“Feeling better now, Kate?” I asked as she walked into my suite.
“I’m not gurgling when I talk, so yeah. What’d I miss?”
“”Nothing, just winding down from the fiasco. Here,” I said as I swung my arm as if tossing something to her. A nice cold beverage materialized about halfway to her.
“Thanks, Chance.” She smiled as she caught it, opened the container, and took a good gulp.
“Ahhhhh! Keep ‘em comin’?” She smiled happily as the empty vanished.
“I bought the first round, Wrench.” I said with a wink.
“No worries.” She smiled back and fresh beverages appeared in everyone’s hand.
“So’s that little gem really off that disgustin’, kit-rapin’, sludge-packer, Kitty?” She turned her attention to Sinae and Christina. “Bet the stream would go viral in, like, ten standard nano-secs.”
“Part of me wants to find out, Kate, but that would make me no better than him, wouldn’t it?” Sinae answered, looking conflicted.
“But he knows what was done and where, so won’t he try to get it removed?” Link expressed her worry.
I noticed Christina smile deviously. So did Sinae apparently.
“Out with it, Blue! What did you really do and what does this contraption actually control?”
“Weeeeelllll…? Its got a red button?” Christina teased cautiously.
“Annnnd?” Sinae pressed.
“Annnnd… weeeeelllll…? The controlled device may not exactly be in his jaw?”
Sinae smiled nervously as she wiped her hand down her face.
“Cue the laughtrack.” Kate satirized and a canned audience’s, slightly distorted, disembodied, laughter rang out from the walls of the suite.
Christina smiled- eyes closed- and shook her head a few times then blushed brightly when she noticed Sinae glaring at her for an answer.
“It’s in a very safe place?” She hinted nervously as she began to look about the room.
“And!” We all chimed out.
“I put the device in a place he will never, ever want to part with.”
As if choreographed, we all crossed our arms in front of us.
“Fine! It’s in his scrotum- one charge in each ball!” Christina huffed in annoyance.
“But you didn’t stop there did you, Blue?” Sinae pressed suspiciously.
“Weeeelll…?”
“Bluuuueee!” Sinae growled impatiently.
“The identical devices trigger a trace amount of Current that I programmed as a mutagen… it’s embedded in his prostate. Once pressed, the device triggers the mutagen and within two standard years she won’t resemble any Lynxin Noble on any psychological level.”
“Won’t. Resemble?”
“The Senator from this morning?” Christina hinted, but instantly frowned.
“Pumpkin? Please answer the question.” Colleen prompted.
“Ummmm… Haturo… He- he won’t exactly be himself in two years.”
I think all our mouths’ dropped open in shock!
“Why would you do this, Christina? Why? Doesn’t morality mean anything to you anymore?” Sinae cried out.
“Majesty! Do you actually know the full extent of Haturo’s depravity? I’ve done my research! Years of watching… years of revolting things… Trust me… I’ve seen things that would prompt you to off him in a picosecond! So trust me when I say this is his best option…the excruciating pain, the terror… the despicable things he’s done… the gruesome experiments… for just ‘because’… the death he’s caused… no remorse; no concern…” Christina justified, as she wiped free running tears from her face.
“He is more of a monster than even you could imagine. You push that button and the outside eventually matches the inside- a monster- though quite benign- yet a monster to anyone on FeLane.”
Savanna hurried to Christina and wrapped her in an understanding embrace. That was all the proof we needed in order to believe the distraught deity’s claims.
“I still don’t understand, Christina! Why inflict such revenge?” Sinae pressed.
“Aunt Kitty, Scion has witnessed things Haturo has personally initiated. On more than one occassion she has visited the Oracles on the verge of breakdown. Though she wouldn’t reveal what she observed, just the pain and anguish she exhibited gave us more than enough clues.” Savanna began to explain as she held the tall Antarran deity.
“Some of the experiments weren’t even suitable for an ‘R’ or ‘X’ rated Slasher or Apocalyptic Mad Scientist Movie! Ol’ Doc Moreau or Mengele had nothin’ on yer old man, majesty! I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let this one go! Compassion- no matter what form or potency- simply doesn’t apply. He needs to experience some of the insane trauma he inflicted on those eight or nine hundred poor souls! Immediate death was a blessing only for the lucky ones!”
“Genital reassignments or relocations with no anesthetic; complete removal of all genitals… with no anesthetic; organs forcibly mutated and relocated, you guessed it, without anesthetic; then there… then there was the really bad experim-, umm, excuse me.”
Christina ran into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. She had been looking more nauseous as she continued listing the atrocities.
Sinae started for the door- more like stomped toward the door.
It wouldn’t open! No matter how hard she pulled or beat on it, it simply would not open.
“I… I can’t let you stop this, majesty. I’m sorry, I just can’t.” Christina cried as she reappeared behind Sinae at the door.
“He’s my father, Christina! Dammit! He. Is. Still. My. FATHER!” Sinae shouted hysterically as she swung out at the Antarran- claws unsheathed.
“He is nothing but a cold-blooded monster, majesty. I’m truly sorry.” Christina sobbed as she stood there and took slash after slash after slash from the queen’s devastating, razor-sharp claws.
After several minutes of mindless and fruitless slashing, Sinae finally tired. She glared at Christina.
“Why won’t you fight back, dammit! Show me the dignity of honorable combat, Scion!” Sinae shouted in frustration.
“I won’t because I deserve this, majesty. I let my feelings guide my heart and that fueled my resolve. Your ‘father’… and I use that term only for reference… will no longer be a he in two standard years. He will still be Haturo in her mind, but she will not harbor the aggressiveness of Haturo- that part will be locked away forever. He will live every day, his mind screaming- nashing his virtual teeth- fighting to resurface- trying to retake command… He will go to his grave still in internal turmoil…hating what she has become.”
“You’re a monster!” Sinae accused viciously.
“I am… but I was showing charity, majesty! I could’ve just blinked and he would now be in his own personal hell- suffering magnitudes more pain and anguish than he caused!”
“I think you have worn out your welcome here, Scion. Please leave.” Sinae requested knowing there was no physical or magical way any of us could evict her.
It was a sad day indeed in their relationship.
Christina nodded sadly and vanished.
“You would’ve done the same had you the power, Sina-.”
“So help me, Chance! We both know she went too far! Don’t make me revoke Witch Corps’ charter for taking her side! She was wrong to do anything to my father and you know it!” Sinae spat angrily!
I decided it was time my sister had some ‘alone’ time and nodded to the others. I was instantly in Pegasus’ lounge. My other sisters followed soon after. Christina was not among us though. Neither was Savanna.
 
 

 
 
On a hunch, I choose Witch Corps’ flight line aboard Mare De Tempest as the place to rematerialize and start the search for my devastated Coven sister. I immediately heard a woman’s sobs echoing loudly throughout the huge chamber.
I guess I was in the right place. Now… would Christina even consider my company?
Following the sobbing, I found Christina doubled over, sitting on her legs, hands covering her face, on the shop deck in a relatively shallow puddle of tears, right next to her dreaded escape pod.
How long had she been crying?
“I do understand.” I said softly.
I found myself with my Oracle mentors.
“We take it the Scion is not receiving council?” One of them asked calmly- a quirky, cheesy smile on her face.
“What was your first clue?” I sniped.
“You saw this coming, you know.”
“Which is why I’m not surprised to be here.”
“You will try how many times again?” One of the others questioned humorously.
“As many times as it takes to get through that hard Antarran head of hers!” I vowed.
I was back, standing before Christina once agai… and back to the Oracles!
Dammit! I had to keep try… maybe a different approach?
I appeared in the Broom Closet’s control room.
“Christi…” I said into the mic before again finding myself back with my Oracle sisters.
“Not so easy gaining audience with the Scion, is it, sister?” They all giggled lightheartedly.
I drew on my inherited ‘Summers’ stubbornness and doubled my efforts!
 
 

 
 
By this point my Oracle sisters were probably taking bets as they loudly and humorously announced the number of my latest return.
“One hundred and five!” They laughed as I reappeared. It might as well have been a drinking game with these four!
Enough was enough! I decided to wrap myself in a rotating phase, temporal displacement field- something I had never tried before.
“Why can’t you just leave me alone, Vanna Summers!” Christina groaned wearily. She sounded totally disheartened and completely defeated.
“Why do you have to be so damn hard-headed, Christina Everhardt?”
“Antarran?” She stated without inflection.
“Not a good enough excuse, sister. I’m a Summers! That overrides ‘Antarran’ by at least a dozen powers of a million!”
Christina exhaled loudly in resignation. “So I’ve learned.”
“Look, I just want to talk. I’ve done my own Recon of that chaotic period in Lynxin history.” I said as I sat down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I know the monster- Haturo- almost as well as you do, Christina. Kitty knows some of it as well, but she’s a bit more biased… He’s her father, and that still holds a lot of weight despite the known, documented facts.”
“I just…”
“Hey, I know. You just wanted to protect her. I get it, Christina. I’d probably jeopardize my own relationship with Mom and Dad in a similar scenario. You did what you felt necessary.” I tried to comfort.
She only began to cry more.
“I… I let him get to me, Vanna! I let his cruel and sadistic shit get to me! It brought back all the times people treated me like a freak or subhuman! But the power I have now… I let it corrupt me! I let it control me- made me do terrible things…”
“Somehow you and that last statement don’t sync. Do you really think that badly of yourself, sister? I wish I had a redo for every time someone pissed me off and I got carried away! It has always been a judgment call and sometimes we get it wrong. ‘Shit happens’, as Grandma Hope says.”
“But I didn’t get this wrong, Vanna! I got it completely right and I feel like the scum of the universes for it!”
I used my talent to see ahead into Haturo’s future to see what she meant.
Ewww! The Kuma Sutra never listed those moves!
Coming back to reality, I found my head cocked at a very unforgiving angle and wondering how she- Haturo- actually did that!
“See? I went easy on him! I could’ve gone out of this galaxy to another for inspiration, Vanna.” Christina somehow had been watching my vision along with me.
“What other galaxy?” I asked, curious.
“The locals call it the ‘Spiral’.”
“Oh, that’s original!” I snorted.
“They think so. Anyway, there’s this one species of ‘human’ there that is part snail?”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Which part?” I was curious.
“Hips on down. Spine curls up and expands into this really nifty spiral shell. Each one’s a little different in size, shape, and coloration. Their genitals are also their motive system- their ‘foot’. So gross!” Christina grimaced. “They’re also asexual. Their ‘Terran’ part makes me look like an ‘A’ cup!”
I whistled.
“Yeah. They aren’t the most hygienic species in their ‘Verse’ either.” She added, wrinkling her nose.
“And you almost turned him into that?” I asked in alarmed disgust.
“At first I had considered it, but it would’ve taken too long.”
I narrowed my eyes, “How long?”
“Instantly if I did my thing… about five standard years if I did it the ‘old fashioned, painful, ‘Mad Scientist’ way’.” She answered sadly. “He’s done exactly that to some of his victims, you know.”
“It would’ve been too painful and inhumane to put him through that, even for what he did to others. I just couldn’t bring myself to full agreement on that course of action.”
I nodded. I was very glad that Christina had an excellent head on her shoulders…
…and a very strong moral compass!
“So,” I just had to ask, “what does the remote actually do?”
“Oh, it blows his balls off.” She answered nonchalantly.
I was appalled!
“Seriously?”
“Seriously! I wouldn’t lie about that, Vanna.”
“But wouldn’t that kill him instantly?” I asked.
“You would think so, but no. Shaped charges. His new form and function in life doesn’t require them anyway- no balls, no ovaries, no worries.”
“Harsh!” I commented.
“Did you see what he did to that young Lynxin female that turned him down for oral?” She quickly countered.
“You mean the one that he transplant…?”
“…yeah.”
I cringed. So disgusting! “Good thing she didn’t last through the night.”
“Yeah, one of the luckier ones. I so wanted to intervene right then and there!”
“Good thing you didn’t. The other Oracles considered that a test of your character- you impressed them!”
“You mean I provided much needed entertainment value to their otherwise bland existence?”
“Why should you be any different than me, Christina? The old hags refuse to go out and have some real fun! Something about they didn’t want to lose their perspective on issues?” I shook my head several times. “Demi even gave up on them.”
“That’s saying something! Demi could talk a mouse into a trap and it would still be smiling after the thing’s sprung.”
I narrowed my eyes at my Coven sister.
“You really are a strange one, Christina Everhardt.”
“I blame my parents like any good daughter would.” She replied flatly.
I rolled my eyes. Yes, so strange.
“So… You going to come back to FeLane with me?” I tried.
“Kitty asked me to leave, Vanna. Remember?”
“I think it more of her denial to her father’s crimes and you’re judging him without consulting her.” I suggested then I smiled deviously. “Then again it could just be gas? Who knows?”
“Yeah… and you call me ‘strange’.” Christina smiled for the first time in several hours.
Or was it days?
 
 

 
 
“I think you were a bit hard on the omnipotent being there, Sinae.” I suggested while glaring at my long time friend. After about a half an hour, I’d decided it was safe to return to my Royal Residence suite. Some of the Coven followed my lead- ‘Interstellar space freighter collision syndrome’ probably.
As hoped, Sinae was still there, and looked calmer.
“She pulled the ol’ judge, jury, and executioner on my father, Chance! On. MY. Father!”
“Okay? So what would you have done instead?” I asked calmly.
“This remote”, she shook the small box with the big red button, “should blow his balls off!!!” She shouted angrily. I could see her seriously contemplating pushing the ‘big red button’ regardless of its function.
“Sounds pretty harsh, even for you, Sinae.” I advised as evenly as possible.
To tell the truth, I would’ve done that too.
“You probably thought about doing it too, Chance.” She said as she closed her eyes a moment to focus her thoughts.
I had to play devil’s advocate.
“What’s to say she didn’t do exactly that? You know she’s probably seen what happens, or how it progresses at least.” I thought a moment. “Maybe instead of banishing her from FeLane, you should’ve heard her out… I’m just sayin’.”
“I was angry, Chance! I think I felt gypped she beat me to the punch. I don’t know! Maybe it was just gas?” Sinae’s expression went from thoroughly pissed off to giggling in nothing flat.
“Maybe its hormones and the pregnancy?” I posited.
“Majesty? Might I touch you? It may shed light on your recent behavior.” Galantry asked as she approached and bowed to FeLane’s queen.
I had completely forgotten that she was here.
“Knock yerself out, sweetie.” Sinae gave the young Orion a canine-bearing grin.
My long-time friend stared- confused- at the girl almost instantly after Galantry gently touched her forearm.
“Damn girl! That was amazing! How’d you learn to do that?” Sinae asked with a much calmer demeanor.
“Trade secrets, Majesty.” Galantry deadpanned as she immediately stepped away and walked over to where the small contingent of Anderson sisters conversed. A few of the Andersons- Aquia and Thomas included had volunteered to stay aboard our still orbiting Mini-Van.
“Of everyone, I thought she’d be the most resistant to the Summers’ ‘smartassedness’!” Sinae commented lightly.
“It’s catchy.” I smiled. My expression changed. “So? What about Christina?”
“I guess I overreacted. Is there some way I can apologize? I mean, can’t I just text the ‘Omnipotent Deity Apology Hotline’ or something?”
“You could try prostrating yourself before her likeness, Aunt Kitty.” Savanna giggled, as she appeared standing beside me.
“Prostrate this, kiddo!” Sinae growled as she flipped my daughter her middle finger.
“Not a bad idea; Christina was looking a little ‘needy’… but no, she wouldn’t want you to be anything but a friend or sister- her equal, Aunt Kitty.” Savanna grinned impishly. “You know she’s as straight-laced and moral as they come.”
“I screwed up, Savanna.” Sinae admitted. “I let my own need for revenge get the better of me and it angered me when she took the initiative I couldn’t bring myself to do, so if you see her-.”
Christina suddenly appeared behind Sinae and quietly smiled.
“-please tell her I’m sorry for my rudenessaaaaand she’s standing right behind me isn’t she?”
I nodded evilly.
“You suck, Christina Everhardt!” Sinae declared as she quickly turned and wrapped the Antarran in a tight embrace.
“Yeah…I’ve been told that…”
“Shut-up!” Sinae’s muffled voice ordered from deep down in the girl’s massive cleavage.
“Hmmmm… I may have to start charging a usage fee for those.” Aunt Cora giggled.
Sinae’s wand instantly appeared pointed above the Antarran queen. Small, green pieces of rectangular paper showered down on Aunt Cora. She caught one and observed it a moment.
“Who’s this ‘Mr. Moneybags’ person, and twenty what? Dollars? Is this currency?”
Those of us that spent more time in twenty-first/second century Terra began laughing uncontrollably at the ancient board game reference! I hadn’t thought Sinae had been paying attention that night back at the Everhardt Farm.
Mom leaned over and spoke quietly to my aunt.
“But I thought ‘Monopolies’ were outlawed in that time period?” Cora replied, not showing any comprehension.
“Blue hair, the new blonde?” Mom glibbed like a News Stream announcer breaking a story between gasping laughs.
Simone, Louis, Colleen, Christian, Gretchen, and Link just stared at their present queen in disbelief.
“You’ll let me know if these things make me that ‘flighty’, right Louis? Colleen asked as she mimed hefting her breasts.
“I’m sure I’ll find some way to work things… um, let you know, dear.” Louis Everhardt answered, grinning lecherously- his fingers opening and closing mischievously.
Colleen slapped the back of her husband’s head. “Idiot! Not in front of the kids!”
“Yeah… right… got it. Hey, when will we be getting back to the ‘dark ages’ and Norge’s Heath?” He said as he tried to change the subject. “I kinda miss the old campgroun… stomping grounds.
“Well… now that we have everything ironed out with Kitty and Tua’s stand-ins, I’d like to leave tomorrow afternoon- might as well make it as big a spectacle as our arrival.” I proposed.
“First I’d like to make an announcement, Confederation-wide, Chance. The people need to know the circumstances and the resolution.” Sinae said as she raised the small remote with its single, big red button to examine it closer.
“Now what would grandma do with this thing?” She speculated with a canine-bearing grin.
“Honey, we both know exactly what Libra would do.” Mom answered with a very evil smile.
“Yeah,” She made a show of jamming the button down so hard it shattered, “we do. Adios, Papa!”
We all listened a moment for any noises, clapping, fireworks…; any telltale sign something had happened.
Knowing Christina, I was expecting a regal trumpet fanfare!
Nothing came after two or three minutes.
“What? No FeLane-shattering ka-boom? You disappoint me, sister!” Sinae looked to Christina in mock contempt. “Hope, you need to have a serious talk with this one.” She advised passively.
“My Queen, I have an urgent communiqué from the Capital high security prison warden.” A voice announced from the suite’s intercommunications panel.
“Put it through.”
“My queen, Warden Crimean. Queen Kitty, I have just been informed of an attempt on Ex-Regent Haturo’s life.”
“Status?”
“My queen! Ex- Haturo still lives, but he has been… disfigured.”
“How so, Warden Crimean?”
“Well, my queen… um… I’d rather not go into too much detail.”
“Nonsense! How has he been disfigured?”
“My queen… there was an explosion… in his cell…”
“And, Warden Crimean?”
“My queen, the Ex-Regent has suffered extensive damage to his…” there was a pause as presumably the warden steadied himself, “groin area. My queen, the physician reports that he has effectively been neutered. He reports there is nothing left to be repaired or even rebuilt.”
Sinae looked over to Christina and smiled evilly. She nodded approvingly.
“My queen! I will open an investigation into this horrific assault on your father at once!”
“You will do no such thing, sir! Just make him as comfortable as any other inmate! I shall personally look into this matter after I have dealt with Parliament. Thank you for your prompt reporting, Warden Crimean. That will be all.”
“Your majesty.”
The comm panel went silent.
“You blew his balls off?” Sinae questioningly accused Christina point blank.
“Well… technically you pressed the button, Highness.” Christina reminded.
“But you blew his balls of-!”
“And I’d do it again if he had two more, majesty!” Christina vowed- her tone was very no nonsense and quite serious.
Sinae wrapped her arms around the tall Antarran!
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, sister! Thank you for doing what I only dreamed of doing to that monster! Hopefully, mom has been avenged and will sleep peacefully forever more.”
Christina raised her head to the ceiling for a moment. When she looked back to Sinae she had tears pouring from her eyes.
 
“You can bet on that, sister! You can bet on it.”