Max Intel: Melinoe
Chapter 29 - Flashpoint

Zuki sipped at her second cup of the delicious Wunai moon tea.

Her bright-yellow eyes following the smallish Dauzakai pouring Agatha a second cup. Agatha noticed the look and smiled softly at the Pilot. "Did you have any difficulty with the freight?" Agatha asked Zuki in Slarmit.

Nomissa tilted her head slightly as the Pilot responded. "N-no, not at all... All twenty-three crates are locked down." Zuki blinked as she replied.

Agatha nodded in understanding, Nomissa had welcomed Zuki as an equal and that caused the Slarmian Pilot some pause as she was not used to being treated with such a degree of respect.

Nomissa blinked slowly at the newest member of Agatha's family circle.

"Are you okay, Captain?" Nomissa asked softly in Slarmit

Zuki blinked again, "Ah, yes, thank you..."

Nomissa nodded, reading Zuki's body language. "I want you to know you're welcome here anytime, Zuki, consider this place a sanctuary should you require one." Nomissa's iridescent-green eyes held Zuki's bright-yellow ones.

Zuki inhaled as she heard the Caretaker's declaration and she bowed her head forward in respect. "Thank you, Nomissa, I will remember your kindness."

Nomissa smirked, "You're family now, just think of me as an Aunt or older Sister."

Agatha smiled as the emotions bloomed between the pair.

The three of them were huddled around the tiny table in the Caretaker break room that was buried in one of the many utilitarian levels of Sakima-sadi-misimi. Caretakers worked in those plethora of offices at all hours maintaining vigilant watch over the fortress specifically and Dau in general.

Every one of them were highly trained security personnel, but that was only one of many functions these Caretakers fulfilled. As the title conveyed, they also observed and maintained the well being of the Dau people.

They worked for the Ambassadorial Office, dedicating their lives and training to the betterment of Dau in whatever way was needed.

Agatha was well aware that Caretakers throughout Dau-space were given warning, suggested best practices, and social support concerning the imminent addition of Dauchazi and Daurazu into Dauzakai society.

Polls and computer simulations looked very favorable, but Dau wasn't going to take chances on a mass divergence of opinion or unattended slivers of malcontent.

Two Hands of Agatha were in place and ready to begin the long process of the wetware inclusion to which the Council of Dau had agreed.

Approximately twenty thousand additions to Dau's massive Cybernet was only a tiny increase to the millions of users; but those additions would dramatically affect the overall self-image of Dau. Less than one percent was reticent to welcome the other two Dau peoples, which made the decision significantly more popular than even the hermaphrodite program that produced Miku.

Agatha was very proud of them. The inclusion of essentially not one but two alien perspectives into the Dauzakai culture should have terrified them. Instead, they embraced it and Ambassador Zess couldn't be happier, her dream of a United Dau was starting to take shape.

Her relationship with Miku didn't hurt her growing self esteem either and the two of them were spending much of their free time together. It was a routine they were coming to grips with as every couple of cycles a qualified Dauzakai was scheduled to be fertilized.

Zess felt twinges of jealousy over those arrangements, but the adoring looks Miku gave her quickly set that to rights.

The current Dau council were all expecting, after the established number of fertilizations, Miku's 'job' would be done.

At least until next season...

Nomissa refilled Zuki's teacup. "When are you departing?" Nomissa asked Zuki in her own language.

The long, thin Slarmain Pilot glanced at Agatha then answered Nomissa's question, "I am loaded up and ready to depart; so anytime really."

She then gave the Caretaker a sideways look, "Are you sick of me so soon, Auntie?"

Agatha giggled softly.

Nomissa leveled her iridescent-green eyes on Zuki's bright-yellows again, a slight smirk formed.

"I wouldn't say 'Sick'..." Nomissa tilted her head slightly,

"Maybe, I can find a waitstaff uniform to fit you, and put you to work while you stay with us?"

Zuki winced, "Ouch! I haven't waited tables in decades, you went all the way back to my very first job?"

Nomissa smirked again, "My people are thorough... also, there are worse jobs than waiting tables on Staverka."

Zuki nodded, "I am aware, I avoided many of them out of principle."

Everyone sipped from their teacups, then Nomissa commented,

"Staverka is a chaotic stew of capitalism, but what it lacks in structure it more than makes up for it in flexibility and opportunity."

Agatha's steel-grey, silver gilded eyes went from the Slarmian to the Dauzakai and back again.

Zuki smirked, "Yup... We 'Eels' do like our money."

Everyone giggled as Nomissa and Zuki bonded with the verbal sparring.

Agatha reflected fondly that despite their two societies being very different, the stereotypes found in both cultures were viewed through lenses of humor when they interacted.

Knowing how the differences complimented each other and recognizing their use with a good deal of acceptance explained how the two cultures grew so close in a relatively short time...and why these two individual examples would undoubtedly follow suit.

Nomissa turned to Agatha, "Did you ever ask about 'Wetware'?

Zuki blinked, "Pardon?"

Nomissa and Agatha shared a look, the Caretakers eyes seemed to briefly challenge her.

Agatha had not, in fact, brought up wetware with Zuki, for two reasons.

One: Zuki was not a child of Dau, so it would not be nearly as simple or straightforward a task to embed the crystalline circuitry in her, not without preparation or sacrifice.

Two: The Slarmian Pilot was just about to her limit with new and amazing things in her life, throwing something like 3kPB processor in her brain for no good reason might not be the healthiest thing for her...

Agatha wondered why the Caretaker had pressed the question, she leveled her steel-grey gilded in silver eyes at Nomissa and studied the elder Dauzakai for a moment.

Nomissa was testing her... Gauging her, and observing how the 'Starchild' was reacting to confrontation.

Agatha smiled softly, perceiving the Caretaker's subtle agenda.

"Cybernetics are not nearly as socially acceptable on Staverka, but if Zuki is interested in getting some, I am sure something can be arranged." Agatha nodded to Zuki, who blinked in surprise.

Nomissa smirked in genuine humor, sensing she'd been rumbled.

"Actually I'm glad that Staverka isn't ambitious with cyber-tech, I think it's the only real advantage Dau has in the ME." Nomissa said quietly.

Zuki creased her eye ridge in slight confusion making her fin on that side stick out, realizing then that Nomissa and Agatha were having a different conversation above the one she was in.

The Slarmian Pilot valiantly tried to reset the mood.

"So yea... I can depart at anytime, say, can I get some of this Wunai moon tea to take back with me?" Zuki asked no one in particular.

Agatha raised an eyebrow at Nomissa.

The Ambassadorial Caretaker chuckled, "I will be pleased to get you a generous volume, I assume it will be for use at your consulate?"

Zuki nodded, a toothy grin followed, she really did like that tea.

Less than an hour later the Boozi Tryst departed Lyra Kepler, her hold filled with crates of unassembled Terran style furniture, amenities and a healthy supply of Wunai moon tea.

After bidding Zuki farewell, Agatha and Nomissa watched the Slarmian frigate depart together from the ancient residence. They stood on the grotto-like hanger looking up into the permanent twilight.

"I like her." Nomissa proclaimed.

Agatha and Nomissa shared a smile.

"She likes you too." Agatha replied.

"I am happy she has a loving mate." The Caretaker elaborated.

Agatha nodded, "Indeed... They fit together nicely."

Nomissa and Agatha shared a look. "Their personalities." Agatha clarified.

"Uh huh." Nomissa giggled.

"So why the subtle confrontation?" Agatha inquired, abruptly changing subjects.

The playful mood dissipated as the elder Caretaker thought about her reply. Nomissa sighed with resignation, "Ghiia asked me to."

Agatha raised an eyebrow at Nomissa, "Justice Ghiia."

"Yes... I..." The Caretaker started to explain.

But Agatha interrupted. "No explanation is necessary, The Justice is suspicious of me, I completely understand. Ambassador Zess, Miku and you are family."

"I will never put any of you in a situation where you cannot truthfully report my activities, I trust you and truly want the best for Dau."

"If that best requires my absence, I will depart without issue."

Nomissa nodded once, saying nothing; avoiding a betrayal of trust with anyone.

Agatha returned her eyes to the rings and the moon Wunai reaching it's zenith. "Sometimes questions are more important than answers." she murmured.

---

Max surveyed the main conflict almost directly below her, she had moved further along the catwalk to cover Vika.

Agatha needed to stay were she was to keep her empathic coverage.

The Warrior saw hundreds of pirate corpses, phase two of the plan was progressing nicely.

Vika and Paula were doing an amazing job of blocking and redirecting stray skirmishes back into the battle lines.

Paula's 'misfortune' doing more to cause fatalities than the rest the mission combined. The Witch could rip Fortune from the conflict continuously.

Within an hour Agatha reported over a thousand dead pirates, mostly NME, but a substantial percentage of Deserters also.

At this rate, phase three could begin in only a few hours.

Max thought.

Agatha responded,

Max nodded,

Agatha informed,

Max's thoughts anxious.

Joon's thoughts were calming,

Samira's confidence was a tangible thing.

Max leaned out and looked below and far behind from her catwalk perch, she could see a large group huddled close.

The Warrior activated Target, her vision swam briefly as she examined the mixed group of slaves and captives.

The brilliant amber figure of Samira was as obvious as a sunrise, she stood between Joon's position and the advancing slavers.

Scattered figures advanced on the huddled masses and their guardian.

Joon's charges gathered closer and closer around her, most of them were Bract, their dark brown carapaces reflected dimly the sodium lights from far above and Samira's brilliant amber display.

It was hard to discern why Joon was beckoning them closer to her, normally it was imperative to spread out and stay low to avoid concentrated fire on civilians.

Suddenly a glowing shape of soft white illumination at least thirty meters across appeared.

It shimmered like a mirage, making objects and persons within abstract.

The zone was quite visible a hundred meters below the catwalk, half a kilometer away on the polished stone floor of the canyon.

But somehow obscured who or what was within.

Max's thoughts colored with awe.

Joon replied,

---

Joon's eyes were alight with a mesmerizing green glow, much brighter than her 'normal' elf eyes, her voice was both soothing, convincing and had a slight edge of authority.

One hundred and sixty-eight Bract seemed like a large number, but there were more than seven hundred on the Galleon before it was boarded and seized by Rum's pirates.

There were forty-four Slarmians, with evidence of torture visible on most of them and twenty-three Trankaran females who were malnourished and painfully thin.

There were twelve Elmoq, their calcium carbonate shells showed horrible pitting and holes, likely they were used as targets and four Ornalith, also disfigured with signs of torture.

And finally, the Largath Does with their vacant stares and unfocused eyes, though they followed Joon's gentle instructions in Largatta.

The multitude of poor abused souls were sitting or coiled down on the hard, filthy, polished stone floor of the grand promenade.

Joon's calm, confident and convincing affect was her latest Discovery.

It had manifested itself quite naturally while she used her bedside manner and it became a soothing, trustworthy and reliable 'Influence' on her patients.

She suspected Agatha had been keeping them calm, but seriously, no amount of mental or emotional stability was too much at this point.

Influence affected everyone within range of her voice.

Avoiding panic and keeping everyone safe from harm was part of Joon's immediate objectives after all.

Which brought Joon immediately to her next Discovery.

It started as an itch, as Fantasy Class System Discoveries often do, Joon felt that itch grow with every Bless she invoked.

She felt a connection forming, between herself, her patients and... Her Fantasy Goddess.

The Elven Deity, Angharradh, whom Joon just shortened to 'Angie', was watching over her and the desperate souls in her care.

Angie was extremely pleased with her, at least that was the impression Joon got.

Joon was pretty sure she was the elf version of the 'Maid, Mother and Crone' of ancient Terran cultures, and that totally worked for Angie.

Joon thought to herself that 'Agatha's System' incorporated levels of power unrecognizable as anything other than magic or divin...

The itch bloomed. The petite Medical Practioner, XO, First Wife and Ambassador suddenly had a massive revelation... It WAS 'Divinity!'

Sam had mentioned something like that earlier in the week.

Samira said that Paladins also got it, just later in their progression.

But, Joon now understood exactly what it meant. Angie could channel a teeny tiny bit of her vast divine cosmic powers through Joon.

She'd been subconsciously thinking it while she was tending to her patients.

They needed a place safe from harm, and now she knew what she needed to do to make it work.

"Gather close my friends, as close as you can, I will keep you safe, you can trust me."

Joon repeated this in every language represented, she surveyed the patients in her care.

Max's anxious thoughts broke in,

Joon replied in gentle tones,

Samira's thoughts were confident.

Joon put out her arms to either side her hands lifted in supplication, a soft white glow shown from her eyes, removing any sign of iris or pupil.

A glowing translucent wall coalesced encircling the huddled masses of slaves and captives, tiny motes of soft white energy slowly ascended throughout the divine enclosure.

Max's thoughts asked in wonder.

Joon thought calmly,

Slaves and captives watched as the slavers drew closer, they grew frightened.

Joon's gentle voice now echoed with a deeper powerful reverb,

"BE AT EASE...NO HARM CAN BEFALL YOU HERE... THIS IS MY DOMAIN."

Outside of the soft white translucent perimeter slavers began firing.

---

Samira stood her ground.

Scores of rounds ricocheted off her armor, the projectiles meant little to Samira.

Her amber translucent hard-light plate mail as well as her tower shield allowed her to just ignore the small arms fire.

A Yelneg screeched something Samira didn't understand.

The Slavers changed from shooting at her, to shooting at the slaves and Joon.

She thought to her beloved Lady-wife.

Samira turned to look.

Hundreds of rounds were fired upon the gathered slaves and captives.

With absolutely no effect.

It was like Joon and her charges had become a hologram, untouchable.

The Paladin paused briefly in awe of the glowing soft-white oasis.



Samira's thoughts sounded awestruck.

Joon replied.





Samira's thoughts were reverent.







Joon then thought,

Samira's thoughts rang with solemn purpose,

The Paladin's shield dissipated.

Samira looked at Durendal that she held in one of her right hands...

Then she drew an identical longsword with one of her left hands.

She smiled broadly holding two glowing swords sweeping her gaze across the slavers.

Samira then drew that sword two more times.

Her wetware adjusted her tracking to allow for continuous melee updates.

Now each of her four hands held a Durendal, she swept them out to either side like Dauchazi wings and charged the slavers.

Her sudden attack took them by surprise.

The first slaver in her path was a Yelneg and she didn't slow down at all as she swiped at him with two of her glowing swords as she ran past him.

The slaver was cut apart with shocking ease, his green fungoid cap cleaved from his body spun in the air.

Durendal could slice through hardened steel or dense stone, what it did to most forms of flesh was simply obscene.

Samira became a luminous tempest of righteous fury and her tracking adjusted automatically.

Her glowing eyes locked onto an eight foot Largath wielding a massive smooth-bore; it was practically a cannon. The hulking slaver fired point blank directly at Samira, who felt only a slight pressure change.

Her armor shed the spewed cloud of flak like water and protected her from the propellant blast.

A heartbeat later Samira was upon him and she took him apart in moments. Samira swiped with two right side swords as the Buck tried to parry with his over sized firearm.

Those swords cleaved through both his weapon and the Largath's arm.

Her opponent didn't have a chance to scream in pain as her left two swords swept through the Buck's torso, cleaving the massive being into pieces.

Durendal's multiplicity did not effect it's lethality in any way.

Samira's cloven hooves bit down on filthy polished floors.

Red waves splashed with every stroke of the magical swords but not a drop stained the illuminated, fantastical figure Samira personified.

For the next few minutes the noble Paladin became the harbinger of death to the slavers.

Her role of defender temporarily forgotten, Samira spun through them in rapid succession and this change of tactic was not recognized by the slavers until it was too late.

Samira eviscerated eleven Yelneg, the two Slarmian and the three Largath.

By then the Ornalith and the remaining fifteen Yelneg had realized their mistake and changed their targeting back to Samira.

From the start the slavers never had enough firepower to stop Samira, and now it was far too late to save themselves.

They did try; dropping empty firearms and running for their lives.

The slavers suffered from a fundamental misunderstanding of what they were facing; and more importantly, the fate they had earned.

There would be no mercy for those designated for execution.

Samira's advantages in reaction time and movement allowed her to outrun and overwhelm her prey, she was able to target and track every one of them.

Five minutes later she dispatched the last Yelneg attempting to hide from her in a maintenance corridor.

Samira felt neither remorse nor pleasure as she ran the slaver through, she was merely fulfilling her appointed duty.

She dragged the corpse back out to the promenade, dropping a spongy limb when she reached it.

Samira reported to her XO.

She immediately felt a warm mental embrace from Joon.

---

The pirate battle continued to rage.

Three hundred sixty-three of the Deserter faction were now defending against a little over two thousand of the NME faction.

Slarmian, Yelneg, Elmoq, Skerawk, Ornalith with a smattering of Ca'tagri, Largath, Qiat and Nethrilla...

The Minor Empire's species were mostly represented.

Agatha directed their unreasonable hatred; the unruly assault continued.

The starboard side of the canyon had become the focus, one side desperate to hold, the other trying to overwhelm.

Quality of training and equipment was an advantage the Deserter pirate forces maintained, and it did make a difference.

But someone once said quantity has a quality of it's own, and the NME pirates swarmed the Deserter line.

In those moments the defending pirate force became divided.

A smaller Terran led force successfully disengaged and maneuvered out of combat.

They advanced in the direction of the distant executive resort, closely evading being overrun and defeated in the process.

Fast thinking with excellent squad level training allowed this smaller force to avoid fatal attraction with the NME pirate's deadly advance.

Commander Sandwell was actually intimately familiar with boarding tactics and battlefield maneuvers, he was a long-time student of historical battles.

His finest marines were assigned to his command unit, along with some of the nastiest weapons in their arsenal.

They quickly outpaced their NME foes, the remaining Deserter cohorts left behind to their fates.

The far larger group of Deserters led by the Kintark Prelate began a haphazardly slow withdrawal towards the docks.

Not only did this maneuver telegraph intent, it begged to be pressed and harried every step of the way.

Mostly consisting of Kintark and Drakkar, comparing them individually to the others, this group was on average superior in almost every way to the NME forces.

Kintark could recover quickly from most wounds and Drakker were brutal combatants and fiercely strong.

Unfortunately their orders did not allow them to fight to their strengths, withdrawal was not the same as defending.

The Prelate leading them was not a combat specialist, in fact Volkuth had been elevated to his high rank not for battlefield prowess or logistical acumen but for his zealotry.

Zeal was supposedly an attribute Emperor Baledranax had greatly valued.

Supposedly.

---

Paula asked, as Vika was shadowing the swift platoon of mostly Terran marines.

Max thought to Vika and Paula,

Both Vika and Paula replied.

Max directed.



Max sent Agatha a mental smooch and made her way down from the catwalk. By the time she finished her descent from the rafters the main NME force had swarmed in behind the withdrawing Deserters.

Max's blurry form moved carefully, skirting the starboard edge and moving aftward.

Vika was able to move practically within the NME mob, her stealth being far superior.

The starboard habitation complex, they had learned, was historically in worse repair than the port side.

So the Deserter newcomers were given those, not perhaps as a slight, but it was eventually interpreted that way. The lack of friendly integration added to the strife of Freeport.

Only the quiet engineers and thoughtful minded found a courteous community on the Golamar cyber-net.

Max did her best to shadow the conflict.

Battles like this were not neat affairs, they were almost pure chaos.

Well trained troops and a strong leader could bend the chaos to their need.

No matter how skilled or experienced the participants, surviving open conflict like this took a lot of luck.

In that, Max had an unfair advantage as a certain Witch was giving her an abundance of luck: while completely stripping luck from the pirates.

Max found a shadowy recess to change out her weapons.

The Captain shouldered her compound bow, in it's place she carefully unlimbered and prepared her Nagamaki. Unlike holostars in most action genre productions, a safely secured weapon did not spring forth into a combatants hand when the situation warranted it.

It actually took time to stow or make ready weapons for use in combat.

Max laughed out loud in sudden realization that Samira had just that kind of completely ridiculous advantage.

Max would adore a weapon akin to Durendal... Deadly, weightless and almost instantly employable. Not to mention Samira's magical plate mail armor, Max sighed, setting professional jealousy aside.

Having switched to her melee weapon, the Warrior was now ready to get her hands dirty.

Max surveyed the battle space again, she saw potential targets, a trio of Slarmian pirates trying to outflank the Kintark line, going deep into the starboard neighborhood.

The Warrior grinned darkly, she would make them regret that decision.

---

Samira surveyed the dreamy soft-white zone while she approached it.

The Paladin paused briefly at the edge of the glowing perimeter.

It was a refuge, separate and removed, yet still visible.

She wondered how she could enter it.

Samira was part of the Fantasy Class System and Joon had given invitation.

It was an eye-opener, being face to face with such power.

Samira swallowed, took a deep breath and entered the Sanctuary.

Every hair on her body and every receptor in her system crackled with energy.

If felt similar to when Agatha projected a herd of cats through her in Cyber.

Samira stepped carefully through the seated and coiled people gazing at Joon with pure adoration.

The Paladin stood before the Priest staring, unable to look away.

Joon glanced up at her,

Samira beheld the soft-white glow of Joon's eyes, recognizing the touch of Divinity.

The Terran Cyborg, who was completely in love with a certain High-elven Engineer, was now overwhelmed with emotion for one Jooniper Smith.

Samira's thoughts were a jumble,

Joon smiled softly as she blessed another Bract after giving him a good once-over.

Joon thought with humor,

Samira's senses reeled for a moment... Then an itch presented itself.

Standing in this Sanctuary with her senior wife, watching her Bless the needy, the injured, the downtrodden.

Joon looked up at her once again, raising an eyebrow.

The Paladin immediately knelt before the Priest.



Joon was momentarily confused, then the situation became apparent to her once she thought about it.

Samira's supplication was not ignored.

Joon smiled upon her wife and dear friend,

The petite figure reached out and put a gentle finger on Samira's nose.

"BOOP!" Joon intoned with joy, her soft voice echoed with a powerful deeper reverb.

The Bless unlocked Samira's itch, and a rush of divine power washed over her.

Suddenly in a circumference around Samira soft golden light manifested.

Small motes of gold floated within, like a tiny golden copy of Sanctuary had been given to the Paladin.

Joon thought to Samira,

Samira looked up in awe, her eyes now a soft amber glow, without iris or pupil.





Samira smiled at her senior wife,

Joon smiled back,

Samira nodded, she stood and looked around, spotting the blinded Slarmian close by.

She took a step, Radiance moved with her.

It was a ten foot ring of golden light around her, it felt like she was standing in a soft spotlight.

The Paladin could feel herself using power and as the Radiance flowed around others, she carefully moved to him.

She knelt down beside his prone form.

The Slarmian began to moan, but not in a bad way.

Samira held his hands in hers, the broken and deformed fingers slowly righted themselves.

"My dream!" The Slarmian exclaimed, "Has come true!"

Samira turned her focus to his face, his broken snout had already realigned itself.

Suddenly yellow eyes opened when just moments earlier there were none.

The circle of golden light around Samira became just as popular as Joon's ministrations within the Sanctuary.

Samira knelt with the three Does, their reason slowly returned, hope now shone in their eyes.

No one witnessing could not be moved, and every former slave and captive were watching closely.

Joon and Samira soon attended to all that had need, the two hundred and fifty-four refugees, the former slaves and captives, were ready to travel.

Samira smirked.

Joon and Samira extinguished their incredible light show, plunging the floor of the canyon once again into it's previous gloom.

Agatha replied.

Joon inquired,

Agatha thought back with humor.

Joon giggled mentally,

The petite Terran cleared her throat garnering everyone's attention.

"Lets make our way to the docks." She said, in several different languages.

Joon's voice had lost it's reverb, though everyone listened to her with the same solemn deference.

Samira watched as the recently freed, fed, and healed began to ambulate. The group surrounding the two Terrans looked very enthusiastic and the pace was set by the slowest of them.

Much to Joon and Samira's elation, the slowest wasn't very slow at all.

The refugees moved quietly and carefully as the pirate conflict was still raging nine levels above.

Joon and Samira were kept appraised of the battle, and how it might impact their journey to the Bract Galleon.

---

Max briefly examined the edge of her Nagamaki. Somehow she managed to notch the blade.

The Warrior just added that fact to the long list of grudges she currently held for pirates everywhere.

She managed to take down a number of them, eliminating those who strayed too far from the scrimmage.

Max was finding small but ambitious groups of NME pirates trying to get in behind the withdrawing Deserters.

She watched several Kintark and a Drakkar take down a Largath led assault.

The rebuff was successful, but the Largath died, taking the Drakkar with him.

Max inquired, knowing her Dwarven wife was on the opposite end of the battle line.

Vika responded,

Max could believe it, Paula had switched between them half a dozen times now.

Without a preventative layer of Fortune, pirates were practically leaping into fatalities.

Even though it wasn't mentioned, Max suspected Fortune had been used in in a similar way by Paula's ancestors for centuries.

Within twenty minutes battle lines began to thin noticeably. What had started out with a thousand against hundreds became dozens verses a score.

Max spotted the Prelate at the rear of the shrinking Kintark line. The slow steady grind to the docks had devastated both factions.

Agatha reported.

Max replied.







Max set off again, now hunting the remnants of the pirate conflict.

---

Volkuth ran down the wide corridor to the open palisade of shipping berths.

He didn't like running, but he wasn't going to die from those local dregs.

Inter spaced view ports allowed for a view of the stepped docks.

Volkuth's beloved cruiser Nerza'toh was moored next to Sandwell's cruiser Boethius at mid dock.

But Mosira's cruiser Urte'vol was closer.

His Sub-Prelate, the dutiful Mosira was an uninspired choice, but she knew maintenance well.

She always did what she was told, and never argued.

If coms hadn't gone out he would have had Mosira empty the armories of Plasma weapons and burn those filthy wretches to cinders.

Even Volkuth knew the danger of Plasma, it was unwieldy in the best of situations.

It was the Kintark birthright, the Emperor's cleansing flame.

Volkuth winced at the thought, his Idolatry of Baledranax had cost him dearly when the Emperor fell.

If Sandwell hadn't vociferously condemned the Lion immediately Volkuth would have roasted him out of spite.

The Prelate would get his chance to burn his foes now, he would command the forces left on the ships.

He skidded around the corner of the gantry and started towards the gangway.

Volkuth stopped suddenly as he recognized the formation he just stumbled into.

A short gauntlet lined the gangway on either side, no less than six Kintark security were sheltered behind them with weapons drawn.

"Prelate!" Mosira rose from behind the barricade.

Volkuth sighed in visible relief.

Mosira came out from behind the barricade and trotted over to him.

Volkuth blinked, watching his subordinate.

He hadn't realized how attractive Mosira was before, her shape was actually quite appealing.

Perhaps after he'd exacted revenge upon the provincial scum he would have to give her some special attention.

"Prelate, are you well?" Mosira asked as she stopped in front of him.

Volkuth's face twisted in anger, "No! I am not... The inssufferable filthy sscum of thiss place asssaulted uss."

"I don't know how it sstarted, but I can asssure you these faithless criminalss will be properly dealt with!" Volkuth ranted.

The Kintark Prelate turned and pointed down the gantry, "I intend to gather our sstrength and unleash a cleanssing flame down upon the unworthy!"

Mosira bared her teeth while Volkuth was turned and ranting.

She unholstered the plasma pistol on her hip, aiming it at the back of Volkuth's head and said, "Excellent ssuggesstion!" then pulled the trigger.

---

Levels below where the Kintark cruiser Urte'vol was moored, Samira and Joon were boarding the Bract Galleon with the refugees.

Neither of them had ever been on a Bract ship before, but they saw the same dark brown utilitarian design they had seen on Depot03.

The Bract refugees were home and immediately went to work, firstly checking to see if their ship was still space worthy.

A problem was soon discovered, the ancient and irreplaceable hyper-warp generator was damaged

Joon and Samira reported their situation to the family.

Astrid asked

Through Agatha, Samira's wetware was able to share a visual scan of the huge archaic Bract component with the Sorceress Engineer.

Astrid reacted,

Joon asked.

Astrid replied professionally.

Agatha informed.

Astrid responded,

Joon and Samira didn't have time to explore the massive ship, but did settle the other refugees into the living area of the Galleon.

Joon caught a whiff of something... Herbal.

Joon thought to her

Samira asked.

Joon explained.

Samira postulated.

Joon asked on the family network,

Vika asked.

Joon replied.

Vika continued.



Max gently reminded.

---

Astrid made a pile of Oricalcum during the opening salvos of phase two.

More than enough to finish her Dronemancer project and still have leftovers.

She was missing Samira's pretty smile though, while working her Sorcery.

Her newest Ability was fantastic, it allowed her wetware direct access to output.

Construct increased the Sorcerer's productivity many times over.

Astrid's wetware was able to prioritize and keep the Engineer's workload consistent and her production to exact tolerances.

Enid was coming together in record time.

Then Joon and Samira made an inquiry about the Bract Hyper-warp generator.

After reviewing the visual scan from Samira, it was obvious some pirate disabled the generator in the crudest way and just shot at it.

Big holes with bits missing, it might be ancient, but that didn't mean it should be wrecked to pieces.

Of course Astrid knew that just because something was old didn't mean it was bad.

The Galleon was something from the Bract Conglomerate's past, it was a cultural artifact.

So the nostalgic side of Astrid could understand why they still used it.

Though, she was now curious why the ancient ship would smell like parsley.

Astrid smiled at her own musings as her second Battle drone finally came together.

For a few moments she studied them, side by side.

She made the decision to not make them identical in the traditional sense, but a mirror image of each other.

Enid's laser cannon was on her port side, while Edni's was on her starboard.

They had an almost fish like silhouette, where the other two drone types resembled insects.

Her girls were capable of impressive speeds, and might even keep up with Deirdre in sub-light or atmospheric flight.

Astrid's Battle drones would make short work of anything their own size and while they were tiny on the ship scale, they could be lethal to fighter craft or bombers.

They were exponentially more rugged than the drones they were modeled after.

Astrid's girls had energy based armament, but in combination with a Mage Barrier they would also convert any kinetic energy while absorbing light energy.

Energy weapons alone wasn't the best solution, but they would do for now.

Astrid pulled them in close, pushing her feelings into them.

That was how Agatha's Magic System worked.

The Mage in Astrid was immensely satisfied, she intended to bring her darlings and coworkers on the field trip: just a little outing to see if she could help out an old lady feeling under the weather.

Astrid gathered Enid and Edni close to her and gave them both a big hug.

For a moment, she thought she felt them purring.

Astrid remembered Max's boom policy, so she walked up to the office and poked her head in.

"Hey Paula, do you think you could retract the boom after I've gone through with my girls?"

The Lieutenant looked up with a broad smile.

"I would love to, but I need to stay at my station to cover Max and Vika." Paula reasoned.

"Just take the mirror with you." Astrid responded.

"It's kind of big to walk around with while Scrying." Paula commented.

"You know... I made the frame adjustable." Astrid stated.

Paula was silent for a few heartbeats, then quickly locked eyes with Astrid "...What!?"

"Yea, hon... Just pull or push the frame to expand or collapse the size and twist to alter the shape." Astrid gesticulated the actions needed.

"Holy fucking shit! That's amazing!" Paula exclaimed while smoothly collapsing the meter tall mirror to about the size of a data pad.

Astrid smiled crookedly, "Well... You did ask for a 'Magic' Mirror."

Paula's expression was one of total endearment, "I love you, Astrid."

"I love you too, Paula... Now, come meet my girls." Astrid grinned.

---

Agatha's priority request for an emergency audience with Bob was immediately approved on Depot03.

Two Hands of Agatha were left in charge of the metal outlet.

Even though Agatha was not a recognized employee of Kylex Group or Komatzu Industries, Astrid had given her enough clout to pull it off.

It was a surprisingly profitable endeavor, and the outlet community was very accepting of Agatha's presence there.

Agatha discovered a number of wholesalers who were just dying to know what happened to Nef.

The timing of the emergency inquiry was unfortunate as it would cut into the evening gossip session that occurred at the snack bar of the outlet district.

So for the first time since she began keeping the outlet Agatha closed the door and locked it, as she would not wish to miss any potential intelligence.

There were about a dozen who gathered for the evening of the cycle, a number of the ME races were represented.

So over snacks, conversations flowed and were usually about current events and rumors from all corners of known space.

Somehow, Agatha made a very good impression with Limiksa the Skerawk textile merchant.

The Skerawk merchant once commented that she made a good sale to a group of Terrans.

Limiksa's manner suggested she was hinting at a possible connection between those Terrans and Agatha.

Agatha did not openly confirm the fact, but in the same vague style of subtle insinuations was able to indicate association.

The Skerawk after that initial exchange became a constant source of gossip, never stating anything that could indicate sources or methods, but very suggestive occurrences

Agatha was now tapped into one of the many rumor chains of information in the Minor Empires, many of which had existed for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Those rumor chains had become a reality during the Yelneg imperial expansion.

Discovering how various illicit and secret factions communicated long before the ancient Trankaran people developed it's Republic and attained dominance in the region.

Agatha was very pleased to pass this discovery along to her family.

Now, however, her other Hand walked quickly to her hastily arranged meeting.

The Terran metal merchant bowed to the Assistant Manager of Depot03.

Tom bowed in return, "If you would please follow me, First Secretary."

Agatha smiled, and followed Joon's example, "Please, call me Agatha."

Tom's antennae vibrated, indicating a positive response similar to a smile.

"Thank you, Agatha, please call me Tom."

They both ambulated at a brisk pace and quickly entered the Manager's office.

Tom escorted Agatha right to Bob's desk.

Bob did not preface with small talk or even a welcome...

"What's happened?" The manager asked in a worried tone.

Agatha gave a brief shallow bow, "I need to see the schematics for a Galleon's Hyper-warp Generator."

For eight seconds the Manager didn't react, he appeared to be digesting the request.

"I'm afraid tha..." Bob's response was interrupted by a beep from his com desk.

Bob's antennae went wide.

"I'm afraid that will be imp..." His desk beeped again.

Bob's antennae once again went wide and stayed there.

"If you will excuse me a moment..." A third beep emanated from the Managers desk and his chitinous digit tapped on it, opening a channel.

A higher pitched melodic voice broke in.

"Bob, send Agatha to me, I can satisfy her request."

The Manager responded, "This is a matter for the board."

"On my authority, Bob... I will deal with the board later." The voice finished and the channel closed.

Bob's emotions felt part irate and part intimidated to Agatha.

"Tom, will you please escort The First Secretary... To the Chair."

---

Astrid marched along at a steady pace, a Flotilla of drones escorted the tall platinum-blonde.

Every drone was a jewel-like deep-purple highlighted in a violet sheen, they hovered soundlessly on powerful cyclics.

Astrid emerged from the dark access way where the auxiliary maintenance airlock was located. Her five Security drones immediately went off in various directions.

Astrid paused for a few moments, her head tilted slightly, her eyes unfocused.

One of the largest drones eased forward, slowly drifting left.

As if listening to music Astrid shuffled forward then broke into a march beyond the service alcove.

The Engineer followed her drone left, in her wake were the remaining four drones.

Astrid was controlling all ten of them and her own body.

She hadn't tried it until this excursion and there was definitely a learning curve involved.

Initial data from the streams was somewhat overwhelming.

Then the Engineer showed her wetware how she wanted the Flotilla to behave.

Little by little her wetware took over the primary functions Astrid was concentrating on.

Astrid began to relax, as her wetware learned new procedures along with her. The progress Astrid had accomplished in the past three days was well beyond anything she'd ever done working solely as an Engineer.

She wasn't sure if Sorcery qualified as Engineering, and even though it was a huge pain in the ass to learn, she loved every second of it.

Astrid felt more confident now with this dangerous mission, in a city full of pirates, on a giant strip mining platform, beyond the borders of civilized space, than she'd ever felt in her life.

She knew in her heart it was all because of her family, and how they felt about her and each other.

Astrid was wearing her Deep-violet office ensemble with the ruffled lavender blouse.

This outfit was her favorite and gave her much more confidence than the BDU's she was wearing earlier.

Plus it made her feel pretty.

Astrid thought.

Max responded.



Max affirmed.



Astrid stopped between two of the honeycomb like residential units.

Her two Battle drones now moved in and flanked her.

They slowly floated in closer and closer then, directly behind Astrid, the sides of the drone's chassis facing each other shifted and three interlocking plates slid open.

Underneath the plates Oricalcum slats extended out, meeting and cross-locking together forming a contoured series of supports.

Astrid settled her pencil-skirt clad heart-shaped derriere onto the woven lattice of those supports.

They flexed gently under her weight, then Astrid lifted an office pumps off the dirty stone decking.

Another two plates slid open and footrests extended out.

Astrid settled in between the now connected Battle drones as they rose to a meter above the floor.

A wet, transparent, vertically aligned, elliptic torus appeared a heartbeat later. It encircled Astrid, partially encapsulating her between the drones.

This shaped barrier connected the Battle drones, increasing stability and functioned as a windscreen for Astrid.

In just moments the three mid-sized Combat drones took a leading and two flanking positions around the Battle drone vehicle hybrid.

Then another much larger elliptic torus appeared along a horizontal plane.

It surrounded and protected the Combat drones holding station in formation on the pair of Battle drones.

The Barriers overlapped and bound the unconventional vehicle together.

Astrid's five Security drones slipped into her wake as she eased the composite conveyance forward doubling velocity with every second.

She held her speed at twelve meters per second then crested out over the canyon and dove down to the floor, leveling out to travel along the promenade to the docks where the Galleon was moored.

Paula thought on the network,

Seconded Vika.

Max inquired.



Max briefly remembered the custom-built conveyance the Dauzakai Ambassador's talented sister, Less, flew them around on in the Dau north country.

Samira's thoughts continued.

Samira described.



Max thought.

Astrid's thoughts glowed.

Max replied.

Astrid thought with humor.

Everyone giggled on the psychic network.

---

Agatha followed Tom back out of the Managers office.

Tom's antennae waved nervously as the Bract assistant Manager led the way.

They ambulated down the long hallway back to the Depot proper, then turned down a long slightly arced hall. Agatha was not entirely sure she knew where this was going, however, she had her suspicions.

The First Secretary tasted deep anxiety and no small amount of fear from her guide. "Are you okay, Tom?" Agatha asked quietly.

Tom suddenly stopped and Agatha almost didn't stop in time.

The assistant Manager turned to regard Agatha. "This is the first time I have even heard of a non-Bract visiting a Board-member... And you were specifically requested by the Chair."

Tom continued, "If I hadn't heard it with my own audio receptors, I would have never believed it."

Reacting to Tom's emotions Agatha replied, "I am very sorry, Tom, I hope this event will not diminish our association."

"You misunderstand, Agatha, I consider it a monumental step in future associations, dare I say, affiliations." Tom's antennae continued to wave nervously.

"You are very anxious, Tom." Agatha observed.

"Indeed..." replied the assistant Manager, "I am in untraveled territory, I have no scent to follow."

Agatha finally understood.

She gently reached out and laced her arm through Tom's chitinous one, "Then let us travel this undiscovered thoroughfare together."

Tom's antennae hummed softly, "Thank you, Agatha, I am honored."

Agatha was able to walk next to Tom with relative ease, his larger dimensions gave the stroll a pleasant aura of friendship.

Tom guided them up another long hallway, Agatha's internal mapping put them entering the bound asteroid Vika had explored.

In a few minutes Tom stopped outside a closed portal where he entered a code on the input affixed to the door.

It opened to reveal a dimly lit cavern like space, Agatha smelled parsley, then she discovered why it seemed dimly lit.

The light source was in an adjoining room.

Tom guided her inside and the portal closed.

"Ah, there you are, come in, I won't bite." Said a feminine voice with a pleasant lilt.

Agatha observed the light source in the adjoining room.

She and Tom, still arm in arm, ambled from the foyer into a cozy audience chamber.

There were cushions placed around and pleasant decorations on the wall.

"I'm afraid I don't have any tea to offer, I am unsure of the protocols for this meeting."

Agatha smiled, "I'm sure we can come up with something together."

The glowing Bract larvae form female nodded, she appeared to be studying the way Agatha's arm interlaced with Tom's, then asked,

"Would you care to make introductions, Tom?"

Tom's antennae hummed softly.

"I would like to introduce the First Secretary of the Terran Federation Special Envoy to the Minor Empires, Agatha O'Neira.

Agatha, I would like you to meet the Bract Conglomerate's Chair of the Board of Directors.

Mary."

---

Astrid studied the wrecked hyper-warp generator up close. She blinked and looked again, extending a finger and scratched at it with a nail.

Astrid commented.

It just wasn't real... The generator was decoration, a mock-up.

Max inquired.

Astrid went over the entire bridge and engineering sections.

Astrid stated.

She examined all the systems surrounding the central dark-brown column , Astrid was confused.

Only half of them actually did anything.

Joon requested.

The Galleon's layout only marginally resembled the data they were given back on Depo03.

Astrid explained.







Astrid decided to ask the one person who might have some insight.

Astrid inquired.

Vika responded with her typical brevity.

Joon inquired.





Vika clarified.

Astrid was terse.

Astrid thought.



Astrid was looking at what she could only describe as a stone pillar, or column.

It ran the length of the Galleon with radial spiraled supports connected to the Galleon's frame.

Astrid asked, hopefully.

---

Agatha finished describing the central spine of the Bract Galleon.

Tom's antennae waved nervously.

Mary nodded.

"We had hoped one of the senior officers assigned to our Galleon might have survived," The Bract Chair said softly.

Agatha tilted her head, she could read the complex and difficult emotions of the elder Bract as she continued, "Without having to explain the Galleon in any way."

The Bract Chair's antennae waved a little, displaying her discomfort.

"Our limited agreement with you is underdeveloped, we now find ourselves at a severe disadvantage." Mary's illumination had dimmed considerably.

Agatha felt no malice in Mary, this duplicity was concealing something the Bract had kept hidden for over a thousand years.

"Perhaps it is more productive that we discuss how we can return your people and Galleon to you, saving explanations of this deception for another time."

Mary brightened noticeably, she seemed to think about that offer, "Vika once described you during the tale she told me...She said you were the most 'noble, patient and trustworthy' person she'd ever met." Mary's antennae hummed.

Agatha smiled softly.

"Vika is clever and courageous, I value her opinions greatly." Agatha responded.

Agatha stood calmly her arm still entwined with Tom's and asked,

"Will you trust me, Mary?"

---

Max was sweating in her nanoweave.

It had been over twelve hours since she put it on.

She and Vika were now observing the resort entrance.

Max thought briefly of the decisions made over the last hour.

Agatha had come to an agreement with Mary and the crew agreed it was the most logical and expedient plan.

The Hand of Agatha ensconced under the docks would pilot the Galleon back to Depot03 with Mary's guidance.

The specifics of the craft would be discussed when they returned to Depot03.

Astrid said she was looking forward to it.

Agatha's Hand boarded the Galleon, and five minutes later the two kilometer long ship cast off.

Astrid stared out the view port watching the huge ship move, she had no idea how.

Phase three had officially begun.

So Max and Vika moved into positions for observation.

Max scanned the main entrance to the Executive resort with Target, she couldn't pick out anyone.

During the planning session Max was of two minds for phase three.

Slow or Fast

Option A: Silent but Deadly, infiltrating the resort, carefully and quietly picking off targets one by one.

Pros: Vika could accomplish it solo with a high chance of success.

Cons: It could take days thus allowing targets to develop a counter or strengthen their position.

Option B: Loud and Proud, Samira Tanking, all combat personnel in overwatch while eliminating targets.

Pros: Could be accomplished in minutes with enough prep time, denying enemy forces time to devise a counter.

Cons: Samira would be subject to unknown damage factor with a chance of fatality.

Each method was perfectly legitimate, however even a chance of losing Samira was unacceptable.

So for the time being option one for phase three was the plan.

Max scanned the main entrance with Target... Again.

No one seemed the least bit curious, poking their heads out.

Max inquired.

Agatha rattled off the current totals to Max.



Max asked.



Max chuckled.

Samira stated.

Max agreed,

Paula asked.

Max clarified.

Joon commented.

Astrid asked.

Paula asked.

Astrid replied

Joon asked

Astrid replied,

Joon asked.

Astrid replied.

Max inquired.

Agatha reported.

Max ordered,

Astrid cheered.

---

Teffa smiled a toothy grin, she gazed up into the misty Staverka morning sky.

Agatha stood next to her, close enough to have her arm around Teffa.

The smallish Slarmian Major-domo of the Terran Federation Embassy was excited for three reasons.

First: Today was the first day of new embassy employees, Teffa had been working with Agatha on protocols, policies, and expectations for days now.

Second: Agatha and Teffa were invited to the Palace for afternoon tea.

Third: Zuki was in system and due to arrive any minute now.

Teffa had personally given ATC the clearance for the Boozi Tryst's flight path home.

Agatha was gently keeping Teffa's anxiety from getting the better of her, but even then, the very end of Teffa's length was twitching in anticipation.

It was still quite early, and Agatha was making her Staverka family a nice little breakfast, hopefully Zuki was bringing her appetite.

Teffa squealed and pointed with three hands.

Agatha saw the very common silhouette of a Slarmian frigate, but it was definitely not going to the Bazaar, it was on a flight path to the diplomatic quarter.

As Teffa stared, the frigate waggled it's wings, essentially giving her a visual hug... Teffa squealed again.

In just a few minutes Boozi Tryst was slowly maneuvering and lowering her landing gear.

Teffa watched Zuki make a gentle touchdown; she had landed with her primary cargo door in proximity to the freight lift.

Agatha and Teffa waited for the their highly professional pilot to finish her shut-down checklist and after a good five minutes Zuki slithered out of her Frigate.

Agatha watched the two Slarmians come together.

Even fully clothed the pair's greeting was decidedly intimate, they wrapped around each other fully embracing.

Agatha soaked in those emotions, enjoying the flavor of new love.

---

It only took about twenty minutes for Agatha to gather her Hands to the commercial canyon district.

During those twenty minutes more details came together for option C in phase three.

Samira was to take point, Astrid would be in her personal gunship configuration backing her up.

Vika would be recon and spotting for maintenance way kill squads.

Agatha reported that Sandwell and his forces had done something at the entrance when they first arrived.

She just wasn't able to parse what that was as it was out of her line of sight.

Max had a few ideas, and none of them were encouraging.

Max advised.

Samira responded with humor.

Max replied also with humor.

Astrid complained,

Samira explained.

Astrid didn't sound happy.

Samira elaborated.

Astrid responded,

Max replied,

Max got a wave of mental hugs along with some nervous giggles.

---

After retracting the boom for Astrid, Paula found herself in the Mess, sipping tea and nibbling shortbread.

Her Mirror's newly discovered attribute of changing size and shape allowed Paula to do her job practically anywhere.

Then the Lieutenant popped into the Galley to clean up as she knew Agatha was occupied in the Com Hub, and Paula wouldn't just leave a mess.

Then for some reason Paula didn't go back to the office, she stayed around the kitchen area.

She started thinking about making Pinxtos, just to keep her hands busy while waiting.

So Paula did some exploring in the Pantry, and found a trove of ingredients from which she could make the Tapa-like finger food from her homeland.

She was able to easily follow along with the mission through Scry on her Mirror.

It floated hands-free and always within sight, allowing Paula to follow the progression of events.

During the twenty minutes it took Agatha to gather her Hands on Golamar, Paula started a batch of Espinacas con Garbanzos, one of her childhood favorites, and she soon found herself humming one of Joon's happy songs.

She had always enjoyed cooking and the atmosphere of a well loved kitchen.

It was one of those places her mother gathered with sisters and aunts, where the abuelas would dispense wisdom.

Paula suddenly realized how much she missed that comfortable place.

The feelings she was remembering brought an very faint itch, something to do with home and the power of family.

Max announced the final revision of option C for phase three.

Paula leaned back against the counter and enlarged the frame of her Mirror.

Max started.



Paula blinked,

Max instructed.

So Vika knelt down Cloaked and pulled her Spirit from her body.

Paula thought in awe,

The diminutive Operative was surprised

Paula thought staring at the faint spectral image, a semi-transparent wispy ghost-like form resembling Vika with brightly glowing cobalt-blue eyes.

Vika suddenly flew at an alarming speed,

The Scry was focused on Vika, so Paula went with her, but the velocity made her cringe.

Paula soon found herself looking at the inside of the Executive resort.

It was quite spectacular, even in its current state of decay.

Paula thought to Vika.

Vika summarized

She and Max had discussed at length how to improve her reconnaissance skills.

Samira had a few tips as well, how to describe the different aspects of a preliminary survey quickly, efficiently and with appropriate detail.

Paula was proud and a little jealous of her adorable Dwarven Shaman wife.

Vika thought.

Max responded.

Vika inquired.

Max thought with no emotion.

Vika thought to her Witchy wife,

Paula thought to her diminutive wife.

Vika's thoughts were also neutral.



Paula inhaled deeply, she herself knew first hand Vika would not shy from killing, especially if it was to protect family.

The Witch shifted from one foot to the other leaning against the Galley counter-top, eventually she pulled herself up on it and flexed her ankles.

Vika glided through the palazzo, an open courtyard-like area.

Paula instructed.

Vika circled back and stopped.

Paula requested.

The Spirit-form Operative complied, then asked.

Paula stared at the small flat circular object,

The Lieutenant walked briskly out of the Galley, through the Mess across the Corridor to the Crew Quarters, her Mirror followed dutifully.

Paula retrieved from her personal storage the Visor she had been assigned.

Slipping it on she tapped through the functions and sent the image she saw in the Mirror to Agatha.

On the open telepathic network Paula asked,

Agatha replied quickly,

The Lieutenant was unfamiliar with them.

Paula shifted her view perspective, sweeping the area.

Paula updated.



Paula smiled, still wearing the wicked looking visor the Witch returned to the Galley.

Vika finished her sweep of the huge chamber then slipped through the starboard wall of the palazzo, into a maintenance way.

Emerging within a squad of nine Terrans in full TFMC combat gear.

Paula thought.

Vika thought.

Paula asked.

Vika clarified.

Paula thought about that, than she focused her view on the closest Terran.

Half of his face was covered in metal, a single eye glowed red.

Paula thought on the open network,

---

It was quiet in Freeport, had been for a while now.

Max executed the last pirate in the commercial district without ceremony, she drove her Nagamaki's chisel point through the Slarmian's head.

That was ninety minutes ago; since then Agatha had set dozens of roller-crab drones to begin performing disposal protocols on the thousands of corpses.

Samira eyed the entrance to the Executive resort as she listened to Vika and Paula's recon, viewing the image of the PIDS through her wetware interface with Agatha.

Astrid stood next to her, her Flotilla hovered protectively around both of them, like a school of fish.

They both knew the planned route, where they needed to go, and how much noise they needed to make along the way.

Max and five Hands of Agatha were moving carefully through the maintenance ways.

Upon hearing that some of the Terran pirates were cyborgs, Samira sighed.



Astrid inquired.

Samira shared a smile with her lovely Sorcerer-Engineer,



Astrid set her jaw,

Samira blinked, then smiled,

They shared a look, and Astrid pouted.

Astrid chided playfully.

Samira giggled.

Joon rolled up behind the two Chiefs, she was riding one of two roller-crabs, the other was carrying her paramedic kit.



They turned and nodded to their Lady-wife.

Astrid asked.



The two roller-crabs had become Joon's bodyguards, and since they were controlled by Agatha, it seemed perfectly appropriate.

Joon smiled.

Astrid smirked,

Joon nodded,

Astrid commented.

Max announced in the network,

Immediately the socializing ended, Joon's conveyance rolled safely back.

Astrid's drones began to form up around her, Samira stepped forward as her Aegis snapped into existence and two tower shields formed.

After a handful of moments, Astrid's personal gunship had come together.

Samira looked over her shoulder: she and Astrid shared a nod.

Max inquired.

There was no reply.

Max began,

---

On the Captain's Mark plan C was initiated.

Samira charged in through the main entrance, her long 'Digi' style legs gave her increased mobility, she held a tower shield at either side as she ran.

Astrid's gunship floated in behind her, but not too close, she would need to leave a little room to let Samira acquire targets.

Samira and Astrid had synced their wetware, Sam's Maliri rig was extremely fast, almost three time faster than Astrid's five Dauzakai Caretaker rigs.

Astrid's wetware would be able to use Samira's for target acquisition

When Samira crossed the central divide of the grand palazzo, six ventilation grates opened as one, revealing the open tubes of mortars.

But they didn't know that yet.

Astrid's eyes went wide as her wetware sent alarms through the connections.

Samira barely saw the movement and had just enough time to pull her shields together when the mortars belched out ordnance.

Twelve 60mm projectiles essentially detonated as one.

Proximity fuses set to initiate an explosion at one meter from the target.

Samira was blown past the Engineer, right back out the main entrance.

Astrid felt the compound shock waves though her Barriers absorbed most of it.

The Paladin slid on her hard-light armor for well over a hundred meters.

She came to a stop only feet from Joon's position.

Astrid immediately targeted the vents with her drone-turrets and blasted the empty mortars to pieces.

Astrid thought loudly.

Joon announced.

Sam responded,

The Mage clenched her jaw and hovered forward, up to the double doors of the main hall.

She broadcast as a wet transparent ovoid appeared around the gunship.

Astrid was very angry, beyond angry. These fools had hurt her lover. She accidentally broadcast to the team,

She aimed her laser cannons at the doors to the Great hall and fired.

---

Joon looked down at Samira.

Samira blinked a few times and tried to move.

Joon tapped the Paladin's transparent amber hard-light Sallet with a fingernail.

Samira willed her Aegis to dissipate

Joon checked Sam's golden eyes, held up a finger and had her follow it.

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes, M'lady." Samira replied.

"Take a deep breath for me, cutie." Joon requested.

Samira inhaled deeply, Joon nodded.

Joon started pushing gentle fingers across Samira's tummy.

The Paladin pouted, "I feel fine, M'lady, I can finish the mission.

Joon locked eyes with Samira and spoke quietly with authority, "Your gonna take a little break with me until I am satisfied you're not fucked up, you feel me Sam?"

Samira swallowed, instantly recognizing her XO's tone.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Joon nodded, "So tell me what happened."

The Paladin began a very brief report on the mortar booby trap...

---

Astrid just drifted into the Great hall seconds after she blew the two magnificently crafted heavy doors right off their hinges.

She immediately came under fire, she couldn't hear it as her ovoid blocked all sound, but she did feel them. Every projectile that impacted on her Barrier contributed to her pool of power, and she in turn fed it into her personal gunship.

Astrid opened up with her main Gatling and swept across the Great hall, her three Combat drone turrets added their song of death to those two fire hoses of damage.

The flash of energy weapons from her drones was like a hover tank had been encapsulated in a time dilation bubble and she wreaked havoc on any and all before her.

She was a Valkyrie loose in the midst of her enemies, and their fates were decided! Astrid had no fucks to give this day.

The hall was a third the size of the palazzo, which meant it was still huge.

Fifty meters long at the deepest and thirty meters wide at it's widest, it was filled with all manner of pirates, dozens of them.

Astrid did not care.

She wanted them all dead this instant, for all the harm they'd caused, for the people they'd murdered...

and especially for blowing up Sam!

---

Max thought, and drove her Nagamaki through the chest of the closest pirate.

She was already in Maneuver and had pulled the trigger on Haste with her mark.

The Warrior tore into the Terran cyborgs and with Agatha's help she was able to discover which targets were the greatest threats.

Vika was doing likewise on the other side of the palazzo in her own dark conduit laden maintenance way.

Vika didn't have five Hand's of Agatha in full tac-gear and nanoweave with her. But she did have Shadowstep, Cloak, and a Witch watching her back.

Max actually thought Vika had the edge on her, that didn't mean she was going to not try her best to protect her family.

The Warrior pulled the length of her pole arm back and chopped down at an angle.

Max's Nagamaki bit down through the shoulders of the next two Traitor cyborgs, with no delay she pull back and down, removing their arms.

Her next target had raised his DL5 up, and started firing indiscriminately in the dark confining passage.

The Warrior evaded and leapt up, putting both her feet on the squad support weapon while driving the capped end of her pole arm into his face.

From the perspective of the Terran cyborgs, a deadly, blurry shape had suddenly appeared and began cleaving their fellows, it was the stuff of nightmares.

This was a scenario Agatha had made sure every pirate had suffered in blurry nightmares, increasing their fear and ensuring they slept poorly, it was just another level of advantage she could provide her family.

She carefully watched her beloved Captain-wife thread a bloody path through the traitorous Cyborg Pirates, adding the occasional burst of suppressed cover fire with her own weapons.

Agatha was ever vigilant and mindful of the needs of her family and success of this latest and most challenging mission. She was particularly watching Astrid as she seemed to have succumbed to battle lust.

And... She was dying to find out what Paula was cooking because it smelled absolutely amazing!

Max stopped swinging, there were no more pirates left to kill.

---

Paula did her best with Hex, but she knew they were resisting a good deal of it. The Fortune however, was not a problem, she ruthlessly ripped it from these traitorous pirates.

She also kept her deadly Operative wife filled with luck and it seemed to be paying off nicely.

Vika started by combining Wind-blade salvos with a rapid succession of Shadow-steps from above, three blades followed by a step across all nine targets.

That made every single one of them convinced of and focused on the shadowy attacker above them.

Then Vika got to work on the vitals that she knew all humans had.

She attacked from below with a Ca'tagri knife in one hand and a wakazashi in the other.

Stabbing at kidney's and slashing at groins... While her targets emptied their weapons into the ceiling of the maintenance way.

Vika made a rapid run through the squad, injuring every one of them, more than half critically so.

The Dwarven Rogue-shaman Cha'Vika Firehair knew without a doubt she would have never have pulled off that attack run without her Moya Zayka watching over her.

So she did it again.

And then they were dead.

---

Astrid began strafing side to side, effectively throwing off the site lines of the pirates that were using the geometry of the Great hall to hide behind.

She didn't care if they were inept sycophants who couldn't actually shoot straight.

Astrid noted the tactically proficient individuals, a Slarmian in black, an Elmoq with the Freeport logo painted on it's shell, a Largath wielding a halberd.

Two Kintark who managed to make it to the Great hall only to now face her, and the last living Drakkar on Golamar.

She ruthlessly targeted them all individually and blew them into smoking bits with her energy weapons.

Astrid's wetware saw the battlescape through her drones, and the Dauzakai Security design was quite proficient at targeting and tracking.

So when a single Terran ran out of the open portal back onto the palazzo, Astrid simply had three of her small coworkers fly after him and shoot his legs out from under him.

Astrid put holes through his ankles and knees, the Terran collapsed on the palazzo floor screaming.

The miniature laser cannon wounds self cauterized and were only a single millimeter in diameter, though laser weaponry wounds were reputed to be extremely painful, as her Captain wife, Max, could attest to.

Astrid left one Security drone to watch the Terran, He writhed on the floor in his miserable ratty grey uniform.

He was no longer able to stand or walk, so he began dragging himself across the palazzo floor.

The drone watching him shot through the wrist of his right hand so he stopped trying to move.

---

Samira's hawk-like nose was fairly large and slightly hooked, but Joon wouldn't have her any other way, she thought Sam was gorgeous.

Joon observed her lovely cyborg wife's profile, her cosmetic tattoos allowed her to never worry about putting on warpaint.

The Bard in Joon had her own answer for that...

The Priest was not so worried about her wifes outsides. "Okay, beautiful, I want you to sit up, have a sip or two of water and let's see what that looks like."

Samira nodded, she was familiar with shock wave protocols, and Joon was not about to let her just trot off without being very sure she was in good shape.

Lung collapse was the main concern with shock waves, then soft tissue damage, both would be fatal in just a few moments after exposure.

But since Samira was breathing and not bleeding from every orifice, Joon was now looking for other problems, like concussive brain injury.

Samira could see a little past Joon's professional affectation, and her senior wife was seriously concerned.

So the Paladin would be a good girl and do what she was told.

Samira remembered what her father used say... 'Police, Paramedics, and Emergency Service Providers were never appreciated enough when they were doing the jobs that mattered.'

---

Astrid swept the Great hall one more time...

There was no targets left for her Dronemancer Gunship of Death and Destruction.

Well, except for the bloated and discolored Ornalith hiding under the large stone desk.

Astrid dissipated her Barriers one by one.

Then she sent three of her Security drones each paired with a Combat drone to sweep the Chief Executive suites, and kill the cowards hiding there.

Agatha had kept her wetware advised of all the targets.

Astrid crinkled her nose at the smell of burnt flesh and death, but realized it was part and parcel of cleansing Freeport and Golamar of this criminal infestation.

She hoped nothing would stain too badly.

"You!" Astrid commanded in trade-speak, "Get out from under there! You're under my desk!" The Mage put as much sting into the words as she could.

Astrid could hear the sound of her Combat drones shooting and the Mage knew her quest was almost complete, only a couple more steps.

Astrid put a deep-violet office pump on the edge of the stone desk. "Get up, you piece of excrement!" The Mage yelled in trade-speak.

The Ornalith shifted.

More sounds of gunfire emanating from the open balcony, a figure appeared briefly, then Astrid's Combat drone filled it with holes.

Paula reported.

Astrid glared at the bloated figure under the desk.

"Rek is dead, I killed him, come out and face me, coward!"

The Mage saw movement.

A discolored face emerged from under the pitted stone desk.

"Y-You killed Rek?" a question blubbered forth from the pitiful Ornalith.

The Mage stared at that face, the level of contempt she felt was unreal.

"Good, that worthless idiot never did anything right." The response was unexpected.

"He was your offspring, aren't you angry?" The Mage inquired.

"I am so mad at you for making a mess in here!" Rum said, his eyes scanned around.

The Ornalith focused on the deep-violet pump on the edge of the desk.

"Who are you?" He asked, in an almost child-like voice.

The Mage narrowed her eyes, and said softly. "It doesn't matter."

Rum locked eyes with Astrid, "Who the FUCK, do you think you are?"

The Mage raised an eyebrow and pulled three ingots from her blazer pocket.

She held them between her fingers, they were a deep-purple with violet highlights.

The Mage tossed the ingots onto the desk and they tinkled like glass wind chimes

Rum picked up one of the ingots, it had a shape just like Freeport coinage.

It had an unfamiliar mark on one side, some kind of winged quadruped, a predator.

"Answer me!" The bloated Ornalith demanded, slapping the ingot down on the desk.

"It doesn't matter... Everything that was yours... Is... Now... MINE!"

The Sorceress said, softly and with great care, she then smiled broadly in the way only a mad person might.

Then Rum understood... He had lost.

The three ingots rose slowly off the desk... Without anyone touching them, they floated around the Ornalith, circling his bloated body.

Rum stared in horror as the Sorceress stepped back from the desk and turned away.

"Fuck you Terran!, Fuck every single one of you shit-eating, fucking, space monkeys!" The discolored Ornalith screamed at Astrid.

Her two Battle drones moved smoothly flanking either side of their Mage.

At twenty steps from the desk Astrid's eyes flashed violet.

A cloud of deep-purple mono-molecular filaments surrounded Rum Peu.

The Ornalith screamed at the top of his three lungs.

Her eyes flashed again, and the screaming abruptly stopped.

Astrid kept walking as she took a deep, cleansing breath.

The Sorceress held up her hand and the three Oricalcum ingots flew to hover above her head.

They circled her head equally spaced in a slow rotation before gliding between the fingers of her hand.

Astrid said in the network.

---