Ugh. again? Sure seemed like I'm getting shot at a lot. As I noticed the shot, it's as if time slowed down around me. I couldn't tell if this was a function of the Nanites or just my regular perception but it didn't really matter right now. I reached behind me and grabbed my rifle automatically - side note, I really needed to remember to thank Ava for bringing it - and brought it forward, toggling the safety off and switching to three round burst in one fluid motion. Yes, I practiced it.

Without even bringing the rifle up to my shoulder I fired off a quick burst from my hip. The goal was to make them duck and stop shooting, not to hit them or anything. The rounds fired extra slowly, this must be the Nanites. After the third round discharged, I brought the rifle up to my shoulder and realized that everyone was still behind me.

I stole a glance back and in my high perception slow motion, I could see that nobody was hit from the shot. Ava had noticed and was moving so slowly to push Omar and Um'reli out of the way. Um'reli just noticed the shot and was ducking, and I didn't think Omar noticed yet at all. He must have been distracted with something else.

There, off to the side on the second floor balcony. I caught a glint of something. I concentrated harder, and time slowed further. I got the feeling this was going to hurt once I adjust my perception back to normal, but for now it was saving all of us. It's like my eyes were in maple syrup, but I could swing them up and saw a sniper setting up a shot. I couldn't hold off the gunner in the barricade and the sniper up high.

What was I going to do? I wish I could just get them to stop shooting for a moment.

Oh wait, I'm an idiot. I sped my perception back to normal, took a breath and shout as loud as I could,

S̵̢̛̝͎̀̐̍̈́̉͛̓̒̈́̍̌̄́͂̐̊̀͛̃̏͜͠Ţ̵̱̻͖̪̮͈̦̫̹̝̪̯͚͉̹͕̈́̓́̽̾̏̓͘͘ͅO̸̡̨̡̢̰̼̮͎͓͈̪̟̲̻͑͛͌͋̏̾̈́̎͋͂̇͋͛͆͌̓͐̔̃̆͐͋͑̕͜P̶̨̜͍͇͚̟̪̹̺͖̹̜͕̥̖̅͒̑͌̔͜

I cought my breath and looked around. It looked like I'm not being shot at anymore. I turned back and made sure my friends were all right.

Uh oh.

Everyone around me was frozen.

I might have overdone it.

They've all... stopped. Just like I told them, I suppose. Omar, Ava and Um'reli were staring at me, unmoving.

"Oh! Sorry! Sorry! Um, ỳ̵̧͖o̷͉̩̊ŭ̷͕̂ ̶̨̤͝ẗ̶̩́ḧ̷̙͖͂r̸̻̈̀e̷͙͒è̴͍̞ can move, please."

All three of them fell over as they regained the ability to move again. Omar was the first to recover. "Melody, what the hell was that?"

"Well we had the shooter over in the barricade, and then I noticed a sniper up on the second floor balcony and I wasn't sure if there was another sniper that I didn't see and I just wanted everyone to stop so I could catch my breath and see what's going on."

He shook his head. "No, I mean, Melody, how did you do all that so fast? The first shot had barely fired when you grabbed your gun, returned fire, and used your Voice."

"Oh that. It turned out that I can adjust the rate that I perceive things. It's not like slowing or speeding up time, just my perception of it."

Um'reli looked at me. "Could we do that too?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but it's not the Voice and it is because of the Nanites so... probably?"

Ava looked at me and reached into a pocket. She took out a napkin she must have grabbed at the restaurant and dabbed it under my nose. "You're bleeding again hon. Is this going to happen every time you exert yourself?"

"I sure hope not." I managed weakly.

"Uh Melody, the shooter?" Omar was pointing at them.

Oh right! I walked over behind the barricade and checked them out. It was an Aviens, I didn't think I recognized them. They were frozen in the process of reloading. Hmm. I reached down and plucked the magazine from their hands. Were they breathing? Looked like. Whew. Okay, so they just stopped moving but their bodily functions hadn't ceased. I wondered if I could do that. Kill people by just telling them to stop breathing.

You can. Some Empresses preferred it as a method of execution.

Mentally, I made a face. That seemed a bit much to me. Dammit. The Administrators were forcing my hand. I didn't want to have to order everyone around to get what I wanted, but it looked like I'm going to have to - at at least at first.

It made sense. You represented a shift in the status quo. They held the power, and did not wish to relinquish it. You will have to make them do it. Melody, did you think that you could walk up to them, tell them you were Empress and they'd bow and let you take over?

When you said it that way, it sounds naïve! Ugh. Fine. I took a breath. Now that I knew what it felt like to integrate - at least partially - to the starbase, I wondered if there's anything I could control without being on the Throne. I reached out and concentrated. Hmm. I could feel the systems, but it's almost like it was a read-only version. They're fainter, softer. There. That's the starbase public address system. Could I focus on a location, on a building. Ugh, this is hard, I wish I was on my Throne. "Okay, can you hear me? Check Check Check?"

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Ava gasped. "Yes! We can hear you Melody. You're speaking through the starbase? Can everyone hear you?"

"Ideally no. It's supposed to be just this building. But if more people hear it, that's fine. Okay, here goes..."

C̵̣̪̟͇̫̖͐͝ò̶̘̖̠͓̼͈̗́m̵̡͉̰̫̾͐e̵͙̝͕̣̘͋͒̚͠ ̸̛̫̝̳͔͊̅t̷̡̮̤̮̬͚́o̶̝͍̟͚̗͙͝ ̵̺͇̺̜͋̆m̶̧̛̺̮̗̅ȩ̷͙̲͔̦̲̘̍́̾.̴̡̀

Immediately, I saw the change through my connection. Silently, people rose from where they were and began walking towards the lobby where we were. Before long, a crowd had formed, silent and staring. I glanced through the crowd and I couldn't see the Administrators.

"Where are the Administrators?" I said, through the starbase.

"They are not here, Empress" the crowd replied as one. Neat!

"Where are they"

Not everyone knew, so only those that do know replied. Two Aviens replied in harmony. "They have retreated to a shelter. They hoped that you would leave."

"They did not hear my order?"

Stony stares back. Nobody knew.

"I am your Empress, I rule here."

"This is self-evident, Empress." they all replied.

"The Administrators' rule has ended. Does anyone dispute this?"

"No, Empress."

"No longer will I tolerate being shot at." I looked up at the Sniper. "Any further attempts upon my life or the lives of any other builders will be seen as treason and will be punished severely."

"Yes, Empress."

"Find the Administrators. Bring them before me."

"Yes, Empress."

Oh wait. "Alive please."

"Yes, Empress."

Ava nudged me "the Hotel," she hissed.

"Oh yeah! Um, also where was the finest hotel on this Starbase? Me and my Builders needed a place to sleep and rest."

Only one person, an Azurian, spoke. I wonder why? "The Royal Dawn was thought by some to be the finest hotel on this part of Reach of the Might of Vzzx. People made use of it when traveling around the starbase for holy pilgrimages and festival days."

"Why were you the only one who replied?"

"Some didn't know, others had different opinions about lodging. I had a strong conviction that I was right."

I concentrated and tried to search for the name. There! I know where it was, I could even see it in my minds eye. Yes, this would do nicely.

"Thank you for your work. Complete your task. You are dismissed."

Everyone strode out of the lobby. Mentally shrugging, I motioned to Omar and Ava and Um'reli to follow.

The crowd from the Administrative offices silently walked down the promenade a short distance, crowds outside watching curiously. They reached a door that was somewhat hidden against a wall and one of them came forward. It was an Aviens, and in their clawed hand was a ring. Attached to the ring was a number of small dots on strings. Was it a key ring? They pressed one against the door, and it opened with a hiss of old seals.

A small group of people rushed inside, and I could hear a commotion. Before not too long, Starlight on a Moonless Evening, The Smell Of The Ocean and Rapid River Roaring are dragged out. They struggled against the iron grip of the crowd."

I affect a sneer and snarled at them. "Where are the Mariens? Where are Vivvix and Zemmlin?"

"We don't know, Empress! We truly don't know! After we heard The Smell of Soil after Rain's damned congregation coming around and telling everyone to go to the Throne tomorrow, we set up the barricades, tried to set the trap and hid! It is the truth!"

I̶̞̗̽ ̶̨̤̉͂̔ͅą̵͉̥̃ṃ̷̱͈̓́̿ ̶̫̦̃̌̌Ȇ̶̢̱̜͘m̴̢̯̋̚p̶̙͔̪̓̕r̴̘̞͈͒̇͘ë̶̡͖̟́s̵̗̜͒̍s̵̬̆̆͑

"Yes, you are, Empress! You are a just and merciful Empress!" Rapid River Roaring is doing the majority of the talking here, cowering.

"Rapid River Roaring, The Smell of the Ocean, you have one chance. Find Vivvix and Zemmlin - or find out where they have gone - and bring the news to me before the celebration tomorrow." They jumped to their feet and took off at a run down the promenade. I turned to the last Aviens.

"Starlight, do you have a ship docked here?"

"Yes, Empress, High Line is our starship. It is where we do a majority of our decision making."

"It is spaceworthy?"

Even though my interrogation, Starlight on a Moonless Evening still let some disappointment and disgust show through. "No, Empress. Our ship's drive failed quite some time ago, and none remain who know how to repair it."

Hmm. An opportunity.

"Starlight, an opportunity presents itself. I find myself without a starship, and you find yourself with a starship in need of repair. Prove your worth to me, and I shall take your ship as my flag carrier, repair it better than you've ever had it, and we shall open the Gate and begin the reconquering of my empire.

At this, Starlight looked up at me, eyes wide. Their body language is unbelieving. "Why would you do that Empress? We conspired to trick you and kill you."

I shrug, and the "Empressness" fell out of my voice. "I mean, I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. I am choosing to be merciful." I bent down and met their eyes. "Do not make me regret my choice. When I choose to not be merciful, you will not like it." I stood up tall and looked down my nose at the Aviens.

"S̵̡̅̈́ẗ̷̯́̅ȁ̶̧̗͝r̴̨̠͋l̴̢͠í̵̢̮͑g̷̥̒̔͜ḫ̷̊̚ṱ̷̛̘͋ stop breathing."

Starlight looked at me confused, and then tried to take a breath.

And cannot.

Panic filled their eyes. They clawed at their throat and thrashed around. Their mouth opening and closing with nothing happening. They looked up at me imploringly. Their mouth was making motions like they're trying to speak, but with no air they couldn't.

Omar glared at me, "Melody! Let them breathe!"

"S̵̡̅̈́ẗ̷̯́̅ȁ̶̧̗͝r̴̨̠͋l̴̢͠í̵̢̮͑g̷̥̒̔͜ḫ̷̊̚ṱ̷̛̘͋. You may breathe."

Starlight took huge shuddering gulps of air, panting, their face looking up at me with true fear.

"Remember this, Starlight. I rule here. Even the very air you breathe is under my command."

"Yes, Empress." they panted.

"Tomorrow, after the celebration, we shall visit High Line and see if we can work with it."

"Yes, Empress."

I looked at the assembled crowd. "Do you see what I am capable of? I do not offer tricks or games. Serve me well and be rewarded. Fail me, and your very home will reject you bodily."

They replied as one. "Yes Empress."

"You are d̵̯̒̅į̴͗͊s̶̡͎̏m̷͍̆̌͜į̵̪̍s̸͖̓̈́s̶̜̓͝ḙ̶̞̽̈́d̶̯͈̂͗. Go back to work, and finish your tasks."

As the crowd was given back to themselves, they binked and stared at me in horrified fascination. They backed away quickly, and the people in the rear of the crowd broke into a run.

After a moment, we're alone again. Um'reli looked at me oddly. "That was... awfully intense Melody. Is that how your rule will be?"

I sighed "I hope not Um'reli, but I think I'm going to have to throw my weight around at least a little to get people to actually believe that I'm in charge here."

She nodded "I get it. I do have to admit, it was pretty cool how you did that."

Ava grinned "It was super cool. You looked so regal and intense. Very hot."

Omar looked at both of them and then back at me "Am I the only one who is a little freaked out that Melody can stop people from breathing with just a word?"

Ava looked over at Omar and shrugs. "She's the Empress, Omar. Her word is law."

Um'reli smiled "And we're friends with her."