Fiction:An Eye for An Eye

"It's rather amazing; what belief dictates in the chemistry of the brain. You would abandon all logic and reason because you would deem it right to do so, if it meant that your beliefs are preserved. Hmph, if I had such the way to alter those beliefs to prevent reckless bloodshed, I would. Free will is as evil as no will whatsoever."

The following years after the and the rapid expanses and changes within the  sparked a series of events within the territories of the Kicath that marked an ideological schism in the minds of the Kicathian people of the. A rapid development of assassination attempts across the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way Galaxy caused great concern within the Kicathian Remnant, as the government issued an operation to locate and bring such criminals to justice.

Prologue
The President of the Kicathian Republic,, had just finished a speech, addressing his government - many thousands in number, of the many changes brought about in result of the territorial expanses across the First Gigaquadrant and the materialisation of a marketable economy for the Kicath within Andromeda, citing increasing participation within the , of which he was a Highlord of, and sought to many discrepancies and issues revolving around the Andromeda Galaxy's prosperity and security. Andromeda was a galaxy that was far from safe, of course - the looming and behemoth shadow of the slept in the far recesses of the Andromeda Galaxy, and it was a subject of debate commonly found within the Highlords' discussions as to how to deal with such a colossal threat. However, the speech that the President had issued was mostly positive; and in turn, a resounding cheer met the President as he left the assembly with his assistants and security to make his way out of the enormous complex.

The President was known for his proclivity in aesthetics - it was necessary to appear formal and composed as a President as it was for every other head of state and government across the Gigaquadrant, although the Kicath were known for their lack of fashionable approach. However, as with all Kicathian wear, his clothes retained a military style, clad in light armour in places and fabrics and leathers in others. Two guardsmen, wearing the famous power armour that the Kicath were known for, flanked him left and right as he walked forward. Presidential affairs were rarely pounced upon by Kicathian journalists, so the majority of journalists there present were from the regions around Andromeda and beyond - and Humans from the  made up the number. President Vanlirasan was notoriously difficult to get any words out of post-assembly, and the guards made enough of an effort so that the journalists maintained their distance, though nevertheless the halls were drowned in their voices, hoping that they may find more information from the President himself.

Leaving the Assembly Building, in the mid-tier level of the skyscraper capital ringworld of, so vast in size that many across the Gigaquadrant barely comprehended it, he was met with the coarse winds many thousands of feet high, as well as an even greater number of correspondents and journalists who were wishing for more information. A question pressed to the President ever since his condemnation of the Avalôtur Covenant was the whereabouts of the former head of state, Aknatazán; President Vanlirasan was very skilled in remaining completely quiet about the situation. However, the President did not make it to his personal vehicle without an altercation.

All of a sudden, he felt a numbing sensation on his shoulder which in turn had thrown him against his vehicle - ashen matter and blood flinging from his left arm. No sensation of pain came to him, although the President laid slumped against the taxi as the whole commotion immediately erupted. The guards, as well as a number of Kicathian Agents all disguised in security suddenly came alive with their weapons primed; the public crowd vacating the area quicker than their legs could normally have carried them. The Agents and guards all communicated with each other across their systems, attempting to identify an assailant, although astoundingly, even with their technologies at hand, it appeared that the perpetrator had fled the scene alongside the crowd. There was no trace of the weapon fired, and there was no heat signature nor cloak signature.

Agents immediately rushed over to tend to their injured President, applying anaesthetics and calling for more professional medical attention. Whilst the physical recovery was guaranteed, psychological recovery was something the Kicath were apprehensive about despite what psychological reconditioning they were capable of.

It was different scene on the homeworld of, however. A number of forensic teams as well as more Agents setting up a perimeter around the hangar platform of Akntazán Tower, standing ten and a half thousand feet high - were investigating a successful assassination attempt. The news across Andromeda and the Milky Way that day was not only filled with an assassination attempt on President Vanlirasan, but also the successful assassination on the eldest son of - a Kicathian aristocrat known for his enormous investments into the technology of the Kicathian Republic, and certainly a Kicath that was not to be crossed. His son was murdered upon the platform of the tower - a single shot to his chest that had singed his flesh and shocked his body into total failure.

The house lord himself remained in his office at the highest level of the tower, decorated to suit the ancestral home of the Aknatazán family of which the tower was built upon millennia ago. The colours were dark - much of the materials used were similar to a smoky, blackened marble, and much of this part of the tower was designed so that it was similar to the classical architectural and artistic designs of the Kicath of old. Kitalatheraz himself was seated at his desk, conforming to the more modern and minimalistic designs of Kicathian modernity. He sat in a rather slouched posture, his left arm, completely cybernetic, anchored on the desk to support his head which carried an even more sombre and incalculably sinister expression than usual. He was left alone, after recently barking maniacally at his assistants to leave him alone. A flask of alcohol was next to him, and he had finished half of it over the past two hours. The aged Kicath had been flicking through the surveillance cameras of the tower relentlessly ever since, trying to find any irregular activity that would have been linked to the death of his first born.

Though he had not revealed it to anyone other than the guards at the door of his office, he was awaiting the arrival of an Agent Commander to carry out an investigation on his behalf. The Agent that was assigned to go to Paclernos was - relatively unknown to the intergalactic community and rightly so; he was an expert in infiltration and espionage, and despite his comparative youth as an Agent IV, was among the most skilled individuals that Kitalatheraz could have employed for his wishes. Agents could not have been employed by any civilian in the Republic - it required a very large and impressive profile such as the lord of House Aknatazán to have done so. It was nearing sunset by the time the Agent entered - at the precise time he was expected, nonetheless. Lambda had closed the door behind him, as Kitalatheraz issued a lock upon it so that their conversation would not go interrupted.

The Agent was dressed plainly for an individual of his trade - this was done so to blend straight into any circle. Like many Agents, he was taller than usual, and carried a plain face like all Agent IVs did. Yet it his expression did not carry any insanity like that of nor the impatience of, instead, there was no expression. Kitalatheraz judged the Agent as he walked in, looking at him as if he himself was a blank slate. As an Agent, this level of neutrality came across as unnerving to the Kicathian lord, thinking of it as a rather calculated and meticulous guise.


 * Kitalatheraz - ...You are Agent Commander Lambda, I presume?
 * Lambda - Yes sir.

Even Lambda's vernacular seemed rather expressionless. It almost made Kitalatheraz reconsider this operation, although Lambda's record was proving his impression wrong.


 * Kitalatheraz - You know why I have called you here. It's all over the news. I have had the guards section off the tower so that journalists don't intrude. I saw that President Vanlirasan had an attempt on his life today as well...no doubt that these two events are linked. You do not have two high-profile assassinations occur on the same day and call it coincidence.
 * Lambda - Indeed. What is it that has to be done?

Kitalatheraz stood from his seat, his movement slowed slightly due to the intake of the alcohol he had. He walked up to the Agent, his eyes meeting the tip of the Agent's jawline, though nevertheless looked him in the eye.


 * Kitalatheraz - I'm issuing atḑáruhxḗzano until this criminal is dead. You will find this individual; you will bring me their body. You will make their family pay with their blood.
 * Lambda - I will need a name.
 * Kitalatheraz - I have gone to the liberty of compiling a list of visitors to Aknatazán Tower over the past three days. You will find one of your names there.

The concept of the absolute war between two families - an ancient custom of executing a transgressor against one family as recompense of the honour of another family was outlawed many years ago by the Kicathian government, although the most powerful aristocrats could often issue this regardless. The murder of a family member often went in turn with the execution of the murder in ancient times, and restored the reputation of the family as their crimes were paid for with death. The Kicathian lord handed Lambda a pad, filled with sixty three names of the recent visitors to Aknatazán Tower - although, Lambda was uncertain at this stage on who was the prime suspect. He knew that his investigatory skills would be tested on this operation, although he knew where to turn to next. President Vanlirasan was sure to have had answers.