Weeks passed as Helen, Torvil, Jen and Mo’Emori traveled across the country in search of a starship to steal. It had become a challenge once the main forces of the Federation were pulled from the Middle East to increase defenses throughout the mainland.
Amaranthe had ordered a mass conscription amongst the populace between old North and South America, using most of the conscripts to set up checkpoints on every major highway between both countries in an effort to weed out the socio-political outliers hiding within Federation soil.
Between the amassing armada just outside of Earth’s atmosphere, the forces between the fleet and those returning home from the main conflict spurred numerous problems for those trying to flee.
They had even heard rumors of the Federation going door to door searching for those disloyal to the government. That did not include the deadly raids on Eskarii occupied city streets that resulted in open massacre.
Helen was exhausted by the chaos encompassing her world. The Eskarii she called a daughter jostled lightly against her as Jen sped down an uneven road. She looked down and tenderly brushed the teal hair out of Mo’Emori’s sleeping face as she sighed. The only saving grace in their mission thus far had been that Jen stole a comfortable SUV for them to travel in aside from the gross number of weapons she scrounge up, though she would not share where she acquired that many weapons.
Torvil too napped within the back of the truck as they traveled down a back-alley road of Indiana. Helen took in the sight of the Eskarii siblings, thankful to have them along to keep her sane through all of it.
Having traveled as far south as Georgia to find that military occupied nearly every airport, both private and commercial, had been a massive wrench in their plans.
Given Torvil’s last experience with stealing a starship from a military occupied airport, they voted against trying again.
“So, what are you thinking?” Jen perked up as she surveyed the landscape.
“That if we don’t find a ship soon, I’m going to lose my mind,” Helen snickered as she gently stroked Mo’Emori’s cheek.
Jen chuckled, “Too right but then again, it’s been pretty fun blowing up checkpoints with you guys, so it’s not all bad.”
Helen suppressed her laugh as much as she could to not disturb either of the sleeping Eskarii. “It’s a wonder how you managed to become a cop, given the amount of happiness you get out of your most recent escapades, it’s a mystery how you just never went full anarchist on us.”
Jen grinned at that as she leaned back, “Well for one, I was D.S.T.U. not an ordinary cop, so I got away with a lot of shit over the years. If I would’ve been an ordinary street cop, I probably would’ve offed myself long ago, and second; there was little opportunity to do any of these things back then. Shit, if everything went back to normal tomorrow I don’t think I’d have it in me to be civil again-no, if we go back I’m totally going full anarchy. There’s just way too much fun to be had.”
Helen just shook her head as she chuckled, “You’re ridiculous.”
Jen snorted and looked between her and Mo’Emori. Helen saw a kindness in Jen’s eyes that rarely showed for anyone and yet, there it was.
“Our life huh? I don’t think I could imagine my life without these two now,” Jen said wistfully.
Helen hummed affirmatively with a nod.
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love you, James and little Mori to death but, I never really had a family of my own, you know? No siblings, both parents dead, fuck all knows where the rest of my family is these days. Only thing I’ve had was you, Mori and the squad for years…” Jen stated as she eyed the rear-view mirror.
“And now? I got myself a tall, sexy broody and an excitable little niece whose over three times my age!” she chirped in a disbelieving laugh.
Helen chuckled along with her as she nodded, letting Jen say her piece. “Chaos aside though, which to be honest has mostly been great too, I’m, well… pretty happy,” she finished with a heartfelt smile.
“Yeah, this one has been the one to hold me together,” Helen said sweetly looking down to Mo’Emori.
The conversation lulled as they passed through farm fields, the smell of soybeans permeating the air.
“Hey, what about Canada?” Jen chirped in curiosity.
Helen looked at her with a quirked eyebrow, “In what sense?”
Jen bobbed her head side to side before gesturing out the window, “I mean, any state side airport so far has been overrun by the military, but what about Canada? It’s still an open expanse of wilderness minus the few major cities and fewer blast sites… it would be right to think the Federation would stick more towards to the main population, right?”
Helen thought about it for a moment, “So, you’re thinking we might be able to find something over the border? I mean…” Helen trailed off into deeper thought trying to recall any information she could have come across during her time as an Intel operator. “I can’t, I can’t think of any real operations that far north!” she said in hushed excitement.
Jen smirked sinisterly, “Road trip girlie!”
Helen laughed, “This whole thing has been a road trip you dork.”
Jen slammed on the gas and sped through the fields of Indiana before heading north.
Four hours later, Mo'Emori and Torvil both being awake in the back now, they arrived at the border of Detroit, Michigan and the border of Canada.
Jen slowed to a crawl as they approached, spying the checkpoint that would give them problems.
Two military SUVs sat on each side of the checkpoint and a small guard house as a Federation marine flagged them down. Jen crawled up to the marine before both Jen and Helen rolled down their windows.
The marine approached the driver side, “I’m going to need some identification ma’am… ladies,” he said firmly.
Jen gave him a wicked grin, “Sure thing pretty boy,” before she started patting her pockets.
Helen dug through her purse under false pretenses as she side-eyed, watched Torvil and Mo’Emori shrink underneath the driver-side rear window, thankful that Jen was smart enough to steal something with darkly tinted windows.
Jen feigned trouble finding her license as the marine became impatient. Jen dug into the center console animatedly, before pulling out the handgun hidden within and shot the marine in the face twice.
Helen grabbed the grenade from her purse and threw it through the window of the guardhouse close by as shouts of panic came from within. “Go!” she commanded.
Jen floored it, zooming down the desolate highway towards Toronto as the grenade detonated within the guardhouse.
One of the older military trucks peeled off the side of the road in hot pursuit after them.
“Shit, I didn’t even see anyone in that!” Jen mused as she watched a marine stick their head out before grabbing hold of the mounted machine gun that sat on top.
The sound of automatic gunfire and bullets sinking into metal surrounded them became static as the rear window shattered. Mo’Emori letting out a high-pitched yelp as she ducked, Torvil letting out a stream of curses in his native tongue.
“Torvil? Be a dear and take care of that would you sweetie,” Jen said coolly as she weaved side to side on the road with complete control while Helen used the pistol she took from Jen and returned fire, not that she expected much out of her actions.
Torvil grumbled incoherently before sliding his arm over the back of the seat while Mo’Emori scooted over to the other side of the car.
“Steady!” he called as he turned around and opened the door, planting his foot against the open door as he kneeled on the seat to lean out of the truck.
The gunner in the truck stopped firing in disbelief, as if there was no way a white haired Eskarii was leaning out the open door with a rocket launcher sitting on its shoulder.
The gunner panicked as the rocket soared right for his truck, impacting underneath and igniting the gas tank sending the truck flipping through the air.
Jen slowed down enough for Torvil to climb back in as he tossed the disposable launcher down the road.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Jen grinned at Helen, who just looked purely exhausted, “He’s damn sexy ain’t he?”
Both Helen and Torvil let out a derisive snort at the mad woman as Mo’Emori giggled as she sat up in her seat to see the burning military vehicle slowly vanishing behind them.
ΩΩΩ
The desk was an expensive and exquisite rosewood designed by hand to match the presidential desks of old. The bright, pristine walls decorated to an ornate level with commemorative trinkets highlighting the proud achievements of the Federation.
The perfect, micro suede leather of the chair he sat in conformed to his body to his liking as Lord Commander Amaranthe surveyed the room in enlightened appreciation.
All his planning and hard work had finally paid off, basking in the memory of the faint cracking of glass that snuffed out the life of his late superior office.
The gilded smile on his face enjoyed every minute he imagined the look of shock and pain on the old man’s face as he bled out on the floor of his bedroom.
“Rebecca,” he said smoothly before letting go of the intercom button on his new desk.
“Yes, Lord Commander?” A meek feminine voice responded over the open speaker.
He signed wistfully before cooing, “Send in my administrator, would you?”
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Within 30 seconds flat, a nervous lanky man stepped into the grandiose office, his gaze flitting around the room cautiously.
Amaranthe poured himself a drink from a crystal decanter that sat on his desk and took a sip, “Tell me George, have we any leads to where that bitch mage has hidden herself once again‽”
The man looked nervous as his eyes settled on Amaranth, “No sir, the Chevelle reported an Eskarii frigate within Castile V’s orbit upon arrival but quickly fled the scene… the unit sent in to neutralize “the Rose” found only a handful of prisoners and half as many Eskarii troops within the confines…”
“What do you think of the name Rose? I think it’s fitting as I saw how much of a thorn the girl would be in the long run- but of course no one wanted to listen,” Amaranthe said in a nearly nostalgic tone.
George sputtered briefly before nodding vigorously, “yes-yes, the name is quite the fit for your quarry, my Lord Commander…”
Amaranth smiled before taking another sip, “Yell me of our other progress.”
George nodded nervously before calling up a holo-screen that came alive along the far wall. Images of death and destruction within urban and suburban settings flashed on the screen.
“As of this morning sir, we are tallying 23,748 supporters of the enemy, as well as 67,023 Eskarii that hide within our borders.”
The images and numeral fact made Amaranthe grin.
George flipped to a recorded video of a shipwright factory somewhere off world as sparks flew across the screen, “Production has been increased as well as having started on the project you requested, my Lord Commander… they just started the frame work and are expecting to be finished in the next 14 months…”
“I know full well how long it will take to finish my ship,” Amaranth sniped, “Just make sure the shipyards are aware that a single minute late, will be costly.”
George nodded in panic as he turned off the holo-screen.
“So, its safe to presume that all is going according to plans save for the girl?”
George nodded again, “yes sir.”
Amaranthe nodded to himself before waving him away, taking a long look at the clear liquid jostling in the glass.
“Either the Eskarii have you or someone else does, don’t they? No matter, eventually you’ll show your face again and next time, you won’t be getting away, little girl, and next time, I will bleed your secrets from you,” he murmured to himself before draining the rest of the glass.
ΩΩΩ
“Come on Apollyon, there’s gotta be some way for me to do this!” Morrigan criticized in her head as she palmed a blast of frost from one of the other trainees made to be her sparring partner.
It was already bad enough that she had to sandbag her powers enough not to tear through their shielding and eviscerate them on accident, but the amount of emotional control she was required to have to lock down the emotional gates on her energy flow was becoming harder with the aggravation of not being able to form a simple shield setting in.
What do you want me to do? My power is an extension of me! Never once in my vast life have I ever needed to shield myself, especially in such a paltry display! Apollyon growled, just as annoyed.
Morrigan unleashed a crimson claw at her opponent and wrapped the talons around the shield, squeezing and feeling their willpower submitting to her strength.
She quickly released it when she saw the young man drop to one knee tiredly, both her own energy as well as his own winking out of existence. He quickly lifted his hand and signaled for a time-out that she was thankful for.
She watched the man fall to his back breathing heavily. She walked up and sat near him, keeping a gratuitous amount of space between them.
“You know, you’re quite powerful,” the man said.
Morrigan snorted as she felt the tension in her back ease, “Can’t be that powerful, I can’t even manage to create a stupid bubble shield!”
He laughed, “Coming from the girl who could crush me like a bug… I mean, I saw what you did to the tank, and the drones the other day, how are you not just… killing me outright?”
Morrigan let out a dramatic sigh as she eyed the man. She did not want to explain the full mechanics of her powers since even she didn’t understand them fully.
“Do you know how water filters work?” she asked waiting for him to nod. “Its essentially like that only mentally… or I suppose physically too. I’ll be honest, I’m not completely sure most of the time. The only thing I do know is it takes a lot of restraint not to destroy something…”
Dezinaria stalked over to both of them with her ever present scowl on her face. “What are you two doing lounging around?” she barked at them.
The man raised his hands in defeat, “I’m sorry! I needed a break. She is a massive drain on my reserve,” he exclaimed thumbing over to Morrigan.
Morrigan blushed lightly as she dipped her head. Dezinaria narrowed her eyes at her, “Still no progress on your shield, huh?”
Morrigan shrank under her gaze, exhausted at feeling so negatively about being unable to complete the task. Over the several weeks she had been training to become an Inquisitor, she had aced every test, memorized as many doctrines and regulations as her brain could hold and even passed her class of intuitive and practical investigation, though that class was a close finish for her.
However, she despised not being given a pass in defensive magic knowing full well she can protect herself. More than that, she wanted to learn how to create a shield that she could use to protect those at her side as the memories of those who died assaulting the prison were still fresh in her mind and heart.
“Hey, why don't you apply that filter concept into willing a shield?” the guy piped up.
Morrigan scowled, “Because it's not the same, I mean that's not even a real…..” she trailed off in thought.
“Hey, you remember how you taught me to actively call upon your power?” she asked Apollyon.
I see your gerbil scurrying, what do you have in mind, kid? Apollyon asked curiously.
“Well, you said your energy is an extension of you right? Which is why it takes shape of your original body, right?”
Yeah? That’s pretty much the gist of it. The energy is a cosmic ambience through all creation, however, I was the epicenter of this particular form of energy and its generation when my siblings and I were born.
Morrigan’s eyebrows furrowed as her brain worked faster at processing the possibilities of that meaning. She even lifted her hand to do faux math calculations in front of her to assist in processing.
“So, with that being said… you were the original schematic? Relatively speaking, of course. I get you were the generator but your body was what housed your eternal essence, right? So it could be thought of a house per se, meaning that it was blueprinted from you or something, meaning that if I gave the energy a new schematic to follow it should in fact, form in its design… right?” Morrigan fired off in her mind with rapid hopefulness.
Apollyon sputtered in deep laughter at the process in which Morrigan thought through, causing her to deflate a little.
Listen kid, this is our first time for us both, but, that little gerbil in your head pulled out some sound reasoning. Granted, it was a little more like that obnoxious game Tetris you humans went crazy about back in the day but the principle applies, figuratively. I say give it ago, worst comes to worst it doesn't work… or you set off an atom bomb, I mean the odds are in your favor!
Morrigan laughed aloud out of nowhere causing both her training partner as well as Dezinaria to look at each other with questioning glances as if she just went mad.
She caught their glances and waved them off, “Sorry but I think I figured it out!”
Dezinaria quirked her eyebrow incredulously, “Is that so? Let's see it then.”
“Slow down, I gotta build a schematic first!” she chirped excitedly as she sat in a meditative pose before contemplating how to go about it.
She tried to envision a barrier; thin, transparent and in the shape of a bubble and called on the power. She could feel the energy release from her body from the ever coalescing form that felt like a second body within her own skin.
When she opened her eyes she found her hands in their familiar claw forms and the tips of her skeletal wings poking at her periphery.
Morrigan growled in aggravation, releasing the energy and closing her eyes again. This time she focused on a tight lattice build in her mind. She knew solid objects had a tight molecular structure that gave them their solidarity, so envisioning a real life molecular structure should do the trick.
She called to her energy once more only to find the same result.
You know this is the definition of insanity, right? Apollyon mused with a fading chuckle.
Morrigan growled once again as she noticed everyone was now staring at her in interest.
“Come on! What am I missing? Wait, how did your siblings build so much if it’s not just thinking something into existence?”
Apollyon let out a hum as it recalled its past,
I mean… with their hands… wait with their hands girl! Literally! Apollyon’s excitement baffled Morrigan as she looked down at her own hands.
On a whim she called on her power for a third time, watching the crimson claws envelop her hands. With cautious curiosity, she touched the tips of two of her claws together and squinted with a breath of disbelief as a near blinding red light flashed to life.
“If your siblings wrote the genetic structures of every living thing then…” she thought as she brought her clawed thumbs together to form a circuit between her fingers. In the center she focused on a crystalline lattice structure in the shape of a flat plane and watched it as concentrated energy flowed along the pathways until she had a small monomolecular barrier fitting between her hands.
She gasped in shock as she slowly turned to her training partner holding up the small barrier, “Try and hit this.”
Dezinaria gave the man a nod as he gave her a look of uncertainty before he formed a small ball of ice and took aim, flinging it at the barrier.
The barrier shattered like glass in her hands as the energy dispelled itself. Allowing the tiny ball of ice to ping off her forehead.
“Fuck, shit!” she exclaimed which drew out collective laughter throughout the class as she held her head.
Shaking the pain off and ignoring the amused chuckles, she put her hands together again but this time the small barrier appeared significantly faster.
She cracked a wide grin, now she only needed to do was thicken the barrier. She tried spreading her fingers but that only expanded the barrier so she tried inverting one of her hands and watched a single new layer form over the old one.
“Yes!” she squealed as she mimicked the motion dozens of times until she felt like the opacity and thickness was sufficient enough. She realized her barrier was built like ballistic glass the more she thought about it, which made significantly more sense to her. This time when she held the barrier up to her partner, she felt a world more confident. “Do it!”
The man considered not listening but seemed intrigued enough to try for a second time, forming the small ice ball and flinging it at the barrier with precise aim.
This time, it was the ice ball that shattered into oblivion. Morrigan lost herself to hysteric joy as the energy was released. The results were beyond what she expected.
“Well a tiny shield is interesting Miss Clarke, yet hardly protective. Do you find yourself capable now all of a sudden?” Dezinaria ridiculed.
Damn, what a kill joy, Apollyon quipped as Morrigan deflated.
With a heavy sigh she reigned herself in, she knew deep down that Dezinaria had a point though she wished the old woman really understood the feat she had just accomplished.
She nodded along though and re-summoned the tiny shield and considered what to do next.
“Okay energy… I need you to be a dome of some kind, work with me here,” she pleaded quietly before deciding to throw a hail mary, quite literally expanding her hands and releasing the barrier above her.
Her energy responded to her desire and expanded above her, coalescing into a solid dome barrier surrounding her on all sides for about two feet.
Everyone but Dezinaria cheered and clapped for her as she nearly burst into joyous tears.
Hey kid, you might wanna back off a bit!
Dezinaria snapped her hand forward sending a torrent of electrical bolts crashing against the dome.
Morrigan felt the impacts of each attack as much as she felt the shield weighing her down. Each strike that struck depleted more and more energy from her core.
Dezinaria called through all four primary elements, striking each multiple times to test the integrity of Morrigan’s shield before she was satisfied. She indicated she was done by giving the girl a firm nodded.
When she dropped the shield, the class cheered for her triumph, “Well done, Miss Clarke,” Dezinaria stated with a look of pride in her face as Morrigan tried to stand up straight, only to have blood pour from her nose.
A wave of dizziness passed through her head as she stumbled, the young man she sparred with jumped forward to catch her only to be met with a burst of crimson energy from Morrigan’s body as she fell back on her ass, the man sent sprawling a few feet back.
“Shit, right, I forgot, I'm sorry,” he winced as Dezinaria stalked towards Morrigan to inspect her.
Morrigan wiped the blood from her nose and inspected it, “It’s okay… I'm fine, I've had this happen before I’ve… just used to much power,” she said in embarrassed remorse as she looked over to the trainee. She knew he meant well, but that did not keep her body from reacting violently though she felt relief as she saw that he was more or less uninjured.
A moment later the splitting headache settled in as the exhaustion she remembered washed over her, “I just… need to rest,” she breathed forcefully as her eyelids felt heavy.
“Are you sure, child? You look worse for wear right now, I can call a medic,” Dezinaria said in concern.
“I’m fine, can you just tell Solomon to send for Xol. Tell him I just over did it again,” she said as her physical energy depleted though she could feel her power’s energy pull from the cosmos.
“I will, just lay down. Take the week to recover and I'll see you back here by the end of it,” the old lady said as she guided Morrigan gently to the floor as the other trainees gawked.
“But I… I finished the class…” Morrigan said as her vision started to blur.
Relax little goddess, I'll have you fixed up in no time, though we should figure out that whole new ability thing soon, Apollyon added as Dezinaria chuckled.
“Not quite but you're getting there. You still have the last leg of the journey to take before you pass my class,” she said with a proud smile as Morrigan’s consciousness faded to black.