Civility

Before we reached Planet Hasiya we broke away from the Kyheenan ship, the Kasd'n Goa, thanking them once again for all their help. Although they continued to assure us what they had told us was information that would have been offered up by any race, it was for us, information that was priceless.

Planet Hasiya was a purple world with white streaks of cloud. It was very much like an amethyst nestled against the black backdrop of space. It had three small moons which orbited it and was one planet in a system of five. It was very beautiful but I guess what the first astronauts and cosmonauts said about Earth is true. Earth is the most beautiful planet you will ever see. And I guess in some way I understand Makishima's desire.

Ah... I am not here to muse about the beauty of planets. Imakarum accompanied us to the Interstellar Meeting. It was rather surprising since it was generally believed that he wouldn't stay with us long. We knew he had his own agenda and as naive as it sounds we weren't particularly interested in it or in standing is his way. It had been assumed that after we made first contact he would leave but the Interstellar Meeting was for him, as it was for us, too good an opportunity to pass up.

Infiltrating the meeting went smoothly. Our ships agreed to stay in the dark side of the smallest moon where they were effectively hidden. How Sho managed to convince them to auto pilot themselves is still something he won't share, but it was very helpful considering that it freed all of us to attend the Meeting and we needed everyone's skills to get there.

The Meeting was not what we would traditionally call a meeting. It was rather a gathering where the various races had the opportunity to mingle with each other and discuss those issues which were of interest to them, to make allies that they thought would serve them for the future and for them to fawn on the Advents. There was some formal structure and I believe the meeting would have developed into something that we would call a meeting but our arrival shot everything to pieces.

Literally.

===

The room was large, with it's perimeter kept in shadow. The transparent ceiling let the occupants view the lilac sky and watch the ever shifting traffic from the space port. But very few of the occupants were paying attention to the sky. The room wasn't full but because it was filled with so many different species of all different shapes and sizes it seemed to be more crowded than it was. They were moving in small groups, quietly talking to each other but there was one area that they were all avoiding.

The perimeter shadows were providing the perfect opportunity though. It allowed observation without detection and there was another small group using it for that purpose. They'd slipped in using their Guyver Units but had dismissed them because the Units were bulky and the dark clothing Makishima had insisted they wear was doing a better job of concealing them in the shadows. The small group was using their Guyver link, although in the case of the new Guyvers, the experience was proving a good learning experience, since one to one discussion was easy but directing your thoughts to a select group was more difficult. Still despite difficulties it did allow them to keep the shroud of silence accompanying the shadows.

:There...: Tetsuro indicated silently to the group that remained slightly apart from the rest.

:Zoanoids,: Aptom confirmed.

:Yeah, but is that an Advent?: Sho questioned, his voice betraying his disappointment in the being that the Zoanoids were guarding. :I was expecting something... Well...:

:...:

:Not very impressive is it?:

:It's almost depressing... We were created by that.:

"Murakami..." Sho whispered, turning to try and face the Zoalord. "Did you ... eh?"

But the white Zoalord was not there. He had slipped away and as Sho glanced furtively through the shadows he could see no sign of the man. He sighed softly. :Murakami has left us...: He reported with slight note of sadness.

:That's not unexpected,: Makishima said briskly. :He has always had his own plans. Even when he was Olympiad, the Chronos Lords didn't talk to him much. Let him follow his own path.:

:I know...: Sho said slowly, turning back to the proceedings. :I just hope our paths meet again, rather than clash.:

:That is something for the future,: Shizu responded when she saw her husbands fist clench. Fukamachi just didn't know when to stop.

:Wait...: Tetsuro broke in. He hadn't really been paying attention to their bickering but had instead been focused on cataloguing who was speaking to who and for how long. :Something's happening.:

Even as Tetsuro had indicated there was a stir passing though the room and as most of the eyes shifted to the door, they all knew why. Three shadowy beings stood there, watching and it was the force of their presence that was attracting attention. They were very powerful.

"You..." the diminutive being standing behind the Zoaniods hissed.

The centre shadow flicked glowing blue orbs in their direction before they strode inside, flanked by the other shadows. Their appearance didn't improve as they moved fully into the light although it did become apparent that the two flanking beings were guards but they were still just shadows. "I'm not sure I should respond to that," The central being said mockingly. "You are after all, only their representative and thus do not have the right to speak to me the way they would. Where are they anyway? Too ashamed to show their faces... After all, we couldn't let everyone know what the Advents are now could we..? It might destroy the mystic."

The being hissed but drew themselves up, managing to look defiant. "At least I am here," they said disdainfully, indicating to the obvious flickering in the newcomers transparent darkness. "And I will speak to you in any way that they deem fit."

"A true puppet." The shadow flicked what passed for an arm, dismissing the matter. "I am only here because this is finally a true Interstellar Meeting and I thought I should make it complete."

"What do you mean?" The Advent representative asked sharply.

"He means that I am here," a familiar voice said from the shadows, as Murakami stepped forward into a rather apprehensive murmuring from the gathered diplomats. After all, any creature that warranted the Tekki's personal attention had to be something special. He turned towards the Advent's representative and their shield of Zoanoids. "Your Masters didn't think we would remain on our planet forever now did they?"

"Your presence changes nothing."

"Doesn't it?" Imakarum asked with obvious amusement.

"His presence changes everything," the shadowy being agreed.

:His presence changes nothing,: the words reverberated through the minds of all present and several of the diplomats fell to the ground clutching their heads at the force that was displayed.

"Advent," the shadow seemed oddly pleased.

:Tekki.: The disembodied Advent consciousness acknowledged. :His presence changes nothing because he has not the power to control the whole. Alkanphel may have had that strength but we are stronger and we will always be stronger and our new troops will destroy you.:

"You hope," Imakarum said softly. "There are others who accompanied me from the Planet."

:They will be destroyed.:

"Intruder."

The voice was soft and came from behind them and as Sho ripped his attention away from the tableau playing out between the Advents, Tekki and Masaki he had enough time to realize the word was spoken in Yarrungan by a shadow that had detached itself from the others and after that all he saw was black.

But the others had heard the word too and had time to see more, Sho's head swung to an awkward angle and the sickening crack that reverberated through the room before he fell and a flash of pain that shot through their minds from him before nothing.

"SHO!"

"FUKAMACHI!"

All attempts at silence were forgotten by the Terran Guyvers as with explosive force they summoned their Units. The guard felt his rising satisfaction disappear at the sight that greeted him. He was a Guyver himself and he could fight other Guyvers but the Guyvers before him seemed to be something else. When they called their Units, two of them, a Guyver Healer and Guyver Engineer, he noted absently, who were already covered in their protective armor were still gathering power and most worryingly he felt his own Unit flinch away from them.

"What have you done?" Aptom snarled in Basic as he stepped forward, letting Agito cover Shizu and Tetsuro. He was so angry - Fukamachi was his. How dare this alien strike him down? - and he could feel his Unit responding, drawing power from his anger but it was also feeding him information. Before him was a Guyver Warrior, a Wesodin of the Planet Yarrunga, Alkard of Shadow. Strong, stronger than him but unstable. Then I'll just have to become stronger than him..! Aptom snapped as the energy began to overflow, creating visible lines of power that travelled over his armor.

Around the room, other Guyvers were calling forth their armor and taking up positions covering their diplomats as they tried to get them out of the room or at least out of the direct line of fire. The Zoanoids shifted around the Advent's Representative but they maintained their position, holding a line that allowed them to see the events and hopefully, the death of one of their enemies. Imakarum retreated somewhat, letting his past allies play this new event out as they would but he did note the position of the Tekki. Of all the beings in the room, they seemed the least surprised and it was with a fluid ease they moved to a side position, as far from the Advents Zoanoids as could be managed, watching the proceedings with narrowed eyes that didn't blink, intent on seeing everything.

Mizuki flew to Sho's side and heedless of the consequences began pumping healing energy into him, reaching inside herself for more. But this was different from what Makishima had done to him. This was a Guyver that had inflicted the wounds and somehow she knew that it was worse. His Unit would recognize what had inflicted the damage and in some primeval way would somehow assume that because he allowed himself to be injured that the other Unit was superior but even if that was the case, she wasn't going to let him die. I've waited so long... I will not let him die... If he does... Her eyes flashed dangerously and for an instant her armor seemed heavier but she ignored it, not noticing the looks of surprise she was getting as she continued to try to heal Sho, vainly seeking his pulse.

:What are you waiting for, Aptom?: She snapped the thought towards the black Guyver, not caring who heard the stray thought and not looking up at him so she failed to see the energy that was still gathering around him. :Get him!:

"Ho..." the Tekki murmured with sardonic amusement. "Vicious..."

Aptom ignored everything although he did vaguely note for future contemplation that Mizuki's orders were not in keeping with her usual demeanour but his attention was firmly focused on the Guyver Warrior before him. The red Guyver Warrior who had attacked Fukamachi and was currently backing way. That isn't going to save you, he thought with savage finality as he focused all his energy, pulling back the loose lightnings that had been travelling over his armor and shouted the word, "GIGANTIC!"

"GIGANTIC!" Aptom screamed the word, willing the black egg that he had seen both Fukamachi and Makishima use, into existence for him. With a flash of light and boom that echoed loudly, the egg appeared and Aptom knew immediately that it was different but before he could contemplate that, it broke apart, and rushed towards him, forming a Gigantic Armor that seemed to melt on to him.

With a snarl, he shook his head, feeling his new power rippling through him but also driving the conversation he could hear echoing through his mind out, even though one line continued to ghost around him - 'You must lend me your power, so that I might give him your power.' It made no sense and he dismissed it with burning eyes as he flexed his Zoanoid claws. His armor had fused over them, adding to their wicked cutting edge and making them stronger and he was longing to use them, to feel them buried in the flesh of the being before him, to smell their hot blood splashed all over him and to hear him begging for mercy.

"You shouldn't have touched him," he growled, leaping forward to attack.

"Mizuki..?" Tetsuro moved to his sisters side, touching her shoulder gently in awe. Her peach coloured armor was now covered in blue lines and radiated more power than he had ever seen. It was even more powerful than the Gigantic form Aptom had just called forth but Mizuki seemed oblivious to this and was intent on pouring her life energy into Sho's body.

"Mizuki?"

"I can't..." She said softly, her voice full of emotion. "Tetsuro, I can't... I can't get a pulse..."

"What..?"

"He's not breathing, Tetsuro and I can't get a pulse," she sobbed.

"That's normal Segawa."

"Normal?" Tetsuro snarled, turning to face Makishima as Mizuki gently lay Sho's body on the ground, arranging his limbs as if he were resting, her motions mechanical, ones she had performed far too many times before. "And how would you know?" Tetsuro spat, his eyes flashing angrily at the reminder. They all knew how he would know.

"No," Mizuki objected in a quiet voice that did little to cover her distress. "This is different, Makishima. You shot him but you had not summoned your Guyver and his would only see Imakarum as a threat and respond to that. But this was a Guyver, this was something it knows, this is something different."

"Do you mean it would have been that easy?" Makishima questioned, heedless of the growing danger as he felt a chill pass through him. If it was that easy to get rid of Fukamachi, then it would be that easy to get rid of them all, to get rid of him.

"It may have been but it is not now," Mizuki said as the blue lines on her armor came alive and she jumped equal to Aptom. :He's mine!: Her mental command stunned everyone as it was issued with the same force and intensity of the Advents'. As she drew even with Aptom the blue lines exploded from her armor, writhing about her body like snakes all intent on striking one being.

===

I... What..? Where..?

Master

What?

Master, you are here

Where?

You are in my world now, Master

Who?

You, I am you, you are me, Master

I am no one's Master

You are my body

You are my soul

You are my life

You are my Beloved

You are my Master

Who are you?

I am the one who will save you

Save me?

I am the one who will help you

Help me?

I am the one who will be with you for all time

No

We are one now, we cannot be separated

NO

I am the only thing that can save you, Beloved

NO

I will save you

NO, YOU KILLED HIM, YOU CANNOT HELP ME

I did kill him and for that I ask forgiveness Master but I am the only one who can help you

I have helped you before

You killed him

I did not know his importance, I did not understand

I live only to protect you Master and that will always be the case

Protect?

I will kill for you, I will die for you and I will make this Universe bow to you

No, I don't need that

I will save you

The Twenty-One should know better

Who?

Master, you do not know yet

The One, The Nine, The Twenty-One

But you will know

I don't understand

You will but first I must help you

Help me?

But I cannot help you as you are, I have to...

...

Since the one who killed you, you are made from me

Since the one's you died for, you are made from me

And now you must become me

The changes I made must be activated for me to help you

I don't understand... Changes?

You must lend me your power, so that I might give him your power

You must give me your power so that I might awaken your power

Power?

The power that has always been yours

I cannot save you unless you lend me that power

I am not powerful enough alone

I have opened the gates within you but you must take your power

It is your power, it will always be your power

None of us can stop it and you are my Beloved, I do not wish to stop it

I merely wish to be your power

And if you lend me your power, I will become your power

Let me save you, Master

You will not kill again

I will be you Master

I will know what you know

It will not happen again

Save me

Help me

All my existence Beloved Master, all my existence

===

Alkard stepped back, stopping only when he bumped against the wall. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. He had been expecting some retribution from the intruders companions but this... He was a Guyver Warrior which was why he had been selected as a guard. He should be able to handle anything, including the new Advent Soldiers and even other Guyvers but at the moment he wasn't sure what he was facing were even Guyver's anymore. They were too powerful.

The black one, the Guyver Engineer was powerful but he had continued to draw in his power and now with whatever that egg thing had been he seemed even stronger and somehow he didn't seem to be a Guyver Engineer anymore. He was something more and he almost seemed to be a Guyver Warrior, but at the same time his form was bulkier and he had huge bulb like appendages on his shoulders making him more than just a Guyver Warrior, which brought back the initial problem. Transmutation was impossible - one type of Guyver Unit could not become another, no matter how much it's host desired and many in the past had desired very much.

Alkard mentally clamped down upon himself. It didn't really matter what had happened, he had to defend himself. With a determined snarl he brought his arms up, charging his head beam so that it created a noticable glow. He wasn't going to be intimidated, now matter how fast the red lines covering the black Guyver swirled. It didn't matter what he looked like, transmutation was impossible and it was he who was the real Guyver Warrior as the intruders companion would painfully discover.

He even maintained that resolve until he saw the change in the other, the Guyver Healer. She, the small differences in their body type suggested that the Guyver Healer was a female, had seemed harmless enough when she had first summoned her armor, although he knew better than to underestimate any Healer. But as her power had continued gathering, she had changed without needing to summon anything. She didn't even appear to notice the change and indeed, all he could sense, apart from what he could see, was a shift in the energy she radiated, but it was a shift that was several magnitudes above anything he had ever felt. And looking around he could see that several of the Guyvers who were meant to be guarding diplomats had fallen to their knees at her presence. Guyver Lord..? The question shivered its way through his mind even as the lines marking her armor came alive.

:He's mine:

Alkard froze at the words. He couldn't breath for the power the command was issued with and as he looked on with disbelief, he knew he was facing a Guyver Lord and he knew with grim certainty that she was going to kill him.

NO! I am not going to die for one worthless... Alkard paused, he didn't even know what species he was facing but whatever it was, he wasn't going to die for doing his job, for stopping an intruder to the meeting. Help me. The command was sent to his armor with force.

The Guyver Healer was powerful and even if she was a Lord, her speciality was still healing, not war. He could fight her. He would fight her. I'm not going to die for doing my job...

:No...: The voice echoed through his mind, agreeing with him, as the blue lines on the Guyver Healers armor detached themselves, forming a point that was aimed at his heart. :You are going to die for killing Sho...:

In that instant Alkard's mind froze and the steely resolve which had filled him vanished. It wasn't that she had spoken to him, any Guyver could talk to another, and it wasn't that she had spoken perfect Yarrungan, he knew perfectly well that Guyver Unit's could translate for their hosts, it was the emotions that had come with her words. Oh shit... he thought as time slowed and his approaching doom came in millimetres rather than metres. Her mate... I had to kill a Guyver Lord's mate...

And just as quickly as time had slowed, it resumed it's flow only to completely freeze an instant later. Alkard gasped. The presence... The sheer raw power... It was crushing him and as he struggled to breath he fell to his knees, the back of his mind noted that he wasn't the only one feeling this. The Guyver Lord had stopped her charge and disbelief was rippling out from her. But she showed no other adverse reaction while around the room other Guyvers were similarly struggling to draw air and a few of the more sensitive aliens were looking around wild-eyed as the hugged themselves to keep warm. The power was that oppressive.

The Tekki watched on with an absent air, the physical manifestation that they had chosen unable to feel everything while the Advent's Representative's expression of shock was so profound it showed nothing else.

"...sho..."

"I'd back away, Aptom," Makishima's voice was full of cold calculation when he spoke although to the trained ear, a slight note of relief could be heard. "He's going to be pissed when he wakes up."

Those who were still aware enough to listen were surprised by the casual tone but no one had time to speculate on that. The oppressive power vanished but was replaced by a sudden crack in the air as another Guyver Unit passed through the dimensional porthole, wrapping it's host in it's protective shell.

:Say your prayers,: the advice came to Alkard from an unknown source but he instinctually knew it came from the black and red Guyver who had transformed his form. Their voice, where before it had held only anger, now seemed to hold a note of abstract satisfaction. This wasn't what they wanted, because it would not be their claws inflicting the damage but this was closer to justice.

As it had many times before, Sho's armor covered him but still kept him within it's protective barrier as it moved his body to an upright position, almost in a parody of a puppet but this was a puppet that had the power to destroy worlds, because Sho's transformation hadn't stopped with the calling of his blue-green armor. His armor continued to come through the porthole, forming further into the form of the GiganticGuyver. But his Gigantic form had changed. It was still the pale blue that they had known on Earth but like Aptom's and Mizuki's armor it was now accompanied by lines that snaked their way all over his body. His markings were silver and were shining with power but the assembled diplomats only had an instant to behold his completed form.

Alkard was already raising his arms in defence. That was the only reason he had even a paper thin defence in place when the other Guyver, the one who should be dead ploughed into him with enough force to create a small crater in the wall. One instant Sho had been hovering in the protective barrier created by his armor and the next, no one had seen the movement, but the next he was holding Alkard of Shadow against the wall, almost crushing the now smaller Guyver Warrior. The silver lines covering his armor, swirled incessantly and once he was sure of his grip on the red Guyver, they bridged the gap between the two Guyvers, sinking into Alkard's arm.

"EEAAAaaarrrrggghh!" Alkard screamed at the pain which assaulted him, gasping and choking as he felt that thing - he refused, even through the pain, to call it a Guyver - rip into him. It's blue eyes glowed brilliantly but were narrowed and the whole force that was crushing him seemed bent only on oppression. Oppression it would achieve through his demise. He coughed blood, as the silver tentacles sunk further into his arm and others whipped into his stomach, the thick purplish liquid bubbled in the gap between his body and Unit and then slowly seeped through the open air slots on his face armor.

But even with evidence of the seriousness of the attack and of it's superiority the blue Guyver did not lessen the force as was traditional for a battle between Guyvers. Instead, it only seemed to drive him on and the crater in the wall shuddered, expanding slightly with the force exterted.

Alkard gritted his teeth, biting back another scream as several more of the silver lines detached themselves from blue Guyver and pinned him against the wall. This wasn't meant to be happening.

:...you hurt him...: The words were whispered into his mind.

:What?:

:You hurt him.:

:Where?: Alkard snarled, struggling to remain conscious. He couldn't fight back. One arm was skewered by several silver spears, and more of them had wrapped themselves around his legs. His attacker had one fist around his throat and the other hand was holding Alkard's spare arm securely pinned against the wall. In short, he couldn't do anything to the Guyver Warrior that was attacking him, and even the other Guyvers seemed stunned at the brutality displayed. Even the Guyver Healer was watching on with wide eyes that hardly seemed to comprehend what they were seeing.

:YOU HURT HIM.:

:Who?: Alkard groaned as he struggled to breath. He could feel it now, the other Guyver wasn't merely attacking him. The silver extensions on his armor weren't just blades, they were something else. They were absorbing him. He could feel it now, through the pain, the presence of an alien being spreading itself through his body, assimilating what he was into the blue Guyver.

It hurt... A thousand times worse than the pain of death, it hurt but the pain was nothing compared to the pain he experienced with the few words that were being spoken to him from that unknown source. And suddenly he understood, another impossibility but it was the only explanation. The Host wasn't attacking, it was the Unit itself.

:Stop!: He threw the command as firmly as he could towards the unit.

:YOU HURT HIM.:

The response was less than reassuring and his command had only served to anger the Unit. The steady glow coming from the control medallion intensified, and although it was competing with the blue glow coming from the eyes, Alkard swore it turned red with rage. The Unit released his pinned arm but only so the silver tendrils that ended in a knot in the palm could untangle themselves and wave freely, angling themselves optimally before they were driven into his flesh. :Wake up!: Alkard tried again, this time appealing to the Host as he extended his vibroblade. He would have one chance at this.

:You hurt him,: the response came again with chilling finality. :I will make sure you never hurt him again.:

:You're meant to be dead!: The thought was a plea to the logic that had always applied in the past. When the Host died, the Unit became inactive, waiting for it's next Host, and Alkard was sure he had killed the Host.

:I cannot die until he dies and I will not let him die. His power is greater than that. I am his body, I am his soul, I am him. I have become his power and I will protect him. He feels nothing for you, so you are a target I am free to pursue. You hurt him. You will not hurt him again.:

"No!" The denial was mixed but full of power. Regret, anguish and anticipation of loss but also determination, acceptance and unwavering courage. He wasn't going to be beaten here. With a savage strike he brought his arm down cutting through the silver tendrils, and even through his own flesh and bone. He only had one chance at this and he would make what sacrifices were necessary.

Even as he cut Alkard was jumping free. He scrapped his back against the wall but ignored that for the greater need to get away. Thick purple blood splattered to the ground and dripped copiously until he gripped his injured arm, cutting the flow to a trickle. He landed near the centre of the room, sides heaving with effort and beneath his armor, he felt cold as he watched the blue Guyvers reaction.

They moved slowly, standing upright and turning to regard him. The silver tendrils had, for the most part retracted themselves back on to the blue armor and with a start, Alkard realized the tendrils that he had cut but that had remained wrapped around his own body were gone. They had returned to their master already. The only tendrils that remained extended were those that were wrapped around the bloody remains of Alkard's arm, and they were holding the appendage close to the abdomen and the entire auditorium was watching in silence, sickened and fascinated as the blue armor seemed to liquefy and the red stump sank into the interior.

It took mere moments for it to happen and once it appeared whole again, it was the blue guyver that broke the stunned silence by stepping heavily towards the injured Guyver Warrior. There was no lessening in the threat and the menace the larger Unit exuded. Infact, the blue GiganticGuyver seemed to be unsatisfied with the results and intent on finishing the job.

"Stop!" The plea came from several of the Guyvers who had recovered their wits but only one or two took a few steps towards the obviously superior Guyver

:He hurt my Master.: The explanation was brief but it had to power to stop the others in their tracks. No Unit spoke for the Host. Ever. No Unit had ever thought a Host was much better than a meal.

As the blue Gigantic seemed to collected themselves, Alkard closed his eyes, whispering a prayer to the spirit of Yarrunga that his unknown Corang partner would have the courage to forgive him because he would not be there. After today, he would never be there. The blue Guyver would only leave his memory. A testament to his power and the promise that if you ever crossed him, nothing existed that could help you.

Glowing blue eyes snapped wide before narrowing again as the silver tendrils once more extended themselves. There was a deliberate slow precision with the way they moved this time. The second hit would be fatal. The first hadn't been a warning - a warning suggested that he would have pulled back - no, the first hit was an illustration to everyone else in the room, to all the races present, up to and including both the Advents and Tekki, that what followed was not a fluke, it was not luck, and it was not some planned display of power, rather it was the illustration of what it considered an appropriate response to an attack. This was the level you had to play at to fight this Guyver.

Alkard gulped and closed his eyes. He had no wish to see his own doom. Forgive me... The thought was crystal among turmoil that was slowly receding in his mind. The cares and worries of life were fading away to leave only the purity of thought one achieved at the end, and it was the one thought that dominated.

:I do not forgive you.:

"Sho..." Mizuki called his name quietly. She did not care about the fate of the red Guyver and was not trying to stop her fiancee's Gigantic form but she was worried about him. In the past, he had always awoken quickly after being severely injured. His Unit healed him and then allowed his consciousness to resurface. And while his Unit had moved to protect him, it had previously only responded to provocation. It had never actually initiated an attack once the threat had past.

:I will protect him, Beloved of my Master.: The Unit vanished from normal sight, gathering speed for it's strike.

"Sho!"

:Another day...:

The chilling breath of voice was the only thing that told him it was over and from the stunned confusion he could feel from the rest of the auditorium, Alkard guessed he was the only one to hear it. As he opened his eyes he saw the blue Guyver pull back their arm that had been millimetres from his chest. The silver tendrils had all retreated back to the blue armor, once again seeming to be nothing more than regal highlights. With slow but sure movements that Alkard knew were meant to be non aggressive the blue Guyver pulled himself his full height and Alkard noted absently that his eyes no longer glowed, and even the control medallion seemed inactive. This is the Host... He realized suddenly wondering at the silence which still reigned. The oppressive force that had held the auditorium silent had disappeared, or rather faded to a more manageable level that had to be the Host's level of power. The Guyvers who had fallen to their knees remained that way, watching the proceedings and the Guyver Lord who had seemingly brought such a sudden change in the blue Guyver.

They froze for an instant, two Guyvers contemplating each other - one battered, injured and exhausted red Guyver Warrior, Alkard of Shadow, and one whole, regally powerful and now calm blue Gigantic Guyver Warrior, Fukamachi Sho of the Planet Terra. The moment passed and Sho dismissed the Gigantic Armor returning to his normal form but even that seemed more than it had once been. With flickering eyes he assessed what he had done.

:This is not the time for weakness...:

Sho frowned. The warning was oddly echoing and for a moment he couldn't place the voice. Agito... He decided finally. Makishima was the only one who would be that practical even now. But it was a practicality that was necessary. :No weakness,: he agreed. The other Guyver was injured but while the wounds were serious, they would not be fatal. He didn't particularly believe in the virtue of an eye for an eye but the red Guyver had hurt him. He gave a small shrug before turning back to where the others were.

In the silence, Mirabilis once again stepped forward, watching the Advent Representative. "You didn't think they would remain on the planet forever?"

His words were a spur and as everyone began talking with quick disbelief all order was lost.

"It's impossible..."

"Did you see it?"

"How much power..?"

"What is it..?"

"What are they?"

One thousand voices all spoke at once, all in their native tongues. It was noisy and the absolute lack of order was amusing to some and ignored by others.

The Tekki watched quietly. Despite the interruption to the meeting it was not yet over. Now that the Humans and the free Zoanoids had appeared, the war with the Advents would become a lot more interesting, and they could begin to attend to their secondary gaol.

The Advents Representative kept glancing between the Tekki, Mirabilis and the rogue Guyvers as his masters relayed their orders. If there was an alliance between the gathered parties then that could be bad but so far the observations were comforting.

Mirabilis was examining the shadowy form of the Tekki with calm logic. The shadow was merely a projection and as such could not show him everything but what it was showing him was enough. This was the one he sought. This was the one Lord Alkanphel had wanted to see. With a guarded smile he pulled himself back to the perimeter of the room. Now that the... introductions were over, things could begin to move at this meeting.

Sho had walked back to the others, flicking his eyes over the changes in Mizuki's and Aptom's armor. In Aptom's case it looked as if he had simply summoned the Gigantic Unit to his aide and that it in turn had transformed his armor into the armor of a warrior, giving him a strange patterning but for Mizuki... The transformation was astounding. Her armor was bulkier now and even though she was a Healer, her armor seemed to hold infinitely more power than Aptom's but it was still more streamlined. The bulk that accompanied the Gigantic transformation was absent. The blue lines which covered her even now seemed to be swirling slowly with contained power. He laid one hand on her shoulder in silent reassurance.

Alkard stood silent while his attacker had turned away after dismissing his outer layer of armor. There was no thought to attack, there was no thought past a blinding relief for his life but he could not help but think that something else had happened. He had heard the Guyver Healer call to the Host but that couldn't have been all that had stopped the Unit, could it? No Unit thought of it's Host as anything more than a meal, and no Host had ever successfully fought their Unit. The Guyver system existed as a parasitic organism that enhanced it's Host's abilities in exchange for a place to live but if the Host was injured then the Unit would look for a newer, better Host to bond with. Injuries such as his, sustained when the Unit was active weren't serious, since the Unit would heal it's Host. But injuries sustained when the Unit was inactive had almost always caused the Unit to reject the host in the past. So what he had seen happening, could not have happened unless for this species it was the Host that was stronger than the Unit. But what species could be stronger than an Advent Creation? The absolute impossibility of the situation imposed itself on Alkard as he stumbled towards the perimeter aware of how exposed he now was and despite the danger, he collapsed into an ungraceful heap.

After several long minutes of incessant but very unstructured talk, quiet slowly descended on the auditorium as the assembled diplomats turned their attention towards the objects of their speculation. This was an Interstellar Meeting but at the same time, this meeting had developed into something more. The Advents had sent a Representative which in itself wasn't unusual but they had spoken which was something that hadn't occurred in living memory. The Tekki had sent a projection, one the Advents had responded to which seemed to validate it's authenticity. It was unheard of that they should actually attend which was something of a relief since the battle would just erupt over the Planet if they were physically there but in the past they, like the Advents had only sent a representative, or one who had claimed to be their representative, there had been no way to check the assertions made by those individuals. And a new race had appeared, one that was acknowledged by both the Advents and the Tekki, and one that seemed to be best described by the word indomitablepowerfulimpossible

What happened now would write history.

===

After our rather auspicious introduction to the Universe, the meeting did eventually calm down and proceed. Both the Advents and the Tekki took the opportunity to clarify their positions to the assembled races and by the surprise shown by some of those races, we could only conclude at the time that the information was new to them. It appeared that the Advents and Tekki had been fighting for time immemorial but no one knew exactly why.

Despite the way they took to each other, we were not forgotten. The Advents knew who we were and the reactions of the Tekki showed that they weren't ignorant, although I had no idea at the time how that particular group knew about us. Suffice to say, that while they discussed things, we were included in that discussion as equals and it was a distinction that was not lost on the diplomats. We might have been new but we warranted the attention of the most powerful races so we were not to be ignored. Sho's 'demonstration' with his Unit and my and Aptom's transformations had also helped to cement that fact.

What Sho's Unit had done, was considered by us to be normal but to the rest of the Guyver community it was an aberration that couldn't be explained. This came through somewhat at the Interstellar Meeting but it wasn't something that was explained until later. It was something that we too, didn't really want to explain to everyone in the Universe. Our abilities had just been displayed, they knew enough about us. Aptom's transformation wasn't as simple as just him calling the Gigantic Unit. His desire had completely transformed his armor and my transformation, while one that didn't mutate my armor was one that confirmed by position as a Guyver Lord. Power I had never sought, but power I had been given. It was something we would discover the truth to later and my transformation was an indication to the Advents and the Tekki that things were beginning to change.

Uryal'ng va Kyheen has said a Third Power emerged at the Interstellar Meeting and I must say that it was true. The Power isn't Terran but as has been previously stated we were, for the moment, it's face and Sho's power had illustrated our power. But while the power we were to come to represent emerged, there was still fascination with the older powers and their discussion revealed truths that had been hidden for long centuries.

We came to that meeting only wanting to see the breadth of aliens that inhabited the Universe. We came away with so much more.

And so many more questions.