Enter the Montraxy

Earl Alad Montraxy stood and looked out at his fiefdom. The sky crackled with electricity as the tall spires of his city became submerged within the dark clouds. At lower levels, a thick grey smog covered the ground creating an illusion that the city floated upon a dank, miserable cloud. Fiery red furnaces burned at intervals across the vista, their enormity quite evident to all who gazed upon them. This was the industrial world of Killian, the "foundry of the stars", and home of the House Minor Montraxy.

In short time, he was joined by a bulbous, large man with short cropped hair. His dark trench coat ran to his boots, each step echoing around the chamber. His voice was gruff as he spoke.

"My lord, you summoned me."

"Indeed. If you would update me on the progress of our situation...?"

"Undercroft is responding well to the reconditioning. The purge has been completed and Miss Galewind is currently working on integrating the new memories."

"Very good. What form has she chosen for these new memories?"

"Pirate raid amongst others, your lordship, It is something Undercroft has experienced before - her own mind will fill in any blanks left by our reconditioning."

Alad turned away from the window. "Ah yes. Ingenious thinking.....and where is Grinch now?"

"Grinch?", Gulgus stiffened, "He's down in the lower levels of the city I heard."

"The red light district no doubt. He is as predictable as he is vulgar. I don't approve of his actions. He has caused that young woman no shortage of troubles and I am in half a mind to order his execution myself. His behaviour on Araxes was thoroughly contemptible."

"With respect, he isn't in possession of the facts and he is very effective at what he does."

Montraxy waved his hand dismissively "Yes, yes. I'm sure you're right....As he should be, it has taken a considerable sum of coin and no shortage of diplomatic wrangling to allow him to walk freely and discreetly."

"My lord, should I have Miss Galewind accompany you for a meal later this evening?"

Alad took a sharp intake of breath and lifted his regal head into the air. "I dare not set eyes upon her countenance for fear our entire plan will succumb to my feelings for that wondrous woman. It has been nearly twenty years since we sat together in this very chamber and sacrificed our love for the greater good of the Montraxy dynasty. I trust no-one more that my beloved Elena and she has devoted herself admirably to her task."

"Her feelings towards Undercroft...."

"...are unsurprising, Mr Machydon. It is entirely in keeping with her person that she should develop a bond with the woman she is sworn to protect. You would do well not to question her loyalty again. In another universe, that woman would sit alongside me as my countess and you would pledge your total unfaltering allegiance to her. It is my dearest wish that she may yet bring her gentile ways to this damnable world"

"Yes, my lord, I apologise."

"Back to the matter at hand....the situation has turned to our potential advantage. No-one could have predicted the Sovereign would reinvigorate the memory of democracy, least of all on Araxes. Elena did a wonderful thing coercing Undercroft into running for the Dawla. Her ingenuity knows no bounds."

"A plan that worked wonders until her greed took over."

"Perhaps. Greed is a powerful motivator Mr Machydon. It is why generations of my family have sat upon this world as ruler. No, we merely need to redirect her greed elsewhere. Elena's monthly reports clearly show that Undercroft is also compassionate, loyal and determined. We can use that to our advantage, yet. As it is, we mustn’t let her desire for personal wealth allow her to leave Araxes. You must understand, her life has been hellish, hellish I tell you and it has defined her character implicitly. Had I lived her life, would I have done anything differently?"

Gulgus waited a few moments looking out of the window. "What about the quarter ton of spice?"

The Earl looked up with slight disinterest "Mmm? Oh yes, the spice. Have it put with the rest. Oh, and Mr Machydon, I trust you'll ensure Mr Grinch is suitably.......recompensed for this work."

Machydon smiled, showing his broad yellow teeth, and having nodded with respect at the Earl made his way out.

Terminus

Seren walked down the steps of the Council Chambers, pulling the hem of her dress from the floor, and basked in the bright amber light of Mu Draconis' twin suns. To her left, she heard the Al Raqis marketplace bustle with people. The familiar cry of the water-sellers, the pottery makers and the thriving throng of humanity.

A familiar odour of cinnamon drifted along the breeze from the famous old bakery in the town. She looked to the north and saw the freighters and frigates coming and going from the spice facility. Looking straight ahead, beyond the immediate buildings and landing pads of Al Raqis, she saw the desert spreading out as far as she could see. She sighed, admiring the beauty of the desert dune crests, before readjusting the skirt of her dress. She looked at her timepiece and realising she had time to spare, decided to stroll to the landing pad where her ride was docked.

The day's Dawla meeting had been brief but she'd succeeded in getting the Araxian Freedom of Information Act past the first stage of approval. Consulari Jai Raghilda and Doctor Isaacs had both voted in favour of the act and in concert with her own vote gave them a majority. Delegate Gaffer and Gustav had yet to vote but even their unlikely opposition wouldn't be able to prevent the act going to the Laandsrat. She didn't know if the Laandsrat would pass the bill. She suspected they would.

 After all, Seren was adept at playing the game. She often feigned stupidity. "Greater minds than mine..." was a common ploy. It invited others on board, massaged their egos, got them to do the dirty work. It worked in business, it worked in politics. The more people feel they'd been involved in something, the more likely it was to succeed. Her second tactic was to publicly belittle her opposition. In this case, the Laandsrat. Call them corrupt, call them a police state. Let them react. Put them in a position where refusal to comply confirmed the accusations. Either they'd pass the bill of their own accord or they'd feel they had to pass it to avoid public criticism. There was always a risk involved in this strategy. Always the possibility of blow back.

Seren passed by the bakery. The queue was extraordinary, no matter what time of day it was. More than once, Seren had to adjust her path to avoid the playing children who darted in-between passing artisans, mothers and guards. She came down the steps, past the Sinisterhood tower and walked through the Zenobian Quarter. The Medical Centre had become a familiar landmark on her way 'home' and she strode past the security team on the landing bay showing her credentials and smiled. She banked right, past the Asgardian representative's vessel and met with Elena Galewind who walked down the ramp of the Erinyes One.

"Hello Mistress, how did the session go today?"
"It was short. Very short but I finally got the act through."
"Many congratulations, mistress."

Seren nodded and joined her companion as they strode together up the ramp. She walked into the cockpit and flopped down into the co-pilots chair. Her eyes were shut tight, the sun illuminating her eyelids through the transparent metal windows. She heard Galewind take the pilots chair, running through the take-off procedure. A familiar sound of clicks and beeps, she heard the engines ignite.

"This is Erinyes One, requesting take-off."
"This is Al Raqis Command Tower, Erinyes One is cleared for take-off, vector 114,202,75 to 100,109,725 approx."
"Confirmed."

With that, the Erinyes thrust into the sky, the ornate towers of Al Raqis giving way to desert, then sky and finally stars.

"We received the Khaliifa's shipment of spice, mistress. It has been tested and quite carefully placed within the Persephone's central hold."

Elena could see the captain's reflection in the Erinye's view port. She was smiling broadly.

"Captain?"

"Yes?"

"It seemed you completed your objective."

 "Yes, yes it does, doesn't it? That quarter ton of spice, invested wisely, is going to make us rich beyond our wildest dreams."

 "And the Dawla? What are your plans there?"

 "We got what we came for. To get rich. I did what I could. I'm a freighter pilot, how much can I do? Let others take the strain. I can't very well overthrow the Sovereign can I?"

 "That would be unlikely....". Elena's face contorted as she banked the shuttle into the landing orbit at Highport Station, "...so what now?"

"Dock with Highport, attach the Erinyes to the docking clamp beneath Persephone and high tail it back to the New Paradigm."

 "What about the charges?"

 "With this much spice, I can buy myself out of that."

Elena nodded and saw from the Captain's reflection that she hadn't yet reopened her eyes. She allowed her finger to move to a button on the communications terminal and pushed it. Dipping her head, Elena smiled to herself and pulled a lasgun from beneath her jacket, concealing it within a fold in her sleeve. She read the text only display on the terminal before her.
"Very well done, Miss Galewind. Proceed." As they landed, Seren rose gingerly from her chair and patted her companions arm. Together they strode down the onto the landing platform.

As they came into the artificial atmosphere, Seren balked. Before her stood the very man she thought she'd never see. The man she thought she'd killed all those years ago.

Magnolious Grinch was alive.

She turned to run back to the shuttle and found herself pistol-whipped to the face. She fell back to the floor hard and cradling her head looked up to find herself face-to-face with a lasgun. 

"Elena?"

"Get up."

Seren felt the shock hit her like nothing she'd felt before.

"I said get up."

The lasgun fired towards the ground, narrowly but purposely missing the Captain's left hand.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Captain. Really I am but somethings are simply too important."

"Too important..?"

Two burly henchman lifted Seren to her feet and she came face to face with Grinch for the first time in years. The reddish face, dark beard and cruel eyes were instantly familiar. She spat at him. He laughed.

"That's the Seren I know. Impetuous as always." He unleashed a punch, catching her full in the face. Her vision blurred, the world drifted away momentarily before coming back in searing pain. She felt warm blood trickle from her nose. The next fist to her temple turned the world dark and she drifted out of consciousness.

"Put her onboard the Persephone and plot a course.". Immediately his henchman did as they were told and dragged her body across the concourse to the docking bay. Elena, meanwhile stood still, the only movement her heavily heaving chest.

"Don't feel too badly, Miss Galewind. You knew this day would come. House Montraxy will be most pleased with your work."

"What will happen to her?"

"She'll be reconditioned. She'll remember none of this, dear child, so don't worry your little face about it. Of course, were it up to me, the little slut would be mind-wiped and be put to work in one of my brothels but alas, powers greater than myself have a purpose for her."

Elena nodded and blinked a couple of times. She felt she wanted to cry but she knew the greater order of things. Oh, she hated this man with all of her heart.

"It's hard." said Grinch, "I can see that but you need to prepare. For all intents and purposes, Delegate Undercroft has left Araxes to conduct business in the Paradigm. No-one will know differently. Now, if you'll please..."

He gestured towards the gun, Elena paused and then nodded, handing the lasgun over.

"You did well, this day, Miss Galewind. Your dear Alad will be most proud."

The Lightening of the Burden

It had been a chaotic and busy Laandsrat session. Seren had sat in the middle pew in the chamber as the light cut through the air from stained glass windows. The chamber had been a hectic cacophony of life with those unable to take seats standing at the back. It had been an important day - a new Great House had been inaugurated and the Asgard, a somewhat mysterious species, had taken their seat on the Laandsrat. The creature was short and grey with a bulbous head - the most alien....alien she'd seen in some time. She hadn't been happy and expressed it in no uncertain terms although she suspected no-one had heard her. Another outsider on the Laandsrat. She understood the reasons behind it. It allowed the Laandsrat to act unilaterally for the good of various factions within the Concordat and far, far beyond. And while they dealt with matters that spanned the stars, it would increasingly allow the Dawla to become the defacto planetary government. At least it would, if the Laandsrat didn't keep the lower house on a tight leash.

 After that lengthy process, they had moved onto other issues. A missing navigator from the Spacing Guild Corpus. Major Arnold Gustav had arrived to give an update on the investigation. That's quick work, Seren had pondered, the news had broken just a few hours earlier at the Dawla session. Or had news of the disappearance been suppressed allowing the investigation to work unhindered?. Seren had never actually seen a Navigator before although a hefty percentage of her profits were channelled towards them so it came as a surprise when one of their number phased into the chambers in a cloud of spice smoke. The Laandsrat session collapsed into chaos and the Magistrate used her executive powers to eject the audience from the chambers.

Standing outside in the sandy courtyard, Seren stared at the large doors that led to the chambers. The courtyard bustled with people, some sitting, some standing, some talking, some smoking. Seren saw none of them, her focus was entirely on the doors. She knew something important was going on inside that chamber. She was a member of the government. That goddamn grey thing that had barely been on the council half an hour would know something an elected official did not. Unacceptable! She strode towards the doors with a purpose and as she reached the door, pushing it aside, she heard someone say "I wouldn't do that, Ma'am."

She span on her heel, casting her eyes across the crowd. Several people were staring at her and she hadn't recognised the voice. With an air of defiance, she walked away from the doors, raised her voice to make sure everyone could hear and said "And why not? I have every right. I will know what's going on in there by hook or by crook!"

She flounced to the ground, pulling at her dress to ensure a comfortable seat. It was then she noticed the Sister who appeared to be taking an interest.

"Delegate Undercroft", said the Sister, speaking from beneath her habit, "..would you care to retire to the nearby tavern?"

Seren stood gingerly, dusting herself off. She eyed the sister briefly and having allowed herself time to think responded positively. The tavern was busy when they sat and it was difficult to hear above the commotion. After a few minutes, they decided to go to the Colosseum and when they got there, sat on the stone seats  above the arena.

"It is pleasant here", said the Sister, "...when there are no games." She cast her eyes over the arena then turned to Seren apologetically, "Forgive me, I am Sister Rose of the Nicomedian Sisterhood. I don't recall having introduced myself"

Seren had followed her gaze around the arena and eventually met it, smiling "You didn't but it's quite alright."
Sister Rose returned the smile and looking back out towards the arena said "I have read your campaign literature....this must be very frustrating for you, the lack of transparency."
"Yes....yes it is. I still have to push through the acts that will prevent...this from happening." Seren pointed her thumb in the general direction of the council chambers to clarify what she meant. "Just today, I'd prepared the Araxian Freedom of Information Act, but we ran out of time before I could present it to the Dawla."

Seren noticed a soft smile upon the Sister's face but it was tinged with a hint of sadness. "You will need allies. It is a building that you are creating."

The captain pursed her lips and nodded "That's an interesting way to put it." She sighed reflectively. "I don't know who to trust, I came into information that made me question people I work with."

"None of us are quite what we seem", said the Sister sagely, "Even you Delegate...some see a freighter captain but miss the politician." She paused to let the words sink in. "Cicero wrote: 'Confidence is that feeling by which the mind embarks in great and honorable courses with a sure hope and trust in itself'...perhaps you only need to trust yourself."

Seren straightened up and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.When she spoke, she couldn't hide her pessimism, a sense of defeat. "Maybe....but the truth is I am just a freighter captain. I'm not the leader of an alliance or the commander of a vast army. I'm just a freighter captain."

"And isn't that your strength? You have no other agenda but your own. No master to serve but the people who elected you. No star to follow but that which burns in your heart."

Seren found she took great comfort from the Sister's words and wondered why she found it so easy to talk to the woman before her. Perhaps it was true that it was easier to talk problems through with strangers than friends. Or maybe it was because someone seemed to be take a genuine interest in her ideas without an ulterior motive. Whatever it was, she felt comfortable in the Sister's presence.

Turning to the sister, she nodded and replied "I know what you're saying is true but sometimes....sometimes it gets too much", and then with a hint of frustration, "I'm not respected, that's clear."

"Is there no-one you feel can trust?"

"My crew...perhaps, but beyond them, here on Araxes....I dare not turn my back for fear of finding a dagger in it."

"Ah", the Sister smiled wisely, "welcome to the world of Araxian politics.....tell me, why did you run for office? I know what your literature says...I mean beyond that."

Seren paused to think, expecting her trader/politician mind to generate a suitable public-relations type response but instead the simple, honest truth came to the surface.

"Someone thought I'd be good at it."

"And you have faith in their judgement?"

"I do, I've known them since I was a child, practically raised me."

"And this faith is solid, it has not changed?"

Seren paused and looked at the Sister, again realising she was taking a great deal of comfort from the conversation. "No", she said, "I don't think anything could change that."

"Then what has changed to shake you so?"

The captain sank back into her chair, looking up into the sky beyond the awnings and feeling the sunlight dance upon her skin. "It's just too hard, I can't do what I promised people I could."

"How will you lighten the burden?"

Seren jabbed a finger at the sky "I could run as far from this planet as I can."

Turning away, Sister Rose asked "Is that what is at the center of your heart?"

In response, the Captain laughed a humourless laugh. "A few years ago...maybe so. I still want to run but I don't think I could look myself in the mirror everyday if I did."

"Then you have your answer", the Sister spoke with clarity, tenderness and directness, "You must stay and fight."

They sat for a few moments, letting the words settle. After a while, Sister Rose stood and asked "Shall we return to the chambers, Delegate Undercroft?"

Seren looked up at the sister and smiled, saying thank you without words. She stood and they walked back to the chambers.

Serendipity and the Major

"No, no, no...that is connected to the green pipe not the blue one!"

Elena Galewind looked down from her harness where she hung from the 'Seph's hull. She knew, of course, that the Captain was entirely wrong. The green pipe led to the sewage tank. The blue pipe led to the coolant system.

"Are you quite sure, Captain?"

Seren spread her arms, palms up and shook them."Well, yes! You just try it you'll see."

Elena turned back to the open cavity in the side of the hull, rolled her eyes, and connected the cable to the blue pipe regardless. It was then she heard the Captain's voice addressing someone out of sight.

"Can I help you there, friend?"

"Delegate Undercroft?"

"Aye that's me."

"I am Major Siamendes with the Special Investigations Unit. Alliance military. May I have a moment of your time?"

The captain eyed the Major up and down with a mild look of distaste. Uniforms. They were like a rag to a bull as far as the delegate was concerned. The major stood looking back, smiling pleasantly enough. That's how it always started, of course. Every time.

"Special investigations unit, eh? Alliance....." Seren paused, pursing her lips, "Bit out of your comfort zone out here, ain't ya?"

"I am used to travel" said the Major, "I am investigating a number of threats made against citizens of the UAP by a group known as the Jade Congregation."

Seren put her finger in the air, ready to make a point. "Aye, well...I did recommend to the Consulari you get involved sooner but there's some non-intervention policy or something. Anyways...", she said about to mean the opposite of what she was said, "...not my position to complain about the inadequacies of the Alliance...."

Non-plussed, the Major queried the comment with a questioning "Get involved?"

"Well, the late Ms. Moonkill was one of your lot...wasn't she?" Seren dabbed at her sand covered trousers and squinted at the Major in the bright sun, "Anyway, I'm sure you're probably aware that it wasn't just members of the UAP having trouble with this lot. Apparently the whole Dawla got an earful."

The Major confirmed that she  knew,"I was informed that you and other members of the Beit Dawla received threatening letters". She paused and then said "Shall we find a place to sit and chat?"

Seren twisted her mouth momentarily, side glancing at the Major.  "Sure, why not? Council chambers be okay?". A subtle reminder to the Major, were it needed, that she was dealing with an elected member of the government.

The Major smiled in a way the captain found disconcerting and said "That would be fine."

Seren nodded briskly, wiping her hands on a cloth from her pocket before shouting to her first officer "Yo Elena, I'm heading to the chambers. Be done by the time I get back".

Elena nodded that she'd understood the secret message she'd heard many times before. Be ready to take off at a moment's notice.

Al Raqis Council Chambers and Magistrate's Court

The Captain had a profound distrust of law enforcement and authority. It was something that ate at her during Dawla meetings. There wasn't a single person on that council that she trusted and she had the same misgivings about the Major walking alongside her. The same misgivings she had about Arnold Gustav. They were narrow-minded, focused on one particular brand of thinking, indoctrinated by that world view. She'd seen it here and at home. Home. There were skeletons in her closet that she couldn't risk being discovered and now this pesky major was here. She hoped her nerves didn't show. As they approached the Council Chambers, she realised they hadn't spoken for the entire journey and that the investigator had probably wondered about that. So she spoke, abruptly.

"Top floor, Major"
"Thank you."

They sailed through the doors that led to the Dawla, past the Consulari's expansive office and climbed two flights of stairs. The musty smell of cinnammon touched her senses again, that familiar smell of Araxes,  as they walked along the corridor to the dark end office with the plaque  - Delegate Serendipity Undercroft.

She motioned for the Major to sit down and sat in her own chair staring intensely at the Alliance officer. She steepled her fingers in front of her face and when she caught the Major's attention, smiled.

Seren leant forward, pushed a hidden button on the desk and a spring-loaded draw ejected upwards. She reached inside, rummaged and removed a crumpled sheet of spice paper.

"This turned up in my internal mail a few weeks back. I guess you'll want to see it."

"Yes please. It could be helpful", said the Major who took the document and scanned it intently. The captain noticed a flicker of a frown.

"When did you first hear of the Jade Revolution?"

Abrupt. To the point. The pleasantries were clearly over.

The captain leant back in her chair and gestured with her hands. "The first time was probably when I got that letter. Apparently they'd had some problems with the terminals down in the chambers but that was before my time in office."

"And when did this letter arrive?"

"Two or three weeks ago, heck it could have been a month. As you can imagine, I get a lot of mail"

"Of course, how did it arrive?"

Seren leant forward, gestured to the desk. "I found it here on this very desk. Normally the mail arrives electronically or a clerk from the basement brings it up from the post-room. I can't say how it got onto my desk."

"Have there further threats to your person or property?"

Seren sniffed dismissively "From these Jadist clowns? Not that I know of. But that's a busy landing bay. If I were being watched I couldn't say with any certainty that I'd know about it."

The Major looked on, clearly mulling over what was being said. "Have you arranged for increased security?"

Seren leant forward more, arching an eyebrow, face half turned. "I haven't. Do you think I should, Major? Is the risk that grave?"

"They warn they will watch your actions from afar....", the Major paused momentarily, "....but it is the reference to the crypt that would concern me. They have proven they can get into your offices...."

The Captain's mind suddenly raced but the Major continued "Were you making repairs to your ship when I arrived?".

Leaning back, she nonchantly explained "One of the coolant pipes got damaged. We're not sure how."

The Major nodded, "Standard repairs...or any signs of possible tampering?"

"Lots of junk gets pushed up in engine flow, it's par for the course." said Seren, noticing the Major was again intently looking at the letter.

"Did you know Jade?"

Ah, here we go, thought the Captain, trying to establish a link. Not guilty, Major.

"I bumped into her once or twice. I have to say I found her so be....someone I'd have liked to have known better. Why do you ask?"

"Your letter", the Major gestured, "..some of the other notes have contained personal references. This letter focused on your political platform. See?". She leant forward, indicating the passage. It read:

We have monitored your election pledges and find that you have failed totally in your attempts to fulfill your doe-eyed objectives.

"Aye", said the Captain, raising her hands in annoyance, "I noticed Major. Good grief."

"This is important", said the Major firmly, "Might I keep this letter. I would like to have the paper tested."

Seren nodded "Well sure, I certainly don't want it."

The Major continued her questioning. "You mentioned that you would have liked to have known Jade better. Why is that?"

"Oh, I see where this is going..."

"Oh?"

Leaning back in her chair, the Captain said with a certain degree of anger in her voice - "Yep. Sure. I liked Jade. She had some bright ideas and you know what? Yeah, I found I was surprisingly upset when she died....I've been quite vocal in my support for her views so...."

She caught herself mid-sentence, realising she might inadvertantly open herself up for suspicion. She glanced at the Major who looked on and nodded.

"She was a genuine soul." said the Major before looking again at the letter.

"If you wanna throw suspicion on anyone, Major, you might think about Mr. Gustav."

The Major continued on her line of inquiry. "First, the present threat..."

"Threat?"
"The Jade Revolution..." the Major paused and then said "Do you think Mr. Gustav is involved...in what happened to Jade?"

"I don't know about that.....He works for one of the biggest security firms on the planet, we already know he'd sell his granny for a profit. And hey...", she firmly placed a pointed finger on the desk, "he's the security guru around here and they're running rings around him...so what do you think?"

The Major twisted her mouth in thought. "Honestly....there are a number of people who would benefit from Jade's death."

Seren leant back in her chair, clasped her fingers together and said "I wouldn't know. I'm just a dumb, humble trader, Major."

Smiling, the major commented  "But with ideas of democracy and freedom...according to the Jade Revolution. Tell me about your political platform, Ms. Undercroft"

Seren sighed warily and prepared her mouth to speak. "I have lofty dreams of ending the wars that persistently cause harm to the people of this world. I'm advocating total transparency of the government and want to put the people before the factions who will stop at nothing to bleed this planet dry."

"Go on", the major urged.

The captain gestured widely with her arms. "Have you seen what's going on out there? The Magistrate basically sold the planet out to all and sundry. What right do the people of Botany Bay or the Federation or your precious Alliance have to sit on our government and decide our fate?"

The captain looked sternly at the major who had been listening intently. For a moment, Seren thought she'd heard someone shuffling around in the office next door.

"May I see your campaign literature, anything that details your election pledges?"

Seren looked at the major momentarily before nodding "Sure, I probably have it around here somewhere". As the captain rummaged around the innards of her desk, the Major had another question to ask.

"Do you follow the writings of any specific political scientist or philosopher?"

The captain paused and looked up, searching the major's face for a clue. Why that question?

"I was never much for politics, Major. Which is kinda funny since I ended up as a politician.". She rummaged a bit more and then made a point. "Of course, if you're hunting down certain political types....apparently that happened on Earth quite a bit back in the day....no comment."

The Major smiled back at the captain in a way no doubt meant to be pleasant but that Seren yet again found disconcerting. "I am hunting, Delegate Undercroft, but not for you."

Seren pulled several leaflets from a draw and wiped away the dust. She handed it over to the Major who said pleasantly "May I keep these?"

The captain laughed sarcastically. "Sure, I got a ton more sitting in the printers."

"Thank you", the Major said standing, "I will not take any more of your time. Thank you for your help."

Lifting her hands and almost shrugging, the captain replied "Any time, Major. I'm sure you know your own way out."

The Major smiled and left the office the way she came. For a moment, Seren sat there. Then she picked up her pen and threw it across the room. "Goddamn Alliance, sticking their oar in, too late as usual!".

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."

News of the Ta'Seti invasion of Araxes pierced the silent contemplation Seren Undercroft had indulged herself in like a raucous, unwanted guest. She'd allowed herself a brief vacation, away from the pressures and stress of Araxian political life and had been watching the sunset on the family's adopted home of Nena from her seat on the farmhouse's veranda.

"Captain, word comes of Ta'Seti invasion on Araxes. You're to stay off-world until the threat has been defeated."

The voice came from her erstwhile companion, Elena Galewind, the Cognitive who had no doubt already analysed the various paths and repercussions of the conflict based on the information available to her. She spoke with a certainty but Seren knew that was Elena's way.  The conflict was far from certain victory for the Araxian forces.

Of course, the invasion had been coming. The Ta'Seti were dying and needed the spice to formulate a cure. Their allies, the Myrmidons were thrustful and direct in Laandsrat sessions. The Ta'Seti must not be allowed to die and they would seize the planet if necessary to prevent their extinction.

The Magistrate, along with others in the Laandsrat, had agreed to help. But the price was steep. The Ta'Seti required 75% of all spice produced on Araxes. A staggering amount!

For the first time in office, Seren had felt utterly lost. This was the archetypal no-win situation. Refusal to deliver the spice would result in the potential invasion of Araxes and possibly involve the Imperium in a long and bloody war.  The Ta'Seti were dying and no force stronger than the will to survive. Countless millions could be lost.

But to give the Ta'Seti the spice, to save a people from extinction, would have profound consequences within the Imperium itself. Production would have to triple in an attempt to avoid the social and economic fabric of the Imperium tearing itself apart. The price of the spice might increase many times over as the people's panicked and began to hoard their supplies whilst the production levels took time to increase. It would be pushed out of the reach of the poorest members of society, pushed out of reach of all but the biggest trading companies. The monopoly would re-emerge, stronger than ever and the Houses would rally to position themselves to take advantage.

Seren had, like many others, chosen to vote against supplying the Ta'Seti with their cure. She had said, with a brutal coldness that shocked her, that this was merely nature's way of telling the Ta'Seti their time was at an end.

And now the consequences of their actions had been apparent.

The battle had raged in the southern districts of Wadi and Evangeline. The Ta'Seti had arrived in their huge battlecruisers, dropped their soldiers deep within the desert and began the surprise surge against the Imperium. 

The resistance forces on Araxes had been prepared for this eventuality. Whilst the government talked in their committees, they had prepared for the war. The newly appointed Defence Minister had formed an unison of forces. The United Systems Directorate, the SSFS, New Gaia's Colonial Rangers and many others had pushed back against the threat, standing their ground, proverbial shield-to-shield against the oncoming horde.

When the battle was over, the war logs began to filter through. Most were only available to people with special clearance. The battle had been won. The Ta'Seti threat had been averted, pushed off the planet in one final, colossal show of strength. There were rumours that some cryptographers had managed to decode a Ta'Seti interface and accessed their archive.

There was talk of battlefields deep with dead bodies, some charred, some dismembered, some destroyed beyond recognition within mangled wreckage.

Of course, Seren thought, there were no winners. Casualties were heavy on both sides. For all the jingoistic rhetoric, there were hundreds of ruined lives. Not just soldiers but their families and friends.

And for the Ta'Seti. Their future looked dark and uncertain. They faced the notion that the days of the Ta'Seti may soon draw to a close, a civilisation consigned to history scholars and archaeologists of the future.

Perhaps, she thought, we've merely made our enemy even more dangerous.

For the people, for freedom!

"Freedom for most people is something sacred, and many have been willing to sacrifice their lives for it. It is not just another word, for we measure the health of our democracies by the standard of freedom" -  Ancient Earth Politician.

Seren ran her finger along the tablet, whispering the names slowly as she read. The Laandsrat had been expanded and the factions, whether they were corporate, nobles or militaries were empowered more than ever before. Never in the recent history of Araxes had the position and inalienable rights of the individual been as weak. She glanced silently out of the view port of the Persephone, her eyes surveying the majestic towers and structures of the city until her eyes reached the Council Chambers. Democracy and freedom. They'd been the bywords of civilised society for the ancients but had been trampled underfoot by the corporations who had seized power of the people. Society had collapsed back into a feudal system - a system of aristocrats and great houses, giant corporate entities, vast religious doctrines that covered thousands of worlds, colossal military forces, all of whom sought to control the spice, to enslave the peoples of the Imperium to their causes, to fool them into believing their way was the only way whilst trampling the very same people underfoot.

Outsiders had come. The Alliance. They were as bad as the Imperium. They didn't tell you what to think, they told you how to think. Their society presented itself as clean, pure, enlightened. They were nothing of the sort. The Independents on the fringe told a different story. They'd lost the Unification War. They called themselves Browncoats and they strove for the very freedoms dreamt of for the Imperium. So many had died for the cause and lost. So many. On Miranda and elsewhere.

The Shrouded Stranger

Elena Galewind stood on the Splintered Rock landing platform looking out towards the dune sea. The horizon seemed to have moved and where the sky would normally have touched the ground, a vast dusty orange cloud crept along with a menacing procession of murky waves. Dust storms were not unusual on Araxes. The dry air, wind and vast expanse of sand lent itself to the phenomenon. The desert-borns, she knew, would be holed up in their seeqs.  Air traffic would be temporarily suspended, the people in the city told to go indoors, to fasten up their homes as the storm approached. It would pass and the people would return to whatever they were fixated on before. The klaxon had yet to sound so she stood and admired the beauty of it, using her staff as a measuring tool, calculating its trajectory, height and ferocity.

She was lost in thought, her mind imbued with the calculations. She didn't detect the dark, draped and cloaked stranger who emerged behind her.

"Greetings."

Startled, she turned round, suddenly thankful for the staff in her hand. She adopted the defensive pose without thinking.  In a blink of an eye, her thought processes sprung back to life,  assessing the danger. Cloaked, masked, male, no visible weaponry, a piercing red light emitted from a mechanical eye.


Elena straightened, her hand still grasping the staff tightly should she have to use it. "Greetings to you, sir."
"What is that pole you're holding" he asked, examining it closely.
"A ceremonial air staff, it is issued to many of my Order. A primarily defensive weapon."
"And what is your Order?"
Elena pondered the question, tried to foresee the different paths the conversation could take depending on her answer and the motives of the individual.
"You're a curious one", she said finally, "I suppose it does no harm to tell. I am an Adept of the Cognitive-Mentis Order. What are you?"
"I, I am but a soldier. Please, tell me more of your Order, enlighten me."

Again, she pondered the question. She harboured suspicions that he was more than just a soldier. Certainly, her Order was hardly a secret but the universe was a changed place. The Concordat was vast and it's borders touched the realms of others with increasing frequency. She chose the careful approach - "I fear you would find it a rather uninteresting story. Certainly combat is not one of our finer points although some come to the Order later in life having honed their skill in other areas."

The stranger spoke again, his voice slightly muffled by the dark cloth mask around his face - "I study more than just combat. As the ages passed, I have studied many things and harnessed many things".

An esoteric response in kind, she thought.

"I can tell from your attire", she began, "that you have an eclectic history. You do not appear to be the standard soldier common to these parts."

"Well analysed.". A curt response.

"What am I to make of the eyepiece?". She sought information upon which to make a hypothesis. The stranger was being vague. Perhaps the eyepiece will put me on the right path.

"Ancient technology. A memorable device."

Memorable or memory. She didn't hear above the growing winds. "Interesting", she asked, "I presume by the name it records what you see?"

"That's one of its features. It also displays a radar from the results of various scans. Sound, sight, infra-red, satellite."

The information was good but still too vague. She couldn't pinpoint a specific technology, race or planet.

"A useful device to have....why do you hide your face? To protect you from the sand or to protect your identity?"

"Let's just say it's for the sand."

"Understood". She accepted his abstruse nature for now, the wind was whipping up and the sand was starting  to gently peck her face.

He gestured to her staff - "You talked about your staff. What exactly can it do?"

"As I said, it's a primarily defensive weapon. It can project a super-concentrated burst of air to disorientate an opponent. Failing that, it makes a useful melee weapon."

"How does it work? Technological or.....other alternatives?"

Finally, she thought, I detect the person behind the mask. Alternatives to technology mean a belief in mythical or fantastical powers. Elena replied "Technological. We are a scientific people not beholden to the wild superstitions of others, like the Sinisterhood."

Elena noticed the man stiffen. Agitated perhaps. "Through my years, I have studied both. And I can tell you such things are far more than superstitions. Superstitions do not destroy armies."

A simple claim to rebuke, she thought. Scientific, logical thought would prevail. "That rather depends on the army. A primitive race of spear throwers would tremble in fear at 'Gods' with laserguns."

"You lack realisation.".

A firm and strong rebuttal implying she lacked the knowledge to comprehend the matter at hand. Something she was unaccustomed to. She raised an eyebrow but was interrupted before she could respond in kind.

"I have learnt of a true power", he intoned, "greater than any other."

"Tell, what is this power? Can it be studied in a laboratory?". She heard the scorn in her own voice.

"It can only be studied through experience. I do not know of it's word in our tongue."

Damnation, this man has a propensity to be utterly unfathomable. 

"You will learn one day." he said before turning away and striding away across the platform as mysteriously as he had arrived. Elena held her hand up to her face, protecting it from the sand which peppered her skin like tiny fragments of glass. You leave on a riddle.....a disconcerting fact to be true...but I'm rather good at solving them. 






[Featuring "Gordon Freeman"]