They led me out the suite and through the halls. I couldn't see anything and I couldn't move my hands either. The helplessness finally allowed me to think.

'Oh fuck, they know'

How did they find out? My mind scoured for all possible ways they could have found out what I did. They didn't have any reason to suspect me right?

I was unconscious when the second attack happened? Were they just trying to scare me? To see if they could pry out an apology or make me break?

This had to be Caitlyn of course. She was the only person that knew what I could even do. Unless she'd told more people but would she? She know what it would do to me.

Did she suspect me? Or did she decide that I was too much of a wildcard and it would be easier to get rid of me altogether? Were they going to kill me?

Fuck. I didn't want to die. I finally had my family there. Mum, Andy, Adya and the others. My life was great. Somehow, after all that mess, I'd managed to manufacture a decent life here on Gaia.

I didn't want to die yet. More than that, I didn't want to leave my daughter without a mother.

"What's going on?" I heard Asher ask.

"Quiet" One of the agents responded.

Poor Asher. He got dragged into my mess. He didn't deserve this.

"Don't worry, Dani. We'll get to the bottom of this. I won't let them hurt you" he said to me.

Such a nice guy.

I heard a grunt and a loud thud as his body hit the floor. They'd hit him.

"Asher!" I exclaimed.

"Quiet, both of you" The agent said angrily.

There wasn't another peep from either of us for the rest of the walk. These guys meant business. Were they actually going to kill me? Whatever their plan was, it was working because I was terrified.

=^..^=

I heard a familiar sliding door and a moment later, we were forced through. The bridge? We hadn't ever left the ship, I knew that much.

The room was freezing cold. Where was I? I tried to listen for any sound to give me any indication. Nothing.

I was forced to my knees. It was happening.

'Should I fight back?' I wondered.

I couldn't take even one of those guys. Not even before AHRT destroyed what little muscle mass I had.

The bag was suddenly removed from my head and my eyes struggled to regain focus in the brightly lit room.

My eyes searched for answers. We were in what I could only describe as a lavish office. It looked to be modeled after the Oval office from those old movies. Very regal.

Asher was forced to his knees as well. He looked to me with a very concerned expression. My face sent an apology to him where my mouth couldn't.

Behind us stood the 5 agents. On the bright side, this wasn't the kind of room where you killed someone. The carpet itself looked very expensive. It'd be such a shame to get blood on it.

There was one more person in the room. A much older man. Maybe in his sixties. A few grey hairs ran through what was otherwise a pristine head of hair and beard.

I didn't recognise him. I was tempted to ask but decided it wasn't a good idea to do so.

"Miss Fahey. I apologize for the state of things. I wish we could have met under better circumstances. Untie them." His voice was deep and imposing and clearly accustomed to giving commands.

One of the agents walked up to me, loosened and removed the binds that functioned similarly to a zip tie.

I rubbed my wrists, thankful for the release of pressure that I didn't realise had been building up.

Asher did the same.

"Who are you?" I asked finally.

"Arthur Reeves" he walked all the way from behind the table to offer me his hand.

Figuring there was no reason not to, I reached and shook it. He took a few steps back and rested on the table.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news" he continued "Last night, a treasonous plot was uncovered. It came to light that Caitlyn Alcove planned and executed the Voyager 1 disaster that took the lives of the president and countless high ranking officials"

What? I was so confused. Something obviously wasn't adding up.

"She did this to overthrow and take over the government and she was almost successful in fact, until several corroborating testimonies were brought to my attention yesterday" he continued.

It didn't make any sense. It didn't because I was the one that destroyed the ship. Why was he trying to frame her for it?

"That's awful" I said. I had to play it cool and go along with it until I knew what was going on.

"Yes" Arthur nodded "We're still rounding up her accomplices so if you have anything to say on the matter, now is the time."

Were they going to try to pin it on me too? I was guilty but they didn't know that. No, if they wanted to pin it on me, why bring me here?

"Did she say anything about it to you?" he asked me plainly.

I looked around the room. Asher was watching me closely. I felt bad for getting him into this?

"She didn't. She doesn't tell us anything" I answered.

"Are you sure? Will Ness and the rest of Pathfinder crew already corroborated the testimony."

There was no way right? Will wouldn't do that, would he?

"Listen" he walked closer to me causing me to strain to look up at him. If I didn't feel self conscious enough with the flimsy and slutty dress I was wearing, I did in that moment. "You're a smart girl so I'm going to level with you"

I glanced over at Asher again who simply watched me like a hawk. I adjusted uncomfortably. It didn't help with how cold the office was.

"There will be a hearing tomorrow. Those who choose the side of justice will be pardoned. Will you take the stand?" he asked me.

I got it. There was to be no fence-sitters. He was asking me to testify against Caitlyn or join her.

It sounded like even if he was framing her, he still needed our testimony to seal her fate. Will's testimony would probably hold more water than mine. If he was here asking for mine, it probably meant they didn't have Will's or he hadn't even bothered asking.

"Do what they want, Dani. So we can be together" Asher pleaded.

I turned to Asher. I wanted to but how could I betray her? She gave me the life I had. Plus, I thought of her as my friend.

If I exposed everything that happened here during the hearing then I could still save Caitlyn.

He had to know Pathfinder crew knew the real story. We saw the attack and the subsequent crash from the ground. He was depending on our sense of self preservation. If the crew had actually decided to betray Caitlyn, then I was effectively condemning myself by siding with her. But I knew it was the right thing to do.

I decided to reveal everything at the hearing.

"I'll take the stand" I told Arthur. "Caitlyn was always very ambitious".

"Excellent" Arthur clapped happily. "You are making the right decision. Take them back to their room. Protect them" he ordered.

I felt one of the agents place a hand on my arm to help me up. I struggled to my feet. I didn't realise how much my knees hurt. I needed to get out of this dress immediately.

As soon as I was comfortable, I could formulate my plan on what I was going to say at the hearing.

"Father, she's lying" I heard a voice but I couldn't believe it. It was Asher's.

I turned sharply to look at him. Gone was the concern and now only disappointment on his face.

"How so?" Arthur asked.

Asher was his son? The realization as everything replayed back in my mind broke me.

"No" I said audibly. I was heartbroken.

"She's an easy enough book to read when you spend time with her. She's lying to you. She has no intention of joining us"

"Hmm" Arthur sighed "That's disappointing"

I couldn't speak, I just stared at him. Slowly the feeling of betrayal was replaced with anger. I wanted to tear him apart.

"We still need her. I hear how the people talk about her. Let's give her some more time to truly change her mind and join us".

Arthur seemed to think for a moment. My gaze remained glued to Asher. I clenched my fist until it hurt.

"Put her in with the others. It will be difficult but we can still succeed without her testimony" Arthur decided. "Let's see if she doesn't come to her senses as more and more of her friends die"

"Yes father" Asher said with that smile of his "We have her family and her daughter. She'll behave"

My gaze remained glued to Asher as he smiled at his father and then at me. My anger was turning into rage.

=^..^=

'I am truly any idiot' I thought as my mind raced remembering the last two days.

Asher and two of the guards had led me out of Voyager 5 and now we made the journey to the Pathfinder.

He'd handed me his jacket which I'd wanted to refuse but I had been freezing so I took it anyway. The large garment dwarfed my small frame.

What was Asher doing in Voyager 3 that day? What business could he possibly have had there? God I didn't even ask his last name.

I was such an idiot. He'd played me. I could have had the numerous creatures I could feel in the forest around us tear them to pieces but I had to make sure everyone was alright first.

"You probably feel like I betrayed you" I heard Asher say. "It wasn't personal".

I didn't respond.

"If it makes you feel any better, I did come to adore you" he continued.

As more words left his mouth, I considered forgoing my plans and just end him there. There were three fylises and a pack of dwesha stalking us. I'd asked them to follow as soon as we got into the forest.

Sometime ago, we had discovered that a Fylis with its sleek black fur wasn't the master of stalking prey. Dwesha, a ferocious, pack hunting creature with perfect camouflage that bordered on invisibility specialized in killing its prey before it ever knew it was there.

By far the most terrifying of all creatures on this planet was the sandwraith. A centipede, if it was twenty feet long and attacked from beneath ground with a paralyzing poison. That was one that I had never even tried to connect with.

The thought of the beast always sent shivers down my spine.

I wasn't going to connect with it today. No, I wouldn't need to, because there were more than enough to take back the planet from those that would exploit it like they did Earth.

But first, I had to make sure everyone was safe.

"We could rule together, Dani. Be my bride"

Ugh shut up.

"This whole planet can belong to me and you. My son in your belly will inherit this planet and all that's in it after us"

What?

"What?" I stopped and turned to him sharply.

The guard that was walking behind me pushed me forward, "keep moving".

Asher turned to him angrily, "How dare you? Do not lay your filthy hands on her"

"Apologies sir" the guard replied.

What did Asher say? His son? Where?

"You said... birth control" I was stunned.

He shook his head simply.

My heart sank. I had been such a fool. The whole way.

"Don't be sad" He told me "This was our destiny. When the Voyager 1 happened, father and I couldn't believe our luck. It was only natural that we partner with RAW's new chairman to take over".

I did this. It was all my fault. My stupidity and my actions caused this.

"You still have time to change your mind." he said finally. "Maybe when they're all dead, you'll see things clearly. You'll realise that I did this for us".

=^..^=

There were RAW agents with their big guns everywhere. It got even worse as we approached the Pathfinder.

Thousands of people were forced lying in the sand and restrained at gunpoint by RAW's militia.

They led me into the ship and I gawked at the sight. Hundreds more packed into the Canteen, forced to sit on the floor. Several RAW agents stood guard.

I imagined it was the same across the other Voyagers and landing sites. They had entirely taken over.

They led me passed the canteen and through several hallways.

We eventually came to a door guarded by two agents. They greeted Asher and readied their weapons as they opened the door to lead me inside.

The large room was filled with everyone close to me. The members of Pathfinder crew, my mum and Adya, Andy, Imani and Mia. All except Caitlyn. They all looked relieved when they saw me enter.

"Oh honey, I'm so glad you're safe" Mum said joyfully.

"Where have you been?" Will asked.

"With me" Asher stepped through the door sporting the most annoying smirk ever. "We've been... getting to know each other".

I looked straight at the ground. I couldn't look anyone in the eye. I was fighting the urge to cry. I was sick and tired of crying. All this power, and I still felt powerless half the time. If anyone else had been made Overlord, would this even be happening?

What did I do with all the time I was given? I got swindled by a playboy. It made me mad. At everything yes, but also at myself.

I felt Asher's hand on my waist. I couldn't react.

"Don't forget to return my jacket, babe" he said with a laugh.

I was so angry.

Asher kept laughing until he exited the room and the doors locked.

I couldn't look anyone in the eye or answer their queries. I just wanted to shrink and disappear. I was so embarrassed.

I felt a hug envelop me and I knew it was Andy. I held him tightly and let the tears flow.

=^..^=

It had been a few hours since they left us in there. Occasionally, we'd hear a weapon fire but generally it was quiet.

I just sat there in that room staring into space. I'd wanted to take off Asher's jacket but it was the only thing giving me some semblance of modesty since I still had that dress on.

More and more, I thought about the events and how it got to this point and my fury grew.

I felt them in my thoughts, the entire planet full of animals, all of them connected to a single point. Me.

I had been hanging back because I knew unleashing it would bring about so much death and destruction.

But I could no longer do nothing. If I stayed quiet, I would be placing Gaia in the hands of dictators. Failsafe would just have to understand.

'Attack' I let the command go. "Kill everyone with a weapon"

Even from inside the ship, we heard the screams and screeches coming from the forest.

I searched for the thread that connected me to her, 'Kira, come' I replayed in my head.

Not long after the wild screams began, human screams followed. I could hear all kinds of weapons firing. Ballistic, beam rifles, sonic. I could both hear the human screams as well as feel the pain of the animals that got hit. It broke my heart.

This went on for a while but as time went on, the screams slowly died down. I heard firing outside our door followed by pained grunts.

I could feel Kira just outside.

'Here girl'

Claws pierced the steel door and ran from corner to corner and kept going until all that remained of the door was pieces of steel scattered everywhere.

A bloody Kira ran into my arms. I checked her frantically and breathed a huge sigh of relief when I confirmed the blood wasn't hers.

Will was staring at me. They all were. The new arrivals were understandably confused but Pathfinder crew was now realizing the secret I'd kept from them.

There was no reach to my control of these animals. Verbal delivery also wasn't a requirement.

They didn't dwell on it long because a moment later, Will and Cillian were out the destroyed door and picking up the weapons left dropped by our formers guard.

I too stepped out with Kira and met eyes with her mate. A fellow Fylis.

As we walked, I realised just how much blood filled the hallways. Some much blood on my hands. But I kept moving. I couldn't stop to think because if I did, I feared I would no longer have the strength to continue.

We made our way back to the canteen where seven dwesha had finished off the guards there and now guarded the civilians who looked terrified.

I noticed two Dwesha laid dead on the floor. I walked up to one of them, knelt and touched it gently.

"Thank you" I said to it under my breath.

I walked to the front of the canteen where everyone could see me.

"Do not be afraid, the animals will not harm you" I shouted at the top of my voice.

"They attacked my husband" A voice screamed back "He was just trying to help"

I followed the sound and found a woman clutching a man in her arms. His arm had been torn clean off and he was bleeding profusely. The hand on the floor was still clutching a beam rifle.

He must have picked it up. Another person's blood on my hands. I was tired. I wished Overlord had chosen someone else. Anyone else. I wasn't cut out for this.

"John, can you help?" I asked.

"Yes" he hurriedly made his way over to the man.

'Stop attacking, protect the people' I commandee. The remaining dwesha who had originally taken an aggressive stance switched to a defensive one. I imagined all the other animals around the region were doing the same.

I had to end this before anyone else got hurt.

"Arthur Reeves and his son, Asher started this." I continued speaking to the entire canteen "They plotted to overthrow the government with RAW's help. Go spread the word and release the other captives ".

=^..^=

Stepping out into the morning sun, I was greeted by the chaos that had ensued after my order. Blood everywhere.

I am become death. I was a horrible person. A failure. My actions and naivete led us here.

'When this is done, I should ask Failsafe to take Overlord away' I thought to myself.

The one saving grace was that the animals of Gaia now protected the civilians on the beach.

As I walked past followed by both Fylis, I made sure to let people know that they were alright now. No harm would come to them.

"Where are you going?" Will asked me.

"Voyager 5. Arthur Reeves is the one behind this" I told them.

"I'll come" Will told me.

Cillian and Robert decided they would too. The work wasn't done.

=^..^=

Surprisingly, there were no guards when we reached Voyager 5. The halls were empty as well like a ghost town.

"Have they fled?" Robert asked cautiously as we walked.

"We need to check. I know where his office is" I insisted.

We walked the halls cautiously wondering where the next resistance force would come from but nothing came.

That was until I turned the final corner that would lead to Arthur's office but was faced with a barrage of bullets. Will managed to pull me back around the corner to safety.

It was those 5 RAW agents from earlier this morning. I just knew it. I got angry remembering how they'd treated me even while I was naked and helpless.

"They're guarding him" Will announced.

"We have to get through" I said to no one in particular.

Cillian peeked his head around the corner to get a look and they instantly shot only narrowly missing him.

They weren't going to let us pass.

I had come too far to stop now. I was tired. I wanted this to end.

I felt Kira by my side getting more and more agitated.

"No girl, calm" I said to her. Her mate came closer and I touched him too. I couldn't send either of them out there.

I had a plan.

I closed my eyes and searched for the dwesha. 'Come'.

"Get ready" I told the rest of the crew.

None of them felt or saw anything when four invisible dwesha crept passed us, around the corner and slowly, quiet as night, covered the distance being watched by the guards.

There were no bullets flying. To a human, a prowling dwesha was only visible with thermal sights. Unfortunate for them that they either didn't have any or weren't using them.

Seconds later, the screams and gunfire down the hall told me that it was done. Good riddance.

"What just happened?" Will asked

I walked boldly down the hallway. At the end of it, a pool of blood and dismembered bodies. It truly was a dark day.

I knocked on the door that I'd been led out of only hours earlier.

"Is it safe?" Arthur's scared voice came through.

Kira tore through the door easily allowing me to walk through. Arthur was standing behind his desk with a gun to Caitlyn's head.

"Let her go" I said.

"One step further and I kill her" he threatened.

"Go on, give me an excuse" I said menacingly to him. Asher may have know me well enough to tell that I had been lying. Let's see if his father was just as adept.

When Will, Cillian and Robert walked into the room with their guns, Arthur turned his weapon to me. Kira stepped up and into the path, I touched her gently,

"No please, step aside" I said to her.

The four dwesha had advanced slowly doing what they did best. They had surrounded him but he didn't even know it.

"You kill her, you die. You kill me, you die" I assured him. "And something tells me you don't want to die yet".

They had humiliated me. I think a part of me wanted justification. I had long since accepted that I wasn't a good person. No point in pretending.

The dwesha came into view and I saw the defeat on Arthur Reeves' face. He raised both his hands and allowed Caitlyn to walk out and towards us freely.

"Where is your son?" I asked him. "It's you or him".

Asher was the one I wanted. I was going to make him pay.

"Leave my boy alone"

"Pola, where is Asher Reeves?" Caitlyn voiced while looking directly at me.

"Asher Reeves is currently in the medbay" Pola's voice rang through the speakers.

I turned sharply and walked passed Will and the others. Both Fylis and All four Dwesha followed.

"What are you going to do?" Will asked as he began to follow.

"Don't" was my only response.

"Just come back safe to me" he told me finally

=^..^=

I made my way through the familiar hallways. The closer I got to the medbay, the angrier I got.

He betrayed me. Like a fool, I fell in love with him and it was just a ploy.

I heard a woman's screams coming from the direction of the medbay and picked up speed.

I reached the medbay to find Asher pointing a handgun at an extremely weak Heather who was sitting on floor and resting her back against the wall.

They both turned to me wide-eyed.

"Daniel?" Heather exclaimed incredulously.

I couldn't answer her just yet. My attention was held entirely by Asher who was pointing a gun at a frail woman that could barely move.

She looked so weak? Was it just the effects of Stasis? Or had they done something to her?

"Have you no shame?!" I shouted at him.

"What the hell are you?" Asher asked while turning to point the gun at me.

A camouflaged Dwesha pounched and bit his hand which caused the gun to fall. He quickly took the exit closest to him and fled out of the medbay.

"Pola, tell Will that Heather is in the medbay"

A ran up to Heather and helped her up to her feet and back into bed.

"Dani" She said weakly "Have you secretly been a girl this whole time?"

I laughed "It's a long story".

"Yeah no time for that now I guess" She coughed. She looked to the two Fylis and three Dwesha that stood patiently at my side.

"I don't know what the fuck is going on and you all have a lot of explaining to do but don't let that asshole escape"

I held her hand tightly. "I'll be back".

=^..^=

I followed the lead of the fourth Dwesha that had chased after him. Asher was bleeding. Through the Dwesha's senses, I could smell the blood as they tracked their prey.

It made me feel alive. Asher had ran aimlessly into the forest through a path that I now followed.

The fighting was done now. RAW had surrendered. I'd passed by numerous people that hugged themselves happily. I could not take part in their victory celebrations just yet.

Asher was mine.

Minutes went by and I just walked, following the scattered footsteps and smell of blood.

Eventually the short chase was over. I caught up to the Dwesha that now stood guard over a weak Asher. He was resting against a tree deep in the forest, his arm bleeding.

"What the hell are you?" he asked again. "You're a freak"

I was numb to his words.

"I can't believe I put my seed in you. What was I thinking?"

More words.

'Baby, if you're are in there' I thought to myself. 'I am sorry. Your father is a bad man and he must die'.

I took a step forward and be surprised me by pulling out a second gun I hadn't seen and shot.

Before I knew what was happening, Kira once again stepped in front and got hit. Her mate pounced at Asher immediately.

I turned away. As much as I thought I wanted it, it still couldn't watch the man I thought I loved get torn apart in the most gruesome fashion. The screams were enough.

=^..^=

My heart had sank for a moment as I thought I'd lose Kira. I'd let out a great sigh of relief, when it turned out that the small arms fire wasn't enough to pierce her thick hide.

She had saved me so many times. All the animals on this planet had saved me again and again and how had I replayed them?

So many of them had died in the fighting. I decided they deserved better.

As I walked out of the forest and Pathfinder's beach came into view, I finally understood what I had to do. I would issue one final order.

'Be free'

I didn't know if it would work but how could I keep them under my command?

'Be free' I repeated in my head.

Instead, the animals gathered from all over the area as I walked.

"Be free" I said out loud.

They just came and followed. The civilians on the beach watched as well. More and more humans came in from the different landing sites. More creatures came from all directions.

I noticed Will and the others as they led Arthur Reeves in cuffs towards the Pathfinder. Heather was with them too. I smiled at her, she smiled back. We had so much to talk about.

All species of animals came in and surrounded me. There was loud screeching as Zylphi dropped from the skies and landed.

They all lowered their heads for me.

"Don't cry" I told myself. It wasn't working.

The New arrivals took this as their cue and also began lowering their heads.

I looked around me. I realised I had now been chosen, not by some futuristic computer but by the real, living, breathing beings of this world.

And so I accepted my role.

I was Dani Fahey, the first mother and Overlord of Gaia.

=^..^=

The End.

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And there we have it. You made it to the end... or is it the beginning?

For real though, I appreciate you reading the whole thing. Now that you're done, please let me know what you thought about it!

If you looking for something else to read and haven't yet, check out "The Body Snatcher". It's also a completed story.

Again thank you for staying until the end. Till the next one. Cheers.