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On the Motherworld,
one thousand kings ruled unchallenged in succession.
But in the royal bloodline's lust for power,
they consumed everything upon their planet.
The Realm marched its armies into the vastness of space,
conquering everything in its path.
The glory of the Motherworld seemed without end
until the treachery of an assassin's blade struck down the King and Queen,
severing the royal bloodline forever.
In the chaotic aftermath of the King's death,
several conquered planets on the edge of the Motherworld's reach
began to whisper of revolution.
A senator named Balisarius used the opportunity to seize power,
declaring himself regent.
As a show of strength, he sent his most brutal commander
into the outer reaches of the Motherworld's dominion
to find and crush without mercy
those who would call themselves rebel.
- Whoa.
Kora.
Kora!
I thought you were finished.
Everyone's up in the Longhouse.
- These are my last rows and I'll be done. - All right.
Okay.
Oh. Uh...
Den was asking where you were.
He and his brother got a big snow-elk, male.
He wanted you to see it before he dressed it.
Why was he asking for me?
Well, you know, because he's...
I, I just thought...
I just thought...
You thought?
- Move up.
It's been a while since we've had fresh meat. Forgot how good it is.
Den said they saw the summer herds returning.
Maybe three days' ride away.
- He was asking for you. - I heard.
And, yes, it's quite impressive.
Which one? The animal?
Or...
Or the hunter?
Hey!
My people,
it is my duty as the head of this community
to remind you that the gods of the harvest demand a tribute.
Yeah.
An offering.
But we all know it is the thrusting of hips...
...and the loud sounds of pleasure that summon the seedlings to sprout.
- Yeah!
So make love tonight.
For the harvest. For the very food we eat.
- Yeah! - Yeah!
For the gods!
Let's have some music.
Some music to get us in the mood.
Den is a good man.
You should be asleep.
He's the best hunter among us.
And a loyal friend.
Have you thought of a more permanent relationship?
I know that he's amenable to the idea.
He's asked me himself.
It's easy between us.
Does it have to be more than that?
It's just, uh...
That would be your last step to becoming a full member of this community.
I'm telling you, this is home now.
I want that to be true.
You know,
the two seasons I've spent here have given me happiness
that I don't deserve.
But understand, I am a child of war.
To truly love and be loved, I...
I don't know if I'm capable of either.
The very idea of love, of... family was beaten out of me.
I was taught that love is weakness.
And I...
I don't know how that will ever change.
You should get some rest.
Yeah.
I noticed you left early last night.
Were you tired?
That's right. I thought I'd make it an early night.
I thought you were doing your part for the harvest.
Because as I walked home, I passed Den's house.
- That's what it sounded like.
Sam, I don't know what you're talking about.
I think you do.
What do you think they want?
Everything.
I don't care what the potential upside might be,
a warship hanging over our land cannot be good.
That's your problem. Your first reaction is always fear.
The Motherworld has deep pockets.
I'm simply saying maybe we can get a better price
from our friends in low orbit there,
rather than having to deal with the cutthroats in Providence,
selling our grain to God only knows.
Don't act like we don't know you've been selling our surplus grain
to the enemies of that ship up there.
I wonder what they would say if they found out where our excess went last year.
Well, I'm no revolutionary.
They offered the best price. I don't care about their cause.
Obviously.
Sindri, I don't have a side, only this community.
That's my only loyalty.
And I say we start by showing them goodwill, not fear.
That we are their partners, not their adversaries, right?
Did you say "partner," Gunnar?
I did. Is that a problem?
That ship does not represent prosperity.
Its purpose is to destroy, to subjugate, to enslave.
- Partnership is not in its vocabulary.
Give them what they ask for.
But volunteer nothing about how fertile this land is.
And hope they leave before digging too deep
into who Gunnar sold last year's grain to.
- Right. - I've heard enough. We volunteer nothing.
Is that clear?
They're here!
They're coming! They're coming! They're coming!
Hello. I am Sindri, father of this village.
Welcome.
I'm Admiral Atticus Noble.
Loyal representative of the slain King.
I welcome you to his warm embrace.
Please, father, tell me about this beautiful village.
Walk with me up to our Longhouse.
We can have a cup of ale and I will tell you about life here.
Oh. Sounds perfect. Lead the way.
We've carved out a simple life here.
And we take pride in the love of our community,
and the hard work it takes to survive here.
Your people seem healthy and well-fed.
As their leader, much of that prosperity must be credited to you.
No, we are a community. The credit is no one person's.
Oh, I know that in the best of times, the credit's shared,
but when the stores are empty, you know where the responsibility falls.
The weight of the leader, I suppose.
So you... you understand the feeling of, like, a father,
the need to feed your children, yes?
I was hoping that your land and the people of Veldt might help
as we search for a small band of revolutionaries hiding in this system.
Who my commander, the Regent Balisarius, bid me find and bring to justice.
We are humble farmers,
far removed from the politics of the Motherworld.
- And still you can serve. Hmm.
The rebels we seek have been attacking our supply ports.
Led by a woman named Devra Bloodaxe, and her brother Darrian.
Their capture's inevitable.
However, it's taken longer than anticipated,
and we found ourselves admittedly low on stores.
And as you know or may have heard, an army runs on its stomach.
I was thinking of a partnership, where you supply us with food.
Whatever you have to spare, of course.
In exchange, you're compensated at...
Let's call it triple the market value, shall we?
With that windfall, you'll be able to buy plenty of harvesters, robots,
and won't have to do this difficult work by hand.
We believe that doing the work by hand connects us to the land
and honors these sacred fields that give us life.
There's peace of mind knowing that you're invaluable
in the important mission of rooting out enemies of the Motherworld.
- It's quite a proposal. - Yes.
If only we had some surplus to offer.
You see, the land is rocky
and yields barely enough to feed ourselves.
So, it is with sincere apologies that we must decline the offer.
However, we are grateful
for the presence of such a benevolent and powerful protector.
Huh.
No surplus?
- None at all?
Huh.
But your land looks so fertile.
Your fields seem larger than what your population might need.
Of course, I understand how it might seem.
Yet the scale of the planting is evidence of the poor soil.
And our harsh winters only add to the short season.
Now, what do you say we share that cup of ale, eh?
Sorry.
It's just...
I mean, look at these beautiful people.
I can't imagine these glowing complexions are nourished by a barren field.
Now... who's the man or woman among you who oversees the harvest?
There must be one whose thumb is greener than the rest.
Someone?
Hmm?
Yes, sir.
- Ah. - That is me.
Good.
Yes, I oversee the harvest.
Well, if these people trust you, then so do I.
Trying to understand how I could be so wrong about what this land could yield.
That's all.
Well, sir.
Sindri, our beloved father, is always looking out for the welfare of our village
and so insists on keeping reserves in case of famine or drought,
which, as you know, is the responsibility of a leader.
But we have been lucky these last few seasons.
Our surplus has been more than we can store.
So, there might be
a chance that we can spare a small amount.
Depending, of course, on the scale of your needs.
Mmm. Good. Good.
Yeah, I mean, it's always wise to hold some in reserve, isn't it, father?
Yep. Yep.
I am confused though.
Curious why you should have me believe
this land could barely yield enough to feed your people.
- Seems that wasn't entirely true. - No, wait, wait.
Admiral, no one is trying to mislead you.
Sindri simply has a slightly more conservative view on reserves than I do.
But we're both excited about a possible partnership.
Just bear in mind the reality of what we can supply.
Father, who is this exactly?
- Uh... My... - He's of no consequence.
I have been empowered by my people to speak for them.
This man has no authority here.
You would be wise to ignore him.
Well... a rift.
It's not quite the idyllic community I'd first seen.
Father, if I may
offer you some advice when dealing with subordinates who need to be kept in place.
I find people can lose sight of the stakes and sometimes need a gentle reminder
of just how those with power deal with those without.
Admiral.
Sindri...
Please.
- No, I... I would never... - It's fine.
- I... - Let me show you what I mean.
Uh...
Please.
Admiral.
No, stop!
No!
What did you do?
When can I expect my harvest?
Oh...
I don't...
I said, tell me, partner, when I can expect my harvest.
Uh... Um...
- Nine... nine weeks. - Very well.
In ten weeks, I shall return.
You shall have my 10,000 bushels prepared for my ship.
Twelve... We barely produce 12,000 bushels.
We'll starve to death.
I don't understand what you want.
Well, it's simple.
I want everything.
All right, listen up.
I need all of this gear moved to this big stone building.
That should suit us for now.
Marcus, you're gonna help me evict the current residents from our new home.
Copy?
Copy you, boss.
Copy you.
Hello, everyone.
I am JC-1435 of the Mechanicas Militarium,
defender of the King.
Correction, of the slain King.
It is my honor to serve.
I'm Private Aris.
We're moving supplies to that building, if you wouldn't mind lending a hand.
Thank you, Private Aris.
That falls perfectly into my protocols.
I'm talking to you, you dirty drain turtle. Come here.
The hell you waiting for? Get out, man!
Mmm.
Thank you.
Now, what in the name of the old gods are you looking at?
I'm sorry, I was just waiting to see if you needed some more water.
Some more water?
That's how I like 'em. Young, strong enough to put up a fight.
- Boss. - Hmm?
Look, they left us a Jimmy.
It's a Jimmy, man.
I didn't know we had any of those left.
All right, careful. The ground's uneven till you get to the bridge.
Thank you, Private Aris, but I believe I can manage.
They won't fight anymore.
What do you mean they won't fight anymore?
It's something in their programming.
Once the King was killed,
they just laid down their weapons and refused to fight.
Just watch, no matter what I do, he doesn't fight back.
Hey!
Careful with that stuff, you stupid machine.
I'll turn you into scrap, you dumbshit. You hear me?
You're not hearing me.
Hey! Stop.
What if I shoot you instead, huh?
I could kill you right now and no one would care.
- Would they? - That's enough.
What do you say? Wanna die?
What's it, huh?
Come on, boy.
I said, enough.
Get these crates into that house now, Private.
Yes, boss.
Are you malfunctioning?
No, sir.
Get up. Go to the river. Clean yourself.
The rest of you, stop staring.
Get back to work.
Get back to work, assholes.
That includes you, Marcus.
You got it?
Excuse me.
Thank you. That is kind.
- You're a soldier? - Long ago.
Do you mind? I'm Sam.
Please.
Tell me, Sam. Do you know the story of our slain King
and his beautiful daughter, the Princess Issa?
I don't.
Well, you remind me of her.
In myth, she was called the Chalice or the Redeemer.
She was pueri salvatoris.
And even before she was born,
I and my brothers pledged everything we were,
everything that dwells inside this metal skin,
to fight in her name.
So when word reached us on some distant battlefield
that she, as prophesied, had been born of flesh and blood into our world,
I felt a great warmth for the universe
and trusted that she was to usher in a new age of peace and compassion.
And bring us home.
She was magic.
Ah, yes. She was more than magic.
On the day of her coronation,
she, along with our honored King and Queen,
were assassinated in cold blood by those they trusted most.
I fear we lost some measure of our honor since that betrayal.
I'm afraid our compassion, our kindness,
our very joy,
died with that young girl.
I think it lives in you.
This is your fault, Gunnar!
I didn't know that he would kill them.
Doesn't matter. He's dead now.
What about the soldiers? Next, it's gonna be the other house.
- I don't know. - Stop, please.
How about we bring in the crop and we fall on their mercy?
Yeah.
We make ourselves invaluable. They wouldn't be able to kill us.
- They would need us. - He's right.
Farming, that is our skill that we can do, that they cannot.
If we show them how good we are, they will be forced to spare us.
- Yes. - Yes. Yeah.
- Do we agree? Our work fights for us. - Yes!
- Our work fights for us. Yes? - Yes!
It's settled then.
- We show them how valuable we are. - Okay.
And when we have fulfilled our side of the deal,
they will be forced to rethink how much food they leave us.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
We can appeal to those gentlemen in the granary, appeal to their humanity.
- Yeah. - Good.
So... it's running.
Would've thought you'd have had enough of that.
You heard them. They're delusional.
They think those soldiers will show mercy even after what they did to Sindri,
right in front of them.
When I found you in the wreckage of that ship,
I considered leaving you.
I was afraid you could bring trouble to us.
But do I for a moment regret bringing you into our lives?
I do not.
You've become a part of us.
And yet, now you leave when we need you most.
When your people need you.
I can't.
You mean, you won't?
This place is already lost.
But what if that could change?
What if we did fight, not only us, but others?
- Who else would come here and fight? - Others! Others!
Others that have reason to hate all that the Motherworld represents.
Kora, you know this universe better than I.
What if you could find the warriors that Noble seeks?
The outlaws to fight alongside us?
If I find warriors to fight for Veldt, I give the village hope.
If I give them hope, they fight and surely lose.
I won't have that blood on my hands.
Nor will I throw my life away the same as the rest of you.
Check this.
Hey, water girl!
- Come here. - What is it?
Did you need some more water?
Just a... a little water.
Stop it!
Or what?
- Help! Help!
Please, help!
Help!
- Shut up! - Get off me!
- Help me! - Shut up!
No. Please!
- Shut up. - Someone help me, please! Please, help!
- Help me! Get off of me! - Shut up!
Get off me!
Don't!
Attaboy. What do you have in mind?
I'm gonna tie you to a post and make you watch every day
as she turns from a farm girl to a whore.
Marcus, my good man...
This all sounds nice,
but you're not gonna do anything.
Not until I split this sapling myself.
Then you may have her.
Then you can all have her.
- Get off her!
Stop!
Stop.
Dessert. Perfect.
Definitely get her.
Please.
I will kill her.
Is that what you want? Huh?
Huh?
Ah, look who decided to join us.
Kill her. Kill them both.
What are you waiting for? I gave you an order.
Kill this b...
We're gonna have to fight.
Kora, you may need this.
I found it at the site of the crash.
I thought it was lost.
Our culture is not for such weapons.
I feared it could be dangerous.
You were right.
Thank you.
Where will you go?
There is someone, a general named Titus.
Once a hero of the Realm
who turned his own forces against those of the Motherworld.
Last I heard, he was still out there somewhere.
If I could find him and men for him to lead...
Gunnar.
Last year, in Providence, you sold grain to the resistance.
Yes. I met a man there who introduced me to the insurgents.
The Bloodaxes.
- Would he still know how to find them? - It's possible.
Then you'll take me to him?
Of course I will.
Hey! Bring down one more uraki!
A general and an army?
We might stand a chance.
Be careful.
A safe journey... to the both of you.
So you were a soldier for the Motherworld?
Fighting for the Realm?
You could say that.
Of high rank, I suppose?
I mean, are you wanted for desertion?
That and more.
Okay.
Anything else you wanna ask me?
They won't just kill us, will they?
I mean, I understand making an example of Sindri
to keep us in line.
But we're just farmers, we're not a threat.
How can you know they will destroy us?
When they first came to my world, I was nine years old.
They never asked for anything.
There were no terms.
Only the lust for destruction.
The Motherworld's forces were commanded by a young general named Balisarius,
who relished the ecstasy of combat.
The people of my world had mounted a brave defense,
but it had served only to enrage the young general
and gave him provocation to take out that anger on the innocent.
I found myself face-to-face with Balisarius,
who loved commanding his troops,
not from the conning tower of his ships,
but on the battlefield itself.
Balisarius killed my entire family and took me with him.
I don't know why he spared me.
Why, of the hundreds of thousands that died at his hands,
he chose me to live.
Saw something in me, I suppose.
Someone to share in his pain.
They gave me the name Arthelais,
began my training and education in the histories of the Motherworld.
And for five years, I lived on that ship with its soldiers,
who were my only family.
No softness.
Only the hard lessons of war.
He took me often on missions of diplomacy,
and I was his child.
I was his protégé. I was his student.
I was one of them.
Daughter of a decorated commander.
Friend to the King and the royal family.
- Living a life of privilege. -
But regardless of my social standing,
I was expected to do my duty.
To fight for the Motherworld.
At the Academy Militarium, they encouraged us to find a lover.
Someone we would defend with our lives
when the politics of expansion became too abstract,
and the why of the conquest was lost in sheer savagery of combat.
Come on! Let's go! Come on!
So, at the age of 18, I was made an officer and given a command.
I fought for the King on distant worlds
under the banner of a people who murdered my entire family
and destroyed my world.
They had trained me,
broken me, and rebuilt me in their image.
I'm only telling you this so you know who I am.
You asked how I know that they'll destroy you.
That's what I would do.
Hawkshaws.
Bounty hunters. They work for the Imperium.
Wait.
- Oh, no.
That's our guy. That's the man we came to see.
The one that introduced me to the Bloodaxes.
Did the Bloodaxes give you any other way to contact them?
No. They said they were sheltered on a planet called Sharaan.
- Protected by a king named Levitica. - Levitica.
Come.
Carbost.
Anyway, I think our best chance to find the Bloodaxes
is to contact the Leviticans.
It might expose us.
First we find General Titus, then we'll see about your rebels.
Is this your owner?
Move on. He's not for sale.
Everything's for sale in this place, so... [inhales sharply] how much?
You know, I have a room upstairs...
...with relatively clean sheets.
That's a very generous offer. But I don't think so...
I guarantee you, by morning,
you're gonna be begging me for more.
- I said, move on.
- Come on, Mama.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa. - Let him come and play.
You need to leave.
Listen close, you jealous little bitch.
Now you listen close. I told you, you need to leave.
I'm looking for information.
Has anyone here heard of General Titus or know where he might be?
Of course, General Titus.
Crazy bastard. Turned his own men on the Motherworld's forces
at the Battle of Sarawu.
Do you know of his location?
Last I heard, he was fighting in the coliseum at Pollux.
I'd be careful if I were you, little miss.
Last hunter who went looking for him ended up with his head on a pike
outside the coliseum entrance
as a warning not to bother him.
So, he's on Pollux.
- That's your plan? - That's my plan.
What?
Guess we need to find a ship to take us to Pollux.
You're catching on.
Hey! Bitch!
Oh.
You should have killed me.
Now you're gonna die.
I'm gonna give you one chance to just turn and walk away.
Uh-oh.
Are you gonna give all of us one chance?
- Kill her.
Impressive.
Were those Hawkshaws that paid you working for the Motherworld?
- I don't like bounty hunters. - I didn't ask.
And to be clear, I don't like bounty hunters either.
So you're a gun for hire?
No. That's not my thing.
I'm more of an opportunist, you might say.
A real hero, huh?
Wait.
Look. I heard you in there,
trying to get to Pollux.
I could help you.
Oh, understand, we're just simple farmers.
We're searching for soldiers for a fight against the Motherworld.
We have some money, but this is not the one you get rich on.
Aye, I understand.
Still, pay me what it's worth to you.
Soldiers for a fight against the Motherworld?
Well, my name's Kai.
Come on, my ship's down at port.
Right. Setting course for Pollux.
I need to stop on Neu-Wodi first.
You know, there's a rancher there.
He has a man that might just work out for you.
Is he worth our time?
Because we can't afford to waste any.
I think you'll like him.
You ever been off-planet?
No.
What did you do on the farm?
I oversee the harvest, and planting, cataloguing seeds, and making sure that...
That sounds great. You might want to hold on.
Whoo!
Whoa.
Come in.
Oh, Cassius, it's you. Good.
We received a communiqué from the Hawkshaws.
They're requesting to rendezvous with us.
Apparently they've captured a creature
that has important information about the insurgents,
Devra Bloodaxe and her brother.
Bloodaxe? Huh.
- Well, that...
That's excellent, Cassius.
Inform me when they arrive.
- Yes, sir. - Hey.
Well, if it isn't the bastard from Saaldorun.
- What brings you all the way out here? - I missed your smiling face.
You still got that man chained in the back?
Tarak? Yeah, he's working off his debt to me.
Another couple dozen seasons, we should be square.
What's it to you?
You mind if we talk to him?
Could be a deal in it for ya.
Well, if there's money to be made...
Hey!
Hey! Tarak!
These people want to talk to you.
- What got that chain on your leg? - A long road of mistakes.
But if you're here to accuse me of crimes against the Motherworld,
I'm guilty as charged. Take it up with him.
No. That's not why we're here.
We're here from a small village, and we're looking to hire some fighters
to train and protect us against a force from the Motherworld.
- I'm no friend of the Realm. - Okay.
That's well-known.
And I'd gladly fight with you,
but... I have a debt on my name,
and I honor my debts.
What's he owe you?
Uh...
300,000 Darams ought to cover any inconvenience I've suffered.
Oh, ya bollocks.
We don't have that kind of money.
No money.
Well, I do love to gamble.
Here we go.
What's the bet?
If Tarak can break that creature out there, his debts are squared with me.
But if he don't ride him,
you all get a chain and a shackle.
That's the deal.
Grab it tighter!
Watch its tail!
Can you ride him?
Yeah... I can ride him.
Yank it hard! Don't let him fight you like that!
Pull!
Drop your leads.
She'll tear you apart.
Drop your leads and clear out now.
Suit yourself. Drop them.
I'm not going to hurt you.
You're far from home and so am I.
See, you and I...
...we are alike.
We've been hurt. Betrayed.
Our trust has been broken.
We both know fear.
Yet, the biggest fear we both face...
...is the fear of ourselves.
That's it.
Let's show them we're not afraid.
Let's show them we're more than the shackles that bind us.
Easy. Easy. Easy. Let's go. Let's go.
Whoo!
There.
Yeah.
It's okay.
Hickman, I've done as you asked.
Your debt is square with me.
Be good to her.
Go! Get out!
- Hey!
No.
Hey.
No. No.
Attagirl.
Tarak! Let's go.
This was good. Anyone else you know of along the way?
I might have a couple ideas.
So, what's the job?
We represent a village on a small moon called Veldt.
This village faces the threat of annihilation
by the armies of the Motherworld.
We are looking for warriors
to join the fight to protect them.
With your reputation,
we thought it might be something you'd be interested in.
- Nemesis, please, please. - Hold her.
Help her. Please, please.
Stay back.
I just want to talk. That's all.
I'm clearly distressed, that's true.
But I'm not stupid.
I know why you're here. You want the child.
Yes, I do.
You can't have this one.
This one is mine.
She has a mother who's waiting for her.
Who's missing her.
And why should I care about that mother's pain
when no one is here for my pain?
- This was my home before they came.
Taste the air.
It's poisoned my body.
It weakens my eggs, and now, my children cannot emerge.
I deserve justice.
I understand.
But this is not the way.
There is a difference between justice and revenge.
Is there?
I'm not so sure.
I know a mother's pain.
I know the loneliness of that pain.
But you can't hurt that child.
I won't let you.
I believe you. But understand.
- I will kill this child.
And I will keep killing until every mother weeps tears of regret
for ever having come to the mines of Daggus.
Shit!
Come on.
Let's go.
Come. Back up! Back up!
- Come here.
Wow. That was...
That was amazing.
Do not celebrate this.
There's no honor in this.
This could easily be any of you lying here
in the gutter of some forgotten world,
in the name of revenge.
You would do well to remember that.
That was good of you earlier. With the child.
- I was just trying to help. - Yes, but it's not natural for some.
It is for you.
Back home, you saved Sam without hesitation.
Kindness is a virtue worth dying for.
I believe that.
I didn't always.
I told you how I fought on countless worlds.
Well, word of my victories reached my adopted father.
And the King.
For my loyalty and service,
I was promoted to the Elite Guard of the Royal Family.
The appointment was engineered by my father.
I couldn't have known it was something more.
I was given the honor
of being the bodyguard to Princess Issa.
The princess was named after an ancient Queen Issa,
the Lifegiver.
In the old stories of the queen,
it was said that she had the power to give life.
It seemed a myth or a metaphor
created in response to the generations of war and conquest.
Yet, the story still captured the imagination of the people.
And it was believed that the princess, my princess, might have that same power.
I saw on more than one occasion things that I... couldn't explain.
Things that made me think that she was different.
Special.
The King once said to me...
When she becomes queen,
I believe she'll bring a compassion that I've lost
after all these hard years of war.
"It will be the dawn of something better."
- I think your friendship makes her safer. - That our friendship made her safer.
I believed in her.
In her kindness.
I believed in her ability to save us.
The great General Titus.
Thank you.
Okay.
Oof.
Are you sure this is a good idea?
Let's clean him up and get him sober.
- Yeah, that'll do it. - Come on.
- You got him.
- Come on. - Get off me!
What do you think you're doing?
That's enough. Thank you.
Did you command the Eastern ranks for the Old King?
Are you not General Titus? A legend.
I don't know what you're running your mouth about.
Why can't you just leave me alone?
Because my best hope is that long-ago general is still in front of me.
What do you want from me?
My men are dead because of my surrender.
I'm tired of reliving that nightmare every day.
Now, please, leave me and let me die in peace.
I don't think you're meant to die here...
General.
Stop calling me that.
I have no rank, no privilege.
I'm here to make you an offer.
To give you a chance at redemption.
- I am beyond redemption. - I have no time for pity!
What about all the dead men you once commanded?
What about them?
If not redemption,
what about revenge?
This is the man who knows where the insurgents are?
It is, sir.
Well, I'm listening.
You'll let me go if I tell you what I know?
I'll set you free, you have my word.
I haven't seen Devra Bloodaxe for a full season,
but at the time they were on Sharaan, under the protection of a king called...
Levitica.
Go on.
This was some time ago, but they were definitely there.
Talk to him, to Levitica.
I certainly will. Thank you.
Thought we had a deal!
Yes, we did.
You're free.
Dissect his brain and see if we can find out any more information.
Then we'll go pay our respects to King Levitica.
Yes, Admiral. I'll set a course for Sharaan.
Let's go.
Your patience is appreciated and I can assure you...
...Devra is aware of your presence.
A decision when to receive you is imminent.
Thank you, Levitica, honored king.
We await their arrival.
- Look.
Farmer, why would you contact us from this unknown and flagless vessel?
I was assuming we had a level of trust after our last meeting.
We bought your grain to feed our fighters.
Do not confuse your business of commerce with our business of revolution.
I understand.
Your coming here is a great risk to us all and to our benefactor.
But we are no longer in need of your grain.
King Levitica's kindness has been more than enough to sustain us,
so I suggest you leave immediately.
We're not here to sell grain.
Gunnar's village was visited by a Dreadnought
that threatens its very existence.
I have recruited these warriors
and given my word to bring them back and defend the farmers.
- But we're running out of time. - What?
This handful? Against a Dreadnought?
That's why we have come. You have men and ships.
With you we could mount a real defense.
And, of course, we can pay you with the surplus from our harvest.
It's all we've got.
My forces against the King's Gaze?
That's suicide.
That ship cannot be destroyed by a few dozen fighters.
That ship and the men aboard it are world destroyers.
I'm sorry, it's impossible.
This man is not a revolutionary.
He's a simple farmer.
But commerce or not,
his people toiled with their bare hands to grow the grain that fed you.
All of you!
And because of that transaction,
their village is now threatened by Admiral Noble,
in pursuit of your revolution.
I see.
I will go.
Thank you.
Brother, a word.
Our victories, what few there have been, have been tactical ones.
We cannot fight in the open against the King's Gaze.
If the farmer found us, it won't be long before Noble does.
And I will not allow another world to fall in our name.
And what of those you command?
Their lives are theirs.
Hmm.
These people, they've come to us with
nowhere else to turn.
They come...
...seeking our help...
...to stand against a Dreadnought of the Motherworld.
Is that not what we stand for?
Are they not who we once were?
If we will not stand with these defiant farmers to protect their home,
then the revolution is meaningless.
Under free will,
who among you is willing to die for what we believe
rather than hide behind it?
Milius.
Why am I not surprised?
Who is going to make sure you'll return in one piece, if not me?
Thank Levitica and leave this planet.
Sister, until we meet again.
Maybe this isn't suicide after all.
Why would he agree to help you?
Bloodaxe? You think they shouldn't?
It just seems short-sighted.
I mean, he weakens what little of
whatever word you wanna use for it there is...
Resistance, insurgency.
For what, Kora?
The chance to get obliterated by a Dreadnought?
Guilt, it's a powerful thing.
Aye, guilt. The underbelly of honor.
I think I might've had that once.
Honor.
Would you believe that?
It's true.
I mean, what do you figure?
I got ten, fifteen more seasons at most, before I steal from the wrong man.
Get stabbed to death by some dog-headed son of a bitch in a bar fight.
It's really your fault, anyway.
Makin' me wanna be an honorable man.
If you had more resisting power to speak of,
you wouldn't need me to join you so badly.
You're willing to fight with us?
Since you're beggin'.
Kai, we're not.
Well, since you're asking, then.
If you'll allow me.
Wow.
There is one complication.
The shite in the cargo hold.
I got buyers waiting in Gondival.
Aren't the kinds known for their patience.
Might be wise to sever my ties to life as a thief
before we go picking a fight with a Dreadnought.
Besides, you said yourself you need me.
- I did not say that. - I think you did.
I'll set the course and let 'em know we're on our way.
Oh, shit, does that make me one of the good guys?
I beg you...
Please!
I've told you the truth.
I have nothing more.
Right.
The truth...
...that you took them in, known enemies of the Motherworld,
mended their wounds, repaired their broken ships,
all out of your moral code of honor and charity.
Our civilization has lived and thrived for 10,000 years
with honor and charity as its most valued tenets.
Yes. Yes, honor and charity.
Do you see that?
That ship is named the King's Gaze.
It was named to honor our slain father.
So...
honor I understand.
Charity, I do not.
Our King showed charity to an off-worlder like yourself
and was slaughtered for his charity.
So, we named the ship to remind us of the power in that benevolent gaze
that was lost to charity.
And to remember that, if by God's will, that gaze should fall upon us and be held,
for even the briefest of moments,
it could change your life forever.
Today, it falls upon you.
We are cleared to engage.
- Confirmed.
Fire at will.
Sir, we received a message from one of our Hawkshaws.
They're closing in on the Bloodaxes.
Ah.
Finally, some good news.
Well, prepare the hyperlaunch.
I'll go ahead and personally retrieve the treasonous dogs myself.
And what orders for the King's Gaze, sir?
Well, once you've razed the planet,
we'll rendezvous, extract the exact location of the rest of the insurgents,
and destroy them once and for all.
Yes, sir.
I'm pretty sure Kai said these boxes.
- We've got one. - Okay.
Aye, just take the gray ones.
- They're all marked. - All right.
For God's sake, don't look inside. I'd hate you to think less of me.
Ho!
Where do you want them?
- There's space behind the bridge. - Done.
All right, put them the other side of the bridge.
Aye, let's unload and get off this godforsaken rock.
I'll be happy to leave this life behind.
Good.
Just wanna make sure that one's on the manifest.
Pilots!
Once you tie off those ships, see if you can get some fuel.
And you two, keep eyes from above!
How we lookin'?
Everything is done.
- All right, let's move. - Yes.
- On your mark.
This isn't right.
On your knees.
Now is not the time to be a hero.
When?
On Veldt, in Providence, the first time I heard your story.
Thought with your ideals of resistance I could round up a couple of heads.
Tarak for instance.
His world enslaved.
Then there was Nemesis.
Her whole family slaughtered.
But General Titus?
Have you any idea how much he alone is worth?
They would've all jumped at the chance
to exact any small vengeance against the Realm.
Even if the payment was only a sack of grain.
Then there was you. Kora.
Or should I call you Arthelais?
The biggest prize of them all.
Do you know what the Motherworld did to my planet?
They didn't just destroy it.
They tortured every man, woman, and child.
Left them clingin' to life as they turned them to ash from low orbit.
You know what that taught me?
Never set foot on the wrong side of history.
Is that what you think we're doing?
No.
You've chosen the side that doesn't even make it to the history books.
What happened to honor?
What did happen to it?
Piece of shit.
Well, who all have we got here?
Who indeed?
Commander Bloodaxe.
Leader of the very insurgency
the King's Gaze was sent to this backwater of the galaxy to capture.
He alone will secure my seat in the Senate.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention we are in the presence of royalty.
Tarak Decimus.
Or should I say Prince Tarak?
General Titus.
Needs no introduction, does he?
His actions at the Battle of Sarawu precede him.
The farmer.
The ambitious farmer.
I pride myself on never being surprised.
And yet, here I am.
I understand why all of them are here... but you.
What could you have possibly hoped to gain by mounting such a... feeble stand?
Tell me.
Oh, yes.
The legendary swordswoman known only by the name of Nemesis.
Assassinated 16 high-ranking Imperial officers
and their security details.
All in a hunt to avenge her slaughtered children.
Oh...
Of course.
Now I thought I recognized something in you,
down in that filthy village.
Out there, amongst all those simple people,
the most wanted fugitive in the known universe.
Scargiver. Arthelais.
Do you know what you've done for me, Arthelais, truly?
Assembling yourself as such?
When I lay your bodies at the foot of the Regent,
I'll be a hero of the Realm.
They'll write songs of my feats of courage.
It's not like I didn't do all the work.
Let's move this along, shall we?
Let's transport them paralyzed, in case anyone's feeling frisky.
On your feet. I've got a job for you.
Look... Okay, okay.
You play your cards right, you at least might make it out of this alive.
You're sick.
And you're a coward.
All you have to do is pull the trigger.
I won't do it.
Yes, you will.
You can do it. Just pull the trigger.
- I know you're in love with her.
Kora.
Gunnar.
I'm so sorry.
You can do it.
Pilots! To your ships!
Cut me loose! We gotta go!
No!
This is perfect.
They gave their lives for us.
They believed in their cause.
What better thing to die for?
And I should have died with them.
I know a thing or two about
the guilt of carrying on when those you've sworn to fight with are gone.
Honor them.
With everything that you can from now.
Carry them.
This was a blow to the Motherworld, what we did this day.
Criminals, nobodies, standing against a machine of war.
This small act of defiance gives voice to the voiceless.
This is more than just a fallen prick officer and some of his men.
It's the beginning of something.
What will they do now?
The crews of the Imperium are not known for their bravery.
After the death of an admiral, protocol will demand the ship's return.
That's good.
We still get paid, I presume?
A deal is a deal.
Payment awaits us on Veldt.
I owe you thanks, Gunnar. You know, I never did trust that pilot.
We all owe him thanks.
He saved us.
I've been wondering.
Is what that dead bounty hunter said true?
That you're Arthelais?
Kai was a liar and a thief who nearly sold you all for a profit.
Anything more you want, General?
Don't call me General.
Hey, you see it?
There.
That's our village.
Home.
I never had a place to put to the word.
It's almost a shame you killed that son-of-a-bitch Noble
and we don't have to fight.
This would've been a beautiful place to die.
Yes, it would.
Let's go.
Ready him for transmission.
Balisarius is standing by.
Sir, should we stabilize him first?
No, we will not keep the Regent waiting.
Neurolink.
- Link is established.
Connection complete.
Signal is strong.
Send him.
Master.
Balisarius.
I have found her.
I have found Arthelais.
The Scargiver.
- You're certain it's her? - I am, my Lord.
She was in the company of the disgraced General Titus and Darrian Bloodaxe.
We are close to capturing them.
Tell me, Commander. Did you think that this would be good news?
That my daughter, Arthelais,
one of the most dangerous and decorated warriors
in the history of armed conflict, is now part of a blossoming insurgency?
I'm supposed to be happy
that she's joined forces with the genius battlefield commander, General Titus?
Sir, she is within our grasp.
Let me bring you her head.
In truth, I fear the head most endangered here is yours.
You will crush this insurgency to the last man, do you hear me?
And then you will capture my daughter alive
and bring back my precious child to me.
So that I may crucify her in the shadow of the Senate.
If you cannot bring her to me,
then the one whose public execution
will send shivers down the spines of the senators,
and whose screams will echo down its marbled halls
will be yours.
Did he make it back?
I don't know.
I have no heartbeat or brain function.
Hit him with everything.