DescriptionThe Asteroid War follows the war between a newly-crowned King Trimdin and those loyal to The Queen before him.
MessageThe Asteroid War contains content some may find triggering. Reader discretion is advised.
ImageWRTN/The Asteroid Saga
Original Trilogy - 2 Of 3 • 15,000 Words

Table of Contents

PrologueChapter 1 - The Dawn Of WarChapter 2 - Before We GoChapter 3 - First AttackChapter 4 - QuintenChapter 5 - Bad BloodChapter 6 - Regroup & RefocusChapter 7 - Hardships Of RulingChapter 8 - Rising TensionChapter 9 - The Final StandChapter 10 - A Victor Has Been ChosenEpilogue

Prologue

7 Days After The Departure…“You think the separatists are really going to negotiate?” King Trimdin asked.“I hope so, Your Majesty.”“How could those hooligans follow him and that evil queen?”“These rebels are strong, a force to reckon with, trust me. When I served under your brother, I saw firsthand the torture that they commit. Murder, fights, robbery; they’ll do anything to cause chaos.”“I remember. All the sleepless nights, all the times I'd wake up in tears because of this monster. But maybe, just maybe, we can stop them from getting out of hand. I am king now, their monarch is dead, and that lunatics head is getting cut off regardless of what he says today.”The doors to the atrium opened, soldiers standing in the way. Behind them, mobs of subjects, shouting.“Kill The King, kill The King. Let his reign end. We want our queen back, we want our rightful ruler back!” a protester chanted.“You’re weak, just like your bastard brother,” one screamed.King Trimdin and his assistant watched the rallied populace, some trying to push through the protection.“They dare talk about Nardyn like that? He's the reason they're alive!”“Sir, I see him.”Through the horde of aliens, one stood out. He was tall, holding a weapon in one hand, a shield in the other. They marched towards the front, towards the doorway where they stood. The soldiers moved aside, the mysterious figure coming to light.“Ah, old friend. Nice to see you again,” he said.“Why yes, it’s quite pleasant, isn’t it? A crowd of rebels around my palace and a gun in your hand. Very nice.”“I could never risk my life, it’s too valuable. Revenge comes in all shapes and sizes."“You think I'd stoop that low?” The King jokingly asked.“I did,” he responded, a small smirk appearing.“That’s you, I’m me. And you have no idea what I am capable of!"“I think I do. I've fought feisty ones like you before. So sure, so confident. You've got anger, enough so to kill the one who was going to bring peace and glory to The Belt. But I have something you don't: power. The power to control, to dominate, to devastate. That’s who we were with before, and that's who we'll be after I win this war."“No, no. War is not the solution to our problem.”“But oh yes, it is.”“So is that it, are we going to war? Over greed? Over power? What about our society, our home? Give up now, and all of that will be spared.”“It’s not our home. Right now, it’s yours. But soon, it will be mine.”“War it is, then. The cost will be heavy, the toll enormous.”“Yes, King Trimdin, it will," he responded, peering deeply into the inky eyes of the enraged ruler.“Then I shall see you on the battlefield. I shall see you be crushed. You will never win, Quinten. Never.”“Hold that hope as hard as you want; it will never be true.”King Trimdin remained still, watching his enemy walk away, the masses cheering on below. A war, bloody and painful, is to start—the victor deciding the fate of their home, their subjects.The outcome unknown.

Chapter 1 - The Dawn of War

King Trimdin sat down on his throne.“Sir?” asked his assistant.“Yes?”“Did… Did you just declare war?” they stuttered.“Why yes, I did indeed.”“So, now what?”The King looked down at his underling.“Now what?”“Get our army ready to fight, send messages out to all citizens, get my propaganda department ready. Make sure NO ONE can leave The Capital,” he commanded.“I’ll get right on it, sir!”“We need everyone prepared. Quinten’s forces are strong. Very strong.”“But we are stronger. We have to be," they responded.Trimdin gleefully smiled at his aide. “Don't worry, we are. I beat that bitch of a Queen no problem, and now with an entire army on my side, it'll be no problem.”“Yes, but you have barely secured your rule. You need to assure—”“My kingship is concrete, no one can dominate me,” Trimdin interrupted.“Never assume such a truth. That’s how all great leaders fall.”“What exactly do you mean by that? Is that a threat?”“No, no, just a warning. Your tenure has only started, and there is much more to learn before you finally have what you desire.”“Like what?”“You know what, never mind. I’ll just be on my way.” The assistant then turned around, walking out with a legion of guards protecting him.The noble ruler stayed behind, smirking. “No wonder my brother liked him,” he joked to himself, soon after redirecting his attention to the forces left in the chamber.“Guards, bring me every piece of information we have on Quinten. I want the name of every individual, every soul, every creature that follows his command. No one will be left out of this search.”Without question, the troops marched towards the exit, walked down the stone stairwell, and soon left the sight of The King.~~Hundreds of armed soldiers lined the streets of the city. Large apartment complexes surrounded them, swaths of luscious land covering the desolate area. A large television gifted the place with color, its dazzling hues and gorgeous tones bringing energy to the scared settlement, to the once overworked peasants. The screen only showed three words on it: “Save The King!” News of the conflict was getting out to citizens, fueling fear and confusion among the innocent.The Capital was silent—a rarity indeed—as everyone sheltered in place, preparing for the worse. Only military reserves and volunteers stepped foot outside their homes.King Trimdin similarly remained in his, working away with military commanders, strategists, and informants to create their master plan.“Your majesty,” one said, “what if Quinten attacks our weapon factories? Or maybe his followers start rioting in the streets? What do we do then?” Panic permeated the palace.“A civil war hasn’t been fought in centuries, and the Cross-Beltian Wars against the Kuipernians were ages ago. The Royal Army is ill-prepared; Quinten's has everything our's doesn't."The King stared at his officers, wearing an intense smile. “Why are we assuming he's going to hit first?”“Using what we know from the separatist's past actions, they always start small, but get large quickly. The attacks get bigger and bigger, the trickery increasingly complex. We never know their next move, and they always get what they want.”"Should we call in more soldiers, maybe some fighters from one of our allies?" one asked."No, no, we need to keep this war isolated. The second he can attack more than just us, the worse this will get.""Then what will we do, when will he strike? We need to be ready.""We are..." At that moment, the chief was cut off. Three guards walked in unexpectedly.“Can we help you?” The King questioned.“Sir, we're here to tell you something,” they said.“And what exactly is that?”“The Royal Bank… it’s on fire and… they killed the treasurer.”“Oh. So he’s starting off with the real shit,” someone interjected boldly.“Why yes, it appears so."“Quinten got the first Goddamn strike over with already,” the army general winced. “What’s our play now?”“We hit them back. What’s our status on their base location?” Trimdin demanded.“My King, we have it located on the other side of The Capital, in the outer regions of the asteroid. It's at an elite district set up by the mineral families long before your rule, and has now been fortified and weaponized by the group.”“Great,” The King mockingly mentioned.“But this is his standard M.O. Quinten enjoys angering you, and he knows how to do it well. Don’t forget, most of his warriors are here. He’s a strategist, so be careful.”“Great point and all, but he hasn’t fought me yet. We have everything we need to beat him. Have the emergency services take care of the treasury fire, and request that they protect other public buildings. Make sure all of our soldiers are top-of-the-line; that they are prepared for infiltration. Hopefully, we can punch them where it hurts; hopefully, we can stop this war from getting too bloody. Though he was the first to strike, we shall be the first to attack.”The ploy was set, the mission discovered. Over a few days, forces were built, munitions gathered, and soon, a march to the furthest reaches of the capital was to commence. Their initial assault readied to start; this was the dawn of war.

Chapter 2 - Before We Go

Propaganda surrounded every settlement. It existed across every screen, every board, every business; it was inescapable. The entire Belt was engulfed within its influential sphere.Inside the walls of his manor, King Trimdin prepared to lead the assault himself, a display of different armor varieties standing in front of him.“Ah, so much to pick from,” he commented, standing in the vast closet alone. “Generations of rulers and their all-important collection of protection.” Trimdin glanced at the individual pieces, evaluating their suitability, watching the evolution of his kingdom come to life. Unique types of materials, styles, and mechanics were featured on each suit, personalized to the might of each ruler in their history. Though none fit the parameters of The King, unable to manufacture his own in time for battle.Eventually, he came up to the end, where Trimdin was met with two things: his brother's armor, and The Queen’s.“Now we’re talking." He viewed the two pieces, weighing the pros and cons of each. But to no surprise, the Beltian king came to one conclusion, lifting the chosen gear off of its pedestal and proudly gripping it.“I will honor you, dear Nardyn, I will take this armor and use it to beat the rebels that killed you. Your legacy must continue.”The next minute, King Trimdin strode out of the room wearing his new attire, two guards now trailing him. He continued to the exit of his castle, hundreds of troops and armed volunteers waiting outside. They stood, anticipating his highly demanded arrival.Trimdin set himself at a podium arranged in front of the crowd, closely hugging the microphone on top of it. He grinned at the masses below, them waiting for his eventual speech. And soon, The King delivered.“Before we go, I have a few words to say: my soldiers, my guards, my loyal subjects. As many of you know, I came into power a short time ago, after one of the most important adventures of my life. Two human men, Tim and Claren, helped me reach this status; they helped me avenge my brother, who that vicious queen wrongfully killed before me!”The audience reveled in his anger, the raw emotion in his voice stirring their souls.“Though now she is dead, now I have murdered her; I have saved you from her tyranny. They helped me do that. But some out there still follow her rule, or more specifically, follow the one who propped her up: Quinten. They think that the poor deserve to be slaves to the rich, that you should fight the constant war of clashing egos. My brother disagreed; when Nardyn ruled, he made sure everyone got what they deserved, that they never would be forced into fighting their horrible cause. I will continue that, but first, we must get rid of those who disagree.”The mob cheered, and Trimdin felt their energy rushing into him. It encapsulated his every word, his every action. This was what it meant to be king.“War has never been my thing, but I will make sure that they don’t win. I will fight until the end, wearing this armor and finishing what I started. Though that means we all have to fight. It is the only way we can beat them, it is the only way to ensure your freedom. This is not my war, it’s our war. Our home is under attack, our kingdom is being infiltrated by radical separatists; ones who hate, hurt, and murder for their own selfish reasons. Yet as I said to my best generals earlier: though they were the first to strike, we shall be the first to attack. We will win this war; for me, for you, for The Belt! Our children will live in a world where they are not stuck working in a factory all night or digging deep in the mines; they won’t die in battle or live at the whim of the few. They will have the life they desire and be who they want to be, not listening to Quinten and his disciples. Now, let us start this march, as our very lives depend on it!”The King then started to float upwards, a purple glow surrounding his opened hands. Everyone in the crowd watched him in amazement. Each individual general got into their designated vehicles, legions of soldiers diligently following them with their weapons.Trimdin led the assault forward, guiding himself with the directions given to him by his navigator. Only he could rally people to fight, only he could lead an attack on this scale. The subjects would follow no one else; they believed in the notion of ending evil. But as they moved forward, more and more hysteria set in. Everyone knew the risks; war always breeds hardship. War always brings pain.And soon, these worries came to fruition…

Chapter 3 - First Attack

A herd of soldiers quickly stormed the base, the first attack of war commencing. It was truly a short distance from the main city itself, existing in a privately secured and extremely isolated section of The Capital, fenced off from civilian and royal affairs.Only the ultra-wealthy lived there, making their fortune off of the exploited riches in mining asteroids for minerals. Precious metals made them billions, as they would sell them to third parties and collude with government agencies all around to fuel wars and their economies.As they approached the wall surrounding the area, a specialist team was commanded to enter first. They subtly infiltrated, scoping out the fortresses belonging to those once allied with Quinten.Each home closely matched the style of the palace: roofs made of shining gold, floors of white granite, pillars of the finest limestone in The Belt. They were all built for luxury.After the go-ahead was given, a second wave penetrated the walls of the zone. Then a third. Then a fourth. Within minutes, every road was filled with Trimdin’s fighters, and soon, properties began to get raided.The King continued to be in the sky, standing clear of the initial madness and surveying the land below. “Look at all of this,” he said aloud to himself, his head swaying side to side. “This is what my brother was talking about; this is just sickening. They had everything, The Queen gave them anything they asked.”A radio transmission suddenly came in from one of his military commanders on the ground, interrupting the king's words.“Your majesty, can you hear me?” they asked.“Affirmative. What's the situation? Do I have landing clearance?”“The Silver and Red team check the North Side, and the Blue battalion has just about cleared the South. It appears Quinten's abandoned ship, but where they went, we’re not sure. The Capital has been reported as safe, and no transports have left since your encounter with Quinten.”“He must still be here, then; he and his army are somewhere. Let me land and take a quick look around with them. You never know what I may find. Have the best of each division be at the center, I’ll meet them there.”“Yes, sir!”“I’ll ensure that the Blue battalion fully clears the South; I want complete confirmation of Quinten’s departure.” The radio transmission ceased.King Trimdin slowly made his way to the ground, towards what was the village's center. There, a majestic fountain stood, small figures surrounding it. These were representatives of the six original mine owners in The Belt, the structure built to respect the infamous bourgeoisie.The leader promptly planted his feet on the ground. From there, twenty of his high-class warriors encircled him, holding heavy artillery and plasma shields.“Thank you, my fine soldiers! Now, get me over to the commander in charge of the Blue battalion. We need to talk.”Without a word, the fighters turned towards the South Side, leading The King toward his wanted destination. And within seconds, he was standing in front of the officer he wanted.“Commander, what is the status of your division? What have they cleared so far?”“Uh, well, that’s tough to say.”“What do you mean?” he demanded.“They were just about to clear the building when suddenly we got a transmission. They seemed to have found a strange passageway behind a bureau. We had as much contact as we could as they went through it, but it eventually cut off. Nothing has been sent since.”“Have you sent in more troops?”“No, I wanted confirmation from you.”“Smart thinking,” Trimdin sternly stated, patting the shoulder of the officer, “let me go in and see the issue, see what they found.”“Sir, I can’t advise you to do that. You are too important to just waltz into a place that could be deadly.”“I understand your concern, yet we don’t know what happened. Maybe their transponder broke. Just trust me, I can’t get hurt; I won’t let trouble ensue.”“Whatever you say, your majesty, I follow your orders, not the other way around. The rest of us shall remain, preparing to finish our search and waiting for your word to depart. I just pray you and the team stay safe, and that my troops are okay."“Your worries are appreciated, my friend, and I am sure that nothing went wrong. That sounds like a fine plan. Now, where was their last location reported?”“In that house just over yonder, the one at the end of the road.” The two of them looked toward the structure in question. It was by far the largest home in the area, dwarfing the others with its great magnitude. A deep blue exterior surrounded it, with massive arched windows and golden trim to accent; the house was something only the affluent could afford. Trimdin stood stunned, fascinated by the beauty of the property. But the objective was still a priority, and soon, he directed his legion of soldiers toward it.“Okay, let’s make a game plan before we enter," The King mentioned prior to opening the door to the mansion. "Little is known as to what happened to the Blue battalion, but we have to assume they aren’t in trouble. They likely just hit a dead zone with their communicators or something. Regardless, the moment we go inside, you all need to follow me toward the last ping left by the division. From there, I will have half of you go in, plasma shield on. Have all weapons set to standby. After it is cleared by the first half, the rest of you will go in with me.”“But sir, what if something happened to them, what if they died? Then why should we go in? Could this be a suicide mission, is this all a suicide mission?” one soldier asked in a shaky voice.The King looked at his guard, formulating a calming response. “No, we are safe, you are safe. If you are with me, nothing can happen, and we have our best officers and generals out here working tirelessly and cautiously to make sure we win this war. They will have constant communication with us and vice versa. No one will die. I promise."The soldier lifted her head, looking directly at the ruler. A sense of serenity covered her fears, saddening thoughts overturned with hope.King Trimdin smiled, now looking at the rest of his squad. “I think it’s time we go in now, we have wasted enough of it out here. When we enter the atrium, we go left, and then from there, down a few steps and into a mysterious bedroom discovered. You got it?”All of his troops responded simultaneously with two words: “Yes, sir!” From there, they entered the home, following the specified directions set forth by The King.Eventually, they all reached the illusive room that left the Blue battalion’s status in question. The space was tight, closed, and dark, dim lights granting life to the decrepit room. And sitting at the center of it all was the bizarre bureau, which behind it had a small opening. The dark vacuum was seemingly empty, showing no signs of a pathway. But the first ten soldiers soon entered, shining lights directly into the area, revealing a staircase going directly down for what appeared to be an eternity.Slowly, they crawled along the steps, keeping constant radio contact with Trimdin and the rest of the crew, noticing how the signal worsened as they lowered. However, little seemed to be happening, with the stairs going down and down; seemingly nothing prevailed.Though soon, the first outfit finally reached something: a dark expansive chamber with a door. This entrance was different, as it was heavily armored, fortified with thick steel. A number pad lay on the outside, being the only source of genuine luminosity encountered by the group.No one knew what was in the vault, no one knew what secrets it could hold. Riches? Money? Treasure? Its contents were purely unknown.Though what turns out to be in the safe may be more valuable than anyone could suspect.

Chapter 4 - Quinten

King Trimdin, swiftly notified of the team's discovery, ran down the stairwell with the rest of the legion. Instantly, he picked up on certain things about it, noticing the sheer darkness of it all. I was like an artist painted a canvas pure black, an infinite void surrounding him. A strange scent permeated the room, smelling of rotten food and rushing itself into his nose. Though he ignored it, allowing him to start discussing his next move with the unit.“Your Majesty, can I ask you a question?” the female soldier from before asked.“Why yes, you can.”“What do you think is behind the door?”“That’s hard to say from here,” Trimdin responded.“Do you think we should scope out the rest of this area, sir?” another asked.“Yes, that would be a great thing to do.”“Very little appears to be here; it’s just a very large, unlit room, but we should check out the areas that our lights have yet to hit.”“Take a couple of troops with you, and while you do that, I’ll try to crack this code with the others.”“Yes, My King!”From there, sixteen of the twenty fighters went to investigate every corner of the cavity, four at each. The remaining few stood with King Trimdin, the female soldier pulling out a small device.“What is that?” he asked.“Why, it’s only the newest technology created by your regime? Before, we had to hack these number pads using an old machine intelligence program. But this little gadget is much faster, being able to crack the code in seconds. The one problem: it’s single-use"“How useful,” The King sneered.“I know, it’s so cool!”“Yeah, sure,” Trimdin laughed. “What’s your name anyways, soldier?”“Samdin... Kiran Samdim," she said back as the widget was attached to the pad.“Ah, well it’s great to meet you. How is the device going, Kiran?”“Good, good. I have just about hooked it up, and from there, we will get the digits in mere moments.”“Amazing,” Trimdin answered. “I wonder how the rest of the company is—”A scream came from one of the corners of the room, far out of sight.“What was that?” he asked. The screeching continued, seeming to get closer and closer. Soon, The King realized that one of his troop groups was running toward him, panic covering their face.“The-There, there are bodies over there. Soldiers, the Blue battalion, there are bodies over there,” one stated, their voice trembling with fear the moment they returned from the shadows.Another chimed in hastily. “Sir, there are dead, uh, some dead soldiers over there in our area. There was evidence of stab and bullet wounds, the blood recent—”Yet again, they were cut off, as more cries reached the ears of the dear king. Another collection of guards rushed over, telling him the same message: dead bodies lay in their corner of the room. Trimdin became unsettled, noticing now where the strange scent from before came from. The rest of the regiment led by King Trimdin made it back to the vault door, panicked. Kiran activated the instrument, instantly making a short beep. A six-integer code then popped up on its screen, and it was quickly inputted. From there, she pressed the enter button, and the door produced a long buzzing sound, opposing that of the device.Slowly, the heavy metal slab moved backward, swinging on its hinge. It was a tedious process of watching the hatch open, the guards worried but ready to protect their sovereign. Trimdin yet again had a violet aura around his hands, but this time to create a shield around himself. Together, they waited to see what was on the other side, to see what caused such harm to their fellow fighters. Though what they found was a shock.Behind the armored door, a horde of separatists stood. And in front of them was the last alien any of them wanted to see: Quinten, grinning while holding a loaded blaster in a Kevlar suit.

Chapter 5 - Bad Blood

“Oh shit,” Kiran expressed.“‘Oh shit’ are the exact words I wanted to hear!” Quinten mocked.“Well hello, Quinten. So this is how we meet again?”“Yes, Your Majesty. I hoped it would be the battlefield like you said earlier. But this bunker will have to do for now."“So this is a bunker, then?” The King asked. “This is where all your forces are? In a tiny, enclosed space, with my entire army on the surface? Did you think this through much?”“Trimdin, I’m not that naive. Only a few forces are here with me, awaiting your silly arrival, the rest taking care of a quick assignment. I’m not new to this game.”“It doesn’t matter, Quinten, you know you can’t win this. I know you won’t kill me, you won’t be able to even get out of here. You, your puny armor, and whatever you think that weapons can do will not protect you from us.""Speaking of armor, I see you are wearing something that belonged to your brother. How nice. The Queen told me all about it, how it was specially made with the last few dollars your parents left for you two. It was what he won his duel in, and also what he died in. So full circle. I can't wait to see it once again when you meet the same fate.""Yeah, well how would you like it if it was the last thing you saw before you die!" Trimdin replied, moving slightly toward the agitating Quinten.“Your confidence is mesmerizing, Excellency. Why do you so strongly believe you are right, that you will win? I’ve worked on this for years; spent millions in Royal funding on weaponry, forces, fortification, and more. Yet you have only been in rule for what, nine days now? Moreover with no war experience and little military training? You are no match for me.”Trimdin clenched his fists and leered at the looming Quinten. “Ha, so what? I have one thing that you don’t, and that’s a dream, a will to create a better future for all. You only want to make it in your image, for yourself and your peers. Never once have you put others first, and you will never risk your life for the greater good. That’s your one flaw: your self-importance. You will never put yourself on the front line, you will never put yourself at stake for your cause. No, you would rather have hundreds of others die for it, while you sit on your false throne.”Quinten smiled mischievously, laughing off the ideas thrown at him by his rival. “Look at you whining, taking the moral high ground you so badly want. You are wrong, misguided with your ideals. I have fought for more than a decade; I was in the army; I’ve put my life on the line more times than you can count. So much of what I’ve loved and whom I’ve loved have been lost; this is my final mission. You, my kind sir, are in no manner to talk about what I’ve done to lead myself toward my purpose. All you want to do is cause trouble, while I’m the one who wants to bring power, glory, and justice to the belt.”“No, you’re the troubled one. That queen of yours married my brother, gained his trust, and then poisoned him. The only reason she got into power is that she killed the person who loved her, and she did it for you, for your cause. There was true peace before, but the two of you came to destroy it and put your hellish reality back into play. And the only thing you did was watch, reaping the benefits. You didn’t even dare to kill him yourself, you had to have one of your disciples do it. But I know exactly why, and it is the same reason why you won’t kill me.”“Why is that?” Quinten pressured.“Because if you came into power, you would eventually have to die. For centuries, every monarch this belt has ever had has been killed; it is the only way for the magic to go on. But you could never let that happen, you would never have someone kill you. Your ego is too big for that, your lust for power too strong. Plus, a large bullseye would be on your head, meaning no one would ever willingly want to be your heir, just your killer. You would never let yourself become king because the longer you would be one, the bigger the target on your head, making your death more likely. All these factors lead exactly to my point: you can never become king, only one of your ‘loyal’ subjects. I’m not so naive either, Quinten, and I have had just as long as you to plan for The Queen’s eventual collapse. I was always destined to murder her, to avenge my sibling, and I understood that only you would challenge me if I did. But I knew that you never would, that you never could. Because your life is more important than anyone else’s at the end of the day, isn’t it?”“Wow, did you have that speech prepared or something?” Quinten jested. “You seemed to have had that bottled up in you for a while. Honestly, I have no rebuttal, only a small correction to that masterpiece. You’re wrong on one thing, there is a fallacy in what you have said. And sooner or later, you will finally see why. At this moment, I don't want to be king, I can't even be king. Though when that right moment comes, when you least expect it, the tide will change, dear Trimdin. A king does a lot more than just having powers, there is a level of respect, dignity, and strategy that needs to go into it; you need to deserve it. But you didn't know that when you murdered her, did you? You only understand a fraction of what I do, have only lived a small percentage of what I have. My games are a never-ending spiral, incapable of being understood by your meager mind.”“Trust me Quinten, they will meet their end, whether I do it or not. I was meant to kill The Queen, I deserved it, unlike she did. And now, there is only so much time before I finally win.”“You win?” he laughed. “You win? Trimdin, you can never win. My torment will haunt this realm for the rest of its existence, my children will rise from the ashes. But God, all this talk is boring me. Where's the fighting?”“You won’t fight me, Quinten.”“No, good friend, we don’t need to fight. I’ve just been waiting for news from the surface.”“The surface, what do you mean?” Suddenly, a radio transmission came in. Though it was not from Trimdin’s radio, but Quinten’s.“Sir, we have wiped out the forces here on the ground. A few managed to flee, but the rest were eliminated.”Quinten picked up the transponder. “Good, I’ve been waiting for a while. Get everyone to our rendezvous location. I’ve got to finish up with The King quickly.”Fear instantly struck King Trimdin, his face switching from a confident smirk to horrified shock. Kiran and the other soldiers stood astounded, barely managing to stay in their defensive positions.Quinten continued to keep a big old smile on his face, savoring the feat. “You see, King Trimdin, while we have been down here having a dick-waving contest, the rest of my army has been destroying yours. I blocked all radio transmissions from getting in here so you would have no idea of the attack. I knew you were coming, I knew my strike on the treasury would cause you to come. You thought you had the upper hand, but you never did and never will. Quality over quantity, your highness. This is just the start of what I have planned, this is just the start of my siege. You’ve lost.”“What? What? What the hell did you do?” Trimdin asked furiously, pointing his finger at him.“You know exactly what I did. The Royal Army had no chance of beating us. Your military is made up of a bunch of volunteers and under-experienced idiots. My veteran soldiers had years to train while The Queen was in power. Mine were ready, yours were not,” he taunted. “You're an absolute prick, Quinten, you know that? I should have listened to my strategist earlier. You just murdered hundreds of innocent souls, most of whom were good law-abiding citizens.”“I didn't bring them here. You rallied, you led, and they followed. They believed in your every word, and you let them down. So have fun going home and telling their families you failed. Because you were right, I’m not going to kill you, and luckily, I won’t even have my troops kill you. I know that by the time you get back, the subjects won’t want you as king anymore. Now there’s a target on YOUR head, and they are far more likely to sympathize with my cause. Your cockiness was a weight on your shoulder, dear Trimdin, and now it has finally crushed you. One day is all I am giving you, one day to either surrender or be overthrown by my coup. Goodbye my friend, and hopefully the next time I see you, your corpse is in a coffin.” Briskly, Quinten pressed a button, and the hefty metal door began to close. The King stood still, watching his enemy and his forces strut away.The bad blood between the two brewed to new heights. This was a rivalry too big to end, a fight too large to win; the war has found its first tragedy. And for King Trimdin, it needed to be the last.

Chapter 6 - Regroup & Refocus

The King exited the home over the bunker, now standing outside with Kiran and the rest of the legion. Shock hit quickly, staring at the bloodbath that occurred. Every commander, officer, and soldier was killed brutally. Machine guns were newly mounted and fresh out of ammo; thermal detonators left shrapnel on the ground; the bones and brains of his loyal subjects were smeared on the roads. No signs of life persisted, no survivors stood; they had all met their day to go to Eden.Tears began to form around the noble's eyes, devastation overwhelming his mind. The gruesome reality surrounded him, guilt piling on top of him like an avalanche.Kiran watched timidly, realizing the worse had happened, that her fears from before came to fruition. But seeing her king, someone who she looked up to so much, being vulnerable was a new experience. Never before has a monarch shown such emotion and care for his subjects.Every other soldier stood in solidarity, waiting for commands from King Trimdin. Though those never came, as instead, he started to float, the mystic glow yet again around his hands. This time, the rest of the squad also began to do so, them lifting into the air with him.Swiftly, they made it back to The Capital, now having to face the wrath of casualties. Trimdin dropped each soldier back to their respective homes and then brought himself to the palace. His assistant stood by the doorway, readying to open it and expecting celebration. When he entered, though, nothing but a drooping frown sat on his face.“Sir? Sir? What happened?” they asked.King Trimdin looked at them, giving an aggressive command. “Organize a Talk to the Kingdom, I need to tell the subjects something. It needs to be to the entire Belt, on every screen it can be. Something terrible has happened and they have to know.”“Your Majesty, what are you talking about? I mean, yes, I will get a talk instantly, but why the long face?“Just wait, I want everyone to hear together,” he said sniffling. “Unity is important in times of peril.”“Peril? Was it the fight with Quinten? Did something go wrong out there? Did everyone make it home safe?” his assistant pressed.“There was no one to bring home safe! Just get my Goddamn meeting together, please. No more questions. Just do as you’re asked,” Trimdin snapped.“Why, of course, I’ll get right on it.” His aide ran off, getting together with the public relations department and the head of the Royal Beltonian Broadcasting System to prepare for the conference.The King sat down on his throne, his thoughts smashing into each other rapidly. It’s my fault, it all is. I fell into that jerk's trap, he knew exactly what I would do, he knew I would be the aggressor. But why? Why did I let myself chase something so obvious, so dangerous? I was so confident that I could do it, that I could lead my soldiers to war and win. I mean, I practically killed The Queen single-handedly. But my assistant was right, Tim and Claren were right; arrogance got the better of me, and I let my brother down. I let you down. I wore this stupid armor, I talked of peace and security; I thought I could be the ruler you never got to be. But I've failed that test, letting the innocent die because of my hate. Brother, wherever you are, I hope you understand that I will make this right. I MUST make things right. Though no longer via death and destruction, but rather through true kindness. I will do what I asked for in the first place: make peace. Quinten will destroy himself, I will not. He cannot kill me, and now I must not kill him. We will regroup and refocus, bringing us a new way to fight his tyranny. Because that is the only way we will win: with love, not hate, no matter how much pain he has caused.And with that, Trimdin’s assistant suddenly walked back into the main chamber, this time with a full camera crew and a group from his cabinet. They rushed to set it up, quickly getting it together and sending messages out to the entirety of The Belt on all electronic devices. Within seconds, everyone was tuned in, glued to a screen, and awaiting the news from their devastated king.

Chapter 7 - Hardships of Ruling

“Hello. As you may know, I went on a journey with our army to the other side of The Capital. This was where we believed Quinten and his cult followers hid. Well, we were right. Maybe a little too right. They set up a sneak attack on us when I and twenty high-performance soldiers infiltrated an underground bunker where the alien himself stood, protected by his own small legion of fighters. While I and my team focused on the Devil, the rest of his ‘army’ attacked our ground forces, killing two hundred of them. We are the only known survivors. And we were also unable to kill Quinten himself, dropping the bombshell of a twist and then escaping behind a steel door. None of us had any idea of what his fanatics were doing on the surface, as he had a device that cut all our radio transmissions from exiting the area. That was, until, he needed it to get the report of the tragedy. What I am saying is that he tricked us, he tricked me, and that is my fault. I was so confident in my ability to beat him that I disregarded any idea of it being a trap. But that’s exactly what it was, and now there will be families missing mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and so on. I took that away from you, because sure he committed the crime, but I am the reason it happened. I own up to that, I own up to such a horrifying mistake. Though you must understand that now is not the time to hate anyone or anything; now is the time to defeat Quinten once and for all, not via a bloody offense, but an altruistic defense. This is one of the many hardships of ruling, one of the many burdens of power, but full compliance and transparency are critical to a victory. We have roughly one day to choose the lesser of two evils: either I give up and let you all down or Quinten comes here to destroy us. That decision is up to you, my loyal subjects. Do you want the tyranny of Quinten for revenge against me, or do you want to fight this war to the end, ensuring a free and safe future for you and your children? The choice is yours, though all I can say is that revenge is something no one should seek. I should have learned that lesson a long time ago, but I didn’t, and that’s why I failed. Good night to you all, and I pray that all the souls lost managed to find themselves in the afterlife.”The broadcast transmission cut. Everyone in the room stared in both awe and confusion.The King looked back at them, giving a weary face of regret. “That’s it for today guys, go get some sleep, I know I need some. We’ll see later what the citizens want, not only here in The Capital, but also in the rest of The Belt. Though no matter what they choose, I will listen. Now leave me be, you did your job, go be with your families. Thanks.”Hastily, everybody left the room, letting the miserable monarch mourn. Tomorrow would be a hard day for the kingdom, where its residents yet again have to choose between right and wrong, Trimdin and Quinten. The outcome truly unknown.

Chapter 8 - Rising Tension

The night was long, sleep a struggle, as Trimdin’s mind flashed with images of the events that occurred. The bunker, Quinten, the dead bodies; snapshots of the battle flipped through his head. It was so vivid, so clear; he relived every moment, the torture so real. Slowly, his mind managed to slip away, and eventually, the morning came.Light began to peek through the window of his royal bedroom, waking him. The chamber was silent; no noise, just a glare. Leisurely, he rose from his bed, standing up and properly dressing himself. He donned his robe, slid on his shoes, and safely placed the crown on his head. The King was ready for what the day had to bring him. Though when he went to his door, a surprise awaited him.Kiran stood outside of the room, her hand in the air in preparation to knock. Trimdin opened it, seeing his underling behind it and moving back in shock. “Oh, Kiran, what are you doing here at this hour?”“Your majesty, I am so sorry to scare you, but there is a situation,” she responded.“Is it Quinten? Is he here early?”“No, but it has to do with him. There are massive uprises across The Belt, some for, but many against you.”“I’m not surprised by that.”“True, but these ones are especially dangerous, as some are getting arms from Quinten’s forces. We’re talking ammunition, plasma shields, bombs with remote detonators, and worse of all: anger. He is fueling more rebels, subjects who want revenge. What do you want to do about it?”“Damn, that’s what I am waking up to this morning?” Trimdin quipped.“Unfortunately so, sir.”“How many soldiers do we have left?”“Two hundred thousand across The Belt, twenty-five thousand in the local Capital area that can get shipped in.”“Great, keep them where they are. Quinten is here and that’s all that matters. If we send in or out too many ships, there's a high chance he could escape in the chaos. Make sure that all other major settlements protect their citizens. We’ll take care of Quinten. If he falls, they all do; the only thing keeping them together is him, is their goal to destroy me. He is the only one causing any real risk. Keep the subjects out of it. Don’t necessarily suppress the protests, just make sure they don’t get too violent. And here in The Capital, fire only when attacked, and give everyone shields to defend themselves along with a military barrier around all residential properties. Those are my orders.”“You don’t want us to fight back, to destroy them?”“No, keep all deaths to a minimum. I cannot bear this war anymore. We need to change the game, we need to be the good guys.”“Yes, sir, I will make sure that is done. No deaths.”“Not just no deaths, but allow for surrender, allow for mistakes. Give any of his cult members a chance before you shoot. You’d be surprised how many of them are just doing it because they are scared of him, just because they think he has more to offer than he truly does.”“So you don’t want any reinforcements and want all military personnel to protect instead of engaging?”“Yes.”“Is this because of what happened yesterday? You do know that casualties are a commonality in war, that lives need to be lost to have a better future? Whatever happened to that idea?”“I’m not that type of ruler. I know The Queen was brutal, and that many before her were the same way. But I need to be different. I already made that mistake, as my drive for revenge hurt my subjects; my need to avenge my brother, though not through fighting. What I failed to realize before is that he would have hated me for that, he would never be happy with me murdering to make things right. He would never do that, so I shouldn’t.”“Well, King Trimdin, I am happy to hear that. No one ever really wants to fight. It’s just, whenever you speak about Tim and Claren, The Queen, Quinten, and so on, you do it with such power. You do it with such sincerity, such anger, such seriousness; it’s a truly mesmerizing aspect of your rule. We don’t follow you because you are perfect or because we want your brother; we follow you because we believe in what you have to say. You, sir, are the king of this domain, of this belt, no matter what happens.”“Thank you, Kiran. With all of this rising tension, it’s nice to hear that. Now go off and get my orders down the chain of command. I’ll meet up with what is left of my advisors and get a comprehensive plan together.”“Absolutely,” she said smiling, pausing for a second to look at Trimdin’s face before turning around and walking away. Though that smile would soon shy away, as the reality of Quinten’s threat quickly came into view. The war was here.~~On the other side of the asteroid, Quinten and his forces assembled in an unknown location. There, the walls were lined with thousands of weapons, ranging from poison needles to automatic drone sentries. Each soldier grabbed the weapons assigned to them, all taking a plethora of ammunition and an extra “surprise” explosive, just in case. They swiftly put on their armor and lined up in battle-ready formation.Their plan was simple: half of the fighters would march on the surface while the others entered a secret tunnel system once used to discretely transport arms, leading them straight to the heart of The Capital.Quinten remained in the covert hideout, awaiting the one message he hoped to hear: that Trimdin had surrendered. That was the only thing he needed for his scheme to work, for his dreams to be accomplished.And fortunately for him, the plan seemed to perfectly formalize... at first.

Chapter 9 - The Final Stand

“My lord, what do we do? Quinten is coming, the subjects are out of control, and you refuse to fight back? What the heck do you plan to do?"King Trimdin yet again was in his military command room, focusing on the impending onslaught coming from Quinten. Little time remained before the attack, nothing known about how it was to be conducted.“Sir?” the same general asked.“Yes?” Trimdin questioned.“Did you hear what I asked?”“I did indeed, I was just thinking.”“About what?” they probed.“I’m wondering what Quinten is going to pull now, and how we are going to counter it.”“He's a trickster, that's for sure. You can never trust a word he says, always looking for ways to subvert.”“We must never lose like that again. Before I acted out of hate; now I am acting out of logic. So far all we can guess is that his army is on its way and that he will not be leading it. Besides that, we are left in the dark.”“Right, so what’s our next move? There is only one thing that will stop them: your death, or his. Nothing else motivates them, sir. Nothing.”“Exactly, that’s the issue. If I surrender, many may live, but I let down an entire generation of innocent citizens. Fighting will lead to more deaths, but giving up will lead to a life of captivity and forced labor. Which is worse?”“That's like choosing a pound of rocks over a pound of pebbles because one ‘has less.’ Either way, it is a shitty situation.”“Should I surrender? Give my life for the lives of everyone, regardless of quality?”“Maybe so. It seems to be the will of the kingdom.""Their well-being is critical to me, including their will," he responded.“Quinten would run to our doorstep if he found out you were surrendering. He’d probably slice your throat himself,” someone else in the room quipped.“I wish,” Trimdin jested, “but that arrogant ass would never do it himself, though he would gladly watch.”“What makes you think that?” they responded.“From what I can tell, he is not too interested in killing me.”“You could be wrong. Maybe he does? Maybe he just needs you to surrender to do it? And in doing that, you would be listening to the subjects. It's a win-win for him.”“That would be quite the stunt on his part. Using surrender to kill me. Ironic,” The King laughed.“Wait, that's it…” the general stated.“That's what?”“Maybe that’s what he's doing. And if that's true, it's possible we could—” Boom. An explosion was heard outside the building. Boom. Another sound pierced the air around them.“What was that?” Trimdin asked. But no answer arrived, as a horde of soldiers entered the room, closing the door behind them and locking it. The general in the room pressed a button, allowing sirens to go off.“What is happening?” he screamed to the guards. “Was that an explosion? Is he here already?”“Yes, Your Majesty,” they responded, “Quinten’s army is here. They are at the entrance of the city. As soon as we saw them approach on our systems, we rushed over here quickly.”“Great, but what was that sound before you entered?” Trimdin demanded.“It was a bomb at the city gates, it's how they’re breaking in. They are standing by for the approval to continue. Regardless, it's imperative that we load you on The Grandiant and get you out of here.”“No, take everyone else and get them ready to command from there. I will stay. I need to be on the ground and ensure the protection of my citizens.”“Sir, I mean no disrespect, but that’s not protocol. If an attack comes to The Capital, you must leave instantly. If, well, you meet your end in a battle like this, who knows what will happen? If one of those rebels manages to kill you, the outcome could be disastrous.” The soldier was getting upset with his ruler's stubbornness.“Screw protocol. My powers will keep me safe, and maybe, I could even be an asset out on the battlefield if it comes to that. Bring everyone else into the ship; I’ll command from here and fight.”“Alright, Your Majesty,” they forcefully responded.“Thank you. And hey wait, General, what were you going to say before the blast?”“Oh, well I was going to say maybe we could use Quinten's trick against him. You should fake your surrender, and maybe, just maybe, that will fool him into coming here, giving you an open opportunity to finish him once and for all.”“Yeah, but killing him is not my main interest. It's capturing him. Plus, do you think he would fall for something so simple? He’s always five steps ahead. Don’t you think he would notice?”“Isn’t it at least worth a shot? Fewer lives would be lost, that’s for sure, and everyone wants your surrender. This may be our only shot at peace."Trimdin looked deeply into the eyes of his general and everyone else there, noticing a slight shimmer on them as tiny droplets formed and caught the refracted light of a monitor. He knew that it was the only way to save the land he loved so much, to protect their lives, to keep the peace. But besides that, on a screen in the room, Trimdin saw something show up: a secondary rebel team entering the courtyard of the palace.“You sneaky bastard,” he said.“What, sir?”“Look behind you.” At that moment, they all turned around, now seeing what The King saw.“They're coming in through some form of secret entrance. When was that a thing?”“I’m not sure. That’s not in our blueprints. Was it put in place by The Queen?”“You know what, it doesn’t matter where it came from. It exists. Now, you all need to get to go! I’ll worry about surrendering.”“So that's the plan?”“Yes, now move!”The soldiers walked towards the hatch in the room, opening it and leading the rest of the top members into a secret elevator, bringing them close to the surface. They entered the massive royal ship, opened the airlock, and sped away, leaving King Trimdin alone in the room.On the other side of The Capital, Quinten sat in his command chamber, having constant contact with both teams. He awaited one thing: a phone call with Trimdin. If and only if his enemy surrendered would he cease the siege. Though he paused for it to be the right moment, the right point, as to which it now was.Just as King Trimdin gained control of the room, the time came, and the call arrived. Steadily, he looked at the displays surrounding him, knowing exactly who it was. He picked it up, pressing accept and hearing the demonic voice of his mortal enemy penetrate his ear.“Hello, my dear friend.”“Quinten,” The King snarled.“Have you thought about it? Are you going to give up? I mean, either way, you will die, but if you surrender now, fewer lives can be sacrificed. You saw what happens when you make mistakes. Maybe this won’t be one.”“You know what, maybe you're right. Surrender wouldn’t be a mistake. Sacrificing my life to save millions is a worthy trade.”“Really? You are giving up that easily? Just like that,” Quinten laughed. “What’s up with this sudden change of heart? Not too long ago, my victory would ‘never be true,’ but that seems pretty damn incorrect now.”“Well, maybe it is, maybe I was mistaken. Yesterday was the final stand, even though it was my first. I can bear death no longer, and I am sorry I underestimated you. I officially give up.”“Fine by me. I can’t wait to see you!” Abruptly, the phone call ended. An order to Quinten’s army was delivered, giving the authorization to capture King Trimdin.They all charged into the city, carrying high-capacity guns and red plasma shields. Made with the newest blaster and bulletproof technology, they wore slim vests, making foot soldiers able to do more while taking extra damage.The Royal Army was quickly sent the message of what King Trimdin decided to do, not knowing the intentions behind it. All civilians remained indoors, guards standing around them with shields and anti-bomb devices.Quinten’s army crawled closer and closer to the castle, and they were quickly met by the additional separatist unit, pointing guns toward the surrendering Trimdin.Outside, The King saw the entirety of his military standing down, surprised that their once fierce ruler had given up so easily. And in that crowd, Kiran, along with the rest of the special forces crew stood, watching him get pulled out by the enemy.Quickly, the separatists put restraints on King Trimdin, though these were different from the usual ones used. Not only were the cuffs themselves broader, but a strange collar was put around his neck. He was then lifted onto a vehicle, blindfolded, and driven out of the city, leaving the armies behind and letting his subjects down.The journey was not very long, though, to the confused and worried Trimdin, it seemed epochal. Within minutes, they arrived somewhere new, its location remaining anonymous. The King was promptly taken out, led down a strange set of stairs, and sat down in a chair. The rough exterior of rope rubbed against his skin, as he was tied down to the seat. Suddenly, the material over his eyes was lifted, and almost everyone left the room. Only one remained, standing next to two large swords and smiling at the defeated king.“Trimdin,” Quinten said slyly.“What the hell am I doing here? What is this place? What’s this damn thing on my neck?” The King wiggled around, trying to get free. The space around him was dark, large, and heavily fortified, with walls covered in weaponry and arms.“You surrendered, right?”“I thought you would come to me, not the other way around. Also, why are those swords there?”“You’ll see. The thing you're wearing is a magic control ring. It stops you from being able to use your ‘Godly’ abilities. And as to why I brought you here, well, I didn’t want such a public execution. I thought some privacy would benefit. Plus, no pesky soldiers.”“Oh,” Trimdin uttered.“Do you think I would really risk going to The Capital with such stakes? Come on, your majesty, I’m not stupid.”“So you knew what I was trying to do?”“Yes, dear friend, I could see it from a mile away.”“Damn it, I should have known. Yet again, I underestimated your intellect," he teased.“You sure did. Now, let me monologue for a bit. You have little time to live, so I want to make sure I bore you before the killing happens.”“Sure, Quinten. Go ahead.”“I wasn’t asking. Anyways, the swords. They are here for one reason: a duel. I am challenging you to a duel.”“Wait, what? A fight?”“Yes, a fight. You see, I'm not scared to be king, I’m scared of how I’m going to get it. As we chatted about before, becoming a monarch is something you are meant to deserve, and this is the only way to do it. I need to win a fight, fair and square. Every ruler in our history has won their place: I need to do the same. Otherwise, I am no king, just a mass murderer. I need to make a sacrifice; my fears need to be overcome. Who I am today was just the first part; this is the rest. So fight me, and if I am worthy, I will win. If I lose, then it was never meant to be. That’s the test.”“And you were yapping at me for switching up? No, Quinten, I won’t fight you. I can’t seek revenge anymore; it’s not who I want to be.”“Again, it’s not a question. You are going to battle me, dear Trimdin. There is no choice. It is the only way I know our domination is meant to be.”“Come on Quinten. We must solve this diplomatically for once. Let me live, and I’ll give you all the tax breaks in the universe; let me live, and I’ll make sure the mining monopoly stays. What can I do to stop this needless war?”“NOTHING! There is nothing you can do for me. I want war, I need conflict, and you'll soon see why. It’s settled, dear Trimdin. We shall duel to see who deserves to be the ruler of this fine kingdom. Your win would give power to all; mine, the power to crush the ones I hate!”“Please, Quinten,” Trimdin pleaded.“Quiet! You will fight me. Guards, get in here, untie our wonderful King Trimdin, and search for any hidden items. It’s time for a winner to be decided.”

Chapter 10 - A Victor Has Been Chosen

Trimdin and Quinten now faced each other alone, blades in hand, ready to fight. The polished steel of both weapons lightly glistened in the dim light of the room, giving slight beauty to the dire situation. Both got into fighting positions, standing mere meters away from one another, pointing the tips of their daggers at their respective foe.“Are you ready for it?” Trimdin questioned.“Are you?”“Absolutely!”“Don’t forget, dear friend, you can’t use your magic. That collar stops all of it: the levitation, the strength, the healing; it's all gone. We are now just two normal beings, nothing more.”“I don’t need any powers to beat your ass, Quinten. The Queen was killed by her own sheer ignorance and my ability to think quickly. I will use the same against you.”“Let’s get this thing started, then,” Quinten replied, smirking. “On the count of three. One, two, and… go!” The aliens rushed towards each other, swords high in the air, ready to defend. Quickly, they clashed, their sabers scraping against each other, sounding as if they were nails on a chalkboard. Their faces came close together, their armor rubbing. Trimdin could feel the vigor and anger of Quinten, his face scrunching in anguish.“Come on Quinten, there must be a better way to solve this,” he grunted“No, your majesty, there isn’t. As I’ve said before, we don’t want peace, we want power. We deserve to control, to dominate, to devastate.”“But why? Why inflict pain, suffering, and poverty on innocent lives? Why can only you have success? Why do you need war?”“You know exactly why.” Quinten pushed back on Trimdin, forcing him away.“No, I don’t.”“We have enemies out there, and you know it. The Kuipernian Empire has been encroaching on our territory for years. We need to fight them off, we need to unite as one group and get back at them for what they did to us; what they did to me.”“The Kuipernian Empire? What do they have to do with this?”“Remember the Cross-Beltian Wars?” Quinten questioned.“I was only a child when they happened.”“You've heard of it. It's the war that killed your parents. And it's the war that killed everything I knew. My Master taught me the things the world refused to, taught me my strongest traits. But the Kuipernians took him from me.” A tear was shed from his eye. “I’ve lost so much by their hands, and all I want is to destroy them.”“That’s why you want to be king, that’s why you want to rule with an iron fist over the belt? Because you have a sappy revenge dream? Everything that has happened, all that you have built up, is because you want to take on a freaking ally of ours. Nardyn and I hated them, too, but he made peace, and now you want to tear that down for a little power fantasy?”“It’s more than just a power fantasy, dear Trimdin. You have no idea what I went through with them, you have no idea what is out there. The Kuipernians took away my father figure, the only being who had ever loved me. They slaughtered my friends, those who I cared about deeply. No amount of resources could make up for it, just revenge.”“Quinten. For years, I hated you and The Queen for what you did to my brother. Every time I would see your faces on TV, or in the news, or on the propaganda, I’d just get flashbacks to that day. My bitterness grew more and more, until finally, I was given a chance to ‘make things right' with Tim and Claren. And I did. The only problem: I still felt incomplete. Killing her was not enough, so I thought killing you and your army would do it. But with everything that has happened, the countless lives lost because of my rage, I saw the flaws in my ways. Revenge would not make me whole, but peace would. I needed to stop being vengeful and be forgiving; do what my brother did. So don’t go down this path, please.”“I’m beginning to feel like this is less of a duel and more of a therapy session.” He moved back to his original place, readying his sword yet again for another rush. Trimdin prepared to defend against the oncoming attack.“Trust me, I wish I went to school for that instead of public communications,” Trimdin muttered. “But that’s beyond the point here. You need help, you need closure. I can give that to you. You know, set up a meeting with The Empress or something. Maybe some form of apology or reconciliation?” he expressed, naming every option he could. "That would be miles better than trying to overthrow me and become king, just to get back at them."“What would that do anyways? That’s just a bandage to a much larger wound. I already have all I could wish for. The only closure I need is to have the heads of every soldier in their army.” Quickly, Quinten lunged toward his fending enemy, pressing into one another yet again.“Power doesn’t solve all problems. Peace, diplomacy, democracy, and teamwork are the best way to handle things. The endless war, the endless bloodshed; as you already said, it took so much from you before. So why cause it again, why make so many lose those they love for a war you want?”“Because I deserve it, we deserve it. They took from us, so we take from them, no matter how many lives it costs.”“But is that worth it, supplying anger with more anger? Where does that get you?”“Further up the food chain. Both you and I know that something big will come. We need to grow if we want to win.”“There are no threats to our kingdom. I get that you have a bone to pick with them, but we have an alliance with every civilization in our system. And our alliance has treaties with other alliances. The Belt is safe, don’t sacrifice that for your own needs.”“No,” he grunted, “we need to be a powerful society. Alliances are bullshit. They mean nothing. The Queen was ready to break them right before you killed her. We were going to war, and we were going to defeat those bastards. Then, the next target. Then the next, and so on.” Quinten pushed his blade closer and closer to The King’s face.“Do you hear yourself? You sound like some crazy conspiracy theorist.” Trimdin struggled to keep the edge away from his neck. “You want to duel to become king, then make innocent citizens slaves to your rule, and finally fight our most important trade and political partners? Just because you believe ‘something big will come;’ just because you hate what they did to you? And now you want to do that to them? Have you gone mad?”“Dear friend, are you really asking that to me? If you knew what kind of threat this was, if you knew not only what the Kuipernians can do, but what the rest of the universe is capable of, you would do just as I have. They hurt me, God hurt me, and everyone and everything that exists has hurt me. So I’ll return the favor.” The sword was now right against the collar, skimming its metal surface and digging into it. Then, it slipped under, part of the blade touching the device, the other sticking lightly into King Trimdin’s shoulder.“Ah! Come on,” Trimdin painfully groaned, “Come on. Stop, Quinten.”“No!” he pushed down further.“Yes. And I wasn’t asking this time, either.” At that moment, Trimdin reapplied his force on the hilt, using both hands to leverage the enraged Quinten from him, slicing off the restraining neckband.“Oh shit,” Quinten exclaimed, realizing what he had done.“‘Oh shit’ are the exact words I wanted to hear!”“Using my own words against me now, are we?”“Yeah, I Goddamn am. You know what, I lied before. Maybe I do need my powers to beat your furious ass.” The famous purple glow suddenly illuminated Trimdin’s hands, forcing him to drop the blade and lift into the air.“Well, now I’ve definitely lost,” Quinten grinned. “Hey, can I get some guards in here? We got a fighter.”“Quiet you idiotic egomaniac. Those guards can do nothing to me, you know. Every bullet will be stopped; I can literally deflect them instantly. What the hell are they going to do?”“Help is help, my friend.” Right then, five guards came running in, shields ready and weapons active.“Yeah, but that help ain’t going to do much,” The King responded. He lifted his hand out, raising the soldiers off the ground and forcefully pushing them against the wall behind them. They all promptly fell back down, groaning in pain. “Anyone else you want to invite?”“Nah, I’m good. So now, your majesty, what will it be for me? Death, or a lifetime in prison?"“Someone with your list of crimes should be sentenced to death, but as I told you: killing doesn’t lead to happiness. Revenge is no longer how things go around here, even for you. Quinten, you will go on trial for your wrongdoings, we will explore the history you have, and come to a resolution for your problems.”“And what if I refuse? What if I want to die? If I don’t deserve to be king, to get revenge, to lead my people toward greatness, then is life truly worth it?” Quinten lifted his sword near his chest, leveling it with the throat.“Don’t you dare! Quinten, your life, no matter how horrible, no matter how sad, is worth something. You have done terrible things, not only to others, but to me, yet I don’t want you to die. Though a small part understands, the moral and sincere me needs you to live. I beg.”“Trimdin, I have been through enough. There is only one last being I can take revenge on: myself. If only you knew.” “I do. I get it. For so long I contemplated the same thing. My brother was the last relative I had, the only family that remained. No one else was there to take care of me, to love me. When he was taken away, I wanted to join him. But I realized that he would never accept me if I gave in so easily. He always wanted me to be his successor, he told me himself. That was the only thing keeping me going. So yes, I do understand it, as I said before. I guess me and you are more alike than we thought.” “Are you really using that trope against me? Seriously? No, I want to die, I need to die. I am not worthy."“You may not be worthy, but you can make amends, learn to live with the past, and create a better future for all.”“Oh King Trimdin, so innocent at heart, so pure in ideals. Maybe this will give you a quick lesson!”“No, Quinten, no!” but he was too late. At that moment, he sliced his throat, plunging to the ground. Blood rapidly surrounded Quinten, his body lying completely still.The King floated motionless, shrouded with horror, realizing what had just happened. He quickly dropped out of the air, falling knees-first next to the corpse.“What-What have you done? What have I done?” he cried. “Why? Just why?” Tears began to drop on the grieving Trimdin’s face. “I hated you for years, planned to finish you for years, but now that it has finally happened, all I feel is pain. Damn you, Quinten.” He sat for a while next to his rival, looking at the figure.Eventually, Trimdin rose, standing in the elusive bunker and staring at his rival. “May you find your place in Eden… if somehow you can get there.” He then lifted the body with his powers, carrying it horizontally toward the exit of the room. But as he did so, he noticed that the guards were still moving, and as he neared them, one spoke out.“King Trimdin!” they shouted in discomfort.“Yes?” he responded, wiping off some tears.“Where the hell do you think you are going with him?”“Home, to The Capital, where we will decide how to properly take care of him.”“But he's ours, he's our leader; don’t you dare take our Master away.” The soldier was still on the ground, but moved his hand near his waist.“What, what are you doing there?”“Let’s just say I have a bit of a surprise for you.” They unclipped a strap on their utility belt.“And what is that supposed to mean?”“You know that little war Quinten was talking about?”“Yeah?”“He was not the only one affected by it.” They pulled something out.“Many families lost loved ones during it.”“I was one of those families,” they responded, coughing.“Well, I am so sorry for you. It was a true tragedy of a conflict, but we worked it out.”“I lost my wife, I lost my kid! They bombed my house!” A grenade now laid in their hand as they yelled.“What are you doing with that?” Trimdin became defensive, preparing to protect himself and Quinten.“You know exactly what I’m doing.” Their hand now grazed the loop of the pin, the other holding down the lever.“Put that down! You are going to harm yourself and everyone around you.”“I know.” They yanked the pin.“Shit!” The King instantly turned around, placing a shield around himself and storming towards the exit, Quinten’s carcass following.“This is for my family, motherfu—”The handle was let go. Boom.He rushed up the stairs, and the explosion trailed. They were quickly engulfed, wrapped in the fiery hellscape and surrounded by an orange void. The bunker was quickly obliterated, the home over it destroyed by the blast.King Trimdin rushed away, soaring toward the palace. As he was in the air, he scooped Quinten's radio off of his body, scanning into the Royal frequency.Near the palace, everyone remained disoriented by the sudden surrender of The King. Both groups still stood, tensions slowly rising. Shields were activated, though all weapons were set aside. The two teams just stared aimless, lacking significant command.Kiran was there, commanding her part of the military. Though in other divisions, troops started to lose faith, many beginning to turn off their shields and return home. The enemy, on the other hand, made slight advancements forward, attempting to gain territory without a fight. But even then, the most confident of the bunch started to show little interest in upkeeping the offense, only going back when forced to by their commanding officers.Neither side wanted to truly fight, subordinates trying to keep a peaceful status quo. But the higher-ups within Quinten's forces were rowdy, wanting to continue without orders. Kiran noticed this stirring, concerned that it may cause an all-out battle. They seemingly wanted for the war to end once and for all, no matter the outcome of the two leaders. So, as many on her side left the action, they were getting shot and killed by the opposing team, causing everyone to readjust their shields and activate firearms. "What are they doing? They can't do that, that's a war crime," Kiran complained, shocked by the actions of her adversary. "Things are getting bad out here. Where the hell is Trimdin, it's been long enough. Either he's gone, or Quinten is." Though at that moment, crackles began to come through Kiran's device."Hello! Hello!""What was that?" she patted around, attempting to find her transponder."Hello?" it mumbled.Kiran lifted the gadget out of her pocket, now holding it in her hand and tuning it in. "Who is this?" she asked."Qu-Tri-Qu.""Quinten?""No.""Trimdin?" she turned the knob on the side."Kiran, is that you?""Yes, yes it is!""Great. How are things going?""We've got some aggression, and I don't know how to solve it.""Is there a way to get everyone to hear me? I have something to say," he said, his voice tiring."Are you sure you want to tell them that? Now?""Yes, yes. It is the only way. If they know, they will stop, it will all stop.""How do I tell the enemy to listen?""Use the podium. It's still set up, I had it ready in case of a victory. Just go there and hook this thing up to it.""Okay, sir." Quickly, she ran up to the stage, now standing where The King stood just days prior. She crouched down, took out a cord from under the stand, and hooked it up to the radio. Kiran then rose, now looking at the armies below.The system was then turned on, a screech beamed into the surrounding area. Instantly, the attention of every soldier on the ground was obtained, both friend and foe staring at the confident Kiran."Hey, guys. The King has an important message for you all and he would like to say it. Many of you may be able to assume what it is, but here it goes. Your Majesty, whenever you're ready, though try to be subtle.""No. Quinten is DEAD. A victor has been chosen..."~~Two days passed. King Trimdin sat in the throne room, waiting to officially address his subjects. Quinten’s body laid in a coffin, prepared for a ceremony. Media broadcasters from all over gathered to record the occasion, as it marked the beginning of a new era for the kingdom.When the time came, he rose from his royal seat and exited the palace, masses of subjects for and against him anticipating the remark. He walked up to the dreaded microphone, standing behind the very podium that started everything. Trimdin stared at all of their faces, some riddled with anger, others loaded with relief. He noticed every detail: the brimming smiles, the open-mouthed shouting; the ecstatic cheerers, the lonesome grievers. Nearly every form of emotion filled the area, with only one missing: regret. But The King was about to remedy that issue, as his speech soon began.“The Asteroid War is over. A few weeks ago, I became king. One week after that, I told you I would fight the evil that plagued our home. And now, two days ago, I told you the Devil was dead. I promised that we were going to stop the horrors committed by Quinten. We succeeded, but at what cost? At this point, hundreds of soldiers have died, and all we got out of it was one death. I was truly mistaken before when I said this was OUR war, because, in reality, it was just mine. I strived for revenge against someone who had hurt me and thought it would be easy, that it would be painless; I heavily miscalculated. No one should have perished, including the killer. Sure, Quinten may have deserved it; sure, he has done terrible things. But so have I. I had your loved ones sacrificed because I wanted vengeance. He did the same. The only reason we prevailed is that I became the very evil that I was fighting against. It turns out he and I had a similar idea of our fate, though he killed himself because he thought that if there wasn’t revenge, then there was nothing. For the longest time, I thought the same way, but as I said in my Talk to the Kingdom, I found errors in my ways. But he never did. Though I hope now we can ensure that never happens again. Many of you have lost friends and family to war, whether throughout my ruling or times before. Though instead of continuing this violent cycle, we need to come together, to unify. If there was anything at all Quinten was right about, it is that we need to be undivided, we need to work together as a nation and show our true might. His misconception was in thinking everyone else is our enemy, but that is simply not true. We have made peace, we are in harmony, and now, all we need to do is heal the wounds of history. He just made them larger, infecting us with the disease of anger and hatred. So together, let’s make a better future for our society. Together, let’s fix the problems of our past. I am now formally designating the special elite district to be decommissioned as such and turned into a memorial for those we have lost, not only by this war, but by all wars that have been fought in our existence. And we will fund this by seizing all assets held by Quinten, as he and the last of the mineral heirs have perished. The Belt will be ridded of its ridiculous class system; there will be no poor, there will be no rich. Even I will give up many of the luxuries of being king, as I believe I should live as my subjects do. For too long has the immense wealth of our kingdom been held by the few, so now, it will be held by the many. This is what my brother truly wanted. I promise you that not a single fight will happen under my watch, that no more lives are lost. No one will go hungry, no one will be forced into a life of servitude. And, all those who have helped me on this journey will be deified. Tim, Claren, and of course, my brother, have made me who I am today, they have brought me on a voyage of an unforeseen future, and I could never thank them enough for it. Wherever those three are, I hope they are living their best lives, and I pray to all the souls who have been lost in this conflict. May they rest in peace. Also, an honorary mention to Kiran Samdin, as if wasn't for her, we would have never got the mass surrender of Quinten's forces. They are holding his funeral is later today, though I doubt any of you want to come to that. They opened the door to anyone who pleases to join them. After that, his body and the coffin will be burned. Otherwise, that’s all. More plans for reconstruction will be announced soon, and we’ll figure out how to take care of those who committed crimes under Quinten later. For now, mourn those we have lost, but celebrate the freedom you have maintained. We won.”The crowd below cheered, showing appreciation for the words of their ruler. Some remained bitter, but enjoyed the brutal truth of The King. Nevertheless, Trimdin smiled, waving goodbye to them and immediately turning around, walking towards the entrance of his palace. All cameras pointed toward him, as he disappeared behind the doors, now being the head of a new age for The Belt.And only one thought coursed through the sad yet satisfied mind of King Trimdin: My brother would be proud.

Epilogue

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!”“What did we miss on this damn mission? Three months pass and Earth is gone!”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, then. 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 did not 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.“Well, I think we’re 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.“At least 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 said 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.“A war, a nuclear one, happened. 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.”“Survivors are unlikely.”“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.
King Trimdin, Tim, Claren, and more returned in The Asteroid Home, released December 31 exclusively to WRTN.