Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 510: Gathering of Kings IV

"We were able to successfully land and were in the midst of establishing a foothold on the planet when the Mortella appeared. The first signs and contact were with the diamond shaped drones and what appeared to be a commanding unit in the form of someone calling themselves Gabriel. We believe it was a feminine because of its voice but because of their species nature it is unknown if they even have genders or merely adopted the concept." Jace began explaining.

"For the gatherings reference," The High Priestess pulled up a picture of Gabriel when she first appeared but the hologram was slightly warped and corrupted. Or rather the footage right before he was hit. "This is Gabriel and on your respective devices you will find the preliminary theory and scan once Colonel Jace got close enough."

Jace waited a few moments as they looked over the simple data and theory he had provided ahead of time. It was a bare scan without a detailed description of any of the technology. While the theory was just that, a theory. "Shortly after it appeared and claimed the destruction of the Holy Empire and the slaughter of the people I determined that it was going to wipe out as many lives as possible, whether it was civilian or not. Mostly utilizing the diamond shaped drones."

The High Priestess switched to the image of a diamond shaped drown and showed the schematic. "This drone fires a high heat laser beam that can cut through most known materials and composite materials. With a single precise spot it can kill almost any person. They were immediately utilized to kill as many inhabitants of the planet as possible." The images switched to several different videos that he hand picked of his soldiers helmet cams that showed them failing to shoot down drones in time as civilians who were running were cut down. Even a few pieces of footage of children were included. "When they are not killing people they are gathering or attempting to gather what they consider ’unique’ specimens." Just as he announced new footage of a drone attempting to grab Nina with a blue beam was destroyed.

"Well this certainly ensures the Mortella’s aggression toward killing people in general. But I am still not seeing the threat on a galactic scale that you felt the need to call an immediate ceasefire." King Montez growled out.

"Then perhaps this will help." High Executive Imma Ag’ula sent up several images and footage that was shown on the table’s central hologram. The images and videos were of a crew landing on a planet to find bodies littering the streets and cities in various states of panic. "We have only confirmed six inhabited planets so far but the casualties already number in the tens of billions. It is not just the racist pricks either, it is the slaves that they had as well that died and that made up the majority of the Holy Empire’s population."

"Does anyone still not feel convinced?" The Emperor of Oda asked as the silence reigned. The footage and images were really impacting the leaders.

King Montez grunted in anger. "I do not. Are they really that difficult opponents? A few mechs-"

"Your mechs will not do much." Jace nodded at the High Priestess who showed footage of the space battle. "They were more focused on the ground so we saw very little about their space forces. But the little we did showed that aside from ace pilots the others will just be slaughtered."

"We need to know what else they have." The King of Montez admitted and then sighed. "How about we hold off on completing the ceasefire until we manage to ascertain their space capabilities?"

"Then a cooperative operation?" Imma Ag’ula asked.

"That seems like the best option. We will send a group in to confirm Colonel Jace Hex’s findings and to find out anything else. Along with weaknesses before we decide on how much of a threat they are." Emperor Oda suggested.

Jace sighed as he already knew this was coming. But there was nothing he could do. Some of them were secretly hoping it was just a single invading force. But he already knew from a long distance transmission that it was just a scouting party and that it would be at least a few years before a massive armada several times larger than what they had would bear down on this galaxy.

"Colonel Jace, of course, will be leading the mission." The High Priestess agreed. There were several who started voicing their discontent. But she just raised her hand to stop them. "He is the most experienced with fighting the Mortella. In addition, Victor Al-Ulman of the Circle of Yuri and the Last Valkyrie from the Holy Empire will accompany him. The Leonair Union, the Montez Kingdom, the Oda Empire, the Crystoph Federation, the Centuria Clan, and the Rouge Metal Legion can all send forward a representative to represent them. They will be a part of the first group. The second backup group who will be following the first ones will consist of the Cthon Conglomerate and the other nations, unless any of you do not believe it is necessary to convince you?"

"The Cthon Conglomerate will not waste our personnel on such an endeavor. We will pull out." High Executive Imma Ag’ula raised his hand and voiced. A moment later several other small colonies and nations began agreeing as well until there were only three left.

"Then in that case there will just be one group. Have your representatives on the colony station by tomorrow evening at the latest. Colonel Jace will need time to brief and prepare them. Colonel Jace, I believe that is all. You can return to your post on the observation balcony."

"Wait!" The Montez King yelled out. "We never discussed what his punishment would be if he was wrong."

The High Priestess raised an eyebrow... an eyescale? He did not know what to call it. She raised one though, almost as if to say ’really?’ "I omitted it because chances are we will never agree on it. Some nations want him dead. Some want him for information or the legitimacy his blood can bring to an invasion. The Centuria in particular want him for breeding stock. While the Rogue Metal Legion will have him creating better AIs and more technologically advanced bodies. So yes, I skipped it. Now it is time to move on."

"Fine." The King of Montez grunted out as he crossed his arms in annoyance.

"Now for the next item on the agenda. The possible invasion from other galaxies or galactic nations that are probably already deciding whether or not invading us would be worth it." The High Priestess looked at Quan Lee and waved her hand at him. "I believe you have something to show us?"

"Yes indeed I do." Quan Lee bowed his head slightly. "Recently our upper echelons were shuffled up. Leaders were imprisoned or erased while new ones were put in their place. Essentially a small civil disturbance which the other nations do not have to worry about. But after this shuffle, we discovered that a number of them were corresponding with several groups outside of our galaxy- Colonel Jace, what are you still doing here?"

"I apologize but I do have one more bit of information that I would like to disclose after I just had an associate finish verifying it." Jace informed the leaders. Which was true. While he was listening to this meeting he had received a message from Taylor, who confirmed his findings.

"Well out with it." The Montez King barked out in anger.

Jace took the opportunity and nodded. "We have confirmed the reason why the Daemons, the Mortella, and the other nations have become aware of our galaxy’s presence only because this system collapsed." He switched the hologram to show the gravitational anomaly system.

"That is..." Quan Lee frowned and then a light seemed to switch in his head. "It aligns with the messages. They started after that system disappeared. But why?"

"Because the gravitational anomaly system was acting as a giant invisibility cloak for our galaxy." Jace informed them. "An accidental one no doubt. In fact the only reason it failed was because of a mad man called Lord Hoodwink who I believe was already aware of its purpose and destroyed it with the express purpose of drawing in our new foes."

"What about the Nano Plague? Where did that come from?" High Executive Imma Ag’ula asked.

"He is- or at least he is part of the Nano Plague. I believe it was his technology that created it. As well as his ego that is currently driving its current purpose." Jace informed them with a head bow. "But I believe it is more important to note that the gravitational anomaly that cloaked our galaxy can be recreated. It will not make us disappear from their minds but it will be far more difficult to find us."

"You have given us much to think about." The High Priestess sighed as she rubbed one of her temples. "Please go upstairs now." Jace bowed his head and then walked away. "Now then, Quan Lee, the messages?"