Tail Gunner

The Anti-Gunner

Read the full story on AO3: (Tail Gunner) The Anti-Gunner

The Anti-Gunner is the cosmic judge of the universe created by The All-Gunner — a Gunner of animal intelligence and gentle instinct. Her soul is loaded into the Revolver of Judgment and fired at a planet selected for judgment. Once she lands, she behaves like a mammal: searching for food, drinking water, and sleeping when able. She does not speak, cannot understand language, and communicates only in animal sounds.

The Anti-Gunner is indestructible and immortal. Most planets make the lethal mistake of attacking her on sight. One hit guarantees death, no exceptions. Warmongers, torturers, hateful societies, and cruel cultures are wiped out quickly. Others survive by accident, luck, worship, or simple non-interference. Every planet has its own wildly different legends, interpretations, and imagery of The Anti-Gunner.

Planet Yorsa — home of the Yorseers — is the most frequently visited world. Their war-obsessed society, rooted entirely in militarism and killing, survived two cycles. On the third, now involving Sophie, they were annihilated and finally judged.

The Demi-Gunner Luau is a former Anti-Gunner who lived peacefully for several million years and evolved into higher sentience. A few Anti-Gunner cycles have resulted in ascension, but most end with the Anti-Gunner dissolving into fossil remains once judgment concludes.