Johann was eating in the officers’ mess tent when an odd, creeping feeling overtook him. He sat up straight on his bench, the hairs on the back of his neck standing at attention. It was as though he was being watched, but as he looked around, not a soul met his gaze.

Something was wrong.

Hastily, Johann excused himself and hurried from the tent to check outside. Everything looked normal, with one exception. Johann became aware of the warbling of shuttle engines, and turned his eyes skyward to see a spacecraft circling the encampment in search of a landing zone, bearing no insignia. The shuttle made one final round, then began a slow descent as a cargo hauler lifted off and provided a space.

Johann’s curiosity got the better of him, and he slinked towards the shuttle pads, intent on viewing what–or who–had just arrived. He leaned against a pallet of ration packs, not entirely focused but not entirely dispassionate either. It was more subtle to look at suspicious things with casual interest rather than ignore them entirely.

The shuttle touched down gently, the engines winding down and switching off before the rear loading door opened. Out stepped a smallish woman in an unmarked military uniform, sunglasses covering her eyes, followed closely behind by one Colonel Kaede Suzuki. Johann nodded slightly, pushing back the wave of surprise that hit him like a hammer. Kaede no longer wore the JSDF patch on her shoulder. Instead, there was a patch consisting of a simple barcode underneath a stylized gold eye where it used to be.

Kaede looked over and the two made eye contact for a moment. Johann stood briefly transfixed by her gaze, paralyzed completely. Then, he was released and turned his gaze away, shuddering. Kaede and her escort turned and walked past him on their way to wherever they were going. However, Kaede stopped when she reached Johann.

“Colonel Suzuki.” Johann saluted, speaking in English.

“Captain Hess.” Kaede saluted back.

“Who’s your friend, ma’am?”

“She’s an associate of mine. She is to be addressed as ‘Agent’ at all times, and that is the only name she will have.” Kaede ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.” Johann said.

The agent chimed in. “Colonel, you’re being a little taciturn with your subordinates. Agent Sphinx, at your service.”

“Happy to meet you. Might I ask who you’re an agent of?” Johann said, shaking her hand. He noticed that the creeping feeling dissipated whenever they were touching.

“Well, we’re here to answer that very question, so best not to spoil the surprise.” Sphinx replied with a near-predatory smile, and the two left without another word. Johann blinked twice, more confused than ever. He considered following them for a moment, but he didn’t think it to be a good idea. However, as he returned to his post, he suddenly realized that he could no longer clearly remember Kaede’s face.

A few hours later, a meeting of all non-essential personnel in Fort von Richthofen was called. Everyone with the exception of the infirm and the maintenance and medical staff was thus present. They were assembled into a square formation, with Johann in the front row as an officer and his crew behind.

When the formation had fallen in completely, Commander Weiss walked out onto the field set out for the demonstration and turned to face them. “Attention!” he barked. Johann snapped to a straight posture, hands cupped to the sides, chin up and shoulders back. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a camera drone flitting around the camp, probably broadcasting for Voice of Humanity.

Commander Weiss cleared his throat and took out a microphone, then began to speak. “Men and women of the Bundeswehr, Germany, the European Union, CAST, and all of humanity, it is commonly known that the vacuum of space is unlike any other environment, vaster than any ocean, colder than any tundra, and more desolate than any desert. And, as many of the frontier settlers may tell you, what few life-bearing worlds exist are not paradises by any stretch of the imagination. Indeed, many planets are far more dangerous than Earth ever was in her darkest days.

“But this has not discouraged the Coalition from settling them, and it has not discouraged them from finding ways to turn their hazards to our benefit. Thus, CAST is officially revealing to the world our first line of defense against the horrors of the void. Please welcome our guest of the hour, Colonel Suzuki and the Strategic Paraweapons Division!”

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Weiss gestured to Kaede as she took her place just to his left, Sphinx flanking her and trying to make herself inconspicuous. Kaede took a deep breath, then took the microphone from Weiss and began her own part of the speech.

“Hello, ladies and gentlemen of the honorable Bundeswehr. It’s an honor to be meeting you for the first time as who I truly am. You see, during my captivity by the Poslushi, an exotic weapon was tested on me, but it only empowered me. Now, as you can see,” Kaede paused to wave a hand in the formation’s direction. Suddenly, a huge, cartoon image of herself rose from behind her, so vivid that Johann had to convince himself it wasn’t really there. Kaede’s eyes were glowing a faint cyan.

“I’m psychic!” the cartoon finished her sentence, kneeling down and reaching a hand out to touch Johann. He jumped, but then her hand simply phased through him, not really there. The cartoon flickered for a moment, then vanished, leaving only Kaede, eyes still slightly luminant.

Sphinx stepped forth. “For all the people at home, Colonel Suzuki has just induced an audiovisual hallucination within these men as easily as breathing. This power is great, and will be used with great care to ensure that Colonel Suzuki is as discriminate as possible as she terrorizes the forces of the Poslush Combine. Thank you for your time.” Sphinx, Colonel Suzuki, and Commander Weiss departed the stage to spirited clapping from the servicemen present, not exactly applause but not passionless either.

Johann had no clue how Paraweapons intended to convince people that someone was psychically empowered through the unfazed eyes of a camera, considering no such thing should have been possible. Humans were psychically dormant by birth; everyone knew that. For a moment, Johann pondered the theological consequences of psychics being suddenly introduced to the population, then threw away the thought. He had enough on his plate without any resultant cults and crises.

—

Rapier was in a more jovial mood today; Wakizashi hadn’t gotten in his way as much and while the Eidolons had proven harder to handle than normal, they were ultimately unneeded. The Janissaries and Judicial Guard were both quite adept on their own. Already, the first of the Aralu and Dreamwalker shock troops had begun their descent to Omen, supported by the Judicial Guard’s Aerial Knights, though Rapier recognized the limited effectiveness they possessed against human air units. That was of no matter, however; already, a radical change of doctrine was being adopted, one of flying low to the ground and launching upwards at the latest possible moment to catch the enemy by surprise. The old-guard greatly protested this, saying that it was a violation of the code of honor the Knights were built upon, but more conservative tacticians generally failed to survive first contact with human fighters.

Morale was an issue among returning and rescued troops from the fighting at Qato and Omen. The former was laid siege to by an entity that called itself Zhōngguó, while the latter was, as usual, under attack by CAST, to whom Zhōngguó was apparently a rival human faction. Rapier hoped to see more of CAST and less of their rival; CAST was far more restrained in their choice of weaponry. Interestingly enough, veterans of Qato were more eager to return to the fighting however, having experienced lower casualties and acquired more kills.

Rapier snapped himself out of his thoughts and returned to his work. While Wakizashi was ultimately his superior and decided upon strategy, she delegated most of this to Rapier to handle in her stead.

“Rapier, what’s our casualty report for today?” Wakizashi asked from atop her throne.

“One hundred casualties, ma’am.”

“And the enemy?”

“We’ve confirmed thirty kills of the enemy.”

“A net loss, then.”

“Hardly, ma’am. Most of those casualties were taken in an assault upon a major forward base of the Nihon human faction, which was successful, might I add.”

“Their base is destroyed, and thus has no further use. Have them retreat, recoup their losses, and return for a second assault.”

Rapier resisted the urge to tap his head in exasperation. “Ma’am, with all due respect, the base is actually rather untouched, and our forces can use it while awaiting–”

Wakizashi cut him off. “Out of the question; we will not entrust our soldiers to inferior human architecture. They will retreat, and our engineers will rebuild the base to our specifications.”

“But, ma’am, the area is still not fully secure…”

“Do you distrust the Soldier and Smithy Castes and their ability to handle any threat? Do you wish to insult their Broodmatrons by insinuating this?” Wakizashi’s tone turned intimidating, and it worked. Rapier could not afford to steer himself into a conflict with the Viceroy, not so soon after his encounter with Judge Khopesh.

“My apologies, ma’am. I prostrate myself before you for my slight.” Rapier said, standing from his chair and falling to both knees.

“You are forgiven, but do not allow your pessimism to infect your judgement. Else, I might have to select you, if only to allow your better genes to continue on.”

A wave of shock went through Rapier at these words. Yes, being chosen at a Selection by a Broodmatron to procreate was an immense honor, but mating for males was so laborious that most died of exhaustion immediately after. To hear it suggested as a form of execution was a terrifying prospect, if not unheard of, since Broodmatrons were constantly looking out for a way to get a genetic advantage over rival broods and it wasn’t like the consent of the male really mattered anyway.

“I am greatly honored by your offer, ma’am.”

“Oh, don’t lie to me. You’re not honorable enough to enjoy it more than you fear its one consequence. No wonder you lost so much on Kormoran.”

Rapier bit his tongue, anger surging up through him. He had lost his whole retinue to the humans, witnessed the capture of Cutter and Ollex, two dear friends to him, and Wakizashi dared to say that it was due to a defect of his character? He had fought his way out of there, killed two men with his bare hands and his mandibles, and Wakizashi had the nerve to–

Rapier gasped in sudden pain, Wakizashi suddenly standing directly in front of him. He put one hand to a chink in his ventral exoskeleton and pulled it away. White blood, and blue ooze. Rapier didn’t have time to realize what had happened before the sting took hold of him.

Wakizashi looked at him almost patronizingly. “You have an evil smell about you, Rapier. You must learn to control your emotions and submit when your betters tell you to. Otherwise, bad things might just happen to you. You’ll do as you’re told from now on, like a good subject, right?”

Rapier fell onto his stomach, spittle bubbling from his mandibles and a vacant look in his eyes. His antennae twitched rhythmically. “Yes, Broodmatron. Anything.” he spoke, rapt with drugged ecstasy.

“Good. Now, let me take over for now. You will return to your quarters and meditate on my words.”

Rapier, with some difficulty, returned to his feet and began shambling towards his quarters. At one point, Ulo passed him.

“Rapier, are you sick? What’s happened to you?” he said, grabbing his old friend and shaking him in an attempt to rouse him.

“I’m better than I’ve ever been. Isn’t Wakizashi so sublime?” Rapier replied slowly. Ulo looked confused for a moment, but then he saw the pinhole where Wakizashi had stung him and stood aside, not wishing to meet the same fate. Rapier entered his quarters and sat down, leaning against the wall and repeating Wakizashi’s words to him, once, twice, a dozen times.

All was well.