Aurelia sat patiently on one of the many crates that dotted the military station’s largest drydock. Hundreds of workers scurried about, carrying cargo to and fro. A colossal hoof-shaped dreadnought lay before her with several massive cargo ramps leading up into its bowels. Much to her chagrin and despite her many protests, it was to be Aurelia’s home for the next three months. 

An imposing figure cut through the many Guul drones towards the redhead, their every step strong and filled with a regal intention. The various humans, raxth and ssithra parting for her. A Raxth woman, standing at almost ten feet tall, covered her glittering purple scales wrapped with silken robes of gold, a sign of high status in the Guul hierarchy. She clearly was used to the level of authority she was granted, barking orders as she strode towards the scientist to the navy soldiers on deck as she passed by.

The scientist sighed, she lacked the energy to deal with those types. The ones who were on top and made sure everyone else knew it. Sheslid off the crate, wincing as pain shot through her knees, then hobbled her way towards the encroaching figure. They came to a stop two metres away from each other, and silence hung in the air between each other. The giant raxth’s long tongue slid past her razor sharp maw, and licked her snout. She scowled at Aurelia, baring her teeth menacingly. If the scientist was intimidated by this, she showed no sign of it

“I suppose you are the civilian I have been ordered to escort on the Grixxitluk III.”

Aurelia nodded tiredly. “Mhm.” It was all she could really muster, exhausted from sitting on a hard surface for far too long. She had hoped someone would have offered her a more appropriate seat by this stage, but the Guul Imperium was not well known to look after the disabled.

“That’s Grand Commander Jezka to you. You will address me as such while you are on my ship. Now you will stand up straight when you speak to me, understood?” Her figure shadowed Aurelia, and she puffed up her chest to seem even bigger.

Aurelia pinched her brow in frustration and sighed. “This is why I hate dealing with Guul higher ups. I can’t stand straight without great pain, hence my cane to help me walk” she said in a monotone voice, smacking the butt of her hand on the metallic surface.

Commander Jezka leaned down to the scientist, her face mere inches away from the human.

“I will not suffer any insubordination on my ship. If you wish to survive these few months, you will do exactly as you are ordered. You are not on a vacation, you are on a military vessel that no other civilian has been allowed to board.”

Aurelia cocked an eyebrow, and pulled a small piece of paper from her jacket. The edges were lined with opalescent material, a sign that this was from the Immortal Empress herself. She held the note out to the commander, who snatched it up in her big, powerful claws.

The commander read the note carefully, her scales shifting to a lighter purple and her eyes going wide with worry.. She looked up at Aurelia in panic, then back down at the missive.

“I-I’m sorry for my rudeness.” She stammered, bending down to one knee. Even now she was still taller than the human scientist. She bowed her head and closed her slit-like eyes. “Punish me as you see fit, favoured one.”

Commander Jezka bowed her head and waited for a response. She flinched when she felt the soft, human hand on her reptilian snout.

“Yeah, not really interested in the Guul way of doing things, but I’m hired to do something, and I best do it. Your punishment will be to carry me onto the ship because, quite frankly, my back is killing me and my entire body feels like it’s on fire.” Aurelia playfully flicked the Raxths nose, and stood back.

“That is.. It?” Jezka asked sceptically.

“Uhuh, and the part of me being the favoured one, ignore that for now. I do not care for power and I absolutely have no energy for this, so you will more or less have full control. I only need to oversee the usage of my invention.”

“Of course. I will do my best to make your stay as comfortable as possible.”

“Good, good.” Aurelia tutted. “Oh, but one more thing. I am taking the best bed on the ship, and I do not care who I share it with. My back sucks and I am not sleeping on a slab of metal.”

The Grand Commander hissed, entertained by this tiny soft human, who if she wanted to could exercise more power than anyone else in the Guul imperium, barring the Empress herself.. 

“I think that can be arranged.”