Part 1

The dreadnought “First of the Bloodline”, flagship of the Vaulters’ fleet, hung in high orbit above the frozen world of Auriga. Deep within its superstructure, Zolya, leader of the Vaulters and for whom the ship had been named after, reflected on the vista of her birth world. The live image of the planet filled an entire wall of the spacious stateroom from which she had been co-ordinating her empire. Progress reports from their new home on Aurigae had since been forgotten, whilst petitions from the Foundling and Bereaved factions of Aurigid went ignored, as she stared at the world below her.

The door to the stateroom whispered open to admit her personal equerry, a Dawn Officer, who strode in smartly, power armour whirring quietly, and stood at attention a respectful distance away. Her body guards of the Chosen Kith, who shadowed her wherever she went, were noticeably more alert.

“Speak,” Zolya spoke, almost softly.

“We have entered high orbit and await your command,” the officer started, “Units from our battle group have been dispersed to reinforce the local defence force. There are several reports from neighbouring systems of Hissho, Empire and Riftborn reconnaissance groups probing local space. The scientist’s planet side continue to report steady observations.”

“Very good, pass on my gratitude to our captain and my wish to not delay my travel to the site. Have my shuttle prepared accordingly.”

“Yes ma’am”, the Dawn Officer snapped off a short bow before spinning on their heel and striding back out of the stateroom.

Zolya continued to study Auriga’s surface. This would only be the second time she had visited the planet, the first being upon its discovery and addition to the empire. The memories of her past life on its surface and seeing the current devastation continued to be a source of loss and pain for her.

Yet her scientists had worked diligently to unearth its secrets since the reclamation of their ancestral lands, their discoveries bolstering and empowering her fleets, armies and industry. But now they had made a discovery that warranted her personal oversight and intervention, a discovery that could have a big impact upon her people.

The Vaulters were not the only children of Auriga to survive.

Part 2

The “First of the Bloodline” glided into low orbit and deployed the drop ships ferrying Zolya, her attendants and Chosen Kith. The gigantic, circular orbital laboratory of the Endless formed an ominous backdrop as the shuttles hurtled through the atmosphere like meteors, their destination deep within the frozen wastes.

After landing at the science outpost and weathering the customary greetings of the staff and the obligatory tour of the main facility, Zolya finally descended into the extensive catacombs and warrens that honeycombed the planet. What she found made her pause in awe and respect.

She had entered one of the largest catacombs she had ever seen. Thousands of coffins lined the walls, power cables snaking among them, albeit many seemed dark and non-functional.

Before her, as if guarding the very entrance in which she stood, was a lone coffin. Flowing script was etched upon the lid and the sides, describing a final epistle of the occupant within. Around the coffin stood various sensors connected to holo-projectors and screens whose readouts were being analysed by several scientists.

“Subject is a female Allayi, vital signs are faint but readable. We estimate the subject has been in interred for several centuries, an exact figure is yet to be calculated. The coffins themselves are an ingenious bit of reverse engineering of Endless technology. All powered by our ancestral deep generator designs, which they must have salvaged, and some kind of fuel made from giant pearls…”

The head scientist rattled on, taking Zolya’s silence as an invitation to talk, as she continued to study the catacomb. All around the chamber were scattered the everyday items of the Allayi, from grooming sets and sewing kits to cooking utensils and clothing. The six-winged Eye of Auriga hung from many places, staring back at her in a bid to ward off evil intent. Most coffins had prayer beads or charms inlaid with pearl dust hanging from one corner, whilst small Skyfin totems or tiny pearl obelisks formed the centerpiece of modest altars and prayer mats.

“How many are there?” she interrupted the scientist, who became slightly flustered as they quickly tapped on their data pad.

“Ten thousand coffins, ma’am,” he answered, “of which just over five hundred have viable occupants.”

“Only five hundred!?” she felt herself lose her composure slightly at the shocking number, “Perhaps you should have informed me of that figure first.”

The scientists face coloured in shame at her rebuke.

Only one in twenty had survived. Would they even want to be woken after such a devastating loss, she wondered? Had their hope not been the same as her own people, to somehow escape the death of their world, and start anew in another age. There was only one way to find out.

“Can you wake her?” Zolya asked, “Safely?”

The scientist nodded.

“Do it,” she ordered.

Part 3

Zolya watched keenly as the team of scientists worked to revive the Allayi, Eden incense drifted through the air, sharpening their senses. Among her Vaulter kin she spied a Sophon, hired for their brilliance and insight, whilst the two tattooed Pilgrims she also spotted among the scientists, kept that Sophons’ curiosity and ideas in check, due to their almost mystical reverence of the Endless.

Refreshments were brought to her, whilst a medical station was set up in case there were complications with the Allayi. Her Dawn Officer and Chosen Kith body guards reviewed their notes and information on the Allayi. Her retinue were of a younger generation, born among the stars. Zolya felt no need to lecture them on her own experiences, trusting their diligence and training to prepare themselves.

Finally, a chime echoed across the chamber and the scientists carefully lifted the lid and the first ragged breaths of the Allayi inside could be heard. Clawed fingers grasped the sides of the coffin as the it eased itself upright and opened its sleepy eyes.

The chiropteran features of its head moved as it warily studied the science team and her body guards. Its’ gaze settled on Zolya and stared for a long moment, unnerving some of the Chosen who tightened their grips on their weapons.

Zolya felt the first seeds of doubt as she looked back. This Allayi was not how she remembered them. There was no sign of a winter coat or a summer coat, no telling what its behaviour would or could be. This individual was unpredictable.

The Allayi broke its stare to rise slowly onto its legs, pulling a quarterstaff up from the coffin with it, its six great wings unfurling and spreading to reveal its full and imposing size. It turned to look down the chamber, at the thousands of unlit coffins. Its ears flattened and its eyes went wide in shock. It turned to face her and approached quickly, her Chosen readying themselves and her grip on her sword involuntarily tightened.

“Hold,” the Dawn Officer called out, as they moved in front of Zolya to prevent a direct attack, earning themselves a dismissive glance from the Allayi who stood a full head and shoulders above them.

“What has happened?” the Allayi demanded, “Why have you not woken my brothers and sisters?”

“I am Zolya, First…” Zolya started.

“I know who you are,” the Allayi interrupted, “but my kin are all that concern me at this moment.”

“They are safe,” Zolya assured, her rehearsed speech left in tatters, “I wish to talk with you first.”

“Evidently not all are safe. You want to share words before the life of my family?” The Allayi growled, “Your heart is colder than Auriga. What of the others?”

“The others?” Zolya sent a questioning glance to her scientists, whose blank faces and shrugs said that they did not know what the Allayi was talking about, who was beginning to look even more startle.

“You’ve not found them!?”

“We will find them,” Zolya was fast losing control of the situation and needed to gain some trust, “and we will wake everyone we find. Now.”

She gave her scientists a pointed look and they spurred themselves to action.

Part 4

Zolya once again looked at the vista of Auriga rotating slowly beneath the shadow of “First of the Bloodline”, not from her stateroom this time, but from the ship’s observation deck. The observation deck was one of the few places on the ship to actually feature a window where the crew could view the stars and planets with their own eyes during their down time.

For the moment though, the deck was off limits to the crew, the compartment having been prepared for the first official meeting between Zolya and the Allayi guardian, who had eventually deigned to give her name as Atropos, once the other catacombs had been discovered and surveyed.

Zolya had chosen the observation deck for the meeting because she needed to make a statement, to show the power of her empire, not to intimidate (which the Allayi never responded well to) but to achieve a mutual understanding. Auriga belonged to the Vaulters now, and the Allayi did not have the numbers to contend this but they would still have a place amongst her civilisation.

The number of Allayi that had survived the catacombs came back to haunt her. In all they had managed to revive just over one thousand and four hundred souls, out of the sixty thousand coffins spread amongst six catacombs. Only two percent had survived. If the Vaulters had been any later in their discovery, well, such thoughts could be left alone.

One of the Chosen Kith shadowing her broke the silence, having received a message from their earpiece.

“They are here ma’am,” she nodded in reply and turned to face the door to the compartment, which whispered open to admit her Dawn Officer, the Allayi party and their escort.

“Thank you for joining me Atropos, Guardian of the Allayi,” Zolya welcomed, “I hope we can speak openly and come to an accord.”

Atropos stared at the view behind Zolya.

“Our Mother is gone,” Atropos stated before looking at her, “But my people live on due to your actions, Zolya, First of the Bloodline. You have our sincerest gratitude. To think I was a child in my summer years when I first saw you and your kind leave this world for the stars. Now here we stand, nearing our winter years. So much has changed.”

“Thank you. Our worlds have changed but we can adapt and thrive. I take it you have read my proposals.”

“Yes,” Atropos gave a small snort, “They are acceptable, for now. Vaulters may claim the stars and the Allayi spirit may be shattered, but we will recover, we have done so before and for that matter, we will not be your subjects.”

“Nor do I need you to be. I accept that you are the true children of Auriga, but I am a child of Auriga as well. This is my birth world as much as yours. And we Vaulters have learnt much from our time among the stars, we know more about Auriga than you have ever realised and we will share that with you out of respect. Together, we may even revive Auriga to its former glory.”

“Such a thing can be done?” Atropos asked hopefully.

“Eventually,” Zolya conceded.

Atropos nodded thoughtfully before looking at the other Allayi she had brought with her, “These six are the ones who will live among you and your kind, to learn and share your advancements with my people, to aid you in your decisions that can benefit from our insight and to assist your scientists in exploring and researching what is left of Auriga. I must concentrate on healing my people and rebuilding our civilisation.”

“Very well, I will have my staff prepare your chosen for their appointments.”

“We also hope to find our other brothers and sisters,” Atropos announced after a slight pause, “The catacombs were not our only plans for survival. There were other contingencies, hidden generational villages in the deepest vaults, even rumors of a portal leading to another world through which thousands of us escaped.”

“I see,” Zolya nodded, “We haven’t found your people on any other world, but I am sure, working together, we will find all those who survived and we will reunite your people.”  

“With Auriga’s blessing, I pray it will be so,” Atropos watched Auriga with hope once again.

I enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing!