Gap Stories #16

[Threaten The Stars]

Log Date: 9/16/12768

Data Sources: Academy Archives

Event Log: 9/16/12768

Aelevar: The Academy

8:16pm SGT

If there’s one thing that Starstruck hate above all else, it’s politics.

More than monsters, more than the Void, more than Knightmares, more than even Dark Stars, the Starstruck hate politics. As an institution, they have no interest in it; conceptually and principally, politics is an anathema to everything that the Starstruck stand for. It is toxic; it is divisive; it is vitriolic; and most importantly, it is boring and dull. Politics is what happens when hopes and dreams are strangled by greed and ambition, and Starstruck despise it with a burning passion.

Endless wars against the forces of darkness? Count them in. Culture wars? Count them out.

Adjacent to that is their aversion to government, and most of the associated functions and problems that come with it. This isn’t because the Starstruck dislike government, or believe in anarchy; their aversion to government is because government is inextricably tangled up in politics. As are wars, and legislation, and governance, and a range of other things. The Starstruck learned long ago that the oily tentacles of politics have a long reach. Getting involved in wars, or legislation, or governance — even with the best intentions — invited people to portray them in certain ways, as allies or advocates of one side or another, as rhetorical props or straw men for the masses to rally around or rage against.

And that is, in a single word, unpleasant.

So, with a rare few exceptions, Starstruck avoid politics. They avoid government; they avoid wars; and they stay in their lane. This is the general, unspoken agreement that most Starstruck have with their civic bodies: the government will handle the domestic problems; the Starstruck will handle the supernatural problems; and neither one will tell the other how to do their jobs. So long as this compact is observed and upheld, everybody is mostly happy.

But there are times when, despite their best efforts, even the Starstruck can’t avoid being pulled into galactic affairs.

It was not often that the Headmaster had the chance to put an entire world on lockdown.

The last time she had done it was four years ago, when a particularly stubborn star shard had tried to escape and find its way back to its last owner. On that occasion, she had sealed Aelevar within the aurora barrier to keep the shard from going offworld; pulsing waves of color, undulating across the sky in vast, unbroken ribbons that stretched from horizon to horizon, all in the service of keeping something in. Now, that shell of magical light had once more enveloped the far-flung homeworld of the Starstruck.

But this time, it was to keep something out.

“Here! I’m here, Headmaster! Sorry it took me so long to get here, I’d just gotten changed into my pajamas for the evening.” Caliya pants as she touches down to the landing pad in front of the Academy. She bounces a couple times, giving off a little spray of emerald sparks each time, before coming to a stop in front of the Headmaster, who stands at the point where the stone path joins to the school’s front plaza. And she is not alone — sprinkled across the Academy’s roofs, balconies, and parapets are several other Starstruck, each one transformed into their regalia, heads tilted back as they stare towards the evening sky above.

“Better late than never.” the Headmaster says without breaking her disciplined posture, hands clasped behind her back. “You may stand with me while we wait for Irino to report back. Everyone in town is heeding the shelter-in-place order, correct?”

“Yeah! Yeah. Everyone’s staying indoors. Professors were taking a headcount of each dorm and the Sentinels were patrolling the street to make sure people went home or locked up.” Caliya says quickly, standing beside the Headmaster and doing her best to look presentable. “Is it true, what everyone was saying? That the Collective are here?”

“They are. A hiveship arrived in the system and moved into orbit.” the Headmaster says, raising her eyes to the rings of Aelevar, slanting across the evening sky outside the barrier. Normally they’d be quite visible, even after nightfall, on account of the light from Aelevar’s sun still hitting them. But with the aurora shield raised, you could barely make them out behind the continuous swirls of color curling across the sky. “A few squads of Sentinels are up in orbit, and have the hiveship surrounded. I sent Irino up to find out why the Collective is here, and what they want.”

“Well, if it’s just one ship, that’s good, right?” Caliya says optimistically, rocking on her heels a little. “We can handle that.”

“We can handle it, yes. But they shouldn’t be here at all.” the Headmaster says. “We have stayed out of the war they are fighting across the galaxy right now. The only Starstruck that are participating are the ones whose homeworlds have been invaded by the Collective, and those Starstruck are allowed to fight in defense of their homeworlds, so no rules have been broken. There is no reason for the Collective to come to Aelevar.”

“It looks like Irino’s returned from the hiveship, Headmaster.” one of the Starstruck up on the roof calls, looking down from the telescope they’d been peering into. “Should we let him in?”

“If the Sentinels checked him and let him through the perimeter around the hiveship, it should be fine.” the Headmaster replies. “Let him in.”

That Starstruck nods, and the aurora above twists and undulates, curling open around a small spot before swirling shut again. A faint indigo streak shoots through the brief aperture, banking around and blazing towards the Academy; about half a minute later, Professor Irino has hit the landing pad at the school. Rather than walking the long path up to the main courtyard, he bounces into the air slightly, gliding the distance until he can land in front of the Headmaster.

“What did you find out?” the Headmaster asks as Irino finishes settling to the ground once more.

“They have a Harbinger with them.” he states heavily, letting that sink in before he goes on. “She wants to come down here and meet with you.”

Caliya tenses up. “A Harbinger? I thought they only sent Harbingers with invasion fleets.”

“A Harbinger is the voice of the Collective. The voice of the Prime. They herald invasions, but they also act as diplomats.” the Headmaster says, glancing up at the sky. “Did they say what they wanted to talk about?”

“They only said they wanted an audience. They refused to say what they wanted to talk about; they only said it would be a closed-doors conversation.” Irino says, adjusting his glasses. “They also said they would be sending a small retinue;  a small shuttle with the Harbinger and her guard detail, and that we were welcome to take whatever precautions we felt necessary to keep Aelevar free of contamination.”

“They want to talk, then.” the Headmaster mutters, absentmindedly tugging at one of the corners of her uniform, as if to straighten out any wrinkles in it. “Consider my night ruined. Irino, tell the Sentinels to back off the hiveship by a few miles, and open up a gap in the shield. Put together a squad that will escort their shuttle down to the landing pad. Normally I wouldn’t want them anywhere near the school, but if they’re here for a talk, I want them to be able to get here quickly so they can also leave quickly.”

“Wait, can’t we just tell them to go away?” Caliya protests. “We didn’t invite them here and we don’t want them here, so why don’t we tell them they’re not welcome here?”

“They aren’t welcome here. But we don’t have the luxury of ignoring the Collective, especially when they send a Harbinger.” the Headmaster says as Irino turns and starblazes up to the roof of the Academy, so he can collect a few other Starstruck for the escort team. “Caliya, coordinate with the Professors inside the Academy. Map out a path from the front doors to my office, and have them place barriers on all halls that connect or adjoin to it. I don’t want them getting snoopy while they’re here.”

With that, the Headmaster turns and starts back across the courtyard. After a moment to come to terms with what’s happening, Caliya likewise turns and starblazes up onto one of the balconies, slipping back inside the Academy to track down some of the resident Professors.

Event Log: 9/16/12768

Aelevar: The Academy: Headmaster’s Office

8:47pm SGT

When Caliya knocks on the door of the Headmaster’s office, it’s only a couple of seconds before it clicks and swings open. Reading it as an implicit invitation to enter, she hesitantly steps in, finding the Headmaster in the middle of shelving various artifacts and knickknacks in some of her storage cases in the room.

“We finished blockading the route to your office, Headmaster.” Caliya announces. “I checked and tested it. There’s no gaps, and it goes straight from the front doors to your office.”

“Good. I’d like you to remain in here with me, to watch and listen.” the Headmaster replies as she locks one of her display cases and waves a hand past it, turning the glass dark and sprinkled with stars, hiding the contents within. “This will be an educational experience for you. You will get to see how we handle the diplomatic aspect of being a Cosmic Starstruck.”

Caliya shifts nervously, looking around the room. “Don’t the Collective… passively emit spores, and stuff? Are you sure it’s safe to stay in the same room as them?”

“They do, but it’s a very small amount. The sort of thing that will only assimilate you if there’s consistent, long-term exposure to it.” the Headmaster explains, pulling open a drawer in her desk and starting to place some of her desk items in it. “Besides, our regalia has a protective aura that burns away unseen contaminants like that. You’re in uniform right now, so you don’t have to worry about being infected.”

There’s a visible relaxation at that assurance. “What about the halls and everything else? Will we purge those after the Collective are gone?”

“We will, yes. Irino will be keeping track of the path the Symbiotes took and everything they touched, so we can make sure all traces of spores have been eradicated.” the Headmaster affirms, picking up the glass dodecahedron that contains the star shard Caliya accidentally set loose four year ago. “It’s unlikely that such a short visit would allow spores to take hold anywhere on Aelevar, but I’m not taking chances. Collective infestations are hard to root out once they’ve established themselves; they’re like black mold. You may not see it, but it’s often there, lurking in dark places, just out of sight.”

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it have been better to have the meeting on the hiveship, instead of down here?” Caliya asks, coming a little further into the room and looking around.

“Perhaps. It would’ve kept spores off Aelevar, but it also would’ve put us in the heart of enemy territory, and that’s not something I would’ve been comfortable with.” the Headmaster says as she continues tucking items into her desk drawers. “By having them down here to the surface, we reduce the risk to ourselves and make it easier to handle things if something goes off the rails. The tradeoff is that we have to do decontamination afterwards. These are the sort of things one must think about when handling diplomatic encounters with other powers.”

“Oh. I’m probably not the best person for that.” Caliya admits readily.

“Perhaps not. But it is a skill that can be learned.” the Headmaster says. “Move one of the chairs from the wall to the center of the room, please. If this meeting is a long one, the Harbinger will probably want somewhere to sit.”

Caliya quickly moves to do that, adjusting a chair a little and trying to make sure it’s neatly situated in the center of the room. “Is there a reason while you’re putting away all your office stuff?” she asks. In all the time she had been Starstruck, she had never seen the Headmaster clear away her office decorations en masse — they were usually conversation pieces, talking points she used to relate to the Starstruck that were sent to her office. Each one had a story, and sometimes a moral, to go along with it.

“Normally I wouldn’t, but the Collective… they are very intelligent and resourceful. They may have Symbiotes watching through the eyes of their Harbinger or her guards, entire groups that will analyze everything they see, and then feed that information to her so she can use it to manipulate the person they are speaking to, or control the direction of the conversation.” the Headmaster explains as she slides one of the drawers shut. “I want to give them less to work with.”

“Think we might be out of time. I hear them on the stairs.” Caliya says, looking over her shoulder at the open door to the office.

The Headmaster pushes the last drawer closed and quickly sits behind her desk. “That’ll have to do, then. Come stand over here; you and Irino will be behind my desk, on either side. Both of you have much to learn from this visit.”

Caliya hurries over to take her spot slightly behind the Headmaster’s chair, while the Headmaster herself makes sure she is presentable, combing her hair into form before folding her hands together on her cleared desk. It isn’t long before Irino comes into view, ascending the spiral stairwell, will the Collective retinue behind him. Leading them down the hall and into the office, he waits until all four of them have filed in before he closes the door behind them, then joins Caliya behind the Headmaster’s desk.

“Welcome to the Academy, Harbinger.” the Headmaster begins as the Harbinger and her guards begin making themselves comfortable in the room. It is only because the guards are wearing chitin carapace that one is able to tell the Harbinger apart from the others, because she is dressed simply, in jeans and a jacket — unassuming, and masking the apparent gravity of her calling. “I am the Headmaster, and these are two of my students; they will be sitting in for this meeting. To what do we owe the pleasure of the Collective’s visitation?”

Gliding her finger along one arm of the chair in the middle of the room, the Harbinger sits down in it while her guards position themselves around her. There are no outstanding features that would seem to set her apart from other Symbiotes; her clothes are simple, she wears no ornamentation, and there is nothing that would seem to physically distinguish her from other members of her race. Her hair is kept trimmed to a shorter length, and her use of makeup is sparing, if any was used at all, and no effort has been made to hide her freckles; she is not beautiful, nor is she ugly; she simply… is. If one did not know she was the Harbinger, then she would simply pass for any other Symbiote among the trillions that make up the Collective — and perhaps, that is the point.

Greetings, Headmaster. I am Harbinger, the voice of the Collective.

The voice sounds in the minds of the Starstruck; it is a woman’s voice, but one that is backed by the echoing of thousands of other voices repeating the same words at a half-second delay, like a conductor leading a chorus. Though it is not aggressive, there is something about it that is unsettling, as if one was standing before a grand convocation, all speaking with a single intent. Caliya visibly fidgets, while Irino’s hands tighten where they are clasped behind his back.

We come before you to discuss a matter which has troubled the Collective. It is one which you are familiar with — the Dark Star Nova.

“We have some familiarity with her, though it has been a long while since we have dealt with her.” the Headmaster replies, remaining composed despite the tension of her students. “The last time we had contact with her was a few decades ago, so our knowledge of her is likely outdated.”

That is unfortunate to hear. Though the Harbinger does not open her mouth, the focus of her iridescent blue eyes makes it clear she is engaged in the conversation. Has she grown beyond your ability to confront and defeat?

Irino twitches at the baited question; he says nothing, though it’s clear he’s holding in a retort while the Headmaster answers in a more measured manner. “Not in the traditional manner, no. We have plenty of Starstruck capable of engaging her. The issue with her is decidedly… political.”

Is that so? The Collective was under the impression that the Starstruck eschewed politics. The Harbinger tilts her head to one side slightly, in an apparent indication of curiosity.

“Precisely.” the Headmaster says, unlacing her fingers. “I am sure you are probably already aware — it is, after all, common knowledge by this point — but Nova also happens to be the leader of a major paramilitary and political organization known as CURSE. I can tell you a bit more about them, if you’re not familiar.”

No need. We are quite familiar with Citizens United. The Harbinger’s head remains tilted to the side, her intent blue gaze fixed on the Headmaster. So, despite the damage she has done, and continues to do, with the powers that the Starstruck originally granted her, her existence as a political figure places her beyond your ability or wherewithal to handle now?

“In a galaxy void of consequences, I would, in a heartbeat, give the order for her vanquishment.” the Headmaster answers calmly. “But we live in a galaxy of consequences. The backlash against such an action would not just affect me; it would affect every Starstruck across the galaxy, the vast majority of whom are merely teenagers. Fairly or not, the defeat of Nova at the hands of the Starstruck would be placed upon the heads of those teenagers, and in some cases, may even endanger them if they live on planets particularly supportive of CURSE. As someone who likewise holds the welfare of large populations in the palm of your hand, I am sure you understand the gravity of that responsibility.”

Indeed. We understand it very well, for we have confronted that question frequently of late. After all, Nova has been making a habit of attacking Collective swarms on various planets where we have active campaigns. The Harbinger’s bright blue gaze remains fixed on the Headmaster, as if searching for cracks in her composure. There has been much loss of life on account of her actions.

“You have my condolences.”

We would prefer your action.

The Headmaster does not respond right away, considering the available avenues in which she can direct the conversation. “My options are unfortunately limited by my obligation to the greater whole. As much as I wish I could constrain her behavior, I do not have the ability to command the actions of Dark Stars, and ordering her overthrow is an option I would only consider in the direst of circumstances, because of the negative effect it would have on the Starstruck at large. I understand that she is problematic for you; however, I am obligated to the welfare of those I have been entrusted with, and I must see to that first and foremost.”

The Harbinger leans back in her chair, the intensity easing off as she considers that. We see. Perhaps we have overestimated the Starstruck’s dedication to their mission. If that is the case, we may be able to help you fulfill your responsibilities — if the Starstruck would like to abdicate their responsibility for keeping the Dark Stars in check, then the Collective would not mind removing that burden from your shoulders.

“It seems you have misunderstood me, so allow me to state bluntly what I have tried to say delicately until now.” the Headmaster says with a cold smile. “The Starstruck are not refusing to keep the Dark Stars in check. What we are refusing to do is undertake the assassination of a political figure on the galactic stage, especially under pressure from another sovereign entity that is engaged in a multi-system war with at least three different nations. I will not endanger both the reputation of the Starstruck and the welfare of its thousands of members for the sake of stabilizing the Collective’s expansionist agenda. Have I made myself clear?”

The Harbinger folds one leg over the other, lacing her fingers together as her eyes roam the office, considering the Headmaster’s declaration. We see. I suppose we can appreciate your distaste for political assassinations; they are, after all, a relic of more barbaric ages… but sometimes necessary when the political figure in question is personally responsible for the shedding of so much blood. And unfortunately, the Collective does not have the luxury of simply standing by for the sake of political neutrality. If the Starstruck refuse to act on Nova, then the Collective will have to take the matter into their own hands. We believe this will benefit both of us — the Starstruck will no longer have to worry about the effect that Nova’s death will have on their reputation, and the Collective will eliminate a persistent threat to our welfare. I believe this is what is commonly called a ‘win-win situation’, correct?

“So it would seem.” the Headmaster answers tersely. “But do not plan on making a habit of it.”

Hardly. If more situations like this arise, we will have to have another talk — not about solutions, but about amending our treaty. Our current agreement is clearly not equipped to handle situations like this, and we would rather not make a habit of these kinds of meetings. Unfolding her legs, the Harbinger begins to rise from her chair. We will handle Nova for you, and leave the rest of the Dark Stars to your jurisdiction. This is acceptable to the Starstruck?

“It is acceptable, for this one instance.” the Headmaster replies, remaining neutral. “Is there anything further that the Collective wishes to address?”

That should be all. We appreciate your time and consideration in resolving this conflict. The Harbinger gives a small bow as her guards prepare to escort her out. We will take our leave now. Do enjoy the remainder of your evening.

“And the same to you. Good travels.” the Headmaster says as one of the guards opens the door, and the delegation starts to file out of the office. Two Starstruck are outside to escort them back through the Academy, and Caliya, Irino, and the Headmaster watch as they are led back down the hall. It’s only once they have descended into the central stairwell, and out of sight, that the Headmaster lifts a hand and flicks her fingers, the door swinging closed once more.

“Headmaster, we cannot allow the Collective to handle Nova on their own; if they defeat her, they will claim her star shard—” Irino starts the moment the door is closed.

“I am aware, Irino.” the Headmaster says, pulling open one of her desk drawers and digging in it. “I told them what they wanted to hear because that was the least damaging avenue. I have no intention of letting them defeat or assimilate Nova.”

“Wait, then why did we agree to letting them go after her?” Caliya asks, confused. “Aren’t they going to be pissed if we go back on our word?”

“We agreed to let them go after Nova. Nobody said we couldn’t send someone to warn her.” the Headmaster says as she pulls out the glass dodecahedron with the blue star shard in it, setting it on the desk as she closes that drawer and opens a lower, larger one. “Irino, as soon as the hiveship has left the system, I want you to find a Sentinel to go to the CURSE HQ. Someone mature, someone we can trust. They will need to navigate CURSE’s bureaucracy and speak with Nova, warn her that if she doesn’t ease off the Collective, they’re going to come for her.”

Irinos brows draw together behind his glasses. “We’re… you want to help her? A Dark Star?”

“That is, unfortunately, the position we are in. We can’t move against her because she’s a political figure, but we can’t let the Collective defeat her either. The only option we have left is to warn her, because we can’t afford to let a star shard — even a corrupted one — fall into the Collective’s hands.” the Headmaster says as she pulls out empty glass containers like the one holding the blue shard. “There’s no telling what they could do with power like that, and I have no desire to find out. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth, but we need to give Nova enough advance warning to stay ahead of the Collective. She’s the lesser of two evils at the moment.”

It’s clear that Irino doesn’t like it any more than the Headmaster does, but he sees the need for this course of action. “Understood. I’ll find someone we can trust with the task once the hiveship has left.”

“Is that going to work, though?” Caliya asks. “It sounded like she’s done enough damage that the Collective is going to go after her, even if she does back off the worlds they’ve invaded…”

“They’ll only go after her if she’s on one of the worlds they’re invading. They don’t have the bandwidth to open up a whole new warfront at the moment, so as long as she stays off those worlds, she should be safe. The Collective wouldn’t risk sending a fleet or vessels into a Colloquium system they haven’t already invaded — it would be interpreted as another invasion, and they’d be dragged into yet another battlefront regardless of what they claim they’re there for.” the Headmaster explains as she sets the glass containers on her desk and closes the drawer. “They’ll only be able to go after her on the worlds they invaded. Keep her off those worlds, and she should be safe.”

“What are we gonna do about her, though?” Caliya says. “If we can’t go after her, and we tell her to stay off invaded worlds so the Collective can’t go after her, then she’s basically untouchable. Nobody can make her pay for all the crimes she’s committed.”

“We can’t move against her because she’s a political figure, but there are others who can.” the Headmaster says, picking up the dodecahedron with the blue star shard and studying it. “We’ve avoided it so far, but we may need to throw our support behind the Valiant, and give them the tools they need to permanently defeat her. We can also fall back on the members of her old team, see if we can bring them out of retirement to confront her. The rebuke carries more weight, more substance, when it’s coming from people that once worked with her… my only worry is that it’s been almost thirty years since they relinquished their shards, while Nova has had hers all this time. At this point she may be too powerful for them to handle on their own, and if that’s the case, we may have to lean on the member of her old team that currently works with the Valiant.”

“Is that wise?” Irino asks. “Returning star shards to their owners after they’ve become adults… it hasn’t gone well in the past. It’s even more complicated when you add the fact that one of them is part of a heavily politicized organization now…”

“Is it wise? No, not at all.” the Headmaster says, setting down the occupied dodecahedron. “It’s something we wouldn’t do, shouldn’t do. But it may be our only option at this point. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, warning Nova to keep her out of danger that she deserves and has brought on her own head. But if we can put someone on the board that can oppose her, that has access to the same range of powers that she has, that might balance things out.”

“I mean, Dark Star powers didn’t keep her from getting her ass kicked on Kasvei.” Caliya mumbles, scratching at the back of her neck as she looks away.

“Perhaps not, but we can’t rely on the Valiant to pursue that outcome at the times when we need them to pursue it.” the Headmaster says, standing up from her chair. “If we give them a star shard, though, we can apply some pressure on them. Tell them that with power comes responsibility — mainly the responsibility to use that star shard to keep Nova in check. That also gives us cover in case the Collective circle back around to accuse us of not doing our job — we can point to the Valiant and say we’ve put a piece on the board to counterbalance Nova.”

“All of this is a bit premature, is it not?” Irino questions. “We’re not yet at that point, I don’t think.”

“We’re not. But it doesn’t hurt to explore our options, and plan for the future.” the Headmaster says, picking up the two empty dodecahedrons, handing one to Irino and one to Caliya. “I would rather be prepared. Irino, take Caliya and go to the Vault; retrieve the remaining two shards we have for the members of Nova’s old team.”

Caliya’s eyes widen as she takes the glass container offered to her. “Wait, are we actually going to reactivate the old members of Nova’s team?”

“Not right away, no.” the Headmaster answers, moving out from behind her desk to check the windows of her office, and make sure the Collective delegation has left the building. “We will need to do some research first, and that will be your mission for the next few months, Caliya. Once Irino has sent the Sentinel to warn Nova, I’ll be sending you out to find the old members of Nova’s team, and do status checks on them. We’ll need to know how they’re doing in their lives, what their current state of mind is, so we can figure out if we can convince them to take a stand against their fallen team leader. We won’t pull the trigger until we’re certain that we need help dealing with Nova, but I’d rather have all that information before we reach that point.”

“Oh, okay. Uh… I’ve never done something like that before.” Caliya says hesitantly. “Is there a certain way…”

“We’ll brief you on what you need to know before we send you out.” the Headmaster says, pulling back from the window and heading to the office door to open it. “For now, go to the Vault with Irino, and retrieve the remaining shards of Nova’s old team. We will start with that and go from there.”

“Understood. We’ll start on that now.” Irino says, heading towards the door and beckoning for Caliya to follow. She hurries along behind him, the two of them leaving the office and making their way down the hall, and once they’re on their way, the Headmaster glances towards the remaining dodecahedron on her desk. Within it, the vorcruelian familiar has stirred, placing its paws against the interior of its cage and flaring its wings while the cerulean star shard floats around within it. Still imprinted, even all these years later, waiting to be set loose so it could return to its original owner.

And if Nova didn’t heed the warning that the Starstruck would soon send her, it wouldn’t be long before that day arrived.