Chapter 12

Helena T. Vice

Hidden Garden space station, central plaza

It was hard to contain my laughter when I saw what happened to the place and to Sharah’s team, I saw it happen on the time stream but also on camera. Maybe I should have told her how it was going to happen, but my forecast of the future is rather dodgy lately or is it because of outside influence? I know that the seer of the Shdeveri Empire is still battling for control of the stream.

Sharah is one of the few people with the touch of precognition that I could find on earth. When I was interested in her, her mother quasi sold her services to me and since she is so devoted. But lately she has been getting cocky, maybe this experience will give her a lesson. I touched a command on my gauntlet and the bodies of the fallen centurion disappeared in a flash of light, teleported in the nearest med bay on the Sundance. They will live, and will be handy in furthering my plan concerning the Half-breed. She is the crux on furthering my influence and some minor incidents that could seriously cripple my Dominion. Into avoiding them that is. The more I approached the more I felt someone brush at the edge of my psychic shield. Its delicate touch and presence told me it was Idunn, no one else would dare. One of my guard used telekinesis to sweep the debris and shrapnel from the ground where I was about to walk. Looking at the damage it’s going to cost money on the budget of the station to make it pretty again. I let Idunn in my thought, lowering a bit my psychic shield.

<You are late, Helena.>

[I was busy watching the little drama unfold.] I laughed.

<Laugh all you want, your Sharah was too heavy handed and caused all this troubles.>

I sighed, Idunn is not in the right frame of mind to listen to me. We were before them suddenly, seeing the monstrous form of Fenicia Kranicar made me smile. Her perfect warrior form in the future superimposed to the one here in the present. And well, she looked even more deadly.

<Oh it’s nice, you see it. Then I shall do my best to realize it.>

And this is why having powerful Alien Telepath as friend is dangerous, Idunn isn’t stopped by “Ethics”. To her it’s something pretty that we human invented to give us good conscience. I found that I agree, seeing the mass of people able to do anything for rewards and advancement. Fortunately she isn’t herself a monster, she uses clones for experimentation.

[Idunn we have to talk about your daughter.]

<I know what you are going to say, and using my flesh and blood to further your goals does not sit well with me. I just got her back, Helena and you want to take that away from me? After all I did for you?>

[I stop you right here, my friend. We have a long and fruitful partnership and I am happy to have you in my inner circle Idunn. But, I have people to save, tragedies to avoid and the very life of one of my daughter hanging in the balance.]

That shut her up.

Idunn looked at me with a rather shocked face, she helped me bear daughters after I was essentially barren. And she knows how much I love them and how dangerous I can be when their well being is at stake.

And in the time stream I can see that Fenicia will help the one concerned survive. The warrior formed Fenicia closed her eyes and her form suddenly shifted, slowly shrinking. The weapons of my centurions were still trained on her. They are not taking any chance with her. Her normal form appeared and she was essentially half naked, her bountiful bosom exposed.

“Idunn, keep her modest please.” I said out loud.

And like magic she took out her usual white lab coat from her tool belt and covered her daughter with it. That little woman is always prepared, that is why trying to get the drop on her is so difficult. Fenicia stumbled, her super soldier friend caught her and eased her on the ground. It seems that she is weakened.

“I think that she is out, we will speak when we are in a better environment. Shall we go on my ship?” I proposed.

VIS Sundance, captain lounge

“Ah, this is better indeed.”

At ease on the red sofa with a cup of tea in my hand, I blew on it. The surface of the tea rippled and sent delicious waft of Darjeeling to my olfactory organ. I drank and the sweet herbal sensation exploded on my tongue. It made me sigh in contentment.

“So where were we? Oh, right. I am going to make your daughter my subordinate.” I said to three people facing me on the other sofa.

Idunn had her daughter’s head on her lap while her feet are on the female super soldier thighs. She was laying there sleeping without a care with her mother caressing her hair like a human would a prized pet.

“Ma’am, I don’t think you know Feni. She will shut you down, the proof is that she already tried to flee.” The super soldier said.

I can see it in the time stream, her refusing me. The soldier is right, but ... what happen if I dangle her mother in front of her? Her giving in but killing me five years later ... This is tricky. This girl can hold a grudge, so I decide another avenue.

“Mayhap yes, but I do want her to work for me.” I answered.

“I cannot let her run away, a lot depend on her and the nanites package inside her is bonded to her. She is essentially one of my subjects now, Idunn what do you say? I will tell you everything if you help me convince her.”

The little white haired alien woman was thinking, about the pros and cons or even how to get out of that situation. Idunn is crafty like that, seeing her making that pensive face remind me when she thought of disseminating a viral agent to kill off a whole research station to get at their data. Crossing elegantly my leg I proceed to sip on my tea waiting for my friend to come to a decision. I even had the time to follow the diagnostic and the treatment of Sharah and her team by my chief medic on the com screen. The super soldier squirmed when my gaze fell onto her, what a delightful creature.

“I have come to a decision, Helena.” Idunn finally said.

“Oh, pray tell?” I answered suddenly interested.

But we were interrupted when the door opened with a “woosh” and a young woman entered the lounge. She is a petite woman and has blonde hair in a shag. Her eyes glowed with the electric hue of cybernetics, a soft smile on her face made her pleasant to look at. The young woman wore a black bodysuit with a tool belts not dissimilar to Idunn’s with the difference that she had also a pistol strapped to her left thigh in a holster.

The alien woman turned her head toward her and laughed.

“Fa.”

“Aunty.” She said with a musical voice.

And she looked at me. “Mother.” And inclined briefly her head in deference. I am proud of how well I educated her.

“I have come to ... wait, what is that tension I feel?” She asked.

Fa like all my daughters is a psionic and an exceptional empath, she looked at me, then to Idunn and at the super soldier. Being a meddler like yours truly, I didn’t find it surprising that Fa chose to sit in the sofa with me and declare.

“What is happening here, and why is there a sleeping beauty on aunt’s lap?”

And this is how Idunn recapitulated the entire affair and I find my daughter glaring at me. Woe is me, being a leader I always have to tread on the toes of others. My daughter took entirely control of the conversation and began speaking with Idunn about her daughter and about where she is from, what happened to her, how she found her again. And the entire time Fa devolved into a crying mess, and was lost in the story of how Idunn and Fenicia reunited.

“Mother I think you are being too heavy handed with this situation, you should let me take care of it.” She declared, putting a hand on my shoulder.

My daughter is a master manipulator, if I say no she will find a way to thwart me behind my back even though I have precognition. I don’t know how but she sometimes can make me blind to the time stream when she decides on something.

“Take care of it.”

I made Idunn and the super soldier come with me and left Fa with Fenicia.

***

Fenicia

I felt a presence and it woke me from the embrace of the sweet darkness. My strength recovered gradually as well has my confidence, but I am starving. I could easily eat Zarins*(a sort of Lizard raised for meat on Saryna). I realized that I am half naked, it does bother me but for my peace of mind I chose to hide my chest by buttoning up the ... lab coat? It smells like mom. I inhaled and felt at peace. I see ... suddenly I’ve become rather dependant. I chose to look at my host, and she looked like a human teenager. In fact I think she is one, Frowning I looked at her right thigh. There is a pistol strapped to it, maybe I am fast enough to take it from her.