Tales From the Terran Republic

Chapter Aftermath III

Chapter Aftermath III

Patricia Hu’s limo, surrounded by police grav-cars, slowly prowled the capital city streets. Inspector Vance, following the impromptu motorcade, smiled grimly. They had the bitch. There was nowhere for her to go now. There was no escape this time.

“What are we waiting for?” he grumbled.

“Well, arresting a foreign diplomat is not something done lightly,” Detective Freela replied. “They are probably trying to figure out how to do this without starting a war.”

“We are well past that now,” Inspector Vance replied. “Biological weapons? Sounds like the war has already started.”

“We don’t know that,” Detective Freela said wearily. “All we have are some pretty wild claims from a wanted murderer and traitor.”

“Jon Wintersmith is plenty of things but a traitor? No way. That asshole bleeds Republic blue. I am much more inclined to believe his version of things,” Vance said as he checked his tablet. “What makes more sense, some ‘terrorist group’ that we have never heard of before or the fucking Horde Mother?”

“Inspector,” Detective Freela said cautiously, “I don’t think you are exactly unbiased in your assessment of this situation. Ever since that woman showed up you’ve been… well...”

“Because I fucking knew something like this would fucking happen!” Inspector Vance snapped. “I fucking knew that-”

He was cut off by the vehicle’s communicator. The call had been made to bring her in “for her protection”.

“Finally!” he exclaimed as the police vehicles surrounding the limo closed in on all sides and slowed to a stop. The limo, with nowhere to go, had no choice but to do the same.

***

As [email protected]@ watched the events unfold on his monitor Jaxona walked up with yet another cup of coffee.

“Bet you a box of Powerbar Extremes that she isn’t in there,” Jaxona said cheerfully as she handed him the coffee.

“If she is I’ll be very happily surprised. No bet,” [email protected]@ chuckled. “Hopefully we will be able to at least squeeze something out of the driver.”

“Would you look at that,” Jaxona said as she squeezed in next to [email protected]@ and looked at his monitor. “The door override commands actually worked. I would have figured that they would have… oh,” she laughed.

They had a great view of Inspector Vance looking into a completely empty limo. “Oh he does not look happy,” [email protected]@ giggled as he sipped his coffee. “Jaxona, grab all the data we have from following that damn car and run it over to The Spider. They had to ditch the thing somewhere along the way. Let’s see if the AI can find something that we missed.”

“You got it, boss.”

***

Patricia Hu rubbed her shoulder as she went through a chest of fine clothing in a dusty warehouse. She smiled. It had been a while since she dove from a moving vehicle.

It was fun even if she did hit the ground a bit hard. Everything was starting to be a little fun, actually. She had been taken a little off guard at first but now that her blood was pumping and her brain was firing on all cylinders she was really starting to enjoy this. She thought of Jon as a wistful smile played across her lips. Oh how she wished she could have witness his charge through the embassy. It must have been magnificent!

Just like he is.

She sighed as she thought of him. She was already a bit taken with him before the poison. That was the big danger of that elixir. It was a sword that cut both ways. Even after everything she still wanted him so very badly.

No, it wasn’t just that! Jon was an amazing man! Oh the things they could achieve together! Today’s events only further proved it. He was a man of the most amazing power and resolve. He turned Crimson with just a glance and with one masterful stroke cast all of her carefully constructed plans into complete disarray, stripping her bare. Not only that but he fell upon her best warriors like a lion tearing them asunder.

She blushed as a smile played on her lips. He was the one! He was the one that she had been waiting for all this time.

She had to have him! He was a prize worth as much as the entire Republic, no. He was worth more than the Republic! With him at her side they could rule the entire galaxy and their line would dominate the entirety of space for generations to come.

If only she could make him see the light, share her vision. How wonderful that would be!

Her smile grew. She could! It was entirely possible. Jon clearly demonstrated his resolve today. He showed just how far he would go.

She wondered if she could help him go just that tiny little bit further. Her green eyes sparkled wickedly.

Yes, she thought with an evil smile. He just needs a little encouragement.

She had been going about things all wrong. She had tried to overpower him, to crush his resolve with her own. That had almost been quite literally a fatal error. No, this required a different approach. He didn’t need to be crushed. He needed to be fed. He needed to have his resolve strengthened, hardened, sharpened. He needed to be encouraged to become the man that he could be. Isn’t that what someone should do for the people they care about? Bring out the best in them? Yes! She could do that, for him. She would do that, for him. Such a wonderful gift! Such wonderful things she will bring to him, such wonderful things she would show him, such wonderful things she would do to him, no… for him.

The things he will have to do to win his “war” against her… She grinned wickedly… His resolve will drive him to do so many wonderful things, become so many wonderful things. He will have to if he is going to win.

And he will win, she thought with delight. He will rip, tear, and burn through her previous little silly girlish plans and her weak pathetic thralls. Oh she will array them against him and try her very best (he deserved that, her very best) to kill him but it won’t matter. He will triumph.

He’s going to win and she would be a fool to believe otherwise. But his victory, oh yes… that victory will be ever so sweet. She laughed a delighted happy laugh as she spun around in her dirty and torn dress. The darling believes that his war isn’t against the Republic but for it. The wonderful beautiful fact was that her conspiracy now was the Republic, all of it! Her thralls were everywhere, in everything! She continued to laugh as she spun and danced.

She didn’t need the Federation anymore! Jon! Jon will do it for her! He will tear it all down! Her wonderful shining star will burn it all down… for her! This was the stuff of legends. Their epic of war, blood, rage, fire, hate, passion and love will be sung for a thousand years! Yes, love! Love love love love! It was love! Oh how she missed this feeling!

She loved Jon Wintersmith… and it felt wonderful!

It was just a shame that he didn’t feel the same way… at the moment anyhow. Oh how she wanted to run to him but she was no fool. Right now the fires of their love burned too hot. It would consume them both just like it almost did this morning. (How romantic was that?) She would have to wait, wait until the fires had cooled a little and he had become what she was going to make him become if he wanted to win.

Then…

She smiled a truly beautiful happy smile that lit up the room. Her hand drifted down her belly and slid into her skirt.

Then they would be together...

As her hand slid under her panties she moaned and fell to her knees.

***

In another room Dawn paced back and forth. What the fuck had happened? The Colonel turned traitor and tried to kill them? It was unbelievable. It was beyond unbelievable. Colonel Wintersmith would never become a traitor! Never! Trying to kill the Deputy Ambassador? That she could believe. The Colonel hated her from the start but traitor?

It didn’t add up. It wasn’t just the Colonel but him, Gunny, and everyone at the embassy suddenly becoming traitors? She made a little nervous squeak. The Colonel a traitor? Gunny a traitor?

Bullshit! a voice inside her, a voice that had fallen silent for a little while, suddenly exclaimed. What would drive the Colonel to just snap like that? Was it on that document that had Ms. Hu so upset? She wished she had been able to read it. She had asked one of the other guys if they knew what was going on but they just told her to mind her own business and that “Her Ladyship” would tell her what she needed to know.

“Mouse!” Jade snarled as she lounged on a crate, “Quit with the fucking pacing! You’re driving me nuts!”

“Sorry!” Dawn yelped.

“Try to relax, squeaks,” Jade rumbled in a reassuring manner. “We’ve been in tight spots before. Been a while, but we’ve been in plenty of them. Her Ladyship will figure something out. Besides, we have numbers on our side.”

“Wait. What?” Dawn asked very confused. That made absolutely no sense.

“Yeah,” Jade smiled. “She’s down to just three of us. We are probably safe.”

“Safe?” Dawn asked. “We have the Colonel plus God knows how many marines hunting us not to mention probably all of Fed Intel. Just three of us won’t-.”

“Oh who cares about them,” Jade laughed. “No, I mean we are safe from her.”

“W-what?” Dawn asked in a tiny voice.

Before Jade could respond Nguyen walked in.

“So?” Jade asked, her almond eyes smiling at him.

“Starport’s out of the question,” Nguyen said as he set down two huge bags of surprisingly good Chinese take-out on a cheap folding table. “Whole place is crawling with embassy goons. Thought I spotted a few Feds lurking around too.”

“Figures,” Jade chuckled as she helped him unpack the food. “Ah, cheap faux-Chinese… one of the universal constants.”

“Found a good place too,” Nguyen said with a smile. “Actual bamboo shoots and fresh bean sprouts!”

“Excellent!” Jade exclaimed happily. “At least we won’t get gunned down on an empty stomach, right?”

“Something smells absolutely delightful!” Patricia exclaimed as she entered the room.

Dawn did a double take. Instead of an elegant dress Patricia was just wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a simple gray button-down shirt under a loose plain black cardigan. The usual stiletto heels were replaced by a pair of sensible laced boots. Instead of long and flowing, her hair was just tied behind her in a simple ponytail. Her face was scrubbed completely clean, no makeup, just her freshly washed skin.

She looked like a completely different person.

The biggest change however, were her eyes. They were… strange… inhuman... almost reptilian. They terrified her.

Her two veterans, however, were overjoyed.

“Snake-eyes is back!” Jade cheered.

“Snake-eyes is hungry!” Patricia laughed. “Did they have garlic chicken?”

***

Jon, trying to keep a low profile, maneuvered through the star-town crowds and made his way to the noodle shop. It was risky as hell but it was the only way he could possibly leave a message for Skippy. It might be risky now but it was only going to get harder as time passed. He had to take this opportunity. God only knows when he would get another.

He tried to plan out what he was going to write. I mean, what do you say? “Sorry, I’ve decided to be a complete moron and take on just about the entire Republic. I’ll probably bite the big one but before I do I just wanted to let you know that I am completely and totally in love with you. Well, later, fuzz-butt. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

His heart ached. If only he could see her, just one more time, hold her, just one more time. This sucked. He left people he cared about before, comes with the job description, but this time it was different. He honestly didn’t think he was coming back. Even during the Great War part of him believed that he was going to make it. That it wasn’t “good-bye” it was just “see you later”.

This time it was probably good-bye. Fuck.

He reached the noodle shop and the owner gave him even a bigger stink-eye than usual.

“Hey!” Jon said as cheerfully as he could muster. “Can I leave a message for Skippy here? Do you have a notepad or tablet I could-”

“She’s… waiting... for you…” the owner said glaring at him.

“She’s here?!?” Jon exclaimed happily.

Ignoring him, the owner simply walked into the back and unlocked the metal door leading to the private rooms.

***

Jon rushed into the back.

Standing there, next to the mysterious conference table, was Skippy. Jon started to rush to her and then stopped.

She did not look happy.

“So,” Skippy said, her arms crossed, “You were just going to blow yourself up without even saying goodbye? What the fuck, Jon?” Her voice quivered slightly.

“Skippy… I...”

“You what?” she snarled advancing towards him. “What? You just going to flush your life down the shitter and to the Abyss with me and anyone else who loves you? Over what? Some bitch?”

“Love?” Jon asked slightly stunned.

“Yeah,” Skippy said shook her head, flopping her ears side to side. “Stupid me.”

“I love you, too!” Jon exclaimed.

“WELL YOU HAVE ONE FUCKED UP WAY OF SHOWING IT, ASSHOLE!!!” Skippy yelled as she shoved him.

“Skippy, there wasn’t any other way. If you only knew what was at stake you’d-”

“I know what is at stake you dumb fuck! Billions of people’s lives in the balance... possible total war with the Federation… Plague… Conspiracy… Your very Republic in danger... So what does the fucking Ambassador to the Federation do? Shove a grenade up his ass and go skipping over to that bitch’s office to throw his life away, abandon his position, his troops, his people… me… Fuck you, you fucking… fucking... hero!” She shoved him again. “Fuck Jon! They needed you and you just decided to abandon them and for what? To be a suicide bomber? Seriously?!?!? And what about me, not even a fucking goodbye?!? Not an email or a phone call… not even 'a go and fuck yourself', just… nothing!?!? What? I was going to just hop my happy ass over there expecting to go to lunch only to see them bring you out in a fucking bucket?!?! Fuck you!”

“You weren’t supposed to be here yet and I left a letter for you,” Jon replied. “Toby was going to give it to-”

“Oh that makes everything better, hero!” Skippy snarled as she shoved him again. “Don’t even get me started on abandoning your men, Colonel!”

“Things were evolving very rapidly and there was no time. I had to act!”

“No fucking time to think, apparently,” Skippy snorted. “I don’t know what’s worse, you planning to blow yourself up with a grenade or the fact that you failed… to blow yourself up... with a grenade!!!”

“The situation evolved. It turned out that-”

“Yeah, I know, the bitch got the drop on you,” Skippy said disdainfully. “Maybe if you, I don’t know, secured the perimeter, deployed your forces, you know, actually used your head for more than a grenade holder, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten away. You fucked up, hero.”

Jon flinched.

“Hey!” he snapped. “I had every reason to believe that I had a clear line of fire. It was still just hours after-”

“Well you were wrong, weren’t ya? A team at the exit, that’s all it would have taken. You could be tea-bagging her corpse as we speak!”

“I didn’t want to risk tipping her off. Look, it’s easy to second guess a failed mission,” Jon said in a tired voice. “A team might have done the trick or it might have triggered a massive firefight resulting in widespread casualties and her still getting away. I made a call and I took action. Was it the right move? Probably not. Was it a bad move? No.”

“No?!?!? NO?!??!” Skippy shouted as she shoved him against the wall and held him there. “It WAS a bad move, fuckwit! You don’t just throw away your life, ever! Risk it? Sure. Go on a mission with an incredibly low chance of survival? Fine. Part of the job. Throw it away?!? Never!” She started shaking him. “You don’t profane a life that way, especially your own! You are the commanding officer! You are the ambassador!” She shook him harder. “Your men need you! (shake) Your embassy needs you. (shake) Your Republic needs you. (shake) I (shake)… I (shake)… I...” Skippy trailed off as she continued to shake him.

Jon just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. She squeezed him and started making little hiccuping squeaking sobbing noises as she held him tight.

“I almost lost you, you fucking idiot.” Skippy muttered as they held each other.

“I’m sorry, Skippy,” Jon said stroking her head. “I was an idiot. I did kick some ass at least. Not bad for an old man, right?”

Skippy just laughed a little.

“Yeah you did, old man,” Skippy chuckled. “You might be a fucking moron but at least you’re good at it.”

Jon leaned in to kiss her. Skippy smiled and put her paw on his face.

“Slow down, hero,” She laughed as she handed him a data crystal. “Work before play. Tablet and communicator are on the table,” She said as she walked towards the door. “I’m grabbing some lunch. Hungry?”

“Starving.”

***

Joyce Sidibe was sitting at her desk with her face buried in her hands. On her monitor was the latest mass email that was sent to everyone in the embassy.

This was a nightmare. She read the email again and Jon’s document which was attached. She shook her head. This madness pushed the very limits of credulity. Everyone knew that Patricia Hu was the Antichrist but this?

This was beyond the pale even for her and if half the names on the list of alleged conspirators were true?

The Republic was in trouble.

She was dying for a coffee but that would require her leaving the safety of her office. There was no way in hell she was going out there. She tried accessing the hyperspace link again. Nothing.

There was a knock on the door.

“Go away,” she shouted.

“Joyce, I really need to talk to you,” Susan’s voice called out from the other side. Joyce frowned. That was the last person she wanted to see.

“I’m busy!” Joyce yelled.

“Joyce, I’m unlocking the door,” Major Bryce announced.

“Don’t you dare-”

The door opened. Susan and Major Bryce walked in.

“Good morning,” Susan said pleasantly.

“Your definition of a ‘good morning’ and mine seem to differ,” Joyce said stiffly.

“I brought you a coffee,” the major said with a smile as he set a cup on Joyce’s desk. She took it.

“Thank you,” she said as she took a sip. Her eyes widened as a terrible realization took hold.

“No, absolutely not!” she exclaimed in horror as they both smiled at her.

“Joyce,” Susan said with a pleasant smile. “Jon Wintersmith is wanted for treason. The Deputy Ambassador has abandoned her post...”

“Not just no but fuckno!”

The major laughed.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you curse,” he grinned.

“I prefer to save obscenity for special occasions, like this one. Let me repeat myself. No. Fucking. Way.”

“You are the highest ranking member of the diplomatic corps remaining, Joyce. That makes you-”

“That makes me nothing!” Joyce snapped. “Find someone else, maybe one of your traitors.”

“That’s overstating it a bit,” Susan smiled. “I prefer the term ‘loyal citizen of the Republic’.”

“Well whatever you call it,” Joyce said firmly, “Get one of those.”

“Joyce,” the major said, “you are the senior diplomat and the only person with the chops for this. We need you.”

“You keep saying diplomat. I’m not a ‘diplomat’. I’m a bureaucrat, a happy dumb little cog. I write reports and make spreadsheets. Fuck, I don’t even make the spreadsheets. I just fill them out.”

“Well, now you are,” Susan replied. “We need someone and you are it.”

“Nope. Get someone else.”

“Ok,” Susan said beginning to lose her patience, “Who? We have all holy hell breaking loose. We have a morgue literally stuffed full of corpses. We have a biological weapon being released into the Federation by a Republic diplomat any second now. We have two very dangerous Republic citizens running around loose, each with their own death squad, trying to kill each other in the streets of the fucking Federation capital as we speak. God only knows what they are going to do next. And, last but certainly not least, we’ve already had one Federation representative quite literally jump over the wall demanding answers.”

“What?!?!” Joyce spluttered.

“Don’t worry,” Susan replied with a grin. “I handled the situation.” She paused to let that sink in. “Yeah, that’s right. I handled it, me. Think about that one. Do you really want me or the major here dealing directly with the Feds especially now?”

“...”

“Joyce, we need you before we start a war by accident,” the major said matter of factly. “It’s either you or one of us and do you want an old warhorse or well… Susan… doing the job?”

“Shit,” Joyce muttered as she wracked her brain desperately trying to come up with someone else, anyone else.

“Joyce,” the major said, “you are the only one who has any real experience dealing with them.”

“Yeah but I only go to bullshit that is not important enough to send the Ambassador. I’m an official snub, nothing more.”

“We aren’t asking you to negotiate a peace treaty here,” the major said reassuringly. “We just need someone to make sure that nothing else happens, and when it comes to making nothing happen we couldn’t think of someone more qualified. Your delightfully obstructive ass is exactly the one we need sitting in the big chair right now.”

“If and I mean IF I do this it doesn’t mean that I’m supporting your little revolution here,” Joyce said firmly as she crossed her arms.

“Absolutely,” Susan replied. “That’s the last thing we want you to do. You are the voice of reason. The personification of stability. Both the major and I will testify that we are behind whatever is going on around here and you were just trying to keep it from getting any worse.”

“Yup,” the major said nodding his head. “We are the baddies. You are just the luckless bitch who got saddled with trying to keep the Feds at bay.”

“Fuck me...” Joyce grumbled.

“Deal!” Susan grinned. “Which one of us do you want?”

Joyce just snorted.

“I want both of you in my new office, fully clothed, in one hour for a briefing, nothing else.”

***

“… And while I deeply appreciate the vote of confidence, I wouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to label yourselves traitors,” Jon said over the communicator Skippy brought him. “You guys with the exception of the truly epic Captain Vincent haven’t done anything clearly ‘traitorous’ just yet. All you have to do is let her keep transmitting and to be perfectly honest I am not sure how you would stop her even if you wanted to. We made it a point to have nothing on hand that can breach that space. I would keep up appearances until the decision to mutiny was forced on you. I have it on good authority,” Jon looked over at Skippy who grinned back at him, “that the Federation is locking down the borders. It will be a while before the Republic can send anyone at all so all you have to do is lay down a good line of bullshit and since the only way you can officially communicate with them at all is out of commission you don’t even really have to do that. Just play it cool for now until there is a clear need for you to act otherwise.”

“Sir, you could return,” the major replied. “The vast majority of people here support you and most of the rest are willing to just sit this one out.”

“I come back and you will be traitors,” Jon said with a smile. “No, it looks like you guys have everything in hand and I have full confidence in you, Susan, and Joyce. Congratulations on the promotion by the way, Joyce. I know you will be a great ambassador.”

“This is only temporary. As soon as things settle down I will happily step down.”

“There is nothing more permanent than a temporary solution,” Jon laughed. “Get comfortable, Joyce.”

“Bite me.”

“I see that you are already settling in nicely,” Jon laughed. “That’s a great phrase to use on the councilors, by the way. They are already familiar with it. Don’t worry too much, Joyce. I’ve set the bar pretty low.”

“Any advice on handling the bio-weapon, amb- I mean Jon,” Joyce asked.

“Well, I recommend giving them a choice. Tell them that they can either call it an act of war by the Republic or that they can call it a vile criminal act by a single monstrous individual,” Jon said as he sipped some broth. “I’m pretty sure they will happily pick the most convenient narrative. When they demand that you hand her over tell them that she abandoned her post, and have them direct all such inquiries to the Republic where she is definitely going to flee provided we don’t get her right here and now.”

“Makes sense,” Joyce replied taking notes.

“Well, if there is nothing else I am going to burn this communicator. I’ll grab another from time to time and check in. Good luck you guys.”

“You too, sir. For the Republic!”

“For the Republic. Wintersmith out,” Jon said and then handed the communicator to Skippy who pressed several icons in sequence. There was a sizzling sound as she tossed the communicator into a wastebin.

“There, boss, work is done,” Jon said with a smile as he walked towards her.

“Yeah, good for you,” Skippy said smiling back as she rose to meet him. “What? You expecting something?”

“I was hoping...” Jon replied taking her into his arms.

“Keep hoping, hero.” Skippy said putting her paw in his face again. “I can’t just shift gears that quick.”

“But, I don’t know when I am going to be able to see you again.”

“You’ll see me plenty,” Skippy said with a grin. “It’s clear you need adult supervision. I’m coming with you.”

“What?”

“You heard me, hero,” Skippy smiled. “You don’t deserve it, but you have yourself a cobalt archer.”

“But you’re a Federation councilor!”

“Was a Federation councilor,” Skippy chuckled. “I resigned.” She snuggled in close. “The council is bullshit. It isn’t real. What you’re facing is real. What the Xvli will face if this isn’t stopped is real… “ She looked deeply into his eyes. “We are real. My man is heading right into the fires of Hell and if you think I’m letting him go alone you have another thing coming.”

“But-”

“Shh,” Skippy said as she kissed him. “I’m coming and that’s final. Besides, you pap-mouthed idiots need me.”

“Pap-mouthed?”

“I think I said that right,” Skippy said wrinkling her brow. “Pap? Fecal pap? You know, what a momma feeds her babies to get their guts right? I’m calling you babies.”

“We don’t do that and what do you mean babies?”

“Then where do your infants get their microbes from?”

“I think they get some of it from the womb and the rest from nursing… I think...” Jon said thoughtfully.

“Your women squirt pap from their tits? You’re disgusting!”

“We’re disgusting?” Jon laughed.

“You got something to say, hero?”

“No, dear,” Jon said in a comically whipped voice.

They both laughed.

“And what exactly do you mean we need you?” Jon asked. “We can take care of ourselves.”

“You need me sweetheart. I have a clean van out back and can get more,” Skippy said matter of factly. “Then there is the matter of that power armor that you guys failed to hide. The cops got tipped off concerning its location just a little while ago. I wonder by who.”

“Shit.”

“Don’t worry,” Skippy chuckled. “I got contacts in Fed Intel and have already arranged for it to go missing during transport. All of your goodies are going to wind up in another storage building across town tonight. We don’t have to lift a single finger.”

“Damn! Thanks!”

“Then there’s the matter of a ship. You are going to want one of those, right?”

“Yeah?”

“Already taken care of,” Skippy grinned. “It will be here in a couple of days. It’s a nice 'light freighter', fast, plenty of room, military grade cloak, massive fuel tank that will last a long time, good jump drive, a nice concealed weapons package… the works. The crew are all former special ops. Oops... I mean ‘pirates’.”

“H-how?” Jon stammered completely shocked.

“Well,” Skippy grinned as she snuggled him. “It’s about time you find out what this table is all about.”

***

In a dusty warehouse surprisingly close to where Skippy was “shifting gears” surprisingly quickly Jade eased up to Patricia.

“Hey, Snak-… Sorry, my lady,” Jade started.

“You of all people can dispense with the formalities, my unyielding pebble,” Patricia laughed. “There are very few people remaining that can call me ‘Snake-Eyes’. You should take advantage of that privilege more often. Besides, there is hardly anyone left. For now, I do not need the mantle of royalty.”

“Very well,” Jade smiled. “I’m worried about the Mouse.”

“Oh?”

“She seems unsteady. I don’t like the ‘vibe’ coming off of her. I’ve felt it before and it’s never good,” Jade said quietly.

“I understand and agree,” Patricia said laying her hand on Jade’s shoulder. “I think it’s time we brought her to the table.”

“Are you sure?” Jade asked. “I’m not certain she is ready.”

“Neither am I,” Patricia said with a smile. “That’s exactly why we must do it. We no longer have the luxury of dragging along someone who isn’t fully committed. She either needs to fully join us or we need to rid ourselves of her.”

Jade nodded.

“As always, Snake-Eyes, your wisdom is beyond compare,” she said bowing her head.

“Would you and Nguyen see to obtaining the sacrifice? Keep it alive if you can. I want Dawn to perform the ritual herself.”

“Of course,” Jade smiled. “We will handle it immediately.”

“I have every faith that you will,” Patricia said as her eyes glittered in the light. “And to address the concerns of which you dare not speak I have it all in hand.”

“The gods have spoken to you, like they used to?” Jade asked.

“In a matter of speaking,” Patricia smiled. “I know what to do in the short term, and I know how to adjust our plans moving forward. This small setback is of little consequence. I will discuss the adjustments to our longer term plans later, but in the short term our goal is pretty clear.”

“And that is?”

“We get the fuck out of here,” Patricia laughed a beautiful laugh. “Jon holds all the cards here in the Federation. We are outnumbered and he has the cooperation of the government. Each moment we spend here is one moment closer to death. Once the sacrament is complete we find a way off of this deathtrap. We contact our operatives distributing the virus in other systems, and pull one of the teams here with a ship to extract us. In one of many adjustments we also have that team bring some of the virus here, to the capital, to release it here as well including the Terran embassy if possible.”

“Why the embassy, Snake?”

“Spite,” Patricia laughed a musical laugh. “Pure malice. They wish to kill us? Let us return the favor.”

“Won’t that undermine our position at home?”

“Who cares,” Patricia laughed. “We are already exposed and It’s only a matter of time before everything is confirmed. We may be driven underground as a result but our thralls are already in position and will do exactly as they are told. It’s a minor inconvenience at worst. Besides, many in the embassy are close friends of Jon’s. Killing them horribly works in our favor long term.”

“It does?”

“Yes,” Patricia laughed a happy little laugh. “My beautiful Jon needs them to die. It will be the first of my many gifts to him. Part of my dowry if you will.”

“Snake?” Jade said dubiously. “I know the gods speak to you but which god in particular gave you that little nugget?”

Patricia just laughed and spun Jade around as if they were dancing.

“Allow me to explain my lovely little pebble...” Patricia said as she started to waltz, leading Jade around the room.

After Patricia finished Jade just looked at her with wide eyes.

“That,” Jade said after a few moments, “is a truly disturbing mix of true genius and pure unadulterated madness.”

“You disapprove?” Patricia asked with a lovely laugh.

“Not at all,” Jade smiled. “It is exactly the sort of thing I have longed for. It’s just so wonderful to have you back, Snake-Eyes! I was getting really worried there but I now see that there is no cause for concern. You are truly back after all this time! I’ve missed you so much!”

Patricia twirled her and then briefly leaned her back in a dip before bringing her back to her feet.

“Mwah!” Patricia exclaimed as she kissed her on the forehead and then released her. “Now go and get us a nice little sacrifice, preferably a child. We need to really push our little mouse. She needs to be broken and devoured or forged anew as one of us.”

“Yes, my lad-… I mean you got it, Snake!” Jade said and then with a little spin turned and walked from the room.