“Lieutenant Commander Kane? Call for you, Sir.”

Kane looks over to the young marine calling for him. She waves to ensure he knows she definitely called out to him. He glances at the containment box containing ‘Void Queen’ Syretia in her disguise. While she’s a bit nervous about this trap, she was willing to assist, and Zeeannssii was moved to a container in the back of the Garden, out of sight of the entrance. To anyone who wasn’t part of the plan, Kane and the Void Queen are right where anyone left them.

Kane approaches the petty officer, and she politely waits. Kane asks, “Did they say who they were, Petty Officer?”

“No, Sir. They just said it was an urgent update to standing orders.”

Kane is neither an inherently trusting or distrusting person. He’s not sure why, but he likes to believe in the better nature of people, but he also feels keenly aware that betrayal comes from those closest as easily as those furthest away. It’s all a matter of circumstance. So, in general, he has instincts for people, but he is cautious about how he reads them. Chief Grey rubbed him the wrong way at first, and they helped each other survive Earth. Dzor was not to be trusted, right up until he had the human fleet at his virtual mercy during the Zarakyssn attack. He easily turned the tide when he could have instead tried to flee with a small ship and any kidnapees he could gather.

So, although Kane approaches the sound-powered phone, he is not outright suspicious of the Petty Officer whose name-tape reads ‘Quincy’.

But, neither is he oblivious.

Just as Kane puts his ear to the phone and says, “Kane,” he whirls when a tingle tickles the back of his neck. He can hear Tachibana’s voice quickly call out over the phone, “Sir! Urgent Report!...”

He’s too busy to hear the rest. He blocks a homemade taser with his bracer arm, and the arc crackles violently, but harmlessly against the mysterious device, even as the floating rings obliviously turn at a calm pace. The apparent Petty Officer Quincy doesn’t seem overly shocked nor relying entirely on the taser. She pulls something else from behind her back; a sort of make-shift cannon barrel attached to the end of a pistol. Though Kane’s power far exceeds hers thanks to the bracer, he isn’t quick enough to stop the shot from detonating a cloud in the corner where the phone is. Quincy calls out, “I’m made! I have to run!”

A voice comes back over a radio, “Ma’am! Get out of there!”

Kane launches himself forward out of the surprisingly large cloud, glancing around for the woman. He can hear her footsteps sprinting down the hall.

Again, his instincts are tingling and swirling.

It seems like an obvious trap. If he follows, whatever they plan to attempt against ‘Zeeannssii’ would progress.

However, he didn’t get a solid look at her face due to her helmet, and assuming Quincy is not her real name, he’ll be unable to identify her later. Additionally, calling her ‘Ma’am’ is rather obvious too, but it’s obvious in the way that they’d know he would know.

More than likely, Cynthia Brock -whoever she is- stood in as herself to try to entice Kane into pursuing her if she couldn’t incapacitate him. It’s a game of cat and mouse where the cat knows he’s a cat and the mouse knows she’s a mouse. And, the mouse knows how to fight cats.

The last factor Kane runs through in his split-second considerations is the fact that Syretia has her ‘Queen’s Shot’ stashed at her back, ready to defend herself. The antis are fairly well coordinated as a whole, it seems, and they are being careful not to simply execute and make martyrs of the aliens. They want chaos related to the aliens, so they want bodies tied to the aliens to justify executing them or expelling them from the ship.

If Syretia has to fire, it’ll all be part of the plan.

With that said, though, Cynthia Brock is very potentially within Kane’s grasp.

It’s a decision he has no time to actually make and one that relies heavily on his trust in people, including Syretia.

He sprints down the hall, following the sounds of footsteps.

Syretia watches Kane sprint out of the Garden, though the doorway is obscured to her by the cloud of smoke the petty officer made. She knows what’s going on well enough to know that the humans are in battle with each other over the fate of the non-humans on the Polonia, as well as the other ships. Not all of the humans are as welcoming or tolerant, and the egg of chaos is on the verge of hatching fully.

She stands patiently, looking disinterested and calm; which is much easier considering the majority of humans have no idea what nervous looks like on a Zarakyssn. She was nervous that they would see right through her pretending to be the Void Queen, but Kane assured her that, in spite of how many humans she’s met, there are many more who barely know either Zarakyssn Queen is on the ship, let alone Syretia’s egg.

Additionally, though, Syretia’s current containment is also not fully sealed. They modified it to have an emergency escape for her, in the event anything goes wrong. She is as free as she normally is, with a great deal of trust being placed upon her.

And she will continue to earn that trust. The humans have been good to her, and she has enjoyed life in ways the Horde does not tolerate.

However, as the humans have tried to inform her, such ‘freedom’ is not without its dangers.

As the smoke clears, and with Kane now somewhere out of sight, a figure appears right where she froze in place.

A female petty officer-dressed woman with a name tape reading ‘Quincy’. She glances at the doorway as she steps towards Syretia’s containment. Syretia feels nervous, but doesn’t move beyond watching her. Kane is an intelligent and powerful warrior, but he is not immune from error. To Syretia’s knowledge, no being in existence, from the simplest of biologicals to the most complex of machines, is fully beyond error. The most well-designed machine still has the error of reality deep within its workings, just as the simplest of biological processes can falter.

And, Kane was fooled. He must have known it was a risk, but he also clearly weighed his options. What would make him think he needs to pursue this woman specifically? Syretia knows only the most basic of information, but she knows there are people actively out to hurt her.

Quincy whistles briefly with three sharp, quick, bursts. In response, several more humans seem to appear out of hiding spaces throughout the ‘Garden’, all dressed in the military uniforms. Quincy explains quickly, “Get the containment open. It’s bulletproof to keep Grodrrns in.”

“On it,” replies one of the male humans as he jogs forward. He’s reading off something and begins tapping on the console.

Does he know the code?

A tingle starts to grip Syretia. She can understand where the anger is coming from, but… Is there truly nothing she could do to earn a chance? She is not her sisters, and although she led the attack, she was the first to turn. She knows she can’t win over every human, but she wishes they could at least work together.

A voice comes over the radio, and although Syretia is still learning, she makes out enough to know what it means; “Ma’am, the egg and mother are missing.”

“Missing? Didn’t Oscar report she’s been in her quarters since…?” Quincy halts the reply, looking directly at Syretia. Quincy’s mouth curves into a smile. “Clever… I wonder if they laid this trap before, or after… This is an imposter. Find the real one. Horu, find the egg.”

In spite of her best efforts, Syretia squirms. Her hands grip the Queen’s shot as the human last ordered confirms and begins searching.

They know everything. Kane’s allies knew these people would be prepared. However, none of them seemed to believe the antis would be so well prepared.

Sister… They will kill us both. Free me.

Syretia tenses. The voice… She knows who it is, but it should be impossible. Both of them are shielded in gold right now. If they can speak with each other… has she been wrong about the bond all along? Has the Horde been able to connect to her all this time? She accepts that she is young, but…

Calm yourself, Sister. I understand we’re not allies, but we do share enemies right now.

Syretia grips her own hands behind her back, still trying to hold her facade as the panel chirps with the human trying passwords or other means of breaking the code.

Why would I trust you? You came to kill me. My daughter. My FIRST daughter…

I am well aware. But, my Queen is fascinated by them. The humans, that is. Not these ones, but… They’ve told you, yes? I will never have daughters. Free me now, and I will spare your daughter as well as you.

You’ll harm the humans! And they’ll know I helped you!

You will die if you do nothing. Your daughter will die if you do nothing. I will kill my enemies. My Queen will determine your fate and the fate of your humans. I promise you will live to meet her.

Why would we want that!?

Mmm. Amusement fills the Void Queen’s voice. You seem to be mistaken. The Queen WILL meet whom she chooses. This is a matter of on what terms.

Syretia pauses. She’s not specifically interested in this mysterious special Queen of the Void Queens. It sounds like blasphemy, making it unlikely she actually exists. But then, Syretia will be the first to admit that even she had no idea what a Void Queen was until they met Zeeannssii.

Syretia also knows that she is among the furthest things from a warrior herself. She is more fit and agile than her Blessed Queen sisters, but she still is not agile or strong enough to be a warrior.

Zeeannssii, according to the murmurs of the humans, is an assassin; skilled in martial combat in ways even the Grodrrns struggle with.

D-... I don’t want you to kill anyone…

Then we will all die. You, me, your daughter…

Syretia’s mind is made up already, but she feels pain. It is betrayal, and she would trade her own life for Kane’s trust and affection. She would be forever shamed to disappoint him. However, her egg…

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Please…

Fine… I will not kill them…

Syretia buzzes nervously. She prays softly, “{Forgive me… May the light guide me…}”

She whirls just as the door chirps in confirmation. She darts through the escape panel in the back of her container, scrambling up over the other crates and panels around them to avoid the weapons of the humans firing at her when they try to stop her. “It's escaping!” “Don’t let it get away!”

She doesn’t fire at the humans. Her weapon will obliterate multiple humans at once. It’s an escape weapon.

And she will use it for that purpose. Just, not for herself.

She finds Zeeannssii’s containment just as a human is discovering it, hidden in the far corner of the Garden. The human calls out, “I found the real Vee Cue! Back corner! They tried to hide it!”

“LOOK OUT! THE MOTHER IS COMING!”

He whirls, but Syretia leaps over him from one container to Zeeannssii’s. She scrambles into the tight gap, aiming at the roof of the container. She stays as hidden as the gap will allow, and she fires.

Her weapon thrums almost musically, blasting a deadly cone of hot energy forward. The weapon melts the roof of the containment with little issue, and she prays Zeeannssii wasn’t in the way. The Void Queen is right. If anyone can save the egg, it will be the only warrior in the area that can sense wherever it is.

However, nude as they both are, the divine bond is at their disposal. And also, revealing them.

Syretia can feel a warm tingle coming from the direction of Zeeannssii, however. A strange feeling, but definitely passing across her bond.

The Void Queen flashes through the hole with a powerful jump, launching herself through the air towards the human who is closest. He cries out, firing into the air with his human weapon, but she is too fast, pinning him to the ground. Her attack seems brutal, but she merely pins him to the ground with a hard thud, ripping the gun from his hand. Some blood splashes, but Syretia quickly sees that it is mostly from his fingers.

Unfortunately, Zeeannssii can do a lot of damage and keep her word to the younger Queen.

With that said, though, she pulls human devices -some type of grenade- from the human’s belt, and she pulls pins and scatters them quickly. The grenades detonate in large clouds of smoke, billowing white clouds into the room with wanton disregard for visibility.

Syretia flinches when the Void Queen glances at her, human weapon in hand. But, as the smoke begins to consume her pearlescent form, Zeeannssii flutters her antennae lightly; a reassurring and happy gesture.

From her hidden perch, Syretia can see nothing. But, she can hear.

“Smoke! Ma’am, we need to fall back!”

“Who threw smoke! Harry!?”

“Did you hear that!?”

“Hear what!?”

“Over there!”

“Wait!”

Gunshots fire out, and the humans fall briefly to panic. A voice finally breaks through, “Hold fire! Hold fire!”

“She’s attacking!”

“She’s behind us!”

“We’re trapped!”

“SHUT UP! Calm down and regroup! Horu, any-HRK!” The female voice grunts out, and then screams. More gunshots sound off, and Syretia flinches. She whimpers as she shrinks into her hiding place as much as her body will allow.

Humans cry out and shout for each other, and a few moments later, the noise finally dies down.

Syretia, come to me, quickly.

She could feel the sharp stings her sister felt as shrapnel, melee parries, and perhaps even gunshots hit the Void Queen, but clearly none of them were maiming or incapacitating. Though, Zarakyssns also don’t have a lot of blood to lose, and oxygen poisoning is a risk to them, even if they develop tolerance to breathing it.

Syretia hesitates. Zeeannssii could very easily gun her down as well and escape again, and given the brief snippets the Queen understood, she did just that with the humans she encountered during her last escape.

QUICKLY, Syretia!

She squirms out of her hiding spot, cautiously crawling low and quickly towards the psychic pull she feels. She knows it’s stronger because both Zeeannssii and Syretia’s egg are in the same direction.

She finds Zeeannssii holding the egg protectively, seated on one of the human crates.

The younger, more naive Queen freezes in a sudden shock.

The Void Queen’s leg ends suddenly at the middle joint, dripping blood to the deck. Clasped by her other foot is a human arm. Its former owner is groaning with guttural, uncontrollable sounds. Zeeannssii buzzes wearily, “{Human soldiers are just as aggravating as Grodrrns…}”

Syretia starts toward the infertile Queen, but hesitates. Zeeannssii nods towards the wounded human, “{If you want your human to value you, you should probably save them.}”

The medical Queen glances at the wounded human, and then at Zeeannssii, who has a similarly mortal wound if unchecked.

What is this feeling? Some semblance of loyalty to a sister? A fellow Queen? She pledged loyalty to the humans for the chance to broaden her horizons outside of the dogma of the Horde, but then… is she so different from Zeeannssii? Zeeannssii is not a dogmatic zealot of the Horde, though Syretia still doesn’t quite understand how she fits into it all.

Loyalty to the savior of her egg?

On the flip side, the antis -humans who hate her for being non-human- will never forgive her if she lets one of their own die.

Syretia straightens proudly. She’s not a warrior. But, she is a mastercraft healer of all races.

Syretia quickly darts to the human, dragging him close to Zeeannssii. She pulls the Void Queen to the ground, in spite of the latter’s weakening resistance. “{What are you doing? Don’t be a fool. You’ll trade one human for the one you care about.}”

“{You know a lot, Sister. You are likely far better at almost all things than I am. But, my duty according to the Stones is to preserve life. Preserve life.}” She lines the two up so that their injuries are close, allowing her to work quickly with the fabrics the humans use and stop the bleeding at the very least. With proper tools, she can save the limbs, but she will need to stabilize them for the moment until she can get the two there.

In fact, she should verify everyone else is stable.

She quickly binds and stops the bleeding using the fabric of the human male’s clothes. Fortunately, human fabric is easy to rip, but strong and easy to use. She checks other vitals on both, even as Zeeannssii hums in protest, “{You could prove your loyalty, sister… You know, don’t you…? You know what you’ve done…}”

“{If you mean the divine bond, I am aware. But, the humans will move the fleet. Because, I will tell them the truth.}”

“{They will kill you.}”

“{If that is their decision, then it is a logical one.}” She quickly tends to the other injuries on the Void Queen, adding softly, “{I am hopeful, though. Humans are often as illogical as they are logical.}”

Zeeannssii scoffs, murmuring, “{I know… And now, so does she…}”

Syretia knows that this statement alone is among the most foreboding. It is among the most important things she has to relay to the humans when she can. The “she” in question is undoubtedly this mysterious Queen of Void Queens. And, knowing about the humans’ flaws, strengths, and weaknesses could only mean one thing when coupled with the fact that the fleet’s current location is compromised.

They need to flee quickly.

Syretia turns to address one of the other humans, and she flinches at the presence of massive armored boots. Grodrrn boots. She looks way up to finally see the shocktrooper helmet looking down at her. Terror grips her. It’s not Dzor, but she knows the Grodrrns have a deep-seated hatred of Zarakyssns. Most of the Grodrrns are much older than she is, and many of them have been through direct conflict with the Zarakyssns where friends or parents or children were lost. Unlike the humans, Grodrrns are more logical than illogical. Anger occasionally takes over, but they have a very pragmatic approach to enemies and undesirables; kill them. More than once, the humans have had to talk Grodrrns down from demanding executions of individuals, including one of the Grodrrns suspected of communicating with the Fievegal without permission.

It’s moments like this that Syretia realizes a few things all over again; she’s lucky to be alive at all, and the interrelations of the fleet are extraordinarily complex.

With that said, once more she is alive. The shocktroopers, being effectively retrained by the human soldiers, approach situations with logical Grodrrn minds, but human logical or illogical reactions. This one surveys the area, which has incapacitated humans of both genders, two otherwise untended Zarakyssns of iffy or no loyalty, and two maimings that need dealt with immediately.

Thankfully, Syretia is learning the human language as quickly as possible, and the Grodrrns know it. He states calmly, “Medical. How many?”

Syretia looks around. Most of the humans are unconscious, but red pools of blood signify bleeding injuries she still needs to tend to. She counts the bodies, replying in Zarakyssn, which a shocktrooper likely understands well; “{Five. I need operating room for two, and suturing for the other three. Potential treatments for concussion, mild asphyxiation, and blood loss. Um, Surgery, two; blood five.}” She forgets he has to tell the others on the radio, meaning short and concise go a lot further than full accuracy at times. The shocktrooper nods, making a report over the radio. “Garden secure. Need surgery space in medical for two. Blood or blood sub for four human, one Zarakyssn. Need additional reinforcements at Garden for escort and security.”

Syretia doesn’t have the ears of a Grodrrn or the Cave Queen. She can hear the noise of the reply, but she can’t tell what is said.

The shocktrooper studies the humans, asking, “Humans anti, marine, or both?”

Syretia replies, “{They tricked Kane into leaving, but I think all are… a-anti? The rebels.}”

The Grodrrn nods. “Who will die first?”

She glances at Zeeannssii briefly, who appears to have lost consciousness, or is faking it. Zarakyssn eyes don’t close, so only a trained eye would know at a glance. That said, assassin or not, she knows Zarakyssns are not the hardiest beings when injured, while humans can take a surprising amount of punishment for their relative size.

However, Zeeannssii is also a confirmed enemy and a VERY high risk to the fleet simply being alive. She looks to the dismembered human. She starts to answer, but the shocktrooper states bluntly, “Take the Void Queen and begin. She is unique. Humans are more numerous.”

She is stunned for a moment, but then she realizes why she shouldn’t be. Cold calculus of war; the core of Grodrrn decision making. Zeeannssii may be a threat and an enemy, but she’s also the only one that can give any information on this mysterious queen, as well as potentially dynamics of the Shining Daughters that Syretia is ignorant to.

And, like the humans, this shocktrooper is making his cold calculus regardless of loyalties and factions, and based solely on the situation and the assets at play. Syretia hums nervously, “{A-... Are you sure? She… I…}”

“I am first responder. I must decide. We search for female. This human is male. Less priority. Go. Escorts are coming up the hallway.”

Syretia nods, murmuring tenderly, “{Thank you, um…}”

The Grodrrn snorts, retorting, “‘Shocktrooper’ is human word. Go.”

The young Queen carefully scoops Zeeannssii up, ensuring to bring the severed leg. She has to carry the Void Queen on her back and thorax, but fortunately, the infertile Queen is comparable in weight to a human.

Syretia makes her way quickly to the hallway, nearly bumping into several marines and another shocktrooper as she makes the turn. They aim at her, shouting, “FREEZE!”

Syretia halts. She can’t communicate with humans directly yet. Not without Kane present.

The humans order, “Lower your weapon!”

Syretia cocks her head. She has nothing on her at the moment. She left her Queen's shot in her hiding spot, knowing she dare not let Zeeannssii get hold of it.

Three more humans turn the corner quickly, and one reacts instantly, pumping a shotgun and aiming at the back of the head of the lead soldier aiming at Syretia. The young queen, though very confused, recognizes Chief Grey and Chief Tachibana well enough, as Tachibana also aims at the back of the head of one of the other soldiers. The third person, Syretia is fairly certain, isn’t a marine. He has no weapon, and instead, flinches nervously.

Chief Grey states coldly with his gruff voice, “If you want to keep your thinking-goo from becoming actual goo, I’d lower your weapons.”

“Th-They’re escaping, Chief.”

Grey whispers cryptically, “Then, I trust you to do the right thing, human.”

The soldier quakes with violent and fearful shivers. Grey adds with a serpent-like tone, “That’s right. I know everything.”

“W-W-We’re prepared to…”

“Good, then I’ll speed you alo-...” Just before anything else can happen -if it was going to happen- rifles fall from hands, and the soldiers raise theirs, shouting, “Don’t shoot!”

“Good lads…”

Tachibana pats them down, disarming them of any further weapons as Grey holds them at gunpoint. She calls out, “Syretia, we’re on your side, and I know you can’t answer me verbally. Nod if you’re going to medical.”

Syretia nods her head up and down.

“Are you injured?”

The young Queen shakes her head.

“Good. Keep moving. Rena Coulson, Heloise Coulson, and the Cave Queen will meet you on the way there. We’re consolidating VIPs there. Hurry!”

Syretia nods. She wishes she knew a way to show humans gratitude. But for now, she needs to get Zeeannssii to treatment.

She flinches, though, when she hears Tachibana ask, “Where is Lieutenant Kane?”

A loud alarm blares over the intercom, and a voice calls out, “Hull rupture detected aft galley! Damage control teams! Investigate and begin shoring actions!”

Syretia wishes she knew.

***