Nadine did a happy dance across the platform that connected the rocket Ariane II to the launch pad. She was now the proud owner of another Fendi Handbag.

The controller team had doubted her predictions on the latest World Cup matches, and now they would pay. The team that followed her toward the capsule all had amused smiles on their faces as she did her now-famous evil scientist laugh.

Their pink-hatted nineteen-year-old boss had brought new energy to the space program. The world had been amazed that in three short years since the Emperor announced Project Ney they were ready to send their first astronauts to orbit the moon. All knew that its success was because of the young girl who was greeting each of the technicians standing around the capsule personally.

Taking off her pink hard hat Nadine peered inside. She made a slight face as she watched technicians tighten the astronaut's shoulder harnesses. “So how are my three favorite Astronauts doing today? All ready for a little ride?”

“So far, so good, how’s our favorite scientist?” The Commander of the mission, Colonel Rebecca Cheever, and the second human into space grinned. “Did you get your new handbag?”

“Of course, like there was any doubt.” Nadine reached over her head and was passed a clipboard which she looked at it for a moment, signed the bottom then passed it back. “So folks, three orbits around the moon and back, easy as pie.”

“Don’t you wish you were coming?”

Nadine laughed. “Like they would let me, Robert, I don’t think they like me coming down here much less leaving the planet.” All of the rockets had been launched from the Imperial Space Center on the Canary Islands.

The mission engineer, Commander Robert Lanier, nodded; the young scientist’s security was said to be impressive. It was also known that she tended to ditch them on occasion how was anyone’s guess much to the frustration of the Imperial Secret Service.

“I read in the newspaper that you managed to slip out of some presentation in Naples to have a romantic dinner with the ‘Beautiful Josephine.’

Nadine blushed that had caused all sorts of problems, but it was a fun night. “Well I was told that my schedule didn’t permit a dinner with my intended. I decided that I needed a candlelit dinner with her more than another award.”

“Good for you.” Colonel Cheever understood it was hard enough for her to spend time with her own boyfriend; how Nadine managed, she didn’t know.

“Your Ladyship.” The youngest Astronaut, Captain Guillermo Pena, stumbled upon his words. “Are you going to give us your blessing?”

Nadine, raised to the peerage earlier in the year didn't quite know what to make with all of the honorifics much less the bowing.

“Call me Nadine, everyone does, and what do you mean by my blessing?”

The three Astronauts looked at one another. “Well, you know how you kind of speak to the rockets before each launch to tell us how it’s feeling. Well we all call it Nadine’s Blessing.”

It started as a joke between Nadine and Colonel Cheever on her first trip into space. The Colonel was a little apprehensive about the flight so Nadine spoke to the rocket to make sure that it would take care of her friend. Now all of the Astronauts believed when Nadine ‘spoke’ to the rocket it seemed to fly better.

Nadine looked surprised she had no idea it had become such a big thing. “Sure, Guillermo, it would be my pleasure.”

The officer looked relieved.

The world around Nadine stopped, calculations floated in the air around her and the rocket. After watching the Chinese first human-crewed mission into space explode on the launch pad, she swore that she would keep that from happening to her friends.

She didn’t fix anything, the Imperial Space Service was good at building rockets, but she gave a few things a gentle nudge. The rocket would now be more efficient, fly straighter, and hopefully bring everyone back in one piece.

“She says she's ready to take you to the moon and back.”

Fire blossomed on the once green planet below as the last of the Sun Bombs were released from the flotilla’s holds. Each plasma flash resulted in the vaporization of hundreds of thousands of lives.

Calculations estimated that in less than three hours, the Sun Bombs would eliminate all life down to the bacterial level on the planet Indus. Well above the explosions, the crew of the Battleship Redeemer watched their displays passively.

The death of billions was not a time of rejoicing, even if it was killing heretics. The teachings of the One taught that such creatures should be pitied, not hated.

Proctor Alyssa Sidorov leaned over the railing overlooking the command deck. Her eyes missed nothing, giving out bits of praise to those who worked with zeal and stern judgments to those who could not. As spiritual leader and commander of the Redeemer, she had been a figure of calm in an otherwise harrowing day.

“Proctor Sidorov, I have a question.”

“Yes, Brother Leon.” She looked down at the red and black-robed man who sat in front one of the firing consoles for the ship. He had a troubled expression on his face.

“I am concerned, not everyone on Indus could have embraced the heretical teachings. Why must the innocent die alongside the guilty?”

She smiled. “A good question, indeed, I too worried about the innocent. When those thoughts bother me, I lean upon scripture. Remember, Brother Leon, our teachings tell us that the One will know its own. Those heretics who now sleep in the cold of the abyss were not joined by the faithful. No they were embraced by the light and ascended to paradise as they shed their worldly bodies.”

Most of the command group nodded, they too knew the scriptures and felt solace in what they were doing. It was like the ancient removal of limbs to keep infection from spreading. You cut away the infected parts and often some healthy parts, but it was a sacrifice to save the whole.

“Well isn’t that pretty, look at them heretics burn.” A voice broke the pious moment.

Alyssa turned to find a tall, dark-haired man in the white and gold of the Home guard standing at the edge of the command bridge. He stood tall and straight admiring the deadly blossoms that were blooming all over the planet below. Four others in white and gold stood behind him, his honor guard; they were all well-armed.

The crew, for the most part, ignored them. Proctor Sidorov would have loved to have ignored him as well or better stuffed him out an airlock but he was the liaison between the secular and religious part of the government.

She pushed a few buttons on her command console then gave a theatric sigh. “Major Unbar, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

The tall man said to be from aristocratic blood, smiled a smile bereft of warmth. The two factions traditionally had not gotten along, but relations had gotten worse since the religious factions began to arm themselves starting ten years ago.

Military commanders learned quickly not to depend on the black and red robes unless it fits nicely into their views on the scripture.

“Proctor Sidorov, you have been a busy girl. You forced the council’s hand when you came forward with the heretical evidence on Indus.”

“Do I speak in the language of serpents Major? The corruption bred true, and it had to be cut.”

Major Unbar rolled his eyes, the Proctors always dropped into the language of the ancients when they wanted to argue. They were all insane. “Truth or not, Proctor Sidorov, there are many who believe you overstepped your authority. “

“The One knows my true worth.”

The Major reached over and scratched his beard. With another hand, he released the catch on his plasma pistol. The situation was going to get ugly in a few seconds, and he was glad he had brought back up.

Withdrawing the deadly weapon, he pointed it at the Proctor’s head. “Well whatever you think, there is now Civil War among the factions. So Proctor Alyssa Sidorov, with the power invested in me from the President pro tem of the New Republic I arrest…”

The Major’s body hit the floor before he could finish along with his honor guard. Moments later from the shadows, a half a dozen fully armored Paladins of the Inner circle approached Proctor Alyssa Sidorov and knelt as one.

Alyssa gave the Paladins a warm smile; they were such good boys conditioned to only follow the orders of the One, and currently that voice was hers. As she walked off the bridge with her honor guard in tow she commanded. “Sister Tasha take the squadron out of orbit and make way for Yana V”

“Proctor Sidorov, if they wish a Holy War, we will give it to them.” Sister Tasha said with a proud voice. Alyssa turned and looked at the command crew. They all stood there, smiling.

Donning the grey of the faithful, Alyssa confirmed with the other commanders that the purge of the heretics had gone as planned. She knew well before the warrant was issued for her arrest that such a day was coming.

She had prepared for it long before Major Unbar had ever stepped on-board the Redeemer. Many of the faithful commented that she was a true prophet of the One; she seemed to possess the gift of foresight. Alyssa knew the gift was not hers but the one she lovingly called Master.

She knelt down in a small prayer cubical inside her room. “Master, have I done well?”

As she spoke pleasure came rolling over her like fire. She had known the pleasure of the flesh before. The One demanded children, and she had birthed two children as custom dictated then handed them over to the crá¨che for education. No this was different from deep inside.

He didn’t even talk to her at first. Just ripples of pleasure came when she acted a certain way. If she failed, pleasure would still come, but it was like a shadow leaving her painfully yearning for more.

When he spoke to her for the first time, she knew it was a being of the highest order. A creature of the abyss would not use pleasure for rewards but pain and suffering as the scripture dictated.

It was wise and helped her move forward within the Hierarchy. With its influence the religions factions had gained enough power to stand against the unbelievers of the Council.

“You have done well, my disciple, the heretics of the Council will soon be thrown down, and a new age will dawn.” Proctor Sidorov writhed on the ground, her body wracked with pleasure. She was well aware she was enthralled with this being, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was the pleasure.

The beast in her laughed.

The Black Fleet slipped quietly through the remains of the star system’s picket ships to settle into high orbit around the planet Minco VII. Long years had passed since the start of the Holy Crusade. Gone were the days of pity for the heretics, those feelings were smothered as their own cities burned and when they watched their comrades die around them. Minco VII was nothing more than a nest of heretics that needed to be eliminated. The crews were no longer concerned for the faithful that remained on the planet they should have left or martyred themselves long ago.

High See Alyssa Sidorov sat in the command chair overlooking the bridge of the Flagship Redeemer. Mistress of the Black Fleet and Holy Mother on the new Blessed Council; to those around her, she was the reason any of them were left sane.

She was always there with a warm word, a touch giving out gentle reminders of why they were there and that there was still a job to do. They would have assaulted the gates of Paradise for her if she asked.

“Bring the Bomb-ship One’s Justice on station please.”

Sun Bombs were no longer the weapons of choice. The technology had become much more precise. Targets with the correct DNA markings would simply die. There was always some collateral damage, but it left enough, so when the faithful arrived the survivors would be assimilated easily.

The bright light of shields overloading and collapsing got everyone’s attention as the Bomb-ship One’s Justice shook itself apart.

“What in the black abyss was that?”

“Eight Swiftstride Class Destroyers.” A calm voice cut through the chatter. “Breaking away at two-thirds light speed, seems they are passing right through the fleet and out the other side.”

There was some admiration in the speaker’s voice for that tactic. The destroyers had dropped at least sixteen torpedoes into the unsuspecting Bomb-ship.

“Their timing was impeccable and improbable; where did they come from?” Alyssa called from the command chair.

“No idea your Excellency, they are too large to be cloaked unless the Republic had a breakthrough recently.”

She looked at another robed figure shaking his head. “No, we would have heard something about it.” So far the factions have found the best use of the limited technology was to create invisible minefields.

“Your Excellency, we have a call on one of the old Republic frequencies asking us to stand down.” The communications officer turned in her chair, obviously surprised at the request.

“We have another force, eight light hours away near the southern jump point. It’s rather light, must be a blocking force.”

“That communication can’t be eight hours old.” The communications officer commented, “They couldn’t have known precisely when their destroyers would have attacked.”

Alyssa stood up. “I don’t like this one bit. Helmsmen order the fleet to break orbit into Blessed Formation Six. We are going to head towards the nearest jump point. Let’s get some maneuvering room.”

“Main body two light hours away two degrees off Galactic Center. “

The entire deck stopped talking

“I have sixteen Strike Class Cruisers, nine Lighting Class Heavy Cruisers and six Sabre Class Battleships.”

There was a pause; one ship stood out among the Republic formation. “Confirmation one of the new Titan Class Dreadnaughts. Your Excellency it’s the Grenadier.”

It was an overwhelming force over twice the size of her Black Fleet.

“That’s impossible even Admiral Andropov can’t sneak up on someone in space.”

The commander of the Grenadier was known as a brilliant tactician, but this went beyond the norm. High See Alyssa Sidorov brought up her command screens around her touching the air and aligning them so she could get the bigger picture. She frowned; some of the slower ships might be left behind, but none of them were ready to face the impossible today.

“Your Excellency, the main body disappeared.”

Alyssa closed her eyes and nodded. “All ships prepare to engage the enemy.”

Master I need you.

--0—

The Black Fleet had been a malevolent force since the war with the religious factions began. No other formation had caused so much sorrow covering itself with the blood of billions. Its commander, High See Alyssa Sidorov, was considered to be a creature from the Abyss. All of the men and women in the Hunter Killer Fleet were willing to give their lives to stop this menace.

“Admiral Captain Carter wishes to rejoin the fleet.” An amused communication officer passed the word to their beloved Admiral. Captain Carter, the commander of the flotilla that destroyed the Bomb-Ship, was itching to rejoin the fight.

“I don’t think so, Ivan.” Mikael Andropov laughed. “Tell him a job well done and to take up station with the blocking force. If everything goes to pot he might still get another crack at them.”

“I’m hoping you’re right, little lady, that thing can’t do what you’re doing.”

The Admiral didn’t even bother to turn and face the young girl in the all-white Victorian looking outfit. The fleet’s maneuvers were well beyond their current technology, and everyone knew it, but no one was going to complain.

“No, its powers work on the spirit, the emotions, and the intellect. Its cancer has spread throughout most of the religious factions I am sorry to say.” The Spiritual Detective leaned forward. “So your life has changed just a little bit since you were a school teacher pulling kids out of a burning bus.”

No one on the bridge could hear the conversation or even see the Spiritual Detective.

Admiral Mikael Andropov smiled. He could barely remember when he was a young woman, a school teacher just out of college on her first field trip with her 5th grade English class. Being thrust into a world thousands of years into her future had been if nothing else interesting. “I never had a chance to truly thank you for this life…err...”

“It’s Alice.” The Spiritual Detective gave a small giggle.

“Really? OK, Alice, thank you.” The admiral raised his voice so the entire command deck could hear. “All right, ladies and gentlemen. Once more into the Breach.”

They all cheered as the fleet entered real space.

Plasma cannons, lance torpedoes, and other types of man-made hell had wrecked several ships on both sides. The Black Fleet still had taken the brunt of the attack.

The first pass pulverized most of the lighter escorts and leaving three of the five heavy cruisers disabled, but it was the new Projectile Cannon on the Grenadier that had done the most damage.

With its shields failing, a devastating shot had penetrated the heavy frontal armor of the Battleship Hierophant destroying half the ship. Wrecked beyond repair, crews on both sides watched the crippled vessel fall out of formation.

High See Alyssa Sidorov pulled up several damage control screens. She knew a couple of more passes like that would finish them. The Black Fleet was still trying to make the best possible speed to the closet jump point, but its commander was sure that no one was going to make it.

“Master why don’t you help me?”

“Why”

“Because I am your Disciple.” Alyssa was becoming a little frantic, somehow the Republic ships were able to turn and start another pass. It went beyond the laws of the universe, such technology was impossible.

“I can always get another Disciple, Alyssa, your death will serve a better purpose.”

“I don’t understand.” Ignoring her Master for a moment, the commander of the Black Fleet ordered her battery commanders to concentrate their fire on the Grenadier. “Let’s see if we can knock out that cannon.”

“Your martyrdom will cause a shockwave throughout all of the religious factions. It will be a greater call to war. The galaxy will burn for generations. Don’t worry, foolish child. This is none of your concern anymore. She thinks she will be able to capture me, but soon you will be gone, and so will I.” Alyssa was suddenly unable to move, and inside, her spirit began to scream as the beast devoured it.

High See Alyssa Sidorov’s prediction proved true; by the third pass, the Black Fleet was a flying wreck. Very few ships remained in action.

“Admiral Sir, it’s the Redeemer.” All eyes turned to the screens as internal explosions began to rock the great ship.

“I don’t see any escape pods.”

“No, Sir, they are all going down with the ship.”

“Madness.” The Redeemer suddenly lit up like a star; its engines overloading, taking out several damaged escorts with her violent death.

“Sir, the Black Fleet, some of the Captains are asking to surrender.”

The battle had been anything but a battle. It had been an execution leaving most of them sick to their stomachs.

“Give them mercy, Ivan, by the One I have seen enough blood to last a lifetime.”

No one who took part in the battle with the Black Fleet on either side would remember the strange maneuverings, but historians would all agree that a simple offer of mercy brought an end to the bloody fighting far sooner than expected.

Mikael turned to thank their savior, but he stopped, seeing disappointment in the Spiritual Detective’s eyes.

“It escaped, it seems I will need her help after all.”

“Is there anything?”

“No, Mikael. “ Alice reached over and kissed him on the cheek. “Have a good life if we do not meet again.”

Then she was gone.