Tai'Tanu was enjoying herself. She was relaxing in her manor, the natural hot spring they built it around was steaming pleasantly and several males were currently trying to outdo one another in an attempt to gain her affection. She, of course, had no intention of giving them what they wanted, but she relished the attention. After all, it was only natural that the most influential Kloxna matriarch was being catered to every second of her life. The universe was made for her enjoyment and it's sentient inhabitants only there to serve her.

So it was with no small amount of irritation she noticed a messenger moving too fast for it to be good news. In fact, the soldier was all but sprinting in her haste to deliver the message. Nonchalantly waving away the hopefull males, she rose to her full height and size, making for a truly intimidating figure if she had to say so herself. She was taller than most Kloxna and had been blessed with a great physique as well. Muscular without being obscene or vulgar. "If only my first daughter had not been so.....different..." Her thoughts betrayed her as they drifted towards the one subject she was trying to lock away by power of will. "Why will she not accept her place at the top of the universe?? More important.... where had she gone??"..

The messenger arrived, gasping for air and barely standing. Even so, formalities had to be upheld and Tai'Tanu uttered a single word. "Speak!"

The guard inhaled as deeply as she could in the short second she had before she needed to answer. She decided to lead with the good news. "Matriarch, we have received news of you daughter! But they are delivered along with disturbing video footage." Pulling out a datapad, she handed it to Tai'Tanu and quickly retreated well outside of reach.

As Tai'Tanu started the video recording, the sneer of superiority on her face immediately became one of shock, as she saw her daugher on the screen, standing beside a tree stump slightly offcenter to the frame. Directly in focus of the camera was a Terran and behind him stood dozens more, all surrounded by torches. The human in front looked equipped for war, more so than regular human soldiers she had seen. As the lowly primate started speaking, Tai'Tanu quickly let shock give way to anger as the human not only informed her, but by evidence of this video, was actively bragging about taking HER daugher prisoner. She didn't give his promises any merit, as only high caste members had the personal honor that such promises required to be taken seriously.

His listing of possibilities almost made her laugh, but his next words worried her. His claim about his ancestors reputation and him adopting the tradition of the only ones to secure overwhelming victory against them, made her reconsider for a second, she needed to get her people on researching this specific human. When he swung down the axe she thought he was aiming at her daughter, but the axe sunk deep into the stump, far deeper than she would have thought, even given his size.

Letting the whole situation sink in, Tai'Tanu looked at the messenger. "You will speak of this to no one!!":

Looking visibly sick, the messenger eventually muttered "Matriarch, the human broadcasted it to the entire universe. Everyone knows" Before she started running away from Tai'Tanu, with a speed that made her previous approach look like a snails pace.

Tai'Tanu shrieked in a manner none had heard her shriek before. The raw emotions of anger and hatred laced into her voice was not acceptable by someone of her status.

She didn't care. All she cared about in that moment, was killing the human with her own claws.

______________________

2 days had passed since the news had been delivered and Tai'Tanu had been a flurry of activity. she had mobilised private forces, official forces, sent out information brokers, spies, infiltrators, got the diplomats to start prying the Terran government, Activated her sources in the criminal world, sent out scout teams to look for the Terran ship, hired mercenaries, bounty hunters, private investigators, offered up an official bounty, gone to meeting with the other high caste members, discussed the consequences for the military, the politics, the empire, the public, the slave colonies, the conquered species.

She had set into the motions the beginning stages of starting this personal war the Terran so desperately wished for. She would retreive her daugher at any cost. No clue was too small, no hint too little. everything that could be done, would be done.

Of course, they had also went to the Terran government and demanded explanation, but just like the human in the video had said, this was not sanctioned and went against direct orders. As such, the Terran government officially condemned his actions and labelled him and his crew as fugitives. However, that was all they would do about the situation and their diplomats had all their answers ready. If she didnt know better, she would think the human had warned them of his coming actions. But what kind of idiot would tell their superior they were going to actively disobey orders?

Many of her servants had to be replaced following those days, on account of her uncontrollable anger rising to the surface every once in a while. Her frustrations grew with every passing hour, as did her unpredictability. After another fit of rage where she destroyed most of her workspace, since no servants were nearby to be ripped to shreds, her communicator suddenly beeped wit the sound of an incoming message.

Taking it out of her pocket, almost ripping the jacket as she did so ,she clicked the button to open the messages tab and froze.

There, on the screen, were 2 little words that made her more relieved and more confused than she had ever been.

the screen said "New message received: "Hi Mom.". Open?