27/09/2013

The Conquered
By Jade Tatsu
Chapter XXXV – Future New

I said at the beginning that I wanted to get to the truth of the matter. What I've recorded is the truth… At least it's the truth as I see it. I'm sure others will dispute the particulars of events, or argue that they had more or less of an impact on others but this is my recall of the matter and the record of history is always imperfect. Records of gross events, of outcomes, that this happened and that happened, that is usually fairly accurate. The accuracy of the records of the reasons is usually far more sketchy. So for this record, I've given my reasons and my understanding of the reasons of others. I have endeavoured to be accurate, to ask those involved but not everyone is clear on their reasoning. The Units have helped tremendously but they can only provide their Host's reasons and most will not betray the innermost thoughts of their Hosts. I respect that, I truly do.

Others may add to this record, or alter parts to better reflect the truth but it stands now as the history of that time. History of course never ends, it continues to flow with time but chapters finish, opportunities pass and as such this chapter of history draws to a close. The fate of some is well known but others have disappeared from public view either by design or by circumstance. To complete this record, I shall endeavour to summarise the fate of those who were instrumental in reaching this point, though know that for them, the main story of their life might fall outside these events. I do not know.

Firstly, all the Guyvers were returned to their homes. Receptions varied and individual tales must be told here but eventually all the hosts found a home again though some moved on from their original arrangements.

Alkanphel's clone perhaps had the longest path to integration into society. In some ways his path was easy, he had no memories and no expectations of society, in others, it was much harder as he had to learn everything. Leoben had quite literally been his mind in almost all aspects of his being. We took him to Merrimu to begin to introduce him to human society. It required a lot of work. We had an adult body with the mind of a very young child, wielding one of the most dangerous powers known to the universe. He had many of Alkanphel's Zoalord aspects but not the strength to use them. As we did not have a crystal to stabilise the abilities, we had them removed. I know that sounds harsh, that we did not give him a chance to learn to control his power but it was only because he possessed a Guyver Unit that he was allowed to live. Using the abilities he did have was dangerous for him as well. They drained him of energy so it was safer this way. If he had of been a straight clone, with the full ability and energy to use Alkanphel's abilities then… as much as I hate to admit it, Aptom or Agito probably would have quietly attended to his demise. We didn't have the resources to put towards his rehabilitation if he had to learn to control Zoalord powers as well!

As it is, he was very lucky. For all that Alkanphel had lead Chronos to take over the world, that was years ago and in the time since the world had gone through many further upheavals such as Agito's rise to power, the coming of the Advents and the fight against them. Every event served to distance the public from their memory of Alkanphel. Additionally, for all that Alkanphel ruled Chronos he did not crave attention. There are photographs and recordings of him but the Supreme Lord of Chronos was content to be largely unknown. Hence with a few small, mostly superficial changes, such as the rounding of his ears, Alkanphel's clone was not recognised and could integrate into society.

Eventually, once he had learned to function, he chose the name Renato, meaning reborn and began to use his skills as a healer. It took many years of study but he was dedicated and as far as I know he is still practicing as a Healer in one of the major hospitals on Earth. He even attends to Agito on occasion mostly I think so that the Terran Emperor can keep an eye on him. Renato does use his Unit but only for the most desperate of cases. I believe he is happy with the life he has chosen. He does not speak much of the time with Leoben suffice to say that things are very different now.

The Kyheenan's were both pleased and… worried to have their Empress returned to them. With her disappearing so suddenly and not being able to be found, several other claimants to the throne had made their presence felt. They had legitimate claims… or they would have if Tarnsi had of been dead but they had stated that with the Empress missing, she was as good as dead and thus the Empire needed to have a new ruler, one who could rule. A few of the claimants also made some aspersion towards the fact that Tarnsi possessed a Guyver Unit, stating that she could never be truly loyal to Kyheen. It is unfortunate that the Empress was on record as saying something similar in the past.

Tarnsi's return before any one claimant could garner enough support made many in the court uneasy. Hers was the legitimate claim and thus they were or had been involved in treason. It would not be against Kyheenan law for her to order the execution of those seeking the throne and their key supporters and the Empress, in her rise to power had shown that she was not afraid of blood. I believe Aptom even volunteered to perform the executions, though none were necessary in the end. Tarnsi was able to re-affirm her legitimacy to rule, especially as her Clan remained united behind her. The execution of her brother by her hand had guaranteed her that much support at least. The support of the Guyver Units and of the Kyheenan Guyver Corps was also absolute. That is why Hayami and Aptom returned to Kyheen with her, to make it very clear that she was still the Empress and she had the support of power.

Her absence, brief though it was, did highlight the importance of the chain of command and as soon as she was re-affirmed on the Kyheenan Throne, Tarnsi ib Kyheen announced her heir apparent and various other positions in government. Should she disappear again, politics would not bring Kyheen to a standstill.

In the end, I'm sure her claim on the throne was tenuous for a few months but Tarnsi is a consummate politician, like most leaders she has to be and she sured up her support quickly. Detractors claimed that her call for an interstellar meeting so quickly was a distraction but their arguments quickly lost weight when the content of that Interstellar meeting became known. While there had been discussion in the Tekki's stronghold, the finer details of the bargain were argued at that meeting and that also contributed to re-establishing Tarnsi as the rightful ruler of Kyheen.

There were questions raised at that meeting though. Consideration was given to issues I never would have thought of but which are legitimate, not the least of which is how the leaders of nations could rule in a universe when a single being could override their desires. Agito and Tarnsi, as rulers of two of the most powerful Empires to emerge had a very special stake in that question. As Guyvers they had given their loyalty to the Guyver Emperor and he could order almost anything.

It caused much debate at a meeting which was already legendary for the appearance and acceptance of the Advents. Eternity and Mirai had both appeared as the Co-Leaders of the Advent forces. That had caused much shouting but when Agito and Tarnsi both acknowledged them as having a legitimate presence at the meeting, the lesser powers quietened, though were still offended. There was nothing the lesser powers could do about them of course but some did hold grudges which would be dealt with as time went on. It is ironic, I understand, given that the original purpose of the Interstellar meetings was to discuss how to deal with the Advents, that at the one meeting where they actually attended and chose to deal diplomatically with the other races of the galaxy, was the one where the other races were screaming that they should not be allowed there. I shudder to think what might have happened if Eternity and Mirai had of been driven off. It wouldn't have returned to war, neither of them wanted that but it would have left a very large portion of the galaxy cordoned off from the rest and that would have created tension. It didn't happen, so I don't need to worry about it.

It was their presence though which helped to settle the issue of the Guyver Emperor. Despite not possessing Units themselves the Advents knew much about Guyvers and more importantly Eternity and Mirai knew Shō. It came almost as a revelation to some at the meeting that the Guyver Emperor had a name. Until that point in time I believe that at least some had been envisaging a shadowy form pulling strings from behind the scenes. Mirai had laughed at that suggestion, telling the gathered dignitaries that if anyone was to be like that, then it would be the Advents, or the Tekki. Shō, she said was far more straight forward. Agito agreed. Tarsni agreed.

But this was not a case where the acceptance of the major powers would suffice. The lesser powers and to some extent the Corang-Wesodin Alliance was wary of what Shō represented. I cannot blame them. Knowing my husband as I do there are certain things I just cannot envisage and it was those things those races were seeing then. They saw the destruction of their worlds, the death of their way of life and the enslavement of their peoples on the whim of a man they did not know, with the strength of a being that they could not fight. Understandably they were cautious.

It would not happen of course. I knew that my husband had no intentions to do that. Tarnsi knew it but her voice was discounted when it became known that she was the Guyver Emperor's Engineer. That fact also caused her some issues back home beyond her claim to the throne but that is a history for another time. Agito knew it as well, though the Terran Emperor was not as forceful as others in his affirmations. I believe he was somewhat attracted to the uncertainty the situation generated, especially as Agito was slated as one of the few people who might possibly develop the strength to stand against the Guyver Emperor. This belief, stupid as it was, gained credence when it became known that Agito had once summoned the Emperor's armour. Eternity really should have kept quiet about that matter. But the Advent did not and it seemed that on this matter there was a stalemate.

One of the lesser powers, the Febrin I believe, asked a sensible question. They wanted to talk to Fukamachi but at this point in time Shō had yet to reappear. When he vanished from Tsuyosa's stronghold I do not know where he went, I only know that he did not wish to be found and he could not be contacted. We all dealt with the issues the black Guyver Lord Warrior had presented us with in our own way but Shō had many more issues to deal with in that respect and I did not begrudge him the time it took. I can only imagine what he was going through.

Still the Febrin's suggestion was sensible though unfeasible but it presented a line of argument that Mirai took up. Mirai pointed out that the Guyver Emperor, while powerful beyond anything anyone had ever known, truly did not care for the governance of the galaxy. He could rule them all with an iron fist, dictating exactly what he wanted and it would be that way. There was nothing anyone could do about it. Or he could rule them all subtly; a hint here, a whisper there and again there was nothing anyone could do about it. Or he could let them rule themselves and only step in when petitioned or he felt that there was cause. That third option is what Mirai espoused. Mirai told the gathered leaders that this is what Fukamachi wanted. By not appearing Shō was telling them to govern themselves and that they should not worry about his power. They would either feel it or not, all depending on how well they did.

The argument did not go over well with everyone. Agito accepted it, having been given a similar line of reasoning from Tetsuro in the past and of course Agito had previous history with Shō. He knew what my husband could be like and he'd seen enough evidence of what pushed Shō to interfere in the fight against Chronos. Of all the galactic leaders, Agito was the best placed to understand Fukamachi. Tarnsi also accepted the argument.

Others did not. In fact, many did not accept the power of the Guyver Emperor was even possible. It was only because three of the four major powers said that Fukamachi had that much power that they even allowed the speculation. There are always people like that though, who do not accept that power exists until it is proven to them individually. There are probably some to this day who do not know the power of the Guyver Emperor. The Dunrossil do of course. They got a very practical demonstration of what happens when you ignore one of his suggestions. Most of the galaxy began believing at that point. The Dunrossil did not keep quiet about what caused their Civil War to end so abruptly. Agito of course believes the power. I'm not entirely sure what happened but Shō made, what was for him, the unusual demand that Makishima change something or he would change it for the Terran Emperor. Suffice to say that Agito made the adjustment but he was not gracious about it. It was not the best way for the matter to be settled however there is probably more to this issue than I know, to make my husband act so out of character and Agito does not seem to resent the order as much as he should.

Lacking any other real alternative, the gathered dignitaries took Mirai's suggestion and the debate about the future of the galaxy continued from there.

That meeting was a pivotal moment in history. The territory and legitimacy of the Advents was approved, moving them from enemies that no one really understood to an ancient species who ruled a large swath of the galaxy. Not everyone was happy with that of course. They had lived in fear of the Advents for so long and they knew what the Advents had been doing, killing off the advanced races. Eternity and Mirai didn't even bother to try to refute the accusations as they were the truth but they did state that they would raise a monument to those who died and would encourage any survivors to come forward. With the technology the Advents possessed, the ability to clone and manipulate DNA there was the chance that some races might be able to be restored. Only one race has been restored and it was not the Artarmon. The Advents were far too practiced at destroying species to leave many survivors. Still one is better than none and no matter the pain, the dead cannot be resurrected. All you can do is honour them and I am happy to say that Mirai and Eternity have done their best to honour the dead.

Their territory was not all that was established then. The Terran Republic was also established at the meeting and borders were drawn with the Kyheenan Empire, the Corang-Wesodin Alliance and the Advent Territories. Agito was both pleased and frustrated with the boundaries but I believe he recognised them as the best division. Borders were a new concept to the galaxy. Before this point in time they had had none. The Kyheenan's protected their settlements, as did others but there was no formal recognition that parts of space were ruled by a specific power. In the past, there didn't have to be. No one spread too far before the Advents took action. Now space became a place of territory and of rules. I suppose one could mourn the change but to most it was a welcome change. Settlements accepted the rules of the territory they were in because they gave them protection and for humans, the concept of borders was natural.

The borders have changed a bit over time, as the powers jostled and bargained for territory but I am pleased to say that there have been no major wars between the four main powers for space. There have been wars between the lesser powers, those individual species which standalone but I am not so naïve to believe that war could be abolished completely. Still, it is a nice dream.

While the territory of the Terran Republic was established at the Interstellar Meeting, Agito still had a lot of work to do to actually create the empire he ruled. It was perhaps one of the greatest bluffs of that meeting to establish the Terran Republic as large as it was. It is true that humans had spread over a lot of territory by then because in our goal to escape Advent domination we had set up colonies on almost any planet we could but the Terran Republic of that time was not the powerhouse that the Kyheenans were. We just did not have that strength or population base. What we did have was the gratitude of the galaxy.

Aptom clones were almost everywhere and they had successfully fought against the Advent incursion. They, along with the Zoanoids, had displayed the strength of humanity and while we may not have had the armies of population to truly claim much of the territory we did, the gathered leaders knew it would only be a matter of time before the bluff was an actuality. There is also the fact of the Guyvers. While the power of the Guyver Emperor was in dispute, no one questioned the power of the Guyver Lords. The Tekki Leader had been more invasive than we thought and had demonstrated his powers to many more races than we knew. It made sense in a way. He would have had to demonstrate to some because he needed supplies. This helped us now in establishing our territory. Regardless of how the others might feel, we humans had the majority of the powered Guyvers. Other species might have had one or two powered Guyvers, we had eight, plus the Emperor. That gave us more than enough power to back up our claims. There was no bluff when it came to the power of the Guyvers we had on our side.

To be honest, I'm not sure who saw through the bluff. Mirai and Eternity knew. I believe Tarnsi knew but chose not to think about it. And surprisingly I'm pretty sure the Jrae knew but chose not to speak. The rest, I think bought into the bluff that the Terran Republic territory was correct because that is what we could hold legitimately with the force we had. At the time, we could barely hold a quarter of the space. That quickly changed. Humans after all breed quickly so the bluff became reality fast enough.

Still, that occurred over years. Agito had only weeks to establish himself as the legitimate ruler of the Terran Republic. The Rebellion for the most part had accepted Agito's leadership by then, in no small part because of my brother's arguments and efforts. He pointed out that the galaxy knew Agito's face by then, knew he was a spokesperson for the power that was Terran and thus to appoint someone else would be confusing. That's a superficial argument at best but it was a supporting one. The real reason was the simple fact that no one else really wanted the job and it would take far too long to come up with an alternate form of government. The best compromise candidate was Shō but he definitely did not want to rule. The Rebellion could not rule, because the committee structure we endorsed was too slow to truly make the fast and hard decisions needed at times. The Rebellion had only been able to keep that committee structure because we were a Rebellion and the times when factions acted unilaterally were forgiven because we all contributed towards the same aim. Centralised leadership was not an advantage, though we had been forming along those lines. Tetsuro himself did not want the job either and he was the closest thing the Rebellion had to a leader.

The real reason many accepted Agito is because of the supporting structure Tetsuro created. As he had told Agito, the Terran Republic would not be an absolute monarchy, it would instead be a constitutional one with the meritocracy that Tetsuro could mix in. That meant that many of the Rebellion's leaders were given rather pivotal roles in Agito's government, not just because they were Rebellion Leaders but for the simple fact they were good at their jobs.

Maxwell… the man had become a legend on Earth and it would be political suicide for anyone to suggest that he be removed from his position. Agito rules the Terran Republic but each planet in the Republic is ruled by a planetary Governor. Maxwell was the Governor of Earth and as it is the homeworld of humans, it is one of the most important planets in the Republic.

Each planet choses their Governor and the method of selection is determined by each planet's population. Some have allowed hereditary leaders, others have gone for democratic solutions. It's a rather odd system with many contradictions but it seems to work. There has been peace for generations. Sure there are skirmishes and arguments but generally the people are content. Agito learned a lot on our journey away from Earth.

Maxwell ruled Earth for another forty years until he retired, against the protests of the people. They had already kept him in office for nine years passed the date he wished to retire and in the end the people accepted his desire to rest. He was perhaps the greatest leader Earth has known because he made the adjustment from desperate war times into peace with aplomb. I am truly honoured to have known him and could write far more than these simple lines about his accomplishments but others have done them far more justice than I ever could and his history should be read in their works.

Samuel was given an honourable burial on the planet he had yearned to return to. His tomb is near the monument for those who gave their lives in the fight for freedom, both against Chronos and Agito and the Advents. It was decided that only one monument would be necessary, though it is a tri-pillared structure to commemorate the three struggles Earth had seen in that time. What was left of Elizabeth Rose Adrienne is buried there as well, along with countless others, though most are commemorated on the engraved list of names as there were just too many bodies we could never recover. There are also names not included there simply because we do not know them. Shu Anh Yi San's name is there but many who died on the The Iltimed Maxwell's Heist are not known. No one blamed Maxwell for this. He did the absolute best he could, he saved more than he had any hope to ever save and record keeping in that time was not a priority But I know human nature, he blamed himself that he could not do better.

Aptom surprisingly provided a list of names he insisted be included on that wall. The list started with the name Jeremiah Kinsington and went on for many, many pages. That list caused Maxwell a lot of pain and after Aptom submitted it, Maxwell took a copy and was not seen for days. I later learned that he had spent the time memorising the names of those he had sacrificed.

On some planets there are similar sites with engraved names. These are those who gave their lives to Aptom to protect their people from the Advents. Some of those monuments exist today, others have been destroyed with events that were to come. I can only hope that even if the names are not known, the sacrifice is still honoured in the hearts of the people.

Maxwell was the only Rebel Leader to take up a position as the Governor of a Planet. Others took up positions closer to the Emperor. I suppose, if you look at it rather pessimistically, if the Rebel Leaders were close to the Emperor, they were in a perfect position to potentially kill him. Of course, as Agito possesses a Guyver Unit, that is impossible but while Agito has made many of the Guyver's abilities known, he kept some secret. People know of the regenerative capabilities but they do not know of its protective ability.

I know Agito asked Aptom to take up a position but the zoanoid declined none too politely. Aptom is no man's servant. He has held down a number of positions over time, including being a rather successful mercenary captain. It's not surprising that he's made his own way through life. No matter what the galaxy has thrown at him, he has always survived.

Hayami did take up a position within Agito's government, as did Tetsuro and Natsuki. Hayami served as a personal medic to both Shizu and Agito. The ice zoanoid is one of the nicest people I have ever met. He is trustworthy and treats everyone with the same respect. Agito and Shizu appreciated this. They could be themselves with Hayami and he is more of a friend to them than a medic. He could not save all of their children though. Even I could not but his efforts saved some and Shizu and Agito are forever thankful. Hayami's presence, that close to Makishima gave reassurance to many of the Rebels and they re-integrated into society as best they could. For the fighters, this could be difficult but Makishima allowed Rebellion troops to merge into his forces with similar ranks. While there were some accusations of favouritism, the end result was unity and after a generation or so, they were all the one force.

Rodriguez had been one of the best mission commanders the Rebellion had. He wasn't a Hyper Zoanoid but he had been re-processed to have some of their abilities. He served as the Commander of the Emperor's body guards until he retired to train the younger generation. I believe he only took the initial position because Tetsuro asked him to. The position was more about the pension and establishing a life for him outside the desperate times we had known. He retired quickly and I believe Rodriguez enjoyed training the younger generation. Those he trained were guaranteed work as his reputation and their skills became known. His trainees seldom failed a mission, because they were trained to keep their eyes on the goal. They knew what their mission parameters were and they fulfilled them. It is a rare gift.

I spoke with Rodriguez often and one of the final things he said to me still rings true. He told me he remembered the conversation in the Rebellion's bunker, when we were giving out the mission to free Fukamachi. Aptom had stated that Shō could crush Agito with about the effort it would take him to crush an ant. Rodriguez said he didn't believe it. He told me he did now but that the ant was not the black Guyver Warrior we had expected it to be. It's such an odd thing to say but it was his way of telling me not to be sad, though I was when he died. I was not used to the time that lay before me then. I don't think I am used to it now but I am better adjusted.

Natsuki Segawa is still one of the tactical experts for the Terran Republic. She oversees deployments and sets tactical plans for patrol encounters and is always consulted in the event of a larger battle being needed. Agito recognises her skills and uses them. She doesn't mind, the challenge is to her mind and with it being a personal choice now, to become a zoanoid or not, there is acceptance of the forms for both human and zoanoid fighters. In fact, integration between the forces has never been higher. There are now several species of aliens within the Terran Rupublic and they can join the armed forces as well. Currently I believe the highest ranking alien is Admiral, though there is no discrimination against them, their relative numbers means that there are fewer officers.

My brother served as Agito's chief political advisor for years. He was asked to be the Prime Minister but felt that this other position was better suited for someone who would still have to work in the shadows. He is responsible for the Terran Republic's government and for many of the treaties in the early years that has led to the Republic being as stable and as respected as it is. There is a reason my brother was the nominal head of the Rebellion and it's not just because he rivals his wife in tactical genius, it is because he has the ability to read the situation and to compromise. Many people focus on his scientific skills and he has those but the Rebellion saw his ability to plan for decades of fighting and his ability to somehow keep the peace between very volatile personalities in extremely unpredictable situations. Establishing the Terran Republic was perhaps his greatest work. It required bluff and the manipulation of the galaxy. Tetsuro should be proud. I believe he is but sometimes…

The damage Xeo'm did allows my brother to be able to calculate almost anything. He can look at a situation and give you two hundred solutions and possible outcomes within seconds. He can then tell you which solutions will lead to what consequences and tell you how others will react. It has made life rather sterile for him. He knows the outcome before the events. Knowing has hardened his heart, has made him cold. It is painful for us all but none more so than Natsuki. She says it's fine but sometimes I wonder.

It is an important thing but it is not within the scope of this work. The Terran Republic was established with the help of the Rebellion and while the Rebellion's leaders and people have passed on, save those of us possessing Guyver Units, the Terran Republic stands today. I think the greatest achievement of the Rebellion is that today there is no need for Rebellion. That was our ultimate victory. The fact that the Republic and therefore many of the Rebellions ideals is still a major galactic power is a bonus.

The balance of power hasn't changed much over the years, though now there are five powers in the galaxy. The Terran Republic, the Kyheenan Empire, the Corang-Wesodin Alliance and the Advent Territories have stood since the Guyver Emperor emerged and the Interstellar meeting which followed those events. In the time since, the smaller planets have banded together. They recognised reality, that alone they would never be able to compete with the four large powers and that they would eventually be engulfed. That's how the Terran Republic has several alien species within its territory. Others chose to become their own power. They form a Coalition, the Coalition of Independent Species. At least that is their name currently. It changes from time to time but their goal is the same. They represent a myriad of races, given them a larger power base so that they can deal with the super powers such as the Kyheenan Empire with the illusion of equality.

The problem with the Coalition is that they are not a military power. I do not underestimate the power of trade but most have been canny there. They have a limited need to import. Luxury items are mostly imported, the staples of everyday life… those are produced in house. The Advents are actually the best here as they do not require the usual consumables other races do. Still it gives the independent races a chance and I cannot fault their logic in the formation of their Coalition even if I know that most of the major powers could flatten them in less than a month. Political fictions are the way of the galaxy.

So far I've focused on what became of humans, or those who wield power beyond their Guyver Unit. It's only natural I suppose. I have known the Rebellion members and the Emperor and Empress the longest and the others have the largest bearing on the galaxy, though I will try to relate what has happened to others. The others who are loyal to the Guyver Emperor, those who were loyal to Tsuyosa and all the people we encountered on our journey. Their fates are no less important, even if they did not impact on the lives of millions.

Tarnsi as I have said consolidated power as the Kyheenan Empress, though it was necessary for her to take an Emperor and produce children for the sake of dynastic stability. I suppose she could have chosen an heir from amongst her Clan but direct succession was considered superior. It was surprising to many but a logical decision for her to marry Uryal'ng va Kyheen, thus raising him to the status of ib Kyheen and the title of Emperor. The other houses of the Empire were distraught as they had hoped that the Empress would marry one of their sons, thus giving them more political clout. The commoners were ecstatic. Uryal'ng had worked his way up the ranks through the military which is not to say that his clan did not have power, just that it was not well known in the dominant political circles of the Empire. He was a good Emperor. He served well and he did his duty to Kyheen. I cannot say there was love in their relationship but there was at least mutual respect and friendship so in that aspect, the relationship was fulfilling for them both.

The Empress outlived both her husband and her children though she eventually retired, leaving the Kyheenan throne in the hands of her descendants. She is still known to them though, as the Empress to the line Uryal'ng sired upon her. The other Kyheenan Guyvers, Gilroyd who served Tsuyosa, Sylyn and Ramus were welcomed back into the Corp, though Gilroyd was on probation for years. He accepted it with good grace. I do not know what has become of them all, though I believe Sylyn still calls upon Shizu now and then.

Most Guyvers who were always loyal to the Guyver Emperor were able to re-establish themselves in their society without too much hassle, no matter how they had been taken. Vesna left Dunrossil. I think, if he could have, he would have found my husband and tried to serve him personally but for a very long time Shō did not wish to be found and thus was not and by then Vesna had accepted a position within the Terran Republic. He stated that he could not go back to Dunrossil and the war the races were perpetuating because he knew it was wrong now. He is happy.

Forrinimi went back to the Mangoran Guyvers and despite possessing a Healer type Unit, turned the governance of that organisation on its collective ear. The Mangorans favoured warrior types, like Tallowa but she supported Forrinimi and as he is a Gigantic for Shizu, he could still summon his Unit. Thus none of the other Mangoran Guyvers could take him on and that put him in charge. It really wasn't a fair fight but by the time they realised, it was too late. The changes he made were reasonable, dragging them into the modern age, forcing them to acknowledge that all Units were equal… though they had different specialities. It was his presence that allowed Tallowa to return, even though she had resigned. Forrinimi is formidable and for the right goals his passion is contagious.

That leads me to touch on what happened to the Units. With the death of Tsuyosa, the Guyver Units were no longer whole. The power of the One, the Nine and the Twenty One was diminished, simply because there were no longer Nine. There was only Eight.

For the months it took my husband to come to terms with his actions, the Ninth Lord Unit was known to be with him. He had been seen with it in Tsuyosa's stronghold, holding it above his palm to demonstrate with utter clarity that he had achieved absolute victory over the black Guyver Lord Warrior. When he vanished, it vanished with him and it was assumed that a new host would be found and the balance restored. Finding a new host for the Unit was the last thing on Shō's mind during that time though afterwards I know he has considered many people. The Unit is a Lord Unit and whoever possesses it has access to one of the most destructive powers in the galaxy. The Unit itself, the parasite is also formidable. The Host must possess a similar fortitude or they will be dominated entirely.

I know Shō considered giving it to Hosida. It would have turned the Jrae on their collective ears for one of their number to possess a Guyver Unit and not just any Unit but in the end, while Shō respects Hosida, the decision was made that the Jrae was not suitable. Despite the fact that Hosida has the mental strength required to grapple with the Unit, he will never possess the bioenergy required to sustain the Unit. Even with a complete re-write of his DNA as only a Guyver Unit is capable of, the barriers are just too high. That would have left him dependent on Shō every time he wished to summon his Unit and that was a situation which would lead to resentment and anger even worse than Tsuyosa's feelings. There is always the possibility that Hosida would have said no as well. I don't believe the Jrae was ever asked as the speculation never got that far.

Hosida, despite being outcast, managed to re-establish himself within Jrae society. There were changes in the wind for them, caused by the events that shaped the galaxy and the Jrae was the best positioned to benefit from them. He eventually rose to be the High Commissioner, quite a step up from being outcast. Hosida lead the Jrae for many years and he was the best placed to see that they became as much of a power as they could. I believe he commissioned Tetsuro at times, to help develop non bioenergy based weapons. To this day the Jrae make the best non bioenergy weapons the galaxy has to offer which has given them a very healthy income stream. There are limited Guyver Units and only humans can become living biological weapons as Zoanoids. Everyone else needs more conventional weaponry and the Jrae provide them. It didn't happen overnight but it was an outcome of the plans Hosida laid both before and after taking command of the Jrae.

He died in office and the Jrae were surprised at the level of attendance at his funeral. Many foreign dignitaries attended. They were even more surprised when Shō appeared in the full armour of the One, with Aptom in attendance to pay their respects. Having the ultimate power in the galaxy bow his head in reverence to their dead leader gave the Jrae much pride though I cannot help but think that Hosida would have laughed. During the war with the Advents and to this day I do not believe the Jrae realise how much Hosida did for them. His actions saved them a lot of the grief that other races were to suffer in the years to come but then he knew, far better than anyone else, the danger that was Aptom. He remembered Ealsanav.

I've mentioned before that Aptom clones were used to fight back the Advents Leoben had ordered to attack the galaxy. Initially they were welcomed back into their societies but trouble began soon after that. The governments had been warned, all of them had been, that no matter what they looked like the Aptom clones were no longer the people they had been. They didn't listen. And that allowed the infection to spread. Aptom's natural inclination is to spread and to be fair it's not like he can avoid it. If he touches you he spreads. It is only humans he has to make a conscious effort to take over… Rather it might be better to say that with humans he can control his ability to take over. He can touch a human and not take them over, though he tells me that this is not the case, he takes us all over in the instant he touches us, just with humans his consciousness does not dominate unless he directs it to. With Guyvers of course it is different, his infection is removed by the Unit. We've never had reason to test it with an alien Guyver and I only hope that if we do, the Unit does not treat Aptom as superior as he possesses a superior Unit. I do not think it will work that way but I cannot be sure until we test it and that's not something anyone wishes to do.

The situation with the Aptom Clones was predictable. A couple of races heeded the warnings. They segregated those who had become Aptom and their troubles were less. Those who didn't heed the warnings… I am trained to deal with epidemics, with pandemics, as are many medical professionals, regardless of species but against an infection that is Aptom, where the slightest touch, skin to skin causes infection… The preparation and the dedication required to fight that is… well it is beyond what many species were capable of. They should be thankful though, in many ways Aptom Infection is easier to defend against than air or water born viruses but for some it depended on their culture.

The Kyheenan's heeded the warnings. They quarantined their Aptom soldiers immediately. The Corang and Wesodin were also okay but that was because those infected were no longer capable of joining in their mental network. Alkard, for all that he does not have a Corang partner can join with the other Wesodin telepathically so they know him. The Wesodin who bore Aptom infection could not so they were quarantined. The Eryp were also for the most part unaffected. Their society frowns on upon unnecessary physical contact and thus the infection was limited there. Heborae's race, the Ikuman, was devastated. They rely on contact as a form of greeting and communication. The infection was rampant within them and the solution was not pretty.

There is only one way to stop Aptom and that is to kill the body and then burn it. On many planets, where the Aptom Clones had been the reason for their survival against the Advents, they now became the enemy and vast tracks of the planets burned in an effort to control the infection. Unsurprisingly there were many calls to destroy Aptom himself and there were attempts but most attempts forgot that Aptom is the strongest Hyper Zoanoid in existence and that he possesses a Gigantic Guyver Unit which will heal any injury. As Aptom is loyal to the One and is human he has the bioenergy to manifest his Gigantic Unit and thus there was no way for any of the assassination attempts to succeed. Most ended with the aggressors being infected.

I would like to say that the galaxy contained Aptom and that his clones were destroyed on all planets but I know Aptom and I know how cunning he can be. The only thing I can be certain of is that the majority of the Clones were destroyed on most planets which left many races devastated. It took decades, centuries to recover from the purges. And the infection continues to this day. There are still hunts. There is one thing I find almost amusing in this though there is nothing funny about the death of millions. With the destruction of the attacking Advents, the Aptom Clones all share one goal. They will die to see the goal of the whole achieved and they will die to protect the original but they will only die to protect one other being. Fukamachi Shō. Every single Aptom clone, if standing beside Shō and there was a danger would push him out of the way, or otherwise protect him, even at the cost of its life.

There have been entire planets infected with Aptom and only Shō or Aptom can walk amongst the clones without fear. Their protective urge goes against everything the original has said but it remains. It is not something well known to the rest of the galaxy and it is something I pray we never need to take advantage of but it is a fact.

Several races have made demands that Aptom should apologise for his infection. He never has and he never will. It would be hypocritical. Those races asked for his infection and he gave it. The consequences are not his though he has been the best in suggesting methods of containment. He knows himself best after all. The clones are an ongoing problem though the issue is manageable now but for a while it was the only thing the galaxy was focused on. Zoanoids are processed to be immune to Aptom. I don't know if they are. I would not put it passed Aptom to have evolved beyond their protections but he acts like they are immune and that is good enough for now.

Of the other Guyvers loyal to the Emperor, Iythra returned with her sister to Oranmeir and worked there for the betterment of her people. Alkard has remained with me though the warrior has become more of a medic over time by necessity. He is surprisingly skilled at treating many races. Olsynamantra perhaps has the most unusual path. The Artarmon was only one of two we know to survive the Advent purge of their race. Other's probably survived but they have since died, so it was a surprising choice when he joined Eternity and Mirai in what is known as Advent Territory. I believe he returned to his home world briefly but there was nothing to find there. Olsyn acts as an intermediary between the Advents and the races who live in their territory. Naturally the Advents have not purged any further races. Even the remnants of the Monomeith have been gathered and given a planet within their territory. The Advents have also not been allowed to experiment on further races. That was a concession which was hard fought on the galactic stage but was one of necessity. There will be no more humans, no more zoanoids created by the Advents and then abandoned.

The Advents take good care of the races within their territory, so that even though they have no voice to speak at the Interstellar meetings, being represented as they are by the Advents, they have no desire to represent themselves. Most of the races in the Advent Territory recognise the benefits and protection they receive and are content.

There is a long running joke between the Advents and the Terran Republic though occasionally the joke has been carried too far and has created tension. In its basic form the joke is funny. Humans are recognised as being created by the Advents. We are their children so to speak and it was pointed out by some races that it could be seen that the Advents get two votes at the Interstellar meeting because their children also vote. That led Eternity to offer to proxy for Makishima and things deteriorated from there. For the most part, between Makishima and Eternity the joke is taken in good humour but in the early days it was not. It took Mirai and Tetsuro quite some time to calm Eternity and Agito before tensions could erupt in war. It took the apology of the diplomat who made the comment to truly calm the situation. The man was terrified when he realised what he'd said and what had happened as a result of his words and well should he have been. Agito and Eternity, while equally offended, were on the verge of uniting to take care of the insult before they took their anger out on each other.

It's funny now, it wasn't then. It will be a cold day in hell before the Advents are allowed to represent humanity and that is more than just Makishima's will. Despite the generally good relationship between the Terran Republic and the Advent Territories, all races know that. I hope in time we can put the past behind us but for now it still dominates policies. I suppose once you know freedom you can never go back to being under the thumb of another, even if that other is your creator.

It is actually that point which many races find themselves being jealous of the humans. There comes a point in life where most ask 'Where do I come from?'This is the same for races and at that point most species look towards their home world and the evolutionary record. Humans are the only race in the galaxy that can actually speak with those who created them, who can truly know their creators. Others know that it was random forces acting on their worlds that lead to their evolution and they must be content with that. There was no guiding principle, no higher purpose. Humans have rejected the purpose the Advents had for us but we were created with that purpose, we can confront our creators with it. Other races cannot. It makes no difference in day to day life but it is a philosophical difference that sets humanity apart from all other races in the galaxy.

Of those Guyvers loyal to the Tekki most returned home, however they found sometimes that they were restricted in what they could do. Over time those restrictions have lifted mostly because it was acknowledged that they had bowed to the Guyver Emperor. They no longer fought the rightful progression of the galaxy. Iythry worked with her sister, Gilroyd rejoined the Kyheenan Guyver Corps and Tallowa also returned to Mangora and worked with Forrinimi.

Dinshika returned to Dunrossil but like Vesna he had tired of the war. There was a lot of pressure put upon him to continue fighting. The two species of Dunrossil didn't care what type of Guyver Unit you possessed so long as you used it to fight but Dinshika is an engineer, fighting was not his passion and his stint with Tsuyosa's forces had allowed him to truly realise that. He wanted his species, the Lyusa to win but he could no longer directly fight for them. For a while he tried to be an engineer but eventually they drove him out and he came to the Terran Republic. Dinshika, if things had of progressed naturally should have served Agito so there was for him a certain amount of comfort in petitioning the Terran Emperor for a home. The Lyusa demanded his return which pushed Agito to give them a reply. It is perhaps one of the shortest diplomatic missives ever written but it achieved its aim.

'I, Guyver Lord Agito Makishima, Emperor of the Terran Republic, do hereby formally accept the Gigantic Guyver Engineer Dinshika, formerly of the Planet Dunrossil as my servant. His first loyalty shall always be unto me and those wishing his services against my will shall bear the full weight of my ability and empire against them.'

So perhaps it's not that short but considering some of the drafts, it was far less likely to incite a war. I believe the first draft was a simple 'No' and the second 'Over your dead bodies.' They conveyed the message but not with the desired tone. Dinshika was happy in his new role and I believe, over time, he formed an odd friendship with Vesna, proving that the races of Dunrossil could work together.

Bithrinyataran was devastated by the Tekki's death. The Artarmon Healer had been with Tsuyosa the longest. I don't know how long, I've never asked because I am genuinely afraid of the answer. Long enough for the Artarmon to know what Tsuyosa needed often before the human knew himself. Long enough for him to be loyal beyond all others. 'Nyataran was not truly against the Guyver Emperor, it was his loyalty to Tsuyosa that made it so. It took him many, many years to recover. Olsyn helped, because Olsyn knew the best what 'Nyataran was going through. They'd both been there when their race had died. It was only once they were able to re-establish some of the other races the Advents had killed that 'Nyataran recovered slightly. The Artarmon could not be revived but they will always be remembered. 'Nyataran took a leading role with that project and I believe for a while many new-borns bore the name Artarmon, Taran, Mantra, or some other derivate in their honour. It is a legacy that is cherished.

Most of the other Tekki loyal Guyvers had fewer problems. They were angry their master had fallen but they had acknowledged the power of the Guyver Emperor, as had their Units. There was nothing left to fight. They returned to their people. Xeo'm required time to recover. I did more damage in my attack on her than I realised, damage Natsuki enhanced. It was too late to save Tetsuro but we saved everyone else in the future. I take comfort in that. She eventually became a Healer for her people, just as the others became Engineers or Warriors.

They remained grateful that Shō had not striped their Units from them. In the confrontation in Tsuyosa's stronghold after the battle he could have and they knew it. At that point in time, he had the power of the Units behind him, all the Units united by his will. He could have removed them but he did not because Shō is like that. He never blamed the individuals. I don't think he truly blames Tsuyosa either but that's a consideration for another time.

Shō did not stripe their rank either. The Powered Guyvers remained just that, powered. He made no restrictions on them but that lead to its own problems. Not all the powered Guyvers had the ability to call their enhanced forms. Before the Unit's became whole, they were far more parasitic in nature. They sort out the strongest, the best hosts and they remained with them until they were defeated, then they moved to a new host. A guyver's attacks were overwhelming but the Mega-smasher was a weapon of last resort. It usually claimed the life of the host. When we activated the last Units, we made them whole. We caused every Unit in our plane of existence to be active, which linked the parasites to each other again and to the boost dimension. That level of unity, of being whole, meant that the powered forms, the Lord Units and the Gigantic Units could form but it also meant that the Mega-smasher was now a survivable attack. Where necessary, the Unit drew energy from the boost dimension to compensate for its Host's weakness.

One thing we humans know is that before the Units were whole, we possessed a Gigantic Unit. It was not as if they didn't exist already, just that no one else in the galaxy had the ability or the bioenergy to call one. The Advents possess a form of Unit but it is not actually a full Unit. The relationship they have is something different, yet it was the remains of that Unit which allowed Shō to call forth the Gigantic long before all the Units of the galaxy were activated.

While Shō did not repress the ranks of the Guyvers, the fact that they were no longer whole meant that many could not manifest the advanced forms of their armour without their Guyver Lord's backing. But equally some Lords could not call forth their armour without Shō's backing. Heborae, Yisuvac and Xeo'm were all in this situation. I do not think Shō has ever denied their call when they have made it and I do not believe the others have denied their backing to the Gigantic Units. It has helped maintain peace in the galaxy and reduced the feeling of resentment from the Units towards their rightful Lord.

Make no mistake, there are still Units who would fight the Guyver Emperor. They have no willing host though. 'Nyataran probably would have fought Shō but he knew he'd be defeated if he tried, as did the Units. If the Units wish to fight Shō they will need to find someone of sufficient power, though as time has gone on, more and more Units have truly acknowledged the One as their Emperor. Tsuyosa was able to rise to power because the margin was slender. It is no longer slender and as Shō once said, they gave him the power, they cannot just take it away. It was a decision that could not be reversed. They knew it when they made it but regret is a powerful drive.

The power of the Guyvers is still not whole. It is no longer the One, the Nine and the Twenty One but remains the One, the Eight and the Twenty One. Tsuyosa's Unit is still unclaimed. I've said previously that Hosida was considered as its Host and so were many others. It has rejected many candidates. You would think when offered a human it would have taken them as quickly as it could, especially when offered a young human, one it could mould. But it did not and its rejection of one human lead us to discover something very interesting about the Units.

We had always believed there were a finite number of Units in the galaxy, the number that the Advents had called over and trapped in our dimension. There are more in their dimension, we knew that, just that we did not think that there was any way of bringing them over. There is, though the method is complicated and requires the blessing of the Emperor. After all, any Unit that comes to our dimension must acknowledge him as the Emperor. Shō has told me he's given a blanket approval but even with that there have not been many new Units created. The method can be summarised easily but the actuality is complex.

It comes down to reproduction. Two compatible beings, who both have Units, mate to create a child. If their Units are willing, then the child will be born connected to a parasite though the power will not be available until they are mature. That's some sort of failsafe that the Units themselves have. I believe Heborae has five or six children who bear Guyver Units. She mated with another of her kind who possessed a Unit. Agito and Shizu have children as well. There are not that many children as there are simply not that many female Guyvers willing to breed just to extend the number of Units in the galaxy. Some have tried to no avail which leads me to believe that there must be affection between the Hosts as well as some relationship between the Units.

Shō would be able to tell me what the requirements are. I have never asked and we do not have children. Neither do Natsuki and Tetsuro though I believe they will try shortly. Children are… When you are close to immortal, children are difficult. There is no guarantee that they will possess a Unit and so in time they will die. The pain from that is immense. Tarnsi knows it intimately. I have no wish to experience it myself.

This is a personal matter that has no bearing on this history.

The final thing to speak of is my husband. The Guyver Emperor. In the aftermath of Tsuyosa's death Shō disappeared. About the only thing I can say for certain was that he was not in our galaxy. From what the Units said, I gather he was in their dimension but neither they, nor he, will speak of that time. When he got back, it was an odd time. We'd never had a chance to just live. Always in the past there had been something hanging over our heads. Chronos, the Advents, even the Tekki. It was… I'd like to say it was nice but it was difficult.

We'd never really had the chance to just be with each other. We'd had the brief time between Chronos' fall and Agito's rise but with everything that had happened we could not go back to that time. I won't say anything as trite as we were different people. We weren't, we were the same people we had always been but circumstance had given us a vast range of experiences to consider. I do not regret the day I met Shō or the day we married, or any of a myriad of other days… just that period of time was difficult for us both. We had to get used to each other again and to peace. I think it was the second which was so difficult. We were both used to living in war.

It took time but it was worth the difficulty we faced. We lived in a little house near Mount Minakami. I am not so proud as to not accept a pension from Agito. It was almost amusing that the Emperor himself was paying us. It was mostly to stay out of the way which we were happy too. Shō was given a suitably impressive title but had 'retired' from his position within Agito's government so the pension was his due. I believe despite my denials I was given an honorary title within the Terran Republic. I know during that time Agito questioned Shō about his position as Emperor and I don't know what was said.

It really doesn't matter what was said. Regardless, Shō is the Guyver Emperor, he has the power to change the galaxy. Agito had to be content with my husband's assurance that he had no intention of interfering with Agito's leadership but I am pretty sure that there were a few things Shō insisted upon and the Terran Emperor had no choice but to implement those plans. I don't know what they were. I don't particularly care. They were for the good of the galaxy and what worked for one of the major empires tended to be adopted by the others. It was a subtle way for Shō to get his policies adopted.

Shō isn't the leader of any empire. He does not want to be. He is content living quietly. It is exactly what Tetsuro said to Agito that if you ignore my husband and do not allow gross injustice in your domain then he will be content. He accepts, as do I, that there are things that should not be changed. There will always be pain in the galaxy. But equally, there will always be hope, just so long as you seek it. That is what I wished for then, at the time when everything seemed to be changing. I wished for the strength to accept the things I could not change and for the courage to change those I could.

We didn't live for long in that little house. We were both used to action and after we had established that we both still wanted to be with each other and loved each other, we moved on. It is incredibly boring to live with nothing to do each day. I took a job with a small hospital and Shō tried to accept a desk job like his father. That ended spectacularly badly. Nothing dangerous happened but he was not a man to sit and accept orders that made no sense, or that had no purpose. He only got the job because his face is not well known to the galaxy. Oh… his Unit is but the man beneath that… most couldn't tell you what Fukamachi Shō looks like. I wonder if Agito ever found out about it? I'm pretty sure he did and I hope Makishima got a laugh out of the situation. The most powerful man in the galaxy… fired from a desk job. He didn't even bother to try to get the job back and we decided that it was time to move on from Earth.

Do not get me wrong, I love Earth. It is the most beautiful planet I have ever seen but at that point in time, it was time for us to be out in the galaxy, not so much for myself but for Shō. He had to be there for the Units. This was the time when he truly established himself as the Guyver Emperor. There is a large difference between being named the Emperor and being acknowledged and respected as such. It is because of this time, travelling the galaxy and working with the Guyvers that Shō's true power as the Guyver Emperor was established.

It is undeniably true that with his Unit he wields more power than any other Guyver but that just makes him more powerful. He recognised that if he imposed his beliefs on others, relying on his strength to ensure that his will was carried out, then he would be nothing more than a bully. He would become Alkanphel and Shō did not want that. That's why he spent this time working with and learning from the Guyver's of the galaxy. They learned about him in return and mutual respect was born. There are times though when Shō is the Emperor and issues orders that must be obeyed. He does not like things to get that far and so seeks to avoid that when he may but it is not always possible.

The biggest and most oft quoted example of this is his interference in the Dunrossil civil war but there are many other smaller instances. There will be others in the future. It is the way of the galaxy but now most will know that there is a reason. They may not always accept it but they will know there is a reason and in the aftermath of what has happened, I hope that most of the Guyvers will have the courage to be able to speak to their Emperor and ask why. Understanding does not always remove hatred and resentment but it sure goes a long way in helping to make actions accepted. Some actions of course can never be accepted but I like to think that those actions Shō makes in his capacity as the Emperor are for the benefit of everyone. I am somewhat biased though.

I started this with the fall of Chronos and to those who read, I realise that some of my words will be a revelation, especially to those raised within the Empire Makishima created. Still they are the truth and they are one of the reasons the Rebellion rose to fight him. The truth will out, even against Chronos if you knew where to look you could find the truth but the truth of Chronos was somewhat different. Even I must admit, once they came to power, they seldom lied. It was far easier that way.

Still Chronos fell and save for history has been almost completely destroyed. None of their Zoalords remain. It is ironic though to consider that one of Chronos' main goals was to fight their creators. I can only hope that Alkanphel can look down on the planet of his birth and be proud of our actions. I know the battle was not how he envisaged and given that so many died, I can already hear his derision. But we gained so much as well. I know that Chronos would never have approached the other races of the galaxy as we did. If they did, they would have seen them as nothing more than useful cannon fodder. It was how they thought.

Similarly Makishima probably would have made alliances with the other races of the galaxy but he would have become frustrated with their 'weakness'. We forget and I still despise this fact that humans were created to be biological weapons. That alone puts our strength beyond other races. One to one that almost always guarantees victory and if we can be organised, to have a General directing troops in battle, as Alkanphel and his Zoalords were meant to be, that makes humanity almost invincible. Zoanoids are still created today and the technology has been given a wider use within the galaxy. Other species cannot transform as humans may but the same techniques of genetic manipulation can be used to cure many diseases. In the aftermath of the wars against the Advents and of the fight of the Guyvers, it was not a popular technology and it was just being established then but now, it is well utilised. It cannot cure everything but it does have great potential. It is almost amusing that it is that technology which serves as a great source of income for Agito's Empire. I still hate the technology but using it to heal… that is I think the finest outcome I could have hoped for.

The galaxy knows who controls that technology and if you take the strength of Zoanoids and add to that the power of eight ranking Guyvers and the Emperor… I know that for the foreseeable future, no one will be attacking the Terran Republic. My strength is not combat oriented but that is all to the good. It is not fear that protects humans now but respect and I am proud of my role in securing that peace.

It has been a long road. It has been a bloody road. There have been sacrifices no one ever anticipated but there has also been joy and hope. I do not discount the sorrow, the blood or the lives lost but I will appreciate the future they forged. I am not pessimistic by nature, I do not ascribe to the theory that the power of the Emperor was created to fight something greater but if it was and that is something only Shō would know then we will stand ready to fight. I do not like conflict but I am, as others are, one of the architects of this peace, I will defend it, as will they. But I do not think that is so. I believe the power of the Emperor just is because it is Shō's power.

For now these passages have set down the truth as I saw it, history as I felt it and only time will determine if this outcome, the peace we have now, was worth the lives it cost. I hope that it is and I know that it is cherished and that is all anyone can ask for from the future.

The End.

This brings to a close The Conquered at thirty five chapters and ten interludes. Approximately 397,000 words with an average word count per chapter of 8800. Shortest chapter is Chapter 8 at 697 words, longest is chapter 43 at 21,300 words.

If you have read this far I want to take this opportunity to thank you for reading and humbly pray that you have enjoyed the fic. I will not be continuing to write in this universe that I set up so very long ago, though I realise I have left scope to. Still, I hope that I've tied up the loose ends appropriately but am open to questions if you have any – make sure you leave an email address so that I can reply to comments.

This fic began during a hiatus of the manga and I still can't believe that the manga is not yet finished but being a Guyver fan means learning patience. In the time I've been writing we've seen the manga continue and a brand new anime series, which was so long ago now! My main thought was to come up with an 'ending' to the manga at a time when I didn't think that we would be getting it and I hope that I've been able to display this ending appropriately.

I have enjoyed writing this and I have learned a lot while I have been doing it. I'm sure astute readers will have noticed various changes in my style as time has gone on and hope that you can forgive the mistakes I made earlier.

Thank you once again for reading and love to all, especially those who have reviewed over time, I cannot thank you enough. It may not seem like much and I'm sure you've heard it all before but that feedback does mean the world to writers and has provided much needed encouragement at times to continue. (hint… hint!) As have those who have provided fanarts. I cannot thank you enough either for taking the time to draw such beautiful pictures!

I am not going to name people because invariably I will forget someone and I will be horrified when I do, so thank you to everyone!

Cheers everyone,

Jade