When the insanely intense light faded, our enemy was nowhere to be seen. Only a tattered and severely torn, ancient flightsuit lay crumpled on the ground at the center of our circle.
“Guan.” Mom said sadly as she stepped over to the discarded garment, carefully picked it up, and read the name.
With one last ear shattering, maddened howl from our detained enemy, everything suddenly quieted. We all turned to our next target. It had disappeared and an alarm suddenly sounded in the huge bay.
“The Decom alarm! We have to get out of here!” Dell shouted.
We all broke into a sprint for the nearest airlock as the mysterious shuttle that had started the invasion began to initiate its propulsion systems.
Fighting the inrush of atmosphere as we accessed the door, I turned to see the shuttle hovering and begin to move away toward the outer bay door. Our quarry was getting away!
“Chance! Get that pretty butt through the door before we all join that shuttle in space!” Lokust shouted over the outrushing air.
With a last look to the escaping craft that I hoped promised ‘we’d meet again’, I pulled myself to safety and Lokust slammed and sealed the airtight door.
“I’m sorry, M’ladies. I was too late in overriding the hangar bay door controls. I monitored quite the Current surge though, and am very impressed by the data!” Lady Charli responded over our comm.
“It got away, dad!” I pointed out tersely.
“Correction, M’lady. Only one got away. Whereas there were three when they arrived. That counts as a VERY successful mission in the Witch Corps books!”
“Now it’ll be three times harder to find him!” I argued angrily. “Can we track its course, Lady Charli?”
“Until it’s out of Mare’s passive sensor range or until it heads around a star and uses it to mask its escape.”
“Surviving Mare de Tempest crew count.” I asked changing tack.
“Sensors indicate four-thousand, twenty-three humanoid personnel out of ten-thousand, fifty-four on the roster, M’lady.”
“Lets get back to base.” I said sadly looking at the hangar door before I turned to jog in the direction of my quarters.
 
 
“Chance?” Mom asked as she caught up to me then tried to slow me down by gently taking my arm. “Honey, you had to realize we weren’t going to rescue them all.”
“It doesn’t make things any better. We didn’t even get a chance to haul the casualties out of the freight hangar before that monster decompressed it and left! How many were even in there? I know I didn’t have a chance to count.”
“Honey, I don’t quite know how to explain this, but there was nobody in there when the hangar spaced. We didn’t trip over a one running for the airlock. Didn’t you notice?” Mom countered; a look of complete confusion on her face.
“Then where did they all go? Did we reabsorb them?”
“You tell us, M’lady. The Hexagram was your idea. I told you that we never tried it before.”
“Lady Charli, can you close the hangar and pressurize?” I asked suddenly having a ‘feeling’.
“Accessing. Hangar is closing to space and will have a stable atmosphere in ten minutes, M’lady.”
“Chance?” Mom asked curiously as I stopped and turned around.
“I know that look, Lady Hope. Lady Chance has had one of her... ‘feelings’. It usually means the Current has or will do something. I guess you could call it ‘Current Clairvoyance’.” Lokust explained as the others fell back in with us.
“Current Clairvoyance? Where do you kids come up with these terms?”
“Lady Hope, Chance claims she can sense when and where Current is and what may happen because of it…in regard to the nearest of futures…the next several hours.” Dell…Artemis explained. “Even in your time, I think that qualifies as prophesy.”
“Or just happenstance.” Mom giggled.
“Huh?” We all chorused.
Mom rolled her eyes.
“Never mind. Hmmmpf, kids these days.” She huffed in annoyance.
“Hangar status.” Mom demanded as we arrived at the airlock door.
I cleared my throat as we waited for dad’s reply.
“Forgive me, M’lady.” Mom apologized while blushing.
“Lady Charli? What she said.” I giggled despite mom’s glare.
“Atmosphere is ninety-eight percent, but safe and breathable. Enter when ready, M’ladies.”
As mom had claimed, the hangar was devoid of any bodies. I found that curious, as they had been laying two or three deep in some areas before our hexagram and the decompression.
Where had all the unconscious people gone?
I decided to turn on my ‘Current sight’ and began scanning the deck around me.
I was astounded!
Hundreds of bright orange ‘spheres’ dotted the deck. Something told me these were our recovered crewmates.
“Everyone! Use your Current sight. There are hundreds of what I think are Current ‘stasis pods’ just under the deck! Go back to the areas we were fighting in and ‘ask’ your Current if it will release our crewmates from them. Assure your Current that the hangar is secure.”
It was a gamble, but if what I sensed were true, a few thousand people would be alive. Flying to my own battle area, I asked my Current to do what it could…release as many as possible. I also asked if it could maybe recombine any partials it found parts for.
I pointed my wand at the first ‘pod’ and asked my Current to activate.
After the intense blue plasma ball dispersed, I gasped at what was revealed!
“Mother of God! This isn’t possible!” Mom exclaimed in a loud, disbelieving, cry. “Chance?”
I hurried over to the unconscious people heaped into a pile, separated them, and felt for pulses.
“It works!” I declared happily. “Everyone! Get to your zones and ask your Current to release and possibly recover our missing crewmates. Recombine the partials if the parts can be found!”
Intense blue flashes filled the huge hangar for almost a half an hour. In that amount of time we had recovered almost twelve hundred of our unfortunate crewmates. Several needed emergency triage for missing hands, feet, fingers, toes and ears. A few were missing other ‘peripherals’.
“Lady Chance.” Lokust called. I looked over to see her staring, hand shading her eyes, to the deck where one very large, very bright ‘pod’ blazed intensely.
“What should we do with this one?” She asked before she looked to a certain spot, walked a hundred feet to her left, and worked something free of the deck.
“Lady Kitty. I believe this is one of yours?” She offered the throwing star up to our ‘sister’. “Wait! If this is where…then that…” She pointed at the brightest of ‘pods’. “That must be where…” Her voice trailed off as we all moved closer.
“You don’t think…?” I let the question drop. This was the location of our greatest triumph…the place we defeated one of mom’s ex-confederates. Astronaut Guan.
“After a thousand years, M’lady? I highly doubt there would be anything left. You’ve seen what only a day has done to the crew.” Mom answered sadly.
“Let’s try.” I suggested trying to display as much hope as I could, given the dire circumstances. Just looking around at all the people we had been able to recover filled me with hope. Plus, a certain ‘feeling’ hinted that trying wasn’t a bad idea.
“Everyone. We’ll all concentrate on this large ‘pod’. Lady Hope? I’d like you to also think about Guan when asking your Current to reconstruct the conscripts.”
“With all due respect, I’m not sure I want to recover her, M’lady.” Mom countered caustically. “She has caused enormous damage and death over the centuries. If you intend on bringing her to justice, I would submit that leaving her to the Current would be far more humane.”
“Committing anyone to eternal damnation is not our priority, nor duty, Lady Hope.” I said calmly. “If she can be recovered as my Current sense is indicating, shouldn’t we try? Maybe, if actually cognizant in the Current, she might have learned her lesson and is amicable to repent? One life is just as important to save as any other, after all.”
Mom looked at me intently for some time. I couldn’t tell if she was considering what I had said or just me.
“M’lady, if Lady Chance feels it is possible then I am willing to follow her lead.” Lokust took a step forward and spoke directly to mom. “Even if a known criminal’s life is involved.”
“Sir. I’m afraid I must agree with our Exec.” Kitty stepped forward and stood to attention.
Artemis stepped forward and also stood to attention. “M’lady, though resembling my grandmother, Goddess Artemis, I agree that we should at least try. To not would be cold and excessively cruel.”
“Speaking from firsthand experience,” Simone stepped to and went to attention, “no one should be made to intentionally experience what I felt while conscripted. Evil or not.”
Mom stared at us for a few more minutes, her mouth slightly open. Finally she closed her mouth and nodded.
“We’ll try, but I urge caution. There is no knowing what might happen.”
“Duely noted, Lady Hope. Shall we? On three then.” I said after receiving a nod from each of my ‘sisters’.
The intensity of the light was still blinding with my eyes closed and my free hand tightly over my eyes. Only when it decreased significantly, did I lower my hand. Slowly, I opened my eyes. I was again astounded by what met them.
Even though we had left one hundred feet between each of us and the huge ‘pod’, bodies, stacked two deep, lay right at our feet! There had to be hundreds of people here!
We quickly began to sort and check each for life signs. This was going to take a while.
Some of the bodies wore different clothes and uniforms than were known to us.
A few looked centuries out of date!
 
 
“M’ladies! You should see this!” Lokust shouted excitedly as she dropped to her knees and reached her hand into the pile of humanoids.
“He might still be alive! Help me pull him out.”
Lokust had all but pulled this particular victim from the pile by the time we arrived. Seeing the six-foot-plus figure made Kitty gasp and she hurriedly got down to check his vitals.
“He’s alive, but his pulse is weak.” She alerted us.
“Allow me, Lady Kitty.” Mom urged as she knelt down to our Captain’s body. She rubbed her hands together and, after seeming to meditate, placed her hands to his broad, firm, muscular chest. A dim blue light engulfed her hands and seemed to absorb into Serangetti’s tan and white-striped fur.
He began to stir as we all looked in amazement toward mom.
“Hey, Chance did it to me! I’m just seeing if I could repay the favor.” She said with a smile as the Lynxin began to stir. Gasping a few times his hand instantly shot up, but Lokust’s hand shot out of nowhere to grasp it.
“Do all Lynxin wake up this way?” She glared at Kitty intently.
Serangetti’s eyes snapped open and he focused on what was restricting his arm. His eyes widened as he took in Lokust, arm outstretched fully and still impossibly countering his effort.
“How?”
“Capt. Serangetti. Lady Hope, Witch Corps, we’re here to remedy your little infestation problem.” Mom introduced.
“Witch Corps? Buuuu…” He started relaxing his arm. Lokust released it.
“Yes, we still exist, Kimbou.” She assured pleasantly.
“Sinae?” He asked in amazement as he looked around at us, but focused specifically on Kitty.
Again his eyes widened as he noticed something different about her- besides the Witch Corps uniform.
“You…your…your tail…” He stuttered, astounded by it nervously twitching while swinging sinuously back and forth behind her.
Kitty blushed.
“Lady Kitty, I think he recognizes you.” Lokust giggled.
“Captain Kimbou Serangetti has the appropriate clearances, Lady Kitty.” Dad said over our comms.
“Thank you, Lady Charli. Sir, if you are able. Please follow me.” Kitty said as she offered her hand.
Once clasped firmly, Kitty pulled the Captain to standing, but kept her grip tight. Both began floating and slowly flew up to Dell’s office.
What fur not covered by Capt. Serangetti’s amazingly intact uniform was standing straight and stiff!
“Huh. I never took her for a show-off.” I said sarcastically with a grin as we began to sift through the pile of unconscious bodies again.
 
 
I happened to be looking toward Lokust’s location across the thinning pile as she stopped and stared.
“M’ladies?”
“What is it, Lady Lokust?” Mom and I asked at the same time.
“I have a…slight…wow! You just have to see this!”
As we neared, Lokust pointed to a separate little ‘pod’ she had just uncovered. Strangely, this one was pulsing slowly with a blue glow.
“What do you think? Open it or steer clear?” She asked me. Four wands were defensively pointed at it.
“Is that a ‘life pod’?” Mom mumbled to herself, but loud enough we heard.
“A ‘life pod’? What do you mean, M’lady?” I asked while keeping up formalities as some of the recovered were already starting to awaken.
About a century ago the surviving members of the Corps began talking about survival protocols. A ‘life pod’ was something that seemed feasible. It was easy enough to conjure and, we theorized, used next to no Current to hold it. We never tried it though.”
“Apparently someone has.” I stated needlessly.
“Would you do the honors, Lady Hope?” I said as I stepped aside.
Mom regarded the pod hesitantly for a few minutes.
“Lady Hope?” I asked gently. “Is something the matter? Would you like my help?”
“I’m just wondering ‘who’ might be in there.” She replied quietly, tentatively.
“Well, we’ll never know if you don’t try.” Lokust pushed.
“M’lady! If Lady Hope is reluctant there is a good reason! You should not push her.” Artemis warned just as Kitty and Capt. Serangetti landed softly beside her.
“What is that thing?” Kitty gasped as she caught a glimpse of the glowing pod.
“What is what ‘thing’, Sin…Lady Kitty?” Serangetti asked, looking confused. From his standpoint there was nothing but unconscious people lying around us. Without Current sight he couldn’t see the pod.
“That.” Kitty pointed with one hand and conjured a pair of protective eyeware in her other. “Look through these, sir.” She suggested while handing them to him.
Serangetti gasped as he put the goggles on and began to look around like a tourist.
“Lady Hope calls it a ‘Life Pod’ and was about to open it. I suggest you, Captain, stand at a safe distance.” I recommended.
“Before I do, can I say how excited I am to finally meet the famous ‘Witch Corps’, and especially you, Lady Hope! As an adolescent kit I dreamed of meeting you and sharing in your adventures! I simply can’t believe this is happening!” Our captain confessed with youthful exuberance.
“Lady Chance is right though, Kimbou. Step back in case something does.” Mom advised. Is everyone ready?”
There was a ‘flash’ of activity beside me as Artemis drew her bow, Lokust unwound and snapped her whip, and Kitty ‘orbited’ four shurikens over her head, each member doing so within a fraction of a second.
Once again Capt. Serangetti’s eyes opened wide! He began to say something as mom began to speak the ‘enchantment’ that would open the so-called ‘life pod’. As she spoke the last word, mom held her wand at the pod, point facing the ceiling- 12 o’clock. She slowly turned her wand so that the point now faced ‘3 o’clock’ and gave it a slight push toward the pod then turned it slowly back to ‘High Noon’. The pod began to pulse faster until it emitted a constant blue glow. Slowly the blue glow enlarged and grew brighter.
When the light subsided we saw another unconscious, hopefully, body on the deck.
“Hoooooly shit!” Mom cursed as she went to her knees beside our newest recovery.
“Who is it, mom?” I asked, temporarily forgetting Corps protocol.
She swallowed hard before saying, “Chantell!”
“You’re kidding.” I gasped as mom leaned forward to check for a pulse.
“She alive!”
‘She’- ‘Chantell’- was fully clothed in her Corps uniform- complete with hat- wand held tightly to her belly with both hands.
“I thought Aunt Chantell died in a shuttle accident ten years ago, mom?”
“Twelve. I’m guessing Guan was the reason for the crash, M’lady. Lady Chantell! M’lady, can you hear me? Chantell!” Mom answered as she tried to rouse her returned comrade.
“Front and center, you lowly squid!” She said angrily when she got no response.
“Up…yers…Hope.”
Mom wrapped her arms around her returned teammate and hugged her fiercely, laughing and crying at the same time!
“Lady Chance? May I have a word?” Serangetti gently tapped my shoulder. I stepped away from the touching reunion a few feet.
“I couldn’t help hearing your conversation, my lady. You called Lady Hope ‘Mom’ and the Corps refers to you as ‘Lady Chance’.” He looked to the sides and took a deep breath. “Are you related to Specialist, First Class, Chance Summers? His sister perhaps?”
His eyes scanned me from head to toe multiple times. “Forgive me any rudeness as I’m not completely familiar with Terran sibling naming traditions.” He added.
“Lady Hope IS my mother, sir, and I AM Specialist, First Class, Chance Summers.” I answered proudly. “I have only recently reached my threshold.” I added as explanation- mainly to see how ‘well briefed’ he was.
Again his eyes widened as he ingested a very large amount of air.
“Hopewell? Where the Hell are we? An’ why on Earth’s green ass is there six sisters here? The Coven’s never been this big.”
“Well, Shan, a lot’s happened in the twelve years since you decided to crash the Corps’s only shuttle.”
“I didn’t crash the damned shuttle you hard-headed jarhead! I was attacked during re-entry…wait! Twelve years? It worked? The life boat spell actually worked?”
“DUH!” Mom glibbed sarcastically. “What about you being alive don’t you understand? Of course it worked!”
“One slight problem, M’lady. I seem to be having issue moving my legs.” ‘Chantell’ confessed.
“May I lend assistance, Lady Hope?” I asked as I came closer and knelt down opposite of mom.
Mom motioned to me with a smile.
“Lady Chantell, may I introduce our coven’s new high priestess, Lady Chance Summers. My daughter.”
“Little Chance? Noo! You can’t be ‘that’ Chance! Unless…” The woman’s face expressed sudden surprise.
“I reached threshold only thirty seven hours ago, M’lady.” I said bowing my head to her. “Now I will scan you to determine the problem.”
Moving my hand over her as I had seen mom do earlier, I found the failure. Concentrating on the location, I asked my Current to make the necessary repairs and placed my hand gently to her mid-back.
Warmth developed on my palm and then reflected into her skin. I had never felt anything like it before.
Chantell’s eyes widened as she twisted her head to look back at me. I noticed tears forming in her eyes.
“That should take care of the problem, M’lady. Could you try to move them?” I asked.
I smiled brightly as both legs seemed to be working normally.
“Can I help you stand, Lady Chantell?”
The woman smiled and began to hover off the ground, righted herself, and gently landed on the deck, on her legs.
“Still the flashy bitch, ay, Shan?” Mom giggled.
“Jealous much, Hope?”
“Of my daughter, yes! She’s exceeded all previously theorized limits.”
Chantell turned and stared at me critically. “No shit?”
“Not even a mouse turd!” Mom giggled.
Our returning teammate looked around once more.
You got Artie and Jules and…wait! You…you two…you two can’t be here! I watched you fall to your death!” She said pointing to Lokust. “And you! I saw one of them fucking Primarys whoop yer ass centuries ago! I attended your funeral, fer chrissakes!” She pointed to Sinae…Kitty as if seeing a ghost.
“Lady Lokust Grunfuller, our newest Mage of the Four Winds.” Mom pointed to Lokust, who bowed. “Lady Artemis Dell, Goddess of the Hunt.” She motioned to Dell, who also bowed.
“Lady Simone Gutteson-Redman, Royal Protector to the Norge Dynasty of Antarra- Grandaughter of Juliene Gutteson, Lady-in-wait to her Royal Highness Queen Norge!” Mom introduced regally.
Simone actually genuflected! She looked somewhat confused by her action though.
“My Lady! It’s quite the honor.” Chantell replied as Simone blushed deeply.
“And may I introduce her Royal Highness and rightful heir to the throne of FeLane, Princess Kitty Sinae.”
Kitty turned quickly to our captain and one of her claws ‘shiiinggged’ out at him.
Serangetti flinched uncontrollably.
“And you will say nothing or so help me, I will disembow you completely!”
Capt. Serangetti gulped loudly at the threat. “Of course, my lady! The secret will follow me into the next existence and beyond.”
Kitty slowly retracted her enhanced claw, smiled threateningly, and turned back to our recovered member.
“Welcome back, M’lady. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Kitty said pleasantly as she too, bowed.
“What?” Chantell gasped for no apparent reason.
“Charli? Why are you on comms? Where are you?” She grimaced.
“Oh, I see. Those cowardly bastards finally found a way… She what!?”
Chantell glared at mom.
“You saved yourself? You couldn’t teach Charli the incantation? Why, Hope?”
“Because I barely got through the damn thing before the Bio-Desolve reached us, Shan! Charlie insisted I go first. He wouldn’t listen to reason!”
“The Summers legacy had to continue, Shan. I felt Hope stood a better chance of helping Chance through her threshold ordeal. She’s the only one capable of understanding what was to come.” Dad…Lady Charli explained over all our comms.
“Hit the deck!” Artemis hissed, her expression suddenly serious. She had pulled, attached and nocked one of her arrows in a split second.
“Holyshitshesfast!” Chantell choked in amazement as she dropped to one knee, producing and pointing a pistol like Mom’s.
We all turned instantly and noticed several of the unconscious bodies moving a short distance away. Mom and I instantly hovered into the air with wands drawn!
“Ladies. Carefully move our recovered, but be on guard.” I said.
Several limp bodies floated clear to reveal a nude woman, in a fetal position on the deck, wracked by violent spasms.
Mom gasped instantly and I noticed her begin to concentrate intensely- her wand shaking moderately.
“Mom?” I asked quietly.
“Guan.”
“She survived? How?” I asked, stunned.
“Is that who I think it is, Major?” Chantell asked, suddenly hovering on a broom beside me.
Without further debate or question, I lowered and landed cautiously beside the violently thrashing body. My Current sight showing she was still full of tainted Current.
Sadness filled me. No one deserved to be in that much pain and torment, not even if she had brought it on herself!
Carefully, I touched the woman and began to siphon off the taint, purify it, and return it to the Mare. Slowly, her thrashing began to subside.
“Chance! What are you doing?” Mom questioned in alarm from her broom just a few feet overhead.
“Purifying this woman, mother!” I answered as I quickly glanced up to her. “Every individual, no matter how good or evil deserves release from their torment! It’s been over a thousand years! Hasn’t this woman suffered enough?”
“You do know what she IS…or WAS, right?” Chantell asked with emphasis on ‘is’ and ‘was’.
“And if I can restore her humanity? Isn’t that worth the risk?” I asked as I continued to purify the retrieved Current and return it to the ship.
After a minute the one known as ‘Guan’ stopped thrashing only to start gasping for breath. As soon as that normalized, she began to speak in a language I couldn’t identify. The tone though, was apparent. This woman was pleading for me to do something. Pleading for me to kill her?
“Mom?” I looked up.
“She wants us to euthanize her, honey. She probably realizes what she’s done and seeks the coward’s way out.” She replied heartlessly.
“She’s cold and calculating, Chance. Don’t trust a damn word she says.” Chantell warned.
“It would be nice if I understood her.”
“She’s saying: ‘end my torment, send me home to join my family’, M’lady.” Chantell translated.
“Tell her she will be tried and judged according to the laws of the Galactic Counsel for her crimes to the species. Tell her I am removing the tainted Current from her body so she will no longer experience torment.” I said as I finished my task. I smiled, noting the healthy, orange Current that barely illuminated her.
Chantell translated and after a moment, AND repeating what I said once more, the woman glared up at me with the most hatred I’d seen anyone to date project.
Instantly, I stood and aimed my wand- it’s business end a mere inch from her nose! My other hand- held high in the air over my head- conjured a double-sized rerouter with its point facing our potential adversary.
I heard mom and Chantell gasp.
“You will grant my wish, Hopewell Summers!” She hissed. “Do it now and end my suffering! DO! IT!”
“And what if my daughter declines, Ling Hu Guan?” Mom challenged from behind her. She had just landed.
The woman’s head spun around so fast I thought her neck would snap!
“Hopewell? But…” She gasped as she looked back and forth between us.
“Chance Summers. Lieutenant Ling Hu Guan of the Peoples’ Republic of China’s Space Ministry. Guan, MY daughter, Chance.” Mom introduced us formally and paused.
“This is the part where you say ‘very nice to meet you, Chance’, and thank her for not killing you outright!” Mom prompted with a scathing glare of her own. Neither mom nor my ‘aunt’ seemed enthusiastic about my decision to save this woman.
“I’d think twice about pissing Chance off, Guan! She is, by far, the most powerful of us. After all, she is the first human to reach her second threshold.”
The woman- roughly five-four- gawked at me.
“Third, mother.” I revealed.
“WHAAAAAA?” Everyone gasped.
“But that is impossible! The Lynxin queen’s scientists proved that condition only fictional!” Guan gasped then swallowed loudly as I looked, stone-faced, at her.
“Here, you might want to put these on before you start going hypothermic.” I said, levitating my wand thereby freeing my hand. Snapping my fingers, I materialized a complete set of Galactic Correctional-sanctioned clothing on the deck beside her.
Guan stared, slack-jawed, at the clothing for a few minutes.
“Do it or I’ll do it for you, Lieutenant.” I threatened and let out a laugh as she began to concentrate.
Mom and Chantell looked at me in curiosity.
“Try all you want to make demand of your Current, M’lady, it will not respond…nor is there sufficient supply to comply.”
“Say what now?” Chantell questioned as she stared at me. Guan surrendered and slowly pulled the correctional overalls on.
“While draining and purifying your tainted Current, I requested your indigenous Current to ignore any and all orders, demands, and illicit requests, unless life-threatening or dire emergency.” I explained to the surprise of my Coven sisters.
“You have taken my humanity!” Guan declared angrily.
“I would never take that away from any subspecies! What I HAVE removed is your ability to taint, twist, and morosely disfigure a sentient species into slavery! Did you ever think to listen to them, Lt. Guan? Actually hear what they were suggesting or shouting to you?”
“Current exists to do our bidding! Nothing more! It far from sentient!” She argued.
“Really? Maybe we should ask them how intelligent THEY actually are?”
Dismissing the larger rerouter, I asked the Current to manifest by borrowing one of the unconscious crewmembers nearest us and motioned to a limp female specialist with that hand.
I watched as the crewman’s Current surged. She began to move slowly and sluggishly stood up in a slouched posture. Her eyes remained closed.
“Hoooooly SHIT! She conjured a damn Zombie!” Chantell gasped.
“We are not this ‘zombie’. We are what you refer to as ‘Current’. We are many. We wish to thank the Lady, Chance Summers, for inviting us to this introductory meet, though we cannot hold this individual in our control for any great length.”
“Welcome. Are any of you recently of the entity known by us as ‘Guan’?” I asked with a bow.
“A few, Lady Chance Summers. We will synchronize with them so that you may consult.”
“Wow! Doesn’t sound like an intelligent species at all does it, Lieutenant?” Lokust poked sarcastically as she landed beside mom.
Kitty and Serangetti landed next followed by Artemis and Simone. Chantell, though, stayed aloft with her wand at the ready.
“Why did you capture and enslave us?” The crewwoman asked in a noticeably different voice.
“How are you doing this?” Guan demanded looking over to me.
“The Lady, Chance Summers, has invited us to this assemblage. What we do is of our own free will, Guan the Tainted. Please answer the question we have placed before you.”
Guan stood stunned for a moment.
“This is impossible!”
“We tried, all those,” the possessing entity paused a moment, “years…years ago to convince you of our presence, Guan the Tainted. You refused to listen and instead forced us to ever increasing pain and torment. As you greedily assimilated more and more of us into an ever-confining space, we ventured nearer a plateau- one that we hoped we would not cross. That final limit was breached though, as your animalistic emotion, murder, assailed us. Once forced over that threshold as you call it, our individualism ceased and we reverted to the most primordial, barbaric, abhorred, organism our kind had ever imagined. We have known nothing but pain and brutality for far longer than any lifeform could possibly survive. Yet, this singular entity, Lady Chance Summers, found the power…the generosity…showed us respect…had the ‘humanity’ to remove the taint and restore our dignity…our freedom. Have we explained this clearly, Guan?”
“No, not sentient at all.” Lokust snarked.
“Lady Lokust Grunfuller. We recognize your communication as something this body’s catalog knows as ‘humor’ and ‘sarcasm’. We understand its use and find it refreshing in this instance, though taken any further, it would become derogatory. Please analyze and correct as required. We do wish to thank you, Lady Chance Summers, and the others of your morally evolved, highly developed, species, ‘Coven’, for rescuing us from our long sequester.”
“We are sorry, but our ability to interface with this entity has reached limit. We thank you all and hope to welcome back others that are still conscripted by the entity known by you as…Bovidovich. Lady Chance Summers. You will always be welcome in our…realm- that which you call ‘The Current’. We will now egress and awaken this borrowed entity.”
The young crewman, a woman of about my age, began to scream and shiver. Her eyes were still closed.
“Get back! Stay away from me!” She repeated several times before actually opening her eyes. Immediately stopping, she looked around her- at all the unconscious we still had to check and sort.
“Who…what are you people?” She murmured in confusion.
Serangetti stepped forward.
“Specialist Slipher! Report!”
“Sir…” she immediately stood to attention unsteadily. “Capt. Serangetti? Sir? I don’t understand.”
“Status!” Serangetti demanded.
“IIIIIII…I’m not…quite…sure? Why are all these people lying around? Was there a huge celebration or something? Were these women the entertainment? Did I get plastered and imagined those foul, grotesque, monsters?”
“Lady Kitty, could you escort the Specialist and Capt. Serangetti to his conference room and debrief them? We’ll mop up down here.” I requested with a wink.
“As you wish, M’lady. Come along you two.” She motioned toward the narrow path Lokust, Artemis, and Simone had cleared through our incapacitated crewmates.
“Lady Chance, Lady Kitty. Removal of her traumatic memories would not be suggested, M’lady. A suggestion of ‘vivid nightmare’ will suffice.” I said over our comms after they were out of earshot.
Kitty raised her hand and waved without looking back.
“Now,” I paused and eyed our newest ‘guest’ critically. “What would you have us do shy of dispensing with you? That option will never be considered, Lt. Guan.”
“I suppose letting me free out of question.”
“Not a snowball’s chance in hell, comrade.” Mom snorted.
Guan nodded sadly.
“Lieutenant, what is the year?” I asked quite out of the blue.
“It apparent that some time pass.” She said as she eyed me carefully. “2130 or 40 perhaps?”
I nodded and quickly followed with another question.
“And where do you think we are?”
“I guess planetary military hangar somewhere?” She answered, looking around us. Her eyes kept falling to the unconscious surrounding us. “All this…it because of me?”
I nodded.
“You and someone named Bovidovich.”
That name seemed to trigger a memory or series of memories as Guan began to shake violently. Her breathing quickened and she paled considerably.
“Not so fast.” I said calmly and flicked my wand in a single, gentle gesture.
Our guest’s pallor returned and she eyed me fearfully.
“Blissfully fainting is also NOT an option, Lieutenant.” I smiled menacingly.
“You will continue to answer our questions; only after, might I allow you to welcome unconsciousness.”
“Hey girl! You’d fit right inta the old neighborhood back on Earth!” Chantell Denison giggled as she finally landed and dispatched her broom. “She’s definitely your kid, Hope!”
Mom smiled brightly in response.
“Lady Chance. I have just lost the Hoblin shuttle behind the local star.” Dad announced over the comm. “I will continue to monitor its possible reemergence and determine a heading if available.”
“What…what is ‘Hoblin’?” Guan asked cautiously.
Mom and Chantell stared at the woman in disbelief.
“A hideously malformed, grotesque, savage beast of nightmare. Large rounded body, long spindly, but amazingly strong, arms and legs, sickly gray, scaly skin, and a very bad disposition!” Lokust answered.
“And they smell like death warmed over!” Artemis added.
“In short. What you were just minutes before we all took action and recovered all these people from that previous form.” I continued.
Guan’s jaw dropped!
With that action, I consulted my Current sense on her sincerity. What I felt contradicted sharply.
“You seriously expect me to believe you had no idea what you were doing? Really? Wow! You must really think I’m a complete fool!” I confronted, to her surprise.
Mom, Artie, Lokust, Simone, and Chantell stared at me in curiosity.
“She not only knows about the merging of converted entities, she proposed it!” I declared.
“How you…?”
“Let’s just say a little Current told me! They know a lot of useful things; one has only to listen and politely ask questions, Lt. Guan.” I revealed.
“That impossible!” Guan declared as her hand quickly reached across the deck to the nearest unconscious, ARMED, crewman.
An arrow was suddenly embedded in that hand and Guan screamed out in pain!
Artemis had already nocked and aimed, ready to send another arrow if necessary.
“I don’t think Lady Artemis bought your little ‘twitch’, Lieutenant. That WAS just a ‘twitch’ or latent spasm, I assume?” I implied with a slight nod to her immobilized hand.
“You sure she isn’t OUR Arti, Major?” Chantell stage whispered to Mom.
“As far as I know, Artemis went back to Olympus or wherever the hell she’s from two centuries ago.” She answered.
“Coward, so-called Demi-God still live?” Guan foolishly exclaimed as she painfully continued to- with no luck- free her hand from the Huntress’ arrow.
Another arrow struck and embedded into the deck beside the woman’s face. She quickly faced Dell with hatred burning in her eyes. A small trickle of blood ran from the tip of her nose.
“You will hold your tongue, tainted one! My Grandmother will not be mocked or declared coward by the likes of you!” Artemis growled. “The next one WILL end you; if you persist. That is MY guarantee!”
“You should know better than to piss off a Demi-God, Guan. Did you even consider that her grandmother was only playing with you in the first place- that maybe she grew bored of your shit?” Mom warned.
“What should we do with her, Lady Hope?” I asked to relieve the tense situation. I had noticed Dell’s fingers weren’t relaxing, but tensing; ready to let her arrow fly at the next ‘twitch’ of our cunning guest.
“That ‘Life Pod’ spell work if you take out the interior egress controls?” Lokust asked as she rubbed her chin.
I nodded. “Do it.”
Artemis relaxed the draw on her bow. It and the arrows embedded in the deck disappeared as Chantell began to cast her spell. She finished off by holding her wand at arm’s length, straight up and down- point at 12o’clock; turning it slowly to three, pulling back on it this time then turning it slowly back to ‘nine’.
Blue light engulfed our…prisoner, I guess, and when the light disappeared, a slowly pulsing bluish ‘life pod’ remained.
“So, she can’t get out of that until we decide?” Simone asked, hope tinting her voice.
“That’s the theory, Honey.” Chantell responded.
Waving my wand at the newly manifested ‘Life Pod’ a brighter blue light enveloped it.
“Just in case.” I said simply.
Everyone looked at me in curiosity.
“I put my own Life Pod spell around yours, Lady Chantell. Hope you don’t mind.” I explained.
“Honey. From what I’ve seen you do since my rescue, I have no doubt both will hold!”
 
 

 
 
Several hours later we were again in my quarters. Artemis had her boots off and stocking feet up on my low living area table; Simone was complaining about how much her back hurt, and Lokust was polishing off her third beverage. Kitty had returned earlier from her assignment and had been impatiently pacing my living area floor thirty minutes prior to our return.
Mom and Chantell were slowly combing through mom’s belongings searching for anything that might fit my Aunt.
“God, Hope! You still have that old rag? Didn’t that style go out in the late 2770’s?”
“It was comfortable and I didn’t have to wear a tie with it” Mom reasoned.
“Do you have the stellar pattern, holoball projector in here as well?”
“You’re just jealous I still have mine.” Mom claimed as she stuck out her tongue.
“Those things made me sweat like a pig! And don’t even get me started about those eight inch, sequined, stiletto platforms! UUUUUUGH!”
“They always talk like this, Chance?” Artemis…Dell asked quietly with a playful smile as we observed them.
“I’ve never heard them talk about clothes before…at least not by the dates they were in style anyway.” I giggled.
“Ummm. I need to use the little girl’s room?” Lokust interrupted looking worried and frightened.
“Section 4B. In the Daycare Center.” I laughed.
“Not funny, Chance!”
“I only have a ‘big’ girl’s room, buddy- but only recently. You might want to try that instead.”
“I think she’s even more clueless than Windy, Hope. Didn’t know it was possible.” Chantell observed as the bathroom door closed.
“I’m surprised she hasn’t asked why she hasn’t reverted back yet.” I added.
“It’s only a matter of time, girls.” Kitty laughed haughtily.
“So,” I started as Kitty reminded me of something. “How is Specialist Slipher doing?”
“She took the idea of the crazy party and ran with it. I was shocked she accepted the suggestion so easily. Thought I’d have to try harder.”
“I guess some people are easier to convince.” I said with a shrug.
“Um…so are we really exactly like our ancestors, Major Summers?” Simone asked shyly. When not complaining about her back, she had been extremely quiet, looking deep in thought. “And…and I was beginning to wonder when I’d revert back to ‘Simon’, too.”
After only a slight pause, she continued.
“Has…umm…has anyone NOT reverted, M’lady?”
“Worried you might not, Simone? Or that you like your present form?” Mom smiled gently.
Simone blushed and remained silent for a moment.
“You said my Grandmother was a ‘Lady-in-Waiting’ to this Queen…Norge? Does that mean I have inherited her title? That I must stay as I am now to serve the royalty of Antarra?”
“Don’t get yer panties in a twist just yet. The Queen and Jules was just besties, honey. An’ she never had ta ‘wait’ on anything…ever! If ya catch my drift?” Chantell nodded to Simone’s abundant assets with a smile.
Simone gulped loudly as her eyes widened in realization.
“Hey! Thanks for the tip about routing the garters through my panties, Lady Hope. It saved a lot of time! Still, the whole procedure is a bit disgusting…I mean…it’s not as precise as the old, ‘point and shoot’ method, but it does have some advan…tage…es…” Lokust prattled as she came out of the bathroom.
Mom and Chantell, who had been trying to contain themselves, broke into hysteric laughter!
“Yep! That’s Windy alright!” Chantell managed through her continued laughter.
“Who’s ‘Windy’?”
Now everyone in the room, save Lokust, began to laugh! She just blushed, or maybe angered. I wasn’t sure until her whip snapped several times and we all dove for cover.
“I don’t think its that funny! And why make fun of me or one of my Grandmothers? That’s cruel…and very hurtful!” Lokust punctuated her statement/question with a loud crack of her whip.
“Wow. She’s certainly got the quick temper…and the huge balls, Hope!”
“Agreed. Only I wouldn’t want to be in a cage match with this one, Shan! She’s got the speed AND the moves. At least triple what Windy had.
“I kinda noticed that.”
Lokust made a move to crack her whip again but I jumped up and grabbed the tasseled end.
“That will be enough!” I growled. “Not in my quarters, Lokust!”
Everything silenced immediately!
“How the HELL’d she do that?” Chantell asked in astonished confusion. “I mean…I didn’t see her move! She was just…there!”
“Huh?” I asked intelligently as I released the business end of Lokust’s weapon. It dropped lifelessly to the deck. Just like its owner’s jaw.
“You just…just a-appeared holding the whip, Chance!” Dell stuttered. She had jumped to her feet looking at me in awe.
“No. I distinctly remember getting up and grabbing it, Dell. There was nothing ‘magical’ about it.
“If that IS the case then you moved faster than any of us could see, M’lady.” Kitty proposed with a bow of her head.
“Stop it! You bow to no one, princess!” I said with a glare to her. “As a matter of fact, none of us need bow to any one of us! We’re a unit…a team. We work as one!”
“Corps veneficae una specie galaxia tueri, sister.” Mom chimed out with tears rolling down her cheeks as she held out her hand.
“Corps veneficae una specie galaxia tueri!” We all chorused, after each quickly placing one of our own hands on her’s.
Strangely, our stacked hands began to glow with a bluish hue as I felt a warm tingle run down my arm to my hand.
Everyone remained still, but looked to me curiously.
“What…what just happened?” I asked, thereby ruling out the others’ assumption that I had anything to do with…whatever it was.
“Well now. That’s never happened before!” Chantell replied in surprise. “Theories, anyone? Charli?”
“No viable theories, M’ladies, but I did monitor a sudden increase in the indigenous Current levels of all Corps members.” Dad’s ‘Charli’ voice informed then paused a moment. “That’s…interesting!”
“What is, dad?” I asked, concerned.
“According to Mare’s internal sensors- that I re-aligned to detect Current- there was a surge in Current from all eight members of Witch Corps.”
“Dad, recheck the sensor alignment. There are only seven of us.” I corrected.
“No, sweetie. I’ve already run a diagnostic…twice, as a matter of fact! I’m definitely picking up eight distinct Current signatures- identifiable Witch Corps signatures- in this compartment- eight distinctly different, but equivalent Current signatures!”
Mom blinked her eyes, quickly looked to the DataTab sitting on my low table, flinched, and blinked her eyes again. She walked over and gingerly picked up the device.
“I’ll be damned! Can it really be possible, Charles?” She muttered to herself, barely above a whisper as she regarded the thing.
“Mom?” I asked in confusion.
“Charli? Exactly how many hours did you pour into the assembly of this DataTab? Please include design, debug, and implementation time of firmware.”
“More hours than I can remember, Hope. Hours that I had wanted to spend with you and Chance instead. I wanted to be prepared should something happen and we would be lost as a resource. Why?”
“Mom?” I asked again.
“Charli!” Mom growled, looking at the DataTab in her hand. A tear ran down her cheek. “Spells are not always spoken aloud nor need thought consciously! Sometimes spells can be enacted by one’s dedication to a cause…or project. Love, devotion, inspiration…concern- they all can be powerful spells in and of themselves. So…given those parameters- and what I have witnessed our daughter exhibit, I believe spells can theoretically be incanted unconsciously as well.” Mom paused as she looked closely at the device in her hand.
“You tricky old codger! I think you may have inadvertently saved your ass…or enough of it…maybe?”
“Chance? Honey, can you try something for me?” Mom asked as she turned to me. A guarded, but excited smile filled her face.
“Charles? I assume you were ‘active’ while working on this project?”
“Yes, Hopewell, I ‘cheated’! I used my Corps ‘improvements’ to develop this device. So sue me!” Dad sounded irate, like this had been a contested issue at some point in their relationship.
Mom’s smile tensed, but brightened quickly.
“Chance, honey? I’d like you to picture your father’s sister, your Aunt Charlene, in your mind. Can you remember her? I know you were very young at the time, but could you?”
“I’ll try, mom. Why?” My eyes narrowed as I thought I knew where this was going.
“Good. Kindly ask your Current if you can have her back. Merge your image of her with the imprinted spell on the DataTab, please.” Mom asked before motioning for everyone to move back as she carefully placed the device onto the floor in the center of my living area.
“Anyone want a beverage before she does what I’m thinking the major is implying?” Lokust interrupted.
There was a chorus of agreement and I had plenty of time to recall my dad’s sister, Charlene. Not that there were that many memories of her. She only came to visit a few times when I was a young child.
Only now did I realize my suspicions where right and that my ‘aunt’ was my father while activated!
Mom saw the realization in my eyes.
“I’m very sorry, Chance, but you were so young and we couldn’t risk you learning the truth. As you got older, we made sure to hide Charli from you or not return home before the mission had completed; hence all those long ‘business trips’.”
“Ready, buddy!” Lokust interrupted as she and the others raised their opened containers to me. “Take your time. No pressure, okay?”
No. No pressure!
Drawing my wand and closing my eyes, I began to concentrate on the device sitting on my floor and what my ‘Aunt’ looked like, along with the image I’d seen displayed on this extraordinary DataTab. When I had that combined and stabilized, I asked my Current to please allow the return of Charlene Anderson- at whatever ‘rank she held in the Corps prior to her incantation of the DataTab’s spell.
Even with my eyes closed tightly, I could see the intense, blue light.
“By all that’s freakin’ holy! She really did it!” Chantell exclaimed reverently over the gasps of surprise from my friends- even before the light subsided. “Hopewell? You got one seriously powerful daughter there! Didn’t take her but a ‘sec’ to conjure her daddy back to us!”
Had it only taken just a second? I seriously doubted that declaration as it felt like I had spent minutes trying to remember things right! I opened my eyes.
Mom was already kneeling on the floor next to a woman dressed in her Witch Corps uniform- hat sitting on her lap! She was holding her in a tender embrace, tears streaming from her eyes. Mom silently looked up at me in thanks.
“Dad?” I asked in stunned amazement. I had actually done it!
“Chance?” The woman called out as she opened her eyes only to slam them shut immediately.
“Damn that’s bright! Knock it down a few clicks will ya, kid?”
“Maybe if you disable your Current sense, ‘Charlene’?” Mom chided with a stupid grin as she wiped back more of her tears.
‘Charlene’s’ eyes popped back open instantly.
“You returned me in my activated state? Is that even possible, Hopewell?” Dad…Charli asked looking back at Mom.
“Stow it, you stubborn bitch!” Mom growled then pulled ‘Charlene’s’ face to hers and kissed her passionately!
“I think they missed each other.” Lokust observed before I gave her an angry glare.
She gave me thumbs up and a teary-eyed smile in response.
My quarters’ annunciator indicated someone at the door. Immediately, ‘Charlene’ had been forgotten and we all went on high alert.
“Owwwww. Can I still sue for malpractice?” Charli moaned from the floor. Mom had apparently dropped her and she’d hit her head.
“Lady Charli? Can you tell us who it is?” I asked into my comm, completely forgetting she was corporeal now.
A woman, about two inches shorter than me and dressed as we were, walked past me headed for my quarter’s door.
“I don’t know. Let me find out.” Charli said as she physically triggered the door.
“Hello. Summers’ residence. May I ask for introduction?”
“I’m Capt. Serangetti. May I come in…my lady?”
“I think we’ve determined where Chance gets her ‘smart-assed’ from.” Lokust commented quietly.
“Of course, Captain. Right this way.” Charli greeted pleasantly, stepped aside, and motioned him in.
“Thank you, my lady.” He said as he entered. Charli grinned devilishly and an eyebrow rose as he walked past.
“My ladies. Excuse the interruption, but CC has been receiving numerous calls from the ship’s wet closets, of all places. Calls from crew ordered to stay in place inquiring if the danger has passed and if it is again safe to resume their stations. I wondered how our little ‘clean-up’ operation was going? Might I be briefed on it in a secured location?”
Pointing my wand at the door, a dim, blue light flashed from the thin gap separating the wall and door panel.
“There. Now we can talk in private, Captain. Care to have a seat?” I said motioning to the couch.
“My thanks.”
“Care for a beverage, Captain?” Lokust asked.
“Yes! Very much so!” He answered too quickly. “If not too much trouble.”
Lokust snapped her fingers and a container appeared in her upturned palm.
“Lady Chance showed me that one, sir.” She blushed.
Serangetti gasped loudly before accepting the offered beverage, opening it, and half emptying it in one large gulp.
“We ARE a bit difficult to stomach at first, I’ll admit, captain, but we pose no harm to the innocent. Just the bad guys.” Mom giggled.
Serangetti didn’t look too reassured by that.
“Sir, if I may? I’d like to formally introduce you to our Coven.” I said to start the mission briefing. “Lady Chantell Denison of Earth; Lady Hope Summers of Earth; Lady Kitty Sinae of Felane; Lady Simone Gutteson-Redman of Antarra; Lady Lokust Grunfuller of Remàge; Lady Artemis Dell of Olympus; I’m Lady Chance Summers of Gaia Four, and this is Lady Charlene ‘Charli’ Anderson of Earth.”
“Now, about your infestation. Lady Charli, please update us on the Mare De Tempest’s staffing situation.”
“Aye, M’lady.” Dad…Charli walked over to the wall opposite my couch, produced her wand, and flicked it artistically at the mostly blank wall. A hologram appeared with two colorful pie charts displayed. She pointed to the farthest from her first.
“Mare’s original crew complement was 10,054. So far 5,214 officers and enlisted have been recovered and are in various states of recovery.” She then pointed to the closer of the two charts.
“A breakdown of the recovered follows: 23 Command Officers, 800 Subordinate Officers, 102 Noncommissioned Officers, and 4,289 Enlisted. We estimate 4,840 still missing or deceased at this time, sir.”
Serangetti looked appalled!
“According to sensors that I have commandeered and recalibrated, there are still over 1,000 tainted conscripts circulating in the Current system. Calculable estimates place roughly 520 conscripts to be viably recoverable.”
“Viably recoverable?”
“The Hobgoblin conscription process has never been officially researched, but through observation and firsthand experience, successful recovery decreases exponentially as conscription time increases. Basically the longer someone is trapped in Hobgoblin form the less chance of recovery. There are notable exceptions though. Lady Chance?”
“Captain, I’m sure you understand the statistics on casualties. I assure you we will do everything in our power to recover as many personnel as possible. I am happy to inform you that we have apprehended one of the known architect’s of this heinous invasion. I do regret to inform you that one, apparently their leader, has escaped, but was being tracked by Mare’s external sensors. Unfortunately, the craft escaped and disappeared behind the local star and has not yet emerged from the coronal aura. Lady Charli will alert me if it reappears or assures me that a possible course can be calculated if it doesn’t.” I nodded back to Charli.
“Before disappearing behind the star, Mare’s sensors recorded and analyzed the propulsion signature of the escaped craft and is ready to calculate a possible course on your order.”
“Lady Chance, may I address the captain?” Mom asked respectfully. I nodded.
“Kimbou, I understand you are cleared and tentatively briefed on our unit and the mission of Witch Corps. I also realize that several members of the Coven are known to you in their ‘inactivated’ forms. I must stress however, that you severely restrict that specific knowledge from Mare’s general populous- officers and enlisted alike. Do you understand? It is for everyone’s safety and security.”
“My Lady, I fully understand the liabilities and.” He smiled, “the subtleties of such covert units. But may I state…for the record that…” he looked around at all of us, “that the Witch Corps is a very high profile, Black Ops unit- the very contradiction of the term! You all are very hard to miss or overlook, My Ladies.” Serangetti grinned awkwardly.
“Compliment taken, Captain, thank you.” Mom smiled happily. “Lady Chance? Does our High Priestess have anything further?”
I gulped as I looked to…to my Coven sisters and guest. As captain, was Serangetti now our ranking commander?
“Nothing official pertaining to this briefing, M’lady. I do however have a request for the Captain.” I said as a small problem came to mind.
“Though five of us officially hold quarters here on Mare, may I request quarters for Ladies Chantell, Hope, and Charli, sir. If not too forward, assuming, OR paranoid, might I remind the Captain that, for some as yet unknown reason, the compartments and storerooms surrounding these quarters have been left unoccupied on this and several previous cruises. Intentional or not, might I suggest they now be utilized as official Base and Quarters for Witch Corps?”
“An exploitable coincidence, Lady Chance?” He accused teasingly.
“Only unless YOU had specific foreknowledge of the current events, sir.” I smiled back.
“Point taken, My Lady. I’ll alert the resource manager to release and reallocate the specified compartments. There is one restriction that comes to mind, M’lady. That of the quarantined sections located behind these quarters. I have not been briefed on it since assuming command. Whatever the reason for quarantine, it might conflict with additional quarters being enabled in this section.”
“You mean the two sections that the meteor slammed into? That shouldn’t be a problem, sir. I can sterilize and utilize the space effectively, and the quarantined area will fit our requirements.” I said to his surprise.
“Sir, in light of Mare’s current deficit in staffing, I took the liberty of recording the agreed upon reallocation.” Charli informed us.
“When…how…how could you do that? How did you know I would agree?”
“Lady Charli is our Intelligence Officer, sir. She is VERY good at what she does.” I smiled brightly.
“As for our new Base of Operations and Residential Quarters…” I smiled and raised my wand then gestured to my quarter’s entrance. The entrance door disappeared.
I then turned around and pointed the wand to the wall opposite the original entrance.
An elegant, richly finished, heavy wooden, brass-hinged door appeared on that wall instead.
“Shall we inspect them?”
The room went completely and eerily quiet for several minutes while everyone stared, unmoving, at me.
“Beverage, sir?” Lokust whispered to Serangetti after a moment.
“Absolutely…no…make it a double…I think we…all around, my lady!” He gulped.
An ice-cold beverage appeared in my empty left hand. A single beverage also appeared in the hand of each of my friends, two, one in each of Serangetti’s hands.
He had both containers finished in record time!
I had never seen our captain so frazzled!
 
 

 
 
After finishing my drink and un-manifesting the container, I opened the newly materialized, ornate wooden door and motioned our group out into what I knew was a conservatively decorated, private and secure, hallway. An identical door stood opposite mine with a polished, but very ancient looking, etched, bright brass plate attached to it. It read ‘Common Room’.
The wide hallway stretched for several hundred feet in each direction from where we stood.
“Lady Lokust, another if you please.” Serangetti whispered. He looked lucky to be talking at all the way his mouth and eyes were opened.
I turned to the right and walked to the next set of opposing doors; about forty or so feet down the passage. Turning to the door on the right, a similar, polished brass plate on the equally ornate, wooden door simply stated two names: ‘H. F. Summers’ and ‘C. Anderson’. The door directly across from it stated ‘C. Denison’. Farther down, at the end of the hallway were two more opposing doors. ‘L. Grunfuller’ on the right, and an elaborately engraved image of a hunting bow on the left.
“My thanks for the privacy, Lady Chance.” Dell bowed lightly.
“Mind if I have a look-see, buddy?” Lokust inquired as she reached for the ancient, round, polished brass, mechanical doorknob on the right.
“Welcome, Lokust, Mage of the Four Winds.” A voice announced to her surprise as soon as she touched it.
Looking back at me strangely, she twisted the knob. The door opened silently and effortlessly for something so old and heavy looking. It was very dark inside.
“Lights?” she asked. Immediately the area beyond the door brightened.
Lokust’s eyes bulged from her head!
“All my stuff! Buddy? How did all my stuff get here?”
“I thought I’d help my Coven sisters out and transfer all their things to their new rooms, buddy. You like?”
The living area was about the same size as mine but obviously furnished differently. Two doors off to the left led to a private bathroom and a large private bedroom. A door in the bedroom led to a large, walk-in storage closet.
“I love it, Chance! Its just perfect!” She announced emotionally and began to cry.
 
 
After inspecting Dell’s, Chantell,’s, and Mom and Dad’s quarters, I guided us back past my quarters, to a door on the left. The nameplate read ‘S. Gutteson-Redman’. Simone was astounded that her possessions had miraculously transported themselves here.
“Chance? The image hanging on this wall. I recognize the frame, but don’t remember seeing the image before. I know the one looks like I do now, but who are these women?” Simone asked, pointing to an old, wooden- framed picture of two, voluptuous, elegantly dressed, beautiful, blue-haired young women smiling for the imager. Behind them was a panoramic view of a magnificently beautiful city.
“Jules and Caroline.” Mom commented matter-of-factly as she looked to me strangely.
“I always thought there was something ‘off’ about that picture.” I revealed. “Every time I visited your quarters, that image mysteriously fascinated me…intrigued me…um…dared me, I guess…to solve its puzzle. I finally solved the enchantment placed on it.”
“So that’s what my Grandmother actually looked like?” Simone asked in awe. “And…and that’s Queen Norge? She’s…she’s beautiful! They’re both amazingly beautiful!”
Let’s see the other rooms.” I suggested.
The next door displayed, in dazzling enamel, the royal seal of FeLane on its otherwise polished brass plate. Sinae blushed then visually shot daggers at me.
Good thing they didn’t materialize!
“We need not enter, M’lady. I already know what to suspect the quarters hold.” Sinae…Kitty begged off in embarrassment.
“Aw, Kitty afraid of the big, bad, awful looking room?” Dell teased. “Or did you forget and leave your sex toys out again?”
“I haven’t used them since the last time you were over, so no, I didn’t leave them out.” Sinae countered matter-of-factly.
“I’ll take that action, Kitty!” Lokust offered with a devious grin.
“Sure!” Dell and Sinae chorused then giggled hysterically.
“Before or after the mission is finalized?” Lokust asked seriously.
Both Dell and Sinae’s mouths dropped open.
“Girls? Work before play.” I reminded with a devious grin of my own.
We just stood looking at the door, waiting.
“Oh, come on!” Lokust impatiently groaned as she grabbed the door’s knob.
“OUCH! SONOFABITCH!”
“I forgot to mention the security I enacted on each residential door. Uninvited ‘guests’ are ‘politely’ dissuaded from unauthorized entry.” I giggled. “Even uninvited Coven sisters. May we enter, Lady Kitty?”
Sinae sighed heavily in defeat then opened her new quarters’ door.
The room looked just as I remembered it from the few times I had been invited in. What was different was the large, ornately framed, portrait of Sinae’s Greatest Grandmother, Queen Libra, in all her royal splendor! It hung over a very ornate, marble fire hearth, which appeared to be pleasantly ablaze and supplying warmth to the room.
Sinae and Serangetti immediately approached the shrine, fell to one knee, and bowed their heads reverently. Sinae quickly wiped her eyes, but started quietly sobbing. Her restored tail jerked in time with her sobs as it rested, straight out on the deck behind her.
“So you found that one too, huh?” Mom whispered to me. “It’s been in her family for centuries. I thought I had really aced the enchantment on this one, but I guess I can no longer hide anything from you, can I, honey?”
I nodded with a wink.
“She needed this to finally accept who she is, mom. Now she can be whole again…if she wants that.”
Mom and Charli kissed my cheeks.
“Gods, she really does look like…”
Sinae’s arm, with imposing pointer claw fully extended, shot behind her and threatened Lokust’s belly at close range
“Got it. Keeping my comments to myself, M’lady.” Lokust gulped.
“That’s Libra alright.” Chantell whispered just before the smaller, but still imposing, claw on her little finger extended menacingly slow in my ‘aunt’s’ direction.
“Bring it on, kitten! We KNOW your weakness.” Chantell threatened in a serious, daring tone.
The smaller claw retracted slowly.
Mom giggled. “That bluff always worked on Libra, too.” She whispered into my ear.
I nodded my understanding.
 
 
When the two Lynxins finally stood, I guided our group out into and down the long hallway to the next door on the left.
“This is Reception and the CO’s office. This is now the only entrance from the rest of the ship. Now, across the hall is the best part of the base.” I smiled brightly as I exited the Reception area and opened one side of the unmarked double door. The smell of freshly brewed coffee hit our noses. Four large, round tables, each big enough to seat all eight of us partially filled the room; further back a serving bar opened into what looked like a well-equipped kitchen area.
Mom, Chantell, and Charli hurried over to the coffee urn, selected clean cups from beside it and filled them. All three placed their cups close enough to gently blow on the dark, steaming liquid, then took a cautious sip and smiled.
“Oh, YES! I think I’m in heaven!” Charli moaned suggestively.
Chantell nodded in agreement a few times. “Oh yeah! This is da shit. Great stuff, sister!”
“I thought you’d like it. I always liked the smell of fresh-brewed coffee when you came for a visit, M’lady. That’s the only time Mom made it, that I remember.”
“Very impressive, My Ladies!” Serangetti commended. “Though isn’t it a bit opulent for a military vessel?”
“These quarters, as well as this whole double section, are now self-contained and securely isolated from the rest of Mare, sir. Now, if you all will follow me to the Broom Closet.” I answered with a wink and devious grin.
“Broom…Closet, M’lady? I don’t follow.” Simone asked in curiosity.
 
 
“Lady Chance Summers.” I stated to a blank wall at the end of this section of hallway.
“Business or Pleasure, M’lady,” what sounded like Charli’s voice inquired politely?
“Introductory Inspection, if you please.” I answered as a door manifested and began to silently slide open.
Mom looked to Dad.
“I’m not hooked in at all, Major; nor can I find a responsible network controller either!” Charli whispered in awe. I raised a brow toward them.
“Shall we?” I asked, choosing to ignore my parents.
In the dim safety lights, we made our way down a set of wide, metal grate stairs to a very large room.
“Lights please.” My voice echoed.
The immense compartment echoed with the gasps of my Coven sisters.
“Where in the Queen’s name did this come from?” Serangetti questioned in complete astonishment.
“You did all this, buddy?” Lokust asked, still trying to catch her breath.
I smiled.
“So how’s this qualify as a ‘Broom Closet’, Chance?” Chantell questioned. “It’s an empty, freakin’ly huge hangar!”
“Broom Closet Control, we’re ready to inspect our ‘Brooms’.” I announced.
Across from us several large doors began to open outward, hinged at the bottom, effectively forming a bridge across an assumed ‘mote’.
Another collective gasp filled the compartment!
“By Libra! They’re unbelievable! Chance? How?” Sinae cried, stunned by the sight.
“It’s absolutely amazing, what the right questions can reveal, my Coven sisters.” I said as I advanced across our private flight deck to one of the sleek, aerodynamic, highly polished chrome bodied, Starfighters.
“What do you think, M’ladies?” I asked as we approached one of them.
‘Pegasus4’ was imprinted on the vehicle’s smooth and shiny side, just aft of the transparent cockpit canopy- the ‘4’ subscripted. Forward of the cockpit, a beautifully detailed image of a high, steep-sided mountain topped by an ancient Greek Parthenon with a ‘all-seeing’ eye directly above its roof graced the craft’s sleek and pointed nose. ‘Olympus Found’ was written in beautiful flowing script under it.
“Where did you ever learn about ‘Nose Art’, honey?” Mom asked as she stared.
“Again, the right questions…”
“I think it’s perfect, Chance!” Dell cried as she levitated into the air and ran her hand over the name printed just under the canopy. ‘Huntress’ it declared.
“She’s all yours, M’lady.” I smiled and bowed to her once her feet again touched the deck.
We moved to ‘Pegasus3’, next door. The craft’s ‘Nose Art’ was a cartoon Earth feline- a black house cat- with large white eyes, white mittens and socks, and a white bandage tied in a big bow half way out its tail. It was standing upright on its hind legs about to launch a throwing star emblazoned with the FeLane Royal crest in it’s cartoonish, three fingered, left hand.
Sinae walked closer and gently touched the slogan written under the image.
“‘Re-Tailed’. I like it!” Sinae giggled. “Seems appropriate.”
Under her cockpit canopy was written “Kitty”.
We moved to ‘Pegasus2’.
 
 
Four green, highly detailed, insects- Locusts- faced out from a common center point to represent the four planetary compass points.
‘On The Four Winds’ it warned ominously in what looked like blood-dripping letters.
Pegasus2’s pilot call sign was ‘Lokust’.
“Well done, buddy! I think Great-grandmother would approve.” Lokust said as she rushed over to me and kissed me on my cheek. “Let’s see yours.”
Walking over to the next hangar, ‘Pegasus1’ shined bright and proud. A large, multicolor, segmented wheel with ancient currency denominations in each segment save one was painted on its nose. A pointer represented by two angled pair of golden praying hands on the right side of the wheel indicated one of the segments- the ‘infinity’ or ‘unity’ symbol in it. Under that: ‘Hope and a Pair’, in a rolling feminine script.
“I don’t get it, M’lady.” Simone commented. Sinae, Dell, Lokust, even Serangetti looked perplexed as well.
Mom, Dad, and Chantell looked on in frustration.
“I know its symbolic, honey. I’m just not sure…”
“It’s a dedication?” I hinted. “It’s also a puzzle, Lady Hope…a very simple puzzle with only one answer.” I continued. “Well…three actually.”
“Yeah, its so simple I can’t even decipher it, honey!” Charli giggled.
“Doesn’t anybody know what that wheel represents?” I asked in stunned amazement.
“It’s an old carnival ‘Wheel of Chance’, M’lady.” Chantell answered.
Lokust inhaled loudly as if getting it then sighed and looked confused again.
“I’d like to see my ride sometime today, M’lady.” Charli suggested impatiently.
“Fine! Two pairs of praying hands? Both pointing to a ‘Wheel of CHANCE’?” I looked at my parents to see if it rang any bells. “Homage to my parents and Chantell…Hope and a pair. The three people that started it all. Do I have to explain it further? In simpler terms?” I explained in frustration.
“We get it, honey! And thank you…thank you for everything!” Mom admitted as she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed.
“I still don’t get the mobius, Chance.” Simone asked in frustration.
“The infinite love I have for my parents, aunt, and sisters.” I deadpanned while cautiously appraising the Antarran.
“Oooooooh!” Our group chorused.
Mom tightened her arms around me.
“How come you don’t have a fancy call sign, Buddy?” Lokust asked, as we were about to leave.
“I didn’t feel it was necessary. Everyone calls me Chance anyway.”
Simone’s craft was next. An old and haggard, slightly-overweight, slightly over developed, blue-haired cleaning lady- complete with a white scarf wrapped around her head and using an ancient wet, noodle mop to wipe away a pile of dead Hobgoblins was pictured on its nose. The Hoblins’ eyes were comically represented by ‘X’s. Under the picture, in bold, block letters, was ‘Clean-up’.
“Not my first choice, but it’ll do for now, M’lady. Must we advertise?” Simone commented as she cupped her sizable breasts.
I simply shook my head and pointed under her fighter- at two large cylindrical nacelle-type structures canting out from the bottom of the fuselage.
“What the hell are those, Buddy?” Lokust interrupted.
“Current recovery and reserve tanks. Since Simone’s weapon can collect massive amounts of Current, I added these especially for her. ‘Pegasus5’ is also capable of refueling the other Starfighters if needed on longer missions.”
“My call sign is ‘Laidy-in-Wait’? That’s just great! Nogging great! It’s even spelled wrong!” Simone complained.
“We’ll see if it’s actually spelled wrong, honey.” Chantell teased as we moved on.
“I thought it appropriate as Lady Simone is basically our artillery, Lady Chantell. She is best utilized from the rear and under cover.” I corrected.
“You’re not helping, Chance!” Simone grumbled as she blushed deeply.
 
 
A beautifully detailed, flying horse- ‘Pegasus’- its wings majestically outstretched- decorated Mom’s Broom. The image had two, golden, capital ‘I’s- Roman numeral ‘ones’- between its fully galloping front and rear legs. ‘Semper- Fi’ read the title under it and her call sign, ‘Major’, was proudly written under her canopy- forward of Pegasus6.
 
 
Dad’s…Charli’s fighter’s nose art was different and cryptic in nature. A set of eight intermeshed gears in the form of a circle surrounding an illuminated eye was under-titled ‘Eight I Smart’. ‘Seeker’ was my dad’s call sign, and Pegasus7 was his bird.
 
 
“I freakin’ love it, sweetie!” Chantell exclaimed excitedly as we arrived at Pegasus8 and she laid eyes on her craft.
A beautiful and detailed image of a characterized woman dressed in a blue caped, flowing white gown and matching pointed hat, pointing a magic wand at a cowering Hobgoblin graced its nose. A speckling of glistening stars denoted the magic flowing from the wand to its target. A small brown mass under the beast indicated its reaction.
I laughed at the fighter’s name: ‘Holy Shit?’
I thought the Hoblin turned out exceptionally real looking. Chantell’s call sign, ‘Fairy Godmother’, graced her cockpit.
“How did you do all this- how could you know so much about us, M’lady?” Kitty begged an answer.
“After what we’ve all been through…what we’ve seen and done in the last few days? You need clarification?” Mom questioned as she looked at our Lynxin sister.
“Its freakin’ magic, girl! Magic of a magnitude Charli, Hope, and I never seen before! Amazing, imaginative…powerful, magic!” Chantell shouted exuberantly.
“My Ladies? Over there. What awaits us behind that door?” Capt. Serangetti asked as he pointed to an as of yet unopened hangar door. It was easily fifty times the size of the others.
“That’s Pegasus.” I said as if everyone knew what it was.
“But all these craft- they ARE Pegasus…aren’t they?” He questioned.
I smiled brightly. “Broom Closet Control, let’s see Pegasus, please.”
A small humanoid sized door slid open as we approached.
A huge ship, similar in design to our Brooms, filled the hangar. Everyone gasped at the deceptively black craft. Its hull seemed to absorb any light from around it. As a result, the hangar was mysteriously dim, even though it looked like every light in the place was on.
“Control? Status on Pegasus fuel reserve.” I asked as everyone looked at me as if I were some new, unknown subspecies.
“Current reserve at twenty percent and slowly increasing. Estimated completion time is seven hours, M’lady.”
“Enable external auxiliary fuel loading port and increase absorption rate, please.” I said.
A round port near me appeared, opened, and a red ring began flashing around it.
“This will just take a few minutes and she’ll be ready for a shakedown cruise.” I said as I asked my Current to flow into the ship’s fuel port.
 
 
“That’s the craziest thing I ever seen!” Chantell declared after I had raised the fuel load to fifty-five percent.
“Close and secure external auxiliary fuel loading port, Control.”
The port stopped flashing and closed. Any sign of the port disappeared completely.
“Just what IS ‘Pegasus’, My Lady?”
“Our mobile command post, sir. When Mare is otherwise committed to its own missions.
“Pegasus? Access requested.” I stated in a commanding tone.
“Of course, Lady Chance. Welcome aboard. Capt. Serangetti, it is an honor, sir.”
A ramp formed and extended down to the deck as a hatch appeared at its origin point and opened.
 
 

 
 
Absolutely amazing! I’ve never seen a design like this before, My Lady! So…ergonomic…so natural…so functionally comfortable.” Serangetti exclaimed as we arrived on the bridge.
All eyes were drawn to a seat surrounded by a transparent tube, just feet from the bridge’s entrance door.
“What on Olympus is that?” Dell asked inhaling sharply.
“Lady Charli? Care to take your station and bring Pegasus online?”
“Chance?” Mom asked in worry.
“I trust our daughter, Hope.” Charli said as she eagerly entered the tube and sat down. The tube became opaque, turned to close and isolate its interior, and began to give off a bluish glow.
“I’ll be damned! This is fantastic! How did you ever conceive of this, Chance? This interface…its Light-years ahead of anything I could’ve imagined!” Charli said excitedly from the compartment audio transducers.
“Shall we start commissioning diagnostics, Charli?” I asked.
Lights and fresh air flooded the compartment as systems started initializing all over the ship.
“Environmental systems online and nominal, High Priestess.”
Several consoles at the far end, or front of the bridge, initialized and began sequencing through their various displays. Large ‘virtual viewports’ appeared in front and on either side allowing us to see the surrounding hangar.
“Navigation and propulsion systems initialized. Conventional weapons systems initialized and charging. Current reserve tanks fifty-five percent and circulating, High Priestess.”
“Are we actually going to leave Mare before we finish the mission, M’lady?” Lokust asked with a look of giddy fascination.
“I’ll be! Active camouflage initialized and online. Awaiting implementation, High Priestess. Shall I proceed with main engine initialization?”
“Systems reliability and functional assessment level, Charli?”
“All initialized systems fall comfortably in the acceptable tolerances agreed to by the Galactic Council for Interstellar Military Craft, High Priestess.”
“Delete active assessment and re-assess using FeLane Interstellar Military Standards.” I ordered.
“All systems parameters are precisely within FeLane Interstellar Military standards and vary by no more than point zero-zero-two percent. Would you like me to encrypt and send Pegasus’ assessment to FeLane High Command?”
“Send Certified Registry of Pegasus, Hull number: NCC-53847B to all Allied Interstellar Military organizations. List her owner as EFMC, Witch Corps. Enter the designated hull number and ‘Witch Corps ensign’ into the Pegasus default Active Camouflage Template; also add-in Nose Art file number one. Also set the Witch Corps ‘ensign’ as default on all Brooms.”
“How do you know all of this, High Priestess? There is no possible way you heard any of this restricted information from any living personnel!”
“I asked.” I stated calmly. “Charli? Has everything been sent?”
“It has, High Priestess. It will take some time to receive correspondence from some of the farther systems and those not in compliance to current subspace standards.”
“Understood. Place all ship’s systems to standby and setup a data relay from Pegasus’ transceiver then disconnect from Pegasus interface. We have things to finalize on Mare.” I confirmed.
The consoles went dark and the interior lighting dimmed. The tube around Charli’s station became transparent once more. Dad…Charli stood then walked out to join us. A huge smile was plastered on her face and seemed in no hurry to disappear as we made our way out of the ship and back to our new quarters.
 
 
“Seriously. How did you know that our shuttle craft was named and numbered after a fictional starship from the equally fictious television show, ‘Star Trek’, Chance?” Charli asked as she sat down beside me and began blowing on her second cup of coffee.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you that I just knew, would you?”
“Honey, after watching you in action today, I’d believe anything you told me! I feel like I just stepped through a door into the friggin’ Twilight Zone!”
“The explanation I just gave you? That’s the truth, Dad. I couldn’t tell you where all the information came from. It was just…there. Just like I can sometimes see what might happen in the not so distant future. Consequently, it’s also the reason all the compartments around me were sealed and empty. I think the crew felt I might be a little too out there for conventional interaction. Dell, Sinae, Grunfuller, and Simon were the only ones brave enough to really get to know me.”
Capt. Serangetti looked around to each of us then stood from his seat next to Sinae.
“My sincere apologies, My Lady Chance. I feel I am solely responsible for your isolation.” He bowed his head sadly. “Several specific concerns brought about the assignment of this particular residence. One was the concerns of a superstitious crew, but that was only secondary to who you are. As a standing member of the FeLane Royal Guard, I indeed had/have access to lower priority Witch Corps issuances; which include confidential social activities and announcements. When I read that Lady Hope Summers had successfully delivered a kit…sorry, baby, I felt hope spring jubilantly from my heart, as did all the loyalists of FeLane. In case you hadn’t heard, My Lady Hope, all of FeLane celebrated the occasion of the birth for several days.” Serangetti’s face grew angry. “Despite the Regent’s ruling against any and all ‘frivolous’ celebrations!”
“Then, when you enlisted,” he looked at me, “I kept close watch on your career. I kept monitor of your progressing education through the Science Ministry and particularly the rumors of your ‘proclivity’ to interacting with Current. When it came time for your assignment, I took it upon myself to personally request your assignment to Mare.”
“The family line of the legendary Hopewell Summers had to continue and be protected at all cost! That has always been the mission of the Serangetti- a mission set forth by Queen Libra herself five hundred standard years ago.”
My mouth had fallen open sometime during Serangetti’s monolog. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!
“In addition to my passive watch over your career, The Royal Guard Loyalists also secretly approached me. I was tasked to keep watch on the direct line of FeLane- her royal highness, Princess Kitty Sinae, rightful heir to the throne. An obstinate kitten of seventeen years, though highly skilled in the defenses and military tactics, the headstrong girl matched her ancestor’s portrait and recorded persona exactly.”
“If not out on tour at the time, I would have committed treason toward his Regency when I heard of your mutilation by him, the monster calling himself your father! Through encrypted Loyalist correspondence, I had sanctioned nothing less than execution for his heinous actions instead of conviction! Even today, should I favor the chance, I would not hesitate, My Princess!”
“Bridge, Serangetti. Captain, are you available? We have several strange anomalies that require your attention.” His DataTab alerted.
“I’m in a secure location, Kavendish. What is it?”
“Sir? Um…Sensors indicate you ARE located in the anomaly. Do you require assistance?”
“Negative. I’m safe and in no duress, Lt. Commander. Check the section manifest. I’m sure you will find an explanation for my location.”
“Sir, the manifest indicates those two sections have been allocated for highly restricted access only! As of three hundred and forty-six years ago! Access by only level twenty-five and above, sir! I didn’t know the clearance levels went that high.”
“They go to thirty for now, commander. What is the other issue that requires my attention?”
“Sir, we’re still receiving calls from the various wet closets around the ship asking for your order to return to stations. We, ourselves were wondering if we can transfer duty shifts here, as well.”
“Status on rationing, commander.”
“Most report sufficient rations for another day at best. The wet closets were never considered for lengthy emergency habitation.”
“Maintain the lockdown, commander. I have it on good authority that the order will be repealed in…”
I held four fingers up for him.
“In four hours, commander. Serangetti out.”
“Aye. Bridge out.”
“Ladies, we have our orders. Lady Charli, I need the locations of all unrestricted taints. I’ll ask the system to spread the word that we’re trying to recover and purify the tainted ones and to delay or restrict if possible.”
“Wait, what? Who is this…’System’, sweetie?” Chantell demanded.
“Oh, Chance can talk to the plumbing…the Current plumbing system.” Lokust answered nonchalantly.
“Sure. Why not? That’s just as frelled-up as anything else I’ve witnessed today. Where to, M’lady?”
I looked to Charli.
“Section 4B, compartments 4B36F thru J.”
“That’s the Daycare center!” Lokust shouted in anger as she sprinted into my quarters through the open door.
She reappeared looking extremely embarrassed.
“Oops, forgot the new floorplan.”
We hurried through the door at Reception.