Interstellar Age



Erich did not remember much of what had happened during his W-7 certification. What he did remember was consuming an ungodly sum of drugs. After that the murder spree he went on, which would cement his legacy as the Germanic Star-Empire's most promising soldier was a complete and total blur. 

When Erich finally came to, he woke up in a medical facility. He was not in a clone's body, but apparently the drugs he had consumed were even beyond Tia's ability to manage. However, he was not alone in this facility. It would appear that Emrys, along with several admirals, and Generals were there to interrogate him. 

But that was not needed. After discussing with the Doctor just what had happened to Erich, they were more surprised that the idiot had lived to tell the tale than they were about the results of his slaughter. Emrys stood in front of Erich and scolded the man for his recklessness. 

"The doctor says he found enough stimulants in your bloodstream to give a fucking mammoth a heart attack. How you managed to survive long enough to eliminate every single one of your rivals, nobody knows. And judging by the look on your face, you have no memory of what happened after you took those drugs. Convenient, very convenient...."

Erich looked at Emrys with confusion on his face. Though his NeuroLink was working overtime to purge what toxins remained in his bloodstream, he still felt like a mountain of elephant shit. Thus, he could only get a grasp on his bearings before asking the immediate question on his mind. 

"So I take it I passed?"

Emrys's expression was stern as he spoke with Erich. Almost like a father disciplining his errant son.

"Oh, you passed alright, and in such spectacular fashion, that those who know about your actions are calling you the reaper. Do you have any idea how many of your rivals you killed in your pursuit of victory?" 

Erich did not know the answer to this question, but judging by the severity in Emrys's tone, it must have been a lot. But before he could answer, Emrys did so for him. 

"Over nine hundred.... You killed the overwhelming majority of your competition. This was the shortest W-7 certification that has ever happened. Nobody ran out of oxygen before their lives were snuffed away by you. I have no idea how you managed to accomplish this. Even with the drugs you consumed, it doesn't explain your miraculous feat. But that is not a concern of mine. 

More importantly, the negotiations with the Svartalfheim Federation have broken down months ago. Something you were not made aware of due to your ongoing training. I have been summoned to Alfheim to meet with our Suzerains and their other vassals. The Empress has specifically requested your presence. 

I don't know what kind of relationship you have with the woman, nor is it my place to inquire into such a private matter. But I implore you not to make a scene this time around. After all, the last thing we need is a repeat of what happened at the Centennial Ball. Am I understood?" 

Erich listened to everything that Emrys had said and nodded his head with a confident smile on his handsome face. Of course, nothing scandalous like what happened at the Centennial Ball would happen this time around. After all, he was Lunaria's secret lover, and the love they shared was something that had been forged from being alone together for a whole year. 

Lunaria would never harm Erich. All he needed to do was be careful about when and how he expressed his love for the woman. Thus, he responded to Emrys with a promise that he would not cause any problems this time around. 

"I understand. I will be on my best behavior. So unless something that is out of my control happens, again, I can assure you that I will cause no scenes or scandals." 

Emrys smiled when he heard this solemn vow, before patting Erich on the shoulder with a prideful look on his face while expressing his thoughts aloud. 

"Good... Whatever the Empress requires of you, make sure to handle it quickly. After all, the war could break out at any minute, and I need to make sure my best soldiers are properly prepared for what lies ahead. You will regroup with your old team when the time is ready. I am sure they would be happy to celebrate what you achieved here today." 

After saying this, Emrys departed, allowed Erich to continue his detoxication treatment alone, and while in a state of peace. 

---

Meanwhile, in the world of Alfheim, Lunaria was rather anxious. It had been a year since she last saw her man, and she had officially requested his presence for this upcoming discussions between herself and her vassals regarding the proxy war with the Svartalfheim Federation. 

She was not nervous because of these discussions, but because she did not know how she would find the time to properly show her man around her homeworld. Something she had not been able to do the last time he visited. Every day she longed to be with Erich, at least since they departed, and yet, she had not been able to find the time for a vacation together with the man over the past year. 

Now that there were less than twenty-four hours before Erich was supposed to arrive on Alfheim, Lunaria was practically freaking out. Celestia watched a woman who had been nothing but calm since the day she was born centuries ago freak out. And it was a rather nerve wrecking sight. She could not help but comfort her mother. 

"Mother, please, relax. I am sure that Erich has missed you just as much as you have missed him. And I doubt that he will be angry at you, because you have important matters to discuss with your vassals."

However, Lunaria was obsessed with Erich after the year they spent together. And could not live with the idea that he might be disappointed with her if she prioritized her meeting with her vassals over her time with him. Thus, she was quick to voice this sentiment aloud in a rather timid voice. 

"But... What if he thinks that I don't love him, because I'm too busy dealing with this damned meeting to properly show my affection to him? I don't think I could live with myself if he came to hate me because of that!" 

Upon seeing that this was the best opportunity she would ever get to put her plan into action. Celestia wore a false smile, as she "comforted" her mother. 

"I have an idea, one that might be able to fix your little problem. Do you want to hear it?" 

Lunaria's expression turned from anxious to giddy the moment she heard that her daughter had come up with a solution to this nightmare. Thus, she grasped hold of Celestia's hands and pleaded to hear her idea. 

"What is it? Tell me! I will do anything to make sure Erich is properly satisfied with his visit!" 

This is exactly what Celestia wanted to hear, and thus she was forced to prevent herself from wearing a mischievous smile, as she proposed her scheme to her mother. 

"Obviously you need to meet with your vassals, and properly prepare for this upcoming conflict with the Svartalfheim Dominion. And nobody could possibly take your place in those meetings. But what if I pretended to be you and showed Erich around Alfheim?

He might suspect something is amiss, but he will probably ignore it because he is so in love with you. And then, at night, once you have finished with your meeting, he can visit your room, and the two of you can properly reunite."

Over the last year, Celestia had pretended like she lost her interest in Erich, but she had never forgotten their kiss, nor their "first date" and was deeply bitter over the fact that her mother had dug her claws into the man she was interested in. 

Thus, she planned to pretend to be her mother in order to sleep with Erich. Once he had done so, and realized the truth of the matter, it would be too late. He would have to take responsibility for his actions. And thus, Celestia would also be able to properly develop a relationship with Erich, which had been denied to her by her mother's schemes. 

It was because of this long con that Lunaria did not even suspect that her most beloved daughter was conspiring against her. And thus she was very happy to hear that Celestia was willing to go to such lengths to protect the relationship that Erich had with the Alfheim Empress. 

"You would really do that for me? You are the best daughter a woman could possibly ask for! I will entrust Erich to you for the day. Just make sure to tell me everything that the two of you did before dropping him off to my room, so that he doesn't realize this little ruse." 

Celestia was once more forced to contain herself, for if her facade cracked, her mother would realize just what she was scheming. And thus, she wore a false smile, as she nodded in confirmation to her royal mother. 

"Don't worry mother, I will tell you everything when the time comes..." 

Thus, with these ominous words, Princess Celestia Asterion had successfully begun the first step of her conspiracy to steal Erich away from her mother.