...and so, there are many treatises and reflections on power, from thick tomes to one-liners, all trying to convey this simple truth: Power obligates.

--Red Star, in interview

***

Next morning I was eating breakfast in the kitchen. I was having my second bowl of oats and nuts, and while I was munching I was chatting to Eyon about exploding Wasps. I was trying to determine if there was a way to make immediately lethal small drones, and so far the conversation hadn't been encouraging.

So, exploding them is the only way, then?

[It is hard to be both highly lethal, small and survive the encounter. You kind of get to pick two of the three. Most options, from explosives to lasers to force projectors, require a bigger platform to launch from if they are to have the desired effect. You can miniaturize up to a point, but there is a certain minimum amount of energy projection needed to impress, say, a Model Six or Thirteen, much less the higher numbers. You only really begin to be able to cheat at Class III when you get to play with the truly exotic materials, like anti-matter. For now, the options that would be immediately lethal to pretty much any Antithesis would not be survivable for something the size of a Wasp, and packing a launch platform along with the payload would considerably increase their size.]

So, talk to me about self-destructing drones.

[At the size of your Wasps, they wouldn't have a great deal of utility, but increase their size and we begin to have options. You can essentially pack a small grenade's worth of payload into something the size of your Yellowjacket. They should be able to instantaneously disable or kill anything from Model Ones through Tens. Higher Models could be handled with several drones working together. Their effectiveness naturally increases if you intend to make them with Class II munitions payloads, but those tend to require materials costing points to acquire.]

That... doesn't sound very impressive, all in all.

[You are sharply limited by the fact that these features are tacked onto an already quite impressive frame. It is much easier to make a good bomb if you don't desire it to also have eyes and ears, be autonomous and also networkable and, worst of all, fly.]

Right. Well, if I cannot kill immediately, can I go in the other direction, for survivability? How small can hard light projectors be?

[There is some room for exploration there. A drone the size of your Yellowjackets can carry a small hard light projector, although it won't also have the space for a teleportation rig.]

And what kind of power projection would one of those be able to put out?

[One drone should be able to stop a Model Three on it's own, but can only deflect a Six. It would require multiple working in concert to stop one fully.]

That sounds a bit more interesting. What do they cost?

[One-hundred points to buy outright, or two points to produce in the matter reconfigurator, same as the Yellowjackets. The blueprint would be one-thousand points.]

So you're asking me to choose between them and my new suit of armour?

[Essentially, yes. I've already taken it as granted that you're postponing the purchase of the Hard Light Projector in order to produce more drones while you have the time.]

I thought back to my wrestling match with the Nine, then to Katherine and her encounter with the Thirteen. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.

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I'm not going to compromise on my armour. My own safety comes first.

[I am very glad to hear you say that. I shall put the design on hold until such time as you come into more points, then.]

***

While cleaning up after my breakfast, I was searching the building for Katherine. I found her in the gym, of course. I then walked up there, while watching her through the drone that had found her. I felt a little bad about spying on her like this, but it was her own fault for being so eminently spy-upon-able. And hot, I admitted in the sort-of-privacy of my own mind.

Regardless, I soon arrived up there and could spy upon her with my own eyes. That felt a bit lacklustre, since my drone eyes were so much better. Ah, but more angles was a good thing, certainly.

I was interrupted in my observation when she noticed me, wiped sweat off of her brow then cocked a cheeky eyebrow at me.

"How long have you been standing there, then?" She asked.

"Just a short while. I didn't want to interrupt you."

"You should join me instead. Get the blood pumping."

"I think it's doing that already. But I could do some light exercise." I sat down at one of the torture devices and started doing so, then looked back at her.

A short while passed.

"You know, it's a bit creepy when you spy on me like that." She said without preamble.

"You mean, from the door?" I ventured.

"That too, but I meant with your drones."

I stopped my exercise, but didn't say anything. I was a bit lost for words, caught red handed like that.

"It's not that I mind you watching, particularly. It's just... It feels a bit like you're trying to take advantage of me, you know?"

"I'm so sorry Katherine. I didn't think it would..." I ran out of words.

"You didn't think you'd get caught, is more like it." She snorted.

"I..." I sniffed and rubbed my eyes, realizing I'd begun crying. "I feel terrible. I really didn't mean to make you feel bad. I just didn't think, I guess."

"Look, I can understand wanting to look at me. I like looking at you, too. But please announce your presence next time, okay?"

"Of course. That won't happen again, I swear it."

"Good." She said, and and carried on as if nothing had happened. As if I hadn't just violated her trust.

I sat in silence, stewing in my own thoughts, feeling like shit.

"How much longer are you going to be training?" I finally asked in a small voice.

"Just another ten or so minutes. Why do you ask?"

"Do you want pancakes? I'd really like to make you some pancakes."

"I could eat a few." She said with a smile I didn't deserve.

"Okay. I'll be in the kitchen, then. Please come down when you're done."

"Sounds good!"

I turned to leave, taking my drones with me.

***

I was just about done with the first pancake when Katherine arrived. She went over to a fridge and grabbed a jug of cold water, then sat down on a stool by one of the kitchen tables, poured herself a glass and emptied it.

"Smells delicious." She said.

I scooped up the pancake, then flipped it onto a plate and served it to her with vanilla ice cream.

"Looks delicious, too." She said and took a bite. She chewed for a bit, then took another.

I started making a second pancake.

"Are you giving me the silent treatment? If anything I should be doing that to you." She said with a wry smile.

I took a deep breath. "I didn't realize what I was doing." I started. "I haven't had much power over others before, and it turns out the moment I have it, I misuse it. I really am sorry."

"Hey Sylvi, it's okay."

"It will be. I'll do better." I flipped the pancake. "Please help me do better? I'm scared of how else I might misuse my power as a Valkyrie."

"Of course. If you promise to do the same for me. We can be each others moral compass."

"I'll try my best." I said sincerely.

She continued eating pancake, and for a while we were silent.

"This is really good, you know." She said. "I could get used to this kind of apology."

"Please don't joke about this. I'll make you pancakes anytime you want, but I don't want to have to apologize to you ever again, if I can help it."

"That doesn't sound very realistic."

"I know. Still, I want to try."

"Okay. Thank you, Sylvi."

I nodded and served her another pancake.

***

After eating pancakes, Katherine left to take a shower, while I cleaned up after myself in the kitchen. I then sat down in a couch in the common room, intending to distract myself with some light reading. As it turned out, I couldn't really concentrate. A while later, Katherine came back down and sat down next to me on the couch. I tentatively stretched out my hand between us, and she took my hand in hers, then stroked her thumb over mine. We sat like that for a few minutes until I'd made up my mind, then scooted a bit closer to her and leaned up against her, my head on her shoulder.

"I really like you, Katherine." I said in a low voice.

There was a pause.

"I like you too, Sylvi."