Captain Max Anders was sitting on the command couch of the Deirdre. On a holo-screen, she studied the topography of the coast line and the surrounding area of the Island to where they were travelling.
Joon had gone to the galley for tea and soon Agatha got up from navigation and stood before her Captain. Max looked at her, and her drawn face told the story.
"How bad is it?" Max asked softly.
Agatha bit her lip, "I don't know, Captain, but it looks like it could get pretty bad."
Max nodded, "I had a feeling... Vika doesn't shy away from trouble."
Agatha shook her head slightly, "No, she doesn't."
Max dismissed the holo-screen and leaned forward. "I know from personal experience that Vika prepares the best she can for what she can see coming...The Captain sighed, "Keep me informed, but don't tell Joon about the trouble unless she asks.
"Yes, Captain." Agatha then sat next to Max on the command couch. "And for the Max that isn't my Captain...I feel your distress and understand. However, there is another factor in play, and it may make all the difference."
Vika looked from Paula to Agatha, then said. "I'm not sure how this is going to go."
Agatha nodded, "What path did your dreams take?"
"Many," Vika continued, "I can't tell you why; but If we don't defeat this attack and secure prisoners, we and Staverka will see this again."
Agatha contemplated Vika's words, "They pose a threat to our family beyond Staverka?"
Vika nodded.
"What of Dynasty support?" Paula asked.
"They are not air-tight, the attack will be postponed and multiplied," Vika continued, "The invaders must be fully committed before we call the authorities."
Agatha listened to Vika's strategy, she was planning to subject herself and her family to lethal action to severely reduce the capabilities of their enemies in the future.
"Defeating them and securing prisoners is the goal?" Agatha asked.
"Yes..." Vika replied, "It's gonna be close," Vika studied the material: two medium crates worth. Nanoweave, black TFN body sleeves, sets of armor, suppressed XR-75 assault rifles with fifty round magazines, combat webbing. LP13c3 low-profile compact SMGs with two-hundred round magazines, Mhp-10a6 heavy pistols with fifteen round magazines, flash-bang grenades, fragmentation grenades and finally, the DL5 LMG five hundred round squad support weapon.Enough gear to fully equip four commandos.
Vika glanced at Paula and Teffa looking concerned. She turned back and studied the schematics and tried to piece something together.
"What are you looking for?" Paula asked.
Vika pursed her lips, "I am trying to maximize our force multiplier."
Agatha looked at Vika, "How much time do we have?"
Vika didn't look up from the schematic... "About five hours."
"I will reproduce..." Agatha stated.
Paula and Teffa's eyes went wide.
Vika turned to her, "You'll be weak and get killed."
"I will do my best for the family, if I lose Hands... I lose Hands." Agatha retorted.
Vika's face turned red, she was about to argue with her wife.
"What about my Fortune?" Paula asked.
Vika looked up, "I'm not sure... I'm... Not counting on it."
Paula gritted her teeth, leaned down face to face with her paramour, thumping her fists on the table..."Count on it!"
Vika stared into her mis-matched eyes, Paula was adamant. Agatha's eyes shifted from Vika to Paula and back.
Vika pursed her lips in thought. "Okay..." She looked at Agatha, "Reproduce."
Joon sipped her tea as she contemplated the next shoot and the potential encounter with a vampire squid.
Joon shivered and Agatha glanced her way from the kitchen.
The subtle movement caught Joon's eye...Joon wondered if her emotions attracted that reaction, or was it something else? There could be a myriad of reasons for Agatha to give Joon that glance: so Joon rolled through the staggering number of things tucked away in her active anxiety file.
Agatha walked over from the kitchen, "More tea, Mistress?"
Joon smiled, "No, thank you, Agatha."
Agatha curtsied and returned to the kitchen as a tall, elegant officer walked into the galley.
"If it isn't the indomitable Dame Captain Max." Joon beamed an elfin smile.
Max bowed to Joon in courtly fashion...
"Exquisite Lady, it is always a pleasure to see your persistent beauty."
Max sat in her usual spot next to her petite wife.
Agatha appeared at Max's elbow as if by magic, "Tea, Dame Max?"
Max nodded, "Yes, please, thank you, Agatha."
Joon took a few moments to study her wife of over a decade. Max was trying to look relaxed, not relaxing...That pinged Joon's internal antennae. "You're up to something." Joon muttered softly.
Max blinked, "Excuse me?"
"You and Agatha... something is off, I can sense it." Joon narrowed her eyes.
Max tilted her head, "It's not like we don't have a number of things up in the air right now."
"Hmm" Joon pursed her lips, eyeing her wife's posture, "No... It's something else."
Agatha placed a cup of tea before Max.
"Thank you, Agatha." Max nodded to her, but didn't look at her face.
Agatha curtsied, but didn't say anything when she turned back to the kitchen.
Joon saw the little things...
"Oh shit!" Joon's eyes went wide, "It's serious!"
Teffa went to the kitchen to gather leftovers for Agatha who was suddenly very curious about Paula's Fortune. She understood in a broad general way what Vika's prescience did; but the concept of controlling chance was eluding her.
"Can you illustrate how Fortune works?" Agatha asked Paula.
Paula blinked.
"It's like the nose-boop, it can be a blessing or a curse." Vika commented.
Agatha tilted her head, "But Joon's nose-boop is fantasy."
"Whereas I am to understand Paula's Fortune is very real."
Teffa entered with a polymer container of cold blintzes.
Paula turned to Teffa, "Do you have a coin?"
Teffa blinked, and went through her jacket pockets, pulling out a five Zectre coin. The coin was a flat alloy disk with the stamped image of the Dynastic Palace on one side and the Scales of Staverka on the other. Teffa handed Paula the coin. Paula looked at it, the edge was smooth perhaps 2mm thick, she showed it to everyone.
She balanced the coin on a curled finger with her thumb beneath it. Paula flicked the coin into the air above the table and with a musical 'ting' it spun in a blur. The coin bounced on the table three times, then stopped...
On its edge.
Agatha stared at the coin.
Teffa's jaw dropped.
"Can you repeat that, please?" Agatha swallowed and looked at Paula.
Paula plucked the coin from the table top, and flicked it again. This time it bounced five times...Stopping without a sound,
on its edge.
Vika glanced at Agatha. Agatha nodded in understanding. Teffa stared at Paula, saying something in Slarmian.
Paula blinked at Teffa, "Huh?"
Vika smirked, "She called you a Witch."
"Vika said she would be back." Max said softly.
Joon's eyes were wide, "Our family is under threat, why is this ship not there swooping in on our enemies guns blazing!"
"Because it would make things worse..." Max responded calmly.
Agatha sat down at the table with a pout on her face.
Max held herself steady, "It's a razor's edge, Sweetheart, Vika knows what she's doing."
Joon set her jaw.
Astrid and Samira walked into the galley, and both stopped immediately seeing the expressions of their family.
Astrid reacted, "What's wrong?"
Samira guided the Chief Engineer to her seat, and the platinum-blonde sank down. The Security Chief sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist.
Joon looked at Astrid, "I'm afraid our little redhead is out in deep water again."
Astrid's eyes went wide, "Oh, no!"
She shifted her eyes to Agatha, "What is she doing?"
Agatha glanced at her Captain. Max nodded. Agatha took a deep breath and proceeded to give the full Consulate mission brief as she understood it, based on the current parameters.
Teffa was, for the moment, the primary contributor to the defence of the Consulate. She brought out every leftover she had to occupy Agatha while she cooked more.
Agatha and 'Una' finished the blintzes, and started working on the home warming sandwiches. The identical twins had stripped down sitting nude at the common room table, stating it would become very uncomfortable to do otherwise.
The Lieutenant's mis-matched eyes roamed over the very pale attractive physiques, "Um..." Paula raised an eyebrow, "What exactly is she going to do?"
Vika summed it up.
Paula's jaw dropped, "Seriously?"
Vika nodded.
Paula looked at Agatha with a slightly pained expression, "Does it hurt?"
"Not at all, it actually feels pretty good." Agatha smiled.
Paula sat at the table, "Do you... divide, er, multiply often?"
Agatha tilted her head, "On occasion... when my family needs me to."
Teffa slithered out from the kitchen with a large pot of thick stew with chunks of sausage and starchy tubers. "Besczetchik!" She said with enthusiasm, "Werk zoupi!"
Agatha saw the eight Liter pot and beamed.
"Effin Agatah nedit moar zoupi, Teffa nedit goin shoppins." Teffa informed them.
Agatha shook her head, "That should do it, Teffa, thank you."
Teffa beamed a smile.
Agatha had her work cut out for her, so Vika grabbed Paula to find a space where she could reproduce.
They went to their own bathroom.
"In the tub?" Paula asked.
Vika shook her head, "I think the tiled floor is better and there are drains."
"Is this going to be messy?" Paula winced as she said it.
"It's not too bad, we just don't want evidence to be left behind." Vika replied.
Paula nodded, "You said she will be weak..."
"Yes..." Vika suddenly looked upset.
Paula pulled Vika's hands to her and held them, "I need you to trust me."
Vika's lips thinned, "My dreams don't show me everything: I cannot see all you do in them, but I know you are powerful."
Paula studied Vika's face, "Why then are you so uneasy about me being involved?"
"This is not a coin toss," Vika narrowed her eyes and set her jaw: "Unless you are prepared to kill, we will die."
Paula froze as Vika locked eyes with her.
"You were trying to figure out how to do this without me..." Paula whispered.
Vika's lips thinned, "Yes."
Paula felt the weight of her decades... A moment passed and she inhaled. "I understand.," Paula softly replied, a look of lethal determination formed on her face, "I will do anything and everything to keep my family safe."
Vika stared into those beautiful mis-matched eyes, gauging Paula's commitment... Then visibly relaxed. She smiled softly and nodded approvingly at Paula's oath.
Joon sipped her tea: she didn't care if it made her jittery. The petite woman needed a cup after hearing the sit-rep for the Consulate. Agatha placed a mug of coffee in front of Samira as the Security Chief was much in the same mind as Joon. Astrid quietly sipped her tea, she was lost in thought.
Max studied the women at the table, the collective reaction was exactly what she felt. Everyone silently sipped their hot beverages. They were all chewing on the dilemma, if they couldn't be there, they were doing the next best thing.
"What about traps?" Samira asked.
Max blinked, "Like explosives?"
Samira shook her head, "Non-lethal but debilitating traps... I have used a number of them in my previous occupation."
Astrid's eyebrows raised, "I could design some simple ones that could be made with what they have on hand, with Sam and Agatha's help."
Agatha smiled, "I can tell you exactly what we have available."
Max nodded, "I will endorse that..."
The Captain turned to her XO.
Joon nodded, "I concur! Go for it!"
Astrid and Samira jumped up and left the galley while Agatha collected the abandoned beverages with a smile.
Joon and Max shared a look. "Everything helps." Max muttered, she sipped her tea.
Joon nodded, "I hope it's enough."
Paula and Teffa helped Agatha into the bathroom. They eased the naked, very full sister to the floor. Paula thought Agatha looked late term pregnant, with twins ironically. Teffa slithered out to help Vika with 'Una'.
Agatha laid her hand on Paula's arm and Paula looked into the cat-eyes of the overstuffed woman.
"Thank you..." Agatha smiled softly, "For trusting us."
Paula nodded, "You said I had a future of revelations, you weren't joking."
Agatha giggled and Paula smiled.
"There are more to come," Agatha winked.
Vika and Teffa turned into the bathroom, assisting the other 'Hand' of the exceptional Agatha.
When Agatha explained to Paula that there was only a singular being behind her many selves she introduced the new family member to the term 'Hand'.
Paula thought it was an appropriate application of the concept.
She tried to envision herself controlling multiple bodies simultaneously and she had a feeling she would be mentally exhausted in short order.
When Agatha was settled in Vika asked if it was okay with her if Paula and Teffa stayed with her. Paula and Teffa shared a look of surprise, but Agatha was delighted with the idea. "You should see it," Vika smiled softly, "It's really something."
Vika turned off the bathroom light, and in minutes the two Hands of Agatha began to glow in opalescent splendor.
Joon watched Agatha.
Max sipped her tea.
Agatha blinked.
Max smiled.
Joon watched Agatha.
"You know... she isn't going to burst into flames." Max said softly.
"Shhh... I'm observing." Joon glanced at Max, then refocused on Agatha.
Max smiled, then turned to Agatha, "How are you, Sweetheart?"
I feel fine, Honey, how are you?" Agatha beamed a smile.
"I have a feeling our wife is trying to avoid thinking about vampire squid." Max said quietly.
Agatha stifled a giggle, chancing a quick glance at Joon.
"In fact..." Max quietly continued, "I am willing to bet she will use every excuse she can to avoid going to the island."
Joon's eyes narrowed dangerously as her focus shifted slowly to Max. Max looked back at Joon.
Joon's expression could melt lead.
Max blinked, she turned back to Agatha, "I'm going to pay for that."
Agatha nodded, "You're going to pay for that."
"Why are you making light of this?" Joon pouted.
Max adopted a compassionate expression. "My dear, sweet Jooniper: I am fully aware of how serious it is."
A tear silently slid down Joon's cheek. Max kissed it.
Joon looked at her senior wife, "I love you."
Max smiled softly, "I love you."
"You're still going to pay for that." Joon confirmed.
Agatha's reproductive display was the most beautiful event Paula had ever personally witnessed. Vika was there with Paula, they held hands, fingers interlaced. The feelings of love permeated the bathroom, even Teffa was affected.
Paula's datapad beeped. The Terran Lieutenant had forgotten about the device that had been a part of her professional persona for decades.
Vika helped Paula retrieve the datapad and helped her open it, like she'd done it a hundred times before and they shared a smile in the shimmering light of Agatha.
Paula checked her messages; noting a substantial one from Astrid Komatzu marked: urgent. She opened it, scanning the table of contents, her eyebrows rose. Paula showed Vika, who looked up after reading.
"We need to start on this." Vika softly spoke.
Paula glanced down at the opalescent lightshow, "I don't want to dishonor Agatha."
Vika kissed her, "Trust me, she wants us to get started too."
The redhead turned to Teffa giving the Slarmian a hug, "Stay here and keep Agatha company, Paula and I need to do stuff."
Teffa nodded, returning the hug.
The datapad beeped and Paula looked at the message.
To: Lieutenant Gonzalez.
From: Agatha O'Neira.
Subject: Vika.
Message: Vika is correct, my honor is intact, good luck with the traps. Paula showed Vika and her eyes went wide. Vika smirked , "She can still hear us; but she's a little busy at the moment."
"That's wild." Paula commented with no small amount of awe.
The massive cliffs of Dau were a spectacular barrier but it did have one notable exception.
At some point the sea had eroded a peninsula, a delicate finger into the sea. The relentless waves eventually ate through the heavy cliff, undermining its strength and while the Edgewood was mighty, it couldn't keep the peninsula from falling.
The cliff had been sundered low from the fall, leaving a brief depression on the coast. The massive collapse left a spire island and a tiny sprig of the tree. The sprig continued to grow, monopolizing the light admitted to it by the collapse.
Jherish-Milas it was called, a sandy isthmus now tentatively connected it to the land. It had become a park of sorts, visited by the occasional tour, but no one lived there. The tiny warship flew over the ancient collapse, it's remains long worn to sand by the waves.
The Deirdre landed at the small public pad intended for tourist transports. Agatha tilted her head and everyone on the ship knew they had landed.
Joon bit her lip, "We're there..."
Max smirked.
"We are there, Mistress." Agatha smiled.
Joon took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. She finished her tea, and stood. Joon pulled her armored harp-guitar case into her arms, hugging it to herself in nervous anticipation.
Max draped an arm around her shoulders, "It'll be okay, sweetheart."
Joon looked up at her towering wife, "Okay: I believe you.
Max took custody of Joon's harp-guitar as Samira and Astrid met them in the corridor.
Joon led the way to the cargo hold.
Agatha thumbed the DNA lock and the large door opened as the ramp deployed. Samira picked up the chair, holding it across her back with two of her arms and Astrid adjusted the straps of the HD holo-remote backpack.
Joon went first down the ramp, taking in the vista of the island while Max and Agatha followed her, gazing around. The twilight was bright enough to see some details of the north side of the island. The light grey sand reflected the light from the rings, Wunai the cool green moon was rising high in the east.
Joon looked up at the gravity defying spire... almost a kilometer above sea level and she saw a delicate nimbus of the tree that dominated the top of the spire.
Agatha stood next to her, "There is an observation deck up there..."
Joon stared at her, "There is?"
Agatha nodded, glancing at her, "There is a lift up close by."
Joon blinked, "Is it roomy?"
"Pretty good size, want to take a look?" Agatha smiled.
Joon bit her lip; then nodded.
Max smiled at Joon and then gave Agatha a wink. The lift was just big enough for all of them. Astrid examined it.
"Oh, this is a good design, it's got three heavy cyclics."
Samira peered at her, "For safety?"
"Even with all of us, it would only need one," Astrid smiled.
The crew piled in, the lift was designed with tourism in mind and a bronze rail encircled a circular seating arrangement. Astrid tapped the controls and the lift beeped three times before the gate closed. It rose gently into the air slowly increasing it's rate of ascent.
Even though it soon rose quickly, the ride took quite a while. The crew did not notice how fast or slow they were moving: all of their attention was on the breathtaking vista. When they rose above a scalloped treeline several kilometers away, the cliff depression was clear.
The concave horizon framed a colorful sky on majestic display as a few stray beams of light played across their faces. They passed broad leaves gathering the precious energy.
The lift slowed it's rise gradually, reaching the edge of a wide platform. It beeped three times after securing itself to the deck and the gate opened allowing the crew to filter out.
They moved slowly, looking at the singular tiny version of the Edgewood as it shimmered in the steady lumination of the star Lyra-Kepler. The tree wasn't an exact copy anymore, it had become an offspring, with its own coloration.
Joon laid her hand on the rippled bark: it made her soul feel good. "I want to play to her." Joon gazed up at the beautiful tree.
Max smiled, "I had a feeling you might."
Joon smiled at her tall elegant wife. Samira gently placed the chair near Joon. Joon thanked her, and moved the chair around the edge of the deck. She looked where she was and smiled in satisfaction.
Astrid slipped the monocle hud on, and the five remotes deployed. When she had recorded the stills of the chair at its present location, she nodded.
Joon sat getting herself comfortable as Max knelt down, opening the harp-guitar case. Joon lifted the harp-guitar seeing the light play off it's iridescent green surface, "I think this is going to be visually stunning." Joon smiled at Max.
Max smiled back, "I agree, it's going to make an impression."
She closed the case and moved back to where Agatha and Samira were observing. With a quick check of her tuning, Joon gave a nod to Astrid. The Exquisite Lady once again began to play the chosen song and the chords of the beautiful haunting melody, now intimately familiar to all of the crew, echoed around them.
While listening to her wife play, Max felt a deep sense of devotion to her family. Max knew she would do anything to protect them.
She recalled what Agatha had said about the intrepid Lieutenant Gonzalez. Paula had fled from the only family she knew, after suffering grievous emotional wounds. Agatha had promised her a pure and opposite reality, unfailing support on her own terms and Max fully endorsed the offer, knowing Paula's emotional attachment to Vika.
Agatha didn't hesitate to help and comfort. She mentioned Paula was very special, though she did not elaborate. Max concluded Agatha was guarding that information for Paula to share in her own time. She glanced at the very pale exotic woman, Agatha winked at her. Max was so proud of the family she helped to create.
Paula studied the schematic, "Turn it around, no, the other way." Vika had positioned the three liter container inside the frame.
"Okay, this is pretty devious, but if it stuns who ever trips it..." Paula commented.
Vika added, "Or more: this is a lot, the puddle will get big."
Paula nodded, "We can make a bunch of these."
Vika pursed her lips in thought, "Area denial."
The pair worked steadily on the debilitating electric water traps. "These will be best used on the ground floor." Vika said.
Paula glanced at Vika, "What about the hallway from the pad?"
"There isn't anything up there to hide these behind." Vika responded.
"Do we have something that will work there?" Paula asked.
Vika smirked, "Yea: Me."
Paula blinked, "Just you?"
Vika nodded, "Agatha will have her Hands full on the first floor, I need you and Teffa in the security room."
"But..." Paula started.
Vika kissed her, shutting her up. After the kiss Vika whispered, "Not my first rodeo."
"I didn't say it was..." Paula whispered back.
"We will all have earbuds, you and Teffa will be watching on the monitors," Vika explained.
"Agatha will have the 'Lions share' to contend with and she will not be one hundred percent."
"But numbers are needed." Vika concluded.
Paula looked worried, "You need someone to watch your back."
Vika smiled affectionately, "Let's see what unfolds...Moya zayka."
"Your mother called me that. I can't tell you how nice it is to hear it again," Paula grinned.
Vika nodded as the short redhead gazed into those mis-matched eyes, "She called me that, too."
"Does it seem strange to be with me?" Paula asked with some concern.
Vika shook her head, "Not at all... you are wonderful."
"I've been alone for a long time, Vika..." Paula replied.
"Then it is good you will never be alone again." Vika nodded reassuringly.
Paula looked thoughtful, "I was only ever with Anna, and now with you."
"Do not fret, go at your pace, no one will push you." Vika replied.
"What if..." Paula bit her lip.
Vika looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"What if they think I am too old?" Paula pouted.
Vika studied her for a moment, "Do you think you are too old?"
Paula sighed, "I am not as young as I used to be, I don't know if I can keep up with..." Paula stopped.
"With?" Vika asked.
"With someone in your condition, you wore me out!" Paula confessed.
Vika nodded, "There is an answer for that too."
Paula blinked, " What?"
Vika just smiled, then winked at Paula.
The smaller woman placed the finished device into the cart with the others and pushed it to the ramp well.
Paula stared at nothing in the workshop on the second floor. Her mind was replaying what Vika just said.
She blinked and hurried after the redhead.
Joon's final chord was, as always, dripping with emotion. Her soft smile brought the shoot to a close as Astrid cleared the scene.
Max swallowed as she knelt before Joon with the armored case open. "Are you okay?" Joon's grass-green eyes searched Max's soft-brown ones.
Max smiled softly, "Yes... I guess that shoot went right to my heart."
"Oh, Sweetheart..." Joon pulled Max close and kissed her deeply.
A few minutes later Joon pulled back from the kiss, "This place, this tree, feels sacred to me."
Max nodded, "It is very peaceful up here."
Joon closed the armored harp-guitar case, and Max picked it up, rising to her feet. Max offered her hand to her Lady, Joon accepted the offered hand. "Are we ready to descend, M'lady?" Max asked the beautiful woman on her arm.
Joon smiled and nodded, "I believe so, my handsome Dame."
Samira collected the 'special chair' and Astrid reached out to hold one of Samira's available hands. Agatha smiled up at the beautiful tree then followed the two couples back into the lift.
The journey down seemed timeless, everyone's thoughts remained on the observation deck and when the lift stopped and the gate opened with three beeps, it seemed to catch everyone off guard.
The crew of the Deirdre exited one at a time milling about looking reluctant to depart. "Captain?" Agatha said quietly, though saying Max's title garnered everyone's attention.
Max turned her eyes to her most exotic spouse, "Yes, Agatha?"
"I would like to walk around the western side of the island." Agatha said.
She seemed to ask permission, but Max decided to take it as a notice of intent.
"Would you like some company?" Max asked.
Agatha smiled, "I would never turn it down."
Joon smirked as she knew this was partially for her benefit.
"Let's all go for a nice walk then." Joon said, winking at Agatha.
Agatha beamed a smile.
So they walked together at a very casual pace. The two couples holding hands, this time Agatha leading the way.
Wunai rose steadily it's green reflected light giving the landscape a cooler tone. The soft steady breeze swirled through tresses, hinting at soft conversations and loving looks.
They walked for nearly twenty minutes, and Joon said she needed a rest. Agatha said there was a place to sit just ahead and the crew soon found a small terrace with intricately carved stone benches.
Carved from the rock of the spire itself.
Samira set the chair down with a smile for Joon. There was also an opening in the rock...
Joon raised an eyebrow at Agatha and Agatha had the good manners to look embarrassed. Joon didn't say a word, but gracefully sat on the chair.
Max watched the exchange trying not to react.
Astrid and Samira sat together on a bench, oblivious to the drama, while Max sat on the bench nearest to Joon: they shared a look.
"I will go in." Joon said softly to Max, "But I won't like it."
Max smiled, "I know. But, this is important to Agatha."
"I fucking hate vampires." Joon whispered, punctuating her sentiment with a grimace.
Astrid blinked "Oh wow! There's a cave here!"
Joon and Max shared a look.
Agatha glanced at Joon.
"Can we take a look inside?" Astrid beamed a huge smile.
Paula filled the traps with water using a large pitcher, and Vika set the trip-lines.
Vika was using hair thin mono-filiment: she got the spool from her sewing kit. To anchor the trip-lines she used tiny fish hooks as they sank effortlessly into the door frames and baseboards. The pair laid out eight traps leaving alone the corridor down the center of both wings: making cover taken in the offices a ticket to unconsciousness.
Removing the double insulation of the capacitor for the traps was the hardest part.
The shock wouldn't kill the victim, but it would put them out of action. Vika would have rather connected the traps to the building's power, but that would have cooked them in short order.
They would need prisoners for the authorities to question that would lead to intelligence needed to decapitate this organization.
Vika knew the invaders had no clue their assault was expected and planned for. She just hoped success here wouldn't cause something dire further into the future that she couldn't yet see.
Paula nodded with satisfaction as she surveyed their handywork.
Vika eyed the woman, admiring her curves.
"Are there any restraints?" Paula turned to her diminutive partner.
Vika nodded, "On the second floor."
"Let's go see how many we can find." Paula smiled.
Paula felt in a strange place, she knew she would be in danger very soon; but she felt liberated at the same time. Her new family included the Ambassador she was sent to work for.
Paula had been able to keep co-workers at arms length for decades. This was a whole new commitment level, and she felt surprisingly enthusiastic. She was able to shed the institutional apathy of the status quo, and commit fully to something.
Paula didn't 'want' to kill anyone; but if she was defending her family, she could and would. Vika led the woman up the ramp well to gather the restraints she knew would be waiting for them.
Footsteps echoed through the tunnel.
Joon walked next to Max as she clung to her towering wife's arm. Agatha led the way: she took her time, not wanting to out-distance them.
Samira blinked, "Hey! How come it's not dark in here?"
Astrid looked around, "It's not dark at all, does it seem grey?"
"It's grey. Why is everything grey?" Samira asked, "What the fuck?"
Astrid gazed at Agatha with wide eyes. Max pursed her lips as Joon glanced up at Max then at Agatha.
"The grey is low-light perception utilizing ultraviolet wavelengths ." Agatha told them.
"You improved our vision?" Max asked.
Everyone gasped.
"Did I overstep?" Agatha pouted, "I did not want you disadvantaged in dark places."
"Is this part of the armoring process?" Joon asked.
Agatha smiled, "Yes, Mistress. I want my family well prepared."
Joon smiled, "Well, I like it. Thank you, Agatha."
Agatha curtsied.
"You know, I'm not sure I would have noticed that." Astrid said to Samira.
Samira held Astrid's hand, they shared a smile.
They travelled through the textured grey and the tunnel eventually turned and opened up into a large grotto. Lapping waves could be heard, accompanied with constant dripping.
The grotto reminded Max of the ceremonial pool in the Mulsi Holdship.
"I'm going to take a peek below..." Agatha said.
"What?, no!" Joon responded immediately.
Max didn't like the sound of that. "I don't want you getting hurt."
Agatha started to undress; and then stopped.
Max, Joon, Astrid and Samira stared at Agatha with her pants half down.
"Oh, never mind, someone is coming up." Agatha cheerfully said, pulling her pants up.
Samira put the chair down and lifted both sides of her skirt. Her cybernetic thigh-holsters extended out, giving her access to the pair of heavy pistols.
Max heard and recognized the sound, "Steady, Sam."
"I gotcha Boss, I'm just being cautious." Samira layed her other hands on the grips of her pistols.
Max's eyebrows rose up, giving Samira a glance. "Boss?"
Samira winced, "Sorry, that just sorta slipped out."
"No, no I didn't mind it, it was just a surprise." Max smiled at Samira
Samira nodded a little smile on her lips.
Joon's eyebrow arched at the exchange then spotted the chair. She sat right down and crossed her legs. Astrid smirked, kneeling down beside her. Max had a tight grip on the handle of Joon's harp-guitar case.
"I understand your reaction." Agatha nodded at her family, "However, we are in no danger." She turned and walked closer to the water, stepping out onto a large flat rock where Agatha squatted down, and then sat. Wrapping her arms around her legs she propped her chin on her knees.
Soon gentle moving patterns of pale-blue light appeared under the grotto's surface.
It grew brighter, then the pattern slowed and stopped...Revealing the cuttlefish shape of a Daurazu.
Vika and Paula had finished their chores, gathering the list of items Vika said they would need.
"Agatha should be ready soon." Vika said quietly.
Paula nodded, letting Vika lead the way back to the third floor hab area. Teffa slithered out of the open door to Paula and Vika's apartment.
"Agatah..." Teffa began in trade speak.
"I got it." Vika interrupted her in Slarmian.
Vika actually kissed Teffa's cheek and the Slarmian touched her cheek and smiled.
"Good job, Tef..." Paula grinned.
Vika started washing Agatha's Hands, gently rinsing off the film left by her efforts.
Agatha smiled at Vika, "Did you..."
Vika kissed her, silencing her question, "Yes, we should be set on the ground floor."
"You'll only need to shoot."
"That is good." Agatha glanced at Paula, "Hello, Paula."
"Hi, Agatha. I'm glad to see you." Paula replied.
Paula looked at Agatha's four Hands in turn, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Do you have any coffee?" Agatha smiled hopefully.
Vika looked up at Paula, "In my rucksack, there is a bag of coffee."
Paula smirked, "Of course there is."
She leaned over and smooched the redhead's cheek and went to Vika's room.
"I shall put the kettle on." Teffa said in Slarmian, then slithered back to the common area.
Vika looked into Agatha's eyes, "How was it?"
Agatha nodded, "Fine, were you worried?"
"About you? Never!" Vika smiled, "Meet the squid yet?"
Agatha nodded, "They just appeared: any advice?"
Vika shook her head, "They are okay, but you will get..."
The four Hands of Agatha stared blankly into thin air.
"...a lot of data." Vika said softly, then smirked.
Agatha touched the outstretched tentacle with her fingertips.
It could have been a moment, it could have been a thousand years.
Agatha bathed in phenomenal stores of information. Millions of elaborate observations, conversations and conclusions.
Her senses dimmed as she accepted custody of it.
The Dauchazi were installed as ancillary to the Daurazu. Agatha did not receive another fifty percent, it was tenfold. Daurazu research was paramount, offering answers to questions not envisioned by initial parameters.
Starchild was ambitious, foreseeing the ascent of the Dauzakai and enjoining the Bolon to safeguard the emerging culture.
Daurazu were not machines however, they did not simply execute programming. They grew attached to initiatives, adopting them as ideology, susceptible to biological limitations.
Agatha felt their profound shame over the recent incident. The young passionate Daurazu was brilliant, completely dedicated to the initiative. Interpreting Miku's designed purpose as antithetical, the Daurazu spiraled into madness.
Personal interference was not permitted, but the young Daurazu was beyond reach.
A most sincere apology from the Daurazu community was extended.
Transfer complete.
The Daurazu in the water stared at Agatha with horizontal pupils and Agatha felt its reverence to her, felt it's clinical devotion. It wasn't fair to them or the Dauchazi. Agatha had realized that from the beginning.
Her twisted sister only saw them as tools, slaves to the pursuit of the information she desired. Agatha wanted to release those bond-like duties without subjecting them to abandonment so she decided to slightly alter the initiative: allowing the Daurazu something it had never known, self determination.
Max stared at the scene. The Daurazu's tentacle had only touched Agatha fingertips. Max felt the air take on that odd quality again, like an imperceptible hum, but it lasted much longer this time than it did with the Dauchazi Queen.
After twenty heartbeats Max began to worry. Then Agatha relaxed as a massive wave of calm enveloped the grotto.
Agatha glanced over her shoulder.
*Sorry about that, Max, I was a little preoccupied.*
*You looked busy. Was it productive?*
Max raised an eyebrow.
*Oh Max, I can't even begin to describe it.*
Agatha bit her lip.
*I'm going to digest some of it and I'll let you know.*
Max nodded,
*Ah, okay, that sounds good.*
Agatha spun around on her butt to face Max. She glanced next to her and the Daurazu eased up out of the water onto the flat rock.
"We are going with 'Sepii' as a name to call this one." Agatha started with a smile.
"If Mistress is interested, I'm quite sure I can orchestrate a unique audience for a holo-vid shoot."
Joon blinked, "The vampire squid is nice?"
Agatha nodded, "They are very nice, and would love to help us."
"How many are 'they' going to be?" Joon asked with a skeptical eye.
"As many or as few as you wish; but I should point out," Agatha giggled.
She lifted her arm above the Daurazu and then pointed down as the Daurazu began pulsing colorful light patterns across it's skin.
Agatha smiled, "The more audience you get, the brighter it will be in here."
Joon stared at the stunning light display, "Oh shit... Lets pack the house!"
Agatha cheered.
Max heard Samira's thigh holsters close shut behind her.
Joon stood up, and picked up the little chair.
Agatha stood as well, helping Joon over to the flat rock.
The Daurazu slid off the rock, but did not submerge. While Joon was setting the chair in position, Astrid deployed the remotes and began taking stills. The Daurazu moved silently to get out the way of Astrid's shots.
Max opened the case across a knee in front of Joon and she smiled, hopping back across to the rock. Before she could react, no less than fifty Daurazu had surfaced around her.
Joon glanced at Agatha and bit her lip but Agatha gave her a thumbs up and nodded so Joon carefully sat down and shook off her nerves. She adjusted her posture for playing, checked her tuning, and the grotto came alive in bioluminescence.
Samira stood next to Max with her eyebrows raised, "Holy fuck!"
The petite musician's eyes grew huge. "Oh! This is going to be amazing!" She waited three seconds for the illumination to subside; then began.
The opening melody was spectacular. It was like seeing the sound waves travelling out from her in multi-colored lightning. Max and Samira watched mesmerized: Astrid wept and Agatha held her, breathless.
Joon's performance was flawless as the Daurazu illumination transformed the grotto. The otherworldly display with the haunting beauty of Joons music came to a close and the final chord with Joon's soft smile glowed as the bioluminescence faded.
Astrid cleared the shoot, then everyone came forward. Happy tears on display, no one was unaffected.
Agatha smooched Joon, "That was amazing, Mistress."
"Would you please thank our new friends." Joon's smile was radiant.
Agatha knelt down and carressed Sepii, sending out to all the Daurazu appreciation and good will on behalf of her family.
One by one the Daurazu slipped away, blending into the shadows beneath the surface and into the depths.
Max let Joon lay her beautiful harp-guitar into the case she was carrying. Samira picked up the 'special chair' holding it across her back and the HD holo-remotes went, one by one, into the docking station on Astrid's back.
Joon was still beaming.
Max tilted her head and looked at her wife, "Happy we came to this Island?"
Joon bit her lip and nodded, "I was a big baby about it. I let my fears influence my judgement."
Max smiled with a crooked grin, "You always hated vampires."
Joon held onto Max's arm with both hands and they walked back to the tunnel. "Lucky me, there were no vampires here." Joon smiled.
Astrid found Samira's hand and with a shared smile they followed their senior wives.
Agatha gave a last caress to the Daurazu, "I will not abandon you or your people Sepii."
The Daurazu felt relief and conveyed a farewell.
"Until next time, my friend." Agatha said softly. Agatha stood, turned and trotted after her family.
Four Hands of Agatha sat at the common room table, drinking coffee. They had managed to get into black body sleeves while the coffee was brewing.
Vika set out the equipment they would need then set aside some firearms for Paula and Teffa.
Paula eyed the weapons, "Uh... Vika, I know how to use the pistol, but not that monster.
The Terran Lieutenant pointed at the squad support weapon.
Vika glanced at her, with a little sparkle in her eye.
Paula's eyes grew large as Vika took a few minutes to show it to her, explaining it's balance and constant recoil.
Paula nodded, paying close attention.
Vika set it down, "It will be loaded and ready to shoot," the short redhead glanced over her shoulder, "Should you need it."
Agatha drained her coffees and started gearing up. She chose to wear the ballistic armor, even though the weight would slow her down.
Paula looked at Vika, "No armor for you?"
"It would be too restrictive." Vika replied.
Agatha finished with webbing and sidearms...
She then pulled on the dark grey coveralls and ponchos of deactivated nanoweave.
Paula had a confused look on her face, "I guess the dark grey will help you blend into the shadows better."
Vika smooched Paula's cheek.
"Okay, what was that for?" Paula looked at the diminutive redhead.
Vika looked at Agatha and nodded, as Paula followed her attention.
Agatha smiled and activated the classified material...
Paula's jaw dropped as light was bent around Agatha's body, only leaving her naked head unaffected by the blurry outline.
"Oh my god..." Paula whispered, she shifted her eyes to Vika, "What is that?"
"It's called 'Nanoweave' . It is a restricted technology used by a few elite TFN units." Agatha informed.
"We are very lucky to have leadership well versed in its use."
Paula blinked, "Leadership. Who is the leadership?"
Agatha deactivated the nanoweave, "The Exquisite Lady, Ambassador Jooniper Smith, and Dame Captain Max Anders."
Paula nodded, "The Max you mentioned earlier."
"She is in command of the ship." Agatha related.
"She: I've never heard of an elite fighting force leading a diplomatic mission." Paula commented with a smile forming on her lips.
Vika smiled, "Captain-wife and Lady-wife will need to brief you personally, so let's leave those questions for them."
Paula blinked, then looked again at the dark grey fabric, "Ah, I see; I'll wait then."
Vika shifted her attention to Agatha. "Twenty minutes."
Max carried the harp-guitar case in one hand and her delightfully odd wife's hand in the other while they walked north along the grey sands towards the park landing pad.
Joon looked up at her towering wife, "You're very quiet."
Max nodded, "Yea, things are about to kick off on Staverka."
"Are you worried?" Joon asked, concern etched her voice.
Max replied, "Operationally, no: I have complete faith in Vika and Agatha."
"Then it must be our Lieutenant and Teffa that worries you," Joon raised an eyebrow.
Max smirked, "Teffa is a sweetheart, I don't want to see her get hurt or killed."
"As for Paula: Agatha says she is a wildcard, she isn't combat trained but shows remarkable ability." Max finished.
Joon smirked, "Well I heard she is quick-witted, dedicated, and can be a real life Witch."
Max blinked, "I didn't hear about the Witch part."
"Teffa called her a Witch. I think it's much more of a compliment on Staverka." Joon winked at Max.
The tall Captain smiled. "Letting Vika run the show was a good idea."
"I only suggested that we give her expressed authority, not some weird recon thing." Joon responded.
"It's not weird." Max pouted, but she continued, "But it is a military designation, and fairly limited in scope."
"Giving Agatha diplomatic clout was a good Idea." Max smiled at Joon.
Joon blinked, "Do what now?"
Max smirked, "You made her your first secretary yesterday: I think you were mostly asleep."
Joon giggled softly, "Well, at least my subconscious is up to being an ambassador."
"I think you're doing fine, better than a particular Captain I could mention." Max smirked.
"Awww..." Joon giggled, "We can be mediocre together."
"Always, Sweetheart." Max smiled then glanced at Joon, "Where to next?"
"Back to Sakima-sadi-Misimi; I have an idea." Joon smiled.
Agatha set herself up at the ramp-wells and covered the long corridors of the east and west wings. From the ramp-wells, she could cover her own positions. With her visors, Agatha could just barely make out the mono-filament trip-lines.
Vika gave her a two minute warning.
Paula and Teffa were situated in the small second floor security room, surrounded by a score of old tech monitors. The dozens of surveillance cameras located in and around the old precinct were also old tech, but they did the job.
Then the two cameras covering the street side entrance outside went offline simultaneously.
Vika's voice crackled softly over the earbuds, "Showtime."
Agatha could hear soft clicking echo through the dark, she postulated someone was attempting to bypass the locking mechanism of the entrance. She was sure the unimproved lock would be easily defeated, but the invaders maintaining stealth protocols was a good sign.
On one of the pad monitors Teffa saw a medium transport hover in low and touch down, the transport sitting twenty yards from the Dauzakai diplomatic shuttle. Ten Slarmian silhouettes disembarked.
"Ten on Pad, transport standing by." Teffa said in Slarmian on the scrambled spytech channel.
"Copy." Vika replied.
Agatha readied a pair of flash bang grenades, then settled in. With the nanoweave active she wasn't even a shadow in the dark.
Vika crouched low in the corridor around the corner from the third floor common room. The simple lock to the pad door would be a little barrier. She couldn't hear them, but she knew they would split up. Five going east and five heading to her.
Vika closed her eyes and hoped Paula was up for this.
Paula stood behind Teffa who was coiled down at the old tech control panel.
She had never pushed and pulled Fortune on this scale: but she knew she could. Paula took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She reached out with her mind, sensing the flow of Fortune around her, she could sense people she knew; and those she did not.
Paula started to weave Fortune, massively pulling it from the dark, foreboding figures approaching them and pushing it evenly into her new family.
The front entrance opened with a clank and although Agatha couldn't see them yet she felt their anxiety spike. She could easily pinpoint locations and numbers by those feelings.
Agatha felt twelve above her adding to the twenty-eight on the ground floor in front of her.
The Slarmians slithered in through the entrance, spreading out, dividing into two groups. Agatha could see movement now, quiet advancement, she spotted one of the invaders covering the hallway.
He carried an assault rifle and a multi-barreled smg, all four arms held the weapons up in firing positions.
A dozen Slarmians slithered slowly in formation down the two wing corridors as the last two Slarmians came in through the entrance, Agatha couldn't feel anyone outside of the Consulate holding position: The Invaders were fully committed.
Agatha transmitted on the spytech Consulate communications network only one word.
"Go."
Teffa tapped in the blast door code, the large heavy doors rumbled closed and she immediately sent a Dynasty emergency contact alert.
At the same time two Hands of Agatha lobbed flash-bang grenades high above the Slarmians in the east and west wing corridors.
She turned away and closed her eyes.
Two thunderous booms and flashes of lighting erupted above them, Agatha turned back and opened her eyes as she levelied her suppressed XR75's and, in controlled bursts, tore into the stunned invaders.
Vika exploded into motion as the thunder shook the building.
Sprinting down the corridor she bound up along the wall and kicked across to the formation of five Slarmians.
She let fly a handful of windblades...blinding the two invaders at the rear.
In her other hand she held her razor-sharp Ca'tagri blade and buried it to the hilt into the side of the first Slarmian's head. Vika immediately drew her second blade driving it upward under the exposed jaw of the second Slarmian. She kicked suddenly wickedly driving her heel into the throat of the third invader, crushing its throat.
Vika now had two blinded and one choking Slarmian to deal with.
She took a moment to recover her Ca' tagri blades before she dove back into them without mercy. Her opponents made a valiant attempt at recovering, but it was never going to be enough, in seconds they were dead.
Vika ran full out towards the pad.
She had seen this scenario half a dozen times in her dreams. She had a slim chance alone to make it work and she hoped Fortune was with her.
She needed Paula to give her as much of it as possible.
Vika made the turn at the ramp-well to the pad and she leapt out of the doorway into a tumble.
Bullets tore across the door and the door gunner of the transport yelled to the pilot.
Vika rolled up and threw a single spherical frag grenade with all of her strength.
The transport leapt into the air already pushing above the pad and it's momentum carried it away from the shuttle towards the edge of the precinct.
There was just enough on Vika's throw that the grenade bounced off the vertical trailing edge of the troop compartment opening, sailing right past the gunners head and
Into the cockpit.
Teffa connected with Dynasty authorities and in her most calm professional voice reported intruders and gunfire.
Agatha had helped her with accurate phrasing. Teffa projected confidence in the exchange, as she identified herself as the Consulate Major-Domo.
Paula wove the Fortune aggressively, pulling from the invaders dumping it into Vika and Agatha's Hands.
Then she felt a cold chill, noticing the five dark silhouettes coming down from the third floor to the second.
Paula snarled, opening her eyes.
She snatched up the DL5 leaning in the corner.
Paula opened the door with her free hand, bearing the heavy support weapon with her other.
Using the doorframe as support she pivoted the weapon out into the corridor, and squeezed the trigger.
Paula's action of popping out of the security room took only a fraction of a second and firing blindly from behind the doorframe at only sensed targets, she ruthlessly pulled Fortune from them and used it against them. One hundred rounds in five seconds, filling the hallway and the five invaders with jacketed projectiles.
She shredded them.
Paula shut the door, leaned the smoking support weapon against the wall and, taking a deep breath, she again closed her eyes as she got back to supporting her family.
Agatha felt waves of shock, confusion and fear. She followed them to their sources, eliminating ones she had a line of sight on. Many Slarmian invaders dove into dark offices for cover from the weapons fire and she smiled as she felt them go unconscious from the electric water traps.
Agatha felt better now that she knew she wouldn't have to kill all of them.
In two teams of two, Agatha began to do a slow, quiet leapfrog of eliminating the remaining dangerous invaders who were now exposed in the hallway. They had nowhere to slither as they were now aware of the traps in the side offices. She was able to feel their emotions and being cloaked in nanoweave, even in her weakened state, Agatha had them completely outclassed.
Agatha could feel Vika did equally as well.
The grenade blew with a bright flash through the cockpit windows and Vika ran to the edge of the precinct as it began to fall, completely out of control. She watched the transport careening down the lane in a spin; throwing the gunner out of the craft.
The shattered canopy left no doubt in her mind as to the fate of the pilot and the gunner bounced off a building and landed on the street...unmoving.
Vika nodded with a grim smile and turned, running back to the pad entrance to the Consulate. She was now on mop-up duty.
Teffa's report was finished: her exchange with authorities was complete.
Vika turned on the lights as she checked every corpse on her way down: recovering her windblades as she passed.
She noted the mess at the ramp-well on the second floor and Vika smiled with satisfaction. Vika picked up the bundle of reinforced polymer restraints and headed down to the first level.
Agatha had eliminated twenty-two invaders, leaving six unconscious. Vika turned on the first floor lights, and walked gingerly around corpses. She disabled the traps one by one, securing the unconscious Slarmians. Vika then dragged them individually to their separate holding cells after completely stripping them of everything, including their clothes. They had attempted to kill her and members of her family: to hell with propriety.
By the time Paula and Teffa had descended to the first floor there was a small army of Staverka police and SGD Military units outside. Agatha's Hands went to the third floor to dress down to maintain the secrecy of their tactical gear as the heavy blast doors slowly retracted back and Teffa, Paula and Vika greeted the authorities with calm voices, letting them know the crisis was over.
The family on the Dierdre had just finished eating a delicious meal of a hearty Beef Stroganoff with a delicious Tabouli Salad.
Astrid loved Tabouli and Samira adored the Stroganoff.
Max and Joon shared a smile as Agatha placed a tray of Apple Tarts she had made for them with the after dinner tea. Joon had Agatha sit with them as she wanted everyone in on the Staverka Sit-Rep.
Agatha started by saying it was a complete success and that everyone was safe then delved in, giving a brief AAR, explaining Vika's plan and how it unfolded.
Max and Samira wanted a detailed layout of the first floor, so Agatha uploaded the schematics of the whole Consulate from Astrid's datapad where the holoscreen showed the layout.
Agatha showed the relative positions and went through the action moment to moment.
"What is Paula doing?" Astrid stared.
"She is 'weaving' Fortune." Agatha replied, "That is her term, not mine."
Max and Joon shared a look.
"Is she a Witch?" Joon asked.
Agatha smiled, "As much as Vika is a Shaman...Paula is a Witch."
Samira blinked, "Did you notice an appreciable difference in the flow of the battle?"
Agatha nodded, "Yes; on numerous instances."
"Four inexplicable invader weapon jams, an invader actually dropped a weapon, misfired and shot his teammate, and three instances of invaders slithering directly into each other. "The display of mishaps and pratfalls would have been comical, if it wasn't in the middle of a firefight."
"And the coin toss..." Joon clarified.
Agatha nodded, "That too, Mistress."
"The odds of a coin of those dimensions ending up on it's edge is approximately six thousand to one... she did it twice in a row." Agatha reported, "Upon request."
Astrid's eyes went wide, "Probability manipulation."
Agatha nodded, "Vika and Paula refer to it as 'Fortune', They both referred to Vika's prescience as 'Portent'. I imagine Vika and Paula had a long discussion about it." Agatha concluded.
Max smirked, "I am glad they are getting along so well."
Joon glanced at Max, "Hush you! Please continue, Agatha."
Agatha described the tactics the invaders used, the two pronged attack, a strike team from the pad and a frontal assault through the main entrance. "I wondered if they were going to just murder us in our beds and then set the Consulate ablaze." Agatha commented, "Select individuals in the frontal assault group carried a phosphorus compound, I was able to dispatch them before the incendiary was employed."
Joon and Astrid listened with wide eyes but Max and Samira both narrowed their eyes at the mention of phosphorus.
Agatha showed the different stages and who was were and did what. Everyone was very impressed with Vika's role in the engagement.
"I knew she was a beast in melee," Max nodded, "How did she take down the transport?"
"I am to understand she threw a fragmentation grenade into the troop compartment, and the grenade managed to travel into the cockpit." Agatha concluded.
"Fortune?" Joon asked.
Agatha nodded, "I believe so."
"So what's going on right now?" Joon asked.
"I have just finished changing two of my Hands into the 'Deadly Schoolgirl' uniform, I am going downstairs to join the others in conferring with Police and SGD." Agatha reported.
"Excellent." Max nodded.
Agatha and 'Una' walked up to the three other members of the Consulate having an uncomfortable conversation.
"I'm sorry, Inspector, I cannot allow you entry into the Consulate." Paula replied.
Vika translated.
The Long thin Staverka Police Inspector Yzix looked rather put out, "You called us, so I must assume you wanted us to take charge of this incident."
Agatha raised an eyebrow as Vika translated for Paula.
Paula was just about to retort...
"Paula, I can take over here if you wish." Agatha offered.
Paula smiled in relief, "Yes, thank you, Agatha." Paula, Vika and Teffa went back inside the Consulate.
The Inspector turned to face Agatha, "Ah... I remember you."
"It is nice to see you again, Inspector Yzix, even under these circumstances." Agatha smoothly responded.
'Una stood next to Agatha slowly scanning the various vehicles, there were several fully manned GSDNI squads. The Naval Infantry units were essentially the Dynasty version of Marines and the Army and they were synonymous with Dynastic might.
A SGDNI junior officer slithered closer and waited to be recognized by someone. Inspector Yzix seemed oblivious; however, his attention was occupied with Agatha.
"If I may ask," Yzix preambled, "How does a bodyguard relieve a Diplomatic Attache from dealing with this incident?"
Agatha smiled, her visor giving no affirmation of her disposition, "Allow me to enlighten you Inspector. While it may be true that I am still a registered Bodyguard. I am also, as I am sure you are aware, a Registered Retainer of a Knight of Staverka."
The Inspector nodded and was about to interrupt, but Agatha continued undeterred.
"What you need to be aware of is that I am also The Exquisite Lady Jooniper's First Secretary which allows me to negotiate, confer, and dictate, any situation under her Excellency's authority."
The Inspector stopped trying to interrupt, and listened, his eyes growing larger.
"Under the Consulate Creation Accord, paragraph twelve, subsection d., it was the duty of our Major-Domo to Advise the Grand Slarmian Dynasty of Use of Force in, around, or upon this Consulate."
"Our obligation was fulfilled."
"I am not, nor ever have been under your auspices. I answer only to my Ambassador, the Fleet Admiral of the Terran Federation, and perhaps 'The Lion' himself."
"To be quite clear Inspector, I have absolutely no idea why you are even here, this is not a Police issue."
"If someone invited you to attend this incident, I suggest you speak with them as I don't recall giving you an invitation."
The Inspector was quite pale and, realizing the diplomatic issues involved were well above his pay grade he remained silent, just blinking his eyes, and then nodded respectfully as he turned and slithered away.
Agatha turned her attention to the SGDNI Poruchik.
He realized Agatha had recognized him and he immediately came to attention and saluted, "First Secretary, I and my Company are at your disposal."
Agatha smirked, "Name?"
The Slarmian answered, still at attention, "Sulex, First Secretary."
"At ease, Sulex, I want you to call me Agatha, do you understand?" Agatha asked.
The Slarmian glanced at Una then back at Agatha, "Yes, Agatha, I understand."
"Do you have temporary corridor seals, recording devices, and forensic equipment?" Agatha asked without missing a beat.
"Yes, ...Agatha, We are Palace Security; we can get you anything you need." The young officer replied.
"Tell me, Sulex." Agatha leaned in closer, her voice lowered, "Why would Inspector Yzix show up to a Diplomatic incident if he were not invited?"
Sulex thought for a few moments, "Inspector Yzix is the Staverka Police expert in terrorist activity."
Agatha nodded, "That's what I thought. I was churlish with him and I will have to make it up to him."
"You stepped on him kind of hard." Joon pursed her lips, "That's not like you."
The crew were still all sitting at the galley table, listening to Agatha's account.
Agatha looked down, "I could feel the Inspectors emotions, he was trying to pressure Paula."
Joon smirked, "So you defended Paula and you thought you might take him down a peg or two?"
Agatha grimaced, "I am sorry, Mistress."
"Oh I understand," Joon smirked, "But it was still mean."
"So ask him to do the prisoner interrogations, that way he is involved without being a pushy ass."
Agatha beamed, "That's a great Idea, I will make him that offer."
The other three wives listened to the exchange.
"What are you doing now?" Max inquired.
Agatha smiled, "What Sam recommended,"
Samira's golden eyes danced.
"Trust me, no one is going to argue against it, sealing off complete sections will make it much easier for any forensic team." Samira clarified
Agatha smiled, "And give us a little privacy during the investigation. Poruchik Sulex is very attentive, though he seems to be wary of my temper."
Astrid giggled, "After all that you said to the Inspector in front of him, it's no wonder."
Max peered at Agatha, "Have you thought about a transteller dream party?"
Joon glanced at Max, "Oh, I forgot about that! I would love to meet Paula...intimately."
Agatha stared at Joon, "Oh, bored already? It's been what, a week since we acquired Samira?"
"Dayam!" Samira snorted and giggled.
Joon's jaw dropped in faux indignation. "Agatha!"
Max raised her eyebrow at Agatha with her crooked smile. "Shot's fired."
"Wow... I think Ag's has developed a serious snarky side!" Astrid giggled.
Joon stood up and walked behind Max and pulled Agatha into a deep kiss. "So both you AND Max need to be brought to heel." grass-green gazed into silver-gilded grey eyes.
Agatha beamed a wide smile.
"What?" Max blinked, "What did I do?" Joon's eyes shifted slowly to Max, "Oh, I think I can help your memory."
"Oh shit... I remember now." Max bit her lip.
Paula was still riding an adrenaline high: she had never been in combat before. Vika watched her like a hawk, the look in her eyes caught Paula's heart every time she saw it.
It turned out Teffa was sharing an apartment with Agatha. The Slarmian was also still dealing with the stress but she had seen violence before.
Paula didn't know what to do so Vika put her strong arm around her shoulder. "It becomes easier: use it, learn from it." Vika whispered.
"How do I stop shaking?" Paula turned to look at her.
Vika smiled softly, "I like a hot shower: also, orgasms."
Paula blinked, then bit her lip. "Ohh kaay."
Vika began to undress Paula, the diminutive redhead gently removing every article of Paula's clothing and carefully hanging up the dress greys.
When Paula was only wearing her comfy lingerie, she started undressing Vika.
Vika didn't wear underclothes, but removing her baggy shorts revealed something shocking.
"Oh my god!" Paula's eyes grew huge.
Vika blinked, "What?"
The redhead twisted around to look at her own ass.
"Huh..." Vika smirked.
Three round deep purple ugly bruises dotted her lower back, her ass, and her thigh.
"Is that?" Paula's eyes teared up.
"I didn't feel a thing." Vika smiled, "Remind me to thank Agatha later."
"But..." Paula started. Vika placed a finger on her lips.
"It's okay, let's get that shower." Vika pulled Paula to their bathroom.
Paula bit her lip, "How did you...?"
Vika turned on the hot shower, "Door gunner I think."
"My Fortune didn't work?" Paula pouted.
Vika smirked, "I think you were dealing with that five in the ramp-well."
Paula gawked, "Oh my god! I almost lost you!"
"But, you didn't!" Vika said matter-of-factly, "Don't get lost in what 'could' have happened."
Paula thought about that, "Your dreams."
"They don't show me everything." Vika finished.
Paula nodded in understanding, "You were always going to survive."
Vika nodded.
"So, me killing those invaders?" Paula postulated.
Vika smiled softly pulling Paula into the shower, "Meant you and Teffa would survive."
Paula felt better, the hot water melting the stress in her shoulders. Vika lathered her up and they washed each other. They rinsed while kissing: Paula could not get enough of Vika.
After towelling dry Paula went to her bedroom and Vika went to her own bedroom. Paula blinked wondering where Vika went, but soon the diminutive redhead stood in the doorway holding a huge fluffy pillow.
"Would you like to share this with me?" Vika smiled prettily.
Paula bit her lip, nodding with enthusiasm. Vika rolled onto Paula's bed, pulling the larger woman on top of her. They kissed deeply, hands caressed soft curves and firm muscles.
Paula wanted Vika. She wanted to taste her.
Vika seemed to be okay with the idea and two strong, tiny hands guided Paula to her sopping cleft.
Paula's tongue lightly reached out and tasted her; the sweet citrusy flavor was immensely satisfying. Vika shuddered, her rosey labia minora dripping as Paula happily lapped at them.
Paula looked up into Vika's eyes.
Vika reached for Paula's hand, pulling the first two fingers into her mouth before the panting redhead slipped Paula's two wet fingers inside of her.
Paula paid close attention, learning what Vika enjoyed: and new things she might enjoy herself.
Vika moaned as she angled Paula fingers up, moving those fingers along the soft ridges inside of her. Paula followed those unspoken instructions, fascinated with the results.
Vika made the cutest noises when she climaxed.
Paula's mis-matched eyes danced as Vika came hard, bucking and shuddering. Her amazing physique flexing in her orgasm, Paula was completely taken with the display.
They hadn't said a word during the love making, but the looks and soft kisses spoke volumes. Vika nodded to Paula, and laid her down on her back.
Then Vika played her like a virtuoso...
Paula was beside herself, she now saw and felt techniques that were only suggested earlier. She climaxed half a dozen times, and after each orgasm, soft gentle kisses let her recover without completely cooling down.
The final orgasm was mind bending. Paula panted, unable to talk or even focus her eyes while Vika held her, cooing softly, letting her adoration for Paula show.
There was a soft knock on the door, and Vika said quietly, "Come in."
Paula didn't know who it was, but suspected it was Agatha.
"Agatha wants to cuddle, is that okay with you, Moya Zayka?"
Paula nodded, still unable to find her voice. A nude Agatha slid next to Paula, cuddling her closely. "Thank you, Paula."
The very pale skinned alien woman kissed Paula's cheek gently.
"Sleep well, sweet Paula, see you soon."
Joon leveled her eyes at her naughty wives.
Astrid and Samira watched with wide eyes as they lay side by side on their tummies.
They were on the opposite side of the huge bed, like an audience in a live sex show. The petite senior wife Jooniper was giving very explicit instructions to Max and Agatha.
Joon had actually begun this 'punishment' earlier. She stripped them herself while giving them the specific instructions they must follow to absolve their crimes.
First was the showers, both on hands and knees, not allowed to speak or move without explicit direction. Joon washed them, very thoroughly, finishing with 'punishment' adornments.
Two shiney butt-plugs were inserted with care into the naughty wives.
Max received a green jeweled gold anodized one, and Agatha the blue with silver.
Both were made with internal vibrators controlled by a remote device.
Joon dried them carefully, making sure they were properly cared for and now they stood next to the bed. Joon eyed them... "I want you both to think about what you have done." She walked behind them, casually groping their asses. "Agatha, I want you on your back on the very corner. Max hold her legs."
Agatha positioned herself, the corner of the bed was at the small of her back.
Max held her ankles where Joon had positioned her tallest wife to stand at the corner with Agatha's ass just at her knees.
"Oh, that'll never do. Max, I need you hard." Joon pursed her lips.
Max closed her eyes, channeling all the sexual tension she felt.
Her penis rose in pulses as Max willed her erection, bringing it to full proportions. "There's my girl." Joon smiled, gripping the hard cock with her hand. "Now, let's see. Where, oh where, shall we put this?" Joon had Max impale Agatha, with very pale legs on caramel shoulders.
"All the way in, now just stay right there, no fucking." Joon said with an evil grin.
Max and Agatha were face to face, noses almost touching.
"Help me with this, Astrid?" Joon smiled.
"Of course!" Astrid responded. Max and Agatha could hear clips clicking together.
"Do you need to adjust the waist?" Astrid asked.
Joon responded, "Yes, please, I don't want it to chafe."
"It looks good!" Astrid said with enthusiasm.
Samira peered at it, "Is it supposed to be that thin?"
"Yes, I don't want to hurt her." Joon responded.
"It was made to her specifications, and inflatable." Joon winked at Astrid.
"Oh wow! that's amazing!" Samira responded.
Max did not know what it was, but she had a really good guess. Joon stepped up behind Max and she looked at her wife's hard cock which was well seated into Agatha. The caramel and pale skin tones looked amazing to her, adding to her desire.
The two plugs sparkled prettily and Max's pussy was sopping wet and drooling.
"Hmmm. I'm going to take my time, I won't hurt you." Joon said softly.
Joon continued, "And since I am intimately aware of everything you have done; I know this will be new for you."
Max swallowed, staring into Agatha's eyes, seeing them dilated as she bathed in the feelings of the room.
Joon gently rubbed the tip of the nine inch synthetic cock on Max's wet labia minora.
Max's eyes went half lidded: for literally a decade Joon had contemplated getting them a strap-on to experiment with. They never got one; only investing in a top-rated 'massage stick' and a few toys that fit Joon. Joon wanted to get something Max would enjoy, but Max always declined in favor of Joon's smaller proportions. Max would always say she preferred Joon's skilled fingers to anything that could be purchased.
So Joon never pushed the issue. However... After Astrid joined them, Joon enlisted her to remedy this glaring lack of hardware. Joon being Max's 'intimate' healthcare provider knew exactly what proportions were needed, and Astrid felt it was her duty to see that every possible feature would be included.
The Engineer outdid herself... Joon wanted this experience to be completely positive for Max.
Max moaned as Joon started working the phallus in, her well lubricated tunnel accepting it without issue. Joon worked her way all the way in and Max was breathing noticeably harder now.
Agatha revealed in the pure lust rolling off of her wives, Astrid and Samira were fingering each other, unable to take their eyes off the scene.
Joon pulled back a little, and then slipped back in with a gentle nudge against Max's cervix.
Max gasped, her eyes dilated, and she moaned.
Joon nodded in satisfaction.
"Max, Agatha... I want you to kiss deeply, and do not leave each other's lips until I tell you to stop."
They both moaned before the kiss even started.
Joon peered around and saw the dedicated lip lock. She thrust into Max and heard the grunting moan muffled by Agatha's mouth. Happy with that, she started a nice slow and steady rhythm; still being very gentle. Joon slowly increased the tempo.
Because this was a new experience for Max, she didn't want to overdo it. She thought a nice vibrating crescendo would push Max well over the edge so Joon tapped the strap-on control pad, and as the butt-plugs had been slaved to it, the nine-inch phallus and both plugs went off simultaneously.
Max was completely overwhelmed, but Agatha lowered her gently into the orgasmic oblivion that awaited her. She just kept climaxing, she had no idea how much cum she put into Agatha, but she really didn't care right now.
Agatha felt Max's full weight on her; she bore it with pride, making sure Max could breathe. Having her passed out Captain inside her, with her XO's strap-on inside her Captain with all of the various implements vibrating, and every woman in the room at an incredibly high level of lust, Agatha ticked a bit higher on the mental pleasure-gauge she had, raising the bar of what she thought was possible with her family...
Noting with delight that with Vika and Paula present, it would go still higher.
Almost an hour later Agatha was cuddled up to Joon.
*Did Astrid get it all?*
Joon inquired.
*She shared the last mouthful with Samira.*
Agatha thought.
*So did you do naughty things to get sexy punishment, or are you becoming a naughty girl?*
Joon thought the question.
Agatha responded,
*I think I wanted to see what being naughty was like, and I wanted to experience the 'punishment', I don't think I have it in me to be actively naughty.*
*So no Ruthless Goddess of Chaos?*
Joon glanced at Agatha.
Agatha smirked
*No, Mistress, I don't actually like being naughty, but I had to go there to know.*
*I am glad you are growing, and anytime I can help you, I will.*
Joon smiled.
Agatha smiled back,
*Are you ready to meet Paula?*
Joon beamed a smile.
*Yes, yes I am.*