THE SHADOWVERSE

Preparation

In his throne room, Titan studied the information sent to him via his scouts. Recordings of television programs, everyday events, and specific details of the lives of certain people comprised the information.

Solis, now temporarily Voir again, stayed close by as Titan worked on picking his new recruit. Justice, meanwhile, headed towards Xalen, her home planet.

"Humanity's hunger to worship something higher than them is far more exorbitant than I had previously surmised," Titan stated.

"Which indicates?" Solis replied.

"Other civilizations we have encountered have nowhere close to this level of religious emphasis. Many of the conflicts on Earth are nothing akin to what we have both experienced. Most of these are not political or military wars, but spiritual ones. They search for meaning and purpose, but fail in their quest. Their so-called free life is only a prison. These people imprison themselves to their lusts and addictions, and thus impede themselves and those around them from ever growing beyond their myopic vision of reality. Humans need to awaken! What they yearn for is coming for them. Since when has the master sought to free the servant? Never!"

"Yes, my lord," Solis said. "What you say is true."

"This planet and its rulers are exactly the same as Hallux, despite its lack of advancement," Titan remarked.

"They are pathetic," Solis growled.

Titan laughed. "I am genuinely fascinated. When are the scouts scheduled to arrive? Is the variable sedated?"

Solis nodded. "Yes. He will be here shortly."

"Excellent."

* * *

When Justice arrived on Xalen, she knew she was home. The red-hued sky provided an exotic environment for the advanced species. Once she arrived at her birth-father's citadel, she sank to her knees, fighting hard to prevent herself from crying. She then stood, stomping to the giant door. As she pushed, it creaked open little by little, pouring light into the dark, abandoned home of Ta-Vir and Kira.

Wandering the halls, she found his former quarters, made obvious by his name on the door: TA-VIR. Inside the dimly-lit room, she found broken computers lying on the floor, a holographic machine, and numerous other kinds of technology and furniture. The place was a wreck.

Across the way, she espied the room of her mother, Kira. In contrast, this white-painted chamber was far more arranged and organized. In the corner, she spotted a petite bed. Walking over, she examined it. With small white barricades like a fence and a soft mattress, it was clearly a baby crib—the one she would have occupied. Clenching her jaw, she fought to suppress her emotions, the force of Titan's will still imposed upon her. She gulped hard and a single tear squeezed out of her eye and fell to the floor.

After searching the entire house for thirty minutes, she discovered nothing abnormal. She slowly backed out of the citadel, closing the door behind her and shuffled down the hill to her craft, where her pilot and five outfitted soldiers kept watch. "Take me to Iopia, Officer Dox."

* * *

Justice arrived on Iopia several hours later, after a safe and uneventful journey. Her cruiser landed on a pad located on a command station's property. Officers ran to the door of the cruiser and met Titan's second-in-command as the hatch opened.

"My sovereign, I am grateful and honored to meet you. I am Commander Zev of the First Legion. What news do you have for us?"

As he spoke, Justice continued to stride past him, towards the pyramid-shaped main building. "I have news that concerns even you, Commander. Please accompany me as I make it known."