts,” they said.“I kind of hope so, too.” But it didn’t.The next second, The King’s communicator started to ring. He picked it up, suddenly seeing the caller's name: Kiran.“What the hell?” he said, confused.“What is it?” they yelled back.“I’m getting a call… from Kiran? Why would she call me? I told them to go quiet.”“Maybe they’re here? Maybe they have arrived back safely?”“Well, is anyone here to kick down my door?”“No.”“Then something’s wrong.”“Can I come in, then?” the aide asked as the ringing occurred in the room.“Why not at this point?” He got up, walked to the door, and promptly unlocked it, letting his underling in.“Thank you,” they said while closing it. “Now answer the Goddamn thing!”“Wow, you’re showing such kindness to your employer. Maybe I’ll change my mind on the free college thing.”“Answer it.”“Okay!” he responded, pressing the proper button and starting the call. “Why the hell are you calling me, Kiran?”“Oh, dear Trimdin, did you really think it was your damsel soldier? Do you think those men were going to make it off Vesta easy? Don’t be so ridiculous. We’ve got them; we’ve captured them. And that legion of guards you sent? Killed, every single one, including that frivolous Captain Landun. Damn traitor.”"Who are you?” Trimdin screamed into the phone. “You know who we are. From the ashes of Quinten, we have risen. The Children of Quinten are coming, your majesty, and we’re starting with your measly friends. You think you’re The King of Gods, The King that saved us from tyranny. But all you’ve brought is pain.”“Where are Tim, Claren, and Kiran? What have you done with them?”“The same thing The Queen did to you all that time ago. Start with the verbal torture, but then get to the real physical stuff.” In the background of the call, they could start to hear faint screams, quickly noticing whose they were.“I’ll send an entire army to your doorstep! This is an act of war. You are killing Royal subjects of the highest caliber. You don’t dare want to be met by that.”“As far as we’re aware, two aren’t even Belitan. They’re not even citizens.”“We should have done those citizenship tests sooner,” Trimdin said to his aide.“You should have. But instead, you sent them to the science hub of The Belt, thinking they would be safe, didn’t you?” one of the Children taunted.“Tim, Claren, and Kiran, if you can hear me, I am coming for you!”“They can’t hear you. We’ll have them bleeding from their ears soon, anyway. You can pick up their ashes when we’re done with them!”“You bastards. What the hell? I mean seriously, what the actual hell? I’m doing everything I can to make this place better, and all you want to do is poison it. Who is gaining from your brutal beliefs besides yourselves? If you want revenge, fine, but don’t subject others to your pain. All that I can tell you is that it will never satisfy you, it will NEVER lead to the happiness you think it will bring.”“But oh yes, it will,” everyone on the other end said in unison.“Such a Goddamn cult,” the aide whispered to Trimdin.“I am going to send every ship, every soldier, every weapon, every bomb, everything to your location. You will be crushed. There is no in-between.”“Then we will just kill them a bit faster. Get your knives out, boys. These lambs are about to go to the slaughter,” they commanded, it being picked up by their communicator.“Wait, how can we solve this more diplomatically? There’s no need for any knives.”“Surrender. Surrender your government, your subjects, your life, to us. That’s it. Do you find that a worthy trade?”“The lives of millions for three?”“Would you not say that they are worth it? I mean, two of them are Gods, right? Does that not increase their value tenfold?”"It does. But you can’t—”“Yes, we can,” they cut him off. “It’s an easy trade, dear Trimdin.”“God, you even talk like him. How does it feel to love that psychopath so much, to follow that unsensible villain?”“Sensibility went out the window the second you became king. Your brother was handled quickly, but you are much harder to exterminate. You’re a cockroach of his ideology, never quite dying no matter how many times we try to stomp it out.” “Tell me about it,” The King said under his breath. “Oh, stop it. If there was one thing our Master was good at, it was keeping things concise with you. I swear, all you Royalists are pure chatterboxes. We eventually gagged your little friends because they wouldn’t shut up,” they cackled over the call.“You’ll see why when we come to destroy you. I have learned from the past, understand your deception, and am more ready than ever to beat your furious asses.”“See you then,” they said elusively, promptly ending the call.Shivers were sent along King Trimdin and his aide’s spines; fear of what would come clogged their psyche. Tim, Claren, and Kiran were in real trouble, and The King of Gods was not prepared to handle it.Chapter 8 - The King of Gods
Chapter 9 - Humanity
King Trimdin rushed out of his room, his aide closely following. He stormed toward the command center, toward his advisors, seeking the help he needed to save his friends.Quickly they barged in, many of them staring at the distraught Trimdin.“I just got a call from someone. They’ve named themselves the Children of Quinten.”“Your majesty,” they all said in unison, kneeling.“Oh, stop the formalities. Can you trace the location of Tim, Claren, and Kiran?”“Yes, sir,” one said in the corner, “do you want the locations of their ClearSuits?”“YEAH.”“Give me a second, sir.” They hastily input something into their computer nearby, linking to the suits and locating them. “I’ve got it!”“Where are they?” Trimdin shouted.“It looks here that they are still on Vesta, deep in its core. They haven’t gone far.”“Good. So what the hell do we do now?”“Well, my king,” a general commented, “what did these ‘Children of Quinten’ say?”The King’s aide suddenly stepped into the conversation. “They murdered the entire legion sent to protect them and are actively torturing the men and their officer.”“They aren’t joking around, then?” the general said back.“No, they’re not,” Trimdin responded. “Those assholes just added thirty new graves to the memorial!”"Did they make any offers? Negotiations?”“Yes… my surrender… and the entire government.”“Sounds like Quinten, all right,” a soldier in the room added.“It sure does,” King Trimdin said, “and they have us in a similar conundrum, too. If we try to attack and they detect it, they will just kill Tim, Claren, and Kiran faster. If we do nothing, they will still die. AND, even if I did surrender, they would probably kill them anyway. How do you get out of that?”“You don’t,” the general said. “You just don’t.”“What do you mean?”“Is sacrificing The Belt worth it for their lives, sir? At the end of the day, two of them are humans who have no home here.”“How dare you!”“Your majesty, I am just stating the truth. You’re the one who almost lost a war because you let your revenge, your personal hate for Quinten, blind you. You’re the one who sat in his bedroom and refused to consult others like an adult! Don’t let your personal love for them, your emotions, hurt The Belt again.”“They are entirely different from Quinten and me. That bastard is why my brother died, the reason this kingdom went under. But Tim and Claren, they are going to be the reason it rises again. How is it bad that I want to save them?” Trimdin shouted back.“Sir, calm down,” his assistant said. “We’ll figure this out.”“Yes, we will. We need to do something.”“We can’t. Your personal feelings can’t get in the way of ruling, sir. We should ask the subjects what they want instead of doing everything behind closed doors? Let’s see if they truly care for these men, for dear Kiran?”“They do. They have to. Without them, I would have never killed The Queen. They are the last of humanity, the last of their kind, and I would not be here without them!”“You talked of democracy, so let’s get it started. Get on a broadcast, tell Beltians what is happening, and let them vote; let them choose what THEY want. This is their home, this is their Belt, and they have the right to make the decision of whether or not we should go after these ‘Children.’” The general looked straight at The King, fully challenging him.“I do want democracy, I think we need it. But is this really the time to implement it when so much evil is lingering?” he laughed nervously.“What time would be better?”Trimdin stood perplexed.“When?” they said again.“I don’t know. Later? When my friends aren’t in crisis.”“Whether or not they are friends doesn’t matter,” they responded. “The lives of Beltians, of your subjects, are most important.”“What the hell do you want me to do? The choice is impossible.”“Leave it to the citizens,” they commanded. “What time is better?”The King was dumbfounded, staggered by the words of his advisor.“Now…” he said in return.“Good. Now is the time.”“Get me the public relations department and the head of the Royal Beltonian Broadcasting System,” The King ordered. “I’m going to prove they care!”~~Deep within Vesta, Tim, Claren, and Kiran stood, tied to poles. They lay bare, gagged by large strips of cloth, dyed by the blood running down their faces.“Oh my, The King is one idiot,” one of the Children said. “Such a Goddamn idiot.” The call had already ended, the three adventures desperately crying for help.“As for you three, we expected better. You’ve been labeled ‘Gods,’ but you’re more mortal than that bastard.”Surrounded by gray stone and large knives, the room they were contained in was nothing short of horrifying for the two men and Kiran to see.“Now, I’m sure you're wondering a million things, right? Like ‘where did you come from’ or ‘why are we here?’ Well, you already know. Especially you, Kiran Samdin. If anyone does, you do. But I doubt your cargo has any idea what is happening. Do they?”Kiran, tied slightly lower than the humans next to her, violently shook in anger.“Trimdin gives you too much credit. ‘Ending the war.’ Really? You did jackshit until you pulled that gadget out and decoded the vault. Yeah, I was there, and damn did I enjoy mowing down the Blue battalion. Sad you weren’t one of them!” they laughed hysterically.They then switched their attention to the men. “And you two are terrible representatives of humanity. Your species was nowhere near ours, but you had some potential. Too bad you’re all that’s left!”The men, blood covering their suits, started to have tears visibly fall down their faces.“Was it nuclear weapons that ended it all? Something along those lines?”They twisted and turned similarly to Kiran.“Ah, it was! Well then, how about we give you some options? When we kill you, how does burning alive sound?”“Oh, yes, good idea, Master,” someone said in the corner of the room.“I’d say so. How about you guys?” The alien looked directly at them, their large, beady eyes pointed toward them. “Numbers 36, 42, and 90, take these bastards down! Let’s do it Earth’s way: in a ball of fire!”Three soldiers got up and marched toward Tim, Claren, and Kiran, knives in hand. Together, their limbs loosened from the stakes behind them, handcuffs being quickly placed around their wrists.“Good! Now, how should we do this? I think a broadcast would be nice!”“A broadcast? Now you’re talking my language,” Number 90 said, who was tightly holding onto Kiran.“I’m sure I am, dear Child. The Master always wanted to do a Belt-wide execution,” they said eagerly. “Lord, we will honor your wishes. Your children are here to continue your legacy, your greatness, and we will murder the weak friends of King Trimdin to prove it!”Every soldier stared in solidarity with the towering creature, quickly kneeling.“Tim, Claren, and of course, Kiran,” they said slyly, “you are getting the best present you could: the chance to go to hell!”With that, the lead alien walked toward a doorway in the torturous lair. Promptly, the three of them followed, pushed by their respective guards. They were driven through a dark, blackened hall, small lamps seldom lighting the entire passage. Quickly, their destination was revealed: a large auditorium with hundreds of figures in the audience.“I’m sure you didn’t expect this!” The ‘Master’ said to them. “We didn’t have long to set things up, so this is the best we’ve got.”Tim, Claren, and Kiran stood amazed, shocked by the sheer number of beings suddenly standing and cheering with their arrival. The floor below them was solid stone, the same as the walls behind the large stakes they were set to burn on.“These are the Children of Quinten, my dear friends. Every single one of them is here to watch you DIE. They are here to revel in your pain!” they shouted toward the crowd, one that rallied in response.Kiran started to show fear in her eyes as they enlarged. She began twisting and turning yet again, but to no avail. The soldier holding her still eventually whacked her on the back with their baton, though to the disapproval of their leader.“Hey, no need for the extra abuse. Save that for the show!”“I’m sorry, sir. Kiran here was just acting a bit out of order.”“Oh, I’m sure she was. She’s the rebellious type, to say the least.”This angered Kiran even further.“She's barely 'rebellious,'” Number 90 said. “She’s barely got enough strength to hold a gun!”“Fuuuu you! Fuuu you!” she tried to scream."What’s that? We hurting your ego? Offending you, maybe? Too bad! We only needed the men; your arrival was a gift from Quinten himself!”Kiran wiggled her arms around in the handcuffs, maddened by the comments.Tim and Claren stood still, petrified by the pure evil on display.“That’s enough time-wasting. Get their asses on the stakes!” they commanded.Seconds later, the three prisoners were brought over to towering poles. They were perfectly centered on the ‘stage,’ a large pile of fuel sitting beside each one. One by one, they were attached to the new set of stakes, forced to gaze at the riled audience.Before they were raised, the chief of the Children added one order: “Remove the gags. They want to hear them scream!”Suddenly, the already rambunctious crowd got even wilder, as Tim, Claren, and Kiran’s masks were removed, their bloodied faces finally having a large weight removed.“You motherf—”“Hey!” Tim interrupted Claren.“Ha, ha, ha, I see that you’re quite excited!” they taunted.“We’re quite excited to beat your Goddamn asses!” Kiran shouted.“How do you think you’re doing that? We took your swords, knives, and… batons? You’ve got nothing,” they said, holding the items out in front of them.“You heard King Trimdin. He knows what you're doing, he knows where we are, and he is going to save us! He has to.”“Kiran, you know more than anyone that Trimdin won’t come. Or, at least, his advisor won’t let him come. He acts out of emotion, not strategy, and that’ll be his downfall.”“That emotion is why he is such a good ruler!” Claren screamed down toward the Children. “The Queen was an evil, heartless bitch, and from what we’ve heard, your ‘leader’ was quite the same!”Gasps arose from the room in front of the men and their companion. The Master looked up at Claren, smiling greatly.“Oh, you’ve just said something you will regret!” they said playfully.“I don’t regret a damn thing.”“Claren, stop it!” Tim screamed.“How about we set you aflame first, Claren? How would you like that?”“I’ve already been to hell and back!” Claren exclaimed.“You’re not helping,” Kiran said softly.“The angrier he is, the better the screams feel as his blood begins to boil and his skin slowly peels off.”“You ‘Children of Quinten’ are a bunch of sickos!” Tim shouted.“How exactly are we the sick ones? How exactly are we doing anything worse than what your wimpy king has done? Then what his brother did? Then what you’ve done?”“Trimdin and Nardyn saved The Belt from war and tyranny. In what way does that compare to you?” Kiran asked.“Saved? SAVED? What good have they brought? Nardyn let the Kuipernians get away with mass murder, axed millions of jobs in the mining industry, and forced us into free labor, promised pay through government-funded ‘support plans.’ But no one saw a cent of that!”“It was not free labor, it was just higher taxes to pay for welfare, you selfish bastards. He wanted to pull thousands across The Belt out of poverty, out of real forced labor, and he succeeded,” Kiran responded viciously. “Nardyn stopped the war machine, ceased the malicious monopoly of the mineral families, and helped all Beltians, not just the rich!”“Wait a Goddamn second,” Tim suddenly stated, “is this seriously a fight between capitalism and socialism?”“What are those?” one of the Children asked.“Yeah, what are you talking about?” Kiran questioned.“It may be different here, but you are literally fighting over something that we had wars about for centuries on Earth. The question between an open market and a controlled market, between the bourgeoisie and the people? Sound familiar, right Claren?”“I don’t know, I fell asleep a lot in history class, but that sounds correct.”“Who cares about your petty wars on Earth? Your measly planet is gone, destroyed by your species' own hubris, so don’t try to tell us what is right or wrong; what is or isn’t,” they shouted back to the men.“But that’s the entire reason we came here,” Tim said. “There’s a reason we lived, that we escaped the demise of our civilization. And this may be why.”“What are you talking about?” Kiran asked.“They’re delusional,” The Master screamed to everyone, “trying to escape with lies!”“Kiran, you said earlier that it is all real, all of it. You said that thing about Eden, about fate, about destiny. We are here because of those.”“Shut up! We should have left the gags on!”“We prefer it this way,” Claren joked.“Well, I’m sure you won’t when we start the show. Guards, get the fuel ready. We’re about to have ourselves a cookout.”At that moment, the numbered soldiers picked up the cans of fuel and opened them. They were large and red, with a skull on the outside. It had the word “Petrlm” on the side, and Tim and Claren quickly understood what it meant.“Are you seriously using crude oil on us? Can’t we at least get the luxury of the refined stuff?” Kiran quipped.“It’s all we have, dear friend. When you’re a secret underground organization in constant hiding, you have to use what you have. Plus, you don’t deserve it.”“At least Quinten taught you honesty,” Claren whispered.“What about ventilation?” Tim suddenly asked. “If you light us in here, won’t you all suffocate in this enclosed space?”“We’ve got vents, you bumbling fool. We’re always a few steps ahead. Don’t think you can stop us THAT easily.”“It was worth a shot,” Tim said, as he was covered in the slippery, thick, and goldish black substance. It sat on top of the complex structure of their suits, the goop slowly rolling down their bodies.“How’s it feel to know death is right around the corner?” one of the audience members shouted out to the two Gods.“It’s not the first time!” Claren yelled in response.“You can say that again,”“You two are really comfortable with death?” Kiran said to them.“A little too comfortable,” The Master expressed. “Do we have the cameras ready? These puppies are going to be the light of the night soon!”“What can we do to stop this,” Kiran asked. “How can we compromise?”“Why are you trying this AFTER we covered you in fuel?”“It doesn’t matter when, it just matters how. How can we live?”“Get your king to surrender, to give The Belt to us, with no protests or hardships.”“You know we can’t do that! Anything else?” she pleaded.“I’m assuming you can’t bring our Master back from the dead, right?”"No, we can't. And it'd be a mistake if we could," Claren shouted.“The only mistake made was not having The Queen kill you. We knew you crash-landed here all that time ago, we knew that Trimdin found you, but never thought all of this would happen. We never thought Trimdin could actually do it.”“But he did,” Kiran said, slightly mesmerized.“Enough, enough, enough,” they roared toward both the adventurers and the audience. “It’s time.”Suddenly, a group of fighters came from doors on the opposite end of Tim, Claren, and Kiran, walking through the crowds with large rods of fire held in the air. The crimson flames crackled crisply as they neared, embers flying off into the void of the room.“Be careful with those things!” The Master mentioned as they approached. “Don’t light them until I tell you.”Large lenses sat around the men and their alien friend, prepared to record the very deaths they so badly wanted to avoid.The soldiers with sticks had now made it to the main stage, to where their stakes were, and readied to ignite them.But just as they gained on them, a ringing started."What the hell is that noise?” The Master asked.“What’s happening?” Claren asked Kiran.“I’m not sure,” she responded.The effects continued, coming from The Master’s pocket, interrupting their session.“Who in the damn world is calling me right now!” they screamed madly. “Number 2, can you pick it up for me.”“Of course, sir,” they said back, coming up to their superior and lifting the small metal gadget from their pocket. Quickly, they hit the accept button, and a distressed voice blasted into the air.“MASTER, MASTER, they are here. The entire Royal Army is here! And citizens are trying to raid our entrance. Should we execute Order 1?”“What!” they growled, snatching the device from 2. “What do you mean the entire Royal Army? How Goddamn stupid is he? Don’t summon Order 1; just make sure they can’t land on Vesta and execute the subjects trying to intervene.”“Sir, they have already destroyed our ship forces.”“And you call me NOW!”“Master, I am so sorry. Please forgive me.”Tim, Claren, and Kiran all showed slight smirks in the background.“Sorry? What the hell is ‘sorry’ going to do! Number 77, find this idiot and kill him.”“Absolutely,” they responded.“Wait, sir, no. Please,” they begged.“Give me a status on the army. How close are they?”“Very. I mean VERY!”“What does that mean?”“Like, they are in the command room right now, holding a gun to my head.”“You piece of shit!” The Master snapped the device in half. “They know where we are.”The mob of Children and traitors of all kinds gasped in pure shock, frantically starting to rise from their seats and scared.“Everyone, don’t worry. They can’t get to us here! This place was built during the Cross-Belitan Wars to withstand a million bomb strikes. Let’s watch the main course here!”“Your Master is lying!” Kiran shouted. “This place probably couldn’t hold off a single explosion! Vesta’s not known for its expert build quality.” She gave a deadpan stare to them.“Trust me, my Children! Our lord and savior, Quinten, chose me to lead you and be a facilitator between Him and you. And He has told me that we are safe!”“But you’re not!” Claren shouted. “There are no facilitators between the living and dead, Mr. Master.”“Claren, don’t speak about things we don’t understand,” Tim muttered.“Why do you suck all the meaning out of what I say!” Claren shouted at his partner.“Claren, this is DEFINITELY not the time.”“Oh my, just light them now.” The Master instructed.Quickly, the mob of fire-holding soldiers stood around Tim, Claren, and Kiran, lighting the ground below them. They had laced it with large piles of fibers and drenched it in fuel. Flames swiftly came about, burning under the tortured group of souls."Good. It has started. This is the end of humanity!”Large cheers filled the auditorium as the fire crept closer and closer to the stakes.But as that happened, another noise occurred, this time from Tim, Claren, and Kiran’s ear devices. “I’m here…” it spoke to them from a personal message, the voice clearly Trimdin’s.And at that moment, the entire room shook, the blaze below burning from side to side. Suddenly, a large explosion sounded, the boom blasting throughout.“Goddamn it! Can we speed this up a bit!” The Master screamed at his soldiers, the audience in peril. “Everything is fine,” they told them, “King Trimdin is weak!”Though the rumbling of the room said different, and when a massive hole was blown in the roof, their tune changed.“Oh shit!” The Master yelled.“‘Oh shit’ are the exact words I wanted to hear!” a roaring voice responded as they dropped down from the sky. A massive robe, redder than blood, covered their blue armor and matched the large, golden crown on their head. A purple glow encapsulated their hands.“The King himself is here to visit!” they said. “Are you ready to negotiate?”“Put out that fire!” Trimdin responded with vigor.“Surrender, and your friends will live.”“This is much larger than me! I’m guessing you missed my little speech?”“I must have. I was too busy trying to kill your little pawns.”“Let’s just say I’ve got a bit of backup!”Abruptly, a shower of soldiers dropped from the hole, landing in the crowds and disabling dozens of Children.“I don’t think you’re ready for this.” The King said, prepared to fight with a smile on his face. “Not ready at all…”Chapter 9 - Humanity
Chapter 10 - A New Home
A legion of soldiers collected on and around Vesta, ships of all sizes flying and trying to dock. Citizens from every corner of The Belt came to help under the command of King Trimdin, who, with an empowering broadcast and promise of choice, convinced them to fight for the future builders of their home: Tim and Claren.In the underground base, hordes of fighters dropped down into the atrium using newly designed mechanized suits, protecting them from the precarious fall. Attached to them were large guns, though they were deactivated, instead opting for mass tasers to incapacitate the cult followers.But on the other side of the room, the pile below was still set ablaze, Tim, Claren, and Kiran tied to their stakes, the flames getting ever closer. Though King Trimdin was on their tail, confronting The Master head-on.“Guards, get your guns ready,” they commanded, “and point them at the men!”“You won’t. You can’t.”“Why do you Royalists always say that,” The Master responded. “You know I will.”“Because you have all the strengths and weaknesses of Quinten. That’s how.”“And so do you. You figured that one out quickly.”“We had the same flaws, but different ideals. Though now I have the real power!”“I’m done with this. Shoot!” Right then, each soldier on the stage lined up their shots, preparing to fire at the soon-to-be burned beings.King Trimdin, in response, darted straight forward, whisking through the air and lunging at the enemy troops. In moments, he collided with them, grabbing the tip of one of their weapons and activating his shield.The Master pulled out their pistol from his satchel on his side, aiming it toward Tim’s head. Kiran’s sword and Tim’s dagger dropped onto the floor.The King pushed the soldier with the gun over, pulling it out of their hand and flipping it around. He quickly got hold of its butt, slipped his fingers onto the trigger, and did the unthinkable. A barrage of bullets shot out from it, hitting every rival on the stage.Then, he turned his attention toward The Master, who was just about to pull the trigger just as he did. Trimdin swiftly pointed his weapon toward them, aiming at their head and letting it loose before a single shot could be fired from their pistol.They promptly fell to the ground, The King surrounded by a blood bath of his own making. Though only one thought remained in his head: to save his friends.As The Royal Army continued to invade, Trimdin switched his attention to the fire, watching as it loomed near the men’s feet. “How do I put this out?” he said, rushing over to it.“Hey, your majesty!” Kiran yelled.“Is there like water or something to put this out? Also, what are you covered in?”“Petroleum,” Tim responded. “They really wanted us to burn.”“Well, you will if I don’t put this out.”“Can’t your magic do something? I don’t know, like make gusts of wind or something?” Claren questioned.“I can push things back?” Trimdin said unconfidently.“Could you push the fire back?”“I… guess? But it’s not easy.”“Good enough, just get it done!” Tim screamed, the fire sitting right under his sole.“Let me try,” The King responded, knowing the risk of doing so, now needing to save humanity with the very thing that eradicated it: a gust of fire.At that moment, he floated lightly into the air again, the lavender haze known by all wrapping around him. Then, a sudden spin started as he powered up, cupping his hands together. And with a massive scream, Trimdin released a vast blast, pushing back everyone and everything within its vicinity. Even the soldiers in the suits got forced back, the pure power of it almost half of that when he transformed into the king. Though most importantly, the fire was blown out, freeing the three from their hellish death.“Oh my God,” Tim cheered, “it worked!”“Damn,” Claren commented.Trimdin, who was still in the air, quickly collapsed from exhaustion.Guards from The Royal Army came up the stage stairs, moving toward The King and the trio. They were cut down from their stakes, helped toward the ground, and given water from a canteen, moistening their cracked mouths. But they did not care about getting hydration, collectively rushing to The King, worried about his health. They all knelt next to him, his bulked body flat on the hard stone.“Trimdin! Trimdin!”His eyes were closed, remaining breathless.“Your majesty!” Kiran yelled.No response.“My king, it is over.”Nothing.“Sir, you did it. You saved us!”A gasp came in, his mouth slightly opening.“Did it work?” The King asked."Yes. Yes, it did,” all three said in unison.And a small smile sat on his face, happy to hear the voices of his friends.~~A week passed since the Battle of Vesta. The King, Tim, Claren, and Kiran safely made it back to The Capital, mostly undamaged, if not for a bit of trauma. They held their respective blades, relieved to return home. Scars, left by the torturing, had begun to heal on all three, finding The Capital more comforting than ever.As he always does, Trimdin was preparing to give a speech after he recovered, suffering from extreme fatigue. But he was ready today, ready to thank his subjects for their effort as he sat on his home: the throne. Though unlike usual, he was not reading a script; there were no words made for him to declare. So, as he walked out the infamous doorway, he had no idea what he was going to say. All he knew was that it was the truth.Tim and Claren stood next to him as he left, Kiran in the background, guarding them. The big, black microphone lay on the flat surface, staring directly at him while a mob of subjects watched either live or through the broadcast. But instead of the despair felt after the war, this crowd was excited, ready to hear an optimistic speech about the future. And King Trimdin delivered exactly that.“I don’t even know where to start this. For the hundredth time during my rule, I am standing in front of this Goddamn podium. This location has been where the beginnings and ends of the worst things in The Belt have been announced. But today, of all days, I’ve got good news, hopeful news, to say the least. Fortunately, we have almost every Child of Quinten in custody, their ring leader dying at my hands. But we lost so many in the process, including a legion of guards and the honorable Captain Landun of the Royal Space Force. Nevertheless, this day is the start, the dawn of big changes for our world. Quinten will never be gone, and I’ve known that since the day he killed my brother, but I think we can move on from him. As much as we like to immortalize the good, history also tends to immortalize the bad. So, let’s not give that luxury to Quinten. Let us remember his efforts as they were: acts of pure evil. And we have the perfect people to help us with that. Tim and Claren, as you all know, were the men who helped me save you. They are why I am here today, that my brother will be avenged. But they are also the last of their species, the last of their civilization. Humanity is gone, destroyed by their own insistent need for more. We should learn from that, learn that conflict is not the solution, because just as it did to Earth, it will do to us, too. Earthlings and Beltians have much to learn from each other, and that is why they are here: not to seek refuge, but to ensure our future, one that they couldn’t do with their own. This is their place now, a new home for them to love and live for. Because as we transition toward democracy and freedom for all, no one is better to lead us than these two. They ARE the future, and together, we can make The Belt a truly perfect place to live. Trade is at an all-time high, unemployment is low, and with the new welfare law I am writing up, there will be something called ‘universal income.’ The details are unneeded; let’s just say you will all get a check from the Royal government each month for the rest of your lives!”The crowds below King Trimdin and the men were cheering for the news.“But no, oh no, that’s not all. The wealth of this kingdom will never be locked away from you, the citizens, again. We are closing the class gap each day, and now everyone below a certain income level will be given FREE education. But university prices across the board will be lowered regardless, unlocking knowledge for millions of Beltians. This is what my brother wanted, this is what I want, and I am sure it is exactly what you want. Though in the future, I will stop just ‘making up’ laws; instead, we will draft them and let you vote!”Everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs, clapping and whistling in happiness. A small tear fell down the cheek of Trimdin, overwhelmed with emotion.“Now, lastly, I am going to have the legends themselves give a personal thanks to all of you. Without your support, they would not have been saved from ‘The Master’ of the Children of Quinten. Give it up to Tim, Claren, AND Kiran.”Kiran, who did not expect such a mention, was pushed up toward The King and the men, who were wearing newly tailored black clothes. Their ClearSuits, which before gave off a green tint, now had a more natural white one, making them almost translucent over them.Together, the three stood proudly, Kiran on a small pedestal to match the height of Tim and Claren. King Trimdin moved back, letting them see the array of aliens below.Yet again, the men were reminded of the swarms who had loved and supported them all that time ago. But the only thing Kiran could think of was the end of the war, as she stood up there, staring at friend and foe, trying to calm the impending battle. But it did not matter, as the three of them quickly got to their objective: to speak.“Hello!” Tim said into the system.“Yes, hello,” Claren nervously echoed.In the audience, there were a myriad of different responses.“Tim!” one shouted.“We love you!” another screamed.“Save us!” a figure in the back mentioned.“This is just like the first day we were here!” Tim stated. “It’s so great to be here, to help you all. We will be on even terms soon, trust us.”“Thank you for your votes to help us, for your fight to help us. Tim, Kiran, and I were uncomfortably close to dying. AGAIN!”The subjects laughed loudly, rumbling the ears of the men and Kiran.“And don’t forget to thank King Trimdin for bringing them here, for allowing me to serve them, for ensuring that we could be saved,” Kiran butted in.“Of course. We thank you for the services you have provided, and we will do the same. Whatever The Belt needs, whether it’s hope or help, Claren and I will be here. It is our destiny to be here, to help you, and with the ever-loyal Royal Army alongside a dedicated king, we can promise that things are changing for the better. Things will be in your hands now!”“Absolutely!” Claren added.“Beltians, this IS their home; this is how we will grow and evolve. A bright future is ahead, one where peace and justice are reached. That starts today!”Behind her, Trimdin watched as Kiran and the others commanded the stage, thinking to himself. This is the place you dreamed of, Nardyn. It’s becoming real before my very eyes. Now, all there is left to see is what the next saga brings, where fate takes me. I just wish I had your guidance; wish I had you here to see it.“I am…” a sudden whisper said into The King’s ear.“Nardyn!” King Trimdin abruptly shouted, interrupting his friends in front of him. He looked around, trying to find his beloved brother, but to no avail.Tim, Claren, and Kiran turned to look at him, confused by the sudden scream.“What is it, your majesty?” Kiran asked.“Yeah, why did you say Nardyn?”“Oh, nothing.”“Well then,” Tim said, “I think we’re done here. We’ve done all the praising we can!”“Good, good,” Trimdin said back, dazed from the words he heard. “Very good!”“Are you sure you’re okay?” Claren questioned.“Yes. It was just a memory. A good one.”“Fantastic, sir!” Kiran responded. “Now, let’s go.”All four of them started to walk away from the podium and toward the castle, ready to plan the future of The Belt, prepared to see where luck would bring them.But those two words kept ringing throughout King Trimdin’s head, bringing a smile to his face. Each time he heard it, the presence of his brother came back:“I am….”“I am….”“I am….”He is.Chapter 10 - A New Home
Epilogue
9 Months After The Departure…"Empress Madeln.”“King Trimdin.”“It’s so great to finally meet you.”“Likewise, your majesty.”“We’ve got a few matters to discuss. You know, Quinten and such.”“Why yes, I am sorry his vendetta against us caused so much trouble in The Belt.”“No, the Kuipernians are not at fault. You are not at fault. That was an old battle; it’s history. Quinten was a troublemaker all on his own.”“I have heard much about the effects. He’s the one that killed Nardyn, right?”“That was years ago. I am here to represent his legacy, to continue what he started.”“He was incredibly level-headed, even as he pulled us out of war. He knew how to talk and compromise when needed, but was bold in action.”“If there is anything he's known for, it’s that. Nardyn knew how foolish the Cross-Beltian Wars were; knew that we both were hurting from them.”“We both did. I’m not a fan of conflict, but that fool of a king before Nardyn was not my favorite. He made things… difficult.”“Well, he’s long gone, but back to why I am here. Many within The Belt are seeking an ‘apology’ from your empire. I understand that—”“Already done. The quicker we can end any form of quarrel, the better.”“Are you sure?”“Yeah, why not. As you said, it’s history now. We are at peace, and trade is better than ever! We got the water, you got the minerals. I’ll do anything to keep that going.”“I’m glad to hear that. Now, what about other matters?”“How are the ‘Children of Quinten’ going?”“A good number are locked up and going through due process, but some resistance groups pop up weekly. They usually disband the second they realize it's a cult.”“Wonderful. We don’t need any of those pesky separatists right now. You, more than anyone, know the need to suppress uprisings and silence negative press.”“Sure, Madeln.”“What do you mean by that?”“I don’t really do that type of stuff. I’m sure you’ve heard I’m making the first Beltian Republic.”“I did hear about that. I have no idea what that entails, but it sounds fairly interesting. Will it change trade at all?”“No, it’s just a bit of a shake-up in government, not a regime change. I’ll still be king; there will just also be an elected leader as a representative of the people.”“What about the powers? We’ve got to keep these things somewhat exclusive.”“That I’m not sure about. I don’t want a successor, but what will happen if I don’t?”“You might want to figure that one out. These things can’t get into the wrong hands.”Empress Madeln suddenly showed a shimmering sage around her skeleton fingers.“You’re telling me! How about your side of the system? Any news?”“Not really.”“That’s good.”“Well, there is this one matter that I think you will know more about.”“What’s that?”“Those two foreign creatures are still with you, right?”“Tim and Claren? Yeah, of course. Where else would they go?”“They are human?”“Yes.”“The last?”“As far as I know of.”“Are you sure, Trimdin?”“We’ve scanned Earth, and there are no signs of activity. It’s still a ball of fire.”“There aren’t any more?”“Madeln, where are you going with this?”“Let’s just say I found a little ship orbiting Pluto a while ago. It had no fuel.”“So?”“We captured the vessel and brought it in for inspection.”“Wait a second, did you say around Pluto?”“When we opened it, these strange creatures wearing big, bulky blue suits stared at us, terrified. We didn’t know what they were until your broadcasts of the men came around.”“You can’t be serious? We thought they died. There’s no way they made it.”“I thought about telling you earlier, but wanted to wait and tell you live—”“Where are they right now?”“We’ve got them in a secure location, monitored twenty-four-seven by a team.”“There is absolutely no way this is true? How can they be alive?”“Do you want to see them?”“Uhhh, yeah!”“Do you want to keep them?”“What do you mean? They’re not pets.”“I don’t care what they are, they aren’t Kuipernian. That’s all I care about. Plus, this is no place for them to live. Our resources are already spread too thin.”“You don’t understand how big this is. For Tim and Claren, this is the best thing they could ask for. ”“You’re taking a liability off of my hands. It’s more of a favor than a gift.”“This is a gift, likely one of the most important ones in history.”“I’m glad you like it, then.”“So, have you communicated with them? What do you know?”“Let’s go and see them right now.”“Really!”“Calm down, your majesty.”“Sorry, I’m just excited. Let’s go!”At that moment, the two monarchs rose from their respective seats in the chamber of the Kuipernian castle, marching out an arched doorway toward a shimmering silver hallway. They walked, and walked, and walked, adventuring through the palace into an elevator. From there, they entered and inputted their destination, swiftly being delivered.A large sign loomed over them when they exited, stating “Research and Habitation.” Soon after, they arrived at a large glass cell, with two figures sitting inside it. Both beings stared in the opposite direction of The King and Empress, unaware of their arrival. But with a quick tap on the transparent wall, the creatures jerked around, revealing themselves.“Well, I’ll be damned, Madeln. You weren’t kidding!”"No, I definitely wasn’t.”“Tim and Claren are going to like this. They are going to like this a lot!”“I’ll have them packed up quickly. I’m sure you need to head home.”“That would be great. Have my guards load them onto The Grandiant. Thank you, Madeln, for this gift!”“We were getting rid of them either way. I held out just in case.”“Good thing you did. Very good thing.”King Trimdin stared at the beings, in pure awe of their existence. Their faces were beyond familiar to the experienced ruler, aware of the sheer fear and excitement they appeared to be going through, their eyes wide open but their mouths sewn shut.Together, the rulers walked away, Trimdin excited to bring his friends the miracle of a lifetime. Eager to bring two humans home again…Epilogue
King Trimdin, Tim, Claren, Kiran, and more will return exclusively to WRTN.
