All sentient life is connected. The appendages may be different, we may eat different things, and live in different solar systems, but at the end of the day, we’re all one big family.
It’s time to explore the branches of the universal family tree, and today, we present:
140
– Issue 1 – The Aje/Ares/Aie/Ajres/Azer
When the Ascendant battled the First Wave of the Quinspace, they did so on many battlefronts. They waged wars on early planetoids that lasted long enough for the field of battle to become planets and solar systems. It was a devastating battle and there were many losses on both sides, but the nature of the Quinspace made the battles very beautiful to spectate.
In one such battle, on a planet that became known as Tawlfaq, when it was still on its way to planet status, the Ascendant warrior Aje-yel 134 was second in command to Nuran-Fhet 77, the master strategist and one of seven commanders of the Ascendant armed forces that had never been utilized before their conflict with the First Wave. Nuran-Fhet had piloted one of the ships that deployed at the first confrontation with the First Wave and the single ship disassembled into smaller units that did aerial battle with the horde of Quinspace beings. The beings had been spawned from the First Wave whale creature that pursued the Ascendant. The Quinspace beings were like giant crabs, octopi, squids, star fish, sharks, and they swam the Quinspace like it was water. The whale creature imbued it’s creations with its power of teleportation and to generate electricity and they were formidable opponents of Nuran-Fhet’s forces. She created a command center on the site of future Tawlfaq and Aje-yel was there reviewing intelligence and offering counsel.
Aje-yel became a soldier because she enjoyed the physicality of the training. When she started, she never imagined that she would see combat that risked actual lives. The Ascendant armed forces trained in virtual reality, destroying enemy armies with their wits and destructive weapons. Even though the battle in the Quinspace was going well for the Ascendant forces and they easily held their own against an enemy that outnumbered them, Aje-yel was traumatized that they had lost a few ships and a small number of their sisters. She did not verbalize her concerns to Nuran-Fhet and she was unwavering in her service, but the longer the struggle stretched on, the more disgruntled she became.
She returned to the planet Top when she got breaks from her work next to Nuran-Fhet, and it was on one of these leave periods that she met Par-Cell 77.
Aje-yel visited the continent of the Eternity Archive on one leave from battle and she was interested in reviewing the strategies of war from previous commanders in consequential battles throughout universal history. While at the research center of the main library, she accidentally bumped into Par-Cell who was on her way to a meeting. Par-Cell’s electronic viewer was smashed when the two collided and there was a flurry of papers that went up around them.
“I apologize, I was in a rush, not paying attention,” Par-Cell said as she gathered papers.
“Pardon me,” Aje-yel said deferentially. She noticed the pin that Par-Cell and all of the 77 wore to distinguish themselves. “I’m sure you have important business that I am keeping you from.”
They both scrambled to collect the papers and when they were done, Par-Cell smiled at Aje-yel.
“You should join me. You’re not an engineer, but you might find my meeting enlightening.”
That is mostly how Par-Cell recruited her own 77, a group of hand selected Ascendant who would ensure enactment of her plans to correct the mistake of the Ascendant into the future. She would give them missions to be handed down to the next generation to ensure that the Ascendant stayed in the Quinspace for as long as they existed as they did, and they would thoughtfully shape the future.
Aje-yel attended the meeting despite her original objective and when she returned to Tawlfaq, she had a very different perspective of her mission.
“I’m always so happy to see you return,” Nuran-Fhet said with a smile. She was standing in the hastily assembled fort that the Ascendant occupied on Tawlfaq. The Quinspace beings retreated to the ink black waters and when they rose from it, it hung thick from their bodies, dropping like cartoonish bombs that exploded in a million smaller drops that sprayed the awesome colors of the Quinspace.
The fort was primitive compared to the Ascendant homeworld, but it was like a nicely fortified stone castle that fit well with the rocky scenery of Tawlfaq and Nuran-Fhet’s forces were always updating it to guard against their threat. She stood in her command center, a large war room at the top of the castle that allowed her to see far out into the beauty of the lands and the nearby waters.
Aje-yel saluted and then hugged her sister.
“I am glad to return. Not glad to return to war. I think it’s time we consider alternatives to the violence.”
“Are you suggesting diplomacy?” Nuran-Fhet said with a laugh. “The Commander has tried that and we know that these things are empty vessels.”
“They were empty vessels, at that first encounter. I’ve studied the recordings of that encounter. The Quinspace Ascendant being that the Commander confronted said ‘I am hardly able to comprehend you, with time that will be easier.’ We have been here for a long time now, waging war, and that is all we have taught them. We must do something different, Second Commander.”
Nuran-Fhet was struck by the reasoning and it showed on her face. “When did you review footage of that encounter?”
“I am always learning, Second Commander, whatever I can do to give you, and by extension, our warrior sisters an upperhand.”
“That is how you spend your leisure on Top?” Nuran-Fhet sat contemplating the information.
“I don’t enjoy war, Second Commander. If we focus on our objective, to find a way to stop the rapid expansion, then it makes sense to do more than fight blindly without understanding the repercussions of our destruction.”
Nuran-Fhet asked to be left alone while she consulted with other Second Commanders.
Aje-yel sent a transmission to Par-Cell.
“I should receive orders to engage the Quinspace beings diplomatically very soon. I will update you on the cognitive development of the beings in my next transmission.”
Par-Cell received the transmission as she was leaving her class. She played it and smiled. Aje-yel worked very fast. She was the most effective pupil that Par-Cell had ever had the privilege to instruct. She would become the most important pupil that Par-Cell would ever have.
Par-Cell went back to her room in the vast field of tall grasses and she stirred up a cloud of pollen that glittered around her. It swirled beautifully, and then lines of electricity began to connect until a screen formed. It showed a grid with four other faces, all of which looked like Par-Cell.
“The Aje has been identified. I hope you all are progressing as expected. The class is the key identifying and organizing the important early players.”
“The class is splendid,” one of the faces said. “How did no one of us think of it before.”
“Because we did not understand our predicament as well as we do now,” another of the faces said. “It was only a few short aeons ago that we discovered one another.”
Par-Cell nodded with a smile and all of the similar faces did the same.
“We will speak again soon,” Par-Cell said and then the screen dissipated like a cloud of glitter.
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