Chapter 10

Ell Evan

Hidden garden Space Station, CIC

“I knew things were going too well!” I mumbled.

Here I was, in armor looking at a representation of the PX2458 solar system with lot of red dots approaching the goldilocks zone where the gas giant orbit. Qualia is a moon almost the same size as Earth is, it is 40% water and the rest is just landmass with desert and jungles, great lakes could be seen too. Wish we could have gone there to relax, I always wanted to go camping.

“Do not despair, concentrate on the task given to you.” Fenicia advised her.

The Amazon’s eyes focused on the map, controlling the satellites all around the system to analyze the ships advancing toward the station. We could already tell thanks to the scans that by their size and form that they are all warships. We could even already devise their role in their formation; the heavy hitter’s, two dreadnoughts and three frigates are at the back with auxiliary ships charged with supplying and repair work. The vanguard consisting of fighters, scout and heavy scout ship is at the foremost position of the flotilla formation.

“You say that, but I don’t see how we are going to make it!” I screamed.

I tucked a bit of my blond hair behind my left ear, looking at the calm and imposing woman facing me. She has blue hair with a streak of white in them, Fenicia gold eyes looked with laser focus at the map. She made a serious face that was strangely attractive compared to the crazy look she often showed. The statuesque Alien female is donned in black power armor and frankly looked terribly beautiful and lethal. Her eyes focused on me after my outburst, a cunning and dangerous smile appeared slowly on Fenicia’s face. The hint of craziness was back in the golden orbs peering at me.

“We have 50/50 chance of blowing them up or getting blown up along with the station.” She said still smiling.

Fenicia went around the holo-table to face me, I watched her has she stood there looking at me as if she was judging me. She crossed her arms under her breastplate and nodded.

“Things may look bad but at least if you die today, you will live free. Isn’t that the most important thing, after everything you have undergone?”

That stopped my pathetic whining. Fenicia was right. If I died today, I would do it while I was my own person!

“Nobody can give you Freedom if you are a woman, YOU TAKE IT.” Fenicia said with gusto.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself, my dear!” A voice said from behind us.

I turned toward the door of the room that slid with a “whoosh” behind Idunn who walked with confidence to us. Her usual tight fitting white bodysuit covered her lithe and petite form. There was a black belt on her waist, heavy with equipments and a lightweight black pistol in an ornate black holster decorated with wavy silver lines.

“I see that you have everything in hand.”

“Idunn, I thought that we agreed that you need to be in the shuttle?” Said Fenicia with a dangerous tone and she tapped her foot against the floor, her irritation bleeding into her otherwise calm demeanour.

I looked at her and her blank face belied the simmering anger, now boiling rage that I felt under Fenicia’s skin. Placing myself between them to avoid an altercation I interrupted. “She must have a good reason, Idunn doesn’t strike me as a frivolous person.”

The relationship between those two has always been weird ever since I’ve known them. Fenicia, even if she is sometimes uncaring, blunt and focused has begun to change her behaviour while around Idunn. Her attitude thaw out, becoming warmer towards Idunn and it feels like she needs some form of physical contact, but refrains from asking for it, or giving it herself ... I know it’s not romance or sex, but more like something between parents and child. Fenicia seems at a loss about what to do. I’m missing something, but I’m sure I’ll pick it up later. Fenicia’s gaze seemed to bore through me, not even caring about what I said. That female alien is intense sometimes. I turned, only to see Idunn smiling, she strutted sexily toward me, pushing me out of the way, and faced the tall Amazon. I don’t know what she did, but Fenicia let go of her anger and returned to the holo-table with Idunn behind her.

I felt unimportant suddenly, like a third wheel.

<No you aren’t my dear.>

My eyes found Idunn who was seated at the communication-console very close to the holo-table.

Forgot you are a psionic...

<They always do.> And I heard her laugh maniacally in my head.

Mental speak has always been a weird experience for me, not everyone possess natural mental barriers. Telepath often have unrestricted access to unguarded minds, and not a lot of people can afford the training to shield themselves. I heard that people can become psionics though, with a good gene splicing operation in V. I. space, but it’s not cheap. Money make the galaxy goes round, maybe if I survive all this bullshit I will be able to get a good splicing for heavy worlds and psionics abilities. Splicing genes has become the norm in the human sphere, anyone can look the way they want to, be tall, short, muscular, even have a different skin color. Those are the changes that are less costly. But splicing genes for mental acuity, memory or complex multitasking becomes astronomical. Then splicing for psionics has become rather pricey.

<We could do it after this situation is resolved.>

That would be grand, Director!

I don’t know why she is spoiling me this much, but why say no? Who could say no to free augments by an Assurian genius scientist? Not me.

Fenicia’s mood suddenly plummeted, from my vantage point I could see her face distorting in a sneer. Her fist hit on the holo-table, I thought she was about to destroy it but it absorbed the shock and didn’t even budge. Idunn, didn’t seem surprised by her outburst and stayed seated in comfort.

“Fuck. I don’t know how they did it, but they disabled the minefield! They are passing unimpeded.”

Oh, we are fucked.

Suddenly an electronic chime resounded in the direction of Idunn, the communication console holo-interface glowed yellow. A sign that someone is hailing us.

“Ah just on time!” Idunn chirped in a singsong voice.

The petite woman touched the interface and the holo-screen appeared while elongating. The face of a black haired woman wearing dark goggles appeared, she had an air of authority, an austere atmosphere hung around her...

“This is the VIS Sundance, Owner code 01 protocol 66 execute 96.”

Acknowledged. Protocol 66 activated, lock down on all civilian and centurion access.

The screen shut off. Yep totally fucked.

“Mom! What did you do?!” Screamed Fenicia.

Oh, so that’s what was going on, now that I know this I can see the resemblance, the same crazy eyes and delicate face. But the difference in stature is really weird, Fenicia is a giant female Amazon and Idunn a curvy little woman.

Taking my tablet from my belt, I tried to access Sandra but I just had the basic functionality on it. The OS, entertainment, basic communication and some private app. And nothing else.

“Do you know who that was, Fenicia?” Idunn calmly asked her daughter while threading the fingers of her hands and supporting her head.

She looked expectantly at Fenicia.

“Our death.” The Amazon facepalmed.

Idunn looked like she was disappointed and her gaze found mine, my brain went into overdrive. I thought and thought. And it finally clicked why the Assurian woman was so calm. It made me laugh and laugh. Fenicia looked at me as if I was crazy. The look on her face was priceless.

I’ve seen the woman on the screen earlier. And I know now that we are not going to die, after having a good laugh I went to one of the consoles and sagged into one of the seats.

Sigh.

Kisora Suimei

Bridge of the VIS Sundance, PX2458, Year 456 of the unified Alliance

“The minefield has been deactivated, ma’am.” I reported to Vice-Sama.

Being a pilot and Special Agent attached to the security of the most important person in V. I. space has its perks. Free and Experimental Augments, adventures, fucking people up. I really like to fuck people up.

“What a nasty little trap, Idunn’s daughter is a rather devious person.” The Madame said matter of factly, she is seated on the command chair, looking straight ahead.

Rays of light come and go on the glasses of her Star Gazer, a Nano-built portable ocular interface. A similar device was incrusted in the arm of her black and green body suit.