As the violence of the whole situation winds down I take long strides back to the main camp with my captive held firmly in my hand, not enough to cause pain, but enough to where she won't fall and get hurt.

Once in camp I release her to the marshal security force who apprehend her with a small fight, they take her away for holding and for interrogation. With that situation now out of my hands, literally, I stride back to the hangar to get some minor repairs done. I am followed closely by the girls who helped me fight earlier. I park myself into an empty stall and get hooked up to the charging cables then begin deattaching.

[Good luck with what is coming... I think we both will need it]

(Yeah, I don't think anything is going to be simple for a while.)

I unhook from my AMS and let out a gasp of pain and climb out of Wendigo and into the hangar. I stretch a little and pop my back against the shoulder of Wendigo and after letting out a sigh of relief I climb down to the main floor. I am met quickly by Liberty who looks quite frustrated, maybe at me, maybe not. She gets close and grabs me by the shoulders since my piloting uniform doesn't allow for any purchase. She simply asks in a pissed off tone,

"What the hell just happened to my school?"

I let out a long breath and shake my head and explain,

"Well... as you saw there might be a minor civil war going on in the Solar Empire, and my efforts may have expedited it. I knew there was going to be an attempt on Seraphina's life, I truly didn't expect a full-scale invasion force. I just simply wanted to fuck Claus over, and maybe the prime minister, but I really only expected one or two assassins, honest.

Well, I'm not sure if a full civil war will break out, but considering how many folks died, and some false information getting spread, as you saw, I think the war is unavoidable. I also believe the really anti-earth factions are the biggest, I know the biggest is all about conquest. I think another is just simply trying to regain glory lost in the previous war, and I think there is just an anti-me faction. No clue about most of it but I'm trying to learn, most of this shit is happening on Titan, not here on earth, we just see the consequences."

She releases me and shakes her head swearing. She then asks,

"Tell me though, in the main AMS hangar, why was Helena a corpse, and why was there a corpse that was beaten to death?"

I shrug and reply,

"Take a wild guess. I can assure you I didn't kill Helena. So from there extrapolate what happened to the other corpse."

She just shakes her head letting out a long sigh and stands there thinking for a time, most likely trying to formulate either a sentence or a gameplan for the oncoming future. Dusty appears and greets me with a solid punch to the side. I bend to the side and cough violently after having the wind knocked from me. Dusty then scolds me,

"The fuck man! You almost died there, and where the fuck were you? I tried to find you after the bullets started flying and you disappeared! As your professor, I was greatly concerned for my student! Luckily I managed to get most people into their homes where they would be safe, but you went out and became Mr. Royal Guard. What the hell were you thinking?"

I shrug and reply to her,

"I don't have much of an excuse, I was target numero 2 so I just sorta did what I needed to do to survive. I'm sorry."

She just shakes her head and I can see in her eyes she was deeply concerned about me I smile at her and say,

"Anyway, thanks for the support back there. I probably would've ended up really hurting someone, because if I kept holding back I was going to die."

She smiles and punches my arm playfully and says,

"You owe me some drinks for that, my heart can't handle this whole war situation."

I nod and Eloise appears suddenly behind me and I jump from her sudden touching of my arm, she then speaks,

"I'm glad to see you are safe Mike, the prime minister really has really lost it to perform this level of heresy against the empress. My father wishes to speak with you through a call or face to face, whatever is most convenient."

I nod and smile and reply,

"Well, thank you for the concern and help. I really appreciate it. I've been meaning to talk to someone with some weight on Titan. I'll try to find somewhere I can speak to him. I doubt I'll survive long if I go to meet him on Titan."

I let out a small laugh at the half attempt at humor, despite how empty the laugh is, it feels great. After my laugh, I take a long deep breath and exhale it slowly before deciding to get down to business. I step away from the three women and face them and then begin talking,

"Listen up, I don't want to repeat anything because I'm sure I'll be giving a lot of speeches moving on from here.

Shits fucked, plain and simple. I know for certain the future is going to be confusing and quite difficult for everyone, even if cooler heads make the right decisions upstairs. Our only options are either to roll over and accept a shitty situation or to take action now and take the initiative against those who wish us harm.

You three have helped me greatly, and I greatly appreciate all your hard work, thank you. I ask you to make a decision. Either join me in my little stupid knights' order and fight alongside me or stay out of it all, because I don't plan to show much mercy to these shitheads who stand against me. They killed someone who I hold dear. I took my vengeance against the direct killer, but they were only acting within orders, the blame lies just as equally on those who told them to pull the trigger, if not more. "

I look around and see a bunch of the responding marshals have gathered around and are listening to my shitty speech meant really only for the three women, on the spot I change it up for a more general audience,

"And the rest of you, not just these three in front of me. You all are the main line of defense for the United States, my home country, and the one I love. Your sacrifices for peace are noted and appreciated, I have no authority to ask you, brave men and women, for anything, but I can speak to you as a warrior myself.

War is coming, no amount of whining or complaining will change that fact, so I would ask you to best prepare to fight, let no death be in vain, yours or your foes. While our enemies stand against us they are simply misguided by wicked men, not by wicked hearts. Let their deaths be for the progress of peace and liberty for all peoples, and let us go and fight for those ideals, and let them do the dying for us.

Again, I cannot ask you to do this or tell you to do this, it's not my place or my privilege, but I can speak in order to steel your hearts and harden your gaze in determination to fight and to win against the tyrants who wish to enslave us. So prepare, and don't be scared, the USA won last time, let's give them a round two they will never forget."

I don't get a round of applause or anything, I am simply given nods of agreement and determined looks, they aren't rookies, they know enthusiasm towards this situation is off-color and only would serve to get them killed. After speaking the marshals go back to their duties and I say to Eloise, I think I'm ready to speak to the high priest, or pope, or whatever his title is. I think I know what I may ask him. She simply smiles at me beautifully and after I wave goodbye to the other two I feel some hostility coming from them both, not towards me but Eloise. Could it be because she is very ingrained in the Imperial Religion?

Eloise takes me to a newly propped-up tent painted the same light blue that matches the silver of Eloise so well. Inside there is a table and across from it is a clear screen with a camera strapped to the top of it. Eloise asks me to take a seat which I do and she turns on the screen before leaving out the door behind me. She pauses for a second while leaving but quickly hurries off after the hesitation. The screen is black for a time before it turns on to reveal the rotund frame of the high priest. I have to stop myself from laughing and barely contain a smile at the absolute ball of a man on the other side of the screen. He is an older man, much older than needed to have had Eloise, I'd guess around seventy now considering he was already old during the war 19 years ago. He was a hefty man back then, but I guess age led to him becoming quite a bit more so.

After he manages to get comfortable on his side he greets me with a warm smile,

"Ah! Lord Mike! It's so good to see you, I've heard lots of good things about you from my daughter. I am so happy that our Goddess, the Empress, has chosen you to be her guardian angel. Who knew that there would be someone of such grace on earth! Maybe we should start looking for our priests there, considering everyone up here is far too greedy to become of the cloth."

I smile back towards him and respond,

"It's wonderful to meet you too High Priest. I'm glad to hear my reputation proceeds me. You wished to speak to me did you not? I hate to skip all the small talk, but as you know I just got out of a pretty dicey situation."

He keeps his big smile and replies,

"Of course! How rude of me to forget that! Of course, considering your position of second only to her holiness you do not need any honorifics with me, just call me Mattheus.

What I wished to speak about is my position in the whole... civil unrest going on within this most enlightened empire. My position is simply, that of whatever is best for the empress. I wish to bask in her light and follow her wise words. You are the only thing in the way of that of course, not in a bad way, just she seems to trust your word and counsel over my own! Her most devout follower! I do understand her reasoning though, you have protected her of course she would listen to you... even if those words you speak may...lead astray."

I have to do a double-take on the last part. Is he accusing me of corrupting the empress? If anything she is doing that to me, but I take a deep breath and reply,

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"I see, it is unfortunate that you see it that way. I really don't mean to lead her astray from your faithful beliefs, but all I have told and had her do was in an attempt to save her life in multiple situations. I did not think with piety, but with pragmatism."

He takes a moment to think about my response and then replies with a concerned expression,

"Are you trying to tell me that some devout followers of our faith have attempted to harm the empress? How could that be?"

I shake my head and say,

"Well, they shot live ammunition at her and it really seems that they either want to kill her, or capture her in some manner."

He again thinks and slowly his pale face turns red and he shouts at me furiously,

"HOW DARE YOU EVEN THINK TO SAY, SOMEONE OF OUR FAITH, A LOYAL SOLDIER OF OUR GLORIOUS EMPIRE WOULD TRY TO HARM OUR DIVINE EMPRESS! YOU EARTH-BORN DOG WOULDN'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT OUR FAITH! "

He quickly calms down after that outburst and still with a red face explains in a more calm tone,

"I am sorry for that outburst... just the thought of one of our followers even thinking about harming the empress makes me so mad... I am much calmer now, please forgive my hurtful words... I spoke with emotion alone."

I take note of his outburst, it seems he isn't the kind, jovial old man he is trying to make himself to be. I also not to utilize his temper against him, but I swallow this for now and respond calmly,

"It's alright, this whole situation is upsetting. Despite how... ignorant I may seem towards the faith, I know when you shoot at someone you rarely do it to keep someone safe. That and I have injuries to prove some form of force was being utilized on the empress... now I know you didn't want to talk just to say how much you love the empress."

he clears his throat and his face returns to its normal pale shad and his smile and happy demeanor returns as he begins,

"Okay, moving on would be the best. What I wish to ask of you is a form of cooperation. My family is of course indebted to you for the rescue of my daughter so I would of course give you great terms...

My terms of cooperation are simple, my faction will fully support you in this war and keep you informed on all the happening up here on Titan while you are still barred from entry. We have operatives everywhere and are willing to have them support you at a moment's notice, no questions asked...

All I want from you is to lead the empress down her destined path of light... and when possible, hand her over to us as her most devout followers so that we may help her on her journey of light and wisdom. This is to both protect her from outside influence and aggressors, as well as help us... repair any damage done to her judgment and ideals during this most troubling time..."

I begin to respond but then he quickly interjects with a question,

"What do you think of my daughter Lord Mike? She is quite beautiful, is she not?"

I am caught off guard by the sudden question, but play it defensively,

"That is a strange question to ask after that plan of cooperation, but I do think your daughter is quite lovely, one of the more beautiful women I have ever met in my entire life."

His smile widens and he replies,

"I only ask to create some kind of collateral between us, you most likely are distrustful of all imperial nobility at the moment as you should. I merely am creating an offer to calm your mind and worries.

I raised my daughter in the most upright and proper ways I can think for imperial high society. She is well trained in matters both ministerial and martial, and as you have seen, quite a capable fighter when she is in her element. I simply offer her hand in marriage to you. I doubt she would object... even if she were allowed to. I am also fine with offering her to you as a concubine if that's what you wish of her, it matters not as she is a... token of my great enthusiasm towards this cooperation of ours..."

I grit my teeth but hold my tongue. I simply say something to prove what's been on my mind since he offered the deal,

"I see you deal... I will have to ask the empress what she thinks of this cooperation. I will only be a moment."

I begin to stand when he asks me to remain seated and I do to listen. He then explains, his kind smile now looking quite devious,

"Ahhh, that's what must've been on your mind, of course. Well... to put things simply, this deal is between you and I. The empress is far too above us to make deals like this, she is divine after all and should already know this is the right path. She has been corrupted by her time on earth and she may be against our help, but we as her faithful subjects must return her to her rightful place and must guide her down her destined path... even if she were to... disagree due to her corruption.

This deal mostly benefits you and should elevate you to the highest positions among the empire once this little scuffle is dealt with... you may even go on to be remembered as a saint, the eath-born guardian of the divine empress. A grand title... plus you get to have one of the most coveted young women in all of the empire as yours and yours alone to do with as you wish...."

He leans in close to the camera and says in a hushed tone,

"I made sure to train her personally how to... satisfy her future husband."

I feel my blood boil inside of me and if he were here I would have lunged across the table and gutted him with my bare hands, but I do all I can to keep myself calm, this is a time of diplomacy, not a time of violence, but despite how awful the deal is. I can use it to my advantage. I don't think I can get him to sweeten the pot anymore at this point, but I can try and force him to do something desperate, or maybe give me information. He has proven, after all, he is a prideful, lecherous, and greedy old man. All these vices I can use against him, but even still, I don't know if he is lying or not about any of it. I simply reply,

"I see the offer and I do recognize a good deal when I see one, but let it be known you are not the only faction who has contacted me for a deal. I wish to hear them out as well, make sure I am getting the best offer, and maybe if I play my cards right, we can both get what we want... a good deal, and the empress in your hands. I do wish to meet you face to face though. I am not one to accept a deal without shaking the other party's hand first."

He thinks about my statement for a moment then replies with a smile,

"I can get to a place on earth in two weeks' time. Please keep my deal in the front of your mind, if I make this trip you'll have to accept my deal... sound fair?"

I nod and reply,

"I will absolutely accept your deal above all others if you come here. Choose a place and I'll head there."

He smiles and then says,

"I'll get that to you when I'm on approach. I will no longer take up your busy time. It was nice meeting you. May the empress guide us."

I reply,

"You too, goodbye."

I turn off the screen quickly and slump back into my chair resting my chin on my fist with my nails digging into my palms causing a small trickle of blood to flow as I grit my teeth across each other. I am incredibly pissed and vengeful at the moment. How could a father do that to his own daughter, his only child? I spit onto the ground and stand up with a grunt. I unclench my hands and slap my cheeks a few times before putting on my best fake smile. I'm going to make this whole situation a deal with the devil, and I feel the horns growing on my head as I formulate my plan. He will regret ever thinking about harming those I protect.

I step out of the tent with a big smile, first I have to convince his informants that I'm just playing hard to get, but have completely accepted the deal. I look around and quickly find Eloise sitting on a chair nearby just staring forward. I simply stride up to her and greet her. She jumps at my sudden appearance but stands up and greets me back with a smile she asks,

"How did it go, Mike? I assume my father offered some kind of deal?"

I nod and quickly slip next to her and place my arm across her shoulders. I feel my heart rate rise with awkwardness and nervousness. I already regret what I am about to say and do. She inhales sharply at my sudden contact and I lean down and put my mouth just behind her ear and whisper to her,

"Good news... Your father has promised me a form of collateral for this deal we made, and I'm thinking of taking it for a spin."

I keep that fake smile but feel my heartbreak as soon as I see her eyes go wide for a second before dropping to expressionless blue oceans. She replies,

"Of course... m'lord... I am at your service, whatever you need to be done I shall do it... as...as your..."

I whisper with venom,

"Concubine..."

An expression of deep sadness seems to wash over her face for a moment before she returns to the expressionless look she had before and she says softly,

"Of... of course... I am simply your concubine..."

I whisper again,

"Let's get a move on to my... personal quarters, I would appreciate it if you smiled the entire way, your smile is so beautiful..."

She grimaces but slowly her smile returns. I apologize over and over to her in my head as I really hate this shit. I feel like utter garbage for even saying this shit. I make a mental note to not go past a certain point as we begin walking back towards our tent. A few people around the camp take notice and I catch some texting something to someone. Looks like my plan is working. Now... all I have to do is get Eloise on my side and everything should go to plan.

We enter my temporary quarters and I release her and go sit on the bed with a huff, my smile gone as I can no longer even fake it due to my guilt. She stands across from me looking at me in sadness and fear, but with the smile on her face, I ordered still frozen. She begins unzipping her piloting suit and I interject,

"Wait! Don't! I'm sorry! "

I bury my face in my hands as she looks at me confused and I explain,

"I do not want you as a concubine, wife, or anything without your explicit prior permission. That whole... perverse thing was an act. I am very... very sorry. Please sit down. I want to explain something to you."

She remains confused but she takes a seat on the bed next to me and I scoot away just to show my sincerity. I then explain to her the entire conversation I had with her father. Afterward, she looks at the ground with the same empty, sad stare. She then says to me,

"All my father said was true... I am prepared and trained to... satisfy the needs of others. I have been used as a political bargaining chip my whole life. The plan for the empress... is the one that has always existed. If it weren't for the mother of the empress my father would have groomed her to be his personal... figurehead. He wants power... and he will do anything to get it, even sacrificing family."

I ask her,

"And what do you think about it? What do you want to do?"

She shakes her head and says,

"I have no say, he is my father and I must respect his wishes... and after this, I must report your... distaste for his deal, because when he finds out I didn't tell him... I don't wish to think about it. I'd prefer if you broke my neck here and now."

I shake my head and smile warmly and reply,

"Not going to happen, sorry. Instead, I offer you something else. A chance, that's what I offer. A chance to not be bound by your fathers' wishes and perversions. A chance to make your own destiny. I offer that chance. Respecting your father is a normal thing, but when he has no respect for you as his daughter, then what reason do you have to return the favor?

I plan, by the end of this all to tear all those nobles who are against me from their towers. Not because Seraphina said so, but because they fucked with me... and those that I wish to protect... and Eloise... you are one of the ones I wish to protect."

Her face lights up at the final statement and then asks,

"But how are you going to do this? Without support, we cannot fight them."

I smile and reply,

"Those who abuse money will have money turned against them, those that abuse power will have their power become their downfall, and those who rule with strength will have their strength fail them. They are tyrants and all tyrants create their own downfalls, either through vice or hubris. We don't need to wage war against them for a long time. Just fight the odd assassin or fanatic, the real battle will be in the shadows, playing their own games against them. When people like them feel as if they are winning they always expose their necks... and you never expose your neck to a wolf... especially the one growling at you."

She thinks about my words for a good long time before she smiles at me and with a spark of hope in her eyes she says,

"Yes... I'll join you... I cannot live like that anymore. I don't care if I end up dead. It's time I made my own way."

I smile and say,

"All I need you to do right now is convince your father I accepted his deal... in all but words... so when we meet I can negotiate... for better terms."

My smile widens alongside hers. All those years of abuse she must've endured circulating in her mind. Matteus had created a monster of his own, and unfortunately for him, the devil he is dealing with has brought her over it his side. It's going to be a wild ride.

We stay sitting there quietly for some time before Elosie leaves having decided enough time has passed. As she leaves I pick up my handheld and call Kassandra, now it's time for me to make a deal with a true devil. The worst kind imaginable. The kind that wears the smile of a friend.

As the phone rings a vision of a memory surfaces, it's Kassandra when she was younger, nineteen years ago. My back is flayed open and she is prodding around inside of me, and worst of all... all I can see is her smile with her cheeks flushed red, I am unable to talk, only feel pain in which I groan or cry out in as she plucks nerves like strings on a guitar... her other hand down low on herself... a true monster... one who takes great pleasure in the suffering of others. Someone who deserves the title of devil.