“Angel,” one voice filled with wariness and suspicion stated as the meeting began.

“Necromancer,” another voice rebutted in response, filled with subtle condescension and a hint of warning.

Surge stood opposite Choir and from here Warden could practically feel the sparks radiating between them. While it wasn’t outright hostility there was a certain disrespectful wariness between the two of them that was only exaggerated by the bomb that Surge had just dropped immediately upon entering the room and seeing Choir.

“Angel?” Warden asked, not shying away from the winged elephant in the room. That one word gave rise to all sorts of implications that he didn’t want to think about at the moment.

“More than one, Buddy,” blue gull stated. “You’ve heard of our kind then. Only good things I hope.” His words were still as friendly as ever but Warden was still trying to wrap his head around the implications that he was actually talking to an actual ANGEL. Or maybe it was a mistake in translation. Didn’t Angels look like humans with wings? He had never been very religious but he distinctly thought he remembered something like that from the services.

“I have,” Wendy said her voice barely above a whisper.

“I’ve heard a few things,” Warden stated cagily. He really didn’t want to irritate the beings in front of him if they were Angels, representative of some all-powerful god.

“Very powerful, all but immortal, harshly deontological creatures with an agenda,” Surge stated crossing his arms as he looked at them accusingly. “Don’t try and put them on a pedestal, they are living beings just like you.”

“All of those things are true,” the blue gull stated. “But to say it with such hatred; have we offended you somehow?”

“No, but I’ve heard stories of your failings,” Surge stated. “And I can’t say that we Necromancers in general approve of your way of dealing with lesser creatures.”

“Ah, but if we are being totally honest then haven’t your Necromancers killed far more than Angels?” red owl stated dispassionately.

“Undoubtedly,” Surge replied testily. “But…”

“Can we save this debate for later,” Warden felt it time to intervene. “I’m fascinated as to the history between the two of you, but you said it was urgent.” While he was truthfully interested, it was a bit much for his two new subordinates to have a shouting match in the open. He would have to speak to them in private later.

“Right, sorry Boss,” Surge said.

“I was a bit too hot-headed there, Mate,” blue gull agreed giving what may have been a smile to the Necromancer.

“We do have more important stuff to be worrying about,” red owl confirmed.

“4F7|&$!~?” yellow hawk asked curiously causing Warden to remember.

“Oh right,” he said, with gratitude. “Thank you, your blessing helped me very much. I might not have been alive if not for it.”

“It did help,” Surge reluctantly conceded. “I noticed that some wounds were shallower than they ought to have been and there was a comparatively minor loss of blood and flesh.” His voice turned appraising. “So you’re an Angel of the Choir of Charity then?”

“^DNII*@2,” the yellow hawk replied instantly causing the Necromancer to nod.

“Thank you,” Wendy stated, a bit late but just as sincere.

“Now that we have established that we are all on the same side I have discovered some imminent problems,” red owl stated, ignoring the fact that he had sent the pair of them on a wild insect chase while those problems accumulated.

“What’s our main concern?” Warden asked seriously.

“Power, then food, then money,” red owl stated seriously. “Without repairing the Solar Sails or Gravity Dams the facility will lose power within four days. Without restocking the food will run out within ten days. We will be unable to pay our debts due within sixteen days.” He rotated his head until he was looking at Surge directly. “Included in that debt is a portion owed to the Necromancers.”

“I’ll talk to a few guys,” Surge said shrugging indifferently. “As a species we generally aren’t too concerned about money. I should be able to get an interest free extension without too much trouble.”

“Thanks Surge,” Warden said smiling at the small bit of good luck before he returned to the Angel trio. “How do we get the power up and running again? You spoke about Gravity Dams and Solar Sails; what the damage?”

“Even with the most optimistic predictions it will take longer than four days to get the Gravity Dams up and operating correctly,” red owl espoused. “The Solar Sails alternately have more than a few connections burnt out and about sixty percent of the reflectors were lost. The largest issue and one that we cannot solve is that the convertors are busted. Out of the seventy-two convertors that were connected to take advantage of the Solar Sails only three are still operating.”

“And they’re not exactly the pick of the bunch,” blue gull said. “Frankly the Solar Sails could do use some maintenance even before the problems started up. It has never been the primary source of our energy so the last administration ignored it. Look how that turned out.”

“I don’t need a solution right now,” Warden admitted. “I need a stopgap. How many convertors do you need and how can we get them?”

“Ideally we would like as many as possible,” red owl stated. “But there are a comparatively few amount of places outside where you can purchase the particular brand, not many convertors would be optimized to work with energy from the Rift. Couple that with the fact that for the moment we are limited in the places that I can send you. It should be rather difficult to purchase the required amount.”

“&*[email protected],” yellow hawk refuted.

“Yes, that’s true,” blue gull agreed. “We can’t use more than 72.”

“I find it highly unlikely that you will manage to get your hands on more than 72,” red owl stated firmly.

“What type of convertor?” Warden suddenly asked curiously. “I have a 10400 back in my ship,” he continued pointing upwards in a random direction. “If you want then I can hook that up to the grid. That should be able to work with the Rift energy.”

“A 10400,” red owl mused over those numbers that Warden didn’t understand. “It might require some modification but I can walk you through it. I thank you for your generosity.”

“!!#@$,” yellow hawk agreed happily.

“No issue,” Surge stated ignoring the fact that he was at the Angel’s throat just a few minutes ago. “I’ve been hired. I’m in this for the long haul. Besides I never really liked my ship that much.”

“Is your spaceship in the Hangar?” Warden asked. “I was under the impression that the entire place was hazardous.”

“Keep smoking those Enhancers for now and soon you will be strutting through a few Curies of radiation like that with ease,” Surge stated encouragingly. “Or you can put on a suit or get some sort of augment or take some medicine or a few other methods to be able to walk through an environment like that.”

“It’s a big universe out there,” Wendy said. She had been quieter ever since Surge arrived and it was worrying Warden slightly. Was she upset that she was replaced as the most knowledgeable person, did she not like the Necromancer, or was she jealous of him. He had seen how issues festered if not addressed and so he decided to seize the opportunity.

“Surge can you stay behind and get as much of the Solar Sails running as you can?” Warden asked politely getting a brief nod from the Necromancer. “Wendy and I will try to hunt down additional convertors. Choir give me a detailed description of the options and then you can then send the two of use to the location you think is best. Until I get back Surge is in charge of the prison. Please aid him in any way.” That was a lot of trust he was placing in the Necromancer but he didn’t think that he would abuse it…or that Choir would allow him to abuse it.

“I understand,” the two heads chorused in agreement with yellow showing his agreement in his own unique language.

“Great now where can we go that would give us the greatest chance of obtaining convertors,” Warden asked.

“Currently recorded locations of convertors,” red owl stated as a screen bearing a couple dozen names. “It is recommended that you avoid OuterSpace Markets as your identification will ping as the Warden of Coldreach.”

“Is it such a heavy name?” Wendy asked getting a nod from the blue gull.

“Coldreach is a respected power and you represent it at the moment,” blue gull stated. “I like you Mate but you’re not the most intimidating at the moment. We cannot show weakness at this time.”

“@H0sA74,” yellow hawk stated.

“Yes they are also generally more expensive in OuterSpace Markets as well,” red owl agreed. “Judging by the power requirements to utilise the N-Door the best options are: Planet 842D, Violence or Stewardy.”

“An interesting selection of names,” Warden said looking at his companions to see if they knew anything about the selections.

“I’ve never heard of any of them,” Wendy admitted.

“There are far too many planets to remember them all,” Surge agreed. “I actually know of two planets called Violence and I doubt it’s either of them.”

“Oh, what are they like?” Wendy asked half-interested despite her still wary looks towards the Necromancer.

“Surprisingly peaceful,” Surge admitted shortly. “I’ll take you there some day.”

“Well I’m afraid that this Violence lives up to its name,” blue gull stated. “The world has been involved in a brutal war for the past two decades.”

“People go to war at the drop of a hat it seems,” Warden said slightly annoyed despite his lack of involvement in this particular war.

“The world is divided into two species and one of the species is required to use the other in a parasitic manner to facilitate their life cycle,” red owl clarified.

“A parasitically sexual manner I’m afraid,” blue gull said somewhat apologetically.

“I retract my statement,” Warden admitted shuddering at the thought. “What about the other planets?”

“842D is an independent colony of the Eazel race,” red owl said. “They have lax border controls and multiple visiting races. Their level of technology and environment will produce the convertors we need and they take standard currency. It’s nearly perfect.”

“Stewardy is a rogue planet that is inhabited by the Vecaz race,” blue gull stated. “There are very few non-natives but their border controls are non-existent. If the Vecaz don’t have it then they can build it with a bit of motivation.

“However motivating the Vecaz is akin to climbing a mountain with your teeth,” red owl said. “There are few races more slothful and apathetic then the Vecaz.”

“But for all their laziness they are brilliant,” blue gull rebutted. “The Eazel are admittedly much closer to human in their interactions but...”

“But humans are pretty shit,” Warden said getting a nod out of blue gull even as the red one refrained from speaking.

“[email protected]#*f,” yellow hawk said reassuringly.

“There is good and evil among the Eazel,” red owl stated. “As long as you stay out of the more dangerous situations you will be thought of as a visiting Maatiin and you should run into no problems.”

“What do you think?” Warden said turning towards his new employees. There was a sense of unease coming from both options that he was failing to quantify.

“Maybe you can split up,” Surge suggested.

“If he dies it’s all over,” Wendy flatly rebutted. “I’m the Warden’s bodyguard and I need to go where he goes.”

“Then go for Planet 842D,” Surge stated crossing his arms. “I’ve known some seriously slothful races and in some circumstances it is almost impossible to motivate them. Even if you manage to do so it you may take more than four days to get them working which we don’t have.”

“I’ll be escorting you Sir,” Wendy affirmed. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I will be relying on you then Wendy,” Warden replied. That feeling of trepidation had only increased rather than decreasing although the source was still unknown at the moment. “What is the exact name of the part that I will be asking for and how will I pay?” Warden asked as he turned towards Choir.

“Solar-Sail Convertors,” red owl stated. “The name of the part you require will be automatically translated by Coldreach just as all your words are.”

“Translated by you?” Warden asked keeping his voice carefully neutral.

“By us, correct,” blue gull stated. “On my principle as a member of the Choir of Kindness I promise that I will not mistranslate any of your words nor will I allow my comrades to do so.” Despite the usual levity in his voice there was a vast solemnness contained inside and for an instant the universe shifted before locking producing a dizzying feel.

“That’s a big one,” Surge said letting out a whistle. “Choir of Kindness alright,” he continued as if savouring the words.

“It wasn’t very kind sending me against Exinaught,” Warden said almost accusingly.

“Unfortunately it was kinder than the alternative if you were unsuitable,” blue gull said looking somewhat sheepishly at him. “You have convinced me that you have a chance and therefore I will do my utmost to help you.”

“That only goes for you I suppose,” Warden said looking at the other two.

“@F*%N23,” yellow hawk reassured him.

“I still hold some doubts,” red owl said apologetically. “I will not be translating for you however leaving that up to my comrade. “My mute comrade wishes to know that he always had faith in you and that he belongs to the Choir of Charity and that market price is around twenty five scales each.”

“So I can afford three of them,” Warden stated. “Would three be enough?”

“To maintain the current state of operations three plus the one from the Necromancer will be enough,” red owl stated. “In the long run the situation may prove unsustainable again.”

“Just need a stopgap,” Warden reminded them. “Now how do I pay?”

“The badge already has a System that links you to the accounts of Coldreach,” blue gull said. “Just use the badge to pay and verbally authorise the release of the money and then shop gets paid and we get the goods. In addition it should serve as your identity for entrance into any nation which has an agreement with Coldreach. Planet842D should be on that illustrious list.”

“The Personal Administrative wasn’t running correctly last time,” Warden reminded them causing a few looks to pass between the Angels.

“It has always been running it just has not yet calibrated to your body,” red owl stated with what may have been embarrassment. “In two days it will have calibrated fully but right now simple functions are still online.”

“Last question?” Warden asked with a trace of embarrassment. “Do you think they will have coats in my size?” He pointed to his brand new jacket that was hanging by a few threads as a result of Exinaught’s claws. He was starting to miss that jacket already.