[IC] Eternal Galaxy: Shards of Starlight - Part I

[Kristia]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

Mara just stood leaning on a wall both seeing the event and thinking about the whole mess that has been for too much time

("One could think this is a war caused by a simple disagreement that expanded to galactic levels, and the ones who may know how to end it are still behind the shadows)" she thought taking a deep breath

[Cucoo5]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

Aion stood and took one of the orbs in his hand. Inscribed in a metal ring was the name of Lissa's brother. He turned and saw her walk up beside him. Aion handed her the orb and she pushed it through the force field into space. It floated out, a slight trail of aura energy glimmered like stars behind it. Then, Aion's squadron walked up and took one of the floating orbs and lined up along side him and Lissa. All of the female pilots then began to sing as they pushed each orb off into the eternal vastness. The men drummed slightly with their feet and hands the percussion of the song.

((I was about to write my own song for this but this fit too beautifully.))

By the end, all of the Maverick pilots had formed ranks behind them, and on cue, they all stood to attention and saluted towards the receding orbs. If one looked into any of the pilot's eyes, they would see a fire of resolution that was rekindled. A moment of silence, then they dispersed in a solemn silence. Aion and Joe walked back to The rest of the group.

***

"I-is.....that....." Nero looked at the container in partial horror. "Please tell me there's not like...a...head...in there...or some other internal organ or body part...."

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

As the ceremony started, John and Cortana watched it all unfold; how they let the Aura Crystals drift into space, how the female pilots sang, and how everyone saluted at the crystals' departure. John saluted as the pilots saluted, to show respect for the fallen. If there was one custom both timelines shared, it was respecting those fallen in battle with a salute. Cortana bowed her head down to show respect for the fallen pilots.

As the ceremony concluded, John and Cortana remained silent. There was simply nothing to say. Good people died, and that was all there really was to it.

As Joe and Aion approached, John walked over to Aion and asked him a question.

"This may be sudden, especially after the ceremony, but what do you know about the Shards of Starlight?", John asked Aion.

[Cucoo5]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

Aion closed his eyes for a moment as if in thought and then answered. "Nothing more than anyone else. Just a bit more first hand experience, is all." He was about to say more when he was interrupted.
"Captain Aion. A word?"
"Lieutenant Navarre?" Aion glanced over to him and saw that he wanted him to walk with him for a moment. He complied.
"Looks like they'll be just a moment...anyway I can tell ya a bit of what he means." Joe started for the space between his and Aion's fighters. "It all began when Revere dumped him unconscious in the area just before the Mirror Sea on the planet Dua. The Mirror Sea is a part of the legends. No one has ever went into the sea and came out the same. Aion seems to be an exception. The only difference is he took a different approach to the legends and seems to be getting somewhere with them...He's putting together things that people dismissed before."

***
"What did you wish to talk to me about, sir?" Aion asked Navarre.
"...what you did for that squadron was quite remarkable. To observe Mavericks' Honor is such a rarity these days."
"Thank you...but..." Aion looked crestfallen. "It wouldn't have been necessary."
"True...but some things are unavoidable. Orion knew this."
"Huh?!" Aion looked up suddenly.
"He knew that his time was near, thus he gave me this to pass onto you." He took out a silver sword with a cross tree that had angelic wings folded back for the guard. a red gemstone was set in the four point star hole which bordered the edge of the sheath. The scabbard itself had silver metalwork framing the blue crystalline casing which had an emblem of the sun and moon embedded in it which acted as a lock where chains were latched onto that bound the blade into the sheath.

Spoiler:

The same emblem that's on the Blood Tome.

"His sword...is yours now."
Aion seemed transfixed by the beautiful craftsmanship of the blade's hilt and scabbard. "...Thank you. This...means a lot to me."
"I'm sure it does." And with a quick bow of his head, Navarre made his leave. as Aion headed back to the rest of the group with the sword in hand.

***
Joe looked over as he leaned against one of the crates at the space between which formed a doot through the makeshift wall that seemed to separate the area that their fighters set off from the rest of the hangar. "Oi, what's that Navarre gave ya?"
Aion smirked slightly at Joe's question. "Proof."

[Koishi]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

---

"Well, it's not a head, and it's not really internal anymore, is it?" Mima opened the chest to find a oversized heart.

"In perfect condition too." Mima said, turning to Nero. "Don't worry, it's not human, or anything sentient, for that matter. At least I think."

---

"Interesting." Nova mumbled to herself.

[Cucoo5]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

Nero covered his nose and mouth and looked away for a brief moment when he saw what it was. "...right. Hmm...we could probably do a DNA test on it and figure out what it was..." Nero looked at it and after the initial shock he looked fine.

***
Terrisa tugged on Nova again, "C'mon I want you to meet my friends!" She ran off in the direction of the others. "C'mon!"

***
"Proof? Proof of what?" Joe looked at the ceremonial sword slightly confused.
"Proof that the legends are completely true." Aion laid the blade down on the table. The silver metalwork and the gemstones set in the latch that formed the emblem of the sword's sheath shone in the light. "This is one of the three keys of Heaven's Forge...this is Mercurius."
"Mercurius? But that's..." Kiara paused for a moment. "That's impossible...surely this is just some ceremonial blade?"
Aion picked it up and placed a hand carefully on the handle, gripping it in a specific manner. He then gently pulled the blade out by a slight millimeter until the chains were taught so that a portion of the cutting edge was visible. Aura energy shone like a star from the partially exposed blade. Putting it back to the way it was, Aion rotated the sword in his hands. "There is no doubt in my mind... This is the Key of the legends, the Blade of Light's Shadow."

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

John knew about the Shards of Starlight, but nothing about "Heaven's Forge." What did it have to do with the legends? John knew it was important, so he decided to ask Aion and Joe about it.

"Heaven's forge? What is Heaven's Forge?", John asked Aion and Joe as he walked over to them.

[Cucoo5]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

"...That's the basic story of the legend of the shards." Aion looked down again to Mercurius. "Theres a few specific stories about this sword. There are those that say that this is the blade of evil as it is the main key that can unlock the power of the shards and thus lead to destruction. Some say that the blade's soul is a cursed soul. It even has another name because of that: The Sanguine Blade."
"Aye...so, how about we take a look at it?" Joe suggested. "There might be something on the blade that might tell us something..."
"True...but..." Aion looked at the chains that wrapped around the scabbard and bound the sword to it. "It's been locked away for a reason. I intend on continuing the legacy that my father carried and protect this sword and not release its shackles." He then added under his breath, "And let us hope that it never must be unleashed..."

[Koishi]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

---

"A bit sqeamish, aren't you? As for the identity, you could just look at the label." Mima said, tapping the label before reading it.

"Hydra's heart. Huh. That'll be nice in alchemy. Or a stew." Mima said.

---

"Must I? I'm not good with people. And people aren't good with me." Nova replied in a slightly cold tone.

[Cucoo5]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

"Hydra? Where have I heard that before?" Nero looked at the heart closer. "Hrm...so what else is there...?"

[S121]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

John was getting slightly annoyed that Aion didn't give him a direct answer, but he understood the basic idea of the story.

"So The shards of starlight are pieces of a tool so powerful that it can create or destroy entire galaxies, the swords are the keys to seal and unseal them, and Heaven's Forge was used to create the keys.", John said to Aion.

The Shards of Starlight reminded John of the Halo Arrays. They were powerful tools of destruction that could wipe out all life within a galaxy. John didn't believe in fate, but he couldn't help but feel that he might have been brought to this time period for a reason. After a moment of thinking, John spoke again.

"They all fit together, but what does it all have to do with the Halls of Time?", John asked Aion.

[Cucoo5]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

"Mhm! C'mon! There's nothing to worry about here!" Terrisa was smiling cheerfully as she tried to get Nova to follow.

***

"That's exactly what the legends say about the Shards of Starlight...but concerning the legends of the Halls of Time... I would have to tell you the basic story."

"So what does that have to do with the Shards?" Aion then adopted a more sarcastic tone. "Absolutely nothing." He then picked up the sword and pointed to the crest of the Guardians of Time that sealed the blade. "...Or so it was thought."

[NeoFox]

Helios System
X's ship | Drifting in space between New Genesis and Duon/Dua


X was drifting in his ship alone... he had been in his ship for what seemed to be an eternity. He's almost out of food rations...

His ship continues to drift through space aimlessly.

"Systems on..." He said in a cold monotone voice as the lights in the cockpit turned on. He then proceeded to sit down in the pilot's seat. "Run status scan of the ship..." Said X as his ship's systems runs a quick scan for any status problems.

After a few minutes passed some text appeared on his ship's main screen.
SHIP'S SYSTEMS ARE ONLINE, AND OPERABLE. FOOD RATIONS ARE RUNNING LOW. SEARCH FOR ANY NEARBY PLACES TO RESTOCK? The text said as X shakes his head. "Deny request. Search for nearby ships."

[bookdragon2000]

Sol Inceneron
Inopia-Temple of the Lost

Nhiome looked around again. "Even with your light, it is still quite dark...I have a way to light this place up, just give me some time to locate them....I don't use them often...considering i spend most of my time in space. Once you can see, maybe you could spot something..."

Nhiome reentered KuroiKaze and started digging around the cargo area. I really haven't had any use for them in a while... now where are they...there! thank god for my paranoia... Nhiome picked up the flares and went to the projectile gun, he loaded them into the magazine and went to power up the gun. He pushed a button and pressed his thumb against a fingerprint scanner, waiting for the scan to complete. But nothing happened. Nhiome tried again with the same results. He frowned and went to check on the connections to the remaining working engine, then he noticed it.

Ah...so that's the problem. Flying the much heavier load along with powering the shields during the drop must have done it...I think I have a spare, including the one in the other engine I should be fi- He noticed that the other one was also depleted. Guess it was not just a connection problem, although that is definitely part of it. I wasn't actually checking the entire engine before...only the connections, guess I didn't take a look at the crystal at all. Nhiome replaced the crystal in the functioning engine with his only spare, then went back to the cockpit and powered up the projectile gun. He aimed it at the darkest corners and fired. The bullets lodged into the walls they were aimed at and after a ten second delay, flared up, filling the temple with light.

Nhiome stepped out of KuroiKaze and approached Dalia again. "These flares will last an hour or so, and do you happen to have an aura crystal? I'm afraid the earlier flight to the cavern and the fall after that drained the aura crystals in the engines. I have another one, but as had been shown, one is not enough, if I want to leave this planet, I'm going to need another one...anyway, so with the new light, do you spot anything?"

[Koishi]

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

---

"The hydras were creatures from back on Earth. Really, really hard to kill creatures with many heads. You cut off one, two would grow in it's place. Still makes for a great stew." Mima said, closing the chest and putting it on the ground next to her, while looking back to the fridge. "Oooo, Swiss cheese." Mima took a slice and folded it in half, then ate it.

"Still delicious." Mima said.

---

"Except those after my head." Nova mumbled, reluctantly going along.