First Full Contact (Patreon)

They came from the deepest reaches, from beyond the uncharted Alecton Arm, the most barren edges of the Vergrizi Ocean, across an unsurmountable gulf of void. They came from another galaxy. But who are they?

Their appearance is that of disks, featureless, large as cities, and capable of movement only the most advanced kysalian projects are capable of achieving. Inscrutable objects. Uncanny in how little they can reveal about their makers, other than their obvious technological prowess. The one certainty is that whatever their mission is, the house of Hamadryas is having none of it.

It's also impossible to describe the unearthly noise that echoes across the continent as Alonzo swipes at one of the saucers, smashing through miles of unknown mechanism, creating a shower of fireworks-like explosions from whatever happened to be inside. Whatever those things are made of that allows them to sail effortlessly at faster-than-light speeds, it's not enough to stand a slap from a monkey. The saucer folds pathetically like a balloon and falls, just like the one Alonzo struck a second before.

The one before that is currently under his foot, crunching under his sole not too unlike a tin can. The one before that is a few miles behind, already a flat, shredded peel of alien scraps. Under his arm, he holds another saucer, idly pressing it and crushing it against his body.

And another one behind it. That has been one of the last fleets of the invaders. Right next to its remains, the vergrizian outpost still stands, with its manicured greenery and bronze-filigreed buildings in stark contrast to the barren flatlands lit by its pale setting sun.

---

[A few months ago]

"-and if they want or even CAN communicate, we haven't been able to so far. They float around, horribly close to any settlement they find, then move out. They are bypassing every kind of orbital barrier, and moving closer and closer to core worlds. Vessels from deep space? Looming over our cities? Totally uncommunicative? The people are panicking, and rightfully so. You know the problems the houses are usually embroiled with. No one can afford to deal with f. Whatever stability the Vergrizian League might have is at stake."

"*yaaaaaaaawn* Cool story, bro."

"...You get to wreck a bunch of starships. AND we'll pay you for it."

"Eeey, NOW you're talking~"