Chapter 150

　　The trio of Titans hovered above Terra for a moment, observing the changes the detonation of two Engines had caused.

　　When Kal and Mare escaped years before, a thick layer of swirling clouds obscured the surface. Storms ravaged the land, the seas boiled from magma released from the depths of the earth, and the planet was unrecognizable.

　　Now, over three years later, Terra had significantly changed. Despite the ongoing conflict, Imperial terraforming engineers and scientists had spent a massive amount of time and resources reversing the damage.

　　It would take decades before it could return to the way it once was, but to Kal and Mare, the difference was stark.

　　The layer of black clouds and planet-wide storms were gone. Weather controllers and atmospheric filters had removed the pollution and ash from the atmosphere, calming the winds and returning the air to a degree of normalcy.

　　The oceans were a mixture of dull grey with bright blue areas where large machines gradually removed toxic waste and returned fresh sea water where sea life would slowly be introduced. From orbit, the colours clashed and gradually merged, like a colourful dye was being added to dull water.

　　The land required a much more significant investment in effort. Large craters marred the surface where the detonations occurred, and polluted waters had flowed into the low areas. Eventually, material would need to be brought in from off-planet to replace what was lost, but that would require more time than what had passed.

　　No life existed on the surface. Terra had returned to a state similar to how it had been when the planet had first formed, a primordial existence left barren after it had cooled.

　　The Titans descended from the sky, landing on a large tract of dusty plains that Kal couldn`t name. The maps of old Terra were useless. The devastation had shifted entire continents, forming new land masses and changing the shape and location of others.

　　Atlas, Ouroboros and Hyperion stood on the Terran soil and waited for the others to arrive. They didn`t have to wait long.

　　By convention, Argyle`s Titans would arrive first on the surface, while Augustus and his allies would come as one a few hours later at a location well apart from theirs. The summit would take place at a location halfway between them, where they would all disembark their Titans, and the discussion would take place.

　　Kal`s sensors detected an approaching Mobile Suit, and his HUD automatically focused on the speck of light shining in the sun as it descended. Zooming in, he saw the new Titan clearly.

　　The Mobile Suit was golden. A bright, burnished gold that was unmarred by any other colour or metal. Like a Medieval Knight, it was heavily armoured and incredibly bulky when compared to the lithe and graceful Hyperion.

　　Curiously, it had two ram horns curling from its forehead, forming a crown on the top of its head.

　　A circle of light surrounded its feet as if it were standing on a platform as it drifted toward the ground. No other sign of propulsion or thrust was displayed, making Kal think that the platform it rested on was its primary means of movement.

　　The new arrival lacked any kind of visible weapon. The only thing that it held in its hands was a large, mace-like sceptre covered in gemstones and topped by seven orbs, each in a different colour that glowed with an inner light.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it`s taken without the author`s consent. Report it.

　　Sovereign, The Irreproachable Paragon.

　　The Titan of Grandster. Kal was familiar with it from his briefing on Argyle`s command ship. As it landed on the ground, an image appeared in the HUD of the three Pilots.

　　It was a young man, his face visible through the glass of his helmet. Handsome, as most Nobility were, he had a regal bearing, with his bloodline`s warm, honey-coloured eyes.

　　"Greetings, Cousins." The young man spoke, greeting his allies first.

　　"Patrick, nice of you to join us." Katherine replied, knowing the young man from their common social group, most of the heirs and scions of the Ducal Houses interacted with each other in some manner. He was of a similar age to her, incredibly young to be given the responsibility of Piloting a Titan. But he was an exceptional person.

　　The Nephew of Duchess Grandster, rumour had it that the Duke and Duchess of Grandster favoured making him their heir over their own children. Patrick was a remarkable artist, musician and painter that was famous across the galaxy on his own merits.

　　For a time, Katherine`s father considered a marriage between them, but nothing had come of it. Partially due to Katherine`s own resistance, Patrick was very popular amongst women, and the rumours of his behaviour were widespread.

　　"Wouldn`t miss it for the world." Patrick replied with a grin, flashing his white teeth at the young woman.

　　"There`s the last of our group." Mare called out, and the group looked upwards. Three more Titans were flying toward them, streaking toward the surface from orbit.

　　On the left, a blue Mobile Suit shimmered in the sunlight. Its torso was covered in scales like a fish that caught the light, giving them a sparkling appearance. Similar to the elegant Hyperion, the newcomer was a lithe-looking Mech. Its head had a large fin protruding from the top and sweeping backwards, giving it a unique look like an armoured, humanoid ocean creature.

　　Gripped in its hand was a giant, cannon-like weapon, it`s bulk a strange juxtaposition with its nimble figure.

　　Oceanus, the Inexorable Tide.

　　It belonged to the Ducal House of Tish, an appropriate Titan for their ocean-covered homeworld. Kal didn`t know much about its abilities as Tish did not have much need to use the Mobile Suit. Their small sector of space of relatively peaceful, and their House Guard is more than capable of defending it. Prior to the Succession War, at least.

　　The Pilot of Tish of Duchess Bianca`s youngest son, Bryan. No one knew much about it, only that he was older than Katherine and Mare and rarely left his homeworld.

　　The middle Mobile Suit belonged to Lockmere, and its Pilot was someone familiar to Kal. It was the young man he had met when Argyle offered him his Ducal title back. Declan, Heir of Lockmere, Piloted the Titan from the lead position of the newcomers.

　　Reaper, the Autumn Culling.

　　Like its namesake and the symbol of its House, Reaper was coloured in green and brown. Unlike the other Mobile Suits, it had four arms that gripped an enormous scythe in its hand. On its two shoulders, large cannons protruded.

　　The last of their group belonged to Owaine, the most distant and isolated of the Ducal Houses. Their Titan was as strange as the House it defended.

　　It was painted in two colours, white and black. A line divided them down the middle of its frame. On the left, the Titan was humanoid, with elegant armour and fanciful designs etched into the metal. The Titan was covered by a tabard, the symbol of their house split between the colours on the chest. This side featured half the crescent moon in black.

　　On its right, the Titan was black and demonic looking. Sharp spikes extended from its elbows, knees and shoulders. The designs in the metal glowed silver, all harsh lines and jagged markings. The tabard displayed half of the crescent moon in white.

　　In its hand, it carried a long spear, and a curved moon blade topped it.

　　Terminus, the Abrupt Cessation.

　　Kal had only heard its name that morning, along with that of its Pilot. No one knew what their connection was to the Owaine Ducal House, but the Pilot was a younger woman. Despite her age, she had white hair and pale blue eyes.

　　During the introductions of the Pilots, she hadn`t said a word. The Duke and Duchess of Owaine had introduced her as Cecelia and that she was from a branch of their family but declined to clarify further.

　　Even now, while the others were exchanging greetings, the Owaine Pilot sat silently, waiting for the summit.

　　Patrick of Grandster was to lead them. His Houses position with Argyle made him the obvious choice. As the sun was high above them, he led seven Titans forward to meet with the other side and begin the Peace Summit.

　　The other side would arrive simultaneously, and they would be expected to disembark their Mobile Suits one at a time. If there was going to be trouble, it would be then. Nominally, all sides had agreed to the conditions, but anything could happen.