In classic fictional style, we use the established Sebastian Dash and Aleena to introduce a slew of new characters who take the spotlight for their own intro!

This time, it’s four new space elves. There’s also a couple of enemies introduced at the end, although we won’t find out who they are until Embrace Eternity part 2. But don't skip ahead, read on for part one!

 
"Jen."

"My Queen!"

Aleena's face appeared on a display screen in front of Jen. While Aleena wore a grey and copper-colored cysuit, Jen's colours were black and red. It matched well with her black hair which was braided and fell in long lengths to her shoulders. Jen leaned forward in her chair and smiled broadly.

"It has been awhile," Aleena admitted. "I apologize."

"You were missing for months. The council was about to appoint a new Queen!" exclaimed Jen.

"I know, Jen. There is much work ahead of me, and I have left much unattended. I need your help," Aleena began. "There is a world called Loathing that I want you to visit. It is a most unusual place. The ridiculous happens there with some regularity."

"What do you mean?" asked Jen. She folded her arms.

"I'm not sure how to explain it. The ridiculous, contrived situations from children's stories? Such actually happens there. But folk such as the Goblin King are very real and very dangerous."

"Wouldn't this be a job better suited to an orbital observation drone?"

"Probably. I have a personal favour to ask, though."

"Anything, my Queen."

"The King, MTiger of the Kingdom of Loathing, gave me his resources so I could recover and repair my ship. I owe him a debt that must be repaid. And I'd like you to find one called Sebastian Dash. He, and another man called Konall Bearsmasher, have both been given some of my nanites. I care for them a great deal and would like you to check up on them. They won't be hard to find."

"I understand. Aleena?"

"Aye, Jen?"

"Be safe. There are those who feel you are not a suitable Queen."

"I know. Thank you. Warm winds, Jen."

-----

The Space Elf known as Raven was not often seen aboard a starship. He preferred to explore on his own, and often enjoyed the free winds of a planetary atmosphere. His slender frame looked built for flight and he often sported his cywings -- wings formed from the cysuit -- as if they were a natural part of him. His dark suit and deeply piercing gaze gave him his well-earned nickname. Raven's wisdom and knack for creative thinking led him to develop the cywings and teach the joys of nearly unassisted flight to the other elves.

Raven gazed out to the stars. Behind him, a comfortably appointed lounge saw a few other elves relaxing, chatting, enjoying food and drink. Jen stepped up beside him, matching his gaze into the stars. "I'm going on an expedition. I was wondering if you'd like to come?"

“Where to?” He inquired simply.

"A planet called 'Loathing'," replied Jen, as she forwarded to Raven's suit a copy of her datafile on the world. "There's a lot to of things to discover and accomplish there, which is why I'm forming a full expedition."

Raven quickly skimmed over the contents. What he saw of Aleena's experiences there intrigued him. He’d go, the others might need him to sort out puzzles they'd be sure to encounter.

-----

Tarvel listened to the information provided by the Queen and frowned. The world as described sounded dangerously unpredictable. Not the sort that would be kind to recruits trained by the book. More suited to those who could adapt when the field plans fell apart. She considered the types of personnel that would be needed and turned back to her terminal readout, planning to volunteer.

-----
Glyn's shoulders shook slightly as he stood under the cool water in his quarters. He had requested a small bathroom for his own use, as he enjoyed going through the motions of taking an actual shower with water rather than leaving personal hygiene entirely to his suit.

As he shifted under the flowing water, he left a message to Jen that he would like to accompany her entourage to the world of Loathing. Glyn looked forward to another trip off the ship, mingling with the locals and taking part in the often-unique and intense physical recreation that the inhabitants took to. At times, he had to remind himself to try to separate what he was researching for his studies on physiology and physical activity, and what he was doing for the adrenaline rush, as too often they intermingled as he grew more familiar with a sport.

The water switched off, and Glyn relaxed into a seated lotus position on the bathroom floor. Half-concentrating on the sensation of the water drying off his skin, the rest of his mind mediated on what challenges and experiences the world the Queen had just returned from would present. There was one personal fear that dug at Glyn's peace of mind though - the fact that travelling to a new world would mean he would have to face the flight through the atmosphere. His muscular frame rippling with goosebumps, he attempted to shunt his aversion behind a labyrinth of recollections of scientific pursuits and the diverse memories from his life. He felt little confidence that he potentially would succeed, but persisted in his efforts; as well, he began to consider methods to distract himself during the flight...
-----

"So any thoughts after hearing names like 'Bearsmasher' and 'MTiger'? There have been equal counts for such names having literal significance with physical features, or for the names to be associated to spiritual or metaphysical aspects", said Glyn, as he walked along with Princess Tarvel to their departure craft.

"They sound ridiculous," said Tarvel, quietly glancing at the ship for flaws even though she knew there would be none. "But given the Queen's statements, I would assume that they have the skills to back up names like that. Bear smasher could easily be a mighty opponent. MTiger...might as well, though I've no idea about the M."

"That is a good stance to take: both being honest about your initial impression, as well as trying to interpret why they would follow such patterns. Do you suppose you'd like the opportunity to earn a similar title of your prowess or physique? I've forgotten most of my sporting titles as they tend to be bizarre and flamboyant, but I did like 'The Blue Streak'." Glyn managed a quick smile reminiscing about past trips and competitions, before his stomach did a few more pre-flight back-flips and 360's, prompting him to inconspicuously use the ship's hull as support for his legs.

Tarvel's cursory check of the spacecraft ratcheted up Glyn's trepidation of the prospect of yet another atmosphere dive - though his suit counter-argued that it would also insure against any elven accidents or technical malfunctions. He began to shape light braids in his blue-white locks while conversing, hoping to belay his anxiety of the upcoming flight.

Tarvel laughed heartily, her red hair shaking behind her. "I'd rather not give people the chance. No need for everyone to call me Comet-Mover just because I pushed one aside once, or Tree Climber just because I made it to the top of a tree."

"Right, well... excuse me, princess, what are you doing?" inquired Glyn as he observed Jen's split focus while she approached the two, followed by Raven. The dark-haired expedition leader shifted between looks of intense concentration, bemused smiles, and a restrained, emotionless mask as she took in a private memory feed. In a somewhat universal fashion for males, Glyn and Raven performed a very abrupt salutation as a greeting, lightly nodding their heads at one another.

"Hmm? Oh. I was just reviewing the data dump her highness gave me," Jen answered. "She had some interesting times. So, are we ready? Princess Tarvel, your combat suit's been loaded into the hold along with mine."

The elven quartet boarded the ship, a mid-sized exploration frigate. The vessel was shaped like a disc with another shape - a trident made from cylinders - forced through it. The three prongs of the trident were the ship's engines, and the stave bore the windows of the command center. Internally, there was space for a cargo bay, private rooms, a science lab, and a common area just behind and open to the command center. Four struts supported the ship's weight and a ramp from the deck into the heart of the ship extended from underneath. In all, the ship stood at 20 meters high by 40 meters in diameter.

As the elves ascended the entry ramp, the interior of the common room reconfigured itself. From a bare, empty space grew comfortable couches, chairs and tables. Display screens formed from white walls. The command center, open to the circular common room, formed three additional chairs facing forward. The furniture's coverings turned to beige leather with deep, comfortable stuffing supported on cherry wood frames. The floor became a hardwood of some kind while the bulkheads looked to be made of pine giving the interior space a decidedly rustic feel. The ship adapted itself to Jen's preferences, and though the materials were only emulated, they felt and looked like the real thing.

With just a thought, Jen commanded the ship to power up. Space elves were so integrated with their suits that they could use them to control their technology remotely, and Jen spent little time programming the autopilot to take them to Loathing.

The frigate, clad in a rippling black that seemed to reflect every colour while remaining only one, slipped out of the mothership and sailed towards the stars.

"Glyn, do you care to retire to your room and get it in order while we journey?" Jen inquired.

"Unfortunately no; as much as I really detest staying in the command center in flight, my sense of duty demands that I remain in case you have need of my service, princess. Also, I can't make my legs work..."

Jen caught him before he fell. "You're going to rest in your cabin until we get there. You're no use to us here."

"As you command, and my thanks, Jen. I... am sorry I can't overcome my fear successfully." Glyn said abashed, as he took his leave from the command centre.

----
Glyn internally repeated a mantra to steady his nerves through the flight, between meditative breaths in and out; "I am a leaf on the wind... I will fall gently and smoothly, with no sense of haste... I will be pristine in appearance, as I arrive softly onto the surface... I will not fear, for I know the autopilot will not try some crazy stunt as we break through Loathing's atmosphere... The autopilot is meant to be purely deductive and functional, and will not feel the urge to perform daredevil antics..." Glyn was adamant that he would not embarrass himself again on a space flight, especially in front of a princess that was particularly close to the newly returned Queen, and the redhead that elicited a slight murmur in his heartbeat.

---

Dash was riding along, minding his own business, when suddenly he heard a female voice call out his name. "Sebastian Dash."

It took Dash a few moments to realize the voice did not come from someone near him, but from inside his head.

"Katlana?" Dash whispered to himself, thinking he might recognize the voice as that of his ex wife's, but that made no sense at all.

"Sebastian Dash, I am called Jen. I am a friend of Queen Aleena."

"And you're speaking to me how?"

"The nanites in your head. They allow you to communicate with us." Suddenly, something inside Dash's mind flipped on. It was difficult for him at first, but he realized that he could 'see' a brightly lit, yet rustic circular room of the space elven frigate. Two females stood in front of him. They were smiling at him, greeting him. A somewhat sick-looking male and a thin, winged male stood off to the side. The four of them each wore the cysuit Dash was familiar with and each bore the pointed ears of their race.

"So what, Aleena turned me into an open port for space elves?" Dash asked, half amused by the prospect and half annoyed.

Jen looked at Dash quizzically. "No. It allows you to communicate with any of us. We have been asked by the Queen to attend to you and your kingdom. We are indebted to you for helping her."

"So she's safely home?" Dash asked, finding it hard to talk inside of his own head.

Jen nodded. "She is. We are landing north east of your location, about fifteen minutes' walk. Do you have time to join us?"

"I suppose," Dash said. "I was riding towards Seaside Town, but Espanolola and I can take a detour. Let me know if there's a problem along the way."

Jen bowed, followed by the other two elves. The image inside Sebastian's head faded out as she spoke: "It is greatly appreciated."

---

Dash arrived at the space elven ship. Parked in a small clearing, it was nonetheless well hidden by the woods and underbrush. He dismounted as the space elves came down out of their ship. Although Dash only had one previous reference for comparison, Jen appeared to be an especially statuesque example of her kind; her fit and athletic body seemed like a coiled spring, filled with energy and life and ready for action at a moment's notice. Her companions, another athletic female and two males, flanked her from behind. The space elves were intensely beautiful creatures, even the males. This much was true of the elves from Dash's own planet and even more so of their otherworldly flavor.

"Welcome to the Kingdom," Dash said, bowing slightly in a show of respect. "And, ahh.. the planet of .. loathing."

Dash made a face at the last line, not sure what to call it. Planet of Honorburg?

"It's fine - we've all met folks who had difficulty naming their planet when they don't often have need to. So, did you like the space flight with the Queen?" asked Glyn, immeasurably pleased at the end of the space flight. It was just the intensity of the gravitational forces against his senses when in flight tended to cause... discomfort for him.

Dash wasn't quite sure who he was addressing at first. "Oh, right. Aleena. It was spectacular, but I'm sure you know as much."

Jen smiled and returned Dash's bow. "Allow me to introduce my companions. They are Glyn, a scientist, Tarvel, a warrior, and Raven, our scout. We are at your service, sir."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Dash said. "And if you're here to help, I'll have to update you on the situation with Father Crimbo."

"Certainly. Care to come inside for a drink?" asked Jen. She gestured up the ramp.

"Sure, soon as I tie 'lola here up," he said, turning to gently stroke the horse's nose. "She seems a bit nervous around the ship. Don't worry, 'lola."

The elves, trailed by Dash, returned to the common area and found comfortable seats. Jen produced a crystal glass from a recess in the wall, filled with an amber liquid. She gave it to the human once he had taken a seat.

Dash took a tentative sip, and seemed to like it. "Thank you. From my time with Aleena, I'm guessing you've travelled to many a planet right?"

Jen nodded. "Aye."

"From what we've been told, this world may have certain challenges, unlike those we've faced elsewhere," said Tarvel. "We came anticipating a unique experience here."

"That's one way to put it," Dash said as he gave a nodding know. "Of course, growing up here, I'm somewhat used to it, though travelling around the world gave me an appreciation for the.. unique factors of the Loathing Kingdom."

Tarvel nodded, thinking. "Would you say that the eccentricities of the world are mostly limited to Loathing and the surrounding areas, then, being less extreme elsewhere?"

"I don't know," Dash said, shrugging. "I haven't gotten any other worlds to compare it to. Each is different, though. Scholars used to believe different parts of the world operated under different rules of reality. That isn't really a widespread belief these days, but the point stands. Anyway, we're in the middle of a Loathing Kingdom celebration that's come to be observed in much of our civilized world."

"Do you call it Crimbo?" Jen inquired. "I don't have much information on it."

"No," Dash said. "That only comes around about once every four years. Don't ask me why. This is St. Boris Day's feast. Father of the five dozen egg feast." Dash paused. "Of course, that particular meal stopped being popular due to all the dying it caused."

"Are your normally nourishing eggs lethal in large doses?" asked Tarvel, genuinely intrigued.

"Well, extremely large doses daily would do it," Dash said. "It's a very antiqued practice, but it was one of the things Boris was known for. Now, we eat a little smarter. The holiday's meaning is more about being thankful, and celebrating one's physical health."

"Health is something one must always work towards," Jen observed. "And you are very fit, Sebastian. I can see why Aleena likes you."

Dash glanced down, blushing a little. "So she did. Anyway, Father Crimbo, who as far as I can tell might very well be a spirit, is hosting Boris Feast activities in the weeks and days leading up to the day of the feast. KOKOL and the Seaside Council, or Council of Loathing as they're better known, want us to keep an eye on them. Especially in light of.." Dash paused. "Well, something his drunken brother claims to have seen."

Jen leaned back in the couch, folding her arms over her chest. "I do not understand half of what you just said, but we will assist you in your task. We will accompany you to Seaside Town, as we need to meet with your king, MTiger."

"Sure, but we'll have to hurry," Dash said. "He's set to return to his ancestral home this very evening."

"Bring your horse aboard then," Jen offered. "We'll fly closer to Seaside Town. And, someone appears to be approaching."

"Someone?" Dash raised an eyebrow. "Enemy or ally?"

The ship literally shook under a magical assault.

"Right," Dash said.

"Assuming it isn't a misunderstanding," said Tarvel, "is there any reason we shouldn't destroy these interlopers where they stand?"

Tarvel stood and moved to her quarters to find the suit that she had prepared as their ship neared Loathing. She smiled in anticipation of the oncoming battle and stepped into the larger and bulkier frame of her battle cysuit and felt it reflexively close behind her. She felt the anticipated thrill from the increased capabilities as her cysuit reformed with its combat-ready outer shell once again. The battlesuit is unique to elves such as Tarvel who chose the path of heavy weapons combat. Tarvel's in particular retained a feminine shape.

“Let's see what this planet's welcoming us with,” she said as she turned to leave her quarters.

"I shouldn't have to say it," Dash said, sword at the ready. "But be prepared for anything."

Glyn glided over to the command centre and took command of the frigate's computing station. He started triangulating what kind of range the attacker had from the intervals between volleys and the time the sensors detected incoming fire, while simultaneously reading the energy spectrum used to rock the craft's defenses.

"Girls, look lively! It's highly likely the attacker fought Queen Aleena previously, given that these shots seem to be shifting from one type of energy reading to the next, to give our systems a more challenging time. I'm also picking up two others who haven't been targeting us as far as I can determine. Sebastian, Jen, before you two head out, would you both mind taking a look to identify the three possible combatants?"

Before Dash appeared three figures, one that seemed to fade in and out of view. Dash frowned. "Other than the Black Paladin, I have no idea who they are, but they look dangerous."

Four new space elves, and they and Dash are also set up for a fight! It’s also nice learning a little of Aleena’s situation after leaving the Loathing planet. We'll pick up on this thread but first, we're going to take a look at a different set of characters, starring Zed Shinestone and the debuting Snow White!