Sinners of Tyre: Act 1 Chapter 2

Bas'Ilean Imperium, spanning a large number of systems surrounding the Wadjet's Cradle Sector, had its origin on the planet of Bas'Ilea. "Serpent's Home" in their speech was an average sized, terrestrial world with lower than average gravity, orbited by two small moons and numerous space stations. However the most unusual sight around Bas'Ilea, was a massive orbital ring built around the planets equator, connected to the surface with several elevators, allowing for cheap and effective transport of goods to and from the surface. Beside shipping harbours which processed trade ships from entire galaxy, the ring was outfitted with numerous research labs, medical stations and recreational areas, all of which benefited from lower than surface gravity. The busy space around the homeworld and surface softly caressed in the rising sun behind it was the view that greeted Sch'Lvya, who slowly opened her eyes.

- Gah! - She jumped up, almost falling from the medical berth she layed on, her heart racing and her breath shallow. - Was that... just a nightmare...?

She looked around and flickered her tounge anxiously, her eyes were met with a calming scene of an empty, clinically clean room, with a vital monitor to her left and a big window to her right, through which she could see the tall spires of Bas'Ilean ecumenopolis basking in the morning light. Sch'Lvya took a deep, calming breath, seeing the planet she hatched and lived on before her clan moved to Bas'Aqash, again, in its full beauty. Just in case, she inspected her hands, which felt and looked normal, beside a cannula on her left wrist, which was then connected to an IV bag hanging beside her bed. Slowly, she raised the blanket she was covered with, she wore a patient gown without a bodysuit, but her body looked mighty fine, she even wiggled her toes and rattled the tip of her tail to prove it to herself. Afterwards, she sighed and leaned back into the comfy pillows she layed on, embracing the warm, heated mattress. She didn't have any recollection of what happened. It did seem like after the action on the dreadnought, she simply had a long, bad nightmare.

- Ah, you're finally awake. - Doors to her room opened and the elder doctor Ro'Tozk stepped in, followed by a nurse carrying a fresh IV bag.

- Doctor! - Sch'Lvya smiled, seeing her old teacher. - Fancy seeing you here.

- Likewise, Sch'Lvya. - He gave her a quick bow, after arriving at the side of the bed, which she returned softly. - How are you feeling?

- I feel... I feel great. - She rubbed the back of her head. - Like a hatchling again.

- That's great to hear. - Ro'Tozk smiled, while the nurse swapped the IV bags.

- Just... I think I had a very bad nightmare. - She looked to her side.

- Nightmare you say?

- Yes, you were there... the Empress... in some weird temple. - She shook her head. - I don't know, it's all so weird. I must've hit my head on the dreadnought, knocked myself out.

- I... I see. - Ro'Tozk nodded, brought up a holographic tablet and noted something.

Sch'Lvya tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, flickering her tounge. Suddenly however, shouts could be heard from the corridor.

- Let me see her for Serpent's sake! - A familiar voice sounded, right before Na'Rov barged into the room, followed by guards, trying to apprehend him. - Schee!

- Stop! Let him go! - Sch'Lvya ordered the guards, who pushed Na'Rov away. - Na'Rov?

- Hmph! That's no way of treating an Aquiles of the Imperial Marines. - He hissed at the guards who were still standing right behind him. - I knew it was you! You were there!

- What are you talking about? - She tilted her head.

- That temple! On Bas'Toroq. - He huffed and sighed, pulling a chair beside her bed and sitting on it. - I could've sworn to the Serpent it was you.

- Temple...? - She looked to him, then to the doctor, who looked to his own side.

- You don't remember? They didn't tell you? - Orange scaled marine asked her.

- I guess... I'm not exactly up to date.

- You... ekhm, you are up to date. - Doctor said, looking down to his tablet. - Technically speaking...

- You wanna say that... - Sch'Lvya looked blankly forward. - That wasn't a nightmare, was it...?

Ro'Tozk sighed and turned the screen for Sch'Lvya to see. The view left her jaw agape, it was her body's status screen. Rebuilt titanium-tungsten skeleton, bio-engineered organs, fibreglass nerve system, optics and brain implants. There wasn't much left of her old body.

- When Qar'Ma jumped into Sho'Ileon System... It was in a horrible state. - Ro'Tozk sighed. - Aquiles here led a rescue party to recover your body.

- In what state was I...? - She looked deeper into the screen.

- Not much better than the ship itself... If it wasn't for your body being frozen in the quantum coolant...

- They didn't let anyone see your body, I thought you were a goner! - Na'Rov said.

Sch'Lvya reached to a stand next to the bed, grabbing a mirror. She looked at her face, which looked exactly the same, but her eyes were red, instead of blue.

- W-what's with the eyes...? - She squinted, looked deep into the mirror.

- Side effect of your new optics, my dear. Built-in displays, zoom, thermals, night vision etc. - Doctor spoke. - All of your flesh and scales have been replaced with bio-resin tailored to your genome. You got highly efficent bio-mechanical organs too.

- I'm still... - Her scaley hand slides along her cheek. - I'm still me...

- Genetically... That's correct. - Ro'Tozk rubbed back of his head. - Everything was grown using your recorded genome. You might look a bit... younger so to speak, as the record was taken about a decade ago.

- Schee... - Na'Rov set his hand at the railing of her bed.

- Na'Rov... - She looked up to him.

- We still need you, Schee.

- Yeah... who else will prescribe you highleaf huh? - She chuckled.

- Well said! - Na'Rov couldn't help, but smile.

Sch'Lvya smiled and shaked her head.

- Aquiles, though? Scored a promotion? I guess we gonna share the command now.

- That won't be neccesary. - A new voice sounded, as a thin, cobalt scaled male entered the room, wearing a silver ornamental armour over his bodysuit, with a tyrian cape flowing behind him. - Tribunal asks for your attendance in the capital.

- And you are...? - Sch'Lvya asked, while raising an eyebrow.

- That my dear, is my insider! - Na'Rov giggled as he got up and nudged the cobalt scaled serpent's elbow.

- You really don't know the definiton of the word "subtelty". - He sighed and shook his head.

- I'm sure you do, Mr. Librarian. - Orange scaled marine chuckled.

- It's Archivarion for you, Aquiles. - He fixed his armour. - And my sister wouldn't let me live if I didn't check on you.

- Aq'Sal! - Sch'Lvya smiled warmly.

- Good to see your memory didn't fail you. - He returned the smile and turned to Ro'Tozk. - Is she able to answer the Tribunal's call?

- With all due respect, Archivarion, sir. - Doctor cleared his throat. - From doctor's perspective...

Aq'Sal raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, an unamused expression painted itself across his face.

- Go on.

- Ekhm, It's unadvised... We still haven't ran all diagnostics, we don't know if her cybernetics will work well. - Ro'Tozk pressed a few times on a holographic screen nearby. - Her collapsing on Bas'Toroq was very concerning.

- Doctor I... I feel okay. - Sch'Lvya interrupted the two.

- If anyone can handle this amount of cybernetics, it's her. - Another interruption, this time from Na'Rov. - I've seen her carry agent Ta'Sha, while in horrible state herself.

- Okay, okay. - Ro'Tozk grabbed a syringe from a nearby cabinet. - I'll inject you with med-nanites that will keep an eye on you, just please be careful.

- Don't worry about her, doctor. - Aq'Sal nodded. - She'll be under close eye of the Archivarium as of now.

Ro'Tozk inserted the needle into Sch'Lvya's arm and emptied it. Following that, nurse began to unplug any cables and the cannula, allowing the she-serpent free movement. Soon the medical nano-bots began to wirelessly project her vitals to doctor's computer, through systems implanted in her body.

- Everything seems to be stable. - Ro'Tozk nodded while going through several screens of reports.

- Thank you doctor. - Sch'Lvya smiled.

- Don't mention it dear.

Sch'Lvya slowly got up, sitting at the side of her bed and then standing up with nearly no effort. She took a few steps around, looked at her body which felt and looked almost the same, in a positive sense. All old injuries and scars are gone, she felt like a newborn.

- Anywhere I could get dressed?

- Right here, you have your fresh clothes ready. - Nurse spoke up, while sliding open a curtain to a wardrobe corner.

- Thank you. - Sch'Lvya said, while bowing gently to the nurse, soon after disappearing behind the curtain.

The serpent sighed, hearing as others exited the room. The wardrobe corner was quite small, but a large mirror at the wall made it look more spacious from afar. She took off the medical gown and folded it neatly, setting it on a chair nearby. Afterwards, she proceeded to inspect her body more closely. It would seem that the artificial body is indistinguishable from a natural one, she wouldn't be able to tell if she didn't actually know. Bio-engineered resin used to create flesh that covers cybernetics was covered in scales, and sprung back when pressed. Same digitigrade three-toed legs, same arms with four-fingered hands, same cobra-like hood and same long, girthy tail with small vestigial fins. Genetics seem to also be correct, as her new body has exactly the same proportions as it had before, her chest, hips and even shallow layer of subdermal fat tissue were all accounted for. Scale pattern on her back was also perfectly preserved, looking brighter and fresher than ever. She took a step closer to the mirror, and opened her maw, looked into it to find it quite similar as it was before, the biggest difference was how white and sharp her fangs were.

- Okay... enough staring, time to get a move on. - She said to herself, rattling her tail tip and spreading her small tail fins.

A fresh set of clothes was waiting for her, folded on the chair she layed the gown on. Clean black, insulating bodysuit and long sleeved white-red shirt of the medcorps, which she put on in order. Sch'Lvya took a deep breath and slid open the curtain, stepping out afterwards. Only Ro'Tozk remained in the now deserted medical room, sitting on a chair by his desk.

- Doctor? - She slowly approached him.

- Yes, my dear? - He got up from the chair and looked to her. - Something bothering you?

- I wanted to thank you, for everything. - She looked to her side.

- As I said, don't mention it. - Ro'Tozk's wrinkled face beamed up with a smile as he gave her a polite bow. - At my age, you get a different outlook on what's important in life.

Sch'Lvya smiled and instead of returning the bow, hugged him close. At first surprised, he held her in his arms.

- Don't downplay you giving me a new life. - She took a step back and smiled.

- For that, you'd need to thank our dear Bas'Ilissa herself, I'm simply a doctor she asked for service. - He fixed his lab coat, crumbled up by Sch'Lvya's hug. - She never asked for figures, paid a fortune to get you back up.

- A fortune? - She tilted her head.

- Probably only the Empress herself knows how much money and resources went in this project. - Ro'Tozk shrugged softly and shook his head. - I for sure don't.

- Still, I wouldn't have anyone else stitch me back. - A smile came back to Sch'Lvya's face.

- To be honest, I prefered to work with you, and not on you. - He chuckled. - Now please, don't let me hold you back, Archivarion looked quite rushed already.

- Of course, take care, doctor.

Two serpents shared a smile and a deep bow, as a farewell. It's been several years since Sch'Lvya went through a medical course and a tour of duty in the medcorps under Ro'Tozk, but it was what allowed her to break out of her clan's servitude contract on Bas'Aqash. She was thankful for the elder doctor sharing his knowledge and experiences, afterall, anyone who lived for over three centuries would've accumulated vast wisdom. Ro'Tozk was just an example of that, way past his prime, with his brownish scales slowly fading their colour and wrinkles appearing on his face, but one of the best, if not the best surgeon in the whole Empire. Taller than Sch'Lvya, his height being a proof of his age, as Bas'Ileans don't stop growing, their growth only slowing down exponentially with time. She felt like he was a teacher and guardian figure she had in this mad world, away from her clan. Now however, this was about to change, as the Bas'Ilissa had big plans concerning her.

She-serpent walked towards the door, but before exiting, she exchanged a smile with Ro'Tozk. Outside, she found herself in a terrace, with doors to medical rooms on her side, while in front of her, a large park below, behind a railing. In this moderately busy hospital section of the ring-station. Na'Rov, muscular and toned, wearing a dark blue uniform with several medals on his chest stood leaned against the railing outside the medical room Sch'Lvya was in, looking down to the garden while waiting for her.

- Aquiles Na'Rov. - She nudged his side and chuckled. - There you are.

- Here I am indeed. - He smiled warmly and laughed along. - Mr. Librarian is getting clearance for us to board the orbital lift, so we have a moment to talk, I'm sure you got a lot of questions.

- Great, let's start with the most important one. - She leaned against the railing herself and looked to him. - How have you been? You look great!

- Hah, thanks! You look much better without metal spaghetti sticking out too! - He chuckled. - By the Serpent, that's really the most important one you could come up with, huh? - Na'Rov shook his head. - While you were being reconstructed, so to speak, I was promoted and given command of a squad of marines on Bas'Toroq. Clearing up any Draghodii stragglers, and then Tekh'Let.

- So that's what you were doing there? What are those... Tekh'Let I keep hearing about?

- Honestly, seeing you, especially in the state you were in, was the last thing I expected from that place, but I guess that planet's cursed. - He shook his head. - While Tekh'Let? A group of technological purists and religious separatists, exhausted of the war with the Hierarchate, also, somehow convinced in the Draghodii doctrine, decided to take matters in their hands and attempt to overthrow the Empire. It's been constant insurgencies for four months now.

- The war is over? - She raised her eyebrows in shock.

- Well, not officially, since a treaty hasn't been brokered yet. - He looked away, past the garden and onto the planet outside the station, behind massive, steel-glass wall. - But "Miracle at S'Sol" made the Hierarchate willing to agree to an armistice.

- You said four months of insurgencies, I assume that means the treaty takes that long to sign?

- Bas'Ilissa and the Tribunal want to stand firm, press for territorial status quo and reparations, but Tekh'Let see that as too risky, that an assertive stance can cause another war. - He sighed and looked down. - They want to live on their knees.

- That's ridiculous! - She exclaimed. - Billions died in this war, just for them to squander all the sacrifices made?

- You see it as I do, I'm glad you're still the same Schee. - Na'Rov looked back to her and smiled.

- Were you worried I won't be? - Sch'Lvya chuckled.

- I've heard some myths about folks undergoing cybernetic enhancements, losing the sight of who they are in the process. I guess that's what they are, just myths.

- Myths indeed, you remember Aq'Lara and her prosthetic. - Sch'Lvya looked at the planet herself. - Sure, wasn't as excessive as my cybernetics, but still.

- Of course, our little mechanic. - He smiled. - Aq'Sal wouldn't let me forget.

- About her, where is she? Is she okay?

- Last I heard, from Mr. Librarian of course, she was on Ter'Ra, working with some humans on salvaging the megatons of debris left in S'Sol after the battle.

- That Ter'Ra? The irradiated wasteland of a planet?

- That Ter'Ra. Thankfully I never had to go there, humans are among the loyalists. - He sighed with relief.

- You were busy getting medals somewhere else. - She giggled.

- Hah! I guess you're right. - Na'Rov took a step back from the railing. - Come, bookworm shouldn't take long now.

- Of course, lead on. - She nodded.

- Train station is this way. - Na'Rov led his steps along the terrace.

Two serpents walked along the medical section, making their way to the train system, which encompassed entire orbital ring-station in maglev, supersonic train lines, connecting each zone with others. From the civilian section, with medical and recreational districts, crowned with the civilian spaceport, through the massive Imperial Naval Manufactoria which constructed new ships and serviced existing ones, finishing on the infamous and enigmatic Imperial Scientific Collegium, the cradle of Bas'Ilean research efforts. Several orbital lifts scattered along the ring connected the station to the surface and the group headed to the one leading to the Imperial Complex.

- Do you mind sharing the stories of your medals? - Sch'Lvya followed at Na'Rov's side, while reaching the maglev station.

- Hmm... I'll keep it brief to not bore you. - He spoke while leading the way. - I led my marines just as you led us on Qar'Ma, like a hero, lots of personal sacrifice in the name of the Empire, for the survival of fellow soldiers.

- Aw, come on, want to make me blush? - She shook her head and chuckled. - I just did what felt right.

- No coward would do what you did, so I took your example. The difference is, let's say I came out of the fray in a better state than you. Only a plasma burst to my rear. - He laughed.

The two arrived at the orbital maglev station, which through vacuum tubes running around the ring, were able to circle the entire planet in mere four hours. The tyrian cape of Aq'Sal was easy to spot, even without Sch'Lvya's new eyes. Cobalt scaled officer was clicking through a holographic tablet, awaiting for his compatriots to arrive.

- I'm glad you didn't take too long. - He said, without taking his eyes off of the holotablet.

- We wouldn't want to keep you waiting, Mr. Librarian. - Na'Rov chuckled, while being nudged in his side by Sch'Lvya's elbow.

Aq'Sal shook his head and rolled his eyes.

- Is everything ready, Archivarion? - Sch'Lvya asked more respectfully.

- Yes, we're just waiting for... - As he was saying, a maglev train quickly stopped at the station they stood at. - Right on time, shall we?

Sliding doors unsealed and opened, after which a set of stairs extended outwards, allowing boarding of the train. Sch'Lvya climbed it first, soon being welcomed by quite luxurious looking carriage tailored exclusively for the high level officials of the Empire. Alcantara seats, tyrian flags hanging from the walls and generally wider walkway, unlike civilian carriages which were built for cheap mass transport.

- Please, take a seat, we'll depart for the capital shortly. - Aq'Sal spoke while boarding the train himself.

Sch'Lvya stepped on the soft, fuzzy carpet-lined floor, walking towards one of the seats. Calling them an armchair would be more fitting, very spacious, with a hole between seat and backrest, allowing for comfy nesting of a tail. She-serpent sat down and almost immediately sank in its softness. The luxury she found herself in, somewhat eclipsed the fact that an armoured drone tank, similair to ones used during the war, was guarding the carriage from any unwelcomed guests. She got somewhat uneasy at first, especially when her eyes met the red laser scanners of the 3 meter tall assault tank armed with two rotary cannons at the sides of its heavily armoured, turret-torso. Situation calmed down when after a quick scan the bot returned back to guard mode.

- Apologies for the inconvenience, paranoia is quite widespread, with the threat of Tekh'Let spreading across the Empire. - Aq'Sal comforted her, having noticed the drone aiming its guns at her for a brief moment.

- I... I understand. - Sch'Lvya sighed, leaning against the window, looking at the curve of Bas'Ilea.

After a few moments, a similair sounding buzz of motion dampeners engaged, as doors closed and sealed. Train almost immediately shot out in hypersonic speed, however, due to dampening, it felt as if the train was standing still, only the views out of the window disproved that. At thousands of kilometers per hour the view of the station outside melted into simple colours, only leaving the planet, its moons and far away objects with their visage.

- Schee! Look! - Na'Rov pointed at the window.

- Oh? - Sch'Lvya squinted.

As train passed the massive Imperial Manufactoria, a similair looking hull of a ship appeared in one of the dockyards. Sch'Lvya using her cybernetic eyes could zoom in, and see the dreadnought Qar'Ma, the same she served on during the war, or rather what's left of it. Sliced in half, thousands of tons of plating missing with interior visible in few spots. Sch'Lvya looked on in disbelief, how a massive ship like that can be shattered like it was, after being shot at by several Draghodii armadas and an emergency FTL jump. However, the ship was being repaired and rebuilt, upgraded and outfitted for future service, and somehow through her thoughts, it reminded her of herself in the temple on Bas'Toroq, being given a second chance.