Archon Systra looked upon her world. Weeks ago, they knew nothing of alien life. Now, they had faced invasion and liberation by spacefaring peoples with technology far beyond anything the Synastara had ever thought of, and they were far from the only ones. These people- one of their leaders, the tall, dark-skinned ones with the great crystals in their bodies- had given them a political map in a holographic device.
Among all these empires of light, Hyra, their star, which had once seemed so bright, was but a glimmer.
These “friendly” aliens that had stopped their invasion and the destruction of their world, were known collectively as the “Trianarö,” under a nation known as the Holy Imperium. They were led by a single leader, the Imperö, who delegated power when it was needed. There were several species under their command. A massive, slightly terrifying lizardlike species called the Sycriûn, a shorter humanoid species that had a greater variety of skin tones and never possessed the great crystals called “Humans” or “Terrans” depending on who was asked, a mechanical species born of the humans called Mekanakûl, and a nondescript aquatic species that wore suits allowing them to breathe on the surface called the Kanareö. All of it was a lot to handle for the Synastara, who had been living in an era of relative peace.
These newcomers were highly martial. They beat back the tide of invaders like they were nothing more than a wave of pests. Those with the Great Crystals in them fought more viciously than any tale of warfare the Synastara had ever known. They were called Ikaranareans as a species, and their warriors were “Izarattikai,” or war-priests.
As the names war-priests and Holy Imperium might imply, these people were deeply religious. Their faith was as astounding as it was frightening. If the Synastara did not line up with their beliefs, they would have a rough time. After all, they were in the middle of Trianarö territory. If the Trianarö wanted them dead, they would all die.
All of the five remaining nations on Thyurus had already agreed to capitulate: Including Systra’s, Hestra. As Archon, she wielded immense power. She would decide their standing in the coming years, as they ceased to simply be Synastara and became Trianarö.
And so the archon waited. She waited until an Ikaranarean woman with a severe face came to meet her. She was a priest of the Intek Azzum, the History Order. She would be responsible for the planet’s education- in both the new sciences they would learn, and the Trianarö faith.
Systra avoided looking nervous, though she was. She hoped that this meeting went well. She hoped that the priest was tolerant. She hoped their religion was not faith, but truth.
She hoped she could believe, because if she couldn’t, she would have to lie to save billions of lives. And she knew she was a poor liar.