Isn't Life Strange
By: Heidi "Lady Niko" Reckel

EPILOGUE

And the heads they are a rolling
Cause the conqueror is on his way
And the justice day is coming
For the conqueror is on his way
Genesis, The Conqueror

  The Queen of the Crown sat on her throne re-hashing all that happened at Granna: her fleet had been almost completely destroyed, Kraya had betrayed her, and she had not gotten any human Slaverlords out of the deal. In a foul mood, she began thinking of ways to deal with those infernal Rangers once and for all. She stared into a shard of starstone, focusing on rage, letting the anger flow through her.

  "I had been so close!" she cursed to herself, building on her foul mood, and letting the dark power of rage wrap itself around her.

  The starstone melted away, faster than normal.

  "And then she betrayed me! I had her - body and mind... just when I could almost control her spirit as well! Damn those Rangers and their infernal consciences!" she swore.

  Her ruby eyes narrowed as the starstone turned to dust, replenishing her energy - for now. The Queen looked straight ahead of her, into the faint glow of the forcefield shielding the vault before her. But, all was not lost.... she still had the Eliza Foxx Psychocrystal. Gherkins could be controlled. Gherkins could be made into willing slaves...just when she thought she could control a human - any human, that control eluded her grasp like an illusion. Even Eliza was hardly worth the bother anymore.

  She stared at the vault in front of her for another spell, and sighed. Things were not going well. She had known that for a long time. First the Andorain and Kiwi had the gall to rebel and form that League of Planets. Then, the Gherkins refused to reproduce due to their captivity. After that, she had found humans... But, just when she thought that she had found the one thing to extend her life-force indefinitely, it became the one thing she couldn't get.

  The Queen stood up and strode over to the vault. She banished the forcefield surrounding it with a wave of her hand and took out the Eliza Foxx crystal. She swiped it up into her talon like fingers and stared angrily down at the face of Eliza Foxx, reflected in the surface of the crystal.

  "I will squash you, your husband and those toy soldiers at BETA yet!" Her anger continued to build even more. "I will have your entire race under my thumb yet!" She swore as she moved back to her throne.

  Smiling, she held the crystal close to her face, seemingly to look into the eyes of the face that it held.

  "After that, Eliza," she said. "I will destroy you right before his eyes. My crypt will be filled with more... cooperative subjects. When I have deprived them of hope, they will bow to me." She purred, "Then, I'll be strong enough again. Nothing will stop me. Not the Moons of Tarkon, not the League, and certainly not..."

  She stopped and laughed low in her throat. "They trained the girl well, but I almost had her. She still has potential... oh, yes. With her at my side, you fools will be very sorry for sending me away..."

  She sat up straight in her throne once more and said, "Guards, tell Captain Orthallan that I want to see him immediately."

  A tall purple-skinned humanoid guard walked into the throne room and stopped before the throne. He bowed low to the Queen and said, "Your Highness, Captain Dorell is pleased to report that his skirmish has taken out three League Battleships."

  "All very well, but I have summoned you for another purpose, Captain. I'm pulling you off border patrol and reassigning you to Tortuna."

  "Is my performance not pleasing you?" Orthallan said, looking up. "I have tried to serve you..."

  She put the Psychocrystal away in an inner pocket on her cape and explained, "No, I have something else I need for you to do... Orthallan," she said. "I am taking you off because you are my finest agent. I have...another duty for you. A trap to lay. Those interfering meddlers, the Galaxy Rangers. I want to take care of them once and for all. I plan," she said. "To capture the Series Five Ranger Team."

  Orthallan's eyes grew large. "A difficult task, Your Majesty."

  "But one I entrust to you, Orthallan," she said. "It isn't enough for me to take them, and try to separate them. No, I must have them all in order to destroy them. I have tried attacking their unity, but in that, they are strongest."

  "I see, Your Majesty," Orthallan answered.

  "I want you to capture and then, separate them... physically and mentally." The Queen nodded. "I will give you instructions. Governor Jaaker of Tortuna will put you in a convincing situation."

  "Very well, your Majesty. When do I leave?"

  "Immediately." The Queen answered. "By the time that you reach Tortuna, Governor Jaaker will have everything set-up for you.

  "You are dismissed," said the Queen as Orthallan rose to his feet and was walked out by two Slaverlords.

  She sat back on her throne as the captain bowed and left the throne room.

  Oh yes.... she had plans for those Rangers.....

~finis~
To be continued in Chrysalis...

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