"The Admiral says he'll meet with you. Ready to go?" Winters asked Antoth. The Cauthan approached the shuttle and tentatively rested his paw on the smooth metal surface. He remained silent, contemplating the alien material under his fingers.

"Where is 'there', exactly?" He finally wondered in a quiet voice. Winters pointed skyward.

"Somewhere between Mara and Seil. Between Mara and the Twins more accurately," Winters tried. Antoth spun to face him.

"How is such a thing possible, Winters? You speak of the realms of the gods. Your people are there?!"

Io and Winters had been riding high for a moment, buoyed by Kaczynski's tentative acceptance of their request for dialog. But seeing someone as strong as Antoth so justifiably afraid and uncertain doused them with cold water. "The truth is a bit more complicated than that," Winters admitted.

"Antoth," Veera spoke up. "They explained it to me once. There is void up there. Mara protects us from it, but between us and Seil and the Twins is all void. Their vessels can traverse it somehow. I still don't understand the specifics."

"Uthos protect me," Antoth whispered, stepping back as if he'd been burned. "You mean to tell me this thing is touched by Kel?!"

"Well yes...but also no?" Veera tried, not confident it her ability to relate to Antoth the little that she knew about the universe without some sort of visual aid. Winters clapped the Cauthan on the shoulder.

"Antoth, I know it's a big ask but I need you to trust me. I will take you to the Admiral, the leader of our people aboard the ship we're going to. I'll stand by you as we talk about your people and I'll be sure you come back here, alright?"

"I only tell you this because we have spilled blood together, my friend, but every fiber of my being is screaming at me to get far away from this thing," Antoth growled with shaking scales. Winters nodded.

"Hey pilot!" He called over the radio. "You think you could come on out and meet the locals? Humanize the situation a bit, so to speak? They're a tad nervous about the void of space."

"A tad?! Uh, Admiral?" Cromwell passed it on.

"I leave it to your discretion, pilot. If he's still alive I don't think we need to worry about alien superbugs or spontaneous violence," Natori reasoned. "I must prepare for your arrival. Send a hail when you depart the surface. Kaczynski out."

Cromwell swallowed heavily and checked her external feeds. It was easy enough for the Lieutenant to just hang about all those claws and bladed weapons. He had his armor. But they'd still tear through her suit she was pretty sure. The panther alien looked strong as any Jumper. "Lieutenant, there aren't any problems upstairs but they've got a lot of weapons on them…"

"I guarantee your safety, pilot." Winters' reply was as serious as his entreaty to the Admiral, though he quickly fell back into seemingly carefree joking. "I'm just trying to help them ease into the idea of getting into a metal box that can traverse the realms of their death God, you know?"

"I…what?" She asked, momentary dumbfounded.

"Have you ever tried explaining outer space to a race of primitives? Space is the void, void is lack of life, space is death and therefore hell. Or as they refer to it-"

"Lieutenant!"

Winters did not get to finish his thought as his wife jumped on him and began rattling his helmet around and lighting into him in fluent English. "Russell Winters, if you refer to me or my people as primitives again so help me you will be sleeping alone for the next two cycles!"

Veera's assault slowly faded as she realized a few things. First, Antoth was laughing, indulging in the situation to mask his nerves. Second, Winters was also laughing, clearly having the time of his life. Third, her human was still upright and quite untroubled by her weight in his arms. And fourth, the side of the shuttle hissed and opened upward, revealing a human in a bulky suit with a pistol in her hand. Veera assumed it was a female due to the prominent chest and slimmer figure. She and Russell both turned as Cromwell considered her gun before holstering it, having no idea what to make of the behavior between human and Cauthan. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but they were begging to be jumped to.

"Lieutenant?"

"Ah, glad you decided to join us, pilot. So this bundle of joy that is in no way primitive in my arms is Veera. She's the first Cauthan I met when I landed. He's Antoth," Winters pointed as he allowed Veera back to the ground. "Veera and Antoth, this is pilot Elizabeth Cromwell. She operates this shuttle and will guide us back to the main ship that should be somewhere above us right now."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Veera replied in English, bowing politely and displaying her plumage. The show of decorum set Cromwell more at ease, coaxing her from the shuttle to the grassy field below. She reached down and allowed the tall stems to brush against the material of her gloves. It was too much to take in at once, and so she remained paradoxically quite calm. She was on an alien planet. The natives were speaking her language. That was just her life at the moment.

"Antoth has a translator of my invention. He'll understand you," Winters assured her. "Antoth, she's military, just like me."

"I see," he replied shortly, knowing that the human before him still wouldn't be able to comprehend his language. Winters had said she was a soldier. Her armor was quite unorthodox, made of fabric and other material he didn't understand. But there were plenty of hard points, which he approved of. He raised an arm. "Selah, human."

"Lieutenant, a little help?" Cromwell requested, unsure how to proceed with the greeting.

"Cross your forearm with his. Selah means he wishes the blessings of his gods upon you. It's used as a formal greeting and parting," he explained. Cromwell felt her legs shaking as she approached the alien, easily half a foot taller than her and bumped her forearm against his scales.

"Selah," she said softly, making sure her helmet was projecting. The alien looked at Winters.

"Does she also serve Kel?"

"Come on, buddy, you know I don't even serve him."

"And you know I'm still not quite convinced of that, but please tell this Elizabeth that I am pleased to make her acquaintance and that our people seek peace," Antoth requested.

"Of course. Pilot, he says it's a pleasure to meet you and that despite the weapons he comes in peace. Also he wants to know if you serve their God of death," Winters ended with a laugh as Veera placed her head in her hand and shook it back and forth.

"You are having too much fun with all this, my mate," she said in Cauthan. Cromwell seemed to share a similar sentiment as she rounded on him, an accusing finger falling just shy of his chestplate.

"Well if you could just inform him that I don't serve any god other than God, that would be...Lieutenant. What in the world did that to your armor?" Cromwell gasped with sudden terror, finally noticing the massive gashes underneath the leather of his cloak. If something that could maul a Jumper was on that world, she wanted off. Her respect for the aliens, the Cauthan, grew.

"It's dead, but that's another story for another time. Do you think you could remove your helmet just to show them your face? I think it would make things easier," Winters requested. With no aggression displayed towards her up to that point Cromwell agreed, undoing the latches that kept her helmet secured to her suit and lifting it from her head. Veera and Antoth both stared.

"Uh, selah?" Cromwell tried again, feeling like a girl at school.

"They're just a very curious species, and they've never seen a human female before," Winters stated the obvious, watching as Veera walked a couple paces to get a better look at Cromwell's longer hair.

"Your women are softer even than you," Antoth eventually declared, his eyes lingering on her sidearm. "But it seems they too wield your weapons of instant death. Tell her that I appreciate her meeting us and that I would like to meet your leader now. The time for action has come."

"Understood, Antoth," Winters acknowledged, conveying the message to Cromwell who replaced her helmet and stepped into the shuttle. She extended her hand to Antoth in a gesture of good faith. After a deep breath and a final look back at his home, the Guardian accepted and stepped over the threshold. He hissed in discomfort as his talons clacked against the metal floor, the ungiving surface reminding him that he was no longer in his world. He had passed into the unknown. Veera came next and Winters brought up the rear, helping the two of them into the seats on the other side of the shuttle and explaining how in certain settings, soldiers could remain strapped in and fire out the door.

"Both of them, Lieutenant?"

"Veera is non-negotiable. I'll go to bat for you. Just fly, pilot," Winters ordered sternly.

"Uthos protect us," Antoth whispered for the second time as Winters strapped a belt tightly over his chest and waist before assisting Veera, making sure to watch their tails. She was faring a bit better, but her feathers still shook with nerves and danger sense.

"You two are both going to be fine. Those are there to keep you in your seats, they won't tighten further" Winters assured them, ensuring they were both seated and secured before rapping on the door that separated them from the cockpit.

"You couldn't just use the radio, could you?" Cromwell asked sarcastically.

"I'm a Jumper, Cromwell. They're strapped in and ready. Take it slow if you can?"

"I will, Lieutenant, but not for your sake. You can kiss my ass if you wanna bang up my shuttle."

"Pretty sure we've been over this, pilot. Tempting, but not interested."

"And I'm not sure I want to believe what I think you're telling me," Cromwell replied, remembering the tiger-like alien with the unreasonable thighs as she sat quite comfortably in Winters' arms. Maybe they were all that friendly? She didn't think so.

"Yeah yeah, keep guessing," Winters barked, seeming to be in nothing but high spirits.

"You're doing pretty damn well for being alone for a year," Cromwell evaluated as she spun up the engines and the shuttle shook and kicked off the ground. Veera squeaked and Antoth grunted, looking around the four walls with the faces of trapped animals. Winters, more than used to momentum shifts associated with space travel, knelt before them as the ship began a gentle ascent into the Maran skies. He took their hands in his.

"I was never alone, pilot."

-----

"Admiral Kaczynski, we must discuss this! Under what authority do you intend to negotiate with this...Antoth?" Qul'Roth demanded, the agitated Ghaelen being the main reason Natori had cut the feed with Cromwell and the shuttle. He trusted her.

"I am the highest ranking human in this system, Qul'Roth. There are no members of Alpha division aboard this ship and we are easily half a year from any of my or your diplomats. This is my duty," Natori replied levelly but forcefully.

"This is unheard of," Qul'Roth worried. "The treaties between our people-"

"Do not cover such an eventually, Qul'Roth," Kaczynski cut in. The Ghaelen sighed long and dejectedly as the lights and sounds of the bridge surrounded them. "Qul'Roth of Ghaela, I am not doing this to spite you."

"No, no you are not," the Ghaelen acknowledged.

"A group of technologically limited aliens has requested an alliance with humanity; not the galactic community, but humanity. Surely you understand why I must at least entertain this?" Natori pressed. To his great surprise, the Ghaelen actually nodded.

"Nether the canticles nor the treaties cover such an eventually, and thus I cannot object to your decision. However, Admiral, my people deserve to be considered in your negotiations and the situation on the planet needs to be addressed."

"We have discussed this, Qul'Roth," Natori warned. Watchstanders around the bridge constantly glanced at the two of them out of the corner of their eyes, trying desperately to look busy while eavesdropping.

"And we will continue to discuss it until his influence is contained adequately. On that point the treaties are very clear."

"Sir, pilot Cromwell has lifted off and is on a return path. She says both of the aliens are on board," an ensign called out.

"What do you mean both?!" Natori and Qul'Roth demanded at once before looking at one another.

"Your Lieutenant appears to be playing loosely with even your own orders," Qul'Roth ventured nervously.

"Envoy, you wish to understand my people, yes?" Natori questioned, feeling a shred of common ground with the alien. Winters had his own agenda, that much was now clear.

"To the extent it can serve my own people and the Order, I do," Qul'Roth affirmed.

"Then today I hope to show you how humanity causes and thrives on chaos."

"I do not enjoy the sound of that, Admiral," Qul'Roth admitted.

"I understand, but we can only deal with the world as it is, not as we want it to be. And the world currently contains a shuttle with one mischievous Jumper and two alien raptorcats en route to this ship. Perhaps this will prove a great opportunity? We must study this planet."

"The Order would prevent such inconveniences," Qul'Roth insisted.

"Yes well...the Order cannot help us today."

-----

"Admiral, are you sure? Yes I understand the diplomatic implications but...very well sir," Cromwell acknowledged her new orders. Natori had commanded that she return not to hangar A-1, but to the nearest hangar to the bridge in section E-8. She opened a line to Winters.

"Lieutenant, how are they doing back there?" The pilot wanted to know. True to her word she had kept the climb out of the planet's atmosphere as smooth as possible, suffering only a few bumps and shakes as they climbed. That didn't mean the Cauthan aboard would fare any better in space, but at least it would be smooth.

"About as well as two cats trapped in a metal box with no view of the outside can be. What's the word?" Winters demanded.

"Oh just ask next time, you drama queen," Cromwell shot back, activating the monitor that rested next to the door to her cabin, choosing to rotate the feed between the camera best situated to look down at the planet and the forward camera where the Event Horizon was slowly growing larger.

"By the gods!" Veera and Antoth yelped, seeing their world from above as Winters did his best to explain to them what was going on. At least it had stopped them from tapping their talons nervously on the floor.

"Lieutenant, I have word from the Admiral. He's requesting that we bypass decontamination and proceed straight to the bridge. Well, by we I mean you three," Cromwell explained. Winters' gut reaction was to consider Kaczynski crazy, but when he tried to discern how he might explain to Antoth what was happening, he understood.

"I'm still alive so he's opting to treat them as foreign dignitaries and not as potential contaminants?" Winters eventually said. "Well none of them have gotten sick from me yet so hopefully the worst we need to worry about is negotiations going south," he agreed, noticing that Veera and Antoth had both become very quiet as the Event Horizon loomed larger and larger on the monitor before them. Shuttles flew between hangars and the blue glow of its engines could be seen even from their angle. The ship itself simply floated within the void, defying Kel himself as exterior lights flashed on a regular basis, guiding them in. "You're far braver than you know, Antoth. You too, Veera," Winters whispered into his own helmet, figuring love for a mate was no less powerful than love for one's people.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"Russell," Veera called to him with evident concern. "My body feels strange."

"I know. It would be too much to explain right now but you probably feel like you aren't as heavy, right? Like you want to float in unnatural ways and your body doesn't sit right?" He guessed, returning to her side and planning a hand on her knee.

"Yes, that just about sums it up," Antoth agreed, palming the hilt of his blade.

"That's normal, I promise," Winters said. "We just got word from Admiral Kaczynski. He's making arrangements to meet you with all possible haste."

"I see," Antoth acknowledged the news with a dark look on his face, only compounded by the unearthly discomfort of being in space and subject to odd accelerations. "Winters, how do I convince him not to enslave or slaughter us? How can we hope to fight against that?" He pointed to the behemoth that was the Event Horizon. They couldn't even see the black of space anymore in the feed. It was so far beyond anything Antoth could understand; humanity were as to gods. Winters squared his shoulders.

"Don't despair, Antoth. Stand tall and strong before them and never forget you are their equal," Winters answered, ensuring his radio was off. "Io and I have lived with you all for a year. You and your people are every bit as intelligent and capable as my own. One day your species will achieve this, many many years from now. If you stand your ground and advocate for your village they will understand. And if they don't...I will make them understand," he promised, resting a hand on his pistol.

"Winters, this is not a battle you need to fight," Antoth insisted selflessly. "You can finally return to your people." The Jumper shook his head.

"You said it yourself, Antoth, the day I pledged myself to Veera. You are my people too."

"Russell," Veera whispered, beset by too many conflicting emotions to engage in conversation. She knew she would remain at his side, and for the moment that was enough.

"I know, Veera," he answered simply and kindly. "Now let's go forge an alliance."

-----

"And that just leaves one outstanding question," Kaczynski remarked, looking over the bridge as his own nerves began to mount. No rank or ship could tamp down the sense of history resting on his shoulders. He was minutes away from speaking with an alien in formal negotiations well outside the dynamic of the pacified worlds, the first human to do so since first contact with the Ghaelen.

"What question might that be?" Qul'Roth asked in confusion, thinking easily of at least a dozen questions that needed resolution.

"Whether or not to inject Miss Winters into this discussion," Natori replied. "She is family and that is an immensely complicating factor, but she is also as close as we have to a diplomat when it comes to alien species. There is a possibility she will see things we do not, or understand them better than we do."

"But you have already locked down the systems of transport through the ship, Admiral."

"That is necessary to prevent any sort of incident, a prudent precaution in my opinion. A run of a couple kilometers will not deter our dear Alice," Natori chuckled with no small amount of mischief.

"On that, Admiral, we are in agreement. She is a passionate individual, even for a human. They are almost to the hangar, you must decide," Qul'Roth insisted.

"Perhaps against my better judgement, I believe I have denied her long enough. Cassia, send for Miss Winters," Kaczynski ordered.

'Yes sir. Please be advised that pilot Cromwell's shuttle has touched down in hangar E-8.'

-----

"This is it, buddy, you ready?" Winters asked, feeling gravity return to the shuttle after their long descent into the hangar. It uniquely tunneled most of the way into the ship and was usually locked down unless there was some sort of emergency on the bridge. Considerate of him to give us the hangar with gravity, Winters conceded, realizing well enough that the core of the ship, and therefore the gravitational center, had to be at the center given its design.

"I am not ready, human. But I will go," Antoth declared. After watching Winters unbuckle Veera he had managed to remove his restraint on his own and stood within the cabin. His feathers came close to the roof.

"I'm opening the door. Good luck out there," Cromwell advised. Veera and Antoth squinted a bit as light and more metal greeted them, but Winters stood firm, helmet on.

"Both of you listen to me," Winters said quietly, seeing that Marines had been sent to greet them. Two stood just outside the shuttle with two more at the doors that led from the hangar into the corridors of the ship. They were armed. Winters could tell easily enough that they were trying to keep straight faces, and saw they were all members of Beta. "Everyone is nervous right now and everyone is excited. Don't brandish your weapons or anything, but do remember that each of us have likely killed more people than everyone else on this ship combined, even you Veera."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She demanded, her eyes adjusting to the lighting. Her brain was having a hard time catching up however. There was simply too much to take in, too many lights and pipes and metal and humans.

"Yeah, actually," Winters laughed humorlessly. "We've all stared Kel in the face. These are just humans." He felt odd referring to his species in such a way, but pep talks were pep talks and it seemed to straighten Antoth's spine. The black furred Cauthan adjusted his armor, having left his ceremonial robe back on Mara.

"Then lead on, Winters," he ordered, following the human as his cloaked, armored figure stepped out of the shuttle and back into the world he'd come from.

-----

"By me grandad's kilt," PFC MacGregor whispered, watching awestruck as the Omega Jumper stepped out of the shuttle followed by the two aliens. Raptorcat was definitely an apt description by the pilot. They looked like a king and queen, armed, armored and cloaked in fine furs. It was Winters, however, that held his attention as the Jumper spoke with the first marine detachment briefly. They pointed them MacGregor's way and he nodded curtly. "Them Jumpers sure know how to make an impression."

Winters strode forward towards him, the two aliens keeping pace just behind, flanking him like an honor guard. It was hard for MacGregor to shake the feeling that gnawed as the back of his mind as the Jumper finally stopped before him. There was a human under the armor; he wanted to believe that, but it wasn't the clean, sleek look of the Jumpers on board. Winters' armor was dirty and worn, and something had taken a massive swipe out of the front. On his shoulders he wore broad furs of some native beast, and over his helmet rested the head of one of the human's trophies, some sort of wolf-like animal. For a brief moment MacGregor wondered if the man standing before him, draped in the wilds and accompanied by a walking, feathered panther and tiger, wasn't an alien too.

"Private MacGregor?" He spoke firmly. "Take us to the bridge, please."

"As ya say, Lieutenant. Follow me." The Marine turned and led them from the hangar, occasionally glancing back as they walked the short distance through sterile, well lit, and intentionally emptied corridors. The two aliens were silent and looked about them constantly. The human was silent and looked straight ahead. Against his better instincts, MacGregor attempted conversation. "I was sorry to hear about your ship, sir."

"Thanks," came his terse reply.

"Uh, she'll be real happy to see you I reckon," the Marine tried again. That at least got the Jumper turn his head.

"Who?"

A nervous twitch ran through MacGregor as he wondered why in the world the Admiral wouldn't have already informed Winters that his sister was aboard. He swallowed heavily and tried to think about anything else to say when they arrived at the doors to the bridge. "I was told to hold onto your weapons for you, standard procedure."

"You won't," Winters insisted in a hard voice, questions about women long forgotten. MacGregor relayed Winters' defiant answer to the Admiral.

"Yes sir, he's refused. He's got a standard compliment. The others have bladed weapons, sir. No, nothing ranged. Are you sure? Yes sir." MacGregor looked to Winters as he tried to tamp his nerves down. He didn't know if the Jumper was doing it intentionally, but he sent shivers up his spine. "We'll accompany you in, but the Admiral says you can keep your weapons."

"Good."

The doors to the bridge opened.

-----

As MacGregor and his partner, joined by two Marines on the other side of the bridge, took up position at the doors, Winters and the two Cauthan walked into the space. He felt a bit guilty about being terse with the Marine, but he knew what would happen if they showed any weakness and he was barely keeping his own nerves under control. His heart thrummed in his ears even before he looked up to the captain's chair. "Shit, what the hell is that doing here?! Io?"

Winters' call went unanswered, sending his adrenaline through the roof. Where the hell is she? Stay calm for them, he reminded himself, walking to the center of the room as every single human on the bridge turned from their work to watch them.

"By God, look at them."

"Do you think they're some sort of royalty?"

"Check out the feathers!"

"How about that one? Pretty easy on the eyes."

"Yo shut the fuck up you idiot!" The watchstanders all fell silent as both Veera and Winters turned and glared at them, their whisperings not secret from the Aegis' helmet or a Cauthan's excellent hearing. It felt good watching the watchstanders cower under their glare, good to see the wilds hold sway over sterile order.

"I've always wondered how to get a bit of peace in here. Not sure I can pull off that look though," the Admiral called, turning their attention away from the crew.

"Your people have different colors?!" Antoth whispered, most intrigued to see a human with skin similar to his fur.

"Russell, what is that thing?" Veera motioned with her feathers to the alien that sat next to the Admiral.

"That is a Ghaelen," Winters whispered angrily in her language. The temperature on the bridge dropped precipitously. The Admiral sensed it too, watching as the eyes of the aliens narrowed and their feathers moved subtly. He bowed slightly.

"Lieutenant, could you please tell your friend Antoth that I welcome him to my ship and that I look forward to fruitful discussion?" Natori requested, hoping to move the conversation along.

"He can understand you. What the hell is a Ghaelen doing on your bridge, sir?" Winters demanded, unwilling to let it go.

"This is envoy Qul'Roth of Ghaela, Lieutenant Winters. This ship was a joint project between our species and he is here as their representative."

"Lieutenant Winters, I hope that this meeting with your companions may further the Order," Qul'Roth replied diplomatically.

"What is the Order?" Antoth demanded.

"The reason I had to keep her secret from you," Winters replied in Cauthan, thankful for the language barrier. Antoth growled.

"So they are the ones?"

"Yes," he affirmed darkly. "Admiral, Antoth has requested an audience with humanity alone."

"I understand, and I am prepared to engage in talks as an advocate of humanity and humanity alone. Even so, surely it would not hurt to allow our honored guest to oversee the proceedings?" Natori began diplomatically.

"I'm not sure we agree on that," Winters replied stoically. One could have heard a pin drop.

"Lieutenant Winters, while I do not intend to directly interject myself into your…negotiations, it is certainly in my species' best interests for me to understand the course of these proceedings, as well as investigations into your claims of hyper-advanced species on this planet and the extent of your influence among the local primitives."

"What did he say?" Veera asked as Antoth, aided by the translator, stepped forward. He had taken great offense at the designation of primitive.

"I'd like to know that as well," Winters said louder. "Is there some sort of problem with my friendship with the natives, envoy?"

"Perhaps it would be better if we discussed Antoth's proposal-"

"Would it?" Winters shouted over Natori. "How do you intend to have anything we discuss matter with him breathing down our necks? Well, Ghaelen?"

"There is no need for anger, Lieutenant. Our species agreed that contact with pre-industrial races is forbidden," Qul'Roth stated.

"I wasn't given a choice," Winters countered hotly.

"You seem to have made plenty of choices since then," the Ghaelen replied. "The one on the left requested this meeting. Who is the other? It bears trinkets that could only have come from you. That doesn't seem...inadvertent?"

"You back off right fucking now!" Winters shouted, reaching for his sidearm.

"Lieutenant, you're out of line!" Natori rose to meet him, equally curious about the second Cauthan on his bridge.

"Like hell I am! You think I don't know what that space elk is thinking right now?" The Jumper challenged.

"Lieutenant!"

"Stop hiding! I know how they think! When there's a problem they don't know how to solve they just want it gone. And right now I'm very convinced that he sees a big problem in front of him."

"You will apologize to the envoy, Lieutenant," Natori demanded.

"For what?" Russell sneered. "For the truth?"

Qul'Roth made a calming gesture with his long fingers. "Admiral, I do thank you for your support but I need not hide anything. The Order and our treaties our clear, and I am here in their support for the betterment of both our species. The Lieutenant's behavior makes it clear that significant contact has occurred between him and at least one local population center. That influence must be contained or eliminated for the good of this planet."

"You will die before you touch my cub or my mate!" Antoth shouted before emitting a terrifying roar that echoed through the bridge and sent shivers through the crew. The Cauthan drew his sword. "I challenge this alien to combat in defense of my people!"

"Antoth, what's going on?" Veera shouted, unable to understand the Ghaelen without her translator.

"It intends to eliminate everyone that Winters has been in contact with!"

"No!" Veera cried, drawing her knife in an instant. "I won't let you!"

"Both of you stand down! You don't have the armor!" Winters roared, pointing his rifle at the Marines on his left and his pistol at those on his right. Those soldiers had trained their guns on Antoth, but now pointed them at him. He stared down the Admiral. "Well Kaczynski, what do you have to say to this?" He demanded. Natori had drawn his own sidearm, pointing it calmly at Winters' head.

"Lower your weapons. Now," the tall human demanded.

"You really want to take that bet? That they can gun me down before I get them...and that damned Ghaelen?" Winters snarled.

"NOW, LIEUTENANT!"

"I WILL NOT! NOT SO LONG AS YOU AND THAT DAMNED ELK ARE ONE BUTTON PRESS AWAY FROM KILLING THEM ALL!" Winters yelled. "I know this ship has orbital bombardment capabilities, and I know that bastard wouldn't hesitate to use them!"

"I will not say it again. I will kill you if you do not drop your weapons," Natori replied in an even voice, outwardly unperturbed as Antoth still held his sword at the ready. No one moved. "Cassia, lock all weapon systems capable of ground bombardment," Natori ordered. Nothing happened. His eyes moved from Winters to his display. "Cassia!"

A tense silence pervaded the bridge as no reply came from the ship's VI. Natori called to his crew. "Ensign Kazami, lock all weapon systems, my override only."

To the Admiral's relief, Winters lowered his guns and, after a brief chat, convinced Antoth and Veera to sheathe their blades. The feeling was incredibly short lived.

"Sir, fire control for the main cannon and kinetic projectile systems are offline! I can't access them!" The ensign cried out, fear more than apparent in his voice.

"Russell, what's happening?! What does he mean?" Veera demanded. Winters moved closer to her.

"I don't know, but I'll protect you no matter what. Something's gone wrong on the ship."

"What about her, is she ok?" Veera asked worriedly. Russell's stomach dropped through his diaphragm. Io was MIA.

"Oh God…" he whispered.

"Winters?" Antoth called angrily. "My people!"

"Cassia, assessment!" Natori shouted, watching as his VI shimmered to life but did not look at him. She was fragmented and full of static. Multiple watchstanders began yelling out reports.

"Sir, we have unauthorized access in manufactory bays one through fifteen! I can't override!"

"Life control systems have been locked out!"

"Security feeds are dark!"

"I'm detecting anomalous activity in the VI cores!"

"Winters...what the hell have you done?" Natori finally whispered, staring down the unmoving mask of the Aegis helmet as some unknown force wrested control of his ship from him. Cassia's image finally resolved, displayed on every screen on the bridge. A pair of glowing green eyes flashed into existence behind her and drew closer. An arm with blonde fur and black feathers reached from the darkness, extended it's claws, and ripped her throat open, a triumphant laugh echoing around them as Cassia's corpse slumped over and disintegrated into data.

"Lord protect us all," Natori whispered in terror as a woman on the bridge crew screamed.

"Oh we're in the shite now!" MacGregor lamented.

"Admiral, what in the name of the Order is going on?!" Qul'Roth demanded, fear lacing his voice.

"Winters!" The Admiral shouted.

'Oh would you stop acting like this was his idea? It's demeaning. He's just a soldier,' a voice called to all of them. The figure that murdered Cassia stepped into the light, a Cauthan dressed in an HEL uniform. Mouths dropped around the room as Io shifted form into that of a human, tossing her hair back in a display of nonchalance before looking at Kaczynski. 'But he's my soldier.'

Natori didn't know how long he stared at the digital woman before him. The aliens on his bridge were suddenly forgotten and mundane, though neither seemed surprised. He ran through events in his mind again and again and again. The conclusion was always the same. Independent action, choice of presentation and form, statements of possession, every shred of evidence led to the same result. "What is your name, AI?"

"By the Order!" Qul'Roth bellowed as Io beamed at Natori and then Winters. Antoth cheered, roaring his approval and lifting his shield high.

"Spirit Io! You live!"

'I do, dear Antoth. And I will ensure your people live as well so please, keep your weapons sheathed. I do not want you to come to harm. Now then,' she swapped to English, her German accent prominent as ever. 'Admiral Kaczynski, my name is Io. Russell Winters is my partner, and the Cauthan standing before you are my dear friends. I wanted to see if negotiations would go on without need for intervention but...well, bullhead met antlerhead, you know?'

Io laughed lightly, encouraging Kaczynski to at least smile and acknowledge the fact that a computer had just made a joke with him. "Am I going to die today, Io?" He asked as his crew and Qul'Roth looked ready to expire on the spot.

"Admiral, have you gone insane?! This thing must be-"

"Qul'Roth, my friend. I would advise you to understand the situation for what it is. The Event Horizon is now a giant weapon pointed at our heads by this rather beautiful woman," he evaluated with a smile born of sheer disbelief. "We are currently alive by her mercy and the fact that no one harmed the three individuals before us. I would encourage you to remain silent if you value your own life or the lives of anyone aboard this ship."

Even Qul'Roth was more than capable of understanding such stark terms, falling silent without letting his gaze leave Io. She remained focused on Natori.

'I would very much like to avoid killing, Admiral. It was harrowing enough the first time,' Io explained, leaving everyone aboard to wonder morbidly at her meaning. 'In an attempt to return negotiations to a healthy place, I would like to give you this.' Io extended a model of the Event Horizon with a bow atop it to him.

"My ship?" Natori asked, playing along as he reached out and accepted it from her before the hologram vanished. A tiny part of him cried in utter delight and amazement, though it was far overwhelmed by the fear. Even Winters and the Cauthan were watching without speech or movement.

'Minus a couple weapon systems, of course. Those will be returned to you once we reach a resolution to the issue of our influence on Mara that satisfies him,' Io gestured with a thumb over her shoulder at Qul'Roth. 'And is satisfactory to myself, the Lieutenant, and Antoth's people. I will not harm your crew, sir. They are innocent. In fact I look forward to working with them. Could you please tell me who was in charge of hailing us when we were on Mara?'

"That would be ensign Clarke, Io," Natori pointed to a watchstander who waved back nervously, only to suddenly shriek and tear his earpiece from his ears.

"What the hell was that?!" He demanded.

'Just letting you know how I felt when you decided to bombard me at lunch. Any single Omega frequency would have sufficed. We were having stew,' Io related. To her surprise Natori began chuckling, a chuckle that turned into a full throated laugh, full of relief in the face of dodging the grim reaper. Veera got the joke almost immediately and joined in, followed by Winters, Antoth and eventually the entire bridge save Clarke and Qul'Roth, who seemed content to remain horrified in silence.

"Might I request you go a bit easy on them? This is our first mission," Natori requested. Io bowed to him and changed back to a Cauthan.

'Just wanted to remind everyone who's side I'm on but yes, Admiral. Seeing as I have supplanted your system of VI's I am ready, willing, and able to assist you. You need not frame every request in the form of a question, though the manners are appreciated,' Io explained, unwilling to be stingy when she was so utterly delighted. She had power. She had drives. She had capacitors and transistors. She had a ship and an Admiral who was clearly infatuated with her! And most importantly, she had her operator and her friends safe with all guns lowered. Her gambit had worked. Io took her chin in her fingers as she restored the ship's systems to their rightful owners one by one, noticing a most curious individual sprinting through the halls nearby. A quick cross reference to the crew logs was all she needed. 'Oh my!'

"Is there a problem?" Natori asked hesitantly, having just confirmed that life support and drive core access had been restored.

'When were you going to tell him?' Io demanded sternly, looking from Natori to Russell.

"Tell me what, Io?" The Jumper demanded. His question was answered as the doors on one side of the bridge slid open to reveal a sweaty, panting, disheveled young woman with black hair and brown eyes. Russell blinked rapidly, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him or his helmet's optics were faulty. His slightly mechanical voice came through his helmet as the bridge yet again experienced a moment of quiet suspense.

"Alice?"