The port was calm at dawn. As the UENS Horizon sat quietly beside the docks, her grey hull reflecting the first pale light of morning.
Reku stood near the gangway, arms crossed, watching as the last of the equipment cases were secured onto the waiting carriages. His breath left a faint cloud in the chill air.
"Status?" he asked.
Lieutenant Kerr, one of the operators assigned to the escort, adjusted his vest.
"All gear loaded, sir. Translator array packed and checked twice. We're good to move."
Reku gave a short nod. The squad comprises of eight men and women in light field gear they moved with the quiet precision of trained professionals.
They wore no heavy armor, only plate carriers and there rifles slung low, sidearms holstered tight.
He turned to his XO, waiting beside a supply crate. "You have the command until I return. Keep the relay open every six hours."
"Yes, sir. Good luck out there."
Reku glanced once more at the shis, the faint hum of it's systems still running on low power. Then he stepped onto the dock to join the Kingdom envoy.
The envoy was waiting beside a line of carriages decorated with gilded trim and leather canopies. Horses stamped the stone impatiently, their breath steaming.
Around them stood the royal escort, two dozen soldiers in polished armor, crimson cloaks brushing the ground, spears upright. Their helmets bore crests shaped like falcon wings, and the discipline in their stance said everything about their training.
Reku studied their formation briefly. Ceremonial, but practiced. Not just for show. He noted that in his logpad before climbing into the lead carriage.
As the sun rose higher, the convoy rolled out of the port, wheels clattering over cobblestone. The Horizon's hull faded behind them, replaced by the open view of rolling coastal plains.
Reku sat across from the envoy, a middle-aged man named Lord Halden, whose calm voice carried quiet authority. Between them sat a translator unit — a compact, metal device wired to Reku's earpiece and microphone.
"Captain Reku," Halden began, his tone deliberate.
"Our route follows the coast until midday, then inland through the river pass. Two days' travel to the capital, depending on the roads."
The translator lagged a heartbeat behind, repeating the words in a flat, neutral tone.
Reku nodded. "Understood. Appreciate the escort."
Halden smiled faintly. "You'll find our roads old but dependable. They were built long before my grandfather's time."
Outside, riders in crimson cloaks flanked the carriages, their standards fluttering in the wind a golden sun over a blue background. Reku's squad rode in a light wagon behind the envoy's carriage, keeping low profiles, scanning both sides of the road. Their helmets' visors flicked between thermal and optical modes, small lights blinking faintly under the morning glare.
Villages passed by a clusters of stone houses with tiled roofs, smoke rising from the chimneys. Fishermen and farmers paused to watch the convoy, whispering among themselves at the sight of the UEN soldiers. Some waved hesitantly; others crossed themselves with signs unfamiliar to Reku.
He leaned slightly out the window, studying the terrain. The coastal agriculture, organized irrigation. Probably centuries old infrastructure.
The road curved inland, bordered by olive trees and terraced hills.
By noon, the convoy stopped at a waystation surrounded by low stone walls. A stablehand rushed forward to take the horses while guards dismounted to stretch their legs.
Rekus stepped down from the carriage, scanning the horizon before checking his tablet for signal. The weak data link from Horizon flickered green it's steady. He allowed himself a short exhale.
Nearby, his operators sat in a shaded corner, unpacking ration bars and refilling canteens. One of them, Corporal Diaz, passed a ration pack to a curious Kingdom soldier who sniffed it before biting cautiously.
"Dry," the soldier muttered through the translator.
"But it's Efficient," Diaz replied with a grin.
The man laughed, pulling out a strip of smoked meat. "Trade, then?"
Soon, both sides were sharing food, ration bars swapped for bread and cured meat, filtered water for local wine.
Reku watched quietly, noting the natural flow of curiosity. Technology always attracted attention. A young guard leaned close to inspect a UEN field radio, turning the dial with careful fingers.
Halden stood nearby, smiling as the scene unfolded.
"Your people carry tools that speak through air, and ours still rely on flags and drums. Strange, how we reach the same goals by different means."
Rekus adjusted the translator earpiece.
"Different roads. Same direction"
They continued inland through farmlands and scattered towns. Reku documented everything in his field log: the architecture, thestone arches, slate roofs, roads that curved with natural geography.
They passed a bridge spanning a wide river, its base carved with worn symbols. Beside it stood the ruins of a tower, it's blackened stone overgrown with vines.
Halden noticed Reku's gaze.
"That fortress once guarded the border of the First Empire. Before the wars broke it apart."
Reku nodded slightly. "Still standing. That says something about who built it."
Halden's expression softened. "We try to live up to them. But time has a way of humbling even stone."
Reku wrote in his log: Evidence of layered governance. Political continuity probable.
As evening neared, the terrain changed into denser forests and narrow ridges. Patrols of local soldiers were stationed at intervals, saluting as the convoy passed.
By late afternoon, they reached a small fort checkpoint. The garrison soldiers wear rougher armor, and there posture less formal. The lead guard raised a hand, halting the convoy.
Reku noted the tension immediately. His operators tightened formation, scanning the tower's and treelines but keeping their weapons lowered.
The garrison officer approached, hand resting on his sword hilt. His eyes darted between the envoy's banner and the UEN insignia.
Halden stepped forward. "Official envoy of the Crown. These guests are under royal protection."
The man hesitated, then spoke curtly, "Orders said no foreign soldiers pass without writ."
Reku waited for the translator to relay it, then answered calmly. "Then you can escort us yourself, if that helps."
The officer frowned, uncertain. After a pause, Halden produced a sealed scroll, pressing the royal crest into the man's hands.
Recognition dawned on his face.
"...Understood. Proceed."
As the convoy moved on, Halden exhaled softly. "You'll have to forgive them. Not all trust what they cannot name."
Reku replied, "That's normal. It happens everywhere. Fear just looks different depending on who's watching."
They camped beside a river under a canopy of tall willows. Lanterns lined the bank, their reflections trembling in the current.
Reku oversaw the setup, UEN tents to one side, Kingdom pavilions to the other, with a shared firepit between. His squad moved efficiently, setting up portable lights and security drones along the perimeter.
Across the fire, Kingdom guards watched with open curiosity. One of them jumped when Reku's translated voice echoed through his earpiece that the man had borrowed from the spare translators.
He blinked, startled, then grinned as the device repeated his laughter in a synthetic tone.
"Magic," he said.
"Science," Reku corrected, smiling faintly.
The camp slowly relaxed. Some traded tools a UEN multitool for a carved wooden pipe. Others compared weapons, blades and rifles side by side.
Reku wrote in his report: Integration progressing smoothly. Cultural bridge established beyond official channel.
As the night deepened, most turned in. Rekus stood near the riverbank, radio in hand.
"Horizon, this is Captain Reku. How's the signal?"
After a short burst of static, a voice came through faintly: "Still clear, Captain. Relay stable."
He nodded. "Good work. Keep it that way."
He looked up. The stars above were sharp and unfamiliar. A few constellations reminded him of home, but others formed patterns no human map had charted.
On the other side of camp, two Kingdom soldiers spoke quietly by the fire.
"Those men," one said, "move like shadows. Theres Barely any sound when they walk."
"They fight for him," the other replied, glancing toward Reku.
"The way they watch the road, the treeline. I've never seen soldiers like that outside of stories."
The first nodded, then looked toward the strange lights from the UEN tents. "If they came from the heavens, maybe the stories weren't lies after all."
Halden listened in silence, eyes on the reflection of the stars. He murmured to himself,
"If this is what walks among men now, perhaps the gods have returned after all."
The second morning broke under a sky washed in pale gold. The convoy crossed a final ridge, the air carrying the scent of the sea and stone.
Ahead, rose the capital of the kingdom Kvareal.
It was vast, larger than Reku had expected. Layers of walls circled inward toward a central citadel of white stone and golden spires. The city's streets curved outward in precise arcs, structured and deliberate, the mark of organized governance.
Smoke from hundreds of chimneys drifted upward. And bells rang faintly in the distance.
Reku lowered his binoculars slowly. "So that's Kvareal."
Halden smiled with quiet pride. "Our heart, Captain. The city that survived when empires fell."
The convoy descended the winding road toward the gates. Farmers and traders along the roadside stopped to stare, whispering at the sight of the UEN vehicles and soldiers.
The gates of Kvareal loomed ahead an iron-bound oak, flanked by statues of kings and warriors from a forgotten age.
As the convoy rolled inside, the city came alive, narrow streets opening into wide squares, markets bustling, banners waving from balconies.
Children ran alongside the carriages, pointing at the soldiers in strange armor.
Reku glanced through the window, taking in every detail: the craftsmanship, the structure, the energy.
He tapped a note on his pad: Urban planning, late imperial era. Culture thriving. Controlled hierarchy.
The carriages slowed as they entered the royal district. Guards in polished armor saluted as the envoy's banner passed.
Halden leaned slightly toward Reku.
"The King awaits your arrival, Captain. From this point onward, every word will shape what comes next."
Reku nodded once, calm and steady. "Then let's make them count."
The convoy came to a halt before the grand gates of the palace. The sun climbed higher, spilling light across marble steps and towering banners. The meeting of two worlds is continuing, one careful step at a time.