1. Chapter 1: A Cloaked Enemy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Warhammer 40k, or any other piece of trademarked fiction that will be used in this story. So this is a story set in the same universe as my other story, Heart of Darkness. There won't be any spoilers for the other story, this one is set thousands of years in the future but I like the idea of one universe with different stories taking place over vast spans of time. This story focuses almost entirely on Zuko with Katara as a secondary character. Don't expect Aang or Toph to be in this story. This is upload as I write, and is driven by how much my viewers show their support. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them, and if an idea is popular I will see if I can add it.**

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"Lord Admiral, dropping out of rift space in 5,4,3,2,1!" Zuko watched as reality screamed back into existence and the ragging maelstrom they had exited closed behind them. Rift Space might be the fastest and safest way to travel but it was still unsettling to see such a strange dimension exist. "Sir the entire fleet has made it out safety as well."

"Thank you ensign." Zuko tapped the fleet communicator on this command throne that would open a channel to all bridges in his fleet's ships. "Fleet engage scout protocols and beginning scanning this system. I want all planets scanned by the end of the week." Zuko always found it ironic that it took a matter of hours to wrap from one end of empire to the next but took days to travel one within a single system. Zuko altered the holographic display in the middle of the bridge to display the system they had traveled to and the position of his fleet. He was commanding a small scout fleet, with a few battleships and cruisers for protection. He was leading the first and farthest scout fleet as was his duty. As Lord Admiral he led the navies of the United Earth Kingdom. Because of radiation from every system with a sun all fleets always wrapped just outside the edge of systems. The hologram showed the fleet's location and the planets. It would take a few hours for most of the fleet to reach the first planet in the system. It was a dwarf planet that would hopefully contain some useful metals for exploitation. The problem with building kilometre long ships was the massive metals required.

"Sir, the fleet is beginning to split up. Should we hold our position or move further into the system along with the rest of the fleet." Lu Ten was the first officer aboard the Litany of Fury and had served for many years as first officer. He had refused a promotion to remain aboard the Litany of Fury which he claimed was the safest ship in the galaxy.

"We'll move towards the inner planets. We should maintain a presence there, we are the probably the only thing out here but I'd rather not leave anything to chance. We have moved into uncharted space and must remain cautious." Zuko's ship was one of the largest in the entire United Earth Kingdoms (UEK) Navy. It was an Emperor class Battle Barge called the Litany of Fury and it had been built to serve as his flagship after his promotion to Admiral eight years ago. It had a hammerhead nose with a narrow body. The nose contained the main guns such as the Rift Cannons and Disintegrators. The back of his ship was much larger than the rest and contained the bridge and engines. They bridge was just above the main body and offered a view of the cannons and turrets that dotted the surface. In total his ship was twenty kilometres in length and had the highest kill record of any ship in the Imperial Navy.

"Yes my lord." Another ensign called out. In total the bridge crew contained over thirty members. They had all been personally selected by Zuko which was unusual for Captains but Zuko wanted to know the men that helped pilot and control his ship.

"My Lord, this system is still relatively close to our frontier planets; wouldn't enemy transmission have been detected by our long range listening posts?" Lu Ten wondered if such a large fleet had been necessary for scanning systems. The last alien presence in known space had been killed off over four years ago. That had been the year Admiral Zuko had taken over as Lord Admiral. The previous Lord Admiral was now classified excommunicate traitoris and many suspected that she had died, but there were rumors she used her fleet for piracy.

"Possibly but I added more battleships to the fleet because of rumors spreading about a new alien discovery. And stop calling me lord my friend." Zuko had heard from some contacts in the Inquisition that certain smugglers had been caught with contraband that had not been seen yet in the UEK but was clearly alien in nature. The Lord Inquisitor had suppressed the details, but he expected it to come up in the next council meeting.

"I have heard such rumors sir but why do we have an Inquisition Battleship in the fleet." Lu Ten knew it wasn't his place to ask but the Lord Admiral allowed him more liberty when speaking than other ships captains. It was one of the many reasons why he had wanted to stay on as the first officer. The other was that the Lord Admiral was an exceptional leader.

"The Watcher's Gaze is a powerful ship capable of defending itself and our fleet. It is important to make sure that any alien presence can be verified by the Inquisition." Zuko knew the real reason why the ship was here. The Lord Inquisitor wanted to keep an eye on his progress and to make sure that any action he took would not be against the UEK. The previous holder of Lord Admiral had betrayed the UEK and was now considered a traitor and heretic. The Emperor was probably still guarded about the position, especially given his family history and somewhat dissenting ideas about the Inquisition and the Emperor's policies. He was still surprised that his sister hadn't killed him yet.

"The Inquisition should let go of its animosity towards you. After over a decade of service as the youngest Captain and Admiral you have more than proven your loyalty. You also took over after the previous Lord Admiral betrayed the Empire and won the war." Lu Ten saw through the smokescreen the Lord Admiral had tried to hide behind. After four years they still didn't completely trust him.

"Lord Admiral. Our ships are arriving at the first planet." One of the cryptologists changed the hologram to show the planet part of the fleet had arrived at. It was a dwarf planet with no moon and no atmosphere. "Sir, the planet is completely lifeless, but the augur ships have scanned large deposits of titanium."

"Good, how large are the deposits?" Zuko knew that the news would go appreciated back at Mars. This small planet could be a large mining operation. If one of the other planets proved suitable then it would probably be turned into a Forge World. Mars would send it massive transport fleet and terraforming machines to change the suitable planet into a hive of industry with massive foundries and factories. A Forge World this far out in the Empire would prove as a suitable launch for another wave of expansion.

"Some deposits are hundreds of trillions of cubic metres in size. This planet could create dozens of fleets by itself." The cryptologist responded. He saved the data into an open log that was gathering all useful information for Mars. Once scanning of all planets was complete they would send it to the nearest communication outpost which would then send it instantly through the network back to Mars.

"Sir, the moon orbiting the planet has been scanned and contains no significant deposits." Another cryptologist called out. A Cryptologic was a communication expert on the bridge crew and dealt with all incoming transmissions. Most were simple updates from ships but any encoded messages were sent immediately to the first officer of the ship or if dire enough to the Captain.

"Unfortunate but most planetary bodies are like that. How far away is the rest of the fleet from the other planets?" Zuko was not going to wait here on the bridge while there was little to do. He could let the pilots do their job while the first officer was in control. He needed to remove his armour and go the armoury for weapons training.

"About a day sir. We were lucky when we arrived so close to the outermost planet." One of the navigators called out. The Navigators plotted the courses that were used by the ship as well as in charge of assessing battle reports to inform the pilots of where enemy ships were. It was a taxing job at the worst of times but the four Navigators Zuko had recruited were the best he had ever known.

"Lu Ten you are in charge. Contact me if any disturbances happen." Zuko wasn't worried, Lu Ten was more than capable of command and he had never failed Zuko yet. Zuko left the bridge to go to his private quarters and change into his combat outfit. He usually wore his ceremonial Lord Admiral uniform while on the bridge other than during a battle. It was expected of him to remain a figure head of the navy that represented order, stability and exceptionalism. After a few minutes he reached his quarters which were located close enough to the bridge so that he could react to a crisis but far enough away that it wasn't exposed to critical failure if the bridge was comprised. He removed his uniform and stepped into his personal armoury that contained his battle armour and weapons of war. His Armour was a Mk 5 Crusade Pattern Battle Plate, the most advanced armour available in the UEK. It had its own completely sealed environment that could protect a user from space and its intense heat and cold. He put on his bodysuit that was designed to be worn under his armour and stepped into his arming chamber. He raised his arms to his shoulder as automated robotic arms placed parts of his armour and bolted them into place. The armour was made from ceramite, a dense material that needed synthetic muscle fibers in the suit to help him move around. The suit wasn't bulky and offered enough flexibility to properly move, but strong enough to stop laser fire. The muscle fibers were so strong that they actually increased his strength and speed while he was wearing the armour. He lowered his arms and grabbed his helmet from the alcove. His armour was a deep red and had his personal heraldry on it which was a dragon surrounded by flames. It was the symbol of his family on Earth which had been devastated centuries ago. His close combat weapons were duel Thunder Hammers, massive adamantium weapons that could destroy tanks and people alike. They were custom made to have a smaller handle so that he could wield them each with a single hand instead of the usual single two-handed variant. His ranged weapon was a disintegrator pistol similar to the one his ship used except on a much smaller scale. It burned away matter into ash and left little of the enemy once they had been hit. Only Generals and Admirals were allowed to carry it due to its destructive power.

Zuko walked to the armoury near the hanger bays at the lower end of his massive ship. He saw the training facilities were the navy soldiers trained. The Navy didn't contain an actual military army but rather each ship had a small dedicated group of men that was tasked with defending the ship if boarders were to gain access. The Imperial Army had the ground personal and vehicles to invade a planet, the Navy just made sure the skies were clear. He saw the weapons master in the training cages and Zuko walked towards the man. Tarik Torgaddon was a veteran of war and had served as an army general before retiring many years ago after a disagreement with the Lord Commander. Zuko had offered him a place on his ship as Master of the Armoury. In the few cases that his ship had been boarded by enemy forces they had never gotten farther then their breach. No enemy had to date taken a part of his ship from his control and Zuko knew it was because Tarik trained his men constantly and reinforced their morale with results.

"Welcome Lord Admiral, you honour us with your presence." Tarik owed the Lord Admiral a great deal. He had saved him from the Lord Commander many years ago and had served him faithfully ever since. He taught the Admiral combat and how to win fights with your sword and gun. Zuko believed that the time would come when he would need to fight to defend his ship and he didn't plan on dying trying to do so.

"The honour is mine old friend." Zuko clasped his hand onto Tarik's shoulder. Tarik truly was a trusted friend as well as his combat master. "I am here to train while the fleet scans the system."

"Not one for the grunts work it seems, well I guess you earned that much. I'll have combat drones prepared for you." Tarik walked towards one of the cages and started its systems. He requested four combat drones per duel for the Lord Admiral and set them to lethal targeting. The Lord Admiral always requested them to that setting and Tarik knew that there was little threat to him anymore.

"Only four? My friend, you think so little of me." Zuko said with a smile as he walked into the cage and it sealed behind him. It was a medium size arena that was about twenty metres on each size in a perfect square. It was nothing compared to the training facilities on Onyx which were miles in length and simulated all manner of battlefields. Onyx served as the Imperial Army Headquarters and main training planet. All infantry forces trained there for many years before their service started and if you wanted to train as an officer there was no better planet.

"Focus my friend, cockiness gets soldiers killed." Tarik knew that Zuko was a brilliant Admiral and in naval battles was able to calmly co-ordinate his forces but ground combat was completely different. Tarik watched as Zuko entered his ready position and he activated the drones.

Zuko focused on nothing but the drones. He watched as they activated their combat blades and approached him. He raised his hammers and waited for the right time to strike. He saw one begin to lead in front of the others as they tried to surround him and he quickly spun on his heel and swung one of his hammers in an arc to make use of his speed. It impacted with a solid thud that crumpled the metal of the drone's torso and destroyed it's systems. It collapsed as he blocked one of the blades that had darted towards him and smashed his hammer through the drone's arm severing it before using the other hammer to knock it back. He spun around as the last two drones were closing from opposite angles and Zuko threw one of his hammers towards one while he rushed the other and spun the hammer to destroy it. He pulled free his pistol and aimed it at the final drone that he had thrown his hammer at to make sure it was destroyed. It had partially dodged the hammer but had still been hit on one of its legs and was clawing its way towards him. He shot once at its head and watched as it the shot created a red wave at the point of impact that followed down it's body until there was nothing left but ash. The entire fight had lasted less than twenty seconds.

"Well done my young student." Tarik said as he opened the cage door and approached Zuko. "Although throwing your weapon isn't usually the best solution during an actual battle."

"Improvisation is the key to victory. I believe you told me that the first time we began training." Zuko knew his mentor was right but he had made a split-second decision to stall one of the enemies so that he could destroy them both. "I'll go another few rounds before finishing for today." Zuko let his mentor walk out of the cage as new drones were loaded while the others were taken out.

"How goes your other training." Tarik saw Zuko tense up and he knew he had gone too far.

"Progressing. Now back to the current training." Zuko didn't want to talk about his secret training. Only a few people knew and he wanted to keep it secret. It was dangerous for him and if word spread to the Inquisition, he would find himself facing the barrel of the Lord Inquisitor's gun faster than he could blink.

The next three fights had been the same as the last. Zuko had destroyed all the combat drones quickly and had tried different methods of destroying them. He left the cages and after thanking his mentor walked back to his quarters to remove his armour and get some rest before his ship reached its destination. He set his weapons back in their proper places, not having to worry about damage to them. The hammers generated a null field that allowed them to break metal so easily and as a result never took damage. His pistol would be cleaned by servants and readied for when he would use them next. He then stepped into his arming chamber and let the robotic arms remove his armour for him. It took a few minutes but eventually each piece was removed and stored for cleaning and repair. He took off his bodysuit and walked to his room. His quarters was the largest on the ship and contained his arming chambers, his private room for sleep, a study where he could do his work, and a large greeting area where he was able to entertain guests that contained a seating area and bar. He lay down on his bed and allowed himself to fall into a deep sleep.

Zuko woke up to an annoying beeping on his night stand and got out of his large bed. His room was richly decorated and displayed much of the trophies and awards he had won during the course of his career. He quickly changed into appropriate clothing and answered the call. "What is it Lu Ten?"

"Sir, we have reached our destination near the third planet in the system but the farthest ships have detected a strange anomaly. It signature is similar to our rift portals but no ships have yet been detected." Lu Ten had discovered the anomaly but seconds before waking Zuko. He needed to be on the bridge to judge the situation.

"I'm on my way, set the ship to red alert and warn the fleet to prepare weapons. Move the support ships as close to the battleships and cruisers, they are only lightly armoured and if an unknown fleet is approaching the system or has arrived I don't want us caught unaware." Zuko quickly walked back to his arming chamber and signaled that he wanted his battle armour put on. If there was a battle he had no intentions of being caught without preparing first. After his armour was attached he put on his command cape and rushed to the bridge. He arrived on the bridge five minutes after the first alert was sent. "Status of the fleet?"

"All ships capable of battle have weapons prepared and shields up. Our support ships are trying to scan for fleet movement. We still haven't found anything." The chief navigator called out instead of the chief cryptologist which surprised Zuko.

"Sir the fleet has detected more strange anomalies but if there is a ship or fleet we cannot detect them through any of our sensors." The chief cryptologist reported, trying to find a pattern. Most were near each of the planets and appeared to be all at the same distance from their perspective planet.

After a few hours of waiting and using different forms of scanning, nothing had been detected. Most of the ships were moving slowly towards the rendezvous point which was where they had arrived. It was a slow affair as most of the ships had gotten close to their destination to properly scan the planets.

"The support ships can detect movement; they can set up large fields to search for tremors and thus can detect shitting objects. If the ships are cloaked we could detect them moving past the ships." Zuko knew it was a gamble but at this point he was running out of options. As more reports came in he was sure there was something in this system with them. The only afterthought was that if an alien species was capable of creating a cloaking field around their ships then they could possibly be able to bypass all scanning attempts no matter what.

"Sir, movement detecting fields have been created." A cryptologist called out.

"Tell the fleet to stop all movement. Support ships will also remain motionless." Zuko typed into a command into the holographic displayers to show the entire system and all the ship locations as well as the detection fields. The minutes crawled by as the fleet waited. The crew was silent as they continued doing their jobs. Zuko waited in his command throne as he watched the hologram closely. After an hour movement was detected.

"Sir we have movement near the fifth planet!" A cytologist called out as several others confirmed the report.

"Battleship Indomitable Wrath, fire upon the enemy vessel!" Zuko messaged the captain of the closest battleship that was guarding the support vessel. Zuko watched as it opened fire with its plasma batteries located on its prow. As soon as the mystery ship was hit the cloak field was disrupted and the true nature of the ship was revealed. It was a cruiser sized vessel of strange design. It had large sails of unknown material on the back of the ship and had a large rounded wedge shaped body, almost like a beak on a bird. It was riddled with turrets along the main body. As soon as it was hit it immediately fired back on the support ship. Support ships were small frigates that were mass produced for scientific purposes during expansions. They weren't designed for combat and the ship was quickly destroyed as the enemy ship moved with superior speed and firepower. Indomitable Wrath continued to fire upon the ship but the weapon fire was absorbed by the ship's shields.

"Sir, more ships are being fired upon, it looks like over thirty ships have de-cloaked." The chief navigator called out with worry in his voice. It was terrifying to hear the reports come in yet not be able to see the enemy. Naval battles took place over vast distances but you could still see the ships you were firing upon.

"All ships, fire upon the enemy fleet. Move towards the outer ring of the system to enter rift space. Protect the support ships." Zuko knew that his smaller fleet was outmatched. He watched as support ships were destroyed through the fleet as it tried to move away from the enemy fleet but whatever propulsion system the enemy ships were using it was clearly superior.

"Sir, our battleships and cruisers are being left alone but all smaller ships are being picked off!" The chief navigator reported as he looked towards the Lord Admiral for answer. "They can't turn fast enough to get a clear line of site with their capital ship weapons.

"Sir we have an incoming message from the Fire of Dawn!" The chief cryptologist sent the message to Zuko's command console.

"Lord Admiral, we are ordered to leave this system and travel to the nearest imperial planet." Zuko watched as Inquisitor Agmar ordered his fleet to retreat despite the order already being given by Zuko.

"I am well aware of that as I ordered the fleet to retreat mere minutes ago. We need to regroup and call back all the fleets to our border worlds to protect them and calibrate our sensors to detect the cloaked ships should they approach." Zuko watched as the enemy fleet destroyed the last of his support ships and smaller vessels before backing off. Only three enemy ships had been damaged but none had been a confirmed kill. The ships moved with unnatural speed as the alien fleet traveled away from his fleet and reengaged their cloaking fields.

"Your fleet will regroup; you are to travel to Earth with all haste. Further orders will be given to you." Inquisitor Agmar ended the transmission. His ship led the way towards the systems exterior.

"Sir, shouldn't we go back and look for survivors?" Lu Ten said as he watched all enemy ships disappear from the hologram.

"I wish we could but we are outnumbered and without the support ships we are easy prey for their cloaking ships. Chief cryptologist, did the support ships send us their findings before they were destroyed?" Zuko wasn't callous but he needed to protect the remaining fleet as they began to group together. Within twelve hours the fleet would be completely regrouped into one single fleet and would make the jump to rift space together.

"Yes sir, all appropriate data was sent before each ship was destroyed. We are sifting through it now but we should be able to enhance our scanners to penetrate the cloaking fields." The chief cryptologist was relieved that there was some good news. The data was indeed promising and he hoped the ships crews sacrifices wouldn't be in vain.

"Some good news then, I want our shields at maximum power and all excess energy to our engines." Zuko spoke to his crew before sitting down in his chair and creating a message to his fellow captains. He wanted to know as much as possible about the enemy fleet and how it was able to kill most of his fleet. He needed answers to explain how he had lost so much of his fleet to the Council of Terra.

_After a day of travel the human fleet entered their form of faster-than-light travel. Farseer Andrayda looked upon the destroyed human fleets and knew that the next battle wouldn't be as easy. She noticed one of her advisors walked towards her and Andrayda knew what she was looking for._

_"Farseer, is the council sure that this is the correct path? The humans would not have discovered us for centuries if we hadn't intervened." The Banshee exarch Lileath had severed with the Farseer for centuries and trusted her judgement, but she was still hesitant that they had to be so aggressive in their actions._

_"Yes, this is the best course to save the humans and ourselves from the coming threat. The architect of their change was in this battle, Lord Admiral Zuko, and we can only hope that our mutual allies will be able to show him the corruption within the Empire. Send word to the Pirate Queen, the first move has been made. It's time for her to start her part of the plan now." Andrayda moved her ships back to the Webway portals to return home to Isha. Preparations had to be made to slow the inevitable human counter-attack._

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**Hmmm, who are these allies Andrayda is talking about. Also, the italicized part is from the Eldar perspective after the battle, just wanted to made the transition easier to pick up. Expect to see more of my favorite Warhammer characters (Andrayda is a name I made up). I take a realistic take on space travel that it is slow to move through systems. If you want things clarified let me know so I can in future chapters. On a side note, what did you all think of the ending of Legend of Korra. I thought it was pretty good but some things did bug me, don't worry though, I won't say what. Don't forget to comment, I read all reviews and private messages and appreciate them greatly.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Imperial Senate

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Warhammer 40K, Game of Thrones(don't expect characters, just refrences) or any other piece of trademarked fiction. There was enough viewer support that I decided to write another chapter. Hopefully this gains more traction otherwise I might not continue. Show your support by reviews, follows or favorites as well as views. So I apologize but this is exposition heavy. I have a lot of lore to try and establish for Earth. However we get to see Katara as well as another important character. If you have any questions about certain things that I haven't explained or sci-fi terms that you don't know you can message me for more information or just google it. Most I try to explain but I also don't want to have everything be the explaining of terms. This will be one of the few chapters**

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Zuko watched his ship slowly moved towards one of the Docking Stations large enough to accommodate his flagship. The Station was one of hundreds around Mars. Mars was the largest and most powerful Forge World in the entire Empire and was the only planet that could repair and resupply his fleet fast enough to meet the demands of his schedule. Zuko looked from the bridge as the rest of his fleet also began to dock with different stations. Most of the fleet didn't need repairs or resupply since only the scout and support ships had been attacked and destroyed but he still wanted to make sure all the ships would be ready. While not one of the Eight Grand Fleets under his direct control as Lord Admiral, it was under his responsibility and he wanted to give the crew a break. He wasn't destined for the Red Planet however, he had to travel the short distance to Earth. He would take his personal shuttle to Earth to meet with the Imperial Senate and then the Council of Terra. The Imperial Senate had a representative from every planet in the UEK and was in charge of maintaining order by addressing disputes between planets but it was also responsible for a formal declaration of war. The Council of Terra was comprised of the High Lords of Earth and was the actual controlling force in the Empire despite many believing the Senate had the legislative power. The Emperor was the Head of the Council with the highest ranking individuals within the Empire. As head of the Imperial Navy Zuko was part of the Council along with the Lord Commander of the Imperial Army, the Chancellor of the Senate, the Lord Inquisitor of the Inquisition, the Fabricator-General of the Adeptus Mechanicus from Mars, the Master of the Adeptus Administratum, and the Grand-Provost of the Adeptus Arbites. Zuko felt his ship lock into place of the Space Station. The different crews from the ships would take shuttles to moons of Saturn where the soldiers could enjoy their shore leave with entertainment districts and trade ports located there .

Zuko's shuttle was a single pilot ship that was about as large as the standard bombers in the Imperial Navy but was mostly automated and would allow him to make the distance between Mars and Earth in just less than two hours. After a long hour of reading reports coming from the Ptolemy Sector of an increase in Pirate attacks along with raids and that the Pirate Queen was responsible for them Zuko began why he hadn't been contacted sooner. The security of the empire from threats within like pirates and traitors should take precedent over trying to expand and over-extend the empire. Zuko knew it would come up in the Senate Meeting that he was forced to attend during his time on Earth. It was his duty as the Lord Admiral and his wife appreciated his presence. It had been almost three months since he had last seen her and he wasn't looking forward to her wrath over his disappearance. She knew his position forced him to be far from home but that didn't mean that she liked it.

He saw Earth and Luna as he approached his home world and was happy to see its beauty. The oceans were always a dark rich blue and the land was a vibrant green. During the early 22nd century the Earth Kingdom had conquered the entire planet during a time of great chaos. A new power source had been developed and it had given the Kingdom a technological advantage to power larger machines of war. After the wars had ended, Earth had been devastated not just by the destructive war but by over-population and industrial use and to slow the tide of ecological eradication had placed strict population laws to slow and reverse population growth but there were still too many people on Earth. Severe environmental laws were also imposed to try and prevent a total ecological collapse. The Singularity Generator that had helped win the wars by powering weapons of war and had stopped the burning of fossil fuels and nuclear power finally found its perfect home at the heart of starships. They were sent out to colonize Mars and Luna to try to relieve the burden on Earth. With over a billion people sent to Mars and Luna, the cost was astronomical. Quadrillions of credits were spent on colony buildings capable of protecting the people from the harshness of space. It took decades for people to begin to properly settle but the beginning of the United Earth Kingdoms had begun.

Now five thousand years later Earth was the crown jewel of the UEK and was classified as a Garden World as well as the Capital Planet. As a garden world it had a strict population limit of five hundred million and was concentrated in several cities while the rest of the planet was complete wilderness. The few cities there were had towering skyscrapers to hold the millions on people in the smallest land area possible, with most skyscrapers reaching two or three kilometres. However Earth was also home to the most powerful families in the UEK and many choose to build large sprawling family homes outside of the cities. Zuko was one of the last descendants from one of those families, the Targaryen family, whose symbol he had adopted as his personal heraldry.

He passed Luna, which served as the most advanced research facility in the UEK and worked closely with Mars to create more powerful ships and weapons of war. Luna was designated as a research planet and was home to the most advanced universities and labs as well as having incredibly strong security. Luna was encircled by a massive ring that was actually one giant space station that was tasked with protecting Earth from all threats. It was the last line of defence but it was also the greatest and strongest, having taken three hundred years to construct. He finally reached his destination, one of four space elevators that existed on each of the four main continents. It was forbidden for any ship to enter or exit the atmosphere of Earth, even Inquisitorial ships. This was to stop people from illegally entering Earth and if someone tried they were tracked and taken into custody as soon as they landed. The one he docked with was connected to the continent Atlantis, so called because it was the smallest of the continents and was completely surrounded by water. It was also the centre from the UEK as it both contained the Imperial Senate and the Imperial Palace. It was also one of the most beautiful continents as the oceans around it flourished with life and contained massive barrier reefs, atolls, and hadal zones near the continent. If tourism was allowed it would be the most visited place in the Empire. Zuko docked his craft to the station locked in geosynchronous orbit and took an elevator down. It would pass through the atmosphere and travel hundreds of kilometres to reach the surface of Earth. It only took less than ten minutes to go down as gravity helped and he exited the elevator. One of the family drivers was there waiting with a sky-car that would take him to Dragonstone.

"Welcome Master Zuko, we have been expecting you." The driver opened the door as Zuko walked out the vehicle and gazed up at the massive castle before him. His home, called Dragonstone, was located in the gigantic mountain range near the centre of Atlantis that was a dangerous as it was beautiful. Legends said that dragons had once lived there and the castle had earned its name for the legends surrounding the mountains. Dragonstone was only accessible by a sky car and was built to emulate ancient castles of Earth. It was almost a thousand year old had battlements that had plasma turrets and point defense system. It also had a shield system that could stop a volley from an orbital bombardment. The original building had been maintained over the centuries but the advanced weaponry and shield systems had been added by Zuko once he had attained the rank of Lord Admiral. He wanted to insure that his home would never again be threatened as it had centuries ago during the Imperial Ascension Crisis. "Lady Katara left earlier for the Senate. They will be starting in a few hours and she requested you to be there."

"Thank you, I will depart immediately." Zuko wasn't worried about any personal effects not being taken inside. He lived a simple life compared to his peers and most of what he owned was either already at Dragonstone or in his personal quarters aboard the Litany of Fury. He got into the sky-car and was driven to the Senate which was only a short flight away. It was hundreds of miles away but Zuko liked his sky-cars to be the fastest available. He may not have many personal effects but he did like fast sky-cars.

He landed and was greeted by his good friend that also served on the council, the Fabricator-General. "Fabricator-General Qin, it's been far too long." The Fabricator-General, like all those that served in the Adeptus Mechanicus had modified his body with technology and cybernetic implants. Unlike many that modified his body however, his augments were very well hidden and the man looked very human despite most of his body being robotic in nature. Zuko had once seen Qin fight in hand-to-hand combat and had decided to never get on his bad side.

"Lord Admiral Zuko, it has been indeed been too long. Rumors are that you experienced some difficulty in your latest expedition." Qin and Zuko had been friends since Zuko's ascension to Admiral eight years ago. Qin had already been on the council for many years and knew that it was only time before Zuko was offered the position of Lord Admiral. Four years after his promotion to Admiral, Zuko had received the honour of being Lord Admiral of the Imperial Navy. What had at first been part of a political ploy was now a true friendship. Zuko wanted more freedom for those within the Empire and Qin agreed with him. The UEK had changed forever with the rise of the Emperor during the Imperial Ascension Crisis and the political freedoms enjoyed before had disappeared within a decade.

"Are you here to report to the Senate as well? I thought I was the only one that had to information that was new." Zuko had never before seen the Fabricator-General at a Senate meeting before. The man hated politics, or rather politics that he could only discuss, not actually join in. During Council meetings the man could be ruthless in trying to achieve what he wanted.

"I'm here at the request of a friend. I am also here to report about the growing Pirate crisis. Apparently I'm the resident expert on how to maintain order. " Qin watched Zuko chuckle at his reference to the Mars Civil War, also known as the Ten-Minute Conflict. A few rebellious fabricators had tried to seize control with a sizeable force and had assaulted Olympus Mons, but Qin simply ordered all the Titan Legions to destroy them. No rebellion had ever occurred on Mars since.

"Well I suppose we shouldn't keep the Senators waiting." Zuko followed the Fabricator-General as they walked towards the entrance to the Senate. After a short climb to their respective door, they walked through and entered their respective repulsorpod that were delegated for members of the Council of Terra. They were the highest in the Senate and offered a spectacular view on the thousands of Senators. Zuko quickly changed into the Officer's Uniform that was waiting in the room before the access door to the repulsorpod. After he changed Zuko walked onto the pod and activated it systems, allowing him to travel down towards the centre of the chamber where the chancellor's podium was.

"The floor recognizes Lord Admiral Zuko and Fabricator-General Qin." Katara called out. She was chancellor of the senate and Zuko's wife. It was her duty to regulate arguments and debates between Senators as well as allowing Senators and members of the Council of Terra to speak. She had little actual power in the Senate, but because she was a Lord of Terra she could in fact influence politics. Because of her insistence that the Senate had more power she was unpopular with the Emperor but she was excellent at her job as well as maintaining order among the Senators. She was dressed simply in flowing robes, despite the wealth of her office and the decadence of other senators.

"Thank you Chancellor. I have arrived from beyond the frontier planets to bring news of an attack against a scout fleet I was in command of." Zuko typed into the pod's command that would activate the massive hologram program in the chamber. It displayed the system he was attacked in as well as a model of the ships that had attacked him. "The ships targeted our sensor and support ships but left our combat capable ships alone. They displayed a keen awareness of how we were able to discover them and removed the sources of their problem."

"What do you recommend as our next course of action?" Katara was chancellor of the senate and as such had to voice what she believed to be concerns of the senate. She couldn't offer proposals but she could inquire into what others thought.

"I recommend increasing our planetary defenses on the border planets while we try to find a way to equip all our ships advanced scanning modules. We also need to retrofit our ships to have better maneuvering abilities. The ships that attacked have advanced speed, maneuvering, and are able to cloak themselves from our sensors. The other problem was that our ships were not able to turn fast enough to actually fire. We have discovered a weakness but we should attempt to equip as many our ships with it to help defend against further attacks." Zuko knew that his fleets weren't ready yet. More ships needed to be built and the cloaking fields needed to be rendered useless before they could continue. The results had been sent to both Mars and Luna, hopefully results would arrive within a few weeks.

"We should attack now. Weakness is not tolerated and will lead to our entire collapse. I believe the Lord Admiral is exaggerating the scale and strength of this alien scum to further strengthen the Navy." A man floated down on another repulsorpod. Zuko recognized him immediately as the Lord Commander.

"The floor does not recognize Lord Commander Zhao at this time." Katara tried to maintain order but Zhao continued to speak. He had always refused to accept Senate Protocol. Senators and Council members needed to ask permission to speak on an issue which she almost always gave.

"And yet I will continue to speak, as is my right as Lord Commander of the Imperial Army." Zhao moved his pod to rest level with the Chancellor's podium just like the Lord Admiral and Fabricator-General. "The armies of the United Earth Kingdom's do not stop for anything. We will crush all opposition under our boots and continue our march towards total galactic control. Nothing can stop us nor will we allow them to stop us."

"Once again Lord Commander you demonstrate your ability to tell a fantastic story, but the reality is that we are over-extending ourselves. We need time to solidify our forces and our planets. Many border planets need more infrastructure and large-scale terra-forming from the Adeptus Mechanicus. If we want to have another wave of expansion we need to wait for our planets to be able to support that expansion." Zuko looked over to the Fabricator-General for support. Zuko received constant updates from Mars and the Senate about the state of the outermost planets.

"The Lord Admiral is correct. We have yet to send our World Engines or our automated builders. Many of these planets have only what their colony ship brought with them. We are still trying to maintain and finish many of the middle rim planets and have yet to focus our resources on the outer rim and border planets. We are not ready to gain more planets." Qin looked towards Zhao for a response.

"And yet the Inquisition and our Lord Emperor have demanded the continual expansion. They believe, as do I, that you are wasting too much time on weaker planets. It is a matter of loyalty to the Empire that we continue with our expansion. The strong survive while the weak perish." The Lord Commander could hear murmurs of approval from parts of the Senate. The Core worlds were eager for more victories to fuel their growing need for resources. Many of them had a vested interest in expanding and proving their loyalty to the Empire.

"Loyalty to the Empire means ensuring the survival of all the planets and the citizens that inhabit them. We cannot allow the outer rim worlds or border worlds to die because we couldn't wait a few months to help improve them. The UEK should be judged by its weakest planet, not its strongest. Some of the planets are facing famine and diseases; despite our advancements in technology we still cannot escape the sins of our past." Zuko looked directly at his wife and saw her pride. He had missed her in the months since his departure and was eager to tell her how much he loved her. Zuko could hear louder support from more Senators than Zhao had.

"As Lord Commander it is my duty to ensure protection of every citizen in the Empire. Do not forget that Admiral. I am well aware of what needs to be done." Zhao retreated back to his pod's docking point. He had deliberately left out Zuko's appropriate title of Lord Admiral to show his disgust at such a coward. The Council of Terra was where this had to be settled however, not in front of these useless Senators. Zhao left the Senate and decided to have an early meeting with Azula and the Emperor.

"I need to bring attention to a problem that certainly some of our Senators will be able to attest to. A growing pirate problem is occurring in the Ptolemy Sector. The self-proclaimed Pirate Queen claims responsibility and I believe that there are those that wish to inform us more about their plight." Qin saw several Senators detach their pods and drop down towards the centre of the chamber.

"The Floor recognizes the Senators from the Graia, Barbarus, and Aurelia." Katara knew that these senators only represented the largest and most powerful worlds in the cluster. The other fifty or so Senators deferred to them to represent the majority of the planets. The Senators spoke of large shipments stolen and production lines completely shattered. Billions of credits were being stolen weekly and many of the planet's industries were on the verge of collapse even with the stockpiles they had. It was a grim picture, if help didn't arrive soon the cluster would have to be evacuated or risk losing trillions of people. Katara however knew that it wouldn't come to that. Some shipments would start to make it through again but only enough to keep things running to keep people from starvation. The Pirate Queen knew the part she had to play and would risk killing billions.

"I recommend that the Navy be sent out to deal with this problem as soon as possible." The Senator from Barbarus spoke to the Chancellor as well as the Lord Admiral, her husband.

"I agree Chancellor. The Mechanicus will support the Imperial Navy will a small detachment of warships and Factory Ships." Qin could hear murmurs of confusion and surprise from the entire Senate. The fleets of Mars had never before left their sacred home planet before. Not even the Emperor tried to tell Qin how to lead his fleet.

"I will need time to gather the fleets for such an endeavour, but once it is the fleets are at the command of the Senate." Zuko watched as the Senators nodded their approval. He looked back to Katara who was trying to hide her smile. Clearly things were going exactly how she wanted. He had to give it to her, she might not have much power but she always seemed to get what she wanted.

"Very Well. Once the Lord Admiral has assembled his fleet, it will be sent out to destroy the Pirate Fleet and to bring the Pirate Queen to the courts for trial. The Senate is recessed until noon tomorrow. Senate dismissed." Katara watched the Senate was slowly emptied. She nodded towards her good friend Qin. Everything was proceeding as it should be; the next challenge was the Council meeting. She lowered the podium down into her chambers and after collecting her paperwork and filing it for tomorrow, left to go to the Imperial Palace.

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**So much exposition. Just one more chapter and than we can leave the political stuff behind. So Zhao definitely dislikes Zuko and Katara. Qin is actually War Minister Qin from The Northern Air Temple and Secrets of the Fire Nation (He's the one that develops the weapons of war for the Fire Nation.) Leave a review if you want more faster. I enjoy writing this and would love to show you what I have planned. Also, I will show you what Zuko's hidden skill is, and if I plan on doing what I'm thinking, prepare to see a way over-powered Zuko.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Council of Terra

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Warhammer 40K, Game of Thrones(don't expect characters, just references) or any other piece of trademarked fiction. Sorry about the slow update, but University is a brutal experience and I have the other story to work on as well (not that this one isn't as important). So this where we have all the political backstabbing take place. Hopefully it comes off as real and not completely fake.**

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Zuko had only been in the Council for five minutes and the Lord Commander was already trying to have him removed from the Admiralty. Not that Zuko was surprised, the Lord Commander never tried to hide the fact that he wanted to combine both the position of Lord Commander and Lord Admiral. Zuko listened to the man drone on.

"You're a traitor to our cause Lord Admiral. You retreated from a battle that cost thousands of lives and a large part of our exploration fleet and are advocating the complete halt of all expansion." Zhao had been waiting for this moment, when he could finally remove Zuko from power. The position for Lord Admiral was a joke. Why was it needed to split apart the Army and Navy? The Army actually fought the battles, while the navy ferried the soldiers around.

"Because I want to solidify our holdings before moving forward? To ensure that we don't over extend ourselves? Our Empire is held together by the planets that support us with food, raw materials and labour and we cannot forget them. Our outer colonies are shipping the bare minimum as they don't have the proper infrastructure. Most of the shipping is done by private individuals looking to make their fortunate. We need to send in the Mechanicus to set up proper shipping docks. " Zuko looked at Zhao and wondered how such an idiot could rise through the ranks. The problem was that he gave the answers that the Emperor wanted to here and with the close alliance with the Lord Inquisitor he had been assured power. Zuko looked around at the council chambers and found the room a farce. The Emperor stood on one side of the chamber on a raised platform while the different High Lords sat around a rectangular table that had a large holographic display in the middle. Everything was richly detailed and displayed the wealth of the Emperor. It was all designed to remind them that the Emperor held all the power.

"Because you are suggesting we should not retaliate against an attack." Zhao looked towards the other High Lords for support. The Lord Inquisitor and the Master of the Adeptus Administratum nodded their heads in agreement. He hadn't expected the Chancellor to betray her husband or the Fabricator-General to take his side. The surprise was the Grand-Provost, whom usually agreed with him to increase the size of their armies and Planetary Defense Forces.

"What target do you suggest?" Zuko saw his allies nod in agreement. Ever since Zuko had been on the council it had been split almost right down the middle in almost all decisions. The problem was that the Emperor was the final say on issues raised and he almost always agreed with the Lord Commander and Lord Inquisitor.

"Their home world. We should burn their planets to show the galaxy that any attack against us will result in their permanent end." Lord Inquisitor Azula looked at her brother as they spoke, her hate for him barely contained. It had been years since she had called him brother, having given up all ties to her family upon becoming an Inquisitor. After years of dedicating her life to exterminating threats and doing the Emperor's bidding she had been presented the rank of leader of the Inquisition. Her only slight was that Zuko had attained a position on the council despite being a few years younger.

"I agree with the Lord Inquisitor and the Lord Commander. This attack cannot go unpunished." The Emperor had finally spoken. He disliked Zuko's cowardice but he was a competent commander and had served well as leader of the Navy so far.

"Emperor, I agree that we should avenge those that lost their lives in the attack, but we risk overextending our industrial capacity. Mars and the other forge worlds need time to send out World Builders and Factory Ships." Qin had calculated how long it would take before they could safely continue expanding. It would take at least several years before everything would be ready.

"Mars will have to find a way to keep up with our pace. We cannot allow weaker planets to burden us anymore. Perhaps we should begin looking at planets become self-sufficient and give the resources of the forge worlds to the planets that support our Empire." The Emperor wanted total control and nothing was going to stop him.

"The Administratum is at your service Emperor. We will find a way to ensure the fastest way to continue our expansion. The Master of the Adeptus Administratum, Long Feng, might only be in charge of the bureaucracy that made the empire function but he wielded tremendous power. For years he had helped the Emperor achieve his goals and this wouldn't be any different.

"The Senate has chosen to focus on the growing pirate problem before we prepare for war. If we cannot secure our planets then we will face greater resistance from those trying to break free." Katara hoped that Zuko would be given the authority to attack the pirates. The Pirate Queen needed to show Zuko the truth of why she had left and why Zuko needed to stop the war between the Eldar and Humans. A bigger threat existed.

"I have promised my support. I can deal with the pirates within a few months. This will give the Army time to gather its regiments for war while also allowing Mars and its fellow forge worlds to reinforce the outer rim planets for expansion." Zuko hoped this compromise would work, despite him not agreeing with everything. He would have preferred a year to deal with the pirates but he would never get that.

"I find it odd that Zuko volunteers for a job that should be given to the Grand-Provost. As leader of our Imperial Police Force he should be the one to deal with pirates." Zhao turned to the Grand-Provost who was smiling. "What's so damn funny?"

"You clearly do not understand the function of the Adeptus Arbites. We are the planetary police force, but we have no actual ships of our own. All our forces are drawn from each planet, not dragged around the empire on a whim. The Navy supplies us with a small detachment to ensure that local trade routes are protected but nothing substantial. The Pirate Queen's fleet has a dreadnought, several battleships and a dozen cruisers. She has aligned herself with the most powerful mercenary in the Empire and the fleet is larger than anything our ships could handle." Grand-Provost Iroh knew that the Council would send the Lord Admiral to help deal with the pirates. A fleet of that size required a military intervention, and he had ensured that the pirates had avoided the most vulnerable planets. It was a dire situation but sometimes sacrifices were needed to start things moving. Hopefully Zuko would forgive them all for the deception.

"Lord Inquisitor, what do you suggest?" The Emperor turned to his most trusted ally. She had served him faithfully ever since her ascension through the ranks of the Inquisition and would offer him the best way to achieve his goals.

"The Pirates need to be dealt with as soon as possible. However we should focus our attention on the aliens as well. It is our right to take over the galaxy as the apex species and they are just another bump long our quest to glorious victory." Azula knew that now was not the time to hold a grudge against her brother. The pirates did represent a serious problem and worked nicely with what the Adeptus Mechanicus needed. If everything worked out perfectly they could continue expanding with the a few months. Then she would have her justice.

"Very well. I have decided that Zuko will lead the Second Fleet to deal with the Pirate Queen while the First and Third Fleet will blockade our border planets. The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth fleets will help the Lord Commander to help move troops to the front. I want four more Imperial Regiments raised Lord Commander, complete with Mechanized Divisions." The Emperor gave out his order without hesitation. The Lord Commander would now have thirty-four Imperial Regiments under his control, totaling just over thirty four million troopers and over 100,000 tanks, artillery and support vehicles. Nothing would stand before his armies and survive. The mighty Navy would be a perfect proving ground for the next Lord Admiral as well.

"As you wish my lord." Time was not on his side and he had much to do. The only positive result was that he would have command of the Second Fleet. Its fleet structure was based on fighter and bomber support and was most effective at dealing with a large number of small threats. If the reports he read were true than this would be what he was going to face. The Carrier's and Battlecruisers would prove a valuable asset; however he wished to have another fleet at his command. He was used to having dozens of capital ships hundreds of support vessels. The other fleets would have to look to their Admirals for leadership until he could return to the field.. He had served with them all in his years as Lord Admiral and was confident that the First and Third fleets could hold the line in the coming months. As soon as he was finished with the pirates he could turn his attentions to finding the worlds owned by the Aliens.

"You have six months to find the Pirate Queen and her base of operations and kill them all." The Emperor noticed that the Lord Commander rose to speak.

"My Lord, I want permission to have control over the Campaign against the aliens. The Lord Admiral has proven himself incompetent against these aliens and we lost one of our exploration fleets." The Lord Commander was instantly cut off from further talking by Katara.

"What? The Lord Admiral is the only one who could lead our fleets into war. You go too far Lord Commander." Katara was shaking with anger. How dare that foul man even think to suggest that Zuko be replaced?

"He does not Chancellor. Your husband has failed me and I will allow this exchange. For now Zuko will remain Lord Admiral but he will only be tasked with dealing with the pirates and then providing border security until the war is concluded." The Emperor looked towards Zuko and dared him to speak out against him.

"If the Emperor wills it then I must obey." Zuko knew now that his place on this council was almost at an end. No war had been fought without the Lord Admiral leading the fleets into battle. Zuko bowed and left the council chambers without looking back. He was disgraced but he still had his position and that was the most vital result of the Council. As soon as the Lord Commander lost a few battles he would be called in to re-take control. He walked to his private chambers within the Palace as his position allowed and waited. He didn't wait long when he heard a chime from his door. He had expected Katara was surprised to see Qin.

"I've sent your wife home. You can talk with her there but we need to talk now about the second fleet." Qin entered Zuko's chambers and sat down in a chair.

"The second fleet is perfectly suited to fighting pirates. It should already be on its way here." Zuko said as he sat down and poured himself some wine.

"It has arrived in system. That is not what I want to discuss though. The fleet will be called upon to lead the charge when the Lord Commander fails and it needs to be able to deal with the alien fleet properly." Qin knew that the Lord Commander would loss battles and Zuko would be forced to help. Of course his ships would need to not defend against his allies, but rather the Lord Commander's fleet. Within the next months the fleets would slowly find themselves under more control from Zhao and Azula and when Zuko arrived his fleet would need to defend against them.

"How long will that take? I only have six months…" Zuko was cut off by Qin.

"Your wife and I were able to negotiate you a full year since you no longer have commitments to the war. It will take two months for the retrofits I have planned. That will also give me enough time to build four new cruisers and one battleship for the fleet. The retrofits will include more powerful engines and better maneuvering as well as faster firing weapons. I have also developed an advanced targeting matrix that will ensure that almost every shot fired is a guaranteed hit." Qin was using technology that he had reversed-engineered from his allies which would give Zuko an advantage over any other Imperial Fleet. "I have also developed a new troop delivery method, it is the drop pod."

"It was considered impossible decades ago to build them." Zuko believed it was actually Qin that had tried but failed to create drop pods for combat uses.

"That was then, this is now." Qin simply said. "I also wanted to talk to you about your gifts."

Zuko froze, not wanting to have this discussion. "There is nothing to talk about."

"I believe there is. I know you are training with Master Tigurius at the Librarium. I have, with his help, developed a new mark of power armour. I call it the Aegis Armour and it is designed to focus and heighten your powers." Qin put down a small pad that was a small hologram projector and it displayed the armour that Qin had built.

"Thank you but…" Zuko was once again cut off by Qin.

"You will need it; do not be ashamed of your powers. Everyone wishes they could do what you can. I hear your specialty is Pyrokinesis but you have also mastered a few other talents as well." Qin wasn't jealous of Zuko, for his friend had to hide what he truly was from the entire empire. His training with Tigurius was secret and only a handful knew the truth.

"You are correct. I just hate that I have to hide who I am. Not even my sister knows." Zuko didn't hate that, he just used it as an example.

"Her loss. I know you are training for combat and I assume that you want to start leading combat operations that occur on the ground." Qin saw Zuko smile and knew he was right.

"Yes, I want to have a greater part in wars. Naval combat is something I excel at but it doesn't help those on the ground. I believe that we need a combat force designed for space operations and ground action." Zuko knew it sounded crazy but a force that could board enemy ships would be devastating and if professional soldiers were trained to do it his ships would be able to actively attack and capture enemy ships.

"A mobile fighting force that places importance on speed and lighting fast assaults is what your describing, and the name of Space Marine seems to fit. I have some recruits that might prove suitable and will begin building weapons for them. Within a few months they can be used for your personal use." Qin was pleased by this unexpected turn of events. Very soon Zuko would be in a position of superior power.

"Not so fast Qin, you know that any army creation requires the Emperors approval. Otherwise it is viewed as an act of treason." Zuko was already on shaky ground and he didn't need the threat of treason around his neck.

"Who said anything about an army? This is a Navy project to test new weapons created by the Adeptus Mechanicus and is approved by both the Fabricator-General, the Lord Admiral, and I believe your wife would understand enough to agree. There is nothing illegal by what we are doing." Qin poured himself a glass of wine and enjoyed the sweet flavour. Spiced wine from the vineyards of Pangaea was certainly his favorite but Zuko's choice of wine from Gaia was most welcome.

"I don't like this cloak and dagger business. We are the Council of Terra; we are supposed to represent Unity and strength." Zuko did like the idea Qin proposed however. He wondered how he could incorporate it into the standard Navy hierarchy.

"I agree Zuko, but we are not doing anything illegal. Once we have proof that the soldiers work we can take our findings to the Council and have it approved. I only will have maybe a hundred volunteers and yourself if you like. I know it sounds silly but perhaps a super-soldier program would be just what we need to counter this new alien menace." Qin's mind was racing and he wanted to stop by Luna before heading back to Mars to get as much research on the programs used to increase soldiers strength, endurance, and intelligence. If his ideas could become a reality, then the Space Marines would become the most powerful fighting force the galaxy had ever seen.

"Very well, but I would like to oversee every step of these soldiers. I don't want anyone to suffer to create super-soldiers…that really is a terrible name isn't it." Zuko wasn't yet ready to accept that Qin could deliver what he was saying but Zuko knew better than most that Qin could create almost anything.

"I agree but we have nothing better. The project will be called…the Adeptus Astartes." Qin loved the sound of the Latin based words the Empire used for formal names. They weren't actually Latin but had words based in Latin and it just sounded intellectually superior.

"You do love the bastardization of Latin don't you?" Zuko had to admit Qin had a flair for it. The laugh he got from Qin confirmed his suspicion. It did have a nice ring to it though and it sounded perfect.

"I take my leave; I will have the beginnings of our project ready in a week's time. Your wife is waiting for you my friend. Be safe." Qin left without another word. He needed to reach Mars as soon as possible to begin his work. He would have his underlings upgrade the fleet and Zuko's ship while he worked on the Adeptus Astartes project.

"I will see you in a week my friend." Zuko said as Qin left. Zuko organized the paperwork that had been left by his assistants. He would ask Katara what she thought of his plans and if she would support him, not that he was worried. He left the Imperial Palace for his home; growing more comfortable the farther away he got from the ugly scar on the planet.

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**So I didn't want to include Space Marines in this story but for what I have planned for Zuko there needs to be a Space Marine Legion (massive hint). In case your wondering though, Space Marines will not be the focus of this story. It is more just a means to end for an interesting idea I have. If your expecting the Eldar to be under-represented though, I can say that they are going to be what I always pictured them to be (Unbelievable Navy Fire-power and an army that is just as good as any Space Marine Chapter). Love to see some reviews or comments from the readers, give me a sense of how things are going but as long as I see good numbers for the traffic graphs I'm happy. If there are lots of spelling mistakes its because I'm currently looking for a beta but haven't gotten back any replies. If there isn't I still don't have a beta.**


	4. Chapter 4: Dragonstone Castle

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Warhammer 40K, Game of Thrones, or any other trademarked fiction. Sorry about the dely, but the last week has been busy with essays, tests and work. I finally have a day to enjoy myself. So just to clarify, Zuko is 35 years old and Katara is 33 years old. Just assume that they were geniuses in their chosen field and rapidly moved through the ranks. That means that Zuko was made Admiral at the age of 28. Also, thank you Discipline of Ember for the review and to clarify, the armour that Zuko was wearing did increase his strength. It wasn't Space Marine armour, I was thinking something closer to Mjolnir Armour, but not as powerful. Perhaps a mix of Mjolnir and Scout Armour (Space Marine Scout). Also, the Eldar just represent themselves, not the water tribe. Also, the sky-cars are a mix between the X3M from Mass Effect universe and the Hunger Games Hovercraft (The more bird looking one). Something moderately large and futuristic but not militaristic. Also, Dragonstone is a mix between the location in Westeros and a castle built into the mountain, if I can find something that fits into my view of it on the internet, I will include a link.**

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Zuko slowly approached Dragonstone's landing pad. He could see the turrets track his movements but the official and secure codes he had sent earlier ensured that he was not shot down. Earth might be the safest place in the UEK, but many who lived on Earth knew that it was never as easy as it seemed. As he landed he saw several servants arrive to receive him and relieve him of any items he had brought but as soon as he got out he waved them away. He had already sent his work to his private terminal. He entered the front gate and walked past the massive courtyard. It had taken his family years to cut into the mountain but it had been worth it. The beauty that came from being built into a mountain was unparalleled on Earth, at least compared to the family homes of other nobles. The courtyard was dusted with snow, as it always was due to the altitude but it made the courtyard all the more beautiful for it. The front entrance opened as he walked up to it and he noticed another servant waiting for him. "Where is my wife?"

"In the study, my Lord." A servant removed the cape that Zuko wore and left his master's presence. The servants of the Targaryen family were loyal and had served for generations. Many loved their jobs and the pay, which was considerable compared to other servants for wealthy families. It helped that the Targaryen family was one of the wealthiest on Earth. Lord Zuko and Lady Katara were also very kind to their servants, treating with respect and dignity and politely waving them off if they did not want their services. The current Master was the last Targaryen, after the family had largely been killed during the Imperial Ascension Crisis, or the Emperor's Revolt as it was illegally called. The Targaryen family had supported the Senate in the crisis and the family had been mostly killed as punishment for its betrayal of the upstart. How Lord Zuko and Lady Katara received such powerful positions was a mystery to all the servants but none had questioned them.

Zuko walked through his home in silence and looked around the mostly empty home. Pictures were all that remained of his family and he felt pangs of guilt. He was the last of his family and he wondered if his family would ever recover. Their wealth had remained but money could not make a family. He wondered, as he often did when he was here, if he and Katara had made the right choice to focus on their careers. It had seemed important when they had first met, to try and achieve what they wanted in life. Zuko had always wanted to be a captain of a starship and Katara had loved politics from a young age. He entered the study, which contained a library that was full of original works and first editions as well as enough knowledge to put to shame every school within the UEK. It was deep within the mountain to protect it from harm and was the prize collection. One had to simply look at his family motto over the doors of the study to understand why. _Knowledge Is Power_, and so it had proven many times for his family. He had wanted to add the words, Guard it Well, for many years but had decided that it was more appropriate as a personal mantra. He saw Katara sitting on one of the chairs within the study and noticed how sad she seemed. "You know I will gain control of the war within a few months once it starts. The Lord Commander is an idiot." Zuko knelt beside her and brushed the hair out of her face.

"I worry about us. It seems that they want you out of the council." Katara looked into her husband's eyes and tried to find comfort in their fiery passion. She loved the unique eye colour he had and believe it to be a result of his powers. How she had missed him these last few months and his golden red eyes.

"Perhaps it is time for my untimely retirement. I am after all the most successful Admiral in the last century, even better than the traitor." Zuko knew that it was considered heresy to say her name out loud, but the traitor had been the former Lord Admiral before she had attacked an Imperial fortress planet and fled with her fleet. It was ironic that she was now causing so much trouble as the Pirate Queen after having spent year's quite efficiently stopping pirate activities.

"The Pirate Queen will soon be dealt with. It is fitting that you are the one to face her." It wasn't just coincidence that Zuko was going to meet the Pirate Queen. She had made sure that her husband would meet with her friend and she hoped he could see past his duty to see what she had to show him. There was a reason why Toph had left the empire, and it was to fight against a secret that only the Inquisition was authorized to know.

"I know my love, but we have the next week to spend together." Zuko wished she didn't have to go back to the Senate tomorrow but it was the final day for the current session. He stood up and moved to sit down in another chair, leaving the open invitation to sit with him as he stretched on the chair.

Katara finally smiled at the thought of spending an entire week in their room with him, completely naked. It had been months since she had felt his intimate touch and she wasn't afraid to admit it that she missed him. She moved from her chair to his and sat down in his lap and lay back. She felt him wrap his arms around her and he began to kiss her neck. "I wonder if you missed me just as much as I missed you."

"Perhaps." Zuko continued to kiss his wife, loving the feel of her against his body. It had been long since he had felt her body and he knew that he craved her just as much as she craved him. He stopped kissing her and she saw him turn to face him, causing her to straddle him. "Katara, we need to talk."

"This better not be about the council, now is not the time." Katara began to kiss Zuko but he pulled away. "Something is clearly on your mind, what is it?" She wasn't upset, just frustrated that he was not already naked. She knew that he wanted her as much as she wanted him and this was an annoying set back.

"I want to start a family." Zuko decided to just cut the crap and not dance around the issue. He saw Katara look at him for a moment and he wondered if he should have just remained quiet. It was a delicate issue and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by assuming that she wanted a family.

"I know my love, but we are so busy with our jobs and…" Katara was cut off by Zuko. She hadn't realized how much this bothered him but she should have guessed, for the guilt of not continuing his family name must have weighted on him heavily ever since he had arrived back home. He must also have missed not being a father, for he often talked about spending more time with her and their child.

"I don't care how busy I am, I will make time for my child. I am the last of my family; I will not see it die off because I couldn't be home with my wife. I love you and I want to raise our child together, I want to know they joys of fatherhood." Zuko saw Katara smile at his words, knowing that she probably was finding his passion incredibly attractive. He never wanted to force her to do anything, but he did want to start a family with her.

"I want to have your child, but I…I'm worried about not knowing what to do." Katara finally told her husband her greatest fear about having a child, that she would be a terrible mother and that her child would hate her. She felt that no one ever really knew how to be a parent but it was still scary. A child was a large responsibility and she didn't want to disappoint.

"The smartest woman on the planet is worried about not knowing what to do. No parent ever has their first child knowing what to do. It's not something you can just study and be an expert. It's a learning curve and I will be there every step of the way to help." Zuko held his wife in a warm embrace as they realized what they were planning on doing. They were going to start a family…at least that is how the conversation seemed to lead.

"Very well my dear husband. Shall we retire to our chambers?" Katara rose and offered her hand to her husband. He took it and suddenly picked her up bridal style and began to walk out of the study. "Let me go you fool." She said with a laugh.

"No, this seems easier." Zuko walked to their chambers, which overlooked the courtyard. It was a large room that was beautifully decorated with relics of Ancient Earth and of the Targaryen family. The bed's headboard had two large dragons that were finely detailed and the bed had soft white silk covers. The room was brightly light but the electronic shutters were removing the light as soon as they entered. A fireplace dominated one side of the room and provided a red glow to the room. Katara was released onto the bed but pulled Zuko with her and after some playfully struggling she forced herself on top of him.

"Now wait my husband while I freshen up." Katara left to go to the bathroom, one of her favorite things about their room. It was made from marble and had a large bathtub that was probably closer to a hot tub. It also had a shower if one was in a rush. She loved how warm the room always was and how it always was able to wash away her stresses from the day. She had left some clothing in the bathroom in preparation for his arrival. Going into the closet was too obvious; going to the bathroom would confuse him. She quickly changed into one of her beautiful lace panties and strapless bra. She walked back into the room and had to laugh. Zuko was lying towards her with just his underwear on in what he must have believed to be a sexy pose with a rose in his mouth. He looked ridiculous but she loved him all the same. "Where did you get the rose?"

"Hey, don't laugh just because we all can't look like we just walk off a beauty contest." Zuko moved further up the bed and slipped under the covers like a puppy waiting for its treat.

"Petty flattery won't get you anywhere." Katara slunk up towards him and then lay beside him. "Well time for sleep dear."

Zuko laugh as he pulled her onto him and held her while he kissed her. All his worried vanished as they both poured their passion and pent up desire into the kiss. Zuko pulled away and wished he hadn't. "Nice try my love, but tonight we both aren't going to get much sleep."

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Zuko woke up as the sun was begging to rise over the mountains. He felt Katara snuggling beside him and she had left an arm and leg on top of him. He began to softly kiss her face and slowly moved down to her neck. He could see her smile as moved down to her neck and shoulder. "Good morning my most beautiful wife."

"Oh, you have more than one?" Katara replied with a smile, still sore from last night. Zuko must have been dying over the last couple of days since it seemed like hours of passion filled love making before they finally collapsed beside each other, not that she was complaining. It had been a spectacular night of desire and lust and she was extremely glad to have him back home. Still, she wondered where he got the stamina. A week of this would do her some good.

"None as beautiful as you though." Zuko would never dream of taking another woman, he loved Katara more than anything else in this existence and would die before he betrayed her. He saw her get up and he marveled at her perfect ass. She noticed and smiled at his staring. She swung her hips seductively before turning to him.

"You know it's not fair. You get to marvel at my body but you have nothing of worth to marvel at." Katara moved back onto the bed at his hurt expression. "Well maybe one thing." She slowly kissed him as she rubbed up against his hips.

"My eyes don't count." Zuko laughed as he grabbed his wife and rolled on top of her. "Do you really have to leave for the Senate?"

"Yes love, but some of us have work to do." Katara kissed her husband one last time before getting ready for the Senate. She put on her Chancellor robes, which were rather simple but presented her a commanding figure of beauty and grace. "I'll be home later tonight, don't tire yourself out." She said the part seductively as she wanted another chance to feel Zuko inside her. Last night was just the beginning of a blissful week. Zuko had to leave to help Qin create a force to combat their enemies, although Zuko didn't yet know who the true enemy was.

"No promises, it's not fair to my other wives if you're the only one that gets to have me." Zuko taunted Katara as she left. He scrambled to the window and watched her leave in her sky car. It was a beautiful design, one that he had asked the Fabricator-General to build for him a few years ago. He had offered hundreds of thousands of credits for it but Qin had refused and said it was a gift to a friend. He waited for about an hour before getting dressed and left for the Senate. He might not have anything to say but he could sit and listen. She would know he was there but that mattered little, what mattered was that he was there despite not being required to. He grinned like a fool at the thought of spending an entire week with Katara was going to be pure ecstasy.

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**So this might be filler chapter but I wanted to give a better idea of Zuko's back story. I promise next chapter will have more action, and you get to see what Zuko can do (Hint: Crimson King and the Angel). Now you know why the Emperor isn't a big fan of him, since his family fought on the wrong side of a civil war. I don't really have a simply way to explain their wealth, just assume that they own large businesses. The double space indicates a new day, just in case of any confusion. So Toph is the Pirate Queen (big surprise) and I have some good ideas for what Aang might be. As long as people keep reading and commenting, I will keep writing.**


	5. Chapter 5: The Master Pysker

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Warhammer 40K, Game of Thrones, or any other trademarked fiction. So I decided to show you the Mentor of Zuko in this chapter. Also, I've added a few pictures on my profile to help illustrate my vision for certain things in this story. So not as much action as I wanted, but Zuko is still learning his skill.**

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Zuko docked his shuttle on a small unassuming asteroid hidden away in the belt between Mars and Jupiter. It wasn't a defense asteroid as so many had now been converted too or was currently being mined by Mars. It was home to his mentor and guide, Master Tigurius. The asteroid had been completely hollowed out and contained training facilities for his powers as well as his mentor's. How his teacher had come to own the asteroid and reside within it was unknown to Zuko, but what he did know is that Mars gave the asteroid a wide berth. He watched the airlock door close behind him and the chamber was pressurized. He got out of his craft and walked towards the entrance of his teacher's home. After another minute his master walked through another door and smiled as Zuko exited his craft. "Master, it has been too long." Zuko bowed.

"It has been Zuko, but you are back for the time being and we can continue your training." Tigurius lead Zuko to his training room. It was large and rather plain looking, but the walls were lined with reinforced titanium to contain the raw power that they were using. There were still burn marks and melted metal from the last time Zuko was here. Zuko's powers were especially potent, but no were more damaging to his facilities than when Zuko used Might of the Ancients. It was a technique he had first taught Zuko as it was quite easy to use but very useful in a fight. One would tap directly into the power that lie within and let it flow freely through the body. Without direction it had an interesting effect of increasing one's speed and strength. Zuko's true talent however was Pyrokinesis. "I would like to know how your personal training has been going."

"I believe I have discovered another power of mine. It's an electric attack that when focused seems to resemble chain lightning." Zuko had found the power about a month ago, and had been careful not to train with it before he could see his mentor.

"Hmmm, this is interesting. Perhaps you've created a new power." Tigurius was intrigued by this power. Perhaps it was something that even he hadn't experienced before.

"I was training down in my private gym and was using drones to hone my powers. I sensed a new feeling around my hands and raised it and focused on the tingling sensation. A bolt of lightning shot out and within seconds I had destroyed ten drones. I'm calling it Smite." Zuko couldn't think of anything else for a name other than that.

"Appropriate. Would you care to demonstrate on a drone?" Tigurius gestured towards a robotic figure that was set up to test how psychic powers would work against humans and machines.

I would." Zuko walked to the centre of the training room and calmed his breathing. Obviously in a real battle one cannot meditate before using a power but with enough meditation and practice his powers eventually became easier to call upon. He felt a well-spring of pure energy enter his body and he raised his arm and realised the power, directing it in such a way to be highly focused. Bolts of lightning arced towards the target and completely destroyed it.

"Impressive." Tigurius walked towards the target and examined it. It had scorch marks all along the body, with several arcs around the original point of impact. Opening the drone up showed all the circuits had been fried. "How you do differentiate between the lightning and your Pyrokinesis?"

"The flames are pure power, but with the lightning I need to focus clearly, and not let my emotions interfere." Zuko watched as his mentor considered what he said before nodding.

"Now I will teach you another power today. It's called the Force Dome. It's a defensive spell that will prove most useful for you and a squad that is close to you. Tigurius demonstrated for Zuko, creating a wall of pure energy that blocked all ranged attacks Zuko threw at him. "It's only downside is that you cannot move or attack. All you focus is bent towards maintain the shield. Now I want you to focus image a barrier, pour all your energy into that barrier and let it expand in your mind."

After several attempts Zuko finally was able to create a large dome of energy just as Tigurius had done. It drained Zuko's energy and he was only able to keep it active for less than a minute, but Tigurius still congratulated him for his efforts. After a short break he practiced both his new powers until he could conjure power with just a simple thought.

"Well done Zuko. As a reward for your skills I have a gift for you." Tigurius retrieved a large staff and presented it to Zuko.

"What is it for?" Zuko looked at the staff and felt power within it. It was made from adamantium and at the head of the staff had a large round crystal. A few points warped around it almost like fangs, but none touched the crystal.

"It's called a Force Staff and its main purpose if for focusing your powers. It can be used a ranged weapon or as a melee weapon. The physic energy can be used to kill your opponents with a single blow." Tigurius neglected to tell Zuko that it was made by the Fabricator-General with help on its construction by himself. It would work well with the Aegis Armour that they had also built together. With both in his possession and the augments he would receive from the Astartes project he would finally reach his true potential. He could be the person that brought the Empire together and stopped the coming doom.

"Thank you Master." Zuko bowed and began testing the staff on the targets set up. It channeled his power through its crystal and was able to deliver powerful lightning attacks and devastating fireballs. Whenever Zuko moved into close quarters and stuck a target, he felt his mind power the staff and it delivered devastating shockwaves on impact which completely destroyed the target. After a few minutes all the target drones were destroyed and Zuko turned to see his Master smiling.

"Well done Zuko. Now tell me what's bothering you." Tigurius didn't have to read the mind of his student to know that he was conflicted. Unlike Zuko, who struggled to learn the telepathic side of being a psychic, it was one of Tigurius's most developed skills and it had served him well throughout his entire life. He had tried to teach Zuko but it was the one of the few aspects that Zuko couldn't grasp which was common with all psychics, they couldn't master everything.

"It's the upcoming war, we aren't ready. Our forces are being spread too thin and while we do have the one front we haven't really discussed the possibility of being able to travel between the arms of our galaxy." Zuko wasn't afraid to share private information with his teacher, who usually knew more than he did when it came to such matters. Tigurius might try to hide it but he was able to spy on passing ships with little difficulty and would prove valuable as a Spymaster if he was allowed to enter politics. However he was a known psychic and people feared what they didn't understand.

"The Empire could respond to any threats that attacked our vulnerable sides, but you're more worried about being removed from your position. It's no secret that the Lord Commander has always disproved of your place on the Council and your sister will always hate you. The Emperor hates you because of your family name and because you have supported the Fabricator-General's claim for an independent Mars and control of the Forge Worlds. Your problem is Zuko that you dislike the political game and those that play it." Tigurius had tried to teach Zuko the importance of political maneuvering but Zuko refused to be something he wasn't. At least his wife was a master of politics and was able to make sure he wasn't used by more manipulative people. The irony of those closest to Zuko all trying to force him down a narrow path did not escape Tigurius.

"I am well aware Tigurius, but what would you have me do? My sister hates me for being a hero to the people while she has to remain hidden behind secrets." Zuko watched as his mentor shook his head in disproval.

"You know it's because she will never be as powerful as you. She leads through fear and only has power because of her close alliance with the Emperor. The Inquisition was supposed to be the final watch guard against political corruption and religious corruption. It's now used like a personal attack fleet by the Emperor." Tigurius knew that it wasn't completely true that all Inquisitors had turned towards Azula and her new Inquisition. A few still remained loyal to their original purpose.

"That is considered treason under the new Imperial Laws regarding the Inquisition…but I agree with you. I hear Inquisitor Kryptman is still leading a small faction in almost total rebellion against Azula." Zuko had only met Kryptman once and he immediately liked the man. He was incredibly smart, had a dry sense of humor and was an excellent swordsman. He followed original purpose of the Inquisition which was to stop the enemies of mankind both without and within. Kryptman has focused his efforts of stopping corruption, rebellions, and cults that spring up. He was present during the final stages of the Swarm Wars was also responsible for finding and destroying the corrupt government on Caldara that had tried to sacrifice its entire population to some demonic god. And unlike those Azula, he did use the power of the Inquisition as a way to command influence for the Emperor.

"It has been good to see you Zuko. But you must go to Mars and oversee the retrofits of your fleet. Send Qin my regards." Tigurius watched as Zuko bowed retrieved his gear and headed for his shuttle.

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Tigurius waited for a few hours after Zuko left before unlocking the access to his chambers and study. He didn't want to take any risks in Zuko finding his quest while she observed the training. He walked up the stairs and into the ornate study where his guest was waiting and sipping his best wine. Normally he would be annoyed but with what she promised it seemed like a fair compromise. He asked the question that would decide the fate of mankind. "Do you think he is the one?"

Farseer Andrayda looked to her host and smiled. "He is the best option we have. Your Lord Commander is sending out scout ships in an attempt to try and find our planets. We need Zuko to take control of the fleets again and begin the war that humanity so desperately needs. Are you sure the Pirate Queen can play her part and convince Zuko of what he has to do?" Andrayda finished the wine and opened a small device that had been hidden in her robes. It displayed the galaxy and began to zoom into the mouth of the Orion Arm. There were three coloured zones that showed the area controlled by the three races that existed near the crossroads in the galaxy. The Humans were in control of the Orion Arm but had not yet pushed outwards. The Eldar held the Carnina-Sagittarius Outer Arm, but did not hold the inner arm where the Orion Arm was connected. Finally a large green mass showed the Ork Empires which held the Carnina-Sagittarius arm closest to the Galactic Core and part of the Perseus Arm. It was the largest of the zones and it was what they were trying to prepare for.

"Yes, she knows the importance of this and will get his support for her cause. Once they combine their fleets they can assault the Imperial fleets, take control of the ships loyal to Zuko and kill the Emperor. After the war we will use the soldiers that Qin is promising to help fight our enemy. With the changes that Zuko will undergo he will be the best person to assume control after the war." Tigurius sat down and poured himself a glass. He looked around at his vast library and wondered if Zuko would ever forgive them for using him but it was the only way to protect humanity. Zuko needed to stop something that even an ancient alien race could not.

"I hope you are right. Zuko will not find the Emperor to just give up and die. He will have to hurry if he wants to have a fleet to fight with us against the Orks." Andrayda had seen her Empire's preparations for the war that the Lord Commander and the Emperor were trying to start and knew that the Eldar would win. Their more powerful navy and more adaptable army couldn't be countered by the Humans. However the Humans could be a powerful ally once they had finished their Astartes project and Zuko had attained the full power of being a psychic, the humans could stand with the Eldar and help win the war. Otherwise within five years the Orks would attack and the humans would be destroyed without Eldar support and vice-versa.

"I know. Within the year Zuko will take power as the Emperor and we will stand with the Eldar against the Orks. How long do we have before they begin to move towards us?" Tigurius felt a fear he always felt when talking to Andrayda about the future. The Eldar were Humanity's best hope for survival.

"They are moving now, but they will reach us in five years, give or take a few months. Then the war for survival will begin and Mankind will stand with the Eldar and repel the Orks." Andrayda closed the hologram and left for her ship.

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**So now we have a time-frame. Massive Ork Invasion in five years, but for now we get Zuko to try and take out the Emperor who is kinda doing a shit job of being a good leader (power corrupts and all that). Why did I choose the Orks? Because they are an unstoppable force and the Man/Eldar Alliance will be an unstoppable wall. So the Eldar have sought out certain humans, strangely all close to Zuko. I wonder what makes Zuko so important. The staff he gets is the Staff of Magnus from Skyrim, I love the look and its unnatural look. So Aang will be arriving within a few chapters and than we get to see Toph. Both are going to be out of their usual character, especially Aang. Leave a review if you like what you see, I appreciate anything my readers want to say. If you want to see certain characters make an appearance let me know, or if you want a certain event to happen I'll see what I can do. I only have the two alien species planned but I could add another if people want it. Also, I'll try to make chapters longer.**


	6. Chapter 6: The Weapons of War

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Warhammer 40K, Game of Thrones, or any other trademarked fiction. So I decided to show you the Mentor of Zuko in this chapter. Also, I've added a few pictures on my profile to help illustrate my vision for certain things in this story. So a nice long chapter (for me) for you guys, hope you enjoy it.**

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Zuko watched the massive shipyards glow with the fires of industry despite being in the void of space as they worked tirelessly on his fleet. The largest shipyard was working on the Litany of Fury and he watched as entire sections had been removed and massive retrofits were been added.

"Amazing isn't it." Qin walked up behind Zuko as he looked out from the observatory. They were on the command station where Qin commanded the forces of Mars. It wasn't the largest space station that was in the control of Mars, but it was the most secure. It was anchored above the Red Planet and watched over the different shipyards that surrounded the planet.

"It is. How long with these retrofits take place. It seems more extensive than I thought." Zuko had been surprised when he had first seen what was taking place. Entire sections of ships were being removed and being worked upon.

"A few months. Don't worry about finding the Pirate Queen however, our good friend Iroh has promised to keep us updated on her activities as often as possible and try to keep her fleet busy in small skirmishes until you are ready to attack. However we cannot do anything until the fleet and Space Marines are ready." Qin beckoned Zuko to follow him into a large weapons room. It contained all the weapons used by the space marines. The largest piece of equipment in the room was a large suit of armour. It would be impossible to fit Zuko and was far bulkier than anything he had seen before that was mad for human use.

"This can't be moveable." Zuko examined the armour and was impressed by its size, but wondered if it was capable of being moved by a person. His previous armour was more than half its size and that still was required synthetic muscle fibers in the armour to move. What caught his attention was the sizeable…backpack that looked like a strange jet pack.

"It can do more than just walk around. The armour is one of the most advance systems I have ever built and enhances a persons speed, strength, endurance, and of course can protect them from the harshest environments known to man. Your current battle plate is nothing compared to this, it's able to stop the las gun shots from the Army regulars and bullets from rebels. It can stop most blades and unless the person is strong enough to bend steel it won't buckle under blunt force. It is however incredibly expensive to build, so don't expect to have armies numbering in the millions, more like the thousands. We call it Power Armour. The power core is attached to the back and the small jets on the side are stabilizers and cooling vents. It uses the smallest singularity generator, with thirty in the pack." Qin walked Zuko walk over to his weapons table and began to explain each of the weapons he had built for the Space Marines. "The Boltgun or Bolter, a weapon that shoots .75 calibre self-propelling bullet called a bolt that contains a small explosive charge that explodes once the bolt has entered the body, blowing it from the inside. There is no stock to help increase maneuverability and a pistol grip to allow it to be wielded one-handed. The Pistol beside it is the Bolt Pistol, and is just a pistol version. It is an elegant weapon for an uncivilised war."

"Why isn't this standard issue?" Zuko found part of his answer as he tried to lift it and had to struggle just to move the weapon, much less carry it. Qin must have been busy this last week if he had just started working on these weapons. Of course Zuko knew that Qin must have been working for a few months if not years to develop all of this.

"It's too heavy for humans to use and it also costs more than a thousand soldiers and their gear in the Imperial Army." Qin moved on to the next weapon. "However just one bolter and a space marine will be worth a thousand regular soldiers, if not more. This is the storm bolter, and it shoots at three times the rate of a bolter."

"Won't the recoil be impossible to compensate for?" Zuko looked with interest at the double barrelled weapon. It was belt feed by the looks of it as the magazine was located on the side.

"It has stabilizer technology to help reduce recoil, but the strength of the user will also help reduce recoil. I plan on having it mostly used by a special project I'm working on, Code Named _Dreadnought_." Qin walked to what he wanted to show Zuko the most, the melee weapons. "These are the chainsword, combat knife, and Power Sword. Only Sergeants and higher will use Chainswords or Power swords. The combat knife however can still pierce the armour of the Imperial Army Regular and even

"You know I won't use any of these. I already have a Force Staff from Tigurius." Zuko didn't deny that he was interested to use all these weapons at least once. It just seemed more practical to use the weapon designed for him.

"You won't, let me show you the recruits." Qin walked Zuko out of the armoury and down to the barracks. He didn't want to tell Zuko that many of the men he was going to see had been training with them for a few years now. The idea of a super-soldier program had always been on Qin's mind, but until recently it never seemed that useful. No alien threat had come close to threatening their Naval Supremacy, but with news from the Eldar about the new Ork menace, now seemed like the time to prepare. The Orks were apparently a living weapon of destruction and humanity needed to have the greatest soldiers to protect them. They walked into a room overlooking a training room and watched as a hundred men were training in close quarters combat. They practiced using knives, swords and fists. They were all lean, tall and well-sculpted individuals.

"These volunteers seem quite proficient with hand-to-hand combat already." Zuko noted that they might not be using the weapons for Space Marines, but these men were all trained for combat. It wasn't just the impressive skill but the ease with which they fought, like each move just another step in a well-practiced dance.

"In truth, they have been here for almost a year. We had been training them for a new Spec Ops division but decided to instead use them for the Astartes Project. The Space Marines will be your personal army and will be the most dangerous force in the Empire. The biological augments we will give them will turn them into the perfect weapons. They will be larger, stronger, and smarter than any normal human. A new subspecies of humanity, the Homo Sapiens Astartes." Qin looked the recruits and wondered if they would remember their old lives after the procedures. Pyscho-conditioning would ensure their loyalty to the Empire and the leader of Mankind. They were all aware of what was going to happen to them and were prepared to give up their old lives to embrace the potential to protect humanity. Zuko's moral code would never accept that he was going to destroy these men and rebuild them into something completely different. It was a weakness but it was a useful weakness. Zuko was popular in the UEK.

"Apart from the immoral use of genetic experimentation you have already said, you mentioned before that I would undergo these augmentations as well. I don't believe my wife would approve of me changing into a super-soldier. I don't think I would approve of it." Zuko didn't like the way Qin was talking, although he did agree that such soldiers would be the perfect weapons it was something wrong. Science should be allowed to push the boundaries but how far did one have to go before all semblance of reason and morality were destroyed.

"Only if you want to. You need to want the augments for your body to not reject. Volunteers are what we are using, not conscripted men. However if you were to go through the procedure you could wield your psychic powers without fear. You could protect your wife and the child you so desperately want. You could protect all of Mankind against the aliens that are at our doorsteps. However I leave it to you and Katara to discuss." Qin needed Zuko to see reason. His genes had proven perfect; the genetic augments would make him more than the Space Marines. He was an anomaly and no other person could achieve what Zuko could with the augments. His mutation was more than just psychic powers; there were recessive genes that could be activated.

"I will; we are planning on starting a family." Zuko looked out as the recruits continued training.

"Just remember that who you are will be the same, just maybe a foot taller and stronger." Qin could not tell Zuko the truth. Katara knew what he was planning, and as long as he was still the same man she would allow it. It was Zuko's genetic destiny and Katara had seen the proof herself.

"How are you planning on genetically improving them?" Zuko hadn't heard a conclusive answer from Qin when he had mentioned augments earlier and wanted to know just how much the soldiers would change to no longer be human. Genetic augmentations were illegal throughout the UEK, by decree of the Emperor. In fact the man had slowly begun to add more restrictions on Mars and Luna, holding them close to oversee all that they were doing. The large private corporations however were free to do what they wanted and many planets were under their control. Zuko had spoken out but was threatened with censure. He had been silent before, but ever since the Emperor had removed him from his rightful position as leader of the Imperial Navy, he wasn't as concerned about what doing what the Emperor decreed. He was a figure head now, Lord Admiral with no control.

"We will make use of artificial gland placement and enhancements. We will add another lung, second heart, a solid and reinforced breast plate, and the Ossmodula that is placed beside the pituitary gland and stimulates muscle growth and releases HGH. We will also implant organs and glands to improve red blood cells ability to hold oxygen more efficiently, the Larraman Gland that helps their ability to regenerate dead and damaged cells. Larraman helped me create the gland so we named it after him. Another gland that dissolves toxins and removes them without hurting the marine, it works in tandem with the saliva glands to increase the acidity of them, making it deadly as an acidic spit when consciously triggered. We will increase the parts of the brain associated with memory and we believe that they will have perfect memories. Their eyes will be enhanced with more powerful night vision and better detection capabilities. The eyes will also be immune to changes in brightness as well as disorientation. Hearing will also be improved and strengthened, allowing loud noises to not affect them as strongly as humans. They will also be able to detect toxins and poisons with increased smell and taste senses. The final implant is called the progenoid gland and it allows for all these implants to be accepted into the body and to regulate and monitor the increased hormones and senses of the person. They are also the most difficult to grow and implant, but awe believe they can be harvested after a certain age and re-implanted into a new host. This means that the DNA of marine legions will share certain similarities as it is changed." Hearing it all again still made Qin marvel at the mastery of the human body he and his fellow fabricators possessed. Many of the Adeptus Mechanicus added cybernetic implants but only the most powerful and highest ranking adepts like himself had included genetic improvements into their bodies. Qin might look like a human with metallic looking arms and legs, but almost his entire body was upgraded in some way. His limbs were cybernetic, his brain had certain areas augmented and much of his skeletal structure was improved with synthetic fibres to reduce the breaking of bones. He was a proto-Astartes in many respects.

"You make it seem like it's only a small upgrade. Their entire body will change…do they know what you are going to do with them? What do you plan on including for me if I undergo the augments?" Zuko looked on to the recruits and wondered if they truly knew how their lives would change.

"They know, otherwise it wouldn't work. They need to accept their transformation. You would receive all the augments. It is a life-changing decision, but sometimes we must change to adapt. Without a leader able to inspire, Humanity might as well remain in the darkness." Qin neglected to add the genetic mutation enhancers that he had developed. It had been tested years ago and had partially worked. It was now ready to make the changes flawlessly. Zuko's power would be significantly increased enough to destroy any threat arrayed against him. It would change everything in Zuko's life, and it would be incredibly painful, but the benefits would be worth it. Qin hoped that Zuko's compassion and altruistic nature would allow him to not be corrupted with power. Andrayda was convinced of it as was Tigurius. Qin hoped they were right.

"I will talk with Katara about it. You might claim it to be needed to save humanity, but it is…unnerving. I would no longer be human." Zuko tried to imagine what he would look like after his enhancements but couldn't. It just seemed such a foreign concept to radically change your body. Cybernetic prosthesis was one thing, but fundamentally changing your body was another. To not fear injury, poison, or even physical weakness.

"You have a few months; we aren't going to start the procedures until everything is ready. It will still take us a few months to grow enough organs to augment a hundred soldiers. Now… would you like to view the vehicle bay, I want to show you the vehicles that you will now command." Qin led Zuko across the station, to where the large foundry was. He had created new drop ships and the all new drop pod. He had also designed larger tanks to fit the size of the Space Marines.

"Is that the drop pod?" Zuko pointed to a large angular pod, which had a wide base and narrowed at the other end. It was a pentagon in shape and had five doors that were separated by metal struts that moved towards the top and ended in fins. How many marines could it hold?"

"A squad of ten. Plus all their wargear. Designed as the fastest assault transport possible as well as the ultimate terror weapon. Imagine dozens of these impacting in the middle of the army and hundreds of space marines exiting with careful bursts from their bolters." Qin moved on to show Zuko the new drop ship. "This will be the other most common way to deploy the Marines. The Thunderhawk drop ship is faster than anything else currently used by the Imperial Army, able to carry two squads into battle if needed. It also is a light support fighter with assault cannons and spinal rail gun."

Zuko looked the Thunderhawk with interest. It had a large forward section that had a large door to allow the troops to exit and the cockpit above it. The back thin out and was dominated by the engines and tail fins. The rail gun was mounted on a turret just ahead of the dorsal stabilizer. The assault cannons were also on turrets ahead to the troop compartment at the front. The design of the ship looked like it had room underneath the main body and behind the large compartment to hold a vehicle. "Does it hold a vehicle underneath?"

"It can, it can deploy a Rhino, Predator, or Land Raider." Qin answered before realizing that Zuko didn't know what he was talking about. The look of confusion was apparent. "Let me show you the tanks." Qin led them both past the assault craft and to the Tank Depot. "That is the Rhino, the main troop transport. It lacks large weapons for more space. It has a few hatches for a marine to fire from but nothing more. Its armour can stop almost everything short of a tank shell or anti-tank missile. The vehicle next to it is the Razorback. It can only carry five marines but has a dorsal weapon turret fitted for each mission. Anti-tank, anti-personal, or a mix.

"Is that the Predator?" Zuko pointed a vehicle that looked like a battle tank. It shared the exact same design as both the Rhino and Razorback. The front was symmetrical to the back, with both at a 45% angle towards the top. The back however did have a protruding opening. It was a design that allowed for the front to have the most armour while the back allowed for easy embarkment and disembarkment. Four small exhausts were at the four corners and on the rhino there was a small side door on each side that could also be used for entering and exiting.

"Correct, it removes the troop compartment and instead uses it for the weapon systems. The main weapon can either be an auto-cannon or a laser cannon. The sides mounts will be heavy bolters, twice the size as a regular bolter and can decimate entire armies." The predator was a faster and stronger battle tank than what was currently used by the Imperial Army. It could hold enough ammunition to wage a small war by itself and the design used angles to help increase its defense.

"Why isn't any of this standard issue? The Imperial Army could make great use of these." Zuko looked around at the tanks and wondered how long Qin had been planning all of this. Not for the first time Zuko felt that he was being pulled into a plot that Qin had been planning for a long time.

"Because these are incredibly expensive to build. Compared to the Chimera Troop Transport, the Rhino costs three times as much. They have to be bigger to allow for the increased size of Space Marines and need to have stronger engines to allow for a mobile fighting force. The weapons need to be stronger than anything the Pirate Queen or the Eldar might have." Qin stopped there, hearing him use the name of his ally. He had used it in a way to indicate a threat but had to think of an excuse how he knew that name fast.

"What are the Eldar?" Zuko looked suspiciously at Qin, feeling his trust in him start to erode. This seemed far too much. A small personal guard didn't have enough firepower to occupy a planet. These designs could blow anything the Army had and that made Zuko uncomfortable.

"The name we have come up with for the aliens. It means Hidden Ones and with how they cloak their ships we thought it appropriate. I was going to bring it forward in the next Senate meeting but perhaps your wife could just send out an official decree." Qin tried to make it sound logical and he was an expert at lying. The augmentation to his brain allowed him to read body language perfectly and saw Zuko slowly relaxing and become more comfortable once he heard the explanation. The name was complete garbage however; he didn't know why the Eldar called themselves that in English.

"I'll talk to her about it. The name makes sense, what language is it from?" Zuko began to examine the Rhino, going to the troop compartment. It was spacious for him but he saw that the seats and weapon holders were made to fit the armour that Qin had showed him.

"Old Norse." Qin used his memory banks to draw up one of the most obscure languages and tried to find the most common match. There was actually something very similar that meant one who fits with fire. It was a bit strange but no one spoke ancient Norse and he doubted Zuko would be bothered to check.

"You have too much free time, learning to speak ancient languages." Zuko laughed that a man with so many responsibilities could learn almost any language as well as working with Luna on research projects. He also apparently spent the rest of his free time working on secret projects. The man mustn't get any sleep.

"I never work, I build." Qin looked around the hanger with reference. Building and creating was something he loved, and since taking his position as Fabricator-General had never worked a day in his life. Even the politics of the council he found entertaining. Having unlimited resources to build what he thought of was a great joy, and despite the Emperor's best attempts to put a tap on his resources nothing could stop him. Mars and the Forge Worlds were too close to effectively stop; in fact they were almost a separate part of the Empire.

"I must get back to Dragonstone, but I'll be back soon. Let me know when you are ready to begin their transformation, I want to be there. I should take part in their change from human to Astartes if I am supposed to command them." Zuko and Qin had started to walk out of the hanger and moved towards the docking station.

"I agree, the Astartes will appreciate that. Have you decided what you will call your army?" Qin had a few ideas, but Zuko would be their leader and so should be there for their creation.

"Not yet, but I will think about it. I will also think about your offer." Zuko walked towards his shuttle.

"You still have that piece of junk?" Qin looked at the aging shuttle. It was a few years old and not fit for the Lord Admiral. It was custom made, but not by Mars.

"It's only a few years old. She is perfect for my needs." Zuko looked at his shuttle. It was a unique ship and while he didn't have any found memories with it was still something that he had owned.

"Your point? I will make you a new ship, something more suited for a Lord Admiral. I will make two, just in case you want to undergo the Astartes Transformation." Qin began to imagine different designs he could use. He would build something faster, larger, and much easier on the eyes. Zuko's shuttle looked like an old bomber, not the personal shuttle of a Lord of Terra.

"That isn't needed my friend. It serves my purpose well." Zuko tried to talk Qin out of the needless waste of resources but he could tell it was pointless.

"Well I'll show you my designs first, and then we'll see what you have to think." Qin let Zuko enter the junk pile that was his ship and left the airdock. He didn't want to float around in space.

* * *

**So its up to my readers now. If you want Zuko to undergo the Astartes transformation let me know. If you don't want him to I also want to hear it. I'm still not sure if I want to make him a Space Marine, so if my readers let me know I can give you what you want. I also want to hear what Space Marine Legion you want me to use. Space Wolves, Ultramarines, Luna Wolves, Blood Angels, Dark Angels? I have one in mind, but I'm open to suggestions and don't feel afraid to say if you like something. I appreciate anyone willing to take time to say what they think. Also, Qin has a lot of secrets that he's keeping from Zuko. Now I also want to hear what is your favorite sci-fi game/series/movie/tv show. My favorite sci-fi game is definitely Mass Effect 2, my favorite movie is probably Star Wars Episode V, and my favorite tv-show is Firefly. **


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