Journey to the Heart.

"…Mom?" Shining asks hesitantly.

~~HUH?!~~

(Elsewhere)

(The Heart)

The screams seem louder today. Maybe the druids are working harder. Or her Eminence's new torture machine is being used! She helped design it, so she knows how much pain it can cause.

Looking through one of the slits, she can see she is right! The new machines are her Eminence's new creations! Oh, what a joy it is to see the magnificent PAIN those fools are going through. She almost faints because of it… but she can't do that!

Her Eminence has called for her! She has a duty to do! She needs to be punctual! Realising she is going to be late, she picks up her pace.

Walking along her chosen route, she makes it to her Eminence's doors two whole seconds before she needs to arrive! Using this brief moment, she makes sure she is adequate, she can't see her emperor in any state that isn't perfect! Straightening herself out, she presses her hand to the summons.

"Enter." Her emperor speaks. She enters post-haste, coming to stand beside her emperor's throne. "Report."

"Your Eminence, six Galra escape pods…" She shivers, disgusted at the despicable technology. "…Arrived at Galra outpost Omega twenty four yesterday. They claimed that their research ship had been destroyed by a traitor. Ugh!" She cannot stop herself from spitting the word out of her mouth, it tasting foul on her tongue.

"What ship?" Emperor Zarkon asks, his tone malicious and furious.

"The Singularity, your Eminence." She answers.

"One of the research ships I sent to investigate the outer space anomaly. Who did they say was the traitor?" He asks.

"The captain of the ship, Cracheam." She says, spitting out the name like dung.

"What was their proof that she was a traitor?" Zarkon asks.

"She blatantly admitted to being a member of the… UGH… Blades of Marmora." She spits.

"Hrrg. Those pests again. Why and how did she destroy the ship?" Zarkon asks.

"One of the helmsmen said it was to stop them from reaching their objective, a planet in outer space. He said that they had arrived at a planet that had apparently destroyed an Intergalactic-cruiser.

Upon arriving, ahead of escort, they were attacked. The lieutenant attempted to destroy the attacker with the ship's sirenic turrets but Cracheam redirected the beams, striking the Singularity's weapons and engines instead.

The captain then drawed a weapon at the lieutenant, letting the attacker damage the ship. After admitting her foolish allegiance to the Blades, she killed the lieutenant and activated the ship's self-destruct. Most of the crew retreated to the escort ships, the rest setting course for the Heart." She reports.

"And what of the Surog and the other research ships I sent?" The emperor asks.

"They engaged an enemy, according to their alert level one beacons. Soon after, we lost contact with them."

"Hmmm. A single planet has the resources to not only avoid MY notice… but also destroy multiple of my ships. This is most intriguing.

Send the Vox armada to the same location that the Surog was headed. I want to learn EXACTLY what has caused me such trouble and I want it DESTROYED. Is that clear, general Atchor?" Emperor Zarkon asks the hybrid.

"Scaultrite clear, sire. May I have permission to accompany the fleet, your Eminence?" Atchor asks.

"Yes. In fact, I am hereby giving you full command over the Vox armada." Emperor Zarkon orders.

"Including the ro-beast?" Atchor asks in a rare show of timidness.

"Including the ro-beast. I want whatever is responsible for this wiped from existence, do you understand?" Emperor Zarkon orders.

"It will be my pleasure." Atchor answers, a vile grin across her face.

"Good. Do not fail me like Surog did."

(Elsewhere)

"What?! The CAPTAIN activated the self-destruct on purpose?!" A crewmate shouted in his room, a helmsman standing in front of him.

"Yes. Captain Cracheam activated the self-destruct to stop us from reaching our objective. Hhhhhugg." The helmsman responded, his breath wheezing through his mouth augmentation.

"To stop us from- WHY WOULD SHE DO THAT?!?!" The crewman shouted back.

"Because, she was… hhhhhugg… a member of the Blades of Marmora." The helmsman responds, wheezing again.

"WHAT?! THE CAPTAIN WAS A TRAITOR?! SINCE WHEN?!" The crewman exclaims.

"We don't know. Hhhhhugg. We think she may have been planted specifically on the Singularity." The helmsman responds. "Damn respirator. Thing was damaged in the evacuation, now I can hardly… hhhhhugg… breath." The helmsman says, tapping the machine over his mouth.

"Wow. I-I don't know how to take this… w-what do we do now?" The crewman asks.

"We wait. Hhhhhugg. General Atchor is probably informing the emperor about everything as we speak. Hhhhhugg. If we're lucky… hhhhhugg… we'll be demoted to prison escort duty." The helmsman says.

"And if we're not?" The helmsman asks with trepidation.

"Palon bol. We find out… hhhhhugg… what new machinations the druids have… hhhhhugg… concocted." The helmsman shivers.

(Communications center)

"Calling the Vox armada; this is general Atchor. Repeat: calling the Vox armada. Are you there, commander Vril?" General Atchor says to the communicator.

"This is Vril. Reading you clear and LOUD, Atchy." Commander Vril responds.

"AAAH! I TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Atchor says with venom.

"Sorry general but that is not possible. So, I'm guessing that this isn't just a friendly call?" Vril asks.

"No. His Eminence has called on the Vox armada. Something is causing a lot of trouble in outer space. Emperor Zarkon wants it destroyed."

"Outer space? What could be causing trouble outside the Galra empire?" Vril asks.

"We're not sure. Just that there's a planet out there with the capabilities to destroy multiple high class warships and that those forsaken Blades are trying to protect it." Atchor spits the name out.

"THE BLADES?! The Blades are active again?" The commander asks, voice burning with hatred. Atchor smiles and responds.

"Yes. And it's up to the two of us to end their latest endeavour. Emperor Zarkon has given me full control over your armada for this mission, even the ro-beast. You and me are going to be working together to crush this problem. Any questions?" Atchor asks.

"When do you arrive?" Vril asks, his tone brimming with the anticipation and bloodlust.

"The Starscream is prepping as we speak. I should be arriving at Lambda Ten in a quintant, at least." Atchor responds.

"Good. Galvanus will await your arrival." Vril says.

"It better. I've heard Terrible things about that ro-beast, it better not disappoint." Atchor says.

"It won't." Vril says, ending the transmission. Atchor walks towards her ship, a malignant grin on her face in anticipation of what's to come.

Author's Note

Surprise foreshadowing chapter, GO!