Don Kuat

The Champion of Regina's bulwark collapses on to the asphalt, inert and useless. I reckon that's it for the Rose squadron. All that's left for the Blue Ocean operatives to do is to mop up and call it a night.

"What is Number 62's status?" operative 69 barks over the open channel, not bothering that the Citadel pilots might be listening in. Its not as if the remaining Valkyrie can make a difference anyway. 69 had taken out the Champion in a single move. Fighting a regular Valkyrie, no matter how skilled, would end in a total curb stomp.

"Still bleeding out." 75 responds, "He has more than enough time to evacuate."

The bisected Coalition Stormer raises a single arm and gives 69 a thumbs up. The priestess and that beast girl recoil at the grisly sight, but 69 and the rest of his comrades merely regard the display with a studied indifference. Of course it wouldn't matter to the Blue Ocean operatives, their actual bodies would be safe and sound back on earth. Number 62 is probably busy detaching his consciousness from the host housing him. Of course he wouldn't remotely give a shit about what happened to the sod whose body he hijacked.

"Good journey, brother." 69 states calmly, nodding to the bloody armored torso, "Make it back to Rais Land as soon as possible." And with that, 62's arm falls back to the ground with a loud clang.

Yet another morsel of juicy but troubling information falls into my lap. This trip has certainly been educational, but it has also demonstrated how complacent the Directorate has been. Just how advanced is Blue Ocean's technology compared to ours? I quietly tap the com unit's controls to begin recording again.

"Wu, more bad news." I whisper into the com unit, "I think Blue Ocean has a ready supply of host bodies. They don't seem to mind their operatives being taken out, as long as there's enough time to do a soul retrieval."

This discovery fits neatly into why the second assassin I fought got so mad at me. I dropped kicked his comrade straight in the head. The impact would have killed the host body instantly, extinguishing the nomad soul within at the same time. And from the tenor of 69's voice, I'm starting to suspect that he's the second assassin that had tangled with me and Wu not so long ago.

The dual wielding Valkyrie goes to help the Champion up, but 75 steps forward and roughly pushes the Citadel pilot aside. The Valkyrie brings up her dual swords again, but the Blue Ocean unit is singularly unimpressed.

"Don't test your luck." 69 growls, but pays the Valkyrie no further heed. The dual wielder maintains her battle stance and refuses to back down, but neither does she make a move at the Coalition machines. The Valkyrie knows as well as I do that her chances of surviving such a confrontation are very close to nil.

"Priestess Nock. A pleasure as always." 69 addresses the priestess directly using his machine's loudspeaker, the booming declaration resounding across the night street.

"Yes ..." the priestess says uncertainly, eyeing the Coalition machines surrounding her and the beast girl warily. I sidle deeper into the shadows, hoping no one will notice me now that the fighting has died down.

"Rais Land thanks you for doing your part." 69 flatly congratulates, while the hooded priestess stares back dispassionately.

"You ... you ... sold us out?" the Valkyrie clutching her bloody ear rouses herself to mutter almost incoherently.

"It is as the Divines had willed." Nock says, clasping both hands in prayer, "Mari, your escape was bound to fail. Even if you had succeeded in evading the Coalition, you would have been attacked by the Devourer at your camp."

"The what?" the injured Valkyrie, Mari I suppose her name is, mutters as her awareness begins to fade again.

"Devourer. Poetic. A good example of what those people do at any rate." 69 rasps from his loudspeakers, "So I suppose you know all about the Directorate?"

"Only what the Divines deigned necessary for me to know." Nock rebuts, still maintaining the posture of praying.

"We trusted you!" Mari screams hotly, tears running down her eyes. Bad form there Red Rose, never let the enemy see you lose your cool.

"Your trust means nothing to me." Nock shrugs, "The only thing that matters is keeping Sara safe. Its what I've sacrificed everything to do."

"And Sara -" Mari pipes up again, but Nock cuts her off.

"Knew nothing about this arrangement. She would never have agreed to it, even if its for the best."

Nock unfurls her arms and takes the young beast girl into her embrace. Sara struggles unhappily, her face is drowned in confusion. But that just causes Nock to tighten her grip on the beast girl like an anaconda. Mari just slumps tiredly, all her fight gone in an instant. I click my tongue in annoyance at this exchange. The Divines think they can stop us through direct intervention now? Fat hope.

"A laudable goal." 69 agrees affably, "Protecting your adopted daughter. But you must know that this is not something that you can handle by yourself."

"I agree." Nock states peaceably, "The Divines will provide."

"Your daughter will be safest in the North, with the Coalition." 69 extends his hand with the palm up, "Let us help you."

"That won't be necessary. But thank you for the offer." Nock demurs and begins to walk away.

"You know that the Directorate will eventually attack the Rose camp out in the concrete desert." 69 continues, "Then they will try to enter Rais Land itself. This place will not be safe for much longer."

"I have said it before, the Divines will provide." Nock answers, her eyes narrowing behind the burka, "And as you've said commander, I've done my part. Let's part as friends tonight, yes?"

"You will be going back to your station I assume?" 69 hums, but the tension in the air has been building palpably. I bite my lip and feel the hackles on my back rise.

"Yes. That's where Sara belongs. Safe with me." Nock concurs and I see the beast girl's fingers digging hard into the priestess's plain robe. Sara drags her feet, trying to stop Nock from taking her away, but Nock merely pulls her along like a piece of luggage.

"I see." 69 muses, withdrawing his proffered hand, and Nock takes that as the signal for her to make her exit.

"No ..." Sara murmurs, trying to fight free from her adoptive mother's grip. That priestess must have some muscle under that robe. Either that or Sara is really out of shape. Sitting around and praying all day can't be doing your health any good.

"But I'm afraid I cannot agree to your proposal, Priestess Nock." 69 concludes with finality and one of the Coalition bulwarks extends its arm, barring Nock's path.

"We had a deal." Nock hisses.

"Indeed we do." 69 affirms, "A deal to help keep your precious daughter safe. Something you are preventing me from doing."

"Don't play games with me!" Nock snaps, "Taking my daughter away was never on the table!"

"I'll stop playing games, once you stop bullshitting." 69 snorts, "The Divines had granted you knowledge of the Directorate. Why is that I wonder?"

"I do not question -" Nock begins, slightly stuttering beneath the hood.

"Why are the Divines so interested in your adopted daughter?" 69 now outright demands, "Why is there a Champion of Regina guarding her?"

"The will of the -" Nock angrily starts, but 69 doesn't bother to let her finish.

"Your role here is over Nock." 69 pronounces, "Your guardianship is at an end. Funny, if you had not planned this betrayal, I would never have known about Sara. Strange how things work."

"Stay away from us!" Nock shouts, shielding Sara with her body.

"You were meant to give Sara up anyway to the Citadel Valkyries, right?" 69 grunts, "That was the actual will of the Divines. But you had other ideas."

"I sacrificed everything for her." Nock growls, "I won't lose my daughter. Not again."

"Mother ..." Sara whispers but Nock quickly shushes her.

"Whatever." Number 75 joins the conversation, "You did a good thing ya know? We can keep Sara safe. The Roses? Even the Divines? They can't. This must be fate. You don't fight fate."

"Sara is not who you think she is." Nock shoots back.

"Sara, can you stop praying for a moment?" 69 takes up the conversation again, asking almost solicitously.

"How did you know?" Sara blurts out, "I didn't say a single word!"

"I can sense you trying to access Foundation Four." 69 explains in his educated, dulcet tones, "As to why you're not getting a response, its because we're jamming you."

"Your access level is very impressive Missy, higher than ours -" 75 says but is quickly shut up by 69 glancing at him.

"Brute force carries the day regardless." 69 sighs tiredly, "So how about it Sara, will you come with us?"

No way, the Blue Ocean can sense Foundation Four being manipulated? I nearly facepalm at this revelation. That's supposed to be impossible. I certainly can't do it. The level of interference from the Tombstone jammer back on earth makes it impossible. But all this raises an interesting question. Is Blue Ocean maintaining a connection to this world using a secure line? Or have they found a way around the need for round the clock jamming?

Without jamming, their line would be vulnerable to the Divines interfering. So they must be managing it somehow. 69 admitted as much just now. Maybe instead of beaming the signal from earth, they've set up a local jammer? Weaker, but giving Blue Ocean operatives greater sensitivity?

"I don't even know what's going on!" Sara wails in protest.

"Everything will be explained." 69 says reassuringly, "There will be no lies from us. But we need you to take that first step. The leap of faith."

"No." Sara says firmly, without any hesitation.

"Oh?" 69 laughs, sounding mildly amused, "And why not?"

"I know where I have got to be." Sara glares defiantly at the Coalition bulwarks, "And its not with you."

"Big talk for a little girl." 75 scoffs.

"Call it divine inspiration." Sara replies, not budging an inch.

"I see." 69 answers, signalling to the rest of the Blue Ocean operatives. The bulwarks bring up their weapons and begin slowly closing in on mother and daughter.

"Your choice."