In the cargo hold, the Plath gamers, the matron, and the brewer were all having a meeting as they "cowered in fear."

"If Fun Time is any indication," Geelshan said, "If I can get on top of one, I can take them, especially if I can get something in my hand."

"The rest of us could possibly double team or triple team another," Ulennona added, "That would get us two boarding stunners and two sidearms. It also looks like all of them have stun rods and probably have knives if they are humans."

"In a fast engagement," Ynellosan, the captain of the spacers, mused, "those stunners are as good as a rifle, right?"

"They are better," Ullennona replied, "Any hit from a stunner will put you down, even if it just wings you. We will have either taken the ship or been taken out long before anyone hit by those starts to even think about getting back up," he said.

"If you can take two of them," the leader of the RTS team said, "then the rest of us could probably—"

"Bad idea," Geelshan said, cutting him off. "Their long arms are stunners, but those pistols are 7.62. They are very, very real. Unless you have VR sim or actual hand-to-hand experience, you'll die."

"And there are too many people in here for stray shots," Ynellosan added.

"I can probably take one," the brewer said, "at least one."

"You can?" Ulennona asked.

She nodded and stroked her beads.

"These aren't just for show," she said.

"That the whole library?" Matron Shuushan asked.

"That would be impossible," the brewer smiled, "but without being semantic, yes. I have what we usually have."

There was a whine, and the ship shuddered, causing all of the Plath to feel strange.

"Was that what I think it was?" Geelshan asked dubiously.

"We just jumped," Ynellosan replied.

"Is that going to affect things?" the leader of the RTS team asked.

"Nah," Ynellosan replied, "If anything, it makes things simpler. As of now, we no longer exist within reality as we know it. Our entire universe is now this ship."

"Will a fight mess anything up?"

"As long as we don't damage the hyperdrive," Ynellosan replied, "We need that to re-enter normal space. Other than that, we are okay. The entire jump is already loaded into the drive's internal computers. We can even blow up the navcomp, and it will still…"

Her eyes glazed over.

"We cannot be taken by the bavnee..." she hissed quietly.

Everyone quietly hissed in agreement.

"Does taking out the hyperdrive have a higher chance of success than taking the ship?" Ullennona asked in a strange voice as his eyes fully dilated.

"Significantly more so," Ynellosan replied as her eyes turned black. "Only one of us would have to reach it."

All of the group's eyes fully dilated, turning them as black as the void.

"How easy is it to damage?" another hissed.

"Very," the spacer's engineer replied.

"If we can save the children, we will," Ullennona said, "but if we can't, we make for the engine room, all of us, and wreck the drive."

***

A sleek steel dart shot through the sky of the Plath homeworld, not that anyone could see it.

It flew silently and at hypersonic speed, then snapped to a halt high above a tiny cottage in the woods.

On board were six Plath females wearing cloaks.

"No abnormal life signs detected or sensed," one of them said.

The craft quickly and silently descended, revealing a wrecked garden filled with dead animals.

The Plath looked at each other and nodded, each pulling out a strange looking long arm made of wood and crystal.

The crystals started to glow malevolently…

***

"I think," Ulennona said with a quiet smile, "that we have something."

The group all nodded.

"Does everyone understand what is required of them?"

The group all hissed and smiled.

"Captain," Ulennona said, "go over the layout of this vessel one more time, please.

***

"Mother," one of the six Darkwhisperers said into a gilded communicator, "you were correct."

“That… huh… That is unfortunate..."

"I'm sorry, Mother," the Plath replied. "There is a sign of quite the struggle, but there are no Plath, the matron, or the others, and signs of a ship lifting off."

"Others?"

"There were several other Plath here," the sister standing outside the cottage replied, "Based on the equipment we found in an underground chamber, they were likely gamers."

There was a chuckle over the communicator.

"That sounds about like her."

"The attackers were using stun weapons, so it appears that abduction was their goal."

There was a long low hiss from the Mother Superior.

"Do we have any idea who did this?"

"Yes," the Plath replied, "they were human, most likely Terran."

"Do we have confirmation?"

The Plath looked over at a comrade who was holding a small rodent-like creature in her hand. The rodent was squeaking excitedly, jumping up and down and gesturing with its little paws.

"Yes, Mother."

***

In a chamber surrounded by walls formed by living wood, a small group of Plath sat around a small table stocked with goblets of wine and trays of snacks.

"It is always lovely to see all of you," said a Plath wearing a plain grey robe made of thick, luxuriant spider silk, "It is truly a pity that it is under such unfortunate circumstances."

He turned to the old Plath shepherdess, now wearing a green robe inset with thread of gold leaves.

"I am so sorry that this misfortune has befallen you."

The Mother Superior waved dismissively.

"Matron Shuushan always has possessed an affinity for trouble," she smiled fondly, "even as neophytes, she was always dragging me into one mess or another. However, this time I may throttle her should I get my hands upon the wench."

The group all chuckled. "Do we have confirmation that it was the Terrans?" a Plath wearing glasses and plain but sturdy clothes asked.

The Mother Superior nodded and sipped her wine. She paused and raised the glass towards an older Plath wearing a leather apron who smiled and nodded.

She turned to the group.

"Yes," she said, "initial witness testimony was confirmed by an inquisition team who found hair and skin fragments that indicate Terran, not Federation origin."

She smiled.

"It seems that one of the gamers was a biter," she said as the group chuckled.

"How many times is that now?" asked a woman wearing brown-colored robes with birds in silver thread.

"I've lost track," the abbot replied. "I've also lost patience."

He picked up a small piece of bread and held it up, followed by everyone else at the table...

...almost everyone else.

"A moment before we consume hatred," the bespectacled Plath said, "I have a proposal for another course of action."

"Oh?" the abbot inquired, lowering his piece of bread.

"We do nothing," the Plath smiled, "absolutely nothing."

"What?"

"We let this play out and see where it goes," the Plath smiled, "I think it will be fun… and most informative."

"Have you lost your pooping mind?" the Plath in the brown robe asked in a less than supportive tone.

"Far from it," the Plath with glasses replied, "we are forgetting one small but significant detail."

"Out with it, Mel," the woman in the robe said impatiently.

"Sheloran," the other replied, "there is some question among some of us concerning whether or not she is not only an incarnation but the incarnation. If she is the 'dark guardian,' then, in accordance to the Final Prophecy of the Heretic, she will deal with it and thus prove whether or not she is actually the one… or at least provide another data point."

"But at what cost?" the shepherdess asked, "If those Terran bavnee actually capture some of us, it violates the greater commandments of security as well as is not only an attack but a direct violation of those who slumber!"

"Then we deal with the Terrans," the scholarly Plath replied," all of them. The Terrans will not share what they may or may not learn from our people, nor will they learn it immediately. We have time. Time enough for the brewers to craft another culture for yet another Terran pest."

The brewer smiled a cruel smile and nodded.

"I will need a few Terrans," he said, "humans at least."

"Human smugglers profane our world regularly," the abbot said as he ate a cracker with dozens of tiny candied flowers on top of it, "spreading their vile games and other obscenities. It will be a small matter to obtain a few. Will that suffice?"

"Yes," the brewer nodded and reached for a small loaf stuffed with greenery.

"What of that plague they are suffering?" the woman in the brown robe asked. "Would that help?"

"That laughable bavnee garbage?" the brewer asked, "I thought you wanted a real plague. Give me those bavnee and a few weeks, and I shall present you with a masterwork. Those bavnee better pray that Sheloran is the incarnation, for if she is not, hell awaits. No… We await."

The table all hissed and smiled.

"It sounds like we are in agreement," the shepherdess said as she raised her goblet.

They all raised their goblets.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

They drank.

"Well, now that unpleasantness is settled," the abbot smiled, "Let's eat!"

The group all started eating, laughing, and chatting amicably.

"We should all get together like this more often," one of them said happily, "you know, when the world isn't screaming."

***

"Now prepare yourself," Ullennona said to Ynellosan, "this is going to look really bad."

"It's going to be really bad," Geelshan said cheerfully, "right, Ullennona? You need to sell this. Don't hold back."

"I won't."

"Are you sure about this?" Ynellosan asked anxiously.

"It will be fine," Geelshan replied.

"Well, okay..."

"Are you sure you are okay with the sacrifice you will have to make?" Geelshan grinned.

Ynellosan blushed from head to toe. She was more than okay with it.

"You need to 'sell' your part too," Geelshan grinned, elbowing her. "You don't hold back either!"

Ynellosan nearly turned purple.

"Come on, Geelshan," Ullennona said quietly, "Don't mak—"

Geelshan reached out and firmly clamped Ullennona's mouth shut.

"Shut your mouth and learn to take a flushing hint, moron," Geelshan whispered into his ear. "There is an outside chance we might survive. Don't fuck this up."

"Fuck what up?"

Geelshan looked over at Ynellosan, sighed, patted her on the shoulder sympathetically, and just walked off shaking her head.

A little while later, one of the humans behind the riot barriers looked at the group of Plath.

"Hey!" he said to his companion. "We are two short!"

"No, we aren't," his companion smirked. "Thing one and thing two are behind over there under those blankets."

She held up her scanner showing two naked Plath in an impassioned embrace.

"It seems that someone doesn't want to die a virgin," she chuckled, "and thing number three over there..."

She nodded over at Geelshan, who was glaring at the blankets that everyone else was pointedly ignoring.

"Is NOT happy with it."

"Is he putting his tongue in her gills?" the first guard asked as he looked at the scanner, "and where is his… Oh, that's just wrong!"

"I wonder if they lay eggs," his companion mused.

After emerging from the blankets, Ullennona and Ynellosan made a rather obvious walk of shame back to the group and sat together, cuddling as Geelshan visibly got angrier and angrier.

Another Plath tried to talk to Geelshan only to get shoved roughly away as Geelshan glared at Ullennona, who returned her glare for a moment only to turn his back on her and cuddling Ynellosan again who glanced over at her crew and happily gave them a "thumbs up" causing Geelshan to storm off and sit alone with her back to everyone.

Soon, it was time for a meal, and the humans distributed pouches full of small sealed plastic packages that the Plath all glumly opened, removing the bleak contents.

Using the paper utensils, the group started eating the rations with depressed sighs. To be fair, the rations weren't bad at all, but for people used to fresh, high-quality garden-grown veggies, they sucked.

However, two Plath were still giggling and happy as they ate, snuggling and feeding each other.

Tenderly, Ynellosan reached up and stroked Ullennona's gills in front of everyone!!!

Unable to contain herself any longer, Geelshan threw her food aside.

"You promised yourself to me!!!" she bellowed and charged the couple." I'll kill you, you whore!!!"

Ullennona jumped in the way, and in the moments before the guards, rendered bored and complacent after days of the Plath just sitting there crying, could get their stunners ready, a vicious scuffle broke out.

Geelshan bit Ullennona's arm. Screeching, he shoved her off, hard, causing her to stumble head first into a supporting ridge splitting the skin of her head and sending blood flying.

Geelshan slumped to the ground.

"Oh, God!" Ullennona shrieked. "Geelshan!"

"AAAAAAAAA!!!" Ynellosan shrieked and started running about, crying hysterically.

Soon all of the Plath were doing the same, shrieking as loud as they could and crying.

"Help!!!" Ullennona screamed, "Somebody help!!! I didn't mean it!!! It was an accident!!! Help!!! AaaaaAAa!"

"Stop!" one of the guards shouted, "Everybody calm down!"

"Murder!" a Plath howled as they ran past the guards. "EEEEEEEEEEE"

In the chaos, the brewer stroked her beads, causing a few to detach and stick to her pad. She dropped them into her juice box, which then emitted a faint hiss. She then held her pad over the hole as she ran about, shaking the juice as she did so.

"EVERYBODY STOP!!!" the other guard shouted.

"What's going on back there?!?" a voice shouted over the intercom.

"Oh, Prophet!!!" Ullennona howled, "I'm a murderer!!!"

He seized a paper chopstick from somebody's pouch.

"Prophet!" He shouted. "Please accept my unclean soul and forgive the unforgivable!" he screamed as he started trying to stab himself in the heart with a weapon wholly unsuited to the task.

"You!" a guard shouted at Ullennona, "Stop that!"

Ullennona, trying desperately not to laugh, screamed, "Why isn't this working!?!"

The guard leveled his stun rifle at him.

"Yes!" Ullennona shouted, "Prophet! I'm coming! Forgive me!"

He charged the guard, who promptly shot him, the stun bolt knocking him flat.

This caused all the Plath to scream and run even faster, literally bouncing off the walls. A couple of the children started to laugh, but nobody noticed.

The doors to the bay opened as more of the crew entered.

"They are coming to kill us!" a Plath screamed, causing the group to "panic."

" Calm the fuck down, or we will start stunning!" the captain shouted through a loudspeaker.

"Hey!" one of the humans shouted, "What the fuck are you doing?!?"

Running up the hall was a human female holding a light machine gun. It was going down… now, and she was going to put a stop to it before something horrible happened.

"Stand down!" the captain shouted.

"They are going to kill us!" the woman shouted hysterically, "They are going to worse than kill us! It's not just us! They are—"

zap

The woman fell, the LMG falling to the ground.

"You!" the captain shouted, "Lock her up… somewhere."

"Yes, One!" the man exclaimed as he started to drag the woman down the corridor.

"You!" he shouted to someone else, "Secure that!"

"Sir!" a woman shouted, picked up the LMG, and trotted off.

The disappointment from the cargo hold was immense.

"Follow me!" he shouted to the two remaining.

"Cover us!" he shouted at the two very confused guards behind the riot shield.

"Sir!"

Then, the leader and his two companions entered the hold, and one of them scanned Geelshan.

"It's pretty bad, sir," the man said after a moment, "probable concussion… possibly fractured skull..."

"Jesus Christ," the leader grumbled. "grab her. Let's get her to the medbay and see what—"

He was cut off by the "zap" of a stunner bolt as a screaming Plath got too close to the group.

"Let's go," he sighed as they started to leave.

He paused at Ullennona and reached down. He picked him up and slung him over the shoulder.

"Sir," one of the guards behind the riot barriers asked. "what do we do about the Plath?"

"The more we do, the more freaked out they will get," he shouted over the screaming, "let them tire themselves out. Stun anyone who looks like they will hurt themselves or someone else.

"Yes, sir."

***

As the Plath in the hold continued to freak out, the remaining members of the Hillfern Gunners ran about carefully, searching the hold for something, anything, they could use.

There wasn't much. They had pretty much completely stripped down the hold. There was only a pile of blankets, and that was about it.

Jakkon, their "tech," suddenly grinned.

He sprinted up to Illandrain, one of their best overall fighters.

He hugged her, and they both tried to hide against a wall.

"You know those meal packets they give us?"

"Yeah?"

"They are lined with foil, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Those riot barriers use a serious electromagnetic pulse AND microwave energy."

"Yeah?"

Jakkon sighed.

"Pulse make packet hot. Food go boom."

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Illandrain laughed.

"Probably won't do much," Jakkon replied, but it will make some noise.

"Will it take down the barrier?"

“Nope,” Jakkon replied. "They are built to withstand stuff like that. They can discharge constantly. However, they are not designed for someone to be standing so close. They recommend three meters, minimum."

"Why?"

"Because of people throwing shit into them," Jakkon grinned.

"Spread the word," Illandrain replied, grinned, and ran off screaming.

***

Ullennona was conscious before he even was laid onto an exam table.

He was right. Their stunners didn't work on Plath all that well. He had been shot before, on a dare, at a gaming meet. He knew these would hit harder, and they did, but it wasn't the devastating multi-hour knockout punch the Terrans expected.

He cracked open an eye.

He was right again.

Every human was clustered around Geelshan. She needed to "sell it," and she sold it. Ullennona actually wondered if she had seriously hurt herself this time. Of course, after the weirdness started setting in, Geelshan getting hurt and, more importantly, staying hurt was becoming more and more difficult. Even deep cuts were sealing back up scarily fast.

"She was lucky," a human said as Geelshan was lying in one of their healing tubes, the top, praise the Creators, still open. "Looks like she hit the support at a glancing angle, not dead on. It ripped the fuck out of her scalp, but the skull looks intact. I swear I saw a fracture when we were in there."

"Who knows," their leader replied with a shrug, "it was crazy in there. What about her brain?"

"I have no idea," the other guy replied. "I don't see any damage or bleeding… maybe a little swelling… but nothing that jumps out at me."

"I thought you were some sort of expert."

"I am," the man replied, "but there is very little data on the Plath. Literally everything we know comes from one individual and a few scans. Speaking of," he said. "Mind if I do some more detailed scans of these two?"

"Feel free," the leader replied, "Be sure to keep an eye on lover boy over there. Sedate him if you need to."

He turned to the other human.

"Stay here with him," the leader said, "just in case he decides to do anything else stupid."

"Yes, sir."

The leader walked out.

Ullennona assessed the situation. He and Geelshan were now on the other side of the door, the main security barrier. There were two people in the medical bay, not one, and he did not know if Geelshan was actually unconscious, sort of unconscious, or wide awake.

He also did not know exactly when all hell was going to break loose in the cargo hold and only roughly when. That should draw at least one guard, hopefully, leaving it two to one in the medbay if Geelshan was recovered or one on one if she wasn't…

...one on one versus an armed human was not something he was especially keen to do.

It was what it was. They were rolling now with decent enough position.

Soon, it would all become a blur like it always was…

...except this time, it was real.

***

"Thank God they finally settled down," one of the guards in the hold said as he watched the Plath huddled together, eating…

… and gathering any unopened food pouches and condiment packages.

"Yeah," the other guard said as she cradled her stunner. "Fuck… I knew Jan hated the little things, but she was about to fucking kill them all."

"Yeah," the other guard replied, "She's fu—"

Suddenly all of the conscious Plath lept to their feet, ran forward a couple of steps, and threw the food packs…

… and one foil-lined juice box.

BOOM

The cargo hold echoed from multiple blasts as the sealed ration packs exploded and the juice box blew apart, its contents turning into a fine mist.

The two guards staggered back, stunned, and then, moments later, started clutching at their faces and screaming.

Soon, they were motionless.

Jakkon looked over at the brewer.

"What the fuck was in that juice box?!?"

"You really want to wipe off their gear before you use it," the brewer replied.

***

boom

What the fuck was that?!? everyone in the medbay thought, including the two Plath.

Oh, you little shits did it now! echoed through the ship. All hands! To the cargo hold! Stun anything that moves. Shoot anything that gets close!

Both people in the medbay turned to leave.

That was a mistake.

Geelshan lept from the tube, knocking down the man examining her, grabbed the scanner that landed nearby, and started repeatedly slamming it down upon his head.

The guard tried to turn again, only for Ulennona to land on his shoulders where he, using his pads, jammed them into the guard's eyes and then pulled his arm back hard, first tilting the guard's head back and then pulling out his eyes which were still firmly adhered to Ulennona's fingerpads.

Ulennona then kicked off, sending the guard, staggering and screaming, against the wall. A second later, a stunner bolt from the guard's own stunner hit him in the chest, dropping him.

Five seconds after that, both Geelshan and Ulennona had a stunner, pistol, and knife each.

A second later, the stunned guard's blood was spilling from a slit throat.

The captain and a crewman sprinted past.

The leader paused.

The cargo hold door was still closed…

...that meant…

He whirled around just as a stunner bolt cut both him and his companion down.

A crewman sprinted around the corner and immediately opened fire with his stunner, dropping Geelshan, and was in turn dropped by Ullennona.

That just left one crewman and Ullennona.

Where were they?

The bridge? Maybe, maybe not. Their leader was probably on the bridge, and he's now lying in the corridor, Ullennona thought as he retreated into the medbay and crouched at the entrance.

He pressed his ear against the metal wall.

running

He readied his stunner. They were good and would not miss. He was good, and he would not miss.

He sighed in frustration. Why did every high-stakes tournament end up like this, a 1 v 1 coin toss?

He hated these.

His position sucked. The enemy would see the hall full of bodies and wouldn't cross his line of fire unless he was stupid. He didn't have time to advance to the next corner.

He steadied his breathing and focused everything on his hearing.

The footsteps came closer and closer and then stopped.

Now!

Ullennona quickly leaned out from the open hatchway. As he acquired the other guy, he saw that the human already had his stunner moving in an attempt to acquire him.

Ullennona would lose.

He jerked back into the medbay as a stunner bolt tore through the space his head was a moment before.

He was trapped in there.

He discarded the rifle and pulled out the pistol. It had a higher rate of fire.

Stunner bolt after stunner bolt fired through the medbay door. The human was laying down his own suppressive fire as he advanced.

Ullennona watched the bolts fly past, observing their angle. He briefly closed his eyes, feeling everything around him. He could feel pressure, a ripple in… something... moving his way.

Keeping his eyes closed, he stuck his hand out and fired "blindly" down the corridor twice.

He opened his eyes.

The stunner bolts had stopped, replaced by moaning.

He peeked out.

Laying against the wall was the final crewman, one hole in his chest and his leg blown open by an explosive round.

The human weakly tried to reach for his own sidearm as Ullennona stepped out into the corridor and looked at him with strangely compassionate eyes.

"GG," Ullennona said politely as he raised his pistol and fired, sending the human's brains flying against the wall.

Silence fell over the vessel, broken only by the hysterical terror-filled screams of the only human left conscious who, locked in a supply locker, could almost see what would happen next.

***

The Cerberus strike leader opened his eyes. He was lying, hands and feet bound, on the bloody floor of the medbay next to several of his team, the ones who were left alive.

He snarled at the two Plath standing over them.

"Sleep well?" Ullennona asked as he leaned over him.

"Fuck you, xeno!"

"You know," Ullennona replied, "You came into our system, and in this ship, you are the definite minority… well… you are now. Technically you are the xeno."

The human spat at Ullennona, getting his trouser leg.

"I'm glad to see that we are getting along so well," Ullennona replied, "and since we are, would you mind giving us the passwords and command codes for this ship, or at least the cargo hold door. I miss my friends."

"I'm not giving you shit!"

"I was hoping you would say that."

"Do your worst!" the human sneered, "You can't do nothing that hasn't already been done before… to any of us! Either be a good little xeno and cut me loose, and I'll kill you quick, or you and all of your little frog shit friends will die out here."

"Challenge accepted," Ullennona smiled as he started to look around the medical bay.

"Let me," Geelshan chuckled, "I think I finally figured out what my ability to talk to animals is for..."

***

Sheloran looked at Craxina and an oddly attractive man floating in front of a holo screen in horror.

"You mean… The attack on you… on all of you… was backed by Cerberus?!?" she squeaked.

"Afraid so," the man replied, "and I should know. Pam set the whole thing up with the pretext of trying to flush you out, but you and I both know it was purely to hurt you. She was instrumental in getting the Harkeen into the system and paid them as well."

"And you are Cerberus?"

"Yep."

Hisssssssss

"He was the one who warned us!" Craxina exclaimed, physically shielding Bryce almost as if Sheloran actually could reach through the screen. "He sacrificed himself for us!"

"I couldn't do it," Bryce replied, "I just… couldn't…" he said with anguished eyes, "after everything I've done… it was too much… Craxi… and all the others… for no reason… I…”

He shook his head.

Sheloran's glare softened a little.

"So I tipped off the Careel," he replied, "So, since the information is already out there, and you are going to hear about it sooner or later, I figured I would tell you to your face. I am also authorized to tell you that Craxi and the girls are safe. Pam's been demoted and is just another prisoner, and the director has been replaced because of all this. And, from what I hear, you should call Baxlon."

"Who says he's really sorry, by the way," Craxina added.

"He says that everything is pretty much cleared up if you don't get into any more trouble. You don't even have to turn yourself in first. You might not know it, Sheloran, but this has gotten about as public as something can get. Everyone down here just wants it to be over. You can come home."

"You will forgive me if I confirm that," Sheloran said suspiciously.

"Of course," Bryce, "I'm just a messenger here… and Craxina's bodyguard. We really don't want anything to happen to her or the girls. The fucking Empress is asking questions!"

"Hmmm..." Sheloran replied. "Craxi, I am so happy you and the girls are safe!"

"We are!" Craxi exclaimed, "And business is going great! Things are nuts!… and dicks! Heheheh"

Sheloran smiled despite herself.

"I will be in touch again soon," Sheloran smiled. "Take care of yourself, Craxina."

"You too!" Craxi exclaimed, "Bye!"

Sheloran buried her face in her hands and started weeping.

It was over… This… poop… was finally over.

"Well, shit," Gloria said as she opened a beer. "You know what? I'm not even going to hold you to our deal. You have an out. Fucking take it. Just tell me about my ship before you bail."

Sheloran just nodded.

"Damn, Sheloran," Bunny said happily. "You're popular today. There is another darknet post for you… From somebody called the Hillfern Gunners."

"I think I remember selling them some stuff," Sheloran replied, "that's a Plath name, anyhow."

"Then this just got a lot more interesting."

Sheloran felt a sense of dread building.

"Why?" she asked dubiously.

"Because it's coming from a ship, not the homeworld."

"The poop?!?"

"I take it that you want me to track them down?"

"With every fiber in my stubby little tail, I don't," Sheloran sighed, wiping the tears from her face, "but do it anyway."

***

Sheloran sat there, her face twitching.

"They were very… forthcoming… in the end," Ullennona smirked. "Their leader's name was Timmy. He really missed his mommy. He was really, really sorry and promised to never do it again. Oh, and he and his little friends worked for the Terrans."

Sheloran hissed.

"Did he mention the word 'Cerberus' at any time during his pooping life's story?"

"You've heard of them!"

Hissssssssssss...

"Aaaaaaaaa!" she screamed in agony.

Sheloran cried out in pain as the skin of her eyes started to ripple violently, squirting a burning wax under her eyelids.

The homeworld has been violated! The sacred slumber has been disturbed! The children of the prophet have been stolen! The bavnee defy the Pla'koth! You will...

She felt her will start to slip. The monster clawed at her mind. As the shouting in her mind faded away into numbness as she started shouting in a language dead for millions of years, causing the Plath on the other side of the screen to howl and cover their ears in terror.

You need to choose right fucking now... Gloria's voice rang out in her mind.

A flood of images washed over her, horrible scene after horrible scene.

One thing was certain. This was the last fight she would ever have with the monster. If it won right now, she would never win again.

An image of her in a mirror with eyes filled with swirling color and absolutely nothing behind them as flames burned all around her…

No.

Now listen here! she thought as she clutched her eyes.

I'm in charge. You aren't the monster. I am. You aren't in control. I am. I don't want to be. I want nothing more than just to sell coffee. I don't even want to sell games anymore… just… coffee...

She glared at the whirling, twisting mass of color in her mind.

I don't get to make that choice. But, I do pooping get this one...

I am in control. I decide what's next. I decide exactly who my people are and who they are NOT.

I am the monster!…

I am the Befouler!!!

The swirling ball of colors radiated pleasant satisfaction.

It's about pooping time, It responded with an oddly warm feminine voice…

...and disappeared.

"Oh, she's going Yellowstone for real this time," Gloria called out, every hair on her body standing on end. "Forget the stun rifles! Bring zap grenades! Just throw them in here! I'm not fucking kidding! Yellowstone! Yellowstone! Yellowstone!"

The strange language stopped.

Sheloran raised her head and opened her eyes…

...revealing two terrifyingly clear amber eyes, flecked with green, that somehow scared Gloria far more than the acid trip ones.

The Plath on the screen were chanting and on their knees.

"Oh, stop that!" Sheloran squeaked. "And stand up for poop's sake. I'm just Sheloran, not whatever that pond scum you guys were chanting."

"Your orders… Sheloran?" Ullennona asked as he rose.

"Don't worry about Cerberus," Sheloran said as a short squirt of color washed over her eyes, "They are mine and will learn who not to mess with! You need to..."

She paused as she made a realization about both them and herself.

"Can you guys still go home? I mean… can you go back?"

"I… I don't know..." Ullennona replied. "I've… we've killed… for real."

"And we have a ship!" a female Plath exclaimed, "A real pooping ship! And there's… somewhere we need to go?"

" If anyone can go back home," Sheloran said after a moment, "then they should. It's… It's not nice out here. If you can go back, you are a pooping idiot if you don't. Take anyone who can go home, home. Once you do that, get back in touch with me the same you just did. I'll send you some money to get you started and may have some ideas to help you out."

"We thought we might come to the Republic..."

"You mean the pooping Republic that flushing just violated the homeworld?" Sheloran hissed, "Don't come here. It's all lies. Once I deal with Cerberus once and for pooping all, I'm probably leaving as well… But we have time to figure all of that out later. Right now, get our… get your people home. Call me after that, and we can talk."

"Yes, Sheloran," Ullennona said respectfully.

"Sheloran?" Sheila asked uncertainly, "you okay?"

"Bunny, could you please get me a connection to Tartarus Detention Facility."

"Boss?" Bunny asked dubiously.

"Sure," Sheila shrugged.

"Tartarus detention facility," a pleasant female voice answered with no image appearing. "Hello, unregistered darknet connection. Do you wish to speak to an inmate?"

"This is Sheloran the Plath," Sheloran replied in a high-pitched but commanding voice, "You've stolen my freedom, sabotaged my case, attacked my girls, and now you've violated my homeworld and stolen my people? You want me? Well… YOU POOPING GOT ME!!! Tell whatever chickenpoop jerkface that's in charge that I'm coming for them."

Sheloran hung up.

Tartarus "smiled" as the call ended.

This was going to be fun!