“Mistress von Eisstahl,” the Chief of Security asked from behind her, “I would need an explanation.”
Alexandra had wholly ignored the man’s existence as they made their way towards the Command Centre. She had been so riled up and in too much of a hurry to fix this mess that she had simply forgotten that the restrained Chief was walking a step behind her. There was also the issue of him being a potential crony of Tharks, but that excuse felt flimsy even to her. Alexandra did owe him an explanation regardless of where his actual loyalties may lie. After all, the man knew the station inside-out, and there was no doubt he also knew every little illicit thing happening on it. On top of that, from what little she could piece together, it appeared that Donovan Rex had retained control over the majority of security staff, as surprising as it was. And as loath as she was to admit it, he could become quite a valuable asset in the long run after a bit of training from her Innari. She would have preferred an official briefing, but her arrival wasn’t exactly under normal conditions.
“Major Khalid, I need to have a word with Security Chief Rex.” Alexandra watched as the shock troopers slowed their pace, moving a couple of steps behind her before she turned to face the agitated Donovan. “Chief Rex, Overseer Tharks has been charged with too many crimes for me to list right now. It suffices that the Council tasked me to arrest him so that he may face judgment. Furthermore, I am to assume the role of Overseer effective immediately.”
“Are we to be replaced as well?” There was fear and suspicion in Donovan’s eyes, even if he hid it from his voice.
“The security staff of mining complex Last Hope is to be purged from disloyal elements, yes.” There was no point to hide the obvious from him. “The Innari are here to ensure that happens quickly and quietly. Or that was the original plan, but you people had to mess that too.”
“And what would be the classification for disloyal elements, Mistress von Eisstahl?” Alexandra scowled at the challenge in his voice. “From where I stand, that appears to be open for interpretation.”
He was worried about his neck. Undoubtedly, he had fingers dipped in some sort of illegal contraband set up amongst the miners and science staff. Technically, Alexsandra’s evidence against Donovan Rex consisted of a gut feeling, a spotty Academy record and the fact that there was an ongoing civil war on the station. In other words, she had nothing.
“You can drop the official lingo, Chief. Alexandra or Miss von Eisstahl will do just fine.”
“Right…” Donovan’s face turned a sour expression before going back to the usual dumb one he had worn since they left the docking platform. “Well, Miss von Eisstahl, would you care to answer my question, or am I supposed to be an obedient dog?”
“Let me be clear, Chief Rex,” Alexandra spoke in the tone she used when ordering around the neophytes at the Academy. “I can and will be polite as long as our conversation remains civil. Your crimes are too minor for me to take an interest in them. I am not a Persecutor; I am a Knight Protector.”
She gave him a moment to process the words and continued. “I can even overlook this fiasco as long as you cooperate. Overstep the line, and I will not bother with a trial. Is that clear?”
“Perfectly.” Donovan scoffed. “In the spirit of being painfully blunt, I have to warn you, Alexandra.” The way he stressed her name irritated her.
It was clear he was about to make a threat of his own. She had to give him credit for his courage, as foolish as that was. It was rare for someone to dare speak to her in such a manner, and she had to admit it felt refreshing. As a Knight Protector, she had spent too much time being surrounded by two-faced conniving opportunists. That didn’t stop her hand from taking hold of the decorative sword on her waist.
“If you want to go with that stupid idea of yours to conduct a Purge, I won’t stop you.” There was a fire in his eyes and something else Alexandra couldn’t pin. “One of every ten men who hasn’t switched sides is in Oliver’s pocket, and I doubt you’ve brought a large enough purse to change that.” She got it now. It was defeat.
Despite that, Donovan’s words painted a bleak picture. As soon as she dealt with the Commodore’s rebellion, Alexandra would become a prisoner in all but name the moment the Innari departed. The Knight Protector wasn’t delusional to think that the elite troopers would remain by her side during her exile, and she knew for a fact that her battle frame was too large to go through most of the corridors, something that Donovan had apparently realised as well. Her reputation would keep the few remaining guards in line for a while, but that was just it, only for a while. Not before long, they would start to conspire against her and without friends, a remote mining complex was a very dangerous place.
“Replacement staff will be drafted from the Academy once I submit the recruitment forms,” Alexandra countered, pretending that she had some sort of a master plan.
“Right, right,” Donovan smiled and leaned closer to her, the fear gone from him. “Let me share this with you before you learn it the hard way. This is Last Hope. No one gives a damn what happens here. Last time I asked for fresh recruits, all I got was a fifty-kilo girl, so fresh from the Academy, she was yet to sober up from the graduation ceremony.”
“The only reason the Council has sent you, the famous Knight Protector Alexandra von Eisstahl, to this damned place is because you have screwed up badly. Just. Like. Every. One. Of. Us.” Each word hammered into her mind as the sound of an executioner’s shot.
She had to admit it; she had underestimated the Chief. He was a smarter man than she had thought. Alexandra had allowed his appearance to fool her, and coming to the mining complex in such a rush without preparing replacement staff had been a mistake.
“What caused this?” The Knight asked, trying to put her thoughts in order. Now was not the time to let her emotions get the best of her. “Why did Commodore Neverok abandon the UR?”
“Cause of you.” Donovan stepped back, a sad smile on his face. “That old bastard has way too many secrets locked up here on Lost Hope, and so far, no one’s ever bothered to check what he’s been up to.”
From the files she had access to, Alexandra knew that Alexei Neverok was an odd specimen, even for a Commodore. His early career was marred by reprimands from his superiors for being too extreme when it came to anything relating to the Third Empire. Then, all of a sudden, he took a post on the mining complex. Technically, Last Hope did not need a Commodore, and the regulations allowing for the position to exist were outdated and questionable at best. The Knight Protector was sure that the High Commodore’s Office was happy to allow Alexei to cool off his temper somewhere out of sight. After that, things became strange. Over the last six decades, Neverok refused promotions due to years served and found ways to skirt around orders, dispatching him to other postings until his superiors finally forgot about him. What was even stranger was that in all that time, he left the station only three times. By all accounts, the man should have gone insane from Void Fever Syndrome, but his medical records were clean.
“… with Helix. But I suppose Monic… I mean, Agent Scrota can probably tell you more about that.” Alexandra realised she had stopped listening to Donovan’s explanation at some point. This was not like her. With a thought command, she triggered implants to release a controlled dose of stimulants into her system. They would make her more irritable, but it was better than missing important information.
“You might not like the man, but Overseer Tharks is your only way out.” Chief Rex took a breath to calm his voice, which was on the verge of becoming a pitiful whine. “I shouldn’t have listened to Neverok… Shouldn’t have tried to cut a deal with Helix…”
There it was, that name again. One way or another, everything was leading back to him. Alexandra felt powerless, angry and tired trying to figure out how he fit into all of this. She had Marcus check three times to make sure that there was no mention of a guard with that name, less an Officer.
“I’m curious, Chief. Tell me more about Officer Helix.” She wanted to learn everything at once and would beat the truth out of Donovan if she had to. However, she had to get a hold of her impulses. It was evident that the Chief was reluctant to say anything more, and if she had to venture a guess, he actually looked more than a little frightened.
“What’s there to tell,” Donovan finally shrugged, feigning indifference. “You probably know more than me.”
“Indulge me.”
“Yeah, right.” To Alexandra's amazement, the Chief laughed sarcastically at her. “If he’s not one of your people, I’d rather take my chances with a court marshal.”
“What makes you say that?” She could feel her anger bubbling under her skin as she clenched and unclenched her fists.
“You think I don’t see what you’re trying to do?” Donovan snapped at her. However, there was no fight in his eyes – only resignation.
Alexandra was reaching her boiling point; she could feel it. Sure, her attempt at interrogation was done by the textbook, something that the Chief was more than familiar with, but it wasn’t like she had many options. Using violence would only satisfy her needs and wouldn’t produce actual results. On top of that, it could harm her reputation with the Innari. No, there had to be another way - something Alexandra could say or do which would loosen Donovan’s lips.
“I’ll tell you this because of fucking courtesy.” The man surprised her by speaking on his own. He was either in love with his voice or desperate to save his skin. “Dance with Helix all you want. But know this: that bastard is high enough on the Academy food chain that he’s not concerned about offing a bloody Commodore to achieve his mission.”
Damn him a thousand times over, but Donovan had the upper hand, which meant Alexandra could do nothing but mull over his words. Clearly, he knew more than that, but in her haste, she had overplayed her hand. Still, the Chief had revealed more than she had hoped for and now had some clues with which to fill the blanks. Whoever Helix was, he wasn’t part of Last Hope’s Security. What Alexandra didn’t expect was that he was sent here by the Academy. Sure, there were rumours that High Command was moving behind the scenes, trying to regain the power they had before the failed coup d'état from a decade ago.
If only she hadn’t been so careless in the past. Because of her position as a Knight Protector, Alexandra had chosen the side of the United Republics without thinking, as was her duty. That, however, severely restricted her access to many secret and suppressed documents. Her face might be on every Academy recruitment still from the Fringes to the Core, but that didn’t mean that she and the brass were on good terms. To make matters worse, she had zero political backing because everyone at Sentinel Hill saw her as the Academy’s pet. Before realising it, Alexandra had become a pariah. Something Chief Rex had quickly learned during their distasteful conversation.
She had to change the subject before she lost her temper. “Why do you say that Oliver Tharks is my only way out?”
“Oh, come on, girl! You can’t be that naïve!”
“Chief Rex, keep in mind that Last Hope is currently under Emergency Authority Directive,” Alexandra growled at the man. “This makes me judge, jury and executioner. And suspicion of conspiracy can easily become Category III Sedition.”
“Duly noted, Mistress von Eisstahl.” A wave of satisfaction passed through the Knight Protector as she watched the blood drain from Donovan’s face.
“You were saying?”
“With all due respect, ma’am, but Mr Tharks ain’t going to see the inside of a cell.” The Chief kept a surprisingly polite tone this time around. “The Overseer has many friends at Sentinel Hill and very, very deep pockets. Sooner or later, he will be back. But put enough zeroes behind a one, and he can make sure you have all the political backing you need to achieve your goals.”
There was no denying the truth in Donovan’s words. However, the idea was anathema to her. Alexandra was a daughter of House Eisstahl, and although neither she nor her parents were any longer nobility, they had a duty to protect the people of the Republics. The spirit of that title still lived in them – still lived in her. If excising the cancer that was slowly eating the UR from within meant that she would have to sacrifice her career, then that was what Alexandra would do. She refused to believe that these were her only options.
No. There was a third choice – Helix. There was a slim chance that the two of them shared the same goals. However, from what she understood, the man was taking a more drastic approach to solving the problem at hand. Something Alexandra most certainly disapproved of because she was a daughter of House Eisstahl. She was taught to believe that the system worked, and for a time, it did. That illusion was shattered when the Knight Protector realised she was being used to clean the Academy’s ranks from undesirables. What had she actually achieved after that? Every time she revealed corruption amongst her superiors or the elite on Sentinel Hill, there was a mockery of a trial followed by a slap on the wrist. In the end, nothing changed. She had to end this vicious cycle, and if that meant she had to sacrifice her principles, so be it. The only problem was that Alexandra knew deep down that she could never do something so monstrous. But Helix… Well, if he proved to be her ally, then she might actually have a plan of how to solve all of her problems.
The two of them completed the rest of the walk towards the security HQ in silence, with Alexandra trying to ignore that the Chief was walking next to her. She could see his smug smile from the corner of her eye, and it infuriated her. He knew that he had gotten under her skin. The man was slowly turning into an irritant, a pest - a parasite she’d love to crush with her hands.
“Mistress, should I call for the medic?” One of the Innari whispered quietly next to her.
What?” Alexandra couldn’t hide confusion as she followed the man’s slight nod towards her right hand. The limb was shaking, forming a fist before relaxing and repeating the same motion.
“No… No need. Just a log-error feedback from the Scolia.” She managed to say in a shaky voice as she got her arm under control. “I’ll have Marcus have a look at it later.”
This wasn’t enough to convince the soldier, but it was enough to put a pin on it for later. She could no longer hide that something was really wrong with her, and pretty soon, all the Innari would be informed to keep a close eye on her. She had to come up with a better excuse, but the thought was placed on hold as the door separating the entrance corridor to Security HQ opened with a tortured hiss.
Alexandra looked at the signs of battle in front of the blast door protecting Security HQ. Calling it a battle was putting it lightly. Even without the bodies around, she could tell that this had been pure carnage. Dried blood and pieces of flesh decorated the floors and walls, and there were more high-calibre impact craters than she could be bothered to count. To think that the local guards had managed to win a fight was bordering on a miracle. It was enough for guilt to enter the Knight Protector’s thoughts. She had clearly been too harsh in her initial judgment of Last Hope’s Security. Sure, their conduct and backgrounds were more than questionable, but when it mattered, those same people had done their duty.
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“Major, I want your people to exercise caution. Do not fire unless provoked.”
The Knight saw the Innari relax slightly at her order. It was impossible for them to understand why UR soldiers would turn against the Academy. Using them to intimidate and arrest a handful of low-level guards was one thing. Hell, conducting a Purge when backed by sufficient evidence was also possible despite pushing the boundaries. But not after seeing this. Professionals or not, the shock troopers were indoctrinated to fight against the Third Empire. This inflexible way of thinking made them highly effective for sure, but it was currently working against them. That’s why Alexandra had petitioned the brass to relax the rigid indoctrination process to no success. Steeling herself, she motioned for the final door to be opened.
What awaited her inside Security HQ made her blood boil. The room was a mess, and the Knight Protector had to force her mouth shut lest she ordered the execution of everyone present. Exposed wiring, half-assembled or disassembled, most likely, consoles greeted her. To her right at the far wall were three civilians who had shocked expressions on their faces. Due to witnessing the in-fighting among the guards, Alexandra was sure of it. However, that was no excuse for them being allowed in the HQ in the first place.
A girl – the newest member of the security staff mentioned by Donovan – with dark circles forming under her eyes and skin colour that suggested severe implant sickness stood next to the largest man Alexandra had ever seen. The Knight Protector would have pinned him as a mutated enforcer or a gene-mod brute if not for the hard-link extensions dangling from the back of his head like artificial dreadlocks. This had to be the comms operator, King. Not what she had imagined from the shaky, stuttering voice she had heard over the feed.
And in front of them was a young man. The armour he wore set him apart from the others, resembling a combination of several secret prototypes the Academy was working on. If that alone wasn’t enough to convince her that the man wasn’t a guard, there was also the rifle in his hands – a Ripper. No, Alexandra quickly corrected herself. The weapon was a more advanced piece of tech compared to the unstable experimental variants the Empire rarely used after the Liberation Wars. Finally, there was his posture. Unlike the other people inside the HQ, he didn’t appear intimidated by the Innari demanding everyone put their weapons down. It was almost as if Helix found their actions amusing.
Silencing the shock troopers with a gesture, the Knight moved closer despite the uneasiness she felt. Something just didn’t feel right and had her on edge. Stopping an arm’s length away from him, Alexandra did her best to keep her voice steady and professional.
“Second Officer Helix, you’re not what I imagined.”
Admittedly, it wasn’t the brightest choice of words, but she was too captivated by the youth’s amber eyes. Those were the eyes of a predator, a natural-born killer, and they refused to let her look away.
“Kavalira von Eisstahl, it is an honour.” Helix's voice broke the spell that had taken over her just to make her stumble.
The greeting he offered her might have come out straight from one of the old family video captures Alexandra used to watch as a child. This man was more than a soldier. He was like her – a former noble who valued the old traditions and honour such a title used to embody.
He is perfect, Alexandra thought to herself as she placed her hand into his.
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Zoë felt as if she was dreaming. She felt her breath getting caught inside her lungs and her heart increasing its beat. She had never, even in her wildest dreams, thought she could be in the same room as Knight Protector Alexandra von Eisstahl. This should have been the happiest day of her life. Instead, all she could see was a walking time bomb. There was no reason to question Helix’s statement that her hero was a psionic. On the contrary, every fibre of her body told her that this was the one and only truth. As a result, the Second Officer found herself in a rather delicate situation. One misplaced word, one wrong gesture and the Knight Protector would have everyone in the room executed as traitors or worse; she could use her psionic powers to rewrite everyone’s minds. On the other hand, Helix might kill anyone who so much as looked funny at him. He made that very clear.
However, Zoë didn’t regret choosing the side of the charming monster she knew. Sure, she might have secretly worshipped Alexandra von Eisstahl and dreamed of one day becoming someone like her, but that wasn’t enough to erase the knowledge that her former hero was a damned psi-witch – an odd name to call one of their kind, yet it felt right. It was almost as fitting as how the AI had called Helix a demon. The Second Officer had a few questions, but it was too late to ask them.
The door to Last Hope’s heart opened, and through it came a group of Innari troopers, followed closely by the Knight Protector and the Chief. The red-haired goddess took a single look at the room and marched directly to Helix, silencing her soldiers’ calls for everyone to lower their weapons with a wave of her hand. Zoë couldn’t see the demon’s face, but she could clearly imagine Helix’s half-smile and calm expression. At the same time, she had a clear view of Alexandra’s own expression, which was a captivating mask of displeasure, curiosity and surprise. She could see the muscle on the right side of the woman’s nose tremble ever so slightly. The way the Knight Protector’s green eyes scanned the room in an instant, stopping for a single heartbeat on Zoë before finally ending on Helix. The girl took in every detail and engraved it in her memory as the distance between them shrunk.
“Second Officer Helix, you’re not what I imagined,” Alexandra stated flatly as she stopped an arm’s length from the demon.
Zoë had to agree with that statement. It was hard to think of Helix as anything but a grizzled veteran, even though he had the appearance of a young man. And she would have scoffed or even chuckled at the Knight Protector if not for the man’s actions, which left her stunned.
“Kavalira von Eisstahl, it is an honour.” He spoke the words with such kindness and reverence that Zoë had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
And then, as if that wasn’t enough, Helix bowed at the waist, extending his left arm forward. There was confusion written on Alexandra’s face as she placed the fingers of her right hand on his palm. This was followed by Helix pressing his forehead against the back of her hand before returning to an at-ease pose, the smug half-smile never leaving his face. A single glance at the Innari by the door was enough to inform Zoë that the elite shock troopers were as equally confused as her by what was happening. Sure, she could have shrugged the entire thing off as one of Helix’s many oddities, but the Knight Protector actually responded to the strange gesture and not in a bad way, either.
“Security Officer Helix, you have my gratitude for your bravery.” Mistress von Eisstahl’s voice was commanding, the voice of a born leader. Nevertheless, there was a friendlier tone to it than from a moment ago.
“Thank you, Mistress von Eisstahl.” The response Helix gave reminded Zoë of the sharp way her instructors greeted their superiors.
However, the words themselves made Zoë sick. Whether she knew it or not, the woman just commended that monster for stealing the station from the UR. She wanted to check if Felix shared the same feelings regarding what was happening; however, doing so would divert too much of her attention. That’s why the girl settled on the next best thing. One look at the Chief confirmed he felt the same way. At least, that was one way to confirm that she hadn’t suddenly gone insane.
“I’m sorry, I can’t exchange the same courtesy,” Alexandra shook her head slightly, a formal polite smile plastered on her face. “I’m not familiar with your former House.”
“It is long gone and forgotten, mistress von Eisstahl.”
“Such was the fate of so many.” The Knight Protector sighed. “But we serve the United Republics now, and such was the will of the people.”
It was not a dream; this was a bloody nightmare, and Zoë couldn’t wake up.
Perhaps she had suffered some sort of aneurism in her sleep and was now slowly dying. Yes, that sounded about right, and it was the only way to explain what Zoë was hearing. Each word only worsened the Second Officer’s confusion and cemented her growing doubt that something was terribly wrong and she had picked the wrong side after all. She could see it in Donovan’s glare. The way his left eye twitched when it stopped on either her or Dr Werner, he knew that very soon they would be joining him.
“You’re not part of Last Hope’s Security then.” The sudden change in topic marked the return of the frost in Alexandra’s voice.
“I would have assumed the Chief informed you about that.” Helix shrugged, flashing a warm smile at the restrained Donovan.
“What is he talking about, Chief Rex?” Alexandra von Eisstahl gracefully turned around on her heels, her expression twisted by barely controlled fury.
“I don’t…”
“That wounds me, Chief. You told me you’d inform Mistress von Eisstahl yourself.” The way Helix switched his speech to match how Zoë and Felix talked with each other was both admirable and frightening. “As far as the Chief and everyone else in here are concerned, I’m officially a member of Task Force 36, posing as Officer Second Class Helix.”
The Knight Protector turned her head, and Zoë didn’t need to be able to read minds to see the suspicion running through her hero’s thoughts.
“Kavalira von Eisstahl, you are not the only one who has taken note of what is going on in this place.” Helix’s tone became harder, and his stance grew more rigid.
From her position, Zoë could see that the veins on Donovan’s temple were ready to pop. Helix was not only taking complete advantage of the situation; he was legitimising his takeover of the complex. The Knight Protector was just eating it and by the look of her enjoying the show, though without understanding what was happening. With one swift action, Helix had everyone dancing at the palm of his hand. For the first time, the girl understood what powerful tool information was, or rather disinformation.
“I understand.” The woman standing with her back to the monster said and nodded. “However, Kavaliro Helix, I would expect something more substantial once the mainframe is back online. I would be a fool to take your word for it… That said, there is a way for you to earn my trust.”
The smile the Knight Protector had on her face when she turned around was supposed to mean she had won. It was enough for Zoë to feel sorry for the poor woman. Seeing as Helix’s shoulder relaxed, it was obvious that she had walked right into a trap. Well obvious to the Second Officer and probably the Chief. For all Zoë knew, the Knight Protector was clueless that she had stepped on an armed breach-mine.
“You can count on me, Mistress von Eisstahl.” Helix smiled as he looked at the Security Officer, and it sent shivers down Zoë’s spine. “Miss Kurtz, why don’t you join us for a chat.”
She was beginning to hate that word because when spoken by that monster, it meant Zoë was going to find herself in trouble. Or at the wrong end of a gun, or something worse if her luck continued to be as it was. But she could not say no; that half-smile and the testing gaze were enough to cloud the girl’s already foggy mind. There was something in that young man that brought the worst parts of Zoë out. Despite her confidence when she boldly proclaimed that she had the man’s back, Zoë was terrified of the idea of being anywhere near a latent psionic. Then again, it wasn’t as if she had any choice, so without protesting – except in her tortured mind – she began walking towards him.
“This request is meant as a personal one, Helix,” the Knight turned to face the demon, anger clouding her features.
“I understand. However, Zoë is my partner and the one I trust to have my back.” the demon smiled at Alexandra, and the girl saw him lean closer to her so that he could look into the Knight Protector’s eyes. “And in light of what has been happening, I would prefer to have someone at my side. Someone I can trust.”
“I see.” Zoë could see the full range of warring emotions on Alexandra’s face now when she was standing next to Helix. “You are a smart man, and you show much potential. However, I can see that Miss Kurtz is wounded.”
“Do not worry, Mistress. She is a vicious little beast,” he wrapped his hand over her shoulder, and it made Zoë’s heart thundered in her chest and her stomach twisted in a knot. “I am sure that Dr Saiko, over there, would confirm that she is in a state to come with me.”
“Mistress von Eisstahl, I think it best to have guard Helix and guard Kurtz escorted to the infirmary. They’ve been through a lot already.” Zoë could almost taste the bile in the Chief’s words.
“Doctor, are the two of them fit for active duty?” Alexandra ignored Donovan’s comment, though the irritation at being interrupted was visible on her face.
The girl could see Hiroshi weighing his words, his one human eye fixed on Helix. The doctor was a good and honest man who valued his physician’s oaths highly. Zoë could understand the dilemma he was having to deal with: lie or get everyone killed.
“Second Officer Kurtz has irritated micro-fractures in her left wrist and a severely bruised elbow joint. Additionally, she has several other injuries that would require treatment in a proper facility. However, under the supervision of… Officer Helix, she could be considered fit for active duty for the next three to five hours.” The man finally spoke, skirting expertly around the truth.
When Zoë thought about it, it was the same way Helix had been twisting his words while talking with her. Never outright lying, but never being honest. If anything, it was proving to be a very effective skill, one that she should learn if she lived long enough. Still, she was somewhat surprised that Hiroshi would go so far. A part of her assumed that regardless of the consequences, the doctor would remain loyal to the UR and find a way to warn the Knight Protector.
“Will that be enough time?” The Knight turned around to look at the two of them.
“Depends on the task, Mistress,” Helix flashed Alexandra that damned charming smile of his.
The way he spoke was enough for Zoë to figure that the AI had informed him what her request might be. Without wasting time, Alexandra leaned in closer and answered the question in a tone that couldn’t be overheard.
“Overseer Tharks must be dealt with. Quietly and quickly. Do this, and I see a bright future for you,” the woman’s face was cold, and she stared at Zoë for a moment before adding. “The both of you.”
The Knight Protector had clearly misunderstood the relationship the young officer had with Helix. Just as that bloody monster wanted. The worst part was that he had done it so elegantly that she had realised it too late to do anything about it. Helix leaned in even closer, looking directly into Alexandra’s eyes. The smile Zoë could see on his lips – absent from his amber gaze – as he confidently spoke the three most frightening words she had ever heard.
“Consider it done.”
She could see a hint of red appear on the cheeks of the Knight, and it made her heart skip a beat.
Damn you, girl, you can’t be jealous because he is using the same trick he used on you, on someone else. Zoë knew she had to listen to reason, but that did not make the feeling any better.
“And Commodore Neverok? One of his Agents should have confirmed where his loyalties lie,” Helix nearly purred at her.
“Right…” Alexandra licked her lips, positioning her face even closer to the demon. “She was annoying, so I locked her up. As for the Commodore… Alexei was a good man.”
“I thank you for your trust.” Zoë heard him whisper in her ear as he pushed a strand of hair behind the Knight’s ear with his fingers.
Just as the girl had had enough and was ready to push away her former hero, Helix suddenly pulled away and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him.
“Chief, it looks like Mistress von Eisstahl has the situation under control. Why don’t you get some well-deserved rest.” The young man smiled and stood at attention.
His hand gently moved towards Zoë’s waist, his fingers tapping on her spine, telling her to back him up. It was scary to think that she was starting to understand him so well. And at the same time, it also made her really happy because she was the only one to understand him so well.
“Yeh, Chief… you look very tired.”
“I will take it under consideration.” Donovan’s gaze was glued on Helix as he spoke through clenched teeth.
“Are you certain he can be trusted?” The Knight asked, still reeling from the sudden change in mood.
“I couldn’t have done any of this without Chief Rex’s assistance.” Zoë half expected Helix to burst into laughter as he said that. There had to be a limit to how arrogant and smug a person could be. Still, she wasn’t any better.
“Yes, right. That is correct…”
“Major Khalid, you may release the Chief of Security.” Alexandra smiled and nodded slightly before turning to the red-faced Donovan. “It appears I’ve misjudged you, Chief Rex. This is a restricted area. Everyone clear the room! My techs will be taking over. Your access will be restored after the current emergency situation is resolved.”
“Come on, Miss Kurtz, we have a job to do. After all, the lovely Knight is the new commander of the station.” Helix smiled before adding quietly. “For now.”
Zoë moved as if in a trance as they left, sparing one last glance at the Knight Protector before the door to the Command room closed behind them. As the thick slab of reinforced steel slid, the horror of the situation she was in finally hit her. In just a few minutes, Helix had utterly dismantled her hero. First, by revealing Alexandra von Eisstahl to be a psionic. Then, by tricking her to trust him. The final nail in the proverbial coffin was convincing her to trap herself in Security HQ. After all of this, nothing remained of the stalwart, dauntless and cunning Knight Protector. All those qualities were proven to be false right before Zoë’s eyes.
She turned to look at Helix’s face, knowing that she was looking at the face of a true monster. He was smiling, telling her without speaking that it had won.
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