Deep Space Epoch

"Finally, those damn criminals won't escape again!" Captain Argentear was livid, banging his arm on the armrest of his chair. "Act according to your training. Adjust our vector to match the rest of the fleet to encapsulate this solar system."

"Yes, Sir" Two navigational officers saluted before controlling the ships vector in space to slowly sweep towards the targeted solar system.

Major Harold's destroyer served as the central computer for coordinating the net of Galactic Fleet ships sweeping through the cosmos. A holographic projection was displayed in his destroyer highlighting the positions of all 10,100 ships and the solar system the Poseidon was located in. The light dots denoting the positions of the ships began to slowly curve inwards, wrapping around the solar system like a giant hand was grasping it.

The Prime Minister, Mortimus Lupin, sat beside Major Harold in a chair especially prepared for him. He watched this 'hand' enclosing around the planet with a smile of nostalgia.

*****

As the fleet began to infiltrate the solar system, great stirs began to arise within the Vulpes planet.

King Margold had a dignified expression as he held an audience with several noble bureaucrats who served as close aids. The audience was held in the main hall of his royal castle, a long hard filled with gold embellishments and laden with long royal-purple carpets. The king himself was in his royal attire, a purple robe with gold trimming. A gold crown with large encrusted rubies sat atop his head, closely circling his short fox-ears.

Beside King Margold, his wife, Queen Sherell, sat on a slightly smaller throne. She was a beauty capable of befalling a kingdom, with a light brown hair and dressed in pure white and red robes. She was usually silent, only ever speaking a few words in support of her husband.

"We require more information on the incoming aliens," King Margold declared in a tone that did not allow refusal.

One of the noble bureaucrats saluted with a fist over his chest as he knelt on one knee. "Your majesty, all we know is that the alien ships have entered the solar system from every direction and are heading toward our planet. They have formed a net as if to catch something, or someone. Our best guess is it is related to Mr. Ivan and Mr. Mazur."

"How many alien ships are there? Do we need to be concerned about hostile intentions?"

King Margold was a wise man who could see the larger picture, something which allowed to hold the affection of the citizens. He brooded in silence for several minutes as the noble bureaucrats sweated nervously while trying to anticipate what the king was contemplated.

"We have decided. All information on the cooperation between us and the two aliens is to be comprehensively erased. We do not want to see a single mention of the two individuals on the national information network. All traces of our knowledge on the galactic common language, their technology, or governmental body are to be complete hidden."

"Y-your majesty?" One of the noble bureaucrats began hesitatingly, but King Margold raised a hand and cut him off.

"We decree that an immediate report is to be made to all citizens, nobody is to reveal this information, or speak in the galactic common language, while these aliens are present. To do so will be treated as treason against the empire. We also decree that the army is also to stop marching and build defensive positions, the new weaponry is to be removed from sight and the old weaponry shall be reinstated. You are dismissed."

"U-understood, your majesty," All the noble bureaucrats knelt in salute. They hurried off to rapidly instruct the media and make arrangements for information deletion across the national information network.

A royal decree sealed by the royal emblem arrived at their residencies not long after they began the processes, entitling them the king's authority when carrying out the procedures.

*****

"I demand to descend down to the planet's surface!" Captain Argentear demanded to Major Harold across a communication line.

Major Harold's expression become stern across the video feed. "Your words are bordering on insubordination, Captain."

The Major had a strict expression, but he was secretly worried that the Prime Minister would hold an unfavourable opinion of his command if the situation wasn't handled well.

"I must see these people captured! One of them is unknown, but the other is one of the most notorious criminals in the galaxy! He must learn that there are laws to follow, and the consequences of breaking them!" Argentear grit his teeth and frustration.

Major Harold frowned slightly. He knew Captain Argentear had a massive complex towards upholding justice, but this operation was sensitive in nature, something ill-suited to such straightforward thinking.

"Major Harold, Prime Minister Mortimus, I demand it in the name of the Argentear family!"

Harold's greatest concern, that Captain Grant Argentear would use his family connections to get his way, happened. The Argentear family had strong ties with the Andromeda Federation and the Galactic Fleet, so if it was done in their name, even a Major had to take a step back. The only problem was the Prime Minister sitting next to him, who Captain Argentear had just indirectly threatened.

"I will permit it," Prime Minister Mortimus said with an unfaltering smile.

"My gratitude, Prime Minister," Captain Argentear saluted to the video feed, satisfied that his demands were being met.

Major Harold nodded curtly to the Prime Minister before saying, "We will descend along with a large tactical team of a hundred soldiers and ten fully armed Type 2 Poltergeists. You are to equip your spacesuit and depart for my destroyer immediately, Captain Argentear."

"Yes, Major!" Captain Argentear saluted once again before closing the line and hurrying with his preparation.

First Lieutenant Percy was left in charge of the battleship as the NIC, but once the captain had departed on a shuttle toward the destroyer, he abused his authority and pushed the responsibility onto another First Lieutenant before heading straight to his quarters to sleep, the first decent rest he has had in the past two years.

*****

Major Harold's destroyer was far too large to be able to enter an atmosphere and land on a planet, but it had several large cruisers which were used for this purpose. One cruiser exited the destroyer in the endless silence of space, it's impulse thrusters lighting up as it gradually descended upon the planet.

His destroyer had a large number of communication relays that standard civilian ships didn't have, so once it had entered orbit around the planet, it had rapidly infiltrated into the planet's various networks. The ship's quantum computer had rapidly decoded this language and added it to the translation function of their spacesuits.

"Major, Prime Minister, I have seen the intelligence photos taken from the long range opticals. These criminals have introduced new technology to these people that they should not have, including weapons designated as strictly illegal by the federation law."

"That they have, Captain," Major Harold was watching the Prime Minister out of the corner of his eye. The Prime Minister had not shown any care towards the interference the criminals had caused on the planet.

"We have no idea how much their intervention has interfered with this planet. We need to remove this interference and allow them to develop naturally. Who knows how it this interference will affect these people," Captain Argentear continued.

"Captain, there is no need to concern yourself over a minor matter," Prime Minister Mortimus spoke calmly. "We are making this trip for the entire Andromeda Federation, no, the entire human race. In comparison, a single planet deviating from its natural course is unimportant."

"Prime Minister, we have laws for a reason!"

"Captain Argentear," Major Harold glared at the captain as he spoke up. "I believe you should be aware that this is a critical operation ordered by the Prime Minister himself, you are to do as you are told, do you understand?"

"…Yes, Major," Argentear said quietly, but his gloomy expression indicating that this was probably not the last they heard of the matter.

The cruiser released a powerful electromagnetic field of negative ions, allowing it to pierce directly through the atmosphere without encountering any friction. It eventually cruised down to the surface and landed beside the forest where the Poseidon was situated.

Major Harold, Captain Argentear, and a hundred special forces soldiers tightly guarded the Prime Minister out of the cruiser with their weapons armed. They wore spacesuits which were heavily armored and had the latest PES devices installed. They not only defended against all foreign bacteria and viruses on undeveloped planets, but could stop the attacks of most conventional weapons. It was a universal combat and environmental suit.

Shortly behind the hundred solders, ten Type 2 Poltergeists, thirty foot tall mechanoids covered in heavy armor and wielding massive plasma rifles walked out behind the soldiers in a uniform line.

Several thousand Vulpes soldiers of the Folkien Empire saw this and broke out in a cold sweat. Several of them even couldn't help as their legs trembled. Despite this, they still remained in line and followed orders, pointing their gunpowder and lead automatic rifles at the aliens.