Tales from New Terra

Chapter 9: Defiant Sword

Royal Palace Highgarden, Maihark, Qua-Toyne

March 3, 51 After Arrival

Lord Chancellor Kanata watched intently as six masked Terrans moved about the Small Council's meeting chamber, setting up their equipment. The two silvery-suited ones seemed to be directing the rest, who were presumably the marksmen. These Terrans worked quickly, thought Kanata. They had only been allowed into the chamber half an hour prior, and already, the room was dotted with odd-looking black devices hauled into the palace of Highgarden by even odder-looking tracked vehicles that appeared too small to hold a driver. Kanata recognized some of the devices as radio transmitters, despite their futuristic appearance, and others as cameras. What the rest were for, he had no idea.

Curiously, noticed Kanata, the four marksmen carried the devices as if they weighed nothing at all, despite many being half their size or larger. Any one of those machines would've taken at least four elves to lift, assuming they were made of steel, and yet the marksmen hauled them around as if they were nothing. This was in addition to the positively massive rifles they carried, to the annoyance of the Royal Guard, and their packs, which he assumed were filled to the brim with various supplies.

The Terrans finished their work, announced by one of the silver-clad ones in that distinct harsh, monotone voice. At the same time, as if on cue, the representatives of the Qua-Toynian military filed into the room, with the Princess at their head. Following them were a handful of new individuals - more Terrans, two in formal dress, with officers' stars pinned to their chests, and two carrying rifles, though smaller than the ones carried by the marksmen.

The assembled officials once again found their seats, with servants hastily pulling up chairs for the Terran officers. Princess Lewyn took her throne, and signaled a start to the meeting. This time, the two silver-clad Terrans quickly conferred amongst themselves, before one pulled out a black, rectangular device from an unseen pocket and briefly fiddled with it.

Suddenly, the black screen at the end of the table erupted in a flash of color. The elves shielded their eyes, trying to orient themselves after being blinded by the burst of light. When Kanata's vision adjusted to the brightness, he saw the image of a group of Terrans projected on the screen, sitting at a table that appeared real enough to be an extension of his own. To his continued shock, the image moved.

The Terran at the head of their table began to speak, his voice booming through the devices installed by the soldiers in perfect Common. "Hello. Before we begin, I believe introductions are in order. I'm Tyler Bennet, President of the Republic of New Terra. It's a pleasure to meet all of you." A flurry of voices followed Bennet as his staff, and the Terran officers present in the council chamber, introduced themselves in turn.

The Princess sat forward in her throne and introduced herself in turn. "Well met, Lord Tyler of House Bennet. I am Princess Lewyn of House Tyrell, Supreme Sovereign of the Blessed Lands of Qua-Toyne, and arrayed in front of me are my loyal servants and retainers." She motioned for the Small Council and the generals to make their own introductions. Once they had finished, she continued. "Your Grace, I speak for all of Qua-Toyne when I thank you for your aid against the Lourian menace. Our nation owes you a great debt."

Kanata saw the Terran chuckle to himself before responding. Such arrogance, he thought, but made no move to correct the Terran. Reprimanding their saviors would likely bring about a similar reprimand from the Princess.

"Ah, I believe I should clarify," replied Bennet. "The Republic of New Terra does not have, and has never had, a noble class. Our nation was built by escaped slaves from a faraway land, and we take great pride in the fact that every Terran is free and equal."

Fascinating, thought Kanata. He wondered how such a nation hadn't descended into chaos decades ago, without the nobles maintaining order among the smallfolk. And to suggest the smallfolk could rule themselves? Preposterous. Kanata was one of the youngest elves in the room, but he was still old enough to remember when the Lourian peasants revolted and toppled the centuries-old dynasty of Lourian kings, only to replace it with a line of rulers that were just as despotic. As he soon learned, of course, Qua-Toyne had intentionally withheld trade caravans of food to the Lourians to spark the revolt, but the Terrans didn't need to know that.