by L. Fergus
“Well, if you want to be classy,” said Babydoll.
“I want to see you wear a dress,” challenged Toxic.
“Not unless it becomes standard issue.”
“I can arrange that,” said Kita with an amused tone.
“Don’t you dare,” hissed Babydoll.
“What’s wrong, Kara? You’ve worn dresses before,” said Kita.
“Formal dresses, business dresses, never casual dresses.”
“We’ll help you out.”
“We will?” said Babydoll.
“What do you know about dresses, hair, and nails?” said Toxic.
“Some,” said Kita. “I can bring in an expert if you want.”
“Who?”Toxic challenged.
“Nell knows plenty about casual and party attire.”
“Are you kidding me? She wears six stickers and calls them clothes.”
“I believe it’s seven,” said Babydoll.
“That’s just her choice for daily wear,” said Kita. “Trust me.”
“Oh, no…” groaned Toxic.
“Kara will meet you in the wardroom in two hours and forty-five minutes?” said Kita to Stormy.
“Ok. That’s not a lot of time, but I can make it work.” She bent down and gathered up her cards into the deck. She hugged Toxic. “Oh, Kara, I’m so excited. I’ll see you in a little bit.” Stormy, with her deck in hand, hurried out of the room.
“What the slag, Kita?” snarled Toxic.
“Sorry. I had no idea Amanda was into you. I came here to ask her out for Rene.”
“Oh, slag. This is so bad.”
“Why is it bad?” said Babydoll. “Did you see how she reacted? I wish someone would get that excited over me.”
“You can have her.”
“Hey,” said Kita. “Be nice. I expect you to be on your best behavior and you know I know what that means out of you.”
“Ah, man.” Toxic grabbed the strings of her hood and pulled the opening closed.
“What are you worried about?” said Babydoll.
“I’m going to make a fool out of myself. She just became my friend, and now she’s going to hate me.”
“You don’t know that,” said Kita.
“Yeah, why would she hate you?” said Babydoll sounding confused.
“Have you met me?” exclaimed Toxic. “I turn everything to slag.”
“You just think you do,” said Kita. “I know differently and what you’ve done in the past. You’ve never failed me before and you won’t now.”
Toxic’s shoulders slumped.
“Come on,” ordered Kita. “Let’s get you ready.”
Anthrax met Kita, Toxic, and Babydoll in the wardroom.
“Hey, Kita. What’s this special project?” said Anthrax.
Kita waved at Toxic. “You are playing fairy godmother to Kara. She has a date in a little less than three hours and needs to be dressed and primped for the event.”
Anthrax raised her eyebrows. “Kara? Who?”
“What’s it matter?” grumbled Toxic.
“Kara’s still adjusting to the idea,” said Kita. “Amanda asked her or, rather, I inadvertently asked for Kara.”
“How’d you do that?” said Anthrax, cocking her head with a curious look.
“I came to ask Amanda out for Rene, but Amanda took it as I was there for Kara.”
“This could be quite the love triangle. Think you have what it takes to go against Sheppard, Kara?”
Toxic groaned. “She wins.”
“But Amanda has no interest in Sheppard,” said Babydoll. “She’s all over you.”
“Lucky me,” Toxic said shaking her head.
“I don’t know a lot about what your new girls like or dislike, but I’m sure I can get Kara cleaned up and presentable. First, we have to find you something to wear that doesn’t scream: leave me alone and don’t touch me.”
“I like it that way,” complained Toxic.
“Then why are you going on a date?” said Anthrax.
“Because I just made friends with her and Kita’s making me,” mumbled Toxic. “I don’t want to lose her, but I’m going to after this date, and I’m going to be alone.” Toxic sat down hard and pulled her knees to her chest. She lay her head down on her knees.
Kita shared a look with Babydoll and Anthrax. The display attracted the interest of Raptor and Kamikaze.
“What be wrong with Kara?” said Raptor.
“Insecure with herself,” said Kita. “Amanda asked her out. Kara’s afraid she’s going to mess up their relationship.”
“I never would have guessed those Political Bureau types thought about anything but their jobs,” said Kamikaze.
“You should see Jess and Hali when they’re together.”
Raptor knelt next to Toxic. “Kara, sug, you got nothen’ to be worryen’ about. You a good girl, Amanda goen’ to like ya just fine. Come on.” Raptor put her arm around Toxic and lifted the tiny Angel to her feet. Toxic didn’t fight her. Raptor pushed Toxic’s hood back to reveal tears dribbling out of Toxic’s glowing eyes. “None of that,” said Raptor. “Ya goen’ to do it and have fun. Ya be in Kylee’s shadow for too long and forgotten how to stand on your own two feet. It be time ya hang out with someone other than her. If Amanda does like ya, that be a good thing, not somethen’ to get upset about. I know ya got the confidence, so don’t be playing no games. Ya hear?”
Toxic wiped her eyes. “But…”
“No buts,” said Raptor. “Ya goen’ and that’s final. Ya have fun and show the girl a good time.”
“But I don’t know what to do.”
“We got Annie here, and she be haven’ lots of experience. Kita be good too. Kami, Kerri, and I have been haven’ our fair share. Plus, ya a girl. Ya know what girls like and don’t like.”
Toxic sighed heavily and slumped her shoulders. “It’s been such a long time I’ve forgotten.”
“Then we be reminden’ ya on the way to the ship’s store. Some of us went through the ship’s catalog last week, and there be some cute dresses in there. If ya don’t find nothen’, then we can have the ship make it.”
“Are you sure I can do it,” whispered Toxic.
“Where be the girl who was Countess and Vicereine? Ya can lead a nation—ya can do this. We just got to remind ya, is all. Ya be playen’ nursemaid to Kylee and she sapped all ya strength. Amanda be far better for ya. She not be a soul sucker and friend devourer.”
“But Kylee…”
“Don’t ya be defenden’ Kylee. Ya know she’s bad for ya. Now’s your chance to get away from her.”
“If it makes it easier,” said Kita. “Kylee has been sent back to Infinity. She is no longer an Angel.”
Kami gasped. Anthrax raised an eyebrow.
“What?” said Toxic.
Raptor raised an eyebrow and frowned disapprovingly.
“I have my reasons,” said Kita.
“I’m sure you do,” said Anthrax. “And I’m curious to hear them as we pick out a dress for Kara.”
“Think you can do it, Kara?” said Kita.
“Just help me, ok?”
“We’ll give you all the help you can handle.”
Kita’s consciousness collapsed back into a point. Her senses slowly invaded the tranquil darkness she spent so much time exploring. The hum of Enterprise’s air circulation system followed the smell of recycled air. Pain radiated from her butt from sitting on the friction carpet for so long. Using her senses, she searched for danger, something lurking in the shadows waiting for her. She sensed nothing. Opening her vision to a complete panoramic view, she checked her other senses. The locked indicators for the doors to the forward observation room still blinked red. Scanning the rest of the room, nothing was out of place from when she started a week ago.
She’d requested that she not be disturbed. It had been a while since she had meditated and since she felt she wasn’t needed for the daily running of Enterprise, she felt now was a good time. Looking at her plans for the futu
re, they didn’t offer many opportunities for meditation. And she needed to. She felt she was far behind where she needed to be. Not that this session hadn’t been fruitful. She had discovered much that increased her knowledge. She wasn’t as powerful as she had been, but she was getting there. The newest discoveries on what was beyond Infinity had proven to be interesting.
Kita stood. She reached her hands above her head and stretched, then bent at the waist and touched her toes, feeling the blood circulating through her limbs. The pins and needles quickly passed. She collected Crypt and Midnight and stowed them on her back. As she walked to the door back to the bridge, she looked up at the stars one last time.
It was a different collection of stars than she had memorized, but they were still pretty. She loved space. The vastness filled with stars, nebulas, and black holes was beautiful to look at. At the same time, it was so deadly. Often what separated life and death was a thin sheet of metal.
She unlocked the door and followed the corridor to the bridge. She stepped inside, trying not to draw attention to herself. Around her, the bridge was busier than she’d ever seen it. All the workstations were occupied. People talked to each other in the efficient military tone that conveyed urgency without fear or worry.
Kita walked to the holotable. Sheppard, Defiance, and Blitz were standing at the center watching a holographic display. The rest of the display showed reports of other ships and fighters.
“Is this a replay of Rene’s greatest hits?” said Kita, teasing.
“Kita!” said Sheppard. “About time. I—”
Defiance put an arm on the other Angel. “Hello, darlin’. We’re glad you’re back. Rene was about ready to claw down the door.”
“Something you can’t handle, Admiral?” said Kita.
“It does require your ingenuity as we have been unable to come up with a solution,” said Blitz.
“What’s the problem?”
“We received specs for Collector’s ships. Their weapons, shields, and engines are far more advanced than anything the Tet has.”
“And that means more advanced than anything the UEE has.”
Blitz nodded. “Correct.”
“And we have no way of compensating for this? Fighters? Strategy? Tactics?” said Kita.
“I’m afraid not,” said Defiance. “Each ship is equipped with a SLIP drive. You know its capabilities to accelerate and turn. Their shields can slow down kinetic rounds and fighters, as well as stop energy weapons. Their weapons can punch through our shields in two or three strikes and do massive damage when they do connect.”
“What have you been doing all week?” said Kita with a grin.
“Feeding them bad simulations. The cats are, if anything, overconfident at their chances. They believe nothing we have can stop them. I still think they’re in for a fight against the battleships and heavy dreadnaughts. Even if their kinetic rounds are slowed, they’ll still pack a punch. The cats have nothing bigger than a pocket cruiser.”
Kita crossed her arms. “Has anyone talked to Jess?”
“I don’t ask what the Political Bureau is doing,” said Sheppard. “If they have something they bring it to me.”
Kita looked at Defiance and raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t know what they’re doing. She said electronic warfare. I thought it was something for the wizzos.”
“They’ve been working on viruses to attack and cripple the Djinn ships from the inside. Come on, Casey. Let’s go see how Jess is doing. Rene, keep the kitties moral sky high with easy victories.”
Kita walked down the narrow corridor that led to the Political Bureau office. She entered the office and found half the workstations filled. She expected them all filled. Valor was in her office on the far side of the room.
Kita stuck her head in the door and a blur of fur pounced on her. She caught Sarge and hugged the big war cat. Defiance laughed at the pair.
“Hello, boy. Did you miss me?” Kita laughed as he licked her. “I bet you haven’t given me a second thought as you’ve been hanging out with Jupiter.”
Sarge put his paws around her neck and lashed his tail.
“He’s a joy to pet sit,” said Valor with a chuckle. “Give these two a warm duct, and they won’t move for days. No matter how much they’re in the way.”
Kita set Sarge down and scratched his ears. “I’ll take him off your hands if you don’t mind.”
“If you’re going out and about, take Jupiter with you. He needs some exercise.” The golden leopard lifted his head, rolled onto his back, exposing his belly. “Oh, you think I’m a sucker, huh?” Valor bent down and rubbed the cat’s white underbelly. “You’re still going.” Jupiter rolled on his side away from Valor and huffed. “Yeah, walking is going to kill you.” Valor turned to Kita. “So, enjoy your time off?”
Kita smiled. “Hardly time off, but my meditation was successful. I found some lost knowledge and some extra. How are things here?”
“We have complete electronic warfare suites for ten of the ships and various stages of completion for the rest.”
“I need you to concentrate on taking down engines, shields, and weapons. Those are components Rene and Casey have identified that the Djinn have a distinct advantage over the UEE.”
“I’ll do my best, but I’ve been working people double and triple shifts. I finally had to let them get some rest.”
“Where’s Denver?” said Kita, looking over her shoulder to scan the room. “I thought she was helping you?”
“She never came back. I tracked her down, but she refused to help. I got chased out by two of the other Angels telling me I’d have to solve the problem myself.”
“Who would chase you out?” said Defiance.
“My guess is Vee and Tenshi,” said Kita. “They are Denver’s sisters.”
“Really?”
“Not sisters from this equation, but sisters in Infinity. Their father is Ht’aed.”
Defiance made a face. “I didn’t know gods could have siblings.”
Kita shrugged. “They didn’t have the concept until I gave it to them.” She looked at Valor. “Do you know where she is? I’ll go talk to her. I’m sure it’s me she’s mad at.”
“What did you do?” said Defiance accusingly.
“I kicked her partner and my daughter, Kylee, out of the Angels.”
“What did she do, so I never repeat the mistake,” said Valor.
Kita smiled. “Defy me and commit genocide.”
Valor let out a sigh of relief. “I thought it was something like leaving the ice cream out on the counter.”
“How did she commit genocide?” said Defiance.
“Kylee is the God of Hate. It’s not hard. I understand she destroyed the suns and planets of these civilizations.”
Defiance blinked. “I have the power, but I don’t think I could do it.”
“I won’t deny Kylee had issues, but it’s a mess I had to clean up, and I did. Some didn’t agree with the way I did it, but it’s my choice. I give the feathers, and I can take them away.”
“I prefer mine where they are,” said Defiance.
Kita gave her a wolfish look, “Me, too.”
“Ok, get out of here before I have a mess on my desk,” ordered Valor. “And take the cats with you.”
“You sure you don’t want to join us, Jess?” Defiance cooed playfully.
“You see who I sleep with, right? Just the most beautiful race in the galaxy.”
Defiance and Kita laughed.
“Bring her along,” teased Kita.
“I’m not sharing,” said Valor.
“Speaking of sharing…how’s Amanda?”
Valor smiled and rolled her eyes. “She’s been on cloud nine all week. She went out with Kara three times. She told me all about it. I guess their first date in France was a little awkward, but Amanda was able to loosen Kara up. I think she’s down in the practice area working with some of the other shooters if you want the first-hand scoop.”
“And here I thought I would have to scold Kara.” Kita grinned as she exited the office waving the cats to follow her and Defiance.
“Denver?” Kita called over the comm. She didn’t receive an answer. “Denver?” Kita sighed.
“Denver’s not answering me, and I’m not detecting any activity over our connection. None for a week.”
“She must be really mad at you,” said Defiance. “And I don’t blame her. I’d be mad at you, too.”
“She’s mad now, but she’ll see it’s for her own good. She was the one that came to me saying she couldn’t handle Kylee anymore.”
“That’s different than banishing her partner.”
Kita shrugged. “Ship computer, where is Child of the emperor Valentine?”
“Child of the emperor Valentine is in hangar four near the runway, Captain Kita.”
“She can run, but she can’t hide.”
Kita, Defiance, and the cats walked past the neatly spaced rows of fighters filling hangar four. On many of the aircraft, hatches were open—some had engines pulled—and personnel swarmed over them making sure they were fit to fight.
“And to think, they do it all for you,” Kita teased Defiance.
“They do it for the Empire. I’m just the personification of the Empire.”
Kita nodded. “I’ve been there.”
“I can’t imagine you as an emperor.”
“I wasn’t. I was a Rose. I was the personification of the warrior spirit of Arcone. I was like a queen, but my power was limited to foreign affairs and the battlefield.”
“How come I’ve never heard this before?”
“It was a long time ago during my youth. We had some differences that split us apart.”
Defiance chuckled. “I can’t imagine what those would be.”
“I wanted one city for my personal forces, and they wouldn’t let me have it. They kidnapped my girls to make me behave. It cost the leadership their lives. Afterward, I left with a few other Angels to explore space. That’s when I rescued Rene.”
“I wondered how you found her.”
“We followed a rescue beacon to the emperor’s Wrath. Because it was an Imperial ship, we helped the crew. When Galina revealed who she was, we discovered she was still in the Political Bureau system, and they had promoted her to Command General in her absence. To explain who we were to the crew, she made us Children of the emperor. We lived aboard until Kamikaze called me back to The Mass and an ecosystem gone mad. Who knew moving a mountain would cause so much havoc?” Kita shook her head.