It’s the 41st century, and humanity lives among the stars. Our heroes, dedicated combatants of the Celestial Guard, travel the galaxies to protect civilizations far and wide against dangerous phantoms known as Shades.
To support the teams in their daily lives, the Celestial Guard incorporates a robotic workforce throughout all of their spacecrafts. Loyal companions and tireless helpers, these robots are truly the Guard’s most reliable assets. At least, according to most.
Never in sync with the others, Nate is the only one complaining when Cosmo, a suspiciously cheerful robotic assistant, is brought onto the team without hesitation. But who’s going to listen to the guy with an irrational fear of robots?
Nate can’t focus on the speech. The words wash over him, flowing in and out like waves on the shore.
“… Never worry about where you parked your vehicle again. Through the magic of spacecraft synchronization, your S7 can pilot it right to you … allows your robot companion to communicate with your home ship wirelessly … spacecraft synchronization … a safer, more accessible environment … access to any onboard system … now a simple voice command away …”
The speech drags on and on. That phrase—spacecraft synchronization—keeps cropping up, but he has no idea what it means. He’s hardly paying attention.
Suddenly, it’s like he can feel those bright cyan eyes boring holes in the back of his skull. That can’t be. He’s imagining things, right? Slowly, carefully, he peeks behind him.
There’s no doubt about it. Robot number 4 is fully staring, directly at him.
He gawks in disbelief, and that synthetic smile widens. With a flinch, Nate drops his gaze to the floor.
Oh Mars. He did not mean to make eye contact. Now not only does he know he’s being watched, the robot knows he knows.
“Are you guys really not seeing that?” he whispers, trembling.
“Seeing what?” Atlas replies.
“The robot! He keeps looking at me!”
Check out the web fiction!
Chapter 1 and 2 are now available online! The story will continue as a free web fiction. Follow Nate and Cosmo on their strange and perilous adventures through outer space!
Want to know what happens next?
RESTORE the universe! Contain the spread of Shades across the galaxies and lead recovery efforts to repair the devastation left in their wake
PROTECT the planets! Safeguard human colonies by neutralizing large-scale threats and upholding interstellar peace
EXPLORE the stars! Venture into uncharted space, uncover new frontiers, and document discoveries for the advancement of humankind
The 3 Guiding Principles of the Celestial Guard
DIVISION 718
The Celestial Guard maintains a presence on most intergalactic settlements through a vast network of divisions. Earth alone is home to hundreds of these combat teams, including the 718th, led by the distinguished Captain Gallox. Following recent restructuring, Earth Division 718 stands as one of the Guard’s most recognizable units, rising anew as a defining face of the organization.
Each division is designated by its home planet followed by a unique three-digit code, assigned sequentially as new units are established. No two divisions from anywhere in the universe share a number. With the recent official recognition of Nyx Division 930, the Guard nears a historic milestone—1,000 divisions established across the cosmos.
“The universe’s brightest star in the sky.”
THE NEW AND IMPROVED DIVISION 718
BORN: 07.04.3980
HEIGHT: 5’1”
ORIGIN: Undisclosed
Nate
Exemplary in battle despite an irrational fear of robots, Nate is considered Earth Division 718’s star combatant. With high weapon proficiency and long-range accuracy, his potential may surpass the rest of the team. However, he has a penchant for risk-taking, relying on an uncanny streak of luck to get by. Combined with a susceptibility to fluctuating anxiety levels, this brings about wildly inconsistent performances. He’s impulsive, stubborn, and difficult to work with, but, unable to hide his soft-hearted core, he is nevertheless strangely endearing.
Offense Agent Nathan Cordero
ACTIVATED: 11.11.4011
HEIGHT: 5’1”
ORIGIN: New Earth
Cosmo
From Beacon Enterprises © comes a brand new line of robotic assistants: the St@rlight Seven! The S7 series is highly adaptable, designed to calibrate to the individual needs of their assigned teams. Serving the prestigious Earth Division 718 is Cosmo, the fourth in the series. A personal chef, housekeeper, and trusted companion, may he provide a life of luxury to all who reside on the historic arcadia. Set sail among the stars and leave the rest to Cosmo!
S7 Variant 4, Designation: “Cosmo”
BORN: 12.17.3979
HEIGHT: 5’5”
ORIGIN: Earth
Tomo
Boisterous and carefree, Tomo brings an infectious energy to Division 718. An incredible zest for life inspires those around her, and her constant laughter means you’ll always hear her coming. Some might find her a bit much, but the judgment of others doesn’t matter to her. She’s too busy laughing at the world and everyone in it to succumb to sorrow or fury, let alone embarrassment. Despite her playful demeanor, her combat skills are no joke. Tomo specializes in close-range fighting—a contrast to her friend and rival, Nate—and her unshakable confidence and consistency means she can still often get the better of him. Best friends with Atlas, she leans on their quiet support while encouraging them to loosen up and embrace the chaos.
Defense Agent Tomo Nozaki
BORN: 10.08.3980
HEIGHT: 5’11”
ORIGIN: Earth
Atlas
Quiet, analytical, and a bit of a tech geek, Atlas prefers strategizing over engaging in combat—a complementary match to their best friend and mission partner, Tomo. They take pride in their role as an enabler in times of Shade conflicts, but it was their fascination with Beacon technology and dream of discovering alien life that led them to join the Celestial Guard. Reserved and often judgmental, they observe from the sidelines, indulging in petty drama without ever getting involved. Despite their aloof demeanor, they care deeply for their friends. Being around Tomo is the only thing that gets them out of their shell; they just wish they could be as expressive as her.
Defense Officer Atlas Quillen
BORN: 03.21.3938
HEIGHT: 6’4”
ORIGIN: Earth
Gallox
The weight of her accomplishments as intimidating as her stern demeanor, Captain Gallox is the leader of the updated Earth Division 718 and its fresh team of new combatants. A champion of the “if you want something done right, do it yourself” mindset, she frequently fills in any gaps on the team herself rather than delegating or hiring more personnel. She believes through hard work, discipline, and the right amount of support, she can train her minuscule team into the best of its kind. Her dedication is unwavering, and she expects nothing less from those under her command. Nevertheless, balancing structure and leniency proves a major challenge for her, and she can be too hard on young, starry-eyed recruits.
Division Captain G. Gallox
Click here to watch the StarLight Arcadia: IN THE SHADOWS!
A retro-futuristic world of friendly robots and fantastical shadow creatures, StarLight Arcadia is a proposed 2D animated series that explores the life of a struggling 32-year-old maladjusted to his elaborate neon world. The story will continue as web fiction until its completion. In the meantime, check out its pilot episode, IN THE SHADOWS.
Help out StarLight Arcadia in a major way by talking about it on your social media of choice and tagging #SLA
Nico Isaque Barrett
@cyon_animation