How could she do that? How could she keep all of that a secret for so long? Why wouldn’t she have said something earlier about what was really happening to her? All of those thoughts and more kept playing through Larissa’s head as she paced impatiently outside of Headmistress Gaia Sinclaire’s office late in the evening. It was actually her fourth visit here in the past several hours, but every time the woman had started to think that she was ready to make her presence known, another thought had come to mind, making her walk away once more.

Now, on the fourth attempt, she had actually reached up to press the buzzer beside the door. Which led to her pacing like this, waiting what seemed to be an impossibly long time. It wasn't that long, she knew academically. But it felt like forever. Every passing second since she had pushed that button seemed to be several hours. Hours during which she doubted herself over and over. This could blow up in her face so thoroughly, she and her family might never recover.

And yet, what other choice did she have? After what she had just found out, Larissa had to go to someone for help. She had agonized over who for far too long, when the only real choice had been right there the whole time. Gaia Sinclaire. Larissa trusted her above everyone else. She had trusted the woman when she had been a student here, and trusted her beyond that as one of her staff members. If there was literally anyone in the world she could go to about this whole situation, and get some actual help, it had to be Gaia.

Finally, after what was simultaneously far too long and far too short, the door slid open and Larissa found herself looking at the woman in question. A woman who gazed at her with a curious, yet somehow understanding expression. Her voice was quiet, “Good evening, Larissa. My apologies for the delay. I wasn't certain if you truly wished to be here when I opened the door.” There was a hint of teasing to her words, making it clear that she knew full-well about the younger woman’s earlier aborted visits.

The comment made Larissa blush a bit, opening her mouth before hesitating. “I--” This was no time to falter. She had to make the woman understand what was going on, no matter how terrifying the prospect of talking to her about this was. If this went wrong, there would be no one going back. But she had to try. She had to take the risk, for Sariel. And Gaia--if anyone could help, if anyone would help, it was her.

So, with those thoughts bolstering her, Larissa took a deep breath. “Can we speak in private? There’s something I have to tell you. Actually, a lot of things I need to tell you. I know it's going to be a lot to take in, I know you won’t really… want to believe me. But… but you need to. I need you to really listen to me, it’s important. A matter of life and death.

“Actually, a lot of lives, and a lot of deaths.”

********

The Next Morning

“You knew about them, didn't you?”

Saying those words as she stepped out of a tight collection of trees to enter the clearing where the man she had arranged a meeting with was waiting, Gaia focused on him. “The people who set up this entire society, the people responsible for what this planet has become. The people responsible for convincing us to kill everything that is not human. You already know about them.”

The figure she was addressing, a blond man whose hair was pulled into a ponytail, straightened up from the tree he had been leaning against. To most, Percival would not fit the mental description of what they would assume a man in his position (let alone the position he had once held under King Arthur) would look like. He wore baggy jeans that looked as though they had seen better days decades earlier, and a shirt advertising the punk rock band Sex Pistols. For a long moment, he stood there regarding the woman in front of him. Finally, he replied with a simple, “There's not a lot of ways I can answer that without making sure it’s safe to let you leave this clearing. And yet, I’m pretty sure even that was enough of an answer. Or too much.”

Meeting his gaze, Gaia flatly replied, “I have not been taken by them, and this is not a trick.”

“Perhaps,” he allowed, without breaking eye contact. “But I hope you understand that I need to make certain of that myself.” He waited until she gave a very slight nod before his eyes narrowed. “You're going to want to stand still for this.”

In the next instant, the man appeared behind her, his right hand on Gaia’s shoulder while his left caught her wrist. “Pardon me,” he grunted before turning her wrist to present her palm. At the same time, Gaia felt the fingers of his other hand morph into some sort of stingers, which very lightly pierced the skin of her neck, bypassing all the defensive abilities she had picked up over the years. Unsurprising, given she was dealing with a member of the Committee, but still.

“If you try anything, possessed or not,” Percival informed her, “the venom from these claws will paralyze your body while sending your mind into a… let’s call it a vivid dream that will last for days. And just in case, I’d like to note that it will affect anyone who could possibly be possessing you too. It’ll keep you down long enough for me to spirit you out of here to a place none of your cronies can find you. Believe me when I say, I’ve tested it.”

Once he was certain she understood, the man released her wrist, though the grip on her neck remained. Producing a field-engraver, he bluntly told Gaia to keep her hand where it was, palm presented. Then he began to draw a rune on the bare skin. Throughout the process, the sharp claws that had pierced her skin remained perfectly still, yet ready to deliver their venom.

The rune stung a bit as it was drawn on her skin. Yet Gaia remained perfectly still. Not only because of the man's comment about what the venom would do, but mostly because she trusted him. She was very well aware of just what sort of man he was, thanks to a very long life during which she had been both ally and enemy at various times. She had seen Percival’s allegiances and character from nearly every possible angle. Above all, she believed that this was necessary in his eyes. So she kept herself still, showing no reaction to the pain.

It was over soon enough in any case. The rune glowed briefly before transforming into smoke that smelled vaguely sweet. Then it was gone, as though it had never been there.

Percival released her neck, stepping back around to regard her for a moment. “You're right, you're not possessed. You weren’t taken by the…” He raised an eyebrow, clearly prompting her to speak.

“Seosten,” Gaia finished for him. “And you're testing to see how much I actually know. There's no need for that. I came to tell you anyway. And to verify the truth. You knew. My… Arthur knew. You all knew about all of it.”

Giving a slight nod, Percival replied, “Most of that came after you disappeared. I mean, we knew about their existence before that, but they became more relevant after you were gone. We knew enough about…” He paused, clearly considering his words. “We knew some, and he would have told you about them, but… we convinced him to wait.”

“Sound advice, considering everything that happened,” Gaia agreed with his silent expression. “Nor can I blame you for not informing me of the situation when I first joined this organization. And yet… and yet I would have hoped that the time we have spent since those days, and everything that has happened, would have convinced you that I could be an ally in this.”

For a moment, the man was silent. He regarded her before giving a slight nod. “You're right, you have proven to be a much different person than you were before. You are not what you once were, and you have certainly earned trust after what you have… after what you’ve done. But you were so close to the school. We still don't know for certain just how far their control or monitoring extends. We don't know how many of them are there, or what sort of back doors through the whole system they have. I know that at least one of my fellow counselors has been controlled for a long time, probably since this organization's inception. But I don’t know which one.” He sighed. “The point is, bringing you in was a very big risk, and… and it felt like one that we should wait on until there was… until there was a real way of making sure it was the right step to take. Or until we had no other choice.” The last bit came as a muttered admission. Then he frowned, looking back to her. “But if you are not possessed, and none of us told you the truth… how did you find out?” By that point his underlying suspicion had turned more toward curiosity.

“How?” Gaia echoed, her expression turning to one of deep, righteous anger, directed not at him but toward the subject of why she was there in the first place. “That is a very long story, as it turns out. One that should make you as… vexed as I have felt for the past nine hours. Suffice to say, the enemies we have been speaking of are quite monstrous. And yet, the situation itself presents not only fuel for anger, but also a unique opportunity. If you have people you trust to help pull it off.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Hearing that, Percival let his head tilt very slightly, curiosity growing. “You have my attention, Gaia. As for what sort of people I can put toward the opportunity you're talking about, I need to hear more before promising anything.”

Giving a slight nod of acceptance, Gaia waved a hand, summoning a couple chairs for the two of them to sit down in. “Very well, then allow me to tell you the story that was brought to me last night. Then we can talk about what we are going to do about it.

“And for the record, I don’t believe you will ever guess just whose wife told me about it.”

*********

As the beautiful blonde figure coalesced next to Larissa on the boat far out on the water away from Crossroads Island, she found herself looking at a third woman, who stood silently nearby, waiting until she had formed entirely. Once she was there, the red-haired woman spoke. “Good morning, Sariel, I presume. My name is Gaia. But then, you already knew that. In fact, I doubt there is anything about me you don't know. You…” She frowned thoughtfully. “You are familiar. You fought against the Fomorians when they invaded this world. I suppose I should have paid more attention to you, but I assumed you were just another Alter or Heretic from across the planet who wanted to help.”

Sariel, for her part, took a moment to collect herself. This wasn't a surprise. Larissa would not have ambushed her this way. And yet, actually being here like this, or as here as she could be given her situation, was still a lot to take in. Finally, she gave a short nod. “That is not inaccurate, though perhaps lacking in some detail. I--what is that?” Abruptly, she looked past the two, over at a puddle of goo and half-melted organs that lay in one corner of the yacht, next to several deep scorch marks across the formerly pristine deck. A chunk of the railing was also missing.

“That?” Gaia didn’t even glance that way. “Just an unwanted intruder who thought that it would be a good idea to skulk around.”

“I see…” Sariel trailed off, watching the melted form before focusing on Gaia once more. As she did so, the woman’s form flickered just a little, and she winced. “I’m sorry, it’s taking more and more to stay here for any length of time. The measures they’ve taken--I don’t know if this is a good idea.” Glancing between Larissa and Gaia, she added pointedly, “If this fails and I lose my grip, you could end up anywhere between here and the facility. And given--they will know that I’ve traveled this far. They will know--they will know they have to lock everything down even further. When they do, I don’t know that I will have any opportunity to reach out again.”

Larissa spoke up. “What you're saying is that it's now or never. Or at least now, or wait a very long time to find some other way.”

Sariel’s expression softened, even as her form flickered once more. “What I'm saying is that I could lose you somewhere deep in my people’s space. You could end up anywhere. You could be separated. You could--” She blanched a little, expression pained. “You could be separated from your children for good. You have your little girls, and your husband.”

“A husband I can’t trust,” Larissa retorted. “And… and you have children too. I've recorded a message for mine. A lot of messages, actually. I hope we get back for them, so Sarah and Sandoval never have to see those messages at all. But if we don’t try this, if I don’t help you any way I can, I won’t be able to live with myself. I could spend the next hundred years with my children, knowing that I abandoned you, and never be able to look them in the eyes. You're right, it's a risk. But this is the only way I can… keep being who I’m supposed to be.”

“And you?” Sariel pressed, her focus turning toward Gaia. “You may not have children, but you have many students who depend on you. To say nothing of all the--”

“And people I trust to care for them, should it come down to it,” Gaia informed her quietly. “I believe that this might be done if we are truly going to enact actual change on this world. This is our best opportunity for that. I must be involved.” She offered a very faint smile. “I find myself in the unique position of being the only one who can do what is necessary. A situation I believe you are not unfamiliar with.”

For a moment, it looked as though Sariel wanted to say something else. But her form flickered again, and that time it stayed gone for a second before returning. Her expression was pained. “My daughter, she’s still--”

“She’s safe,” Larissa promised. “She’s with the Chambers girl, sleeping just as you intended. Even if we don't pull this off, she'll be okay. Right?” She glanced to the woman next to her.

“Yes,” Gaia confirmed. “We have a trusted person ready to be there for her the moment she… wakes up. Even if worse comes to worst, we have ensured that she will not be alone.”

With a soft sigh of relief, Sariel visibly braced herself before straightening up a bit. Her form flickered once more before she spoke with as much determination as she could muster. “In that case, we should do this. There won't be a better time, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose my grip any moment. We have to go right now. If--if you’re both ready.”

They confirmed that they were, so Sariel reached out to take both of their hands. They, in turn, grasped each other's hands, to form a circle. And, after taking a deep breath to brace herself and prepare, Sariel released the effort she’d been holding to keep herself present, while simultaneously shifting that effort toward holding on to the others. She was instantly yanked backward toward the facility she was imprisoned within, while Gaia and Larissa were pulled along with her. In a bare handful of seconds, trillions upon trillions of miles of space flashed by them, the stars a bright white streak in the air, while various planets and other celestial bodies became spots of color within that blank white void. They were sent hurtling across millions of light years in less time than it would have taken to run from one end of the yacht to the other.

There was no going back now. Their mission was well underway. And its success or failure would shape… everything about the future.

********

When Sariel began to reappear in the room that had been her prison cell for so long on this facility, Kushiel was waiting for her, along with a small contingent of guards. Far too few if they had had any idea what was about to happen. Kushiel was already speaking. “So nice to see you again. I do hope you enjoyed your little vacation, because whatever you thought you could--”

In mid-sentence, the woman abruptly stopped talking. Because the glowing light had resolved into not one figure, but three. Her eyes took in the two extra people who had arrived with her prisoner, before widening a bit as she snapped, “Security Alert F A Thirty-Two!”

In the time that she spoke those words, the three guards around her were already raising their rifles after that brief instant of shock. Yet before they could fire, Larissa had already summoned a puddle of what appeared to be simple goo beneath each of their feet. That goo instantly hardened and expanded upward into three separate pillars, slamming the trio of guards into the ceiling with so much force that their bodies were essentially pulverized even through their armor.

Meanwhile, Gaia met Kushiel’s gaze, giving a very slight shake of her head. “Apologies, but you'll find that your control over this facility’s security system has been revoked.”

Kushiel, in turn, snarled in Sariel’s direction. “What… did you… do?”

“What I had to,” Sariel informed her, panting a bit from the exhaustion of pulling two extra figures the entire distance to the facility. “You and the rest of our people have left me no choice.” Even as she said that, her hand found its way to her stomach. A stomach which looked quite a bit different than it had in her projection back on Earth, as she was quite pregnant with another child beyond the one she had sent to be kept with Felicity Chambers. A boy this time.

“You say that as though it matters,” Kushiel snapped. “Do you truly believe that these two can help you do anything here?” A blade appeared in her hand, suddenly pressed close to her own throat as she stared hard at Gaia. “Whatever she has told you, whatever you think you can accomplish here, it is all moot. If either of you make another move, I will slit my throat and pass the damage to your less-powerful friend there.” Her eyes flicked toward Larissa. “This… invasion is over.”

“On the contrary,” Gaia replied coolly, “I believe it has just begun.”

As the woman said those words, Kushiel abruptly felt the knife in her hand turn intangible, before it fell from her grasp. In the next instant, Gaia’s hand moved, summoning a metal tentacle from the floor, which wrapped around the woman to trap her in place.

“It’s from something called a Gaurgeuva,” Larissa informed her. “Actually pretty cool. It can see through solid objects, usually walls or rocks or whatever. It looks through them, finds where it wants to go, turns the object in its way intangible, then teleports through. That?” She gestured to where the knife had fallen through the floor. “That’s just the intangible part. I used to only be able to do so by touching things, but my teacher over there helped me find another Gaurgeuva to get a little boost.”

Kushiel, clearly unimpressed, lifted her chin. “Powers or not, the three of you have no chance of taking over this facility, and no way home without it. All you have managed to accomplish is trapping yourselves here. How precisely to you intend to go anywhere?”

“We’ll be on one of the ships,” Sariel informed her, hand remaining on her very pregnant stomach. “All of us.”

Kushiel’s sneer could not possibly have turned more twisted or annoyed. “You? You truly believe the three of you could possibly commandeer an entire ship out of my fleet, let alone travel in it all the way back to that backward planet?”

“Two points of correction,” Gaia informed her, voice flat. “We are not taking a single ship from your fleet. We are taking all of them.”

Kushiel, in turn, laughed out loud. “Will you, now? The three of you will commandeer every ship in the fleet which protects this facility?”

“That is where the second point of correction comes in,” Gaia replied simply. “It is not three of us.” With those words, the woman pulled the pockets of her jacket open. As she did so, four metal orbs emerged, two flying out to either side before an abrupt flash of light appeared from each. When the flashes settled, several more people had appeared. Percival and Edward Teach from the Crossroads Committee, along with Seller, Risa Kohaku, Klassin Roe, Hisao, and Gabriel Prosser.

“Whew,” Teach, once known as Blackbeard, declared while cracking his neck. “Been awhile since I traveled inside one of those pocket dimension thingamabobs. Remind me to spruce the place up a little bit next time.” He offered a broad smile toward Kushiel through his thick beard. “You didn’t think this old pirate would miss out on a chance to steal an entire fleet of starships from you bastards, did you?”

“Show her, Gaia,” Percival instructed. He waited, while the woman opened her jacket pockets further, allowing first one, then two dozen more orbs to fly out and hover there in the air. His gaze was focused on the suddenly struggling, cursing Seosten. “Let’s just say we have a lot of friends who want to give your people a black eye. We just put the word out to find anyone willing to come with us. As I believe the Bystanders would say…

“Your base is belong to us.”