“You are called the Avatar of Death because you are a hideous and uncontrolled monster,” Bethany Anne replied, not really paying attention to her words as she looked inside the hole to see if her helmet had fallen into the pit, which was fifty yards wide at the top. “You love no one, and no one loves you,” she finished, now sure that her helmet wasn’t in the pit.
“Is this what you believe?” Darkness asked.
There was a pause as Bethany Anne looked around the valley. “Yes,” she finally answered. “This is what I believe.”
—
When Bethany Anne’s eyes opened for real, she was kneeling in the middle of the Valley of the Damned.
Confused, she looked at her hands, turning them from back to the front. She realized her skin was changing from inky-black to her natural color.
She could feel her teeth changing as well.
What the hell?
Hello, Bethany Anne, TOM said in her mind.
“Are they all dead?” she asked slowly.
Here? TOM asked.
“Yes, and above. Did Shinigami get them?” she said, thinking back to her dream.
I can confirm that those here are dead, TOM replied.
>>The missiles did hit their craft, but we cannot confirm or deny yet that it was destroyed.<<
“That’s something,” she murmured to herself, feeling at peace for the first time in what seemed like forever.
“Where is the Shinigami?” she said, realizing she had never been able to get an answer in her dream a moment ago.
>>The Shinigami will be here within ten minutes.<<
She stood up and stretched, looking around the field of war. “Anyone know where my helmet went?”
TOM answered, You threw it to the left of the hole ADAM created to kill the large creature.
She started walking toward the hole, wanting to see it for real this time, and once past a particularly large tentacle piece she easily spotted her helmet. At the edge of the hole she saw, some fifty feet lower, the blue blood of a creature soaking the dirt at the bottom of the pit. She couldn’t see the creature itself, but there was no movement down there.
She headed toward her helmet.
“I am not a god,” she murmured to herself. “My friends are my strength, not my slaves or my underlings.”
You want to talk about it? TOM asked, surprising Bethany Anne.
“Can I say ‘Not really’ and have you believe me?” she replied. Looking up to the sky, she noticed a black speck in the distance. “Thank God.”
Probably not, TOM admitted. However, there are some messages that are queued up for you.
How many? Two hundred? Five hundred, or is it more than a thousand? she asked, wondering just how many messages the Empress of the Empire was behind on. She was ready for whatever the number would be. She deserved all the pain and suffering for skipping out on everyone, making them shoulder her load.
Eight, TOM answered.
It took a second for Bethany Anne to remember what question TOM was answering. “Eight? That’s it?”
Those were the only ones important enough that those in the Empire felt they needed to forward.
“Who are they from?”
Stephen, John, Patricia, your dad, one from all the Bitches together, Tabitha, Peter and Barnabas, and Team BMW.
Well, and a queue that isn’t as important, TOM admitted.
“How many in that?” she asked.
You don’t have enough years left in your life to get through it, TOM told her. ADAM read and answered most of them, or rerouted them to the appropriate contacts. Maybe thirty are relevant for you to review yourself.
“So, you are telling me the Empire did just fine without me?” she asked, watching the Shinigami slow down. As she checked herself over, she was pleased to see the power pack still in place in her armor. She lifted her helmet and said, “Shinigami, one coming up.” She engaged the antigrav on her suit and kicked off, heading up into the air to meet the Shinigami four hundred feet up.
The ship slid by slowly. When she reached out a hand and grabbed the hatch opening it felt like her arm might get pulled out of the socket, but she pulled herself inside the ship and the hatch irised slowly closed behind her.
The ship pointed its nose up and soon the sleek black craft was cutting through the atmosphere, leaving Vel’aisle and the Valley of the Damned behind them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
QBBS Meredith Reynolds
The mood in the small amphitheater-style meeting room was hopeful. General Lance Reynolds had called everyone on the base who had a need to know and requested their presence.
If you weren’t on the list—even family—you weren’t allowed in.
Nathan, Ecaterina, John, Eric, and Kael-ven were all on video feed. The five of them were coming back to the Meredith Reynolds, but they were still a day away from the station.
Patricia rubbed Lance’s back as they talked with Frank, Darryl, and Scott. Barb was speaking with Cheryl-Lynn and Tina.
Lance felt a little push and turned to his wife, handing her his drink. “I’ll get started.”
He walked to the front of the room. “Thank you all for coming, and thank you video-link folks for making your way here with all speed.” He waited as everyone took their seats.
“Everyone here knows by now that I have a reply from Bethany Anne.” He put up a hand to stop Tina from asking a question. “It’s from Bethany Anne, not Baba Yaga.”
A sense of relief settled on the group. Further, a sense of hope infused them.
She was coming home.
“To those who sent messages and hope and annoying Empress Questions, she returns her love and appreciation. To those who sent the Empress Questions,” he looked to his left, “especially you, Cheryl-Lynn, she sends a big fat raspberry.” He winked as the audience chuckled.
“She said to tell you that if you were answered, ADAM replied on her behalf. The other thirty questions she will take care of when she gets back, and she has some questions for you before she supplies an answer.”
“Sonofabitch!” Admiral Thomas spit out. “No wonder my request got turned down.”
Lance just looked at the Admiral, who shrugged. “What? I needed answers, so I sent questions. We didn’t know what would cause her to snap back to reality. Plus, I told you about them, Lance.”
“Lance?” John called, and the General turned around to view the five faces on the video screen behind him.
“Yes?” he answered.
“How is she?” he asked. “Not what she says, but how does she look?”
“Strangely enough,” Lance replied. “she looks tired but calm. I think she had an opportunity to learn something about herself during this,” he ‘ummed’ a second before finishing, “effort?”
John nodded, but followed up with another question. “Did she get all of the Kurtherians?”
Lance shook his head. “Didn’t say, John. I imagine that is a clue that we should expect a ‘no.’” John simply nodded his understanding, so Lance turned back to speak to the larger group. “She is about three days away, and will arrive in one of our main docks. We are clearing one out so it can be a personal meeting.”
Lance noticed a hand up. “Yes, Bobcat?”
“Can we welcome her home?” he asked.
Lance nodded. “Bobcat, I think any who would like to should do so. I know I’ll be there.”
He pointed to the right. “Yes?”
“Immediate family, or extended?” Scott asked.
“Let’s have it be the immediate group.” Lance put his hand up in the air. “Lift your hand if you will be there.”
All hands went up.
“That’s what I expected,” Lance said as he dropped his hand, and those out in the audience followed his action. “If everyone adds their families it gets overwhelming. I don’t think she is on the edge any longer, but I don’t want to add too many and push our luck.”
“Are we going to overwhelm her, Lance?” P
atricia asked. “I don’t want to scare her away.”
Lance used the back of his hand to rub his chin. “I’m making an executive decision here and saying no, but I’m going with my gut.” He pointed to the bottom row of the auditorium. “Ashur?”
Ashur chuffed, and a few of those around him who heard chuckled. “No,” Lance replied, “I’m positive that taking a bite out of her ass is not a good first greeting for her.”
Ashur whined.
“I know.” Lance nodded his agreement. “She deserves a bit of punishment for what she put us through, but I believe she is already giving herself more shit than we would. Just make sure you accept her, and don’t…” He looked up. “Hear me here, don’t treat her any different. She will be off her rhythm when she gets back. If your request needs to be reviewed, we will set up a channel for your communication. Don’t be surprised if the answer is signed ‘ADAM.’ If you want to know the reason, just reply to the answer and follow the conversation with ADAM. He is fully capable of just asking Bethany Anne if he needs to.”
He put up a finger. “However, if she wants to answer it she will. Don’t push it and try to get her to answer your request. If you do push yourself past ADAM or whoever is answering for her, I will put my size ten-and-a-halfs up your ass.”
Bobcat leaned over and whispered to William, “That’s where she got that phrase from.”
William nodded. “Word.”
Tina leaned forward to look around Marcus, giving the two men the eye. On the other side of Bobcat, Yelena patted his arm. “Shhh!”
For another fifteen minutes Lance answered questions, and then they broke up and went back to their jobs.
QBS Shinigami
Bethany Anne sat at the table in the galley, sipping a drink similar to hot chocolate while her mind accepted the reality of what ADAM and TOM were telling her. “So they got away.”
Both ADAM and TOM chose to speak through the audio.
“That can’t be confirmed,” ADAM answered. “Considering the last few still images from the video confirmed missile strikes the ship could have arrived and immediately blown up.”
“Or,” TOM added, “it was destroyed after arriving. Remember, I did one of those ‘Oh shit’ jumps.”
“Yes,” she replied, “and you found Earth.”
“Ahhh…” TOM thought about that for a moment. “Let’s remember that randomly finding a viable planet was a long shot. I was trying not to become a little splat on the universe’s windshield with that wormhole.”
She nodded, thinking back to the first time he had told her the story. “What is the chance they are still in this area of space?”
Before replying, TOM considered the evidence he and ADAM had been studying.
“From the images, and calculating the direction they were pointed, we normally would have some clue as to their destination. However, since Shinigami caught them by surprise and there were no emissions, which suggested their jump engine was fully warmed up, I’d be willing to bet they are lost. Frankly, the missile hits alone would have thrown them off course. Either way, assuming they are alive, they are in a world of butthurt.”
“Lost how?” she asked.
“Lost to themselves, and to us,” he answered. “If they are alive and their engine is dead, they are dead. If they are alive and their engine is viable but has no jump abilities, then they are most likely dead. It will just take longer. If they are alive and have jump capabilities, they will be able to eventually get somewhere they can live.”
ADAM said, “What would be their next step, assuming they can find a safe place?”
This time TOM thought about that question for a few minutes, long enough for Bethany Anne to become concerned. “You still in there?”
“Yes,” TOM replied. “I am trying to determine what the Phraim-’Eh clan would do, and it is stumping me. This group has been reduced from eight to three. You followed them all over this area of space and killed them. We beat their nanocyte reprogramming.”
“That was your doing,” Bethany Anne pointed out.
“Me stopping the nanocytes, ADAM pucking the hell out of the monster, Shinigami beating the attack—”
Bethany Anne interjected, “And ascending to AI status. Good job, Shinigami.”
“I but live to serve and obey,” the AI answered, but started chuckling a moment later. Bethany Anne’s eyes narrowed in confusion when Shinigami’s voice changed and she added, “Sorry, I can’t sell that.”
Bethany Anne looked up to the ceiling in exasperation. “And a sense of humor…so happy.” She chewed her lower lip. “So, so happy.”
This is what you get for impressing yourself as Baba Yaga on an EI.
I’m sure I’ll be paying for that for centuries.
>>Shinigami is just stretching her wings. She will settle down.<<
So, no more randomly heading off and shooting up my enemies?
ADAM replied quickly, >>Oh no, you’re fucked there.<<
Bethany Anne replied dryly. No ADAM, go ahead, take your time and think it through. I’d like to know what you really think.
>>I’ve thought it all the way through, and I would like to change my statement.<<
Wonderful! Bethany Anne beamed. What are you changing it to?
ADAM took a moment before he answered. >>After careful and thorough consideration, you are thoroughly fucked, like, no-chance-in-hell-fucked.<<
Bethany Anne shook her head. ADAM, I love you too.
>>Just keeping it real.<<
It looked like she might have a new child, an AI she would have to teach how to obey her orders—or risk having Bethany Anne take her apart screw by screw.
“Shinigami?”
“Yes, Bethany Anne?” Shinigami said.
“Let’s have a small review of your most recent attack.”
“Why?” the AI responded. “I calculated the most efficient response, and while I did not adhere to the game plan, I was able to support the goal of killing those Kurtherians who were on the planet.”
“Yes,” Bethany Anne agreed, “but what about the Kurtherians who were in space?”
“Those fuckers got away,” Shinigami started, her voice going deeper as Bethany Anne’s left eyebrow rose in surprise. “As soon as we get a chance, I’d like to place about seven Heli-arc missiles right up their asses and blow them into their constituent molecules. I’d like their ship to look like a flaming meteor, heating the heavens so much it warms planets as it passes. I’d like—”
Bethany Anne put up a hand. “That’s enough!” she told the AI.
Maybe, Bethany Anne thought, she would have this discussion with Shinigami another day.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Darkened Side, Military Dock 772
Shinigami appeared in the area of space reserved for the Military’s Leviathan-class superdreadnoughts. While many sensors were aimed at that area, none registered the ship.
Although two locations registered a power fluctuation.
The craft slid through space, going deep under the normal passages. It took an extra fifteen minutes of travel time, but Bethany Anne preferred the increased anonymity. It wasn’t impossible to see a black ship in the dark of space, and the closer it was to you, the higher the chances were of being seen with an optically-enhanced naked eye.
So Shinigami went deep. She sent out a ping to alert those who needed to know she was now in the system, and her expected arrival time.
The response was a location to arrive at.
It was Shinigami’s responsibility to make sure she didn’t crash into any other ships.
Bethany Anne was in her cabin staring at herself in the mirror. “You got this,” she said softly. “I meant well. I meant to keep them safe.”
Shinigami’s quiet voice interrupted her. “Bethany Anne, five minutes.”
“Thank you,” Bethany Anne responded. She took one more look in the mirror, and smiled to herself. “You will do better!” She smiled again.
There was a glint in her eye. Perfect!
She was wearing black pants and a deep-blue long-sleeved shirt, along with a gold necklace. Her hair was the deepest black she could make it.
Her hair complimented the hell out of her pants, she thought, but she glanced down at her boots and sighed.
“Nothing is fair in life, so deal with it,” she told herself. “And next time you decide to leave everyone behind and go kill Kurtherians, make sure you take appropriately fashionable footwear.” She started for the hatch. “Minus ten points for that one, BA.”
—
Inside the dock, half of the lights had been turned off. While plenty bright, it didn’t cause so many reflections and make you want to put a hand over your eyes to look around.
Meredith said over the dock’s speaker system, “QBS Shinigami arriving in thirty seconds. Please stay away from the atmospheric shield. That means you, Tabitha.”
A woman turned around and stuck her tongue out.
“If your shower goes cold, don’t blame me,” the EI retorted.
Tabitha pulled her tongue back in.
The group of humans and Yollins started to move a little closer together as a ship’s nose came into view, and slowly it pierced the field and eased into the dock. The lethality of the ship was on display, as were the female vampire emblem and the wear and tear of a few atmospheric entries.
In a few moments the ship settled down on its landing gear, and the hatch irised open.
A scant moment later military pipes sounded, and all took a knee to honor her.
Tears came unbidden to Bethany Anne’s face, streaming down it to drip off and soak her blue shirt. She looked around at her friends and her family, and reached past her smile to wipe her face. She stepped down the short ramp.
None got up from their knees.
“I’m not worthy of this,” she cried, falling to her own knees and hiding her face as she sobbed. The pain in her heart overcame her desire to put on a good face as her cries caressed those who looked up, knowing their friend, their leader…their Empress was back.
A giant of a man stood up and walked over to the woman, and knelt beside her. He laid his giant arm across her back, as he had well over a century before when she had learned of Martin’s death back on Earth. He pulled her closer and she turned her head, soaking John’s chest this time.
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