1:5:8 Alignment

Still. Once both planets had entered the space between spaces, they became perfectly still. There was nothing, almost. Two planets and the Tethers that connected them were all that existed in the void; the only light came from the twin Breaches; Quatarr’s suns, both in past and present, still illuminated the worlds. The Paragon looked across to their Reapers, weakened at the bases of their Tethers. An electric blue shadow crossed the sky in low orbit before crashing down in the middle of the plain, toppling two Tethers as it did. The Paragon crossed to the site in a single stride, their movement smooth and effortless. They waited for a moment before the shadow returned, this time without the blue colouration. The Vengeance spiralled towards them but suddenly came to a stop. The Paragon simply raised their hand and the ship obeyed. The Paragon’s fingers closed around their palm before dropping to their side. Again, The Vengeance followed suit: slowly succumbing to Quatarr’s gravity in a much less destructive manner than it initially thought it would. The Paragon marvelled at their creation: twin planets preparing for one another’s place, hurtling through the space between spaces. They couldn’t help but be enamoured. Their golden light illuminated the void, sustaining life on both Quatarrs.
The past grew ever closer to the present, the observation of which brought them back into the moment. “Reapers.” The Paragon started walking towards The Vengeance. All of the Reapers already on the Past Quatarr fell in line with their leader; those on the present planet started over to them.

The Reapers lined up and took aim at the past. They had never used their Breachers in such a way but something about their connection to The Paragon gave them the confidence to act without hesitation. As the Reapers made their way over, so did The Guild’s troopers; their mock war over, they didn’t even bother firing back at the clones that pursued them. Figures flew between the two bodies, the gap they crossed closed as they did.
“Well that’s not fair… What are we supposed to do?” Lucky looked to their fellow clones.
“Sir we could…” Fringe looked around. “Could we use the Tethers?”
Hawkeye smacked the back of her helmet. “What do you think? You fancy crawling across a beam of pure energy?”
Fringe sighed. “In hindsight… Yes that seems like a bad idea.”
“Any other suggestions?” Lucky looked around.
“I think I could help.” A familiar voice split the crowd. “Hop in.” A shuttle hovered just over the ridge.
“This is a bit sketchy… Sorry, no offence...” Fringe looked their saviour up and down. “Is this anyone’s Lore?”
A wave of shaken helmets gave her an answer. “No, I’m no-one’s Lore. What I am is your only way across to the other Quatarr and your only chance of surviving this mission given we all know what’s going to happen to this planet on the other side.” Loren smirked.
“Good point, well made.” Lucky reluctantly led the clones to Loren’s ship, hoping they’d live up to their nickname. The rear of the shuttle looked as though it would be large enough for the clones but it would be a bit of a squeeze to fit them all. Centre was hesitant to enter at first but, after watching all of her siblings, she joined them.
“Ah…” The ambush triggered the moment Centre stepped aboard; the walls expanded out revealing automated defences and a handful of Guild soldiers which appeared to spring out of seemingly nowhere, all weapons aimed at the clone contingent. “Holographic shrouds… Well done.”
“Thanks.” Loren walked through the clones to the front of the ship. “Now, we’re not going to hurt you… yet. So just hold your horses and enjoy the ride.” He sat at the control console and started the take off protocols. The ship shuddered to life as it struggled to take off; the movement of the planet below interfered with its navigational computer. Loren quickly compensated for the alien environment which, while not yielding the smoothest journey, allowed them to continue safely. He remained at the helm tinkering with a second set of controls, as if piloting a second vessel.

Reunited, the Reapers and their Paragon retreated into The Vengeance; although The Paragon was in peak condition, every step was a struggle for the Reapers. They huddled in the ship’s hangar.
“We’re approaching alignment.” The Paragon began. “But Crait and their soldiers could still prove to be an issue. Any ideas?”
“Surely we are more powerful than them, even in such a weakened state?” The Reapers spoke as one.
“I’m sorry.” A voice whispered in The Paragon’s ear. They felt paradoxical; they knew exactly what was going to happen next yet remained oblivious to it; they were mentally prepared for the worst but knew everything and nothing about it. Regardless, the feeling turned their stomach.
They opened their mouth to speak but something in the future stopped them.
“Well, isn’t this a turn of events.” Crait’s voice echoed through the ship. “The flagship of the Quatarrians has come home and I outnumber you by more than you’ve ever outnumbered me!” They giggled. “Goodness, is this what it feels like to be you?”
“So close to victory that you fail to notice the jaws of defeat crash down around you?” The Paragon returned the taunt.
“Perhaps… Perhaps… Maybe one change requires another. Perhaps…” Crait’s booming voice was soon replaced by the stomping of boots on steel. “That’s enough!” The echoes heeded their call, stopping immediately. “I am currently holding the whole deck, so allow me to deal some of the cards.” Even The Paragon could tell that Crait was enjoying the metaphor. “I’ve ‘negotiated’ with your army of duplicates and they’ve made the decision not to attack until you’ve heard my proposal.” The Paragon focussed on Crait’s words in the hope that they would be able to perceive them and the world outside of The Vengeance. A wireframe construct sprawled in their mind, their Reapers clutched their heads; at the point where they had once stood at the end of The Three Year Month, Crait pontificated. Two concentric circles had been formed around them with a break at the maw of The Vengeance. The first layer appeared to be comprised of a mixture of clones and Guild soldiers in a ratio close to one to two with a second layer of Guild soldiers behind them. Further than that, placed equidistantly from one another, a third circle came into view. The Reapers strained themselves to remain upright as The Paragon examined the final detail of the battleground ahead. Floating in the final circle, a ring of gunships, their weapons trained on the clones. The Paragon returned their mind to their present surroundings, their Reapers sighed in relief. “It’s time we finished this, once and for all. No more cycle, no more MemDexes. I offer you a simple challenge: A duel. One on one, as fair as we can make it.” There was a pause. “This just isn’t as… No, I need to see your face. Come on, I promise you won’t be hurt.”
“We cannot trust them.” Only about half of the Reapers spoke, the other half appeared to barely have enough energy to keep themselves breathing; all of their appearances had changed significantly since entering the Reaper state though their proximity to The Paragon seemed to be just enough to sustain them.
“Crait’s history is known but they are also a person of honour when it comes to Lore.” The Paragon spoke with Char’s voice. “We wish no further harm to come to you or our clones. We will do what we must.” The Paragon strode down the hall.

Everything faded away; their confidence, their sense of power, their connection to their Reapers, everything faded. They found themselves still walking down the corridor, still heading out of The Vengeance but they felt infinitely smaller. The armour they had adorned themselves with weighed them down as they walked the darkened corridors, gravity itself seemed to want to fight them. It felt as though there was an elastic cord wrapped around their middle, its potential energy building with every laboured step they took, ready to slam them back into The Vengeance’s heart. A purple energy swirled around them, scorching and ageing the bulkheads as it passed. A conduit burst ahead of them spitting jets of blue then white then copper green flames from the cracked walls.
As the lights passed them by, whispers of the past nibbled at their ears. “I know we shouldn’t, but it might be the only way.”
“Once was enough! You want to do it again?” A second voice passed by.
“I don’t know, Tree might be pushing it.” They started to recognise the speakers.
“When will this end?” A Char faintly asked.
“When it’s done! When Quatarr’s safe!” A Lore replied. “I can’t keep failing them.”
They started to feel weighted by the pains of their pasts. The light of the Tethers started to bleed into The Vengeance’s corridor, as did the sand. As the light touched their skin, it seemed to adopt the golden glow; the voices remained but became quieter as The Paragon came to their senses. They started to remember, started to realise who and what they were. “We fight and we win, whatever it takes.” With that, their appearance returned, renewed to that of The Paragon; the band that fought to restrain them snapped. They stepped out, onto the planet’s surface. Alignment had nearly been achieved. In the null space overhead, a nebula had formed; the purple light swirled and danced, slowly turning blue as it did. The energy of the Tethers bled into it. Below, centre stage, Crait waited. Ready for what would come next. Duel.