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Nellie and the Nanites
Bk5 Chapter 26 - Star's Song Clan

Bk5 Chapter 26 - Star's Song Clan

Chapter Twenty-Six

Star’s Song Clan

Nellie watched Clark walk up and down with his hands over his ears, more than a touch disbelieving about what she was seeing. She asked what was going on, but even after Salem explained it to her, Nellie had trouble believing it was true.

While Hellena struggled to keep her temper, Clark continued to refuse to listen to her, almost running back and forth.

The status of women in the Confederacy was less about laws and more about tradition in many places. In fact, that was the reason there was no law against there being a female Headman of a clan. As Hellena explained it, there had even been a couple before. The difficulty here was that they had been widows of the ‘real’ Headman, who kept the Clan running until a new one could be chosen.

Since making this deal, Clark had apparently calmed enough to believe that if he was stubborn enough, he could force Nellie to nominate a man as head of the new clan.

“Leah, be a sweetheart and get him to stop running about, will you?” Salem asked.

Leah nodded and raised her arm in the air before slowly closing her hand into a fist.

Clark yelped as a grey figure stalked toward him. Turning, he took three steps before another appeared. Slowly, they herded him toward Hellena.

“Have we finished with these hysterics now?” Hellena glowered at her Uncle.

“I can’t hear you,” Clark protested.

“Maybe we should cut his hands off?” Salem asked with a wink.

“No!” Clark whipped his hands away from the side of his head.

“Oh, so you could hear after all?” Salem smirked.

“Headman Clark, I am here to inform you of the starting of a new Clan,” Hellena spoke quickly.

“Very well,” Clark huffed. “Show me your Headman, and I shall recognize HIM.”

“I am Headman and founder of the Star’s Song Clan,” Hellena said proudly.

“I said HIM, woman,” Clark replied stuffily. “I will not recognize a woman as a leader in this life.”

“How about in the next one?” Nellie offered nastily. The grey-cloaked figures took a single step forward in perfect unison, leaving Clark very little room to move.

“I protest!” Clark drew himself up. “I can not be forced to acknowledge another Clan.”

“He’s right,” Hellena shook her head. “Intimidation would void the process.”

“See!” Clark smiled smugly. “We must renegotiate.”

“I challenge you for Headman of the Ember’s Hearth,” Hellena said levely. “As a Clanless citizen, it is my right.”

Clark gaped at her. “You wouldn’t.”

“Ask my father what I would do, Uncle,” Hellena said sadly. “I would not have chosen to kill you, but if it is my only choice…”

“It is not, Headman Hellena Moore of the Star’s Song Clan,” Clark said quickly, his face red.

With the formal declaration finally complete, Nellie escorted Hellena to the building bay where the rigs and Boost Suits were being completed. The large doors rolled back to reveal a line of gleaming metal suits and, behind them, the larger, more mechanical-looking rigs.

This was Nellie’s first look at the rigs themselves. She had to admit they looked much more impressive than she imagined. Large metal feet, thick legs with pneumatics and servos showing between armor plates that were still being fitted in some cases. The waist was thinner but with a stylized equipment belt that rose to meet the chest. Instead of a helmet or similar, the ‘cab’ of the suit consisted of a large dome of transparent alloy. Thick shoulder armor and weapon mounts covered the joints to the powerful arms that ended in thick metal gauntlets. Each one carried an enlarged version of the Nanite Pulse Rifle on its back.

Other versions had large mining lasers or heavy carriers.

“By the stars,” Hellena gasped. “What is all this?”

“This, Hellena, is our civilian arm of the Imperium making a contribution. The Boost Suits are adapted from a mining suit used on the Sparklight.” Hellena pointed out the metal suits. Each one had been adapted with a more powerful core and thicker armor. They looked the part of a military now, complete with a massive sword on their backs that ended in a heated plasma-lined edge. It wouldn’t be as good as a nanoblade, but it was the closest Lucy had come up with on short notice. “And the ‘rigs’ are courtesy of Cheape over on planet Haven.”

“This is your civilian gear?” Hellena gaped. “Why do I suddenly feel like the Imperial Line got off lightly?”

Nellie laughed and shook her head. Hellena really was still getting used to the reality of nanites. The simple truth was that all of this was to make up for a lack of the nanites. If they had nanites to use on this, all she’d need to take was a couple of silver cubes.

But then, if they were doing this that openly, it would have just been the Harbinger tearing through the enemy fleet on its way to wipe out Cyrus.

Still, as attractive as that option was, this was the safer version for her own people. Nothing had really changed when Nellie looked at it like that. She had always chosen the safest option for those under her protection. This was no different, even if it felt strange to have others go off and do the fighting for her.

They moved on to the back of the bay. A double line of learning pods had been installed there, and the new members of the Star’s Song Clan were undergoing training in their gifted technology. A few hours in the pods and every person would emerge with dozens of hours of experience with the rigs or Boost Suits. Nellie would have liked to give them more time, but she wasn’t on her own schedule here. They needed the Star’s Song to reinforce Ember’s Hearth as early as tomorrow morning.

That meant everything was a bit rushed. As always, Nellie thought with a wry smile.

The sound of marching feet sounded as thirty new recruits arrived, each dressed in a matching uniform. Nellie watched them come, noting each one wore a strangely familiar jacket over their ship suits. Then, she remembered the waistcoat Paren had been wearing during the briefing.

“I think these are my daughter’s contribution,” Nellie nodded as they came to a smart stop, saluting as one before falling into parade rest.

“Paren’s Gift, reporting as ordered, your Highness!”

The man who spoke was vaguely familiar, but the last time she saw him, a leg was missing, and one arm was weathered. In short, he looked a lot better and, like the others, sported a white ‘X’ on his left sleeve near the shoulder.

“You are looking much better,” Nellie said with a smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Excellent health, thank you, Ma’am,” He smiled. “And eager to repay the kindness.”

“What skills do you and your people have?” Hellena asked.

“Our details, Headman Hellena,” He handed over a datapad, and Nellie couldn’t help but be nosy. She was more than a little worried there would be something horrific hidden in that list somewhere.

“Medic training, repairs and maintenance, several engineers, all certified in ship operations,” Hellena looked pleased. “Only basic weapons and tactics training?”

“Time was short, Headman,” He nodded. “We did the best we could. I promise we are all fast learners.”

“Aye, very fast!” Someone yelled to much laughter.

Nellie blinked to activate her more advanced senses and examined the troops again. There were nanites, of course, mostly clustered around the head and the implants. It looked like Paren had come up with a new version. Stranger than that was a different energy signature. One she hadn’t seen before. There was a nanite-like energy signature in the flesh around several areas, most notably the legs, arms, and shoulders. It was nanite-like, but not nanites.

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“What am I seeing in your arms and legs?” Nellie asked.

“Permission to break cover and demonstrate?” The leader asked.

“Can it be undone?” Nellie checked.

“Of course, Ma’am.”

“Go ahead.”

The man nodded, his neck lengthening as his knees reversed and his arms and legs lengthened. By the time he was done, the formerly average-looking man was nearly nine feet tall with long arms and legs. His hands now had long, multi-jointed fingers, and he turned to one of the rigs. Without a word, he slipped his hands inside, through a gap in the armor, and activated the interior lighting before turning back with a wide smile.

“I am a class two combat medic,” He explained. “I can reach into wounds without having to force them open, can move faster on the battlefield, and even separate parts of my flesh to convert into replacements for missing or damaged organs. If I can get to you, I will bring you back alive.” He shivered, the process reversing until she was once more looking at a smiling, average-looking man from the Sagacity.

“Impressive,” Nellie admitted. “Although I assume it might cause worry in your patient.”

“That is why we can convert only part of our body at a time,” he said, holding up his hand as the fingers lengthened.

“Great,” Nellie smiled. “Hellena?”

“Welcome to the Star’s Song Clan,” Hellena said formally. “Please report to my first officer for assignment and to be added to the training regime.”

“On the matter of training.” He smiled. “A simple download of the program to our implants will complete the process.”

True to his word, the Paren’s Gift squad was up to speed within seconds of getting the download from Salem. Hellena assigned them to start moving the rigs and Suits over to the dock for loading. Each and every one of them seemed to know the rigs like the back of their hands, picking up the heavy Boost Suits quickly and moving into line as they headed for the loading dock assigned for this mission.

Leah and her people stepped into the training pods next, and Nellie waved to her before moving on to her next order of business for the day.

All around her, the Bly’s Rest was moving as the stationers worked to supply the first large-scale covert action of the Imperium. It made her feel proud but also a little out of place. Everyone was doing something, and Nellie wanted to be with them. It felt strange just to be wandering from one official meeting to another while this much was going on around her.

During the blockade, Nellie was stressed beyond belief, but at least she was in the thick of it. There had never been enough time, but she led the way at every step. It was more than just how she ruled; it was who she was.

“Much more difficult to be the one to stay behind, is it not?” A voice said with a heavy sigh.

Nellie blinked and very definitely did not jump. A familiar figure was walking beside her, arms laced behind its back as the four legs moved slowly to keep them side-by-side. It was the Not-Queen of the Clutch, and the last time Nellie had seen them, she had stolen Nellie’s HyperDrive machine.

“Is there any chance you could tell me how you do that?” Nellie asked.

“Do what?” The Not-Queen asked with a smile.

“That’s what I thought.” Nellie nodded. “How can I help the Clutch today?”

“Oh, no,” She shook her head, the opalescent skin shifting with every movement. “We come not to ask for help but to offer it to a friend who is hurting.”

Nellie hesitated, “Me?”

“Yes,” The Not-Queen nodded. “This is a strange time. The beginning of a society. A trying time.” She patted Nellie on the shoulder. “We offer advice.”

“I’m always happy to listen,” Nellie admitted. It wasn’t like she claimed to know what she was doing. She never had.

“The first advice I would offer is too late,” The Not-Queen said. “It is do not become Queen.”

Nellie laughed, immediately getting the point. Being the leader meant doing a lot of things she didn’t want to do while others did the things she did want to do. She had dedicated a considerable amount of time lately to trying to figure out an excuse to lead the mission into Confed space, but she failed.

“The second advice is to accept your new station but make it as you want it to be. Take it from an old one who is not a queen. If they insist you lead, do it your way and do not let anything define your role but you.”

Nellie kept walking, thinking about things a little. The Not-Queen had a point. Ever since she had won out over the Line, she had been ‘acting like a Queen.’ It didn’t suit her, and Nellie kept doing things just to see people’s reactions. Long-term, that was a bad sign.

“I think I understand, thank you.” Nellie nodded.

The Not-Queen kept walking beside her.

“You ran out of HyperDrive, didn’t you?” Nellie smirked.

“That is neither here nor there,” The Not-Queen replied.

“Help yourself,” Nellie waved toward the little Cafe as she passed.

The Not-Queen vanished, and her implant pinged a moment later with a message from Salem reporting the sudden vanishing of several crates of dried HyperDrive from their secure storage bays.

Arriving back in her office, Nellie stopped when she saw a small crystal sitting in the center of her desk.

Nellie approached carefully, knowing that these crystals the Clutch used could have wildly differing effects. They might as well have been magic for all anyone had been able to figure out the technology behind them.

A small note was written on a scrap of paper underneath it.

Not for now.

And that was it. Tentatively, she touched the edge. Nothing happened, and she picked it up—still, nothing. A chime sounded, reminding Nellie it was time for her meeting with Bryant. Not wanting to leave this thing lying around in her office, Nellie slipped it into her pocket and threw out the bit of paper.

/===<<<>>>===\

The moment the newly named ‘Cloud Strike’ capital ship pulled away from the Bly’s Rest, Nellie got to work. The Clutch’s Not-Queen had made an excellent point. To an annoying—and slightly worrying degree—it was exactly what she needed to hear.

Queen Bonne Chance, benevolent and kind leader of the Imperium, was a complete load of shit. Nellie knew herself well enough to know that while she was kind, in her way, and generous, if not benevolent, she was not the person she was claiming to be.

Nellie was fiercely protective of her people; she had no patience for bullshit and may all the galaxy help anyone who got between her and what she wanted.

She wasn’t a perfect person, but she had always been an honest one. It was time to get back to that.

Timing-wise, it was perfect, considering the meeting she was headed to now…

The door to her office rolled open, revealing a pair of robed figures waiting in the chairs opposite her desk. Salem stood off to one side, her expression sour.

Nellie had clearly interrupted an argument of some form but couldn’t be bothered to review the camera feeds to find out what it was. If she needed to know, Salem would tell her.

“I see you started already,” Nellie said, exchanging a look with Salem as she passed.

“They preferred to wait in here, your Highness,” Salem said flatly.

“Very well, what can I do for you, Gentlemen?” Nellie slid into her chair and turned to face the two Sagacity leaders.

“We need to discuss this,” Bursar Hopkins tossed a pair of the learning goggles onto the desk with a thump.

Nellie heard Salem huff at the rudeness.

“These are clearly stolen technology, Sage Bonne Chance. You will cease production immediately and issue a full apology to the Sagacity for this affront.” Dean Farleigh shook his head. “Such a blatant—”

“Who the fuck do you think you are talking to?” Nellie asked with a half smile.

“What?” Hopkins leaned back, trying to distance himself from her without realizing it.

“You come in here, to my office, in my station, in my Imperium, and you toss this on my desk like you own this place?” Nellie leaned forward. “Then, not satisfied with being rude, you have the temerity to order me around like I’m one of your fucking sycophants?”

“We merely demand—” Dean Farleigh stopped as silver rivulets began to drip down the walls of the office.

“Allow me to cut the bullshit,” Nellie smiled. “You have no legal standing at all. None we can find anyway. Your learning machines were traded fairly and then returned at your request. Since you took back your technology, we made our own version. What could be simpler than that?”

“That does not excuse you from copying our entire approach!” Hopkins tried.

“Who exactly do I need an excuse from?” Nellie asked. “Is this a declaration of war? A threat of war? Be specific.” She clicked her fingers, and the Harbinger lit up like a Christmas tree outside the window.

Dean Farleigh swallowed loudly before settling back into his chair with forced calm. The illusion was shattered thanks to Nellie seeing his heart pumping like a runaway freight train.

“Perhaps I was hasty in my choice of words,” Farleigh smiled. “When you have more experience as a ruler, you will understand that there are many things like this that must be handled calmly.”

“And when you have more experience with me,” Nellie offered. “You will learn that posturing and making threats and demands will only get you killed.”

“Then let me make another offer,” Dean Farleigh said angrily. “Withdraw your product, or we will cut off trade with the Imperium.”

“Do it,” Nellie nodded. “We can survive without the Sagacity.”

“Then we will denounce these products for being inferior to our learning system.” Hopkins sat forward again.

“And we will happily agree with you,” Nellie nodded.

“What?” Hopkins paused.

“They are patently worse than your system,” Nellie said simply. “They offer no high-speed learning options, have limited scope and use, and are much simpler. Not to mention the lack of full-body immersion.”

“Then you admit they are poor copies?” Farleigh asked.

“No, I will agree that they are for a completely different purpose than the Sagacity Learning System.” Nellie countered.

“They will be banned from the Sagacity,” Farleigh insisted. “Any ship carrying them through our space will be stopped, their cargo and ship seized. Their crews arrested.”

“Think carefully about your actions in that,” Nellie said slowly. “That would be a serious escalation. It is only right to point out that attempting to seize or imprison Imperium property or personnel will be answered.”

“And I shall reply that you should not force our hand.” Farleigh stood. “The Imperium is an Impressive, SMALL civilization. Do not tempt the Sagacity to focus our attention on countering your growth.”

“Wow, flashing back to a conversation with one of those Imperial Line guys,” Nellie chuckled. “How are they doing these days?”

Farleigh’s mouth twisted angrily, but he didn’t say anything.

“I think we are done here,” Nellie said with a smile. “Salem, see our guests back to their ship. I’d hate for them to get lost on their way out.”