The majority of Humanity made a trip from the Earth to the moon within a week of the portal opening. Seeing the moon restored to its current state and smelling the glorious scent of unpolluted air, Cthulhu began receiving strange requests delivered via Victoria. Within two weeks of the portal opening, Cthulhu had been asked to restore every major forest and a large swath of old-growth trees and life forms in the US Territories and Europe. Thinking little of it, Cthulhu would rejuvenate these biomes until they were self-sufficient, with growing populations of the asked-for creatures. 

While the construction of the portal had been a focus of many, almost half the companies in the world had transferred their entire production line to space-capable ships. These ships, left in three to twenty pieces, were now being shipped to the moon via the portal and assembled in low gravity. The first three that went through and were fully assembled, crewed, and dispatched, were a scout class ship, a massive ore hauler, and a drilling rig. The ore hauler and the drilling rig went to the asteroid belt to funnel massive quantities of raw materials to Earth.

The scout ship went to the location that Dem'Noq had chosen for the site of their war. Neither side was supposed to plant any traps. Still, Cthulhu and every human military commander that had ever lived agreed that trusting the enemy to abide by their words was the quickest way to lose a war. So the crew of four in the scout ship included Victoria, Ted, and the two pilots of the craft, both colonels with live military combat experience.

[Planet S-75U62: Local designation:  Klaxium. 63 days until war]

"So you can really do all the stuff that the recruitment vids say?" Col. Hanes asked. 

"Yeah, it's weird," Ted said. "I volunteered to be the first 'disciple' of Cthulhu. I just wanted to be a battle monk that threw fireballs around because I assumed it was probably as much BS as any other religious campaign, but it's not." 

They chatted about the strange new world they lived in, where people had powers granted by Cthulhu, allies on other worlds, and the impending battle. As they spoke, an alarm sounded, indicating their arrival at Klaxium. Victoria and Colonel Fabridge joined them on the flight deck of the small yet spacious ship. 

"Anything?" Col. Hanes asked Victoria. 

Victoria had closed her eyes and was using her abilities, granted to her by her God, to stretch her consciousness over a massive swath of space. Cthulhu had assured her that no other being in the galaxy other than himself could detect this ability, but it still made Victoria nervous.

"Yes, it is just as we suspected. They are here laying traps and building hidden fortifications." Victoria confirmed. 

"Well, that's what we needed to know." Col. Fabridge said. "Let's launch the mapping probes, tracking systems, and GTFO." 

"Fine." Col. Hanes said, somewhat disappointed. 

"You wanted to test the ship's weapons, right?" Ted asked with a smile. 

"Well yeah," Hanes said indignantly. "Here we are in a star system that I had never hoped to see in my lifetime, with a ship that is hundreds of generations beyond anything I thought I would see, and we are essentially gonna pop, smoke, and run." 

"Tell you what," Victoria said, seeing that both of the colonels were somewhat disheartened, "if you pass the test, I will see to it that the two of you get to pilot one of the caeleste castrum class ships on the day of battle." 

Both colonels looked at her as if she were an angel and nodded, setting about launching the one hundred rockets, each roughly the size, and shape of a 55-gallon drum, to disperse and impact the planet. 

"Welp, guess that means we are going back. Victoria, you and Fabridge have the return trip." Ted said as he and Hanes unstrapped from the seats and let the two women take over control of the ship. 

"Okay, twelve hours in the photosphere of the local star, then another hour to get to distance. Then twelve hours at sublight speeds, then we are back home." Col. Fabridge said, then stopped and looked up as if pondering something.

"What is it, Laura?" Victoria said, addressing the woman like the friend she was. 

"Ohh, I just realized how casually I said we are gonna hang out in a star." She turned to Victoria with a smile, childishly wiggling her fingers. "Spooky!"  

Victoria laughed and sat with her as Laura piloted the craft towards the star in this one-planet system. 

Several hours later, roughly halfway through the recharge cycle, Ted returned to the bridge, shirtless. Laura and Victoria both let out playful wolf whistles. Ted flexed exaggeratedly, then smiled.

"Alright, Alright ladies, keep your pants on." Then Ted realized that they were both only wearing underwear. "Correction, keep your panties on. There is only so much cooling that even the best can do when riding the edge of a massive nuclear reaction. Col. Fabridge, Col. Hanes wanted to talk to you about actionable responses. No clue what he meant, but hey." 

Ted shrugged and smiled as Laura quickly got out of the seat and moved to leave the bridge with a fire in her eyes. Once the door had closed, Ted smiled at Victoria, "When are they just gonna admit they are a thing?" 

"Well, he has proposed to her twice, but she wants to propose to him," Victoria said, her eyes roaming Ted's toned body appreciatively. "My thoughts now are a little more heat-oriented." 

Ted missed the playful tone, and a concerned look crossed his face. He stepped in front of her seat to look at the heat readings. She got up and moved behind him. "Well, everything looks okay. Everything is operating as expected." 

Just then, an amorous moan, clearly from Laura, echoed up the hall to the small crew quarters. Ted turned to look back just in time to watch Victoria's panties join her bra on the floor. 

"I know. I think we should make a little more." Victoria said and laughed as Ted nodded, fumbling with his pants.

"We will be the first humans to do this in a star," Ted said playfully as he finally pulled free from his clothing and walked up to pull Victoria into a kiss, her hand quickly going to his erection. 

Another much louder moan echoed up from the hallway. "Well, the second humans," Victoria said, laughing as the two of them sank to the floor to enact their own passions. 

[Lunar Surface, United Coalition of Races Headquarters, 27 days until war]

"The data provided by the scoutship that Victoria, Ted, and the Colonels Hanes piloted is still flowing in; we have accurate mappings of several varieties of the seven secret fortifications, as well as real-time, once we get into range, locations of anything above ground," Ted said to the assembled group he turned back to the table that held representatives of six races. 

After the declaration of war, four Gods remained behind. Kilten, God to the Halsh, a race of felinoids that, for all intents and purposes, reminded Cthulhu of Cat-People from every anime he had ever seen (which was quite a few, thanks to Ted turning him onto them). 

Yarzesh, God of the Pilfnoir, a strange race who was about twelve feet tall and incredibly slender with grey skin as hard as stone and heads about ten times too large for their slender builds. 

Julgok, God of the Gokien, a race of small beings that looked like the bastard lovechild of a koala and an alligator; they stood no taller than four feet and had an alligators head, scaled skin running down their spines to a log-like tail, the rest of their attributes were that of a koala. 

And the last, Heshin, a young God with only two thousand members to his created race, the Ivnik. The Ivnik looked much like humans, except that they were completely red and black striped, with talons like that of an eagle for fingers. 

The In'Quinar had provided technology, the Halsh had provided manpower for all manner of things, the Pilfnoir had offered their vastly superior intellects to any problem that needed it, the Gokien had proven their auto-laser cannons were a cut above just about anything else currently produced, they had promised a thousand of them, and gunners to operate them. The Ivnik had surprised everyone when the portal to their world opened. On the other side was a large field with millions of tons of refined metals and a specialty material called Ivnikium, a byproduct of their biology, lying ready for transport. More shipments came through as they were available. 

All five non-human races had promised at least two priests, but Cthulhu had declined. He had also declined the weapons offered by the Gokien. He had assured the races that if they would simply help Humanity prepare that there was no need to worry about the rest. The races had agreed begrudgingly and redoubled their efforts.

Shiv'Ru thought of all this as she listened to the humans presenting their battle plans. She sat next to Cthulhu and Victoria. Cthulhu leaned down and whispered quietly, "What bothers you, Shiv'Ru?" 

Shiv'Ru jumped slightly, "It is nothing. I hope I have proven myself to you and the rest here. I worry that my contributions to the effort are as valued as the contributions of the others. Still, I am the only Chilxan part of this coalition, so I can not contribute as much."

Cthulhu nodded, then seeing that Shiv'Ru was thinking, he spoke again. "If you have something to ask Shiv'Ru, please do not hesitate." 

"If you are willing, I would join Victoria and Ted on the caeleste castrum and help Victoria with her part in the battle," Shiv'Ru said before her courage failed her.

"I will not begrudge you this," Cthulhu said, agreeing to her request. 

The meeting lasted for two more hours, and then as Victoria, Cthulhu, and Shiv'Ru walked from the building, Ted joined them in speaking. "So we good for the day?"

"I think so," Brian said, joining them and glancing at his data pad. "Go home, everyone." 

They all nodded and began walking towards the portal to Earth. Cthulhu had been given the Church of the Faith as his residence, so he walked with them. 

"By the way," Ted said, "how goes the house hunt Shiv'Ru?"

Upon arriving on Earth, Victoria gave her a room in the church and a large chunk of money to find a place. Still, she had only recently gotten around to looking for a home. "Oh, not that well. With the portal being near the white house, everything for hundreds of miles has already been bought out." 
Victoria nudged Ted. "Well, why don't you move in with us?" Ted said.

"No, I couldn't; I don't want to intrude…" Shiv'Ru said nervously. 

"Nonsense!" Victoria said, smiling at Shiv'Ru. "We invited you, and I have more rooms than Ted, and I will ever use in my home. Please don't hesitate." 

Victoria stepped over to Shiv'Ru as they walked and leaned down to whisper so no one else would hear. "On top of that, you might see more of that thing you enjoyed so much." 

Immediately Shiv'Ru blushed. Victoria and Ted had invited her to dinner ten days prior, and she had arrived early. Admittedly she now knew that an hour and a half was too early to show up for a dinner party. Upon reading the note on the door telling her and the other guests to come in, she found Victoria bent over a chair with Ted violently thrusting behind her. She had not left. Instead, she became aroused and watched until Victoria saw her. 

"I have apologized for that a hundred times, but I will do so again. I am Sor…." Shiv'Ru said, still flushed with embarrassment. 

"Relax, Shiv'Ru, it's fine. I'm only teasing." Victoria said. She smiled at the alien woman. The conversation between herself and Shiv'Ru following the 'free show' made Vicotria realize what kind of place Cthulhu had saved Shiv'Ru from. It also made Victoria realize that Shiv'Ru had zero interest in being involved with either of them physically, as it only reminded her of what was done to her. But Shiv'Ru apparently had a great interest in watching, whether she realized it or not.

"Fine, but I will not be looking for that opportunity!" Shiv'Ru said with conviction. Victoria only smiled, thinking up plans to change that. She had liked being watched. 

[Lunar Surface, United Coalition of Races Headquarters, three days until war]

Brian was nervous, he was addressing six races across at least ten worlds, totaling in the trillions of population, and the crowd that was gathered before him, was massive, at least twice the size of the one that had gathered for the opening of the gate to the moon. But he was the one that had been asked to speak. 

"Friends! Family! Allies! Thank you for hearing me today!" Brian said with energy into the microphone. "I have news! We are ready! The caeleste castrum has been completed! Our time of worry is at an end!" 

A cheer that Brian could have sworn vibrated the entire moon washed over him like a tsunami. "To the members of the In'Quinar, the Halsh, the Pilfnoir, the Gokien, and the Ivnik, I say thank you! On behalf of humankind, know that we always repay our debts and that your help will never be forgotten!" 

Another cheer.

"In three days, Humanity will spill forth to wage war against the Chilxan! The Chilxan who have oppressed you all in one way or another. The Chilxan offered nothing but war to Humanity. Their time ends now!" 

The cheer this time was sure to cause hearing damage.

"So now, rest my friends, to the non-humans, I say again thank you, go home, be with your loved ones, and watch the broadcast that we will be sending out. To the humans, I say go now, Revel in the happiness you find here in our home, and let yourself remember what you fight to protect. Look into your children's eyes, and decide! Decide who will be coming home, the enemy or You!" 

Brian finished this statement, and a roar that lasted for minutes washed through him, and the crowd began to dissipate. 

[Earth, Victoria's house, three hours later] 

It had taken them a while to get home, but now that the three of them, Victoria, Ted, and Shiv'Ru, were home, there was something that Victoria wanted. She pulled Shiv'Ru aside as Ted walked up the stairs to the master bedroom. "Shiv'Ru, I know you watch Ted and I when we make love." 

Shiv'Ru paled at this, but Victoria placed a finger over her chitinous lips. "It is fine. Ted and I talked, and when we are okay with it, we leave the door open for you. We like it." Shiv'Ru blushed at finding out that she had not just been fortunate when she would come across the two of them mating. 

"Tonight, we will do this again. But I want to ask a favor of you. Can you wait for our second round?" Victoria said, having no doubt that Shiv'Ru knew there were rarely went fewer than three. 

"Yes," Shiv'Ru said, not trusting herself to speak much more due to embarrassment. 

"Thank you," Victoria said, hugging the spider-ish woman. Victoria released her and walked up the stairs to the bedroom she shared with Ted. 

When she walked in, she was greeted by a Ted pacing back and forth with a look of concern on his face. "Ted, What is wrong?" She asked.

Ted turned to her, "I am worried." 

"You don't need to worry. I will never leave the ship." Victoria said, not understanding what he was worried about. 

"I know that," Ted said somewhat exasperatedly. "I am worried that I will die, and just when I have the courage to do this." 

Ted pulled a small box from his pocket and dropped to one knee. "Victoria, will you marry me?" 

Victoria was flustered. She had not expected this. "I will, on one condition." She said. 

Ted looked crestfallen. She bent down to pull his chin and make him look into her eyes. "Ted Kenton, hear me out before you go with the sad puppy-dog eyes. My condition is simple. You go to battle knowing I carry your child." 

Victoria smiled as she watched the mix of emotions process across his face, and then a massive smile broke out on his face, and he scooped her up, letting her put the ring on while he held her. "Now, we have about an hour before our audience arrives." Victoria said, "So let's make use of it." 

Ted took her to the bed and then, thinking for one second, walked over, opened the door fully, and placed a char just inside facing out into the hallway at a char that Victoria had placed there for Shiv'Ra's use. "For later," Ted said, and Victoria felt a shiver of anticipation wash down her spine as Ted began to take her. 

[Klaxium, three hours until war]

Cthulhu looked out across the battlefield that had been selected. He had created a platform that he and Dem'Noq could watch the fight from and then invited Dem'Noq to join him. 

"Are you ready for defeat, Cthulhu?" Dem'Noq said with venom in his voice that Cthulhu found amusing. 

"I could ask you the same thing," Cthulhu said. 

"You don't understand how badly you are about to be beaten, do you?!" 

"Well, if you are referring to the thousands of troops already here in the hidden fortifications, then yes, I know. As do the humans, remember Dem'Noq, we agreed to surveillance only, I asked the humans if they wanted to call it off, but they simply laughed and said it would be no bother." 

"How could it be no bother?!" Dem'Noq demanded. "My troops will be fighting from secure fortifications." 

Cthulhu didn't bother answering. Instead, he took a seat, and Dem'Noq did as well. Dem'Noq continued to pester Cthulhu, who suffered in silence.

[somehwere in orbit of the Klaxium, caeleste castrum - 1, 10 minutes until war]

"T minus ten minutes." Colonel Laura Hanes said and then looked to Victoria. "Permission to begin." 

Victoria, who was seated between Ted and Laura, nodded. "Begin." 

Laura's husband, Trevor Hanes, spoke then. "All ships, this is Colonel T. Hanes. We are a go, I repeat, we are a go. Begin operation hellfire." 

"I love you," Ted said quietly, kissing Victoria's hand before the extreme acceleration forces forced them back into the special chairs. 

[War Location, Gods' Platform, five minutes into war]

"Wher are they, you coward!" Dem'Noq demanded. His troops, and the troops that were not hidden in the bunkers, had arrived exactly on time. The humans were not on the planet. 

"There," Cthulhu said, gesturing to four massive cubes rushing past the platform at insane speeds. 

"They can not be. Nothing would be able to slow down from that speed." Dem'Noq said, laughing quietly, thinking this would be a simple cleanup operation. 

Then he heard Cthulhu's dark chuckle. "Who said anything about slowing down?" 

Dem'Noq's eyes widened as he realized what Cthulhu was implying. He turned and watched in horror as the four massive ships slammed into the ground directly on top of the four rear fortifications meant to serve as his troops' backline and command center. 

The shockwave sent out by the nearly simultaneous impact of the ships knocked every soldier to their back.

"What is this?" Dem'Noq said, almost in shock. 

"The humans are funny with their names. In an old Earth language, they are called caeleste castrum. It means 'Heavenly Fortress.'" Cthulhu said and watched the battle begin in earnest. 

[Klaxium Battlefield, Chilxan lines, two minutes after impact of caeleste castrum]

The soldiers were stunned. Their leadership was gone, as were their supplies and the safety of the tunnels. 

"What monsters do we face?" One of the Chilxan whispered to no one in particular. 

The Chilxan were elite fighters, at least as far as they knew. But this was something they had never seen. 

"Hold fast! This will be easy. They will be more dazed, if not dead, from that impact." 

Just then, the four cubes emanated a sound that filled them with dread, followed by the opening of three massive doors on each cube. 

The soldiers braced for a rush of enemy troops but never expected what they saw next.