"Rickshaw, I need help," Carrie said when she entered my office, her sister, Sarah, following after her.

"Like he's going to be able to help with this," she scoffed. If it weren't for Carrie's Nephilim height or Sarah's naturally colored hair it would be almost impossible to tell the two apart.

"He's in charge of all of this," Carrie told her sister. "He can help with everything related to the Nephilim."

"What's the problem now?" I sighed. I already had more on my plate than I wanted. Building a city, creating an economy, fending off lawsuits, ferrying humans from Rallpoint; the list was always getting longer.

"Sarah wants to sign up and fight Scourge," Carrie said. "I've told her I don't want her to and she said I can't stop her."

"She can't stop me," Sarah argued. "Dad's still alive and even though he's a piece of crap, he's still my legal guardian. That means that he has final say for things like this. Plus, you signed up when you were seventeen! And you have people that signed up when they were fifteen! I'm fifteen! What's different with having me join?"

"The difference is that now we aren't desperate for Cadets," Carrie said. "We're putting age requirements in our recruiting criteria, and you'll have to pass physical and mental tests that won't be easy."

While the two sisters ramped up their argument that had clearly been going on for a few days if not weeks, I continued with the problem I was trying to solve before they came in. Any company that had survived the Scourge by name and CEO or by location and safety of investors had finally relented on their arguments that the Nephilim couldn't mine out asteroids in the Solar System. I think when I announced that we'd be selling iron and other metals taken from a different star system, they realized I didn't need what was in this system to drive them, and every other company that made selling resources like metal a part of them, out of business. With them no longer trying to block my efforts, it would make things easier and let me start to look into building new shuttles and starships; both of them would be critical going forward.

"Rickshaw, who do you agree with?" Carrie's question dragged me from my work.

"To be honest, this something you two have to figure out," I told them. "I've already stopped my brother-in-law from signing up but he's just had a kid. He needs to be there to help my sister and his son. I can't stop you from joining when you meet all the requirements, Sarah. I can't stop Carrie from making your life hell when you do join and she's still not on board. I can tell you that we need more than soldiers. I need workers, people who can build starships, colonies, create new tech and weapons for us. I need people who can grow food and I need people who can pilot starships between worlds. You don't have to fight to contribute to all this. Maybe look into those options and see if there's anything you want to do with them."

"I want to fight," she said. "Carrie's already told me about that other stuff and she's already gone over everything I could do with them, but I made my choice. I choose to fight."

"Then you're going to need to be in excellent physical shape," I told her. "You'll also need to study enough to pass several tests. Best get to work. Carrie, show her the tracks and gyms, get her started on what to do. When she can't move her arms and legs anymore start in on the curriculum. If you can't stop her, it's best to make sure that she's the best of them all."

"Fine, but you owe me so much and you'd better hope she doesn't die," Carrie said. She was really mad that I hadn't stopped her sister from joining; hopefully she'd see that I was giving her another chance to stop her, not by sabotaging her efforts but by raising the standard beyond what she was capable of reaching.

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"Demigod James, you have been called to this court to answer for the actions of the alien creature known as the Scourge and their destructive invasion of Earth," the head judge said. "Further investigation by our investigators has revealed that your Nephilim Army consists of people who were taken against their will and by force by an alliance of alien races who have declared war on the Scourge Race. This court will determine the nature of guilt that your organization will be charged with and whether or not you will be cast off of this planet. Do you understand?"

My father nodded to me to indicate that I was expected to speak.

"I do understand, your honor. Thank you for yours and the court's time," I said.

"Then we will begin," the judge said. "The Trial of Earth versus Nephilim will now begin. This court is in session."

With a harsh bang! of his gavel the judge began the trial or whatever it was. I just knew that this was going to take a long time.

"This isn't going well," Father said as he paced back and forth. "That they're already calling for the tribunal to pass judgment after only hearing testimony from you and a few others doesn't bode well at all."

"This was always either going to be fast and loose with some sort of harsh punishment or fine or it was going to be long and drawn out with whatever decision made being something that would change all facets of the world's understanding," Harry said, adjusting his tie nervously.

"Whatever happens with their decision, it won't change what I'm doing," I told them. "It will at worst slow me down. I've been bringing everyone who wanted to come home back to Earth but that still left over four hundred thousand people who I have video evidence of them choosing to stay on Rallypoint. That's four hundred thousand civilians that I can use to seed planets and colonies and wait for them to grow larger and start giving me new Nephilim. I can play the long game if I have to."

"That's not to mention the people you've had sign up already," Father agreed. "What were those numbers again? Twenty thousand?"

"More," I answered. "I've already sent them back to Rallypoint where Julio has been putting them through their paces and training."

"Demigod James?" a young attractive woman opened the door and looked in. "They're ready for you."

Guess it was time to hear the final verdict. Several months before we expected to hear it.

As my father, Harry, and I trooped into the court room, the various news outlets began taking pictures and shouting questions to us. Guess they all wanted to know what we hoped would happen. We ignored them and made our way to the table we were placed at and we waited for the judges, all five of them, to step out and take their places.

"This Trial of Earth versus Nephilim is hereby called to order," the head judge yelled out and banged his gavel again. "We, the judges, have deliberated and we have made our decisions. We will now announce our decisions."

The court room fell to absolute silence as he spoke and looked out at everyone. With a nod, the judge began.

"For the charge of invasion of sovereign soils, we find the Nephilim; not guilty. For the charge of massive destruction of property, we find the Nephilim; not guilty. For the charge of kidnapping and trafficking of human lives against their will, we find the Nephilim; not guilty. For the charge of destruction of indigeneous lands, we find the Nephilim; not guilty. We instead place the guilt for all these crimes upon the shoulders of the man who perpetrated them and led the Nephilim as they performed them. Rickshaw James, Demigod of the Nephilim, leniency has been taken in your punishment, because of your cooperation with the powers of our world to return to us those taken who wished to come home, as well as your efforts to protect this planet from the Sourge Race. You have been found guilty of all these charges and are, by the order of this court, expelled from all Earthly nations. Any sighting of you upon Earth will be taken as an act of war and will result in all military powers of the nations of Earth being rallied together to remove you. You have by sunrise tomorrow to leave Earth." With one last series of bangs with his gavel the judge finished his announcement and as one all of them rose to leave.

Before they had taken a step, the reporters behind us exploded with questions, all of them demanding to know my thoughts on this matter. I was just glad that all my efforts to have a Nephilim presence on Earth weren't undone by the judges' decision; I couldn't have cared less for the fact I was taking my last steps on Earth forever.