I've made it inside the royal home—under the guise of a replacement guard. It's the perfect cover. Not only do I get access to the royal family, but I also receive hands-on training alongside their elite. It's an opportunity to observe their strengths, study their techniques, and evaluate just how advanced they are.
The Rikapud—this planet's dominant species—look shockingly human. Their bodies are slightly taller on average, with longer and more muscular legs that give them enhanced stride and balance. Their aging is much slower than ours, likely due to superior biological engineering and mastery over diseases. My Luka suit compensates for the physiological gap between us, adapting my strength, reflexes, and appearance in real-time to match theirs.
We identified a trainee who was on the verge of graduating into the palace guard. We intercepted him and assumed his role, mimicking his voice, behavior, and neural patterns. Through this, we seamlessly slipped into their ranks.
My new assignment? Take care of the royal heir—an infant destined to rule the Rikapud. He's at a toddler-like age, unpredictable and curious. I feed him, play with him, and gently train him as expected. It's not just a test of stealth now—it's a test of character.
One freeday—what they call their rest days—we toured some of the kingdom's most celebrated locations. The food, the music, the colors... this world is beautiful. As I look around, I begin to see them less as aliens and more as people. Families laugh. Couples dance. Children chase each other under the glowing blue moons.
After shifts, I return to my quarters within the royal estate. According to records, the guard I'm impersonating had a wife. She lives here too. Their home is modest by royal standards, but luxurious to outsiders. They have entertainment, gardens, even art.
Why did they resort to aggression when discovering our world? They have everything. It forces me to reflect: perhaps they feared us as much as we feared them. Survival tends to silence morality. When your future is uncertain, you choose the path that gives you the highest odds of success.
I can't let empathy cloud my mission. Their leadership chose to invade. That doesn't make every Rikapud guilty—but someone must be held accountable.
I grew up without a father. The man I'm impersonating? He is someone's father. A husband. A friend. He took something from me. So I will take something from him. I've tracked down his real family. The resemblance—my altered form and his natural one—is uncanny enough to fool them. His children smiled at me. His wife embraced me.
My plan is brutal. I will replace him permanently. Make them feel the loss I endured. My vengeance will begin with a quiet execution... and a recorded message for him—if he's still alive to see it. Only then will he understand my pain.
But as I sit with his children, as they look at me with innocent eyes, I hesitate. They aren't soldiers. They aren't decision-makers.
Will I truly become a monster in pursuit of justice?
Or will I remember that not all enemies wear armor?
The line between revenge and righteousness is blurring. And I don't know how much longer I can walk it.