Junkyard

29/12/2020

   The commander pressed a button on his own seat. A blue light flashed and the captive spasmed in his seat. "Good good," the commander remarked once it stopped.

   "I will be asking a series of questions. I know you understand our language so I sincerely hope for your own wellbeing you will answer them all truthfully and immediately. We have more of your...brethren on board and I would not hesitate to put them on this seat if you should not cooperate." The commander moved on without pause. "Question number one: What is your Queen?"

   The captive scanned the room before his eyes settled on the commander. His lips were void of a single movement.

   The button was pressed, and another shock delivered.

   "What is your Queen?"

   The captive smiled.

   In a flash, the commander was right in front of the captive. The official gasped as a fist collided with the alien's nose and the head was thrown to the side, a sharp crack from the neck. The question was repeated when the commander returned to his seat.

   There was blood on the captive's teeth when he smiled again. He spat red and finally deigned to reply, tone resigned. "She's human, commander. Is it so hard to believe we are alike to you? That our ruler is?"

   Shock!

   "She?! She!?" The commander roared. Frustrations from the previous days brimmed his insides. The pressure from High Command, the deaths of those who served loyally under him, the promise he made with his late family before departing Earth. His fingers flew over the buttons of his seat. The grey walls flickered, and a gloomy holovid surfaced. "How can a civilised person call that thing their ruler! It is an abomination! How this world could thrive with such a creature in existence is a fucking miracle!"

   When the second fleet bypassed the atmosphere of Rebban, they were greeted with the scenery now looped on the holovid. Dark clouds of ash obscured the ground. Occasionally, fiery embers rained from the sky, creating explosions of light. It was through this light that one of the scouting ships noticed a ripple in the clouds. The ship glided trying to gain a closer look, and the AI framed the size of the mystery. Judging by the ash and fire, they thought it was an active volcano.

   Shortly before the holovid ended, a dark, gargantuan mass burst forward. Gleaming red eyes that could only be described as hellish seemed to stare directly at the camera before the feed was disrupted, cutting back to the beginning.

   From then on, High Command tried to learn everything they could about the mysterious creature. The official arrived with the third envoy and gleaned from locals that the creature was revered as their ruler, and even worshipped for being a saviour. They call it their "Queen".

   The commander slammed his fists on the arms of his seat, making the official jump. "How about a personal question, hmm?" A calm veneer settled on his face as he crossed his legs. "Your brethren are observed to be religious, in one way or another. Can you tell me about your own religion?"

   "Of course," answered the captive with a nod.

   "Well?"

   "My faith is in the order and freedom that our Queen provides."

   The official raised a finger, and the captive turned his eyes to him for the first time. "What about those statues around the city?" Silence returned prompted the official to continue. "One of them that struck to me was a male figure carrying a female. Both had white wings and angelic countenance, an 'angel' being a spiritual agent in the religions of our planet. However, the top half of their heads were covered by helmet-like devices. At that time, I wondered if your religion could be an ancient form of Abrahamic faiths, but could you enlighten us more?"