"I need you to know something about me, something no one else can know." I tell Beatrice, the stout woman who leads the Chamber Guards.

"It is our duty to keep the Secrets of Korvall." She says as though she expected this conversation.

"I can travel, without the ship." I say plainly. "I can take objects with me, but nothing living."

"Have you also inherited your father's secret?" She asked. "Can you fill cargo holds without finding anything?"

I realize the administrator helped the Korvalls.

"A bit more than that. But I am telling you because I will need to be scarce for a few days at a time."

Beatrice smiled. "Gaias also did the same. We can handle this much. He would almost always bring back things. Sometimes trinkets, sometimes weapons. Most of the time he would come back with knowledge."

"So I am not the first?" I ask her seriously.

"Your father was not either. I understand a 'council'," she spat the word, "has been running the kingdom since the Night of Rebellion, as these people call it."

"I believe so." I admit. "I didn't want to deal with it honestly. But I don't think you're going to let it go."

She said nothing, only shook her head.

"Dame, all surviving Cryopods have been recovered. A total of eighty one pods, including the twelve brought aboard initially."

"Thanks, Persephone. Are there any vessels at least 70% in tact we can add to our cargo holds." I ask more for stalling the return to base than anything else.

"I can store all remaining vessels in the debris field with a damage rate of 30% or less. Total of thirty vessels meet this parameter."

"Do it. After that attempt to gather intact equipment. Do not bring loose ammunition aboard."

"Do you wish for me to load onboard magazines with available drift stock?"

Beatrice starts nodding at the AI's question.

"Yes. Fill what you can, we aren't collecting scrap this time around, so leave whats left."

"Cargo hold space is capable of recovering 87% of drift field, including scrap."

"Collect everything you can." Beatrice says under her breath.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Collect it all, try not to scratch the Home Guard vessel in the Keel Hold."

"Keel hold has been temporarily reclassified as 'hangar' and not calculated in current cargo space,"

"Carry on, as ordered."

"Aye, aye Dame."

"That thing was your oldest brother's idea. Its a bit annoying isn't it?"

"It saved my life." I answer. "I don't know how to fly this ship, there was no food when I woke up. It got me to food."

"So, how long will you be away for?"

"It could be as much as three weeks, without a day in between. But I will attempt to make myself visible for at least an hour every four days."

"Chamber Guard holds Korvall's Secrets." She said it clearly, no one would be told.

"Should I assign someone to act on my behalf?"

"Not needed. Dame Edington's record shows she will perform well. Do you suffer from your father's affliction as well?" She continued when I didn't answer. "He reigned for sixty years. He came to the throne when he was seventy. We said it was because he had augmented himself. Really it was because he didn't age."

I gave a single nod.

"Then we serve the right descendant. Do what you need to. We protect you, and your secrets."

"Can I get one of your guards to show me the armor?"

"Lyla is closest to your size. I will send her in. If you wish to wear it, your clothes must be as tight to the skin as possible." She looked me over once more, "I will send her in."

I changed to a long sleeve skin tight shirt, yoga pants, and a sports bra. I colored them bright white. I put my hair back in the formal style I had used at the sending ceremony, recoloring the glass, and the tips of my nails to match my eyes. Making the previous black into a clothes-matching white.

I found a pair of socks that only cover the bottom of my feet and toes, making them appear in my hand.

"Enter" I call at the knock. "Lyla, I presume? I'd like to know the feel of the burden that armor gives you. Would you mind if I wore your set?"

"With honor" she said, as she began unclasping things, letting them fall and crash to the ground. When she was out of the armor, I realized she only wore a pair of cotton panties while inside the suit.

I opened the wardrobe, and acted like I was grabbing things, while creating an outfit the same as mine, but in the red color her small clothes were in.

"Here, change into this." She looked at each piece, reverently placing each one down. Then asked me to show her how they were to be worn. So, I showed her. I was a little shocked, when she dropped her panties right there to put on the pair I had given her.

I then had to explain how to adjust herself so the sports bra would fit right. The pants and top were easy to explain, the tag is on the inside, at the back.

Once she was dressed, I said 'your turn' and she showed me how to put on each piece of the armor. Once fully on, I opened the outfit window and found the outfit as 'worn power suit or exoskeleton' I selected, 'repair all functions'. And 'improve to current knowledge', which both options became grey after. I then made a copy to put in my closet.

I walked around and gave a light hop. Layla then instructed me on the helmet, and had me put that on. The heads up display allowed for amazing vision, and data assessment. I had her assist in removing the parts, and made a point of being gentle with every piece.

"I found some errors in the software, so i corrected them." I say to her. "It should run better than new."

Her hands stopped for a second. "You personally adjusted my armor?"

"Yes, if I overstepped, I am sorry, I noticed it was using too much energy, so I started looking for the problem, and kept finding errors. It should work beautifully now."

She began handling the parts as gently as I had, and rushed to get it back on. She went through a series of poses and then asked if I would be willing to oversee a rank duel.