Cold Scales

by Konatra

The Real Commander

Ivy grew tired waiting for the energy drained dragon to catch up every few steps, she wanted to talk about the events that have gone on since she was placed in that tube, clearly something really bad happened given the visible damages around the ship that were only somehow now being repaired...how long was she under again? Then there was the issue with Tendrix.

She looked back at the stumbling dragoness, she knew she tasted something else familiar when she was draining her but to think Lord Tendrix himself would sacrifice his own being to some random inhabitant of some stone age planet... Ivy became very impatient so she stood towards the mystery woman and grabbed her by the cybernetic hand, clearly their technology, and easily hoisted her up bridal style. Spines was still too dazed to resist her toying with her body and just accepted the manhandling, her android that was protecting her looked genuinely conflicted in giving up their leader.

Ivy took note of this apparent hesitation, she didn't recognize this model of android and could tell by the material quality it was freshly built, clearly not fully loyal to her but to this dragon. She mulled about the concept but quickly came to allow it, let the dragon keep her minions for now instead of hard resetting their loyalty matrix. She only allowed this because she already knew not even an army of them would prove a challenge if they revolted.

Once more she came to the attention of the barley conscious dragoness, by how soft her features were she could tell she was new to all this, especially given the still fresh scaring around her removed limbs. She just had to know more about this specimen.
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It was a haze, Spines fought her way out of it once she got a grip of her senses again. It felt as if she was whisked away from the loading zone and was now seated in front of the pale white creature in the command room. Ivy had her hands clasped together while holding a neutral look. "Talk, I want to hear it all. Start from the beginning." She said simply.

It didn't take long for Spines to gather her thoughts, the beginning? If it meant from way back when she first learned of the Void then... "...When I was a young girl, I found a book..." This would be the second time she had to recount her tale.
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"...and that's where we leave ourselves here." She finished. Ivy was a good listener as though out the story she only interrupted to ask an occasional question or clarification.

Ivy was busy adding all this information together...millennia, Void, Tendrix... it was so much to find out about. How could she have been in stasis for so long? And what of Unity, her brothers and sisters in arms...her valued companions. The fact that a planet such as this had only *now* come under attack by Void influence and in fact only by a long lost solider proved the war was not yet lost...but she had no idea what was happening out beyond the stars. Something else was really bothering her. "Your blood, your DNA. How was it able to bypass our security?" It was a DNA scanner for a reason, some of the best security in the multiverse that should be impossible to crack, it would of been easier to open the container using a spoon and a lot of free time.

Spines wasn't too certain herself but actually had a theory about it. "I think it's because Tendrix is inside my body, maybe he is also integrated into my DNA and it was able to fool my suit and the scanners."

Ivy thought about it but was left unsatisfied. 'Even if she was truly coded with his DNA to the deepest level the scanner should of found the alterations as unfamiliar and shut her out...the only possible explanation I can think of would be....' Then something dawned upon her, her memories still coming back slowly after being in stasis for so long. The species, color, even name...could it be possible that- "By the Gods the Lord General needs to see you as soon as possible." She spoke almost in awe at her revelation.

Spines' eyes lit up at that name, 'Lord General, she heard it once back at Tendrix's abode. Generals were important in war she knew, but one to carry the title of 'Lord'? "Who's the Lord General?" Something she felt like she should know. Ivy looked somewhat conflicted, she knew some kind of truth she was hiding from the dragoness.

Thinking about it further Ivy decided it was not her place to reveal this information yet, who knows what kind of backlash it could cause. "You will know in time, for now I have decided I can trust you as an ally." Yes, knowing what she knew, Spines could truly be trusted with her life even. Given what she knew from her story, the accounts of the androids and this 'truth' Spines was deserving of trust. "From this point I give you the official rank of Lieutenant Commander of the ship. With this officially given rank you will have the previous authority you held as General and now some of our data stores but as you are no longer General you are unable to direct command that overrides my own as well as large scale operations without my say so. Keep your title as Queen, I do not care."

It was odd for Spines to hear all this, theses were like very important titles right? Given what she told Ivy it was clear her experience was extremely minimal and she knew very little about commanding. Honestly she expected to never get to have any part in this army again and be kicked out the second she stopped having relevant information. It defied common sense to let her not only stay but be in such a position of power still. She had questions but Ivy seemed to have read her mind.

"Trust me when I say your sudden repromotion is not without requirement, I know you can truly earn this title which is why I am already giving it to you, but as you are I'd say you only stand as a notable Captain maybe...that is why I am going to personally train you and make you reach that potential. Just note you will never reach the rank of General again until you lead armies, raze worlds of evil, save the universe at least once of twice. The fact you even had it at all is a disgrace to the title, one you of course are forgiven of."

The way Ivy spoke to her was conflicting, a combination of harsh reality and soothing words of comfort. Something ranged in her head though 'Saved the universe? Surly that was a joke right, because if not then what did the one before her do to earn that title herself?' Before she could inquiry further the alien grabbed her by the hand and pulled her across the table like a sack of apples.

"We are going to start training now!" A sudden glee overtook Ivy's tone, something oddly sadistic could not be hidden from Spines however. "I always wanted a toy I could break, fix, break, fix. When I am done with you, you will beg for death." Someone shouldn't say that with such jubilation Spines thought in a panic. She tried to resist her grip and maybe run but Ivy just griped harder, hard enough to put a crack in her hand, her highly advanced, extremely fortified hand...

"I'm going to fucking die."