North Atlantic Ocean

South of Greenland

Johan Schmidt sat beside the sub's captain. He didn't trust the man. He was far too shifty and full of himself.

Gordon Ramsdale was cashiered out of the Royal Navy for unsavory practices. Which in Johan's opinion was Brit-speak for a right bastard?

Johan was a mercenary, but he was honorably retired from active service. He was selective in his choice of contracts.

He avoided contracts on women and children. Female soldiers were fair game. He was not fooled by gender. Female soldiers were just as deadly as their male counterparts. Like that British officer that took down Hussain and Alberto.

"You should be thankful l came back for you lot. These waters are thick with naval craft from most western nations. Even the bloody Russians are out there in that mix." Ramsdale complained.

Johan had let him complain mostly to keep the man from suspecting that he manipulated his feeble mind. However, enough was enough.

He accessed his Telepathic Domination power and sent a command to "shut-the-hell-up!"

{Power inaccessible.}

"What do you mean power inaccessible? I just used it a few hours ago." He complained. What the hell is going on? He checked his other abilities.

They worked just fine. On the HUD he checked the abilities tab. The power was still listed. It was greyed out, but still there. "Xerys why is this ability greyed out?" He asked.

{This ability is no longer available on the Xerys System.}

"Why? What changed?"

{Unable to comply.}

Johan was incensed. But how does one argue against a system? He was grateful for the powers. Every pain and ache in his body disappeared. He still felt cheated.

He noticed something new under the abilities tab. Auto Mind Block.

"Xerys I don't remember choosing this power. He tapped to highlight his ability.

{The ability is a gift from the system administrator to every human on this planet.}

"I didn't ask for this power. Could you remove it and return my original choice?"

{Unable to...}

"Yes. Yes. Unable to comply."

{...comply}

"Did this system administrator remove my ability?" He asked.

{Ability has not been removed.}

She was right. The ability was still listed. Just not accessible. He tried a different question, "Is the system administrator responsible for removing access to the ability?"

{Unable to comply.}

'Fucking Hell!'

"Who are you arguing with a mate?" Gordon Ramsdale asked. The bloody git was making him nervous. Insane people, in general, were best avoided at all times.

"The Xerys System." He looked at Ramsdale and asked, "Gordon check your abilities tab."

"What? Why ever for?" This was making him nervous.

"There has been a change. I want to see if you have received anything new?" Johan asked in a polite reasonable tone.

"Oh. Dash it all...hold on..." Gordon checked his abilities tab and saw that there was a change. Beside the Hydrokinesis class beta ability, there was now a Mind Block ability set to auto function. He checked the description and found that it was a beneficial ability. "That looks like it's a damn useful ability. Whoever this system administrator bloke might be? He sounds like a decent sort." Gordon thought about the descriptions some more. He added, "Also frightfully dangerous."

"Why do you say that?" Johan asked. He knew why, but he wanted to hear what the slippery Brit had to say.

"Use your head man! Look here!" He pointed at the abilities tab. "The information says that this is a gift to everyone on the planet earth. Just how powerful do you have to be to be able to do that?" Gordon waved his hands in the air trying to explain to the thick-headed Jerry. "That's global level influence!"

"You are right of course. That is frightfully powerful. I wonder why he gave us this gift?" Johan was still suspicious that this system administrator was responsible for the block placed on his most powerful ability.

"I don't know, but I am not about to turn something this useful down. Can you think of something more dreadful than to have someone muck around in your head?" Gordon dismissed the topic. It was too dangerous to dwell on. He had always tried to stay beneath the notice of the powerful people. Especially those that can crush you like a bug. "Are you still covering our escape?"

"Yes." The fool had asked that question every few minutes. "Make the best speed possible out of these infested waters."

"Infested waters. Ha ha ha. Good show. Ha ha ha. Most amusing." He still checked the speed to make sure that they were leaving these dangerous and indeed 'Infested Waters. Ha. I think I am claiming credit for that one.'

Johan sighed. The man was a fool. But for the time being, useful.

Far Justice

Far Side of the Moon

Councillor Me'peat was waiting beside captain Fo'Rkon in the Dropship launch bay. They were waiting for the Second Strike Group.

The bay was open. The dropship was on final approach.

It didn't take long for the ship to land in the spot designated to this dropship.

The Troopers of the Second Strike Group flew out and landed in front of the captain.

"I have read your reports. Do you have anything else to add?" The Drak' on captain asked.

"No Sir." Was the unanimous reply.

"Report to the training immediately! Dismissed!" Captain Fo'Rkon flew out of the launch bay. Leaving ashamed squad behind. They were defeated by savages. Powerful savages. True. Still savages.

"I don't think the captain was happy to see us." Joked trooper F'ouh.

"Correct trooper F'ouh. He's not!" Confirmed the councilor.

"Oh good. I thought it was just me." The rest of the squad gave her funny looks as they left to report for remedial training.

"Trooper F'ouh stay a moment." Me'peat requested.

"Certainly sir." When the rest of the unit left. Councillor Me'peat led trooper F'ouh to a private meeting chamber. He had this chamber prepared in advance.

When the privacy force fields were active the interrogation began in earnest.

Before she was dismissed the counselor asked, "What is your conclusion?"

"My conclusion is that the humans are far too close to the Alvear ideal. And that there is a system administrator on the planet."

"When you are done with your training come to my chambers. There you will receive a full briefing and a new mission." Me'peat left the chamber. Trooper F'ouh waited for a moment and then shrugged. The councilor had not told her anything new. She left to join her squad mates.

The defeat had been humiliating to her pride. Defeated by savages of all things.