This is cryptopunk. It's like steampunk or dieselpunk. It depicts a different kind of life. This one is scifi based. You have the freedom loving people of Nagan VII and the bureaucratic Kartouri who seek to rule them.
Up until now Tanic, the ships captain of the Karouri Peace Enforcers, has attacked the people of Nagan VII at least twice, he was hit with an illegal quantum slider and sent to a different dimension and had to work his way back over the course of more than a year. He went back with more ships seeking vengence against Nagan VII and particularly Admiral Santana, but got all blowed up. Tanic is about to stop a Kartouri from getting married to a resident of Nagan VII.
Tanic was glad when the call ended. Margaret continued to be a little intense at times. She was excited that the ship was nearing completion and would be coming home, she's stated more than once that she's going to be ok with Baby Tanic, but Vanessa was the sticking point. There weren't laws built around time and dimensional travel, so it wasn't clear what he should do. The quantum slider he had been hit with was still pretty new, so he was gone in a life threatening other dimension for 2 years on the other hand Margaret just came back from buying bread for toast. Without the law to go by there wasn't anything he could think of to know how to handle it properly. They were all supposed to have brunch in a few weeks.
He wanted to lie back and just relax in the tube for the last minute or two before he got to the chapel, but Vanessa called.
"What are you doing?" she wasn't having it...
"I'm going to the Chapel and I'm gonna stop a marriage!" Tanic was clear in his mission.
"Tan, you can't stop love. Please don't do this. It won't end the way you think and there will be unintended consequences!" Vanessa heard crying in the background. "I have to go. Tanic Jr. needs me, but don't do this."
She hung up too.
The undertube stopped at Chapel Square. Tanic stood up straightened his shirt, and got off the train. He walked through the throng of people, up the stairs, and onto the Streets of Nagnarock. It was a clear sunny day if not a little red tinged lighting from the second son. He checked his Tech Tube for directions, and walked about a block and half through the busy street past the shops displaying everything you might expect in a city.
The chapel wasn't much to look at compared to the rest of the city. It looked like an old building out of place and worn with time. It had a large clearing around it and the developers around here had been kind to leave it some space in the city rather than taking every inch from it. It could host a few hundred people, which might make this a little awkward, but it needed to happen.
The inside of the chapel's dull wood was nothing compared to the bright red's of the bride's side. The bride, the bride's maids, and the most of the bride's friends and family were wearing Nagan Red outfits. The bride was clad in crimson from head to to toe. She was gorgeous even from the back of the chapel. Across from her was Cloh who up until a second ago was grinning like an idiot gazing at his bride. The room turned to look at Tanic as he loudly opened the Chapel doors.
Tanic didn't waste any time "Ok people, this wedding is over. By writ of Chairman Mago no weddings are to take place between Kartouri and the people of Nagan VII."
Cloh got down from the podium he was standing on with his bride, and headed to the Captain Tanic. Several bridesmaids followed as well. "Tanic, I resigned. I'm not an officer. You have no say here. I've found freedom, and I've found my wife. I'm not going back!"
Tanic was firm "Clearly these people are messing with your head Cloh. You've been here a month. That's hardly time to figure out a new planet let alone marry anyone. All of you are out of your minds. This has to stop immediately. Cloh! You're coming with me this instant. I can't hide this on your record."
Cloh "Not happening captain. I'm done. I don't want anything to do with the Kartouri. You're free to sit and watch as my friend, but this is happening." He put crossed his arms in an "I dare you fuck with me" stance.
Tanic took a step forward, and heard about 15 men draw a weapon on the Bride's side. How are these fuckers armed all the time!?! Tanic was thinking about what do to when one of the smaller bridesmaid's approached. Tanic ignored her. "Put your guns down, Cloh you're coming with me." He grabbed him by the arm, but Cloh pushed back. After just a moment of struggle Tanic tore the suit that Cloh was wearing, and now his shoulder was exposed.
"That's it!" The small bride's maid swiftly approached them while they exchanged stunned glances over the jacket ripping and took the opportunity to promptly knee Captain Tanic in the balls. "That's for Cloh!" As he doubled over in pain she kicked him in the head- "That's for Kaylin!!!" As he curled up in the fetal position she stomped him one last time "and that's for Nagan VII!"
Tanic felt strong arms dragging him forcefully out of the chapel. While the bride's maid was saying "I know, do no harm... but it's also take no shit!" He was clinging to his balls which may have just ruptured. He had the thought that if Nagan VII could change Cloh it could change anyone. He had to get off this rock, but first... time to get some ice and a medic!
Previous Episode- @aggroed/nagan-vii-cyborgian-blue
Chapter 2- Episode 2.
"One week! One fuckin' week. Do you have any idea how much trouble these idiots have caused in one week?"
Sammo, Muxxy, Swelk and Mystique were holding back smiles. They knew this shit would happen when Santana told them she was going to bring the Kartouri down to the planet. Bring a bunch of Kart statist idiots to 'Nage' and you're gonna have trouble.
"For fuck's sake. Seriously, 1500 people are causing so much trouble. We're fuckin' helping them. They came here. They attacked us. We didn't even fire, and these dickheads don't know how to act. You know what one of them said to me? 'There wasn't a law against killing the cow on the property so what's the big deal."
Muxxy and Swelk started laughing. Even Santana crossed a smile.
Rho was a prominent writer and a good friend and walked over to Santana and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's gonna be ok, she said calmly, they'll learn, and when they do go home, they'll take it back with them."
Santana's rage subsided a bit. Yes it was frustrating to deal with all these new people on her planet. When she's not explaining to another Kart newb how to use a tech tab she's getting constant requests for the simplist tasks. How do you upload a picture? I didn't save the planet four times just to sit around and teach you to click the camera icon... Oh well, maybe Rho was right. They'll learn. She took a deep breath, and then Tanic and the delegation from Kartouri arrived.
The room got awkward quickly. Tanic and his crew had been there to kill them all a few days back. Things like that are hard to forget. Tanic's kid lost an eye and now had a freaky little baby cyborg eye in there instead. That served as a daily reminder why he should come back a year from now and kill everyone.
Tanic started "Admiral Santana, crew, thank you for meeting with us. The situation on this planet is quite desparate. Since our capture there has been zero central contact, there's been zero central efforts, I haven't even heard from any specific leader. Surely, we can negotiate an immediate return of our property."
"Tanic" Santana started, "It doens't work that way here. I know it sounds pretty unfamiliar but we don't have a central authority. The people in this room are your best bet, but we're just people."
Tanic was frustrated. "Surely there is someone we can talk to. I heard of a Mayor Aggie. What about him? There are people called Witnesses. You have to be able to setup a meeting with them. The conditions are horrible here. Where are all the services? Where do your taxes go to? I don't even understand how your people have roads!!!"
Santana was receiving all this frustrating energy. She was about to rip'em one, but Sammo chimed in instead. "Look mate, it don't work like that 'ere. Ain't no taxes, 'aven't had'em in my life. We each do our own thing and ain't nobody takes what's mine without me agreeing."
Tanic was yelling "This place is out of control!!! We've had over 18 Kartouri, many of them officers, shot with your stun rifles. Who do we take that to? Where is our recourse? How do we get justice for that? You can't simply shoot an officer of the Kartouri!!!"
Santana couldn't let it go "Well, what stupid shit were you officers doing huh Tanic? Were they wandering around with a fucking knife trying to "talk" to kids? I'd shoot them too. Nagan doesn't have any laws, but that doesn't mean we don't have principles. Do no harm but take no shit is about the only rule around here that everyone agrees to. My guess is that if I dig into each one of those, which I'm doing, I'm going to find some arrogant piece of shit Kartouri doing something stupid! How could you come to our planet to kill us when you know so little about us?"
Tanic was flustered! "I'm not going to hear any more of this. If you respected our laws it wouldn't be an issue. You're the terrorist that shot sliders. How dare you lecture me? I'll be writing a post about this Santana, and I'll be sure to tag many of your so called Megaloth friends in it. We'll see what they have to say about it! In the meantime please make sure you arrange for more food for us. You'd cause much harm if you let us all starve."
Tanic turned in a hurumph to leave, but Santana's wall tech flashed up. Incoming message stream from Beardo, Subject Tanic's baby :) Santana said "open" and the stream opened. Tanic stopped to hear the news.
"Hey Santana, I have to run in a second, but I'm at the hospital and I just met with Vanessa and baby Tanic. I can't do anything about them being Kartouri, but the good news is that the burns are healed and mom's back to normal, and the last round of the eye is finished. Looks a little cyborgian blue, but it was nicely done, most people won't ever know. I gotta get back to it, love to Rho, peace."
Tanic's frustration melted after hearing his girlfriend and baby were ok. Margaret probably won't be too happy about it, but he was. He took a deep breath. "Can we see them now?" Santana's anger melted, she smiled warmly and said "Yeah, let's do that. I'll grab my coat."
As they were taking the deep tubes in silence across from one another she realized that for the first time in the week he'd been on Nag that Tanic had said please and asked a question instead of making a demand. Maybe he can change, and if he can maybe the other Karts can too. "Hey, I'm sorry I yelled." Santana told him. He just nodded. "Me too." He said quietly.
Here's where it all started- @aggroed/fiction-friday-4-fictional-settings-and-4-epic-introductions