Prologue: Operation Corrima: Abduction
Princess Ciera and her mother Queen Aldeera were on a supply run to Corrima, a small, impoverished colony in the Macry system. They were accompanied by three Titans: a captain, a lieutenant, a sergeant, and a couple of Lucivera soldiers. Lucivera has been at war with Tyraniem for years now. The royal family, especially the queen and princess of Lucivera, very rarely left the kingdom. The people on Corrima desperately needed supplies and provisions, and King Owen of Lucivera thought it best if the colonists saw the queen and princess actively participating in operations. Lucivera needed all the help it could get in its war with Tyraniem. The operation was meant to show what the Kingdom of Lucivera had to offer to others on a galactic scale: Lucivera would supply settlements and colonies in return for resources, allegiance, and admiration.
The arriving party arrived on Corrima in a Lucivera spacecraft. They were greeted by leader Jamie Perray and his colonists. Princess Ciera waited and stood at the spacecraft while her mother was talking to Jamie. Princess Ciera had her field suit on. It was a mainly white outfit with a little sprinkle of pink as the secondary color. It was made so she could comfortably be about in places while still looking like royalty. Queen Aldeera, on the other hand, still wore her deep blue regal dress.
“Thank you, your Majesty,” Jamie said to Queen Aldeera. “Thank you for the supplies and provisions. You have our eternal gratitude and support.”
“You can repay me by giving me the intel you have on the Tyraniem empire and its forces.” Queen Aldeera said.
“Absolutely. Just follow me into my hut,” replied Jamie. Queen Aldeera entered a small, wooden cabin, led by Jamie. Queen Aldeera sat down and waited for Jamie to get the intel. “I have it right here.” Jamie pulled a rectangular data piece from a container. A stun grenade was suddenly thrown into the hut.
“Grenade!” Queen Aldeera yelled. It was too late. The grenade went off.
“Your Majesty.” A faint voice spoke. “Your Majesty.” The voice repeated. “Your Majesty, wake up.” It was Jamie, waking Queen Aldeera up after having been knocked out.
“How long have I been out?” said Queen Aldeera.
“I just woke up, so I think the same time I was,” replied Jamie.
Both Queen Aldeera and Jamie went outside. There was a massacre. People had been killed one after the other. The townspeople, the Lucivera soldiers, and even all three Titans were killed. Queen Aldeera went to the Titan Captain’s body.
“Captain Robar!” cried Queen Aldeera. There was a circular disk laying on his armor. Jamie came running out of the hut, having gone back inside for the intel.
“Your Majesty, the intel is gone!” Queen Aldeera pushed the button on the circular disk device. A hologram of Emperor Rivis appeared. The device was a disk messenger: devices used to deliver messages through video and audio and to communicate that way to others.
“I have taken Princess Ciera,” said Emperor Rivis on the hologram. “She is in my custody. Don’t worry. She is unharmed and will continue to be so unless me, my subjects, my forces, or anyone in my empire is provoked or my demands are not met. I have also taken the intel that was in the possession of Jamie Perray. Here are my demands: Lucivera will stop attacking my forces and recruiting settlements and colonies against my cause. If I suspect any threats, see or hear about any assaults, or pick up any signs of defiance against my demands, Princess Ciera will suffer. I hope you make the right decision.” The disk messenger turned off.
Both Queen Aldeera and Jamie had looks of terror on their faces as if the universe was coming to an end.
“Your Majesty, what do we do?” asked Jamie to Queen Aldeera. Indeed, what could they do? The Princess was kidnapped, the kingdom was in despair, and the enemy had the upper hand. The kingdom of Lucivera was in trouble, but there was an unexpected hope. Little did the queen know, her daughter and kingdom’s salvation would be delivered by one of the most unlikely of heroes. A killer. A mercenary. A Mercuryan.
