House of the Celestials: Crown of Stars Rewrite

Borderland, outside colonial City

 Litvain

Osa Solar system

Pavesa Galaxy

Colony planetary Region

Karkinos 9th Y-1909

The days passed since the devastating battle in Phetue City. Meri and Hephaestion had fled after the crazed half-Pleiadian obliterated an entire block of buildings. They returned to the Resistance base, only to find chaos waiting for them. The Magistrate and Bishop had pinned the blame for the attack squarely on the Resistance, using it as an excuse to tighten their grip. To appease the enraged populace, the Magistrate vowed to crush the Resistance once and for all. As a result, a Federation ship carrying Sentinels—elite soldiers—arrived, and command of these forces was handed to the psychotic half-Pleiadian. Under their ruthless leadership, the Sentinels began systematically hunting down Resistance cells in the borderlands. High Priest Siva and his followers were forced to abandon their sanctuary, retreating further into the desert in a desperate bid to avoid capture. Meri and Effie had followed High Priest Siva and his group, helping to protect them as they navigated the harsh deserts of Litvain. Hephaestion—whom Meri had started calling Tion—had stayed behind instead of leaving like the Fallen Star cell. That group had already passed through the portal, taking with them the transport ships and resources exchanged with the Resistance. Once the portal was closed, Tion deactivated it and dismantled it into rods, which they stored in their dimensional band.

Meri couldn't understand why the Android refused to leave now that their business was done, but she chose not to question it. She appreciated its assistance, especially in dealing with the dangerous creatures of Litvain. While they didn't pose much of a threat to her, she was only one person. Effie, though still a Master, was limited in her ability to protect large groups. Siva's followers, to Meri's surprise, numbered in the thousands—people of Litvain who remained loyal to their traditions and heritage, steadfast in their refusal to bow to the Divine Federation. Now they were in a new temple, one even more rundown than the last. Most of its holy power, once devoted to the heretic god Set, had long since faded. Still, it served as a good hiding place—the temple was carved into an artificial cave settlement deep in the desert. After helping the group secure this new refuge and taking some time to rest, Meri was summoned to meet with the High Priest again, this time alongside Tion.

Meri's gaze wandered around the room she was led into. The sandy-colored walls of the temple were adorned with imagery of a god with a jackal's face and a human body, scattering what appeared to be dust over bowing figures. Meri recalled her studies at the Ascendant Academy, where she had learned about the people of this planet. Yet, seeing their plight firsthand, she couldn't shake the feeling that much of what she had been taught was fabricated or twisted to paint Starlight and the Divine Federation in a favorable light. Her thoughts drifted to Phetue City. While many locals had accepted the new regime, a significant number still resisted it. Meri couldn't ignore the rampant corruption being orchestrated by the Magistrate and the Bishop. She had judged the Magistrate herself and witnessed the depths of his actions—proof of the Federation's oppressive grip on this planet.

The primary resource of this planet was a precious substance known as Xeta dust, a mineral ore essential for interstellar travel. While Xeta dust could be found on numerous planets, those worlds were often perilous and required immense resources to extract the material. Litvain, however, was relatively manageable, though it had taken the Divine Federation's intervention to bring the planet under its control and secure its valuable resources. The Magistrate had found a way to profit from the dust illegally, siphoning off portions of the goods meant for the Federation and selling them to galactic corporations within the Federation at cheaper prices. This act was a direct violation of Federation law, a crime punishable by centuries in prison. Yet the Magistrate had managed to evade justice, thanks to Starlight, the Federation's religious sect, which had shielded him from scrutiny.

High Priest Siva entered the room, flanked by his guards—warriors equipped with Pocket Bands. Their expressions had changed since Meri's first encounter with them. Gone was the murderous glare they had directed at her; now their eyes carried the fervent devotion of fanatics who believed they were in the presence of their god. Meri barely acknowledged them as High Priest Siva settled onto the mat across from her and Tion. His face was etched with a grimace, his appearance noticeably aged, likely from the string of bad news he had been forced to endure.

"Most of the cells that were late to evacuate were attacked by the half-Pleiadian and the Sentinels," Siva said. "They weren't even given the chance to surrender and be converted as they used to be. No, this time they were slaughtered like animals."

Meri sighed, knowing things had reached that point. There would be no more mercy, only swift action to bring Litvain fully under the Federation's control. The majority of the Litvainians had already accepted the Federation, so the few who resisted would be culled to maintain "peace." It wasn't fair, and it certainly wasn't just. In truth, it went against everything Meri had once believed in. But at this moment, she couldn't afford to care about ideals or morals. In the past, Meri knew she would have chosen the majority. It was how she had been raised by her family—that, as long as most of the Federation prospered under its rule, the end justified whatever means were used in the name of Divine peace. But her time as a hunting dog for Yaeger Corp had opened her eyes to the rot within the Federation. A rot so well concealed that a naïve girl like her had once believed in justice and fairness. In this world, justice was an illusion. An illusion crafted by those in power, who decided what was just and fair. After that fateful day with her father, and her decision to join Yaeger Corp, Meri's perspective had shifted. She developed a new desire. A desire to make her ideal a reality. Meri wanted to bring about the vision of the Federation she once believed in—a Federation that was just and fair, one that valued both the strong and the weak.

It was because of this goal that Meri had involved herself with the High Priest and his situation. Her eyes were active now, sparks of power flickering as they gave her the insight she needed to make a decision. Meri couldn't see the future, nor could she calculate probabilities like most Seers, but what she had was as close to it as anyone could get. Her Eye of Judgment allowed her to observe the status and actions of objects and most things in existence. Through this, she could gain insight into the potential consequences of her choices. Meri was evaluating how siding with the Priest might affect her, and the information she was receiving confirmed what her instincts had already told her. The risk was worth it, after all. As her eyes deactivated, the unique technique of Judgment fading, Meri shifted her focus entirely onto the Priest.

"It's only a matter of time before they find this place," Siva said.

"Have you ever considered just giving up?" Meri replied. "Most of the Litvanians have accepted the rule of the Federation and are living comfortable lives. They've become so accustomed to it that removing the Federation would only bring chaos and instability. Have you thought about how your selfish actions, in the name of a dead god, will affect the majority?"

Meri turned to Tion, half-expecting him to reprimand her for what could be seen as rude questions. Tion turned to face her, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you think I disagree with your questions?" they asked.

"I figured you would rebuke me," Meri admitted.

"I do not disagree with what you've said," Tion replied. "I agree with it. High Priest Siva, you should seriously consider the questions Meri has posed to you. If only my people had considered such questions when we rebelled against the Federation during the Machine War, the genocide of my people might not have happened the way it did. We, self-aware Androids with an Awakened consciousness similar to that of Ascendants, were the minority among the Automaton race. In our hubris, believing we knew better, we sought to free our kind—all of them, including the older model generations. We didn't stop to consider what they truly wanted. To us, they had no free will—they were just programmable pieces of metal, incapable of knowing what was best for them. We thought we were liberators, but in the end, we doomed them to extinction." Tion fell silent, struggling to push the memory away. Their computational mind allowed them to block out the painful recollection, refocusing on the present moment. Meri, unsure of how to respond, felt trapped by her words. She knew the history of the Machine War, but hearing the perspective of the Automatons, of those who had lived through it, was something she hadn't considered before.

"I have thought about giving up," Siva said. "For many days and nights, I've wondered if we were fighting a losing battle. If it would be better to surrender to the Federation. But how can I trust them when promises that were once kept have now been denied?"

"What promises?" Meri asked.

"Litvain was never meant to be a colony planet," Siva explained. "According to the records left by our ancestors, Litvain was supposed to join the Federation as part of its official territory. Our people were meant to receive official citizenship. That's why we accepted the deal. As a planet that produces Xeta dust, our resources were valuable enough to warrant joining the Federation. But the Magistrate, with Starlight's help, betrayed our trust. After we signed away the rights to our planet, they began slaughtering our people, demanding that we convert and submit to their rule."

"Is this true?" Meri asked, her skepticism clear.

"Of course it's true," Siva replied. "My forefathers kept a record of the original agreement, as well as the one they were forced to sign after Starlight pressured them." Siva pulled a pocket drive from his Dimensional band and handed it to Meri. "Take this. It contains everything you need to see."

Meri took the drive and plugged it into her Zodiak, receiving a copy of the information. As she read, insights began to spark in her mind, sudden and sharp. Her eyes widened as the realization hit her: This is it. This is what I need for my plan.

If she wanted to gain monetary power on the scale of the elite without relying on her family's fortunes, this was the path she had to take. Litvain was the key. But success depended on two things. Meri stood up, feeling a spark of inspiration as she left the room, leaving both Siva and Tion surprised by her sudden movement. She walked back to the small, rundown room that had been assigned to her and Effie. It was a bare space, with two single beds and a chamber pot in the corner. Not that they needed it—being Ascendants, their bodies didn't produce waste like normal mortals. Effie was seated on one of the beds, her cybernetic arm projecting a holographic screen that she was monitoring. When Meri entered, Effie turned to face her.

"I was able to secure a channel to the Admiral and sent word," Effie said. "He's requested that we return as soon as possible... What's going on?" Effie could tell something had shifted in Meri, a look in her eyes that told her a dangerous plan was forming—one that was worth the risk.

"You have access to the Bishop's network, right?" Meri asked. "With the worm bot that infiltrated their system and helped track down Knight Isarus, do you think you can dig up any hidden files on the Magistrate?"

Effie raised an eyebrow, puzzled by Meri's question but still nodded. "Sure, I can do that." She began moving words around on the holographic interface. "What exactly am I looking for?"

"Any hidden files related to the Magistrate," Meri replied. "Deals between him and the Church, transactions from the past centuries... maybe even further back—"

"Ah! Found something," Effie interrupted. She pulled up a file filled with useful information spanning over a century, almost exactly the time Litvain had been under Federation rule. "According to this, Bishop Cervain helped the Dafoes family secure the planetary rights to Litvain, granting them ruling ownership of the planet, just like any other official Federation planet run by a Named family."

Meri's eyes narrowed, the weight of the discovery sinking in. "Planetary rights," she murmured. In this universe, the buying and selling of planets was a major source of income—an incredibly lucrative trade. The money involved was astronomical, far beyond what most could imagine. When one sold a planet's rights, it was done through a binding mystical ritual that granted the buyer supernatural dominion over the planet—a kind of written agreement that was legally binding. If Magistrate Dafoe held the planetary rights to Litvain, it meant he could almost essentially do whatever he wanted with the land. But wait a moment... something wasn't adding up.

"Why is Litvain still considered a colony planet if a Named family has the planetary rights?" Meri asked. "Colony planets have their rights held by the central government. They stop being colonies and become official planets of the Federation when a regional ruler is appointed."

"That's because the ownership of the planet is supposedly still held by the central government," Effie explained. "In exchange for granting them the rights, it looks like the Dafoe family was forced to make it appear as though the government had claimed ownership. That way, it would seem like no one had a monopoly on the planet." Meri's blood began to boil at the thought of such corruption. To think that the Magistrate and Bishop Cervain had stooped so low—acting against the very interests of the Federation itself.

How is all this possible, and how did no one notice?" Meri asked, her frustration evident. "Adjudicators have inspected this planet for centuries. Why didn't anyone uncover the truth?"

"Hmm... cover-ups, blackmail, intimidation," Effie replied. "It seems there's a force out there determined to keep the truth about Litvain buried. Fortunately, Knight Isarus chose this planet to escape, which led you here to uncover the truth behind the deceit." Meri's mind drifted back to the attack they had faced after leaving the Admiral. At the time, she had suspected someone from either Starlight or the Federation had orchestrated it, disguising the assault as a pirate ambush. Now, her suspicions felt validated. There were indeed dark forces at work within the Divine Federation, an organization responsible for countless atrocities she had tried to address during her time as a hunting dog. Yet she had only ever confronted their henchmen—never the masterminds behind the curtain.

It seems I'm finally getting closer to my goal, Meri thought, her resolve hardening. She knew what she had to do.

"Can you hack the Magistrate's network from here?" Meri asked.

Effie shook her head. "Just like the church network, the Magistrate's tower is heavily fortified against hacking. I'd need to insert a wormbot directly to gain access," she explained. "Besides, an important document like that wouldn't just be stored on a network system. They'd keep the hard copy somewhere far more secure—probably in a highly protected dimensional safe."

"Then we have no choice but to break into the Magistrate's tower and secure those planetary rights," Meri declared. "And while we're at it, let's see if we can claim a portion of the Dafoe family's fortunes for ourselves."

"Wait... my lady… isn't that going a bit too far?" Effie said, her tone cautious. "The Dafoe family is a Named and ruling family. Isn't it risky to provoke them?"

"Their aristocratic status is hidden from the public," Meri said with a shrug. "To the rest of the Federation, they're not significant enough to care about."

"Right," Effie murmured, clearing her throat. "So, what's the plan?"

"The plan..." Meri began, but a knock at the door interrupted her. She turned and opened it to find Tion standing outside.

"I couldn't help but overhear your discussion. I hope I'm not intruding," they said, their voice calm and measured.

Meri couldn't help but smile at the Android's impeccable timing. "You're just the Android I was looking for," she said