Saumu stood alone in her chambers, staring out into the star-filled void beyond the viewport. The images from the surface still burned in her mind the charred remains of what was once a thriving hive-world, now a desolate wasteland of ash and molten rock. The Krymaloth had been vanquished, but at a tremendous cost.
Her fists clenched tightly as she fought to regain her composure. This was no victory merely survival carved from destruction.
Kizito's hand rested on her shoulder, steadying her. His voice was calm but marked with a quiet determination.
"You did what was necessary, Saumu. That planet was never meant to survive its destruction was the only way to ensure the Krymaloth could never rise again."
Saumu turned, her dark eyes reflecting both grief and resolve.
"It was not a victory," she said softly. "It was a necessity, nothing more. But now, we face the task of rebuilding not just worlds, but trust."
The Kazi's Arrival on the Mothership a few hours later, Saumu awaited in the grand hall an ancient chamber reinforced with shadowed crystal, filled with energy signatures of both her soldiers and the Kazi. The primitive beings arrived in small, heavily armored shuttles, guided by their elders battle-worn but determined.
The Kazi representatives scouts and leaders alike had been displaced from their own homeworld after the Krymaloth razed their planet. The Giza Mtuji was their new refuge, and Saumu saw the potential in forging a true alliance. She understood their desperation and the value they could bring in establishing a presence on this broken frontier.
Saumu nodded at their leader, Esharok, a scarred, wary elder, as he and his delegates entered the chamber. Their faces, roughened and scarred, were filled with cautious hope.
"You are safe here," Saumu said, her tone reassuring. "Your world was destroyed, yes, but you are now part of a new future your people will find a new home among the stars."
She paused, her gaze firm and commanding.
"In return for your aid in establishing a forward operating base on this frontier," she continued, "I promise to help you find or claim a new planet. One where your kind can rebuild, away from the shadows of your past and the threat of the Krymaloth."
Esharok and his delegates listened intently; the stakes high for their future and their survival.
"Help us," Saumu finished, "and together we will forge a new shadow, deeper and stronger than before."
The elders exchanged wary glances but nodded slowly. Their survival depended on alliances on trust in the darkness that was shaping this new age.
The Council's Opinions and Saumu's Final Words later, Saumu accessed the holographic transmission to the Mother of Shadows and the Elder Counsel, her voice measured but resolute.
"Mother," she began, "we faced a great threat on the surface. The Krymaloth is defeated, but the planet's cost was staggering. The Kazi have lost their home millennia of history reduced to ruins."
She named her sister queens to get their opinions:
Zahira, Queen of Wisdom:
"The destruction was inevitable, but we must learn to balance power with strategy. Our enemies are cunning, and their chaos can turn upon us."
Halima, Queen of Renewal:
"This is an opportunity. We can help the Kazi rebuild give them a new home, and in return, they will stand with us. Trust must be earned, but it is our strongest weapon now."
Nia, Queen of Innovation:
"We need advanced technology to detect threats like these in future. Rebuild the Kazi's defenses, and prepare for what's lurking in the shadows old enemies, and new."
Saumu listened carefully, then bowed her head.
"Thank you, sisters. Your wisdom guides us. We will honor this alliance I will honor your counsel and ensure the Kazi have a place among the shadows. I send my respects."
She ended the transmission, the glow fading from her chamber. Her mind was heavy with the future building a new empire from the ashes, forging alliances in the darkness, and facing new, unknown terrors.
The shadows had only just begun to stir