Myrell watched the newscast with equally growing feelings of excitement and unease.

On one hand she couldn’t help but be enraptured by the escalating chaos she witnessed on her pad. The vast majority of Earth’s major population centres had been crippled by protests numbering in the millions and nearly every capital city had endured days of rioting. Causalities numbered in the low hundreds, for the moment anyway.

She couldn’t help but admire the Secretary-General from Earth. In one breath she called for people to remain calm and then in the next was talking about avenging the barbaric atrocities committed against the Human people. It would definitely make her more popular but would almost certainly lead to more Human deaths. Myrell had to respect that level of ruthless self-interest. Especially since she did it so publically.

Myrell found it all the more amusing that her vehement opposition to the Titans would be the thing that ultimately ensured Secretary-General Ridgemont would end up as a snack for one of her family. As would every other Human being on Earth.

And on the other hand, as much as Myrell loved chaos it caused her a problem. She couldn’t predict how it would unfold. Her window to act could be weeks. Or it could be as short as a few days. She needed to step up a gear. She’d already started creating room to put her plan into action; sabotaging the construction materials had created confusion and had the Titan staff spread out over the city scanning every building. This gave her a little bit of breathing space and focused her boss’ attention elsewhere. She turned off her pad and poked the Human sleeping on her bedside table softy.

“Huh?” Pri asked sitting up groggily.

“Sorry to wake you…” Myrell said as softly and sweetly as she could. “But I think we need to talk…as friends.”

“Uh…is everything alright?” Pri replied unnerved by her owner’s unusual trepidation.

Myrell looked down at her feet. “No…not really. I’m sorry but I have to tell you, I’ve been lying to you. And you deserve the truth.”

“What is it…?” Pri asked.

“I’m not here to volunteer…” Myrell sighed and Pri looked worried. “I’m working for Pryvani Tarsuss.”

“You are? Doing what?”

“I’m here to stop the people who are trying to take her pets away. To make sure that Humans stay as pets. We need to watch over you, to look after you. This project is going to end in disaster. She knows it’ll mean the deaths of all the Humans she has cared for and she hates it. She’s asked me to tell you how happy she is with you helping me.” Myrell explained.

“She did!?”

“She did.” Myrell nodded “But I lied to you Pri. Can you forgive me?” Myrell looked up with her bright pink eyes.

“You’re here to make sure we’re safe. And to make sure I’m safe!” Pri smiled. “Of course I can. You’re my owner and you have always looked out for me.”

“Good!” Myrell grinned. “But…I need your help. And this is where it gets hard Pri. I need you to promise you’ll help me no matter what. That you’ll help Pryvani.”

The little Human woman looked a bit pale and nervous but she swallowed and nodded firmly. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make Pryvani proud.”

Myrell leaned in closer. “Those two Humans you’re friends with at the power plant. They’re part of the group of bad people.”

“They don’t seem bad…”

“Bad people never seem bad Pri. That’s how they get good people to trust them.” Myrell said totally missing the irony.

“Oh…that makes sense.”

“It does, doesn’t it? I need to talk with those two Humans. Alone. They know things I need to find out. I need to find it out without anyone else knowing and I need your help to do it.” The Titan explained.

“Tell me what to do.” Pri said firmly.

“I need you to get them out of the city. To a quiet place I can talk with them. Can you do that?” Myrell asked.

Pri paused to think for a moment then smiled.

“I know!” she said.

“You do!?” Myrell’s eyes lit up.

“Duas has gotten a bit fat and we were talking about trying to get him fit. And Sephonie likes the countryside. I could get them to go for a walk with me!”

“Pri, that’s brilliant. You’re such a clever little girl.” Myrell beamed.

Pri felt warmth run through her at her master’s approval. She hadn’t often felt it with Myrell but when she did she loved it. She was eager for more. “I’ll bring them to the place where you found me and you can talk with them there.”

“That is perfect Pri. You are a wonderful little pet.” Myrell leaned in closer still, only a Human arm’s length from Pri and grew serious. “But there’s one more thing.”

“W…what is it?”

“They may not tell me what I need to know. And I may have to make them tell me.”

“You mean hurt them?” Pri asked.

“I do. But these are bad people Pri. And it’s ok to hurt bad people, isn’t it Pri?” Myrell asked.

Pri paused for a second looking down at her feet and then back to her master. “When I was being raised, we were told we were the best, most sought after Humans in all the Empire. Not just because we were the best bred or also the best raised. But because we were the most properly behaved. If we were bad we were punished so we learnt to be good. Some didn’t make it through and were taken away because they wouldn’t behave. They weren’t good enough. It’s the same here.”

Myrell smiled broadly. “You know I think I underestimated you Pri?”

Pri shrugged. “Better to be underestimated than overestimated.”

That brought a chuckle from Myrell. “Yes it is Pri. Yes it is.”

****

“So that’s where we are…” Loona said to the three Humans sitting on her temporary desk aboard a government transport ship that was hurtling at many times the speed of light from Avalon towards Sol Earth.

“Sooooo…no pressure then?” Nonah said glibly.

Loona smiled. “This isn’t on you three. It’s on me. But I need…”

“…Humans?” Niall said finishing her sentence for her.

“I was going to say credibility.” Loona replied.

“And an American to talk straight to an American!” Darren said.

“Ehhhh…I was more hoping for diplomacy.” Loona said. “Ridgemont doesn’t seem to be the straight talking type.”

Nonah laughed. Perhaps a lot more than she should have. “Really. You thought diplomacy and two of the three names that popped into your head were Niall ‘multiple disciplinary hearings’ Freeman and Darren ‘insulting nicknames for world leaders’ Xanthopolous.

“Ya’ know that hurts Goldilocks!?” Darren said and supped at a hip flask.

“It’s the name recognition as well.” Niall added. “Darren is decorated war veteran on multiple worlds and the face of Avalon, you’re a famous author and I’m one the greatest minds and most recognised faces in the galaxy.”

The three other people around the table raised their eyebrows.

“I won’t lie. You three will get a lot of attention on Earth. If you talk the Empire up it could go a long way to undoing the damage that broadcast did.” Loona sighed.

“Now jus’ you hold on there a minute, Hillary,” Darren said sounding non-plussed. “What makes you think any of us three would be inclined to go on TV and say this Empire of yours is worth forgiving?”

“It’s your Empire too Mr Secretary.” Loona shot back.

Darren shrugged. “It’s been a year since we joined. I ain’t had no one on the phone yet from the Imperial navy offering to build me ISS Avalon and fill it with Avalonian officers. Not about any of our security come to think of it.”

“Yeah, well that’s Qorni.” Loona groaned.

“And I won’t sell Qorni.” Niall said. “I’ll sell you.”

“I’ll sell you.” Nonah added. “I’ll sell the idea of what a lot of people think the Empire is. I’ll sell the people I know and the readers who write me letters. But I can’t sell the Empire that bred me to be sold as, at best, a pet and at worst, a sex toy.”

“And I’m saying you go in there and talk straight with Lady Ridgemont. She’s a hawk. An American hawk. Being something of an American hawk myself, and knowing a lot of ‘em, I’m telling you to go in there and lay the situation out for her straight.” Darren said and his brow knit tight. ”Tell her Earth can’t defend itself. That you will defend it. That you have defended it. But you fucked up and you’re trying to make it right. She needs to look tough. Let her look tough, let her throw a few punches and draw a little blood. But in the end let her know she’s got no choice but to deal with you.”

Loona didn’t look convinced.

“This is a Tol Bot game. You can see all her pieces. She can’t see half of yours. You’re acting like you’re the one on the defensive here.” Darren said.

“I am!” Loona cut over him, her voice strained. “You saw that video! I am on the defensive!”

“With Earth, sure. But with Ridgemont? She isn’t Earth. She’s one person with a paper army. Go in there, stomp all over it and then at the end offer her a way out.”

The Deputy Floor Leader almost look convinced.

“It’s what The Marionnette would do. It’s what Iron Maiden would do. And you know damn well it’s what Felltree would do.” He said.

“He’s right.” Nonah added. “This isn’t time for a grovelling apology. This is time for my friend to do what she’s best at. Talking sense and taking control of the narrative.”

Niall shrugged. “And do you really want me and Yosemite Sam on TV?”

“Shucks doc! You know how to make a guy feel special.”

Loona stood up and quickly stepped back from the desk, so not to loom.

“Where are you going?” Nonah asked.

“To get an aide to take you back to your quarters. I need to speak to Eyrn.” She said. “And then, Ridgemont.”

****

The area of Tau Ceti E where the new colony had been sited was not unlike the damp, cool uplands of Northern Europe. Long dead glaciers had carved out deep valleys through even longer dead volcanoes. Where ice had once sat, pine forests and deep green meadows now resided. Ice cold rivers flowed downhill from the snow-capped peaks down onto the great plain eventually forming the great river that flowed through the newly founded city.

Standing in the city it was a rather spectacular view. On top of one of the peaks it was an even more spectacular view. Even half way up the side of one of the smaller, gentler mountains was pretty stunning. Though Duas was finding it hard to appreciate the beauty of his surroundings, his legs felt like they weighed as much as cinder blocks and his lungs burned as they tried to strain every molecule of precious oxygen from the crisp air.

“Can…can we stop for a break?” He wheezed.

The two women walked ahead of him at a steady pace. They probably could have gone a bit faster but then they would have been too far ahead to notice if Duas dropped dead of exhaustion.

“Come on, “Pri encouraged cheerily. “There’s a nice spot up ahead. We can stop for lunch and a rest there.”

“And then go home?” Duas pleaded.

Sephonie turned around and smiled. “No! This is one of the smaller mountains. We can make it to the top and get home before nightfall.”

“Have I ever told you how much I hate climbing?” Duas said between pants.

Sephonie rolled her eyes. “This isn’t climbing you fool. Climbing is straight up. This is walking up a gentle slope.”

“It doesn’t feel that gentle to me!”

“That’s because you spend all of your day sitting in a chair.” Pri said. “A few trips up here will do you good.”

“A few trips up here and I’ll be dead.” He grumbled. “This world has stronger gravity that we’re designed for!”

“Six percent,” Sephonie replied. “You’ll live!”

The group continued on up the gentle hillside at the slow but steady pace of Duas. They followed a dirt trail beside a river that roared downhill through the thick pine forest. Pri led the way, retracing her steps in her mind. She knew she just had to keep following the river.

It didn’t take long for the forest to start thinning out and the ground changed from brown, dead pine needles to lush, green grass. Pri led them into a meadow, with the river running along one side and the forest running along the other. The river ran ahead, gently sloping up between two peaks and out of sight.

“Isn’t this pretty?” Sephonie said.

“I like this spot. I went for a walk not long after I got here and found it.” Pri said.

Duas raised an exchaused brow. “I didn’t think settlers could wander off out of the city without their mentors?”

“We’re not supposed to…” Pri shrugged. “But I wanted to. So I did.”

Duas chuckled and shook his head. “Since it’s so nice here can we stop for a bit?”

“One hour. Food, drink and rest.” Seph said. “Then we head for the top.”

“Deal.” He said removing his pack and dropped unceremoniously to the grass.

Pri and Sephonie sat down with a little more grace and Sephonie started to remove items from her pack and lined them up on the ground.

“What’s that?” Pri asked.

“Lunch.” Seph replied. “Minced, spiced goat flat breads. Some dried fruits and chocolate.”

“Looks good.” Duas said shuffling over.

Sephonie picked up a flat bread, folded it and stuffed it in her mouth. “Well, dig in.”

****

Myrell breathed lightly as she stared through the thick forest to the Humans sitting in the meadow beyond. She had lain in wait for over twelve hours, patiently sitting in a clearing of the forest she had smashed into being.

She’d trekked the long way round, up the side of the mountain rather than the gentle slope to avoid leaving any foot prints along the road that might alert the wandering Avalonians to her presence. She was wearing black clothes, boots and gloves and had removed the pink colouring from her hair, returning it to its natural almost black, dark brown colour. She had even gone as far as covering her face in mud from the forest floor to ensure no hint of her tan skin could be seen through the trees. Only her bright pink eyes could give her away now.

Myrell had missed this. The thrill of the hunt. Silently observing her prey from a distance. Her senses tingled in anticipation, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. She had done this many, many times. Whether it was a darkened street in Tuaut, a bar on Grelau or a lonely pond on Dunnermac, even a few of her siblings growing up. There were few places Myrell hadn’t hunted. But no hunt was as important as this one.

If she failed in a hunt anywhere else at best it meant her prey would get away and at worst it meant she’d have to leave the planet. But if she failed in this hunt, it would mean she wouldn’t be able to open the backdoor for her family to use. It could mean her exposure. And that would mean an end to her family’s plan and potentially ruin.

She had to wait for the perfect moment. And as much as she hated relying on anyone but herself, she needed her little pet to create a distraction to allow her to pounce.

****

“Do you think there could be fish in the river?” Duas asked. “I like fish. Especially freshwater fish.”

“Shall we take a look?” Pri asked.

Duas shrugged. “If it means getting up I’m not in.”

Sephonie rolled her eyes in her usual fashion. “Come on Pri, let’s take a look. Edible freshwater fish would be a useful discovery.”

The two women walked to the water’s edge. It was flowing quickly, with plenty of surf on the top and difficult to see into. Pri dropped to all fours and Sephonie joined her.

“It’s a bit rough. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to see anything. Maybe later in the year when there’s not so much rain?” Sephonie said.

Pri furrowed her brow and focused on the water. “I…I dunno. I thought I saw something moving down there.”

She bent down further, deliberately putting her rear in the air and drawing the attention of Duas who now found himself considerably more interested in what was going on by the river than he had originally been.

Sephonie bent down further, her long brown hair almost touching the water’s surface. “I don’t see anything…”

There was a loud creak and then a huge crack, like the sound of mighty trees being snapped in two. Sephonie quickly pulled herself back up and turned to locate the noise. Emerging from the forest was an enormous black figure moving at an ungodly speed.

“By the goddess…” she muttered to herself.

She turned to run but thrown to the grass and pinned down.

“Pri! What are doing!?” She screamed as she wrestled with the woman.

Pri said nothing in response. She just kept her knee on top of the prone woman’s stomach and leaned her full weight onto her arms to hold her in position.

It felt like they had been fighting for minutes but it took under ten seconds for Myrell to get up and spring across the forest and pin the Humans beneath her hands. Pri let go of her quarry as she was enclosed in the grip of the black glove.

“Very good work Pri!” Myrell said. “I got the fat one but she would have gotten away if it weren’t for you.”

“Thank you.” Pri smiled, though still shaking with adrenaline from the fight as Myrell set her down. She could hear the squirming and protests of the two Humans.

“Go through their bags. Find any pads or electronics, snap them in two and throw them in the river.” Myrell ordered.

“I will.” Pri said and set about her task.

Myrell transferred her captives to the same hand and held them tightly. She could feel them wriggling and fighting to get free. She gave them a squeeze which told them who was boss and they seemed to take the hint. She removed her pack and took a pad from it.

She opened her hand and the two Humans scurried backwards.

“It’s quite the drop. I’d stay still if I were you.” Myrell said and held the pad up to them.

“Who are you!? Why are you doing this!?” Sephonie barked.

Myrell ignored her and focused instead on the pad’s output. She smiled, pleased with what she saw.

“No tracking devices! Excellent!” She stuffed the pad and the Humans into her pack. She dropped in a small capsule which started to hiss and her two captives passed out. Double checking they were out by poking them, Myrell smiled and zipped it the bag and pulled it over her shoulder.

“Finished Pri?”

“I only found two. I did what you said.” She replied.

“Excellent!” Myrell said.

She picked up the two packs belonging to the Humans and tossed them into the forest where she had been lying. Satisfied all evidence of the wandering Humans was disposed of she bent over the river and washed the mud from her face. Happy she was mostly clean she set her hand down flat for Pri and motioned for her to step on.

“You have been a very good pet, Pri. You’ll be rewarded for this.” Myrell said, actually meaning it too. “But there’s a bit more to do. Will you help me get the information I need?”

“I will. Whatever you need me to do.”

Myrell planted a kiss on Pri’s head and started to walk back to the city. “Your hair Pri? How would you like it to be pink?”