text: [Themes: sci-fi]
  
  You feel a desire within you that you've had for too long. You must act upon it, and to hell with the Empire's "policy" of getting involved with members of your own team. You enter Alyssa's tent.
  
  She immediately awakens fully armed for combat, until she realizes it's you, at which point she relaxes.
  
  "Sir, what's wrong? Is there something you need my assistance with?" she asks.
  "Oh yes...but right now I want to know, do you believe that you were meant for something greater?"
  "I don't understand."
  
  You touch her hand, its pleasingly cool to the touch in this unbearable heat.
  
  "I'm saying you...like me, were meant for something more grand. I feel it. We were brought together through destiny, and then finally here to achieve it at last. Serving the Empire was just a means to an end."
  
  "Sir, you're acting strangely." Alyssa says, giving a funny look at you touching her hand, she doesn't remove it though. It's a sign, a sign that you're right.
  
  "You don't need to call me sir, you..."
  
  Suddenly you hear firing, and a member of your team barges in the tent.
  
  "Sir, we're under attack! It's the Lizards!"
  
  You and Alyssa quickly rush out to the battle which is already in progress. You fight like you never have before; nothing is going to get in the way of you and your destiny!
  
  The battle is short and in the end you are the victor, some of the Lizards have uncharacteristically surrendered. Something they don't often do. Perhaps this is another sign.
  
  > spare them
  Yes of course! These creatures can sense the greatness in you, that's why they wish to join you! This is just the first step, after you gain the power of the Xont, you'll be able to unite this entire planet under your command! These Lizard creatures are not unintelligent and would make excellent servants.
  
  "Where's our best Lizard translator?" you ask.
  "Um, that would be me sir." Corporal Higgins steps up and says.
  "Good, you're still alive, tell these Lizards that they'll be coming with us. They can also have the honor of carrying some of our equipment."
  
  While corporal Higgins follows your orders, Indoctrinator Salo stops you from going back to your tent protesting severely and very vocally.
  
  "Captain! These creatures need to be exterminated! They attacked us! The will of the Emperor demands no less!"
  "The Emperor isn't here."
  
  This callus remark doesn't endear you to Salo.
  
  "You would DARE say such a thing? You are walking the line of heresy Captain! Perhaps you have allowed yourself to be contaminated too much by alien influences!"
  "Out of my way Salo, I don't want to hear this shit right now."
  "Oh what would you rather do? Fornicate with your blue alien whore? Don't think I didn't notice you going into Sergeant Alyssa's tent earlier! I am the eyes of the Empire!"
  "Last chance Salo, to get out my way..."
  Salo, is right in your face at this point. "No Captain, this is YOUR last chance! You need to..."
  
  Before Salo can go on another tirade, you push him back, pull out your pistol and blast him in the face! The rest of your team watches in silence as you stand over his body ranting.
  
  The next morning work begins on the rafts; they're built relatively quickly with the extra help of the Lizards and the fact that nobody seems to want to piss you off after what happened to Salo. Soon the two large rafts are shoved into the river. Success, they float, but you never really had any doubt. You make sure Alyssa and Higgins are on your raft. You assign Lieutenant LaFleur to the other, and continue on your journey. You have some canopies set up during the trip, so you can at least take shade from the infernal sun beating down on you during the trip. It seems like it got even hotter, how you long for the cool touch of Alyssa's skin again.
  
  As you think about this, you notice a strange rodent like creature running past your feet making squeaking noises.
  
  "What the hell is that?!" you ask you team.
  "Oh, that's a Slink Slink. Or at least that's what the Lizards call them. I believe they eat them sir." Corporal Higgins replies.
  "Well how the hell did it get on here?"
  "I dunno they live in this area I guess and one snuck on board, they're harmless sir, one of the Lizards will probably eat it later, nothing to worry about."
  
  You don't have time to worry about such trivial matters, you wonder if you should reassure your team that this IS the right path. You've noticed that ever since the incident with Salo, your team has been edgy and looking a little less confident in you.
  
  > make a speech
  You decide that you need to put the team's minds at ease by giving an inspiring speech. You order that you make a landing at the nearest clearing, when both of the rafts land you gather everyone and begin to speak.
  
  "I know everyone here feels a little uneasy after what I did to Salo, and this exploration we're going on. Some of you may be wondering if I'm still following the Empire. Well let me say right now, no."
  
  This revelation is met with shocked silence.
  
  "What has the Empire done for us? Any of us? We're expected to just die and follow orders. Look at where they sent us! This hellhole of a planet to find resources to support it. We're like fucking drones sent from the hive to find food to support some great bloated queen. Well I say no more! I see a greater destiny for me, for all of us! With the Xont technology, we could make our own way and break away from the Empire! Others would join us in time. All of you could share in this utopia I see before us! I've trusted you all with my life at one time, and I'm asking you to trust me in this. I know this might be scary to break away from the Empire, but I'm asking you not to blindly follow a corrupt system anymore, but to embrace destiny instead. Who's with me?"
  
  Various members of your team begin to speak amongst themselves and look at each other, but you know they'll follow you, you can sense they recognize greatness when they see it. One of the solidiers begins to speak.
  
  "You've never lead us wrong before sir, and we've followed you this long. You're right, it hasn't been the Empire that's looked out for us, it's been you. We're with you!"
  
  A cheer goes up, yet still you see two that aren't so sure. Alyssa and LaFleur. LaFleur you know is a victim of his own cowardice. He is unable to grab destiny when it's presented before him, but Alyssa...you don't understand why she feels the way she does. You're about to talk to her, but LaFleur runs up to you very anxiously.
  
  "Sir! We can't abandon the Empire! They'll hunt us down and kill us for treason! They might even have the Indoctrinator Order torture us first! Oh man! Oh man! I can't take this! I can't be part of this!" LaFleur start hyperventilating and is nearly in tears at this point.
  
  Something's going to have to be done, you can't have this.
  
  > calmly convince LaFleur
  "Lieutenant, calm yourself. That's your fear talking. Fear that was instilled in you by the Empire. Think about it. You of ALL people should want to leave it. You never really wanted to serve anyway did you? You were forced to by your family's tradition. You basically were born into slavery. I'm telling you to break the chains. Be the first one in your family to finally be free."
  
  You words seem to have an effect on LaFleur. He begins to tear up.
  
  "I'm going to do it! You're right! I never wanted to be part of the Empire! Hah! You hear that Dad? I'm not following your footsteps anymore! Hahahahaha! I'm free! I'm fucking free! YEAH!" LaFleur follows up his sudden outburst with a couple of shots to the air.
  
  Unfortunately LaFleur's enthusiasm has attracted some rather interesting predators which immediately reveal themselves by uncamouflaging themselves and savagely biting chunks of flesh out of one of your soldiers!
  
  "Fire!" you shout, and your soldiers obey, the fauna proves to be more difficult than you think though, they resemble snakes with little legs, but are a whole lot quicker and blink in and out of sight. You must be by a nest because they seem endless; you'll lose a lot of people at this rate.
  
  "Back to the river! Destiny awaits!" you shout while you all run back the rafts while firing.
  
  Soon you're on your way again. You shoo away a Slink Slink which is squeaking underfoot. In fact there are a few more of them now. More must've wandered on while you were briefly docked. You can't be concerned about that now. You have other important matters on your mind. You know that the Xont structure must be getting close, and you need to be prepared. You look over at Alyssa who doesn't show it, but you can tell she's still troubled by all this. You walk over to her.
  
  "Alyssa."
  "Sir."
  "You don't need to call me that, you can address me by my name." you say and touch her face. There's that cool feeling again.
  "I...don't know, I don't feel comfortable addressing you as common, you're always going to be the Captain to me."
  "Are you scared of leaving the Empire?"
  "Of course not, my loyalty has always been to you. I'd follow you anywhere. You saved my life, I'm indebted to you but... it's just...never mind."
  
  You make a bold move and put your arms around Alyssa, she doesn't resist, but you see a slight hint of sadness in her face. You wish you could make her see that this will all work out. She will see eventually. You know she will. As you're holding her, you're interrupted again.
  
  "Sir. There's a Lizard village up ahead, should we stop?" Higgins asks
  
  Ah ha! You knew you weren't crazy! The Elojin said there was a Lizard village near the Xont structure, this must be it! You're very close now. Perhaps you should stop though, the Lizards may know something. Besides you're going to eventually unite this planet under your rule, you should start making allies.
  
  > Stop
  You order your team to get ready to dock again. As you approach the village, the Lizards see you and go running to a big hut and quickly run back out. They don't attack, but eye you warily with spears and bows drawn.
  
  "Higgins we're probably going to have to deal with the chieftain, I want these Lizards to help us if possible, so I want you on top of your game!"
  "I will sir, but what if they attack us anyway?"
  "Well then we crush them as always, but usually Lizards either attack immediately or not at all, so we're probably safe...they probably recognize greatness when they see it, just like these Lizards did." You say pointing to your Lizard porters.
  
  This village is a little bigger than the ones you've come across before, the Lizards seem more organized as well. You even see a few of them marching and doing some sort of drill routine. All you questions are soon answered, when the chieftain emerges from his hut.
  
  "I am Chief Kruz. Do you seek my wisdom?" he asks.
  
  Holy shit, it's a Mazatt! Well that explains why the Lizards are so organized.
  
  "I can see by your face that you were not expecting to see a Mazatt, in charge of this village. So tell me why has the Terran Empire come to this place? Is it the same reason as my own government? To plunder its resources? (Sigh) Such short sightness. I was much like the rest of my race until I found a different way, after I was sent to this planet."
  
  He speaks very well for a Mazatt, usually they don't even bother, except to shout warcries. From the sound of it, he also has left his government. Perhaps you may have a common interest, but then again perhaps not.
  
  > speak with Kruz
  "Actually Chief, we're no longer part of the Terran Empire. I have seen the corruption of it and want no more part of it."
  "Hmmm, yes. I did sense something slightly different about you. I am glad that you have seen the futility of the current power structure in the galaxy. However, if you are here for what I believe you to be, then we still have problems. I cannot allow you to steal my destiny."
  "And what destiny might that be?" you say, fully knowing what the answer will be.
  "The same you believe yours to be. To gain the power of the ancient Xont. Still, I do not wish to kill you right off hand, perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement."
  "How about I just kill you right now?"
  "You could try I suppose, but you would not make it out of here alive. Besides, you would fail, destiny cannot be changed. I have been chosen to bring order to the galaxy. I cannot die before my mission is completed."
  "And you are sure of this? How do you not know it is ME, who is meant to do this?"
  "Hahahaha! If I really thought that, I would step aside without hesitation, but you are not...but perhaps this is a test? Is it possible that destiny has chosen two worthy candidates?"
  "Impossible. I have been chosen, you are merely delusional." You say confidently.
  "Perhaps you would like to convince me? I guarantee that is the only way you shall make it out of here without a fight, or perhaps you're still looking for a fight, but a fight between only us. A fight to the death, destiny will choose the winner."
  
  Actually he makes sense, if you ARE chosen for this destiny, then you will win no matter what.
  
  > Convince Kruz
  "Ah good I prefer to debate. So many are always willing to solve problems with violence, this will be a nice change. We can talk in my hut, whoever convinces the other shall take control of the other's followers."
  You realize that gaining an army of Lizards would help immensely.
  "Agreed."
  You both enter the hut sit across from each other, alone. Kruz speaks first.
  
  "Shall I tell you my tale of how I found my destiny? My team was deployed on this planet probably much like yours. We went through the usual motions, until we encountered these natives. Of course as you probably know, they're mostly hostile, but somehow I sensed a certain honor in these scaly natives. They are like the Mazatt. A race of warriors, and they're completely trustworthy unlike all the other races we've encountered. Yes, they were primitive, but they do not deserve enslavement. I wanted to try to do something new, make peace with them and perhaps eventually incorporate them into the Dominion, but not as a slave race."
  
  Interesting point of view for a Mazatt, the Empire of course does this when possible, but the Dominion never does. The Lizards are shorter than the Mazatt, perhaps that's why Kruz had an affinity for them.
  
  "Of course others in my team felt I was being soft. A few tried to challenge my position as leader, I had to slay them, but soon my entire squad rose up against me, not content to just shoot me and get it over with, they beat me, and threw me over a small cliff. They thought me dead I suppose, but I was not out of it yet. Even with my head bad head wound I struggled to get up and I crawled inside a nearby cave, and that's when destiny found me, and I found THIS!
  
  The Mazatt brandishes a coin! One exactly like the ones you obtained from the Elojin.
  
  "I knew what it was; I had heard the legends of the Xont before. I never paid too much attention to them before, but somehow I knew this was real. I just had to find the ruins of the Xont, but then I fell into unconsciousness. That's when the scalies found me. The fact they never ate me and brought me back to full health only confirmed that I had been spared for something greater. When they saw that I held this coin, they made me their leader. My old life was gone; I was discarded by a system that is bound for ultimate destruction anyway. These scalies are my new people, this planet my new home. I have visions that confirm what I know in my heart, that I am destined to find and use the Xont technology on this planet and bring about a new age in the galaxy."
  
  Well you can see he's convinced himself, now see if you can convince him that he's entirely wrong and this is all in his head.
  
  > explain your story in full detail and stand by it
  After explaining your story, Kruz is unconvinced, and begins to drill holes in your own belief.
  
  "All you've been doing is wandering on a delusional thought!"
  "What?!" you exclaim
  "You've done nothing to prove yourself! Look at what I've accomplished; I have an entire village of scalies following me, because they believe! You haven't proven yourself to anyone else but your own people, which was easy to do since you already held command over them. They already trusted in you and you stated you still had to kill one of them. Convincing outsiders is far more difficult. The only way you could get the scalies that you have now to follow you, is by beating them in battle. I didn't have to do that, they saw me and instantly knew I was chosen for a greater destiny."
  
  You haven't had your belief challenged like this, you begin to sweat and raise your voice.
  
  "I HAVE THESE!" you say and slam your coins on the table.
  
  "So? Quantity doesn't signify quality. And how did you obtain them? You said you took them from an Elojin! You didn't find them, like I found mine. You basically stole them and as I said before, destiny cannot be stolen. And you are attempting to steal it.
  
  You realize Kruz has spoken the truth. Your belief in being chosen has been shattered, all your actions have been for nothing.
  
  > accept it
  You weep as you accept this revelation, but you realize you can't go on. You take out your pistol, Kruz doesn't even stop you. He knows he's not in any danger.
  
  You point it at your head.
  
  "This is my destiny." You say.
  
  And then you meet it.