Chapter 5
The bridge of the Singapore, high orbit around New Texas.

For the past twelve hours I stood watching as first the wounded had been transferred to the Medical Dropship Bifrost and then the rest of the civilians. At first, I wanted to protest the crew of the Singapore being transferred off. That was until I saw them in irons. Only the bridge crews were spared after being interrogated by members of the Death Dealer Inquisitor Squads. None of us were expecting the North Star to return and provide both protection and a tow.

With the engines damaged the way they were there was no way the Singapore was going to make landfall in one piece. As the lowest ranking military officer on board the dropship, I got stuck watching over the skeleton crew left behind to ensure the Singapore stayed on course during the tow. Not that it mattered to me. I knew that I wasn’t ready to face a few hundred horny men on a Navy Cutter.

‘Terresa, I know there are procedures for securing an abandoned ship. Why are they just letting the bridge crew still pilot this one?’

‘Lilly there is over forty tons of illegal arms and munitions in the cargo holds of this ship. The General and the Crown Prince just can’t let that fall in to the hands of the rebel forces on either New Carolina or New Texas. The Death Dealers are out here trying to keep the Amazon mercs and those crazy Confederates from going full-title boggy into an all-out war. You heard what the Prince ordered done with those experimental A.I. driven fighters. Whatever else is in those cargo holds must not get into the hands of either force. Now, do you understand why we’re the ones still on this dropship. If the bridge crew gets stupid, the North Star has orders to blast this ship straight to hell, us with it.’

I know that Lilly is taking her time going over what I just told her. ‘Terresa, there is one operational Mustang still on the flight deck. We can reach it before the crew knows and lunch before the North Star can get a hard lock on us.’

‘I know that Lilly, but it won’t matter. We still couldn’t clear the range of their main guns before they acquired us, got a hard lock and fired. I won’t even bother with pointing out that their missiles are all radar guided, with a range of around two to three AUs. As fast as the Mustangs and Lightnings are, there is no way we can out run the missiles on that Cutter.’ As if to underscore my feelings on the matter Lilly put the weapons for the new Cutters up on my HUD.

‘I see what you mean Terresa. I had no idea that the Explorer Class Cutters were so well armed. Please forget my suggestion.’

‘Forget about it, Lilly. You heart was in the right place.’ I tried to reassure her that she had not made a mistake.

‘I beg to differ. I don’t have a heart. Therefor it cannot be misplaced.’ It took me a second before I realized that I just got punked.

The bridge crew turned to look at me as I giggled over Lilly’s inside joke. I just looked at them and they quickly returned to their duties. A few of them muttered an epitaph that I know I would have to live with for the rest of my life. As much as I wanted to beat the shit out those that used that term I couldn’t.

‘Terresa, why do these people call us Silver Eyed Witch with such hate?’

I sighed before answering Lilly’s question. ‘Lilly do you remember how you couldn’t find that one reference to Claymores?’

‘Yes. What does that have to do with the name Silver Eyed Witch?’

‘To most people in the military, and even more so amongst the civilians, Claymores are just too deadly and too unpredictable to be trusted. Sadly, only part of that statement is true. Of all the Second-Generation Death Dealers the deadliest of them all are Claymores. They’re faster, stronger, and above all meaner than any other Death Dealer out there. That is one of the reasons why Claymores get called some very derogatory names. Silver eye witch, is just one of the politer ones. Thankfully only one in a very large number ever manifest as Claymores.’

‘I see. So, them calling us Silver Eyed Witch is not a compliment. Would telling them that we lack the weapons of a Second-Generation Death Dealer ease their fears?’

Once again, I just giggled. ‘No Lilly, I don’t think that would be a good idea. As far as they are concerned, the only place people like us belong is in a box behind glass marked ‘Break in case of war’. I kind of understand why they feel like that. Just look at us! We’re the prefect pilot for an aerospace fighter. All thanks to that fracking COBRA program.’

‘In a way that is very true Terresa, but in others it is not. I hate to say this but, at present, there in not one aerospace fighter of any class that can withstand your style of combat. I have been scanning the current listings of available craft. None of them can match our capabilities. Also, we cannot place the blame solely on the COBRA programing. As it was only partially up loaded into my original matrix. The second part of that falls on the E.L.S.S. measures to save your life.’ I had to stop and think over what Lilly had just informed me. I decided to ignore the parts about the COBRA and E.L.S.S. for now and just concentrate on getting back into a fighter of some type.

‘Lilly did you include the new F-1E5 Strike Eagle in that scan?’

‘I have Terresa. Even with all of that fighter’s advanced aeronautics and flight characteristics’ It will be woefully inadequate for our needs. It does have some characteristics that we could use, but the rest are worthless. If we could put the avionics package in say a lighter, faster, and more maneuverable airframe like the Lightning or the Black Widow we might have an aerospace fighter that we could operate to our fullest capabilities.’

I thought about what Lilly just told me. ‘Lilly is there a manufacturing facility at that research center on New Texas?’

It took her a few seconds before she answered. ‘There is one that would meet our requirements Terresa. I take it that you have a design in mind for a new type of fighter. One that would be a true air superiority and interceptor fighter.’

‘Yes, I do Lilly. I won’t let us get grounded because we don’t have a fighter. Not even from being a test pilot.’ I already had an idea of what I needed in a fighter. The first of which was I needed a fighter that was more acrobat than boxer. Not so much a speed demon but more like sports hovercar. Less sledgehammer more scalpel.

As I started listing the needed parameters for Lilly she placed them on my personal HUD while inputting her own ideas. Our little dream fest was interrupted by the helmsman. “Lieutenant, you need to strap in ma’am. We’re starting our descent to Huston Spaceport now. And ma’am, this is going to be a bumpy ride down.”

“Understood, Helm. Do your best to keep this bird in one piece.” I ordered.

“I can’t guarantee that last part Lieutenant. Not with all the damage sustained to our outer hulls, thrusters, and engines. To be honest Lieutenant Cole, if I can get this beast down without crashing it’ll be a damned miracle.” I looked over at the helmsman to see if the man was kidding. The grim look of concentration and line of perspiration across his forehead told me he wasn’t.

“Helmsman Garret, if we don’t make it down. It has been an honor to fly with you.” I told the man honestly.

“Same here Lieutenant, same here. Just do me a favor. We get down safely, never fly on one of my dropships again.” The whole bridge crew busted out laughing at Garret’s joke including me. The laughing continued until the Singapore hit the upper atmosphere of the planet. At first, I thought we would burnup before we cleared the ionosphere. The primary heat shield tiles were flaking off at a rate that was scary as hell to me, but as I looked around the bridge all I saw was calm reflection. I steeled my nerves and said a silent prayer.

I had to remain calm and trust these people. They were the experts, where all I knew was the theory behind piloting a dropship. I knew that if we got this monster down someone would to have to pry my hands from the Command chair armrests. I’ve made atmosphere entry in an aerospace fighter multiple times during flight training. This was totally different. In a fighter you come in at a steep attack angle, more like an arrow driving into a target. This was like trying to slip between the layers of atmosphere like a lover between the thighs of their newest conquest. This type of flying was a totally different style than what I was used to.

The deeper we got into the atmosphere the more the ship bounced around. Soon I felt a heavy vibration in the deck plates. I know that wasn’t a good sign. When the sounds of groaning metal and screeching joints came, I knew we weren’t going to make it down. I began looking around for the escape pods. When Garret yield to be heard over the noise I knew that the time to use the escape pods was passed.

“VICTOR TWELVE! FULL FLAPS! ENGINEERING MAX POWER TO THE ENGINES! NAV CALL THEM OFF AS WE PASS THEM! CRASH TEAMS STANDBYE FOR IMPACT! ALL CREW ASSUME CRASH POSITIONS!”

He had no sooner calling out his orders that the navigator began calling out wave points as we passed over them. “MARK 20! TEN SECONDS TO NEXT WAVE POINT!”

“FULL POWER ON ALL ENGINES HELM!” The ship’s engineer called out.

“MARK 18 AND COUNTING HELM!” When I heard this I knew we were coming in way too fast. The navigator’s next call confirmed this. “MARK 14! PULL UP HELM! WE’RE COMING IN TOO HOT! I SAY AGAIN PULL UP!”

“DEPLOY THE ATMOSPHERE BREAKS AND GLIDE WINGS! ENGINEERING STANDBYE ON THE BREAKING THRUSTERS! TEN SECONDS TO FULL GLIDE!” Garret screamed out.

I sat there praying to every god and goddess of flight there is, all in the hopes that we get down in one piece. That and Helmsman Garret knows what he is doing. As I heard Garret scream out for the breaking thrusters at more than thirty-thousand feet I knew we were coming in way too fast. I felt the prow of the Singapore slowly raising then breathed a sigh of relief. If Garret could get the prow up, we had more than a chance at landing safely. When the navigator called out Mark 12 I knew we were slowing. I looked out the forward view screen and could see the Huston landing strip coming into view. Just after the navigator called out mark 10 I heard the atmosphere breaks deploy and bite into the air around the ship. The next thing I feel is the Singapore climbing.

“ALL HANDS STANDBYE FOR CHUTE BREAKING IN T-MINUS FIVE AND COUNTING!” Garret called out over the noise of both the atmosphere rushing over the haul and scream of the engines. When he said Chute Breaking I knew we were still going too fast.

I also knew that if we had less than five minutes to landing then we were really pushing the flight envelope of the Singapore. The moans and groans of the ships hull metal were loud enough to deafen. The smell of overheated exhaust from the braking thrusters permeated the whole ship. This landing was happening more like an assault landing of a Raider class dropship than the glide landing of a civilian dropship. The problem was the Singapore was a civilian class Clipper dropship. These babies maybe fast but they weren’t built for assault landings.

We were less than five miles out and still coming in too fast when Garret called out. “BRACE FOR IMPACT! ENGINEERING FULL POWER TO BREAKING THURSTERS ON MY COMMAND! COMMS WARN THE ECRT AND FIRE TO BE ON STANDBYE!”

That last command grabbed my attention. The Emergency Crash Reaction Teams and Fire Department were only called out for crash landings. It was never a fun time when those two departments rolled out. I should know. My first brush with death had been during flight training. I got caught by a bird strike in my port engine that blew out both exhaust ports forcing me to make an emergency landing. The damage to my TR-19 Tigger trainer forced me to belly in on the crash pad. If it hadn’t been for my H.H.S.S. kicking in when it did I would have died that day. And here I am facing a similar situation with a similar outcome, only this time I’m not the one on the controls. All I can do is sit here and pray that Garret knows his job. Him and the rest of this crew. Because if they don’t this is going to be hell of a short-lived landing ending in a fireball of twisted burning wreckage.

I heard the whine of the landing gear deploying. Followed their added resistance to the air helping to break the Singapore’s speed. Six massive sets of wheels. Each set is a pairing of four, for a total of twenty-four wheels standing twenty-feet tall and weighting over a ton a piece. That was a lot of weight to drag through the air and made one massive break. I knew we were less than a hundred feet off the ground now and passed the point of no return. We either touch own safely or crashed. I started counting down the seconds until we hit the runway.

I felt the rear landing gear touch down first as the Clipper rolled forward onto its wing then finally nose gear. From his position Garret called out. “BREAKING THURSTERS NOW! DEPLOYING CHUTES! MAIN ENGINES ALL BACK FULL! HANG ON EVERYBODY THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE ONE OF MY BETTER LANDINGS!”

As much as I want to laugh just then I couldn’t do it. I was too busy trying to not piss my bio-armor. When the emergency breaking chutes deployed I was almost tossed out of the command chair. If not for the crash harness I would have been face down on the deck. The roar of the main engines reached an almost unbearable level as the ‘buckets’ dropped over the main engines redirecting their thrust forward and away from the body. I could hear the breaks on the landing gear screeching as they tried to slow the ship. I swear I could almost feel the ship tearing itself about. When the sudden jerk to port came Garret slammed down on the fire extinguishers for the landing gear. I knew that if he did that again the Singapore would be sliding on her belly. If I survived this landing I would never again travel on a civilian transport. I didn’t care if I had to take a PTC between duty stations.

‘Terresa the landing gear breaks are reaching their maximum tolerance levels for heat. If the Singapore does not come to a stop soon I fear it will explode.’

‘Lilly before you say something about using that fighter forget about it. The only working lunch tube is on starboard side keel.’ I figured I should point this little fact out to my newest friend.

‘I know this Terresa. I am merely pointing out that our chances of surviving this landing have dropped considerably. Which are now down to twenty-seven-thousand-eight-hundred-forty-four to one.’

‘In the words of a great man from the early days space pioneering. Never tell me the odds.’ The scream of the nose gear breaking off drove the point home that we were now very much a crashed dropship. The Singapore was never going to fly the space ways again under its own. Not after this landing anyway. I figure that it would take twelve to eighteen months in a repair dock before the Singapore would ready for flight operations again. If ever.

“HAMMERHEAD IN TWO HUNDRED FEET HELM! THREE HUNDRED TO THE TRAP!” The navigator called out to Garret. Then started to countdown to the end of the runway and the crash pad. “ONE-FIFTY! ONE HUNDRED! SEVENTY-FIVE! FIFTY! TWENTY-FIVE! CRASH PAD!”

The crash pad worked as advertised and stopped the Singapore dead once the ship was halfway over it. I didn’t wait for the crew to issue the order. I hit the emergency evacuation signal for the whole ship. Even as the emergency exit exploded away from the command deck and the slide chute deployed we’re unstrapping. As we lined up to slide down and away from the crashed ship my mind kept running over the options for the landing. I could find nothing pointing to the crew trying to crash the Singapore on propose. These thoughts were backed up by Lilly’s analyses.

‘Terresa, there was nothing they could do to keep this ship from crashing. There was just too much damage done to it during the two attacks. The fact that they were able to even put it down in this good of shape is amazing.’

‘Like the old saying goes Lilly. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one. And we’re walking away from this one.’ I told her only to have Lilly quote another old saying among pilots.

‘Take-offs are optional, landings are mandatory.’

Private quarters, Super Carrier, Lady Dai Etsu, stationary orbit, New Texas

James sat behind his desk in his private quarters of the Super Carrier named after his grandmother, the Lady Dai Etsu. He wasn’t alone. Sitting across from him were Sylvester and Sylvia Cole. Neither of whom were none too happy with him just then. James didn’t blame the brother and sister for being mad at him. After all it was his orders that left their younger sibling on board the Singapore to command it during its landing. It was his actions that placed that young woman in danger for the third time in twenty-fours. James gave the two siblings a few seconds to unload on him, when it didn’t come he took his mother’s approach.

“Okay, people let’s dispense with the formalities and titles. There will be no titles or ranks used in here. You’re both pissed off at me leaving your new sister on that fracked up dropship. Let me have it.” James knew he was about to get an ear full, from Sylvester from the Captain’s facial expression.

He couldn’t have been more wrong. Sylvia damned near launched out of her chair. “Just who frack do you think you are to just sentence our sister die like this? Just because you’re a fracking prince doesn’t mean you can just send someone to their death because they’re an irritating reminder of our past, you pompous ass.”

“Miss. Cole for starters I didn’t leave your sister to die on that dropship. I left her on that dropship because she is the only person we have that can spot a sabotaged landing. Not because she is an unfortunate reminder of a harsh fact from our history. Before you go off I do know more about the Secondary-Configuration Death Dealers than most officers. I do have some questions concerning her transformation.” James knew he was dancing on thin ice.

“Your Highness, you can take your questions and shove them up your ass. The only way you get your answers is if our sister lives through that dropship’s landing.” Sylvester snarled out as he shifted in his chair.

James sighed as he looked over at Sylvester. “For starters Mister Cole, the name is James. Second, your sister and the Singapore are down safely. Not in one piece from what I understand but everyone made it out. She should be clearing medical in another half hour or so. What about you Marie? You want a go at me to?”

“Nope. I believe that the Coles’ have things well in hand. Personally James, I would have shot you in the ass by now.” Colonel Marie Kelly smirked.

“You always were one to get straight to the point Marie.” James smiled at one of his old Instructors. “I always hated your pop quizzes in class. I am hoping that between you and Doctor Cole you can answer my questions concerning Lieutenant Cole’s Secondary-Configuration. Because there should be far too many safeguards in place to keep that process from ever happening again.”

Sylvester and Sylvia looked over at each other before Sylvester nodded his head. Sylvia pulled out the data crystal that she had taken off the scientist. “Okay James you want answers. Here they are. Just play that.”

James put the crystal in his reader and hit play. Everyone in the room sat silently as for the next hour as the data was displayed on James’ main monitor. When the last entry had played, a list of programs were displayed. The first one on that list was the program for the original Omega Class Infiltrator A.I. base. Of those in the room only James knew what he was truly looking at.

“GODS BE DAMNED THOSE FOOLS! I killed them too quickly!” Reaching over James hit the button for his private connection to his mother. “Comms, this is a class Alpha One Priority Alert Fast Com Message for Wave Dancer and Koneko Mistress. Full scramble codes to be enacted.”

The young yeoman in the communication center didn’t even think twice about following the Crown Prince’s order. Not after Prince James gave those Communication Codes. Colonel Kelly, was the only one in the room that understood the meaning by James’ orders. Or the significance they held for Terresa Cole. Sylvia and Sylvester looked over at the very stunned expression on Colonel Kelly’s face. Sylvia was the first to ask what was happening.

“Colonel Kelly, ma’am what is so important about that code and call signs?”

“That is my personal frequency to the Palace and the call signs belong to my mothers.” James answered not taking his eyes off the main view screen on his office wall. “They should be answering shortly. Before they do, you both need to know that neither of them will be standing on protocol once I tell them why I’ve called. In fact, they will be down right pissed off and may ask you both some very direct and unsettling questions concerning your new sister.”

Both of the Cole siblings swallowed hard at the thought of talking directly with the Empress and her wife the War Princess. Both women were known for their rather short tempers and violent mood swings. Though they had calmed down over the years the legends of Maiha and Allison Nakatoma being hellions of the first order still fill the barracks of military outposts. The one legend of Empress Maiha sending a buck private to an arctic outpost on her home planet of Hades for not handing over a radio was a favorite one to tell new recruits. Little did anyone know that private had been promoted to holding one of the most coveted positions in the Nakatoma House Military, Personal Bodyguard to Grand Lady Dai Etsu Nakatoma.

When the screen filled with the faces of the two women both were smiling but it was the beautiful Japanese woman who spoke first. “James, it’s good to hear from you. How’s your posting to New Texas going?”

“Wave Dancer, we have a Falling Star. I repeat, a Falling Star.” James had no sooner finished using the code phrase for a Secondary-Configuration the first time than the expressions of both women changed.

“Report, Joker.” The Empress ordered.

“As of zero-seven-forty local time the Clipper class dropship Singapore entered the system. At zero-seven-forty-five they came under attack.” James went on to describe the ensuing battle and how Jason Cole came to be in the Secondary-Configuration cocoon. When he got to the point where Jason was released from the cocoon he stopped. “Mom, this is where things get a little weird.”

Alice smiled out at James. “Weird how James?”

“When the Infiltrator’s COBRA programing engaged there were holes in its coding.” James had no sooner finished explaining this than Maiha held up her hand. “Yes ma’am. You have a question?”

“James, are the three people in the room with you clear for this information?” this was a real concern for Maiha as it hit too close to the truth of her past.

“I’m sorry, mama. Let me make some introductions. The Colonel and Major are doctors for the one-oh-first, and the Captain is with the divisions Spec Ops teams. Colonel Marie Kelly is part of General Davenport’s Staff. The Major and Captain are the older brother and sister of Lieutenant Cole. I included them as I feel that they need to know exactly what we’re dealing with when it comes to this situation.” James knew that he had made a unilateral decision but had to be done.

“Thank you, James. Now tell me what you meant by there being holes in the COBRA program. Was it incomplete or something else?” Maiha asked with real concern.

“Okay mama, I’ll do my best, but this is more along aunt Nanase’s line of study. From what I can tell there are whole sections of the program left out. Not ones that would render it worthless but unable to fulfill all of its functions. Like scanning for a viable population demographics to style the new configuration baseline appearance for starters. Another MASSIVE hole is the secondary protocols concerning the offensive and defensive weapons. Those are completely missing. The strange part is the protocols that were written to repair any brain faults first, thus avoiding splintering are present. It was as if the scientists were able to only get their hands on half the program. I’ve already thrown that idea out. There are just too many exact pieces of the program for this to be an accident. I have the program on a data crystal with the program and it is being sent to you for examination. I was hoping that you could give me a better idea of what I’m missing here mama.” James tried to keep the frustrations out of his voice.

“We’ve got it now James. Give me a few minutes with Dee Dee to go over it.” Maiha told her son with a smile. Alice though was giving their oldest son the stink eye.

“Okay, James, what is it about this pilot that has you so unsettled?” Alice demanded.

“Before I start you need to understand that Lieutenant Cole is like mama Maiha.” Alice got the hint James just gave her and nodded her head for him to continue. “I know that I should keep things like this professional, but she came out of that cocoon as a Claymore. She is one of a kind and deadly as hell on the stick of a fighter. I’ll be honest here. I’ve seen more than a few Aces out there, but none of them hold a candle to Terresa Cole. She took on half a Squadron of KV-81 Sturmgewehrs with a P-38D Lightning and downed three along with two DH-95B Mosquitos before being jumped and shot down. During the second battle I got to watch her take a second P-38D Lightning. This time, all she had was a standard C-n-C computer and her new DDAI. Not only did she take out a full Squadron of VF-105 Thunderchief torpedo/bombers, but the C-n-C dropship that was controlling them. Mom that is a total of fifteen kills, and a ship kill in twelve hours. I’ve never seen a pilot with her kind of reactions or skills. And I’ve seen more than a few.”

“I think this is where I need to give a little background on my new sister, Majesty.” Sylvia smirked at the War Princess.

“Please do Major Cole, and it’s just Alice. I will not have formality during such a delicate situation.” Alice returned the smirk.

“Terresa, suffers from what is known as Hyper Hysteria Savant Syndrome. She was diagnosed with it back at the academy. H.H.S.S. is a genetic condition that under normal circumstances pushes an individual’s normal flight or fight responses to superhuman levels. Time seems to slow down for her during extremely high stress times, she can identify, track, and engage multiple targets at the same time, all while doing the crossword puzzle. She is the prefect test pilot. Now, her H.H.S.S. is on all the time.” Sylvia sighed over this last part.

“I take it that this new development has bearing on young Terresa’s abilities for combat?” Maiha asked bluntly.

“Yes ma’am, you could say that.” Sylvia answer Maiha quickly. “Both Colonel Kelly and I have a theory as to why Terresa was transformed into a Claymore.”

“Let’s hear it Sylvia.” Alice ordered.

“In order to save Terresa’s life and to preserve its own existence the Infiltrator accessed ALL of its programing. Between the COBRA programing and the aerospace fighter’s experimental ejection pod’s Emergency Life Support System the Secondary-Configuration was able to first save his life then repair the genetic quark. The problems occurred when the COBRA’s secondary protocols were reached. The ones that are missing. Part of our theory is these missing pieces forced the E.L.S.S.’s nanities to carryout the needed repairs and life saving procedures. Only without the standard weapons of all Secondary-Configuration and Second-Gen Death Dealers have.” Sylvia honestly answered as best she could.

“James any signs of splintering? I won’t have an unstable pilot out there.” Alice question James harshly.

“None mama. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear that Terresa has had her AI for as long as I have.” James said Terresa’s name with a smile. A smile that both Cole siblings caught along with both of his mothers.

Sylvester was the first to comment. “Let me give you some fast, hard, advice here Major Nakatoma. When it comes to my sisters, wear a steal jockstrap with titanium cup. Both are dyed in the wool ballbusters.”

Both of James’ mothers burst out laughing along with Sylvia as James blushed. He turned to Sylvester. “You know something Captain. Just for that crack I should stick you with one of my sisters and see how things turn out for you.”

“Sorry, James, but that threat won’t work anymore. Your sisters have each found their own loves now. Ahmie is already engaged. We expect Ohmie to receive her ring shortly. Besides right now we have a more pressing matter.” Maiha spoke up with some authority while pointing at the download from the crystal. “Our young Lieutenant Terresa Cole is a one of a kind Death Dealer. Let alone being a Claymore. Where is she now, James?”

“Planet side, mom. Why?” There was real worry in James’ voice now.

“Because my son, she is totally defenseless outside the cockpit of an aerospace fighter. She may also be the answer to our problems with Death Dealer fighter pilots and A.I. burnout. The Infiltrator A.I. program was modified specifically for controlling aerospace fighters at high speeds during combat. I don’t understand most of this and neither does my A.I. but I will have your aunts Nanase and Nanami take a hard look at this data. Hopefully they’ll be able to decipher the rest of the coding for us. Until then secure that Lieutenant. Understood?” Maiha’s last order didn’t go over well with the Coles.

Sylvia put their feelings into words. “You can shove that idea up your ass, your Majesty. Because I can bet you dollars to donuts that Terresa will escape whatever little box you try to stuff her in. Our sister maybe new to being a woman but she can out think just about every fighter pilot known to man. She could do that before her little upgrade without the use of a Death Dealer A.I. Now that she has one of her own it’s a whole new fracking ballgame. With that kind of computing power at her disposal she’ll be damned near unstoppable on the ground, let alone in the air.”

“Okay, Sylvia, what are we missing here?” Maiha asked in a calm tone. One that had sent First Lords of the Death Dealers running for cover.

Sylvester had heard the tales of the Empress becoming calm like this in the past. He jumped in to save the peace between his sister and the Empress. “Please forgive my sister’s rudeness Empress, but when it comes to Terresa she gets a little over protective at times. With the events of today she has become more than a little sensitive towards the idea of someone using our little sister as a guinea pig.”

Maiha sighed and looked out at Sylvia. “Major, please forgive me, I forget at times what it is like having younger siblings. Now, back to the question as to why placing your new sister into protective custody would be impossible?”

“We grow up on the frontier planet of Concord three, ma’am. We hunted, fished, and basically lived off the land. Terresa also has the standard escape and evasion training that all pilots have. Which she excelled at to the point of being first in her class. You put that all together and not only can she escape but live off the land for an indefinite period of time. All while evading our troops. Add in Terresa’s H.H.S.S. and Infiltrator A.I. you get the prefect storm for a downed pilot in enemy territory.” As Sylvester laid out the situation for all those in the room and the royal couple he could see the wheels turning.

Maiha sat back in her chair. “Well shit. Okay, people. Let’s get a handle on this situation and fast. First how can we keep Lieutenant Terresa Cole from going AWOL. Second how do we get her to help us with our A.I. burnout problem amongst our pilots. Third how do we do keep her safe. Lastly what do we give a fully trained test pilot with combat experience to do to keep her sane.”

“I got the answer for the last part. We have her design, build, and fly an aerospace fighter that can keep up with her skills and abilities. We have the resources at the New Texas research facility. Why not let her use them?” James quipped.

“James, if you weren’t my son, I would swear you were trying to keep the young lady close at hand. As you are my son I agree with you on that suggestion.” Alice smiled.

“I think I know how we can get the young Lieutenant to help with our burnout problem ma’am.” Colonel Kelly coughed. “If we can get Major Cole and myself reassigned to the research center on New Texas we can assign the Major as the Lieutenant’s primary flight physician. Between the two us we can monitor her flight performance. If the only reason she is immune to burnout is her H.H.S.S. we’ll know by the end of her fourth or fifth flight. If not, then we might be able to use that to remove the threat of burnout. Won’t really know until we study how the A.I. affected her H.H.S.S. For now, it’s all guess work.”

“Okay that takes care of two out of four problems.” Maiha pointed out only to have Sylvester correct her.

“Wrong ma’am. We have answers for all four of our problems. Keeping Terresa at the R-n-D center keeps her in a safe secure area. That solves two problems there. Lastly letting her design and build her own fighter will keep her from going AWOL.”

“Damn you’re sneaky Captain. It’s a good thing you work Spec Ops. Because anywhere else would be a waste of your talents.” Alice said as she gave him an appraising look. “Tell me Captain, are you currently involved?”

“Sorry ma’am, but I got a girl waiting for me already. We plan on tying the knot on my next leave.” Sylvester was doing his best to shift the attention of the royal couple off him as fast as he could. He wanted nothing to do with the royal family outside of being one of their officers.

“Oh well, Cassidy will just have to find someone else for her little girl.” Alice sighed before looking over at James. “And you, young man, give Terresa Cole time to come to terms with her new self before making any advances towards her.”

“Damn it, Mother Alice! Will you please stay out of my love life?!” James bitched. Then turned to face Sylvester. “Does your mother cause you this much grief Captain?”

“You’re lucky it’s only your mothers, Major. I got to deal with a nosey assed sister on top of my mother.” Sylvester griped just before both men chuckled and the women just sighed. Maiha brought them all back on topic.

“AS lovely as this has been we need to return to the business of the moment. Are there any more of these illegal A.I.’s running around?”

“No mom. I had them all secured and the scientists behind this fiasco dealt with.” The look that James gave Maiha let her know that the research team was dead.

“At least that is one problem we don’t have to deal with still. Colonel Kelly, Major Cole, you might have a better understanding of what went wrong with Lieutenant Cole’s transformation by studying the intact fighter A.I.’s. Besides them being Omega class Infiltrators do you have any other data on the type of A.I. that was used for the basis?” Maiha was curious about this one fact for a reason.

“No ma’am. The actual type of Infiltrator is still unknown to us. As the information regarding those particular A.I.s is classified above our clearances.” Kelly told Maiha before sighing. “I already tried to access the information and failed.”

“Mama Maiha, I watched Terresa fly and her reactions in combat. I believe that I have an idea to the type of Infiltrator that was used as the basis for the fighter A.I.’s.” James told them all. Then sighed because he knew this was a sore subject for his mothers. “They’re all Deep Strike A.I.’s.”

Maiha began to swear a blue streak a mile long, while Alice called the dead research team everything but a human being with a Christian name. James and the others waited until the royal couple regained their composure before attempting further discussion. “I hope you got that out of your systems mothers?”

“James Johnathan Owens Nakatoma, that had better be a rhetorical question.” Maiha snapped at her oldest son.

James just blanched at hearing his full name. He knew that he was on thin ice right now with his mother, the Empress Maiha. “Yes ma’am.”

“Good, because you know how I feel about those A.I.’s.” Taking a deep breath Maiha continued. “How certain are you of that assessment?”

“I’ll put a month’s pay on it. Then give you ten to three odds on top with an over-under of fifteen. That’s how certain I am mom.” When James started to give first a bet of a month’s pay then odds with a spread on points that wide the royal couple knew their son was dead certain. They knew their son gambled and was damned good at it, but he never placed a bet he wasn’t certain would pay off.

“James give me your opinion of the situation in the New Confederate System.” Alice ordered quickly. “Just how stable is that system?”

“We’re sitting on a powder keg with the fuse lit. The locals are already smuggling in arms. The Amazons have been trying to blockade the system with their private fleet assets and at present they have six known merc regiments planet side. Three per planet acting as enforcers. The Amazon banks are pushing for faster foreclosures left and right on the legitimate land owners. As well as attacking their mineral and water claim rights all across the planets in courtrooms both in system and in the Halls of Judges. The Amazon banks have the money to tie up the locals for decades in court hearings, while their mercs force them off their land.” James sighed and gave both his mothers a sad look. “Look, moms, you know all of this already. The damned Amazons have been pulling this shit for the past twenty some years now and gotten away with it in seven full systems so far. They need to be stopped. Here is just as good as anywhere else.”

“James, as long as the Amazons follow the law we cannot step in the way you suggest. Until one of the systems pushes back or wins a court case our hands are tied.” Alice went over the argument with their oldest son again.

“Well, if things keep going the way they are in this system there will be war.” James told his mothers with a great deal of heat. “And they won’t care who gets in the fracking way. OUR troops will be the ones in the middle trying to keep the peace. And it will get bloody; mothers.”

“We know, that James. That is why we have already issued orders for two more divisions to be moved in system. As for you, we had hoped that you would be able to transfer to another system but that is no longer possible. You will be transferred but it will be in system. You get to be the new commander for the research center. Congratulations Lieutenant Colonel, I hope you enjoy your new posting.” Alice quipped sarcastically. As James gave her a look of pure death and destruction. One that would have gotten his ass beat if he was back on Ryuk, the Empyreal Battle platform and seat of power for the Human Empire. Not to mention his home.

“Mom, told you that I will earn my rank the honest way.” James began only to have Maiha and Alice chuckle as Alice cut him off.

“You really need to keep up with your messages son of mine. You made the cutoff for LTC four weeks ago. You were already due to transfer out but there were no postings for brand new Lieutenant Colonels open. With the situation as it is in that system I want that R-n-D center protected. Take whatever troops you need to get the job done James. From wherever you have to. Understand?” Maiha ordered.

“Understood ma’am. Any chance of us getting one or two lances of the new Empress Class APS’s sent in?” James asked hoping to get at least one lance of the newest one-hundred-ton assault units.

“We’re trying to keep things from escalating here James. Not provoke them.” Alice gave her son a harsh glair. “Besides, I have a feeling that your greatest asset is already in system and planet side.”

“Just what might that be your Highness?” Sylvester asked wearily.

“The first ever Claymore pilot.” Alice answered Sylvester. “I have a feeling that we are bearing witness to the birth of a legend. One that will come to rival Death’s own Daughter in the skies.”

-----tbc-----