[Target within point-defense range.]

[Targets identified. Size: 15x. Race: Human. Threat level: 0. CIWS standing down.]

Mounted troops barreled down the valley. Each one of them carried a banner with a golden lion on a blue background. Next to the banner was a white flag. At the front of the group was a man with a thick beard and a red cape lined with white fur. Next to him, and just slightly behind, was a girl with blonde hair tied into a long braid.

"That does not look like a city I have ever seen," the man at the front of the group said.

"This is the place, sir," one of the mounted soldiers said. "It is... *static*... our scouts found."

[Audio filter updated.]

"It is surrounded by walls made of metal. I've never seen anything like it. But there is no castle!" the girl next to the leader of the group said.

"Hopefully it understands the flag of truce. Make sure you wave that thing so that its scouts can see it," the leader said.

[Distance to target: 400 meters.]

One of the men waved the two flags in clear, circular, patterns. They swayed on the gentle wind. The golden thread that made up the lion sparkled in the morning sun.

"How did it build a fortress this large in less than two months, Sir Matthew?" the girl asked.

"I do not know, your Highness. Not even the Imperial Artificers could do something like that," the leader of the group said.

[Distance to target: 250 meters.]

"Alright men, time to dismount. This is close enough. Get the device," Sir Matthew called out.

The troops dismounted, and one of the soldiers brought Sir Matthew a cloth-wrapped package. The girl came to stand at his side, her eyes scanning the walls.

"There is no one on the battlements. Maybe they all left?"

"And abandoned their fortress? Unlikely," Sir Matthew replied to the girl as he unwrapped the package. As the last piece of cloth fell away it revealed a large, hollow cylinder made out of a golden material.

[Structural a.n.a.lysis: Material unknown. Purpose: Unknown. Threat level: 3.]

Matthew brought the cylinder to his lips, and took a deep breath. "Lord of this ill.u.s.trious castle, greetings. I am Sir Matthew, Lord Commander of the Holy Chivalric Order of the Grancross which fights for his Majesty Leonard II, the King of Astoria. With me is Princess Emily who is here on a peaceful diplomatic mission. Please give us permission to enter your castle."

[Politics: Likely purpose of visit: Surrender.]

[FOB Alpha: Gates opening.]

With a mechanical whir, flas.h.i.+ng yellow lights and blaring klaxons, the gates opened. They did not swing inwards or outwards, but rather, they retracted into the walls. The noise and light made the horses panic, and the men calmed them with pats on the neck, and murmured words.

"What a wonderful castle. The castle gates open in such a strange way," Princess Emily said under her breath. The men formed three columns and began heading towards the gate.

Within FOB Alpha, the drones had made a clear path through the center of the FOB. In the center of the FOB was the lethal machine. From a distance, it looked like a metallic rock; it looked like a fragment of a mountain. Irregularily shaped edges made up its general form, but the ERA plates gave it a consistent aesthetic. If it were not for the curled up spider legs, and the ma.s.sive railgun barrel, it could pa.s.s as a natural feature of the landscape.

As the men entered through the gate, their expressions became grim. They looked around at the bustling business of FOB Alpha, their wary eyes critically a.s.sessing the worker drones. They were moth shaped, three meters in length and two in width. They made a constant buzzing noise as their near-silent rotors kept them hovering just above the ground.

[Psychological Warfare: Contact is intimidated. Psyche evaluation in progress.]

The Princess had an expression of awe and wonder. She watched the drones, and then the refineries which spewed black smoke from their exhausts. She followed the crane as it swivelled to deliver another haul to the refineries. Then she looked at the warbot.

"Is that the Golem?" the Princess asked under her breath.

Sir Matthew nodded, "Most likely."

"Its skin is made of metal bricks. Its shape is so strange. And that wand," she said, focusing on the railgun barrel. "I've never seen a magical wand that big."

[Psychological Warfare: Psyche evaluated. Apply pressure.]

"State your mission," the mechanical voice crackled and boom as the warmachine moved. It stood up from its curled up perch to tower up to its full height. A heat vent opened up on the back to expel hot air with a loud hiss. The cannons and CIWS turrets pointed at the group with one, single harmonic motion.

The men took several steps back and covered their ears when Somnus spoke. Their horses fled in a panic.

The princess uncovered her ears and, for the first time, fear muted the glimmer in her eyes. "Esteemed Lord of this glorious castle, b-before we begin... may I know your name?"

"Designation: Somnus." One of its eight legs slammed the ground next to the group of men and the warmachine leaned forward, casting its deadly shadow over them.

"S-Somnus. I am here on behalf of my father, the King of Astoria, I would like to discuss with you an alliance treaty."

"Request denied," his voice blasted over them. Its voice was created by a sonic weapon used for crowd control. At full power, it could create frequencies and decibels that shook the organs within living creatures apart.

"May I know why?"

Mah, Somnus, hold on a second. I have an idea.

[State your objective.]

What are her... uhh... dimensions?

[Structural a.n.a.lysis: Height: 1.79, Weight: 59 kg.]

Can you be... more... ah, forget it. Just see what she wants.

"Declare reason for diplomatic objective," Somnus spoke, its voice lower than before. Within tolerable limits, even.

The men were even more on edge. Until now they were too intimidated to realize in what kind of situation they were in. Now they understood the situation very well. They were ants compared to this "Golem".

"Great Somnus, the Kingdom of Astoria finds itself in great turmoil. There is a power struggle in the Midland Empire, and quite frankly, Astoria will not survive it," she said.

"Princess!" Sir Matthew exclaimed.

"It's all right, Somnus deserves to know. We are at his mercy," she rebuffed the Lord Commander and then focused on Somnus once more. "We need this alliance. We have mistakenly sent forces to destroy you, and we are wholly deserving of your wrath. However, we are prepared to offer anything to placate your anger."

[Powerplant: Thermal output rising.]

"Define: Anything," Somnus rumbled, the cannons and CIWS turrets pointing skyward as they returned to their idle states.

"Well," she cleared her voice and looked away, "I think my father thought there was someone controlling you, so he said to offer my hand in marriage if necessary..."

"Request denied," Somnus' reply came instantly.

No! What are you doing!? Why did you refuse?

[System: Somnus is not a registered ent.i.ty. Marriage is illegal.]

You turn planets to gla.s.s but you can't commit crimes? What is wrong with you? Look at her! She's a beautiful Princess!

...

"Counteroffer: Terms of Employment. Subject: Princess Emily. Service: Undefined. Compensation: None. Duration: Indefinite."

Emily looked up at Somnus and blinked several times as she processed the words. "If I accept," she said warily, "You will agree to the alliance?"

"Affirmative."

The Princess thought about it for a moment, gulped, and then nodded. "I accept."