“H-How?”

CAL blurted the word, stuttering as he did so, utterly shocked by the completely healthy image standing before him. A stark contrast to their previous encounter, a headless body limply crashing to the ground before him. Though from all he could see it was as if she had never been shot. Her skin was a beautifully dark shade of blue, with white freckles decorating her noseless face. Large animated auburn eyes stared deeply into CAL matching her endearing smile.

“How? I’m a Demia! Half-Demia tbh, but a Demia all the same. You know, super regenerative, hard to kill on the best of days and stubborn to a fault.”

“But your entire head was blown off, how did you survive that?”

“Oh that’s easy! If our spinal column has even a single disk still functioning we can regenerate to near 100%! Just look over there, the bastard who shot me is happily getting lunch.”

CAL turned frantically toward the lunch line, and just as she said, Zimone was standing in line. Arms and legs chained together and a tracking collar around his neck but otherwise healthy as a new born baby. Catching sight of CAL, the sadist grinned eagerly, flipping him the bird before moving on with the rest of the line.

“I heard he was a mangled wreck after you and Negas were done with him, and he is healthy as can be.”

“Okay, let’s just accept the fact that you recovered from a fatal blow. That doesn’t explain how you escaped the radiation and got up here.”

“Now that’s a story! I woke up a couple hours after Zimone turned my brain to pudding, and wandered the forest for a bit. Most of the fighting had stopped by this point, the higher ups had fled, and I had picked up the general gist of what happened while I was out. Over the comms I heard Negas’ final “F-U” and I started running for a cave or something. I ran into a bunch of the other enslaved raiders and we all holed up in a cave. I think like an hour or so passed before the Metal Ninja found us and took us out of there.”

“Metal Ninja?”

“Oh, I believe she is referring to Nightbringer.” Pious chimed in. “He’s our infiltration and cqc specialist.”

“Yeah I think that was his name. Anyway, once we were in here we were all placed under arrest until Calica arrives to deliver her judgment.”

“Wait, so how many of the raiders here are actually from Negas’ original crew?”

“That’s a good question… Aside from Zimone and the other surviving commanders and lieutenants, I think over 70% of us are from the captured or enslaved forces.”

She spun around, scanning everyone around the room and taking a solid count, double checking with a second spin.

“Yeah, I think it’s about 75% of everyone here.”

“And you all have to go under Calica’s judgment, even though most of you were forced into it?”

Wahno drifted between the two, raising a finger to interject.

“That my pastel friend, is pirate code for you. Negas foolishly went off on his own, raided, pillaged and enslaved in sectors Calica firmly stated were off limits. Far as the Pirate Bible goes, The Captain is head of the Ship and the crew are a part of the ship. What one does is synonymous with the other.”

“Man, I really hope Calica is lenient with you all.”

Izsabella laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, me too. I guess I’ll see you at the judgment. It was nice seeing you again.”

“Same here!”

The party began walking toward the secondary exit of the cafeteria. Leaving the room and re-entering the main Hall. The tour continued, but the conversation with Izsabella left CAL uneasy. The situation just didn’t sit well with him at all.

“Hey Pious, Wahno. Is there really nothing that can be done to help the innocent raiders?”

“You ask a two fold question, CAL. Firstly, how do we know who is and is not innocent, and who was and was not enslaved. Granting mass freedom to the group is a dangerous prospect even if we keep the most dangerous and known offenders imprisoned.” Pious said as she continued to float down the hall.

Like a clock ticking, Wahno spun slowly and orbited CAL. “Forget that, the main problem is Calica. She didn’t become the Pirate Queen for her lax policies and penchant for forgiveness. She once threatened the two largest governments in the galaxy just because they had personnel carriers too close to her favorite ice cream parlor. This is the same woman who caught Naught lacking and handed him his iron plated ass on a silver platter. Everyone plays nice with Calica one way or another, and going against her judgment could land us in hot water both physically and politically.”

Anaya tilted her head slightly in confusion.

“Are you not Great Warriors like Warrior CAL? One Pirate queen should be easy to kill.”

“Ah, to think of life so simply, a privilege of your tribal upbringing.” Pious shook her head with pity.

Dr. Kilo appeared next to Anaya, adjusting his glasses as he gazed curiously at Pious. “Ignoring the simplicity of her question. Miss Anaya does make a good point, just how much power and control does this pirate lord have? Any political blowback should be miniscule compared to the relief created by the removal of such a threat.”

Pious sighed, “You are both quite correct, a combined assault from all of us would be more than enough to defeat Calica. However, the political repercussions would be apocalyptic. Calica is the lynchpin of the entire pirate ecosystem. As bad as raids and assaults from pirate bands are, they would be substantially worse without her. She holds the remaining eight Pirate lords, and by extension their raiding bands, on a steel leash. She dictates where and when they are allowed to raid. Keeping most of the major systems safe, while policing the wilderness that is the outer colonies. Removing her would lead to a cataclysmic vacuum of power which could see millions die in the crossfire as the Republic and Federation do their darndest to stem the worst of the combat zones.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Wahno floated by them upside down, smiling eagerly as he did so. “And if you think that’s bad, you haven’t seen a thing until you see what happens when she’s angry. Calica has enough political weight in both the Federation and the Republic to get what she wants, when she wants it. When Negas rebelled against her, he had to fight off the combined might of four entire fleets just to escape her grasp.”

Anaya, seemingly satisfied with the answer, gave Pious a sharp toothy smile.

“Okay, Pirate Queen can stay. I don’t really care for the Raiders, just wanted to know why you don’t kill her.”

Wahno playfully patted her head like a cat. “I like you Anaya! You’re just a savage ball of murderous energy!”

“I understand all of your concerns, nevertheless, there is little we can do to help the situation. We can discuss this topic further later, for now it is best that we continue though the Golden Mile.”

As Pious finished speaking both her and Wahno’s Wrist comms lit up with a buzz.

“General alert, Pious, CAL, Wahno, and Alt. Please report to the Command bridge immediately.”

“I guess that is the end of that!” Wahno said eagerly! “Let’s get to the top!”

Grabbing CAL and Anaya by the shoulders, they instantly reappeared in a darkened room. Both of them pushed Wahno away, shocked by the sudden shift in environments.

“Dude! Give me a freaking warning before you do something like that!” CAL said violently.

“Do that again Floating Wahno, and I will rip your hands off.”

Wahno laughed as he watched both of them glare angrily at him, slowly regaining their composure. “Calm down boys and girls, I just accelerated our trip.”

“And here I thought you would have the courtesy to bring everyone here at once.”

CAL turned to the booming voice in the center of the room to see Naught standing amidst nearly a dozen consoles and twice as many screens.

“Do you want me vomiting everywhere? You know I can only shift two people without repercussions.” Wahno floated casually past Naught and deeper into the room.

Gesturing to the entirety of the room Naught welcomed the rest of them heartily. “CAL, Anaya, welcome to the command Bridge, the metaphorical brain of Vigilus Station. Please, take a gander at the decor and take a seat down below at the meeting room. I’ll join you in a moment, need to tie up a couple loose ends here.”

Doing exactly as asked, CAL was amazed by the room’s grandeur. The onyx walls of the Command room were decorated neatly with a combination of thick books, ornate statues and stunning trophies. Granting it an appearance far more akin to a private study, than the bridge of a powerful space station. Complete with an enormous obsidian throne and lavish velvet rugs, CAL felt more comfort than he did intimidation from the upper deck of the Command room. Nevertheless, even amongst the grand decor of the upper deck, two items stood out from the rest.

The first, a case holding the beautifully adorned fragments of an azure blade. Held aloft within the glass prison, spinning like a graceful ballerina. Though missing its handle and shattered into half a dozen pieces, the remarkably distinct carvings along the blade were mesmerizing to even the most untrained eyes.

The second Item barely caught CAL’s attention as it remained frozen in stasis,well hidden behind the enormity of The Obsidian Throne. It was a titanic metal arm, its blackened talons embedded deeply within a chunk of a carapace-like hide. CAL had never seen an alien hide quite like the one the arm held onto. However, the arm itself did seem quite familiar, though he had never seen it before, the blackened claws brought forth the itch of deja vu, a sense of great violence, and a feeling of warmth to his mind.

Content with his tourism of the upper level, CAL followed the others down the dual grand staircase to the lower floor. Walking down the right side, the wall was furnished with holographic recreations of battles long past. Reaching the main floor, CAL was slightly surprised to see a more natural looking command room, complete with a navigation station, pilot controls, status feeds, and weapon systems. This surprise immediately left him as he glanced behind him to the bar and lounge sitting comfortably under the upper floor.

Turning towards Wahno, who already had a martini in his hand, CAL asked him the question that had been on his mind for the entirety of the tour.

“So I don't mean to be disrespectful or anything, because you all have been really kind and respectful to me and Anaya, but what exactly do you all do? Like what exactly are you all in the grand scheme of things?”

Before Wahno could swallow his mouthful of liquid delight, a small voice answered CAL from the front of the command room.

“That’s an excellent question, young one. Tetra’s Blades are, on a basic level, the protectors of the galaxy. A bulwark against the worst nightmares inside and outside of it’s borders. Mediators, and peace talkers in times of war and strife. Caretakers to the impoverished, saviors to the weak, and terrors to the cruel.”

He inhaled sharply, as he finished.

The “Man” quickly approaching CAL was an avian-like humanoid. No taller than 4 and a half feet, he resembled a duck to a certain degree with his bright yellow feathers, golden beak and soulless black eyes. His “hair” feathers were tied back into three ponytails with white bands matching his stark white dress shirt and pants.

His movement as he approached CAL and offered a three fingered handshake matched his fast paced speech. Every word was well thought out and deliberate, however the speed in which he spoke required a keen ear and great attention to understand and comprehend. Only stopping to inhale a sharp breath once each verbalized thought was completed.

As CAL shook his hand he continued to speak.

“Well met, young one. I am Quen, navigator by trade, historian by hobby and pain in Naught’s hindquarters by accident. I am a Vento, and I believe you are well acquainted with my species’ larger, more violent subspecies, considering Negas ragdolled you across the planet.”

CAL attempted to protest such an insult, however the feathered busybody simply walked past him, continuing to speak as he poured himself a glass of water from the bar.

“Continuing on Tetra’s Blades, they can reasonably be considered the largest and most powerful of the four Sanctus groups. The latter half of that claim is contested heavily by the Great Plagues, who, deservingly so, believe they are immeasurably more powerful and capable than the Blades.”

Inhaling sharply, he took a sip of his water.

“Wait so there are more of us? More stations like this?”

“Oh dear boy, you are considerably uninformed of the current state of affairs are you not? Yes, there are more groups out there, specifically speaking, there are four of them in total. Not counting the rogue elements such as Mortis. Here, you stand amongst Tetra’s blades, a fraction of whom are off serving the galaxy at this time. The Storm Riders of Helios Station roam the southern expanse of the galaxy, while Shadow Inc. scours the northern end for prey. Lastly there are the Great plagues, gifted the outer colonies for their personal enjoyment. Totaling nearly 70 of your brothers and sisters across the galaxy.”

“Well, um… That’s a lot to take in. Thanks for the info though… um.. What was your name again?”

“Quen, Q-U-E-N. Short, sweet and simple. Only one of which describes me, and it’s neither sweet nor simple.”

CAL laughed slightly at his poor joke as Quen walked back to the navigation station.