Anji twirled around the mirror, enjoying her new look. The maid costume is a bit showy for her taste but she admits that she look good in it.

But what really is catching her eye is her new skin. The shiny metallic skin made her look like a robot, which of course is the point of all this disguise. After a few hours of walking in that skin, she easily got used to it. It may have lowered her total agility but she is still very much mobile.

For the blackguards, the only thing that really matters to them is the fact that the artificial robotic skin gave her more protection since it is also an intermediate armor class in terms of the protection that it gives.

After her arrival in the station, she was given complete access to all the data profile the ambassador have about the most pressing political details around the galaxy.

Anji dutifully familiarizes herself with the latest news and gossip about the international community and by the following morning, she is being covered in her new identity.

After careful deliberation, the ambassador and Codex 4 agreed to initialized the meeting with her first alien, the K28. One of the oldest and major power in the galaxy, the K28 is a republican monarchy. A huge royal family has firmly established themselves throughout the millennia after the first emperor 400 years ago united the scattered tribes and kingdoms and joined them as one empire. The current emperor, his highness Tapang the 14th have benevolently ruled the K28 for 3 decades now, but he has been reduced to nothing more than a symbol and spend his days with public appearances, welfare, and symbolic knight coronation.

But it doesn't necessarily mean that the royal family is out of power. According to the imperial constitution, only warriors of royal blood can be the prime minister. And so the 12,000-strong congress representatives of the people must choose from the huge royal family wherein each prince and princesses are the only qualified people to take the post.

This system not only made the congress very powerful as intended by the constitution since they are the true kingmakers, but kept the royalty relevant. In order to be noticed by the congress, each prince must try their best to become an outstanding citizen of the empire. They go to the most prestigious school, get the best education money can buy, join very important corporations, or serve the empire by being public attorneys, physicians, scientists, engineers or by joining the military.

Currently, the Brykar ambassador is scheduled to meet the king's 9th wife, the imperial lady Kurda along with her only son, the imperial prince Bentong. The ambassador had already warned Anji that the prince is a... a bit of a special child and should be handled with care.

The meeting place turned out to be the Ambassador's own private garden with wide open high ceiling space with its own grass floor and small patches of colorful plants on one side, surrounding a small tasteful pond with its own artificial waterfall.

Anji is reminded of Mother's own garden back in Aegis. What is it with Brykar and their gardens? The Ambassador's garden is designed more for aesthetic purposes while mother's garden is more on the practical side since her plants actually produce fruits.

Anji could not help smiling as she secretly joined the 3 other maids waiting on one side, ready to serve the important guest. Unknown to the guest, the maids and even the ambassador himself is more worried about her than them.

At the exact time of the agreed upon meeting, about fifteen minutes later, the lady from the K28 arrived. The entourage is led by 2 Brykar soldier droids in Brown. Besides their color, they don't have anything particularly visible appearance that would differentiate them from the Blackguards.

After the two Brykar droids take position near the entrance door. A single K28 soldier entered the room and deliberately scanned the entire place.

Anji stared at him in total shock and bewilderment. More likely someone from her own staff had already described the K28 to her but it didn't really register until now.

The K28 soldier was a direct descendant of the English Bulldog.

Anji bit her lower lips longingly. Ever since she remember, she has always been a dog lover... and also a passionate cat hater. She had to physically stop herself from rushing the doggy and start hugging him. She knew that it would start a diplomatic scandal but she couldn't help herself. The soldier was so cute!

**********************

Commander Burgo stepped into the room and deliberately scanned the place for any threat against his wards. All look to be in order. The Brykar ambassador is seating in an elegant glass table with a cup of coffee in his hand and is looking at one of his maids with concern.

Burgo looks at that direction too and he noticed that the smallest maid is looking at him directly with a weird intense stare. He dismissed it eventually since he didn't feel any hostility from her but it was a bit disconcerting. The maid is probably new.

He made another sweep of his eyes and then nodded behind him. Only then did his second in command ushered in lady kurda and Prince Bentong. They are covered from the sides and from behind by the rest of his security team, while the lady's PA and three other assistants followed meekly behind.

As they all sat and pleasant greetings are exchanged, Burgo walked his way just behind his lady and took his post. He tried to keep a stoic face but he knew that his anger is seeping out of him. He understood the lady's reasoning, but even now he didn't like it. Putting all your eggs into one basket and trusting your future to the mysterious Brykar is simply not a good idea to him.

Food arrived and is set up in the glass table by the maids. Again the tiny stupid maid robot is looking at him weirdly. It's as if she wanted to touch his brown hair or something. Of course, that is ridiculous. Ever since he was a child, he received either disgust or fear not only from the aliens but from his own kind as well. He had resigned himself from the fact that he will never breed and be a father because of his cursed face.

Focus, you idiot.

I can feel something in the air. As if someone is watching us.

*****************

Anji watched as the ambassador skillfully entertained his guest with anecdotes about the food and the K28 culture he knows. He was self-deprecating and humble and yet very smart and funny. He expertly steered the conversation away from potentially volatile situations and topics.

Then when the food is served and they are eating it, he started to tentatively ask more questions designed to feel out the lady and find out why she seek him out.

The lady and her prince are more of the beagle side of the dog breed, and like the 4 bulldog soldiers, they are not exactly like the dog species she remembered. For one thing, the damn dogs were huge! almost 4 feet tall from a standing position but almost 6 feet when they sat. Their feet are a bit wider and yet stubbier and despite being solid trunks, it seems that they almost cannot sustain the massive body on top of them. The heads of the K28's are also disproportionally bigger than the rest of the body, almost cartoonish. Their black soulful eyes show their intelligence and yet they are the same puppy eyes Anji remembered dogs have that made them man's best friend.

Of course, there are also a lot of differences as well. The most notable of all is the six whiskers moving in their faces and served as their true hands. Anji watches as they used this whisker to eat properly using spoon and fork.

Anji immediately recognized that this is probably the main reason how they evolved. She read somewhere that in order for an animal to progress, they need a sort of an opposable thumb in order to grasp tools because, without tools, an animal cannot evolve properly into higher intelligent beings. Obviously, the tentacle-like whiskers served that function and they used it to manipulate more complex objects and to pilot starships.

But that didn't stop them from becoming cute, adorable giant doggies! Anji thought, biting her lower lips again. She wanted to blurt out to the soldier looming next to her that she wanted to rub his big tummy.

"Prince Bentong!" The lady Kurda said with a horrified expression on her face as the young pup, the size of a full rottweiler, grabbed one of the steaks and run off to one side of the room, eating it with a guarded expression.

"I... I am so sorry about this," The lady said, filled with shame and humiliation from her son's antics. The ambassador, ever the diplomat, just shrugged and made small light of it. "The prince should eat where ever he is more comfortable with," He said confidently, then he went and shared a funny memory of the first time he met the azuran ambassador who almost eats him when he offered his hand for a handshake.

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The lady smiled gratefully then took a deep breath as the ambassador waited. "I have come to request the Brykar unity to send us a representative to help us aid our unfortunate brethren in the planet of Rashida. The prince and I, along with the representative of several major donors and philanthropists, will be conducting a sponsored food program to our less unfortunate brethren in the planet."

Anji watched the tall ambassador. He didn't do anything outright to show it, but Anji knew that he was shocked. His remaining still was a direct indication of that. Anji tried immediately to remember everything she knew about the planet from the wireless database provide for her by the station itself.

The planet Rashida was discovered by the humans almost a few million years ago and kept as an uninhabited planet because of its unique qualities. The humans have more than enough M-class planet around to afford it. The planet was originally named Rashida and a Class L planet when it was first discovered. It means that the planet has a thin atmosphere and the place is barely habitable, but the humans terraformed the place and studied it at the same time. What was unique about the planet is the fact that it was made up of 4 equal part continent the size of Africa and separated by a vast ocean.

The humans believe for a long time that the planet or at least the continents are artificially made and tried to find the mysterious alien who made them. But after several centuries of research, even the vaunted humans did not discover the secret of the planet.

When the humans left and the jurisdiction of the planet was given to the Brykars, the race of artificial intelligence doesn't have any real need or interest in the planet, aside from the fact that it is the closest planet to the Brykar borders with the K28 empire.

For years the planet was neglected until a far away race called Erastix needed a new home. The erastix was a newly unified world with early spacefaring experience but they are already trading with other species for years. When their scientist found out that the mantle inside the core of their planet is about to stop moving, they were facing a planet-wide disaster and total extinction.

They requested help from the galactic community. No one was willing to help since the endeavor will cost a massive amount of credits and future headaches for the refugees involved. The Brykar at the time are still considered as the mysterious boogeyman and helping the Erastix was a good investment for them simply to erase the bad PR.

And so an armada of transport ships (Ironically, the same class of ship like the "Suvara") and protected by a large contingent of warships brought the Eratix into the new planet of Rashida, with the understanding that they can only take one of the four continents. The Eratix were grateful at the time, but after 300 years of staying on the planet, the next generation of Eratix started to colonize the other continents.

The Brykars were partly to blame since they never really enforced the rule and the Eratix began to spread ever so slowly to the other continents. Everything was normal for another 120 years. But then the Vocaris came and upset the balance.

The Vocaris are small people with an average height of 3 feet and their most distinctive feature are their 3 eyes and 4 arms. The subspecies of the race cover all the primary colors: black, white, red, green, blue and yellow and almost everything in between.

Even at the time of the humans, the Vocaris were a major player in the galactic politics of the day. They enjoy economic and political power back in their 3 planet empire until a mysterious disease almost wipe them out. They gathered their most brilliant minds and spent 5 years along with a massive amount of credits and resources to combat the disease but in the end, they failed to cure it. Reluctantly and with a very heavy heart, the Vocaris voluntarily left their solar system and find a niche in every corner of the galaxy. At first, they are sought after by the other races because of their brilliant minds. They became advisers to kings, head of massive corporations, leader of a scientific think-tank group and engineering problem solvers.

They started accumulating wealth and influence but then people started to resent them. They became the stereotype money grabber, who think of nothing but credits. As time goes by, people started claiming that they directly or indirectly destroying society with their greed. Some even claim that they eat other species.

A purge began around the inner system and many Vocaris were arrested and killed. Those who are quick were able to hide once problem started. special groups were created to actually hunt and find the vocaris and bring them to justice, sometimes right there at the moment of capturing them.

It took years but it became a genocide. There is no direct statistic ever found but Brykar AI's best estimate is that almost 400 million Vocaris died in a 25-year cycle. Species right group and other nongovernmental agency and institution began to lobby hard their government to protect the Vocaris and these governments address the situation in Unity 01. Eventually, the Brykar relented and gave one of the continents of Rashida to the Vocaris.

Naturally, the Eratix vehemently opposed the move. These are 6th or 7th generation Eratix who had lived in Rashida all their lives and begin to think of the planet as their own by right. They send their own delegations to Brykar and youngsters declare in the streets that they will resist these invasions with their lives.

The infamous 4-day war happened when all starships of every size and shape and age blockaded the planet from the scheduled arrival of the first 100,000 Vocaris.

Unfortunately for them, the Vocaris is escorted by an international fleet of Brykar, K28, Velashan and 12 other species that included superdreadnoughts, and sweep aside all opposition. There are a few sporadic firing happened but despite the passion of the Eratix, no one really wanted to confront the might of the allied fleet.

The transfer was completed relatively quietly and an army of 200,000 Brykar soldier droids with support troops from the other empires, quickly and systematically drove the squatters out of the disputed continent. More than 12 million Eratix were displaced and chaos ensued. The unifying federal government of Eratix collapsed after they were unable to stop the Vocaris arrival and the meddling of outside powers, especially the satan-worshipping Brykar tin heads.

4 other organization took over the power vacuum, including the legitimate Brykar-assisted legally elected new government, but despite the massive funding and military assistance, they only control less than 30 percent of their nation's population. The other 3 organization had nothing in common except their hatred for the Brykar and the Vocaris who they believe invaded their planet. For the next 40 years, the Eratix society was devasted by continuous civil war and 6 other failed holy wars as they tried to take back and fail the Vocaris continent.

From its humble beginning, the Vocari Nation, driven by their intelligent and focus people, grew into not only an economic but a military powerhouse. Their soldiers are considered to be some of the best professional elites in the known galaxy. Their intelligence arm, the "red hand" is well respected in the entire intelligence community of the galaxy.

By the second holy war, the Vocari didn't need the help of the Brykars and did not only defeat the 3 simultaneous Eratix armies that attack them but they also annihilated the Eratix navy and then brought the war into their neighbors own continent.

The relationship between the two even became more chaotic and complex since the Vocari counter attack and took a sizable portion of the Eratix's own land called the Bromas valley. A wide stretch of defensible mountains and valleys that the Vocari took as a buffer for future Eratix aggression, which only fuels the hate of the Eratix.

Since they are militarily inferior against the Vocari, the Eratix had settled to a more unconventional way of fighting back: terrorism. For the last 20 years, daily suicide bombers and roadside bombs and drive-by shootings occurred in the Bromas valley and beyond.

Further complication happened when the 3rd recipient of another continent further displaced settled Eratix. They are the former aristocracy of the K28 empire called the barkers.

After the defeat of the grand alliance against the Brykars, the K28 aristocracy blamed the weak leadership of the emperor and after years of preparations decided to overthrow him. Using their money and influence, they raised a massive army and attacked the capital. Unfortunately, the emperor was highly popular and the masses rose up to defend him. the ensuing civil war ended after 12 years of bloodshed until the final stronghold of the aristocracy was taken. The remaining aristocracy, their men, and family and all the other supporters, requested asylum from the galactic council and ironically, only their original enemy, the Brykars gave them help by offering another continent in the planet of Rashida.

The Barkers quietly rebuilt their society but they too also receive sporadic suicide bombers because of their presence in their new home. That was more than 30 years ago.

And now this stupid female wanted to throw a torch in an already volatile situation, the Brykar ambassador thought grimly as he looked at the K28 lady. Especially now, when the elder is so near the conflict zone.

The ambassador, despite his training and long years of diplomatic experience, could not help but steal a gaze over the far more important female to his right who is pretending to be a maid, and his concern deepens.

"Lady Kurda," The ambassador began after gathering his thoughts. "I am not sure about your status level in your monarchy in the amount of intelligence report you receive from your government, but I assure you that the Rashida issue is not only far from peace but is actually in its all-time high in term of the tension. This is not the time for... humanitarian adventurism.

The lady simply raised an eyebrow. One of the most ironic twists about the entire Rashida situation is the fact that every major faction are actually religious brothers since all of them are fanatic believers of humans.

"On the contrary, Dear Ambassador, I believe that this is precisely the time to tackle this issue. Our brothers in Rashida had seen enough of war and I believe they are ready to return to the fold."

"Maybe," said the ambassador. "But you seem to forget that the Barkers are not the only one involved in Rashida. The other factions will surely take advantage of your photo op to send their own messages in the galactic news.

The lady waves a hand as if dismissing the other factions. "A group of frustrated Eratix teenagers is hardly a concern. I heard from HYENA News that the number of suicide bombing are at their all-time low."

"The attacks are slowing down because the attacks are becoming more sophisticated and thought out. And becoming far more effective than we like."

The lady's eyes becoming even more steely as she tried to stare down the ambassador. "Nevertheless Ambassador, our appearance in two days time in barker sector of the Rashida planet will go as plan. We are just being courteous and inform you about it but we certainly didn't come here to ask for Brykar's permission."

There was a deep silence that even Anji felt. She could almost understand the lady and why she behave like that. When the ambassador raised his empty glass, Anji interrupted the head maid and held the wine jar instead. She walks toward the ambassador's table and gracefully poured the wine into the glass in the ambassador's hand.

The ambassador saw her and frowned, distracting him momentarily in his own thoughts. Anji eyed him and then smiled directly at him. Her hand lightly brushed his and a communication link was established.

"Accept her request," Anji ordered through the link then turned and walked away.

To Anji, the arrogance in the lady's voice was completely out of character to what she had seen so far and understood of her. All Anji could see is a slightly embarrass young dog whose eyes are afraid and obviously guilty.

Anji could just imagine what the lady Kurda had gone through, and she reminded Anji of her older sister Isabel, who always tried to look strong and yet everyone can see how overwhelmed she is in raising a daughter. And to this female, Her child is everything. 

Anji's eyes stared at the cute bulldog bodyguard and then the 3 assistants behind the lady who all had a grim, scared look. No doubt each and every one of those "Advisers" have advised the lady not to go through with her plans but it was equally obvious that this is her only remaining plan of action. If Anji understood it correctly, the royalty lives a rather comfortable life with every opportunity open to them. However, Their future is literally in the hands of the congress for the royalty can only get a job in the "interest of the people," meaning that any job they hold and not only in the ministry can only be appointed to them. Her son is a special child and if they continue to see him as such, then her son has no future at all.

This program is to show the compassion and competence of her child to his people and hopefully see that despite the low intelligence, they can see the worth of her child.

Helping a fellow woman is good and all, but is it worth it to endanger her own followers? Yes, because at the end of the day, this also just a means to an end. She intends to fix the problem in Rashida anyway from the moment she learned about it, and this woman will be the perfect excuse to enter the planet.

The Ambassador resumed his talk with the lady, as Anji walked away. Satisfied with her own decision, Anji could not help but smile. Then in the corner of her eyes, she saw the prince hunch over near the artificial small waterfall, still munching at the stolen steak. Without any real conscious thought about it, she veered towards the prince intending to offer him a drink of the wine.

She stops 8 feet away from the prince when he suddenly turned to her with a vicious growl. Before she could speak or do anything, the prince who is technically small by her kind's standard, but still the size of a full grown rottweiler, attacked Anji with a sudden leap. Anji could not do anything except to raised her arm and the prince bit it.

The momentum of the sudden attack made Anji fall, but she had the presence of mind to use her leg to keep the prince of her and the giant dog went past her.

The dog stumbled, rose up then charged Anji once more. But a powerful hand grabbed him by the back of his neck and slammed him hard into the synthetic grass floor.

Then all hell broke loose.