Commander Lemm Tam sighed and rolled her eyes as she watched their passengers mount the walkway ramp that led into the Gyfjon.

She felt this mission completely beneath her and her crew. They were an exploratory vessel not some… ferry boat.

Still… obviously whoever was coming aboard to be their passengers had to have some clout, so all the niceties had to be observed.

The passengers neared and Lemm’s eyes rolled to the ceiling as she heard the bay doors open with a hiss.

“Welcome aboard the Gyfjon.” She recited, doing her best to keep the boredom out of her voice. “I’m Commander-”

“LEMMY!”

Suddenly something knocked the wind out of her and she fell to the floor with a thud, a large heavy weight landing on her a split second later.

“What the…!” Her sentence fell short when she finally recognized her assailant.

“…Rixie?”

“Hiya Kiddo!”

“Rixie?!” Lemm repeated incredulously.

“Yes!” Rixie responded amusedly as she crawled off of the shocked executive officer and pulled herself to her feet, before reaching down to help Lemm up afterwards. “Who were you expecting, the Emperor?”

“Well, no but… they didn’t really tell us who we were picking up. I- I thought you’d left the service!” Lemm suddenly felt a flutter in her stomach, and despite her best efforts she was actually smiling. It was a good thing none of her subordinates were here to see her, she did have a reputation to maintain, after all.

“Well,” Rixie responded, linking her arm through Lemm’s and dragging her along into the ship, Vanser following behind with an amused smile on his lips. “I did. But I got re-commissioned for this assignment, which I’ll tell you and your Captain about as soon as he’s ready for the briefing.

Vanser cleared his throat.

“Oh, sorry Vans. Lemmy, this is Vanser Nix, my partner for this mission.”

“Do not call me ‘Lemmy’ Rixie.” Lemm grated through clenched teeth before turning to Vanser. “Pleasure to meet you, Imperator.”

“All mine, of course.” Vanser responded with a charming smile on his face. “So how do you two know each other? Obviously you’re both Hoplites but beyond that…?”

“Ah well Lemmy-” Rixie smirked at the evil glare being sent her way.

“I said don’t call me Lemmy, Pha-MMPH” Lemm’s words were cut off by Rixie’s hand slapping over her mouth.

“Sorry, what I meant to say is that the Commander and I were both in the same group of military Hoplites. We went through Basic at the same time. There weren’t very many women with us, so we kind of stuck together. She’s like my little sister, so I have to embarrass her a bit.”

“NOT in front of the crew Rixie, you hear me?”

“I make no promises!” Rixie cackled.

Lemm sighed and rolled her eyes, not sure whether she’d be able to survive this mission with her career or her sanity intact. “Come on then, I’ll show you to your quarters so you can rest a bit before the briefing.”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Sophia’s eyes fluttered open and she found herself laying in a bed, staring up at the ceiling. Somewhere off to her right she heard a machine making constant beeping noises and soft whirrs.

“Where…?” She mumbled, just before the wave of dizziness and nausea overtook her. Her body curled into a ball and she uttered a groan as her stomach seemed to rebel against her. She cried out in a pained scream that tapered off into a groan. Her body was wracked with violent shudders that sent her sprawling out of the bed she lie in and onto the floor.

“Brinn! She’s awake!” Vaguely Sophia was aware of a voice calling out, but then all conscious thought was lost as her vision swam.

“Sophia? Sweetie, can you hear me?” As if the voice were acting as an anchor, her vision suddenly cleared and she was able to carefully stand.

“Brinn?” She moaned weakly. “Zara?”

“Yes, we’re here.” Brinn’s gentle voice washed over her like a warm bath. “Sweetie, please lie back down okay? I don’t want you falling over or anything.”

Obediently, Sophia lowered herself back onto the bed. “What…what happened?” She mumbled, rubbing sweat off of her face.

Through bleary eyes she looked up to the faces of the two concerned Titanesses. “You became ill. We’re not sure what caused it, but we’ve got you and Nick both in isolation, just in case.

“Is Nick…?”

“No. He’s fine. ” Brinn assured her. “But we think Titans are capable of carrying the disease, whatever it is, because we’ve had reports of people coming down with symptoms similar to yours in the Northwestern quarter of Atlantis, where Taron was working.”

“Oh god…” If the two women said anything else, Sophia didn’t hear it. Her stomach roiled and her heartbeat thundered in her ears… and then she began violently vomiting on the floor.

“Oh sweet emperor, what’s wrong with her?!”

“I don’t know Zara!” Brinn’s eyes began to tear up as she saw the little woman she cared so much for in pain. “But I will find out.”

She picked up her data pad and began walking from the lab. “Get her cleaned up as best you can and make her as comfortable as possible. Put scrubs on and wear gloves and a mask when you do. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Zara nodded distractedly as she began carrying out Brinn’s orders.

Brinn, meanwhile, rushed down the hall outside of the lab, her brow creased with worry. Her mind directed her body’s movements while on autopilot as she ran over possibilities in her mind. Most of them were discarded outright and the ones that weren’t worried her even more.

Before she knew it, she’d reached the door to Pryvani’s office.

She pressed the buzzer and waited for a few tense hours, or minutes rather, before the door opened to admit her inside.

Pryvani was sitting at her desk tapping furiously at the keypad to her computer, an intense look on her face and worry lines creasing her brow. After a moment she looked up at the young veterinarian who had walked through her door.

“Yes Brinn, what can I do for you?” She asked wearily.

“I have a colleague,” Brinn spoke after clearing her throat. “She’s the head of the Xenobiology department of Eastern Kallesin University. She’s also an expert in applied genetics. If I’m going to beat this, I need her help.”

“Of course.” Pryvani replied quietly. “Whatever you need, you have it. What’s her name?”

“Dr. Kharee Selil.” Brinn picked up her pad and quickly made a notation.

“Of course. Make whatever arrangements you need to…”

Brinn nodded, and then stopped short. “Pryvani… are you okay?”

The young heiress chuckled mirthlessly and ran a hand through her hair. She gestured to the pile of papers that Taron and Sophia had brought down from the Valhalla Platform.

After a moment’s hesitation, Brinn stepped up to Pryvani’s desk and picked up the papers, quickly skimming over the text.

“You’re being sued?!” The veterinarian dropped the packet of paper back onto the desk, mouth agape.

Pryvani nodded. “By my mother, can you believe that? Well, actually, I can, but…”

“What is she suing you over?”

“She’s trying to get me declared incompetent so she can claim ownership of my company for herself. It’s completely ridiculous of course; my company’s profits have never been higher… The real kicker is that the hearing to resolve this matter isn’t for several weeks yet and until it does get resolved all of my non-personal assets have been frozen.”

Brinn groaned. “The absolute worse timing. “

“Precisely. Which is, I suspect, exactly why she’s done it.” She fell silent and a contemplative look fell over her face. She nodded resolutely and sat up, reaching for her keypad. “Right. You get ahold of this Dr. Selil friend of yours; do whatever it takes to convince her. In the meantime, I believe I have a call of my own to make…”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Yvenna Mirendy walked through the corridors of the Tatendi Station, situated on the edge of Dunnermac –majority space. As was typical of Dunnermac architecture, the metal bulkheads had been cast in a stylized wave pattern and the walls were painted in muted blues and greens, with the occasional splash of coral pink.

“About time you showed up.” A voice hissed at her from the shadows around a corner. “I’ve been here for days now waiting for you.”

Yvenna shook her head, but didn’t turn around. “I’ve had other matters to attend to. Suffice it to say that for the time being, Lady Fand considers you a low priority.”

Trell’s eyes widened and she hissed softly at the implied insult. “Well, we’re both here now. Say your piece so I can get on with whatever business Fand needs me for.”

“First of all…” Yvenna turned around sharply to face Trell. “You are not the one giving orders here.”

Trell sneered. “I’ve had-”

“And secondly…” Yvenna continued speaking sharply, talking over Trell’s protestations. “Considering your performance the last time Syon Fand entrusted you with an important task, you’d do well to mind your manners from here on out.”

There was a moment of tense silence as the two women attempted to stare each other down.

Trell blinked first. “All right Yvenna.” She growled. “Just tell me what I need to do.”

Yvenna arched her eyebrow and pursed her lips for a moment before nodding and speaking.

“Right. Lady Fand wants you to re-infiltrate Avalon.”

Trell’s eyes widened, wondering if Yvenna was joking. “Are you insane? Is she insane? It’s not like they don’t know me there.”

Yvenna rolled her eyes. “Not Pryvani’s compound, the human settled areas. She wants you to get in, hide, and when the time is right, you’re to deploy this.”

Yvenna reached down and retrieved a medium sized box by her feet. “Also included is the proper paraphernalia you will need to survive the increased gravity.”

Trell eyed the case dubiously, but then took it. “You really are blinked, aren’t you?”

“You’ll need to plot a course to allow for insertion into orbit around Avalon with a periapsis low enough to reduce the ship’s speed to below escape velocity, in order to make a successful landing on the moon’s surface without being detected by Pryvani’s sensor grid.” Yvenna continued, ignoring Trell’s commentary. “I trust you know how to do this?” She asked with an upturned eyebrow and the barest of condescending smirks on her lips.

“Of course I do.” Trell growled in irritation. “I took Basic Piloting when I was a teenager, same as you.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I have a program that will calculate the proper trajectory for you, if you want…”

“I said I got it, Yvenna.” Trell snarled, hefting the bag of supplies onto her shoulder. She turned and began walking away.

“Well, if you’re certain.”

“Go drift yourself, Slag.” Trell yelled over her shoulder.

Yvenna rolled her eyes and sighed. “Charming, as always.”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

“Look at what I drew!” Five year old Pryvani shoved the brightly colored drawing of a purple keiflar with wings in her father’s face.

After pulling back so he could see the picture, he took it from her and looked at it briefly. “Well, that’s an awful nice picture of a shaar, Princess.” He said before quickly handing it back and putting his coat on.

Pryvani clutched the drawing to her chest. “But it’s-”

“That’s nice sweetie, but Daddy has to go now… why don’t you go show your mother?” She watched as her father picked up his data pad and rushed out the door.

Pryvani sighed and trudged down the hall towards her mother’s office. Slowly she pushed open the door and peeked inside. Her mother was sitting at her desk, tapping away at her computer keypad, a look of intense concentration on her face.

“Mommy?” Pryvani whispered as she entered.

Syon Fand kept working, seemingly oblivious to her daughter’s presence. Pryvani stood there in silence for a few seconds more before trying again.

“…Mommy?”

With an exasperated sigh, Syon Fand closed her data pad and turned to the little girl in front of her. “What do you want?” She snapped.

Pryvani seemed to shrink into herself. With a trembling hand she held up the piece of paper. “I made a drawing…”

Fand snatched the paper out of Pryvani’s hand, ripping it in the process. She studied the picture for ten seconds, a disdainful frown on her face. “Keiflars aren’t purple, Pryvani. And they do not have wings.”

“I know… it’s just pretend…” Pryvani muttered. This wasn’t how her mother acted when Pryvani’s father was around. When she was under scrutiny, Syon Fand was nothing but “sweetheart” this and “My darling Princess!” that… but the second Pryvani’s father was gone…

“Fantasies are for weak minds, Pryvani.” She crumpled the drawing in her hand and threw it into the wastebasket under her desk. “Now go find something useful to do.”

Tears brimming in her eyes, Pryvani nodded then fled the room.

Back in the present, Pryvani shook her head to clear away the memory of her mother’s particular brand of parental affection.

“You’ve reached the office of Hurassen Bass, corporate law. How may I direct your call?”

Pryvani smiled at the pretty young brunette that had suddenly appeared on the screen of her pad.

“Yes, I’d like to speak to Mr. Bass.”

The young woman frowned, more from confusion than anything else. “And who may I say is calling?”

“Pryvani Tarsuss, dear.” Pryvani smiled patiently.

The secretary blinked. There was a momentary pause, then: “I’m sorry ma’am, did you say…?”

“Pryvani Tarsuss.” Pryvani chuckled. “Yes I did.”

“Oh, uh, one moment… M-Ms. Tarsuss.”

“Certainly.”

The screen flashed onto a logo for the law firm. There was a brief pause of about half a minute before the logo disappeared and was replaced with a man’s smiling face.

He looked to be approaching middle age, though not quite there yet. He was balding, slightly, but not enough to be detrimental to his looks. His hair was dark and his eyes were bright and sharp with intelligence. For a split second he wore a skeptical look, until he was able to verify for himself that yes, he was actually getting a call from Pryvani Tarsuss.

“Well! Pryvani Tarsuss!” The handsome face on the screen flashed a brilliant smile. “To what do I owe this unexpected, but not unwelcome, surprise?”

Pryvani smiled at the projected image in front of her. “Hurassen Bass.” She purred. “I’m afraid I’ve called you today because I’ve found myself in a spot of legal trouble…”

Hurassen’s smile widened. “Ah well, as much as I’d like to help, Ms. Tarsuss… I’m afraid getting people out of citations for public acts of disorderly conduct is not exactly my area of expertise.”

Pryvani smiled coyly and shook her head. “Call me Pryvani, please. And I wish it were as simple a matter as swimming naked in a fountain.” She sighed and shook her head. “I’m afraid I’ve found myself in a bit of a bind. My mother is attempting to sue for control of my company.”

The smile faded from Hurassen’s face to be replaced by a look of concern. “Well, that is my area of expertise.” The young man cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. “What can you tell me?”

“I’ll do better than that, I’ll show you.” She tapped a few keys on the pad in front of her, sending Hurassen copies of the documents she’d recently been sent.

There was a beeping noise from Hurassen’s end and Pryvani waited patiently as he scanned the documents.

“Well, this is just preposterous!” He shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. “You may be many things, Pryvani, but incompetent? People may find you a bit eccentric, let’s say, but one only has to glance at your company’s earnings report to see that if nothing else you have the proper faculties to ensure that competent people are looking over your affairs.

He smirked and leaned forward. “But of course that’s the fictional you, isn’t it? In reality you wouldn’t trust anybody but yourself to handle those duties, now would you?”

Pryvani arched a brow and a smile lit up her features. “You’ve been talking to Naskia, haven’t you?”

Hurassen smiled. “Not at all, I’m just able to put two and two together. A distressingly uncommon ability, it seems.”

Pryvani smiled and leaned forward a bit, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. “Indeed.”

“No…” Hurassen muttered scratching his chin contemplatively; “If I had to hazard a guess, your mother’s real aim is to render the majority of your assets frozen for as long a period of time as she is able. I suspect she’ll try to drag out these proceedings, probably until you do snap.”

There was a pause as Hurassen seemed to be working things out in his mind. Pryvani merely smiled patiently and waited for him to finish.

“Right.” He nodded and leaned forward again. “So, just out of curiosity, who do you suppose your mother’s attorney will be?”

Pryvani shrugged slightly. “Yvenna Mirendy most likely. She’s my mother consigliore , after all.”

Hurassen’s eyes widened. “The Ice Queen herself eh? Well that settles it. To be able to say that I represented Pryvani Tarsuss and beat Mirendy the Mortician at her own game… How could I pass that up? I’ll take the case.”

Pryvani beamed. “Splendid.”

“Now, I’ll do you an extra favor and get ahold of Judge Halideny here and see if we can’t get this trial moved up a bit. He owes me one after all.”

“Oh well, I wouldn’t want you to-”

“Nonsense.” Hurassen flashed a bright smile. “I’d gladly trade a favor from him for a favor from you, yours are worth more.”

Despite herself, Pryvani chuckled in amusement. “Well, I thank you for that then. It seems your family is collecting them.”

“I do know a way I can turn it in right now. Have a drink with me, next time you’re planetside?”

Pryvani blinked and the smile slid off her face. “Oh! Uh… Hurassen, that’s very nice of you to ask but…”

“Let me stop you there.” Hurassen grinned. “Not like that. Strictly professional. If for no other reason than because I am happily married. Truth be told, I just want to be seen in public with you. After all, it’s not what you know but who.”

Pryvani nodded, the smile returning to her face. “Well, in that case I’d be delighted.”

“Excellent. I look forward to speaking to you again, Pryvani.”

“Likewise.”