“We’re in high orbit around Yucca, Lady Lyra.” Greer announced a few minutes later.
“Thank you, my lady.” I nodded.
“A complete, detailed planetary scan should take twelve hours, skipper.” Link informed me.
“So, what do we do til then?” Seth wondered aloud.
“We learn as much as we can about this section of space. There has to be some reason why our sisters came here. Is it a Hoblin stronghold? Did they come here to do something about the sale of illegal weapons and contraband equipment?” I proposed.
“Or is it the ‘rents needed a vacation and decided this was the closest place that reminded them of the old days?” Kaitlyn teased. “The galaxy wasn’t so civilized when they first ventured out from Earth fourteen centuries ago you know.”
“What are these ‘’rents’ you are talking about, Lady Kaitlyn?” Greer asked, apparently having never heard that term before.
“’Rents’, as in pair-RENTS? Our High Priestess’ parents: Ladies Hope and Charli?” Kaitlyn questioned, confused by her not knowing.
“I didn’t have enough time to fully brief her on the Coven’s ‘eccentricities’, my lady.” I apologized.
“Well.” Kaitlyn began. “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” She began laughing, thinking it funny to quote lines from a very ancient ‘movie’.
“No. Seriously, Lady Greer. Chance Summer’s parents and her Aunt Chantell Denison are the original ‘Witch Corps’. A covert group of Current Mages that Queen Libra sponsored and co-founded over fourteen hundred years ago.”
Greer’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“It seems that we Current Mages live a very long time, sweetie. Hell, I’m somewhere around three-forty myself.” Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and looked annoyed that she actually admitted her age.
“But you look no older than I, my lady! How is it possible?” Greer gasped.
“Not sure.” Kaitlyn replied. “But whether born a Mage or just activated- like I…like we were, its all the same, sweetie. We’re Current Mages. We live a helluva lot longer than normal folks.”
Greer looked like she could be getting ill. All the typical Lynxin signs were there: Bulging eyes, whiskers ramrod straight, tongue aggressively licking her upper lip and nose, ears pinned back tight to her skull, long tail straight and vibrating with the fur all ‘poofed’ out along it’s three foot length…
“Please excuse me. I’m…I need to…”
Greer ran from the bridge. She had done it so fast and so quietly that a normal set of eyes would have barely caught it!
“She is the skittish one.” Kaitlyn snickered as she shook her head in amazement.
“Wonder what she’s gonna do when she starts her bi-quarterly?” She added, now laughing quietly.
It dawned on me that I might also have left that information out as well.
Reading my expression, Kaitlyn began snorting and wiping her eyes, she was laughing so hard!
Rowan- on the other hand- looked to the two of us in complete horror.
“Did you say: when she starts her bi-quarterly?” She gulped nervously.
“Yeah, hun. We Terrans call it a period?” Kaitlyn composed herself long enough to give a reply, but began snorting uncontrollably as Rowan Anderson’s face lost all color. I guess Aquia, Seth, or Lithia had neglected to fully brief their newly activated sisters.
 
 
Yes. This was going to be such an entertaining mission!
 
 
“Skipper? I found something interesting on the planet.” Link announced after only an hour into her scan.
“Let’s hear it, My Lady.” I responded.
“Sensors are having a difficult time processing any data from the planet.” Link answered. “Almost all signal we send down disappears. Only ten percent makes it back to us. It’s almost like the planet is absorbing the Current.”
Kaitlyn met my look with a frown- one that equaled my confused expression.
“Go to passive Current sensors, Link. See what, if any, Current exists down there.” I suggested.
 
 
“Current levels around the planet show lower than normal levels than any other systems in the mapped galaxy, skipper. It would be a good assumption that- should we land on the planet- we will experience a constant drain of Current from ourselves and our equipment.”
“Shall we test that theory, Skipper?” Kaitlyn proposed.
I nodded and motioned that she should proceed.
“Lady Link, I’m outfitting a probe with a small reserve of Current and a simple telemetric transmitter. I’d like you to monitor the sample Current reserve level and also the transmitter’s power output. Once I reset the configuration, I want you to sense and sync with it before we launch it. Rowan, honey? I’m enabling adaptive camo for this probe. I want you to set it down nice and easy just outside of their space port.” Kaitlyn briefed them on her plan as her fingers flew over her control station.
“Aye, Lady Kate.”
“You got it, Kate.”
“Okay. The probe is ready and active. Let me know when you’re receiving telemetry, sweetie.”
“Receiving a strong signal, my lady. Everything looks good.”
“Rowan? Your turn. Launch the probe when you find a good parking spot.” Kaitlyn advised.
“Found the perfect spot, Kate! Just outside what looks like some ancient spaceport. Launching probe now. ETA to planet surface is five minutes.”
 
 
“Lyra? Kate? The probe just soft-landed.” Rowan reported as she turned and smiled proudly.
“Probe signal is nominal. I’m already reading a decrease in the sample reservoir. Ninety percent and dropping. Eighty percent. Seventy percent. Sixty percent…”
“Wow! Didn’t expect it to drop that fast! That sample should have lasted for two weeks.” Kaitlyn responded in amazement.
“Down to thirty percent, my lady.” Link announced.
“Hungry planet.” Kate mumbled.
I just shook my head a few times. How were we going to rescue our sisters if we couldn’t get off this planet? I wondered.
“We just lost all data from our probe, Skipper, and I just picked up a small EM pulse from the probe’s location.” Link informed us.
“That would be the probe’s self destruct protocol.” Kate replied. “Well, that certainly didn’t take long. Lady Link. Continue passive scans on the probe’s final location and record the debris decay rate. That might help us understand what happened to Witch Corps Flight 1, and also help us find any survivors.”
“Aye, My Lady.”
 
 
A much ‘fresher’ looking Greer re-entered the bridge.
“Please forgive me, Princess Lyra. I’m afraid I am still not accustomed to this ‘activated body’. Princess Sonya has informed and tutored me on all intricacies and functioning’s I shall experience.”
“In other words she told you that you were a bonified, real girl, right, sweetie?” Kate summed it up.
“She informed me that I am indeed a Lynxin female for the foreseeable future, yes.” Greer reported while staring at the deck.
“It ain’t all bad, sweetie.” Kate smiled deviously. “If you get kicked between the legs it don’t hurt near as bad in this form. And let’s not forget the free drinks!”
“I will try to remember that, my lady.” Greer groaned in reply.
 
 

 
 
Several hours later, Link informed us that no evidence of our sisters, or their ships could be found on the planet’s surface.
“How about the probe’s decay rate, hun?” Kate asked.
“The detectible debris has not been absorbed or otherwise recycled, my lady. Also, there has been no disturbance of probe debris.”
“Interesting.” Sonya commented as she turned from the weapons console. “Debris from our probes should have decayed into their base elements within five minutes. I have no theory as to why that process has been nullified.”
“It tells me that our Current-based weapons will be useless down there, my lady.” I replied with dread. Kate looked to me curiously.
“So what’re we gonna do if we find them, Skipper?”
I pondered that question for a few minutes.
“Your weapon…your ‘pea-shooter’. How true is it to its ancient prototype, Kate?” I asked.
My sister thought about that for several seconds.
“You know? I’m not real sure. I’ve never thought about thoroughly inspecting my ammunition. Huh. Let’s find out.” Kate mused as her double-barreled shotgun materialized in her outstretched hand. She quickly split the breach and extracted a single shell.
So simple, yet so deadly. I thought as she closed the breach and dismissed the weapon.
“Ancient weapons used a very volatile compound called ‘gun powder’. Hope described it in terms of ‘grains’. Each ‘shell’ or ‘cartridge’ was loaded with a certain number of grains, not to exceed a certain count that was considered destructive to the weapon itself.” Kate instructed as she handed me the ‘round’.
I noted the name ‘Remington’ and ‘4ga.’ stamped on the brass bottom as I inspected the cylindrical, brass and polymer ‘shell’.
“4-g-a?” I asked.
“That’s an ancient measurement- ‘gauge’. The smaller the number the bigger the bore… the barrel’s inside diameter. As you can see, a 4 gauge has a diameter of about 33 millimeters. No normal person I know of can tote or even safely fire one of these babies.” Kate added with a sinister, but calm, smile. “It’d blow their shoulder clean off.”
“So how many grains are contained below the crude projectile?” Sonya asked.
Mother’s fascination with the ancient weapon had me concerned.
“Come here, ‘Sparkles’.” Kate invited.
Sonya’s reply was to deploy her claws as she climbed down from her seat and stomped heatedly to our engineer.
“Good! That’s what I was hoping you’d do.” Kate smiled brightly. “You know you’re too predictable, Sonya.”
Kate repositioned the shell in her hands and held it out to my mother’s ten-year –old form.
“Now. I’d like you to score the circumference about here.” Kate pointed out. “That should be just below the projectile’s wadding. Be gentle, Sonya. As I stated, ‘Gun powder is highly volatile- as is this shell’s projectile.”
Kaitlyn Yates conjured a small saucer and levitated it directly under the shell as mother slowly- carefully- cut into the polymer portion of the shell.
 
 
“Huh. Four hundred and eighty grains.” Kate seemed unimpressed as she finished counting the small blackish ‘crumbs’.
“And the point of this is?” Sonya questioned as Kate dematerialized the shell and it’s revealed contents.
“The point is that if we need to go down to one of these Current-impoverished planets…” Kate rematerialized her gun. “These forms of devices might be our only recourse. As our probe indicated, our Current will continuously bleed away while down there- leaving us vulnerable and unarmed. But; if we arrive ‘packing heat’ as Hope referred to it then we stand a chance of protecting ourselves and getting out alive. Get it?”
“I don’t need a weapon!” Sonya declared fiercely.
“And what happens if the Current drain disables your activation, Sparkles?” Kate countered bluntly. “You’ll be stuck as a ten-year-old kitten with regular Lynxin defensive assets! Dangerous as that might be, the inhabitants probably have their own guns, sweetie. Chantell said on many occasions that her grandpappy always warned about bringing a knife to a gunfight.”
“I got a ping!” Link shouted exuberantly.
“Where?” I demanded excitedly.
“Deadwood system, skipper! It was very weak, but it was definitely a Witch Corps emergency beacon pulse!”
“Plot a…”
“I’ve plotted a course to that system and have sent it to helm, skipper!” Link interrupted with bubbling enthusiasm.
“Lyra? Course received, what are your orders?” Aquia reported. Her voice sounding very hopeful.
“Do we know which planet that beacon originated from?” I asked calmly.
“Taos, skipper. Fourth planet out from their star.” Link answered quickly and with just as much exhilaration.
“Aquia. Break orbit, point-seven- five of light-speed until we clear the system boundary then go transdimensional.” I ordered.
“Breaking orbit, Lyra. ETA to Taos: one half standard hour.
 
 
“Skipper? You are not going to believe this! Those same disagreeing parties are back at it. Sensors show twelve ‘Hatfields’ and twelve ‘McCoys’. We’ll pass directly between them on our way through their connecting debris field.” Link reported- her voice brimming with amazement.
This time she automatically put the audio to my console.
 
 
“Ortz! You and yer
people just can’t seem to
understand that these parts is
neutral! No one’s allowed to own
or even claim any of these
rocks.”

 
 
“The Anarchy agreed to
it over two centuries ago, you
dimwit! Now, move along before
we have opportunity to test out
these new torpedoes.”
 
 
I rolled my eyes in frustration. These people were worse than some of my Coven sisters!
“Weapons. Track any and all missiles launched from these yahoos. On my mark, one multi-target burst. They want a sign? I’ll give them a sign! Target one of the asteroids also. Sonya? Make sure it’s uninhabited before you do?” I ordered.
“Yep! There they go again! So sad.” Link commented.
“Missiles targeted, my lady.” Sonya reported.
“Fire.”
 
 
“You just ain’t gonna
learn, are ya, boy?”
 
 

 
 
The multiple explosions were much brighter than the previous on our entrance into this sector.
 
 

 
 
“I think that was yer sign,
Ortz!”
 
 
“Smithe! The
rock…its…its gone!”
 
 
“Say what, Janks?”
 
 
“The asteroid! Its gone!
It blew-up the same time all our
torpedoes exploded! What the
hell is goin’ on out here this
month?”
 
 
“That so? Well Ortz
looks like yer so-called claim
don’t exist no more! Skeedaddle
on home, boy!”
 
 

 
 
“Locate the origin of that last transmission and put Mini-Van nose to nose with that fighter. Sonya target another barren asteroid. On my order, decloak us. Prepare a channel on their frequency.” I ordered.
“My lady? Should we really waste our time to reveal ourselves?” Sonya questioned with narrowed eyes.
“I have two pair of sisters that are constantly at each other’s throats! I just can’t stand the fighting anymore! Carry-out my orders, my ladies.”
Aquia and Sonya looked back to me- their eyes wide open in disbelief.
“Do it!” I commanded.
“Aye, Skipper.”
 
 
“ …no such thing! This
sector is neutral, Ortz! Get it
through yer skull!”
 
 

 
 
“We’re in position, Skipper.”
“Now, Lady Aquia.”
 
 

 
 
“Leave this sector while you still breathe, gentlemen! I will not give warning again!” I warned before muting the open channel.
“Fire on the asteroid.” I ordered.
One burst was all it took to make the space rock disintegrate. I unmuted the channel.
“Do I make myself clear, Gentlemen?” I added before closing the channel.
“Deep space Camo. Get us out of here and resume our course to Taos.”
“Aye, skipper.” Aquia acknowledged with a giggle.
Mother turned around and regarded me carefully.
“What is it, Lady Sonya?” I challenged.
“Were you trying to make a point, captain?” She returned my challenge.
I noted the title she used.
“Why? Did I make one, Sonya?” I returned.
“A very loud and visible one, my lady.”
“Good! Now if we can all take it to heart?” I suggested with a glare to three of the women involved.
“Taos in fifteen minutes, skipper.” Aquia alerted professionally right before she handed off to Galantry.
 
 

 
 
“Lady Lyra. We have entered orbit around Taos.” Galantry announced professionally.
“Commencing sensor sweep of the planet, captain.” Garith announced from Navigation.
“Thanks, my ladies. Wonderful job, everyone.” I praised my crew. “Rowan? Prepare one, low yield, multi-warhead, plasma cannon projectile. I want the individual explosions to be visible from anywhere on the planet- day or night.”
“Aye, skipper. It’ll take a minute.” She replied.
“A calling card, my lady?” Derrick Anderson asked.
“An announcement to any of our missing sisters.” I clarified.
Derrick nodded in approval.
“Starboard cannon is ready, skipper.” Rowan reported.
“Fire.”
As on Pegasus, the very recognizable sound of a Witch Corps Plasma Cannon firing filled our bridge.
Within a minute, all warheads had been distributed and simultaneously detonated above the planet.
“Now, I guess we wait?” Galantry surmised.
“Now we pay attention to the sensors.” I corrected my pilot.
 
 
“Skipper! I just received a very weak message on our emergency comm. channel!” Garith announced in a very shrill voice.
“Put it through!” I said excitedly.
“It’s very weak, skipper. Give me a minute to boost and decrypt.”
“Do we know who’s comm. sent it, at least?” I asked.
“Lady Charli’s.”
“Tell me we found them!” Kaitlyn Yates demanded as she burst through the Bridge door almost faster than it could open. Seth Anderson followed.
“I think I’ve got the message rebuilt from the noise, skipper. Playing now.” Garith alerted.
 
 

 
 
“That was Charli! She’s alive!” Kate declared excitedly.
“I’m not so sure. She sounded too happy and…and carefree?” I replied.
Something about the message AND her tone made my fur stiffen.
“Kate? Can you help Garith clean that message up more? Something about it doesn’t sit well with me.”
“Sure, Skipper. What about it made your fur straighten- literally?”
“Lady Charli sounded too…too perky. I can’t help feeling she was trying to give us clues or a warning, or something.” I revealed.
“Now that you mention it, she did sound too…not like herself, didn’t she?” Kate admitted.
“Garith, honey? Send the received raw packet to our engineering console. I’ll see if I can work some magic on it.”
“You got it, Kate.”
Derrick happily gave up her seat at the engineering console.
 
 
“Skipper? Found something.” Kate called out about twenty minutes later. “It was buried way down in the noise at the end of the message.”
“Let’s hear it.” I said.
“Sorry, but it’s encrypted with a password. Knowing Charli, it’ll delete if I use the wrong one.”
“What did she name the media file?” I asked without a second thought.
Kate looked at me through narrowed eyes.
“How’d you know?” Kate seemed surprised. “Never mind. She named it: ‘Kittens_Trick’, honey.”
“Furry Blue Teddy Bears.” I answered quickly with a giggle.
“I’ll try…I’ll be damned! It worked!” Kate gasped happily. “Playing it now.”
 
 
Charli Armstrong’s haggard face appeared on my console.
“Hey, Kitten. If you are watching this it means that we’ve failed to get off this planet and things went FUBAR. Current has a way of draining off at an astounding rate here so don’t come down after us unless you want to be stuck here too. The locals here have no laws or rules and pretty much do whatever they please. We’re taking turns sending distress beacons up in the hopes that you guys will get it before you make the same mistake we did. This was only going to be a two-week vacation, but we inadvertently fell into the real-life Wild West! Well, I’m running low on space and mojo so…just forget about us and keep Witch Corps going. Maybe one day we can get off this rock again. Take care, Kitten.”
“That’s it, skipper. What do you think?”
“I think that sounds more like Lady Charli, Kate.” I replied as I thought a moment. “What was that click we heard earlier in her main message?”
“Hang on, I’ll try to analyze it. Wait!”
“Skipper? That ‘click’ we noticed? I’d recognize it anywhere! That was the hammer of one of their Witch Corps revolver’s being cocked. I think they’re being held hostage…with their own weapons!” Kate gasped in realization.
“But Lady Hope and Lady Chantell’s weapons are heavier and more deadly than the ancient weapons they mimic.” Seth, argued. “And anyone other than the owner shouldn’t be able to use them.”
Kate sighed.
“Unfortunately, those pistols were conjured well before the need for such security, hun. Those three materialized those weapons fourteen hundred years ago- right after Witch Corps was formed, as a matter of fact. And, they’re only ‘hot’ fifty caliber pieces. As such any normal Terran could be able to wield it- though they might suffer a broken wrist- at least a terribly sore arm from the ‘kick’ when fired.” Kate sighed again.
“I kept telling those hard-headed…” She paused to take a breath. “I kept telling them to add DNA coding to them.” Kate raised her hands into the air. “Hey, what do I know though?”
“So if you’re theory is valid, those guns are just as deadly as the day they were conceived?” I asked.
“I propose another experiment.” Kate changed the subject slightly. She conjured a small crate- maybe a hundred centimeters long by fifty wide and twenty-five tall. On the pale, honey colored wooden box was stenciled: ‘U.S. Cavalry’ with a ‘crossed swords’ emblem directly above it. Lifting the wooden lid revealed boxes and boxes of ammunition.
“I propose we send this crate down to the planet. Well away from the town where our sisters are being held hostage.”
“Skipper! I found Pegasus! She’s intact in what looks like a dormant volcanic crater! I have a visual!” Garith squealed excitedly.
An overhead image of our primary mobile command ship with three Brooms mounted to her aft docking ring and three to her forward ring appeared on my console. Pegasus was surrounded on all sides by steep, craggy, lava rock walls.
“Load these munitions into a probe and soft-land it near Pegasus.” I ordered.
The wooden crate of ammunition vanished.
“Payload is ready, skipper.” Kate smiled brightly.
“Probe is ready for launch, skipper.” Seth confirmed as she relieved Sonya at Weapons.
“Don’t kick up any dust that some guards could see, my lady.” I advised, nodding to Seth.
“Probe is away, skipper. ETA five minutes.” She reported.
 
 
“I eased it in right under her belly, skipper.” Seth reported with a smile five minutes later.
“Excellent job, my lady.” I praised.
“Hey! The probe! It just took off again and is on an intercept course back to us! Kate? What did you program that thing to do?” Seth screeched in surprise.
“I wanted to test our chances of escape. I wanted to see if a drop and jump scenario might work.
“I’m reading the probe’s Current reserve is significantly lower; twenty percent, but holding now that it has cleared the troposphere.
“Yesssss!” Kate hissed as she rubbed her hands together- a devious smile filled her face.
Deducing the source of my sister’s jubilance, I called a coven meeting.
“All hands, Coven meeting now. Seth, I need you to stay here at your station. Keep Mini-Van cloaked. If anything comes too close, alert me. If they get very close and show too much interest before I can get here, well…I leave that to you, my lady.” I grinned, though grimly. I had just given one of the Anderson pride carte-blanche to the weapons console. I hoped she would remain responsible and professional.
 
 
“Okay. For those off-duty, We’ve gotten a forced response from Lady Charli. We believe all six of our sisters have somehow been captured and forced into a brothel…”
“A Brothel!? How do you figure, Lady Lyra?” Greer gasped.
“Lady Charli is our encryption and information officer, my lady. She has a way of working more information into a short conversation.”
“Oh.”
“Now, on to the good news. Garith has found Pegasus, but she seems deficit power to even communicate. Kaitlyn and Seth have successfully landed ammunition for some antique gunpowder weapons at Pegasus’ landing site.” I continued.
“All well and good, my lady, but what use is ammunition if we cannot risk landing and losing all of our current?” Mother asked.
“That is where my plan comes in.” I said confidently. “Our designated away team: Kaitlyn, Greer, Sonya, and I will parachute in from Brooms piloted by Aquia and Galantry. They will need to make two trips, obviously. The first two of us down will provide security for the other two, or alert them of adverse conditions requiring termination of the operation. Once back together, we’ll make our way into the town nearest Charli’s transmission point. From there we will attempt extraction of Ladies Hope, Chance, Lokust, Artemis Dell, Chantell, and Charli.”
“I will not allow you to venture anywhere near a brothel, Serangetti Lyra!” Mother declared staunchly. “I will attempt rescue of our sisters from that foul place!”
“So…let me get this straight…Lyra’s ten-year-old sister is going to be the cavalry? Ride on in and save the day? Sparkles, ain’t no way to Olympus you’ll make it through the doors or windows of that place without someone grabbin’ yer scruff, sweetheart!” Kaitlyn giggled.
“I will not be in my activated form, Kaitlyn!” Mother hissed angrily.
“Oh, okay. So let’s see what assets you will bring to bear on our possible enemies, Lady Sonya!” Kate challenged.
Mother shifted forms and ‘Loganed’ her substantial claws.
I was surprised to see her activated claws appear at the ends of her fingers!
“Any further questions as to my readiness, Lady Kaitlyn?” Mother returned the challenge.
“I have several, Lady Sonya. Show me!” I said as I shot from my seat and attacked with a challenge of my own.
Mother was very good, but her speed lacked. Anger quickly overtook control and she began to lose concentration in her attacks and effectiveness of her defensive moves.
Somewhere in the midst of our sparing, I heard someone shout ‘Cat Fight!’- Probably Kaitlyn Yates.
“Enough!” I shouted as mother began to roar in frustration and engage in cheap countermoves.
Mother did not heed me and I was forced to really take action toward her to make her stop. It ended with her back facing me- my right pointer claw across her neck, and with both her arms securely held behind her with my left hand.
“Yield, Serangetti Sonya! I wish not to harm my own mother, but will if you do not desist in this reckless tantrum!”
Sonya snarled in anger, but finally did relax her posture.
Upon my release of her, she silently ran from the compartment!
“Not good, skipper.” Kate advised. At my look of confusion, she continued.
“You just effectively deposed your alpha, Lyra. I think you just became the new head of the Serangetti family.”
I was horrified! That was not my intent at all! I just wanted to see how she performed in her normal form, not take over as female Alpha!
“Meeting adjourned.” I shouted over my shoulder as I sprinted away.
 
 

 
 
“Mother? I’m sorry! I just wanted to assess your fighting ability in your un-activated form. It was not my intention to challenge you for Alpha status. Please, you must understand my motives and accept my apology, Serangetti Sonya!” I cried as I entered our shared quarters and saw my mother folded tightly on her bed- knees to her face and arms holding them tightly to her body; her tail limply curled around in front of her over her feet. She was still in her ‘adult’ form.
And she was visibly crying.
My heart broke instantly! I rushed over and sat next to her- my arm extending toward her- my hand rubbing her back tenderly.
Alternately rubbing her back and combing her beautiful mane, we sat in silence for several minutes- until her almost silent sobbing ebbed.
“I’m sorry, mother. I’m sorry. Had I realiz… Mother? I abdicate my new alpha status as I had absolutely no intentions toward your deposition. Please. I ask for your forgiveness as my inexperience blinded me to the true meaning of our competition. Please, mother? Please?” I pleaded just above a whisper while continuing to stroke her long, flowing, tawny mane.
I always loved playing with her soft, warm fur.
“Mother?” I asked quietly after no response came.
“You-you are just like her.” My mother whispered.
“What? I’m like who, Mother?” I responded.
I felt mother giggle?
“Like your great-grandmother Sonya, Lyra. The Sinae ‘maternal alpha’ for whom I am named.” She said as she gently pulled away from me so that our eyes met.
“You met her highness, Princess Sonya, mother?” I choked in disbelief.
“Once or twice, yes.” She smiled as she regarded my shocked face. “I was just a young kitten at the time, but I can remember one thing about her. You have her same character flaws, Lyra.”
“Same character… flaws, mother? A bit cold aren’t we?” I argued.
“Good flaws, my dear kitten. Good flaws.”
“Define ‘good flaws’, mother.” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“You have her heart and kind nature, Lyra. In my chosen profession, I consider them ‘flaws’- characteristics that would impede my effectiveness. You, however, employ those very characteristics plus the needed assertiveness to motivate people and take command of whatever situation you find yourself facing- all favorable traits of a natural born leader. A noble leader, my daughter- second princess to the FeLane Confederation!”
“Mother? You are also kind and soft of heart t…”
“Cut the crap, Lyra! We both know that I am usually cold, calculating, and very competitive.” Mother interrupted, through a nervous, but pasted type of smile.
“When you need to be, bu…” I argued, but got cut off again.
“Again, Serangetti Lyra, dispense with the charitable blather. I know my own character and have accustomed myself to it decades ago. Even before the Regent came to full power, I knew what kind of person I was, Lyra, so spare me any faux compliments.”
“Mother! I meant no disrespec…” I again argued.
Again I was interrupted.
“Don’t you have a mission and a ship to run, my lady?”
“Family comes first, Serangetti Sonya!” I growled. “That is the first Witch Corps rule in our code of conduct! Isn’t it about time you abide by that code?”
Mother smiled as I continued to glare at her in anger. Then it suddenly dawned on me. I was her game!
She left me no choice.
“Mother? I reject the change in status that was a result of our sparring earlier! I refuse to accept maternal alpha status in the Serangetti Pride. Because of my unwillingness to accept, that status hereby defaults back to its previous holder- that being you, mother! Good luck with that, by the way. Be ready for planet drop in one half hour!” I hissed in anger before stomping out of our shared quarters and heading to the bridge.
 
 
“Sonya okay?” Kate asked as I silently took my command station.
“I tried to apologize…told her I didn’t intend to challenge her statu…” I felt my clothing change; my wand appeared in my hand.
“Arrrawwwh! She pisses me off so bad!” I shouted in frustration.
“Chill, girlfriend. Coulda’ told you your ‘mommy’s’ a real piece of work. I know how ‘rents’ can be though. I didn’t climb out from under a cabbage yesterday ya know.” Kate sympathized. “In fact, I still don’t know if they’ve accepted me like this.” She added as she motioned down her body.
“Your parents are still alive?” Aquia gasped from our helm.
“What? No… no! My parents passed on about ten years after I was first activated. I meant they probably still haven’t accepted my decision to join Witch Corps- let alone accepted me as they’re part-time daughter. If… if they’re watching… from… well… you know… up there?” She tried to explain, but started stammering instead.
“I’m sure their religious beliefs allow them privilege to observe loved ones left on this plane, Lady Kaitlyn.” Galantry comforted from Navigation. “And that they recognize your sacrifices and achievements.”
“You’re so sweet. Thanks, hun.” Kate said as she dabbed a tear from her eye.
“So, I told Sonya that we start our rescue mission in a half hour. Greer? I need you to try a few things while we still have time.” I said after reigning in my temper.
“You want me to conjure my wand, right? Aquia and Galantry were just talking about their experiences doing just that, skipper. I think I might have it figured out. Here.” She said as she held out her left hand. A very ornate, very familiar looking wand appeared almost instantly.
“Woah! Nicely done, sweetie!” Kate praised while I smiled brightly.
“Great job, Lady Greer. Now I’d like you to think about one of those ancient gunpowder weapons I know you’ve seen in the Royal Guard Armory Museum in Capital. Think about nicely asking your Current to help you conjure what you think you need.” I suggested.
“It might help if I knew the selection of archaic ammunition we sent planetside.” She offered.
“Four gauge 00 buckshot and explosive lead slugs for my little ‘pea-shooter’; fifty cal. Armor-piercing, explosive rounds for Hope, Chantell, and Charli’s Witch Corps Peacemakers; Fifty cal. Super High Velocity explosive rounds for Lokust’s antique McMillan Tak-50 sniper rifle; and a few cases of very old 7.62 x 51 NATO rounds I had laying around.” Kate rattled off comfortably, assuming our lieutenant understood it. “Oh, and I threw in a dozen chemical flash-bangs just in case.”
“Very well. Since we will surely be in an urban area with possibility of interior confrontations, I think a fifty caliber revolver will suffice, but I’d also like a medium and long range weapon along to cover our entrance and exit.” Greer thought out loud.
“Whatever you feel comfortable needing and using, my lady.” I acknowledged.
Greer nodded, closed her eyes, and began to concentrate with her left hand held palm up. A big bore, revolver type pistol manifested. It’s blued metal reflected the light of our bridge subtly, but I was most impressed with its richly stained wooden grip.
“I’ve only ever seen one of those in my life and it was behind twelve inches of kinetic-proof, plasma-resistant polymer! Where have you ever seen a real six-round revolver, my lady?” Kate asked after a sharp intake of breath.
“It’s a little heavier than I expected.” She admitted upon opening her eyes. “We have one in the Royal Guard Armory’s Private Collection. I hope I have replicated it faithfully.”
Kate gestured to the weapon and receiving approval she gently, reverently, lifted it from Greer’s hand.
“Colt; model 1873 .45 cal.; U.S. Marshal W.Earp.” Kate mumbled as she inspected the prized, ancient weapon and read the stamping and engraving.
“This barrel is too big for a .45, sweetie.”
“I had to modify it to work with the ammunition we have available, Lady Kaitlyn.” Greer replied matter-of-factly.
“Good thinkin’.” Kate complimented but paused a second in thought while handing it back.
“Ladies Hope, Chantell, and Charli use a gun belt to carry their weapons when not needed.”
“Understood. I have seen them in the museum as well.” Greer replied as her revolver suddenly appeared in its own thick, processed hide, gun belt.
She seemed pleased with her work thus far. Placing belt and gun carefully on the deck, she held both hands out in front of her with palms up again.
Two long-barreled weapons that looked somewhat similar to Kate’s shotgun, materialized. The smaller of the two ‘rifles’ had some kind of cylindrical extension device on its muzzle while the larger rifle had what I recognized as camouflage. Both weapons had seriously large optical devices attached to the top of their barrels and both had folded, bipedal legs attached near their muzzles.
“There. That wasn’t as hard as I thought it might be.” She admitted with a prideful smile.
“As you see, conjuring gets easier the more you practice it.” I stated the obvious in praise.
She nodded.
“Now, as for proper attire?” She seemed to shy a bit. “I’ll… um… defer to you, Lady Kate.”
“Looks like a jeans an ‘T’-shirt kinda mission. We know what the weather is like down there, Lil’ Gray?”
“Sensors indicate thirty-two degrees Celsius; scattered, high level cirrus strata; fourteen percent relative humidity. The area around Pegasus is rocky and semi-arrid in topography with sparse, semi-desert flora.”
“Yep. Sounds like the Wild West to me. I suggest ‘Boonie Hats’, some good hiking boots, a backpack with desert rations, medical kit, change of clothes, and a large canteen of water for each of us.” Kate rattled off, but again paused.
“I’d also suggest something nice for when we get to town; something comfortable yet feminine.” She winked with a tight smile toward our suddenly bashful Lt Greer. “Naw, I’m just kidding about the formal dress, LT.”
“The planetary delimiter has just passed the proposed LZ, skipper.” Galantry alerted. “Suitable nocturnal conditions will optimize in twenty minutes.”
“Thank you, my lady. Now I think you should allow Lady Link to relieve you at navigation.”
Link nodded as she waited for our Orion sister to disconnect and egress the navigation station.
“Lithia? You have the bridge. Garith? Please take the helm. Keep us in a geo-sync orbit above the LZ and remain camo’ed. Rowan? Your orders remain the same. Shoot anything that gets too close. Target weapons and main propulsion only!”
“Aye!” The Andersons acknowledged as another shift change took place on our bridge.
“Lady Sonya! Report to the galley for last minute mission briefing and kitting!” I ordered into my comm.
 
 
“May I suggest the ancient ‘para-sails’ instead of the ancient ‘parachutes’, skipper?” Kate recommended.
“For what purpose?” Sonya attacked.
As I thought she would.
“For extraction. The surrounding topography consists of several high peaks- buttes- that we could possibly utilize as a take-off/glide-down point to egress the planet without taxing our Current.” Wrench outlined.
“Lil’ Gray and Water Lily’s brooms could match velocity with us and ‘pick us up’, one at a time, without landing. Ingenious.” Moderator commented, recognizing the simplicity.
I had to do something about her call sign! ‘Moderator’ sounded so… boring.
“It seems dangerous. And how can these two pull off such a low-speed maneuver? They haven’t that much simulator time.” Sonya grumbled, pointing to our designated Broom pilots.
“Don’t get yer panties all in a bunch, Sparkles! I’ve seen how these gals handle their brooms. You got nothin’ to worry about.” Kate defended. “By the way, what did you choose as a primitive weapon?”
Sonya reached behind her back and produced a moderate sized slide action pistol.
“I believe it to be a fair replica of a twentieth century Glock 19, 9mm, semi-automatic pistol.” She sassed.
“Hope you conjured enough ammo for that dart gun, Sparkles.” Kate shot back. “I didn’t include any of that in our care package earlier.
“Twenty full, ten round magazines enough, sister?”
“Enough! Suit up and let’s get going!” I ordered before my two coven sisters could initiate full hostilities.
 
 

 
 
“Approaching LZ drop zone, skipper. Altitude: two thousand-forty-eight meters. Slowing to one hundred-twenty kph.” Water Lily alerted. I began releasing my seat harness.
“Good luck, Girlsfriend! Watch the rip currents!” California Dreamin’ wished as her canopy began sliding back to allow my jump.
Holding up my thumb to indicate I was ready, Water Lily rolled Cali upside down.
I was flying through the air on my own! This was quite the rush of adrenaline! Soon though, I had to pull my cord to release the ancient invention that would arrest my fall and allow me to maneuver to our designated landing area by Pegasus.
The wing-like, rectangular parachute opened properly and I quickly got the gist of changing my direction of glide by pulling or easing one or both of the two cords.
As I neared the ground, I scanned the area for any heat signatures using my natural Lynxin night vision. Seeing it clear, I gently pulled on both control cords equally and silently touch down on the hard, rocky soil on Pegasus’ port side.
I gave two ‘clicks’ from my comm to report a successful landing.
Looking back up into the clear, starry sky, I spotted Greer making her final approach and watched as she landed without as much as a puff of dust!
My comm ‘clicked’ twice, indicating she had landed safely.
I estimated we had fifteen minutes before our two remaining team members appeared overhead.
“Collect, repack, and conceal the chutes.” I ordered via hand signals I knew we both could see. Greer signaled back that she would take up a sniper position on the crater’s rim facing into town when finished repacking her chute.
I was just refastening my chute bag’s flap when my sensitive ears picked up the slightest sound of a breeze. Looking skyward, I scanned until I saw Kaitlyn slowly circling our position. I gave my comm one click.
Kaitlyn touched down softly a minute or two later, clicking twice. Sonya followed last by only a minute.
Twenty minutes later we had our chutes hidden and were ready to head into town
 
 
“How’s it look?” I asked as we arrived high atop the volcanic crater Pegasus had landed in.
“Nothing but small nocturnals in the vicinity, skipper. As you can plainly see, the town is pretty active at the moment. As the night drags on, it should quiet substantially. Does anybody else feel like they’ve been physically active for two days straight?” Greer reported.
“Yeah, I feel like I’m mensing too, sweetie.” Kate confirmed.
“I think it’s the result of our Current draining.” I agreed. “Everybody try to resist using your Current as much as possible. According to my estimates, we have about ten kilometers to the outskirts of town.”
“I’ll scout ahead about one or two clicks, captain.” Sonya volunteered and walked ahead at a faster pace when we reached the outside base of the volcanic cone.
“Be careful, Sonya!” I acknowledged.
 
 
One hundred meters ahead, I saw Sonya signaling that we had company off to our left. Three armed men on small, noisy, four-wheeled vehicles, three kilometers farther left. Our progress slowed slightly as we made sure we weren’t detected.
We caught up to Sonya twenty minutes later as she had stopped to take a break.
“So, where are we going to hide when the sun rises, captain?” Sonya asked. “Or do you intend we go in shooting?”
“From the crater’s ridge there appeared to be several small, abandon buildings just a click outside of the main thoroughfare.” Greer reported. “If we are careful, one of those could prove useful as shelter.”
“Why would you think we’d go in shooting, Sonya?” I asked in curiosity.
“That would be the way Chance and friends would approach this rescue mission.”
“I’m not Chance, mother! I may have grown up within Witch Corps, but I do think for myself!”
The sound of the small, four-wheeled vehicles far off to our right told me that we wouldn’t be safe if we sat here much longer.
“They’re circling back. We better get moving.” I suggested as I stood and began walking again. Sonya walked past me at a brisk pace to continue scouting.
 
 
The buildings Greer had told us about had definitely seen better days! One was a completely burned out shell only standing by the grace of Queen Libra herself. One had had its roof fail and collapse, but the third, much larger building seemed sound, though extremely weather abused. Several windows had been shattered and small holes peppered and splintered the outer wooden walls.
“Shootout.” Kate whispered as we checked the perimeter for inhabitants.
Deeming it safe, we entered the building and secured the first floor.
A quite ‘creak’ from the ceiling made us all ‘freeze’ instantly.
I motioned to everyone that I was going to try ascending the steps to investigate and quietly made my way over. Another ‘creak’ stopped me dead in my tracks.
Someone or something was on the second floor.
Greer signaled that she was willing to ascend before me, but I waved her off as I cautiously took the stair treads one at a time.
The heavily worn, aged, wooden stairs led to a very dark hallway running the depth of the building. I would have to carefully top the stairs and cautiously investigate what looked like ten, second floor rooms individually.
Greer appeared in my periphery quietly ascending the stairs. I’d take her help clearing these potential traps.
After signaling our search parameters, we each took a side of the long hallway.
My first room cleared successfully, as did the second. My third room though surprised me within a fraction of my life!
A body, barely giving off heat lay in a fetal position across the room from the doorway. It made no attempt to move or evade me.
Pausing in the doorway, I waited for Greer to re-appear from the room she was clearing and signaled that I had found someone, but for her to continue clearing the other rooms. I then entered and cautiously approached the prone body.
Kneeling down quietly, I reached out to examine my find. Just as I was about to touch its shoulder a hand shot up and grabbed my wrist in an iron-like grasp!
“You shall pay for your curiosity, stranger!” A woman’s voice croaked painfully.
“I do not wish to harm you, my lady. I am merely checking you for a pulse and consciousness. I have medical supplies if required.” I whispered to the woman who’s voice sounded strained, but familiar.
“Unless you know how to remove a bullet from my shoulder, you can’t help me.” She croaked breathily.
She sounded on the verge of unconsciousness.
“Fortunately for you, I can. Allow me to retrieve my medical kit.” I whispered calmly. “Here, drink some water.” I helped her with my canteen.
“Who are you, stranger? You sound like a chick, but you’re hairy like a guy.” The voice asked sounding a touch better.
“Serangetti Lyra at your service, my lady.” I introduced myself.
“Kitten? What’re you doin’ here?”
“Saving your stupid ass, Chantell! What did you think we would do when you guys became a week overdue?”
“You’re the stupid one for risking a rescue from this God-forsaken planet. You’ll never get away from here. Welcome to Hotel California, sister! You can check in any time you like, but you can never leave.” She croaked.
“Hold still while I get set to work a little magic on your wound.
“NO!” She coughed quietly in panic. “Save what Current you can. This place swallows it whole and won’t give it back, Lyra.”
“I know! Okay. Time to pull on your big girl panties, Shan. This is going to hurt.” I warned as I found my phosphorescent light and a small pair of forceps.
In the limited light, I could see my sister’s eyes suddenly bulging.
“OH SHIT!” she hissed quietly and quickly pulled a piece of floorboard loose to clamp her teeth around.