The pitiful sight of Kaz left a foul taste on Lucaen; the gasping exo was left alone with his comrades without his governor's acknowledgement. It lingered on Lucaen's mind, followed him like a curse tainting his judgement of Aurelius.
What was done, does not justify his attachment to his people.
They are not savages to be thrown and torn.
Lucaen's hinges contracted strenuously. His claws grazed the other, dusting off the sands away from the crook of his flexors to the ground as his clawed feet brought him towards the war room.
His eyes skimmed all presence in the room; the grace of General Nefertari remained alert by the left side of the oppressive table. Caius was by her side, a step away from her exo as he was subtly leaning his chest against her.
The room was waiting for the last general, filling the gap of the moment to paint a picture of domesticated generals at rest. Lucaen adjusted his robe downwards, only to let his palm hover above the long table in Cort before resting on the edge.
Aurelius' silhouette was settled by the far end of the table. The distance between the two of them was an intentional space of unspoken expectations. Far enough for Lucaen's tail to not be able to reach him.
Lucaen squared his shoulders back, breaking the domesticated room as his eyes traced Aurelius' still presence, "We are operating on incomplete information."
The war room acknowledged the issue with movements of its own. A tail recoiling, claws retracting. Lucaen's ears waited for the dampened sound of a high-density metal as his gaze swept through the room. Yet, Aurelius remained unresponsive. Head slanted towards the heavier side of his body. As if, he were heavier.
Heavier to flaunt the absurdity of his strategy, that in the end, he was still alive to prove.
How vexing.
Caius broke the awkwardness with a firm statement, "Two factors that caused this."
"The rhythm." He shifted away from General Nefertari, giving her the space she needed to recollect herself.
Aurelius scoffed under his mandible. "How fancy.." Talons traced the table leveled on his chest, drawling his words with that subtle mocking tonation of his.
The fire he desperately tried to spark. "Watch your tone," Lucaen reprimanded. "Don't act like a kid who was refused."
Aurelius' leg dangled on the other knee, staring past him.
General Nefertari flexed efficiently, her white, sharp plates absorbed the helminths' fluids. Her thin pupils watched under her own angled muzzle. What was consumed sharpened the dull edges of the general. Her exo was indeed one of the most complex architected exo of all, as she was not built conventionally.
Layers upon layers of pointed edges intricated between other layers. Fitted together like the finest craftsmanship of Corra.
Caius swayed his claws, demanding attention on him. "Nisfian was destroyed not long ago. What we thought of an overdue old core dying was the helminths' evolution that overpowered the non-intelligent semi-aquatic exoplanet."
"Little by little, the shockwave of the wavelength from the impact chipped our defenses. This alone reduces the Optic's ability to prevent them from breeding endlessly."
"What's this got to do with the helminths on my door?" Aurelius huffed as he leaned back in his seat.
"One ought to take the lives of these people seriously," Lucaen accused. "Yet, you have the nerve to be at rest?"
"A General that reprimanded a Major General of his, in public with no prior procedure at all.." He hardened his gaze,
Were you not taught on the order of things in the Theron household?
"Do you, not think of the consequences of shaming your higher-ups publicly?"
"You questioned my methods—?"
The sound of two intentional cracks was a declaration as Aurelius cracked his neck on both sides. Stretching his tight levators.
Hah?
Lucaen's plates strained, almost painfully at the sheer amount of his irritation. This nonchalance, the inability to take anything seriously,
"It speaks of your inability to rule fairly." Tail swayed relatively stiff behind him.
"Do you really think, that I," Aurelius palmed into his chest plate.
"Think lowly of them?"
The words tasted foreign, obvious by his questioning tilt. "The Enarchies?"
"Me, Arbiter?" The floor dragged by the forceful push of Aurelius' popliteal. His eyes seemingly demanding answers from Lucaen's implication.
"I beg to differ.." Aurelius breathed. That soft vent never fails to catch Lucaen's attention.
Always had been.
"I sacrificed a lot more than all of you did for your people!" He barked, shifting his body onto all the generals present. His talons visibly tightened on their own by his sides.
Lucaen's exo jolted at the sudden distress. Claws covering his eyes to hide the scowl beneath.
Did he not offer solace for Aurelius to retreat into?
"And you." He huffed low for Lucaen's ears.
Lucaen's clawed feet angled away, tail flicked agitatedly behind him.
"You dare say I'm high on my horse?"
"You and I are not the same, Arbiter." He seethed, exo void of any cracks, of edges of his plates.
He dares to validate my title?
"The Enarchies could only dream of having a horse of our own!"
Loud, he's being loud.
"Your piggishness lots, horded the supplies from us!"
This again.
"Leaving us bare with only our primaries to fight for your peace?"
Does he not tire of the same issue?
"Your ignorance is the cause of our deaths."
"Kaz wouldn't be so, if you fought instead, Lucaen Theron—"
This piece— Lucaen's feet pushed himself off, reaching for Aurelius' daring mouth,
"Continue this bicker of yours elsewhere." Her words cut through the tension almost immediately.
"Something else requires our full syne—"
"Oh, foolish me indeed." Aurelius mused, leaning behind with that cocky smug of his. That angled jaw of his as he taunts everyone with no consequences.
"Don't pretend that you are a saint, Nefertari."
"You contributed to this, too."
"You all did."
General Nefertari nodded.
"Caius, you wouldn't tell us unless you have the solution, don't you?" She continued.
"The final say is, of course, General Nefertari to make." Caius shrugged, oblivious to everything.
"We have the ability to absorb the wavelength and transfer it—"
"Hah! We've lived long enough to be the villains now." Aurelius scoffed at the absurdity.
How vile.
Is this how you repay me?
"You bring shame to the Theron's name."
"No, you are a lost cause."
Aurelius faltered a step behind, his wings went small at once as the words registered into him.
Lucaen retracted his focus from Aurelius to Caius. "To suggest such is to hold responsibility for their lives."
The lack of refute, was a daunting finale.
General Nefertari's pupils dilated slowly. "Then, propose a greater proposition."
"Do you have the luxury to be The Arbiter of Elysium to begin with?"
"More so, on whose judgement should we be afraid of?"
She zeroed in on Lucaen, ears straight, a posture of ideal. "Yours?"
"You have the luxury to entertain the idea of morality when our survival is hanging by a thread?"
"This is a genocide, Generals." Lucaen remained steadfast. Evident by the heat bleeding from the seams of his armor.
"We conspired for this." Aurelius decided.
"Nearest planet to ours is Gliese 667 Cf." She solidified.
"The.. Enclaved?"
"Yes."
"We're redirecting to the Enclaved..?" He repeated, seemingly distant from it.
"I'm confident the wavelength will annihilate them before they can do anything."
"Risky because Aurelius is dependent on it." Caius corrected,
"Either he syncs back with Elysium, or suffocates to death."
Lucaen glanced at his peripherals, Aurelius' lack of reaction irritates him. Everything about him does.
Aurelius didn't move, he didn't flinch. It was as if he resigned to it. As if he were just a tool to be used.
"We cannot absolutely can't afford your death." Lucaen's breath hitched sharply at the vulnerability.
"Sync back to Elysium."
Don't pull away now.
"Change the direction to the void." Lucaen proposed, looking at General Nefertari.
"It'll hit a faraway planet anyway, why bother?" Caius retorted instantaneously.
"Then, we have the option to choose another planet and not the Enclaved."
"Why does it have to be the Enclaved?"
"More so, the Enclaved have been the biggest supplier for Enarc."
General Nefertari tilted slightly at Lucaen's defense. "Odd that you care who dies."
Aurelius nodded, "EXA might be the next interest if Enclaved falls." Talons stretched out in a deprecating manner. "Enclaved dominates the natural resources market, don't they?"
"Two with one."
Hah! Lucaen shook his muzzle. The idea itself was ridiculous, repulsive for him to digest.
Is that all you have to say?
[Skill Initiation]
The utter disrespect,
"We'll support the planet's shield by integrating our mana to absorb it." Aurelius continued.
Is commendable.
[Core Halted]
A resounding thump of heavy mass meeting the hollow corten echoed the room.
Aurelius' lower extension gave out in a blink.
His forearms flexed, staggered on the table as his talons anchored himself on the edge as a last resort. The sheer amount of sudden weight broke a part of the table, tumbling down with Aurelius.
"General Lucaen!" Her tail lashed behind her.
"Seize yourself at once."
Without a second thought, Lucaen closed the distance between Aurelius and himself. His claws hooked under Aurelius' jaw. Tilting Aurelius' desynchronized line of sight at him as his legs straddled his hips.
"You speak of politics,"
"Of economics..," Lucaen growled softly overhead Aurelius' limped exo.
"Speak of genocide measly."
His eyes shifted at the other two generals, "Look at where it brought you."
"If life.. can be acquired."
"What is stopping me from owning him?"
He turned his muzzle towards the other two standing generals. "And all of you?"—
[Warning]
[3rd Code Of Morality Under Threat]
[Preserve Elysium]
[Warning]
[4th Code Of Morality Under Threat]
[Maintain Order ]
[Warning]
[8th Code Of Morality Under Threat]
[Judgment Without Bias ]
General Nefertari stayed rooted, eyes zeroed in on Lucaen's actions. "You can't operate this alone and expect to prosper, General Lucaen." Her claws clasped together on the table.
You know nothing.
[Warning]
[Revert The Authority]
"Don't forget we are in Enarc." She gestured to the room,
[General Aurelius Is Not Guilty Under Maat's Gaze]
"Oh wow.." Caius whistled softly, glancing for General Nefertari's reaction.
[Kifarah Shall Commence Within 10H]
[Justify Your Judgements Or Revert Your Authority]
"How are you going to explain to Aurelius that you desynchronized him?" Caius sniffled his chuckle, mockingly. Claws hiding his fangs away.
"He doesn't like losing control, if I'm not mistaken."
"You should know better.."
"After all, you guys are the bestest of friends, no?"
[COM: Lieutenant Solivane>General Lucaen]
[What happened?]
[Before these resting soldiers shift their focus to the Cort, tell me.]
[Why is it my Lord's rhythm came to an abrupt stop?]