by L. Fergus
Defiance took Kita’s hand as they left the hangar behind and stepped out onto the runway. “And—somehow—I believe you moved a mountain on your own.”
Kita angled the pair toward a group of Angels firing at targets set up at the end of the runway. “I had help. Nina and Amber did most of the prep work. I provided the steam to set it off.”
“You dare show your face?” Valentine yelled from the group of Angels on the firing line. She drew her pistols and aimed at Kita.
“I’m not the one refusing to answer my calls,” said Kita keeping her tone neutral. Kita opened her arms. “If it makes you feel better, take your shot, but you’ll have to deal with them.”
Around Kita, Sarge and Jupiter stalked, their hackles raised, snarls bared their fangs.
“You had no right to do what you did,” Valentine screamed as Tenshi and Panther arrived at her side. Behind them came Raptor, Aspen, Babydoll, Kamikaze, Toxic, Hali, and Stormy.
“Put the guns away, sug,” said Raptor to Valentine. “Ya know this been’ a setup.”
“She’s got a right to be upset,” said Panther. “Kita, you had no right to do what you did. We all agree on that point.”
Kita raised an eyebrow. “That’s not how I read it, but your opinions are irrelevant. The choice is mine. If you learn to make Angels you’re free to change her back.”
“You didn’t even give her a fair trial,” said Tenshi. “You listened to who you wanted and ignored the rest of us.”
“We would never have condoned removing Kylee,” said Panther.
“Why?” said Kita. “Because it could happen to you? Is that what you’re scared of? That I’ll take back what I gave you? Are you that big of cowards?”
“No one is being coward,” snarled Tenshi. “We are defending our rights.”
Kita shook her head. “Then you have a fatal misunderstanding. You have no rights. You serve at my pleasure. You are free to leave at any time and take what I gave you, but I can take back what is mine at any time.”
“Is that all we mean to you?” yelled Tenshi.
“No,” said Kita quietly. “You mean the world to me, but I’ve fought against genocide my entire life, and I won’t allow it in my ranks.”
“You give everyone a second chance,” screamed Valentine.
“That’s when it’s a transgression against me. This was a transgression against innocence.”
“Since when do you care about innocence?”
“I never stopped caring. I stopped trying to save and protect them.”
“You hypocritical bitch.” Valentine fired her pistols.
Kita spun, drew her swords, and knocked the bullets out of the air, sending them sparking off the runway and walls. Tenshi and Panther grabbed Valentine’s arms and pulled her pistols from her hands.
Kita sheathed her swords with a flourish. Her left eye narrowed and she motioned with two fingers. An invisible force slammed into the Valkyrie Angels, pinning them to the wall on the far side of the runway. Kita seized Defiance’s hand. She draped her wing over the cats and phased the group to the bridge.
“Rene!” Kita called as she worked hard to keep her temper in check, at least, for the moment.
Sheppard looked up from the holotable. “Yeah?” she said with trepidation.
“You and Casey are to sleep for the next ship cycle. Issue the order to Enterprise that we leave in three days. Alert Collector’s forces when we’re six hours from leaving. Anyone not ready will be left behind.”
“What about the issue with Collector’s forces? Do we have a solution?”
“Don’t worry about it. Go to bed. That’s an order,” said Kita firmly.
Sheppard looked at Defiance.
“Do you work for her or for me?” said Kita pointedly.
“Go to bed, Rene,” said Defiance. “Right now, we work for her.”
Kita glared at Defiance.
“I understand you’re upset,” said Defiance. “And I’m letting this temper tantrum go, but you will need me to be in charge once we get to UEE space.”
I’d like to see you try. Collector won’t stop me and neither will you. Kita looked at the cats. “Go back to Jess and guard her, Hali, and Amanda. Use whatever force you have to.”
Sarge and Jupiter each let out a chuff and walked toward the elevator.
Kita opened the doors for them and set the elevator to the correct deck. She stepped around Defiance and walked toward to door for the forward observation room.
“Where you going?” said Defiance.
“To brood,” Kita answered acidly.
Babydoll couldn’t move. Whatever force Kita was using was strong, but she wasn’t interested in playing games. She changed to her god form and tried to float away, but found she was stuck. What the hell? There is no way Kita can trap a god.
Looking at the equation, she searched for the force trapping her, but there was nothing. Impossible. It would have to show. Everything must register in the equation. A chill went through Babydoll as the implications of what this meant sunk in. If Kita could hide the creation of energy in an equation, it would be impossible to counter her.
Babydoll changed back to her angelic form. The force released and Babydoll floated down to the floor. She fluffed her feathers. Around her, the other Angels floated to the ground as the force released them. Panther’s face was red, puffy, and an eye was swollen shut. Stormy ran up to check on Toxic. She looked fine. Obviously, Kita had been gentler with some.
“What the slag was that?” demanded Panther, her voice sounding mushy as Babydoll came up to her. Behind her, Valentine lay unconscious. Raptor was bleeding from a gash across her forehead. Kamikaze was helping Tenshi with a dislocated elbow.
Aspen drifted over to Panther. “Let me see your face.”
Panther tipped her head over so Aspen could see. Aspen put her hand on Panther’s face. When Aspen pulled her hand away, nothing had happened.
“Did Kita do something to our clouds?” said Aspen to Babydoll.
“Mine seems to be working. Let me see a sword.”
Aspen passed over Dawn. Babydoll pulled the blade across her upper arm leaving a bloody line.
“Try that,” said Babydoll.
Aspen put her hand over it. When she removed it, the cut was healed.
“That’s what I thought,” said Babydoll. “It’s not you, but the person. Kita’s being vengeful.”
“How she be doen’ that?” demanded Raptor.
“I have no idea,” said Babydoll. “Whatever she hit us with was able to affect me in my god form.”
“That be impossible.”
“I’m reporting what I experienced. The energy wasn’t visible in the equation, either.”
“But, how?” said Raptor. “Ugh. I be haven’ a headache.”
“I wonder if your healing nanites are working,” said Aspen.
“Oh, this be sucken’ if they don’t. Why would Kita do this?”
“You threatened her. She’s going to prove she’s not to be threatened.”
“We won’t blindly obey,” said Tenshi.
“Speak for yourself,” said Babydoll. “I know Kita’s wrath, and I’ve seen her bag of tricks. I want no part of it.”
“You were always her lap dog.”
Babydoll shrugged. “Say what you want. I know Kita better than any of you. I know better than to challenge her. If you don’t like it, take what she’s given you and leave, but don’t stay here and fight her. It will only end badly for you.”
“She can’t defeat us all,” snapped Tenshi.
“She just pinned us to the wall with a look and a wave of her finger,” Babydoll snarled. “You don’t think she doesn’t possess the power to rip everything from us? She did it to Kylee. I bet Kita could have deleted her if she wanted. Is that what you want? To be deleted?”
“She can’t get away with this!”
“She already has. I don’t think E’fil and Y’grene can stop her,” Babydoll said quietly.
&n
bsp; “Then we go after those she does care about. That’s her weakness.” Tenshi pointed at Stormy and Hali.
“Hey, back off,” said Toxic. She drew her swords and moved between the Valkyrie Angels and Stormy.
A pair of lightning bolts struck the deck. Sarge and Jupiter stood in their battle forms. Jupiter opened his mouth, and a ball of lightning crackled.
Valor appeared in her armor and landed next to Hali. Sheppard, Blitz, and Defiance appeared looking bewildered.
“What’s going on?” said Defiance.
“Kita is making a point,” said Babydoll. “I don’t think it’s wise to attack the others.”
“They’re not gods,” said Tenshi.
“I am,” said Aspen.
“So am I,” said Toxic.
“I side with the new girls,” said Babydoll to the remaining Valkyries. “Just accept your lumps and go.”
“Go where?” demanded Tenshi.
“I don’t know. It’s a big equation. I’m sure you can find a place.”
“Why do we have to be the ones who leave? This is about what Kita did.”
Babydoll glowered. “This is quickly becoming about what you’re doing. And I will put a stop to it.”
“You really think you can beat me? Us?” said Tenshi as she rested her hand on her assault rifle.
“You might want to talk to your partner about this,” said Babydoll. “I feel she doesn’t fully support you.” Babydoll raised an eyebrow at Kamikaze.
Kamikaze gave Babydoll a dirty look.
“Your mom is running amuck worse than Kylee ever did,” said Tenshi to Kamikaze.
“I believe my mom had a good reason for doing what she did. I won’t pass judgment on her until I get a chance to talk to her. And, I won’t help you hurt the new Angels. They have no part in this. Hurting them would only bring down my mother’s wrath further.”
“Kylee was your sister. What’s to keep Kita from stripping us?”
“Nothing,” said Kamikaze with a shrug. “It’s her power to give. She gives it freely and asks nothing in return. It’s also hers to take back. She owes us nothing. We owe her everything.”
“I do not owe her everything,” snapped Tenshi. “She took everything from me.”
“Yes, and you embraced it. You gladly became an Angel, disavowing a son to do so. You think my mom owes you something? She worked out a deal so your son and grandmother would live.”
“She made me trade my life for theirs!” cried Tenshi.
“And you followed willingly. You can leave at any time, but you stick around. What are you afraid of? That my mother is going to change her mind, strip us, and send us away? Kylee lost her status because she killed billions of people and their planets. Are you planning on doing something equally despicable?”
“Of course not!”
“Than what are you worried about?” demanded Kamikaze. “My mom doesn’t make us live by a code of ethics. We’re each allowed to find that on our own.”
“I never be hearen’ her talk about genocide as a bad thing,” said Raptor. “She be killen’ plenty.”
“My mom has killed tens of thousands, but that’s not genocide. I’m sure there are a few hidden rules my mom has. If she had been with us, she would have stopped Kylee the first time and given her a warning.”
“Then why didn’t she get a warning now?” demanded Tenshi.
“As Cowboy used to say, ‘You’re closing the gates after the cows are out.’ It was too late. Kylee had done it—multiple times. She was passed the stage of a warning.”
“What about Denver?” Tenshi said quietly.
Kamikaze looked at the unconscious Angel. “She must make a choice. She can lose everything and go be with Kylee or lose Kylee and keep everything in hopes that someday Kylee will be allowed back.”
“That’s not fair!” said Panther.
“Kylee’s actions affected more than herself,” said Kamikaze. “I lost a sister and friend. It hurts, but she hurt me by doing what she did. We warned Kylee, but she didn’t listen. I wonder if there was more I could have done to stop her, but then if I had, what would she have done next? We weren’t changing her, and she was only getting worse. In the end, I believe my mom is the best one to handle her. She understood Kylee and did her best to guide and teach her. Kylee could have been something great. My mom saw that. But, Kylee chose a different path. She couldn’t overcome her own self-destructive behaviors. It’s no one’s fault but Kylee’s. She had the opportunity to get help, and she chose not to take it.”
“It is too Kita’s fault!” Valentine cried as tears streamed down her face. “She took Kylee from me. Kita had no right to take her. She’s not God. She’s barely one of us—just an equation that knows more than she should. Why did she have to take Kylee from me?” Valentine put her face down on the deck and sobbed.
Babydoll raised an eyebrow as she looked at Panther, Raptor, and Tenshi. “It’s your choice, ladies, stay or go. You know what staying means.”
“I’ve left before,” said Raptor. “I be not afraid to leave now.”
“Your choice. You know where to find us.”
“Tell Kita she be wrong.”
“Tell her yourself.” Babydoll pointed behind Raptor.
Raptor turned to face Kita. “You be wrong over what you did to Kylee. I be not afraid to say it.”
Kita bowed her head. “The choice is yours. Only you know what your heart can handle.”
Raptor looked at Tenshi and Panther. “You girls be comen’?”
Tenshi shook her head. “I won’t leave Kami.”
Panther looked at Kita, then at Valentine. “My sister needs me.”
“Then I be off.” Raptor changed into her god form and collapsed into a point of light. She flew down the runway and out into space.
When Babydoll looked back at Kita, she was gone. Babydoll sighed. Someday she would have to learn some of her friend’s tricks.
“Ok, everyone. Back to it,” announced Babydoll. “This ship isn’t getting to Earth on its own.”
Kita emerged from the passage leading toward the forward observation room. The bridge was bustling with activity as sailors operated workstations while talking on headsets. Her anger still percolated, but she was out of time. The fleet was due to leave in an hour. She looked for the Angels, but they were gone. Captain Anderson stood at the holotable reviewing reports. As Kita walked toward him, fire dripped from her wings and she left flaming footprints. She stopped next to him. “Captain Anderson.”
He turned from the holotable and raised an eyebrow. “Can I help you, Child of the emperor?”
“Where is the princess or Admiral Sheppard?”
“Down in the Political Bureau office.”
“What’s going that would take Admiral Sheppard off the bridge now?”
“She said it was for a new weapon system in development.”
Kita nodded and walked away. As she went, Anderson tried to stomp out one of her flaming footprints.
“Don’t worry, Captain,” Kita called. “They won’t last long or leave scorch marks.”
“Darlin’, what happened to you?” cried Defiance when she spotted Kita walking across the Political Bureau office.
Kita shrugged. She was still on fire. Her bodysuit was full of holes, her hair was a mess, and all her makeup gone. “You should see the room,” she said, trying to bring a touch of humor to the situation.
“You didn’t torch another room, did you?” asked Valor.
“Little bit,” whispered Kita.
“How do you do it without setting off the fire suppression systems?” asked Blitz.
“I’m very skilled.”
“Darlin’, you need to stop doing this to yourself,” said Defiance as she hugged Kita.
Kita sighed and rested her head on Defiance’s shoulder, enjoying the smell of her hair. “I probably smell like a cinder.”
“More like fire and brimstone,” quipped Valor.
Kita groaned.
&nbs
p; Defiance patted the side of Kita’s head. “Don’t worry. We’ll get you cleaned up.”
“I need you on the bridge,” protested Sheppard.
“You can deal with me being gone for thirty minutes. You used to run the bridge without me, you know.”
Sheppard’s face remained neutral, but Kita could feel the sting.
“So what are we doing?” asked Kita.
“Debating on how best to deploy the cyber warfare suites,” said Valor. “Most are ready to go. The debate is if we deploy them on the Djinn ships or not.”
“Why wouldn’t we?” said Kita.
“The packages are large, and we’re worried they’ll be discovered.”
“But if we keep them here we run the risk of communications being cut and not being able to deploy them at all,” said Defiance.
“Isn’t that a risk even if we deploy them?” said Kita.
“We can program scenarios where the suites will activate given certain parameters, like loss of communications with us,” said Valor.
Kita felt a familiar bump against her leg. She leaned over and scratched Sarge’s ears as she thought about what to do. Kneeling down, she ran her fingers through his long, soft fur.
“Deploy them,” ordered Kita, “in the Deep Space Communications Computers. Disguise them as messages. No one dumps those systems. It will also hide our communications with them, but program in some scenarios in case we do lose contact. Do we need to delay departure so you can do it?”
“How long do we have before we reach the wormhole?” said Valor.
“It’s a short FTL jump then we have to make up whatever jump drift occurs,” said Sheppard. “I’d say six hours. Kita, I have another concern.”
“Ok…what?”
“When we jump through the wormhole, are you expecting us to destroy the picket ships guarding the wormhole on the UEE side? I don’t think the crew will do it.”
Kita received a curious glance from Defiance. “I’ve given that some thought and I do have a plan.”