

The Mullinix

Book 3: Resolution

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright ©2008 by Rodney Mountain

Reedit ©2018 by Rodney Mountain

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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## Other Titles by Rodney Mountain

Immortal Universe Novels

The Healy Murders

The Accidental Immortal

Undercover

The Killer Strikes

Anoki's Revenge

The Immortal Progression

Corporate Immortality

Not With a Whisper

The Mullinix: Redemption

The Mullinix: Resolution

Other Works

Durell's Insurrection

Night Strike (Short Story Anthology)

The Black Fossil

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## Dedication

To the children, namely Caitlin who has been jumping on her daddy's back during most of this book's writing and Alex whose impending arrival pushed me to finish it.

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Chapter 1 - Prologue

Peter Lomax looked out at the large group of students he had in the room. He'd been teaching in the service center for over a quarter century, but it never failed to amaze him how many cultures were contained under the umbrella of the Mullinix Empire. With the addition of the Siraqi Cession, just 18 years before, even more cultures were in the building.

He smiled as he looked at how calm things were with all walks of life in the same classroom. There were children of the well to do in Connoer, a poor cobbler's son from River Fortress, Two beggars from Shanxie and a rich kid from Serenik. This was just in the first row. This building made them all equals. Even the son of the Mullinix and the apprentice was in the room.

Lomax looked over at Copeland Irons, the son of Mullinix Medoferro and Mullinix Apprentice Trinaferro. It was proof to Peter that he was getting old. Peter had served as the councilor for Mullinix Medoferro and his representative Simon Sutcliffe shortly before Medoferro became apprentice. Now, Medoferro's son was sitting in the room waiting for him to start his lecture.

Copeland sat with his friend Alvin towards the back of the room. Copeland took the best of both of his parents and mixed them as if in a blender. He had his mother's dark hair (which grew out to his shoulders) and his father's lean build. He had also grown more than either of his parents, as he had hit six-foot three by the time he was sixteen.

Pete Lomax knew today's subject would be easy for Copeland, as he had lived in the palace all his life, but one thing that the Mullinix had insisted on was stringent education on recent history in order to make sure that no citizen could forget what the Bolantines had caused. He tapped his ruler on the desk to regain order.

"Good morning, everyone!" Peter said, sounding cheery enough to annoy those who had indulged too much the night before, "It's time for another class. Everyone awake enough to take part today?"

"Awake yes," one boy said, "Alive is another story."

"I've been there," Peter chuckled, "I'll try to take it easy on you for a bit. Today, we need to cover recent history. Copeland, I know this is all old news for you, but your father decreed that everyone has to go through it."

"Eh," Copeland shrugged, "Be interesting to hear it from someone else's perspective."

"You would put it that way," Alvin said, "I think we know all this."

"Most of it happened before you were born," Peter reminded him, "Let's start with the basics, seeing as most of you had too much to drink last night. How is the Mullinix chosen? Jake?"

"The Mullinix is chosen from first semester students like us," Jake recited, "This is to catch them young when they have nothing to unlearn."

"Good," Peter said, "You've all been tested, though there is one of you who is safe from the job."

"Being the Mullinix's son does have some benefits," Copeland grinned, "I can't get stuck with the job no matter what happens."

"How do they know who doesn't want the job?" Alvin asked.

"They have ways of figuring it out," Peter said, "I don't know all of them. I doubt anyone outside the palace does. I hope you don't find out, because it means you've likely been chosen."

A chuckle went through the room at that one. No one really expected that to happen this time. A Mullinix was only chosen when one of the three Mullinix, usually the elder, dies. Insegniferro was an old Mullinix, now 82 years old, but he was not showing any signs that he was near death.

"Ok," Peter said, "We've all learned how the Mullinix are chosen and who they are chosen from. Who can tell us how many Mullinix we have had this century?" he paused and saw Copeland's hand go up, "Someone other than Copeland Irons, Please."

Alvin chuckled at his friend, who went a bit red in the face. Considering Copeland lived with three of them; it wasn't surprising that he knew this bit of history. Finally, a red-haired kid from Nessun Cucchiaio raised his hand and Peter nodded to him to answer.

"Five, I think," the kid said, "The three that are there now and two right near the beginning of the century."

"Correct," Peter said, "Can you remember why we've had so many in a century barely 30 years old?"

"Mullinix Massimaferro's death," the kid said, "I heard about it in history class."

"It was a quick thing," Peter said, "A Medico corrupted by the traitor Ellis LaPorte fed Massimaferro the drug mellemaic while he and then Apprentice Medoferro were on a tour. Mellemaic is a nasty drug which was also responsible for the death of the king of Siraq. Couple that with the death of Mullinix-elder Taliaferro just under six months before, we ended up with the youngest full Mullinix in centuries."

"And the first time that the Mullinix and Apprentice were from the same class," Copeland said, remembering his father's stories, "Dad was chosen three days into the term, Mom was chosen on the second to last day."

"That's right," Peter said, "Fortunately Mullinix Medoferro turned out to be very good at his job. His planning kept the Mavelan forces at bay and kept Cirrus as a part of the empire."

"Aren't the Mavelans our friends?" one of the teenagers asked, "Have been for as long as I can remember."

"They are now," Peter agreed, "We never wanted anything but friendship. Their former king, the late and unlamented Facie, did little but try to take more and more. When Cirrus defected from his rule for Mullinix freedom, he tried until his last breath to find a way to destroy us."

"Now, the Mavelans are run by committee," Alvin said, saying something to keep himself awake, "Not by an unfit king."

"It was one of the few good things that came out of the Bolantine war," Peter agreed, "How many of you remember what you were told of the Bolantine war?"

"It was the first time Mullinix troops ever served in a foreign excursion," a child in the back said, "Why did we send troops to a land whose ruler hated us?"

"It was only their ruler who hated us," Peter said, "Most of the Mavelan people disliked their own ruler worse than anyone else. Unfortunately, Facie was not the only malevolent ruler in the region."

"If Facie was so bad, why did we stop fighting at the edge of Cirrus after the Ascension War?" Copeland asked, "I never did ask my father that."

"It wasn't our right to go after them," Peter said, "Medoferro did not want to waste our young men's lives in a war to punish Facie. He felt that it was the Mavelan people's job to oust Facie if they wanted to. He did what he had to do to ensure that Mullinix would not be attacked again."

"Which brings us to the Bolantine war," the same child who had questioned the involvement before, "Why did we get involved in a war with a nation we'd never had contact with?"

"The Bolantines are pure evil," Peter said, "Cruel executions, wars of aggression, subverting governments. They do it all. One of my year mates was an officer under Michelset in the battle of Southern Oasis. The Bolantines slaughtered everyone they caught. No prisoners, no quarter. The survivors managed to evacuate and collapse the well, leaving the city useless to them."

"Why did they attack Southern Oasis?" the young man asked, "Did we do anything?"

"The Bolantines were using sand riders to flank the Mavelans," Peter said, "They were also going after the Damascans. We assisted the Damascan forces with setting up a trap that stopped the flanking maneuver. The remnants of those Bolantine troops went after the combined Mullinix and Damascan force in Southern Oasis."

"May I?" Copeland asked the teacher.

"Sure," Peter said, "I'm sure you've talked to your father about this before."

"Medoferro met Bolantine himself up in Siraq before the war," Copeland told them, "He went north to figure out why so many people were coming over our borders and to figure out why Siraq was on the edge of civil war. Turns out, the king had been subverted by Bolantine himself. Dad called him on it and Bolantine tried to have him murdered. Luckily Bolantine's plans were thwarted. I'm sure some of you from up in that region have heard the horror stories."

"Me dad say we lost half our people during that time," one of the kids from the former Siraqi regions said, "Lord Endicott, as the people up there called Bolantine at the time, took all the food and the money to feed his soldiers doing something or other up north. Me dad lost four brothers to the hunger and to the Royalists."

"That's how we came to power up there," Peter said, "Medoferro couldn't sit idly by and watch people suffer. He didn't force the region to become Mullinix. Our troops went up to remove an illegal despot, nothing more. It just so happened that the people thought we were a better bet."

"No complaints here," one of the Siraqi kids said, "Except for the food here, but it seems we all get that."

"The great equalizer," Peter agreed, "That's why I don't eat with you if I can help it."

"Has it always been this bad?" one red haired child asked, "I wouldn't feed this slop to my cows."

"Recipe hasn't changed in centuries," Peter said, "Like I said, the great equalizer. You all get to suffer together. No favorites, everyone gets the same thing. No matter if you're in a part of the empire that has been here for years or from the Siraqi Annex. You are all citizens. And that brings us to the subject of that annex."

"How did the annex happen?" One student asked.

"Well," Peter said, "It started with the things we've already talked about. A lot of people dying and the southern part of Siraq on the edge of full out civil war. Medoferro led a team up there to conduct trade negotiations with the Siraqi government, though this was mainly just a smokescreen."

"Why talk with a government so corrupt?" one student interjected.

"They were the law there," Peter said, "Same reason we didn't go in and take out Facie. Same reason we don't declare war on the Bolantines. It isn't our battle to fight. Until they did something directly to us or until their people asked for help, there was no reason for us to go in."

"My dad said there was no reason to go in," the same child as before said, "He said that Medoferro was a warmonger."

"That's the beauty of freedom," Peter said, "Everyone has an opinion."

Copeland Irons steamed at that a little, for he knew that his father was anything but a warmonger, but knew that it would be impolitic to interrupt. He watched as Peter Lomax figured out what to say next.

"The truth of the matter is this," Peter said, "I was in town when Medoferro went to Siraq. He went in with nothing more than a small guard contingent. He usually travels with a larger entourage in country than he did up there. This was to find out what was happening with people that lived in another nation.

"Before he could get to the palace, his barge was attacked by rebels. Most of his guards were wounded and his power use kept them all from dying that day. He and three others continued on, sending home the wounded to make sure that they got medical care. This was despite the fact that most of the guards wanted to continue with him.

"Medoferro and three others continued on to the capital and met with their ailing king and the aforementioned Lord Endicott, who we now know better as Emperor Bolantine. He had infiltrated the king's court and diverted resources to a project of his own in the north. His utter lack of regard for the Siraqi people is legendary as I'm sure anyone who lived up there will remind you again."

All the students of Siraqi descent quickly agreed with this. Lord Endicott had been reviled by one and all. His methods were well known up there, for all of them had family or friends that had been brutalized during the years that Endicott ran Siraq.

"But taking the land wasn't legal!" the child exclaimed.

"We didn't take anything," Peter explained, "When he found out what Bolantine had done to the country he sent back a messenger. His orders were to provide aid to the rebel causes and to send the army to the capital. His intention was not to take over the nation, but to simply remove the cancer that had devoured its government.

"The army actually faced no resistance. Those poor people had been mistreated so much that the Mullinix invasion was a relief. General Hardin's troops spent more time dispensing medical attention than they did fighting anyone. The only actual fighting happened when they reached the royalists in the palace, led by one of Bolantine's men.

"Medoferro met up with the army, who had already picked up his representative and Princess-Consort Charissa. All of them had escaped from the Siraqi prison Bolantine had put them in. The Princess-Consort was the last person in the legal line of succession in Siraq, but she had no desire to rule.

"That's where the Siraqi Annex came in. Southern Siraq was mostly Mullinix speaking anyway. Northern Siraq had long since formed ties with the Serenians. Rather than risk a fight between the Mullinix and her former nation, Medoferro and Charissa came up with the annex line. The Serenians agreed to this as well, and the Siraqi people were given the choice whether they wanted to join either one.

"It took less than a month for every single village south of the line to petition for official admittance into Mullinix. No laws were broken, or even bent for that matter. I haven't heard many Siraqis complaining about the deal. The taxes are lower and our soldiers don't level entire towns like theirs did."

"Is this why we fought against Bolantine's forces?" that same child asked curiously, "Even though the Mavelans weren't real friendly with us?"

"The Bolantine question is a complex one," Peter told them, "It was something that we didn't want to get involved in, but it was a case of better a small battle now than to have it hit our homeland later."

"Sort of like stopping a fox before he's in your henhouse," one student said, "Daddy would set traps outside the property to make sure that the fox couldn't get our chickens."

"Exactly," Peter nodded, "The Mullinix had seen the consequences of letting a situation smolder. They lost too many people in the Cirrus invasion, an invasion that could have been prevented if they had just forced Facie off the mountain years before."

"So they saw Bolantine as that type of threat?" the pacifist child asked.

"After what he did in Siraq, yes," Peter agreed, "Unlike the mess in Siraq, where there was pure anarchy, there was established control down south. We had no interest in taking over, but we did want to help. Once the Mavelan government ejected Facie and the government of Damascas requested our aid, we helped as best we could. The Bolantines invaded, we all worked together. For every one life we lost, both Damascas and the Mavelans lost ten or more."

"So why didn't we finish it?" the student asked.

"Because none of us wanted to start a world war," Peter said honestly, "We weren't prepared, we weren't strong enough. Even with Sotanberg by our side, we don't know whether we could win a war with the Bolantines in the long term. There's also the fact that they rationally judged that if we did win, the cost wouldn't be worth it."

"So we wait for them to attack again?" the child asked.

"We prepare," Peter said, "And we make sure that no one ever forgets what the Bolantines are capable of. That's why we're talking about this today."

"What if they do attack again?" another student wondered aloud.

"Then, we deal with him," Peter told them, "We will defend ourselves. Count on it."

The bell sounded, indicating that it was time for all the students to go to the lunch room and eat their bland food. There was a collective shudder in the room, just as there always was at this time of day. Peter smiled and stood up to wish his students luck with lunch.

"We've covered the subjects," Peter told them, "Enjoy your lunch. Let me know if you have any questions."

Chapter 2 - Return to the Palace

"Ok," Medoferro said to the citizens in front of him, "You mean to tell me that none of you know who the hell fathered this child?"

"We are members of the free love collective," the young woman said, "It could be any of them..."

"I've heard enough," Medoferro said, "Free love is all nice and good but there is responsibility to be had. This child needs a family that will take care of him, not a bunch of bickering idiots who can't decide who fathered whom. Is there anyone in there who can be eliminated?"

"No Mullinix," the girl said, her head bowed.

"Fine," Medoferro said, "Then you can take care of the child yourself. No paternity will be judged. However, every male in the club that had relations with you must pay to a trust fund that will be set up to keep your child fed, clothed and cared for. I'd also suggest you find a new hobby, as most of those men will not be happy with you after this."

No one protested the decision, though several people in the audience were snickering. The free love clubs were new in Mullinix, but this was the first time a child had resulted from one of them. Medoferro personally didn't care one way or the other, but was hoping that this would convince the clubs to be more careful.

"Any more cases waiting for me?" the Mullinix asked the lieutenant running the room, "Or am I done for the day?"

"No more in waiting, Mullinix," the lieutenant said, "Session can close."

"Thank you," Medoferro said, "Good afternoon, everyone. See you next time."

Medoferro walked out of the room and into the antechamber where several members of the house staff were waiting for him. It looked rather empty, but they were at half staff because of Trinaferro being out on the coast taking care of the recovery efforts after a hurricane.

"It's too quiet around here," Medoferro said as he took his coffee, "Where the hell is everyone?"

"Iggy didn't come down today," Marianna said, "The house staff is half of the size it used to be, mainly because we have to vet them more after Marina's betrayal."

"I know," Medoferro nodded, "It's doubly so with Trin out in Northport and Copeland in training school. Why did Iggy not come down?"

"He didn't feel well, decided he wanted dinner upstairs," Marianna said, "Looks like you're alone for dinner tonight."

"Great," Medoferro said, "Any word from Trin?"

"Northport is a total loss," Marianna said, "The levy system broke, that was the only thing holding it out of the sea. Thousands of lives lost."

"I knew we should have had them move out of the damned bowl years ago," Medoferro grumbled, "I take it she'll be on the line later?"

"If they can get it working again," Marianna nodded, "They had to dig it up and splice it five miles inland. The new kit isn't working right. It overheats."

"Fun," Medoferro said, "Ok. I guess I'm having dinner alone tonight."

"What makes you think that?" Simon Sutcliffe asked him, coming into the room, "Didn't they tell you Chrissie and I came back into town while you were dealing with cases?"

Medoferro smiled as he saw Simon Sutcliffe walk in. His old friend was wearing a smile on his face as he usually was. It was one of the things that made Simon a perfect personal representative. Medoferro always felt better when he was around. This also applied with Charissa, the Serenian noble that had been married off to the former Siraqi king. She was also a sight for sore eyes.

"I'm glad to see you," Medoferro grinned as he saw Simon, "I thought you and Chrissie were up in Skolnik this week."

"There wasn't much up there to check," Simon shrugged, "When I heard about the hurricane I figured I'd do more good here than there."

"I was getting sick of the interview circuit anyway," Charissa smiled, "You're also going to need me if there has to be a fundraising effort."

Since her narrow escape from Bolantine's hands with Simon during the Siraqi cession Charissa had become a full blown celebrity. She was constantly sought for interviews and had become an advocate for the downtrodden in Mullinix. She and Simon had also become a near inseparable pair ever since.

Charissa's visibility made it much easier for Simon to do his job as well. Simon was able to find out things because people were too focused on Charissa to lie to him. The fact that Charissa was beautiful and radiant, even in her forties, made it impossible to ignore her. Medoferro was happy to have her on his side, almost as happy as she was not to live in Serenia or Siraq any longer.

"I guess it's three for dinner," Medoferro said, "Unless there are any other surprises?"

"Nope," Simon said, "Not from us. Iggy not joining us?"

"He's taking dinner upstairs," Medoferro told them, "Copeland is in school, so that leaves us and the house staff, who is rather shorthanded at the moment."

"I'll whip up some sandwiches for you," Marianna said, "I'll cook a real meal tomorrow, when Iggy is up for it as well."

"Sounds good to me," Medoferro said, "We have a photoplay that is supposed to be good too. I think we have a plan for tonight."

"Good," Charissa said, "Is it the one starring that cute newcomer to the Selenian studio?"

"I think so," Medoferro shrugged, "I don't pay attention to who is in them anymore, so long as they are good."

"Invite the house staff too," Simon suggested, "Let's have a good night for everyone."

"Just so long as I get one of your arms all will be good," Charissa grinned, chiding Simon on his old tendency to go for house staff when they're home, "Right loverboy?"

"Come on," Medoferro laughed, "Let's go eat and watch."

Chapter 3 - Mr. Corie and Lady M

"What do you mean the mine is running dry?" Corie shouted, "That was the best bauxite find we've had in a decade! Those scientists promised us we would have a hundred years of bauxite out of that damned mine!"

Corie was about to have an aneurysm as he was that angry at what he was hearing. Since the end of the Mavelan war, twenty years earlier he had been the head of the Bolantine Empire's military equipment division. The news that he just received from the new head of the Alanaris Bauxite Mine had just made that job more of a headache than it was worth.

"Can the other mines make it up?" Corie asked the man across his desk.

"No," he answered honestly, "The other mines are coming up with samples that are less than five percent bauxite. It goes down another percent and we won't be able to separate it out anymore. That's why we put so much effort on Alanaris."

"Fine," Corie said, putting his fingers on his temples, "Anything else before I go and get sacked by the emperor?"

"No sir," the man said, grateful to be leaving.

Corie knew it wasn't the mine manager's fault that Alanaris turned out to be a dud. The only reliable mine anywhere near the Bolantine Empire was the one that they missed just north of Mavelan city during the last war. Unfortunately, the Mullinix and Sotans had that one locked tighter than a drum.

Corie stood up and walked around a little. He knew he had to figure out something to get the bauxite production back up. The engineers had brought down the amount of bauxite needed for production down to the bare minimum, but without any coming in at all the production lines would soon be stopping.

Corie finally decided that he needed to walk out and see if Emperor Bolantine was in his office. Alas, Bolantine himself was out checking things in the field, as he bored of office work very quickly. Immortality may bring about patience, but it did not bring any better appreciation for office work.

"Looking for someone?" a throaty female voice said from behind him.

"Emperor Bolantine," Corie said and then turned around, "Lady M? I thought you were out in the field as well?"

Lady M was an enigma in the Bolantine government. She was nominally seconded to the power user division, but she moved all around to whatever interested her. She was hard to miss, for she wore a modified Bolantine uniform that went over her whole head, including her eyes. The only skin she showed was around her mouth.

"Nothing much for me out there," Lady M said, "I heard you were having problems with the bauxite production in Alanaris."

"The mine is going to run dry within the next month," Corie nodded, "Not much we can do about it right now. I'm going to put the resources we have pulling the bad bauxite out of Alanaris into the exploration program."

"We've been looking," Lady M said, "We need to do something else. How much searching did you do for Bauxite when you were in Siraq twenty years ago?"

"Very little," Corie said, "You know about that?"

"I was Mullinix then," Lady M told him, "You picked me up in Sotanberg."

"I'd almost forgotten about that trip," Corie lied, "It was overshadowed for me by the war that followed."

"Not for me," Lady M said as she revealed her scarred face and head to Corie, "It was a Mullinix Representative who did this to me, one who claimed he loved me. I have every reason to remember that trip and the people who changed me forever."

"Ouch," Corie said, "I can see why you dislike the Mullinix."

"So you know why the bauxite problem concerns me," Lady M said, "I intend to make the Mullinix pay before I die."

"That's going to be more difficult without the bauxite," Corie said.

"It could be years before we find another source," Lady M warned, "Without those machines to make a difference..."

"They didn't matter much last time," Corie reminded her, "I was with the mechanized force. They destroyed our fleet with a pile of scrap metal."

"A mistake we will avoid next time," Lady M assured him, "I may have an idea on how to get a new mine together or a least how to take enough Bauxite to keep our builders going for years."

"Do tell," Corie said, "I'm all for that."

"Not yet," Lady M said, "I will inform Empress Bolantine. There is nothing you could have done."

"Thank you," Corie said, knowing she had connections to Empress Bolantine that he couldn't fathom, "You know where to find me."

"More than you know," Lady M agreed, "The only good thing about being physically blind is the fact that I use power sight. I always know where everyone in the building is."

Corie watched her walked out, shaking his head a little bit. He had enough power sight to see the hole that had been burned into her by the power stream injury many years before. He didn't know if it was a good thing to tie his fortunes to her, but he knew from experience that it was better to go along with someone that has the Emperor's ear than it was to go against them.

Chapter 4 - An Interrupted Photoplay

"I'm sorry guys," Medoferro said as they left the theatre room, "You can watch the rest of the photoplay if you like."

"Nuts to that," Simon told him, "I want to know what is going on in Northport as much as you do. Chrissie can go start the press effort."

"She's welcome to listen in," Medoferro said, "Best if you know what is going on to speak intelligently about it."

"Works for me," Charissa nodded, "Let's hope it isn't as bad as they're saying."

"I have a suspicion it's worse," Medoferro grumbled, "I know that area. Beautiful town, but it was built in an area that it shouldn't have been. With as little warning as they got... It won't be pretty."

Medoferro had been Mullinix for the better part of thirty years by this point, but every time he thought he'd settled into the job he found a new challenge. Be it war with the Bolantines or dealing with the myriad of problems caused by the Siraqi Annex, one thing this job had never been was boring.

He was also in line to become one of the longest serving Mullinix in the top job. Massimaferro's early death left him to become one of the youngest men to ascend to the top position. With Insegniferro still in apparently good health he could be there for years to come.

He slid into the bauxite lined line room, taking his customary seat. He had spent more time in this room than he cared to think about, mainly because more often than not they gave him bad news whenever he was in there. He did not expect that to change when Trinaferro came onto the line.

"Ok," Medoferro said, "I'm here. What's going on out there, Trin?"

"Trina is sleeping," Stacy Cossy said over the line, "Or at least she'd better be by now. She's been awake for nearly two days playing nurse out in the mass triage."

Stacy Cossy had been Trinaferro's personal representative for many years. Stacy was a rarity as far as personal representatives, she was five years older than her Mullinix and a former Mullinix Guard. She had originally been assigned to watch the Mullinix candidate while Mullinix-Elder Taliaferro was dying. The guard experience made her a godsend during disaster situations, which had become her stock in trade over the preceding decades.

"Are things that bad?" Medoferro asked, "What do you need out there?"

"We need everything," Stacy said honestly, "If the person who decided to put the Government House and Medico center on the coast right next to the levy were still alive, I swear I'd kill them myself."

"Been there for centuries," Medoferro reminded her, "All lost?"

"Between the winds and the storm surge everything in them was lost," Stacy told him, "The medico facility collapsed for sure, the government house is five feet deep under water on the second story."

"Guard?" Medoferro asked.

"Most of them got out," Stacy told him, "They're keeping order as best they can. We have groups from Immortal Park and Connoer here already, but they had to keep some back to deal with refugees on their home turf."

"I'll send some from Siraq," Medoferro said, "I've been meaning to redistribute them down south anyway, might as well have them do some good out in Northport first."

"I'll do the line work on that when you finish here," Simon said, "You holding up ok, Stacy?"

"Simon?" Stacy said, "I thought you and Charissa were in Skolnik this week."

"We came back to Mullinix Centre when we heard the news," Charissa told Stacy, "Figured we would need to get official relief fundraising started, and Mullinix Centre has better facilities than anywhere else."

"Good," Stacy said, "These people will need it, regardless of what happens to the city itself."

"The city is moving," Medoferro said quickly, "You tell the remaining civil leaders that I am not authorizing one coin for the rebuilding of the city if they try to put it in that location again."

"No argument here," Stacy said, "The most urgent need is Medicos. We have two, and frankly they aren't very good. Even as far out of practice as Trina is she is doing better than they are. We need good trauma people, fast."

"We're supposed to have facilities for that," Simon said, "Why didn't the collegium send anyone?"

"I'll find that out after we get done," Medoferro said, "Anything else I need to know?"

"Not really," Stacy told him, "Wire is going to be dodgy for a few days. We're working with salvaged kit and it heats up fast. Until they can get a proper wire room put together, we will be limited to short talking."

"Keep it together," Medoferro said, "We'll get you some help as soon as we can."

There was shouting on the other end, Medoferro could hear that the technicians were about to lose the kit, so they said their goodbyes and got off the line. The three of them walked out and looked at each other. It was not hard to tell that Medoferro was extremely angry at the fact that there had not been any Medico response yet.

"Your orders?" Simon asked, knowing it was better to be formal when Medo was angry.

"Get on the line to Hardin's troops," Medoferro instructed Simon, "Send the group that was due to rotate down south out to Northport. Trin will have operational control over them when they get out there. Charissa, can you get in touch with your media contacts? Get that ball rolling?"

"You got it," Charissa nodded, "You're going to deal with the medicos?"

"Yes," Medoferro said, "This is inexcusable. I want them here within the hour. Any of the collegium heads that refuse the invitation are to be dragged here. This is getting fixed and getting fixed tonight."

Medoferro was usually a quiet leader, but when he got angry most of the others knew to let him do what he needed to do. He didn't get angry without reason and they all knew that he had plenty of reasons to be angry that night.

Chapter 5 - Service School

Copeland Irons stretched a bit as he continued shoving the sandwiches into the kits. The entire service school had been pushed into action creating the kits that were to be delivered to the storm area the next day. He looked over at his roommate, who was barely keeping up on knocking the boxes together.

"You ok, Alvin?" Copeland asked him, "You look peaked."

"I didn't sleep last night," Alvin shrugged, "You know that. Hell, I don't know how you do it, Copeland. You must have ice running through your veins to have resisted Lucinda's charms last night."

"Remember where I grew up, buddy," Copeland grinned, "I have been surrounded by beautiful women all my life. If I let myself go gaga every time one looked at me, I wouldn't get anything done. Luckily, I'm here to save your butt today."

"I'll remember that next time you need help in math," Alvin chuckled, "Speaking of the pretty women in the palace, any chance..."

"We'll have to see," Copeland said, "Honestly, they are more of a housekeeping staff than anything. None of them have really been anything more than that in our lifetime. Insegniferro is too old and my parents have no eyes for anyone but each other."

"You know," Alvin said as he eyed the sandwiches they were packing, "Compared to what we're eating, this crap looks appetizing."

"Heh," Copeland said, "I know it. I wish I could go home again just to eat. Dinner at the palace was usually good, and dinner with my grandparents... Oh man..."

"Don't tease me," Alvin grumped, "I'm just a kid from the Oasis. Fish and fowl, bland as can be."

"We'll go out to the pub tomorrow," Copeland promised, "I'll buy the onion loaf."

"I'll hold you to that," Alvin told him, "Let's get these things done so we can move on to something more palatable."

Chapter 6 - Insegniferro

Medoferro sipped on his coffee as waited for the heads of the Medico Collegium to be rounded up. It was turning into a long day for him, but he was determined that things wouldn't get messed up any worse on his end. He contemplated what he was going to do to shame the heads when Alisa, one of the younger members of the house staff came up to him.

"Medo," she said, "Could I talk to you a minute?"

"What's up?" Medo asked her, "I've got a minute, but not much more. The medicos will be here soon."

"Iggy," she said finally, "You know I've been the one tasked to taking care of his needs?"

"Right," Medoferro nodded, "Marianna isn't up to handling the stairs as much, so she mainly stays in the kitchen and handles antechamber. What is going on?"

"I think something may be wrong with Iggy," she said finally, "He has refused to move from his bed all day. I don't even think he's gone to the bathroom."

"Is he awake?" Medoferro asked, suddenly concerned.

"Yes," she nodded, "I would have rushed for a medico otherwise, but something doesn't seem right. But when I asked him..."

"He just said he wanted to read and be left alone," Medo sighed, "Ok, you've convinced me. I'll go up and talk to him. I need to let him know what's going on anyway, so I have an excuse. Get with Marianna and get the medicos fed and plied with coffee or tea. They won't be happy when I talk to them."

"Thank you, Medo," Alisa said, breathing a sigh of relief, "Marianna thought that Iggy was just being ornery, but this isn't like him. I'm sorry if I'm being a bother..."

"No bother," Medo assured her, smiling a little, "You are doing your job. Someone has to take care of us otherwise we'd work ourselves to death. Go on and get the coffee ready, I'll be down after I talk to Iggy."

Alisa smiled and bowed, heading off to the kitchen. Medoferro shook his head and made his way upstairs. If he had met Alisa before he had met Trinaferro he might have considered spending a few nights with her. Trina had made it so he couldn't even consider another woman again, however. It just would not work for him.

Medoferro went over to Insegniferro's chamber and rapped a few times, waiting for the expected brush off. Insegniferro did not take long to respond.

"I'm fine, Alisa," Iggy said, "I just want to rest."

"Can I give you an update before you go to sleep?" Medoferro said through the door, "I just got off the line to Northport."

"Can it wait?" Iggy asked hopefully.

"No," Medoferro said, "We need to talk."

Insegniferro sighed and knew that he wouldn't push off the younger Mullinix forever. He looked around and propped himself up to get in a better position. He finally grunted his assent for Medoferro's entrance.

Medoferro walked in and the first thing he noticed was the smell. His sense of smell was never the best, but it would have taken a lot to mask that one. Insegniferro acted like there was nothing wrong, but he wasn't hiding from Medoferro.

"What's wrong?" Medoferro asked him, "You've not left this bed today."

"I'm fine," Iggy mumbled, "Just give me the update and let me be."

"Bull," Medoferro said sternly, "This room smells like an outhouse. You haven't moved all day. What the hell is going on, Iggy?"

"I don't feel well," Insegniferro said, trying to pull himself up, "I just want to sleep."

"You're slurring," Medoferro said, looking closely, "You are using your left hand to hold your book and the power waves are out of kilter on the right side of your head. You've had a brainstorm, Iggy."

"I have not," Insegniferro said, not willing to admit it, "You're reading me again!"

"I don't have to," Medoferro reminded him, "I can see you passively, Iggy. Tie it with the slurring and favoring your right arm... Why the hell didn't you let Alisa get you some help?"

"I don't want to be an invalid," Iggy hissed, "I was hoping it would take me the whole way."

"Good gods don't do that to us right now," Medoferro said, "Northport is a total loss and Trin doesn't have a reliable line to consult over yet. The kit up there is fried and lasts only about ten minutes at a shot."

"What do you want from me?" Insegniferro asked, tears forming in his eyes, "I don't want to be a burden on you... You two are more than capable."

"We may be capable," Medo told him, "But you are still our family. You've been more like a father to me than my own was. You deserve to go out comfortably, with dignity."

"The medicos will just prolong it," Insegniferro said.

"If you don't treat it you might just become incapacitated," Medo reminded him, "You've earned your retirement. Let me get you some help so you can enjoy it a while longer."

"I don't want a big deal made out if it," Iggy protested.

"Rasten," Medoferro said, "She's on her way here as part of the collegium council. I'm about to chew them out over their performance in Northport. She'll probably be the reasonable one anyway. Brainstorms are her specialty, so I'll have her come up afterwards."

"Ok," Insegniferro sighed, "I still..."

"Don't want to be a bother?" Medoferro asked, "You aren't. Alisa is worried about you. Will you kindly let the girl help you get cleaned up?"

"I should be able to do that myself," Insegniferro sighed.

"You can't," Medo said, "And you know it like I do. Alisa will be in. Don't fight the girl."

"Fine," Insegniferro sighed, "Let her in."

Medoferro nodded and went out to let Alisa in. He explained what was going on and told her to keep it close to her vest until he got the medico in to see whether he was right. He just hoped it would not be too late.

Chapter 7 - Empress Bolantine

Nikki Bolantine stretched out and walked around her suite in the castle. Despite the power she held and the fact that she could do pretty much whatever she wanted, she still got bored quite often. The suite she lived in proved that, for it held examples of every diversionary game you could think of. She was sitting in front of a table playing one such mind game with a subordinate when Lady M walked into the room.

"Who is winning, Empress?" Lady M asked as she observed the game through her power sight.

"I am," Nikki said, "Not that I care. I'm getting bored."

"Perhaps I can come up with a diversion for you?" Lady M said, "I have a plan that I would like to run by you."

"Sure," Nikki shrugged, "Gotta be better than this boring game."

She looked sternly at her opponent, "Your orders until I get back are to get better at this so I can have a challenge next time."

"Yes Empress," the man nodded, taking his leave of the two women.

Nikki Bolantine was not a large woman by any stretch. She was slight, her skin a little bit dark and her eyes were slightly slanted, indicating some exotic blood not often seen in the Empire. At the best of times she stood just under five feet tall and was often mistaken by those who didn't know her for a teenager.

Lady M knew better. Nikki Bolantine was a power user without par in the Bolantine Empire and the mate of the immortal emperor Bolantine himself. Nikki Bolantine, herself immortal and thousands of years old, had knowledge in that small frame that mortals could only imagine.

"Ok Marina," Nikki said, using Lady M's birth name, the only one in the Empire who dared to do so, "What no good are you coming up with now?"

"A possible way to get us some Bauxite," Marina said, "We will need it with Alanaris drying up like it has."

"I know," Nikki said, grumbling a little, "The lack of bauxite is pissing off B no end. I personally think we will need another decade of preparation, but if we can't get that bauxite we may have to move earlier against the Mullinix than we had hoped."

"Gottgol has just found a large mine," Lady M told her while she passed the information packet over, "Two miles from their northern coast, just outside Eringol. It is considered a private mine up there."

"I don't like the idea of buying bauxite," Nikki old her, "It's dangerous enough without getting third parties involved."

"That wouldn't be an option," Lady M said, "The Mullinix supply two-thirds of their economy. The Mullinix would buy their mines out to keep us from getting any of it.

"So how do you plan on getting it?" Nikki wondered.

"Diversion and destruction," Lady M smiled, "I've been working on a soldier control protocol for years now. I have it working to the point that with the help of a few feeders I can personally control two to three hundred soldiers. Give me twenty average feeders or ten good ones, I can control an army of over a thousand."

"Small army," Nikki said, "You proposing a Bolantine invasion of Gottgol? The Mullinix would never stand for that."

"Hell no," Lady M said, "That would be suicidal and would provoke a general war down here. No, I'm thinking of something a bit more cunning than that."

"Do tell?" Nikki asked, wondering what Marina had come up with.

"We clothe the starting soldiers in Mullinix uniforms," she stated, "Make Gottgol think the Mullinix are doing it. No one will believe it for long, but without solid proof that it's us the Mullinix and Sotans won't declare war."

"So how does this get us the Bauxite?" Nikki wondered.

"Use the ships we brought the soldiers up in," Lady M said, "Have a mining crew strip the mine while the rest of us trash Erindol and head south. If the Mullinix figure out what we're doing I will simply send the horde out there. I should be able to pull in able bodied civilians to replace losses and expand our horde. They won't be disciplined, but they will be destructive."

"Ok," Nikki said, thinking about it, "Go ahead and get the uniforms ready and obtain plans for Mullinix style coastal boats. Get an initial horde ready for Bolantine and me to see the tests."

"Thank you, Empress," Lady M said, a smile forming underneath her hood, "I will have the first tests ready within the week."

"Very good," Nikki nodded, "Let me know what you find. I will talk to Bolantine about how this fits with our overall plan."

Lady M knew when she was dismissed. She left the room and soon after Nikki went into a secret passage that connected her suite with the Emperor's bedroom. It being reasonably early in the morning, Bolantine was still asleep. He woke up as she entered, just as he always did.

"It's still Early," Bolantine said, his dark eyes barely opening, "What brings you in here?"

"I knew saving Marina would pay dividends," Nikki said, sliding into the bed next to him and pushing his blonde mane aside so she could kiss him, "She came in with a plan today that might score us some more bauxite."

"Alanaris is failing, isn't it?" Bolantine asked, "Despite Corie's administration."

"Corie did the best he could," Nikki shrugged, "Not his fault that the mine was a dud. He kept it better organized than most anyone else would have in this situation."

"So what is her plan?" Bolantine asked, "And how much is it going to cost us."

Nikki spent a few minutes outlining Marina's plan. She didn't bother taking credit for any of it. Being immortal as both of them were, they didn't bother with petty issues of credit. They knew they would outlast any of their mortal servants, so let them enjoy what pleasures they could have.

"Audacious," Bolantine said, nodding, "Dangerous too. A lot of ways that could fail."

"We make sure she stays at the back," Nikki said, "The horde just has to divert from the diggers long enough for them to load the ships with bauxite."

"We abandon the horde, I take it," Bolantine nodded, knowing he was right, "We know the Mullinix don't have battle ships, so getting home should be easy enough. So long as we aren't obviously behind it, we should be all right."

"We prepare for war, just in case," Nikki cautioned, "It can't hurt to do maneuvers when we launch anyway.

"We still outnumber them," Bolantine agreed, "And we likely have better conditioning, even if we don't have the machine counts we'd like."

"Time for some fun," Nikki grinned, "You agree?"

"If Marina's test is impressive we'll do it," Bolantine agreed, "But first..."

He touched Nikki's hand, eliciting a giggle from her. The war plans could wait. They had something else to do for a little while...

Chapter 8 - Northport

You wouldn't be able to tell from the clear skies outside Northport that a massive storm had all but leveled the area a bare two days before. If it weren't for the fact that the city down below the hills was under twenty feet or more of water the area would have been rather idyllic, much like the vacation spot that it had been for centuries.

Trinaferro stood up and walked around a little bit, her dark hair flowing out behind her. The wind blew a little, pushing it in her face a little. She noticed that it had gone a bit grayer, something she was seeing more and more often as she approached fifty. She managed to keep fit, despite her demanding job and if she bothered to color her hair could pass for her mid thirties if she wanted to.

She turned around and saw Stacy Cossy coming up behind her with another couple members of the guard. Stacy was not bad looking herself. She still had blonde hair and kept trim by working out with the guard regiments wherever she traveled. She sat down next to her Mullinix and looked out over the destroyed city.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," Stacy told her, "I told Medo I had you put to bed."

"I'm resting," Trinaferro protested, "Sleep isn't an option. Too many memories today."

"The medicos should be here soon," Stacy told her, "Medo was pissed that they weren't here yet. I think he is going to kick some butt with the Medico community."

"About time," Trinaferro nodded, "How did he sound?"

"Tired," Stacy shrugged, "I didn't get to talk long. Damned kit was heating up too fast again."

"I miss him already," Trinaferro sighed, "Sad isn't it? We have been together for this many years and I still get emotional when I'm away from him for a few days."

"It's called love, Trin," Stacy told her, "You and he are meant for each other. We all knew that, even when we were young and in service school."

"True," Trinaferro sighed, "I'm just wondering how long things can stay so good. He's been in the hot seat for a long time."

"He thrives on it," Stacy shrugged, "He may hate it as much as you do, but he's good at it."

"I'm hoping that he'll get to do it a while yet," Trina smiled, "Mainly because if he can't, it means something happened to Iggy."

"It will someday," Stacy said, "You prepared if that happens?"

"Yes," Trina nodded, "It will be sad, but I won't be alone. I'll still have Medo. Medo won't let me sink and if I have to do it alone... I will manage."

"This is a mess," Stacy said, "Northport will never be the same."

"Did Medo say anything about rebuilding?" Trina asked her.

"He said that the city was not to be rebuilt in the hole," Stacy said, "He said to leave the remains of the city where they were and to build higher."

"We don't have the ability to pump it out anyway," Trina sighed, "I can see it now... The sunken city tourist attractions, the glass bottom boats. It'll be a new industry for them."

"There's always a silver lining," Stacy smiled, "At least you have a good outlook on it."

"I have to," Trinaferro smiled, "I made my bed nearly thirty years ago. All we can do is keep going. If something happens to Iggy, it means that Medo gets to relax a bit finally. He could use it."

"So could you," Stacy said, "Time for you to get some sleep. You haven't slept but a few hours since you've been here. Medo will kick me if you don't sleep before the troops get in."

Trinaferro nodded and looked again over the flooded city. She wondered if they would ever know how many had died in there. She figured she would be better off not knowing.

Chapter 9 - Brainstorm

Medoferro stood outside Insegniferro's room as he waited for Medico Rasten to finish checking over things. He was still steaming from the chewing out he had to give to the medico collegium heads before Rasten came up to take care of Insegniferro. The sheer arrogance some of them had shown in the wake of a national tragedy was stunning to him.

"Are they going?" Simon asked Medoferro, "It has been a long time since I heard you shout like that."

"They deserved it," Medoferro told his long time friend, "You know it as well as I do."

"No argument," Simon said, holding his hands up, "I'm honestly amazed you didn't shove a fireball up Marcus Chitzen's ass. I know I wanted to."

"If he causes any more problems I might," Medoferro told him, "I've got enough problems without Chitzen giving me crap for not letting them charge their patients into poverty. No medico is on the poverty rolls with what we let them charge."

"True," Simon agreed, "Some don't even charge the limits. Toria thrives and charges as little as she can."

Medoferro nodded. There was a distinct philosophy battle going on in the Mullinix Medico community. Mullinix was a personal responsibility based society, but the leaders had the right to regulate if necessary. Medoferro had found it necessary a few too many times in the last ten years or so.

"It will pass," Medoferro sighed, "I hope. Even if they didn't agree with me, this was a piss poor time to fight me on it. I just hope that their stupidity doesn't cost any lives out there."

Medoferro sat down and stretched a little. He was tense and it showed. Simon sometimes missed the days when he first came to the palace when he could simply suggest to a member of the house staff that Medo needed relaxation and Marina would show up and force him to relax.

Unfortunately, Marina was long gone and the only woman Medo would even consider releasing that tension in a healthy way with was hip deep in mud dealing with the crisis on site. Simon sighed and watched Charissa walk up the stairs. She sat down between the two of them and smiled.

"I just gave an interview with the local paper," she said, "And I already have a relief group sending supplies and volunteers out. Hope you were as lucky."

"The medicos are grumbling, but will be there," Medoferro said, "I'm more worried about Iggy right now."

"What happened to Iggy?" Charissa asked, having missed the excitement.

"Brainstorm," Simon told her, "Rasten is in with him now."

"Not good," Charissa said, "A brainstorm took my mother just before I was shipped off to marry that creep in Siraq."

"I know," Medoferro sighed, "Not that I wouldn't love to get out of this job, that's not the way I would prefer to do it. Besides, that just puts Trin in the line of fire."

"We know," Charissa nodded, "I still remember citizenship school. It was fun, actually."

"You were eye candy for the boys I'm sure," Simon chuckled, "I bet more of them paid attention to you than they did the lecture."

"Well," Charissa grinned impishly, "I was much older than most of them..."

The moment of humor ended when Medico Rasten walked out of the room. She pushed back her gray hair and sat down on a bench across from Medoferro. She looked tired, even more so than she did when Medoferro first met her a few hours after Mullinix Taliaferro died. He had been freshly chosen then and she was taking care of the ailing Mullinix. Now, she was back for the same purpose.

"How bad is it?" Medoferro asked her.

"It's a brainstorm all right," she agreed, taking an offered cup of tea from Marianna, "How much do you want to know?"

"I don't want to know any of it," Medoferro said honestly, "But I need to know the prognosis."

"He's a mess," Rasten said simply, "He is eighty-two years old and has suffered a moderately severe brainstorm. He's in pitiful shape, probably hasn't gone outside in months and his blood pressure is high enough that I'm betting he will have another brainstorm in the next few weeks. Probably a fatal one next time."

"You are nice and cheery," Simon said, "Predicting the end of the world too?"

"You asked me for the prognosis," Rasten shrugged, "That's it in a nutshell."

"I should have expected that after the chewing out I gave you guys," Medoferro said, "I don't apologize for it though. The collegium should have sent people without me having to drag you all down here."

"I don't blame you for that," Rasten told him, "Honestly, I'm angrier at my colleagues than I am at you. I'm more miffed that you didn't send me up here before you started the chewing out."

"I don't need the problems that making Iggy's condition known would cause," Medoferro explained, "It gave Alisa a chance to clean him up too. Thank the gods that girl spent part of her service time working in a hospice."

"He will need round the clock care for the rest of his life," Rasten said, "Possibly a younger medico too, but since I'm the expert in brainstorms I will keep the job. Less likely to screw it up."

"You are welcome to the spare Mullinix room," Medoferro told her, "Trinaferro never used it. It's been empty since Taliaferro died."

"I may take you up on that," Rasten agreed, "I'm not as young as I used to be. The trek between the collegium and here is a bit long for someone of my years. I also need an assistant. I've got a young man I've been training on brainstorm treatment for several years. May I bring him in to help?"

"By all means," Medo agreed, "Iggy will likely be amused that someone is learning with him. He always has enjoyed teaching."

"If your people can handle him tonight I'll be back in the morning," Rasten told them, "Forget about him putting any real work in. Stress will kill him sooner."

"I'll only talk about it if he presses me," Medoferro promised, "It's likely he will, but then not talking will piss him off more."

"Agreed," Rasten nodded, "Do what you will. I've put him on blood thinners and something that should help the blood pressure. I'll have a diet preparation set for him tomorrow. I'm too tired to do it now."

"I know how to care for that," Charissa said, "I'll talk to the dinner staff tonight. I did it for my mother when I was a teenager."

"Medo," Simon said, "You need sleep. Talk to Iggy and go to bed. I'll be first response tonight."

"Thanks," Medo nodded, "Get some sleep yourselves. I won't be far behind."

Medoferro walked into Insegniferro's room and saw the Elder Mullinix sitting up in pillows. He was awake, but he did not look a whole lot like the man Medoferro had known all his life. He was truly an old and sick man now, thin and frail. It was hard for him to watch as he never had a chance to see his own father disintegrate this way.

"Close that jaw, Medo," Iggy said with his newly slurred voice, "I look even worse now that it's light in here."

"Not used to seeing you like this," Medo said, "You feeling any better?"

"The thinners are bringing the headache down to a roar," he acknowledged, "Still feel as though someone beat me. I don't like this, Medo."

"Don't blame you," Medo said, "But at least you're alive and can still read your books."

"I'm not going to be any use to you," Iggy said, "With that destruction out there..."

"Trin and I are handling it," Medo told him, "The medicos are on their way. Trin is on site. I have Simon and Charissa here as well. Suvorov is down in Mavelan City keeping an eye on the Bolantines. Your job right now is to rest."

"I can't read properly, Medo," Iggy sighed, "I can't concentrate..."

"We can fix that," Medo said, "Who would you like to have read to you for a while?"

"Think Charissa would mind?" Iggy said hopefully, "She has a delightful voice..."

"I'm sure she'll be glad to read for a while," Medo said, putting his hand on his mentor's shoulder, "You need to relax. You deserve the rest, my friend. Let the rest of us deal with the hard stuff."

"Thank you," Iggy said, smiling, "I always knew we chose well."

"Far be it for me to prove you wrong now," Medoferro said, smiling and gripping the old man's shoulder before leaving the room.

Simon and Charissa were waiting outside the room when Medoferro came out. The look on Medoferro's face was enough to confirm that things did not look very good. Medoferro sat down on a bench outside the room and looked up at them.

"Iggy will not be around long," Medo told them, "He can't even read properly now. That's always been his favorite thing. Those shelves in there... He's read every one of those books, some several times. If he can't read..."

"Ouch," Charissa said, "Is there anything we can do?"

"Yes," Medo said, "Iggy loves your voice, he asked me to see if you'd read for him for a while."

"Sure," Charissa smiled, "I'll be glad to."

"What about me?" Simon asked him.

"Tell Sascha that she needs to get the succession files in order," Medo sighed, "I fear we will need them soon."

Chapter 10 - Boys at the Pub

Copeland Irons smiled as he walked into the pub. It was one of his favorite places in the empire, one place that he was just another one of the guys instead of the son of the Mullinix. He put no stock in his blood, knowing that despite his Mullinix father he had a whole line of hoods on his father's side as well.

"Ok," Copeland said as he sat down next to Alvin, "Who buys the first round?"

"You managed to drop off the guards?" Alvin asked him, sliding a waiting jar of sweet ale over to him, "I can't imagine living like that."

"Dad says it is for my safety," Copeland shrugged, "It's simply a pain in the ass."

"Ok," Alvin said, "We've been in a room together for over three months now. I gotta ask. How the hell did you end up so normal when you live in that pressure cooker?"

"Mom and Dad are cool," Copeland shrugged, "They grew up normal too, so they didn't want me to get corrupted and all that crap."

"My dad always looked up to yours," Alvin said, "He was in the troop that took the palace in Cirrus."

"Dad still has nightmares about that," Copeland said, "Nasty business that was."

"Still," Alvin said, "Doesn't explain how they did it."

"My grandparents," Copeland shrugged, "And my Aunt Toria. I spent a few months a year with them up in the village. If I ever got out of line my cousin Kyrie could put me back in my place."

"Kyrie..." Alvin said, "Not the one who is over in the girl's quarters is it?"

"One and the same," Copeland said, "She's a few months older than me, just enough to have gone in the last class. I just barely missed the cut. She gets to be a proctor this term and I get to sit through the classes."

"All in fun," Alvin shrugged, "Though I think she's there with her charges."

"About time," Copeland grinned, "I was beginning to think she stood me up again. I've been trying to get her here for a drink since I got into school."

Copeland stood up and grabbed a dinner roll from the table. He tossed it in a perfectly aimed arc so it bounced off Kyrie's arm. Kyrie looked over and smiled at Copeland, who kept a grin on his face. She then picked up another dinner roll and let off a well-aimed shot at his mouth that traveled faster than he could handle.

"Hey!" Copeland said, taking the shot and falling back a little.

Alvin and most of the local patrons laughed. Kyrie stood up and walked over to the table and hugged her cousin. Copeland chuckled and invited her to sit down. She sat down and smiled brightly.

"Someone has to keep you humble," Kyrie grinned, "You enjoying school yet?"

"As much as I ever have," Copeland shrugged, "I'm just hoping I can avoid the gig you have. A mail room would be preferable to eating the crappy food here any longer."

"That's what keeps the pub in business," Kyrie told them, "My instructor last year swore that the owners of this place pay off the cafeteria to keep the food lousy so we'd eat here more often."

"Nah," Alvin said, shaking his head, "This food is good enough not to need that."

"True," Copeland agreed, "Though you haven't had our grandmother's cooking yet."

"I miss that," Kyrie sighed, "Nights at grandma's with the whole family. Even with your parents when they could get away. Those nights were a blast."

"Yep," Copeland agreed, "They sure were."

"Kyrie!" one girl asked, "You going to come back?"

"Come on over, Elise," Kyrie said, "This is my cousin Copeland."

"Hey," Elise said, smiling shyly, "How are you, Alvin?"

"You two know each other?" Copeland asked, "You holding out on me, buddy?"

"Elise and I went to school together in Mullinix Oasis," Alvin explained, "Not in the same clique, but enough to say hello."

"Cliques are overrated," Elise shrugged, "Was glad to get here. Not many of us from down there, are there?"

"Most of us go to the academy in Selenia," Alvin said, "I want to get into the central clerk's office, so I managed to get in up here."

"Dad hated my boyfriend," Elise said, rolling her eyes, "So he arranged to have me sent up here to get away from him. Of course, once he found out I was coming to the capital he dumped me anyway. Bleh, men."

"Nice," Copeland grinned, "I think Dad would be amused if I actually got a steady girlfriend."

"You need one," Kyrie told him, "It builds character."

"I have enough women in my life," Copeland said, "Most of the house staff is female, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Elise said, "You are the son of the Mullinix!"

"Nothing special, I assure you m'lady," Copeland said, "Just another student like you. Just ask Alvin."

"Yeah," Alvin chuckled, "He puts his pants on one leg at a time and snores just as bad as anyone else."

"Still, huh?" Kyrie shook her head, "Didn't mom give you something for that?"

"Yeah," Copeland said, "Insomnia. That's all the stuff does for me."

"Makes me glad I don't share a room with you," Kyrie grinned, "How are your parents anyway?"

"I haven't heard," Copeland told her, "Mom is in Northport dealing with that mess. Dad is probably way busy right now. I'll just enjoy my freedom."

"Let's enjoy some onion roll, shall we?" Alvin suggested, seeing the food, "We can talk more when we get real food."

"Spoken like a man who has lived four months on this crap," Kyrie said, "Since I'm at the better part of a year, I heartily agree. Let's eat."

"Snag me some bhajis will you?" Elise asked meekly.

Copeland passed some over. It was dinnertime at the pub, just what they all needed. They just hoped it would keep them for a bit as they would have to go back to the school the next day.

Chapter 11 - Corie's Place

Corie walked into his thirteenth floor apartment to find his longtime girlfriend waiting in there with dinner for him. He pulled off his jacket and tossed it onto the rack. After his years in the field with the immortal Emperor, he preferred everything in his home to be neat and clean.

"How was your day, Corie?" Nanda asked him, "You look a bit down again."

"I got news that may lead to another war," Corie said, "Alanaris is petering out."

"Too bad," Nanda shrugged, "It is nearly time for us to deliver another blow to the evil Mullinix anyway."

"It won't be that easy," Corie told her, "Without the bauxite supply any war would be dodgy. This time if we fight, we're fighting both Mullinix and Sotanberg."

"Have faith in the Emperor, Corie," Nanda told him, stroking his hair, "He won't get us into a fight we can't win. We will win."

"You've never seen the front, kid," Corie told her, "It's not pretty and nothing ever goes like you plan it."

"The emperor will provide," Nanda said, "Now are we going to eat or what?"

Corie sighed and went into the other room where the food was waiting for him. He realized that it was futile to talk to any empire citizen about this. He was one of the few in the Bolantine Empire that had the objective capability of seeing just how crazy a war would be.

"I have the food you like," Nanda said, completely forgetting what Corie had told her, "Come now, let's have a good dinner and forget about that bauxite stuff for now."

Nanda occasionally drove Corie out of his mind, and after the day he'd had it wasn't a long trip for him. He also knew that despite how stupid the girl seemed, she was a loyal subject of the empire and very likely worked for one of Bolantine's oversight groups.

Corie finished dinner and retreated into his private study. Nanda knew that when he went into that room he was not to be disturbed. He checked the seals on his safe, finding them intact he opened it up and pulled out several stacks of paper.

He looked through the stacks and found the ones he wanted. They were old and worn, having been through hell and back with him since he had joined the emperor on the ill-fated technology theft run in Siraq over twenty years before. He'd been Lord Corie then, impersonating a Siraqi noble along with the Emperor.

Corie looked at them and sighed. He would be tried publicly for treason if the emperor or one of his minions found out he had kept them. It took him a few minutes to put them in order. The script was slightly foreign, being Mullinix in origin.

He had spent a good bit of Siraqi coin and gold to get these scripts. He had obtained them quite innocently, working under Bolantine's orders to get information about the Mullinix Empire. What he ended up with was something different altogether. He ended up with something that made him think.

The papers were a thesis written by Insegniferro when he was a young man. They were published all over Mullinix, but were forbidden in most nations around them. Selenia considered them blasphemous, Gottgol considered them the justification of a fascist, Siraq considered them dangerous and the Mavelan government hated anything Mullinix.

Bolantine would have forbidden them for the same reason. They outlined the Mullinix philosophy of freedom and self responsibility. Corie did not know why he had kept them at first. They really had no effect when he was Bolantine's second hand in Siraq, but he kept them anyway.

Corie hadn't figured it out at first, but he kept the papers hidden from Bolantine, if only to hide the fact that he'd been conned. It was an instinct that pushed him to hide the papers in the few artifacts he managed to take back from Siraq after the Mullinix invasion.

They didn't really mean much to him until after the only partially successful Bolantine invasion of the Mavelans. When the Mullinix/Mavelan/Sotan alliance stopped the invasion cold in the lands between Faciegrad and Mavelan City, it was the thought of the words on the pages that he had read that made him stop the report that would have caused Bolantine to continue the war.

Bolantine stopped the war because he believed that his troops had captured the bauxite mine outside Faciegrad. This fact, combined with the fact that continuing would have created an evenly matched war of attrition between the Bolantines and the Mullinix/Mavelan/Sotan alliance.

Fate had not been kind to the man who had stopped the war however, as Corie had been stuck with the job of managing the Empire's bauxite mines. Bauxite was the primary component in the Bolantine war machines, so this job was a prize plum, or it would have been if the mines would produce.

None of the mines in the borders of the empire were up to producing the sheer amount of Bauxite that Bolantine's fantastic machines demanded. Corie had been taking the brunt of that problem full on for many years, but the recent failure of the Alanaris mine made it worse. It had given Lady M the opening she wanted to get approval of one of her insane plans.

Corie read the words on one of the pages and wished that they could apply to the land he had been born in. He read them over and over and wished that Bolantine could read them and take them to heart. He sighed and poured himself a drink as he read the Mullinix style script again.

"Many people look at the Mullinix as the ruler of the people," the words read, "But that's not true. The people do not answer to us. We answer to them. If we do something they don't like, they will let us know. In that way, we are ruled by the people."

Corie drank and read the old words repeatedly. He put the papers away and reclined in his chair. Emperor Bolantine knew what he was doing, Corie told himself. Bolantine was immortal. He had to know more than Corie himself did.

Sometimes, however, he just couldn't be sure.

Chapter 12 - The Files

"This is something I haven't expected for a while," Sascha said when Medoferro walked into the room, "None of you have visited here since I took over from Edwina after Taliaferro died."

"Not our favorite thing to think about," Medoferro said, "We trust you to keep the files together."

"Edwina was a master of that," Sascha told him as she walked the aisles showing all the current files, "But the way you and Trina were chosen made me think about how to rework it to make it a little easier."

"I'm all for that," Medoferro told her, "How did you do it?"

"Edwina had the top of the heap all up and running," Sascha said, "But there was no localization. Instead of the top tenth of one percent like Edwina had, I have it set for the top one percent of each area. Just tell me where you are looking for and I can give you the top candidates from that area in minutes."

"Ok," Medoferro said, "You keep files on everyone in the empire?"

"Just the current ones," Sascha said, "The schools give them over after the last secondary year. My team reviews them and the top percentages are here just in case."

"Good," Medoferro said, "How many files am I looking at if I have you pull Selenia and Mullinix Oasis?"

"Let me check," Sascha said, going over to her desk and checking the logs, "I have a total of sixty-four from the two locations that meet the criteria. Twenty-two have been eliminated because of possible psychopathy. Thirty-two left from Selenia, the rest out of Oasis."

"Pack them up," Medoferro said, "I'm due to talk to Trin in a bit if they can get the line working for once. Keep them separated so I can split them up if necessary."

"You got it," Sascha said, "I haven't heard the details? Is Iggy that close?"

"He's not in good shape," Medoferro told her, "It was a serious brainstorm. We're hoping he will recover, but Rasten said it is unlikely to be much of a recovery. Iggy would kick me if I didn't prepare."

"I know," Sascha nodded, "Keep me informed, I have guards interspersed in the students. Not as many as when we know, but I keep at least a dozen in the classes, just in case."

"I want reports on the Selenian and Oasis kids," Medoferro said, "If we choose, I want that information."

"Done," Sascha said, "I'll compile them overnight."

"Thanks," Medoferro said, and relaxed a little, "Keep up the good work."

"Keeps me busy," Sascha smiled, "Especially since Simon doesn't need me like he used to."

"Your group may get some more work soon," Medoferro promised, "It was not your fault I found Trin and he found Charissa."

"Honestly," Sascha grinned, "I don't mind. I love all of you, and it is better now that Simon has what I could never give him. Charissa is a warm, caring woman. He needed that."

"I know," Medoferro said, "It just seems that you guys got a raw deal after Marina's defection."

"You did what you had to do," Sascha said, "I'll have those files together for you in a bit."

"Thanks," Medoferro told her.

He walked through the palace alone for a few minutes. Most of the house staff had learned what the look on his face meant. He was thinking about how easily someone could be led off the path. Marina's fall from a trusted aide in Mullinix to a Bolantine assassin was proof enough of that. He walked alone and continued to mull it through until a young page dared to approach him and interrupted his thoughts."

"Mullinix, sir," the young man said, "I am sorry to interrupt, but you asked to be informed the moment that the line to Northport came up."

"No need to apologize," Medoferro said, "I'll be up there in a minute. After you notify them that you found me could you go to the kitchen and have my special coffee sent to me?"

"Yes sir," the page said, "Right away!"

Medoferro smiled and made his way up to the line room quickly. He knew how touchy the lines up to Northport were, so he wanted to make sure he got there as soon as possible. The operator knew the score and opened the door for him as soon as Medoferro arrived.

"I'm here," Medoferro said, "You there, Trin or is Stacy covering again?"

"Just me," Trinaferro said, "I made Stacy sleep this time. The Medicos are finally here so I'm not needed as badly. I'm mainly just keeping order now."

"Good," Medoferro told her, "Because I may need you here soon."

"Problems on the border again?" Trinaferro asked him, "What no good is Bolantine up to this time?"

"His infernal majesty is quiet still," Medoferro said, "Iggy had a brainstorm, hon. He's badly ill."

"You're kidding me," Trinaferro said, the terror apparent in her voice, "I'm assuming he is still alive, but how bad is it?"

"It's bad," Medoferro said, "Medico Rasten said that he's likely to have another one and the next one may be fatal."

"Is he comfortable at least?" Trinaferro hoped, "I won't waste time feeling sorry for him. He won't like that."

"He hurts, but is a bit better," Medo told her, "He can't read or concentrate. It was badly debilitating and most of that won't come back."

"You don't think he will be around much longer do you?" Trina asked him, "If he can't read... Oh man..."

"You may be getting an unwanted promotion," Medo sighed, "I have Sascha pulling the files for candidates. Iggy will have my ass if I don't."

"Yeah," Trina sighed, "Should I come home?"

"Be ready to," Medo said, "I'll do the initial vetting and we'll decide out of the final ones."

"Where are you looking?" Trina asked him, "Nowhere near us, I hope."

"We know the east and north pretty well," Medo said, "We're weakest in the west and if we have problems it's going to be from the Bolantines. I had them pull files from Selenia and Mullinix Oasis."

"Selenia had one in the last century," Trina reminded him, "The elder before Taliaferro was from there. I can't recall the last time one was chosen from the Oasis."

"I'll start looking through the Oasis files first," Medo said, taking the hint, "There are less of them anyway. Sascha said there's like fifteen or so from there."

"Good way to narrow it down," Trina agreed, "We can move to Selenia if all else fails, though I'd like to see one from Riverrayne. Rick Ballfur is the single most effective Colonel we've had. I'd love a Mullinix with his skills."

"Rick is a good colonel, but the traits that make him one would make him a lousy Mullinix," Medo reminded her, "Who knows though. With a little luck I'll have time to read for a few weeks. I don't want to have to hurry."

"I'll get the basics set here," Trinaferro promised, "I know who I want to take the Colonelcy here, just need to train them a bit better and need to get her accepted."

"If anything happens I'll try a wire call," Medoferro said, "Worst case you leave Stacy behind to prop up the newbie and get back quick."

"Works for me," Trinaferro said, "Don't need me, ok?"

"I always need you," Medo teased, "Come on home to me soon, all right?"

"I will," Trinaferro smiled, "Love you, Medo."

"Same here, Trin," Medo said as the line crackled off.

Medoferro went upstairs and heard Charissa's familiar voice reading a book to Insegniferro. Medoferro smiled at that and went in to find a pile of files waiting for him to sort through. Sascha was efficient if nothing else. Medoferro picked up the mug of coffee that had also been left for him. He picked up the first file from the Oasis stack.

"Ok, Alvin..." Medoferro said, "Let's see what the tests say you're made of..."

Chapter 13 - Rumors

"Copeland!" Kyrie Ellison yelled, "Got a minute?"

Copeland Irons saw Kyrie across the quad and jogged over to meet her quickly. Looking at the two of them together you wouldn't know they were from the same family. Kyrie was bright blonde, a gift from her father's side and shared her mother's tall frame. Copeland carried his mother's brown hair, his father's wiry frame and build. She was a good five inches taller than her cousin as well.

"What's up, Kyrie?" Copeland asked her, "Shouldn't you be in class now?"

"I'm a glorified shepherd," Kyrie reminded him, "I've been through the classes. Most of my work comes between them and after them."

"I'm late," Copeland said, "But they are used to me slipping in late. Its policy and procedure. I think the professor doesn't like me cause I know the subject better than he does."

"Have you been up to the palace this week?" Kyrie asked him, "I'm hearing some rumors and figured I'd better ask you."

"No," Copeland said, shaking his head, "I've not been back for a couple weeks. Spent the last off day goofing off with Alvin out in lakeside. No reason to go up with Mom in Northport and Dad having his hands full. What's up?"

"One of my students is in the Medico group," Kyrie explained, "She will be studying brainstorms with Medico Rasten. Her classes were cancelled after the Medico went to the palace last night. Most of the collegium was there, but she stayed and called her subordinate too."

"Damn," Copeland said, "Rumors about Iggy?"

"Yeah," Kyrie nodded, "Fast and furious. I'm almost surprised you haven't heard about it now."

"If something bad happened dad would have called for me," Copeland said, "But if he's only sick... I think I'm skipping P&P today. Can you cover for me, Kyrie?"

"Sure," Kyrie said, "If the old guy is sick let me know. I'll say a few words to the gods for him."

"As will all of us," Copeland said, "I'm going to head up there. Try to keep the rumor mill at bay, huh? Dad doesn't need that right now. I'll find out what I can and meet you and the others later tonight if I can."

"That's all I ask," Kyrie said, "Give Medo my best, huh?"

"Always," Copeland smiled, "Tell Alvin where I am."

"Sure," Kyrie nodded, "I'm sure I'll have fun with him at the pub while you deal with your father."

"Funny," Copeland said, "Be sure there's enough of him left to fill in the notes for P&P please."

"Will do," Kyrie grinned, "Maybe..."

Copeland chuckled and started jogging towards the palace. His presence was known and he was waved through. Knowing that his father could be anywhere in the place he went to the one room that he knew always was working, the kitchen. He found Marianna working on a new pastry, as had become her hobby over the past years.

"Finally get sick of the food and revolt?" Marianna asked Copeland as he came in, "Don't blame you. I'm surprised you're not here more."

"It isn't too bad," Copeland shrugged, "No taste though. Just a bit of a reminder how not everyone has it good. I know a couple kids that this is the best food they've ever had. I guess I can't complain too much."

"On that note, I have some rolls for you," Marianna grinned, "They were a test batch, so you can take them back for your friends too."

"I'll stop back by after I talk to dad," Copeland told her, "Do you know where he's hiding tonight?"

"Likely the common areas," Marianna said, "Ever since... Well... he's been there."

"The rumors are true, aren't they?" Copeland said, "Iggy had a brainstorm, didn't he?"

"Yes," Marianna sighed, "The rumors have hit the school?"

"Just some words among the medico students," Copeland said, "A couple of Kyrie's charges are in Medico Rasten's classes and when she took up residence here..."

"Your father should have thought of that," Marianna sighed, "Is anyone official talking?"

"No," Copeland said, "Kyrie caught me on the way to P&P, I figured I'd ask dad before the rumor mill got out of hand and the press caught it."

"Go on up," Marianna said, "I'll make a goody bag for you and your suite mates. I won't let anyone try to survive off that crap for long. Destroys your taste buds for life."

"Thanks Marianna," Copeland told her, "I know Alvin will love you for it as much as I will."

Marianna laughed as Copeland headed up the stairs to where his father was going through a mess of files. Medico Rasten was sitting in a chair next to Insegniferro's room talking to a young man that Copeland recognized as her protégé. Medoferro himself saw Copeland come up and put the file he was looking at down.

"What's up, Copeland," Medoferro asked him, "Something wrong at school?"

"Not yet," Copeland said, "But the rumor mill is starting. What happened to Iggy?"

"What do you know?" Medoferro asked him, "I want to know what rumors are swirling."

Copeland spent a couple minutes going over what Kyrie had told him out in the quad and the deductions that came into it. Medoferro sat back in his chair and rubbed his temples. He had gone to all that trouble to avoid a leak just to have a bunch of medico students figure it out.

"You're right," Medoferro sighed, "He's alive, but we don't know whether it's going to get worse, son. I have to prepare."

"Can I see him?" Copeland asked, "I mean...he's like..."

"I know," Medo smiled, "Charissa is reading for him now. Let's go down to the practice chamber. I need a workout and it won't hurt you any. We can talk about this."

Copeland nodded and followed his father. They had been practicing together ever since Copeland could walk and had been nearly full contact since the younger man had shot up to his full height. Sparring was one of the most fun things father and son had done together and they talked best while fists and feet moved.

"Why didn't you come get me, Dad?" Copeland asked as they suited up, "I know you have a lot to deal with, but Iggy is like a grandfather to me."

"Just for this reason," Medoferro said, "I didn't want to have to explain your absence from service academy."

"I know," Copeland said, dancing around a little as he loosened up for the match, "I'm not mad, just a bit disappointed."

Medoferro nodded. He finished his own loosening up and got into a stance. They alternated with who started the match, as they did not use a usual sparring master to score them. It never mattered to them who won, just that they had a good time in the match. It was Copeland's turn to start.

"You ready?" Copeland asked his father, "Then let's go."

Father and son faced off and they let off a flurry of blows. The son had been tutored by both his father and the other guards. Despite the age difference (Medoferro was 29 years older than his son) they were a fairly even match, with Medoferro's experience well matched with Copeland's youth.

"Good," Medoferro said after a bit of sparring, "That food isn't rusting you. You been practicing?"

"I'm teaching Alvin a bit," Copeland said, "He never had the benefit of organized training."

"Your roommate, right?" Medoferro noted, "How is he handling school?"

"Why?" Copeland asked him, landing a particularly good right hook on his father, "You considering him for Iggy's job?"

Medoferro went silent as he considered how to answer that question. Truth was, Alvin Nixon actually was one of the higher scoring candidates in his list of files. He didn't want to put his son in the position of having to be a deciding factor in pushing someone to be a Mullinix or not.

"He is in the list," Copeland said softly, realizing what this type of silence meant from Medoferro, "Isn't he?"

"Yes," Medoferro said, "You can't tell him that, by the way. Gods willing I won't have to choose this session. But he is a possibility. Much as I don't want to do this to a friend of yours..."

"Don't apologize, Dad," Copeland said, backing off the attack, "You have a job to do, and it's not like you're going to kill him. He'd likely think so, but... Oh hell, I just gave you ammo."

"No more than my reports did," Medoferro chuckled before going in and scoring a hit to Copeland's midsection, "Never let your guard down."

"I yield," Copeland said, "No more today."

"You know that I have a responsibility," Medoferro said, "One that transcends all of us, more important than me, your mother, even you in this case. If I choose wrong..."

"You won't," Copeland said, "You and mom will do what you need to. I have faith in you, even if you don't."

"Thanks," Medoferro chuckled, "Which one of us is the parent again?"

"I learned from the best," Copeland said, "What do you want me to tell Kyrie?"

"Nothing," Medoferro said, "Stay here tonight. Let the rumor mill work. If the worst happens, tomorrow it won't matter. You can inform your friends and I'll make a public announcement. If it doesn't, you get to talk to Iggy and I'll make an announcement about his illness to quell the rumor mill. That work for you?"

"Works for me, Dad," Copeland said, "I can go see him?"

"Charissa is going to need to take a break soon," Medoferro said, "Iggy loves you like the grandson he never had. I should have called you when we found out, but things..."

"Dad," Copeland said, "With as much as you have on your head I should be screwed up beyond belief. The fact that I'm not is a testament to the fact that you did what you could and had someone else help when you couldn't. I'll manage. I'm here now."

"Let's go upstairs," Medoferro suggested, "You get to talk to Iggy and I'll get back to the files."

They walked upstairs, not even thinking about who won the sparring match. It didn't matter to them. When they got to spend time together without the nation coming in the way, they both won.

Chapter 14 - Generation Gap

Medoferro went back into the pile of files and nodded at Rasten to allow Copeland to go over and talk to Insegniferro. Rasten looked up and down at the boy and decided that she had better let him know what he was in for in going to see Insegniferro.

"Ok boy," Rasten said, "I'm going to warn you about a few things before you go in there."

"I'm listening," Copeland nodded, "Not going to stop me, but I'm listening."

"Good," Rasten smiled, "I'm too old to be nice about it. Insegniferro suffered a moderate to severe brainstorm and is at risk of another one. Don't give him food that we don't approve and realize that he may not even be able to see you properly. We think his mind is mostly intact, but he's irritable. We also don't know how much longer he has."

"Dad warned me as much," Copeland agreed, "How bad is the damage?"

"You'll have trouble understanding him, especially if he's tired," Rasten said, "Try not to upset him. He understands it all, but doesn't have as much ability to process it."

"I won't upset him," Copeland said, "I just want to talk to him."

"Good," Rasten said, "Talk about whatever he wants to. If he rambles, let him. It'll make him feel better."

"Nothing has changed," Copeland told her, "Let me go relieve Charissa."

"I need to check him out too," Rasten said, "Let's go in."

Charissa was just finishing up a chapter. She has been reading for several hours straight and her voice was showing it. She smiled as she saw the new entrants. She wanted nothing more to rest her voice for the rest of the night. Insegniferro was so wrapped up in that book that he'd been pushing her for hours.

"Iggy," Charissa said, "It appears that you have visitors."

"More medicos," Iggy grumped, "Just what I need now."

"I bring other visitors," Rasten said, "I just need to do a quick pressure check and other vitals. Let me do that quickly and give this poor girl's voice a rest."

"Fine," Iggy said, "Who's that with you, Rasten?"

"It's me, Iggy," Copeland said, "It's Copeland."

"They told you, huh?" Iggy said, "Do your stuff, Rasten. I don't have much time and don't want to waste it on your stupid tests. I was hoping they would let Copeland in before I slipped off."

"No one told me, Ig," Copeland said, "Kyrie came to me about the rumors. I didn't find out until I came to check it out."

"Medo is still holding his cards close," Iggy nodded while Rasten took his pressure, "I guess we can continue with the book in the morning, if you don't mind Charissa."

"No problem Iggy," Charissa said, actually managing to smile, "Be glad to."

"Don't worry," Insegniferro said, "Just finish that book for me, that's all I'll need. I should sleep anyway, but since Copeland is here I'd like some time alone with the boy."

"Remember what I told you, son," Rasten said, "Have him take these thinners after I leave. I don't want to listen to him bitch about how bad they taste."

"Chicken," Insegniferro muttered, "But that's ok. I'm old, I'm entitled to be cranky."

"Be as cranky as you like," Rasten told him, "I'm used to it. I can give it right back."

Insegniferro suffered his checkup in silence. He hated it, but he knew that Rasten was only doing her job. He was honestly glad Medoferro had pushed her into it, as her gruff attitude suited him better than a younger medico would have. He waited for her to finish before pushing for her departure.

"Ok," Insegniferro said, "The rest of you get out of here. I want to speak to Copeland alone for a bit."

Copeland waited for everyone to clear out and took the seat that Charissa had been using. Insegniferro reclined a bit again, allowing himself to relax a bit more. He couldn't really see to the chair fully as the brainstorm had clobbered the ability for his brain to process images.

"Copeland," Insegniferro said, his speech slurring, "I don't have a lot of time yet, son."

"You will recover, Iggy," Copeland said hopefully, "Brainstorms are not always fatal."

"Bah," Iggy said, "I can barely see, I can't read and I can't even get up to relieve myself. I don't have long left, Copeland. Medo has been in the top spot long enough. It's time for him to get a rest and let Trina take the spotlight for a while. If he isn't preparing for it then he's a fool."

"Dad is already going through files," Copeland sighed, "He doesn't like it, but he knows."

"I would be more upset if he wasn't," Iggy said, "That's not what I want to talk about though. Your parents are more than capable of dealing with the Empire. Massy and I chose well with both of them. It is in their hands now, pretty much has been for years now. This is just going to take the last link out of our hands now."

"Too bad Massimaferro didn't live," Copeland said, "Then it would be dad getting the top spot and mom would be getting a break."

"If your dad didn't ascend your mother would likely be a medico," Iggy told him, "Shoulda, woulda, coulda... To hell with it all. You do the best you can with all of them."

"I'm going to miss you," Copeland said, "You always talked plain to me, even when I was a kid."

"You're a good kid, Copeland," Iggy said, "I lost my best friend just before you were born. I guess I used you as a sort of young replacement for Roland."

"I still don't know where I'm heading," Copeland sighed, "I'm just glad that Dad can't be put in the position of choosing me."

"That would have killed him," Iggy agreed, "I do have some advice for you though. Before you decide on what to do with yourself there is someone I want you to talk to."

"Who?" Copeland asked, surprised and hoping Iggy was still being lucid.

"There's one man in the Empire who knows what you are going through," Copeland told him, "I'll be honest, he's older than I am, but he's probably still able to get around pretty well. He trained your father... In a number of things."

"I thought he was dead," Copeland said, surprised, "Why didn't Dad tell me?"

"The old man doesn't like company," Iggy said, "Your father would respect that. But your father either doesn't know or doesn't remember one crucial piece of information. That old man is the only living man in the empire who knows what it is like to be the son of a Mullinix. He is Taliaferro's son, grew up in the palace long before I came in as Crianferro's apprentice."

"Why now?" Copeland asked him.

"You're of age," Iggy said, "I had my disagreements with him over the years, especially in the way he trained Massy and your father. But I will admit, he was right in both cases. If you see him, tell him that. He will be amused by it."

"I will try to find him," Copeland promised, "Where is he?"

"He has a house outside of town," Iggy said, "You need to figure out your place in life, Copeland You can do whatever you want, kid. Don't let your father and mother overshadow you. You are worth more than that."

"Thanks," Copeland said, nodding, "I will try to make you proud."

"You already have," Iggy said, "You grew up here and didn't turn into a colossal prick. That is a miracle in itself. Keep it up and I'll be happy, son."

"You've always been family to me," Copeland told him, knowing he may never get another chance, "More so than my own grandfather. You were more a grandfather to me than he ever could."'

"Ask your father about your grandfather someday," Iggy suggested, "If you want to learn, that is."

"I may," Copeland said, tears forming in his eyes.

"Don't cry for me, boy," Iggy said, "I'm finally escaping from this damn job in the only way to do it correctly. If you cry for anyone, let it be Trina. The whole place falls on her shoulders now."

"I know," Copeland said solemnly, "Just don't make it too soon, ok?"

"I'll try to wait until morning," Iggy said dryly, "You've spent enough time chatting with a corpse. Let me sleep. If I'm still here tomorrow we'll talk some more, but I want some rest and to have Charissa finish that book in a few hours."

"Ok," Copeland said, knowing he had been dismissed, "Be good, old man."

"That's my line," Iggy said, "Good night, Copeland Tell Charissa I'll see her later."

Copeland nodded and walked out the door. He then went over to his father and started crying. Both men knew that Copeland had had his last visit with the elder Mullinix. They sat together on the couch, the replacement files forgotten for the time being. It was time to rest and wait for the other shoe to drop.

Chapter 15 - Dastardly Plans and Uniforms

Lady M was not one to let a good plan move slowly. She pushed her underlings to perfect the power controls she was using on the prison crew. She knew that the plan would only be as good as the initial invasion force, so in addition to power control exercises and lobotomies to keep them under control they were being trained with rudimentary weapons skills to keep their reflexes sharp.

"How are my babies doing?" Lady M asked.

"Coming along well," Major DeRoche replied, "They do better when you run them, but that is because you're a better power user."

"How large are the squads?" Lady M asked, "And how well do they run?"

"They run clean at about thirty per power user," Major DeRoche told her, "I'd suggest half that. That way if you lose a power user you can replace them."

"Can they add a healthy person on the run?" Lady M asked, "I want them to be able to pull from the countryside."

"They have to be weak minded," DeRoche said, "That's why we start with the lobotomized. Makes life easier."

"I want some tests run to see if they can beat someone far enough into submission," Lady M said, "A few good head cracks should break the mind enough for the power to work."

"I'll schedule the tests," DeRoche promised, "Anything else, Lady M?"

"Uniforms," Lady M said, "Do we have any Mullinix style uniforms?"

"None that would do the job," DeRoche told her, "Our manufacturing is different and they'd be spotted as Bolantine right away. If you want ones that look like they came out of Mullinix you'll need to snag them out of the Mavelans."

"Get me in touch with the traders," Lady M said, "I intend to get this operation going soon and even if it isn't approved the uniforms will be useful."

"We will obtain them by any means necessary," Major DeRoche said, "Anything else you want to know, ma'am?"

"I want to see a test," Lady M told him, "Get a full squad out here so I can push them."

A squad of twenty men with identical scars on their foreheads walked out into the training yard. They were restrained with only a bare energy strain. She pushed in and took over the metaphysical reins holding her troops in position.

She didn't even have to think very hard to control them. She ordered them to walk around in a circle, to march, to run and to spar with each other. It was as natural as if she had a well-trained troop of men except for the fact that none of them made mistakes. They were no longer able to.

"Get a prisoner that hasn't been lobotomized," Lady M instructed Major DeRoche, "I want him thrown in the yard here, please. No chains, but no weapons either."

"No problem," DeRoche nodded, "One minute."

The Bolantines used prisoners for experiments and didn't think anything about it. It was their purpose as far as anyone higher up in the government thought. Lady M, despite her Mullinix upbringing, felt no differently. She watched as a young man who had been jailed for theft was thrown into the training area.

Lady M contemplated the young man. She figured it was worth a shot to see if her plan for keeping the soldier's ranks up would work. She did a power order and had the troop approach the young man. Per her instructions, he was not chained, so he tried to run.

"Catch him!" Lady M shouted unnecessarily.

Once she gave the power instruction the entire squad chased after him. Lady M instructed them to subdue the young man and not kill him. She then used the troop's energy field to push into the young man's head. Within minutes he was assimilated to the group, taking instructions along with the rest of them.

"Amazing," DeRoche said, "He fell right in. But will he stay that way?"

"As long as I'm pressing power," Lady M said, "Have him lobotomized and added to the troop. Now that we know that works, have the others practice it and see if any of them can make it stick."

"Right away," DeRoche promised, "Will this be happening soon?"

"I don't know," Lady M said, "Hopefully soon..."

Chapter 16 - The Last Page

"Ready for the last bit?" Charissa asked him, "We've just got a few pages left."

"I'm looking forward to it," Insegniferro said, leaning back and getting comfortable, "Thank you, Charissa. I realize your voice is getting hoarse. It means a lot that you've done this."

"Anytime, Iggy," Charissa said, "What book do you want to do next?"

"We'll talk about that later," Insegniferro said, "You sound as though you need water. I could use some too."

"I'll get some," Charissa said, "Be right back."

Medoferro and Simon looked up from the couch when she walked out of the room. Charissa did not sleep at all at any point so she was very tired. Simon stood up and walked over to her, putting an arm around her. She was shaking a little, but avoiding crying.

"I'm scared, guys," Charissa told them, "I don't know if he'll make it past the end of the book."

"He may not," Medoferro told her, pouring water, "That would be so typically Iggy. Does he look that bad?"

"Yes," Rasten said, "He's lost the will."

"I agree," Simon said, "I think he just wanted to hear the end of his last story."

"I almost don't want to finish," Charissa sighed.

"He needs you to, hon," Simon told her, "It's ok, Charissa. Make the old guy happy."

"I will," Charissa sighed and took the water Medoferro offered, "He wants some too."

"I'll bring it in," Medoferro told her, "I need a break from reading anyway."

"Come sit with me for a minute," Simon suggested to Charissa, "Rest your voice..."

Medoferro left them and walked into Insegniferro's room. It had only been a few hours since he had last been in there, but he noticed that Insegniferro looked a lot more drawn out. He was ready to go and it didn't take a medico to know it. He sat down next to the elder and sighed a little.

"It isn't so bad, Medo," Iggy said, "You actually get to relax a bit now."

"That's not what I'm thinking of and you damn well know it," Medoferro told him and held the water for him to take a drink, "Its Trin's turn."

"She will be fine," Iggy said, "Have you been going through the files?"

"Haven't stopped," Medoferro told him, "Trin and I are thinking about someone from the Oasis. I've narrowed it down and will be able to make a pick as soon as Trin and I consult on it."

"Good," Iggy said, "I knew you were smarter than that."

"I will miss you, old man," Medo said, "You've been here for me more than anyone in my lousy birth family. You're more like my dad than anyone."

"I'll be looking out for you," Iggy told him, "It's my time though."

"I know," Medo sighed, "Change sucks, you know?"

"Always has, my boy," Iggy said, "Now get Charissa to finish the book please? I want to know what happens before I'm called..."

"You got it," Medoferro said, actually smiling a little, "She'll be in as soon as she rests her voice a minute."

Insegniferro nodded and reclined back. He was done talking and Medoferro knew it. He walked out and gave the nod to Charissa. She gulped a little, but knew what she had to do. Medoferro hugged her quickly as she went into the room.

"Get me a line," Medoferro instructed a page, "I need to talk to Trinaferro."

The young boy ran downstairs and headed to get a line. Medoferro knew it wouldn't be long and decided he should go and prepare Trina. The line was open when Medoferro made it down to the line room and Trinaferro met him on the line soon after.

"What's up?" Trina asked him.

"It won't be long," Medo told her, "The rumor mill is starting. I need to say something soon. Charissa is reading to him and we honestly think he'll pass soon after she finishes."

"I wish I could be there," Trina sighed, "Have you got it narrowed down?"

"Down to four," Medoferro said, "One is head and shoulders above the rest too, but there's one problem."

"What's that?" Trina asked him.

"He's Copeland's best friend," Medo told her, "I've got Copeland up at the palace to keep from tipping the kid off."

"If he's the best candidate we need to look at him," Trina said, "Do you want me to come home?"

"Be ready," Medo said, "Is the line stabilized?"

"So they tell me," Trina sighed, "Don't know for sure."

"I will hold off until this afternoon," Medo told her, "If there's no change by then I'll go ahead and tell the world about his brainstorm. If something changes... Well, it saves me from having to figure out what to say."

"I'll start packing up quietly," Trina promised, "With him this ill I'll start heading back tomorrow if nothing happens before then."

"Good idea," Medo suggested, "I want you home anyway."

"Anything special for me when I get there?" Trina asked, trying to sound demure.

"I'm sure I can think of something, m'lady," Medoferro said, "I need to go back to the death watch. I'll see you tomorrow, hopefully."

"I love you," Trina said, "Remember that, hon."

"I love you too," Medoferro agreed and the line closed off.

He walked out and started heading back upstairs just as Charissa finished the last chapter. She looked at the old man and was gratified to see that Insegniferro was still breathing. She let out a deep breath and decided to see whether he was up for another book, because she did not want to contemplate the other option.

"Would you like me to start another?" Charissa asked hopefully.

"No," Insegniferro said, "I just want to rest now. Thank you for your wonderful reading."

Insegniferro reclined and Charissa slipped out of the room. She knew the end was not far away and did not want to be in there when it happened. Medoferro made his way up the stairs and back into the outer area. Medico Rasten sat in a chair next to the door looking at all of them.

"Let's go in, Medico," Medoferro said, "You should look at him and I should be there at the end. The rest of you can stay out here."

There was no objection to this as Medoferro and Medico Rasten walked into the room. Insegniferro did not look up, as he no longer had the strength to do so. Rasten looked at Medo to see how far she should go. Medoferro leaned over and whispered.

"Checkup only," Medoferro whispered, "Let him pass in peace."

"Thank you," Insegniferro rasped, "Peace... and Molly..."

"She'll be waiting for you, old friend," Medoferro promised him, taking the old man's hand.

"I know," Insegniferro said, his eyes glazing over even worse, "I see her... I go to her now... The rest I leave to you..."

Insegniferro quietly settled into his cushion as the life left his body. Medoferro sighed and knew that the time they had all dreaded was there. Insegniferro was no longer the elder. That job had now fallen to him, the youngest elder in over four hundred years. He walked over to Insegniferro and closed his eyes.

"I'll take care of him, Medo," Medico Rasten said softly, "May this be the last Mullinix death I have to preside over."

"Amen to that," Medoferro said, "Thank you."

Medoferro sighed and walked out into the common room where everyone was waiting for him. He looked at them all and bowed his head silently. Charissa and the house staff members started crying. Copeland and Simon went over to Medoferro, wondering how he was taking it.

"I'm ok," Medoferro told them, "I need you two to get things ready. I'll announce in an hour, two if I can't reach Trin easily. Simon, you need to get all that taken care of while I try to figure out who the replacement is."

"What can I do, dad?" Copeland asked him.

"Give me strength," Medoferro said, "And don't think too badly of me if I have to take your friend."

"If you do," Copeland said, "Let me know so I can help you break it to him."

"I have to do that myself," Medoferro told his son, "But he'll need you after that if we choose him."

"Line is open," a page came up, "Trinaferro will be there when you are."

Medoferro nodded and walked back to the room. Once the light turned on he waited until he heard Trinaferro's voice before he said anything else.

"What happened, Medo?" Trina asked him, "Is he..."

"Come home, Trin," Medoferro told her, "You are now the Mullinix."

"He's gone," Trinaferro sighed, looking at the blank lead wall she had in front of her, "Are you ok?"

"I'm ok," Medoferro said, "Make a train run. By the time the rumors start from that I'll have announced anyway."

"Ok," Trinaferro said, "I'll be back in a few hours. Will I have time to cry in your shoulder?"

"As soon as you get here," Medoferro promised, "I'm going to go over the files again and talk to the guards about the candidates. I'm also going to talk to Copeland. He won't want to, but he has insights on my best candidate."

"I'll think of names," Trinaferro said, "See you in a few hours."

Medoferro sighed and went out to face the world for the first time as the Mullinix elder instead of the Mullinix. He just hoped the world was ready for it.

Chapter 17 - News

"This isn't like him," Alvin said as he paced around the suite, "He should have been back by now."

"Most likely if something is wrong his father kept him at the palace," Kyrie told him, "Especially if something is wrong with Insegniferro."

Elise ran into the room and looked a bit breathless. Alvin and Kyrie looked at her and wondered what was going on. Elise was seldom prone to running quickly and Alvin had never seen her excitable before.

"What's wrong?" Alvin asked her.

"The Mullinix is giving a public address in five minutes," Elise said, "The whole school has been instructed to show up. Classes have been released for the day to see this."

"Whoa," Kyrie said, "That means it is big."

"Insegniferro," Alvin sighed, "They wouldn't release class for anything else."

"Let's go!" Elise said, "I've never seen a Mullinix address before!"

"I've met him," Kyrie said, "He's not that interesting..."

"What he says will be," Alvin told her, "Let's go."

They made their way over to the announcement balcony along with the rest of their class. It was crowded, as half the city had joined them for the announcement. Alvin, Kyrie and Elise managed a good spot towards the front as the guards knew that Kyrie was related to Medoferro.

The crowd quieted as Medoferro walked out onto the balcony flanked by Simon Sutcliffe and Charissa. Copeland Irons walked out, as he usually did but took a seat in the reserved section up front with the local ambassadors and dignitaries. Nothing unusual in that at all, but the look on their faces told a different story.

"Medoferro looks like hell," Kyrie noticed, "Probably hasn't slept for days."

"I wonder if the Bolantines did something," Alvin said, "That would cause it as much as Insegniferro."

"If the Bolantines were at it again he wouldn't be here announcing," Kyrie said, "Trina would. He'd be down there helping with war plans."

"Shhh," Elise said, "He's starting."

Medoferro looked out over the crowd. He had been out here before, but it never got any easier for him. This was the last thing he wanted to think about doing. He had hoped he would have a few years before this became necessary, but it happened and it was time to tell the nation they were about to have a new leader.

"Thank you for coming out so quickly," Medoferro started, "I would give a lot to not have to be out here today as well, so I will keep it as brief as I can. Bear with me and keep the noise to a minimum until I complete my statement, as I have not slept in nearly two days now and would like to stumble as few times as I can manage."

There was a snicker in the audience, but that was normal. Everyone knew their leader hated this type of communication and was willing to give him as much time as he needed. Medoferro let things quiet down before he started again.

"Two days ago Mullinix Elder Insegniferro had a brainstorm. He delayed in seeking help for it, but finally admitted it happened and we had Senior Medico Rasten come in to treat him. We delayed the announcement of his illness until we had a handle on what was happening to him."

"He's ill," Kyrie said, "Maybe..."

Medoferro continued before she could get the thought out, "Unfortunately, he did not improve. He was conscious, but dying. Old age had finally caught up to Mullinix-Elder Insegniferro. He passed away with his friends around him just under two hours ago."

Medoferro paused to let the crowd absorb this information. He had been spared from this the last time it happened because he had been the one who was in the remote location. He let out a breath and continued.

"Trinaferro has been informed of Insegniferro's unfortunate passing and is currently on her way back here. At Insegniferro's insistence, I've been vetting candidates for the new apprentice Mullinix. We will have the selection made soon after Trinaferro returns.

"As per Tradition, Insegniferro's body is being prepared for interment in the Mullinix Vault. The Ascension ceremony will happen tonight just after dusk. I thank you all for your good thoughts at this time and declare the rest of the day a time of reflection on the long life of Insegniferro. All government offices will remain closed today and tomorrow and will reopen again after the off day."

Medoferro declined to say anything else and bowed to the audience. It was a short statement, but one that had the entire crowd buzzing. Insegniferro had been an old man, but no one had expected him to pass that suddenly. He left as quickly as he had come out, with his people following him.

"That explains it," Kyrie sighed, "Copeland saw Insegniferro as a grandfather. He'd stay close to home for that."

"They're going to be choosing soon," Alvin said, looking very scared at this, "Good God..."

"You don't think," Elise said, "We're at risk for this..."

"You and about eighteen hundred others," Kyrie confirmed, "The odds are a bit out there."

"But why keep Copeland away?" Alvin said, "I mean... I don't want... No..."

"There's only one person I know it isn't," Kyrie said, "And that's Copeland himself. He's legally ineligible. I'm one semester past, plus I'd probably have been excluded because of blood relation to Trinaferro."

"What can you do?" Elise shrugged, "If you want it, you won't get it. If you don't want it, just start screaming about wanting it."

"That won't work," Kyrie said, "They do extensive testing. If they want you, they'll tell you. Don't worry about it. Copeland will probably join us for the ascension ceremony."

"Let's go, Alvin," Elise said, offering an arm, "You're as close to home as I have right now. Care to stay with me through the line?"

Alvin nodded. He had another idea in his head, one that was closer to the truth than he knew. He knew that if he was in the list Copeland would be kept out to keep him in the dark. Alvin sighed and took Elise's arm, following her back to the dormitory.

Chapter 18 - The Choice

Medoferro rubbed his eyes and read the files and reports for the fifteenth time that hour. He couldn't wait to get the selection process over with. He had lucked out when choosing Trinaferro as the hard part of deliberation had been done months earlier. There was no such comfort level this time.

"Dad," Copeland said, "Can I go back to the school now?"

"Not until I decide," Medo told him, "I can't have you leak to him that he's being considered."

"You're going to choose him, aren't you?" Copeland asked him.

"If your mother agrees," Medoferro admitted, "He's the best of the bunch."

"Great," Copeland said, "Can I go somewhere else then?"

"Where?" Medo asked him.

"Iggy told me to ask you how to contact your old trainer," Copeland said, "He is the only one living who knows what it is like, being the son of a Mullinix."

"The old man would know," Medo agreed, "I guess you can go over there this afternoon, with a guard. I don't know if he'll greet you as he did me back then, but expect a workout when you go."

Medoferro thought about those training sessions, but was interrupted as a young guard came into the room. Medoferro nodded at him and waited for him to deliver the message that he had hoped for.

"Trinaferro's train has arrived," the guard said, "She should be up here soon."

"Good," Medoferro nodded, "Escort her here, please. Copeland I'll have a guard take you over after you see your mother."

"Works for me," Copeland nodded, "I guess the guard is necessary?"

"You're my child," Medoferro smiled, "You won't listen to me anymore than I would have at your age. Besides, the old man is not going to rest and I want someone who can pull you out if necessary."

"Ok," Copeland sighed, "I'm not a child, but all right."

"If you were a child I'd be forbidding you from going at all," Medoferro reminded him, "Now I'm just forcing sensible precautions on you."

"I guess I'll take that," Copeland nodded.

"Medo!" Trinaferro exclaimed as she rushed into the room, "You look like hell. Have you slept at all?"

"Not since Iggy had the brainstorm," Medo admitted, standing up and going over to his long time love and hugging her, "It's been a long few days, just like it was for you."

"I didn't see this coming at all," Trinaferro admitted, "I knew it would happen someday... But..."

"It was sudden, Trin," Medo agreed, "And we have a hard decision ahead of us."

"And I'd appreciate you making it quick," Copeland said, "That way I can go hang with Alvin again if you don't choose him."

"How did he find that out?" Trinaferro asked Medo, "We're the only ones who are supposed to know..."

"He came in while I was going through Alvin's file," Medo said, "I've kept him here since."

"But you're letting me go see the old man still, right?" Copeland asked him.

"Yes," Medoferro said, "Iggy was right. You should meet him while he's still around and reasonably lucid."

"Why did Iggy think Copeland should meet the old man?" Trina asked, "I know he used to be a kick ass instructor, but he's a bit old for that now..."

"He is also Taliaferro's son," Medoferro reminded her, "He knows a bit about living in the shadow of a Mullinix. It might lend Copeland some insight, even if I don't measure up to the Taliaferro standard."

"Right," Trinaferro said, not worrying about that, "So long as someone goes with him, I don't think it will hurt."

"Already sent for the guard," Medoferro said and pointed Trinaferro to the stack of paperwork, "I'll send him off. You start reading. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Just point the way, Dad," Copeland told him, "I can make it there. If he's as old as you say I doubt I have much to worry about."

"He's right, Medo," Trina said, "Get your butt over here and go through the high points so I don't have to read it all."

"I'll be back in a couple hours," Copeland said, "See you later."

He shook it off as his parents let him go away. He knew they were under pressure and was glad that he could get away to keep from underfoot. The instructions were not that hard to follow and the guard readily agreed to stay outside as Copeland himself broached the place.

The large stone building had not changed in centuries. The old man had owned it since he was a young man, having taken it over from the previous student of the immortals. Copeland found it cold in appearance, but was surprised that it was reasonably well heated, even in the foyer.

"Hello!" Copeland shouted into the large hallway.

Out of nowhere a small man came out and attacked Copeland with a fairly common move that he brushed away by reflex. Copeland had been practicing with his father for so many years that he was used to fending off unexpected attacks.

Copeland fought conscientiously and made sure he kept up and countered everything that was thrown around him. Copeland was good at this and he enjoyed the chance to show it. A second man joined the mix and Copeland had to fight them both off, managing to give better than he took.

"Enough," an old man's voice finally said, "He has to be palace trained, likely by Medoferro himself as he was the one who learned it best. Given the resemblance to Medoferro and Trinaferro I'd say we have young Copeland Irons here with us."

"Yes sir," Copeland agreed, bowing his head, "I am Copeland Irons."

"A surname we both share," the old man said, approaching slowly and looking the young man up and down, "I imagine that is why your father sent you here?"

"Insegniferro actually," Copeland said, his breathing returning to normal, "Shortly before he passed away a few hours ago."

"Come on in to my sitting room," the old man said, dismissing his two younger guards, "You have worked out enough for one afternoon. You did well, so you deserve to sate your curiosity."

The two men walked into the sparse living area that Medoferro had been trained in many years before. Photographs adorned the walls, mostly images of long past students. The only ones Copeland recognized in any way were Medoferro and Simon Sutcliffe.

"Your student wall?" Copeland asked the old man.

"Yes," the old man nodded, "All of my outstanding students over the past years."

Copeland looked around and got a serious taste of the history. The older man let the young one look around for a bit and then decided to inquire as to why he had been sent here. He knew it wasn't for training, as he had already proved his worth in that regard.

"So old Insegniferro sent you to me," the old man said, "Why?"

"He knew you were the only living person who knew what being the child of a Mullinix was like," Copeland told him, "I don't know; I guess he figured that you might have some advice for me."

"Advice is for fools," the old man said bitterly, "He wanted you to realize what could happen if you took it too hard when your father was forced to pass you over for the apprentice job."

"I never was in line for it," Copeland said, "I've been told since I was a child that they were glad I would never have to suffer with it. I've seen what they went through, I never wanted it."

"That's one thing your parents did right," the old man said hiding a bit of a scowl, "I never got that sort of knowledge. I was allowed to run around the palace wild. Drinking, acting as though I owned the place... Taliaferro was a great Mullinix, but the man had no clue how to raise a child."

"Something must have gone right," Copeland said, "I mean... You are a celebrated trainer, the foremost power user in the land. Even my father defers to you on power use... I mean..."

"That's me now," The old man said, "That wasn't me sixty-four years ago when I was assigned as a project to the young apprentice Crianferro."

"How old were you then?" Copeland asked him.

"Older than Crianferro, younger than I am now," the old man said, "It was part of why Insegniferro and I never got along while he was alive. He heard all Crianferro's stories about me."

"If Iggy didn't like you why would he send me here?" Copeland wondered, "This doesn't make sense."

"Insegniferro was not perfect either and the man was sane enough to know it," the old man said, "Crian despised me because back then I was a waste of human flesh. Crian was the one who finally talked my father into getting me out of the palace before I could do something to embarrass them."

"That must have been hard to take," Copeland said, "Did you deserve it?"

"Yes," the old man admitted, "My wild child days lasted longer than they should have."

"So what happened?" Copeland asked, "If you don't mind me asking."

"I did something to one of the girls," the old man said, "Nothing that I could have been charged over, but it was enough for the apprentice's council to be taken seriously. You see... My father never knew how to handle a child. The elder before my father... He ignored me and considered me Taliaferro's mistake."

"That couldn't have been a good way to grow up," Copeland sighed, "Or to live as an adult."

"It wasn't healthy," the old man agreed, "Smartest move your father made was to foster you out part of the year so you had a better perspective."

"I've heard that more than once," Copeland nodded, "I'll agree. I didn't always like my time up north, but I learned a lot there. Just as I have here. I've never felt like an inconvenience."

"I envy you that," the old man agreed, "Because that is what I was. I was an inconvenience and often an embarrassment."

"So what happened after you were removed?" Copeland asked him.

"The one good decision my father ever made about me," the old man said, looking at Copeland, "He sent me to the immortals. They had a compound outside Nessun Cucchiaio at the time. They turned me around and showed me something I had never had before."

"Love?" Copeland guessed.

"Discipline," the old man said, "I'm just as damaged as some of those birds they collect at the palace. Love wouldn't have done much good at that point. Mason saw I needed a direction and it turned out that I had inherited my father's abilities with power use."

"I wish I had my father's power use ability," Copeland said whimsically, "That looks like so much fun."

"Did he ever test you?" the old man asked him.

"No," Copeland said, "Test me?"

"It's an innate ability," the old man explained, "But it needs to be awakened and trained. I can do the tests still, but it's better for your father to do them... I'm old and my power sight is failing. Not to mention I don't have the ability to push the training you need anymore."

"I understand," Copeland sighed, "I still don't understand how you went from an embarrassment to this celebrated trainer."

"I learned from Mason," the old man said simply, "He beat some sense into me. I learned that life wasn't fair and that I had to make a choice. I could be a useless embarrassment or I could learn from him and be a good person in my own right."

"And you chose well," Copeland said, "Right?"

"It wasn't easy," the old man said, "But I spent the years after my exile learning my craft."

"That's how Massimaferro came to know you?" Copeland asked him.

"I was good enough by that time that my father decided to use my talents," the old man nodded, "I trained Massimaferro in martial arts. I couldn't teach him power use because he didn't have the ability. He had never met Crianferro, so Massimaferro never had the negative image of me that my father and Insegniferro had. He remembered me when it was time to train your father."

"I guess you never patched things up with Insegniferro?" Copeland noticed, "I mean... It doesn't sound like you ever cared for each other much."

"We did work through the worst of it in a Sotan border town shortly before you were born," The old man said, "But we never did get along personally."

"So what is there between you now?" Copeland wondered.

"Mutual respect," the old man said, "No affection. We grated on each other and preferred not being in the same place. But, you knew Insegniferro as well as I did. He appreciated results. That's likely why he sent you here, despite his personal feelings."

"I've learned a bit," Copeland agreed, "I just don't see how it applies."

"What do you intend to do with your life?" the old man asked him.

"I don't know," Copeland admitted, "I've been going to service school, figuring that I'd find something that interested me. Considered a few times going up and just working with Mom's family."

"That's a choice," the old man said and looked at him, "You have a serious choice to make, and you're going to have to make it soon."

"What do you see the choice as?" Copeland asked him.

"You can either embrace your second banana status working with your father or somewhere in government," the old man said, "Or you can go on your own and try to overcome your father's reputation in another field."

"Which is what you did," Copeland said, "But you didn't have that choice."

"I did," the old man said, "I just threw it away. You have a better head on your shoulders a lot earlier than I did. You will likely do well either way."

"The catch is that once I choose..." Copeland started.

"You won't be able to go back," the old man said, "The trick is to be happy and good at what you do. If you want to work with your parents and they have something useful for you to do... Do it. Just do it well and enjoy it. Don't regret it. There's no point in it."

"Do you have any regrets?" Copeland asked him.

"Sure," the old man said, "I wish I'd told Insegniferro to his face what a pompous ass I thought he was. But I didn't and I never can now. I have others, but they should die with me."

"I guess the trick is having as few as possible," Copeland sighed.

"Do what you can," the old man suggested, "Don't fret about what you can't."

"Profound," Copeland smiled, "I see why Insegniferro sent me here now."

"Gives you some things to think of," the old man agreed, "I am tired and unless I miss my guess your father should be about ready to choose one of your classmates. You should be there. That poor kid will be scared out of his mind."

"Thanks," Copeland said and then realized something, "I don't even know your name..."

"My name is not of concern here," the old man said, "I never did like it anyway. Old man works. It's been true for long enough as it is."

"It can't be any worse than the ones my father is responsible for," Copeland said, "Come on."

"Rodney Irons," he said, "Seems they like to torture us. Go on home and help your father."

Copeland smiled and nodded. He left there and ran back towards the palace. He just hoped he could choose wisely on whichever way things went. He didn't want to become an embarrassment.

Chapter 19 - The Dark Order

Bolantine reclined back in the oversized bed that was one of the few luxuries that he allowed himself. After living for centuries upon centuries, he found that he enjoyed a large, comfortable bed more than he did any of the numerous sexual playmates he could have had.

Nikki Bolantine appreciated it as well, but was thinking about other things. She looked over at her partner and smiled. She crawled over and kissed Bolantine slowly, nibbling on him a little. He kissed her back and wrapped his arms around her diminutive frame.

"What are you thinking about?" Bolantine asked her, "You've got something on your mind, kiddo."

"Marina's plan," Nikki said, "I like it, but it seems a waste to use it without something bigger."

"Bauxite isn't enough?" Bolantine asked her, "We need all of it we can get."

"What are we going to use it for?" Nikki asked him, "More machines that are going to sit?"

"What are you thinking?" Bolantine wondered, "You want a world war?"

"While it would be interesting," Nikki said, "No. I want to expand again."

"Then eat more," Bolantine said, grinning at the expression on Nikki's face, "It's not been enough time. We need the other side to weaken again."

"Harmon is old," Nikki said, "Insegniferro is older."

"That's good for Sotanberg," Bolantine said, "Medoferro is still the main power in Mullinix. He's still young."

A knock on the door caught both of them by surprise. Bolantine had long instructed his house staff to not interrupt them with anything other than a dire emergency. Bolantine was curious, so he allowed the interruption.

"What is it?" Bolantine asked the young page.

"News from Mullinix," the young boy said, "Standing orders said that any major governmental news was to go to you immediately."

"Give it here," Bolantine said, "Take the rest of the afternoon off."

The child handed the papers over to Bolantine and left the room quickly. Bolantine read it quickly and whistled a bit of approval. He handed it to Nikki and waited for her to read it. She smiled when she read it.

"Insegniferro is dead," Nikki said, "That means Medoferro may not be the whole power."

"He will be," Bolantine said, "He's a threat as long as he's alive."

"What if he wasn't?" Nikki wondered aloud.

"The dark order assassination team?" Bolantine asked her, knowing her thoughts after so many centuries, "It could start the war again."

"If Marina succeeds that won't be a bad thing," Nikki suggested, "We know now that the Mullinix played us on the location of the bauxite mine. If we can just take that and push both the Mullinix and Sotans out of the Mavelan lands that makes us stronger for when the final war happens."

"Always the cowgirl," Bolantine grinned, "Ok. Let's try it. They aren't any better prepared than we are."

"I'll give Marina her go-ahead," Nikki said, "After I interrogate her some more on how the Mullinix palace works. The dark order will need that information."

"Let's get it done quickly," Bolantine said, "While the Mullinix are in disarray."

"Now who's being a cowboy," Nikki grinned and kissed him, "I love making policy."

"Let's get back to the personal level..." Bolantine suggested.

Chapter 20 - A New Chosen

Trinaferro sighed as she finished reading the summaries. She did not want the choice, but knew that it had to be made. She was having problem enough seeing that Insegniferro was gone and that she was now the leader of the Mullinix Empire.

"Tough choice, isn't it?" Medoferro said, sitting down next to her.

"Yep," Trina sighed, "You're right though. Alvin Nixon should be the choice. Why are you even holding back?"

"You didn't read the friends section," Medoferro said, "Did you?"

Trinaferro took a few minutes to read that section and lost a bit of color from her face. She hadn't thought about the fact that her son could be that close to the possible new chosen. She looked up at Medoferro and wondered what he thought about it.

"It's his choice, Trin," Medo said, "We made it. Simon and Stacy made it. If Copeland wants to take the spot and is offered it, who are we to stop him?"

"Who gets to tell him?" Trina asked him, "I agree, he's by far the best qualified of the lot."

"Not going to protest?" Medoferro asked her.

"Not worth it," Trinaferro smiled, "You're right and he'll take it."

"Probably," Medoferro agreed, "I'll tell him. You never felt the shock the way I did because you had warning. I know what to do if he balks."

"That works," Trina sighed, "Going to take Copeland with you?"

"No," Medoferro said, shaking his head, "You get to tell Copeland and do the paperwork."

"Great," Trina chuckled, "Ok. Do it before word leaks."

Medoferro nodded and kissed Trina on the forehead before he stood up to go. He took two guards as he usually did when he walked the grounds and headed over to the school building. The records were pretty clear on which room he would be in and a quick check with the registrar confirmed it.

"Do you want us to go in?" the guard asked him.

"No," Medoferro said, shaking his head, "He'll be scared enough. Discreet distance, please."

The guards nodded and took a position next to the door. Medoferro went inside and was met immediately by a young man that was sitting on a chair just inside the door. He looked up and made haste getting to his feet once he recognized the Mullinix.

"Good afternoon, Mullinix!" the young man gulped, "How can I help you, sir?"

"Alvin Nixon," Medoferro said, "Which side is he on?"

"Right side, sir," the young man said, "Is he being chosen?"

"I'm not here for a social call," Medoferro said and knocked on the door.

Kyrie looked over at Alvin and Elise and went over to the door. She hesitated for a moment and finally opened it. She tried to be surprised at seeing Medoferro there, but could not really force herself to be. She had only known Alvin for a few days, but she caught the vibe that he would make a good Mullinix.

"Hiya Uncle Medo," Kyrie said, "Alvin?"

Medoferro nodded and looked at the young man who managed to avoid fully trembling, though his face showed the fear that came naturally with being chosen for a job this way. He looked up and wondered what was coming next.

"You've been called, Alvin," Medoferro said, "Come on and let's take a walk. Let me explain what this all means."

"Where's Copeland?" Kyrie asked Medoferro.

"At the palace," Medo told her, "Go ahead and join him, they'll let you up there."

"I'll see you back at the dorm later," Elise said, "Right?"

"I'll be back to take the group to the ascension ceremony," Kyrie agreed, "Need anything, Alvin?"

"No," Alvin said, "I'm sure Medoferro will explain everything."

Medoferro looked at the young man and saw that he was taking the news a lot better than he did when he was chosen. Medoferro and Alvin waited for Kyrie and Elise to leave the room and head to the girls dormitory.

"You know what I'm here for, right?" Medoferro asked Alvin.

"Yes," Alvin nodded, keeping his eyes pointed down, "Not much reason for you to be here this afternoon if I'm not being chosen."

"Good," Medoferro said, "I won't lie to you. The job sucks. The hours are long and you will often feel as though you can't win. The fact is, however, you are the best prepared from what we can tell."

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Alvin said.

"That's the same thing I asked," Medoferro chuckled, "You have a choice, but I'm betting you'll make the right one."

"I'll do it," Alvin said, trying to avoid a sigh, but perked up a little with a thought, "Are the stories about the girls true?"

"Somewhat," Medoferro told him, "Not as prevalent as it used to be, but the house staff may accommodate you."

"Ok," Alvin said, accepting his fate, "I'm your man. What comes next?"

"A lot of training and the bloody ascension ceremony," Medoferro said, "Come on, let's take a walk. Trinaferro is still filling out paperwork on this and I don't want to get drafted into it."

"Right," Alvin agreed, "Paperwork is not my favorite thing either."

The two men walked out of the dormitory and headed to the palace. Copeland Irons ran up to them, looking as though he was half out of breath. Alvin and Medoferro looked at the younger man and wondered what was going on.

"I just found out," Copeland told Alvin, "How are you holding up, buddy?"

"I'm ok," Alvin said, "Did you know this was coming?"

"I had a clue," Copeland admitted, "That's why Dad wouldn't let me back to see you guys."

"It's ok, Copeland," Medoferro said, "Truthfully, your friend took it better than I did."

"He knows more about it than you did," Copeland grinned, "Anything I can help with?"

"Get Elise and Kyrie good seats?" Alvin asked him, "If the ceremony is that bad I want to see some friendly faces in the front."

"It's that bad," Medoferro said, "I'm the only one of the three of us that has been through the whole thing. We got to skip most of it last time because of the Cirrus war."

"I'll settle for a quiet ascension," Alvin shuddered, "I read about the last one."

"Right," Copeland said, "I'll look for the girls and head over. It will give me something to do. Good luck, Alvin."

"I wish everyone would stop wishing me luck," Alvin shuddered, "I'm hoping I won't need that much."

"You will," Medoferro assured him, "Trust me."

Alvin reflected on that as he followed the older Mullinix towards the palace.

Chapter 21 - Ascension

Alvin Nixon looked around at the room, scarcely able to believe where he was. It really did fill him with a sense of awe as he looked around at the few artifacts that remained from Massimaferro, the last Mullinix to inhabit the room some twenty-eight years before.

"How are you doing?" Trinaferro's voice came into the room, "Still a bit overwhelming isn't it?"

"Was it the same for you?" Alvin asked her, "When you were picked?"

"My situation was a bit different," Trinaferro sighed, "I was the same class as Medoferro and had missed it by a hair the first time. I was there when Massimaferro died because they wanted a successor available."

"You knew?" Alvin said, "I thought that didn't happen."

"Usually doesn't," Trina agreed, "But I stayed close to Medo after he was chosen and he found out how close it had been. When Massimaferro died, he had no choice but to choose me. We've been together ever since."

"My family doesn't really have much to do with me," Alvin told her, "My Dad disappeared off a fishing boat last year and my uncle is a jerk."

"What about your mother?" Trina wondered.

"Died of the wasting sickness when I was eight," Alvin told her, "No real need to notify any of my family anything. It was quite clear that I wasn't welcome back when I left for service school."

"Quite tragic," Trinaferro sighed, "Well it should be a bit better now. No more uncertainty, huh?"

"No more," Alvin smiled, "So this is my new room, huh?"

"Yes," Trina agreed, "This was Massimaferro's old room. Most of his stuff was still here because none of us wanted to mess with it."

"Where is your room?" Alvin wondered, "I saw the symbols for Medoferro and one I didn't recognize, but not yours."

"I share with Medoferro," Trina said, "Personal choice. Insegniferro's room is in one and the one that I should have been issued is where Copeland grew up."

"So he's not in the line at all?" Alvin said, "I still don't understand that."

"Blood is a lousy way to designate a successor," Trina explained, "So the first rulers disqualified the children of the Mullinix from the line of succession. Copeland understands that and frankly has the good sense to be relieved by it."

"I'm not scared of it," Alvin told her, "I've heard too much from Copeland to let myself be scared."

"You're an idiot if you aren't a little scared," Trina chuckled, "Get some rest. We have the ascension ceremony in about two hours and you're going to need all the energy you can manage."

"What do I need to do?" Alvin asked, not having seen one before.

"Sit there and look confused," Trina smiled, "Medoferro and I will handle the rest. I'll have Alisa bring in some food too. Any requests?"

"I'm too stunned to think," Alvin said, "I think I'm just going to rest for a bit."

Trinaferro nodded and patted the younger man on the shoulder before going back out to the common area. Medoferro was going over the last of the paperwork that she had completed earlier. She let out a deep breath and sat down on the sofa next to him.

"Any mistakes?" Trina asked him, "I don't remember the last time I went through this."

"It's been a good five years since I went through a run through," Medoferro agreed, "Looks good to me through. How's he handling things?"

"Better than either of us," Trina said, "But different people react differently. I'll have Alisa check on him."

"I'm of two minds on that," Medoferro sighed, "You know what happened to the last girl we did that with."

"Marina was not our fault," Trina reminded him, "It's been nearly twenty years since she went bad, even longer since you left her. Besides, Alisa isn't Marina. The others repudiated her strongly when she went rogue and Alisa was only two when it happened."

"Gods, it's almost been twenty years now," Medoferro said, "Hard to believe it's been that long. Still feels like a fresh wound, you know?"

"Let's go to something more pleasant," Trina suggested, "Naming."

"Tradition is a bitch," Medoferro said, "Do you have the book?"

"Here," Trinaferro said, handing it over, "How the hell did they come up with this anyway?"

"It's a variant of one of the old languages," Medoferro said, perusing the book, "There are hundreds of words in here that we just have to tie with ferro. Any suggestions?"

"Tragedy? Comedy?" Trina suggested, "What does yours mean anyway?"

"Iron Fear," Medoferro told her, "I was scared beyond belief. Both Iggy and Massy thought that I was scared but knew I would be good at this."

"The things I see most in his file are upset and upheaval," Trina said, "Lost his mother when he was young, his father last year. Never had much for friends or anything like that."

"Viradoferro," Medoferro said, "Iron Upset."

"Virad or Vlad," Trinaferro nodded, "It will work."

"It will have to," Medoferro sighed, "Everything is different now, isn't it?"

"It is and it isn't," Trina smiled and kissed Medo, "We've been handling it for years now. We're just now working without the net."

"And training the kid," Medoferro reminded her, "We need to get that right."

"We will," Trina agreed, "It will be fine."

"Now who tells him that?" Medoferro asked.

Chapter 22 - The Ceremony

Copeland Irons walked to the room next to his own that had been vacant for years and knocked on the door to see if Alvin was up to seeing visitors yet. Alisa came and answered it, much like Copeland expected her to do. She smiled when she saw Copeland.

Copeland was glad his father got past his distrust of the house staff to allow Alisa to help Alvin adjust to life in the palace. He didn't know if anyone other than he and Alisa knew that she had been the first woman he'd ever made love to.

"How's he doing, Lis?" Copeland asked her, "Reality sink in with him yet?"

"He's going to be OK," Alisa told him, "You talk in your sleep, so I'm betting he learned a bit from you. He's not scared, just a bit bewildered."

"He awake?" Copeland wondered.

"Yep," Alisa said, "Come on in."

Copeland walked into the room and was mildly surprised to see the calm expression that Alvin had on his face. He even managed to let off a smile when Copeland entered the room. Copeland was actually relieved to see that Alvin was upright and not losing it.

"About time you showed up," Alvin said, "I guess rooming with you put me on the radar?"

"I don't know how that works," Copeland said honestly, "Last time I'd talked to Dad he was pretty well set on you, that's why I wasn't allowed to go back to the dorm."

"Doesn't matter," Alvin shrugged, "I'm not scared anymore. Between your descriptions and your father's talk... I'm not thrilled, but I'm not ready to lose it either."

"Good," Copeland said, "Enjoy this. From what I hear it's the only time you won't have to do anything."

"You going to the ceremony, Copeland?" Alvin asked him.

"I'll go down and join Kyrie and Elise," Copeland said, "Not sure where else I'm going."

"Hopefully not far," Alvin said, "I'm told there's a party after this? I want someone I know there."

"I'll be there," Copeland said, "Should be able to bring Kyrie too. I can try to get Elise in if you like."

"That would be cool," Alvin said, "Did I ever tell you what a crush I had on her when we were kids?"

"I thought you didn't know her well?" Copeland said.

"She didn't know me from Adam," Alvin said, "But I knew her."

"Gotcha," Copeland chuckled, "I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks," Alvin said, "I'm trusting you on this... This job isn't so bad, right?"

"No," Copeland said, "I think you'll be fine."

"It's running on time," Alisa reminded them, "If you want to take the special seats at the front you need to go now, Copeland."

"Take good care of him, Lis," Copeland said, kissing her cheek, "He's a good sod and he's about to be saddled with a massive load."

"I'll get him there," Alisa promised, "You just be here ready to get him drunk when he realizes after the ceremony just what he's gotten into."

"Works for me," Copeland laughed, "Good luck, Alvin."

Copeland jogged downstairs quickly and headed to the dormitories. He found Kyrie just leading her six charges out of the room. Elise recognized Copeland and smiled. Kyrie went over and hugged her cousin when she saw him.

"How is Alvin taking it?" Kyrie asked him.

"Not bad," Copeland said, "Having Alisa hanging over him probably isn't hurting either. She always did like being a mother hen."

"Men," Kyrie said, shaking her head, "Where are you going to watch?"

"That's why I came to find you," Copeland said, "Dad's family seats will go empty as usual, so I figured you and your girls could fill out the area."

"Sounds great to me," Kyrie grinned and then whispered to her cousin, "Do we get to go to the party too?"

"Don't know about the others," Copeland told her, "But Alvin asked me to invite Elise and I want you there."

"Works for me," Kyrie nodded, "Come on, girls. This is the best chance you'll have to see all the Mullinix in one public place. This doesn't happen often."

Copeland smiled as they walked along. Everyone was heading towards the ceremony, but seven pretty girls surrounded Copeland. He thought he could get used to that. They walked up and Copeland told the guards the requisite passwords and explained about his father's empty seats. Copeland and the girls were escorted to the stage where they got decent seats instead of the standing room only the rest of the world got.

It was slightly after dusk when the torch-spots were turned on and the stage was illuminated. The crowd watched as Medoferro and Trinaferro walked out onto the stage. Copeland and Kyrie were likely the only ones in the crowd who saw just how tired Medoferro looked. The previous days with Insegniferro's decline and the choice had left him tired to the bone.

"My gods," Kyrie whispered as Medoferro began his speech, "Your father looks like death warmed over."

"He hasn't slept much since Iggy got sick," Copeland explained, "Let's see if he can get through his speech."

Medoferro went through the speech, though it was obvious that he'd had a rough week. Those in the audience old enough to remember Taliaferro's death recognized it as a word for word adaptation of Insegniferro's comments at the time right up until the last piece that moved onto more current events.

"Thankfully the ascension chain has gone back to normal now," Medoferro said to the crowd, "Insegniferro was felled not by calamity or nefarious meddling, but by the hands of father time. I am thankful for the years I had with this amazing man, but the time has come for me to assume his position as the Elder Mullinix and leave the day to day rule of the Mullinix Empire to my long serving apprentice, Trinaferro."

"Amusing," Kyrie said, "I find it hard to swallow that talk... Especially when everyone knows they are a couple."

"He has to keep up appearances," Copeland told her as his mother began her speech, "And there she goes into the preplanned stuff..."

"And a nice plea for help for the storm victims," Elise said, "Nice."

"Wait," Copeland said, "I remember seeing the photoplay of Dad's ascension. I can bet I can guess most of what she will say next."

They watched as Trinaferro started into her speech. She introduced Alvin with the conviction that she either felt or could fake pretty well. They all watched intently as Alvin had a look that mixed well confusion and bemusement. He just followed Trinaferro's instructions and came up to figure out where he was going.

"The circle has come around again," Trinaferro said, "I introduce to you, the Mullinix People, the new Mullinix Apprentice Viradoferro. Together we shall continue to serve Mullinix and the people of all walks of life in the empire. Thank you, Alvin, for accepting this and joining us in what makes the Mullinix Empire strong."

"Please form the line quietly and accept directions from the Mullinix guards," Medoferro said finally, "Keep it orderly and move it along so that all of you may have a chance to say goodbye to Insegniferro."

Copeland, Kyrie and Elise watched as the line filed by without problems. No weapons, no noticeable incidents happened as the people filed by. Copeland and Kyrie looked at each other and nodded. It went as smoothly as any line with hundreds of people can go.

"What now?" Elise asked, "Back to the dorm or back to the line?"

"Neither," Copeland said, "It's tradition for there to be a celebration at the palace after ascension. It's low key, usually a celebration of the life of the passing Mullinix and a celebration of the new one. Alvin can use some friends, so we're it."

"Let's go," Elise said, "Sounds like an experience."

"And an excuse to avoid the food at school," Kyrie grinned, "I'm in. Let's go."

Chapter 23 - The Party

The meet and greet took about three hours, which was just about normal for the type of event. Medoferro managed to walk off the stage under his own power, but Trinaferro could see that he was nearly ready to fall over. Alvin, now Viradoferro, followed behind them and looked a bit better than the others.

"That was hell," Trinaferro said, "Was it this bad last time?"

"Yes," Medoferro agreed, "It was. How are you holding up, Vlad?"

"I think I need a splint on my hand," Vlad told them, "Haven't you guys gone through this before?"

"I have," Medoferro said, "We skipped it last time because of the Cirrus invasion. It was almost worth it."

"Funny," Trina said and smacked him lightly, "I still remember your nightmares after that."

"Good point," Medo said, "At least I'll be able to sleep after this."

"If I let you," Trina grinned, "I may extract my own price."

"Heh," Medo laughed, "Your knees are just as shot as mine. We're getting old, kiddo. Vlad here is proof of that."

"You two have been together a long time, eh?" Vlad asked, "I can't imagine a relationship like that."

"We met in service school," Medoferro told him, "We clicked and then it was locked when Massimaferro died."

"You mean it isn't forbidden to be with someone outside the palace?" Vlad asked, "I mean... The stories..."

"It doesn't happen often," Medoferro said, "Most of us that are chosen are solitary types. Massimaferro never had anyone outside, neither did Insegniferro. I did for only a few days before Trin was chosen."

"Maybe if I get lucky," Vlad said, shaking his head, "I've been sweet on Elise since we were kids."

"That's the one that was in the front with Copeland, right?" Trina asked, "Just make sure you don't use your new title unethically."

"No way," Vlad said, "I know better than that. Actually, we hit it off the other night pretty well. Elise would kick me if I tried that anyway."

"Smart girl," Trina chuckled, "Let's see what happens."

The three of them made their way up to the common area of the suites. The usual crowd was there, Simon Sutcliffe chief among the group as the longest serving of the Mullinix representatives. Rav Suvorov was there as well, having just made it up from the Cirrus region he was inspecting.

"Rav!" Medoferro exclaimed, "Didn't think you'd make it up here in time."

"Medo," Rav said, going over and shaking his hand, "I bet you're sick of this by now."

"Not that sick of it," Medo smiled, "How's Cirrus?"

"Doing well," Rav told him, "Lister and Pirotase are hearing some rumbles out of the Bolantines. Nothing major, but figured given the circumstances I'd come up and talk about it with you."

"Tomorrow soon enough?" Medoferro asked him, "Or is this another emergency?"

"A low grade rumbling," Rav shrugged, "Tomorrow is soon enough. Stacy still not here yet?"

"Someone had to watch the mess in Northport," Trina smiled, "She volunteered. How are Lister and Pirotase?"

"Lister is bored, misses the field but Pirotase and the kids are keeping him happy," Rav told them, "Seems the second family turned out to be the good one."

"I'm going to go over with Copeland," Vlad told them, "Since I don't understand any of this yet."

"So you're the new one," Rav said, noticing Vlad for the first time, "Nice to meet you, Viradoferro."

"I'm sorry Vlad," Medo said, regaining his manners, "Rav Suvorov has worked with us ever since he was assigned to watch me when I was a student. He'd been acting as Insegniferro's personal representative since Roland Hoffs died stopping a Bolantine assassination attempt."

"Nice to meet you too," Vlad said, "I hope I'm not putting you out of a job."

"Like Medo will let me out of it that easy," Suvorov chuckled, "I'm sure they'll find a place for me."

"We'll talk about that tomorrow," Trina smiled, "Copeland and the younger people are waiting for the young Mullinix. Go on and have fun, Vlad."

Vlad went over to where the younger generation was already together. Copeland, Kyrie, Elise and Alisa were sitting with a couple of the younger members of the house staff. Copeland saw his friend and smiled, pushing out a seat and a jar of sweet ale that he'd been holding for him.

"I see you survived buddy," Copeland grinned, "Have a seat, you look like you're about to fall over."

"I didn't have the hard part," Vlad shrugged, "Your dad looks worse than I do."

"Hopefully Mom will have some good sense and put him to bed later," Copeland said, "How are you?"

"How does it feel to be the center of attention?" Kyrie asked him, "I don't know whether I should congratulate you or give my condolences."

"It isn't that bad," Alisa smiled, "It'll be nice to have a fresh Mullinix around. Insegniferro was a great guy, but he was old when I was born. Not much I could do for him."

"You can do plenty for us," Copeland teased Alisa, "We don't argue too much."

Alisa smiled and tossed a pillow at him. The conversation continued in this vein as the time and drinks passed. Finally, Elise slid over a bit closer and whispered something in Vlad's ear that turned the boy bright red. Kyrie and Copeland looked at each other and started laughing. Neither one knew what Elise had said to him, but they figured it had to be good.

"Share, share," Kyrie said, "Come on..."

"Nope," Elise smiled, "That was for Viradoferro. The rest of you can guess."

"Why do I feel like I will be the only one alone tonight?" Kyrie sighed, "Right?"

"Only if you want to be," Copeland said, "We'll find someone on the guard staff..."

"I'll pass," Kyrie said, "I should honestly go back to the school sometime tonight."

"I don't know how you take it," Elise said, "Six of us pulling on you all the time, none of us listening. You know damn well that if you go back you'll have to write up the others."

"And you," Kyrie grinned, "I'll catch some sleep here, if only to avoid breakfast at the school."

"There is that," Copeland agreed, "Looks like the prophecy holds true. The party is breaking up along generational lines."

Elise noticed that and leaned over to Kyrie to talk to her quietly, or as quietly as a slightly drunk eighteen-year old could manage. Kyrie smiled and leaned back over to see what Elise wanted.

"I don't know what it is," Elise confided, "But I'm finding him cuter than I ever did before. Should I wait?"

"Should, probably," Kyrie said, "But it's up to you. You may not have this chance again, you know. If you want to have fun, don't let me stop you."

"This stays between us?" Elise asked.

"My lips are sealed," Kyrie smiled, "If that's what you want, have fun."

"Ok," Alisa said, "Anyone up for another hand of whatever this game is?"

"Sure," Copeland said, "Alvin... er... Vlad?"

"Hmmm," Vlad said, thinking about it.

"I have a better idea," Elise whispered to Vlad, "Show me which room is yours..."

"I think I'm out," Vlad smiled, "Night guys..."

Copeland, Alisa and Kyrie watched as Vlad and Elise made their way to the room that now belonged to Viradoferro. Copeland waited until they were out of earshot before chuckling. Kyrie grinned and shook her head. Alisa merely sighed.

"All this training and I get bupkis," Alisa sighed, "He chooses the amateur."

Copeland couldn't help it at this point. He broke down in uncontrollable laughter. Kyrie joined him in it for a few moments and the mood finally caught Alisa as well.

"That didn't sound good, did it?" Alisa asked.

"Eh," Copeland grinned, "It isn't a bad thing, though I'm sure I can put your 'training' to work."

"Right," Kyrie said, wiping her eye from the tear caused by the laughter, "I'm sure you would like that, Copeland."

"I can think of worse ways to spend my night, Kyrie," Copeland told her, "We just need to find you a boyfriend and all is good."

"Not going to happen with me in that position," Kyrie sighed, "I should have taken the guard spot. It would be less dull. If you come up with a job for me, let me know Copeland. I'm not cut out for shepherding newbies."

"Something will come up," Copeland said, "I'm still not sure where I'll be after this. Depends on if Vlad asks me to be his rep, I guess."

"If you don't want it," Kyrie said, "See if he'll ask me."

"He couldn't do better than either one of you," Alisa said, "Though my word doesn't mean much."

"It means enough," Copeland said, raising his glass, "One more toast, before we retire."

"Sure thing," Kyrie agreed, "We've been toasting Insegniferro and the new Mullinix all night. What is it this time?"

"To the future," Copeland said, clinking glasses with all of them, "Whatever it may bring."

"I'll drink to that," Alisa said, "Kyrie, are you going to report me to your aunt and uncle if I drag Copeland to his bed and join him there?"

"No," Kyrie said, "I think you should take advantage of his drunken state."

"I think I'll allow that," Copeland grinned, "After you, Lis."

Kyrie watched them pair off and head over to Copeland's room. She finished her drink and wrapped up in a blanket in front of the fireplace. She was lonely, but not willing to give into it. She fell asleep thinking about the man of her dreams, wondering who it could be.

Chapter 24 - Vlad the Revelator

Elise and Vlad retreated quickly to the back of his suite. Elise was surprised, as most first time visitors to Mullinix suites were, that the Mullinix lived in such small quarters. The whole suite was under eight hundred square feet in size, though she realized the kitchen and common areas were laid outside these rooms.

Elise kissed Vlad deeply, something that he relished. She reached into the bag that she carried and pulled out a small device that Vlad had never seen before. She kissed him again, loudly, and they quickly retreated to the back room where the bed was.

"What's that?" Vlad asked quietly as Elise unfolded the device and put it on the counter.

"Shhh," Elise said as she kissed him again, "Not yet..."

Elise finished with the device and wound up a dial on it. Within moments, it was making an audible hum on top of the nearby dresser. Elise then calmed down a bit and nodded towards the bed.

"I'm not taking any chances," Elise said, "Never know where sound relays are around. We need to talk."

"All this to talk?" Vlad asked, slightly confused.

"Lady M sends her regards," Elise clarified, "You do remember Lady M, right?"

"I was wondering how that part worked," Vlad nodded, "This operation was so quickly put together I never anticipated actually being chosen. I should have known when I saw you here that you would be the contact."

"Yes," Elise said, "I can come in and out and with the legend we've built I won't cause a stir. If we keep up like this we have a perfect conduit for getting information out."

"I can't believe this worked," Vlad said, "Lady M is a miracle worker."

"She knows this place better than we do," Elise said, "I figured we'd best start this relationship early so they'd have less chance to suspect anything about it."

"Do you have any instructions?" Vlad asked.

"This is a long term operation," Elise reminded him, "We want you to learn from Medoferro and Trinaferro. Do everything they expect? Go ahead and choose their son as your representative. We don't have anyone else we can cover for you to choose plausibly. You are not a Bolantine citizen at this point. You are the apprentice Mullinix and if you forget that you are dead and this is for nothing."

"I will remember," Vlad said, "This would be easier if I was a power user. Why the hell didn't they switch roles? You are a good power user. You'd be better for this."

"That's why I wasn't put in," Elise said, "Medoferro would spot a power user plant in a moment. He's also bound to test you. We know you will fail so there is no need for you to hide anything. Since I won't be official, I shouldn't be tested and as long as I don't project power use I won't be noticed."

"Keep your contact with Medoferro to a minimum," Vlad suggested, "He is a smart one."

"They all are," Elise said and then kissed him again, "Since word is likely going to be passing about us we should probably live up to our word."

"Fringe benefits?" Vlad grinned, "Or is this considered duty to the Emperor?"

"A bit of both," Elise said as she started stripping him, "Let's see if you can make this an enjoyable bit of duty..."

Chapter 25 - Lady M's Decree

"Corinne is sure?" Lady M asked her messenger, "They actually chose him?"

"Yes ma'am," the messenger said, "The news is all over Mullinix. Alvin Nixon has been chosen and named Viradoferro."

"Priceless," Lady M said, "How many know?"

"You, me and Corrine are the only ones who currently know that the Alvin Nixon chosen is not the same one who grew up in Mullinix Oasis," the Messenger said, "No one else knows except the trainers and they don't know he was chosen."

"Good," Lady M told the messenger, "You have your routes clear?"

"Yes," the messenger said, "I go in through Sotanberg. The Mullinix don't watch the Sotan border and the Mavelan Mountains are not well patrolled by anyone between us and Sotanberg."

"Catch a day of rest and then head back up there," Lady M told him, "You are never to approach him, let Corinne keep that part of it. You are a relay, no more, no less."

"Yes Ma'am," the messenger said, "I will see my family and head back north. Any instructions?"

"Tell them to keep their heads low," Lady M said, "I don't want any hard data yet unless it's of grave importance."

"In other words, unless they are planning to attack keep low," the messenger said, "I can handle that."

"Get out of here," Lady M told the messenger, "I'll wait until you leave the building to tell the emperor of the project, that way you don't get conflicting instructions."

The messenger nodded and took his leave. He knew as well as anyone that it was dangerous to get in the way when Lady M was plotting. She was known to be a favorite of both the Emperor and Empress, and anyone with that much power in the Bolantine Empire was dangerous.

Lady M walked down the hallway, dodging a few low level functionaries before coming to the grand chamber that was the seat of the Bolantine Empire. Like everything else Bolantine did, the chamber was designed to impress upon impact. Lady M was used to it after years of navigating the halls of power.

"Welcome, Lady M," Bolantine said, "I wanted to speak with you today."

"About Insegniferro's death, I'm sure," Lady M nodded, "I wanted to speak with you and the Empress on that, but I request a closed session for that. The fewer the better."

"I think we should adjourn," Nikki agreed, "Let's go to chamber and talk."

Bolantine looked at the two women and nodded. The three of them walked over to a small soundproof room that was dimly lit by a candle. Nikki never liked this room, as it reminded her too much of the cave where she spent several years trapped. Lady M didn't mind, as she couldn't see the darkness anyway.

"What is it?" Bolantine asked, "It's just the three of us."

"We have a Mullinix," Lady M told them and handed the file over, "You are the first two outside the program to know."

"I don't believe it," Bolantine said genuinely surprised for the first time in years, "You snuck in a plant?"

"My old friend Sascha was put into the position of arbiter of the files," Lady M told them, "I knew how to turn her and did so quietly. She's been subbing in two candidate files a year for the last ten. We didn't know when it would happen, so we kept two candidates ready and made sure they fit the traits. The files were altered so they would have a reasonable chance of being chosen."

"I love it," Nikki said, "But what good is he?"

"For practical purposes, very little," Lady M told them, "They tend not to keep much secret. But, he will learn from Medoferro as he is far superior at maneuvering than Trinaferro."

"Makes me almost reconsider sending the dark order after him," Bolantine said, "But if we want this to succeed we need Medoferro out of commission."

"You intend to try to remove Medoferro?" Lady M asked, "How can I help?"

"Before we send you up north I want you to debrief the dark order assassin," Nikki said, "We're thinking we'll try to annex the rest of the Mavelans while the Mullinix are distracted."

"Using the ore I send back to rebuild the defenses," Lady M agreed, "Makes sense. I had intended to try to direct the horde south."

"Your job will be to raise hell," Bolantine said, "If you can make it to Mullinix, great. If you can start a war between Gottgol and Mullinix, even better."

"Now that we have a Mullinix in there we might," Lady M told them, "I do need to plan a bit better though."

"You have four months," Nikki said, "I talked to the naval outfitters. They're starting the building, but the Mullinix designs are taking a while with our materials."

"I can use the practice time," Lady M agreed, "It will give us a chance to get the Dark Order started. When are you going to do that?"

"I will send them north when you go," Bolantine said, "If they can eliminate Medoferro before you attack it will make your life easier. If they fail your project continues. I'll decide on the Mavelan campaign when we get a better feel about the rest of it."

"There's one part of the deal I'm concerned about," Nikki said, "The ore recovery. How are we doing that if everyone is in the horde?"

"An elite squad of soldiers," Lady M said, "Protecting a group of miners that fill the ships as quick as possible. I intend to bring Corie with me as he has experience up there and with mines."

"You do need someone with experience in running a mine," Nikki said, "Corie should work for this. With the depletion of Alanaris he has little else to do."

"Get it done," Bolantine said, "We'll start field drills. If nothing else it will make the Sotans nervous. If they piss us off, we go north."

"Here's to getting pissed off," Lady M said, "I guess I have a mission to complete."

"Make sure someone here has contact information with your new source," Nikki reminded her, "You're mortal, I would prefer these contacts happen with me directly."

"As you wish," Lady M agreed as she prepared to depart, "I will set it up."

She had what she wanted. She just hoped that it would be enough to spring the end of the Mullinix Empire. That thought alone was enough to bring a smile to her permanently scarred lips behind her mask. Revenge, it was a sweet mistress.

Chapter 26 - A Representative Bargain

Medoferro looked wearily at the sun as he made his way out of his bedroom. He didn't know how it worked, but as he got older he slept less and less. It was at the point that he usually slept an average of two or three hours less a night than Trinaferro did.

Simon Sutcliffe was already out on the couch drinking his coffee. He felt many of the same effects that Medoferro did, so he wordlessly slid a cup across the table to his old friend. Medoferro wordlessly picked it up and drained it halfway down. After the strong brew he was used to Simon's blend was little more than darkened water to him.

"You left the party early," Simon said, "You all right?"

"You knew I hadn't slept in days," Medoferro grunted, "I actually feel a bit better now."

"I wish we had time to rest," Simon sighed and handed a sheet over to Medo, "Something is out of whack in Hulkensuxor. I caught a whiff of it when Chrissie and I were up in Massimaferro Village, so I had one of Rick Ballfur's lieutenants look around up there."

Medoferro looked at the report and scowled. More corruption was something he really did not want to deal with at the present time. He really did not need a city colonel to be on the take. He looked over at Simon and passed the report back.

"You're looking at a month's work," Medoferro sighed, "And with a new Mullinix I can't afford to lose you."

"More like two months," Simon said, "And it should be two of us."

"How the hell do we operate like this?" Medoferro wondered, "Stacy is probably going to be in Northport for the rest of the year and Suvorov is likely going to have to go back to Mavelan City soon."

"Even if he chooses Copeland we'll be understaffed," Simon said, "I can do it myself, but only if I bring Charissa along."

"Ok," Medoferro said, "This is idiotic. We're clinging to tradition here and we're not in a traditional situation."

"What are you thinking?" Simon asked him.

"The nation has expanded," Medoferro said, "So should we."

"You thinking a fourth Mullinix?" Simon asked.

"No," Medoferro said, shaking his head, "Three of us are enough. I'm thinking about doubling the representatives. It's always you guys we're short on."

"Giving Suvorov his job permanently," Simon grinned, "Who else?"

"I'm thinking give Charissa an official job," Medoferro said, "And let Vlad choose two."

"I wonder if Trina will go for that," Simon said, "I think it's a good idea."

"What's a good idea?" Trinaferro asked, hopping over the couch and stealing Medo's coffee, "You plotting without me?"

"We've got corruption problems again," Simon said and passed Trina the paper, "Medo had an idea on how to lessen the load on us."

Medoferro explained his idea to Trina on expanding the personal representatives to six. Trinaferro listened and nodded. She was worried about the pressure they had been putting on all the representatives. Getting two more trusted people would definitely help.

"Think Vlad can come up with two?" Trina asked them.

"If not we can," Medoferro said, "Even if we only do five right now it's worth it to give official status to Charissa and Rav."

"And to think Rav was hoping to get a more normal duty," Trinaferro chuckled, "He'll do it though."

"Morning," Viradoferro said, peeking his head out the door, "May I join you?"

"You're the apprentice now," Medoferro told him, "Come on out, you're supposed to be learning."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, "Something about the personal representatives?"

"We're thinking about doubling them," Medoferro agreed, "It's early yet for you, Vlad. We'll let you think a bit about it before asking."

"You know as well as I do I will ask Copeland," Vlad said, "No point in sending him back to choke on the food at the school."

"I knew that was coming," Trina sighed, "If he wants it, we won't stop you."

"No one from home you want, Vlad?" Medoferro asked.

"I wasn't too popular there," Viradoferro reminded him, "Copeland will do fine on it. I need his experience with this place more than anything else right now anyway. I think he and I can come up with another candidate if needed."

"I know that feeling," Medoferro chuckled, "It took me ten years before I was even willing to set foot in Skolnik."

"Who are you kidding?" Trina asked him, "You still avoid the city like the plague."

They all had a laugh at that one.

"I think we have a plan," Simon said, "When do I go deal with this?"

"Charissa will kick your ass if you don't wait a day," Trinaferro reminded Simon, "She's been traveling as much as you have. Besides, she needs to do a few PR spots before you head off."

"So is this a done deal?" Vlad asked, "Are we really changing the government this easy?"

"Insegniferro would have had words," Medoferro said, "but it is up to us now. We need the help."

"I'm the Mullinix," Trinaferro said, "It's done. Charissa and Rav are now equal standing to Simon and Stacy. I do have one suggestion... We continue to have one personal rep and the other three are "at large" representatives. That way we don't have to decide who works for whom."

"I like that," Medoferro agreed, "Sound good to you Simon? Vlad?"

"Fine by me," Vlad said, "I see no problem with it."

"That's enough work for now," Trinaferro said, "Its breakfast time."

Chapter 27 - The New Reps

"Copeland!" Viradoferro shouted as he saw his friend walking in the palace grounds, "Got a minute?"

"I've got a lot of them," Copeland nodded, "What's up?"

"I'm sure you can guess," he told his friend, "I need a rep, and you know what terms I'm on with everyone at home."

"Right," Copeland nodded, "I guess that means you want me, eh?"

"If you're willing," Viradoferro nodded, "I'd understand if you didn't want..."

"Stop the sell," Copeland interrupted, "I'll do it. I'm probably better trained than anyone you could get. Kyrie is going to be jealous though."

"Well," Vlad said, "That's the other thing I needed to talk to you about."

"Kyrie?" Copeland said, "I thought you had designs on Elise."

"I do," Viradoferro nodded, "But your father and Simon have come up with another idea to keep the reps from overworking. They are adding three more reps, Rav Suvorov and Charissa being two of them."

"Leaving you to choose two," Copeland nodded, "Not considering Elise?"

"She doesn't have the brains for it," Viradoferro said, sticking with Elise's legend, "I like her a lot, but she doesn't have the ability to do this."

"Kyrie does," Copeland nodded, "She never had the aptitude or interest in taking over for her mother, but she does have a good head on her shoulders."

"Think your mother will let that go?" Viradoferro wondered, "I mean, you they probably expect... Kyrie however... Your mother may want to smack us both for even thinking it."

"That's why we'll bring it to my father," Copeland grinned, "If he agrees then he'll give us the go ahead and smooth it over with my mother."

"That's why I chose you," Viradoferro laughed, "You've got more political savvy than I could ever hope to."

"Everyone brings their talents to this," Copeland said, "I know how to get things done, but I'm a lousy diplomat. Kyrie is the diplomat."

"We could definitely use a few more diplomats," Viradoferro noted, "Most of the older guys don't look like diplomats."

"Stacy and Suvorov are soldiers," Copeland told him, "Simon is a charmer and investigator. Charissa is a diplomat. Dad is a unique mix of the two. Mom... I don't know how to describe her. She's quiet and stronger than steel when she needs to be."

"Shall we go put this to your father?" Viradoferro asked him, "Kyrie would probably be grateful if we got her out before lunch."

"Let's go," Copeland chuckled, "Dad is likely sparring with Simon right now like he always does when Simon is around."

They walked together to the sparring room, which Copeland knew was where he'd find his father. Simon and Medoferro were sparring in a way that Viradoferro had never seen before. Copeland had seen it only a few times, but it was still a wonder to watch.

"Medo," Simon said, pointing to the newcomers, "Hold off on that fireball."

Medoferro looked over and smiled when he saw the new Mullinix with his son. He had been worried for years about what Copeland would do for a living after school and was actually pleased that Viradoferro had chosen him as a representative.

"I guess this means you've chosen," Medoferro said, "Welcome to the most thankless job you will ever see."

"I know what I'm getting into," Copeland grinned, "Not like you shouldn't have expected it."

"I'm glad," Medoferro said, "And I did expect it when I chose your friend there."

"Speaking of choosing," Viradoferro said, "Do you still expect me to come up with another choice?"

"Within reason," Medoferro nodded, "Though we'll manage if you can't find someone."

"We know someone," Copeland said, "But Mom might not be any happier about it than she was about me taking the job."

"Oh?" Simon said, "This should be good."

"You've piqued my interest," Medoferro told them, "Considering Trin wasn't thrilled with you being brought in to this... Oh boy..."

"I think he knows," Viradoferro pointed out unnecessarily, "Right?"

"I think he guessed, ya?" Copeland laughed, "Kyrie's been looking for something to do that she would enjoy."

"That should be interesting," Medoferro chuckled, "And you're right. She'll be good for it. Enough to make up for our lack of diplomacy."

"How is this going to work, Dad?" Copeland asked him, "I mean I'll be working directly for Vlad, but how do the others go in?"

"Charissa and Rav will be working for all three of us," Medo said, "So will Kyrie if she accepts the job. Basically helping us assess what is going on in various parts of Mullinix. We've had more problems lately than we know what to do with. Stacy is likely going to be stuck in Northport for at least six months rebuilding the infrastructure there. It looks like Simon and Charissa may be dealing with a corrupt colonel in Hulkensuxor."

"Ouch," Copeland said, "What makes them think that?"

"Simon has a talent with this stuff," Medo told them, "Enough that I'm going to let him and Charissa go up there."

"I think of it more as a curse sometimes," Simon grinned.

"So what about training?" Copeland wondered, "I mean with both of them gone..."

"Suvorov," Medo said, "You'll start with him. Then likely one of you will go and spend some time with Stacy out in Northport."

"I guess we need to ask Kyrie," Vlad said, "Right?"

"Unless you're going to stop us," Copeland said, "I mean, you know how mom will take it better than I do."

"Go ask her," Medo told them, "I'll tell Trin. No reason you shouldn't ask her anyway."

"All this youth," Simon laughed, "It is enough to make you sick. I'm going to go to Charissa."

"Let's go ask her," Vlad said, "I can't wait to see the look on her face."

"Probably relief," Copeland smiled, "Let's go."

Medoferro watched his son and the new Mullinix jog off to give Kyrie the offer. He smiled and walked in where Trinaferro was sitting reading a report that had been forwarded to them on what the Bolantines were up to. She looked up at him and smiled as he handed over a folded Mullinix Bank Note.

"Good call," Medoferro said, "They're choosing Kyrie as the other choice."

"No brainer," Trinaferro laughed as she took it, "Vlad doesn't trust anyone and Copeland won't let him think with his dick. Kyrie is the best choice of what they had available. Now I just have to figure out how to tell my sister if she says yes."

"Toria will get used to it," Medoferro said, "And you know damn well Kyrie is going to say yes. This family has a nasty habit of doing that when it comes to Mullinix jobs."

"True," Trinaferro agreed, "So they were really worried about how I'd react?"

"Of course," Medo told her, "You're just that mean and evil you know?"

"Bite me," Trinaferro told her mate.

"That can be arranged," Medoferro grinned.

Chapter 28 - Corie's New Portfolio

Corie looked at the reports and growled. He knew that the lack of usable bauxite would cause problems for him. He was running out of things to do. Alanaris was no longer producing any bauxite. The five pounds a day it had been producing had dropped down to nothing and the three other mines were no better.

"How the hell can I minister the mines when there are no working mines to minister?" Corie yelled as he threw a file across the room, "Damn it!"

Corie breathed deeply and tried to calm down. He knew that he would be summoned soon and that he probably wouldn't like it. He bared his teeth and gripped on to the arms of his chair. He didn't take failure well and this was a big one. The final reports were in and copies had been delivered to Emperor Bolantine as well as his office.

It took a while, but the summons he was expecting showed up and he adjusted his uniform to be well groomed when he went to meet with the Emperor. He wondered what demotion was in store for him when this meeting was over with.

He walked in and found the Emperor sitting in a chair reading a file along with the Empress sitting next to him. His long hair was pulled back and he looked as evil as he usually did when he had to be official. The one surprise was that Lady M was departing as he walked in. Corie remembered the conversation they'd had before, but didn't really expect anything to come from it.

"I hear you have some news," Bolantine said, "I got the report."

"Alanaris was a false positive," Corie sighed, "The last producing mines have now played out."

"I don't like failure," Bolantine said, "But it's not your fault that we don't have any in our lands. I take it search teams are still scouring every inch of the empire?"

"We've still got twenty teams searching everywhere," Corie nodded, pleased the Emperor was seeing reality, "I've got more in training, but it's not all that easy to find people with the aptitude for this search."

"That means we need to find a substitute," Nikki Bolantine said, "Lady M's plan is coming to fruition. I saw a demonstration of what her troops can do. I was impressed. Time to bring you in on it."

"I heard about something, but figured it wasn't my department," Corie said, "So I'm not being sacked?"

"No," Bolantine said, "Reassigned, yes. Your talents are wasted on a fruitless search. You are one of the few people we have who have direct experience with both the Mullinix and Bauxite mines."

"Not to mention covert assignments," Nikki put in, "But we're not going to force you to go on another foreign assignment. You have a choice."

"It beats retirement," Corie said, knowing that retirement was not always a safe thing, "What are we doing?"

Nikki took a few minutes to explain Marina's plan. The full horror of what Lady M was planning took a few moments to sink in. The man he had been in the past really hadn't prepared him for the lengths of depravity that the Bolantine Empire was capable of.

"This sounds like madness," Corie said, "Wars should be fought with soldiers, not zombies."

"This is bauxite theft," Bolantine said, "Nothing more."

"Lady M knows the power use," Nikki said, "But you've done covert before."

"I can do it," Corie said finally, "How do we keep them from attacking us?"

"That is Lady M's job," Bolantine said, "Your job is to make sure the covert side is done right. You are also a bit more controlled than she is."

"Who has command of the mission?" Corie asked, praying that Lady M would not be his boss.

"You have command of the soldiers," Bolantine told him, "Your job will be to strip that mine and fill the ships. Once you fill the ships you leave the Zombies behind. Lady M should be accompanying you on the way back."

"How long do we have?" Corie asked.

"The ships are being built in Southern Oasis," Bolantine said, "Your job is to figure out what equipment is needed and what method should be used to strip that mine as quick as possible. We want this done soon."

"How do we avoid war with Mullinix?" Corie asked, "We attack Gottgol and the Mullinix/Sotan alliance may decide to retaliate."

"We're counting on it," Bolantine said, "But that's operational information you don't need. That way you can't divulge plans if caught."

"Very well," Corie nodded, "Where do I report?"

"Western command," Bolantine said, "Take who you need."

Corie knew a dismissal when he heard it. He just wasn't sure what to think of his new job. He sighed and went back to his office. It was going to be a hairy mission, but he thought that anything was worth getting out of the misery of dealing with the mines. He was wrong.

Chapter 29 - Kyrie

Kyrie rubbed her temples as she sat down in the proctor's lounge. She was seriously regretting the choice she had made last year to join the proctor group. She liked the people well enough, but she really didn't want to drag along another group. She was by far ready to move on to something else.

"You ok, Kyrie?" Alicia, another proctor asked her, "You look a bit peaked."

"Long day," Kyrie said, "Especially with one of my students really starting to fall for the new Mullinix."

"That should make it easier," Alicia laughed, "I think I already have a drunk. A kid from Immortal Park that grew up with a strict upbringing is growing her first wild hairs. She hasn't come home sober once."

"Mine didn't come home at all last night," Kyrie shrugged, "She was up at the palace though. She came in during her first class."

"I think I'll take yours," Alicia said, "You sure you are ok?"

"I'm sick of it, Allie," Kyrie said, "Wondering if I can transfer over to a clerk job or something. If I have to shepherd these kids any more..."

"Might be a dead kid," Alicia laughed, "I know the feeling, though I think it's better than clerking."

"To each their own," Kyrie shrugged, "Granted another night or two of this I may start drinking with them."

"What else is eating you?" Alicia asked her, "You're rarely like this."

"Copeland," she said, "He's likely going to luck his way out of here. It's a dead on lock he will be pulled for a personal rep."

"Never hurts to have family high up," Alicia shrugged, "You annoyed by his good fortune?"

"No," Kyrie said honestly, "More by my lousy choice. Mom and Dad wanted me to go to Medico Collegium so much, I don't know how I would have told them that I couldn't pass the basic tests."

"Never know when fortune will walk through the door," Alicia told her, "I bet the next person who walks through the door will have good news."

"Ha," Kyrie said, not believing it, "What are you betting?"

"I'll buy your drinks tonight," Alicia said, "How's that?"

"Ok," Kyrie said, "What if I lose?"

"You buy," Alicia grinned, "How's that?"

"Sure," Kyrie shrugged, "I can afford that."

"If nothing else we'll get fabulously drunk," Alicia said, "So how long should we wait?"

"My people are out in a half hour," Kyrie said, "Yours?"

"My group is all medico candidates," Alicia said, "They're doing double classes to make up for the sessions cancelled by Medico Rasten working up at the palace."

"That means you'll be free for hours," Kyrie grumped, "I should have taken more medico students."

"You are really fed up with this," Alicia noted, "I still quite like it."

"To each their own," Kyrie sighed, "If nothing else I can go see Copeland once in a while to get the hell out of here."

"Isn't that him walking out in the hallway?" Alicia said, pointing towards a window, "What's he doing back here?"

"I don't know," Kyrie said, her brow going up, "He should be getting his first training from Simon or from Rav Suvorov. I think I will poke my head out."

Kyrie went to the door and poked her head out, letting out a quick whistle to let Copeland know she was there. He grinned and headed over there, stopping long enough to wave the people she hadn't seen over. Viradoferro and the two guards that had been assigned to them jogged over.

"What's up, Copeland," Kyrie asked him, "Shouldn't you two be in training?"

"We needed to talk to you first," Copeland told her, "I should have figured you'd be out hiding."

"What do you need me for?" Kyrie asked him dubiously, "I was just sitting here dreading dealing with what is left of my group."

"You want a job?" Viradoferro asked her.

"What?" Kyrie asked, "I thought you already chose Copeland for your second?"

"I did," Viradoferro said, "Would you care to explain, Copeland?"

"This sounds interesting," Alicia said, "May be your ticket out?"

"It is," Copeland told her, "They have more work than three reps can do, so they decided to double the rep pool. They choose their single representative that works for them alone and then another one for the at large representatives."

"Who took the other at-large spots?" Kyrie asked, "And why now?"

"Rav Suvorov and Charissa took the other spots," Viradoferro told her, "I think it was something that Simon found out up north that convinced Trina to go ahead and decree it."

"Why me?" Kyrie wondered, "Don't you have anyone you want to have do this?"

"No one from home would be right for this and I wasn't exactly popular there," Viradoferro explained, "Copeland is my best friend here. He trusts you so I am relying on his gut in this."

"Do you want the job or not, Kyrie?" Copeland asked her, "Here's your chance to get the hell out of the proctoring job."

"Where do I sign up?" Kyrie smiled, "I'm in."

"Don't forget," Alicia grinned, "You owe me a drink."

"I'll pay that back tonight," Kyrie told her, "But who is dealing with my class?"

"I'll take them this afternoon," Alicia said, "You report to Mr. Pelletier that you're bugging out for a palace job."

"Fair enough," Kyrie said, "When do I have to report, guys?"

"As soon as you get your classes reassigned?" Copeland said, "I know Simon wants to move up north quickly, not sure if one of us is going with him or not."

"Lucky," Alicia smiled, "No more slop."

"I'll meet you in the pub when they release me tonight," Kyrie promised, "I'll buy you a sweet ale and an onion bhaji."

"Let's go," Copeland said, "We've got work to do."

Chapter 30 - Mavelan City

Lister Black stood in the old palace and looked at the portraits of the previous kings. It had been over twenty years since a king ruled in that building, but the trappings were still kept as a reminder of what could happen when power was left unchecked.

"I didn't know you liked looking at ugly men that much," Pirotase said as she walked up behind him, "What are you doing out here?"

"Looking at the face of tyranny," Lister said, "Keeps my perspective clear. Line open to Mullinix yet?"

"Not yet," Pirotase said, "Medoferro is hearing a murder case and wants to be there for this."

"It's weird thinking of him as the elder," Lister said, "Hard to believe the old man passed."

"You have better contacts than I do," Pirotase said, "Any word on what the new kid is like?"

"No," Lister said, "But they're Mullinix. They tend not to make mistakes."

"Everyone makes mistakes," Pirotase said, "You did twenty-five years ago when you left me behind."

"True," Lister agreed, "One I won't make again. Trust me."

"I know," Pirotase smiled as she pushed her blonde hair back, "So what brings you up to the palace today? You usually don't come up here unless you need to confer with the Mullinix over the line."

"I need to talk to Jagards," Lister said, "We might have an incident down near the border. I'm hearing rumblings out of Bolanpyris."

"I thought the Bolantines had pretty much given up on Faciegrad," Pirotase said, using the prewar name for what had been the previous king's pet city, "The mine there was a bust."

"They still use it as a military base because it had some of the best infrastructure in the old Mavelan Empire," Lister said, "There's a lot of activity going on down there. I got a report of new exercises and they are stepping up the illicit trade."

"I can't believe my countrymen are dumb enough to trade with them," Pirotase sighed, "Jagards has been trying to put a dent in that trade for fifteen years."

"Jagards is getting old," Lister told her, "The Mullinix are wondering when he will choose a successor. I'm betting the council is as well."

"We talked about that," Pirotase said, "I'm the representative from the slum district. I'm well liked by the Sotan reps and married to the Mullinix rep... Jagards wants me to take the second spot when Erican resigns."

"Erican was a good rebel, but a lousy administrator," Lister nodded, "The Sotans aren't afraid you'll side too much with the Mullinix?"

"The Sotans don't care so long as long as we continue to hold the line against the Bolantines," Pirotase reminded him, "After what I saw with you down south there's not a chance I'll do anything that will jeopardize Mavelan safety. That means treating Sotan and Mullinix equally."

"Mullinix won't care either way," Lister told her, "Just so long as it's a stable transition."

"You ready for me to take the spotlight over you?" Pirotase asked him, "I'm still concerned. Shabaru is getting older and will need to go to school somewhere. The schools are getting better here, but I want the boy to learn Mullinix properly."

"You've always been the pretty one and the spotlight is better for you than me," Lister grinned, "But that's not the only problem right now."

"What's up?" Pirotase wondered, "Something going down?"

"The Bolantine spies out in Bolanpyris are looking for uniforms," Lister said, "Don't know why, but they're snatching up any of our uniforms they can get."

"How solid is this?" Pirotase asked him.

"One of my boys," Lister said, "The only one that Talia didn't manage to convince that I was a monster. He's been making runs over the border for us for months. He made it to Bolanpyris on his last run and there's an open bounty for clean Mullinix and Alliance uniforms."

"Perhaps we need to mark some and send them over," Pirotase suggested, "See where they show up."

"I'll make the suggestion to the Mullinix," Lister nodded, "You pass it on to Jagards and the Sotan rep. They've been trying to push towards the Alliance uniforms down here, maybe this is a reason to switch everyone over."

"And sell them ourselves," Pirotase grinned, "If the bounty is good enough we'll use it to pay for the switch."

"Now that is just plain evil," Lister laughed, "You're starting to think like Jagards. That scares me a little."

"No," Pirotase said, "I'm starting to think like you. Want to go up to the General's lounge and have lunch with him while I say yes officially?"

"Sure," Lister nodded, "Let's go."

Chapter 31 - Session Malfunction

"You ready to take in session?" Copeland asked Viradoferro, "Today is supposed to be rather full up."

"It'll be a piece of cake," Viradoferro said, "I don't have to say anything."

"I'll remember that when I make you take your first session," Trinaferro said, "This one is going to be a long session. We've got a serial killer to pass judgment on."

"How long has it been since you had one of these?" Viradoferro wondered.

"Six years," Trinaferro told him, "The last one was the Shanxie Slicer. That jerk killed fifty-eight people in just over seventeen years."

"How long was this one active?" Copeland asked, "And why isn't Dad taking it?"

"This is supposed to be a rather clean one," Trina said, "Six years of documentation, chance discovery. This came in last night and everyone wants this done quickly, so I'm letting Medo handle the monthly conference with the Mavelan and Sotan leaders."

"I like your confidence, Mom," Copeland grinned, "What is my job in this?"

"You are to watch and learn," Trinaferro told him, "As a personal rep the Colonels will sometimes ask for your help in adjudicating things. You need to learn our jobs as well as your own."

"Ok," Copeland nodded, "Front row?"

"Evidence transfer," Trinaferro said, "Follow me out and let me do the talking, Vlad. You aren't expected to do anything, just to watch."

"I'm glad you know what that means," Viradoferro said, "You know more about this than I do."

"I've spent years watching these," Copeland said, "I was a page when I was younger so that I'd have something useful to do. Now, I can actually perform evidence transfer duty."

"Both of you are to watch everything closely," Trinaferro told them, "If you see something that could affect my judgment, I want to know it. I don't have the same ability your father has so I'll take anything I can get."

"You ready, Mullinix?" the young house girl asked timidly.

"As ready as I'll ever get," Trinaferro sighed and put her headdress on, "You two lead me out. That way I have someone to fall on to if this thing gets too heavy."

Copeland and Viradoferro walked out first with Trinaferro walking slowly behind them. All wore solemn expressions on their faces as they walked into the room, seeing as it was a multiple murder trial. They knew it was very likely that someone would be walked over to the suicide chamber before this day was done.

Copeland took a position next to the evidence stand while the two Mullinix took their appointed seats. Trinaferro grunted, as the seat still hadn't been adjusted for her smaller frame so she had to pull herself up with the heavy headdress. She looked out over the crowd and looked at the people who were waiting to see how she'd handle her first major session as Mullinix.

"Please recite the charges please," Trinaferro said, "Keep the commentary to a minimum, just the basics please."

"Certainly Mullinix," the Polonion Colonel said, "The accused is Robus Phoeban Mullitard. He is accused with evidence of murdering twenty-two people over the past seven years in and around Polonion. This is a heinous..." Trinaferro looked at him harshly and he paused a moment before dialing back his rhetoric, "The crimes he is accused of put the entire city and much of the nation in terror. Mr. Mullitard, a full citizen, will be proven to have committed these crimes."

"Very well," Trinaferro said and looked out towards the crowd, "Be sure to warn us when you get to the gory parts, there are children in the crowd today."

"Of course, Mullinix," the colonel acknowledged, "Shall I begin the presentation?"

"Begin," Trinaferro said, girding herself for a long and technical presentation of facts.

Viradoferro watched the presentation with a detachment learned as he grew up in the Bolantine Empire. It didn't mean a whole lot to him as he didn't particularly care and figured it would be years before he was asked to do anything close to this. He didn't have it in him to care much about session.

Copeland was enthralled as he always was and watching everyone. He was a bit surprised by Viradoferro's bored expression. He was expecting the young Mullinix to be as enthralled by session as he was everything else. He passed over the evidence to his mother when asked, looking closely at it making sure everything was as it seemed.

After a while, he saw that everything was adding up. It wasn't even close, once they had their suspect they spent months proving it, so far as catching him in the house of what had been his last victim. Before long the evidence grew less interesting and Copeland started watching the murderer.

Robus Mullitard didn't look in the least concerned, despite the fact that he was likely to be led to the suicide chamber before the end of the day. In fact, he was looking like a man who was expecting to be released within minutes. The guards were barely looking at the accused, but Copeland looked closely. He saw something in the shackled man that he had only seen a few times before, in the few times he had observed his father and Simon practicing combative power use.

"Oh no," Copeland said quietly to Viradoferro, "Is there a power user in the room?"

"No," Viradoferro said, "Why?"

"I think the accused is a user," Copeland said, "He's got a glint I've only seen out of Dad or Simon."

"You aren't a user are you?" Vlad asked, petrified at the thought.

"Never been tested," Copeland said, "You?"

"Me either," Viradoferro lied, "What the heck do we do?"

"Pray I'm wrong," Copeland said.

The sad fact was that Copeland was not wrong. Robus Mullitard was a power user and had been one for years. Unlike the man who had gone nuts during Medoferro's first trial nearly thirty years prior, this man had a full knowledge of how to use his power and full knowledge on how to clean his power stolen from young people. It was just luck (bad for him, good for the officers) that he had been apprehended while recovering from the influx of power from his last victim.

The officers had subdued him and drugged him while under transport, but Mullinix tradition forbid having anyone drugged during a trial to allow them proper defense. Now that he was waking up he knew he didn't have much time to break out. He was just glad that it wasn't Medoferro hearing the case, as this left him with a chance to get free.

"Have you anything to say for yourself?" Trinaferro finally asked the accused, "So far I haven't seen anything to show any reason why I shouldn't declare you guilty now."

"Then do it," Mullitard shrugged, "You won't get me to the chamber anyway."

"And what makes you think that?" Trinaferro asked him, taking an immediate dislike to the man above and beyond the obvious.

"Because I won't be here," Mullitard shouted and powered himself up enough to break his restraint, "And likely neither will you!"

Mullitard stood up, as everyone else in the room did. The guards near him pulled their swords, but were thrown back by a pulse from Mullitard. Copeland was up on his feet instantly while Viradoferro froze. Trinaferro stood up and looked for which way to go.

Mullitard threw a quick fireball at Viradoferro, but he dodged it more by sliding out of his chair than anything else. Trinaferro threw something at Mullitard, but he blocked it easily. Copeland shoved Viradoferro behind the table and got ready to go help his mother.

"Get Medoferro now!" Copeland screamed at the nearest page, who ran off to follow instructions.

Mullitard knew that he wouldn't have much time, so he looked for the nearest exit. Unfortunately for him, the session chamber had been built over two thousand years before with the expectation of having the worst criminals in the nation tried in it, as such it was two-foot thick stone with emergency close doors.

The guards started closing the outside doors and two of them shouted for the Mullinix to get out of the room. Viradoferro did not even think twice about it, he followed instructions. Trinaferro was not as quick about it and Mullitard decided to use it to his advantage. He pulled power and aimed it at the reigning Mullinix. Copeland saw this and did the only thing he knew to do. He jumped at Mullitard before he was ready, causing the power user to let go of the construct early and put the full force of it into Copeland's head.

"Copeland no!" Trinaferro yelled and jumped at Mullitard, letting off a jump kick at his head, the likes of which she hadn't done in years. The power user lost concentration and the last of his construct collapsed in on itself, shoving the remains of power back into him without proper grounding.

The guards didn't wait. They grabbed Trinaferro before she could do anything else and pulled her out of the room. Medoferro and Simon came running in after that and subdued Mullitard. They drained him of power and wrapped him in a self-powered shield that would keep him that way indefinitely.

"Get that slime to the suicide chamber," Medoferro instructed Simon, "He earned it just for this display. I'll pass judgment and if you leave the construct on him indefinitely it will consume him until he gives up his power for good."

"Won't happen," Simon said, "Guards, keep back. He will be hot. No one else is to touch him."

"Take care of Copeland!" Trinaferro yelled, "Direct hit!"

Medoferro scanned his son and was surprised by what he saw. He should have been dead after the blast that obviously hit him, but he wasn't. He was still breathing and his brain still showed signs of life. He was, however, pulsing with power that would be dangerous to anyone who didn't know how to ground."

"Get out of the way," Medoferro told everyone, "Trina, get your sister down here. We're going to need her. Speed run immediately. In the meantime, get the old man. He'll know enough to keep him alive until she gets here."

Chapter 32 - Sensitivity

Everyone started moving quickly as they knew Medoferro was the authority on the subject. He quickly walked his way upstairs carrying the young man. He wanted to pull power, but was afraid that it would affect Copeland.

"Kyrie went to the old man," Trinaferro said as she followed them opening doors, "Is he going to be ok?"

"I don't know," Medoferro said honestly, "But if you don't get out of the way I'm going to drop him. I can't pull power with him like this."

"Can I help?" Trina asked him.

"He'd fry you," Medo told her, "He took a pile of power straight to the noggin. He's radiating hotter than one of your mother's pastries."

Trinaferro nodded and stayed back. She knew better than to second guess her husband in power use. He was a master of it that there were few equals to him in the empire. She watched as Medoferro laid the young man down in the bed.

"We need to figure out a way to drain him," Medoferro said, finally taking the time to do a proper power scan, "His body is retaining all that power. Hell, most people would be dead by now, fried by the influx of strange energy."

"What do you need from me?" Trinaferro asked, "I mean..."

"Just make sure your sister gets here on a speed run," Medoferro told her, "I'll stay with him. Simon and I will likely be the only ones who can touch him safely until the old man gets here."

"Medo," Simon said, rushing into the room, "How is he?"

"Injured," Medoferro said, "What about that lunatic that hit him?"

"Locked in your construct in the work room," Simon told them, "He will burn himself out in hours. He's trying to overpower it and he doesn't have the strength left. Most of his power went into Copeland."

"I'm going to go prepare some of Toria's remedy," Trinaferro said, "I can't touch him and you're probably going to need it."

"Thanks," Simon said, "I already do... That lunatic damn near drained me already."

Trinaferro nodded and went down to the kitchen, the best place in the palace to create this sort of thing. Medoferro scanned his son, gently, and shook his head as he sat down to finally rest after the ordeal of carrying Copeland up the stairs. Medoferro was in good shape, but he didn't often carry dead weight the size of his son.

"I can't believe this," Simon said, "How the hell did this happen?"

"I knew I needed to figure out a way to make a detector," Medoferro said, "I've got another pressing question."

"How the hell did he survive that hit?" Simon asked him.

"That would be the question," Medoferro said, "Hell, the amount of power that's radiating out of him would have killed you or me had it been taken internally. The only one I know of that had that capability..."

Medoferro sighed as he thought of Marina. She had been his first lover and his friend for over a decade until Nikki Bolantine had subverted her. She was also the only power sink he'd ever seen and while Copeland didn't radiate the same way, it's the only way he could think of to explain the fact that his son was still alive.

"Marina wasn't your fault," Simon reminded him, "You didn't turn her bad. She did it to herself."

"I know," Medoferro said, "Still hurts to think about. I just hope that Copeland handles it better if he is one."

"I doubt he can do any worse," Simon shrugged.

"Indeed," the old man said as he walked in, "I swear you boys attract the loonies up here at this infernal place."

"And you're surprised by this?" Simon asked him, "Considering how much trouble we were when we were kids?"

"I'm not," the old man said, "It seems young Copeland is having to pay the price for this one."

"Much as it pains me to say it," Medoferro said, "I'm surprised it didn't burn him through like what happened to Roland in Sotanberg."

"Your son is built of sterner stuff," the old man said, examining him, "He was a latent power sink. He'd probably have been a power user around Simon's level if it wasn't for that hit."

"And now?" Medoferro asked.

"He may be much more," the old man said, "The power in him right now is dirty, however. It was stolen."

"Blood power," Medoferro shuddered, "How the hell did that guy take it and remain sane?"

"He cleaned it properly," the old man said, "Difficult to learn and takes an extremely brutal and patient man to master. You now have the reason behind his brutal killing spree. He was learning how to steal power. He learned how to detect latent power abilities and tried to steal the power from them."

"So the cleaning process kept it from killing Copeland?" Simon asked, "That doesn't make sense."

"The cleaning process kept the power free from the personality of the previous owner," the old man said, "But it also makes it unable to take the will of the current owner. So instead of meaning the hit and burning him out it went a little slower and burned him slowly, looking for the place to land."

"Keeping him alive and radiating him," Medoferro said, "And that's why the construct I used is working brilliantly. He's so used to holding power the son of a bitch is wildly looking to pull and contain it, but draining himself in the process."

"So if this power is keeping him alive," Simon asked, "What do we do to get him back to normal?"

"Tap it," the old man said, "First, we will have to push the basics into his head, otherwise he will kill himself or someone else when he wakes up. Then, we slowly tap the power sink until he stops radiating."

"I hope you know how to do that," Medoferro said, "Last time I touched a power sink I nearly put both Marina and myself into a coma."

"Your practice room," the old man said, "It will leach the power off him and slowly bring him back to normal."

"How much of a power user will he be?" Medo wondered.

"He'll be a power sink like Marina," the old man said, "And probably so sensitive he'll see a dirty power user from a mile away. Not the way I'd recommend becoming a power sink though... He will go through a lot of headaches until he settles back down."

"Ok," Medo said, "Simon, get the house staff to put together a bed for the practice room. We'll get him in there and then start to push instructions into his head."

"Righto," Simon agreed.

Chapter 33 - The Body in the Creek

Mike Parrish carried his axe over his shoulder as he walked towards the beaver dam that had been diverting the flow of the creek for the past two weeks. His brother Robert followed along carrying rope and a pickaxe.

The two men were among many war veterans who had made their life in the ravaged land of the Mavelans after the war. They had joined a group of villages that banded together to rebuild the Mavelan economy and were running a massive farm to the southwest of Mavelan City. The creek they were going to fix usually supplied the farm with the irrigation it needed.

The two men found the dam and looked at it. It was a testament to the industriousness of the beavers. They were suitably impressed, but the dam was blocking their water supply and if left much longer would start killing their crop, something they couldn't afford.

"How do we do it?" Robert asked, "Brute force or finesse?"

"Both," Mike said, "I'm going to chop a hole in the thing to let the water drain. Then you and I will pull it apart so it can't clog up the works downstream."

Robert nodded and watched as Mike waded into the stream and started working with the axe. He chopped through the wet wood and pulled enough of a hole in it that it started draining the large pool that had built up behind the dam.

Robert watched and was about to start readying his tools to take care of the beaver lodge when he noticed something odd in the dam that his brother was working on. He looked harder but couldn't recognize it. It wasn't until the water drained down some more that he realized what it was.

"Mike!" Robert yelled, "There's a body in the dam!"

"What the hell?" Mike asked, "Where?"

"Inside," Robert said, "Covered in muck."

Mike uttered an expletive and walked around the dam. He waded in to the draining water and looked closer at what his brother saw. At first he thought his brother was nuts, but then he saw the same thing. He put a glove on and brushed the branches off, showing the face clearly. Surprisingly there were no signs of decay, just a white face that could have been someone sleeping.

"Get the rope," Mike told his brother, "We're going to have to haul this guy out of here. Looks like he floated downstream and the beavers covered over him."

"This dam has been here for weeks," Robert said as he waded in, "How the hell has he not rotted down to nothing?"

"No idea," Mike shrugged, "Let's get him out and we'll let the medico figure that crap out."

The two men struggled in the hip deep water to cut the body free from the debris that had been carefully built up by the local beaver population. They wrapped some rope around the feet and pulled him out of the water, laying the body on its back as the two men stopped for a moment to rest.

"I swear he looks like he's still alive," Robert told his brother, "Not a spot of rot on him. I saw freshly killed men in the war that looked worse than him."

"You're right," Mike agreed, "Except he isn't breathing."

Robert nodded, but Mike looked closer and saw that the body actually moved a little. He shook his head and watched again, but didn't believe it until he saw the body twitch and cough.

"Son of a bitch!" Mike yelled, "He's still alive... That's not possible!"

"He's an immortal," Robert said, "He has to be. No one could live in that for so long otherwise."

"Immortals don't exist," Mike said.

"Yes they do," Robert said, "That fellow Entragian who was with us in Southern Oasis was one. We'd all have died there without him as he took some nasty hits to keep the Bolantine bastards back while we were loading up."

"I forgot about him," Mike said, "Damn, this may be more complicated than just finding a body. If this is one of Entragian's friends then the Bolantines are probably looking for him."

"Any ideas on what to do?" Robert asked, "I mean, we can't just bring him back to town."

"Go get Lister Black," Mike said, "We told the people at the town that you and I would likely be camping up here tonight if the work took more than a day. I'll stay here and continue breaking down the dam. You make a run straight to Mavelan City and talk to Lister Black. He'll want to know about this."

"Ok," Robert said, "Probably be sometime tomorrow before I get back and that's if I can get him immediately."

"Stop by the farm," Mike said, "Let them know I am going to stay the night up here. Tell them you're going to Mavelan City to pick up some black powder to destroy the lodge and that it's worse than we thought. I can kill a rabbit or something to eat."

"Put him under cover or something," Robert suggested, "Raylene may come out and check on you."

"I'll build a place for him," Mike said, "I'll have time. Especially if you talk to that halfwit down the road and let him know to pass the message. She won't be able to read your face that way."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Robert said, "Have fun in the water."

Mike said something unprintable as his brother started walking away from the dam area. He looked at the immobile body and wondered what had happened to get this guy built into a beaver dam. He just hoped that he could get the body out of here and into someone else's hands.

Chapter 34 - Southern Oasis

Corie got out of the transport unit and looked around at the sandy hell that the Bolantines had taken over during the war. The well had been destroyed and so had most of the buildings. He shook his head, seeing that the losses certainly hadn't been worth it. Even with nearly twenty years of work Southern Oasis had not been worth the effort it had taken to win the battle. The only part that had survived and become useful was the ship works just outside the main town.

He looked at the desalination unit that had become necessary to have fresh water in the area. He couldn't believe that he'd taken this job. He just hoped that he wouldn't live to regret it. He walked up to the building to look at the ships he would be commanding.

"Mr. Corie," the young naval commander said, "I received my orders that you were coming this morning. I apologize for the lack of a reception."

"No need," Corie said, "Keep your people working on the mission. I don't need a reception. What is your name?"

"Commander Leonard Sheldon," he said, offering his hand, "I'll be the naval liaison on this mission."

"I hope you don't have future plans, Sheldon," Corie said, "This mission is going to be nasty."

"Do you have details of the mission yet?" Commander Sheldon asked, "We were told to prepare this ship according to the detailed Mullinix plans. We have no other orders."

"The rest of the team will be here tomorrow," Corie said, "Lady M will be out here next week. How close are the ships?"

"A week or more," he said, "I might be able to shave a few days if I can get some bodies to help with some of the grunt work."

"It depends on what Lady M's crew is ready for," Corie told him, "We don't have all the uniforms yet, probably won't for another couple weeks. Do you have enough people?"

"I can get the job done, but it will take more time," Sheldon told him, "I don't know how quick you want to start."

"I want these things seaworthy," Corie said, "Take the time you need to do it right. If I have my drills done before you are ready, I'll bring my guys in."

"Fair enough," Commander Sheldon said, "Do you know our destination? I need to know how much provisioning to put in."

"Enough for two companies and some miners," Corie said, "Assume two months to be safe."

"I was told that we'd be carrying over 1000," he said, "These boats aren't designed for carrying that many for that long. I don't know if we can keep it afloat that long with that many people and that many provisions."

"Provisions for 300," Corie said, "The rest will be Lady M's group and they will be getting off quickly. They won't need to be fed much and won't care about the quality of the food."

"Where are we going?" Sheldon asked, "I need to know that much."

"You only," Corie told him, "I want to keep this quiet."

"Fine," Sheldon agreed, "Where are we going?"

"Gottgol," Corie said, "It's a bauxite theft."

"This should be nice and interesting," Sheldon said, "Explains the miners assembling."

"And my soldiers," Corie said, "We'll all likely be hauling bauxite before it's done."

"And Lady M?" Sheldon asked.

"Distraction while we strip the mine," Corie told him, "It won't be pretty."

"Operations like this usually aren't," Sheldon nodded, "I'll get things together."

"Sailors are your problem," Corie agreed, "Just know that they will be part of the mining crew when we're stripping the mine."

"If I have the time I'll send them in shifts to work with the miners," Sheldon promised, "We'll manage."

"One more thing, Sheldon," Corie said as he started to walk away, "Start collecting ID. Your men aren't from the empire anymore. They will be Mullinix from when we leave this port until we roll back here with the Bauxite."

"Understood," Sheldon said, "I'll get started."

Corie nodded and walked into the building. He just hoped he sounded more confident than he felt. He was already beginning to think this was insane. He just didn't know how right he was.

Chapter 35 - Mullinix Justice

"How is he?" Kyrie asked as she paced around the room, "Why the hell didn't he just stay put?"

"We'd both probably be dead if he didn't do that," Trinaferro admitted, "We need to do something to watch for this."

"If Simon and I had been out then you'd all likely be dead," Medoferro said, "How long until your mother gets here, Kyrie?"

"Any time now," Kyrie said, "Are you sure I can't go in there?"

"No," Medoferro said honestly, "It's time to test you and Vlad. We need to know whether either of you are capable of power use."

"Does it cost me the job if I fail the test?" Vlad asked wryly.

"'Fraid not," Trinaferro smiled, "I have no talent for power use at all and I've been in the job for years."

Medoferro stood up and walked over to Kyrie. She looked at her uncle and shrugged. Medoferro motioned towards a chair and she went over. She sat down and looked at everyone else in the room.

"Simon," Medoferro said, "If she's a power sink your job is to separate me as quick as possible. I hope not, that hurt like hell last time."

Kyrie was a little concerned, but she trusted Medoferro not to get her killed. She leaned back in the chair while Medoferro put his fingers on her head. She shuddered a little as Medoferro pushed a little power in her. Her hair glowed a little as she took the power well. It was the first time Medoferro had actually done this on someone who had not already been a trained power user that actually reacted.

"Congratulations, Kyrie," Medoferro said with a smile, "You're definitely positive for this. You'll be a strong power user with some practice. You and Copeland will be able to be able to practice together."

"Great," Kyrie said, "I don't know whether to be happy or scared out of my wits."

"My suggestion is both," Trinaferro told her, "Especially when your mother finds out."

"I guess that means it is my turn," Viradoferro sighed, "Did it hurt, Kyrie?"

"No," Kyrie said, "A little tingling."

"Viradoferro," Medoferro said, "Sit down and relax."

Viradoferro did as he was told, but could not relax. He was scared as hell because of the secrets he carried in his head. He knew that he would fail the test, but he was afraid that Medoferro would figure out that he wasn't who they thought he was.

"Nothing," Medoferro said as he started, "The opposite of a power user. Might be a latent sink, but he won't ever be able to wield the power."

"Thank the gods for that," Viradoferro said, "Can I get up now?"

Medoferro looked quickly and saw something he didn't quite get, but decided he should let go. He nodded at the young man and watched as the young Mullinix got up and stretched a little.

"Well," Simon said, "At least there are two more."

"Did you ever test Charissa?" Trinaferro asked, "I don't remember."

"I'll sit for the test," Charissa said, "It would be a great way to horrify the family back in Serenia."

"I'd prefer not to teach more than two," Medoferro said, "But we can use all we can get."

"Has Suvorov ever been tested?" Simon asked, "Or Stacy for that matter?"

"Both of them are negative," Medoferro said, "The old man tested them soon after the Mavelan Invasion was done."

"Test me, power man," Charissa said, "We should have checked this years ago."

"Never thought about it," Medoferro admitted, "Sit down, Chrissie."

She did and Medoferro began the test. The test took a few minutes before Medoferro stopped pushing and shook his head. She stood up and looked at the Elder Mullinix.

"Nope," Medoferro said, "You're not as hopeless as Vlad, but you'd end up having less control than Simon does. You'd probably do yourself more damage, especially since the pushing process would likely put you in a coma for a week."

"We've got enough of that," The old man said as he walked out of the workroom, "That boy is going to have plenty of headaches when he wakes up."

"How is he?" Trinaferro asked.

"If he gets proper treatments for the wounds he will be fine," the old man said, "When is your sister due in?"

"Soon," Trinaferro said, "Should we get another medico?"

"No," the old man said, "One who doesn't know how to treat power injuries would prove more destructive than waiting."

"Fine," Medoferro said, "We'll wait. Hopefully that son of a bitch has burned himself out."

"He did," Kyrie said, "The guards said he collapsed and hasn't moved yet. No one is going to touch him."

"I'll check him," Medoferro said, "Kyrie, how long have you been awake?"

"Eighteen hours," she said, "Why?"

"Stay awake," Medoferro said, "I will want to teach you both the basics at once. That means I need to push the info into you both soon and I need you dead tired to do it."

"Let's go spar, Kyrie," Charissa said, "You need the practice and it will tire you out faster."

"Ok," she nodded, "You want to come Simon?"

"Need me for this, Medo?" Simon asked him.

"No," Medo said, "If I have to do something else I'm sure the old man here can work with me."

"I'll come along," the old man agreed.

Kyrie, Simon and Charissa headed off to the nearby sparring room, leaving Medo, Trina and the old man in the room outside Medo's personal workroom.

"Well," Medo said, "You ok, Trin?"

"No," she admitted, "But you two go on and check. Make sure he's dead, will you?"

"There is no woman more bloodthirsty than a mother with a wounded child," the old man said, "Just remember that Copeland needs you right now."

"Which is why I'm staying here," Trinaferro said, "Now go make sure that son of a bitch is dead."

Medoferro merely nodded and walked out towards the workshop where he had contained Mullitard. The old man walked behind him, surprisingly spry for a man who is pushing 100. He looked at his protégé who was no longer a young man himself.

"How are you holding up, Medo?" the old man asked him.

"I'll be better once Mullitard is officially dead," Medoferro said, "I'm trying to think of ways to stop this from happening again."

"There's no way to do it without power users," the old man said, "It's been tried."

"I know," Medoferro growled, "Ok, let's finish this."

Medoferro opened the door and walked in and looked at the pathetic son of a bitch lying on the floor. Mullitard had burned himself out, but had not died yet. He looked at the younger man and wondered if he even wanted to talk to him.

"Medoferro," Mullitard gasped, "What the hell did you do to me?"

"No more than you deserved," Medoferro said, "Why did you kill all those people."

"They were weak," Mullitard said, "Their lives were better used making me the greatest power user ever."

"You're far from it," the old man said, "Only a fool takes the power from others. You burn more than you gain from it. The best power users make the most of what they have, not try to take more."

"I made it work," Mullitard spat, "So what are you going to do, big man?"

"Subject you to Mullinix justice," Medoferro said, "You've all but admitted that you killed those people. You now have the final choice. Suicide or the victims' families."

"I imagine they're already massing outside the palace," the old man said, "You can always hand him over."

"I can take them," Mullitard grinned, "Throw me out the door."

"Sure," Medoferro shrugged, "Let's see you take on half of Mullinix centre."

Medoferro grabbed the criminal by the collar and pulled a little power to help him along but had no problem pulling the depleted power user along up to the balcony. As expected there were hundreds of people out there. Medoferro dropped Mullitard roughly on the tile floor of the balcony. The crowd looked with awe at the Mullinix.

"Are there members of the victims' families present?" Medoferro asked loudly to the crowd.

Several dozen hands went up and Medoferro nodded. He picked Mullitard up and threw him off the balcony. The murderer was too tired to even scream as he hit the ground and shattered both his arms and many of his upper bones.

"He refused to take the option," Medoferro told the crowd, "He has harmed my family as well, but my son will survive. Sentence has been passed. He is yours to do with what you will. Please do it quickly."

The crowd didn't hesitate. Family members and other friends of the many deceased went in and finished the job. Medoferro watched and didn't let himself flinch. It was not pretty but it was necessary. Once it was done the guards took the body and brought it back inside. Medoferro and the old man looked at the remains of the killer.

"It wasn't pretty," Medoferro sighed.

"He deserved it," the old man said, "Let's go see how your son is doing."

Medoferro nodded and walked away from the body. It had not been a good day.

Chapter 36 - Elise

"I just heard what happened," Elise said as she walked up to Viradoferro, "Is everyone ok?"

"Copeland had the worst of it," Viradoferro told her, "It wasn't pretty."

"Neither was the scene outside," Elise said, "The blood is still out on the ground."

"I need you," Viradoferro said softly to her, "Now..."

"Sure," Elise nodded, "Let's go up to your room."

"Kyrie," Viradoferro said, "I'm tired and am going to go rest. Let me know if Copeland wakes up, please?"

"Sure," she nodded, "Go and see if you can rest."

"I'll make sure he does," Elise said, "Promise."

"Or at least make him tired enough to forget," Medoferro chuckled, "Right?"

"Medo!" Kyrie laughed as she saw Elise turn red.

"I'm just playing," Medoferro said, "Go get some rest, Vlad. Kyrie, you and I need to do another round of sparring. You're not tired enough yet."

"Great," Kyrie sighed, "Have fun, Elise."

Viradoferro and Elise walked upstairs and closed the door to his room. She did her usual check around the room and laid down on the bed. Viradoferro curled up with her and let himself relax a little. She was the only one who knew who he really was and the strain sometimes got to him.

"How the hell do I do this?" Viradoferro asked her, "I'm not who they think I am. I don't have it in me to do this."

"You were born for this," Elise said, "You can do it. Just play the role, Alvin."

"I managed to survive the power test," Viradoferro said, "After what happened to Copeland Medoferro decided to test us all."

"That was the one part I was worried about," Elise said, "Hopefully he won't try to test me."

"He's wary about it," Viradoferro said, "I don't know why."

"Lady M," Elise told him, "He's probably gun-shy after her."

"I don't know," Viradoferro admitted, "But I do know that I'm scared."

"Be strong," Elise said, "You will make it through this."

Elise knew she had to try to keep him in one piece. When it was an operation that was only a possibility it was one thing. Now having Alvin Nixon in the role was something else. It took a special kind of person to pull this off and that type of person was the polar opposite of what was needed to make a good Mullinix.

"I am not this person," Viradoferro said, "What the hell am I doing here?"

"You are a hero of the Bolantine Empire," Elise assured him, "Now what do you want tonight?"

Viradoferro said a few things that would make most ordinary women shudder. Elise simply did as she was asked. She knew it was part of what had to do to keep Viradoferro under control, if not sane. She just hoped that the operation would pay some dividends before it fell apart.

When it was over Elise simply held the insecure fraud that she was responsible for. She smiled and looked forward to the day she could return to the Bolantine Empire and forget about her time in Mullinix, and hopefully about Alvin Nixon as well.

Chapter 37 - The Diplomatic Bag

"This had better be good, Parrish," Lister Black said as he followed the man outside, "My wife is about to become leader of this nation and I was supposed to be at her press conference."

"We found a body in the creek down there," Robert Parrish said, "One that we think you might know."

"You brought me out of there for a corpse?" Black exclaimed, "Couldn't it wait?"

"I said a body," Parrish said, "Not a corpse. He had been covered in a beaver dam, but he was alive. He started breathing again once we pulled him out."

"What does he look like?" Black asked, instantly interested, "And who else have you told?"

"My brother and I were working alone," Robert said, "Once we found it we figured we needed to tell you. We knew you worked with the Mullinix government and likely worked with an immortal like we did in Southern Oasis."

"It's not the one you worked with, I take it," Black said, "Describe him."

"Six foot two," Robert told him, "Probably around two hundred pounds. Good shape, looks around twenty-five. Black hair, beard, looks like he hasn't been kept up but that could be from being in the water for a while."

"Sounds like Mason Stone," Black asked, "Why didn't you bring him with you?"

"He's still unconscious," Parrish said, "We wanted to get some indication what to do with him."

"Bring me there," Black said, "Let me go talk to Pirotase. That will satisfy the requirements of the Mavelan government for notification."

"Right," Parrish said, "Anything else you need?"

"Go to town and purchase whatever tools you needed," Black said, "Also get a large crate. You can do this at the market stall owned by Lucas Fordham. Just tell him that Lister Black sent you."

"Where do you want me to meet you?" Parrish asked.

"Southwestern gate," Black said, "We'll make a run down that way. I don't want anyone else involved."

"I'll see you in an hour or so," Parrish said.

Lister Black let out a deep breath and went upstairs. Pirotase had just finished and walked into the room where her husband was waiting for her. He had already poured a glass of bourbon, long since a tradition for them after dealing with the press.

"How did it go?" he asked her.

"Fine," Pirotase shrugged, "Nothing special. No one seems to be objecting to my appointment to replace Erican."

"Didn't really expect much," Lister said, "Did you?"

"No," Pirotase agreed, "So what kept you?"

"Robert Parrish," Lister said, "A former Mullinix soldier. He and his brother were breaking up a beaver dam in the southeast and found a body."

"Someone you were looking for?" Pirotase asked, "Or someone that is going to cause us problems."

"Someone we both know," Lister told her, "The body is still breathing despite being in the water for months. From the description, I think its Mason Stone."

"Crap," Pirotase said simply, "Breathing but not conscious I take it."

"Right," Lister nodded, "If the Bolantines find out he's here..."

"They might invade just to get him," Pirotase agreed, "Bolantine hates him that much. I hope that your man is smart enough to know that."

"Smart enough to come to me directly," Lister said, "I'm going to go down there and identify him. If it's Stone we will box him up and bring him straight to Mullinix Centre."

"Good idea," Pirotase said, "Consider the notification done. I'll tell Jagards when I see him later. Are you going to accompany him?"

"Least I can do," Lister shrugged, "We'd all probably be toast without Mason Stone. I'm due for a trip back to Mullinix anyway."

"I'll see you when you get back," Pirotase nodded, "Give Medoferro and Trina my best."

"Always," Lister nodded, "They'll be glad to hear that you've gotten the job."

"Jagards will be standing down next year if his health doesn't take him first," Pirotase said, "He's ill and he knows it. He wants to hold on as long as he can to make it easier on me, but that was why he pushed Erican out."

"I figured that was coming," Lister nodded, "Better to get you in and known than to have you take it all on immediately."

"And far better me than Erican," Pirotase said, "You can pass the illness information to the Mullinix herself only."

"Which means all three," Lister told her, "Ok, I'm going to head off. If anyone asks, I've been planning this for a few weeks and decided that I'd do it before your schedule got worse."

"Good enough," Pirotase nodded, "I'll pass the word around."

Lister kissed her on the cheek and smiled as he put a few things in his travel case. He hadn't been called to do so in years, but he still kept a case handy in case he needed to beat a hasty retreat. He put a few things in it and walked out the door.

Parrish was at the edge of town as requested and the two men loaded up the pedal wagon quickly. They made tracks for the area where Stone's body was pulled out of the water. It took only three hours to travel the twenty miles to the location of the beaver dam.

"Easiest trip I've made to the capitol in years," Robert Parrish said as they neared the dam, "I need to get myself one of these."

"If you help me bring the body back to Mullinix I'll let you keep it," Lister said, "I'll be following it up on the train from Cirrus City."

"Fair enough," Robert grinned, "I'm sure we'll be able to help."

"Where is this place?" Lister asked him.

"Dam is on a creek off the main river," Robert said, pointing to a turn ahead, "Mike is probably just up the way. He was going to continue working on breaking up the dam while I went to talk to you."

"Good," Lister said, "Keeps the likelihood someone else found them small. Good thinking."

The two of them negotiated the pedal wagon across the grass and rolled up to the bank of the river where Mike Parrish was busily tearing apart the beaver dam with an axe. He looked up and saw his brother and the Mullinix ambassador.

"About time you got back," Mike said to his brother and then looked at Lister, "Nice to see you again, Black."

"Been a long time," Lister said, "Still enjoying farm life?"

"Beats the hell out of fighting those Bolantine lunatics," Mike Parrish grinned, "I may be tired and working hard, but at least that isn't going to kill me."

"That's the truth," Lister agreed, "So where's our friend?"

"In the trees," Mike said, "Decided he'd be better off there if anyone else showed up. Good thing too, my wife came out here yesterday to make sure I had food."

"Did she see him?" Lister asked.

"No," Mike shrugged, "Just told her that the dam was worse than we originally thought and that the lodge was going to take some better tools than I had to pull apart. I lied and said that I was staying put to keep the Beavers from repairing it. She left me some food and hiked back to the farm."

"Good," Lister said, relieved, "So let's see how he looks."

The three men walked towards the trees to take a look at the fallen immortal. Mike Parrish went over to where he had hidden the man and pulled off the brush from the body. Lister was saddened to see that his assumption was correct. Mason Stone lay there on the ground motionless in front of them.

"It's Stone all right," Lister Black said, "Looks just like he did when he traveled with me to bring down Facie nearly twenty years ago. Probably looks damn close to the same as he did when he first became immortal thousands of years ago."

"I don't want to know," Mike Parrish said, "I just want him gone before the Bolantines figure out he's here."

"Let's get him loaded," Lister told them, "We'll take a quick route up to the Cirrus border and get him out of the country before anyone realizes it."

"We?" Mike said, eyebrows raised, "I thought you were going to help me finish this?"

"We could use a pedal wagon," Robert said, "Lister promised this one if I helped."

"It's worth it," Mike agreed, "Just be careful."

"That's what the crate is for," Lister said, "Let's get him fit in there. It will cause less hassle along the way."

"So long as no one recognizes you," Mike said, "Keep your hat on until you're back in Mullinix, Black."

"I'll remember that," Lister smiled, "Let's get him loaded."

Chapter 38 - Assassin in Waiting

Lady M walked into Nikki Bolantine's office to answer the summons she received. She had been preparing to deploy her crew to Southern Oasis when she got the word to present herself to the boss. Nikki Bolantine was playing a game of Chess with one of the best masters in the country.

"Knight to queen six," Lady M said to Nikki, "You'll kill him."

"Thanks," Nikki said dryly and moved the piece, "Is your group ready?"

"They should make it halfway to Mullinix," she shrugged, "Plenty long enough for us to strip the mine and get away from shore."

"I need you to spend a few hours with someone first," Nikki said, "The Dark Order assassin has arrived."

"Fine," Lady M said, "You're still going to go after Medoferro?"

Nikki ignored her for a moment and watched as her opponent made his move. She made a counter move and then looked back up at Lady M.

"Yes," Nikki said, "From what you're telling me he's the main power still."

"Probably will be as long as he lives," she agreed, "I'd love to see his head on a stick."

Nikki nodded and watched the next move being made. Lady M knew how seriously Nikki took her games so waited for the next time Nikki looked up to ask her a question.

"How is your plant doing?" Nikki asked her finally, "Any word?"

"Shaky," she said, "His handler is trying to keep him in check, but I don't know if the program will last long term."

"Make sure your handler knows to have him take all he can if he has to bolt," Nikki instructed as she moved again, "The more the better."

"Fair enough," Lady M said, "Anything else?"

Nikki watched her opponent for a moment and then saw his move. She quickly made another move and her attention went back to Lady M.

"Come back alive," Nikki said, "You're more valuable than the Bauxite is. If it goes badly you are to get in the ship with Corie and make tracks back to Southern Oasis."

"Of course," Lady M agreed, "I'll be out of there. I would probably get worse treatment than anyone if I were caught."

Before Nikki could respond her opponent made his last move and won the game. She cursed a little and then looked up at Lady M.

"Go talk to the assassin," Nikki said, "You're to give her any help you can. I want this assassination complete before you land in Gottgol. Not only is Medoferro dangerous tactically he is their best power user. Losing him would be a massive blow to any effort they make."

"True," Lady M said, "I shall go. Where is she?"

"Bolantine's study," Nikki said, "You'll be a bit surprised at what you find."

"Ok," Lady M said, "I'll go see for myself."

Lady M was more focused on her mission than she was anything else. She thought that the assassination mission could go on without her, but knew that she was considered the expert on all things Mullinix. She walked into the room and was surprised to see who she saw there.

"You?" Lady M said, "You work for the Dark Order?"

"You sound surprised," the assassin said, "You weren't expecting me?"

"I was expecting you to stay in Mullinix," Lady M said, "Not show up back here."

"You're thinking of my sister," the assassin said, "Corinne went into your other program. I was raised in the same Mullinix simulation community that she was."

"Really," Lady M said, "I assume that your sister is why you were chosen for this?"

"Right," she said, "I can move around in ways that most assassins can't. They don't know she is a twin."

"How much do you need to know?" Lady M asked, "Your sister has better information than I do."

"You lived there," the assassin said, "She doesn't live in the palace. Even her charge didn't live there as long as you did. I want to know everything."

"What is your name?" Lady M asked, "I will answer your questions, but only if I can talk as a regular person."

"Annalisa Dorsten d'Abruzzi," she said, "Now let's start with your introduction to the palace..."

Chapter 39 - The Drain

"How is he, Toria?" Trinaferro asked her sister, "You've been working on him for an hour."

"I've seen these wounds before," Toria said, "Last time was on a corpse. He's lucky to be alive."

"We all know that," Medoferro said, "Can you repair the damage?"

"The flesh will heal," Toria said, "Can you drain the excess power properly? That's the question."

"We can do it," the old man said, "I'll create the blueprint construct. Medoferro can follow the blueprint and build it and Simon can power it. Once the construct is stable Medoferro can start the drain."

"Why do I get the feeling this is the most complex construct I'm ever likely to create?" Medoferro asked.

"Because we rarely do anything other than simple ones," Simon grinned, "Do I have the control needed for this, old man?"

"No," the old man said, "But I can filter your power. Same technique Mullitard used crudely when he killed but reversed. It takes less power to run the technique than to push enough to keep the construct alive."

"Let's do it," Medoferro told them, "The sooner we do this the sooner Toria can treat the burns and get him back to life."

"I'll start," the old man said, "I can show you what to do, but you'll have to do it. It requires a precision that I cannot match or maintain anymore. You can, Medo."

"Let's do it," Medoferro said, "I'm waiting. Toria, you can stay because he'll probably need you when we're done. Everyone else needs to wait outside in case I screw this up. Kyrie, stay awake so I can push you later on."

"Let's go, Trina," Kyrie said, "Let them work."

Trinaferro looked at Medoferro for a few moments and then realized he was right. Everyone filtered out until it was just the three power users and Toria. The room was silent and they all looked at each other. Finally, the old man started drawing a construct and Medoferro started building the pieces.

It took them over an hour to build the basic construct. Finally, the basic building blocks were done and Simon was pushing enough power to keep the construct alive.

"Beautiful work," Toria said, "Very nice."

"You must have power sight," the old man said, "Otherwise it would be invisible to you."

"Latent power sight," Toria admitted, "No talent for the use, but they were able to teach me to see it. Makes it easier to treat power use injuries."

"Ok old man," Medoferro said, "What is next?"

"The next part is tricky," the old man replied, "You have to do a knowledge push on him, but you have to do it while shielding yourself. If you let up on the push you may kill him, you let up on your shield you may kill yourself. Once you finish the push you need to start the link into the construct."

"So in other words, you need to breath, hold your breath and do a pirouette on a knitting needle while sacrificing a goat on a barbeque grill," Simon said, grinning as he pushed power.

"Pretty much," the old man said, "Can you do it, Medo?"

"I have to," he said, "If I slip, old man, your job is to pull me off and try to finish."

"You can do it," the old man said, "Just go slowly and carefully."

Medoferro nodded and sighed for a moment. He looked at his son and knew that it had to be done and done right. He put up his shielding and set up a proper drain to the construct that he had created. He then began tapping into the immense power that Copeland's body held.

Everyone stayed silent as Medoferro did his work and pushed the power user knowledge into Copeland's head. It was touchy but he managed to keep the shield going and get the job done. He wanted to let go of the connection at this point, but knew it would be better to do it all at once.

"Slow and easy," the old man said, "You're almost there. Connect his power sink to that construct."

"Right," Medoferro said, concentrating hard, "Here goes."

Medoferro quickly made the switches and slipped the power flow from Copeland into the construct that had been painstakingly constructed to right him back to a more palatable level. It went quickly and slipped in just like a key into a lock.

"Ok," Medoferro said, "It's working."

"Now," the old man said, "Simon, pull your power and shield your eyes everyone."

Simon did as he was told and pulled the power. Once Simon's power was removed, the construct pulled solely on Copeland's power to keep itself alive. However without Simon's hold to keep the structure it collapsed in on itself and pulled the overflow of power from Copeland's body and dispensed it into the ground harmlessly.

"You did it," Toria said, "He'll probably wake up now."

"Yeah," Medoferro said, "Let's hope so. Get Kyrie in here. I want to do the push on her before I fall asleep."

"Now?" Simon said, "Are you nuts?"

"I'll need to train them together," Medoferro said, "I'm already going to have a reaction headache. I might as well finish the job."

"I have the drinks ready for you," Toria told him, "I have enough for all of you."

"Good," Medoferro said, "I'll need it and so will they."

"You ready for me?" Kyrie said, "Good, I want to go to sleep."

"Lay down," Medoferro said, "This won't hurt... Much."

Medoferro grinned evilly at his niece as she reclined down.

Chapter 40 - Uniform Arrangements

"Marina," the young Medoferro said, "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Fine," the equally young Marina replied, "Reflecting on how much fun last night was."

"It was, wasn't it?" Medoferro grinned, "Too bad I have to go back to the old man today."

"No fun, huh?" Marina asked him, "Well I hope I have provided a bit of life for you."

"Life it is," Medoferro said, "Life without you!"

Suddenly, the young Medoferro pulled out a knife and just before it dug into her young flesh the much older Lady M woke up with a start on the Bolantine Military train that was taking her to Southern Oasis. She used her power sight to ensure that no one was around to see her and stood up.

"Hopefully Annalisa will succeed," Lady M muttered, "Maybe that will stop the damn dreams."

Lady M straightened out her dress and let out a deep breath. She also adjusted the hood that she consistently wore over her scarred face. She knew that she had been pretty once, and that men had desired her, but that desire was long gone. She hadn't been with anyone since her injuries and frankly preferred it that way.

"Train is ten minutes out, Lady M," Major DeRoche said as he walked into the room, "Any instructions?"

"Make sure the horde is fed," Lady M told him and then thought about it, "What is the weather like? That's the one thing I can't see with Power Use."

"Same as always at the oasis," he said, "Dry and hot. Average daily temperature is almost 110. Not a pleasant place."

"Great," Lady M grumbled, "I need to get a thinner hood made."

"I can get you a military hat," the aide said, "They make them thick out here to block the sun."

"Dig one up for me and see if you can find a thick veil as well," Lady M instructed, "Do they have the cooling systems running here?"

"I don't know," he admitted, "I've not been here in a long time. I just looked it up before we came here."

"Very well," she nodded, "Let me know when we stop."

"Yes Lady M," he nodded and took his leave.

Lady M paced around. She had no use of her eyes, but she could still see the area through power sight. The place radiated heat and death, but not much else. It had been nearly twenty years since the battle had been fought in this area, but the blood still showed to her power sight. She had to get used to it in for a few moments before she was able to orient herself again.

The train stopped and Lady M walked to the front of it. She was able to find her way out and hopped down into the sand. Commander Leonard Sheldon walked out and offered his hand to the woman who was known to be one of Empress Bolantine's favorites. Lady M ignored the hand and turned her head in the direction of the voice.

"Commander Leonard," Lady M said, "Is Corie here yet?"

"He's been here since last week," Commander Leonard said, "Preparing the ships and drilling his men."

"Very well," Lady M said, "Have the requirements I stated been met?"

"I have the buildings left in the old town," the commander said, "Not sure there's enough sleeping room, though."

"My squads don't need it," Lady M said, "They'll follow orders and stand if I need them to. I just need water and prisoner level gruel."

"I have that," Leonard agreed, surprised at the head covering uniform, "That uniform is going to be rather hot here, Lady M. Are you sure..."

"I'm sure I don't need your people staring at my scarred face," Lady M said roughly, "Major DeRoche will find something a bit more appropriate for the weather here. We shouldn't be here too much longer."

"Very well," Commander Leonard said, not wanting to go further into it, "Corie is going over plans in the cool building. You are welcome to join him there."

"Lead the way, Commander," Lady M said, "The power scene here is muddled, but I can still follow your signature."

They walked to the large building in the shipyard that the cooling system had been built into. Lady M didn't miss a beat as they walked in. Once inside and in an area that wasn't in the direct battle area Lady M's power vision returned mostly to normal and she could find her way around again.

"Corie is upstairs," she said, seeing Corie's power signature through the floor, "Just take me to him and leave us be until we coordinate orders."

"Very well," Leonard said, glad to be rid of the woman, "Follow me."

She followed him up the stairs and watched as he gladly took his leave. She walked into the room and found a chair and sat down across the room from Corie. Corie looked at her and shook his head, dismissing the aide that he had been working with.

"We can work out these details later," Corie told him, "I need to discuss things with Lady M anyway."

"Certainly Sir," he said, bowing and departing.

"How has your stay in this sandy hell been?" Lady M asked him, "How do people live in this heat?"

"I stay mostly in this building," Corie admitted, "I only go out to drill the men and miners."

"How ready are they?" Lady M asked, "And how long will I have to divert attention?"

"Much of it depends on the status of the mine," Corie said, "If it is well built and into the ore, we should be able to strip it within two or three days. If we have to dig, we're looking at significantly longer."

"We should be able to continue our run for at least three days," Lady M said, "Probably longer if I can keep feeding the horde with people. Depends on how quickly the Gottgol soldiers can respond."

"It will take at least two days for them to get to where we are," Corie told her, "Intel reports state that the rather small army they have is deployed on the Serenian border. They have never fought a battle with the Mullinix in their entire existence."

"If we play our cards right that should change in about three weeks," Lady M smiled, "Have we got all the uniforms?"

"Fifteen hundred uniforms, all clean from the Mavelans," Corie said, "I saw them in the storage bunker. Some may be ill fitting, but on your people that shouldn't matter."

"Most of them will barely keep clothing on," Lady M agreed, "They are vicious but not very bright at this point. With a few more months I may be able to control better, but for now they will do the way they are."

"I don't like it," Corie said, "But if you can buy us a week then it will be worth it."

"I'll buy you a week even if I have to drive them into Mullinix," Lady M promised, "In fact, I think I'd rather like that idea."

"I think this calls for a drink," Corie said, pouring a traditional Bolantine whiskey into a cup and handing it to Lady M, "To success."

"To the next step in Bolantine domination," Lady M said.

Chapter 41 - Copeland

"How is he looking, Toria?" Medoferro said as he walked in, "He's still out?"

"Sleeping comfortably now," Toria said, "Resting instead of having his head assaulted by power. He should wake up anytime now, possibly even before my daughter does."

"Power pushes are never fun," Medoferro said, "I don't like doing them, but she has the ability and we need her."

"I knew Kyrie wasn't cut out for what I did for a living," Toria admitted, "And I know you two well enough to know you wouldn't take her if she wasn't good at it."

"She will be," Medoferro said, "We have enough going on that we need everyone and with a brand-new Mullinix we're hurting."

"I'm sure," Toria agreed, "Stacy still in Northport?"

"What's left of it," Medoferro growled, "Whole damn city is under water now. They're about to rebuild it several miles inland."

"Not to mention that idiot up in Hulkensuxor," Toria said, "When are you sending Simon up there?"

"How did you know about that?" Medoferro asked, "That information should only be in-house until Simon gets the prelims done?"

"I treated the kid that Rick Ballfur sent up there," Toria said, "He talked about it in his delirium. Only Warren, Rick and I know and it'll stay that way."

"Simon should be going up there next week," Medoferro said, relaxing, "I keep forgetting how well connected you are in that area."

"Good thing Simon and my sister don't," Toria chuckled, "I have no problem with Kyrie taking this job, by the way. She's happy and that is what matters. So long as we don't make another mistake like Marina it should be a rather safe profession."

"There's nothing safe about it," Medoferro said, "Remember what happened to Paulus. Anything can happen at any time."

"That's true," Toria said, "But I also know that you'll prepare her as well as you will Copeland. That's all I can ask."

Medoferro nodded and looked at the two young people. Copeland was beginning to stir as he finally began coming out of the coma he'd been in since the shot he took. Toria sat next to him and checked his vitals as he started waking up.

"Where am I?" Copeland said quietly as he started to wake up, "And am I dead?"

"No," Toria told him, "You're definitely not dead, though you did give us one hell of a scare."

"Aunt Toria?" Copeland asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Saving another member of this staff from power injuries," Toria told him, "Not the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last."

"Was anyone else hurt?" Copeland asked, "Did Mom get out all right?"

"I got there right after you went down," Medoferro told him, "Locked Mullitard down in a shield and that stopped him cold."

"Wish I'd known how to do that," Copeland sighed, "Can I sit up?"

"Might want to take it slowly," Toria said, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been cooked," Copeland grumbled, "Why is it so dark in here?"

"We didn't know how you'd take light," Medoferro told him, "Feel ready for it?"

"Yeah," Copeland said, "Let some light in here please."

"That was good work, Copeland," Medoferro said, "You're just lucky you had a latent power sink ability. You'd have died without that."

"Latent?" Copeland said, "So I'm not a power user, huh?"

"You're not that lucky, kid," Toria said, "That hit you took blasted a few pathways open. You're going to be one strong user."

"Really?" Copeland said, "You tested me?"

"Didn't have to," Medoferro said, "If you hadn't been capable you would have died. You had latent power sink ability for sure and you're likely going to be really good at it if you practice."

"Yeah," Copeland said, "Just have to go through the nasty process of having control pushed into my brain."

"Already done," Medoferro said, "I had to do that to drain you of the excess power. You slept through it all. Kyrie wasn't as lucky."

"Is she ok?" Copeland asked, "I thought she was off reading?"

"She's fine," Medoferro promised, "She's sleeping off the push. She's a power user as well."

"Ok," Copeland said, "Vlad?"

"Nope," Medoferro said, shaking his head, "He's like your mother, pretty much no talent at all. You and Kyrie are the only two."

"One more question," Copeland asked, "Why the hell are you blurry?"

"Blurry?" Toria asked, "How blurry?"

"Like when I was wearing Warren's glasses as a kid for a joke," Copeland told her, "I wonder if that hit damaged my eyes?"

"It might have," Toria agreed, "Give it a day or two. If it doesn't get better, we'll get you fitted for glasses."

"So what happened to the lunatic Mullitard?" Copeland wondered, "He go down easily?"

"Families of his victims took him," Medoferro said, "After I threw him out the window."

"Nice," Copeland chuckled, "So everything is all right?"

"Just get better," Medoferro assured him, "We'll all be fine."

"He's awake?" Trinaferro asked as she came into the room, "Thank the gods."

"Blurry, but awake," Copeland said, "Glad you didn't get hit."

"I'm getting there," Trinaferro said, going to hug her son, "Don't make me regret letting you take the job."

"Never," Copeland said, "Going to take more than some two bit power thief to kill me, mom."

"How did you know?" Medoferro asked, "You were out cold when we figured that out."

"I was immobilized," Copeland said, "Not unconscious. I heard every word you said until you performed the push."

"Then you know what you are now," Medoferro said, "And how careful you need to be?"

"I can guess," Copeland said, "Maybe one of these days you'll actually tell me about Marina."

"I might at that," Medoferro said, "It's a sore subject for me."

"For all of us," Trinaferro said, "She betrayed us all."

"I won't," Copeland said simply, "I just want to learn."

"Learn you will," Medoferro smiled, "You can bank on that one."

"I hope that includes me as well," Kyrie said hesitantly as she started to wake up.

"You two will learn power use while Vlad learns government," Medoferro told them, "I think it will work out well."

There was a knock on the door and Alisa popped her head in. Medoferro and Trinaferro looked at her and waited for the next words.

"Stacy is on the line," Alisa said, "Requesting a Mullinix."

"I'll go," Medoferro said, "Trin, you can stay here with Copeland."

"He's awake?" Alisa asked.

"Come on in, Lis," Copeland said, "I need another friendly face."

"Sure," she said, sliding in and taking Medoferro's place as he walked out to the communication room, "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Copeland said, "Still have a nasty headache, but I'm alive."

"Good," she smiled, "Glad to see you upright."

"Nice to be here," he smiled, "Glad to see nobody wrote me off."

"Drink this, Copeland," Toria said, "It will calm your head."

"Copeland!" Vlad yelled as he ran in, "No one told me! You're all right?"

"Reports of my demise are a bit exaggerated," Copeland smiled, "How are you doing?"

"Reading boring stuff," Vlad sighed, "Man, no one told me that there would be this much reading with this job."

"Just be glad you didn't get the on the job training Medo did," Trinaferro told him, "He'd been Mullinix for less than two days before he had to command the army in repelling the Mavelan invasion."

"I think I'll take the reading," Viradoferro said, "It's ok, really."

"I thought so," Trinaferro smiled, "I'd rather it be like this. I got nearly Thirty years to learn. Would love to be in your shoes again, actually. It would mean that Iggy was still here and that Medo still had this job."

"Amen to that," Alvin chuckled, "Then Copeland and I would still be students sipping ale at the pub."

"I'm fine," Copeland said, "So have you talked to Elise?"

"She spent the night here the other night," Vlad admitted, "I needed someone to keep my mind off your injuries."

"Good," Copeland said, "Now we can get to real business."

"Yeah," Medoferro said, his face white as he walked into the room, "Business. I need to go to Northport."

"Why?" Trinaferro asked, "What happened?"

"There was a battle between opposing sides out there," Medoferro said, "Nearly a hundred dead. Stacy didn't have the details, but she wants one of us out there pronto."

"Oh my gods," Alisa said, "That's more than died in the floods!"

"Great," Trinaferro sighed, "You definitely need to get out there. You'll handle this situation better than I would."

"I'll go, but it's going to take a day or two to get security handled," Medoferro told her, "I'll spend the time teaching basics to Kyrie and Copeland. After that they can do basic power use drills with the old man. He may not have the control he used to, but he's a better teacher than I."

"How bad is it?" Trinaferro asked, "Does she need you sooner?"

"She's got it under control," Medoferro told her, "But she will need a full Mullinix presence to calm things down permanently. There are no less than ten murder trials waiting out there now."

"Another reason to send you," Copeland nodded, "You're better at that than anyone else we have."

"What about me?" Viradoferro asked, "Do I go with you or stay here?"

"You get to help me run the government," Trinaferro said, "You need to learn it anyway."

"Sounds like we have a plan," Medoferro said, "Alisa, can you send a message down to Mavelan City to have Suvorov come home. We need him here to drill Copeland and Kyrie on how to do their job."

"That's what Simon is for isn't it?" Viradoferro asked.

"No," Medoferro said, "Simon and Charissa are preparing to go spend some time in Hulkensuxor. There's a corrupt colonel up there I want them to deal with."

"Don't worry," Trinaferro smiled, "You'll still have time with Elise."

"If the books don't collapse and kill us all," Copeland chuckled.

"Ok," Toria said, "Copeland, you need rest. You're still on bed rest for the next few days."

"Don't worry," Alisa said, "I'll take good care of him."

"I'm sure you will," Kyrie grinned.

"Ok," Medoferro said, "Everyone out and go take care of your stuff. Copeland, get better and don't exert yourself too much."

"Right," Copeland grinned, "I'm sure Alisa won't let me do anything."

"I'm sure," Medoferro said, shaking his head, "Just be careful of the burns, Alisa."

She went bright red as everyone in the room laughed.

Chapter 42 - Lister and the Body

"You're not traveling light this time, Black," Paulus Tally said as he met the younger man at the border, "What's in the crate?"

"Something that we'd all be better off not knowing about," Lister told him seriously, "If Bolantine found out we had this guy in this condition he'd invade immediately."

"Guy?" Paulus said, "You have a body in there?"

"Our immortal friend," Lister said, "And you cannot tell anyone else that."

"Unconscious?" Paulus asked, "No wonder you're bringing him up north."

"Yeah," Lister said, "Bolantine would think twice about invading Mullinix for him, but if he was known to be in the Mavelans in this condition there would be Bolantine soldiers over the border within hours."

"I've prepared a spot on the train," Paulus said, "The palace will be expecting you. Rav Suvorov will meet you at the train and go back with you."

"Why is he heading back?" Lister asked, "I didn't even talk to him down in Mavelan City."

"Word is there's a situation in Northport," Paulus said, "Medoferro is supposedly on his way out there and Suvorov is going up to train the new reps."

"Great," Lister sighed, "More problems in Northport. Just what they need."

"Reports are sketchy, but this one sounds self-inflicted," Paulus shrugged, "We'll find out soon enough."

"You have people who can carry this?" Lister asked, "I'm starting to feel my age too."

"You don't know jack yet," Paulus chuckled, "Wait until you hit 70."

"I've got a ways to go before that," Lister smiled, "Though I do miss forty."

"I do too," Paulus said as he directed some men to carry the crate, "Some days fifty or sixty might not be too bad either."

"At least you're doing well here," Lister told him, "Cirrus is flourishing, about time it had some peace."

"That's why you are down there," Paulus said, "Mavelans are a buffer zone now."

"Whatever keeps them alive," Lister shrugged, "I have a foot in both worlds now."

"True," Paulus nodded, "There's Suvorov now."

"Rav!" Lister yelled, "Looks like we get to see each other after all!"

"I wondered what happened to you," Suvorov said, "Pirotase would only say I'd find out later."

"Too dangerous for her to say anything," Lister told him, "Ride with me in the compartment and I'll tell you everything."

"Deal," Suvorov said, "Let's get that thing loaded."

"Carefully," Lister said, "It's fragile."

"You heard the man," Suvorov said, "Let's go."

The crate was loaded into a government car on the train and the soldiers closed the doors. The train was set to leave in ten minutes, so Lister and Rav sat down and exchanged some stories.

"So what is in the crate, Lister?" Suvorov asked.

"Not what," Lister said, "Who."

Suvorov listened for the next hour about the story that Black had about how he was found and about how he smuggled the fallen immortal out of the Mavelans without getting the Bolantines tipped off. He was suitably impressed that Lister had managed this without help.

"You always were one of the best, Lister," Suvorov chuckled, "So what do you think is wrong with him?"

"I don't know," Lister shrugged, "I know that he's probably going to need expertise that no one living has. If anyone will know what to do, however, it's probably the Mullinix."

"Medo won't be there," Suvorov said, "Just Trina and the new kid."

"How is the new kid?" Lister asked him.

"No idea," Suvorov said, "Only met him once before I headed back south."

"Right," Lister nodded, "So how is the north end? I haven't heard anything."

"The demarcation line worked well," Suvorov told him, "There were a few years of migration for people who decided on which side of the line they wanted to live. The Serenians are still zealots, but they know that fighting a war with us isn't worth it."

"I wish it was that cordial down south," Lister sighed, "We still get people coming over the line, despite the fact that it's a capital crime down there to try."

"How is the Mavelan government handling them?" Suvorov wondered, "Though with your wife taking over I'm sure there will be some changes."

"Most of the runners are their countrymen," Lister told them, "There's been one hell of a nationalist resurgence with Facie and his line dead. They're brought in and debriefed. We record everything so we have it on record."

"I knew I trained you well," Suvorov chuckled, "Good for you."

"Now what do we do with him?" Lister asked him.

"Let's get him to the palace," Suvorov suggested, "We'll let Trina make the call."

"Right," Lister nodded, "Can you pull together enough people for this?"

"Who are you talking to?" Suvorov asked.

"Good point," Lister nodded, "Let's go."

Chapter 43 - Annalisa

Annalisa d'Abruzzi walked through the streets of Mullinix Centre in an attempt to get used to the flow of people in the Mullinix capitol. She had been raised along with her sister Corinne d'Abruzzi, better known in Mullinix as Elise Malloy, in a Bolantine training camp in the Southern Oasis area. The training camp was designed to insert sleepers into Mullinix through the Mullinix Oasis area, as it was similar in climate and building. With Lady M's careful work and contacts within the Dark Order working in partnership it had been a rousing success.

She felt reasonably at home in the capitol, but found it very different from what she was used to. She spent some time in the market district picking out decent clothes and making sure she was in standard student garb. Once she finished getting outfitted she purchased a newspaper in hopes that she would learn a bit about the current goings on.

The news was boring and predictable but she found the information she was really concerned with in the society pages. The three Mullinix tended to not show too much to the outside world but the fact that there was an outside girl spending a lot of time with a new Mullinix was definitely noteworthy.

"So that's what you look like, Corinne," Annalisa smiled, "I can do that."

She managed to check into a cheap boarding house without causing any incident and then went to work. She had long since been trained how to change her own appearance to match her sister's. Her goal was to become a complete facsimile of her sister again, something she hadn't done in several years.

Satisfied with her new look she walked out of the boarding house and made her way down the plaza. She was intimately familiar with the layout of Mullinix Centre from the hours and hours of memorization she did before she left Bolantinople and on the trip into Sotanberg. The maps were accurate and with her highly developed memory she had little problem navigating the well laid out streets of the Mullinix capitol.

"Elise!" she heard a voice yell, "Wait up!"

Annalisa turned around and looked for the owner of the voice. She knew she looked like her sister, but she was not sure about the accent yet. She hoped that she had not changed it significantly from the one that they had learned living in the Southern Oasis Training Facility otherwise this operation would be over before it began.

"Hello?" Annalisa said, hoping that she could avoid getting burned.

"Over here!" Viradoferro shouted.

Annalisa breathed a sigh of relief as she walked over to the young Mullinix. She knew if she could talk to him she could talk to anyone. She let him make the first moves.

"I thought you were going to meet me inside," Viradoferro said, "What brings you out here?"

"Just hadn't made it over there yet," Annalisa said, "What about you?"

"Trinaferro had me running to the archives," Viradoferro said, making a face, "Decided I needed to see the place I guess. Do I get to spend the night with you tonight?"

"I still have a quick errand to run," she said, flashing a coy smile, "But I think I should be able to accommodate you."

"Good," he said, "Makes this job worth it."

Annalisa smiled and was about to walk away when she realized she had a golden opportunity to send a message to her sister. She turned around and went over to Viradoferro and kissed him in the mouth, deciding to try it.

"Wow," Viradoferro said, "What did I do to deserve that?"

"Mood came over me," Annalisa smiled, "Just do me a favor, hon."

"What's that?" he asked her.

"Remind me that I need to go to the library when you see me tonight," she told him, "I have to pick up the copy of the Ariad."

"Ok," he said, "You usually have a photographic memory though."

"I've had a lot on my mind," she shrugged, "Just remind me, ok?"

"Ok," he agreed, "See you later."

She smiled at him and walked away. She wondered how her sister would handle that situation. She shook her head and walked confidently towards the library, knowing her sister would likely show up within a few hours.

Chapter 44 - Mason

Lister Black and Rav Suvorov followed the crate into the palace. They both owed enough to Mason Stone that they were willing to stay with him until they knew one way or another what was wrong with him. They were safe in Mullinix Centre, but both were veteran agents and didn't take anything for granted.

"Be careful with that crate son," Suvorov said as he stretched a little, "It's very valuable."

"Yes sir," the kid said, making sure to be careful with the cart he was pushing.

They went to the palace and checked in at the gate as they usually did, but got a few looks for the abnormally large crate they brought in. It took another twenty minutes before they finally got the crate into the building and brought up to the Mullinix common room.

"Nice to see you guys," Medoferro said as he walked up to the two men, "What brings you back to the capitol Lister?"

"This," Lister said, "Clear the room and we'll open it."

Medoferro nodded and waved off everyone. It took only a few minutes before the only ones in the room were Medoferro, Lister and Rav Suvorov. Medoferro handed the crowbar to Lister.

"Ok," Lister said, "Let's get him out of there."

"Him?" Medoferro asked, "What the hell?"

Lister pried open the crate and revealed the inert form of Mason Stone to the surprised Mullinix. Lister sighed and sat down, watching the immortal breathe quietly.

"How long has he been like this?" Medoferro asked, "I assume he was like this when you put him in the crate."

"Best guess is six months," Lister said, "Probably floated down the river from the Bolantines. A set of brothers found him while trying to break down a beaver dam. Luckily one of them was a veteran of the Southern Oasis battle with Entragian. They came directly to me."

"Good job at keeping it quiet," Suvorov nodded, "Bolantine hates Mason enough to start the war again to get him. He'll think twice about it up here, but you know damn well he'd have taken the chance in the Mavelans."

"Pirotase agreed," Lister told them, "It's official now. She will be taking the top spot. Jagards is getting too old for the demands of the job and Erican was a piss poor administrator. Jagards is going to stay on until his health forces him down, but he plans to slowly transition his duties to her as she gets more accustomed to dealing with them."

"Good," Medoferro said, nodding approval, "I have no objections and Harmon suggested it as well last time I talked to him."

"So what do we think is wrong with him?" Suvorov asked, "This isn't normal for him."

"My guess is he was injured in a way he couldn't heal," Lister said, "I figured we should bring him up here and let you figure out the rest."

"The old man is still in the palace," Medoferro said, "He was here taking care of Copeland's injuries."

"I'd start there," Suvorov agreed, "He knows them better than anyone."

Medoferro nodded and walked down to Copeland's room. The old man had been in to check on Copeland's recovery and to start drilling him and Kyrie on the basics.

"How are you, Old Man?" Medoferro asked him, "You holding up all right?"

"Tired," the old man shrugged, "Nothing new, just my age. Most men my age are dead, so all in all I think I'm doing well."

"We have an old friend of yours upstairs," Medoferro told him, "I think he needs you."

"Who is it?" the old man asked.

"Stone," Medoferro said, "He washed up into a beaver dam outside Mavelan City. Lister Black just got him back here."

"I take it he isn't conscious," the old man sighed, "Let's go see him."

Medoferro nodded and led the old man to couch where they had laid Mason Stone out. The old man sighed and sat down to look at the man who had taught him everything. He looked at Medoferro and nodded his head.

"I never thought I'd actually have to do this," the old man said, "He gave me instructions on what to do if he ever was found like this."

"Anything we can help with?" Lister asked him.

"No," the old man told them, "I'm not sure I can do it anymore. I don't have the hand strength."

"What is it?" Medoferro asked him.

"Probably a piece of debris in his brain stem," the old man said, "It has happened to him before, he told me to hack open the neck and pull it out. He'd probably come back as though you turned on a switch."

"We can't just hack around in there," Suvorov shuddered, "I mean we'd likely break something..."

"Unless you want a surgeon," the old man said, "But that would require..."

"I know just the surgeon," Medoferro said, "Medico Rasten. She's smart, doesn't rattle easily and she's discreet."

"Send Kyrie to my place," the old man said, "She can get through my safeguards because she was taught by you. Have her bring back Mason's notes. Rasten will need them."

"I think we have a plan," Lister smiled, "Now I'm going to rest for the first time since I found this guy."

"I'll have the house staff make up a bed for you," Medoferro said, "Good work, Lister."

Lister couldn't answer. He'd already fallen asleep on the couch.

Chapter 45 - Sister Act

Viradoferro walked into the common room to the sight of Lister Black sleeping on the couch. He'd never seen the man before, but figured that the other Mullinix knew him. He was thoroughly annoyed, having spent most of the day in the archives he wanted to do nothing more than to spend the night with Elise and not think about being a Mullinix.

"What's up?" Viradoferro asked.

"A sick friend of the Mullinix," Alisa replied, "I don't know the story. This guy and Rav Suvorov brought him in and they're getting some medicos in now. That's all I know."

"Elise make it up here yet?" Viradoferro asked, losing interest in this, "I think I've learned enough for one day."

"Yeah," Alisa nodded, "She's waiting in your room. She was wondering where you'd gone off to."

"Heh," Viradoferro said and figured he'd better stay in character, "How's Copeland?"

"Improving," Alisa smiled, "He should be able to get up tomorrow."

"Good," he said, forcing a smile, "I'll see him then."

Viradoferro walked over to his room and went in, sitting himself down on the chair and pouring a drink of the Bolantine liquor that Elise had smuggled him. It was hidden in a bottle of weaker Mullinix liquor, but it tasted plenty good to him.

"Good evening," Elise said, looking at her supposed boyfriend, "Where have you been?"

"You should know that already," Viradoferro said, "You asked me outside."

"Ok," Elise said, unaware that her sister was in town, "Remind me, I'm tired today."

"Yeah," Viradoferro sighed and drank more, "That's what you said outside an hour ago. You asked me to remind you of something, but that's weird since you tend to remember things more than I do."

Elise perked up at this. She knew that she hadn't been outside the palace for most of the afternoon. She'd spent most of the day scouting around and looking for information sources. Something was rotten and she was starting to get an idea what it was.

"Yeah," she said, playing along, "What was it I asked you to remind me of?"

"You need to pick up a copy of the Ariad," he told her, "I don't know why."

"I do," Elise nodded, knowing that this meant Annalisa was in town, "I should probably go do that before the library closes."

"I need you though," Viradoferro said.

"I'll be back," Elise said, smiling, "Now be a good boy and get some rest so we can play your favorite game when I come back."

"All right," Viradoferro smiled, "I'll see you later."

Elise made her way out of the palace and walked to the library. The one good thing about the main library in Mullinix Centre was that it was always open. She walked directly over there and ensured she was not followed.

It took her a few minutes to remember how to use the card catalog, but once she did she found the listing for The Ariad, a thousand year old set of poems that they used to teach them rudimentary Mullinix as a child. She walked over to the shelves where the Ariad was kept and pulled out the worn copy. She opened the book and found a note written in the code she expected.

It took only a few minutes for her to translate it and get the address of Annalisa's boardinghouse. She knew the location immediately and walked over there, knocking on the door. A familiar eye came into the peep hole and the door opened.

"Corinne," Annalisa smiled, "Long time, no see."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Elise asked her, "You were sent to work for the Dark Order."

"And in that capacity I am here," Annalisa said, "We work for the same masters, Corinne."

"Lady M will have our asses if we screw this up," Elise told her sister, "Do you know how long it's taken to get this to work?"

"Lady M gave me most of the information I have," Annalisa told her, "You won't be directly involved. I will go in and do the kill. These orders are straight from Empress Bolantine herself. They want Medoferro dead."

"They're still afraid of him, huh?" Elise said, "He's a formidable leader, that's for sure."

"How much do time do you spend there?" Annalisa asked, "And how easy can you move around? I have information but most of it is nearly twenty years old."

"I can tell you about it," Elise told her, "But having you in there will not help my guy's cover."

"Do you really think he will last anyway?" Annalisa asked her, "Seriously, I read the file on him. I'm amazed he hasn't blown it himself yet."

"I almost wish he would," Elise grunted, "I am getting sick of that pencil dick idiot."

"Interesting name for him," Annalisa chuckled, "What is security like inside?"

"Once you're in the living area it's almost nonexistent," Elise told her, "It's like a cocoon. Solid guard outside, vigilant as all hell. I need a pass to enter when I'm not with Viradoferro."

"Gods that is a horrible name," Annalisa said, shaking her head, "Did you ever find out what it means?"

"Not high on my list," Elise said, "But you're right, it is horrible."

"How much communication happens with the guards?" Annalisa wondered, "Would they know to check with another station to see if you'd already come in."

"Nope," Elise said, shaking her head, "They aren't expecting twins."

"Can you get your man to meet you outside and take you in?" Elise asked, "Or go in and get the pass out to me?"

"Better to go in without my pass," Elise said, "I don't want to tell him about you. Better he be truly surprised if you succeed. He also has a chance to survive if I fall, but only if he's truly ignorant."

Annalisa nodded and leaned back. She was thinking about this and felt better about the mission now, though she still felt it was a bit hastily put together. Missions like this meant that Empress Bolantine was getting frisky and that usually meant something unpleasant was on the horizon.

"Any guards in the halls?" Annalisa asked her, "And how easy is it to move around in there?"

"The guards stay outside," Elise said, "There are a few extra people there now, with Kyrie's mother staying and the Mavelan rep staying. The Mavelan rep was sleeping on the couch when I went in earlier."

"How soon do you think you can set me up?" Annalisa wondered, "And maybe we should make a trial run at getting me inside."

"You don't have time," Elise said, "Medoferro leaves for Northport the day after tomorrow. His security there will be top notch."

"I guess tomorrow night is the night then," Elise said, "He could be in Northport for months and I don't think the Empress wants to wait that long."

"Be careful," Elise warned her sister, "Medoferro is a top notch power user. He won't be easy to take."

"That's why I'll go when he's likely sleeping," Annalisa promised, "Come by here tomorrow and drop off your ID. This location should be safe enough and I don't want to risk going to your place in case someone is watching."

"Get in before eight and use the north gate where they don't know me well," Elise suggested, "You'll pass right through and they'll not notice since we always use the southern gate."

"I'll see you later," Annalisa smiled, "Good luck with your boy Mullinix."

"Heh," Elise grumped as she went to the door, "I'll be lucky to be able to sit tomorrow."

Annalisa couldn't help but laugh at the look on her sister's face as she walked away. She prepared her kit and spent some time going over the map of the palace that Lady M had given her back in Bolantinople. She knew she had one shot at doing this right and there was no room for error.

Chapter 46 - All Aboard

"This is an insane plan," Commander Sheldon said as he watched Lady M's people board the cargo ships, "We can't carry this many people and stay seaworthy with cargo."

"Lady M's horde will be staying behind," Corie said and looked at the younger man, "You are looking at the doomed, Sheldon. Doomed at the emperor's orders."

"Let's hope they don't sink us on the way," Sheldon said seriously, "They could riot at any minute."

"They will not riot," Lady M assured them as she walked up, "They no longer have free will. They are servants of the empire, no more and no less."

"How long can you keep them under control?" Corie asked her.

"They are mine as long as they live," Lady M told them, "How long until we set off?"

"Your people are the last," Commander Sheldon told her, "The miners are aboard and ready."

"Have all of them been issued Mullinix identification?" Lady M asked, "That's a key component of the plan."

"Yes Ma'am," Sheldon said, "Everyone was issued that ID when they came in to this base. We've been using it in lieu of Bolantine ID to ensure we had no slippage."

"Good call," Lady M nodded, "Corie, have you checked the quality of the identification?"

"No," Corie told her honestly, "I spent little time in Mullinix, spent most of my time on the Siraqi side of the border and even then never had much opportunity to look at them."

"Great," Lady M groused, "Get another Mullinix ex-patriot in the crew to look at it."

"You're the only Mullinix ex-patriot on the mission," Commander Sheldon said, "Corie's orders."

"I would have thought you would have recruited as many as you could?" Lady M asked Corie, "Why didn't you?"

"Leaving their home country is hard enough," Corie said, "Asking them to attack their home country is a bit much, especially with this type of mission. Better to have true Bolantines in this case, especially since Mullinix ex-patriots would likely be easier for the Mullinix to identify."

"There is that," Lady M agreed, "I guess I shall have to trust your forger, Corie. I cannot check them either."

"I doubt they have changed much," Commander Sheldon said, "Probably the same since you lived there."

"I have changed," Lady M said, "I had vision when I left Mullinix for the last time. I had barely learned any power use yet, let alone relied on it for one of my main senses. I didn't start using it the way I do now until I recovered in Bolantinople after I was injured in Sotanberg."

"Hopefully they won't be necessary," Corie suggested, "These are only a safeguard."

"So how do we handle this?" Sheldon asked.

"We go up to the shore and set the horde loose," Lady M said, "They will take out all the locals and leave a path for your men to start stripping the mine."

"So why do we have a company of army then?" Sheldon asked.

"We can't rely on the Horde for protection," Corie told them, "The army division is for if they figure out what is going on and either defeat the horde or go around them."

"Good point," Sheldon nodded, "And my crew is to keep the ships afloat."

"Your nonessential personnel are to help the miners," Corie told him, "We will need all the body power we can get."

"Of course," Sheldon nodded, "Docking situation?"

"Good," Lady M told them, "I had one of my plants make a trip up there before I proposed the mission. They were building shipping docks because they are planning to sell the Bauxite to Sotanberg and Mullinix. My guess is that they should be complete by now."

"Are we prepared if they aren't?" Corie asked Sheldon.

"We were assuming no docks," Sheldon told them, "Those Mullinix designs are pretty good and have a reasonably low draft. We also reinforced them so we can go in on a high tide, unload and beach on low and get out again on high."

"If the docks are there we'll use them," Corie told them, "Make sure we have some reinforcement material in case they're only partially done."

"What if we don't have to use it?" Sheldon asked, "That's extra weight."

"We'll have the room on the way," Corie said, "We can drop it into the sea if we have to before we leave."

"How long is the sea trip?" Lady M asked Sheldon.

"We're estimating two weeks," Sheldon told her, "These designs aren't meant for speed and our sailors aren't familiar with them. We'll also be going at the dangerous one to two-mile zone to avoid detection by the Mullinix, which means we need to go slow and keep an eye on our keel to make sure we don't spring leaks from the acidic water."

"If you need your people go into a cargo hold you need to get one of my people," Lady M told him, "I have basic control of them, but they are not disciplined. They are trained to stay back from my controllers but no one else."

"Split your controllers between the two ships," Corie told her, "We have your people split. I also need you to key the officers into your system so we don't get killed by your damn horde."

"The controllers are already split," Lady M said and put a small power construct on both Corie and Sheldon, "And now you're keyed in. All that's left is to get on and go."

"We leave in forty minutes," Commander Sheldon said, "As soon as the last of the horde is loaded and the final checks are done."

"I'll be in my stateroom," Lady M said, walking off, "I need to rest as much as possible until we get there as I will likely not sleep for a few days once we land."

"Is she for real?" Commander Sheldon asked him.

"I'm afraid so," Corie sighed, "Let's just hope she doesn't get us all killed."

With that Corie retreated to his stateroom as well, leaving Commander Sheldon to wonder just what he had gotten himself in to.

Chapter 47 - An Inert Immortal

"I wish I could help you with this, but I've never seen an immortal before," Medico Rasten protested as she checked over the inert form of Mason Stone, "He looks like a standard 25 year old male who is completely unconscious."

"He should be dead thousands of times over," the old man said, "He knew this day could come again, though. That's why he left me with these documents. I know what to look for, but I lack the medical knowledge or ability to fix it."

"I am not young either," Rasten said taking the papers and sitting back, "Give me a little time to read and I'll see what I can do."

"We have to do something," Lister said, "He saved our bacon in the Mavelans. Jagards would never have turned without him."

"We will," Medoferro promised, "You did well bringing him here, Lister."

"Thanks," he said, "Now we'll see if it does any good."

"Medo," Trinaferro said as she popped her head in the room, "Come on out for a minute, we've got good news for once."

Medoferro walked out and saw a sight that made him happy. Copeland was standing upright and walking around again. He was also fully dressed for the first time since he had been injured. The glasses he now wore were taking some time for Medoferro to get used to, seeing as his vision had been perfect before the injury.

"You look better, Copeland," Medoferro said, "Been practicing?"

"Yes," Copeland said, "And I'm sick of this building. I want to get out of here for a few hours."

"Are you healthy enough for it?" Medoferro asked him.

"I think so," Copeland said, "Kyrie's mom thinks I should be ok so long as I stay sober."

"I guess it's ok," Medoferro said, nodding, "What do you think, Trin?"

"Be careful," Trinaferro said, "Make sure you stay safe and that the guards are with you."

"It'll be just five of us and guards following," Copeland told them, "Elise has picked up the back room of the pub for a private celebration."

"Nice of her," Medoferro chuckled, "Who else is going?"

"Vlad, Alisa and Kyrie," Copeland told them, "Just a small get together."

"Have fun," Trinaferro said, "We'll be here dealing with our immortal friend."

"Let us know when he wakes up," Copeland asked them, "I'd like to meet him. He sounds like an interesting guy."

"That he is," Medoferro said, as Copeland started walking out.

"Come on," Trinaferro said to him, "Let the younglings have their fun, Medo."

Medoferro nodded and walked into the room where Rasten was reexamining the fallen immortal. She had Lister and Suvorov turn the immortal over and was probing an area behind his skull. She pulled the hair aside and then reached for a razor. She shaved off the area at the base of the skull so she could better see what was there.

"If the papers are right," Rasten said, "There is likely a blockage in the base of his brain. We may do more damage by pulling it than we would leaving it in."

"Unlikely," the old man told her, "If we pull it out he'll heal normally. It may take some time, depending on how much brain was lost, but he'll regenerate."

"It's your call," Rasten said, looking at Medo and Trina.

"You're the Mullinix, Trin," Medoferro said, "You have to make the choices."

"Pull it out," Trinaferro said, "Even damaged he's more use if conscious than he is incapacitated like this."

"Most likely he'll be back to normal in no time," the old man said, "He'd had this happen before, said he lost half his head and the only real damage was the loss of a few years of memories."

"You had better stay in here then," Medoferro said, "You're probably the one of us he's known for longest."

"I wouldn't miss it," the old man agreed, "Who is doing the work?"

"I don't have the strength," Rasten said, "I can get one of my students or one of you can do it."

"I'll do it," Trinaferro said, "I have surgical experience and we don't want to introduce anyone else to this."

"Toria," Medoferro suggested, "She's still here, probably preparing to head home. She's a surgeon."

"That's an even better idea," Trinaferro agreed, "We can trust her with this."

Medoferro sat down and yawned a little while Trinaferro went to get her sister. Rav Suvorov sat down next to him and looked at the Mullinix. He had come a long way from the drunken sot that had gone through service school with Medo.

"Where's Simon?" Suvorov asked him, "And why am I back here?"

"Corruption case in Hulkensuxor," Medoferro sighed, "Him and Charissa will be up there for a while. I need you to help me train Copeland and Kyrie."

"So you're keeping me as a secondary rep," Suvorov sighed, "I'd hoped to go back to being your spymaster."

"You can dabble in it," Medoferro told him, "Lister here will keep the southern end in order, you trained him well and with him being married to the next ruler of the Mavelans you couldn't do better."

"Besides," Black said, reminding them he was still there, "I've been doing the job for years anyway."

"Ok," Suvorov said, "You don't have to sell it. You need me, I'm here. I guess it's official. Who are we using up north?"

"Barnes has been handling what little intel we do up there now," Medoferro told him, "Mainly collection and making sure nobody is doing something stupid. With Siraq out of the picture it has gotten calm up there. The Serenians are quiet and are still working at rebuilding the Siraqi cession."

"Lister," Suvorov said, "You ready for your official promotion?"

"I've been doing the job for the better part of the last fifteen years since you took over for Roland," Lister shrugged, "Might as well."

"Should be interesting," Medoferro smiled, "I'm wondering how long the Mavelans will remain independent at this rate."

"Depends on whether the Bolantines ever let go," Lister said, "If they collapse in on themselves in the next twenty years, they'll probably stay independent. If not, we're looking at a populace that is going to be largely influenced by the Mullinix and Sotan soldiers who are constantly living there."

"Much like what happened with Siraq," Suvorov reminded Medoferro, "It was Bolantine that pushed the issue, but we would have been seeing defecting towns by now regardless."

"We'll deal with that when or if it happens," Medoferro said, "Right now I'm in no hurry to share a border with Bolantine. The Sotans still deal with occasional raids over that border. I'm content with keeping a military presence in the Mavelans and maintaining the alliance with Sotanberg."

"I don't think anyone is going to disagree," Lister said, "The Mavelan government will not ask you to leave, for if you did they'd be crushed under the Bolantine army in weeks."

"Be sure to remind Pirotase that we have no designs on Mavelan territory," Medoferro told him, "Cirrus happened long before I was a Mullinix and the mountains make a very good natural border between us."

"Will do," Lister agreed and looked up as Trinaferro and Toria walked in, "Looks like we have company."

"So this guy is an immortal, huh?" Toria asked and then saw Medico Rasten, "Good day, Monica. What do you think about this?"

"Strange, but it's in front of us," Rasten shrugged, "Think you can do it?"

"I'm not trained in brain surgery," Toria said, "But I can handle a scalpel."

"You'll need help from Medoferro," the old man said, "Medo will have to push power to keep him from healing around your scalpel."

"When were you planning on sharing this?" Medoferro asked him, "I sorta need to know this stuff!"

"I should have mentioned that," Rasten said, "It did say that in the papers."

"Let's do it," Toria said, "The sooner we finish the sooner I can get back to my patients at home."

"All right," Medoferro nodded, "Old man, make sure I'm doing this right."

"After the job on Copeland this should be a cakewalk," the old man said.

Medoferro didn't believe that for a moment but he followed the instructions and it really didn't require him to do more than push some power into Mason's body. Rasten watched closely as Toria worked quickly and carefully, cutting through the immortal's flesh.

They all watched as Toria's scalpel went through the flesh and the flesh healed up a little, stopping only when Medoferro pushed power into him a little harder. It wasn't as painstaking as the job with Copeland was, but it was a more difficult push because Mason's body was fighting the power push.

"Do it quickly, Toria," Medoferro told her, "It's getting harder to hold the healing process back."

"Going as fast as I can," Toria mumbled.

She cut deeply and found that there was definitely something there. She used a chisel to open up the skull around it and used a pair of tongs to pull the object out. She knew that this method wouldn't work with a normal person but knew she would run out of time soon.

"It doesn't want to come out," Toria grumbled, "Miranda, get the forceps and spread the skull opening so I can pull the object out."

Trinaferro, answering to her birth name, did as she was told and cracked the skull some more. Medoferro did one last push to retard the healing process as Toria pulled with all her might and the large piece of debris came flying out. She ignored it and looked into the hole in Mason's head, ensuring that there were no further pieces of debris in there.

"Hole is clean," Rasten said, "Let him heal."

"Amen to that," Toria said, sitting down and breathing heavily, "What is that thing?"

"A Bolantine pipe fitting," Black said as he picked it up and looked at it, "I guess Mason was responsible for that explosion at the factory outside Desert Sands. That's the only place he would have gotten something this large embedded in his skull."

"Poor guy floated up the river," Medoferro said, "How is he healing?"

"His skull is back in one piece," Rasten said, impressed, "I don't know how he can come back after that brain injury."

"I'm more worried about his memory," the old man said, "He'll remember who he is, but he may go back a few decades on it. We'll find out in a few days."

"I guess the show's over," Lister said, "Mind if I stay here a couple more days?"

"Sure," Trinaferro agreed, "You were due to come up anyway, we might as well get that work done."

"Tomorrow," Medoferro said, "I'm tired and I want to sleep. That pulled a bit out of me."

"That's fine," Trinaferro shrugged, "I'll join you. I want Viradoferro involved with that anyway."

"I guess this is good night," Rasten said, stifling a yawn.

"I'll go in the morning," Toria said, "I want to see Kyrie again before I go."

The group broke up and left the room. Mason Stone remained unconscious, but the damage had been repaired and he had gone into REM sleep, the first step of him coming back from an injury like this.

Chapter 48 - The Seeds of Doubt

Elise Malloy walked over to the boardinghouse where her sister was staying and walked inside. She kept her head down and knocked on the door, finding Annalisa sitting in the room studying the local newspapers and the latest maps she had purchased upon entering the city.

"Nice to see you out," Annalisa told her, "What is the situation?"

"I'm taking them out," Elise said, "I paid for a private room at the pub. Go in the back entrance away from the campus. It is the least used and they don't know me as well. Once you get through the gate stay out of sight."

"How well do you know the building?" Annalisa asked her, "And will they search me?"

"If you have a bag they'll search it," Elise told her, "Don't bring in a weapon. If you need one steal it inside. They rarely check me, but they also don't know me as well back there."

"I don't intend to use an outside weapon," Annalisa replied, "I've been training for this day for years. I can kill him without one."

"Remember," Elise said, "He's a power user and a damn good one. Don't take him lightly."

"So am I," she smiled, "And he will be asleep when I try. My goal is to do the job and be out of the palace before anyone knows he is dead."

"Do you have orders about Trinaferro?" Elise asked, "You'll likely be able to take her too."

"No orders either way," Annalisa admitted, "If she's there I will probably kill her to keep my escape secret."

"Do what you need to," Elise said, "I'm supposed to be meeting Viradoferro in thirty minutes."

"Have fun," Annalisa smiled, "I'll think of you when I'm in the palace."

"Remember," Elise said, "Try not to screw my cover, please."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Annalisa told her, "I plan on finding a nice safe place to hide once I get in there."

"There's a closet in Viradoferro's room," Elise said, "No one will look there and I can keep him occupied when you leave."

"Good enough," Annalisa said, "Get moving and be natural."

"Easy enough," Elise said and walked out the door, leaving Annalisa alone to finish her planning.

Elise knew that this plan was crazy, but it was unexpected and had a good chance at working. She knew this could essentially decapitate the Mullinix government as the whole thing was predicated upon an orderly transfer of power. It would definitely be interesting to watch.

Viradoferro, Copeland and Kyrie were already at the pub when she walked in and smiled at him. He waved her over and they retired to the back room. Elise had not seen Copeland since his injury and was surprised by how gaunt he looked, the change being accentuated by the thick eyeglasses he now wore.

"You ok, Copeland?" Elise asked him, "You don't look so hot."

"The power burn changed my metabolism," Copeland explained, "Aside from making me a power sink I am now it made some nasty changes in my body."

"Power sink, eh?" Elise asked, inwardly shaking at the thought, "What is that?"

"Power use term," Copeland shrugged, "Means I can do things with power that most people can't. No big deal, really. I'm sick of thinking about that, honestly."

"I'm definitely in agreement with that," Kyrie said emphatically, pushing back her blonde hair and letting out a deep breath, "Your father has been drilling me mercilessly."

"Probably because he's leaving tomorrow afternoon," Copeland shrugged, "The old man will take over the drills then and word is he is even more merciless."

"Whine, whine, whine," Viradoferro said, "You two get to play with power. I get to watch your mother do session. That's the most boring part of the job."

"It's also a big part of it," Kyrie said, "I don't want that responsibility, so I'll be glad to stay where I am."

"Yeah," Viradoferro said, "I've got the fun job. we'll see if it gets more so."

They continued talking for a while and while they did, Annalisa d'Abruzzi walked towards the palace. Her heart was racing, knowing that she was getting as close as she was. The gate was easy to find and the guards looked up at her.

"Name?" the young guard said, "And your pass please."

"Elise Malloy," Annalisa lied, showing her sister's pass, "Going to see Viradoferro."

"Word is he's out," the guard said.

"I know," Elise said, "Copeland and Kyrie are keeping him out so I can go prepare a surprise in his room."

The guard nodded as he read his list. Elise was on his short list, along with Copeland, Kyrie and the other representatives to let in at all times. He shrugged and followed orders, allowing Annalisa to walk in unaccompanied. She quickly made her way upstairs, making sure that no one saw her directly and slipped into the room where Viradoferro lived.

While Annalisa was making her way into the palace Copeland and Alisa snuggled in a booth while Elise and Viradoferro started dancing. Kyrie, who hated dancing and although she was a strikingly beautiful woman, tended to be a wallflower.

"Look at those two let loose," Kyrie said, shaking her head, "I wonder how long this is going to last."

"I don't know," Alisa said, "But I'll tell you. I get some weird vibes from her."

"How so?" Copeland asked, "I really haven't noticed much."

"Just an instinct," Alisa said, "She says all the right things, but her body language isn't there."

"She doesn't seem the same as the girl I knew in service school," Kyrie agreed, "Maybe I'm just different now."

"There's something strange," Copeland admitted, "But I'm having so much trouble assimilating everything my body is sensitive to now I don't know for sure whether I just feel the tension between her and Vlad or what."

"How well did you know him before?" Alisa asked suddenly.

"What kind of question is that?" Copeland asked, instinctively jumping to the defense of his Mullinix.

"One that I'm guessing she has a reason to ask if she's jumping this far out of character," Kyrie said, "What's up, Alisa?"

"You know I was assigned to help Vlad get used to the place, right?" Alisa asked them, "That I was to provide what I needed to or find someone more amenable."

"Right," Copeland agreed, "That's your job."

"He's pushed everyone away," Alisa said, "Doesn't even let us bring him food in his room, especially when Elise is there."

"That's odd," Copeland agreed, "What else? This isn't just a snub."

"No," Alisa agreed, "I don't care about that, to be honest. I'd rather spend time with you since I still... um..."

"You like him a lot," Kyrie grinned, "It shows, Alisa."

"I feel the same for you," Copeland grinned, "I would have understood had you gone with him, but I'm glad you keep coming to me. It felt good to see you there when I woke up."

"Thank you," Alisa smiled, "But the noises we hear at night from his room. The suites are not soundproof, Copeland. You can't hear from within them, but outside you can hear. It was designed that way in case you are attacked. The night servants hear things from his room, things that generally don't sound like a Mullinix."

"Abuse?" Copeland asked.

"I don't know," Alisa said honestly, "I do know that something isn't right with him. Knowing Elise though, I can't imagine her sitting still for abuse."

"You know," Kyrie said, "Now that I think about it, more than a few things don't add up."

"So what do we do?" Copeland asked, "I mean he's a Mullinix. We need more than a few vague suspicions."

"Suvorov," Kyrie said, "He's the most suspicious man I know and the most likely to listen to us."

"I don't want to turn you against him," Alisa said quickly, "I mean, he is the apprentice... The Mullinix doesn't make mistakes like that, does he?"

"Dad is as human as anyone else," Copeland said, "I want to look into it and assure myself that the Mullinix I serve is the man we thought he was. He has changed and I'm seeing things that I originally thought were just my senses being wonky. But, if you two see it..."

Copeland shrugged his shoulders. The three of them looked at each other and decided to quit the conversation as they didn't know when Elise and Viradoferro would rejoin them. Kyrie nursed her drink and Alisa curled up in Copeland's lap.

"You three don't seem to like to get up," Elise said, smiling one of her big fake smiles, "Why don't you come and dance."

"I'll pass," Copeland said, "I'm still winded. I'm glad to be out, but I tire easily still."

"I'm staying with him," Alisa smiled.

"And I suck at dancing," Kyrie grinned, "Sorry, Elise."

"I'm not letting you get away with that, Kyrie," Elise grinned, "Come on, you need the exercise."

"Oh gods," Kyrie sighed, "Copeland?"

"No help from me, Kyrie," Copeland chuckled, "Your mother will have my head if I start dancing."

"Ahh," Viradoferro said, sitting down, "She's a bundle of energy, that one. Isn't she?"

"Yep," Copeland said, "That she is. How are you and she doing?"

"We're clicking well," Viradoferro said, "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac."

"Be careful about that," Copeland said, "It can also get you into trouble."

"Right," Viradoferro smiled, "You seem to have done ok."

"Copeland and I have been close for years," Alisa said, "I guess it comes from living in that environment."

"All I can do is make the best of the situation," Viradoferro said, sipping his ale, "I finally have the girl I've been wanting for years and a job to do. I feel great."

"Good," Copeland grinned, "I'm glad to hear it."

"Ok," Kyrie said as she came back to the table, "I've had enough for tonight. Elise, will you take Viradoferro back on the dance floor and let me rest again?"

"Ahh," Elise said, "You're going soft, Kyrie. Come on, Vlad..."

Kyrie was worried because she was beginning to doubt the Mullinix she worked for. She looked at Copeland and Alisa. They didn't know what to say either. Copeland's new senses were working overtime and he just hadn't learned how to assimilate the data yet.

Elise danced closely with Viradoferro and noticed how much alcohol the young man had put down simply from his breath. This worried her because it was a symptom that Lady M had trained her to look for when she was chosen to be the contact on this mission.

"How much have you had?" Elise asked him.

"Not enough," Viradoferro said, "I still remember who I am."

"You have to be careful now," Elise hissed, "He is a damned power sink. He will be able to see your emotions if you aren't careful."

"He won't look," Viradoferro said, "Don't worry about it."

"You had better worry about it," Elise said, "If he loses faith in you how long do you think it will be until he makes it known, huh?"

"So what?" Viradoferro asked her quietly.

"We'll talk about that later," Elise said, noticing that Copeland and Kyrie were looking their way, "For now stay in character or you'll get us caught now."

"Right," Viradoferro sighed, "We should probably head back anyway. Copeland looks tired."

"Be good and I'll play your games," Elise said, knowing that was her best practical hold on him, "No more drinking tonight."

"Yes Mom," he said sarcastically.

The five of them walked to the palace, but the conversation was minimal at best. It had not been a good night for any of them, but only Elise knew that it would get worse. They walked up to the southern gate and were allowed in without a problem. Copeland sat down on the couch in the common room while Viradoferro and Elise said their goodnights. Alisa volunteered to go and get Copeland some tea to help him sleep.

"Kyrie," Copeland said quietly as Elise and Viradoferro departed for his room, "Tomorrow we go see Suvorov."

"You sure?" Kyrie asked, "I mean we could be seeing things."

"I trust Alisa," Copeland said, "And I trust you, Kyrie. And tonight I saw a bit more of a side of him I don't like. I don't know, but if I'm going to work for him for the rest of my life and risk my ass for him, I want to make sure he's worth it."

"I'll back you," Kyrie promised her cousin, "We need to know for sure. What do you think?"

"I think we need to go to Mullinix Oasis," Copeland said, "But we need a better guide in this. Suvorov is the least likely to dismiss us on the subject. Dad is about to have to deal with Northport and Mom has enough on her plate. Besides, I'm not going to poison them on him unless we get better proof."

"Suvorov suspects everyone anyway," Kyrie agreed, "We'll corner Suvorov tomorrow during lessons and see what he thinks."

"Sounds like a plan," Copeland nodded, "You got anyone to keep you warm tonight, Kyrie?"

"No," she said, sighing, "No time to meet anyone and I don't care for house boys. You lucked out with Alisa, you know."

"I know," he smiled, "Don't worry, Kyrie. Your day will come for it."

"Go with her and keep warm," Kyrie chuckled as Alisa came back into the room, "Don't keep him awake too long, Alisa."

"Wouldn't dream of it with your mother still around," Alisa said slyly, "She'd probably kill me for risking his health."

"Oh yeah," Kyrie said, chagrined, "I need to go see her before she goes. She's probably still awake so I guess I'll go down there. Night guys."

Kyrie walked away, leaving Copeland and Alisa alone again. She smiled as she listened to the overheard words of affection they genuinely shared as she headed down to the guest room where her mother was staying.

Chapter 49 - The Power of Night

Kyrie knocked on her mother's door when she finally got the courage to go talk to her. She was afraid how Toria would take the fact that she would be working in the same dangerous profession her sister had gone into.

"About time you came to see me," Toria smiled when she saw Kyrie, "Been worried how I would react to your new job?"

"Yeah," Kyrie sighed, "I know..."

"I'm glad you did it," Toria interrupted, "I was worried about you finding your way, Kyrie. When you stayed behind last year I knew you would never be my apprentice. I never really expected it anyway, hon."

"You knew huh?" Kyrie asked, "Did you expect this?"

"No," Toria said, "I'm not a mind reader. I didn't expect Insegniferro's death anymore than you did. If they think you'll do well, and obviously they do otherwise you'd still be in service school, I'm not going to doubt them."

"Yeah," Kyrie smiled, "I like it here and I feel as though I have a purpose now."

"That's what it is all about, Kyrie," Toria smiled, "You were meant to do this and I was meant to do what I do."

"What are you going to do for an apprentice?" Kyrie asked her, "I mean you were counting on me..."

"Not after you bailed out of medico school," Toria said, "One of the local girls has been assisting me for a year now. She wants badly to become a medico, so I've sponsored her for Medico Collegium. She is a good kid and will be happy to take the apprenticeship."

"Traci," Kyrie said, guessing who it was, "She always did look up to you."

"Yes," Toria nodded, "She's got a talent that, I'm sorry to say you never showed. I'm sorry I pushed you like I did."

"Don't be," Kyrie said, "I wouldn't be who I am now if you didn't."

While Kyrie and her mother continued talking, Elise started toying with Viradoferro. She knew she had to get him worn out quickly and deal with her sister. It didn't take too long. She knew which buttons to push and had him satisfied.

"Get the bath started," Elise said, "I'll join you in a few minutes. I need to handle something really quick."

"Ok," Viradoferro nodded, "I'll be waiting."

"I'll be there for round two," she said, smiling the biggest fake smile she could manage, "No worries."

Viradoferro went into the bathroom and started the water running, sliding inside and effectively deafening himself from what was going on in the room outside. Elise went straight to the closet and opened the door, finding Annalisa sitting there rather comfortably.

"You'd better be glad I learned self control," Annalisa giggled, "Good gods, is he always that bad?"

"Worse," Elise chuckled, "I screwed him quicker than usual to get him into the bath."

"Thanks for the ID," Annalisa smiled as she handed it over, "You prepared to give the performance of your life?"

"Just get out alive," Elise said, "You have a plan to get out?"

"Yep," Annalisa nodded and pulled off her outer clothes, showing a black assassin's outfit, "I'm planning on going in and doing the job and then going out the back. I figure that they are looking for someone coming in, not going out."

"Don't underestimate them," Elise warned, "They look for power users and Copeland is very sensitive right now. I haven't used power near the palace since he was hurt."

"Right," Annalisa said and pulled on her hood, "How do I look?"

"Like an assassin," Elise said, deadpan, "Don't get caught."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Corinne," Annalisa said through the mask, "I'll see you again someday."

"Better be soon," Elise said, "Now get your job done and then I'll deal with my guy."

"I have the easier job," Annalisa said, "All I have to do is kill someone. You have to keep this one from getting you killed."

Annalisa slipped out of the room and left Elise alone with her thoughts. She slowly went from shadow to shadow and made her way to the outside of the room she had learned that Medoferro and Trinaferro lived in. There were enough shadows to hide her, so she took up position to wait for a chance to go in and do the job.

She finally heard a light snoring from the room and knew it was likely the time to strike. She lightly went through the unlocked door, surprised that no one noticed her entrance. She looked around for weapons and found a sword that had been given to Medoferro by King Harmon of Sotanberg. It was a traditional symbol of their alliance, so Annalisa thought it would be the perfect tool to end the life of a Mullinix.

She picked it up and weighed it a little, checking that it was sharp enough to do the job. She figured that with a little bit of a power pull she could end the Mullinix's life with a swift blow from the blade. She walked quietly into the back part of the room into the bedroom and started to draw power. She didn't even think that someone would notice the pull so she did it and raised the blade.

"Dad!" Copeland shouted and power projected, sitting bolt upright from where he was lying in the bed with Alisa, "Watch out!"

Medoferro heard and felt the power push from Copeland and woke up to see the assassin with the large blade raised over her head. She started bringing it down, realizing that she was running out of time, but ran hard into the shield that Medoferro instinctively raised.

Annalisa cursed and pulled more power, trying to ram a power barb into Medoferro's body. He was ready for this and pushed back. It was a technique he had learned how to defend from Jim Entragian nearly twenty years before and he reversed it. She had to dodge quickly to avoid the body blow.

Annalisa knew she wouldn't survive the battle if he was awake and trying to fight. She used a flash trick and bounded out of the room. Copeland was running across the floor and he let off a drop kick on her that Annalisa easily brushed aside.

The commotion had woken everyone up. Annalisa knew that she had screwed up and looked for a way to go. She ran down the hallway and jumped off a balcony, using her power use to slow her landing and keep running.

Kyrie came out of her mother's room to see what the commotion was about and was nearly knocked over by the fleeing woman in black. She let off a fireball, the only real offensive power use she had learned up to this point and hit the assassin square in the back. She flew forward and was caught by a guard, who tried to restrain her.

"Careful!" Copeland yelled, "She's a power user!"

The warning didn't come quick enough as she pushed away from the men and pulled more power. Medoferro used the same technique on her that he had used on the madman Mullitard a few days previous and locked down her power use.

The guards grabbed her and dragged her back up the stairs. Annalisa knew this was not going to go well if she was caught, but still had another major trick up her sleeve. She went quietly for a moment, but slowly reduced her power projections. The construct Medoferro had thrown at her was useful on madmen who couldn't control their power well, but could easily be defeated by simply cutting off the power to the construct.

"Who is she?" Copeland asked, "And are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Medoferro said, "We need to pull off the mask to find out."

Annalisa took that moment to cut off the power and let the field die out. She then blasted the guard holding on to her left arm while she took over her right. She was dead tired but knew that her only chance was to take power in any method she could do.

"Stop!" Medoferro yelled, but it was too late.

Annalisa plunged the blade into the young guard, spilling his blood and leaving his dying body open for plunder. She recklessly pulled every bit of the power she could from him, but hadn't had the experience needed to take it cleanly. She started glowing massively and knew that she had made a mistake.

The power made her face glow madly behind the mask and she knew that she wouldn't be able to get out. She then knew her only chance at success was to use the power she had stolen and mixed with her own.

"Run!" Copeland yelled, recognizing what she had done before anyone else, "Get away from her!"

Medoferro didn't question his son and prepared a quick construct to handle what was coming. Kyrie ran as far away from the girl as she could. Copeland threw up the heaviest shield he could manage and pushed as much power as he could into it.

Annalisa, not wanting to be a failure ran after them but fell outside the room. Elise was up like a shot, looking out the door. She knew instinctively what her sister had done and knew that it wasn't working right.

"Get back, Alvin," Elise hissed, "We need to get hidden!"

Alvin didn't argue and went back into his room. Annalisa pulled a last bit of power and then let out a horrible wail that only one person in the building was meant to understand.

"I'm sorry Corinne!" Annalisa yelled and pulled the last of her power and mixed it in for the final strike. A deafening explosion, centered on Annalisa d'Abruzzi, erupted in the confined space of the hall, sending anything within a five-yard radius into deadly shrapnel. Her body was lost in the ensuing destruction that claimed the area.

Just as fast as the fight and noise had begun it ended, and there was nothing but rubble near the epicenter of the blast. Corinne d'Abruzzi felt a sudden emptiness that almost consumed her. She started crying for the first time in years, knowing that her sister was gone and she was now truly alone.

Chapter 50 - The Rubble

Copeland Irons shook his head and looked around him. The blast had pushed him backwards, but the shield he had instinctively thrown up protected him from anything but superficial injuries. He was laying ten yards down the hallway from where he had started and had lost his glasses as well so he couldn't make out anything but indistinct shapes.

"Kyrie! Dad!" Copeland yelled, knowing she had been nearby when the explosion had happened, "Where are you?"

"Behind you," Kyrie mumbled softly, "I'm ok. I shielded like you did, but not as well I guess. There's a piece of rock on my leg."

Copeland used his power sight to find her and then pulled the fallen piece of ceiling off her. She groaned but bounded up without a problem. Copeland scanned around using power sight and saw some other people on the other side of the crater left by the assassin's explosion.

"What the hell happened here, Copeland?" Kyrie asked him.

"Blood Power," Copeland spat, "Same thing that Mullitard practiced. Thing was, he was better at it than she was. She lost control of it and it controlled her."

"Probably a last ditch attempt to get your parents," Kyrie surmised, "Can you see where you're going?"

"Not well," Copeland admitted, "Lead me around the crater. Let's see if anyone else is trapped."

"Copeland," Kyrie said, "Your power sight is stronger than mine. Your father was standing beside me, pulling me away."

"Man," Copeland said, "You ain't kidding. Look down..."

Kyrie looked down and gasped at what she saw. Medoferro was at the center of a massive power ball that was at least ten feet around. This power ball served a purpose, however, as it was keeping the section of floor aloft and keeping it from completely collapsing on top of Medoferro and at least eight unconscious members of the house staff.

"Get the old man," Copeland said, "We will need his help to fix this one without getting Dad killed."

"Right," Kyrie nodded, "I'm on it."

"Copeland!" Trinaferro yelled, "Are you ok?"

"Half-blind without my glasses but ok," Copeland said, "Who else is awake over there?"

"I'm here," Viradoferro said, peeking out of his room, "Elise is in here with me."

"I'm in your room," Alisa's voice came out, "The floor is not holding on well though, I'm afraid to move."

"Ok," Copeland said, scanning the area, "Alisa, you should be able to get down the trellis in my room. The wall itself is solid and the floor isn't. Go down and get a group of soldiers."

"Medo!" Suvorov's voice came from down below.

"Don't break his concentration, Rav!" Copeland yelled, "His construct is the only damn thing keeping this end of the building up!"

"What can I do?" Suvorov asked.

"I'm going to push a little color onto Dad's construct," Copeland told him, "Go around it and see if you can get anyone out before he gives out. I'm going to try to help everyone else up here get out."

"Be careful Kid," Suvorov told him, "You're on rickety ground too."

Copeland pushed a little color light on top of Medoferro's construct and kept it going while he did some scanning around the construct. The part of the building that it was holding up was the weakest and also the one where his mother was standing.

"Mom," Copeland said, "Is there anyone else in your area?"

"No," she said, "How unstable is this?"

"Bad," Copeland said, "I want you to back up and run towards me. Jump and let me help you across to here. You should be able to get across the stairs."

"I can't make it across there," Trinaferro said, "Maybe twenty years ago, but sure as hell not now."

"I can augment you," Copeland said, "Just do it."

She sighed and looked at her son. She believed in him and decided that it was the only chance she had to keep from collapsing the floor she was on. She ran and Copeland projected to her. The amount of power he pushed was heavy, something that would have burned out anyone but a power sink.

Trinaferro almost flew across the gap, landing lightly in her son's arms. Copeland smiled and helped his mother away from the edge.

"Good job," she said, "I'm going down to help the injured."

"Ok," Viradoferro yelled, "Would you kindly get us out of here?"

"You should be able to come around the edge," Copeland told him, "Your side of the crater is over a load bearing wall. It shouldn't collapse. Come on you two, let's get out of here."

"Come on," Elise said to Viradoferro, worried about him cracking with this, "Let's get out of here."

"What the hell happened?" Viradoferro asked no one in particular.

"Assassination attempt," Copeland said, "Come on, let's get people out of there."

Viradoferro made his way out of the building but wouldn't go back in. He and Elise backed off and let others go in. Copeland didn't even try to deal with that as he was more worried about his father. He found Rav Suvorov dragging one of the younger members of the house staff out of the rubble.

"That damn blast gutted the house staff rooms," Suvorov said, "I'm not sure how many are missing."

"Viradoferro!" Copeland yelled, "Where are you?"

"Here," Viradoferro said, walking over looking shaken, "What do you want?"

Copeland was mildly disturbed by the attitude he was showing, but knew he didn't have time to worry about it. He figured he could use him right now to do something they didn't have time to do.

"Elise still there?" Copeland asked.

"Yeah," he said, "Why?"

"We need to get the house staff accounted for," Copeland told him, "Before we get Dad out of that construct."

"Why?" Viradoferro asked stupidly.

"Because when we get dad out that floor is going to crush anyone still alive!" Copeland exclaimed, exasperated, "And you'd better help me or that floor is going to kill Dad and make you the Mullinix!"

Viradoferro visibly paled at that. He knew he wasn't ready his deficiencies would come out quickly if that happened. He started going out and getting people together.

"I'm beginning to wonder about him," Suvorov said, "You know that?"

"So am I," Copeland admitted, "But we'll talk about that after we get everyone out."

"Right," Suvorov said, knowing that was a conversation for later, "Can you do the same search routine your father did?"

"Yeah," Copeland said, "I just have to puzzle it out cause no one taught it to me. Do me a favor, get behind the pillar so I can test it."

Suvorov nodded and did as he was asked. He still didn't understand power use, but he knew that it worked and knew it would save lives. Copeland tweaked his technique a little and figured out what flesh looked like when pushing power through stone.

"Ok," Copeland said, "Lead me along, Rav. My sight sucks without my glasses."

"You got it," Suvorov said, "Let's look at the big piles."

In the next hour Suvorov led Copeland around the area picking out where people were trapped. Alisa led the soldiers around and they did the work and six members of the house staff were pulled out of the rubble alive in various states of injury.

"We're missing fourteen," Alisa said, "No sign of them anywhere."

"I'm not finding bodies in this area," Copeland said, "Anyone know what they were doing?"

"Marianna leads a girls night," Alisa said, "Oh no, check the anteroom..."

Copeland, living in the palace as long as he had, knew exactly what she was talking about. It was a little used anteroom below the Mullinix rooms that Marianna had been using as a place for various house staff get togethers, usually as a break from their duties to the Mullinix. He went over to where his father was holding things up and did a push right underneath him.

"Bodies," Copeland said, "No way they survived. All are malformed, which means they were all crushed."

"That means they can wait," the old man said as Kyrie escorted him, "Anyone else unaccounted for?"

"Just gotta get dad out of there," Copeland said, "Any ideas?"

"I can't do it," the old man said, "It will not be easy."

"I can do it," Kyrie said, "Show me how."

"It's not a lack of power," the old man told him, "It's a lack of ability to ground. Medoferro is in a trance state, he knew he had to build a rigid structure and boy did he do that."

"I can do it," Copeland said, "I don't have to ground."

"Can you show me how to hold the floor up?" Kyrie asked the old man.

"I'll help you do it," the old man nodded, "Kyrie and I can keep it from falling immediately, but as soon as you drain that construct you need to get him out damn quick."

"How do I do it?" Copeland asked.

"Project a power needle," the old man suggested, "Anyone else would get burned, but you can just redirect that into your power center. Reach in and pull him back. Once you shake him out of it and yank him his construct will fail."

"I don't know if I'll have the leverage to fully pull him," Copeland worried.

"I can," Suvorov said, "Wrap a rope around your waist. If you can break it and grab him I can pull you two out."

"Let's do it," Kyrie said, "We need to do it now."

"Get everyone else out," Suvorov told Alisa, "The only ones in here should be me and the power users."

"If this goes bad, Rav," the old man said, "You are to run and cover your eyes. We can shield. You can't."

"You don't have to tell me twice," he nodded.

Copeland spent a moment preparing and wrapping the rope around his waist properly. Kyrie and the old man built the basic construct and waited for Copeland to give the go ahead to pull the power. He did and then watched the construct. He saw them push power in and began getting into position. He created the power needle and punctured his father's construct.

This had the metaphysical effect of popping a balloon. His construct had been the only thing keeping him off the ground so he fell quickly. Copeland caught him as best he could and wrapped his arms around him. Suvorov waited for Copeland to get a good hold and then pulled on the rope, pulling them both out. There was only a beat between them falling on the floor and Kyrie's construct collapsing and letting the suspended floor fall.

"That was close," Kyrie said, looking at that.

"Too close," Copeland said, "Let's get out of here before more of it falls."

Suvorov nodded and picked up the unconscious Mullinix up off the floor and carried him out of there. The other three made their way out to the cheers of the people outside. They had survived this one, but it wasn't a good win. There were still fourteen people dead below the collapsed stone. The cheering died as people started to remember that.

Chapter 51 - News

"News out of Mullinix and Sotanberg," the young man told Nikki Bolantine, "Do you want it now?"

"Source?" Nikki asked him.

"Multiple," he said, "Report from Corinne d'Abruzzi in Mullinix, Motaru Mallozzi in Sotanberg and some wire reports out of Mullinix and Sotanberg, obtained by our agents in the Mavelans."

"In the chamber in five minutes," Nikki said, "The emperor will want to hear this."

"Yes empress," he said, "I will make a quick check for more reports and join you there."

Nikki knew that Corinne was the contact on the Mullinix plant operation and that Mallozzi was the Dark Order assassin sent to assassinate King Harmon in Sotanberg. She figured that Bolantine would want to hear this information first hand so she went into the palatial bedroom they shared and sat down next to the sleeping immortal.

"Get up, B," Nikki told him, "There's news from up north."

"Too early," Bolantine said, sitting upright slowly, "They will be traveling for a couple weeks."

"Not them yet," Nikki told him, "Mallozzi in Sotanberg and d'Abruzzi in Mullinix. Assassination team results, most likely."

"Good," Bolantine said, "What is the result?"

"I don't know yet," Nikki shrugged, "Figured you'd want to hear it with me and I didn't feel like making the kid tell it twice."

"Ok," Bolantine nodded and stood up to put on some clothes, "I'll be in chamber in a minute."

The two immortals, the leaders of the empire with no need for successors, shared a chamber where they had complete autocratic rule over their citizenry. Life (and death) was cheaper in the Bolantine Empire compared to the Mullinix Empire. The only capital crime in Mullinix was murder and then that tended to be punished by the final choice of suicide or death penalty by the family of the deceased. In Bolantine's realm a man, woman or child could be put to death for many crimes, all subject to the whim of the Emperor.

"Ok," Bolantine said, sitting himself in his opulent throne, "What happened?"

"King Harmon is dead," the young messenger said, "He was assassinated quietly by Motaru Mallozzi. Mallozzi made it to the border an hour ago and is on his way back here."

"Good," Nikki said, "That's one of them. It should keep them busy for a while."

"What method was used?" Bolantine asked.

"Knife," the messenger said, "Slit his throat cleanly and departed before the body was found the next morning. Empress Bolantine's knowledge of security in that building came in handy."

"Good," Nikki said, "One for two. Now what did Corinne d'Abruzzi have?"

"Her charge is not doing well," the messenger said, not knowing that it referred to the new Mullinix, "Adjusting poorly and possibly breaking down."

"Not good," Nikki said, "We'll have to decide about Lady M's program later."

"Do you have the written report?" Bolantine asked, "I want to read the report more carefully."

"Yes sire," he said, handing over the sealed envelope, "That contains the full reports from Corinne d'Abruzzi and from Motaru Mallozzi."

"You said something about wire reports?" Nikki asked him.

"Yes ma'am," he said, looking down at his feet, "The news wire in Mavelan City is reporting a failed assassination attempt against Mullinix-Elder Medoferro and Mullinix Trinaferro. The assassin killed a reported fifteen people and seriously damaged the palace before dying in the explosion."

"Damn," Nikki said, "That doesn't sound good."

"Anything else?" Bolantine asked.

"Nothing more than that," the messenger said, "No word on anyone else."

"You are dismissed," Bolantine said, "If more information on what happened in Mullinix Centre comes down have it brought up."

"Yes Sire," the messenger said, breathing a sigh of relief as he departed.

"Sounds like Annalisa d'Abruzzi messed up," Nikki grumped, "Ok, so where does that leave us?"

"We don't know about any injuries," Bolantine said, "If nothing else it will add to the confusion up there. I'm more worried about the report from the other d'Abruzzi sister."

"Looks like our plant is not performing up to par," Nikki agreed, "What does she say?"

"She's keeping him together as best she can, but he won't hold up under pressure," Bolantine said, "It takes a certain nature to handle the job of Mullinix and while Lady M did a superb job in getting him in there she failed to realize that the man who can do the job of a spy is diametrically opposite of the man who can be chosen in their system."

"Astute assessment," Nikki smiled, "Doesn't help us though."

"Just getting him in there for a few months is valuable," Bolantine said, "The operation likely didn't cost much and what we'll gain from insight into the Mullinix Government is vital if we ever hope to defeat it."

"Good point," Nikki agreed, "But only if they don't blow it."

"Send Adam Kubelsky up to Corinne d'Abruzzi," Bolantine said, "He is probably the best one to assess things. If he thinks the situation is untenable then have him get them out."

"Better to have a live and half trained Mullinix than a dead informant," Nikki shrugged, "Should I send another Dark Order operative into Mullinix?"

"Better not right now," Bolantine said, "Hopefully Annalisa didn't blow her sister's cover. Let's not risk it again until that operation ends."

"Spoil sport," Nikki grinned, "Ok, we'll put it off for now. Hopefully, the attempt and the death of King Harmon will be enough to slow any response in Gottgol."

"That's if Gottgol's own government doesn't botch it first," Bolantine chuckled, "Their government is rife with corruption and waste. Reminds me of governments we saw before the cataclysm. We may be out of there before they get enough of a committee agreement to fight our people."

"Should I mobilize?" Nikki wondered, "I mean it could come to war in a few weeks."

"You mobilize and the Sotans and Mullinix will put it together," Bolantine said, "Let's be patient. We have time. They don't."

"Ok," Nikki sighed, "I'm just bored again."

"Go on a corruption purge," Bolantine suggested, "You always did enjoy those."

"Might be worth doing," Nikki said, a bright smile coming to her evil face, "Do I get to spend some time with you first?"

"Of course," Bolantine said, kissing her forehead, "Let's adjourn to my room..."

"Your room?" Nikki asked, "Not in the mood for games in my room?"

"Not today," Bolantine said, "I just want you..."

Nikki giggled and followed the infernal emperor into his room.

Chapter 52 - Wreckage

Copeland and Kyrie were sitting in the closed off anteroom to the Mullinix chamber with the old man, who was lying on a bench with his eyes closed. They had finally finished with the initial rescue efforts and were resting in an out of the way location as the soldiers began the body recovery operations. Copeland definitely looked the worse for wear of the two who actually looked awake, enough so that Toria went straight to him.

"Copeland," Toria said, smiling at Kyrie who looked back knowingly, "How are you feeling?"

"Better than the girls underneath the rocks," Copeland grumbled, "My head is a little sore, but other than that I'm fine."

"Drink some of this," Toria told him, handing him a flask of her formula, "This should take the edge off that headache."

"How many are still missing, Kyrie?" Copeland asked her, "Do we have a final count yet?"

"Sixteen dead," Kyrie told him as he downed the potion, "A further twenty or so injured. It's a good thing your father did what he did or we'd be looking at closer to fifty dead."

"You two and Suvorov did a good bit too," Toria told them, "It looks like we've got things under control here."

"How is Dad?" Copeland asked Toria, "Anything to worry about?"

"Old man thinks he will be fine," Toria said, "After checking him out I'm inclined to agree. Medico Rasten will keep an eye on him, but most likely he will just have to sleep for a day or so and be fine."

"You heading back home, Mom?" Kyrie asked her.

"Yeah," she nodded, "They need me up there. One of the local girls is having a difficult pregnancy and is developing complications. I'm better at that than Warren is."

"We'll be ok," Copeland told her, "It's going to be a pain in the ass for a while, but we'll manage. I'm just glad you were here."

"Be careful," Toria told him seriously, "You aren't quite all here yet, Copeland Don't hurt yourself."

"I'll keep an eye on him, Mom," Kyrie promised as Trinaferro came into the room, "Don't worry about it."

"I worry about both of you," Toria said, "But I trust you both. Be careful."

"Leaving already, sis?" Trinaferro asked as she went up to hug her sister, "You made it through ok?"

"Guest rooms weren't hit at all," Toria said, "The damage was all on the Mullinix suites and the house staff areas."

Toria waved her goodbyes and hugged Kyrie one more time before she made her way out of the secure zone. When Suvorov saw her leave the room he nodded for one of the younger guards to assist her and provide some protection. He then joined Copeland, Kyrie and Trinaferro in the anteroom.

"Anything found from our assassin?" Suvorov asked, "Or is it still too unstable?"

"We're not going to find much," Copeland told him, "When a power user goes up like that it means they use their life force and any other power they can pull to power the explosion. I doubt we'll find anything other than some errant bits of clothing that are charred beyond recognition."

"How did you know?" Kyrie asked Copeland, "We all heard that ungodly yell of yours."

"She pulled power," Copeland shrugged, "I felt it and knew it wasn't one of us."

"She likely has pulled dirty power before," the old man said without moving, speaking for the first time in an hour, "You will always be sensitive to that, Copeland. Blood power changes a person and that assassin has likely used it before."

"Where does someone learn how to do it?" Copeland asked the old man, "Mullitard didn't seem to have any formal training, but this girl was efficient."

"The only place it isn't punished is in Bolantine training camps," the old man told them, finally sitting up and looking alive again, "Mason told me stories about them years ago."

"Has Mason been found yet?" Trinaferro asked, "He was in the spare room just off ours?"

"We moved him an hour ago," Suvorov said, "Still unconscious but otherwise undamaged. We've got him in the hearing chamber balcony separated from the others. We're using the hearing chamber for the wounded."

"It will take more than an exploding person to kill him," the old man said, "He'll wake up soon."

"Most likely," Suvorov agreed, "Now we need to figure out what to do about the murder cases that we get this week."

"Session is cancelled for the next week," Trinaferro ordered, "Any murder trials can wait until we get things sorted out here. We have to figure out how much damage there is to our governmental functions."

"Offices are still good," Copeland told her, "The living quarters were an addition to the main building three hundred years after the governmental building opened to make it more efficient for the work of the Mullinix to happen with as minimal protection as possible. The buildings have separate foundations and don't share load bearing walls."

"Look at you with the knowledge," Kyrie grinned, "Where did you pick up that tidbit?"

"Iggy," Copeland shrugged, "Who else?"

"Good," Trinaferro said, "We still have the basics then. We can find someplace to sleep in the meantime."

"Trina!" Alisa exclaimed, running into the room, "There's news off the wire."

"I'm sure," Trinaferro said, "What this time?"

"King Harmon was assassinated," she said, her voice trembling, "An assassin slit his throat while he slept and escaped. The assassin is still at large."

"Damn it," Trinaferro said, "Who does that leave in charge over there?"

"Prince Weatherby," Suvorov said, "He is not as strong as his father, but smart enough. He has been handling intelligence duties for ten years now. I see him once a year to confer on the Bolantines."

"I don't see what the Bolantines gain by this," Kyrie said, "That's what doesn't make sense."

"Chaos," Suvorov said, "Things are probably in chaos over in Sotanberg. Can you imagine how bad things would be here with you and Medo dead at once and Viradoferro inexperienced like he is?"

"We don't know it's the Bolantines," Trinaferro said, "I don't want anyone in this building saying otherwise publicly unless we know for sure."

"This is in private," Suvorov said, "They're the likely suspects."

"First we need to find out how and who," Copeland said simply, "The why will likely follow once we have that established."

"I need to send a representative to Sotanberg," Trinaferro said, "If I send Copeland or Kyrie it will seem like a slight."

"I'm the last person you want to send," Suvorov said, "I'll lead the investigation on the assassination on this side, but I'm no diplomat."

"Charissa would be better for that," Kyrie suggested, "She's senior enough and she's officially a representative now. They'll understand when told about our attempt here."

"Kyrie and I will help Suvorov," Copeland said quickly, "He's likely going to need more people and we need to learn how to do that."

Suvorov thought about protesting for a moment, but remembered Copeland's comments while they were pulling people out of the rubble. He looked at the young man and was met with a determined stare that almost dared him to challenge the fact that he and Kyrie were going along.

"Fine," Trinaferro said, agreeing without hesitation, "Stacy will have to handle Northport alone until Medo is up and around. Where the hell is Viradoferro?"

"I don't know," Copeland said honestly, "Last time I saw him he was working with Elise on accounting for the house staff."

"He took a small guard contingent and went to Elise's apartment," Kyrie said, "I wasn't in the mood to try to stop him."

"He should be here," Trinaferro said, letting her annoyance come out a little, "I'll deal with that later. I'll put him on the repair planning. I shouldn't have to teach him much for that."

"He should be able to handle that," Copeland agreed, thankful that he wouldn't have to defend him right now, "I'll help when not helping Suvorov."

"Ok," Trinaferro said, "I'm tired as hell and am going to go rest next to Medo so he has a familiar face when he wakes up."

"Might want to join him," the old man said, making himself known again, "He burned a lot of power and is probably having trouble staying warm."

"Ok," Trinaferro said, a small smile finally broaching her face, "Thanks."

"Trina," Suvorov said, "I'm going to do it anyway, but figure you should know. I'm sending Lister back to the Mavelans by the end of the week. We're stepping up surveillance of the Bolantines until we know someone else is behind it."

"Do it," Trinaferro agreed, "We need information. You have Mullinix approval for the operation."

"Copeland," the old man said as everyone broke off, "Help me up to Mason's spot in the balcony. I will stay with him as I know best how to deal with him when he awakens."

"Of course," Copeland nodded, "Rav, Kyrie... Where do you want to meet?"

"At the front gate in ten minutes," Suvorov said, "We're getting out of here for a bit to do some investigating."

Copeland nodded and walked with the old man towards the stairs. The old man had visibly aged in the past hours, but this was a relative thing for a man who was easily in his nineties and possibly older. He wondered why he was helping a man who could probably, despite his advanced age, still wipe the floor with him.

"Why am I here?" Copeland asked.

"You know why," the old man said, "Remember what I said before you took this job?"

"That I could never go back?" Copeland wondered, "Yes, I remember."

The old man looked at the young Mullinix representative and wondered how much he had already seen. He decided that he didn't have enough access to the young Mullinix apprentice to know enough about him but figured that Copeland should know something wasn't right.

"It is only partially true," he said gravely, "You can never go back, but sometimes you can correct a mistake."

"What do you mean?" Copeland asked, "What do you know?"

"I know you suspect something," the old man said, "And I saw something on that lady friend of the young Mullinix. Both things were painfully obvious when his name was spoken in the meeting."

"I don't know what to do," Copeland admitted.

"Yes you do," the old man suggested, "You have to be sure. You can't serve him in the way a representative needs to if you have any doubts. Satisfy your curiosity. You will either become closer to him or you will confirm your doubt. Either way you will be better off."

"Yeah," Copeland agreed, "That's why I'm going with Suvorov. He's paranoid enough to believe me."

"That paranoia has saved his life more than once," the old man said, "Rav Suvorov is coarse and bullheaded, but he is a fundamentally good man. So are you, Copeland Irons. Remember that and you'll be fine."

"Thanks," Copeland smiled, "I'd better go."

"Yes you should," the old man agreed and watched as the young man headed out to find out his true destiny.

Chapter 53 - Calming Viradoferro

"What the hell was that?" Viradoferro asked Elise when they got to her apartment, "What did you do in there?"

"Nothing," Elise said, almost honestly, "I didn't do a damn thing in there other than save your sorry ass."

"I didn't join this mission to get killed!" Viradoferro exclaimed, "This is crazy! I should have my head examined..."

"This is what you were born for," Elise explained through gritted teeth, "That attempt had nothing to do with you other than to keep the attention off your woefully inadequate performance as a Mullinix." She wisely left off the snarky comment about his manhood from the end of that statement.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Viradoferro seethed.

"I needed you to act the way you did," Elise said, "You have to be better about staying in character. If anyone gets a whiff of this you will get us both killed. You're already breaking character enough by being here instead of helping in the recovery."

"How the hell am I supposed to react?" Viradoferro asked, "These people aren't normal. They do things that don't make sense to me."

No kidding, Elise thought to herself. Viradoferro didn't have any grasp of the concept of self-sacrifice. She knew he was one of the weaker candidates from the replacement program, but with five straight years of failure they were running out of suitable candidates. It was just dumb luck that he was the one who made it into the list when there was an actual natural Mullinix death.

"Listen to me," Elise said to her charge, "You are Alvin Nixon, also known as Viradoferro. Everything else is a distant second. If you can't hold on they will destroy you. Let me know if you plan on self-destructing so I can get out of the country before you do."

"Fine," Viradoferro sighed, "So what do we do now?"

"We play your outbursts at the palace as if it was the response to stress," Elise said, "Then we find out what duties Trinaferro has assigned to you."

"What are you going to do?" Viradoferro asked, "I seem to be doing a damn lot of the work."

"I'm going to send a message back to the empire," Elise sighed, "Reporting the loss of the assassin."

"Great," Viradoferro sighed, "Can I at least stay here tonight?"

"Sure," Elise said, "Go to bed and I'll join you soon."

Elise sighed and watched her troubled Mullinix go to the bedroom. She wanted little more than to leave this place and have a good cry over the death of her sister, but she couldn't manage it. She knew she had her duty to the empire and it included sleeping with Viradoferro. She sighed and went to sullenly fulfill her duty for that night.

Chapter 54 - Suvorov

Rav Suvorov grabbed the suitcase he had been traveling with for years and went out to the front of the castle. He had been through this routine enough times that he kept two of them ready at any given time for situations like this. It was a difficult life but one that he had begun to enjoy and in a way he had been relieved that Medoferro had decided to expand the representative pool.

He figured the kids would be late, but wanted to be on time so he'd be justified in chewing them out. He was surprised to find them sitting there waiting for him. He knew that Copeland and Kyrie were inspired choices, but was surprised that they were doing that good.

"What kept you?" Copeland asked him, smiling.

"You've outdone yourself," Suvorov chuckled, "Where is your kit?"

"I don't have one," Copeland admitted, "We'll manage."

"Ok," Suvorov nodded, "You have your credentials, right?"

"That we do have," Kyrie agreed, "We need to talk, however."

"You have a suspicion," Suvorov said, "What is it?"

"Not here," Copeland said, looking around, "We need to get out of here before we talk."

"I know where to go," Suvorov said, "Follow me."

The three of them went downtown to an old bar that Suvorov knew well. Thirty years before it had been a meeting place for disaffected veterans of the Cirrus conflict under rebel leader Cholt. After the defeat of the Mavelan invasion and Cholt's years leading the Mullinix army of the south it became a shrine to his accomplishments.

"Welcome to Cholt's bar," Suvorov said, "This old place has seen a lot of exploits hatched. I even spent a lot of time under the tables in my youth."

"Your youth," Cholt snorted from his usual perch behind the bar, "Your youth is almost as far behind you as mine is."

"I don't deny it," Suvorov smiled, "How are you, you old war horse?"

"Not bad," Cholt said, "I hear you made full rep."

"Yep," Suvorov said, "Not that I haven't had the job for nearly twenty years anyway. Now I get to train two more."

"I heard what happened at the Palace," Cholt said, "Everyone all right?"

"Medo is still out," Suvorov said, "A large chunk of the house staff is dead. Not been a good day."

"I hope you don't think the assassin's crew is hiding here," Cholt said, "You know I'd tell you if I heard anything."

"Nothing of the sort," Suvorov smiled, "I want to borrow your secure room for a while. The palace has more holes than a slab of Selenian Cheese right now."

"All yours," Cholt said, "You know the code for the lock."

"Thanks Cholt," Suvorov smiled, "Keep your ear to the ground, eh?"

"Always," Cholt smiled.

Suvorov opened the secure door in the back and hustled Copeland and Kyrie inside. There were a few benches and a well-used table. Suvorov sat down in a familiar spot and invited Copeland and Kyrie to do the same. They did and marveled at the history this little room held.

"Ok," Suvorov said, "Spit it out. You have a suspicion and it's eating you alive."

"There's something off about Viradoferro," Copeland said finally, "I started noticing it just before I got hurt. The vibes have gotten worse since then."

"That's conduct unbecoming a rep," Suvorov said, "There's got to be more to it than that."

"I agree with him," Kyrie told Suvorov, "Something isn't right. Alisa told us some things that helped turn our head last night at the pub."

Kyrie and Copeland spent some time relaying the stories and letting Suvorov make his own decision. Copeland didn't know if he was making his case well.

"Still think this is conduct unbecoming?" Copeland asked him.

"Of course I do," Suvorov said, "But that isn't a bad thing. If I had questioned authority thirty years ago like you are now things might have gone a lot differently in Cirrus."

"So you believe us?" Copeland asked him.

"I believe you're seeing something," Suvorov said, "And you're smart enough to know that a public accusation could be deadly to his reputation. What do you want to do about it?"

"I want to go to Mullinix Oasis," Copeland said, "Some things don't make sense. I think I may find the answers there."

"I think we all should go," Kyrie told them, "Because if our suspicion is right and something is wrong then..."

"Then our investigation will be on the right track," Suvorov agreed, "That isn't the first order of business, however."

"What is?" Kyrie asked.

"These," Suvorov told them, handing over the log books from the gates, "We need to look for abnormalities."

"You brought them with you?" Copeland asked, surprised, "How did you know I was going to ask you about this?"

"Because if you didn't I was going to ask you," Suvorov smiled, "The fact you asked the question makes me respect the both of you more."

"Thanks," Copeland smiled, "Give me one and let's go through it."

"Me too," Kyrie said, "What am I looking for?"

"Anyone that doesn't belong," Suvorov said, "The palace complex was designed with only three outdoor entrances for a reason. One of them goes to an enclosed field that has thirty-foot walls and is guarded from above. The other two are heavily guarded with no one getting in and out without a pass."

"Ok," Copeland nodded, "How many logs?"

"We'll go back a day," Suvorov said, "You two go through the door logs since you know the house staff better than I do. I'll go over the patrol activity logs."

The three of them spent the next hour going through the logs. Line by line they read the names and matched the pass numbers. Copeland and Kyrie kept switching logs and still couldn't find anything. There was nothing in the logs that even hinted of anything funny.

"We're getting nowhere," Kyrie sighed, "Everyone listed is legit."

"Yeah," Copeland agreed, "Maybe someone slipped by?"

"Two guards," Suvorov said, "Always young and always from different areas of the country. You'd have to get both to agree not to log you."

"Not likely," Copeland nodded, "So maybe we are going about it the wrong way. Is there anyone who doesn't have to show a pass?"

"You," Suvorov said, "The Mullinix and the reps do not need passes."

"Unless Viradoferro walked the assassin in himself that's not likely to be a factor," Kyrie said, "And he was with us and Elise all last night at the pub."

"Wait," Copeland said, thinking about that, "Elise was with us at the pub last night... She came back with us and didn't have to use her pass..."

"So?" Suvorov asked.

"North gate log," Copeland said, "Elise was listed in there. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but why would she be listed in a pass check log if she didn't use her pass?"

Kyrie had that particular log and looked through it, finding Elise Malloy listed in the six o'clock hour. She looked at it and checked the numbers carefully.

"The pass is right," Kyrie said, "But she was with us at the pub at that time. Copeland, Alisa and I were there with her from about five until nearly ten."

"Plenty of time for someone to get in on her pass," Suvorov said, "But how the hell did they pull off looking like her? The passes are photographic as well as numeric?"

"Photographs are lousy," Kyrie said, remembering Alisa's pass, "She isn't known at the north gate."

"Still doesn't explain how she had it this morning," Copeland said, "Unless she got it back from the assassin."

"I think you have found out how they got in," Suvorov said, "Now we are faced with two really ugly possibilities."

"Either Elise is consorting with assassins," Copeland said.

"Or our pass system is compromised," Kyrie finished, "Either one is a lousy possibility."

"I think you're right," Suvorov said to Copeland, "We need to go to the Oasis."

"We tell Trina we're going there and she's sure to tell Vlad," Kyrie said, "It's too early for that."

"South Mullinix," Copeland said, "We'll tell Mom we're checking a lead there. She's got enough on her head. She won't ask for specifics if we tell her that it's only a possibility. We can stay on the train until we get to Mullinix Oasis."

"Right," Suvorov nodded, "Let's go report and then head out."

Copeland and Kyrie sighed. They didn't know where they were going, but they both thought they were not going to like the end result when they got there.

Chapter 55 - The Immortal Awakening

Lister Black took his turn sitting in the balcony area with Mason Stone and Medoferro. There was an informal guessing game going on which one of them would wake up first. Lister figured it would be the Mullinix, but knew that Mason was a tough bastard as well. He looked at both of them and then looked at Trinaferro as she walked through the door.

"Suvorov gone already?" Lister asked her as she walked in and sat down with Medoferro.

"He went with Kyrie and Copeland to check out some leads," Trinaferro said, "Everything is under control right now so I figured I'd come sit with Medo."

"How are you handling this?" Lister asked her, "This hasn't been a good day for anyone."

"I'm ok," Trinaferro said, looking again at Medoferro, "I'll be better when he wakes up."

"I'm sure it will be soon," Lister told her, "They can't stay asleep forever."

"Sure they can," the old man said from his relaxed perch at the back of the room, "It's called death."

"I'm hoping that's premature," Lister said, "We really don't need any more corpses today."

"You aren't kidding," Trinaferro sighed, "We lost another one of the girls to her injuries. I almost wish they had taken one of us. It might have been better than having this many people dead."

"Don't think about that," Lister told her, "No one could have foreseen this. You aren't even a power user and from the sound even the power users weren't expecting this one."

"That is putting it mildly," the old man said, "It takes an insane amount of dedication and desire not to get caught to go out like she did. I've heard stories of it, but have never seen it before. If this is the result, I hope to hell I never see it again."

"That makes two of us," Lister said, shuddering, "Reminds me of the fireball that Medoferro made in Cirrus during that war thirty years ago."

"You saw that?" Trinaferro asked.

"Yep," Lister nodded, "I was a fifteen-year old trying like hell to stay alive in the mess and not end up a Mavelan. I had just beaten a Mavelan soldier over the head with a club when I saw the blast. I was probably a quarter mile away and cheered right along with the rest of them. That fireball saved our asses that night."

"Did Suvorov go over what he wants you to do down there?" Trinaferro asked him, deciding it was time to change the subject.

"Yes," Lister nodded, "Honestly, we already have some people going across the border regularly. Pirotase has had those operations going on for over a decade, figuring that even if you didn't want to antagonize them they were better off knowing."

"When were you planning on telling us this?" Trinaferro wondered.

"When we found info you needed to know or if you needed to start this on your own," Lister shrugged, "I figured it was something we should be doing."

"We should have done this sooner," Trinaferro agreed, "I don't see..."

She stopped when she saw motion from Medoferro. She picked up his hand and held it as he woke up and made eye contact with her. She smiled at him and was very relieved to see those eyes open finally.

"How long have I been out?" Medoferro asked her.

"Just under a day," She said, "Copeland and Rav pulled you out of your construct."

"How many dead?" he asked them.

"Too many," Lister grumbled.

"It would have been worse if he didn't do it," the old man said, "Suvorov and the kid pulled out at least two-dozen people who would have died in the collapse otherwise."

"Copeland and Rav ok?" Medoferro asked them.

"They are fine," Trinaferro assured him, "The casualties were all pages and house staff. Not that that's any better, but it could have been worse."

"Should have had the guards run her through," Medoferro grumbled and sat up, "My mouth tastes of potion. I take it Toria jammed me full of the vile stuff?"

"Before she went home," Trinaferro nodded, "She said you would be fine once you slept it off."

"I'm just glad it worked," the old man said, "Where did you learn that little trick?"

"The unconscious man laying over here," Medoferro said, pointing at Mason, "He taught it to me in Siraq twenty years ago."

"Figures," the old man nodded, "Now we have to wait for his brain to regenerate enough to wake up."

"Looks like he's in REM sleep," Trinaferro said, noticing the immortal's eyes, "That's a good sign, right?"

"Probably wake up at any point," the old man said, "Wake me when he does."

The old man went to sleep again, leaving Medo, Lister and Trinaferro sitting there. Trinaferro brought her lover up to speed on what had happened in the hours he was out, including the death of King Harmon in a very similar assassination method.

"Do we have anyone on the way?" Medoferro asked Trina.

"I caught Charissa in Massimaferro Village," she told him, "She got on a barge to Gaines and will take the passenger ferry to the capitol."

"Good," Medo nodded, "Simon going with her?"

"No," Trina said, shaking her head, "He will continue with his investigation. He'll take one of Ballfur's boys with him to Hulkensuxor."

"Sounds like you have it in hand," Medoferro smiled, "What is our young Mullinix doing?"

"Sulking at his girlfriend's apartment," Trinaferro grumbled, "In all fairness he's probably scared as hell, but that doesn't excuse the conduct."

"He'll grow out of it," Medoferro said, "I'll talk to him later."

Lister just sat back and kept an eye on Mason Stone. He noticed the immortal's eyes moving quicker and quicker and finally stop. He wondered what that meant when the immortal finally opened his eyes and sat up. He looked around quickly and assessed the people around him.

"Where am I?" Mason asked them.

"Mullinix Palace," Medoferro said, "Do you recognize any of us, Mason?"

Mason looked at them both and nothing came to his memory. He had felt this type of confusion before and knew it was likely that he'd had some head damage. He put together some basic thoughts and figured the men in the room didn't look dangerous.

"Who are you?" Mason asked finally.

"Medoferro," he said and then pointed at Trina, "This is Trinaferro. Lister Black is the younger man here. I was hoping you'd remember us."

"Mason," the old man said, sitting up, "I see you've rejoined us."

"That voice I remember," Mason said, squinting into the dark corner where the old man had been resting, "A bit older than I remember, but is that you Rodney?"

"Yes," the old man admitted, "Though I don't generally use my name anymore. Quickly, Mason, who is the active Mullinix?"

"Crianferro," Mason said quickly, reflexively, "He just chose a new kid, Insegniferro, to take the apprentice slot."

"You've lost about fifty years," the old man told him, "Crianferro has been dead for at least that long. Insegniferro just passed on himself a couple months ago."

"That doesn't surprise me," Mason said, "How long have I been out?"

"Best guess is six months," Lister told him, "A couple of my men found you in a beaver dam that had been there for about that long."

"We fished a piece of a Bolantine factory out of your head," the old man said, "Kept your cerebral cortex from properly reforming."

"That doesn't surprise me," Mason sighed, "Whenever Bolantine is involved bad things happen. Where are Karen and Jim?"

"No idea," the old man said, "They could be anywhere by now."

"I take it one of you two is the current Mullinix?" Mason asked Medo and Trina.

"I am," Trinaferro said, "Medo is now the Elder with Insegniferro's death."

"I have some history to catch up on," Mason sighed, "Someone mind spending some time telling me some stories?"

"I will," the old man said, "I have little better to do. Medo, Trina and Lister all have jobs they need to do."

"I guess I need to get ready for Northport," Medoferro sighed, "Stacy know what's going on?"

"She's holding on," Trinaferro said, "I will work on getting things back together here."

"Mason," Lister said, shaking his hand, "It's good to see you back up and around even if you don't remember me. You saved my butt twenty years ago. If you ever need me to return the favor, let me know."

"Thank you," Mason said, "I may remember sometime soon, depends on how much physical damage was done to my short-term memory. Right now I'm operating off genetic memory."

"What's that?" Trinaferro, who nearly became a medico herself, asked curiously?

"A phenomenon you only see in really old humans or immortals," Mason told her, "The short-term memory has a finite amount of space, so it starts transferring old information into the genome of the body. Given an advanced age it can be used to recreate the person. You see a minor variant of this whenever an older person can remember things that happened fifty years ago but can't remember what they had for dinner."

"Neat," Trinaferro said, "So you can't lose yourself?"

"Not anymore," Mason said, "Though I could go through a much more radical personality shift if I lose my whole head. Sounds like it was just damaged."

"Well feel free to stay here until you feel ready to move on," Medoferro said, "After all you did for us in the Bolantine war twenty years ago it is the least we can do."

"Ok Rodney," Mason said, "Time for you to start some storytelling."

"Lister," the old man said, "Could you stay for some of this?"

"Sure," he nodded, "I'd be glad to."

"Come on," Medoferro said to Trina, "Show me how bad the damage is before I start out for Northport."

The two of them left the immortal with Lister and the old man and smiled as they heard the stories start. It was good to have at least that bit of business over with, now they could get on to more important things, like finding out who tried to kill them.

Chapter 56 - Awkward Meetings

"Ok," Suvorov said as they walked up to the palace, "You two are still sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes," Copeland nodded as he followed, "We need to know."

"I'm in," Kyrie agreed, "We both need to know."

"Then you follow me," Suvorov told them, "Let me explain it to Medoferro. You two are simply along for the ride."

"Why?" Copeland asked him.

"I don't want to tip our hand," Suvorov said, "It's easier to lie if I don't have to cover your lies as well."

"I don't like this," Kyrie said, "We're supposed to serve them."

"And we are," Copeland said, "Knowing this will be serving them well."

"Exactly," Suvorov nodded, "If we're wrong, then we forget this and move on, never to talk about it again."

"Let's do this," Kyrie sighed, "I want to get out of town and get this over with."

"Me too," Copeland nodded, "Trust me."

"That makes three of us," Suvorov grumbled, "I find it just as distasteful."

The three of them didn't speak about it again as they entered the Mullinix chamber. They were glad to see Medoferro back up among the living and surprised to see the immortal standing among the living again.

"Nice to see you back up on your feet, Medo," Suvorov said as he walked in, "Mason, how are you feeling old friend?"

"A bit lost," Mason said, "I take it I know you from somewhere?"

"Yeah," Suvorov said, "I guess the damage got some of your memory?"

"I guess you could say that," Mason said, "I hate it when this happens."

"I'd imagine you've been there before," Suvorov said, offering his hand, "Rav Suvorov, we met in Siraq nearly twenty years ago. Your friend Entragian saved our asses a few times up there."

"Glad to meet you again," Mason nodded, "Mullinix rep?"

"Yep," Suvorov nodded, "Secondary rep now that Insegniferro is gone. Copeland and Kyrie here are the new reps for Viradoferro."

"Has he come back yet?" Copeland asked, knowing it would be odd if he didn't.

"No," Medoferro grumbled, "He'd best get here soon."

"He's coming in now," Copeland said, seeing Viradoferro's signature approaching the palace, "He has people with him, likely his guards."

"How do you see that?" Medoferro asked him.

"I'm starting to learn how to use the power sight," Copeland shrugged, "I had no choice when I lost my glasses after the explosion."

"Good," Medoferro nodded, "You're already surpassing me on that."

"Thanks," Copeland smiled.

"So have you found anything?" Lister asked Suvorov, "Anything I need to look at?"

"I don't know for sure yet," Suvorov said honestly, "We're going to go to South Mullinix and check out a lead I do have."

"When?" Medoferro asked him.

"Now," Suvorov shrugged, "There's no place for us to sleep anyway, we might as well take the late train."

"Sounds good," Medoferro said, "When are you heading back, Lister?"

"I'm sticking around for a bit," Lister said, "Pirotase is worried about what happened up here so I'm going to coordinate with Medoferro for a bit and be a conduit for them."

"Welcome back," Medoferro said, his tone not even coming close to hiding the disapproval he felt for his apprentice, "Did you have a good time, Viradoferro?"

"I needed to get away," Viradoferro said, coming in and taking his seat, "It's not every day someone tries to kill us."

"We'll discuss this later," Medoferro said, "Just don't do it again."

"I had to sleep somewhere," Viradoferro shrugged, not in the mood for it, "I just chose to do it somewhere but here."

"Vlad," Copeland suggested, "Now isn't the time for this."

"Talk to him," Suvorov said quietly, "That's your job."

"Right," Copeland nodded, "We need to talk, Vlad."

Medoferro looked at his son and the young Mullinix and wondered if he was being too hard on the boy. Viradoferro took a deep breath and walked over to the edge of the room to talk with his Mullinix. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to handle this, but figured he had to say something.

"What happened?" Copeland asked him.

"I panicked," Viradoferro sighed, "I couldn't handle it. I don't know if I'm right for this."

"You are here," Copeland told him, "If we didn't think you could do it you wouldn't have been chosen."

"Right," Viradoferro said, "What should I do?"

"Help," Copeland said, "That's the only way you'll get back on my dad's good side."

"Ok," Viradoferro sighed, "Thanks."

Copeland nodded and kept himself from saying anything. He watched the young Mullinix walk over and join Medoferro on the couch. He looked at the young man with his power sight, something he hadn't done before. The power emitted from him was seriously different. Unfortunately, he had never seen Marina so he had never seen anyone as empty as her. If he had he would have called out Viradoferro right then and there.

"Everything all right?" Medoferro asked them.

"I hope so," Copeland said, "What do you think, Vlad?"

"I'm sorry," Viradoferro said, though it was obvious to all three power users in the room that this was a lie, "What do you need me to do?"

"Work with Alisa and take stock of the damage so we can get it fixed," Medoferro said, "We need estimates of what is damaged and what is salvageable."

"Fair enough," Viradoferro said, "Care to join me, Copeland?"

"Can't," Copeland told him, "Kyrie and I are training on the investigative side with Suvorov. We're on our way out to South Mullinix in a few minutes."

"What's in South Mullinix?" Viradoferro asked, "You don't think this was home grown do you?"

"I don't know yet," Suvorov said, "But we'll find out."

"Be safe," Medoferro told them, "And I'll give Trina your best."

Suvorov nodded and looked at Copeland and Kyrie. They waved and the three of them walked out the door. On their way to the train station they didn't talk much but once they got into the cabin the discussion began.

"You saw something," Suvorov said, "What?"

"Gut feeling," Copeland said, "He isn't right. I just don't know how to tell."

"Why isn't your father seeing it?" Kyrie wondered.

"Medo wouldn't be reading him," Suvorov said, "You're not supposed to read your friends."

"Not without reason to suspect him of anything more than cowardice," Copeland nodded, "That just made me more inclined to believe my gut."

"Then let's get proof," Suvorov told them, "Who is taking first watch?"

"I will," Copeland said, "I can't sleep anyway."

"Kyrie," Suvorov said, "Get some rest. I'm going to do the same. Copeland when you get tired wake one of us up to relieve you."

"Ok," Copeland nodded, "Night."

Copeland watched them go to sleep and then looked out the window. He knew that he wouldn't enjoy this trip, but it had to be done. He just prayed to anything he could manage to think of that he was wrong in what he was thinking. Unfortunately, he knew he probably wasn't. That alone was enough to keep him awake that night.

Chapter 57 - Man the Buckets

Corie paced on the deck of the ship trying to keep himself from throwing up. He hated the water and traveling on it. He knew that it was necessary to get to where they were going, but his body was not very good at handling it.

"You look like hell," Commander Sheldon told him, "You don't do sea travel well?"

"Not in the slightest," Corie grumbled, "But I'm the one they chose for this."

"No one handles this type of travel well," Sheldon said, "The seas out here are rough and these ships are not designed for them. These are coast huggers."

"Where are we?" Corie asked him, "I can't see shit out here."

"The clouds are everlasting," Sheldon told him, "That's why we're out this far. They can't see us."

"How do we know where we are?"

"Timing and light," Sheldon told him, "See the edge of the cloud cover?"

"Yeah," Corie nodded, "We follow that?"

"It roughly coincides with the coastline," Sheldon said, "We'll peek out the edge occasionally and make sure that we're on the right track."

"I see no fire is allowed on deck," Corie said, "Why?"

"Water is flammable out here," Sheldon explained, "Could take the ship in a heartbeat."

Lady M walked out onto the deck in her usual way. She didn't seem at all fazed by the moving ship. Corie scowled at her, knowing that she wouldn't see it. Sheldon smiled and nodded at the completely covered woman.

"I see you two are enjoying the awful air," Lady M said, "We are nearing the Mullinix coastline."

"Yep," Sheldon said, "How are your charges doing?"

"Sleeping," Lady M said, "They'll live long enough to do their jobs."

"How do you not get sick out here?" Corie had to ask.

"I can't see the moving scenery," Lady M said, "My equilibrium is fine. I'm rather enjoying getting out of the lab."

"This isn't a game, Lady M," Corie reminded her, "This is not going to be pretty."

"I'm just hoping my horde makes it to Mullinix," Lady M said, the smile coming through in her voice, "Let Medoferro deal with that if he survived the assassins."

"Wait," Sheldon said, "They sent assassins after the Mullinix?"

"Who gave that idiotic order?" Corie asked, "Are they trying to get us killed?"

"Empress Bolantine herself," Lady M shrugged, "It should be done by the time we get to Gottgol. I just wish I could see it myself."

"Great," Corie said, "I knew this wasn't going to be fun."

"I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop," Sheldon said, "These ships are not designed for the acidic water out here."

"How bad?" Lady M asked him, "Will these ships hold up?"

"No idea," Sheldon said, "The orders came through to build them to the Mullinix specs. We did put on some stuff to help keep it going, but we may end up heading for shore."

"Let's hope not," Corie grumbled, "I really don't feel like sinking in this."

"Leak!" one of Sheldon's men yelled, "Quadrant five!"

"Let's go," Sheldon yelled, "We need all the help we can get. Put on a protective suit and go bail water."

"Great," Corie grumbled, "Let's get this over with."

Corie followed and put on one of the rubberized suits. Sheldon's men did a competent patching job on the leak, but they spent the next two hours bailing out the compartment. He picked up a piece of the ship that had been removed in the patching process and looked at the piece of wood.

"This doesn't bode well," Corie said as he looked at the damaged piece of wood, "We should have covered it with the stuff we made these suits with."

"Not enough of it," Sheldon said, "Not to mention it won't hold up under prolonged exposure. We'll be ok. Once we've passed the Northport Bay Area we can come out of the shroud."

"You can do it after Connoer," Lady M told them, "Northport was destroyed in a hurricane about two months ago. Their ships should be gone and likely they will assume we're shipping."

"Good," Corie said, "The sooner we get out of this slop the better. Can your people do some patch work while the miners work?"

"Yes," Sheldon nodded, "We'll use the docking materials if we don't need to build the dock."

"I think we have a plan," Corie said, "Let me know if we get another leak. I'm going to my stateroom to try to sleep this off."

"Right," Lady M said slyly, "Be sure to bring a bucket."

"Heh," Corie said as he departed. He was regretting this trip more and more each minute.

He walked into his stateroom and pushed the lock closed. He sighed and laid out on the bed, pulling out his lockbox. He wasn't about to leave his papers at the mercy of Nanda. He justified it to himself in thinking that they might become useful in being that close to Mullinix.

He read the words again, although he had already memorized each and every one of them. He couldn't believe there was a place where people actually thought that human life was worth saving. He figured it had to be a psychological game, but what little he'd seen of the Mullinix made him think it might be true.

He put the thoughts out of his mind. It was his lot in life to be a stooge of the Bolantine Empire. He hoped he could keep things under control and that he could cause as few deaths as possible. He also hoped Bolantine didn't use this as an excuse to restart the war.

Chapter 58 - Safe House

Elise Malloy decided that she wasn't in the mood to sort letters in the postal facility and decided to spend some time working on her defenses. After her sister's failed assassination attempt she knew it was likely that some extra scrutiny would be coming her way.

She spent some time going through her apartment and made sure that there was nothing left there that was inconsistent with her assumed identity or that would indicate she wasn't who she said she was. She figured that at some point she would be getting a visit from someone.

It was a long hour she spent, but it was a way to keep her from thinking about Annalisa. She knew that Annalisa had made a mistake and that it had cost her life, but it didn't make that fact feel any better. The fact that Viradoferro was turning into a major disappointment didn't help matters much.

Once she finished cleaning and making sure she was clear in her apartment she sat down in a chair and just let herself go for a few minutes. She knew that she had to be strong in front of everyone but also knew that if she didn't give herself some time to grieve she would be at risk of falling apart.

She was in preparation for full breakdown when she heard a knock on the door. She took a moment to pull herself together and stood up to go to the door. Opening the door she got a shock that she wasn't expecting when she saw Adam Kubelsky, her trainer from the Southern Oasis camp.

"Adam!" Elise exclaimed, hugging him tightly, "What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting," he said and wrote down the rest, "Are you secure here?"

"Somewhat," she mouthed to him, "I haven't seen you since you last visited Dad back home in Oasis!"

"I happened to be in the capitol and your father asked me to look in on you," Adam said and wrote the next line, "Do you have a safe house?"

"It's nice to see you," she smiled and took his pad, "We can use Annalisa's old place," she wrote.

"Care to show me around?" Adam asked her.

"Sure," Elise nodded, "Let's go take a walk."

They stayed in character for a bit and walked around for a while. She wasn't sure she was being watched, but she assumed it for a while. They made sure they weren't being followed and then made their way to the boardinghouse where Annalisa had rented a room. She knew that they would know her as her sister, so she went to the desk.

"Good afternoon," the clerk said, "How can I help you Miss Abrams?"

"It's been a rotten afternoon," she said, "I lost my keys. How much is a replacement?"

"Five coins," he said, "You going to be staying with us for a while?"

"I'll be in and out," Elise said as she handed over the Mullinix coin, "How long did I pay again?"

"Three months up front," he said, "We appreciate the business."

"Thank you," she said, smiling, "Let's rest for a bit before we go out again, Adam."

"Sure," he nodded and followed her up to the room.

Annalisa had left the room barren when she had left. She spent only a couple days there and had been sure not to leave anything that would identify her differently than Andrea Abrams, the name she had used to come into Mullinix.

"This is as secure as we get," Elise said finally, "They haven't identified Annalisa yet and somehow I doubt they will be able to."

"What happened?" Adam asked her, "They sent me up here to assess things."

"She pulled power to assist with the blow," Elise said, "Unfortunately, because of her training in blood power the power pull was noticed by Copeland Irons. He was blasted open by blood power and can sense it a mile away."

"I'm assuming you told her," Adam sighed, "She didn't listen."

"She probably didn't think he'd be that sensitive," Elise sighed, "She likely only pulled enough to make sure that she did a fatal blow."

"So what happened after that?" Adam asked her.

"I don't know all of it," Elise said, "I woke up when Copeland let off a power yell to warn his father. Annalisa tried to escape but didn't quite make it. She finally..."

Corinne d'Abruzzi welled up a little and paused as she thought about her sister's final moments. Adam knew this had to be hard for her and knew she needed to finish it her own way. He hugged his former student and let her finish it her own way.

"She killed a guard for his power and once she realized she wouldn't get out she decided to make a final attempt to kill Medoferro," she told him, "She power screamed an apology to me, luckily using my real name and not the one I use now. I knew then what was going to happen and got Viradoferro behind the bed to shield from the blast."

"How did Medoferro survive?" Adam asked, "I'm assuming he was there."

"Medoferro and Copeland shielded," Elise said, "Medoferro used an ingenious construct to keep the area from collapsing and to absorb a large chunk of the explosive energy. He survived because Copeland was able to pull him out of the construct before it collapsed in on itself."

"Dumb luck," Adam said, shaking his head, "How the hell do they keep getting that lucky?"

"I don't know," Elise shrugged, "But there's what happened. Is that why you're here?"

"Partly," Adam said, "The Emperor is also worried about how your program is going."

"Lousy," Elise sighed, "I'm having more and more problems keeping him in line. His inadequacy is showing to the Mullinix too. I'm trying to keep him going, but you've dealt with him..."

"Yes," Adam nodded, "I knew Lady M was working on a plan up here, but even I wouldn't have come up with something this audaciously stupid."

"I'm glad you agree," Elise sighed, "But I'm sure the Emperor doesn't want to hear this."

"He was expecting this," Adam told her, "This was idiotic and he's smart enough to know that. That's why I'm here and not a simple messenger."

"What are your instructions?" Elise asked him.

"Get as much info as you can," Adam said, "If you think he will crack, get the hell out of town and bring him back to the empire. If you can bring any documents or anything else, that's a bonus."

"You're kidding?" she said, "They're actually not worried about making this a long term operation? Lady M is going along with this?"

"Lady M is on another mission," Adam told her, "The project was taken over by Empress Bolantine. She and the Emperor want information from it but don't want it to completely implode."

"I don't think any of us want this operation to implode," Elise nodded, "It would not be beneficial to anyone if that were to happen."

"They're afraid of a war starting over this before we're ready," Adam warned her, "Your instructions if he gets caught are to make sure that he cannot talk."

"That is an instruction I will gladly take," Elise smiled, "It's good to see you again, Adam. I needed a friendly face."

"Figured," Adam nodded, "I can't believe this worked."

"I really wish it hadn't," Elise sighed, "This was insane."

"It's done now," Adam assured Corinne, sitting next to her and putting a hand on her shoulder, "We will do the best we can with it."

"Any other instructions?" Elise asked him, trying to stiffen up her courage.

"If you break camp in the next two weeks head to Gottgol," Adam suggested, "Lady M's mission is up there, but knowing her and the fact that they took Corie along I'm betting it's the Bauxite mines in Eringol. I don't know all the details, but I'm betting it will become public soon enough. Use code yoko 1909 to get to the commander."

Adam considered getting up and going, but knew that his former student likely needed him. He had done this type of mission before and it was hard enough, but an infiltration on this scale was unprecedented. He guessed much of the success was due to Corinne's planning and determination.

"Do you need anything else?" Adam asked her, "Anything I can do to help?"

"A respite?" Elise asked him, "I'm sick of living as Elise Malloy and I'm sick of the only affection I get being from that perverted son of a bitch we installed as a Mullinix."

"Of course," Adam agreed and kissed her softly, "I remember our lessons well."

"How about a tension release session?" she asked him hopefully, "Something almost normal?"

"I can do that," he said, "Then I have to go check on another project of ours in Hulkensuxor."

"I'll take what I can get," she smiled, "Especially if it isn't him."

They spent the rest of the afternoon together, with Elise being temporarily suspended and replaced by Corinne again for the first time since she had assumed the identity of Elise Malloy some months earlier. It was a release she badly needed and it gave her hope that she had almost lost before.

"What would you do?" Elise asked Adam as they lay in the bed in her sister's room, "Would you stick it out?"

"I'd have probably killed him already," Adam chuckled, "But I'm not you, Corinne. You are doing a good job and you will be rewarded, especially if you can get out alive with good intelligence information."

"Let them know that I'll probably collapse the operation soon," she said finally, "I'd rather do a controlled departure in the middle of the night before they figure out something is off."

"I don't blame you," Adam agreed, "Just take care not to stay too long, Corinne. I want to see you in Bolantinople when this idiotic mission is over. Ok?"

"I'd like that," she smiled, "I'll look you up after I dump his idiocy."

"Be sure you do," Adam said, "When do you need to go back?"

"I probably need to avoid the place for a day," Elise said, "If only for my sanity. Annalisa's essence is all over the place and it makes me ill because of how it got there. If someone realizes that is what was affecting me it will break down the operation that much sooner."

"Right," Adam said, "Well why don't you and I relax here for a bit longer and then we'll part ways. You'll go home and back to the life and I'll slip out of the country to get the information back."

"In a few hours," she said, "Can I sleep first? Real sleep, please?"

"Knock yourself out," Adam said, "I'm waiting until Dark to leave town anyway."

"Are you heading home?" Corinne asked him.

"Nope," Adam said, "I have to go up north. We have another plant from the test program. I can't tell you who until you come back to Bolantinople."

Corinne smiled, nodded and simply curled up beside Adam to pretend she was somewhere else. She didn't care about any other plants, figuring that it would be better if she didn't know. She was just happy to be somewhere other than with Viradoferro. It was a short respite, but one she badly needed in order to go back at all.

Chapter 59 - The Oasis

Copeland Irons reclined in the special car on the train used by government functionaries. There were two Mullinix Colonels as well as several messengers in the car, though there were soundproof walls designed to give everyone privacy.

He was tense at what he would find and scared that he was on a wild goose chase. Of course, the fear that he was right was also haunting him as well. He was letting his thoughts run wild until Kyrie tapped him on the shoulder.

"You doing ok?" Kyrie asked him, "You look like you're scared."

"I am," Copeland said honestly, "I really don't want to be right here. If I'm right..."

"I know," she sighed, "But what can we do?"

"Find out for sure," Suvorov said, "We should be at Mullinix Oasis in a few minutes. We should be able to find out things quickly."

"Where should we start?" Kyrie asked, "I mean I've never done this before."

"We're doing an audit" Suvorov said, "That should get us through most doors. I don't usually do this type of investigation, though. I'll let you two figure out how to handle it."

"Who does?" Copeland asked cynically, "I don't know of anyone who has done an investigation like this."

"Simon is doing one now," Suvorov reminded him, "He's investigating a possible rogue Colonel up in Hulkensuxor. Honestly, he usually does the internal investigations because he's good at it. I usually handle foreign intelligence."

"Yes," Kyrie said, "But you know damn well if Viradoferro isn't who he says he is it will turn out to be a Bolantine plot."

"Possibly," Suvorov admitted, "You did right. Simon probably wouldn't have considered the possibility."

"You did," Copeland said, "Why?"

"Thirty years ago," Suvorov said, remembering a bad time in his life, "Before I met your father I was a soldier down in Cirrus. We were told that the Mullinix had ordered us to perform the highly illegal missions we were sent on. We murdered innocent people while wearing Mavelan uniforms to keep the conflict down there going on. If I had asked the questions then that you are now, maybe it would have been different. You both know how that mess turned out after all."

"Yep," Copeland agreed, "With a war and Mom becoming the apprentice. You think you could have stopped it?"

"I don't know," Suvorov shrugged, "I do know that I promised myself that I would never again follow blindly. I know where Medo and Trina stand, but Viradoferro... Something about that kid doesn't sit right to me now that I've seen him in action."

"I guess it's time to find out," Kyrie noted, seeing that the train was stopping, "You ready?"

"No," Copeland said honestly, "But let's go anyway."

The three of them walked out of the train station and just walked down the main street of the small oasis town. The southernmost settlement in the Mullinix desert before it became the heavier sands of Damascas, the Oasis had a long and honorable history of producing most of the glass used in the Mullinix Empire. It was a smaller town, as the harsh climate tended to push all but the most steadfast locals away.

"Is it always this bright here?" Kyrie asked, "I've never seen the sun this bright anywhere!"

"It's the sand, Kyrie," Suvorov chuckled, "It reflects the sun during the day. You get used to it after a few hours. Where do you want to start?"

"The school," Copeland said, "The best records and a government employee that likely knew him. Do you usually do audits of school files?"

"We audit everything," Suvorov shrugged, "Most people don't know what we do, only that we have access to anything we want."

"Kyrie," Copeland said, "You're the best talker, why don't you talk up the teacher while Rav and I go over the files."

"Ok," she nodded, "I can do that."

The three of them walked up to the schoolhouse and found the teacher sitting in her desk correcting some papers. She looked up and smiled at the new people. Kyrie looked at Suvorov, who was the official man in the group.

"Good afternoon," Suvorov said, "Are you the local schoolmaster?"

"Yes," she nodded, "May I help you?"

"Mullinix representatives," Suvorov said, showing his identification, "I'm Rav Suvorov, these are trainees Copeland Irons and Kyrie Ellison."

"Nice to meet you, Representative Suvorov," she said, standing up and offered a hand, "How can I assist the Mullinix today?"

"Standard audit," Suvorov shrugged, "We're making a run across the southern regions and I'm teaching Copeland and Kyrie what to look at. Mind if we get your audits done early this year?"

"No problem," she said, "I just hope it's in order."

"Why's that?" Copeland asked, "Something happen?"

"The previous teacher died just after the last year ended," she said, "I haven't checked the previous year's files yet. I was hired from Selenia at the last minute."

"That's sad," Kyrie said, realizing this could be important, "I hope it wasn't too bad on the kids."

"Let's get started, Copeland," Suvorov said, "Kyrie, you can do it on your next stop if you want to talk for a bit."

"Sure," she smiled, nodding at them as they walked into the storeroom.

"It was awful," the teacher told Kyrie, "She was murdered in her home by a drifter. They're still looking for the guy."

"I hope they catch him," Kyrie said, "So you don't know anyone here well?"

"Nope," she said, "I'm getting along great with the families, though. I like it here."

"That's always good to hear," Kyrie smiled, "What do you think of the area?"

"It's quiet here," she said, "Not much happening really, but there is this one thing..."

While Kyrie and the schoolmaster spoke about the gossip of the little town Suvorov and Copeland began looking through the files. Luckily the previous schoolmaster had been meticulous in her files, so finding the original copies of the previous year's files was a breeze.

"Here," Copeland said, finding the official files, "I have Alvin Nixon. Elise Malloy has to be here somewhere."

"Hand over Alvin's file," Suvorov said, "I'll go over it. You take a look at Elise's file."

"Works for me," he said, handing it over, "Let's see if they tell us anything."

While Copeland and Suvorov went through the files Kyrie continued talking to the Schoolmaster, happily finding that despite her relative newness to the area she had become really good at learning everything about everyone.

"So what do you do with them?" the schoolmaster asked, "Just travel and audit?"

"Whatever needs doing," Kyrie shrugged, "I've only been doing it for a few weeks."

"Sounds like fun," she smiled, "So what is the Mullinix like? I've only heard stories."

"Medoferro is a smart man, but he has a fun side," Kyrie said, "Trinaferro is a bit more serious but she can pull a good one too. I don't know Viradoferro that well yet."

"I've heard a few stories," she said, "I never met the young Mullinix. I do know there was quite a bit of surprise when they found out Alvin Nixon was chosen."

"Why for?" Kyrie asked.

"The boy didn't seem the type," she shrugged, "I didn't meet him, but the local Medico was really surprised."

"Hmm," Kyrie said, "That's odd."

"Probably blossomed at service school," she said, "I know a lot of my friends did."

"Mine too," Kyrie agreed, "Oh, by the way... Since we're here, do you have any school pictures from last year? We've been trying to make Viradoferro feel at home and figured if we brought him some things from here we could help."

"Sure," she nodded and went to another closet, "The pictures are here somewhere."

While the schoolmaster looked for the picture Copeland couldn't believe what he was reading. He just couldn't believe that the Elise Malloy he knew was the same young woman whose file he was reading. By all rights, Elise should have been a high-ranking Mullinix candidate and in Medico Preparatory, which was why she was supposed to be in Mullinix Centre in the first place.

"This file doesn't gel with what we supposedly know about Elise," Copeland said, "What about yours?"

"I don't know him as well," Suvorov said, handing over the file to Copeland, "But I sure as hell wouldn't have chosen him off this file. He has scores indicating possible psychopathic tendencies, as well as poor public speaking skills. He's also more of a follower than a leader. The handwritten notes from his teacher also indicate that he hadn't been the same since an accident three years ago."

"Accident?" Copeland said, opening the file, "He sure as hell never mentioned anything about that."

"Do they have a mimeograph machine?" Suvorov asked, "We need copies of these files."

"Over in the corner," Copeland nodded, "Let me read Viradoferro's for a minute."

Copeland was aghast at the details in the file. Most of them didn't match in the slightest the man he had shared a room with. The scores didn't even come close to suggesting a Mullinix and didn't even make sense with the characteristics of the man he went to school with.

"I've never heard him stutter once," Copeland said, "Not to mention he has never had much of a lack of confidence."

Suvorov sighed and made copies of the files on the mimeograph machine. He wasn't thrilled with this turn of events. It definitely meant that there was something wrong and that they were looking at a potential Mullinix crisis. He looked at the young representative and wondered how the heck they got into this mess.

"The more I read the more I don't see the man I know as Alvin Nixon in here," Copeland said, "How the hell did Dad pick him with this?"

"I don't know," Suvorov said, "Let's take the files and get out of here. I want to study them and talk where we're not going to tip our hand."

"Let's get Kyrie and get out of here," Copeland agreed, "I will say, I was hoping I was wrong."

"Me too," Suvorov sighed, "I was hoping you would be wrong, but I know you too well, Copeland. I had a feeling you wouldn't be."

They finished copying the files and walked out to find Kyrie staring at the photograph that the schoolmaster had just procured for her. She looked up at them and the look on her face confirmed what they had already suspected. They were dealing with a plant in the most sensitive office in the nation.

"Is everything all right?" the schoolmaster asked them.

"Everything is in order," Suvorov said, managing to keep his composure, "Can you recommend a good place to eat? It's been a long day for us."

"Only place in town is the café on the square," the schoolmaster said, "Best beef in the empire, though I wish they'd serve fish once in a while."

"Wait," Copeland said, remembering Alvin's comments on food, "No fish?"

"The heat makes it hard to keep fish from the coast fresh," she said, "Fish isn't a big staple of the diet out here because of that."

"Of course," Copeland nodded, "That makes sense. Let's go get some dinner."

"Thank you for the picture," Kyrie said, "It was nice to meet you."

"Likewise," the schoolmaster said as she watched the three representatives go out the door.

"Ok," Copeland said, "Instructions?"

"Kyrie," Suvorov said, "Gather any pictures of Elise or Alvin you can find. Copeland, let's go get their medical records. We need to know for sure and I want as much ammunition as I can get before we go to Medo or Trina. I'm going to check at the local office, see what I can find out about Alvin's family."

The two younger representatives nodded. They all knew that something wasn't right. Now was the time to prove it.

Chapter 60 - Corruption up North

Simon Sutcliffe sat in the familiar easy chair outside the government house in Massimaferro Village. He wasn't thrilled with the fact that he had just lost Charissa to a diplomatic mission, but he knew that someone had to go let Sotanberg know that they actually cared their king was just murdered in his sleep.

He went through the papers that had been collected by one of Rick Ballfur's lieutenants and scowled. It amazed him how greed could overcome a public official's good sense. He sipped on a glass of cold tea that Rick's wife had brought him earlier and was oblivious as Rick Ballfur came out and sat across the porch from him.

"You look like you're not having a good day," Rick told him, "Is it as bad as we thought?"

"Worse," Simon sighed, "I don't know who the hell I can trust up there after reading this stuff. I just wonder who the hell is behind it."

"Serenians?" Ballfur posited, "Granted they're more likely to go after Serenik."

"I don't know," Simon grumbled, "I need to go up there and start breaking it down. I just don't know whether I want to go in soft or hard."

"What is the difference?" Rick asked, curious.

"I usually go in soft," Simon told him, "Charissa deflects attention from me and I do some digging. I can't count on that this time."

"I've heard a lot of strange stories up there since Rob Jenner died five years ago and Mecklenburg was appointed," Rick told him, "That's why I had the kids poking around up there. He's definitely dirty. I doubt he's as dirty as that traitor in Cirrus thirty years ago, but he's taking some payoffs."

"How do you find this out?" Simon asked him, "Are any of your people involved?"

"If they were I'd have had their ass kicked to Trinaferro's session room," Ballfur promised, "One of my people went up there to bring up a runaway that had made it down here. She watched the session they had up there before talking to Mecklenburg. The case she watched should have been dead to rights for the complainant but Mecklenburg quickly decided the other way. I had someone check the records on the case. I would have ruled the other way and most sane people would have too."

"That just indicates incompetence," Simon reminded him, "There's something else."

"The girl is one of my lieutenants," Ballfur said, "If she wasn't from Skolnik I'd be considering her for my replacement in a couple years."

"And?" Simon asked.

"She's a power user," Ballfur admitted, "Not on the level of Medoferro, but probably a bit better at it than you are. She's been training a few days a month with a user from Skolnik."

"So what's your feel for this girl?" Simon asked him, "You obviously think highly of her."

"I wish I could train her to be my replacement," Ballfur admitted, "She will make you a good Colonel some day. She also hates corruption with a passion. Her father was a Siraqi trader killed in an uprising a year or so before the partition. She blames the corrupt government over that existed before we came in for his death."

"She's probably right," Simon sighed, "I need a line back home. Do you think she's ready for a colonel slot?"

"If I could use her here I'd probably retire tomorrow," Ballfur said honestly as he sent someone to gain connection to Mullinix Centre, "She's the only lieutenant I have now that I would put in that position."

"I hope you're right," Simon told him, "I will get on the line and do some research. If I find the numbers I think I will find I may just install her up there and get it over with."

"No argument from me," Ballfur told him, "I agree with Anastasia on corruption. If he's doing it, I want him gone."

Simon nodded and went into the room. Rick Ballfur sat there and sipped on his tea while he waited for the representative to find the information he needed. He didn't begrudge Simon checking up on the facts. Actually, it was one of the things he liked about the man. Despite being over seventy he still realized that he could easily be wrong.

"I hate it when you're right," Simon grumbled when he walked out, "I just had Trinaferro check her logs. Eighteen murder cases from you in the past two years, yet only three from Hulkensuxor."

"You're kidding?" Ballfur said, surprised for the first time in this conversation, "How the heck did we not catch that sooner?"

"You try seeing something in those numbers," Simon reminded him, "Serenik has twice the population of Hulkensuxor, yet has only sent one in the past four years."

"Serenik has a history of peace," Ballfur said, "A bunch of religious zealots who were kicked out of Serenia. Hulkensuxor is a town full of wild men and women, one of the last of the frontier towns. Not to mention I knew of at least six myself this year."

"Trinaferro told me to go ahead and handle it," Simon told him, "Evidently Medo is on his way to go personally deal with that nightmare in Northport. How many people can you spare me?"

"Fifteen," Ballfur said, "There is also a military detachment here that you can probably borrow. Ever since the Siraqi Cession they've been using the old no-man's land area as a training ground for northern warriors."

"We're going in en-masse," Simon told Ballfur, "Where is your wunderkind?"

"She's at her lesson in Skolnik," Ballfur shrugged, "Should be back tonight. When do you want to do this?"

"We'll pull everyone together tomorrow morning," Simon decided, "Get your girl here tonight, we'll bring her in on the plan. We'll go up and do a blitz investigation and find out what the hell is happening. My guess is that if we go in quick they'll crack."

"Go by horse," Ballfur suggested, "You'll get there faster and they won't be expecting it."

"Want to join me for a last hurrah?" Simon grinned.

"I'm too old for that shit," Ballfur told him, "Just be sure to come back when you're done and tell me the stories. Deal?"

"Deal," Simon chuckled, "Thanks again, Rick."

"Anytime," the old Colonel said, meaning it.

Chapter 61 - Northport

Medoferro walked off the land barge and couldn't believe the utter destruction he saw in the area. His last trip into the area had been some fifteen years before and the place looked a world of difference from there. Stacy Cossy walked up to the elder Mullinix and greeted him with a firm hug. She was very glad to see him there and alive.

"I'm glad to hear you're all right," Stacy told him, "How is Trina holding up with the assassination attempt?"

"She's not happy," Medoferro told her, "Not surprising. We still don't know who was behind it yet."

"Suvorov working on it?" Stacy asked.

"Yeah," Medo nodded, "He has Copeland and Kyrie with him. They're checking something out in South Mullinix. Not sure what, but if they find anything I'll be pleased. With as little of the assassin's remains we have I wouldn't be surprised if we never figured out for sure who was behind it."

"Not good," Stacy sighed, "I wish I had better news for you up here."

"What are we looking at?" Medo asked her, "Who attacked who?"

"The ranchers attacked a group of refugees who are trying to reestablish the town," Stacy explained, "I've been trying to keep them apart and appease both sides, but there hasn't been a hell of a lot of compromise coming out of either side."

"The ranchers are mad about the townsfolk taking their land," Medo surmised and sighed, "Who led the attack?"

"I don't know," Stacy said, "I know who was likely behind the attackers, but I can't prove it."

"I can," Medoferro grumbled, "I want maps of this area before I do anything. The latest tax maps we have. I'm sure we have them here somewhere."

"We salvaged them," Stacy nodded, "They were in an upper room in the government house."

"Ok," Medoferro said, "Let's take a look at who owns what. In the meantime, I want representatives from both sides brought here. Anyone who refuses is going to forfeit everything by Mullinix decree. Keep searching for the attackers."

"We think they're mercs hired out of Gottgol," Stacy told him, "There's a pack that have been running out of there for years, though they usually operate on their own side of the border."

"I'll have to have a conversation with the president of Gottgol," Medo scowled, "Do you have proof?"

"They all wore a single tattoo," Stacy said, "Matched ones we've found here and north of Immortal Park. The guard up here has been trying to hunt them down for months."

"Who hired them?" Medo asked crossly.

"Horatio Ross is likely the instigator behind the attack," Stacy said, "Son of a bitch has been impeding town assistance since the floods started. His people have been harassing refugees and trying to essentially push the townsfolk into the sea."

"Why?" Medo asked.

"Because he's greedy and has no use for city life," Stacy told him, "Every year Northport has gotten bigger and with the fishing here getting better and better the city keeps growing."

"I should have looked into this area sooner," Medoferro grumbled, "Get a crew together of the biggest, meanest soldiers you can find. Preferably men with families and ones who are disgusted with that raid."

"Easy enough," Stacy grinned, "If you let me I'll have two hundred men in an hour."

"Get them," Medoferro said, "We're going to put an end to this foolishness."

"What are you going to do?" Stacy asked him.

"We're going calling on Horatio Ross," Medoferro said, "If there are any other ranchers involved have them brought to Mr. Ross's house. We're going to have a little chat with Mr. Ross."

"You know that they aren't all to blame," Stacy reminded him, "Technically this is their land."

"And had they petitioned to the Mullinix I would have listened," Medo told her, "Who is the Colonel here?"

"There isn't one," Stacy told him, "She died in the flood trying to get some kids out."

"That means it is you until we appoint a new one," Medo said, "You represent the average person in this meeting. I want you to do it well."

"I've been doing it this long," she smiled, "What's a few more days?"

"Get your people together," Medoferro instructed, "Make sure they're armed. If we find the mercs they are going down."

"What are you going to do?" Stacy wondered.

"Study the maps," Medoferro said, "We will get this done tonight and I want to know the ownerships involved."

"Got it," Stacy smiled, "In my defense, I never claimed to be a diplomat."

"That's why we sent Charissa to Sotanberg and not you, Simon or Suvorov," Medoferro confirmed, "You're doing fine. You protected the people here and that's your main job."

"Thanks," Stacy said, "It's good to see you. I miss the palace already, if you believe that."

"You picked a good time not to be there," Medoferro sighed, "The rebuilding is going to take a while."

"Any leads at all?" Stacy asked.

"Suvorov is working on it," Medoferro told her, "He has Copeland and Kyrie with him. If anyone can get it together it is them."

"That's certainly true," Stacy nodded, "Good choices by the new Mullinix."

"About the only good ones he's made," Medoferro admitted, "We'll talk about that later, though."

"Right," she nodded, "I'll talk to you in a few."

"We'll catch up after we deal with this mess," Medoferro promised.

Chapter 62 - The Train Home

Copeland, Kyrie and Suvorov looked at each other glumly as they sat in their booth on the Mullinix car heading back to South Mullinix. They had just finished passing around the photos and medical files.

"I know for a fact that the Elise I know is right handed and tone-deaf," Kyrie sighed, "This file has her being a wonderful amateur musician and singer. She was also an aspiring Medico candidate. Elise couldn't remember her schedule, let alone half the stuff her school record said she could."

"The medical file is the final nail on Viradoferro," Copeland told him, "Alvin Nixon was in a massive accident four years ago. He lost three fingers and had massive scarring over his back. I shared a room with him and saw him shirtless. He didn't have anything close to that nor does he have a pronounced stutter. Not to mention the fact that his school records said he wasn't very bright."

"I hate it when you're right," Suvorov said, "So we definitely have plants. The question is, how the hell did he get chosen? We know damn well that Medo and Trina would never have chosen a crippled halfwit with a stutter."

"That wasn't nice, Suvorov," Kyrie said, "Though true. Not to mention the fact that Nixon was nearly psychotic."

"So we need to contact Mom," Copeland said, "She needs to know this."

"She does," Suvorov admitted, "But what are we going to do with the information? What do we actually know?"

"That Viradoferro is a plant," Kyrie said, "Beyond that not a whole hell of a lot else."

"Exactly," Suvorov said, "Faking a Mullinix run is not an easy thing to do. Someone put one hell of a lot of thought and time into it."

"Not to mention faking the files," Copeland mused, "That's our link. The school still had the original files, likely because it would have been noticed if they had been disturbed."

"How?" Kyrie asked, "How can you protect that?"

"Checksum list," Suvorov told her, "Each school is given a checksum list each year. Same system they use for district reports. There are a series of numbers on every report. You add them to the subject list and you get the checksum. Uses several mathematical tricks I don't really understand, but it makes changes noticeable and dicey."

"Then how did the files change?" Kyrie asked, "The school still had the right ones, could they have been changed in the central filing system?"

"Possible," Suvorov said, "There are three copies of every file there. The public copy available after the subject dies. There's the usable copy, which should be what Medo and Trina used a copy of to select from. Then there's the control copy, set into a vault only able to be accessed by the Mullinix, representatives and file keepers and then never by less than three file keepers."

"So all the file keepers would have to have been in on it," Copeland said, "Has this happened before?"

"The last problem we had in the system was with the clerk exchequer," Suvorov said, "It was how Ellis LaPorte subverted the Cirrus region thirty plus years ago. The files were delivered, but Tony Stack cherry picked the information sent to the Mullinix. No one got the real story."

"Figures," Copeland said, remembering his history, "One of Dad's first jobs after the Mavelan invasion was to reform that office. He set up a system similar to the courier system where there would have to be mass corruption between people who don't know each other well."

"He also rotates them on six-month intervals so that by the time they do know each other they've moved on to something else," Suvorov nodded, "But it's happened there before, so that's the next place we need to look."

"Why aren't we telling Medo and Trina?" Kyrie demanded, "They need to know this pretty damn quick."

"Because if we confront Viradoferro now he will either deny it or disappear," Suvorov said, "We need to know how the hell they got him there in the first place."

"Besides," Copeland said, understanding this, "After his piss poor performance after the assassination attempt mom won't trust him with anything major until I come back and can watch him."

"Point," Kyrie agreed, "So you're not looking so much for more proof but the method used."

"Right," Suvorov nodded, "If we have a hole I want to plug it and make sure that this can't happen again. This couldn't have happened purely from outside sources. Someone on the inside had to help get the files changed. I want to know who."

"So back to Mullinix Centre," Copeland said, "To the main file repository. What do we do if mom figures out we're in town?"

"I'm hoping that by the time Trina finds out we'll have enough proof," Suvorov told him, "Your father is already in Northport, so let's hope your mother is distracted by that absence."

"Sounds like we're fishing," Kyrie smiled, "Let's just hope we haven't hooked something that will drag us under."

"No doubt," Suvorov nodded, "We've got a good bit of traveling ahead, kids. Get some rest now. We're probably not going to have much time for it in Mullinix Centre."

"Kids huh?" Kyrie grinned and pointed down to her well-formed body, "Do I look like a child?"

"No," Suvorov admitted, "But compared to me you are, Kyrie. Now let this old soldier get his rest."

Copeland chuckled and curled up on his bunk. Sleep wasn't coming because he was afraid for the future. He didn't know what they were going to do about Viradoferro. He had heard stories form Insegniferro about Mullinix who went mad, ones who quit the job and ones who had just fizzled out under the pressure. He knew of no precedent for what they were dealing with now. How do you plan for a traitor of this magnitude?

Chapter 63 - Out of the Dark Mist

"We've passed Northport!" Leonard yelled, "Let's get out of this mist!"

"We're not out of danger yet," Corie said as they walked out on deck, "How bad is the hull?"

"We'll definitely need to do repairs," Leonard told him, "Probably three to five days for my crew just for that."

"Great," Corie said, looking out at the blue water, "If we did this badly only half laden I'm scared of how this trip will go once we're filled to the brim with ore."

"Probably better to skirt outside the shroud on the way back," Sheldon told him, "We're better off dodging Mullinix pirate hunters than we are sinking in that slop."

"We'll worry about it when we get there," Corie said, sighing a little, "Lady M and her troops?"

"Raring to go," Leonard sighed, "I'm not looking forward to watching that."

"Me either," Corie admitted, "But it's an integral part of the plan. We'd get overwhelmed if someone weren't causing trouble elsewhere."

"Right," Sheldon nodded, "So what are we going to do to get on shore? I never did ask that."

"I'm hoping the docks will be there and we'll be able to impersonate Mullinix," Corie said, "Once we take over the docks and get a foothold we can release Lady M's idiots and get out of the way."

"You'll have your chance in a few hours," Sheldon told him, "We'll be able to move at a decent clip again now that we're in real water again."

"Let's get this over with," Corie told him, "I'm going to go sleep for a few hours. Wake me up when land is in sight."

"You got it," Sheldon told him.

Chapter 64 - The Rancher's Debacle

Medoferro kept his guard up as he led the crew out to the compound of the Ross family. He didn't know what he was in for but knew that he likely had the ranchers outnumbered. The soldiers walked in formation behind a man that they all respected. Every single one of them respected the fact that the Mullinix was handling this personally instead of sending someone in to deal with it.

"There's a patrol ahead," Medoferro said, "According to the maps this is the main entrance to the farm?"

"That's right," Stacy nodded, "Last time I came up here I was shooed away from the property."

"They won't shoo me anywhere," Medoferro said sternly, "This is ending tonight."

Medoferro led them to the guards who were standing outside the road. They looked at the Mullinix and recognized him from the pictures they had seen in school when they were younger.

"I'm looking for Horatio Ross," Medoferro said, "You know who I am, correct?"

"Yes Mullinix," one of them said, "I can't let you go through, though."

"I figured," Medoferro nodded, "One of you go up and tell Horatio I'm here. If he doesn't either come out or send an invitation within an hour this will cease to be a friendly visit."

The young man gulped and ran towards the house on the hill. Medoferro and Stacy said nothing but waited until the young man came back with an older man, though not Ross himself.

"I guess he's telling the truth," the older man said, "Why are you here?"

"There's been enough bloodshed," Medoferro said, "I want to settle this peacefully."

"Peacefully, huh?" the man said, looking at the large column of soldiers, "What are they here for?"

"Insurance," Medoferro shrugged, "Horatio might not think I'm serious otherwise."

"Very well," he shrugged, "I'm Jonas Polk. Horatio will meet with you, but not surrounded by soldiers."

"Fine," Medoferro nodded, "Stacy and Myself and the Mullinix Guard unit. The rest of the soldiers will stay here unless things go sour."

"That is acceptable," Polk nodded, knowing that he would be looking at a lot of problems if he didn't arrange the meeting.

Medoferro didn't like the situation but knew it was going to be the only way to talk to Ross without a lot of bloodshed. Stacy looked at him but said nothing as they walked up towards the compound. Medoferro managed to look calm but he was twitching inside, looking for anything that could start a fight.

Finally, they walked into a large ranch house. It frankly wasn't in all that good of shape, but it was obviously the largest place around. It also showed that there were a lot of people who weren't locals. The way their eyes followed him and the distinctive tattoos showed Medoferro that they were the mercenaries.

"Medo," Stacy said softly, seeing the same thing he did.

Medo simply put a finger to his lips and nodded to let her know he saw it too. She was nervous but decided to let Medoferro do what he did best. They were led to the large sitting room where Horatio Ross was sitting in his easy chair.

"To what do I owe the honor?" Horatio Ross asked without really looking up.

Medoferro looked at the older man who had been a thorn in the last two colonels' sides in the area. This wasn't the first time he'd heard of Horatio Ross, but the first time he'd had to handle it himself. He decided to play it straight until he had a reason not to.

"I'm trying to figure out why you sent mercenaries to attack innocent people," Medoferro told him, "I figured I hadn't seen a mass murderer since I met the king of Siraq twenty years ago. I wanted to see one in person."

"Cute," Horatio Ross said, standing up and showing his six-foot four-inch frame, "You assume a lot, Mullinix."

"Not an assumption," Medoferro said, "You radiate it. There's an aura to men who order death."

"Of course," Ross nodded, "A power user. I had forgotten about that."

"Why did you do it?" Medoferro asked him.

"It's not a crime to kill pests," Ross said flatly, "They were trespassing. They had no right to be on my land."

"They were people who were flooded out of their homes," Stacy exclaimed, "Your land? You did this because of land?"

"The city has encroached every year," Ross told them, "They had no right."

"So you handle it with murder?" Medoferro asked him, "You know what this means?"

"You have no standing here, Mullinix," Ross said, "My family never wanted to be in your nation."

"You are here," Medoferro said, "And I am here. This nation protects you, protects your right to be a pompous ass. I have no quarrel with that. I do have a quarrel with men who order women and children to be murdered."

"So what do you intend to do about it, Mullinix?" Ross asked sarcastically.

Medoferro looked at the man and felt instant revulsion. He had seen many evil men over the years but had not often been in the homes of such men. He knew that this was not going to end well.

"I was going to offer you a chance to make it right," Medoferro told him, "And I guess I still will. You can order your people to put down their weapons and give up some of your land for the new town."

"Or?" Ross said, nonplussed.

"Or you will be subject to Mullinix justice," Medoferro said simply, "I don't think you would like the results."

"Or I could just kill you," Ross said, pulling a knife.

"You could try," Medoferro agreed, "But I doubt you'll succeed and even if you did you would be signing the death warrant of every one of your men."

"I'll risk it," Ross exclaimed and went after Medoferro.

Medoferro sighed and pulled a bit of power. Stacy went back into guard mode and disarmed the two men who were standing at the door. Medoferro let out a power scream to warn the soldiers outside that things were going badly.

Horatio Ross attacked Medoferro directly, knowing that he had nothing to lose and if he won the battle he could stand a chance of keeping the Mullinix out of his area. What he didn't know was that in addition to the 200 troops with Medoferro there was a further division waiting five miles away to take up the slack.

Medoferro blocked the attack and pushed the older man back. He wasn't going to let the megalomaniac have his way and did the best he could to stop it. The fight was a bit uneven, as Medoferro was a practiced fighter and could supplement himself with power use.

"Do we really need to do this?" Medoferro asked him, "You know you will not win, right?"

Ross didn't answer, just tried another attack on Medoferro. Medoferro dodged the attack and pushed the older man down. He pushed a bit of power into Ross's back and made sure that the older man couldn't attack again. Medoferro then disarmed him and dropped him onto the floor.

"I told you that it wouldn't be worth it," Medoferro told him, "Here's what we're going to do. I was originally going to work with you. Now you've given the town its new home. You will not get to keep any of your land. The mercenaries will be hunted down and any rancher who sides with you will lose portions of their land as well. All because you had no compassion for your fellow man."

Ross grunted and struggled, but couldn't move. Stacy smiled and took possession of the older man. Medoferro knew he had to prevent a full on attack from all the mercenaries.

"Horatio Ross has been subdued," Medoferro let out in a power enhanced yell, "Anyone who gives up now and drops their weapons will be allowed to leave without further recriminations. Any mercenaries still in the area can lead a civilian life or go back across the border into Gottgol. Anyone who continues the fight will lose everything."

The voice made most of the men scared out of their wits. Men started running and the soldiers ran away, just like the cowardly mercenaries they were. Medoferro smiled as he saw the results. Ross was left utterly friendless, as none of his so-called friends were willing to back him in directly bucking the Mullinix.

"Now what do we do with you? Medoferro asked rhetorically, "Your empire is going down."

"Send him to Mullinix Centre," Stacy suggested, "It would be hell for him."

"Good idea," Medoferro agreed, "That would be a better punishment. Horatio, you get to live in the capitol. Let's get that in motion."

Horatio Ross had other ideas. He pushed against the guards and managed to get away. He pulled a sword off a rack on the wall and went straight for the Mullinix with it. Stacy pulled her weapon and finished off the old rancher, knowing it would be better that way.

"No choice," Stacy told him.

"I know," he nodded, "Have him disposed of. Does he have any relatives?"

"None living that claim him," Stacy said, "Why?"

"His land has now escheated to the crown," Medoferro said, nodding, "That gives us an elegant solution that we wouldn't have had to resort to had he just petitioned me for redress."

"How so?" Stacy asked him.

"His lands are the most extensive in the area," Medoferro told her, "That's why I studied the maps. The best location for the town is the southern end of his lands and the southern end of another two rancher's lands. I should be able to use Ross's land to barter an equitable solution with the smaller ranchers."

"I guess we're going to spend a few days hammering out the agreements," Stacy said, "Have I mentioned I'm glad you're here?"

"You did fine," Medoferro grinned, "You're a crisis manager. A diplomat you sure as hell aren't."

"Never claimed to be," Stacy agreed, "To the next ranch?"

"Yep," Medoferro nodded, "We should probably hit them all soon."

"You lead," Stacy nodded, "I'll follow."

"Heh," Medoferro said, "One day Trina will have to tell you how bad a dancer I am..."

Chapter 65 - Viradoferro's Job

"What exactly do you want me to do?" Viradoferro asked Trinaferro, "Start carrying stones?"

"That would be a start," Trinaferro said, "Do something useful instead of hanging around and annoying the workers."

"What do you want from me?" Viradoferro asked her, "Manual labor?"

"To act like a Mullinix," Trinaferro said sharply, "I was handling local issues here two days after becoming a Mullinix. Not because I was ready but because I had to while Medo dealt with Cirrus and Insegniferro handled the Siraqis."

"I'm not ready for this!" Viradoferro exclaimed, "How can you expect me to deal with so much so fast?"

"Because you can handle it," Trinaferro told him, "We wouldn't have chosen you otherwise."

Viradoferro considered fighting some more but he knew it would just go that much further into destroying his cover. He sighed and pulled himself into control and simply nodded at Trinaferro.

"Fine," he finally said, "I will watch the work and assist the workers."

"Thank you," Trinaferro said, "Please let me know if they find the last of the bodies, please. I would like to pay my respects."

Viradoferro walked off, leaving Trinaferro alone in the workroom. She was tense and knew that this wasn't a good situation. She wished that she still had someone there with her, Medoferro, Stacy, Simon... Even Suvorov would have been a comfort. She was starting to feel sorry for herself when Mason Stone walked into the room.

"I assume I am still an exception to the restrictions on this room?" he asked her as he walked in, "May I sit with you for a while?"

"Sure," she smiled, "How are you feeling, Mason?"

"Headache has finally subsided," he shrugged, "I'd feel better if I had a clue where the hell Karen and Jim were."

"We'll help where we can," Trinaferro said, "Lister head back south yet?"

"Not yet," Mason told her, "He's taking care of some errands and looking into a few leads on the assassination attempt to help out Suvorov."

"Any of your memories coming back?" Trina wondered.

"No," Mason shrugged, "Not surprised. Most of the ones I lost probably won't. I may have suffered a complete genetic memory reboot. Not the most pleasant thing, but it comes with the territory of medical immortality."

"Medical immortality?" Trinaferro said, "How does that work anyway?"

"My cells don't die and regenerate if damaged," Mason shrugged, "I don't remember how it was done and I don't think I ever did know."

"Must be interesting," Trinaferro chuckled, "But then, you've seen a lot of people come and go. That wouldn't be fun, I guess."

"Nope," Mason nodded, "You get used to it though. I think the question is more along the lines of whether you are all right?"

"I'm ok," Trinaferro sighed, "Just a lot of stress."

"Problems with the young Mullinix, eh?" Mason asked her, "It shows in the power profiles around both of you. He was simply radiating anger when he walked out the door."

"I don't know what to do with him," Trinaferro said honestly, "Medo and I went by the same criteria that were used to choose us. It is as though he took a complete turn in personality once we pulled him in."

"It has happened before," Mason said, "I was here for one of them."

"Care to share the story?" Trina asked him, "I could use some historical precedent for this."

"Another administration I was close to, probably about 800 years or so ago," Mason said, sitting down and stretching a little, "Machadoferro was the new Mullinix. I forget the Elder's name. He was of little consequence because he was old and nearly senile. The sitting Mullinix had died unexpectedly and he was thrust into the top job pretty much alone."

"Ouch," Trinaferro said, "I think I'll pass on that scenario."

"Yeah," Mason nodded, "It wasn't pretty. Mac was pretty much alone and he had to make the choice on his own. Karen and I had stuck around because there were some rumblings of Bolantine in the then uninhabited areas between here and Sotanberg."

"Hard to imagine the nation like that," Trinaferro said, "That's been the heart of Mullinix for so many years."

"True," Mason agreed, "Anyway, he had to choose and not enough care had been taken in teaching him how to do it. Mac finally chose a young man from Nessun Cucchiaio, I forget the real name but his Mullinix name was Toloferro."

"I take it he didn't choose well?" Trina wondered.

"Toloferro was smart in some ways," Mason told her, "But he was lazy. That is the one thing that no matter how good you make the tests you will never be able to test for. There was also a massive personality clash. Mac ended up doing all the work and Toloferro doing very little."

"How did he handle it?" Trina asked him, "Did Toloferro finally grow out of it?"

"Nope," Mason said honestly, "He got worse. Mac finally had to remove him."

"How does that work?" Trinaferro asked, "I hope it doesn't go that far, but..."

"Mac talked to the older Mullinix," Mason said, "Two Mullinix can remove another if necessary. Toloferro was tolerated and guards placed on the next set of kids to observe. It was Toloferro that started that tradition."

"Once he found one acceptable he removed the young one," Trinaferro smiled, "So it can be done like that."

"It was a touchy time," Mason said, "But the system persevered and it is still going today. Not a bad run, don't you think?"

"Let's hope I am just overreacting to the assassination attempt," Trinaferro said, "It's been a rough few days."

"Keep a good eye on that kid," Mason suggested, "Something isn't right with him, but I haven't regained enough of my abilities to tell you what."

"I will," Trinaferro promised, "And I hope you feel better soon. We may be a shambles but we will always find room for you."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Mason said, "I just hope that you don't need the story I just told. You don't need that right now."

"No one does," Trinaferro smiled, "Thanks though."

Mason nodded. He remembered the time with Machadoferro well and while Mac was a good guy he wasn't such a great Mullinix. He had the feeling, even though he couldn't remember working with them, that these were good Mullinix. He just hoped that it would be enough.

Chapter 66 - Central Recordkeeping

Copeland looked at Kyrie nervously as the train whistle sounded. They had only been traveling a few days, but it looked like a whole new world to him now. Kyrie wasn't much better when she thought about the edge of infamy they were riding upon. She looked at Suvorov, who was actually sleeping soundly.

"How can he sleep at a time like this?" Copeland wondered, "I swear that man could sleep through a full scale battle."

"He probably has," Kyrie shrugged, "Rest is a weapon too. He would probably be just as amazed that we're still awake. I don't think I've slept since we figured out that Viradoferro was a fake."

"I still can't believe he rooked me like that," Copeland growled, "I swear I just want to punch him in the nose."

"You'll likely get your chance," she smiled, "You get the nose. I'll kick him in the nuts."

"Deal," Copeland said and then let out a deep sigh, "I can't believe it has come to this."

"Let's just hope we can stop it from getting any worse," Kyrie said.

"How could it get any worse?" Copeland wondered.

"It depends on how this happened," Suvorov said without opening his eyes, "It could still get worse."

"We're back in the centre," Kyrie told him, "Where to now?"

"Central records," Suvorov said, "In this case we need to follow the files and figure out where the break in the chain came. My guess is that it happened between the Oasis and here."

"Only way to find out is to check the secure files," Kyrie said, "Let's do it."

Copeland nodded and the three of them made their way over to the central warehouse. This was a building that was just massive, dwarfing everything near it. There is one thing that the Mullinix Empire was always good at and that was generating paperwork and this building was a monument to it.

"Just think of what is in that building," Kyrie said, "It's unreal."

"And this is only two hundred years worth," Suvorov told them, "There are a group of vaults in Immortal Park that are under constant excavation. Once every ten years the oldest material is shipped to those vaults. If you want to see amazing you should see them. They have a small train system just to get from one end to the other."

"Do they keep it all?" Copeland had to ask.

"They keep the secure copies," Suvorov told him, "After two hundred years it's assumed that the old stuff isn't really in danger of being altered in any significant way."

"True," Copeland nodded, "Still a lot of paper."

"That it is," Kyrie agreed.

Suvorov shrugged and they walked into the building. Their identity cards were easily enough to get past the first gate and well into the second section, but the third section was guarded by two large men and a young officer. The young officer demanded identification and was not really impressed.

"You're not on the list," the officer told him, "Only the Mullinix and their official representatives can enter these vaults."

"Get your boss you twit," Suvorov said, "I've been a Mullinix representative since you were pissing in diapers."

"And we're the two new ones," Kyrie put in.

"You're not on the list," Suvorov asked him, "This should be good. If we're not on the list, who is?"

"I can't tell you that," he said, "I think it's time for you to leave."

"I think it's time for you to get your boss," Suvorov said.

Kyrie and Copeland kept their hands on their weapons, but hoped that they would be able to do this without violence. The young officer thought about it for a minute and then went into the other room, bringing in a much older officer.

"Morning Rav," the older man said, "What brings you down to central vaults?"

"I need to see some files," Suvorov said, "Will you tell this twit that I'm an official representative."

"They're not on the list, sir," he said, handing over the paper.

"This list is twenty years old you moron," the older man said, "Roland Hoffs has been dead for nearly that long. Suvorov took his place. Copeland Irons is the new rep for Viradoferro."

"Oh," he said, "Why haven't we updated the list?"

"Because you're the only one who has used it in twenty years," the older man said, "What files do you need?"

"I'm doing an audit of the Mullinix choice files," Suvorov explained, "Spot checking and the like. Figured it was a good time to do it with the new Mullinix just having been chosen."

"Sure," the older man told him, "The files you want will be in the back."

"Thanks," Suvorov said.

The three of them went to the back of the secure vault and spent a half an hour just coming up with the right stacks of files. They were well organized, but there were a lot of them. Finally, they found the right area and divided up two shelves.

"I've got Elise," Kyrie said after a while, "Anyone find Alvin?"

"Got him," Copeland said finally, "This is the same file from the Oasis, Rav. Scores are identical."

"Let me see that," Suvorov said, now really stumped. He was sure he would find the problem there, "This isn't good."

The three of them checked all three copies of the file and found that they were identical in every way. They retreated into a secure meeting room and looked them over carefully.

"There is no way in hell Dad chose from these files," Copeland said, "You know that as well as I do."

"This is what I meant when I said it could get worse," Suvorov said quietly, "You know what this means, don't you?"

"What?" Kyrie asked him.

Copeland knew. He didn't even have to say it. It meant that the traitor was inside the Palace. It was one of the people he knew and grew up with. It took Kyrie a little longer, but she hadn't spent the time there that Copeland had.

"Who handles the files at the Palace?" Kyrie asked finally.

"Sascha," Copeland said, "She's been doing it since I was a kid."

"There's a baseline set of scores," Suvorov said, "She makes a trip every week to pick up the latest updates. It is her only job now."

"How does that work?" Kyrie asked, "That's a lot of work for one woman."

"She has only the first semester students," Copeland reminded her, "Five service schools, probably two or three hundred eligible people per school."

"The files come in May for the September class and October for the February class," Suvorov said, "During those months she spends her days being escorted over here by guards. She signs out and does checksums on each qualifying file. She then brings them back to her file room in the palace and begins sorting."

"That's why we don't see her very much during that time of year," Copeland nodded, "Once she does her initial sort she starts the assignments for guards in the classes and gives them instructions on who and what to look for. She starts updating the files with that information on the best candidates."

"Sounds like she's our mole," Kyrie said, "I mean she'd have to know about it."

"Especially if she did her checksums," Suvorov nodded, "We need to see Trina's original file."

"It'll be in Mom's desk," Copeland said, "Unless she sent it back to Sascha, in which case we'll just tell Mom the suspicions."

"Back to the palace," Kyrie said, "Why am I not looking forward to this?"

"You'd be an idiot if you were," Suvorov said, "Let's go get some dinner and then go do this. I'm not ready for it."

There was a general agreement and the three of them went to a pub where they weren't known very well to get some food and prepare themselves mentally for what was likely going to be the most unpleasant job of their career.

Chapter 67 - A Corrupt Colonel

"Anastasia?" Simon asked as the young woman approached.

"Yep," she nodded, "Nice to meet you, Simon."

"Rick Ballfur says some good things about you," Simon nodded, "So what are you seeing?"

"He's dirty as hell," Anastasia told him, "What do you need me to help you with?"

"We're going up there and proving it," Simon told her, "Simple as that. We're going en masse and we're going to take over the local government if it's as dirty as we think it is."

"Not your normal mode of working with this," Anastasia noted, "Why the change?"

"I don't have Charissa as a distraction," Simon said simply, "She's off making nice with the new Sotan king."

"You can count on me," She told him, "What is the plan?"

"You're leading the group of Rick's people," Simon told her, "We're going in and inspecting the local logs. The military people will provide security. You are to talk to the locals and find out what they really think of the Colonel."

"Fair enough," Anastasia agreed, "Anything to stop another corrupt bastard from ruining lives."

"Let's go," Simon told her.

They rounded up the group they were taking with them and also took command of the group of trainees. Simon had no problem convincing them to come along, as no one liked corrupt colonels and their commander, like most older soldiers, had served some time in Cirrus under Laporte.

They went by horse as that was the fastest way to get there without the colonel getting wind of what was going on. The trail was crowded with the Mullinix Representative, Anastasia and her fifteen Mullinix guard and the three-dozen soldiers.

Simon was banking on surprise. Something he likely wouldn't have managed if he had gone by train. The trip took about two hours, at which time they rode into town and went straight for the government house.

"Secure the wire rooms," Simon instructed, "Anastasia, have your people check out the public facilities. The soldiers will take over public patrol and be there if we need them. You and I are going to pay Mecklenburg a visit."

"Let's do it," Anastasia said, "Let's get things secured. If you find anything out of the ordinary come and find Simon or myself."

They walked up to the government house and found that the door was closed and locked. This alone was a bad sign. Mullinix Law stated that the ground floor of the government house was to always be open to the public and that it would not be locked down even in emergency.

"Stand back," Simon said, "I'm taking out the lock. He's about to be removed as Colonel for that alone."

Nearly twenty years before Travis Steele had done much the same thing to the government house in Massimaferro Village before he was found to be a child predator and informant to Bolantine's people in Siraq. Since then it had been well publicized that government houses were supposed to be open.

"Let me do it," Anastasia said, "No need to alarm them."

She had a more deft touch with power use and could use it to quietly release the door lock. Simon nodded appreciatively, knowing that was a skill he didn't have. His power use had been more along the lines of brute force instead of finesse. He left the finesse to Medoferro because he was better at it.

"After you," Anastasia said as she got the door open.

Simon went in and looked around carefully. He wanted evidence and figured that the best place to get it would be in the office. Anastasia stopped him for a second and pointed at the office door. She mouthed to him that there were two people in there talking.

Simon nodded and went to the door quietly to listen to what Mecklenburg and his guest were talking about. He was pleased that they had gotten in and found this without notifying the colonel.

"Who is the switch happening on this time?" Mecklenburg asked his guest, "I guess it won't matter as much with Medoferro and Trinaferro still alive?"

"We're still going to keep the program going," Adam Kubelsky said, "How are you handling the scrutiny up here?"

"No one has figured out that I'm not the Colonel sent from Connoer," he told his Bolantine trainer, "I look enough like him and the only man that actually knew Mecklenburg who has come up here went home in a box."

"Good," Adam said, "We're having enough problems with this program. If you continue to do well we'll expand it."

Simon was floored by what he had just heard. He and Anastasia looked at each other, just flabbergasted. They had both figured that it was just a Colonel on the take, but this was a completely different ball of wax. She just couldn't believe that someone was systematically trying to take over.

"What do we do?" Anastasia whispered.

Simon cupped his ear and pointed to the room. Anastasia nodded and they listened to the two men discuss current events. Adam Kubelsky was a bit more businesslike in this meeting than he had been with Corinne d'Abruzzi, but he didn't have such a connection to this man either.

"They're Bolantine," Simon muttered, "Figures."

"What now?" Anastasia asked.

"I've heard enough," Simon said, "Go get your men. We're arresting both of them for a Mullinix trial."

Adam Kubelsky heard Anastasia leaving and perked up. He cursed himself for not having listened closer or doing a power scan of the area. He knew that the conversation he had just had could be incriminating for the young man he had sent up here.

"I thought you locked the door," Adam said to his charge.

"I did!" the fake Mecklenburg exclaimed, "Who's there!"

Simon stood up and walked into the room. Mecklenburg gasped as he recognized the Mullinix Representative from his photographs. Adam recognized him as well and tried to fire off a power blast at him to subdue him, but it was a move that Simon had been trained to handle in years of practice between himself and Medoferro. He deflected the blast and sent it back towards the Bolantine Spymaster.

Adam managed to dodge the blow, but his balance was off. Mecklenburg tried to throw a letter opener at Simon, but that was dodged as well. Adam knew that this was not going to be a pretty situation and knew that the operation had been blown. He raised his hands as if he would surrender and then looked at Mecklenburg.

"Sorry Roy," Adam said as he looked at his charge, "But I can't let you talk to them."

"What are you talking about, Adam?" he asked.

Before Simon could do anything and before Anastasia and the troops came in Adam Kubelsky fired a piercing power blow straight to Mecklenburg's chest. The fake colonel didn't even have a chance to scream in pain as his heart was sliced in two and he died on the spot. Adam then tried again to hit Simon.

"Don't kill him!" Simon screamed at Anastasia, "We need him alive!"

Adam had other ideas. He threw a flash and crashed out the window next to him. Simon cursed and chased him out the window. Anastasia screamed orders at the soldiers and they all went out after the man.

Adam tried to pull power and run, but Simon wasn't letting him get away. Simon threw a power ball at Adam's knee, which the fleeing Bolantine trainer couldn't dodge. This knocked him down and pretty well ended his chance to get away from the oncoming soldiers. He rolled up and ran into a nearby house, grabbing a butcher knife and a young woman who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"You don't have to do this, Adam," Simon told him, "You don't owe them your life."

"But I do," Adam said finally, looking at Simon, "Just as you owe yours to Medoferro, I owe mine... Looks like I'm not getting out of this one."

"It's not too late to surrender," Simon pleaded with him, "No one else has to die here."

"You think for a minute that I will believe my life isn't forfeit if I surrender?" Adam asked him, "This girl is going to die if you don't back off, as are you."

"You kill me and her and you still get killed by the soldiers," Simon told him, "What is the percentage in that?"

"At least I get to kill you," Adam shrugged, "That will do."

Adam knew that he wouldn't win a full on battle with Simon and the soldiers. He could tell that Simon was a practiced power user and that he had another reasonably decent user with him. He also didn't have the ability to keep up. He realized he was faced with the same dilemma that Annalisa had been.

"Let's see if I can do a better job than Annalisa," Adam said finally, "Rot in hell, Mullinix."

Adam then plunged the knife into the girl and used her death to pull final power. Anastasia saw what Adam was doing and yelled loudly to clear the area. Simon, shaken by the stupidity, listened to Anastasia and ran for the door, getting just outside before the explosion threw him across the lawn.

"Simon!" Anastasia yelled, "Where are you?"

"I'm ok," Simon said, "I hate it when people do that. It's the same group that tried to assassinate Medoferro."

"At least we have a name now," Anastasia said, "He said the name Annalisa."

"So we have two names now," Simon told her, "Annalisa and Corinne. We need to get on the line to Mullinix Centre."

"What about the town?" Annalisa asked him, pointing to the people that had gathered around.

"You are a provisional Colonel," Simon decided on the spot, "The post is vacant with Mecklenburg dead. I'll be suggesting to Trina that she make it permanent, but that will come with time. Get a public meeting together and find out if any of the locals knew he was corrupt."

"What about the plant?" Anastasia asked, "I mean this is big..."

"For now act as if Mecklenburg was just corrupt," Simon told her, "I want to keep this close until I can talk to Medo or Trina. Your job will be to handle the cleanup and get this town back into order."

"You got it," Anastasia nodded, "Let's get to work, boys."

"Where is the line clerk?" Simon asked one of the local guards.

"Doesn't matter," one of them said, "The line is dead. That explosion sliced the underground line. It shorted the kit on both ends as soon as it hit the open air."

"Great," Simon grumbled, "Who knew that Mecklenburg was dirty?"

"We suspected," one guard said, "Just couldn't prove it."

Simon nodded. He had to find out more about what had happened up there. He sighed and figured that his work was just beginning. He looked at the young men and women in guard uniforms and hoped that he was really dealing with a sole traitor.

"Get someone started on the line repair," Simon told them, "I want a line to Mullinix Center as soon as possible."

Simon then walked into the government house and sighed. It was going to be a long day going through all the stuff that Mecklenburg had left behind. He just hoped he could find some more information.

Chapter 68 - Viradoferro's Fall

Copeland and Kyrie walked slowly after they finished dinner. They weren't thrilled with the idea of going and telling Trinaferro that they had been suckered into a bad choice for Mullinix. Suvorov really wasn't thrilled with the thought either.

"How do we handle this?" Copeland asked them.

"Let's get a look at the file and prove it first," Suvorov suggested, "You still close with Alisa?"

"Yeah," Copeland nodded, "Why?"

"We need to do this without alerting Viradoferro," Suvorov said, "If you can trust her, she's the key to doing it."

"We wouldn't have found this out without her," Kyrie reminded them, "We can trust her."

"Where would she be this time of day?" Suvorov asked.

"With the destruction, the gods might know," Copeland said, "She was one of Marianna's assistants and with Marianna among the dead she's likely handling food preparation."

"Let's go in via the kitchen," Suvorov suggested, "I'm going to quietly issue an order for Elise Malloy's arrest while we're at it. We're certain about her at the very least."

They went in via the back entrance and found the way to the kitchen clear. Suvorov went over to the captain of the guard, a man who he'd come up with in Cirrus thirty years before. Copeland and Kyrie went into the kitchen and found Alisa working on the food for the house staff and Trinaferro.

"What are you doing back?" Alisa exclaimed, dropping her spoon and running over to hug him tightly.

"You were right," Copeland told her, "Viradoferro is a fraud."

"Oh my," Alisa said, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Copeland told her, "Where is he now?"

"Probably with the workers," Alisa said, "Why?"

"I need you to keep an eye on him," Copeland told her, "We're going to finalize the proof right now."

"I'll do what I can," Alisa promised, "Your mother is in her office."

"Don't let him know we know," Copeland told her, "Where is Suvorov?"

"He's filing the warrant for Elise," Kyrie said, "He'll be back in a minute."

"Send him along," Copeland said, "I'm going to the workroom."

Kyrie nodded. Copeland went into the rooms he had almost never visited in his youth. Trinaferro and Mason Stone were sitting and talking again, this time he was getting a history lesson on the time period he had lost memory of due to injury. Trinaferro was surprised to see her son home.

"Copeland!" Trinaferro exclaimed, "You're back already?"

"Yep," Copeland nodded, "We did find some stuff, but to prove it I need Viradoferro's file. The one you chose him from."

"Why?" Trinaferro asked, "What will that do?"

"Trust me, Mom," Copeland said, "I need to see it."

"I'd listen to the boy," Mason suggested, "He's not fooling around."

"It's in my desk," Trinaferro said, "Third drawer next to your foot, Mason."

Mason looked at the young representative and got the feeling he wouldn't like what he heard anymore than he wanted to tell it. He picked up the file out of the drawer and handed it to Copeland, who immediately began reading. Kyrie and Suvorov walked into the room as Copeland was reading the file.

"What does Viradoferro's file have to do with the assassination attempt?" Trinaferro asked Suvorov.

"Does the file match?" Suvorov asked Copeland, ignoring Trina's question.

"No," Copeland said, handing it to Suvorov, "Checksums are right for this file, but don't match the one from the archives."

"Don't match the one from the archives?" Trinaferro asked, "What in the hell are you talking about?"

"Here," Kyrie said, handing the true Alvin Nixon file to her, already opened to the test score page, "Would you or Medo have selected the child in this file?"

Trinaferro reviewed the stat sheet on the first page and shook her head. The numbers were nowhere close to what was required for consideration. The file she was holding in her hand was one that she would have seriously questioned Sascha's sanity for handing to her. When she closed the file and looked at the name on the front she audibly gasped.

"Where did you get this?" Trinaferro asked, "This has got to be a mistake..."

"This is the original file from the school," Copeland told her, "The same file is in central archives and was not altered there."

"So how did I..." Trinaferro didn't finish the statement because she knew how it had happened, "Sascha. She switched the files."

"Brilliant maneuver," Suvorov said as the old spymaster he was, "His handler chose well. The kid was a nobody, a child no one really knew and wouldn't be missed at home. They probably helped this along by killing the occasional family member and killed the schoolteacher who would have been able to contest the file results."

"Still," Trinaferro said as she read the true Nixon file, "This doesn't gel with the boy I know."

"That's because he isn't the boy you know," Kyrie told her and handed over the school photo, "The average person wouldn't get the differences, but you will."

Trinaferro looked at the photo and her heart sank. It hit her like a ton of bricks. She had been terribly, horribly duped in the choice of the apprentice. Medoferro had been as well, but it wasn't any comfort to her. She looked at her son and the two representatives.

"I'm going to kill him," Trinaferro muttered as she angrily threw the real file down on her desk, "How do we handle this?"

"This is unprecedented," Mason said, "But it can be handled. The first order of business is to make sure you close the hole that let him in."

"I've already put out an arrest warrant for Elise," Suvorov said, "The assassin got in using her pass."

"Now, the attempt makes sense," Trinaferro said, "They wanted to put him in sole control."

"Let's go corner Sascha," Copeland suggested, "Have the guards bring Viradoferro here."

"Feel free to join us, Mason," Trinaferro said, "Your knowledge of history might come in handy."

"I wouldn't miss it," Mason told them as they all headed up to the records room.

Sascha was sitting at her desk when they came in as a group. The look on their faces was one she had been expecting for months. She thought about trying to deal with it, but knew that her last instructions from her old friend Marina were the ones she would follow.

She ran over to an oil lamp that had been used in the room for ages. She picked up the lamp and threw it into the latest group of files, easily setting the paper on fire as the oil and flames went all over the place.

"Kyrie!" Copeland yelled, "Go get the firefighters!"

The shelves full of papers went up in flames as if they had been drenched in gasoline. Copeland and Trinaferro started to head in, but where pulled back by Mason. The flames were becoming too large to handle in this situation.

"I'll go get her," Mason said, "This place should still have firebreaks on these rooms so it won't spread out of there as long as you keep the carpet out here wet."

Copeland and Suvorov kept wetting down the carpets as instructed while Mason went in to get the now unconscious woman and drag her out of there. It took another two hours for the fire to burn itself down to where it no longer threatened the rest of the palace.

Chapter 69 - The Great Escape

While the fire was continuing Viradoferro walked out of the construction zone and found Alisa waiting for him. He was due to meet Elise at the door in a few minutes so he wasn't really thrilled to find Alisa sitting there waiting for him.

"What are you doing here?" Viradoferro asked her, "It's dinner time, isn't it?"

"Trinaferro wants to see you in the office," Alisa told him, "She wants you to wait in there."

"She can come find me," Viradoferro said to her, "I've been dragging out trash all day. She can wait until I see Elise."

Alisa was about to try to argue but they both heard Elise yelling at the door. Both of them jogged over there to find Elise arguing with the door guards as they tried to put her in handcuffs.

"What is the meaning of this?" Viradoferro asked them, "What are you doing to my girlfriend?"

"Orders, Mullinix," one of them said, "An arrest warrant has been issued for Elise Malloy."

"On whose orders and what charge?" Viradoferro asked him.

Alisa didn't like this. She had no power but she knew what was going on. She just hoped that the guards would do as they were ordered to do by the warrant.

"She's a suspect in the assassination," the guard said, "The warrant lists her as an assistant to the assassin."

Elise visibly paled at that one. She looked at Viradoferro and tried to hold in her panic. Alisa took a deep breath and listened to the exchange, wondering which way it would go.

"That's idiotic," Viradoferro said, "What evidence?"

"I don't know," the guard told him, "That's for the Mullinix to figure out, not me. I just have to detain her."

"Who swore the warrant?" Viradoferro asked.

"Rav Suvorov," the guard said, handing it over, "I need to take her to holding."

"This is garbage," Viradoferro said as he read it, "She was with me that night, all night long."

"And very satisfactorily," Elise said, smiling a little.

Alisa shuddered at that thought and wondered if she should go look for Copeland to find out more about what she should do about this. She didn't have the chance to do so, however.

"I don't care," the guard said, "My job is to detain, not to determine if she did it."

"You're not throwing her in lockup," Viradoferro said, remembering that he was a Mullinix, "Consider this voided. I outrank Suvorov."

"Perhaps we should talk to Trinaferro?" Alisa suggested.

"I think that's a good idea," the guard said, "She was in her office."

"Get those cuffs off her," Viradoferro instructed, "I'm not going to stand for that."

"Fine," the guard sighed, "Let's go chickie."

They went to the office and found that it was empty. The guard was about to arrest her again when Viradoferro jumped in. He thought about it for a moment and that it would be easier to just get them to leave them in the office to wait for them.

"She's not here but she'll be back," Viradoferro said, "Don't bother bringing her to lockup, just leave her here with me and I'll sort this out once Trinaferro comes back down. She probably just went to the bathroom or something."

"Ok," the guard said, "That will do."

Alisa sighed and followed them into the room. Viradoferro and Elise sat down and looked at each other. They knew that something was wrong and that they had to think it out. Elise looked around and tried to find a reason for what was happening. She sat down at Trinaferro's desk and then saw it. She opened the file and saw the original file and knew that their cover was officially blown.

"They know," Elise said, handing the file to Viradoferro.

"What?" Viradoferro said, "How the hell did they get this..."

Alisa knew that she had to go warn Copeland. She stood up to leave the room, but Viradoferro was quicker. He went over and grabbed the young house staff member and slammed her up against the wall. He put his arm across her throat so she couldn't scream.

"How much does Suvorov know?" Viradoferro asked her.

"They all know," Alisa said defiantly, "You're a fake!"

"A fake," Viradoferro said, "Honey, I'm as real as could be... This nation, now that's the fake..."

"We need to get out of here, now!" Elise hissed, "Before they come back."

"Grab documents," Viradoferro said, going into crisis mode, "If we're collapsing the operation we need to come back with something."

Alisa fought Viradoferro's hold, but he was too strong for her. Viradoferro was angry and he took it out on the house staff member. He smashed her throat so she couldn't scream and then beat on her with a paperweight from Medoferro's desk.

"Hey!" Elise yelled when she saw that, "Stop that and help me, you idiot!"

Viradoferro wasn't listening. He just beat on the girl as hard as he could. Alisa was badly wounded and bleeding heavily as Elise went over to him and pulled him off the girl. She pulled power and threw Viradoferro against the wall. Luckily, unlike her sister, she had never used blood power so Copeland didn't feel it.

"Listen to me, you jackass," Elise said harshly, "I don't even like you. My job is to get you out of here. If you do stupid stuff like this, I will kill you myself. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Viradoferro squeaked, "Let me go."

"Ok," Elise said, "Now fill that bag with documents and let's get out of here!"

Viradoferro nodded and did as he was told. The two Bolantine agents took every document they could off both Medoferro and Trinaferro's desks and out of their drawers. They took the sacks and slipped out the door. The fire had gotten large enough by this point that Elise just had to use non-lethal means of blinding the guards and they slipped out into the plaza into the crowd.

Alisa, badly beaten and wounded, woke up after a few minutes and pulled herself on the floor a little and managed to get the attention of the outside guards.

Chapter 70 - Alisa

Copeland came running down to the first floor as soon as he was told about Alisa. Due to the lack of actual beds and the seriousness of her injuries she had been laid out on top of the nearest desk, which ironically had been destined for Viradoferro.

"Alisa!" Copeland exclaimed, "What happened?"

"Viradoferro," she said, spitting out a little blood, "He knows you know..."

"He did this to you?" Copeland said, incredulously, "Did he have help?"

"Elise stopped him," Alisa said, coughing, "Stopped him...from...killing..."

"Shh," Copeland said, quietly, "It's ok, honey. Don't use up your strength."

Copeland held her hand as she lost consciousness and wondered where the medico was. He then realized that with Toria back in Massimaferro Village there wasn't one in attendance. He knew that the guard that found her had already gone for help. She was hurting and he didn't know what to do.

Trinaferro, Kyrie, and Mason Stone came into the room quickly, finding Copeland sitting and holding Alisa's hand. Trinaferro, having some medico training and recent experience in Northport, began checking Alisa's injuries and looking for how bad it was.

"What happened?" Kyrie asked, "Does anyone know?"

"Viradoferro," Copeland said, "She said he knows I know, but didn't say how."

"I left the file on my desk," Trinaferro said, realizing, "He must have seen it and knew that we figured it out."

"Elise was here," Copeland said, "She said that Elise stopped him from killing her."

"That's an interesting turn of events," Mason said, "She must be the source of the power pull in this room."

"I didn't feel this one," Copeland said, "I wonder why. When the assassin pulled I felt it because it was a pull by someone tainted."

"That's it in a nutshell," Mason told him, "People who use that type of power are tainted whenever they use power. It changes the way you pull. This girl you refer to as Elise probably is power trained, but didn't ever learn how to use blood power."

"I don't get it," Kyrie said as Copeland kept holding on to Alisa's hand, "Why attack Alisa? She couldn't have been a threat to them."

"Moreover," Mason said, "Why did she try to stop him? That's not a characteristic you usually see from a Bolantine citizen. Did they kill the guards on the way out?"

"No," Trinaferro said, "They were the ones who found Alisa. They were blinded by a power flash."

"And you're sure he can't use power?" Mason asked them.

"Dad did the test," Copeland told him, "He's pretty vacant in that field."

"Who taught him how to do the tests?" Mason asked him.

"Entragian," Trinaferro responded for him, "Last time you guys were here about twenty years ago."

"So that means the power use had to be the girl," Mason said, "Sounds like she deliberately didn't use lethal force. That's very unusual for a Bolantine agent."

Copeland stopped listening to the discussion for a moment as Alisa began coughing again. He held her hand tightly as her body went through its final throes. The beating that Viradoferro had administered to her was so severe that even had a medico been there immediately there would have been little that anyone could have done.

"We have to do something," Copeland said, "She's dying!"

"She's gone, Copeland," Mason told him, "Use your power sight on her."

Copeland did so and sighed. The damage had just been too severe. He winced and kept holding her hand for a few minutes until Kyrie pulled him away. The room went quiet as Trinaferro put a blanket over the body of the young woman.

Chapter 71 - The Landing

"Land sighted!" a young sailor yelled, "We're only a few miles away."

"Good," Corie said, "I'm sick of this floating deathtrap."

"What is the plan?" Sheldon asked him.

"We see what we've got," Corie said, "If we're lucky we'll have docks. If we're not, we'll have to go in the hard way."

"There will be docks," Lady M said confidently, "They were in progress before we left."

"Keep your people quiet for a while," Corie said, "We'll need to get a foothold before we let them out."

"You think you can bluff them?" Lady M asked him, "And they call me crazy."

"I would prefer to avoid having the army called immediately," Corie suggested, "I'd prefer to have a foothold that we can secure."

"That's why we're under cover isn't it?" Commander Sheldon said, "To go in quiet and easy?"

"Exactly," Corie said.

"We can get your place cleared quicker," Lady M countered.

"Yes and get the army called in on us sooner," Corie told her, "I don't need to trek through blood to get the ore back to the ships."

"So where are you using my people?" Lady M asked.

"As soon as we clear the dock area you'll get your people through," Corie said, "I want control of the dock area and your people will do little but create chaos. We can't afford that."

"Listen," Lady M said, "My people will keep you alive."

"Your people are barely capable of living," Corie said, "They stay on the ship and out of my way until I say differently."

Corie had heard about the insane tests that Lady M had been conducting. He had spent too much time with Bolantine to be surprised that he OK'd this bit of lunacy, but he didn't have to be a party to releasing it. He believed that he'd be able to do it at the last minute.

Lady M stopped fighting about it and went over to the other side of the ship to talk to some of her assistants. She had no intention of taking a subordinate role to Corie, not when she had planned this mission from the beginning.

"Look!" Sheldon exclaimed, "The docks are ahead."

"Good," Corie said, "Pull up as if nothing is out of the ordinary. Let me do the talking. You're the pilot and I'm the captain."

"And her?" Sheldon asked.

"We ignore her," Corie said, "Maybe if we're lucky she'll go away."

"We can only hope," Sheldon said, equally unimpressed with Lady M's group.

The pilot managed to maneuver the ship into its spot against the dock. The second ship went to the other side, waiting for the release orders. Corie went to the side and found that the people were already coming out to meet them. Corie hopped over the side and landed well on the dock, meeting the dock master at the edge.

"What brings you up here?" the dock master asked, "We just finished up a few days ago."

"We were told to come up here for the first loads," Corie told him, "Is the mine ready?"

"I don't know," the dock master said, "We weren't expecting the first ships for another three months."

"We're early," Corie said.

He was about to begin working the dock master when he heard something that worried him. Some of Lady M's people were moving in the ship. Lady M had no intention of waiting so she began her people moving. The side door opened and Lady M's horde began pouring out.

"What the hell are you doing?" Corie yelled at Lady M!

"My job," she said with a shrug, "Get out of the way!"

The horde came out running and attacked anyone in their way. Corie had to jump into the water to get out of the way as they came out and attacked everyone on the dock. It wasn't really a fair match as the mindless horde members couldn't feel pain any longer. They managed to submerge anyone who got into the way into the horde.

Sheldon's crew just stayed on the ships and watched in horror as the horde killed or assimilated everyone on the dock and moved into the area on the shore. It was, as Corie predicted, a complete bloodbath. No one was spared from the wrath of the initial horde attack. Lady M walked down on the dock and watched from behind as her minions did her bidding.

"I told you we'd take care of it," Lady M told Corie as he made his way out of the water, "Now back off, Corie."

"You're insane!" Corie yelled at her, "What the hell was served by this?"

"It made up for the few that died on the trip," Lady M shrugged, "I have a lot of ground to cover. Enjoy your ore mining."

With that Lady M continued following her horde and took over a horse that had been stolen from one of the managers of the dock.

"Get your people to work," Corie muttered to Sheldon, "We need to get that mine cleared and get out of here."

Sheldon did as he was told and left Corie alone on the dock, contemplating how nasty this horde was turning out to be. He just didn't know what he was going to do about it.

Chapter 72 - A Rogue Mullinix

"He's going to pay," Copeland said softly, "He had no right..."

"No he didn't," Kyrie said as she hugged her cousin, "We'll get him, Copeland,"

"So where did they go and how do we handle this?" Trinaferro wondered, "Gods is there any precedent for this?"

"No," Mason Stone said simply, "There's been a lot of things that I've seen and that I've heard about, but this is the first time I've seen a Mullinix choice corrupted like this."

"Who the hell did it?" Kyrie asked, "That's what we need to figure out."

"Had to be the Bolantines," Suvorov said, "They're the only ones crazy enough to try something like this."

"Who is your foremost expert on them now?" Trinaferro asked Suvorov, "We need more than just supposition. How about questioning Sascha?"

"She's still out cold," Suvorov said, "Probably will be for a while."

"Too bad Iggy isn't around," Copeland said, "He'd know the history on this sort of thing."

"I'm glad he didn't live to see this," Trinaferro sighed, "This is a mistake of monumental proportions."

"You did nothing wrong," Mason told her, "He fooled all of you and he had help. You chose the same way you and Medoferro were chosen. You had no way of knowing that the information was bad."

"I should have known!" Trinaferro exclaimed, "We both should have checked more carefully."

"Think about it," Mason said simply, "This was a brilliant play at just the right time. They've probably been seeding candidates for years and playing up to powerful people."

"Or playing up to the guards in the classes," Suvorov said, "Sascha would have known who they were."

"Exactly," Mason said, "I tell you, I don't like that it happened but I can admire it as an audacious piece of espionage. They did one hell of a job at breaking the inner circle."

"You don't have to like it so much," Trinaferro growled.

"You forget," Mason said, "Being as old as I am I don't get surprised much. I rather enjoy it when it happens."

"So who is our expert?" Trinaferro asked Suvorov, "I know you spend time down there, but someone has to do it full time."

"Lister Black," Suvorov said, "He's still in town if you want him here."

"I do," Trinaferro said, "I want him here with any information you or he can scrounge on Bolantine espionage programs."

"When and where?" Kyrie asked, "We also need to tell Medo."

"Wire room in an hour," Trinaferro decided, "I want some headache tea and a few minutes to think before I tell Medo."

"I'll join you," Kyrie said, knowing that she shouldn't be alone.

"As will I," Mason said, "Rav, I'm sure you can find what you need without me?"

"I'll find Lister and get him up here with the information," Suvorov said, "It's going to take a Mullinix warrant to be set out on Viradoferro though."

"There is another way," Copeland said, "Insegniferro told me about it in one of the conversations we used to have about Mullinix history. As a child I had one voracious interest in the subject."

"What is it?" Trinaferro asked, "I want that done before we get Medo on the line."

"An order of incompetence," Copeland said, "It's written into the constitution actually, it gives an out to the others if one Mullinix loses their marbles."

"That's what Machadoferro used on Toloferro," Mason said, "All those years ago until he managed to talk the old elder into removing him. I'd forgotten that."

"It essentially removes his power until all three Mullinix get together and discuss it," Copeland nodded, "He sure isn't going to blab to anyone about being an infiltrator and it will take away his power until we can figure out how to best handle it."

"Let's get that order out," Trinaferro said, "Also reinstate the warrant on Elise Malloy for suspicion of Murder."

"We know Viradoferro did that," Kyrie said, "Why put the warrant on her?"

"Because it will confuse them and deflect suspicion," Suvorov said, "Good idea."

"Works for me," Copeland said, "I guess the next thing to do is figure out how to replace him."

"That's going to be interesting," Suvorov told them, "The files just went up in smoke and even if we had someone we could trust to redo them it would take over a month."

"With the house staff this decimated we can barely keep going," Trinaferro said, "With Alisa's death we're down to eight people."

"We'll manage," Kyrie shrugged, "Not the end of the world."

"No," Copeland said, "But still not going to help us choose a successor."

"I'll worry about that later," Trinaferro said, really wanting to avoid the subject, "We need to get Medo in on that conversation. Everyone back to the wire room in an hour."

Everyone got up to go get the things they needed for the conference in the wire room. Kyrie went to go see that Trinaferro relaxed a little bit when she saw Copeland heading towards the back door. She went to him and put an arm on his shoulder.

"Are you ok?" Kyrie asked him.

"No," Copeland admitted, "I never was completely serious with her, but I did love her, you know?"

"Yeah," Kyrie nodded, "I saw the way you were with her."

"He's going to pay for it," Copeland said, "Even if it's the last thing I do."

"I'll be there with you," Kyrie reminded him, "He took both of us for a ride."

"Definitely," Copeland said, "I'm sorry I got you involved in this."

"Don't be," Kyrie smiled, "I'd rather work here than shepherd students. We'll find another Mullinix and maybe if we're lucky we'll get to keep our jobs."

"I think I may have an idea on that," Copeland said, "But I need to do some research first."

"Anything I can help with?" Kyrie asked him.

"No," Copeland said honestly, "Go ahead and stay with Mom. This has got to be a shock to her system."

"Don't do anything crazy," Kyrie warned him, "Ok?"

"Nothing crazy," Copeland promised, "Just some research in Iggy's old library. I'm saving crazy for when I see Viradoferro in person. Then, I'll show everyone some crazy."

"Save enough for me to kick him in the nuts, eh?" Kyrie smiled as she left Copeland heading upstairs to Insegniferro's old room.

Chapter 73 - On The Run

Corinne d'Abruzzi walked into the boardinghouse and smiled at the clerk as she walked past. Viradoferro kept his hat on tightly and followed her. They walked quickly and she unlocked the door to the room her sister had rented before.

"Ok," Corinne said as she sat down on the bed, "This is where I'm sleeping tonight. You're sleeping on the couch over there."

"Come on," Viradoferro said, "We've been together this long..."

"Let's get something straight," Corinne said, interrupting that line of thought, "I slept with you because it was my job and part of the cover that has kept us alive. I haven't enjoyed it a damn bit and now that our cover is blown I don't have to do it anymore."

"But Elise..." Viradoferro said and got coldly cut off again.

"Elise is gone, so you can stop using that name," Corinne said, "My name is Corinne. And after that stunt you pulled this afternoon you're lucky I don't kick your nuts up through your teeth."

"What?" Viradoferro asked, "She would have given us up!"

"We were blown anyway," Corinne seethed, "I don't kill without purpose and she didn't deserve that. Now sit your ass down and don't move. I need to think this out and I can't do that with you blathering on."

Corinne sighed and sat back on the bed. She knew this day would come, but she wasn't expecting it to be forced on her like this. She really didn't expect them to break through the ruse, but with the idiotic way he had been acting it didn't surprise her that Copeland and Kyrie had seen through the act.

She knew that time was against them. She figured that her best bet would be to get out of the country, but the Mullinix weren't going to let them go without a fight, especially after what Viradoferro had done to Alisa. She still couldn't believe he had done that, as that was just as if he'd gone up to Copeland and kicked him straight in the balls.

She started to panic for a few moments again, but then brought herself under control and relied on her training. The Mullinix would likely not want to draw attention to the fact that there was an enemy agent chosen as a Mullinix. This was a point in their favor. They would, however, probably target in on her.

She went to the mirror and looked at her hair. She knew she had to trade in the long blonde locks for a much shorter and darker cut. Hair styling is one thing she was taught in training as it is the single most effective way of changing your appearance. She pulled out Annalisa's kit out of the travel case left by her late sister.

"Thank you Annalisa," Corinne said softly, "Too bad you aren't here to do the hair for me."

"What was that?" Viradoferro asked.

"Nothing," Corinne said, "I'm about to change my hair."

"Oh," Viradoferro said, "I guess you want me to do the same?"

"Yes," Corinne nodded, "You're about to get a buzz cut. It's the last thing anyone would expect from you."

"Fine," Viradoferro said, "What about you, Elise?"

"Corinne," she reminded him, "We have to abandon those identities if we expect to survive. We'll leave them here when we drop this place. I am Corinne d'Abruzzi again and you are whoever you were before. What the heck is your name anyway?"

"I don't know," he told her, "I was trained all my life to be others."

"You're Brad now," Corinne decided, "Easier for me to remember. Now start cutting off hair. It'll be easier for me to shave you down if you start removing hair."

"Fine," he told her, "Where are we heading now?"

"I want intelligence first," Corinne said, "My contact should be just getting into town. They generally show up at the beginning of the week. I'm going to send the code red with him and find out what security was like on the border."

"So we wait?" he sighed. He was sure it wouldn't be a fun wait.

"We cut our hair and wait," she nodded, "Get to work."

Chapter 74 - The Turning of the Tide

Corie watched as the miners carried their equipment out and made their way to the mine. He wasn't sure how to take what he had just seen. He had been trained over his lifetime to handle this as part of his job, but he just didn't have the stomach for it any longer.

He paced up and down the dock and look at the blood on his shoes. He felt that it was strangely appropriate for him to be standing in blood. He was responsible for more than his fair share of it, especially in the years he spent with Bolantine in Siraq.

He walked to his stateroom and pulled out the papers he had been hoarding. He wondered why he kept going to them. It wasn't a sentiment that would be understood by many in the Bolantine Empire. He put the papers in his pocket and figured that they might give him some courage.

Corie heard a knock on the door and quickly walked over. He opened it up to find commander Sheldon standing in his own bloodstained uniform. The younger man was seemingly unconcerned with the fact that he was bathed in human blood. Corie just couldn't fathom the situation he'd gotten himself into.

"What is it, Sheldon?" Corie asked him.

"The holds," Sheldon told him, "They're covered. She lost at least four hundred people just in there."

"Murderous bitch," Corie muttered, "How long to clean it out?"

"All my sailors will have to do that for a couple days," Sheldon told him, "What do you want me to do?"

"Clean it out," Corie growled, "How are the ships faring?"

"Badly," Sheldon said, "I don't know how long it's going to take to fix."

"Great," Corie sighed, "Get started."

Sheldon nodded and looked again at Corie. He knew something was wrong with the man but didn't quite know how to handle it. He walked out of the room and slipped a little bit on the blood on his shoes.

Corie walked out of the room and went down to the dock. It was then that the smell hit him. He had seen death before, had caused a few in his time but this was something from a nightmare. He looked into the hold of the ship and saw nothing but bodies as far as he could see across the large size of the hold.

"I'm going to the mine," Corie told Sheldon, "Which way?"

"Through the town," Sheldon said, "It's on the other side. Lady M's horde has already passed through so it's clear."

Corie didn't like the sound of that. He jogged towards the town and he was appalled with what he saw. Blood was everywhere and so were bodies. Anyone they couldn't absorb into the horde was killed outright with no regard to age, sex or anything else. The houses, which were little more than shacks to begin with, were mostly knocked over.

He couldn't believe that he was responsible for this. The final straw for him was the sight that greeted him just before he got to the mine. Several of his soldiers were laughing and playing kickball, but it wasn't a ball they were playing with. He saw that they were using the head of a child that had been too small to become an active part of the horde as a ball.

"What the hell are you doing?" Corie barked, "Get to work!"

The soldiers reaction was muted and typical of a Bolantine. They didn't see anything wrong with what they had done or what they were seeing. Corie knew that he had hit his breaking point. He was trying to decide what to do about it when Commander Sheldon came over to him.

"The local miners have been pressed into service," Sheldon told him, "Our men are doing the job and also using the forced labor for the dangerous stuff. We should be able to strip this mine within a week."

"Does any of this bother you?" Corie asked him, "The blood and pain we've caused this nation that didn't do anything to us?"

"No," Sheldon shrugged, "The Emperor gave us his orders. He knows more than we ever will."

Corie knew that was a lie. He had lived with Bolantine too long to accept the brainwashing that had him painted as an all-knowing nearly omnipotent creature. He was immortal, but he certainly was not infallible. He decided that Lady M's plan was too heinous to succeed, even with the so-called infallible Emperor's blessing.

"No he doesn't," Corie told him, "He doesn't even know what you know. This is wrong, Sheldon. And I'm not going to do it anymore."

Corie started to walk away. Sheldon gaped at him. The younger man couldn't believe that someone would walk away from his duty to the Emperor. He drew his sword and went over to Corie.

"You're crazy!" Sheldon said, "Where do you think you're going?"

"To Mullinix," Corie said, "Someone needs to stop this madness."

Sheldon knew he couldn't let Corie do that. The look in Corie's eyes proved that he wasn't kidding about this, so he knew he had to stop his commander from betraying the mission. He started to attack the experienced agent, who turned around and let off a piston punch backed with a slight bit of power to his chest.

"You will never understand, Sheldon," Corie told him as he died, "But it is for the best."

Corie slowly let the body slide down onto the gravel below him. He had made his decision and knew that he had to stop Lady M's horde. He walked over to the horse corral, one of the few things left untouched by the horde and took one of the horses out. He got on and started on a course directly south, knowing that Lady M was likely heading southwest towards the Mullinix border and their capitol.

Corie figured his best bet was to cross the border to the south near Immortal Park and then find his way to wherever Medoferro was. He just hoped that the Mullinix would overlook his past and would listen to him. It would mean a lot of lives if they could stop this thing sooner instead of later.

Chapter 75 - The Incompetence Order

Trinaferro sat down in the wire room at the palace waiting for Medoferro to come on the line from Northport. She knew he wouldn't want to hear this anymore than she wanted to tell him, but he needed to know and they all needed to decide what to do.

"Everyone here?" Trinaferro asked.

Copeland, Kyrie, Suvorov, Lister Black and Mason Stone were in the room. Suvorov suggested bringing in Black due to his expertise in the Bolantine Empire. He had spent most of his time in the Mavelan Republic learning all he could about their unholy neighbors to the south.

No one said much in the few minutes until the wire room came alive and the voice of Medoferro came into the room.

"Do I want to know why an incompetence order was filed?" Medoferro asked solemnly, "What did he do this time and is he in the room with you."

"If he was I'd be kicking his ass," Copeland said.

"Who is there on your side?" Medoferro asked, "It's just Stacy and Me here."

"Copeland, Kyrie, Suvorov, Lister Black and Mason Stone," Trinaferro told him, "The comment came from Copeland."

"Ok," Medoferro said, surprised, "Copeland, you've been one of his biggest defenders. Why the change?"

"He killed Alisa," Copeland said, "And he's a Bolantine plant."

"Say that last part again?" Medoferro said, not sure he heard his son right.

"It's true, Medo," Trinaferro said, "You and I were had. The man we know is Viradoferro is a Bolantine fake. The real Alvin Nixon is likely dead."

"Tell me everything," Medoferro instructed, "I want details."

Copeland relayed the story to his father as they had put it together themselves. By the time they had finished the story Medoferro was livid and Stacy had to keep him from blowing his lid completely. It was tough to see what he was madder about, the fact that he'd been completely taken or that he'd had a chance to kill someone and get away.

"We sent the incompetence order to buy us time," Trinaferro finished, "We were able to get the guard looking for him without admitting how bad we screwed up."

"When are we expecting Sascha to wake up?" Medoferro asked finally, "I want to know who did this to us."

"This had to be a Bolantine plot," Lister said, "They're the only ones who would be able to do it."

"How did they corrupt Sascha?" Stacy asked across the line, "That's the part I'd like to know. The rest of it makes sense, she doesn't."

"Simon would probably be the best one to ask that," Medoferro said, "That's if we can't get her to tell us herself."

"Probably the same way Nikki corrupted Marina," Suvorov said, "We know they had power users in the area."

"I wouldn't put it past them," Mason said, "Bolantine and his bitch have always been good at that sort of game. This is a new low, even for them."

"I still want to know how the assassin got in," Medoferro said, "That concerns me as much as this situation."

"Elise Malloy," Suvorov told them, "It was her pass used."

"Still doesn't explain how someone used the pass and got away with it," Stacy reminded them, "I know the guards check those passes and they couldn't get away with someone who merely looked like her."

"Twins," Lister put in, "The Bolantines have a training camp outside Southern Oasis where they take sets of twins and train them in espionage. Twins can often accomplish together what a single person cannot."

"How do you know this?" Suvorov asked him, "That's the first I heard of it?"

"We first found out about three years ago," Lister shrugged, "You were handling something for Insegniferro in Southern Oasis at the time. I sent the information back up in a standard report."

"What information?" Medoferro asked, "How much do we know?"

"A full picture directory of the pupils there," Lister said, "That directory is in the central document depository."

"Go get it," Suvorov instructed, "That may confirm Bolantine involvement."

Lister nodded and departed the wire room to go get the files he knew were there.

"Do we have any word on where the hell he is?" Medoferro asked, "Anything at all?"

"No," Trinaferro admitted, "And without a full on search he will be hard to find."

"This is going to be touchy," Medoferro admitted, "Especially with Alisa's death in the mix."

"It gives us an out on him," Kyrie put in, speaking for the first time, "We convict him on that and give him the final choice."

"I'd prefer not to have to explain a criminal Mullinix," Trinaferro said, "It would be better if he just fell off the face of the earth."

"He's not getting away that easily," Copeland said, determined to get justice for Alisa, "We're not going to let that murderous son of a bitch just go back to the Bolantines and live his life as though he didn't do anything bad here."

"Did he take anything when he left?" Mason asked them.

"Yes," Trinaferro said, "They stripped the desks in the office before slipping out."

"Then letting them run wild is not a good idea," Medoferro said, "Have you put a warrant out on the girl yet?"

"Yes," Suvorov said, "She's the most wanted person in the nation right now. The guards are tearing apart the city to find her."

"I have an elegant solution," Mason suggested, "Reassign blame."

"Explain?" Trinaferro asked.

"Viradoferro killed the girl," Suvorov said, "How the hell do we reassign that?"

"The only people who know that are in this room and across this wire," Mason said simply, "Put a full on warrant out for Elise Malloy and if we can figure out her real name we'll put that one out as well."

"So how do we explain Viradoferro is with her?" Copeland asked him.

"He's young and stupid," Mason said simply, "We've all been there. I know I was when I was young all those centuries ago. We just say that they are involved in a romantic relationship and let people assume the rest. I'm sure the people will come up with better lies than we will."

"You can't possibly expect this to work long term," Trinaferro said, "There are so many ways it can go wrong."

"I've done it before," Mason shrugged, "Before the cataclysm I worked on a serial killer case. The woman wanted nothing more than to be infamous and leave an indelible legacy because she was dying of what you now call the wasting sickness. So we did the worst thing we could do to her, made sure that she never got credit for her crimes. We laid the blame on a dead man that she used for a patsy. The killer died a few weeks later and was buried in an unmarked grave, forever unknown."

"It's just crazy enough to work," Medoferro admitted, "Suvorov, you're our clandestine operations guy, what do you think?"

"I think it's better than admitting to the world that we screwed up as bad as we did," Suvorov shrugged, "Gives us an excuse to put the world looking for him."

"Now, the question is, how the hell do we replace him?" Trinaferro asked the group, "This is all a short term solution. The next and more serious question is what do we do to replace him? Sascha torched the record room and anything she worked on is tainted. We are constitutionally bound to have a replacement in place within twenty-four hours of the death or removal of a Mullinix. It will take months to get the new process put together and longer than that to vet the candidates."

"I actually have a solution for that," Copeland told them, "Like Mason's solution for the short-term I have one for the switch."

"I'm glad someone does," Medoferro said, "I'm certainly at a loss at how to avoid the amount of work that would come from trying to reconstitute those records that fast."

"Is that where you ran off to?" Kyrie asked him, "I thought you were going to rest."

"I knew this was going to come up," Copeland said, "And I have a stake in this too. I also probably know more than anyone else here about Mullinix History, with the likely exception of Mason, because of the time I spent with Insegniferro."

"You always did like talking history with him," Trinaferro smiled, "So what did you come up with?"

"I went to the document that we all live by," Copeland said simply, "The original Mullinix constitution written by Marcus Mullinix."

"Go on," Mason said, "I think I know where you're going with this, but I think we all could use the history lesson and my head isn't all there yet."

"We all know the basics," Copeland told them, "The three Mullinix system with the Elder and the apprentice. But, the choice for Mullinix isn't quite as stringent as we've done over the years."

"I hope you're not putting yourself up there," Medoferro said, "If you are, I'm stopping that right now..."

"Nope," Copeland said, "I'm constitutionally barred. May I continue?"

"Please," Trina said, "Go on."

"The records system wasn't as good as it is now back then," Copeland said, "That was built up over the centuries. The original constitution called for the new apprentice to simply be under twenty-five years of age and not a direct child of the Mullinix. That alone bars me from the job, however, it does allow for a rather elegant solution..."

"You're kidding!" Kyrie exclaimed, realizing what he was doing, "You're not thinking..."

"You qualify, Kyrie," Copeland told her, "You're not a direct descendant of any Mullinix. You're related to mom by blood, but not a direct descendant."

"I like it," Suvorov said, "She's already had the basic training and could hit the ground running."

"So you're suggesting we choose Kyrie?" Trinaferro said incredulously, "But she's your cousin and a bit far removed from school."

"Not to mention a Mullinix Representative," Medoferro added, "Aren't there rules about that one?"

"Yes," Copeland agreed, "There are. The older representatives cannot take the job, however, the representative of the apprentice can be chosen if said representative meets the criteria of a Mullinix search and meets the constitutional criteria. Again, Kyrie does. I have her file here to prove it."

Copeland handed Kyrie's file over to his mother and she perused it quickly. Kyrie was in shock that Copeland had come up with this so quickly and that he'd actively pursued it the way he had. Copeland merely smiled at Kyrie, proud of himself for coming up with a solution.

"He's right," Trinaferro said after reading for a few minutes, "She qualifies even better than the faked Viradoferro file did."

"By choosing her we get off running," Medoferro agreed, "Copeland, you're right. That is a simple and elegant idea. It all hinges on one thing, though. Kyrie, are you willing to take the job?"

"Only if I get to kick Viradoferro in the nuts for putting me in this position," Kyrie sighed, "I don't want it, but hell that only makes me more right for it. I'm in and will keep Copeland for a personal representative. I can choose another one later on if need be."

"I think we have a plan," Medoferro said, "I have Northport almost under control, but I'm going to stay up here a bit. Trin, how do you want to handle the Viradoferro situation?"

"Suvorov," Trina said, "I want you to keep working on this issue. We will need to find him. Kyrie, you now speak as an apprentice to this group here, but until Viradoferro is found or confirmed to be out of the country you're publicly a representative still."

"I'm in no hurry," Kyrie assured her, "Do I get to continue working on the search?"

"You both do," Trinaferro instructed, "I'll take session and keep the government running in the meantime."

Lister Black let himself back into the room and carried with him a packet of files obtained from the archives. He sat back down and smiled at the people in the room.

"We have files on thirty four sets of twins," Lister told them, "Any clues at all?"

"Any of them named Corinne?" Kyrie asked, "The assassin shouted an apology to someone named Corinne."

"Corinne... Corinne..." Lister said, flipping through the pages, "Corinne d'Abruzzi and her sister Annalisa. Is this your missing bitch?"

Lister held up a photo and it was definitely the woman they all knew as Elise Malloy. If one of them had seen that photograph before that moment the entire Viradoferro mess could have been easily avoided. There was a lot of head shaking.

"Anything of any use in there?" Suvorov asked him.

"Not much," Lister admitted, "He barely got out with this. The Bolantines take their Southern Oasis training program seriously. I've tried to get information on it for years and this is the closest I could get. Unfortunately, this is three years old."

"Anything on power training?" Medoferro asked, "That could prove useful."

"Annalisa is marked with a DO marking," Lister said, "We think that means Dark Order, their assassin's guild. Not surprising if she was the attempted assassin. We know less about them than we do the training camp. Corinne, who I'm assuming is our surviving Elise impersonator, didn't have the taste for wet work and went for standard deep cover espionage."

"Amazing," Copeland said, reading over Lister's shoulder, "How the hell did this ever work?"

"They must have gotten some inside information," Trinaferro said, "That's the only answer."

"Right," Medoferro said, "Copeland, I want you to do the questioning on Sascha. You'll detect any tainted power that's been used on her. You can also do a calming push to encourage her to talk. I'm sure Mason can teach you that technique."

"I think I remember it," Mason agreed, "I'll be glad to help anyway."

"I disagree," Suvorov said, shaking his head, "Simon would be better for this because of his history with Sascha. She'll either talk to him because of the relationship or tell him to spite him."

"I concur with that," Copeland agreed, "I'll keep on the Viradoferro hunt where I'll be more use."

"I think we have a plan," Trinaferro sighed, "Something happened up in Hulkensuxor because the lines are down. I'm giving Simon some time to get someone down here or a message to us before I send in the cavalry."

"He took the cavalry with him," Medoferro said, "I talked to him in Massimaferro Village from here when I got here. He was heading up there to take care of business. Hopefully we'll get him and Charissa back to normal duty after they get back."

"I'd like for something to get back to normal," Trinaferro said, her head bowed a little, "We all know what to do, let's go get to work."

Chapter 76 - The Sotanberg Palace

Charissa walked through the humongous walls of the Sotanberg capitol and followed the guards to the palace. She had been there once before with Simon, but it was still a rather imposing place to go. The palace itself, however, was a bit on the gaudy side, being built by less enlightened kings of the past.

She walked and pushed back her long hair. She was still a radiant woman although she was in her mid forties. The guards led her silently to the palace, where she had been expected as the Mullinix representative.

"Greetings Madam," the king's chief advisor told Charissa as she was brought in, "How was your trip, Charissa?"

"Long," Charissa shrugged, "But it wasn't bad compared to what your people are suffering through right now."

"It's not been a good week," the advisor said, "I hear that there was an attempt on the Mullinix as well?"

"That's what I was told," Charissa nodded, "I haven't been back to Mullinix Centre yet. I was in Massimaferro Village at the time."

"What's going on up there?" the advisor asked, always looking for information.

"Standard corruption investigation of a neighboring town," Charissa shrugged, "No big deal. Simon will finish that up."

"We have those problems too," the advisor admitted, "We're about to have to do a purge up in Thompton."

"It's a curse but one that can be handled," Charissa said, "So how is the young king handling his father's death?"

"Badly," the advisor said, "His mood might not be improved by your being here instead of an actual Mullinix representative."

"I am one," Charissa explained, "We've been overworked so Rav Suvorov and I were officially promoted to the jobs we were already doing."

"That will help," the advisor told her, "He's incredibly touchy right now."

"I would be too if I were in his shoes," Charissa agreed.

The advisor nodded and rubbed his temples. Quite obviously the man was having a lot of stress putting up with the new king. The advisor beckoned Charissa to follow him into the King's sitting room.

"Charissa!" young King Weatherby said as he saw the Mullinix representative, "I see the Mullinix decided to send you to send their condolences."

"I come with Trinaferro's apologies," Charissa told him, bowing as a sign of respect, "The government of Mullinix is in shock that someone would murder your father. He had been a true friend for decades."

"Hopefully he is lounging comfortably somewhere in the heavens with your late Mullinix Insegniferro."

"Probably so," Charissa told him, "From what I was told it is only a stroke of good fortune that kept Medoferro and Trinaferro from meeting the same fate as your father."

"Yes," Weatherby admitted, "It is a bad time. Do you have any suspects?"

"Suspects?" Charissa asked, thankful that she didn't know any details of the investigation to leak, "Sure. Can we prove any of it? Of course not."

"We are reasonably sure that it was the Bolantines," Weatherby told her, "No one else really had anything to gain."

"Good thing you are in control," Charissa said, "How are you handling things?"

"I'm ok," Weatherby said, "But we will make the Bolantines pay for this. This was an act of war."

"Don't be hasty," Charissa warned, "It could have been an internal power play for all you know."

"No," Weatherby told her, "The Bolantines are to blame. They will be punished."

"How?" Charissa asked, scared by this.

"Our forces will be crossing into the infernal empire in three weeks. We will not accept their presence any longer."

"Is that necessary?" Charissa asked him, scared as hell at that thought, "You know that may be what they are actually looking for."

"Then they will get it," Weatherby told her, "We will be going in and looking for blood. They struck the first blow. They will not get to strike another."

"But your Senate?" Charissa asked, hoping that the traditional body of lords would be talking some sense into the young king.

"They are following the will of the people," Weatherby told her, "The people are incensed that their king was murdered this way by a cowardly intruder sent by the infernal empire. We will not tolerate their presence to the south anymore."

"Whoa," Charissa said quietly, this was not what she expected, "Please be careful on this. We don't want to be pulled into a general war of attrition. That won't be good for anyone."

"Just keep your eyes on the Mavelans," Weatherby told her, "The Bolantines are likely to perform something stupid. We don't expect you to come into our territory and fight down there."

Charissa was glad to hear that but she knew from the experiences of her youth how bad war could be. She also remembered dealing with wounded soldiers from the Bolantine war twenty years before. She let out a deep breath and wondered if she could do anything to dissuade him.

"This is of grave concern to the Mullinix," Charissa told him, "Is there any way we can prevail upon you to show some restraint on this?"

"We've been restrained long enough," Weatherby told her harshly, "The Bolantines are spoiling for a fight. We will be giving it to them."

"I see," Charissa said, "I do need to convey this to the Mullinix."

"Of course," Weatherby nodded, "I understand. I do not take this lightly, but I will not be swayed, even by the Mullinix herself."

"Please stay the night," the advisor put in, "You have been traveling so long it would be criminal to ask you to do more today. We will have a feast in your honor tonight."

"Of course," Charissa said, though she didn't want to stay there, "I would be honored to accept your hospitality."

"Splendid!" King Weatherby said finally, "Please escort Lady Charissa to her room. We will celebrate tonight."

Charissa nodded, but her heart was not in the mood for celebration. She knew that this was not going to end well, especially hearing all the pro-war talk that was going on at the party. Everyone knew war was coming and all of them seemed ready to embrace it. This was not a good development.

Chapter 77 - Leaving Town

Corinne d'Abruzzi stood up and stretched her arms out. She knew that they were still in the line of fire, but the sleep had given her a bit of a perspective on their predicament. She knew that she had to have more information on what was going on, so she got dressed and made sure that she looked nothing like she had as Elise Malloy. Gone were the long locks of blonde hair and they were replaced by short and straight black hair.

She dressed in some of her sister's travel clothes and put on a pair of glasses that further obscured her looks. While she was preparing her disguise the former Viradoferro woke up and looked at her. He looked different as well, but not as different as she did. It took him a few moments to recognize her.

"Where are you going?" Viradoferro asked her.

"Intel," Corinne told him, "You are too recognizable. You stay put while I check the news."

"But that assumes you haven't had a warrant put out," Viradoferro told her, "I doubt I can be arrested."

"I don't look like Elise Malloy anymore," Corinne said, "You're the one they'll be looking for closely. You stay put. I'll be back in ten minutes."

Corinne walked out of the room before Viradoferro could complain any further. She walked down to the front desk and paid a few coins for the morning newspaper. She was not thrilled with the fact that a photograph of her was on the front page with the headline "Murder in the Palace!"

Corinne cursed to herself. She brought the newspaper up to the room and sat down and read. She pointedly ignored Viradoferro and read the newspaper looking for facts that would give her an indication of which direction they needed to go.

The news about the Sotan king's death was not surprising, why try for one if you can get away with two? The fact that the Sotanberg government had locked down the travel routes was disturbing. The fact that the Mullinix had already sent a representative there was more so.

"Anything interesting?" Viradoferro asked.

"Sotanberg might be dangerous," Corinne said, "Mavelans have a controlled border because of the mountain range and I don't want to try surviving in Damascas without being able to go to the cities."

Corinne ignored Viradoferro's useless response and went straight to the second story on the front page, the report of the incident in Hulkensuxor. The Bolantines weren't accused directly, but the fact that there was an imposter and the controller was there when caught meant that Adam Kubelsky was caught in it.

"Damn," Corinne said, "Adam is dead. He was caught in Hulkensuxor and pulled the same type of self-suicide that my sister did. Came within a hair of killing Simon Sutcliffe, too."

"Great," Viradoferro said sarcastically, "So how does that help us to get out?"

"Eringol," Corinne exclaimed, "Lady M is on a mission up there. That means there is transportation up there and we can hop a ride back to the empire that way."

"Sounds good to me," Viradoferro said, "When do we leave and how do we get there? Train to Gottgol Road?"

"They'll be looking for me on the train," Corinne told him, shaking her head, "We need to either go on foot or horse."

"Foot would take too long," Viradoferro told her, saying his first sensible thing of the day, "They haven't taken all my powers from me yet, so I should be able to snag two horses from the guard shack."

"If not I can disable the guards long enough to take the horses," Corinne agreed, "Let's go."

The two of them got ready and made sure that Viradoferro was wearing a large hat to further obscure his face. They made their way to the northernmost guard station in the city. Corinne looked over the place from the outside and wondered what the security was like.

"Two guards," Viradoferro told her, "We can take them."

"No killing," Corinne told him, "The Mullinix already wants our heads on a stick for what you did to Alisa. Every person you kill turns up the heat that much more, you idiot!"

Corinne knew she was dealing with a psychopath now, but that didn't mean that she would stand still for him killing people needlessly. She decided to try to use his authority one last time to get some horses.

"Be official," Corinne told him, "But if you attack I swear I will kill you myself."

"Fine," Viradoferro said, "I'll do it your way."

They walked in and the guard was one that Viradoferro actually knew. He went over and greeted the man, wondering how much had actually been released about his current status.

"Viradoferro!" the guard said, "What are you doing here?"

"I need a horse," Viradoferro told him, "I'm going to check out something and I don't want to walk there."

"But there's an incompetence order out on you!" the guard exclaimed, "What the heck did you do?"

"Incompetence order?" Corinne asked, "What's that?"

"We can't follow any orders from him," the guard explained, "We have to bring you back to the palace so Medoferro and Trinaferro can sort things out."

"That's not going to happen," Viradoferro said, "We're taking two horses."

"I can't let you have them," the guard said, "What is happening?"

"Not your problem," Viradoferro said and started to pull his knife.

"Whoa!" the guard said and pulled his sword.

Corinne cursed silently and let off a blinding flash at the two guards. She then hit them with an immobilizing blast of power. It would not keep them out for long but long enough.

"Come on," Corinne said, "You do anything else I'll kill you myself you idiot. You almost got more people down on us. Right now they're just looking for us and trying to keep their screw-up out of the news. You kill anyone else they'll put the whole weight of the Mullinix government on us! Now get on the horse."

Corinne saw that one of the guards was awakening already. They got on the horses and decided to try to throw a bone to the guards to draw them away from where they were actually going.

"Move it!" Corinne exclaimed, "We need to get to the Sotan border before they close it!"

Corinne glared at Viradoferro, silently telling him to shut his mouth. They then rode off together and managed to slip out of the town gate before the guards were alerted that they were on the loose. At least they had learned one important thing. The ties were completely cut. They couldn't trade on his former position any longer.

Chapter 78 - Gottgol Invasion

Medoferro sat in the tent that was serving as the temporary government house. He was not thrilled with the events of the past hours and was drinking a mild local whiskey with Stacy Cossy. She looked around and made sure the guards were out of earshot before she brought up the subject that was on both of their minds.

"Ok," Stacy asked him, "How did we screw up this bad?"

"We won't know until they manage to question Sascha," Medoferro said, "We were taken, hook, line and sinker."

"Not good," she sighed, "I don't know Kyrie well. Do you think she'll do a good job?"

"She's smart enough," Medoferro agreed, "Probably would have been discounted from the search normally due to her relation to Trina, but in this case Copeland came up with one hell of an elegant solution."

"I'm all for elegant solutions," Stacy chuckled, "What now?"

"Now, we just hope to find Viradoferro before he can get back to the Bolantines," Medoferro told her, "I don't want them to get the satisfaction."

"It's not as though he can tell them much," Stacy shrugged, "That's the nice thing about open government. You don't have to keep your lies straight."

"He knows enough about how we work," Medoferro reminded her, "I'd prefer Bolantine not know that."

"Right," Stacy sighed, "I don't like the Bolantine interference, especially with what Simon found in Hulkensuxor."

"I'm about to start messing with the system again," Medoferro said, "I want a photo identification system put in place for both school files and guards. We need this in place as soon as possible. I want photographs taken at every official test from now on."

"That will be expensive and take time to implement," Stacy warned, "But it would definitely be the best defense against this."

"It's less expensive than going through this mess again," Medoferro said, "Colonels don't grow on trees either. I've had enough of this crap."

"Won't be the first time we've broken with tradition," Stacy agreed, "I'm just glad I missed the assassination attempt."

"I wish I had," Medoferro grumbled, "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Copeland."

"No time to dwell on that," Stacy smiled, "He's doing fine. It seems that was Viradoferro's downfall."

"I wish I could understand that one," Medoferro chuckled, "I swear, why would you willingly pull in someone who could recognize what you are?"

"Who knows," Stacy shrugged, "Maybe we'll get the chance to ask him."

"You ask," Medoferro growled, "I'll kick him in the teeth."

"Nice," Stacy laughed, "Really nice."

Medoferro didn't find anything funny about the situation. He took a drink of his whiskey and looked around. Things were getting better in Northport, but there was still a long way to go. He had a feeling that something else was going wrong, but he didn't know what yet. That feeling was justified when the young messenger came into the tent.

"Mullinix sir?" the young man said, "There's an emissary from Gottgol here, looks like he's been traveling all night."

"Has security checked him?" Stacy asked the young man.

"Yes ma'am," he said, "Papers are in order, said that you'd recognize him."

"Bring him in," Medoferro said, "If he needed to see me that badly then the least I can do is oblige him."

The young man went out and the rather weary emissary from Gottgol came in. Medoferro recognized him immediately as they had met a few years earlier when Medoferro had met the President of Gottgol in the neutral ground outside Gottgol Road.

"Anderson," Medoferro said, nodding towards the emissary, "What brings you tearing down to Mullinix in the middle of the night?"

"You don't know?" Anderson asked incredulously, "You can sit there and claim no knowledge of this?"

"Of what?" Medoferro asked, looking at Stacy, "What the hell are you talking about, Anderson? Did something happen that I wasn't informed of?"

"Your troops invaded my country without reason!" he exclaimed, "Pulled up in a ship and let loose a horde of people that are continuously growing and killing or absorbing everything in its path!"

"I assure you that I ordered no such thing," Medoferro said, sitting bolt upright in shock, "Stacy, get me a line to Connoer. I want to make sure our anti-pirate fleet is still in dock like they're supposed to be."

"On it," Stacy said, motioning to someone to get the wire room ready, "I'll check with the palace to see if Trina knows anything about this."

"So you're telling me you didn't know?" Anderson asked Medoferro, "You're willing to look me in the eye and say it?"

"Absolutely," Medoferro said, standing up and reaching for the emissary's hand, "I assure you, Anderson. Neither Trinaferro nor myself have ordered this or anything like it. If I find out that anyone in my government is behind it then there will be heads rolling and I am being very literal on that fact."

Stacy returned into the room and confirmed that no one at the palace had transmitted any order of war. Medoferro privately wondered if Viradoferro had done it, but the incompetence order should have been enough to keep that from happening, besides it would have taken weeks to set something like that up.

"The ships are still in Connoer," Stacy said, "They didn't steal our ships."

"This is madness," Medoferro said, "Do you have anything else on this, Anderson?"

"Here," Anderson said as he handed a photograph taken in Eringol, "Are these your uniforms?"

"Stacy?" Medoferro said, looking at it, "I don't keep track of our current uniforms. Those don't look familiar."

Stacy looked at the photos for a minute and knew there was something off about them. Medoferro didn't know the military as well as she did, though he was widely respected as a masterful tactical military leader. He knew how to command a military but not what it was like to be in one.

"The uniforms are Southern Expeditionary Force," Stacy said, "Bolantine war veterans and the combined Mavelan defense forces wear those."

"What the hell would they be doing in Gottgol?" Medoferro asked, "This makes no goddamn sense."

"They aren't Mullinix soldiers," Stacy said, examining it more closely, "For one, no Mullinix soldier would wear the Mullinix patch on the left side and that battalion was folded into the combined force. Its insignia was retired fifteen years ago."

"So who would do this to us?" Anderson asked, "I really didn't think your people would be this insane. After all, you already have a contract with us to purchase the entire output of the mines up there."

"Mines?" Medoferro asked, "What mines are up there?"

"Bauxite," Stacy said, finishing that thought, "It has to be a Bolantine Bauxite grab."

"Those awful people in the south?" Anderson asked, "Why masquerade as Mullinix?"

"They want to deflect blame and make us look bad," Medoferro said, "We foiled their plans twenty years ago. Looks like they're getting frisky again."

"You need to meet with our president," Anderson said, "They're still thinking it was you."

"Arrange the meeting," Medoferro said, "At once. I pledge that if you are facing a Bolantine invasion we will certainly assist."

"Thank you," Anderson said, "I will head back."

"We're breaking camp," Medoferro said, "I will get some of my best people together at Gottgol Road. I won't send anyone in without your President's approval, but if you want our help you will definitely get it."

"Of course," Anderson said, much relieved by this visit, "I believe you are an honorable leader, Medoferro. I just wish we could have met again under better circumstances."

"We will," Medoferro promised, "I want you to rest at least an hour and get some food in you before you rush back. You won't do good to anyone if you fall off your horse in hunger."

"Thank you, Mullinix," Anderson said, "I will be sure to eat."

Medoferro put his hands on his temples and rubbed a little bit. He was expecting another shoe to drop, but this wasn't the mess he had in mind. He looked at Stacy who was nearly as aghast as he was.

"What do we do?" Stacy asked.

"Do you have a Colonel ready up here?" Medoferro asked her, "Looks like we will have a nice mess up here."

"Arryn Moon is ready for the job," Stacy told him, "She's been my right hand up here for months and is from Cirrus, so she knows what damage a bad Colonel can do."

"Install her," Medoferro ordered, "You're coming with me this time. I want Simon there as well. We also need to get the troops here ready to move. If this is as bad as Anderson said it was, I want the best people we have ready."

"He's already heading to the Palace," Stacy told him, "He found out about what Sascha did and he wants to talk to try to get information out of her about it. Suvorov thought he'd be the best person to do it."

"That's fine," Medoferro said, "He can do that and then head up here. You and I should do for an advance team."

"Suvorov, Copeland or Kyrie?" Stacy asked, "Do you want them up here?"

"Suvorov is better suited for the search for Viradoferro," Medoferro said, thinking for a moment, "Copeland and Kyrie are wild cards. I'll let them stay with Suvorov right now, but If this becomes a power user battle I need both of them here."

"I'll let you tell Trina that," Stacy told him, "She'll be on the line in a couple minutes and wants to talk to you."

"You get things settled up here," Medoferro said, "Get Moon set and establish her authority. We leave for Gottgol Road at sunup."

"Never a dull moment," Stacy said, "I'll get started. Do I at least get to sleep on the trip?"

"If you're lucky," Medoferro smiled, "Get moving, Stacy. This is not going to be a pleasure trip, that's for sure."

Chapter 79 - Following

Copeland sighed as he walked out of the office and went towards the kitchen. The reality of this was getting to him and he needed a good headache tea. He walked in to find that the room was empty, as all the kitchen staff had died with Marianna in the explosion caused by the assassin.

He managed to get a burner going and some water going. By the time he got the water boiling and some tea going Kyrie had walked into the room and sat down across from him. He poured two cups and slid one to her, as he knew she would need one as well.

"I don't know whether to hit you or thank you," Kyrie told him as she sipped the headache tea, "But you really did your homework on that one. Why didn't you tell me you were offering me up?"

"Because I knew you'd have had the sense to tell me to stop," Copeland chuckled, "We needed an elegant solution and you have to admit, it doesn't get much more elegant than that one."

"You're right," Kyrie sighed, "Still bummed about how this went down?"

"I'm more angry than anything," Copeland told her, "I want to kick his ass myself."

"I'll help," Kyrie promised, "But first we need to meet your mother downstairs. Suvorov has some information and we are likely going after him."

"Let's go," Copeland said, finishing his tea.

The two of them walked to the line room to find Trinaferro and Suvorov talking outside and looking very serious. Copeland wondered if they had found out anything.

"What's up?" Copeland asked.

"There's an invasion going on in Gottgol," Trinaferro said, "They're using our uniforms and ships that look like ours."

"Bolantines?" Kyrie asked.

"Probably," Suvorov said, "Medo thinks so. He's on his way to Gottgol road. He wants you and Kyrie to meet him there."

"What about Viradoferro?" Copeland asked him, "Don't you need us for that?"

"He's left town," Suvorov said, "He and the bitch with him. They stole two horses from the guard station on the north end. She stopped him from killing the guards."

"Why the north end?" Kyrie asked, "That makes no sense if they're trying to make an end run to Sotanberg?"

"The disabled guards heard her say they were trying to cross the border before we closed it," Suvorov said, "Something that won't happen now."

Copeland thought about that for a minute. Elise is not the murderous lunatic that Viradoferro had turned into. She also was the brains of the team, as she was obviously the controlling agent.

"No way," Copeland said, "She's not stupid. If she's a trained agent then she'd have checked the paper before leaving."

"I don't get it," Kyrie said, not having made the connection like he did.

"I think Copeland is on the same track I am," Suvorov said, "Finish it."

"The Sotans closed the border as soon as the king was assassinated," Copeland said, "We also strictly control the Mavelan border, so getting through there would be difficult at best."

"She's heading northwest," Kyrie said, putting together the pieces, "Is the invasion in the papers yet?"

"Probably won't be until tomorrow," Suvorov said, "That's what makes me wonder. Did she know about the invasion?"

"I think we need to go join my father," Copeland said, as he thought about this, "That's probably our best way of handling it at this point."

"I knew that you had a good head on you," Suvorov agreed, "Trina, can you handle session by yourself?"

"Yes," Trinaferro said, "Short of a full Bolantine invasion I should be fine on my own."

"Then we will head to Gottgol road," Suvorov said, "We should be able to take the train and get there ahead of our errant Mullinix."

"I'm coming along," Mason said as he walked into the room, "If they're using a horde attack you're going to need every power user you can get."

"You've seen a horde attack before?" Trinaferro asked.

"Bolantine and Nikki did a variation of it a few centuries before the cataclysm," Mason told them, "Let's hope that we're not facing the same insanity as they did that time."

"I think we have a plan," Trinaferro said, "You as a group carry Mullinix authority. Kyrie isn't officially installed yet, but together you all will be able to work as the third Mullinix."

"That will save some time," Suvorov said, "The trains are being held for us. We'd best get moving."

"Make sure the border guards down south are warned to look," Copeland reminded his mother, "We could be wrong."

"Of course," Trinaferro said hugging her son and Kyrie, "Now get moving."

Chapter 80 - The Bolantinople Review

Bolantine pulled his long blonde hair back and stared at the large map he kept of the continent. He was unhappy with the fact that he'd been thwarted so often in his attempts to expand his territory. He knew that patience was what had built his empire, but he was again getting impatient with the lack of progress.

He walked out to the balcony of his castle and watched as his soldiers paraded down the street. It pained him to realize that unless he did something soon these men would never get to feel the thrill of battle that he missed himself.

"You have that look in your eye," Nikki told her longtime partner, "You want to invade someone."

"Yes," Bolantine admitted, "The horde has landed by now and it would be a shame to waste such a wonderful diversion."

"Mavelan City?" Nikki asked him, "You want to launch operation Facie?"

"Operation Facie," Bolantine said with a smile, "An oldie but goodie that should have worked a lot better the last time."

"We just have to hope that the Mullinix are more distracted than last time," Nikki warned him, "Granted, we do have an in on them too."

"I think that we're in a better position for this," Bolantine agreed, "Worst case we end up with the Bauxite mine. Best case we end up with a direct border with the Mullinix and a much better defensive position with the mountainous border."

"If they stayed anywhere near the timetable then Marina should have released the horde," Nikki smiled, "Do you think there's a chance in hell she'll follow orders?"

"Not a chance in hell," Bolantine laughed, "She will try to drive that horde right through Mullinix Centre."

"So we're using her for bait," Nikki said, "Seems a waste of a good power sink."

"She's unstable," Bolantine reminded her, "Her plans have been getting stranger and more costly. She may survive it. She may not. If nothing else she buys us time and distracts Medoferro."

"You always planned to invade," Nikki said, "Didn't you?"

"Sure," Bolantine nodded, "I'm sending the third army from Bolantinople to Bolanpyris. Bolanpyris will be a safe place to start and they shouldn't see us coming because it will look like a standard troop deployment."

"Send both in," Nikki smiled, "I like it."

"Good," Bolantine agreed, "You want to head to Bolanpyris with me?"

"Might as well," Nikki shrugged.

Chapter 81 - Sascha

Simon Sutcliffe walked into the palace looking as if he hadn't slept in weeks. In reality, it had only been a couple days as he had been trying to clean up the mess that the fake Mecklenburg had left behind for him in Hulkensuxor. He had finally gotten to the point that he didn't feel too bad leaving Anastasia with the job of rebuilding local trust in the government.

He was amazed at how empty the place looked and at the destruction that had resulted from the failed assassination attempt. He could almost hear crickets chirping as he walked through the usually busy halls not seeing anyone but a few guards.

It took him a few minutes to figure out where he was going, but he finally made his way to the office to find Trinaferro sitting there looking through some paperwork. She looked up and smiled at him, glad to see that he was all right after the mess in Hulkensuxor.

"I guess my news of a plant was a bit anticlimactic?" Simon asked her, "How the hell did we let this happen?"

"We all trusted Sascha," Trina sighed, "I thought you'd be joining Medoferro in Gottgol Road."

"What's going on in Gottgol road?" Simon asked, having been in transit when Medoferro tried to get him.

"Oh," Trinaferro said, "You must have been traveling when we found out. There's an invasion going on in Gottgol and they're impersonating our soldiers."

She relayed the information that Medoferro had told her about the problems up there and Simon was mortified. He didn't like the sound of it and knew that he needed to get up there if he was going to help.

"Any word from Charissa yet?" Simon asked Trinaferro.

"None," Trinaferro said, "Not expecting any for a few more days."

"Great," Simon sighed, "Has Sascha said anything yet?"

"According to Medico Rasten she stares dead at the wall," Trinaferro sighed, "I haven't had the heart to go talk to her myself."

"I have to," Simon told her, "I did her wrong in many ways twenty years ago. I lost myself in Charissa and just never talked to her about it."

"Still doesn't excuse this," Trinaferro reminded him.

"Didn't excuse Marina either," Simon retorted, "Just try talking to Medo about that one."

"Touché," Trinaferro sighed, "Just the gods punishing you for being young men, I guess."

"There is that," Simon sighed, "I think the single smartest thing they put into the Mullinix constitution was the prohibition on you guys marrying. Why put the country at risk of an ill-advised alliance marriage?"

"I suppose," Trinaferro chuckled, "Let's go talk to Sascha, see what you can pull out of her. Then we'll get you fed and sent off to Gottgol Road to back up my husband and make sure he doesn't try anything crazy to fend this off."

"Something tells me I will not want to eat after this conversation," Simon told her, getting up and waiting for Trinaferro to show him where Sascha was being held."

The two of them walked silently to the guard quarters on the other side of the palace that they were using as a temporary holding area for Sascha. She had not been officially charged with a crime yet, mainly because of the injuries she had received in the fire.

"I was wondering when you two were going to show up," Medico Rasten said from her position on the settee that had been put near the door for her, "You know, as much time as I've spent here the past six months I might as well have a room here, you know that?"

"That can be arranged," Trinaferro promised, "We've been meaning to have a palace Medico because of stuff like this and the fact that some of the people who make the trek to session are not the healthiest sort."

"If you do it I might take the job as my retirement duty," Rasten laughed, "So I take it you're here to talk to this poor girl?"

"This poor girl set the fire and did several other things that I don't want to go into," Trinaferro sighed, "She did this to herself."

"Great," Rasten sighed, "Do I want to know?"

"No," Trina said honestly, "I don't want to know either, so I'm sending him in there."

"I'll find out," Simon said, "I'll go in alone. If she will talk to anyone at all it's going to be me."

"Probably," Trinaferro agreed, "I think I'll stay out here with the good medico while you find out."

Simon walked into the room and saw the woman he spent many nights with in all sorts of carnal knowledge lying in the bed. She was bandaged up and only semiconscious. He breathed in a little bit as he watched her for a few moments.

It was hard for him to reconcile the fifty-year old woman lying in the bed in front of him with the thirty-year old one he'd last spent the night with nearly twenty years before. It was the difference between his youth and his actual adulthood flashing before his eyes.

"Sascha," Simon said as he sat down next to her, "Can you hear me?"

"Simon," Sascha said, looking up a bit and regaining some consciousness, "What brings you here?"

"I couldn't stay away," Simon told her then he got serious, "Why did you do it, Sascha?"

"You of all people," Sascha said, looking at him and almost laughing, "You have some balls to come in and ask this."

"I cared for you," Simon told her, figuring that this would be the reason, "I never tried to hurt you."

"Then I guess I could ask you the same thing," Sascha said, her eyes boring into him, "Why?"

"Because I have a connection with Charissa," Simon told her honestly, "We don't just go to bed and shag all night."

"Are you telling me you don't sleep with her?" Sascha laughed, "That's not the horny little bastard I knew."

"I didn't say that," Simon told her, "Of course I do, but it's not all we do. That's the difference, Sascha."

"So you talk with her?" Sascha said.

"Yes," Simon agreed, "Yes I do. Every night. And if I'm not with her, I miss talking with her."

"So that's what I lost huh?" Sascha chuckled, "Well, I was devastated when it happened. You just shut down."

"I admit," Simon sighed, "I handled it badly. But that doesn't excuse what you did."

"But it felt so good," Sascha laughed, "I got to help my only true friend."

"Who did you do this for?" Simon asked her, "You know you want to tell me."

"Of course I do," Sascha laughed, almost maniacally, "The one person who never, ever lied to me."

Simon shook his head softly. He had never lied to her, but he had not handled things well. He knew that it had caused the problems now, but he had done the right thing by going with Charissa.

"So who was it?" Simon asked her, "Who could possibly convince you to betray your country and everyone who ever trusted you."

She laughed maniacally for a few moments and let the tension eat Simon alive. Simon was not buying into it. He didn't think that anything could surprise him at this point, but he was nowhere near prepared for what came out of her mouth next.

"I didn't betray anyone who had not betrayed me first," Sascha told him, "Marina knew that better than anyone. She showed me how easy it would be to get you back."

"Marina?" Simon asked incredulously, "She survived that insanity in Sotanberg?"

"You mean the attack by the man who claimed to love her?" Sascha mocked, "Yes, she survived. She prospers. She taught me everything!"

"Yes," Simon agreed, "She taught you how to destroy everything you grew up with."

"Roland claimed to love her," Sascha laughed, "How could he do that to her?"

"He tried to save her from herself," Simon told her, "Do you know what Roland did?"

"He tried to kill her!" Sascha exclaimed, "The only person who ever loved me!"

"We all loved you, Sascha," Simon told her and then changed tactics, "Did anyone ever tell you how that happened? How he stopped her?"

"He overpowered her," Sascha said, "Burned her badly in the process."

"He wasn't that good," Simon told her, "He had a bit more skill than I do, but he was no match for a power sink like Marina. Try again."

"Then how did he beat her?" Sascha asked him.

"Because he loved her," Simon said honestly, "You see, it was the one thing she couldn't understand so it was the one thing she couldn't block. He ran her power through his emotional cortex and pushed it back at her, burning himself out in the process. She destroyed him and burned herself. So you're telling me she's alive?"

"Lives in Bolantinople when she's not working," Sascha grinned, "She built the programs they run down there and I am proud to have helped her destroy this hypocritical empire."

"You haven't destroyed anything," Simon told her, "You see, you will never understand what makes this nation great. It's the fact that people will step up and help each other. That's why the Bolantines will stumble and fall, because everything is for him. Nothing is for the greater good."

"But I've destroyed the process," Sascha smiled, "I brought in an unsuitable candidate and who is going to trust you when they find out?"

"Yes," Simon nodded, "You did do that, but it won't be permanent. We've already adapted to that. You see, no one knows what you did outside the palace, and your Bolantine friends managed to kill anyone else who could tell them."

"I'll tell everyone when you put me on trial," Sascha smiled, "I'll shout high and low!"

"The only thing you did was commit arson," Simon told her with an evil smile, "And then for what everyone knows it was an accident."

"This was no accident," Sascha told him.

"As far as anyone knows it was," Simon told her as he went to the Medico's bag, "You see we have no intention of telling anyone about Viradoferro. He will be replaced, but quietly."

"How can you do it quietly?" Sascha said, not believing what she was hearing, "It isn't possible."

"That's Medo and Trina's problem," Simon told her and pulled out at bottle of pills, "But with you, there's no case. You're merely ranting and raving like a madwoman in pain. I think you're about to be committed. Good luck getting anyone else to believe this masterful story."

"You're bluffing!" Sascha told him, "You wouldn't."

"I would," Simon told her, "I did love you once, Sascha. But, I never had anything other than the physical with you. And this conversation proves you're insane. Enjoy that asylum, Sascha."

"You bastard," Sascha said quietly, "You're going to do it."

"Yep," Simon agreed and tossed her the bottle, "You have your choice. You can drift off with the pills or go into the asylum. Enjoy."

Simon walked out of the room with a spring in his step and a smile on his face that he didn't feel. It only lasted until he made it out of the room when he slumped down in the chair and had to will himself into not breaking down right then and there. Trinaferro sat next to him and hugged him, as she knew that this had to be hard on him. Medico Rasten decided to leave them alone to talk for a minute and check on her patient.

"It was Marina," Simon said softly, "She's alive."

"You're kidding!" Trinaferro exclaimed, "You're sure?"

"She wasn't lying," Simon told her, "It makes too much sense. That's how the Bolantines came in."

"Damn," Trinaferro said, "So what do we do with her?"

"Wait a few hours," Simon told her, "I told her that we're going to commit her to an asylum. I also..."

"What did you do, Simon?" Rasten asked him, "She's lapsed into complete unconsciousness..."

"I didn't do anything," Simon told her, "She did it to herself."

"The pills in my bag," Rasten said, "Did she get them or did you do it?"

"She took them," Simon said, leaving out the fact that he picked them up and passed them to her, "Is she gone?"

"I need to go get the stomach pump," Rasten said, "I hate using those things."

"Let her go," Trinaferro told the confused Medico, "She made her choice, Medico Rasten. Let her drift away."

"It's probably better this way," Simon told the medico, "Especially with how bad those burns are."

"Right," Rasten sighed, "I don't know the story and I don't think I want to. I'll pronounce her once they take hold. If she took that whole bottle it should be in a few hours."

"Thank you," Simon told her and then turned to Trinaferro, "I need to tell Medo the news. He won't believe it if he hears it any other way."

"He wants you there anyway," Trinaferro told him, "You can catch dinner on the train. There's no one here to feed you anyway."

"True," Simon sighed, "Thanks for understanding, Trina."

"Yeah," Trinaferro said, "Not much to do but understand."

Simon got himself ready to go and stayed until Medico Rasten pronounced her dead. He considered going in and looking at her one more time, but decided it wouldn't be worth it. He needed to remember the carefree times he spent with her as a youth, not the bitter old woman she became.

Chapter 82 - Border Crossing

Corie rode his horse down the well-traveled road and got a few looks at his blood stained uniform, though blood staining wasn't uncommon with what Lady M had unleashed upon this nation. He knew, however, that he needed to ditch the fake Mullinix uniform or at least get out of it.

He found a small inn and got off the horse. He tied up to the bar in the front and hoped that there would be a small shop in there that he could buy a new outfit to replace the clothes he was wearing. He didn't know much about the language but at least he'd been responsible enough to gather some Gottgol currency to get him through until he could get to Mullinix.

The clerk smiled at him and muttered a greeting in the local language, one of the few languages on the continent that he had absolutely no knowledge of. He nodded politely and walked to the shop area. He didn't know the customs but didn't much care about making a good impression.

"May I help you?" the clerk asked in stunted but passable Mullinix.

"Clothing," Corie told him, "I got caught in that fray up north."

"Ah yes," the clerk said and pointed him to a rack, "All we have."

"That will do," Corie said and picked up a new pair of pants and a shirt, "How much?"

The clerk stated a price that Corie was almost sure was inflated, but he paid it to stay on the clerk's good side. He left the inn and found a wooded area in which to change into the new clothing, shoving his old uniform into the saddlebag in case he needed it again.

Gottgol was not a large country by any means so he managed to travel quickly. The one piece of information he had not found out, however, was how heavily fortified the border was with the Mullinix. He didn't figure it would be militarized like the Bolantine borders tended to be, but he didn't figure it would be open either.

As he approached the border he listened to people and heard more and more Mullinix being spoken. He knew that his Mullinix was accented by his Bolantine birth, despite being a dialect of the same language. He took a deep breath and got off the horse, walking it up to the guard station.

"Residence?" the border guard asked.

"Eringol," he lied, praying the guard wouldn't recognize the accent.

"I heard some bad stuff is happening up there," the guard said, "Getting away from it?"

"Barely got away," Corie lied smoothly, "I have some relatives in Immortal Park. I figured this would be a good time for a visit."

"Do you have your papers?" the guard asked and then looked at him and the horse, "Of course you don't."

"Lost along with my house," Corie told them, "What do I need?"

"I'm not sending you through that bureaucracy," the guard said, "Photograph and fingerprints will do. Go into the hut there."

Corie knew that if he was planning anything untoward this would be a bad thing, but the worst case that would happen would be he'd be arrested immediately, in which case he'd follow the Mullinix code and request a Mullinix session.

Surprisingly, however, it went smoothly. They took his photograph, a set of fingerprints and had him fill out a questionnaire that he lied his way through rather well. It took about twenty minutes until they finished up and he was released with his horse and a twenty coin fee for the paperwork.

He rode away and was shaking his head. He couldn't believe it was that easy to enter the country, but also realized that the Mullinix had traditions of open borders with the northern nations. It kept relations friendly. The other nations knew they had nothing to fear from the Mullinix, which in and of itself was something he would have to take time to get used to.

He rode another hour, wanting to get a distance away from the border. He found a town about halfway between Macmanite and the border to stop, finding another little shop. He went in and was glad to find the newspapers on a stand next to the shop with a jar. Since he didn't have any Mullinix currency he put in about half of his remaining Gottgol funds and slipped out before anyone noticed.

The newspaper was full of stories, including the disappearance of Mullinix Apprentice Viradoferro and the subsequent incompetence order that had been placed for him. The assassination attempt in Mullinix and the successful assassination in Sotanberg were front page stories as well.

It wasn't until page three that he found the information he had been looking for. Medoferro had, until this very day, been handling a situation in Northport, but he was taking a very quick and surprising trip towards Gottgol road. Corie whistled, as he knew why the Mullinix was heading there.

He pulled out the map of the region, which luckily for him included the western half of Mullinix as well as the eastern portion of Serenia. Gottgol Road was approximately a full day's ride north of where he was, but both he and his horse were very tired. He found a place to camp in the woods outside town, hoping that he could get some rest and let his horse eat some grass before he had to go again.

He sat down on a blanket on the ground and thought about what he was doing. He was in uncharted territory in his life. He knew that he was betting everything on Mullinix Medoferro, but the reality of what he knew about that man made it a safe bet in his mind.

He sighed and wrapped himself up a little bit, thankful that the weather in this area was not particularly bad. In a way he was scared about what the coming days would bring, but he was also looking forward to a life that made sense, doing something worth doing instead of doing the bidding of the crazy immortal who was their emperor.

He let himself relax on the ground and willed himself to sleep, knowing that he would need every bit of rest as he tried to make it through the next few days. He just hoped that sense would win out over Medoferro's visceral reaction to seeing him again after so long.

Chapter 83 - Gottgol Road

Medoferro and Stacy sat in chairs on the front porch of the government house in Gottgol Road. Gottgol Road was a small town, one that really only rated a full government house because of its traditional use as a meeting spot between the Mullinix and any representatives of the Gottgol government.

Anderson had gone back across the border to meet with his president, a man that Medoferro had not met since he was elected some three years earlier. Elections were not something that the Mullinix generally bothered with, as their system seemed to handle things better without them.

"Why do I feel as though we should be doing something?" Stacy asked him, "We're just sitting here while people are dying up in Gottgol."

"It isn't our fight unless they request our help," Medoferro reminded her, "Remember, we didn't go into the Mavelans until their government requested it."

"We went into Siraq without governmental permission," Stacy reminded him.

"Only because the de facto leader declared war by trying to kill me," Medoferro retorted, "And then everyone in that nation was given the choice whether to join Mullinix or not. It is just a testament to how we run things that everyone, save a small enclave on the border, decided to join us."

"Ok," Stacy smiled, "You win. Just feels weird, you know?"

"Yep," Medoferro agreed, "It gives us time to get everyone together."

Medoferro nodded and leaned back in his chair. He didn't like the feeling he had. It was the same feeling he had about Siraq twenty years before and Cirrus a decade before that. It was a feeling that he'd learned meant that something bad was going to happen.

Stacy stretched a little and walked around the porch. She was the first to see the group coming up from the south. She recognized Rav Suvorov first, having worked with him since she was first in the guards. She hadn't been at the palace recently so she failed to recognize Copeland and Kyrie until they came closer.

"Decided to bring everyone up here, huh?" Medoferro asked Suvorov, "No sign of him?"

"We think he's heading this way," Suvorov told them, "The other borders are well closed and this invasion can't be a complete coincidence."

"Probably not," Medoferro agreed and looked at Copeland and Kyrie, "How are you guys doing?"

"Still pissed," Copeland said honestly, "I want to kill him when I find him."

"Leave enough for the rest of us," Stacy said, "I haven't even met him and I want his head on a stick."

"Well," Mason said, "I bet you'll all get your chance."

"Decided to come up and look at this mess, huh?" Medoferro asked him.

"You'll need me if this is what I think it is," Mason told him, "I'm still not quite whole yet, but even in my slightly shattered state I can be of some help to you."

"I'm not going to argue," Medoferro smiled, "I'm glad to see all of you. I just wish we had more news for you."

"I'll settle for a few hours of sleep," Copeland said, "I don't think I've slept properly since I found out about Viradoferro."

"I'll probably be meeting with the President of Gottgol tomorrow," Medoferro said, "Kyrie, unless you're needed in the Viradoferro hunt you can come with me on the meet. You need to learn this."

"Great," Kyrie sighed, "I don't know whether to embrace or be scared as hell by this."

"A little of both," Medoferro said honestly, "Just remember that you won't be in it alone."

"Thanks," Kyrie sighed, "I think I'm going to get some rest too."

"Not me," Stacy said, "I'm too keyed up to sleep."

"I'm going to bed," Medoferro told them, "The Colonel is staying across the road so the government house is ours until we take off."

The departures left Stacy, Mason and Suvorov sitting on the porch. Stacy passed out drinks to both men and sat down on the edge of the porch. She looked at them and wondered what she had missed at the palace. Both men looked tired, Suvorov more so than Mason.

"How bad is it at the palace?" Stacy asked them, "It seems that it's been ages since I've been there."

"It's empty," Suvorov said, "With Alisa's death they're down to eight healthy house staff. The Mullinix rooms are destroyed and the rooms before them are demolished as well. Trina has been sleeping in her office since the incident."

"Man," Stacy sighed, "Makes me almost glad I wasn't there."

"I slept through it," Mason chuckled, "Makes me glad I did, to be honest. I've lived through enough of this crap."

"I think I will head off too," Suvorov said, "I've been riding too long and I'm getting too old for this shit."

"I'm the one who's getting too old for this shit," Mason laughed, "This is your first Bolantine Empire. It's my fifth over the centuries."

"Is this at least the biggest?" Stacy asked him.

"Easily," Mason agreed, "But there was this place called Russia in precataclysmic times..."

Suvorov walked into the government house and looked for an empty room. He opened the furthest door from the end and was surprised to see a halfway clothed Kyrie standing there. He was struck by the vision for a moment and didn't close the door as fast as he thought he should probably have. It took a moment for Kyrie to even notice he was there.

"I'm sorry," Suvorov said and started to close the door.

"Don't be," Kyrie said, smiling sheepishly as she finished sliding on her nightshirt, "First time I've had anyone look at me that way in a while."

"Yes," Suvorov said, his face turning red, "But I shouldn't be..."

"You're human, Rav," Kyrie said, "Besides, I appreciate the looks. Not like I have gotten many in the palace."

"I'd imagine it's a lonely place for an unattached woman," Suvorov agreed, "Still..."

"Come on in and sit down," Kyrie invited him, "I need someone to talk to anyway."

"Scared about becoming a Mullinix?" Suvorov asked her.

"Scared about being alone," Kyrie said, "I haven't seen as much of it as you guys, but it looks like a lonely, lonely job."

"It can be," Suvorov agreed, "You aren't alone though. That's what Copeland and the rest of the representatives are for."

"You too?" Kyrie smiled.

"Me too," Suvorov said and looked awkwardly at the wall, "Not a position I ever saw myself getting into."

"How did you get in?" Kyrie asked him, "I know you did the job for Insegniferro, but you're not old enough to be one of his contemporaries."

"His representative was killed just before the war," Suvorov said, "I've been close to Medo and Trina since they were chosen and they were the ones responsible for pulling me out of the bottle I'd crawled into in my early twenties. I would likely be dead by now if it weren't for them."

"That's the way it starts," Kyrie agreed, "Why'd you go into the bottle?"

"Cirrus," Suvorov said, "You know the history there?"

"Some of it," Kyrie admitted, "I know a colonel went rogue and a nasty invasion happened."

"There were also some atrocities committed by troops under LaPorte's direction," Suvorov told her, "I was one of those troops. I was told it was by Mullinix order, so I drank to forget about it."

"They pulled you out, huh?" She asked him.

"Kicking and screaming," Suvorov laughed, "I'm glad they did. I've been useful and that's something I didn't see myself being again after that."

"I know the feeling," Kyrie said and saw the incredulous look on Suvorov's face, "I do. I didn't know what I was going to do before I took this job. I wasn't expecting this and I'd already turned down my chance to work with my mother. I was doing the proctoring because I didn't know what else to do."

"I see," Suvorov nodded, "We're a lot alike in that way. How do you feel about becoming a Mullinix?"

"Scares the hell out of me," Kyrie said honestly, "I could have kicked Copeland for doing this to me."

"He's a smart one," Suvorov admitted, "I think he had a good idea."

"Thank you," Kyrie said, "I just don't know what to think of it."

"Don't think," Suvorov suggested, "It'll probably be easier that way."

Suvorov started to get up as he knew he would probably do something stupid if he stayed. Kyrie knew that he was probably the safest person on the planet for her right now and she didn't want to spend another night alone, especially one away from home. She stood up and touched his shoulder. He looked at her and cocked his head a little.

"Kyrie," he said sternly, "I'm older than your father."

"Means you're probably pretty good at it then," Kyrie smiled, "I'm lonely and I'm just going to drive myself nuts if I don't find a way to forget about it."

"I don't know," Suvorov said, but was silenced when she went over and kissed him.

"Don't think about it," Kyrie suggested, determined more than ever to win this one, "Just work with me, ok? Consider it a gift for a doomed woman?"

Suvorov couldn't help but laugh at that one. She was obviously coming on to him and he just didn't have the willpower to refuse. He returned the kiss and pushed the door closed. She was delighted to not spend the night alone, and for once loneliness was not in the cards for either one of them.

Chapter 84 - Leaving Mullinix

Corinne was glad to see that her lunatic charge behaved for the trip to the border. She had been watching the newspapers and news of the invasion had already spread around the country. She also had found out that Medoferro was in Gottgol Road, so she decided to try crossing south, closer to Macmanite near where Corie had come across a few hours earlier.

"Ok," Corinne said as they approached the border, "You sit on your horse and say nothing unless you're asked."

"You aren't serious?" Viradoferro asked, "You think we will get away with this?"

"Yes," Corinne said, "They shouldn't be looking for you here and you don't look like yourself anymore. If you keep your idiot mouth shut we should make it just fine."

"You're no fun now that you won't fuck me, you know that?" Viradoferro told her.

"You're lucky that my job is to get you back to the empire," Corinne told him, "At this point I'd gladly leave you to rot otherwise."

"Big words," Viradoferro told her, "You'd miss me."

"Not even a little," Corinne told him quickly, "Now the border is a mile or so ahead. Get yourself ready and put on your hat."

Viradoferro considered annoying her some more, but it really wasn't worth it to him. He did as he was told and also hid his knife under his poncho. He definitely looked nothing like the polished character he'd presented during his time as Mullinix or during the successful deception leading up to him taking the job.

Corinne tried to deemphasize her face and show more cleavage as they approached the border. She knew their best bet was for the guards to focus in on her assets and not to look too closely at either one of their faces. She had been planning for this day for a while and she had decent copies of documents in names very different from their known names.

She knew that the invasion was causing problems because the border, usually a busy two way crossing, was mostly comprised of people coming on to the Mullinix side of the border to avoid the horde attack going on in Gottgol. She didn't know whether this was a good or bad thing for them, but they didn't have much of a choice now, because the safest point of exit for them was to head to the mining crew in Eringol.

"Sorry ma'am," the guard said as she approached, "The border has become a one way crossing until the problems up north are taken care of."

"Come on," Corinne said, pushing her chest out slightly, "My grandmother is just outside Eringol. I need to find her and get her out of there."

"If she's in Eringol then she's dead," the guard said harshly, "No one survived the invasion into the city."

"I still need to see that for myself," Corinne said defiantly, "Come on!"

"This is on presidential order," the Gottgol guard said, "No Mullinix entrance into Gottgol until this is taken care of."

Corinne tried in vain for a few minutes to talk her way across the border while the Mullinix guard who worked the border with the Gottgol guard started looking closer at Viradoferro. He'd received the incompetence order a few hours before with the new descriptions of Viradoferro and Corinne. It took a moment but he recognized the Mullinix.

"Ed," the guard exclaimed, "That's the missing Mullinix!"

"Viradoferro?" the other guard exclaimed, "We have orders to detain you until the Mullinix can come get you."

"Viradoferro?" Corinne asked, "This is my brother Jim!"

"That's the other girl!" Ed exclaimed, "Arrest them both!"

Corinne cursed softly and was readying a power flash to stun them when Viradoferro jumped off his horse and pulled his knife, quickly driving it into the throat of one of the guards. Corinne screamed at Viradoferro and threw a shot of power at him as he drove his knife into the stomach of the other guard.

"You idiot!" Corinne shouted as she pulled the stunned Viradoferro up on his horse, "Now we have to run for it!"

Corinne threw a blinding flash at the remaining guards and spooked their horses so they wouldn't be able to give effective chase. The two of them pushed their horses to the point of exhaustion when Viradoferro's horse finally dropped and broke its leg on the rather shoddy Gottgol road.

"You moron!" Corinne exclaimed as she jumped off her horse and pushed Viradoferro roughly, "Now they will be looking for us up here! If you'd just shut up and let me talk I could have done a power push on them! But, you had to kill one of them. Now, they will know for sure we're in Gottgol."

"They'll know anyway," Viradoferro shrugged, "I dare them."

"You dare them?" Corinne asked incredulously, "You idiot, Copeland would gladly kill you after what you did to Alisa. With his power use he'd be a sure bet to do it too! Kyrie probably wants your head on a stick too, not to mention mine. We needed to make a quiet exit so you would be useful down there because they wouldn't know for sure. Now, they have to know what the hell is going on."

"Oh," Viradoferro said, "I forgot about the power use."

"Yeah," Corinne said, smacking him up aside the head, "Now grab your gear. These horses are beacons to us now. Yours is dying and mine is too tired to walk any further. Now we have to walk."

"How far is it?" Viradoferro asked her.

"Far enough that I will hate you even more by the time we get there," Corinne grumbled, "Now get your stuff and let's move before we meet a patrol."

Corinne cursed silently some more as they began walking. She hoped they made it to the ships before they left, because if they didn't it was going to be a really tough spot they were in and she looked harshly over at the man she blamed for it.

Chapter 85 - War Chimes

Charissa walked into the palace and gawked at the damage just as Simon had less than a day before. She had heard about the assassination attempt, but she didn't take in just how serious it had been until she saw the complete and utter devastation to the Mullinix Palace.

It took her a few moments to find a guard who actually knew where anyone was. She was directed to the Mullinix office only to find that it was a complete and utter wreck as well, one with a makeshift bed in the corner where Trinaferro was napping.

Charissa looked for someone she recognized and found a few house staff members that she knew only from a distance. She knew that Trinaferro needed her information but as tired as Trinaferro looked she couldn't bring herself to wake the sleeping Mullinix up.

Charissa sat down in a chair and stretched herself out a little bit as well. She sighed and pushed her hair backwards so her face would be clear. She suddenly really missed Simon and really wished he'd been with her in Sotanberg so she could be assured that at least one thing would be all right.

It was another twenty minutes before Trinaferro finally woke up from her nap. She looked up and saw Charissa's smiling face and jumped up to hug her. She had been feeling so lonely that she was really pleased to see her back early, not even thinking about why she had come back early.

"Where the hell is everyone?" Charissa asked her, "This place is a ghost town, Trina!"

"It's been an eventful few days," Trinaferro said, "Between what Simon found and what Copeland, Kyrie and Suvorov dug up about our new Mullinix it's been a bad couple days, not to mention the invasion happening up in Gottgol right now."

"Whoa," Charissa said, "Slow down, Trina... Invasion?"

"Looks like the Bolantines dressed up some soldiers as Mullinix and invaded Gottgol," Trinaferro said, "Released a nice nasty plague or something to create a destructive horde of people. Medoferro went up there to talk to the President of Gottgol and likely will end up trying to handle the mess."

Trinaferro sighed and Charissa could see that the stress was wearing down on her. She went behind the incredibly stressed Mullinix and rubbed her shoulders while encouraging her to continue catching her up on the news."

"Let's see," Trinaferro said, "Viradoferro is a Bolantine Spy, as is that idiot Mecklenburg in Hulkensuxor..."

Trinaferro spent the better part of twenty minutes breaking down what had been found in those two cases. All that had happened shocked Charissa. It worried her because her news was every bit as bad, if not worse than the news she had just received.

"So why are you back early?" Trinaferro asked her, "Not much to see?"

"The new king is angry," Charissa told her, "The entire nation is poised for war and the king is in the mood to give it to them."

"Oh gods," Trinaferro said, "They aren't going to start something with the Bolantines are they?"

"They are considering Harmon's assassination the first strike," Charissa explained, "They are building up and intend to drive for Bolantinople starting at the end of the month."

"Can I scream now?" Trinaferro asked Charissa, "What the hell is happening to us?"

"I don't know but I don't like it," Charissa told her, "My suggestion would be to reinforce the mine area in the Mavelans. If Lister is still around he could carry the suggestion to Pirotase."

"I think he's still here," Trinaferro said, "Let's check the guard house since that's likely where he was sleeping since the guest rooms were destroyed."

They walked together over to the guard quarters and found Lister Black going over some old records that he'd pulled out of the archives. He looked up and saw the two women approaching and smiled.

"Nice to see you," Lister said, "Why do you look like someone just killed your dog?"

"Because we have yet another invasion to deal with," Trinaferro said, "Looks like the Sotans are gearing up for war with the Bolantines."

"I had heard some rumblings," Lister said, "but nothing strong enough to share. Is this confirmed?"

"Official notification from the new king," Charissa said, "They're planning on mounting a campaign to Bolantinople."

"Ambitious," Lister said, "Quite possibly insane. Their border is fortified to hell, those fortifications dating from the war twenty years ago."

"Assume it's happening," Trinaferro instructed, "What does that mean to you?"

"Means that the Mavelans are in danger," Lister said simply, "Bolantine will need bauxite for his war machines and his mines are dry. If the Sotans invade then he's got nothing to lose because he already thinks we'll help the Sotans in the invasion."

"I was hoping to avoid this war," Trinaferro sighed, "But I don't want to be blindsided by it. Will Pirotase object to us moving more troops down to the mine area?"

"Once I tell her about the impending invasion she'll probably be glad of it," Lister said, "Start making your plans and I'll head back to Mavelan City. How much will you be able to spare?"

"I'm going to send pretty much the entire southern border force to reinforce the mine area," Trinaferro decided, "The Siraq contingent that's left up there will be moved down to the border and can be redirected into the Mavelans if necessary. We will not let them take you without a fight."

"Right," Lister agreed, "We're in this together and if the Sotans are serious about driving to Bolantinople then we might not have to worry about the full force of Bolantines, which we can probably handle with your help."

"I want to keep trying to find ways to avoid it," Trinaferro said, "I don't care what the Sotans do, the Mullinix will not be joining in a punitive war, only a defensive one."

"I'll convey that to Pirotase as well," he said, "I guess I need to head that way."

"Yes," Trinaferro agreed, "I can't promise you much extra tactical help, but if Medoferro is finished up north I can tell you he'll likely be down there."

"As will Simon and Myself," Charissa said, "Let's just hope that Bolantine decides to leave us the hell alone this time."

"Somehow I doubt that," Lister said, "He's a right bastard, always has been. I'd settle for retaining the cold war state we've had with him."

"As would I," Trinaferro agreed as she leaned back and closed her eyes, "As would I."

Chapter 86 - The Morning News

Medoferro cursed as he read the morning news. The news of what had happened at the Gottgol Border had gotten into the newspapers before he could get the information himself. They were claiming that Viradoferro had committed the guard murders himself with the girl with him pulling him away from the bodies.

"They're in Gottgol," Copeland said as he saw the look on his father's face, "And Viradoferro killed someone else."

"Good guess," Medoferro said sourly, "I take it you read the newspaper as well?"

"Glanced at the headlines in disgust," Copeland sighed, "We need to stop that lunatic. I think he's lost what little is left of his mind."

"Probably," Medoferro said, "That's why we don't do deep cover. It tends to mess with the operative's head when it's over. It looks like he's in the middle of a nice psychotic break."

"So when are we going after him?" Copeland asked.

"Not going yet," Medoferro warned, "President Kimball of Gottgol is due to be here in a few hours. I am going to talk to him before we do anything."

"Going to admit we screwed up?" Copeland asked.

"No," Medoferro said, "I will offer our help on that other mess. He knows damn well we aren't stupid enough to do that, especially since we already had a contract to buy the bauxite at a really high rate."

"So you're going to have us slip around and get him while you and Simon lead the troops?"

"Depends on what it actually is," Medoferro said, "I may need you and Kyrie with me and have to send Suvorov alone with a guard group."

"Just so long as I get to kick him in the balls," Copeland grumbled, "He screwed all of us."

"You'll get your shot," Medoferro promised, "Now where the hell is everyone?"

"I'm wondering if Simon and Charissa came in last night," Copeland said, "Someone was making some noise across the hall."

"Simon is still in transit," Medoferro told him, "He just got on the train to Macmanite. He should be up here this afternoon."

"That leaves Mason, Kyrie, Stacy or Suvorov," Copeland said, "I don't know enough about Mason and I saw Stacy sleeping alone in the room next to mine."

"Mason didn't sleep here," Medoferro told him, "He wanted to start reconnaissance and knew he could do it now without triggering an international incident, so he slipped out of here last night."

"That leaves..." Copeland stopped and chuckled, "I wonder how that happened?"

"Lack of availability for either one of them?" Medoferro suggested, "If that's what happened it is likely was a way for them both to burn off some nervous energy."

"Not arguing," Copeland told him, "Just surprised, that's all. If she needed to do that, then she probably chose the safest person available at the moment. Shows a lot of good judgment."

"You're learning," Medoferro said, "I'm more worried about that horde up there than I am Viradoferro right now."

"Why?" Copeland asked him.

"Viradoferro doesn't know anything that Sascha couldn't have told them," Medoferro said, "Not to mention he's probably half-insane by this point. He'd probably do us a favor by going down to the Bolantines, maybe even screw over their programs for a while."

"He still needs to pay for Alisa," Copeland reminded him, "And the guards he just killed this morning."

"I'm not going to let him go easily," Medoferro promised, "I just won't fret too much if we fail. I still plan on sending Suvorov and a guard unit after him once I browbeat Kimball into getting out of our way."

A young guard walked into the room and informed Medoferro that Anderson was waiting outside to talk to the Mullinix. Medoferro sent the guard back out to bring Anderson into the kitchen and give him something to drink while he got his own people together.

"My guess is Anderson has instructions that the meet is to take place on their side of the border," Medoferro told his son, "Go roust Stacy, Rav and Kyrie to get them ready. I'll work out the details, but I want you guys ready to go."

"Just the five of us?" Copeland asked.

"Yes," Medoferro nodded, "It won't be more than a few hundred feet across the border and between you, Kyrie and myself we should be able to hold off a division of troops long enough to get back across the border."

"Let's just hope that we don't have to," Copeland said, "I'd prefer to save the fighting for where it would do some good."

"You and me both," Medoferro agreed, "Go get them, I'll deal with Anderson."

"Right," Copeland nodded, "I'll get them out."

Copeland walked upstairs to the bedrooms and found that Stacy was already awake and getting herself ready. She was brushing her hair as she saw Copeland come up. She smiled at the fellow representative and thought quickly about how a lousy Mullinix had chosen such good representatives.

"Morning," Stacy said, "Medo up already?"

"He's meeting with their representative," Copeland told her, "Wants us ready to go because he's expecting President Kimball to demand the meeting be on their side."

"I would," Stacy nodded and then smiled slyly, "So who did you pick up last night?"

"Wasn't me," Copeland chuckled, "But notice all the doors up here are open but one?"

"That lazybones Suvorov woke up before me?" Stacy asked and then it hit her, "Rav and Kyrie?"

"Looks like it," Copeland chuckled, "I was thinking the same thing, but if you think about it... well...it makes a little sense, right?"

"A bit," Stacy agreed, "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't razz them for it."

"I like the way you think," Copeland laughed, "Let's go roust them."

Stacy and Copeland walked over to the door and knocked on it loudly, causing Rav Suvorov to sit bolt upright as he surveyed where he was. It took him a moment to remember what was going on and then he relaxed only slightly when he realized that there was nothing to apologize for.

"Looks like we're being called," Suvorov told her, "Stacy is banging on the door."

"Copeland is with her, I'm sure," Kyrie said as she sat up and started working the kinks out of her joints, "I'm sure they've figured things out by now."

"Yeah," Suvorov said, "I'm not embarrassed if you aren't."

"Nothing to be embarrassed about," Kyrie smiled and kissed him on the nose, "Now let me take care of my voyeuristic cousin and then we'll get dressed."

"Sure," Suvorov chuckled, "I'll let you handle that."

Kyrie stood up and put on her robe. She shook her hair out a little and went over to the door, opening it a crack and looking out at both Stacy and Copeland who were grinning wickedly.

"Grow up," Kyrie said simply, "If I'm old enough to be drafted into the Mullinix job then I'm old enough to have a little fun. You two should be ashamed of yourselves."

That was all it took for both Copeland and Stacy to break out in complete, uncontrollable laughter. Kyrie closed the door and smiled at Suvorov who was chuckling a bit himself. He put on his spare set of clothes, which Kyrie noticed were not far from being an unmarked version of the Mullinix uniform that he wore for years before becoming a de facto Mullinix rep.

"You still wear the same type of clothes," Kyrie noticed, "That's just a uniform without the markings."

"They send me some from the factory," Suvorov chuckled, "Feels better. I tried wearing street clothes for a while and I hate them. I'm a military guy through and through, Kyrie. Always have been."

"Well you do have some humanity left," Kyrie grinned, "Now let's go out there and rub it in their faces that they had to spend last night alone while we didn't."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Suvorov laughed, "Beats trying to play it down."

"You should know that by now," Kyrie grinned, "The best defense is a good offense."

"Who said that?" Suvorov asked.

"Mel," Kyrie grinned, "The cook at the diner down the street from where I grew up."

"Nice," Suvorov chuckled, "Remind me not to take strategic advice from a short order cook."

The two of them walked out and kept their heads held high, the only way to handle it with this group. Suvorov knew he'd take some ribbing from Stacy later on, but he figured the night that he had with Kyrie had been worth it.

"Don't start," Kyrie warned Copeland, who was still smiling, "It was a good night."

"You could have made a much worse choice," Copeland said honestly, "We're just having fun with you, you know that."

"I know," Kyrie said, "But I'm just not in the mood for the crap right now."

Stacy and Suvorov had much the same conversation as all four of them walked downstairs to find Medoferro sitting in the kitchen again. He looked up and smiled at the whole group.

"Seems Kimball is reasonably sure it's not us," Medoferro said, "He will meet us this afternoon at the hotel on the border. Hopefully, Simon will be here by then and we can go as a solid group. Suvorov, get a guard group together. As soon as we clear it I want you to take a small contingent and go after Viradoferro."

"What about us?" Kyrie asked, "We want a shot at that son of a bitch!"

"Not until we know more about that horde," Medoferro said, "If that horde is what Mason thinks it is we'll need every power user we can get. You two may be new, but you're both better users than Simon and the fact that Copeland is a Power Sink could be the difference between us stopping that horde or it running straight through the District of Gottgol."

"Don't worry," Suvorov told them, "I'll bring back the pieces."

"Thanks," Copeland said, not really feeling the love.

"I want everyone ready to move within three hours," Medoferro said, "I fully intend to move today as soon as Kimball allows our contingent through the border."

"Let's go," Stacy said, "Which way am I going?"

"You're with Suvorov," Medoferro said, "I have a suspicion that you're going to do more good there since you have no power use talent."

"You got it," Stacy nodded, "Let's go get the guard contingent ready. I know these troops better than anyone since most of them worked the rescue operations in Northport."

"Kyrie," Copeland said, "You know how to make your mother's power user stuff, right?"

"Is there a herb shop in town?" Kyrie asked, "If they have the right stuff we can do it. She made sure I had a copy of the recipe as soon as she found out I had the talent."

"I think there is," Medoferro said, "We all have work to do. Let's get a move on."
Chapter 87 - A Surprise Visitor

Corie rode most of the morning to get from the place where he'd slept to Gottgol Road. His horse was hurting badly and he wasn't doing all that well either. He hadn't eaten since he finished the last of his meal packs and his stomach was rumbling. He just hoped that he could convince Medoferro of his sincerity and that he could get a meal instead of locked in a cell.

As he got to the town he looked around and knew he had to find the government house. There was a whole crew of Mullinix Guard in the area, something that made him nervous, but something he knew he had to get over. He looked around for people that he recognized, but saw no one. He simply sat on his horse a few minutes to figure out what he would do.

Simon Sutcliffe had spent most of the day traveling as well, on top of the previous day's harrowing interview of Sascha. He was traveling by horse as it was the easiest method of traveling the treacherous roads between Macmanite and Gottgol Road. He rode up next to Corie, wrongly assuming that he was one of the locals.

"Lot of activity going on?" Simon asked him.

"I don't know," Corie shrugged, "I just got here myself. I'm looking for someone."

"Who?" Simon asked him as he looked at Corie, "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Corie looked at the Mullinix representative and smiled. He knew that Simon was starting to recognize him, he just hoped that the representative handled it better than he would have twenty years before.

"I think you knew me once," Corie said, "Simon Sutcliffe?"

"Yes," Simon said, knowing he knew Corie but not how, "I know you from somewhere..."

"From a life I lived long ago," Corie nodded, "In a region you now have brought back to prosperity I hear."

That brought it to life for Simon. He remembered vividly being chained against a wall underneath the old Siraqi Palace. Bolantine had put him there to watch an insane gladiatorial battle he'd set up between Medoferro and his insane pedophilic uncle.

"Corie," Simon said slowly, "One shout and I'll have more guards here than you can get away from."

"You can do that," Corie agreed, "I wouldn't blame you a bit. I probably deserve it, all told. But, it won't do you any good."

"Why are you here?" Simon asked him, "Here, now, of all times and places?"

"Because of that insane plan that bitch hatched," Corie said, "The reason that all of you are likely here now."

"I should have known you were involved with that," Simon said, "Give me one good reason I shouldn't have you arrested."

"Because I will talk faster as a friend than an enemy," Corie told him, "I didn't have anything to do with that lunacy. My job was to strip the mine, nothing more. I didn't realize just how insane Lady M was."

"Lady M?" Simon said, "Marina is behind that?"

"Who else?" Corie asked him, "You already know she lived, huh?"

"I found out yesterday," Simon said, "Why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't," Corie said honestly, "But Medoferro can read me if he wants. I may be of Bolantine birth, but I spent years living in Siraq and learned a bit about people and about that lunatic we call an emperor."

"If you're serious about this," Simon told him, "Then disarm and surrender yourself to custody?"

"If you will arrange for food I'll be glad to," Corie said, "Have me checked out and then you can have Medoferro scan me."

Simon nodded and went over to the guards. He had Corie taken into custody to be searched as he went into the government house to find Medoferro walking out of the line room where he had just finished talking to Trinaferro.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Medoferro said to his old friend, "How are you, Simon?"

"Confused," Simon said honestly and then relayed the basics of the conversation he just had with Corie, "Do you think he really has turned?"

"Everyone has their breaking point," Medoferro said, thinking, "If nothing else we will learn something. Let's have him thoroughly checked and then I'll talk to him."

"I don't know," Simon said, "This could be a trap."

"I don't think so," Medoferro said, "Everything they've done so far reeks of subterfuge. Why would they send someone so clearly identifiable as a Bolantine?"

"That's true," Simon sighed, "I have some news for you too."

"Trinaferro said as much," Medoferro nodded, "You can relay it after we see what our Bolantine friend is up to."

"You need to know now," Simon suggested, "Before you talk to Corie."

"What is it?" Medoferro asked, "You find out who turned Sascha?"

"Boy did I," Simon said, "You might want to sit down when I tell you this one."

"Who?" Medoferro asked.

"Marina," Simon told him.

"What?" Medoferro asked, "Are you sure?"

"She's alive," Simon nodded, "Lister and Corie confirmed it. She's known down there as Lady M. She turned Sascha and according to Corie she's the one behind that madness in Gottgol."

"How come I knew she didn't die from that mess twenty years ago?" Medoferro sighed, "You said she's behind that horde attack in Gottgol?"

"According to Corie," Simon shrugged, "Take that for what you will."

"I want to talk to him," Medoferro said finally, "Get him cleared and brought in here. It's worth feeding him just to get confirmation about Marina."

"Sure," Simon said, looking at his friend, "You ok, Medo?"

"No," Medoferro said honestly, "But I'll manage. Actually, take Copeland with you for an initial read. He'll detect most of what I will and he's more sensitive to blood power than I am too."

"Ok," Simon said, "Just take a few minutes to process it and I'll get Copeland."

Medoferro nodded and sat down on the edge of the porch. His mind was a tangle of emotions. He had always suspected that she had survived when they couldn't find her body after the escape. The fact that he had once thought he loved her weighed heavily on him, though in a few ways he still did have feelings for her.

While Medoferro tried to determine how he felt about the news he had just been told Simon went over to where Copeland, Kyrie, Stacy and Suvorov were sitting. Copeland and Stacy had been engaging in a little good natured teasing of Kyrie and Suvorov, but that stopped when Simon walked over.

"What's up with Dad?" Copeland asked him.

"Marina is alive," Simon told them, "She was behind the Viradoferro fiasco and if our Bolantine visitor in custody is telling the truth she's also behind that horde attack in Gottgol."

"Whoa," Stacy said, taken aback by this, "That would be enough to send Medo reeling, that's for sure."

"I know a little about it," Copeland said, "But it's not something Dad would ever talk about."

"I don't know anything about it either," Kyrie said, "Anyone care to fill in the blanks?"

"Simon," Suvorov said, "You were there for more of it than the rest of us."

"Yeah," Simon said, sitting down, "Medo had just been chosen and I was brought in as his representative. I actually had an easier adjustment than Medo did, so Massimaferro pushed Marina to get close to Medo. It worked beautifully for a while, he fell for her and she kept him sane for most of that first six months."

"So what happened?" Copeland asked, "I know that he and Mom were together from around that time period?"

"Your father liked her and she liked him," Simon agreed, "But they never really got together during this time, mainly because she was due to become a medico and he was tasked with ruling the nation."

"Something obviously changed," Kyrie said, "Because it obviously didn't last and something worse happened."

"Power use," Simon told them, "Something you both are going to both learn to love and hate since you both have power sight. I got lucky in that regard."

"How is that luck?" Kyrie asked.

"You don't have to see how people feel," Stacy said, knowing the answer, "I remember talking to Marina about this after things had settled down after the Mavelan invasion."

"Exactly," Simon told them, "Medo could tell how empty Marina was inside. Try making love to someone who has no emotion at all, especially when you can see that fact. I guarantee you won't find the experience fun."

"That's what I saw in Viradoferro!" Copeland exclaimed, "He was empty!"

"He'd have had to have been," Suvorov said, "Deep cover is a deception of a massive scale that most people cannot handle. Viradoferro probably lacks the emotional center, much like Marina did."

"She had every reason to be that way," Stacy told them, "Her parents...well, let's just say they were among the most evil people I ever met."

"You seem to be trying to defend her," Kyrie noticed, "Didn't she try to start a war?"

"That was much later," Stacy said, "Marina was my cousin...well, I guess she still is considering she's alive."

"Marina knew that Medoferro couldn't stay with her," Simon nodded, "Just before the Mavelan mess when Massimaferro was getting sick from the poisoning she was the one who suggested sending Stacy and Miranda to help him out when he was having to take session on his own. It was that trip that cemented your parents' relationship."

"We had all pushed Medo and Miranda together, and the night they finally gave in was the night Massimaferro died," Stacy finished, "With Massimaferro gone they had to choose again and since the semester wasn't technically over and Trina had only narrowly missed being chosen over Medo she got pulled in."

"So what happened to Marina?" Copeland asked, "That's what I don't get. It sounds like they were all still friends."

"They were," Stacy told them, "Right up until that last trip."

"She had gotten close to Roland," Simon explained, "For Roland the lack of emotion was a plus, it was a relief after his wife."

"So she wasn't a power user during this time?" Kyrie asked.

"We needed power users just before the Siraqi mess," Simon explained, "We tested the entire house staff. Only one we found was Marina, a power sink, much like you, Copeland."

"Nice," Copeland said, "And the other one was Roland?"

"Roland was one all his life," Simon explained, "It was considered evil where he grew up and only admitted it when Marina found out. They learned together."

"Sounds nice," Kyrie smiled, "So what went wrong?"

"Nikki Bolantine," Simon said, "We think she turned Marina during the alliance mission to Sotanberg. They tried to stop the alliance, but when it came about that the alliance was going to happen they tried a more direct method of stopping it."

"This part I know," Copeland nodded, "She tried to kill the Sotan king."

"Roland routed her power stream through his emotions," Simon nodded, "Defeated her with love, so to speak. We thought Nikki had gotten her out but that she'd likely died from her injuries. Turns out we were wrong."

"So she turned Sascha," Copeland deduced, "Man, what now?"

"Now we have a visitor from the Bolantines," Simon told them, "Rav, you're going to get a kick out of this..."

"What?" Suvorov asked.

"Remember Bolantine's flunky in Siraq?" Simon asked him.

"Corie?" Suvorov asked, "Yeah, I remember him."

"He's sitting in the guard shack now," Simon told him, "He claims Marina is behind that mess up north and that he wants to help stop her."

"Wow," Suvorov said simply, "Ok, that's something I didn't expect."

"Copeland," Simon said, "I need you to help me figure out if this is a trap. You can smell blood power and you can read better than anyone other than your father."

"Let's do it," Copeland nodded, "If he's a dirty power user I can tell you."

"Somehow I doubt it," Kyrie said, "If he is Copeland would have felt it by now."

"I hope not," Simon said simply, "I hope Corie is genuine. We could use some good luck for once."

"Right," Stacy chuckled, "Tell me about luck again?"

"I'll pass," Simon laughed, "Ok, Copeland Let's go see if the guards have cleared him."

Simon and Copeland walked over to the guard area and found Corie sitting in the kitchen finishing a plate of food. He was grateful to have made it through the initial meeting and knew that the rest of it would come with his actions as he proved himself.

"I see they've checked you out, Corie?" Simon noticed, "Thoroughly?"

"Not too bad," Corie shrugged, "They were kinder than I expected."

"You've spent too long in your homeland," Simon told him, "We don't torture people here."

"I know," Corie admitted, "I am not here to try to cover up my past, Simon. Maybe to atone for it a little, but I will not lie to you about it."

Copeland looked at Corie carefully. He didn't see any trace of blood power in the man. He'd been a power user and from the vibe he got from the guy had likely been involved in many things at Bolantine's request, but he was not exuding the vibe of a liar.

"Why are you here, Corie?" Simon asked him, letting Copeland get his reading on the man, "Really? You've been one of Bolantine's flunkies all your life. Why stop now?"

"I was back then, this is true," Corie agreed, "I was young and like most people I was enthralled with our beloved emperor. But, unlike most people I lived with him for several years and learned a lot about how he works. I also learned that immortality does not bring wisdom, nor does it bring good sense."

"So you have this epiphany now?" Copeland asked him, "There's something more to it."

"I've spent the last twenty years as a mine rat," Corie said, "Simply praying that the next war would happen long after I was dead. I searched for Bauxite and was a little bitty cog in the Bolantine machine. I held rank, but little actual power."

"Family?" Copeland asked.

"A girlfriend," Corie shrugged, "Most likely planted by Bolantine's security forces. The rest of my family dissipated years ago, before I went with Bolantine to Siraq."

"So why here?" Simon asked him, "You could have fled into Gottgol, probably gotten lost in that bureaucracy. Why come somewhere you'd be known for crimes committed in lands we now consider part of our nation?"

"Because of these," Corie said, pulling out the papers he'd cherished for years, "I picked them up in Siraq, figured I'd read them to learn about my enemy. Thing was... well..."

Corie didn't know how to express what he was feeling. Simon and Copeland looked at each other as they looked at the papers. They both recognized the tattered sheets; they were part of a reprinting of some scholarly works that Insegniferro had done years before. Simon read them as part of his training and Copeland had read them for fun.

"So what is Marina doing?" Simon asked him, "And why the hell did you let her do it?"

"I tried to stop it," Corie said, "I had mission control. The horde was supposed to only be a diversion, let it run for a few miles and maybe if we were lucky let it cut a swath through any troops they sent up."

"Something tells me Marina had other plans," Simon said.

"Oh yeah," Corie agreed, "She wants to run that horde right into Mullinix Centre. She has a hatred for the Mullinix that I cannot fathom. I don't really miss my homeland at this point, but I don't hold that much hatred for them, only their leadership."

"I have a few guesses at what she was doing," Simon told him, "So what happened?"

"I was going to go in easy and try to bluff it through," Corie explained, "I was hoping that I could get control of the docks and then use Marina's lunatics as a last resort. She didn't listen to me and let them out on the docks."

"Holy moly," Copeland said, "How the heck did she control it?"

"She didn't," Corie muttered, "Bitch killed more people than she gained."

"So what happened to finally make you leave?" Simon asked.

"I saw my own troops in the aftermath," Corie told them, "There was a group of them reveling in the carnage. The final straw was when I saw several of them playing a game of kickball with a child's skull. That's when I cracked."

"I can't imagine," Copeland said, shuddering, "So you left?"

"I knew I needed to get her stopped," Corie said, "And that the Gottgol government couldn't do it."

"I see," Simon said, looking at Copeland.

"Go confer on my mental state," Corie said, knowing that Copeland was reading him, "I want you guys to use this information, so whatever you have to do to feel comfortable with it, do it."

Simon nodded and motioned for Copeland to go with him outside. Medoferro was there with Stacy, Suvorov and Kyrie. They all looked to Copeland to see how Copeland felt about their visitor.

"No blood power," Copeland told them, "That's for sure. I think he's telling the truth. Dad probably should judge for himself, but I'm not seeing anything that would lead me to think otherwise."

"The Bolantines are capable of anything," Stacy reminded them, "Remember what they did to the Mavelans during the invasion."

"This isn't a normal Bolantine ploy," Medoferro said, "I do wish Mason were here right now."

"He's not," Suvorov said, "We have to make the choice on our own.

"Keep him here and feed him," Medoferro decided, "I want to go over my files for the visit with Kimball. Keep an eye on him, but don't lock him up. If Copeland is right in his assessment then we'll be able to use him. If Copeland isn't then his intentions will show up sooner or later."

"Do you want to see him now?" Copeland asked.

"No," Medoferro said honestly, "I'm still pissed about finding that Marina is behind all this. I'm not surprised and at this point I'm inclined to agree with him. It would require a massive power user to control a horde attack like that, and she's a powerful enough one to do it."

"So what do we do with him?" Copeland asked.

"Keep him occupied and talking," Suvorov said, "Even if he's a plant we could learn a lot."

"Copeland and Simon, keep talking," Medoferro instructed, "Kyrie, I want you with me to read the files on Kimball. You're going to be a Mullinix soon and we'll consider it part of your training. Stacy, I want you and Rav to put together a team of about fifteen guards. As soon as I get clearance from Kimball, I'm going to send you two after Viradoferro. We don't need power users for that as much as we will to go against Marina."

"Got it," Suvorov said and looked at everyone, "Let's get to work."

There was a mutter of agreement as they all went to where they needed to be.

Chapter 88 - The Horde

Lady M sat upon her horse as the world around her was little more than a bloody mass of people. Most of her original crew had been lost along the route, but they had managed to pull in enough people to make up for the losses. She was a little disappointed in how little staying power some of the people had, but knew that once she hit a populated area it would be easier to keep the horde going.

She knew she was well protected, as anyone going after her would need to wade through a quarter mile mass of moving bodies, attacking anyone who did not follow the power orders going out across the group. It took her a moment to realize that she was not alone in the middle of the group.

"Lady M!" Major DeRoche shouted, "Everyone is tired!"

"You'll rest when we get done," Lady M told her, "We stop and we lose people. We can take a rest once we go through the next town. We need to pull in enough people to keep the horde frothing."

"Yes ma'am," he said dejectedly, "Why are we heading so far from the mine?"

"Diversion," Lady M lied, "The more time they spend going after us the less time they have to harass Corie at the mine."

Major DeRoche knew that there was something bad going on, but knew that he was more likely to survive it sticking with Lady M than going against her. Major DeRoche moved through the crowd, which had been trained through the power flows that he was not to be touched.

Lady M knew what she was doing was insane but knew it was likely going to be her last major chance at doing some damage to the Mullinix. Bolantine moved maddeningly slow for her, knowing that he had all the time in the world to go after the Mullinix. She knew she didn't have the time to wait.

Medoferro was a do-gooder, something she knew painfully well from the time in Mullinix. It was that nature in him and the emptiness she knew she had that split them apart thirty years before. Now, she was a very different person living in a different land, but she couldn't let go of the past. She knew she had to meet him one more time, this time as enemies and defeat him to end the nightmares she still had.

She was oblivious to the destruction she was causing, seeing only the outlines of the scenery and the moving bodies. At this point, however, the people she brought into the horde were merely tools. She knew it would come down to her and Medoferro. It was the only part she was waiting for.

"Come on, you bastard!" Lady M shouted at no one in particular, "Let's have it out!"

Chapter 89 - Leadership Change

Lister Black walked into the old Mavelan Palace and checked in at the front desk. He was known but still had to check in as he was technically considered a resident alien, his citizenship remaining Mullinix as a defense for Pirotase and their child. He signed in and received his badge, which he put around his neck as he was led into the protected area of the palace.

Lister walked over to the receptionist who had kept the palace in order for years and found out that Pirotase was in the president's quarters and had been there most of the morning. This was unusual in and of itself, but he went along with it and walked up to meet Jagards' personal guards, but instead of the usual crew there were two young men.

"Where's Jerry?" Lister asked him the young guards.

"Dead," the young man said, "Lister Black?"

"Yes," Lister acknowledged, "Where's Pirotase?"

"Inside," he said, "Go on in."

Lister went inside and saw Pirotase and Erican sitting and talking and neither of them looked particularly happy. The body on the floor was not exactly making the scene look all that pleasant either. Jerry had been Jagards guard for nearly thirty years, one of the few people he kept with him after Facie's death and the Bolantine invasion. It looked like he met a rather untimely end at the blade of a sword.

"Welcome back," Erican said sardonically, "Welcome to today's hell."

"What the hell happened here?" Lister asked Pirotase, "Where's Jagards?"

"Just as dead," Pirotase told him, "Looks like the Bolantine assassins paid us a visit."

"Great," Lister grumbled, "Just what we needed."

"A good man for his time," Erican said, "But he isn't the power anymore. He was getting sicker and sicker."

"Memory going?" Lister asked.

"Bad," Pirotase confirmed, "In the last two weeks he'd lost pretty much his entire mind. He would have had to step down anyway."

"So why would they kill him?" Lister asked, "This makes no sense."

"No one outside the palace knew," Erican told him, "No reason for them to think he was stepping down."

"Let's hope you guys handle this better than Sotanberg," Lister told them, "The new king is about to order a full scale war with the Bolantines."

"Just what we need," Pirotase growled, "I take it that's why you're back so quickly?"

"Yes," Lister nodded, "Trinaferro wants to send Mullinix regulars down to reinforce the mine region. She wants to make damn sure that the Bolantines don't get the mine should they decide to hit us."

"Approved," Pirotase agreed immediately, "If they've been doing this it means they think they're ready to attack again."

"What do you want me to do?" Erican asked, "Since I don't really have the aptitude to serve with you in this?"

"Take my old spot," Pirotase asked him, "You're good at rousing sentiments and getting people off their ass. You're just a lousy day to day administrator."

"I never claimed to be a good one," Erican said, "I'll let you take the drudgery of it. You think we will be attacked, don't you?"

"I'm betting that we'll be under attack by the end of the week," Pirotase said, "Erican, why don't you go start making plans to get the army down to the border."

"You got it," He nodded, "Lister, it's good to see you back."

"Good to be here," Lister agreed as the old rebel left the room.

"You think it's going to happen too?" Pirotase asked him.

"Yes," Lister nodded, "I am dead sure of it. I'll get word to Trinaferro about Jagards. Do you want me to request more troops?"

"Tell her we'll take as many as she's willing to send," Pirotase said, "I'd like to give Bolantine at least something to think about... Hopefully he'll figure we're not worth the trouble and center his attack on the Sotans."

"I don't know," Lister said honestly, "But I'm going to go down to the border town and ask around. I know my boy has likely been in Bolanpyris recently, so hopefully he'll have some news."

"Do what you have to do," Pirotase said, kissing his cheek, "I will have to make a public address and inform the rest of the council."

"Pray they avoid the bickering they are famous for," Lister said, "I don't think we have enough time to fight that battle as well."

"They will," Pirotase promised, "Erican and I were talking about that possibility. We don't want to do it, but if it looks like there is a Bolantine invasion imminent and they pull that crap we will arrest the council and go with a temporary totalitarian regime until the war is over."

"Let's hope it doesn't go that far, shall we?" Lister said, troubled by this, "And if it does, let's try to move towards a Mullinix styled government."

"I'd love to," Pirotase said, "But getting the testing they have together would take years."

"That's one thing I'm sure the Mullinix will help with," Lister said, "They just want a stable nation down here."

"I think we all want that," Pirotase said, "Go on and get your message up north. The faster they get the message the faster they get here."

"Yep," Lister nodded and kissed her softly, "Be careful, don't let the power get to you too much. Ok?"

"Don't worry," Pirotase smiled, "If my head gets too far in the clouds I'm sure you'll pull me back down to earth."

"Count on it," Lister grinned as he walked out of the room.

Chapter 90 - Through The Trail of Bodies

Corinne was still extremely angry with Viradoferro for the incident at the border so she had given him the silent treatment for the previous hours. She knew they still had at least six to eight hours worth of walking ahead of them, but luckily Gottgol had decently marked roadways and they were heading straight to Eringol.

Most of the people they'd seen were going in the other direction and she wondered just what they had done up here to make people run this far, this fast. She knew there was an invasion going on, but she had never heard of an invasion force that could cause this much panic and fear.

"What is that up ahead?" Viradoferro asked as they approached the invasion zone, "Looks like there's a large red swath!"

"Oh my," Corinne said, seeing it as well, "What in the hell..."

They were getting the full effect of what Lady M had unleashed on this nation. There were bodies strewn all over the place and blood everywhere. There were thousands of footprints in the bloody dirt, showing just how much devastation the horde attack was causing.

"What on earth were they thinking?" Corinne asked no one in particular.

"It's bloody brilliant," Viradoferro said, genuine admiration showing on his face, "They are pulling in the civilians in the wake, using them to shore up the horde. I knew they were doing experiments on this but didn't know that they'd perfected it to this extent."

"Wait," Corinne said, thinking for a moment, "They are using civilians?"

"It's a horde attack," Viradoferro shrugged, "It's a cheap way of doing an invasion and demoralizing the enemy."

"We aren't even at war with these people," Corinne told him, "There was no reason to inflict damage like this."

"They aren't Bolantine citizens," Viradoferro told her, "They had Bauxite and wouldn't sell it to us, therefore we had to take it. That's the way it works."

Corinne could have disputed that, but knew it wouldn't be worth the trouble. Viradoferro was a true Bolantine citizen, just like her sister had been. She served the Empire as well, but she never bought into the supremacy that Bolantine Citizens liked to view themselves with.

"Whatever," she sighed, "Let's get moving. We're probably seven hours away from Eringol. We need to keep moving."

"Don't want to rest?" Viradoferro asked her.

"No," Corinne told him sternly, "We can rest on the ship. We can't afford to rest until then because even with this mass of moronic destruction we can't count on them staying there too much longer. Now let's get moving."

"How long do you think we have?" Viradoferro asked, "I'm getting tired as hell."

"Too long," Corinne said, "And it's your damn fault. Now that we're in the destruction zone look for a bicycle. We can at least rest our feet a little if we can find two bicycles that weren't destroyed by that horde."

"Ok," Viradoferro said, "If nothing else it will give me something to do other than listen to your silent treatment."

Corinne had a serious urge to throw a power bolt at her charge, but knew that would preclude her going home. She wanted nothing more than to leave this part of her life behind. If she got him back she knew she could quietly leave the service and do little more than a bit of consulting on Mullinix matters.

"What are you thinking about?" Viradoferro asked her, "Come on, this is a long walk without conversation."

"Don't ask," Corinne grunted, "You probably wouldn't like the answer."

Viradoferro grumbled a little bit, knowing that she was probably thinking about how she could get away with getting rid of him. Unfortunately, despite the psychotic break he was undergoing, he knew he needed her to get back. He was not good at field survival and she had aced her class on that. He just hoped that he would get a chance to teach her a lesson.

"There are four bikes," Viradoferro said, "A bit bloody, but usable."

"Good," Corinne said, "Let's get this over with. The sooner we get back to Southern Oasis the sooner we never have to see each other again."

"Right," Viradoferro said, "We'll see about that."

Corinne knew from that response she would have to continue to be vigilant about him. He had the Mullinix experience going for him, but she had little but getting him back safely going for her. She knew damn well he was insane, but couldn't do much about it at that point in time.

"Let's just get to the ships," Corinne said, "Should be another few hours on the bikes."

"Right," Viradoferro said, "We'll see."

Chapter 91 - Invasion Force

Bolantine arrived in the city of Bolanpyris about a day before his troops were due to arrive. He knew that his presence in the city would bring about urgency in the way people prepared for things. Nikki Bolantine was along with him, rubbing her hands together to keep the biting cold that had moved in from getting her any worse.

"Cold?" Bolantine asked her.

"Yeah," she nodded, shivering a little, "Does the weather always get like this?"

"It happens a few times a year," Bolantine nodded, "Let's just hope it works to our advantage."

"I doubt it will," Nikki said, "Not much has, lately. The dark order is only batting about three hundred right now."

"That just went up," one of their local leaders said, "Your assassin just returned from Mavelan City and slipped across the border. General Jagards is dead."

"About time," Nikki said, "I was beginning to worry."

"We need to cross the border now," Bolantine said, "How long until the third army can get here?"

"Barring weather problems they should be here tomorrow," Nikki said and then turned to the local, "Do we have any other news coming in?"

"Mullinix Viradoferro has disappeared and an Incompetence Order has been issued," the young man said, "No one knows where he is right now. There is also word of a busted imposter plot broken up in the remote town of Hulkensuxor. We think that Adam Kubelsky committed power suicide in an attempt to avoid capture."

"Damn!" Nikki exclaimed, "Any other bad news?"

"No more bad news," the young man said, "Possible rumblings out of Sotanberg, but nothing more than that. We think it's probably the new king making noise to consolidate his power."

"Let us know if anything comes out of that," Bolantine instructed, "Any news on where the other Mullinix are?"

"Medoferro is in Gottgol Road and Trinaferro is maintaining the government in Mullinix Centre," Bolantine was informed, "The locations of the representatives are unknown, but likely most of them are in Gottgol Road."

"How about the Mavelan government?" Nikki asked.

"Unknown how it's being handled," the local man said, "Best guess is that Pirotase Black is going to be the next leader, but there is no confirmation of that yet."

"That bitch," Nikki growled, "She was part of that team that took one of the sand riders up to Mullinix. She has no love for us, that's for sure."

"She doesn't have to," Bolantine reminded his longtime partner, "So long as she dies just like everyone else."

"Anything else important?" Nikki asked.

"Not that I know of," the local man said, "What are your orders?"

"Prepare for invasion," Bolantine ordered, "We go across the border in twenty-four hours. Our current force should be enough to go in and get a surprise attack started. The third army will be a good backup force."

"If the Mullinix don't get involved quickly then we should be able to get this over with before they can mobilize," Nikki agreed, "If the Mullinix have smelled the plan then we might have a harder time."

"That's why I want to go now," Bolantine told her, "The longer we wait the more time they have to think about it."

"Let's do it," Nikki smiled, "So what do we do while we wait?"

"Same thing we always do just before we start a war," Bolantine smiled, "Let's go find a room."

"Ever the charmer," Nikki grinned, "Nothing better than a war to get your libido moving."

"Yep," Bolantine agreed, "No better way to occupy your time while waiting."

"So true," Nikki giggled as they went off together.

Chapter 92 - President Kimball

Medoferro and Kyrie sat down as they waited for the President's security staff to finish clearing him and the few guards he brought with them. Medoferro found it amusing because he knew that if he so desired he could flatten the lot of them with a power blast, but he had no desire to do such a thing.

"Do they do this every time?" Kyrie asked him quietly, "This is overkill."

"They've had five leaders assassinated in the time I've been a Mullinix," Medoferro said, "I don't begrudge them their security. It's misplaced, but it makes them feel better."

"Right," Kyrie nodded, "Guess I have to get used to this crap, huh?"

"Yep," Medoferro nodded, "Someday this will all be yours."

"Funny," Kyrie sighed, "I'm not looking forward to that, you know."

"Brings it all home to roost doesn't it?" Medoferro asked her, "Knowing that you were hoodwinked by him. I was hoodwinked too, and I was the one who chose him."

"I know it," Kyrie sighed, "I should be grateful we figured it out as soon as we did, but still..."

"You and Copeland were closest to him," Medoferro said, "And her, for that matter. She was one of your best friends, wasn't she?"

"Yep," Kyrie nodded, "She was. And I still have mixed feelings about her, too."

"That's natural," Medoferro said, "You spent a lot of time with them. You have every right to feel more betrayed that we do. We feel bad enough, but that's the way it goes."

"You're nice and philosophical about this," Kyrie said.

"Call it thirty years of fighting these battles," Medoferro smiled, "Not much surprises me anymore."

"I think he's coming," Kyrie said, seeing movement up ahead, "We'll talk more later."

Medoferro nodded. Kyrie, who he had never known as well as he'd liked, impressed him. She had brains of her mother and the good sense of Trinaferro so she'd make a good Mullinix with enough training. He just hoped that this would not cause a stir because she was technically related to Trinaferro.

President Kimball walked into the room. He carried an easy smile and Medoferro knew immediately that the people of Gottgol had elected another Charismatic windbag who shouldn't have been entrusted with enough power to order a bathroom cleaned. Kyrie had all she could do to keep from laughing at him as he walked into the room.

"Welcome to Gottgol," President Kimball said as he flashed a blinding smile and offered a hand, "Thank you for meeting with me so quickly."

"Let's cut the crap," Medoferro said, "Your papers are stating that you guys think we're behind this. Do you actually believe that bullshit?"

Kyrie had to fight down the laughter. The look on President Kimball's face was amusing as it was obvious that he wasn't used to being spoken to in such a manner. Anderson nearly spit his coffee across the room, but Medoferro was in no mood to mollycoddle the President. He wanted to get this mess behind him.

"Well," Kimball said, "Um...not really. Doesn't make sense."

"Finally your people elected someone with a brain," Medoferro said, knowing that he had to assert control quickly, "It's a Bolantine plot. They're after your Bauxite. This is a theft on a humongous scale."

"Do you have proof of this?" Kimball asked, "My people haven't found any evidence of the Bolantines. They all speak Mullinix and wear your uniforms."

"Southern uniforms," Medoferro said, "Not to mention the Bolantine defector who decided when he saw that bloody madness instigated by his countrymen that he had to let us know."

"And the language?" Kimball asked, knowing Medoferro would have an answer.

"They speak the same language we do," Medoferro said, "With a bit of a different dialect and accent that no one who wasn't familiar with both variants would catch."

"Makes sense," Kimball said, not surprised, "We figured as much but I needed to hear it from you."

"So why did you call for this meeting?" Medoferro asked, "Have you had any luck in trying to stop them?"

"The initial group of regulars we sent were simply absorbed," Kimball admitted, "We're about to send the main army after them."

"You do that and you'll end up with an even larger horde, some of whom will be armed," Medoferro said, "This is a power horde. Several power users inside the bubble of bodies are controlling them. You send in your troops and you'll be wasting them."

"So what do you want us to do?" Kimball asked him, starting to get annoyed at Medoferro's brash manner.

"I want you to use your people intelligently," Medoferro asked him, "Throwing them at the horde won't do any good. Use them to either clear the horde's path or go after the thieves that are still holding the mine."

"What about the horde?" Kimball wondered, "Just let it die out?"

"Starve it," Medoferro suggested, "Don't let it get bigger. It's heading for District of Gottgol, probably as a stop on the way to heading for Mullinix Centre. Don't give it any more fuel."

"Fuel?" Kimball asked, "We don't use that insane power stuff you guys do."

"Do you have any power users at all?" Medoferro asked him.

"None," Kimball said, almost proudly, "We don't need them."

"Then there's little you can do," Medoferro sighed, "That means we'll have to do it. You can't overwhelm a power horde with brute force. The losses on your side will be horrendous."

"Do you have a better idea?" Kimball asked him, "If so, please share your wisdom."

"I am a power user," Medoferro told him, "Kyrie here is one as well and we have several more in the wings. Let the six of us try to stop them before they reach the district."

"Six of you?" Kimball said, almost laughing, "You have got to be kidding me. You expect me to believe six people are going to take down that whole horde?"

"No," Medoferro said, "Just the people running it. Without direction the horde will no longer expand and will fall apart as the members inside die off."

"You think you can do this?" Anderson asked.

"If we can't then you can either waste your army on it or let it die out," Medoferro said, "I'd personally rather try to stop it before it gets to another large city."

"What do you want in return?" Kimball asked, "You won't risk your ass for nothing."

"Don't put me in league with the politicians you work with," Medoferro told him, "All I want is to stop this damn thing before it gets too big to fight at my borders."

"You can try," Kimball said, shrugging, "Your idea of starving it makes sense, so I'll work on that."

"You do that," Medoferro said, "So your people will not interfere with us?"

"I have yet to find someone willing to go near it," Kimball sighed, "If you think you can do it, I'm not going to try to stop you."

"I do want one thing," Medoferro said, thinking about it, "It won't cost you anything."

"What?" Kimball asked.

"I want to send a few of my people with your group heading to Eringol," Medoferro said, "We think our missing Mullinix is heading that way."

"So that was your man at the border?" Kimball asked, "Is he a Bolantine?"

"He's undergoing a psychotic break," Medoferro told him, sidestepping the question, "We think the girl with him is a Bolantine informer, but what his intentions are at this point we don't know. The rest of the Bolantines are yours, but I want Viradoferro and Elise Malloy brought back to Mullinix."

"We begin that offensive in the morning," Kimball said, "Can your people get there by then?"

"Yes," Medoferro nodded, "Where are they now?"

"They were outside the District," Kimball said, "Preparing for that stand."

"Send them north around and miss the horde," Medoferro said, "I'll put in some fresh horses for them and your messenger."

"Thank you," Kimball nodded, "Do you want any of my people around?"

"I want your people to clear civilians out of the way of the horde," Medoferro said, "I have one man scouting the horde already in anticipation of this and the rest of us will go meet him soon. I just have to go back across the border long enough to prepare."

"The border here remains open to you and your party," Kimball agreed, "If things go bad will your border remain open for our refugees?"

"Yes," Medoferro promised, "Your people didn't do anything to deserve this. If it gets that bad we will definitely open our borders. I'm just hoping to stop it before it gets worse."

"Good luck," Kimball said, "I will head back to the District of Gottgol. I can do more good there."

"Probably can," Medoferro agreed, "Hopefully we will not have to meet again like this."

"Agreed," Kimball said, offering a hand to Medoferro.

Medoferro nodded and shook hands with the President. He and Kyrie walked out of the room and they walked back across the border without incident. Kyrie looked at Medoferro and didn't know what to think of the exchange.

"How did that work?" Kyrie asked, "You all but called him an ineffectual idiot yet got exactly what you wanted?"

"It's the way Gottgol works," Medoferro chuckled, "They work the opposite of we do. They put in the guy who can get the job. We think that anyone capable of getting this job shouldn't get it. So you play to your strengths."

"You mean play to his fears," Kyrie smiled, "I like it."

"Exactly," Medoferro said, "Let's go get everyone moving. I want to talk to everyone and meet Mason outside the district in a few hours."

"I'll go get people started," Kyrie said, "Any other instructions?"

"No," Medoferro said, "That's quite enough for now."

Chapter 93 - Incoming

Lister Black was going over some of the reports that had been generated by the informants down south. He didn't like the sound of the way things were starting to build up in Bolanpyris. He was thinking about sending someone down there when his son knocked on the door.

"I thought you were still playing down by the border," Lister said, looking up, "What brings you up here, Randy?"

"News you need to know now," Randy Black said to his father, "Bolantine just arrived in Bolanpyris. His third army is about a day and a half away. People are scurrying all over the place down there."

"Great," Lister sighed, "You think the invasion is coming?"

"It is," Randy told him, "I have an informant in the Bolanpyris government. He's a poorly paid page, so I've been bribing him with extra food and goods he can sell on the black market that's thriving down there. He was in the room when Bolantine was getting his updates. They are starting the invasion in roughly twenty-four hours."

Lister let out a string of four letter words and then kicked a chair across the room. He knew it would happen someday, but he didn't like being caught off guard like this. They had seen nothing indicating that the invasion was that close.

"How did he ramp up this fast?" Lister asked him, "Do we know?"

"They didn't," Randy told him, "They're going to start with what they have local and use the incoming Third to back up the invasion."

"That may give us some leeway," Lister said, "Ok, your job now is to get troop counts and any other information. You've been doing a good job down there son, now it's time to make those contacts pay."

"Will the Mullinix help?" Randy asked, "That's what I'm worried about. What if the Mullinix don't want to get involved in another pointless war?"

"I spoke to Trinaferro before coming back," Lister told his son, "She considers a free Mavelans to be in the best interest of Mullinix. They're already sending reinforcements to the mine region. Looks like we're about to have to do more than that."

"That's good to know," Randy nodded, "I don't care what mom says, you're a stand up guy, Dad."

"Eh," Lister shrugged, "Your mother and I grew apart. I kept my promises, even though I loved Pirotase. When she left I decided to be happy. I don't regret it."

"Nor should you," Randy said, "That's why I still work for you. I'll get moving and see if I can agitate anything over the border."

"Be careful," Lister said, "The Bolantines will be jumpy if they're about to invade."

"That's true," Randy said, "Hence why I'll be doing most of my work in the trenches. Easier to take cover there."

"Right," Lister laughed, "Good luck."

Randy Black nodded and went out of the room. Lister sighed and knew Pirotase was going to blow her top at the news. He walked into the study where Pirotase was still reading her daily reports and trying to make heads or tails out of the messed up system that Jagards had left behind.

"What's up?" Pirotase asked, "Did I just see Randy running out?"

"He had news," Lister told her, "News of the lousy variety."

"Anything short of invasion I can take right now," Pirotase said, "This is a friggen mess. I think Jagards just kept control as long as he did so he could get Erican out. I don't know where anything is and what the hell half of our troop locations are."

"Better find out damn quick," Lister said, "Because the Bolantines are planning to cross the border in the next twenty-four hours."

Pirotase looked up at him to see if he was joking, but there was no sign of humor on her husband's face. She breathed deeply and knew she was going to regret asking, but did it anyway.

"How solid is this?" she asked him.

"Very," Lister said, "Randy has no reason to lie about this."

"Of course not," Pirotase sighed, "Ok, I'll get the warnings out and get everyone we have ready. You handle the Mullinix side?"

"I'll have warnings sent to Mullinix Center within the hour," Lister said, "My guess is that we'll be connected to the Mullinix line network in hours."

"We should have done that before," Pirotase said, "Ok, let me get the council in. It's going to be a long night."

"For me too," Lister said, "Where's Shabaru?"

"With Alexandrine playing in the palace playground," Pirotase said, "Thinking about sending him north?"

"I might," Lister said honestly, "But not until actual war comes and then only if it looks like we're going to be on the losing side."

"Let's hope the Sotans are ready for their side," Pirotase said, "Suggest to Trina that they let the Sotans in on this and maybe they'll start their offensive early."

"Better they wait until the Bolantines land the first blow," Lister told her, "Once the Bolantines are engaged here they'll be less able to fend off a Sotan incursion to the east."

"True," Pirotase said, "That's not our call. My job is to figure out how to hold off the Bolantine Empire with our resources. Why the hell did Jagards have to die now?"

"Because the Bolantines planned it that way," Lister reminded her, "They think we'll be caught alone because the Mullinix are busy in Gottgol and the Sotans have a new king. Little do they know..."

"We've been expecting this for twenty years," Pirotase finished and kissed him on the cheek, "I have work to do and you have messages to send."

Chapter 94 - Trinaferro's Bad News Day

"How bad is it?" Trinaferro asked Medoferro across the line, "Do we know yet?"

"It's Marina," Medoferro said, "That is bad enough. With the information Corie gave us it is getting a lot clearer."

"Do you think you can trust him?" Trinaferro wondered, "I mean it is a bit farfetched."

"Logically I shouldn't," Medoferro said, "But my gut is telling me to do so."

"Be careful," Trinaferro told him, "What does Copeland think?"

"I have him sitting with Corie," Medoferro said, "I'll talk with Copeland before we bring him out, but I think that Corie may be the key to breaking her construct."

"Do what you have to," Trinaferro told him, "Stop that lunatic bitch before she can kill anyone else."

"Take care of the shop," Medoferro said, "If Bolantine pulls something while I'm away, don't let him get away with it."

"Not a chance," Trinaferro smiled, "Just get back to me alive, ok?"

"You got it," Medoferro said and dropped off the line.

Trinaferro was about to walk out of the line room when it came alive again. She sat back down, thinking that it was Medoferro wanting to talk to her again. She smiled and was about to say something fun when she heard Paulus Tally's voice come over the line.

"Representative call 32579," Paulus said, "Initiating Mullinix call, priority one."

"You've got a Mullinix, Paulus," Trinaferro said, "Priority one call? What's going on down there?"

"Bad news from the Mavelans," Paulus told her, "You might want to get Medoferro in for this."

"Medoferro is in Gottgol," Trinaferro said, "I'm it right now, especially with our little traitor in the wind."

"Traitor?" Paulus asked, "I heard about the incompetence order, but I'm guessing there's more to the story than that."

Trinaferro spent the next few minutes explaining what the Bolantines had done. Paulus was floored but he had no fault for the Mullinix in this case. That plot would have taken him as well. He shook his head at the thought and remembered the news he was supposed to pass on.

"Damn," Paulus said, "Makes me doubly sorry to pass on this news."

"What?" Trinaferro said, "Just so long as it's not a Bolantine invasion I think I can deal."

Paulus stopped for a moment, leading to a really tense moment in the line room. He sighed audibly and then Trinaferro knew what Paulus was about to tell her.

"That son of a bitch is invading, isn't he?" Trinaferro asked.

"Lister is expecting the initial wave in the next twenty-four hours," Paulus told her, "Information is solid. One of his kids has a good agent in Bolanpyris. Emperor Bolantine and Empress Bolantine showed up and started doing a quick rousting of his forces. Third army is just behind."

Trinaferro let out a quick expletive and had to refocus herself on the subject. She really didn't need to hear this news, but it was what it was.

"What is Jagards doing?" Trinaferro asked.

"Lying in the morgue," Paulus said, "Bolantine assassins took him this morning. Pirotase Black is now in charge."

"Thank the gods for small favors," Trina said, "She's got more sense than anyone else in that government."

"That's what I said," Paulus agreed, "Lister and Pirotase are trying to pick up the pieces, but it sounds like the council is behind her. They are preparing to put up a defense."

"I'll send forces down," Trinaferro told him, "Do we still have the line link plan in place?"

"Yes," Paulus agreed, "Want me to start the workers?"

"Yes," Trinaferro said, "Do it. I want to be able to talk to Pirotase. If Bolantine is doing a quick ramp attack then we have a shot. I'll send Charissa to the Sotan king. They're ready to attack, so we'll give them their excuse."

"So it begins," Paulus sighed, "I'd hoped that I wouldn't live to see this."

"Me too," Trinaferro said, "But we have to deal with it. Keep one division there. I want the pass reinforced in case the Mavelans falls. They will not come into Mullinix."

"You got it," Paulus nodded, "It still is pretty well set up from the decade we defended against Facie out here. We still kept it up just in case."

"Get the line project started and pass on the Mullinix promise of support to Pirotase," Trinaferro said, "They will not go down without a fight."

"I'll pass that on," Paulus said, "You should be able to tell her yourself in about eight to ten hours."

"Don't let me keep you," Trinaferro said, "Good luck, Paulus."

"Save it for them," Paulus said, "They need the luck more than me."

Trinaferro silently agreed and walked out of the room. Charissa was sitting outside the line room waiting for her with a cup of headache tea. She knew that if it had gone on this long that Trinaferro would need it. She sighed and took the drink.

"Medo ok?" Charissa asked.

"For now," Trinaferro said, "He and the power user crew are about to go take on Marina in Gottgol."

"She's behind this?" Charissa said, "Why am I not surprised? Maybe it will give him a sense of closure."

"I hope so," Trinaferro said, "But we have other problems. Paulus came on and gave me worse news. The Bolantines are about to invade."

"Great," Charissa sighed, "Wait... Paulus... They're about to invade the Mavelans?"

"Yep," Trinaferro said, "Why?"

"The Sotans are planning on driving to Bolantinople," Charissa said, "Do you think the Bolantines would do this if they knew?"

"So you want to tell them?" Trinaferro wondered.

"No," Charissa said, "Bolantine kept me imprisoned for three years. I'd rather him get his ass kicked. If we have to fight, let's do it smart. Let's tell the Sotans about this. Gives them the reason they wanted and will siphon off Bolantine's assets."

"I was going to send you there anyway," Trinaferro smiled, "Just tell them not to start until they hear that the Mavelan invasion has started."

"Easy enough," Charissa said, "When do I leave?"

"Now," Trinaferro said, "I'm going to do some troop shuffling up here. I want to be able to reinforce the Mavelan regulars when I have to."

"I'll see you in a few days," Charissa said, "I can catch the train in an hour and a half. Too late for the one at the top of the hour."

"They can wait," Trinaferro said, "Get a page down to the train yard with my order while you get your stuff together."

Charissa nodded and left the room. Trinaferro sighed and wondered if she would be to blame for starting a world war. She just hoped that if that was what just happened that it ended with Mullinix intact and Bolantine homeless. That would be justice in her eyes.

Chapter 95 - A New Home

"So I guess you've been assigned to evaluate if I'm genuine," Corie said to Copeland as the younger man sat down, "Fair enough. I wouldn't believe me if I were you either."

"It takes a long time to get that jaded," Copeland told him as he passed the older man a bottle of local soda, "I'm not old enough for that yet."

"So what do you want to know?" Corie asked, "My life is now in your hands."

"No it's not," Copeland told him, "We don't work that way here, Corie. Your life is in your hands. You have the same opportunity as anyone else to make a life for yourself here."

"Even after what I did to your father twenty years ago?" Corie asked him, "To the people of Siraq?"

"You did your job at the time," Copeland shrugged, "Would you do it again now?"

"Probably not," Corie chuckled, "But then, I'm a lot older now."

"Well," Copeland told him, "That's the sign of maturity I'm told. Being able to admit when you're wrong."

"I notice your father isn't coming to see me," Corie said, "I take it he's probably still a bit miffed at what I did to him in Siraq twenty years ago."

"He's more worried about that insanity your people started across the border," Copeland said, "How much are you willing to help?"

"How much are you willing to trust me?" Corie countered, "If I were you I wouldn't trust me as far as you could throw me."

"I'm glad you're not me," Copeland said, reading the older Bolantine as he did so, "So if you didn't expect us to trust you why did you come here?"

Corie thought about that for a moment. He had been asking himself the same question for days. He had wronged this nation in so many ways, working for the land of his birth and trying to ensure Bolantine supremacy. He thought for a moment about this and decided that if he had any chance to redeem himself it would be with an honest answer to this question.

"You're going to think this is silly," Corie said to the younger man, but knew he had to continue, "But it was because of those papers. I left everything I knew in my life because of those papers I showed you earlier."

"So you bet your life on Iggy's words?" Copeland asked him, "Forgive me if that doesn't make complete sense to me. A man as obviously intelligent as you running for Mullinix on words that you didn't even know were true?"

"I bet my life that if those words weren't true then there really wasn't a world worth fighting for," Corie told Copeland while staring straight in the young man's eyes, "I'm forty-eight years old, Copeland. I've spent forty of those years either being raised by Bolantine's entourage or working directly for the man. I was raised to believe a lot of things and to be desensitized to a lot of things. But I never was taught to love anyone or anything. Bolantine doesn't have it in him. It's taken a damn long time, but those words I read over and over again over the years... After seeing what Lady M was trying to do with this horde I got to the point where it was time to see if you would really live by those words."

Corie knew that he was rambling but he didn't care. He didn't know what he could do to convince the young man. Copeland smiled a little when he realized this. He had read all the history of the Bolantine empire he could find, knowing that he would probably have to face them in some capacity someday. It was refreshing to see that human kindness and hope could not be completely killed by a regime such as Bolantine's.

"I don't know what more to say," Corie sighed and drank some of the drink in his hand, "Considering all I did in Siraq, you have every reason to arrest me and make me stand trial."

"The Mullinix has wide discretion in how to handle things like that," Copeland said, "The question is this, Corie. Did you come here to die in disgrace, or did you come here to try to redeem yourself? Think about that for a few minutes while I go speak with my father."

Corie watched as Copeland left the room, presumably to go speak with Medoferro as he returned from the meeting with President Kimball in Gottgol. He didn't know what more he could do and that ultimately his life would be in the hands of the man he had tried to kill in Siraq twenty years earlier. He sat there and drank his drink, knowing that he could do nothing to change the past and only try to affect the present.

Finally, a man that he remembered from a place far removed from the small government house complex they were sitting in now walked into the room. He was older now, a lot grayer, but still the same determined individual that he remembered from the meetings in Siraq.

"It has been a long time, Corie," Medoferro said, looking closely at the man, "I could ask how you've been, but that isn't the question on either of our minds right now."

"The question is how I could have the gall to come here after what I did to you twenty years ago?" Corie said, nodding solemnly, "Correct?"

"That is the giant elephant in the room," Medoferro agreed, "Would you like to speak in your defense on that?"

"I have no defense," Corie said honestly, "I'm not going to try to whitewash it, Medoferro. I did many things there that I probably wouldn't do today. I enjoyed a lot of them, but that was my job. It was what I had been trained all my life for."

Medoferro was pleasantly surprised by this answer. He had half expected a set of platitudes and bullshit. He was beginning to see the same things that Copeland had seen in talking to the man.

"So are you the same man Bolantine trained you to be?" Medoferro asked him, "A simple lapdog for an immortal maniac?"

"No," Corie said, "I can't say that I am. I saw enough of Bolantine to know what he was capable of. After the end of the last war I had hoped that he would wait until I was gone before trying to do it again."

"Doesn't look like that is going to happen," Medoferro said and then saw something in Corie, "You said you were the mine rat... I know you were in what is now called Bolanpyris towards the end of the war. How did you miss the fact that the mine was fake?"

"I didn't," Corie said simply, this time letting a smile come through, "I let Bolantine think it was genuine long enough to get to the point where it wasn't feasible for him to continue the war. I acted as surprised as anyone when we found out it was a fake."

Medoferro was taken aback by that one. He instantly knew that it was the truth, but didn't know what to think of it. He saw that Corie was studying him intently as he tried to determine what would happen. Medoferro knew that the man in front of him was not the same one who had helped imprison him twenty years before.

"Do you still have the scar on your shoulder?" Medoferro asked him.

"Yes," Corie nodded, pulling his shirt down a little to reveal a large sword shaped scar where Medoferro had rammed a sword through him during that debacle, "Still hurts like a bitch when it rains."

"Good," Medoferro said, smiling a little, "Maybe that will help keep you honest."

"So what are you going to do with me?" Corie asked him.

"You came here to help stop Marina," Medoferro stated, and looked the former Bolantine in the eyes, "I'm going to let you do so. You have your chance to prove yourself, Corie. You're a reasonably decent power user and you know more about Marina's system than anyone else we have. If you work with us and help bring this horde to a halt you will earn a Mullinix pardon for what you did in Siraq. If you can pass the Mullinix citizenship tests you will be allowed a quiet life in Mullinix if you want it."

"And if I want to help prevent or stop a war with Bolantine?" Corie said, "You know he's probably using this as a distraction."

"We'll talk about that after Marina is stopped," Medoferro said, knowing he didn't want to trust Corie too much yet, "Prove yourself there and we can see where to go next."

"Fair enough," Corie said and offered his hand to the Mullinix, "I will not let you down."

"Somehow I believe that," Medoferro smiled, "Don't prove me wrong."

Chapter 96 - March

Emperor Bolantine sat in a chair, going over the documents that the locals had provided. He had long told them to keep everything to full invasion standards, but unfortunately he found that some people did not heed his instructions. He was sure that no one had expected him to come in and say "Invade now!" but he knew that he had to punish the people involved.

"Executions will be held after the invasion starts," Nikki Bolantine said as she looked over the troop reports, "There are a whole bunch of false reports that have been given to us."

"Do we have enough to do the job?" Bolantine asked her, "I don't want to start this if we don't have enough to finish it."

"With the Mullinix distracted in Gottgol we should," Nikki told him, "For one thing, we know for a fact that the third army is one hell of a lot better prepared. If this group fumbles the ball, the third should be able to pick it up and run it in for a touchdown."

"Fine," Bolantine nodded, "Any commander who isn't ready will be used in suicide missions. We're going in as soon as we get confirmation that Medoferro is in Gottgol."

"He was heading into Gottgol to meet with their president today," Nikki said, "If he's figured out that Marina is the center of that you know damn well he'll take that personally."

"As well he should," Bolantine shrugged, "Her hatred for him is legendary. Amusing to see how mortals react when scorned."

"It's amusing," Nikki admitted, "So what do you think? Is it a go?"

"I think so," Bolantine nodded, "Are the commanders assembled?"

"Should be by the time we get over there," Nikki said, "You going to lead in person?"

"No," Bolantine said, "Not until we're sure that Stone isn't around in the area. I do not want a repeat of what he did last time. I'd prefer not to rely on my physical prowess for this unless we have to."

"Good call," Nikki agreed, "I want your tactical knowledge available. We should have numerical superiority, but I don't like the fact that we're doing this so quickly with troops that aren't ready."

"If we get them ready then the Mavelans will have a chance to get ready," Bolantine said, "This is usually my argument. Do you want to let the opportunity pass?"

Nikki thought about that for a moment. She wanted to get this started as much as Bolantine did, but she was worried about the state she'd found some of these troops in. She looked at Bolantine, who was his usual confident self that she had fallen in love with so many hundreds of years before. She knew that they would be all right no matter how it went. It was time to throw the dice.

"Let's do it," Nikki said, "We have black order operatives here?"

"I sent them out to assassinate anyone who dares to take a leadership role," Bolantine smiled, "It's nothing but formality now."

"Let them march," Nikki said, "I'll let you go ahead and give the order."

"Ok everyone," Bolantine said loudly to the commanders in the room, "I hope you're all ready to go, because I want the call up done within the hour. It is now eight pm. We are crossing the border by Midnight under the cover of darkness. You have one hour to get your people moving."

"You hear him!" Nikki exclaimed, "Get moving...March!"

These words from their emperor started a scurry around the room. War had been ordered and they all knew that anyone or anything that stood in Bolantine's way would get trampled. Nikki still had her concerns, but knew that there was no stopping him once he got ramped up.

"Let's hope it goes better than last time," Nikki said quietly to Bolantine.

"We took the Mullinix into account this time," Bolantine told her, "That was our mistake last time. We won't make that mistake again."

Nikki said nothing but hoped that he was right. They couldn't afford another mistake that big again.

Chapter 97 - District of Gottgol

Medoferro rubbed his stiff neck as he got off the horse. The Gottgol Military base was filled with people running around and trying to figure out what to do next. They were preparing to abandon the base and head north around the horde to retake the Eringol mines.

"Why the activity?" Medoferro asked Anderson, who had volunteered to be the local liaison for the Mullinix group.

"The horde is heading straight here," Anderson said, interpreting the words he heard being yelled, "Do you speak any Gottgol?"

"No," Medoferro said, "Anyone here speak any?"

"Very little," Suvorov said, "I can order a sandwich if I'm lucky."

"Not much call for it in Massimaferro Village or in the capital," Copeland shrugged, "So that would leave Kyrie and I out."

"Me as well," Simon said, "I have never pulled a run here."

"We have an ambassador so we didn't have to," Stacy reminded them, "Do you know any, Corie?"

"I am slightly fluent," Corie said, "Probably have a thick accent and I'm rusty. I didn't expect to need it."

"We shouldn't," Medoferro said, "I expect this place to be cleared out soon. How far off is the horde?"

"Ten miles to the north," Anderson said after speaking with one of the locals, "Two or three hours, maybe four if we're lucky but I wouldn't count on it."

"And you say they're heading straight here?" Medoferro asked, "That could be useful."

"How so?" Anderson asked.

"Means we can prepare," Simon said, "We just have to figure out how to find Mason."

"Do you have a plan?" Anderson asked them.

"Not yet," Medoferro said honestly, "But I want you to get this place cleared. If this turns into a power user battle I don't want any non-users around."

"What about him?" Suvorov asked, pointing at Corie.

"I know enough power use to keep myself alive," Corie said, "Besides, I may have a trump card to help all of us power users."

"We'll talk about this in a few minutes," Medoferro said, not wanting to confuse matters, "Rav, Stacy... I want the two of you to go with the departing army. Your job will be to advise them on what we know about Bolantine weapons and tactics and to take custody of Viradoferro if you happen to run across him."

"How will they communicate?" Anderson asked.

"You will be going with them," Medoferro told him, "If you stay here you're signing your death warrant. We can shield them out. You can't."

"But my job..." Anderson started.

"Is done," Medoferro said quickly, "If we can't stop them and they get past here then it means we're dead and you would be too."

"Listen to the man, Anderson," Copeland told him, "We won't need to speak your language for this. You'll do more good with Stacy and Rav as a translator."

"Right," Anderson said, knowing they were right, "I can't believe we're staking this much on you few."

"You have no choice," Medoferro told him, "I need a building we can talk and plan in."

"You have it," Anderson said, "This place will be a ghost town within the hour. I will go send a final message to President Kimball and get this army driving. You two want to come with me?"

"Let me give them final instructions," Medoferro said, "Then you can get moving."

Anderson nodded and slipped out. The Mullinix group looked at each other and wondered just what they had gotten themselves in to. This military base was more undergoing a rout than they were getting ready for an operation.

"You sure about this?" Suvorov said, "We could..."

"I don't want anyone here but power users," Medoferro said, "You two are capable, but we'd have to protect you or you'd be overwhelmed by simple force of bodies."

"If all went bad we can shield until they pass," Simon told them, "It's better this way."

"Ok," Stacy said, hugging Medoferro, "You come back alive, ok?"

"I intend to," Medoferro told her, "Now go find that little Bolantine bastard and drag him back to Mullinix Centre."

"What?" Corie asked.

"Not you," Medoferro said, "Your countrymen thought it would be a good idea to screw with our succession. We think that little bastard they snuck in is on his way to meet up with your countrymen."

"What fool ordered that?" Corie wondered, "Wait... Let me guess..."

"Same woman we're about to go up against," Medoferro agreed, "Ready for it?"

"Simple stupidity," Corie said, "How could they think they could get away with this without a war?"

"They probably want one," Suvorov reminded Corie, "Wouldn't be the first time."

"No it wouldn't," Corie agreed, shaking his head, "Nothing I can do on that one. I didn't have any part of that idiotic mission. Let's see if we can stop the idiotic mission I was a part of."

"Get moving," Medoferro told them, "And if you see Mason send him this way."

"Right," Suvorov said, "Ready to roll, Stacy?"

"Yes," she nodded, "Looks as though everyone is about ready to depart."

Anderson walked back into the room and looked at everyone. He couldn't believe that a group of Mullinix Leaders with no personal stake in it were willing to take a stand alone against a horde that his entire country had failed to stop. He had the utmost respect for this group, knowing that.

"President Kimball is in agreement," Anderson said, "We have to go now. They are moving faster and straight for this area."

"They probably need bodies," Corie said, "If the ship was any indication they're probably losing about dozens of people an hour, maybe more now that they are walking and not sitting."

"Anderson," Medoferro said, "Have you seen a tall man, dark hair, looks about twenty-five. Probably has impeccable credentials and speaks your language better than you but with an accent or dialect that is more in tune with your grandparents than you?"

"Yes," Anderson said, thinking about it, "There was a man fitting that description in the commander's office. I don't know what they were talking about."

"When you see him," Medoferro said, "Let him know we're here."

"He one of yours?" Anderson asked.

"Mason doesn't work for anyone," Medoferro said solemnly, "He just shows up when all hell is about to break loose."

"Right," Anderson nodded, "I will let him know."

Anderson, Rav and Stacy left the remaining Mullinix in the room. Medoferro let out a deep breath and looked at the people with him. He knew that he couldn't have chosen a better crew, even including the defector Corie. He just hoped it would be enough.

"Mason Stone?" Corie said, thinking about what Medoferro had just said, "He won't be happy to see me."

"You're lucky," Simon said, "He won't remember you like we do. He was injured in an explosion down south about a year ago. He didn't remember us either when he woke up."

"Do I hear you talking about me?" Mason asked as he walked into the room and looked at Corie, "Should I know you?"

"We've met twice," Corie said, "I was on the other side both times."

"You're one of Bolantine's men," Mason said, "Or were, to be more precise. Let me guess, you were serving him on one of his foreign trips?"

"Siraq," Corie said, "You met me there."

"I won't remember that for years, if ever," Mason said, "But it wouldn't be the first time one of Bolantine's assistants defected over the years. Most of you guys spend enough time with him to realize what an insane and petty son of a bitch he is. Infallible emperor my ass."

"Yes," Corie said, a little taken aback, "And I thought I was original."

"You are for this generation, I'm sure," Mason said, smiling, "Besides, I thought he finally kicked that problem with the desensitization program he was running."

"We can talk about this later," Medoferro interjected, "We have a horde to stop."

"Right," Mason said, "Well, I've been watching it and it isn't pretty. Whoever they have running that damn thing is good, probably the best power user I've seen in person in maybe three or four hundred years."

"Marina," Medoferro said, "Our errant house staff member is running that horde."

"Power sink?" Mason asked, "I remember you talking about her, but don't remember the details."

"Yes," Medoferro said, "Could she be running this by herself?"

"She's got at least ten other power users," Corie said, "I don't know if they are all still alive, but she had them in Southern Oasis before we left."

"What is her mental state like now?" Mason asked him, "Most power sinks have problems handling the power, and there seems to be a correlation between natural power sinks and heavy psychological damage."

"That explains Marina," Medoferro said, "They didn't come much more damaged than her."

"Abuse?" Mason asked.

"Massive," Medoferro nodded, "She was raped and beaten severely by her father. He was put down to Mullinix judgment about thirty-five years ago."

"Good riddance," Mason muttered as he had harbored a massive hatred for abusers for years, "Anyway, anyone have any ideas on how to stop this woman?"

"I was hoping you would," Medoferro told him, "I do know that we can't hit her dead on. Even running this stuff she will be too powerful for that."

"You can't," Copeland told them, "I'm a power sink too."

"She's more experienced," Medoferro said, "She'd crush you."

"Maybe not," Mason said, "Corie, since you have the most current knowledge of her, how good is she?"

"Better than anyone I've met," Corie said honestly, "But she makes mistakes and isn't careful. She's not a technically good power user, just an extremely powerful one. I'd imagine that you are better at constructs than she is."

"She's powering a large chunk of this," Mason said thoughtfully.

"She likely knows many of Bolantine's tricks," Corie said, "Bolantine is pretty good at manipulation power use."

"Mason," Medoferro said, "What do you know about the structure of the horde?"

"Looks to be a power field controlling them," Mason said, "Four points like a cross. Main power is in the middle, but then it bounces off the four points and keeps the whole thing intact. Crude, but effective."

"And anything entering the horde gets assimilated?" Kyrie asked.

"Sort of," Corie told them, "They ran into problems with that early. They couldn't push enough power for mass manipulation."

"So how did she get around that?" Medoferro asked, "I've never been able to do anything more than simple calming effects on the mind."

"Lobotomy," Corie said, "Criminals were lobotomized before being put in horde work."

"That's barbaric!" Kyrie exclaimed.

"Putting it mildly," Medoferro said with disgust, "That explains the violent attacks on people. They have to inflict brain damage for them to be assimilated."

"Exactly," Corie said, "I found most of this out on the ship talking to one of Lady M's people. I wasn't thrilled, but I didn't grasp what they were doing until they left the ship."

"Hard to fathom," Mason said, "Still, that wall of bodies still exerts a formidable force."

"I can get you through it," Corie said confidently, "If you are as good a power user as I think you are."

"How?" Medoferro asked.

"Lady M performed a simple power effect on us," Corie told them, "She called it 'keying' us into the horde. Whenever I walked near the horde group they backed off. It's ingrained into the power structure."

"That's how they leave Marina alone," Medoferro said, "But we'd need to know what they were keying on."

"I should be able to pick that up when Corie approaches the edge of the horde," Copeland told them, "It's blood power, so I'll be able to see it really clearly."

"I should be able to see it too," Mason agreed, "If Marina's skill isn't up to snuff we should be able to put the same key effect on all of us. That will give us an in."

"Still won't defeat her though," Simon reminded them, "Roland got her by luck twenty years ago. That won't happen again. She's more powerful now and could likely flatten all of us, except Mason."

"I'm not a power sink," Mason said, "I can't even force it open like was done to Copeland. My body would heal the wound. No one of us can face her."

"Then more than one of us will face her," Copeland told them, "I am a power sink too. I should be able to take down her shields."

"But that would leave you open," Medoferro said, "And you don't have the skills yet to fight her."

"But you and Simon do," Copeland said, "Without her shielding she's no better than a standard power user. I can keep her shields down and keep her power sink occupied."

"That leaves ten other power users," Corie reminded him, "At least eight of which are likely still alive."

"The rest of us split up," Mason said, "I'll take the ones in the back, since I think that's the biggest concentration. Corie and Kyrie can take the sides."

"And once Marina's power is gone," Medoferro said, "The horde will start to collapse in on itself. A splintered horde under a few scattered users will starve to death before it can feed."

"Not to mention if we can take out a few while you're fighting Marina it may backlash some power on her," Mason said, "I'm mainly worried about her using the blood power."

"I only hope she's doing that," Copeland grinned, "Blood power is messy and will likely result in her mind going further off the hinges."

"It's going to be dicey," Medoferro said, looking at the people around him, "And it sure as hell won't be easy."

"Nothing worth it ever is," Mason said, "This is up to you guys. You're the mortals. The worst they'll do to me is beat me up and fail to assimilate me."

"I'm in," Copeland said without hesitation, "She needs to be stopped."

"Me too," Kyrie agreed, "Let's stop her."

"In for a penny," Simon shrugged, "Let's finish what Roland started twenty years ago, shall we Medo?"

"Absolutely," Medoferro said, "There was no doubt on it. Corie, the rest of this hinges on you. You don't have to risk this. You brought us the information. You don't owe us a damn thing. You can walk out of here now with the promise of no more Mullinix harassment."

"She has to be stopped," Corie said, "I went to Mullinix so I could look at myself in the mirror again. How can I stop now?"

"The horde is about ten miles away," Copeland said as he looked over the horizon, "The Gottgol troops are all gone, just us. How do you want to handle this?"

"Corie and I will go near the edge of the horde," Mason said, "We're the ones with the least to lose. Once we get the keying done, we'll come back and get the rest of you."

"Then we best move now," Corie said, "Horses?"

"Bicycles," Mason said, "Horses get spooked."

"We'll prepare some traps here," Simon suggested, "Maybe we can take out a few of their number with those before the fight."

"Or at least confuse them," Medoferro agreed, "We have approximately three hours. Let's use them well."

Chapter 98 - The Troops Come Strolling In

"Think this is for real?" the young Bolantine soldier asked, "There's been no hint of activity from them."

"The emperor is ordering us across," the other one shrugged, "You scared?"

"Annoyed," the young soldier said, "I was supposed to get some this weekend."

"From who?" their sergeant asked, "your sister in town?"

"Any word on why this is happening?" the young man asked.

"Not our place to ask," the sergeant told the young men, "Besides, the orders are to leave no survivors. You can do whatever you want to these so-called people."

"Total war?" one of the soldiers said, "Wow."

"Anyone caught leaving an enemy alive will be executed themselves," the sergeant told them, "This is by direct order of the Emperor. Every living soul in the non-Bolantine controlled Mavelans is considered a traitor to the Emperor for not submitting to his will."

"It's time for my sword to be baptized," one of the soldiers exclaimed, "When do we go?"

"Now!" the sergeant yelled, "This is the full order. Your unit is to go across and eliminate any locals from the border towns. You are to become walking death!"

"Let's go!" someone shouted.

The Bolantine soldiers walked out into the field. This unit was one of dozens of units that were technically part of the Bolantine first army, but had been tasked to Mavelan border defense for longer than nearly all their soldiers had been alive.

There had not been an active defense on the Mavelan side of the border, mainly because even after over twenty years of Bolantine domination there were people leaving and escaping from the Bolantine Empire into the free Mavelan Republic.

There were no drums, no bands, no fanfare, just hundreds of men walking across the border and beginning the murderous rampage that had been ordered by their emperor. Such was the cult of personality that Bolantine had built that not one man or woman out there that day questioned the total war order.

Chapter 99 - The Key to the Horde

"You ready for this?" Mason asked Corie.

"Not really looking forward to it," Corie admitted, "But it has to be done."

"That's right," Mason nodded, "Go slowly towards the horde. I need to see what power use happens around you at the time."

"I wish I could tell you but honestly I tried to stay away from Lady M's crew as much as I could manage," Corie said, "Do you think you'll be able to see it?"

"I hope so," Mason told him, "It might not be pretty for either one of us if I can't."

The two men watched as the horde slowly came towards them. Mason took a minute to get used to the power sight dynamic around the horde. The amount of power being used to control those people was something to behold, even for a man who had lived as long as Mason Stone had.

Corie walked slowly and took a deep breath, something he regretted due to the awful smell coming from the horde. Most of the people in there were damaged and some of them had been in there long enough for massive infections to rage in their bodies, but such was the control exerted by the power users that no one in there cared.

At first Corie wondered if Lady M had figured out that he had turned. The horde didn't move away from him like it was supposed to. Slowly and surely, however, the horde moved aside as he walked inside. Mason watched the effect and smiled. It was a simple keying system that worked off a small construct tied to the person's energy force.

"Come on back," Mason shouted to him.

Corie, not enamored with the horde, ran out as quick as he could. He saw that Mason was trying to duplicate what he had seen, something that only took him about three minutes.

"Simplistic key system," Mason said, "Crude, but it would have been enough without you being here."

"Can you duplicate it?" Corie asked.

"Yes," Mason said, "I can't believe she left it this easy."

"She wasn't expecting my treason," Corie said wryly, "But then, I'm sure Medoferro never expected hers either."

"She was misled," Mason told him, "You saw the light. There's a difference, Corie."

"You think that I'll be able to put this behind me and live a normal life?" Corie wondered as they headed to the bicycles.

"That is up to you," Mason told him, "Stop thinking about it and just do it. Your actions will be how they measure you. Remember that."

"Right," Corie sighed, "I know it. Let's go give Medoferro the information."

Mason nodded and the two of them rode back to the base where the remaining Mullinix crew was finishing up the traps and preparations. Medoferro and Simon had just finished a series of traps that were sure to slow down the horde some more.

"How did it work?" Medoferro asked them.

"Simple keying system," Mason said, "Corie was able to walk right through them."

"Can you duplicate it?" Medoferro asked.

"Yes," Mason nodded, "We have approximately one hour. Get everyone here and we'll get you keyed in."

"One hour!" Medoferro yelled, "Meet in the General's office. We're going to take her down!"

"Traps have been going well," Copeland said as he jogged up, "I just hope I can keep from throwing up as they get closer."

"Blood power is hard on you, isn't it?" Mason asked him.

"Very much so," Copeland said, "Any advice on blocking it?"

Mason spent a moment showing him a small construct he was able to build onto his glasses to make it a little less painful for him. He still felt a little ill, but it wasn't building as fast as it was before. He knew he'd be able to block out the discomfort from this point.

"That works," Copeland said, "So what's the plan?"

"I'm going to show all of you how to build the key," Mason said, "After that, I have no idea."

"She's going to storm the base looking for bodies," Simon suggested, "Maybe we can use that against her."

"I know we can," Kyrie said, "This base is well constructed. I've never seen some of the techniques used to build it."

"It's pre-cataclysmic," Mason told her, "This type of construction required machines that you can't build now. They probably cleared it out and started using it again."

"I'm just worried about warning her," Simon said, "We need to take out her minions but doing so could warn her and let her throw up a full shield."

"That's where this base comes in," Kyrie told him, "Let them flood in around us. If we're keyed properly they'll leave us alone anyway. Will she be able to detect the keying?"

"Probably won't think anything of it," Corie shrugged, "Her people likely move around the horde."

"Then we can wait until the satellite users come close to us," Kyrie said, "That way there's less time for us to be spotted."

"She's got a point," Corie said, "Lady M expects everyone to run."

"Ok," Medoferro said, "Copeland and I take the center as I'm the most experienced with Marina and I'll need him to help neutralize her. Mason, can you handle one side by yourself?"

"I should," Mason shrugged, "Better to have the mortals double up."

"Corie," Medoferro said, "You taught us the keying. You have no more stake in this. Now is your last chance to run like hell."

"I have a stake in this," Corie said, "I have a lot to atone for. This is the first step in that."

"Fair enough," Medoferro said, "If you're serious on this then you can join Kyrie on the strong side. She's inexperienced in power use and you're not."

"I'm in," Corie said, offering a hand to Kyrie, "Provided the young lady will accept my assistance?"

"Sure," Kyrie said, "Where does that leave Simon?"

"Scooting around back," Medoferro said, "He's weaker on power use, but he has the hand to hand skills to make up for it."

"Better to send him to the left side then," Mason said, "The back is the biggest concentration of active power users."

"Can you take them?" Medoferro asked the immortal.

"Yes," Mason nodded, "I am probably more useful neutralizing on the outside than I am on the inside. I am skilled with constructs, but I don't have the natural power that you or Copeland do."

"We'll hit the weak side and see if we can stop them," Kyrie said, "If we can do it quickly we'll move to the front set."

"Any last words of advice, Mason?" Medoferro asked, "Before we go?"

"Play to your strengths, people," Mason shrugged, "Don't get in a full power battle if you can avoid it. There's no dishonor in driving a blade through their throat if you can get to them."

"You heard the man," Medoferro told them, "Let's make this count. The six of us are all that stand between Marina and Mullinix."

"Some crew," Corie said, "A leader, his assistant, two children, an immortal and a traitor. Think we have a chance?"

"I wouldn't trade any of you," Medoferro smiled, "And I wouldn't be here if I didn't think we had a chance. Now get in positions."

Chapter 100 - Marina vs. Lady M

"Lady M!" Major DeRoche shouted, "We need new blood! They have stopped sending units at us."

"They'll protect their base," Lady M said as they continued walking, "They also won't be able to evacuate the District of Gottgol. We should be fine."

"Full on press?" Major DeRoche asked.

"Yes," Lady M agreed, "I want every man and woman in that base assimilated into the horde within two hours."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Major DeRoche screamed, "Enter the base!"

Mason watched as the group approached. Since he was planning on taking the group in the back after they invaded the base he was holed up in a guard shack at the entrance to the base. He watched from relative safety as the mindless people following Marina's orders walked into the base. These were not so much people any longer but mindless automatons, doing the bidding of their demented master.

"Good luck, Medo," Mason said quietly, "You're going to need it."

Everyone watched as the first wave came into the base, fervently searching for bodies to assimilate. Kyrie and Corie watched from the top of a hangar on the north side of the base, they got a full view at that point of everything that was going on. Corie didn't have the same power sight ability Kyrie did, but he saw enough to be freshly disgusted in a way that he hadn't appreciated seeing it from the ground.

"This is disgusting," Corie growled, "How the hell could we be this insane?"

"Do you know what her minions will look like?" Kyrie asked, "And I don't know how the hell your people could do it, but the Bolantine mentality rather eludes me most of the time."

"True," Corie said, "Look for horses. The minions are too important to walk. They would have co-opted horses into this field as well."

"I think I see our first minions," Kyrie said, "Looks like there are three of them."

"Heading this way as well," Corie said, "Do you have the long-range bolt rifle? I think we may be close enough to get at least one good shot in."

"Here," Kyrie said, handing over the weapon she had found in the hangar while exploring, "How does that thing work?"

"Similar principle to the Sotan bikes," Corie said, loading it and carefully winding the bolt, "Lots of intricate gears designed to hold a lot of potential energy. Thing is, it's a bitch to aim and even worse to reload. I may get one of them this way, but they'll be all over us before I could get off a second shot."

"One is better than none," Kyrie said, "Go ahead and get set up. I'll make sure that we're ready to go in and fight."

Corie merely nodded. On the other side of the base from them Simon Sutcliffe was watching the horde pour in as well, but he was more interested by the two people coming his way. He had taken refuge in an outhouse near where he imagined the second flank would end up.

"Come on, Marina," Simon said quietly as he readied his favorite combat sword, "It's time to make a mistake."

Medoferro and Copeland watched everything happen just like Mason had. The front line users were the most tired and it showed. The hours they had spent building traps in preparation had not gone wasted. The horde lost dozens of people in the front to them, to the point that the battered and tired front power users were slowly falling apart, with two of them having already degenerated into simple members of the horde, leaving a single power user to control the front.

"Copeland," Medoferro said softly to his son, "The only one of them still radiating is the one on the horse. If we take that bastard out then we may have a chance at Marina easier."

"How do you want to do it?" Copeland asked him.

"The old fashioned way," Medoferro said, pulling a sword, "If Marina notices at all she'll think that they ran afoul of a trap."

"Dad!" Copeland shouted, but it was too late.

Medoferro ran into the crowd and sure enough they moved back from him. A few that weren't physically capable of moving still stayed in his way but they had stopped trying to kill him. The keying system was working.

Medoferro rushed the horse and before the power user even noticed that Medoferro was there his head had already been severed from his body, his death sending one quarter of the power being used to keep Marina's deadly construct alive had been sent hurling back at her. The heavy scream coming from that direction proved that Mason's theory was right. Killing the user sent the power back to Lady M, who even being a power sink could not carry everyone alone.

"What now, Dad?" Copeland asked him.

"Prepare for Marina," Medoferro told his son, "And pray the others are as good as we think they are."

"Right," Copeland agreed, "Let's go."

"Patience," Medoferro told his son, "I want to wait until Marina comes closer in case she tries to change the keying before we go after her. She won't be easy to take down regardless."

Copeland nodded and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that the plan was working. He used Mason's technique to block out the power, but knew that he wouldn't last too long in this. He just wondered how long this would take.

Lady M growled as she reeled slightly from the backlash of losing her front line. She knew now that they had found the weak spot, leaving the base abandoned and filled with traps. She thought about that for a bit and wondered how they could have trapped the place so quickly.

"Front line..." Major DeRoche said, but was stopped by Lady M.

"Courtney Bean was just killed," Lady M said, interrupting the minion, "Get one of the alternates up there. Looks like they trapped the base, so we need to get out of here quickly. District of Gottgol is ten miles east of here. They can't evacuate everyone, so if we hit the city hard we should be able to pull in enough to keep going."

"Yes, Lady M," Major DeRoche said, "Who do you want to take the front?"

"You," Lady M told him, "I can take care of myself and the others are stretched thin as it is."

"Yes Ma'am!" Major DeRoche yelled and started heading towards the front as the whole horde went further into the base.

Lady M knew there was likely someone else here. She scanned the area, but the teeming throng of bodies made it difficult to see anything. She continued to move with the horde from her post on top of the horse. She figured she just had to be careful, not that it would do much good for anyone to attack directly. She was as safe in the middle of this horde as anyone could be, though she hadn't been able to determine what was about to begin.

"Should we wait?" Kyrie asked Corie, who was sighting in.

"No," Corie said, "Lady M is approaching Medoferro's position. We need to at least engage before he goes in. The more of the outer people we can pull the harder it will be for her to keep control of the horde."

"And the easier it will be for Medo and Copeland," Kyrie agreed, "Take your shot when you're ready."

"Keep an eye out for Major DeRoche," Corie said, "He is likely with Lady M."

"You mean the guy who is heading to the southern quadrant?" Kyrie said, pointing him out.

"That's him," Corie said, "He's probably going to take the spot that Medoferro just cleaned out."

"Use your bolt on him," Kyrie suggested, "You and I can take out the other group."

"Right," Corie said and got himself ready to go.

Mason watched Corie and Kyrie up on the roof. He had a line on group at the back, but he didn't want to let off the first shot because he wanted the cover of confusion. He figured it would be best to let Corie remove one with that bolt gun.

Simon was doing the same. He just hoped that Corie's aim was true. Otherwise, it would be an indication of a long morning. He readied his sword because he fully intended to attack as soon as Corie fired that shot.

Corie looked at Major DeRoche sitting on the horse and realized that if he pulled this trigger he would be signing up with the Mullinix permanently. He thought about this for a few moments and thought about how he felt with these people. They had had every reason to extract his information and then lock him up or kill him. Instead, they trusted him to start a mission of national importance. In the end it was a simple decision for him.

Corie pulled the trigger, sending the bolt projectile out of the barrel and right into the Major DeRoche's temple, sending a jolt through the whole construct with another one of the tied in power users falling dead off their horse.

"Attack!" One of the minions yelled, "User down!"

Lady M knew that they had been led in there for a reason. She knew then that it wasn't a Gottgol tactic, as they were generally militarily inept, something that had been learned through centuries of watching them get pummeled by the Serenians. It was sheer luck and the presence of the Mullinix that had kept them an independent nation.

"Mullinix," Lady M said quietly, "Has to be... No one else would be this audacious against a horde like this."

Mason watched Corie fire the bolt and then countered with a power blast to the back of the head of one of the users in the back. Simon did the same before jumping out and going after another user with a sword. Unsurprisingly, this sudden attack prompted Lady M to throw up a full scale shield around herself.

"That's one hell of a shield," Medoferro said, "Think you can break it, Copeland."

"Not permanently," Copeland said, "She's pulling power from the dying and since I'm not going to do the same I'm not going to be able to overpower her."

"Can you neutralize her?" Medoferro wondered, "Or at least break the barrier long enough for me to get through."

"Wait," Copeland said, thinking for a moment, "How did Roland get her again?"

"Don't do it that way," Medoferro said, "He ran it through his emotional cortex. Burned himself out in the process."

"He wasn't a very good user if he did that," Copeland said, "I won't stoop to her level, but I can use one of the techniques they use to clean power to essentially color it as if it had gone through my emotional cortex."

"What are you proposing?" Medoferro asked him.

"I'm going to hit her shield hard to pierce it open," Copeland told him, "Then I'll shift the power as she adjusts to color it with good feelings, something she likely won't be able to defend against."

"That leaves me open to go in and fight her," Medoferro said, liking the idea a little, "How much can you tie her up?"

"I can stop her from pulling more power from outside her bubble," Copeland said, "Nothing goes in or out without her dropping the shield, which if she does that I can hit her."

"Good," Medoferro said, "Do it. Hopefully, the others can take out the other power users and we can use the backlash."

"You ready?" Copeland asked him.

"As much as I ever will be," Medoferro said, "Go for it!"

Copeland took a moment to build up his power. He didn't know how it would work, but he knew it had to. He pulled as much power as he could, avoiding the wells of dirty power swirling around him and let it blast, piercing the shielding that Lady M had held in place. Lady M did exactly what he had been hoping for and started to shift into another type of power.

Medoferro saw the opening and knew it wouldn't last long. He dove for it, managing to only singe his pants on the edge of the hole that Copeland had blasted open. Just after he got inside Copeland threw the emotionally colored power at the shielding, which started pulling her power. Lady M tried to counter but just as she could not do twenty years before she couldn't fight it off. She had, however, learned enough over the years to keep it from consuming her as if it had twenty years before.

"Medoferro," Lady M said as she pushed her power, "I should have guessed."

"It's been a long time, Marina," Medoferro said, "I don't suppose you're going to listen to reason and stop this insanity before I have to fight you, are you?"

"Reason?" Lady M said, dropping down to the ground from her horse, "Like the reasons you had for dumping me to the side thirty years ago?"

"It wasn't meant to be," Medoferro said, shaking his head, "You know that. I had a connection with Miranda that we couldn't have had."

"You never even tried," Lady M said, "You can say what you like, but you will now see what you threw away!"

Corie saw Medoferro in the bubble and knew that they had to work quickly. The sooner that they took out the rest of the power users the sooner Lady M's power source and control would break. He jumped down off the roof with Kyrie and looked at the future Mullinix.

"Medoferro is in with Lady M," Corie said, "We need to go now!"

Kyrie nodded and pulled out her sword. The two of them went through the teeming horde and went straight at the remaining power users. Mason did the same thing in the north and Simon in the west. Copeland held the power and kept as much of his senses about him as he could.

"Too bad you had to show yourself," Lady M said with a smile, "I was hoping for much more of a chess match with you."

"Oh," Medoferro said, "I'm not done yet."

"Yes you are," Lady M said and readied a bolt, "I'll be sure to send your head back to Trinaferro."

She got ready to let loose a power bolt and found that she couldn't do so. She didn't have the power available, something that was very disconcerting for the power sink. There was one thing she was used to having at all times and that was power. She didn't realize until she felt the power pushing at her shields just how much of herself was being held on by Copeland's push.

"Missing something, Marina?" Medoferro asked, "If you're going to get me, you're going to have to do it the old fashioned way."

"Cute," Lady M said sarcastically, "You must have Mason with you."

"He's out there," Medoferro told her, "But he isn't the one stopping you. He's one of the best things I got out of leaving you. My son, Copeland."

Lady M growled and got herself into a combat stance. She had not forgotten how to fight and she had learned a few new things since she had left Mullinix. She knew that in order to move on and destroy him she would do it inside the shields because if Copeland was doing this at his age it meant that he too was a Power Sink.

"It's not too late," Medoferro said, "This doesn't have to end like this."

"Yes it does," Lady M said, not buying into it, "If you want me you'll have to take me!"

"Let's find another metaphor shall we?" Medoferro said as he looked at the older woman who had long ago been his lover, "I think I'll just end it."

Medoferro went in first and jabbed at Lady M. She saw it coming through her power sight and dodged it. She let off a kick at Medoferro's legs and knew she'd have to disable him quickly if she was going to win. Medoferro pulled a little energy, not because he wanted it but more so that Lady M couldn't.

"Clever," Lady M said as she pulled a knife, "But not clever enough."

Lady M lunged with the knife at Medoferro who, having proper sight, could dodge easily. She rolled out of the way of Medoferro's counterblow and drove the knife into Medoferro's right leg just below his knee. Medoferro screamed and pulled the knife out as he let out a power blast to her head, which she absorbed without a problem

While Medoferro and Lady M were continuing their battle everyone else started their one on one fights. Corie was easily the most impressive of the mortal fighters, dispatching a group of two power users easily. Kyrie cleaned up the rest of the mess on the east side, finishing off the two that Corie had engaged.

The removal of another post in her tent of power sent a massive jolt of power into Lady M's body. She screamed and then used the energy it gave her to rush Medoferro and try to smash him into the ground. Medoferro saw it coming and tried to get out of the way, but the leg she had damaged with the knife went out from under him.

Copeland watched what happened in there and wished he could do more, but he knew he was doing the best thing he could by keeping her away from true power. He did also see that when Corie and Kyrie took out the other power users it interrupted Lady M's power.

"Finish off the power users!" Copeland yelled, "As fast as you can!"

"Go help Mason!" Corie told Kyrie, "I'll make my way to Simon. My keying is probably stronger than yours so it will be faster for me to go."

Kyrie didn't bother doing anything other than nodding and running to Mason. Mason was doing well, but despite being immortal his body was only capable of so much so he was fending off three power users at once. Kyrie ran up behind and buried her sword in the neck of one of the three power users, killing him instantly.

Mason smiled at this and used the interruption to throw a perfect power beam at one of the others. The man tried to block it, but was pushed off his horse. Kyrie remembered how the keying system worked and decided to try to reverse it on that power user. She threw a quick bolt at him before he could block. It didn't damage him physically, but it let the horde go after him.

"Brutal," Mason said as he finished off the last power user and watched the horde start attacking the one Kyrie had removed the key from, "What did you do?"

"Removed the key," Kyrie said, "That's all."

Finally, before they could say anything else the horde killed the power user and the third pillar of the construct came crashing down, and sending all its power steaming back into Lady M. Copeland watched this and knew that when the last one went this whole construct would go with it. He knew that if he timed it well enough he could put a final strike on Lady M at this point.

"Ready to die now?" Lady M screamed at Medoferro, "I'm ready to kill you!"

"I'll say one thing," Medoferro said as he got himself up, "Losing your looks didn't do much for your personality. You really have turned into a bitch!"

Medoferro then remembered Lady M's weakness. He put his weight on his good leg, feinted to the left and then threw a power flare up that completely blinded Lady M's power vision. He then pushed himself to her right and brought his sharp sword down on her left arm, cutting it clean off and causing the blinded power sink to scream.

"You're going to pay for that!" Lady M shouted at him, pulling power, "You are now going to die!"

She tried to pull everything in she could. She knew that she wouldn't live too much longer, but she was determined to take Medoferro out with her. Medoferro realized what she was considering doing and tried in vain to stop her by bringing his sword down on her one remaining arm. Unfortunately, power use was one thing that only required a mind, not limbs.

"Finish off that last pillar!" Copeland yelled, "She's about to suicide!"

Corie ran like hell through the horde, violently pushing aside anyone who got in his way. Simon had dispatched one of the two power users on that side, but was struggling with the last one. He tried valiantly, but he didn't have the ability alone to take the man down. Corie ran up behind the power user and before anyone knew it drove his sword through the base of his skull.

"See you in hell!" Lady M yelled as she began her final pull.

As she did this, the power surge from the destruction of the construct went flying back towards her power sink. Copeland saw how she had done this and realized it was a golden opportunity to finish off her power use without killing everyone around. He used a twist of the emotional core filter he had been using before and colored the returning power so that it would go to the deepest recesses of her power sink.

"Suck on this!" Copeland seethed as he pushed every bit of power he could through that filter into Lady M.

Medoferro watched as Lady M started glowing brightly. Some of her flesh began to burn, just as it had twenty years before. Medoferro worried that Copeland had done what Roland did until he saw the young man was not even glowing all that brightly. All the power had been directed to Lady M's core in a way that wasn't even touching his son.

"You will never do this again!" Copeland yelled as he cut the line, letting all the ambient power (both clean and dirty) get sucked into her once strong power sink. Both Lady M and Copeland collapsed onto the ground after this, both surprisingly still breathing.

The horde at this point stopped responding to any commands. It showed that most of them were moving only on urging from the power structure that Lady M had put in, with it gone most of the people were either scattering or falling over in complete and utter exhaustion.

"We did it," Corie said as he looked at Simon.

"Thanks," Simon said to Corie, "Not sure I could have taken him alone."

"That's why we worked together," Corie said, "Let's see what happened."

Everyone congregated around the circle that had been burned clear where Medoferro was sitting looking at the unconscious bodies of both Lady M and his son. He didn't know what to do.

"Mason," Kyrie said, "You're good at this part... Are they going to be ok?"

Mason spent a few minutes looking both of them over. He was convinced that Copeland was suffering little more than a minor power shock and would come out of it with little more than a few burns and a melted pair of glasses. Lady M, on the other hand, was barely even registering. She was alive, but she radiated no power whatsoever. The burns had actually helped keep her alive as they cauterized the stumps of her missing arms.

"He will be fine," Mason said as he removed the melted remains of his glasses from his face, "Though if any of you have power user potion, give it to him. Some salve for those burns where his glasses melted might not be a bad idea either."

Kyrie did so while Mason went and checked Lady M more closely. Once he did this he realized what Copeland had done. It was both scary and brilliant at the same time. He didn't fight her conventionally, he used a variant of what he knew and what he'd heard Roland had done and performed the reverse operation on her that Mullitard had done to him.

"He not only cauterized the arms," Mason said, looking in genuine awe, "But her power sink. He managed to completely close up a power sink..."

Everyone looked at him but no one could quite understand what he was saying. Medoferro knew he understood the words, but it took him a moment to realize exactly what Mason was saying.

"He cut off her power source?" Medoferro asked, "What makes you think that?"

"Do a power test," Mason suggested, "You'll see what I mean."

Medoferro was a little unsure about this, but he went ahead and did it. He put his hand on Marina's scarred head and found something he wasn't expecting. She wasn't radiating any power at all. Most people at least radiate some power, but she was completely barren. There was barely any life coming out of the body at all.

"She should be dead," Medoferro said, "How the hell do you strip a power user completely?"

"That's a new one on me," Mason told him, "And I've been around the block a few times."

"So what do we do now?" Kyrie asked, "I've shoved two bottles of this down his throat."

"I suggest getting into a building," Corie said, looking over at the masses, "They aren't all dead and likely still have Lady M's programming in their heads."

"Let's move," Mason agreed, "Into the bunker building. We'll let them tire themselves into oblivion while we figure out what to do about Marina."

Simon just shook his head. He couldn't believe that they'd all escaped alive. He went over to help Medoferro hobble to the bunker building as his leg had been damaged badly.

"A waste," Corie said as he helped Kyrie and Mason carry Marina, "She could have used that power... I don't know... For something less destructive..."

"At least she's been stopped," Kyrie told him, "That's something."

"Tell that to them," Corie said as he pointed quickly at the people dying outside, "I don't think they'll agree."

Chapter 101 - The Mining Crew

"Looks like we're just about here," Viradoferro said as they saw soldiers wearing Mullinix uniforms, "How do we do this?"

"We go up to them and ask to speak with their commander," Corinne shrugged, "Their commanders should know the code books. I know the codes."

"Let's just hope they do," Viradoferro said, "This whole thing has been a massive screw up from beginning to end."

"Most of this is on your head," Corinne said, "So don't even try that."

Corinne decided not to continue this and walked up to the guards outside the gate of the mine area. The smell, like most of the areas where the horde had run through, was atrocious but the guards had long since become immune from it.

"This mine is now Mullinix property," The guard said, "Move along!"

"Skip it," Corinne said, "My name is Corinne d'Abruzzi. I have a high-level function code. Do you have the code book?"

"Code book?" the guard asked.

"Where is your boss?" Corinne asked, "Go and tell him you have a Bolantine agent giving you code Yoko 1909. I need to speak to him, post haste."

The two guards looked at each other hesitantly, but decided they'd better go talk to the Major in charge. Corinne took the opportunity to sit down. Viradoferro considered, quite irrationally, killing a guard, but a harsh stare from Corinne kept him sitting quietly.

Corinne was surprised when a younger man came out holding the codebook. Usually, the commander of the mission only held the Bolantine codebook, but this man could have only been in his early twenties, too young to be in charge of a mission like this.

"Who are you?" Corinne asked.

"Major Blane," he said, "I'm currently in command of this mission. You gave a yoko 1909 code. What is your current mission id?"

"UC 19338," Corinne said, "I am mission control, he is UC 19339, my charge."

"Welcome," Major Blane said, "I'm actually glad to see you. Do you have any idea how to handle the rest of this mission?"

"Who was the original operation control?" Corinne asked, "There's no way in hell they sent you here as the boss."

"Military Control was held by Corie," Blane told her, "Second in command was Commander Sheldon. Tertiary command was Lady M, but she left with the horde several days ago."

"Where are Corie and Sheldon?" Corinne asked, "I want to talk to them."

"I'd love to tell you," Blane said, "But Corie is AWOL and Sheldon is dead. I'm all you have."

"Great," Corinne said, "How did Sheldon die?"

"No idea," Blane shrugged, "We found the body outside the mine. No sign of a cause of death. I've had people continue to do their jobs, but if you want to look at the body, feel free."

"How long until we get out of here?" Corinne asked, "I'm hitching a ride back to Southern Oasis."

"The ships are two-thirds full," Blane said, "You outrank me, technically. Are you taking over?"

"Only if you want me to," Corinne said, "I'm not here to step on toes."

"Please," Major Blane said, "I'm dealing with a group that doesn't want to be here. We've been loading Bauxite for days and this group is ready to mutiny."

"Anyone running recon?" Corinne asked him, "Do we know where the Gottgol Army is?"

"We have fast moving units on power bikes," Blane told her, "We're waiting for one of them to tell us the army is coming."

"Show me the area," Corinne said, "Let's see what I'm dealing with."

Corinne was given the grand tour and saw a mission gone completely awry. Morale was nonexistent and there was a lot of laziness and hopelessness. She sighed as she walked to the ship and saw that it was a bloody mess around there as well.

"Where is Sheldon's body?" Corinne asked.

"In the cold room," Blane told her, "You want to see it?"

"Yes," Corinne said, "I want to see how he died."

Major Blane nodded and brought her to the cool room they were using as their body storage. She looked at the body and knew that this wasn't a normal death. She used power sight, something that was always a little off at a bauxite mine. Commander Sheldon's body almost radiated power from the spot where Corie's fatal power blow hit.

"This man was murdered by a power user," Corinne told him, "Since I'm sure Lady M didn't kill him, that means Corie probably did it. That being the case, it's likely this mission is going to be blown soon. How close are we to finishing?"

"Two-thirds of the way," Blane said, "What do you think?"

"I think we need to consider packing up and going home," Corinne said, "If Corie has betrayed you, the mission this is going to fall apart sooner instead of later. How soon can we get out of here?"

"As soon as we can get everyone loaded," Blane said, smiling for the first time, "You willing to take responsibility for this?"

"Someone has to," Corinne said, "Give the order. Let's go home. Have everyone bring the bauxite they've finished processing and head back to the ships. We leave in two hours."

"We'll get it done," Blane said, "Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable."

Viradoferro waited until Blane had gone to spread the orders before speaking for the first time. He looked at Corinne and shook his head.

"That is insane," Viradoferro said, "Why are we here again?"

"Because as insane as this situation is," Corinne explained patiently, "It beats trying to fight our way through one of the other borders."

"Great," Viradoferro said, "Let's just hope this doesn't disintegrate further."

Corinne was weighing her response when Major Blane ran back into the room. He had a look of panic on his face that neither she nor Viradoferro cared for.

"The Gottgol Army is coming," Blane said, "They have some Mullinix with them. They're about ten miles south."

"Shit," Corinne swore, "How many of them?"

"All of them," Blane said, "Either they went through the horde or went around it."

"Get everyone on these damn ships," Corinne said, "Drop everything, get them all up here. Anyone not on the ships by the time the Gottgols breach the perimeter is getting left behind."

"There are Mullinix riding with them," Blane said, "Two of them wearing high ranking Mullinix insignia."

"Any descriptions?" Viradoferro asked.

"Male and a Female," Blane said, "Look to be in their forties, but the woman could be younger and the man may be older. Woman is a blonde and the man is gray haired."

"Has to be Suvorov and Cossy," Viradoferro said, "The Mullinix wouldn't send anyone else on a mission like this, especially since they were chasing me to begin with."

"Right," Corinne agreed, "Get moving, Blane. If those two are there they are looking for us. This is not a good development."

Blane nodded and went out to give the orders. It was time to get out of there. Corinne didn't say anything as Blane left, but she looked at Viradoferro. She didn't know if the ore was worth it, but she knew that Viradoferro was at least as valuable as the ore in the hold. She just hoped she could keep from killing him before they got home.

Meanwhile, while they were preparing to leave the Gottgol force led by Rav Suvorov and Stacy Cossy were actually a whole lot closer than the biker thought. The biker was also seen by everyone, though Stacy was the only one who really recognized it.

"Rav!" Stacy exclaimed, "That's a power bike. Those suckers aren't common here."

"Has to be from the south," Suvorov said, "They know we're coming."

"Anderson," Stacy said, "Are your boys ready?"

"Sure are," Anderson smiled, "Think we can take them?"

"Yes," Suvorov said, "If Corie's numbers are right, your force should outnumber them three to one."

"We'd best get to it quick," Stacy suggested, "That power bike is heading to the mine. Any bets on what they'll do?"

"Run," Suvorov said, "Anderson, have squad one secure the mine. You and the rest of the squads come with us to the docks."

"Why me?" Anderson asked.

"Because, you can give orders to your people and we can't," Suvorov said, "And we can speak to the Bolantine troops. You're the only one who would have a chance and you would miss stuff."

Anderson nodded and spoke with the commanders on his side. A couple of them weren't too happy to be taking instructions from the Mullinix, but it was obvious that they were going to do it. There was another exchange that neither Rav nor Stacy understood. When it was finished Anderson looked over at them.

"They want to know how hard they should go in," Anderson said, "Do we need to keep any of them alive?"

"I want Viradoferro and his bitch," Suvorov said, "The rest of them are yours to do with what you will."

"Then they agree with going in," Anderson said, "How long?"

"Give the order," Stacy said, "We need to get this over with."

Everyone started moving quicker, marching towards the mine area. The Gottgols were extremely angry, knowing that whoever started this was going to pay if they had anything to say about it. It took nearly forty-five minutes for them to reach the perimeter.

"How are we doing?" Corinne asked.

"Getting there," Major Blane said, "Splitting people between the ships and getting the last load."

"To hell with the last load," Corinne said, "We need to get moving."

While Corinne d'Abruzzi was chewing out Blane on the dock the initial assault began. Days of hard work and abandonment made the group still at the mine unwilling to fight to protect it, especially against a much larger and better-equipped force.

Corinne knew something was wrong as she saw the first people come running. She yelled for Blane, who came over and saw the same thing she did.

"Do we have the ship crew aboard?" Corinne asked.

"Yes," Blane said, "But the soldiers..."

"The soldiers are routing with GRA running behind them," Corinne said, "If we wait for them we'll have to repel boarders and we're not equipped for that."

"GRA?" Viradoferro asked, "Gottgol Regular Army? Why aren't they fighting the horde?"

"That doesn't matter right now," Corinne said, "What matters is getting us out of here."

"Right," Blane said, "Can we take anyone who comes in?"

"Sure," Corinne said, "Anyone who can get up the ladder before we cast off. Get the casting done now!"

Rav and Stacy tried to keep up, but their horses were tired and there were too many people running around to move quickly. The Bolantine soldiers were in a full-fledged rout, but the GRA was not in a mood to take any prisoners. Suvorov looked over at Stacy, who was busy trying to avoid stepping on anyone. He finally jumped off the horse and ran to the docks.

"GRA heading for the docks!" someone yelled.

"That's our cue!" Corinne shouted, "Get us out of here!"

"But our men!" Blane yelled, "We've barely got half of them."

"Casualties of war," Corinne said, "Cut the lines. Get us out of here now!"

Blane hesitated for another moment, but knew he had no choice. He followed orders and the ship drifted away from the dock right after the lines were cut. Bolantine soldiers still tried to get on the ships, jumping into the water en masse and trying to climb any hanging rope or chain possible. A few even made the fatal mistake of trying to climb the propellers, dying messily in the process

Stacy tried to get off her horse, but couldn't do so with the battle raging around her. Suvorov ran for the docks, hoping he could do something to the ships. The fighting was going on around him, but it was largely useless at this point.

The ships pulled away as Suvorov made it to the end of the pier. By this point they were far enough away that Suvorov, even had he been a good swimmer, knew he couldn't catch and even if he did catch he wouldn't be able to do anything useful.

Corinne and Viradoferro watched triumphantly as the ship moved further and further away. She made eye contact with Suvorov and left him with a little bit of a wave. Viradoferro left him with a much cruder single fingered gesture.

"They made it," Stacy said, finally joining him at the end, "We can't catch them now."

"Maybe we can," Suvorov said, "But it's going to require power users. Enhanced horses could get us there fast enough to have the pirate forces break them."

"If they were successful," Stacy said, "Looks like the fighting is beginning to die down here."

"You stay here with Anderson," Suvorov said, "Help them round up the survivors and see if there's anything here that can help us."

"You going to go south?" Stacy asked.

"Yes," Suvorov said, "I need Mullinix approval for anti-piracy force. So we'll get the approval and give Kyrie and Copeland a chance to finish what they started."

"Don't waste time talking to me," Stacy said, "I'll see you when I see you."

Rav merely nodded as he ran over to a horse and directed himself towards the military base, hoping that he would find the Mullinix still there. Stacy looked at the mess around her and knew that she would have her work cut out for her.

Chapter 102 - The Line to Mavelan City

"Testing one, two, three," Trinaferro heard through the line, "Mavelan station one testing connection to Mullinix Center."

"You have us," Trinaferro told them, "Is Pirotase there?"

"She'll be here in a minute," the technician said, "I didn't want to risk them if this equipment went haywire."

"Is the equipment up to snuff?" Trinaferro asked.

"Yes," the technician said, "I wasn't worried too much about this side, but I'm taking no chances. We had four injuries in the first test of the mountain line because the old equipment exploded."

"Let's not repeat that," Trinaferro admonished, "Make sure that the injured people are well taken care of, please."

"They'll be fine," the technician said, "Pirotase is outside. She'll be the next one you hear."

Trinaferro sat back and sipped on her tea. She knew she wouldn't like the news, but figured that she had to know what was going on. She had given her troops orders to go and help stop the Bolantines and sentiment was still high against the Bolantines because of the assassination attempts on the Mullinix and the successful assassination of King Harmon in Sotanberg.

"Trina?" Pirotase asked in her very badly accented Mullinix, "It's been a while since we talked."

"Too long," Trinaferro said, "Is Lister with you?"

"He's coordinating war intelligence," Pirotase said, "The Bolantines came across the border this morning."

"Military targets or general warfare?" Trinaferro asked.

"Total war," Pirotase said bitterly, "They're killing everyone they come across not wearing a Bolantine uniform."

"Savages," Trinaferro spat, "They certainly hold a grudge, don't they?"

"Yes," Pirotase agreed, "Luckily, they're leading with a weak brigade that isn't all that interested in fighting. They are doing so mainly because their leaders are threatening them."

"Good," Trinaferro said, "Unmotivated troops are a good thing. Have we started seeing defections yet?"

"No," Pirotase sighed, "Not that lucky. Have you already sent troops down?"

"Yes," Trinaferro said, "I have the southern force already in the Mavelans and heading to flank the troops attacking from Bolanpyris. Second wave is heading straight to the mine area to begin reinforcing it. I intend to entrench one full division there."

"If we lose the mine we lose the war," Pirotase agreed, "Having your troops there will allow me to redirect the ones I have there to the battle in the east. I'll give my commanders in that area orders to relinquish the area to the Mullinix troops and go help repel the Bolantine invasion."

"I'm hoping you'll have help in a few days from Sotanberg," Trinaferro told her, "They were planning to respond to the assassination of King Harmon with an invasion in the Far East. I've sent Charissa there to tell them about your intelligence and to hopefully prompt them to get moving."

"I could use their help here," Pirotase said, "But I don't think they'll get here in time."

"If they're already prepared in the east and kept it from the Bolantines," Trinaferro said, "That could prove more useful than having them try to blunt the invasion. If Bolantine was dumb enough to move his third army to try to kill you, then the Sotans could go behind them and overwhelm the Bolantine industrial machine."

"The key is if they can do it fast enough," Pirotase sighed, "This was supposed to be an ordered transition, unfortunately we let Jagards linger on too long. He was getting senile and these old war plans show it."

"We will help as far as we can," Trinaferro promised, "You know damn well we won't abandon you to Bolantine. If we did we'd be facing riots in the Siraqi regions. They hate Bolantine just as much as you do."

"There's plenty of hate to go around when it comes to that man," Pirotase spat, "If I were into religion I'd surely believe he was the devil."

"I don't believe in it either," Trinaferro agreed, "But if there is such a thing, Bolantine is likely it."

"Amen to that," Pirotase said, "I will keep you informed as to the progress. I trust you'll want to use this room to confer with your commanders?"

"We're working together," Trinaferro said, "I'm sure we'll all confer together. For now I have to stay in Mullinix, but once Medoferro comes back I'm sure one of us will come down to survey the lines."

"I hope it doesn't become necessary," Pirotase said, "For now we're doing the best we can. The Bolantines are advancing, but they haven't hit the bulk of our forces yet."

"Be ready," Trinaferro warned, "You weren't in a leadership position last time. Remember that you might have to make some unpalatable decisions. It comes with being a national leader."

"Have you had to make any yet?" Pirotase asked her.

"I sent troops down to you," Trinaferro said, "That runs against the grain of being a Mullinix."

"Let's hope this is the last time you have to," Pirotase said, "Wish me luck. I've got to go to a council meeting after this."

"You'll need it," Trinaferro said, "I'll consider myself lucky I don't have to deal with that. Lister knows the line codes, so if either of you need anything let us know."

"We will," Pirotase said and broke the line.

Chapter 103 - Marina

The pounding that was going on outside was unsettling. The remains of the horde were following the last instructions that had been transmitted through the power use, but it was more unfocused and for that reason it was as if they were hearing the pounding of the damned.

"How long do you think this will last?" Kyrie asked Medoferro, "I think that Copeland needs some medical help."

"He'll wake up soon," Mason told her, "He expended a lot of power, something that usually will send people into a major coma. He's showing REM sleep, so that shouldn't be a factor. Considering the amount of power he was handling he should be dead."

"We should all be dead after that mad display," Corie said, pacing around a little, "We might still be if they break in here."

"They're not eating," Medoferro said, looking out one of the reinforced windows, "They're just pounding mindlessly. I'm guessing the last of them will fall off in the next ten hours or so. They aren't strong enough in number or body to break through this construction. The Gottgols will spend a few months cleaning this mess up, but we should be fine."

"There's food!" Simon exclaimed as he searched through the barracks, "Looks like they held some food in here as a reserve. It's canned, but well before the expiration date."

"Anything good?" Kyrie asked, "I'm starving."

"Various soups," Simon said as he brought an arm full of cans, "One for everyone."

"Eat what you need, but don't gorge," Mason suggested, "We're just guessing on how long it will take these lunatics to die off. I can survive without food, so I'll hold off."

"I doubt I'll want to gorge on this," Corie said, "Though it looks better than what our troops eat in the field."

"What do your troops eat?" Medoferro asked him.

"Whatever they find along the way," Corie said, "It's part of training to forage. Especially when invading a non-Bolantine nation. Then, our soldiers get first pick and if a local gets in the way they get killed."

"And you wonder why everyone hates you?" Kyrie said, shaking her head.

"I'm not going to try to defend them now," Corie said, "But it's the way life is down there. You are brought up your whole life to look at the Emperor as the unfailing, undying almost godlike figure. You could say the sentence 'Bolantine is an idiot.' But no one would comprehend it, or worse they would turn you in to the elite guard."

"I'll give him this much," Mason said, "He learned from the best."

"How so?" Medoferro asked.

"The cult of personality," Mason said, "Bolantine isn't the first to use it, but he has one major advantage that the other men who did it didn't have."

"Immortality," Corie said, realizing it immediately, "A cult of personality might last a man until he dies, but then it dies with him. Bolantine doesn't have that problem."

"Exactly," Mason said, "Bolantine was in his mortal prime when two of the greatest examples of cult of personality were going on. Adolph Hitler and Josef Stalin were masters of the cult of personality. They both had people doing their bidding, right up until their deaths."

"What happened after they died?" Medoferro asked, "I'm assuming this is pre-cataclysmic, and I have never read much pre-cat history. Mullinix history is extensive enough for me."

"Hitler got into a long war that destroyed his regime," Mason said, "To put it simply he overreached. He committed suicide a mere week before his troops unconditionally surrendered to the forces allied against him."

"And Stalin?" Corie asked.

"Died in his sleep in the Kremlin," Mason shrugged, "His inner circle fought over power, but none of them were really capable of handling it because if any of them were capable they would have been shot. He was thoroughly discredited by one of his former henchmen about five years after he died."

"Is it the same in Bolantinople?" Medoferro asked Corie.

"Somewhat," Corie admitted, "He doesn't have as much to worry about. He's been so close to deified that no one really dares to go against him and most of them don't even want to."

"It's what Hitler might have managed had he lived," Mason agreed, "I was just a child during those events, so I didn't learn them as well as Bolantine likely did. Hitler died when I was five and Stalin when I was thirteen. I didn't much care at the time."

"How much of a dent will losing Marina here hurt them?" Kyrie asked, "She was a good power user, right?"

"A very good one," Corie said, "But Bolantine doesn't rely on that to win wars or keep people in line. He prefers hard weaponry."

"I'll remember that," Medoferro said, "Is Copeland stirring?"

"Yep," Mason said, "Copeland, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," he grumbled and then opened his eyes, "Did I actually survive that massive bit of insanity?"

"You both did, surprisingly," Kyrie said, "How do you feel?"

"Broiled," Copeland said as he sat up a little, "Where are my glasses and why does my nose feel as though it was burned."

"Your glasses melted," Kyrie told him, "We have what's left of them on the table. Will be a good luck charm for you someday."

"I'll have them framed," Copeland muttered, "Is Marina toasted?"

"She's alive, actually," Mason said, "I'd love to know what you did."

"I saw a hole," Copeland told him, "She had anchored the construct into herself and that was her undoing. When the pillars collapsed the power flashed into her power sink, overwhelming her for a few seconds. I saw that on the second to last one and as she got ready to suicide I colored the power pull to hit a part of her that likely hadn't been touched since Roland hit her twenty years ago."

"And since she didn't know how to handle that emotion she couldn't effectively use the power," Medoferro said, nodding appreciatively, "It overwhelmed her power sink and effectively ended her ability to use power."

"Probably burned out those parts of her brain," Mason said, "All in all, not bad for a bit of quick thinking."

"Not something I'd care to repeat," Copeland assured them, "I'm afraid I damaged my eyes some more."

"Not if you shielded properly," Medoferro said, "You were exposed to outside heat, not a direct blast, which is what did it the first time."

"Yeah," Copeland said, "Can I request a raise for this?"

"How 'bout an attaboy and another set of glasses?" Kyrie smiled, "We're not in this for the money."

"I want two more sets of glasses," Copeland groused, "I'm already on my third bloody set this month."

"Let's hope that doesn't remain necessary," Medoferro said, "I'm sick of having to have you in that situation."

"Looks like Lady M is stirring now," Corie said, looking at the fallen power user, "This should be interesting."

They all crowded around her and watched as she stirred. She was no threat any longer, but they were wondering if she would have any of her sanity left. Medoferro sat next to her and while he wanted to hate her he could feel little but pity for the wretched creature his one-time lover had become.

"Where am I?" Marina said softly, "Am I dead?"

"Not yet," Medoferro said, "What do you remember, Marina?"

"I know that voice," she said, "Where am I? Where is Major DeRoche?"

"Dead," Corie said, "he was one of the first to fall."

"Corie?" Marina asked, "I guess the horde fell... I'm sorry, I thought..."

"You were right," Medoferro said, "The horde fell and you're in back in Mullinix hands, Marina."

"So what are you doing here, Corie?" Marina said, trying to pull power and failing, "And why am I wrapped in an anti-power field?"

"Corie was kind enough to tell me what you were up to," Medoferro informed her, "We put a stop to it. Enough people have died at your hands, Marina."

"This has got to be a nightmare," Marina said, furiously pulling for power, "You can't have pulled such a tight shroud over me! I cannot see anything at all!"

"I look at it as karma," Simon shrugged, "Just like your late friend Sascha. Neither of you will be hurting anyone ever again."

"Corie!" Marina said, "You can't have bought this line! The emperor will have your hide!"

"I'm sure he'll want it when he finds out," Corie shrugged, "But I'll risk it to not have to take stupid orders any longer."

Marina tried to move and found that her missing limbs made it difficult for her to do so. She was completely blind without her power use and now she was immobile. She was beginning to curse up a storm when Medoferro put his hand on her and pushed a calming effect into her.

"Marina," Medoferro said, "It's over. It's time to go home."

"Home?" Marina asked incredulously, "I am no longer the girl you knew... I am..."

"A mere shell of her," Medoferro interrupted, "One who is now maimed to the point that you will never be able to so much as feed yourself again."

"I will..." Marina said then realized that she actually didn't have any power to pull, "What have you done to my power!"

"You did it to yourself with that insane construct," Copeland said, "I just gave you your power back in a way you weren't expecting."

"You're no longer a power user, Marina," Medoferro said, "You are a blind, crippled shell of a human being. We can send you back to Bolantine if you like, though I doubt they'll do much with you at this point."

"No longer..." Marina said, trying to move and then screaming loudly, "Noooooo!"

"Welcome back to reality baby," Simon said coldly, "Hope you've enjoyed the trip."

"Simon!" Kyrie exclaimed.

"Stay out of this, Kyrie," Simon said harshly, "You have no idea what she's done."

"She's done the same to us," Kyrie snapped back, "Remember, she was the one who masterminded the Viradoferro mess. We have just as much right to be angry as you do."

"You all deserved it!" Marina said, "And I'd do it all again!"

"Sure you would," Medoferro said, mocking her, "Somehow I doubt that."

"Of course I would you sanctimonious prick," Marina exclaimed, "You spent all those years flaunting what you had with her, despite what I felt."

"You didn't feel anything!" Simon shouted.

"You gave us your blessing," Medoferro said cautiously.

"What else could I do?" Marina said, "It was obvious that was the only way to do it at the time."

Copeland and Mason listened to them continue as they were the only ones not involved in the conversation. Mason knew he couldn't add to it and Copeland was unsure about how he felt. He knew that there was plenty of blame to be assessed around. He listened to it denigrate into a general free for all until he stood up and said firmly in a tone that dared them all to defy him:

"Enough!"

This caused everyone to turn around and look at him. Copeland had never been a leader of this sort, but he knew he would have to now. He was the one responsible for the current state of affairs, so he decided he would have some say on what happened.

"We all have blame here," Copeland told them all, "We all made choices that eventually led us here. Each and every one of us. Some of the choices seemed justified. Some of the choices in retrospect might have been ill thought out or the method of implementing the choices may have been poorly handled. Thing is, it is over and done with. Marina has paid for what she has done. She will live her life in a way that she will have little to do but think about the harm she has caused. The rest of us will have to live with our parts in the chain of events."

"And you?" Corie asked him, "What will you have to live with?"

"The fact that it came down to this," Copeland said, "I did what I did to save us all. Marina, you have a lot to answer for, but we will not do what the Bolantines would. We will take care of you, despite what you did. This is because we are better than the alternatives."

Everyone thought about that for a moment. Copeland made a lot of sense and they all knew it. Mason smiled and knew the kid got it. Kyrie hugged her cousin and was glad that he'd found a way to do what she could not manage on her own.

"I'm sorry," Medoferro said finally, "Marina, I did you wrong in a few ways, but I never tried to be malicious in anything. In fact, I wanted nothing but the best for you."

"But what you and they did..." Marina said, "Roland wasn't trying to push me away, was he?"

"He wasn't good with power use," Medoferro said, "And he was worse with people. He probably didn't handle things well, but think back to that time... Now that you don't have your own power use in the way to cloud your thinking, what do you remember feeling?"

"Love," Marina said, not thinking, "I felt something for someone for the first time."

"Let me guess," Mason said, pushing some power in her gently, "This is what you felt, wasn't it?"

Marina sighed a happy, gentle sigh of relief. That was the exact feeling she had when first talking to Nikki Bolantine all those years before. It was a feeling she hadn't felt since.

"That's it!" Marina exclaimed.

"That isn't love, honey," Mason said solemnly, "It's a simple mimic push designed to make you feel good. Nikki has been using it on unsuspecting people for years. Doesn't usually work well because most of us know what real love feels like. You on the other hand, well the hell you went through as a child sort of precluded you from knowing that."

"So the last twenty years..." Marina said.

"You are just as much a victim of the Bolantines as anyone else," Copeland said finally, "Right Corie?"

"Bolantine reworked some of your neural paths on the ship," Corie confirmed, "I'm guessing that whatever Copeland did undid those changes."

"I'd say that's a good guess," Mason said.

"I can't..." Marina said, "Oh gods, why didn't you all just kill me?"

"I thought I was going to," Copeland said honestly, "But this was a surer way to be done with it. I had to make sure you couldn't suicide and kill us all. A regular power user can create a nasty blast with a suicide pull. We saw that with the assassin and with the guy Simon cornered in Hulkensuxor. I'd really hate to see how much damage a power sink could cause."

"So what now?" Marina asked, "A Mullinix trial?"

"No," Medoferro said, "You're officially dead in Mullinix. You're going to stay that way. It will be better for our relations with Sotanberg."

"May I make a suggestion?" Kyrie asked, "Since you're drafting me to replace Viradoferro anyway?"

"You might as well take a shot now," Medoferro shrugged, "What are you thinking?"

"Marina is officially dead in Mullinix," Kyrie said, "Lady M was probably written off by the Bolantines once she left on this. She probably has information that very few others have."

"That's true," Corie said, "You don't survive twenty years in the top echelon without some knowledge of the system there."

"I am the best," Marina said, "Even Corie here couldn't outmaneuver me on that."

"So let's take her back home," Kyrie said, "We will provide physical care in return for the information she has on how the Bolantines operate."

"Why would I want to do this?" Marina asked, "Just kill me, it will be far more pleasant."

"This is your chance to atone," Kyrie said simply, "If you don't want to do it, then we'll simply force you. You don't exactly have much of a choice in the matter. You will enjoy the experience far more if you decide to be cooperative. Besides, how else can you get back at the Bolantine bastards who hoodwinked you?"

Marina thought about this for a moment. She had spent the past twenty years nursing a massive hatred of the Mullinix. She knew that she wouldn't be able to hide anything from them and that if they wanted the information they'd take it. There really wasn't a choice.

"So what happens to me?" Marina asked.

"You get admitted into a sanitarium in the capitol," Kyrie said, "There is one near the palace designed to care for people who have been in catastrophic accidents. The only payment we require is that you answer any questions posed about the Bolantine Empire."

"Does this come from you?" Marina asked Medoferro, "Does this child speak for you?"

"Yes," Medoferro said without a moment of hesitation, "I never stopped caring for you, Marina. A lot of things went badly with us and we both made a lot of bad choices. As a result, Kyrie can see this clearer than Simon or I can. I think her suggestion makes a lot of sense. Don't you, Simon?"

"Yes," Simon said begrudgingly, "Maybe she can help undo some of the damage she's done."

"Maybe we all can," Copeland said sitting down in relief, "Hopefully those lunatics she fielded will finally stop soon."

"Push a stop command," Marina said, "I can't do it now, but you can. It's simply a straight pulse. The command structure is gone, but the people should still take the commands."

"Let me try it," Mason said, "I'm the one who will not be lost if it fails."

Mason went out and tried the commands and found that they worked. He pushed off the last of the horde and sent them into a sleep mode, one that most of them weren't going to survive. Simon and Corie helped Medoferro out so they could see the aftermath of the horde.

"What a shame," Medoferro said, a tear coming to his eye, "All this for Marina's misguided desire for revenge."

"It's over," Simon assured him, "Marina can't hurt anyone anymore."

"That's one down," Corie said, "Thing is, Bolantine has many more."

"One at a time," Medoferro said, "That's all we can do."

"Now what?" Copeland asked, "We can't keep her here for the Gottgols to find. They'll demand she be tried."

"That would be bad for us," Medoferro said, "Simon, you and Mason should probably take her across the border before they come back."

"I agree," Mason nodded, "I don't particularly want to be here when they get here either. They'd probably start asking questions I don't feel like answering."

"Two horses survived," Kyrie said, pointing over towards a building where the horses were eating, "Likely because the horde was trained to leave them alone."

"Ok," Mason said, "Ready for a speed run?"

"How do we take Marina on a horse?" Simon asked.

"Strap her to me," Mason said, "We should be able to skip south to the border easily. They'll just assume we're running from the horde."

Once the decision was made it went quickly. Marina was given a large dose of pain medication to put her out and was strapped onto the horse behind Mason. The three of them departed quickly leaving Medoferro, Corie, Copeland and Kyrie behind to survey the mess.

"Think there's anyone alive in there?" Kyrie asked.

"Let's spend some time looking," Medoferro suggested, "Got anything better to do, Corie?"

"No," Corie shrugged, "If you can stand the smell, let's check bodies."

"Let's do it," Copeland said, "Dad, you kick back and rest that leg. The three of us can do it."

Medoferro nodded and found a place to sit and raise his injured leg. It wasn't pretty watching them, but he couldn't leave them out there to do the job alone. Unfortunately, there were no survivors who could be considered anything other than a shell. Eventually all four of them sat on the concrete wall.

"So much waste," Kyrie said, "Why did I agree to become a Mullinix again?"

"Because you can try to stop this," Medoferro said, "You may not always win, but sometimes you can keep it from becoming worse."

Kyrie nodded. There wasn't much else to do.

Chapter 104 - On The High Seas

Corinne paced around the deck of the ship. She was not thrilled with the state of affairs. For one thing, Viradoferro was still hanging around her like a lovesick puppy. For another, she was not sure how this ship was still floating. She had inspected a bit of the hull and it had been heavily damaged by the time in the acidic outer regions.

"What is going on in your head?" Viradoferro asked her.

"I'm not happy with this," Corinne said, looking around, "We're sitting ducks. Whoever put this plan together was an idiot."

"Lady M put the plan together, ma'am," Major Blane said, "At least that's what Commander Sheldon said."

"Why am I not surprised?" Corinne said bitterly.

Corinne knew well after the disaster that the Viradoferro mission had turned out to be that Lady M's planning skills left a lot to be desired. She was a great power user, but a lousy covert operation planner. She watched the shoreline pass and knew that they couldn't risk running this close to shore for long.

"The Mullinix aren't going to let us go this easily," Corinne muttered, "They want you too badly and they will want to stop the Emperor from getting this ore."

"What can they do?" Viradoferro shrugged.

"You know," Corinne said, staring down the former Mullinix, "It's sad when I know more about Mullinix defenses than you do. They maintain an anti-piracy unit on the coast outside Serenia. That was the group that held Southern Oasis against Empress Bolantine's onslaught long enough to allow all the women and children to escape to safety."

"That's if they find us," Viradoferro said, "They can't watch every inch of ocean."

"They just have to watch the corridor," Corinne said, "We can't go into the muck again. We'll sink."

Viradoferro shrugged again, but said nothing. He didn't have any answers, but he wasn't worried about a unit that hadn't seen any action in twenty years. Piracy was no longer a major problem on the coast now that the Bolantines had locked up the southern end of the continent.

Corinne looked out into the sea and watched as the other ship followed behind them about a half mile. She was hoping that she would be able to use the other ship as a decoy. She also hoped that maybe they could slip by undetected before the Mullinix knew their destination.

She was about to turn and pace the ship again when the other ship suddenly exploded violently. Her eyes went wide as the remains of the ship were sent in all directions, leaving nothing but a burning slick and a lot of dying screaming people. There was no motion to go after what few survivors because as injured as they would have been after that blast death in the sea would be merciful in comparison.

"What the hell was that?" Viradoferro asked, "We're too far from shore for that to be a shore battery!"

"Shut up," Corinne said, "Let me think."

Corinne had heard about an incident like this many years before, but it took her a moment to realize what had happened. She ran to the hold and jumped down. She grabbed a handful of ore and went up to the railing. Viradoferro watched in puzzlement as she heaved one of the ore rocks as far as she could, only to watch it explode violently as soon as it touched the water.

Once she realized what had happened she ran over to major Blane and grabbed him by the collar? Viradoferro was impressed by the strength she had, seeing as Blane probably outweighed her by at least seventy pounds.

"You idiots didn't tap the Bauxite before loading it!" Corinne exclaimed, "You had Corie with you... There's no way in hell he would have put untapped bauxite on a ship! It's tantamount to suicide!"

"What are you talking about?" Blane asked, "What do you mean tap the bauxite?"

Corinne wanted to scream. She knew then that the only ones who knew how to tap the bauxite likely had been Corie and the late commander Sheldon. She knew about it because it was required for all covert agents to be familiar with it if they ran into a mine near Bolantine territory. She let Blane go, knowing it wasn't his fault he hadn't been taught basic chemistry.

"The Bauxite ore we use is unique," Corinne explained, "Its reactivity is part of why we like it. That comes at a price though. Raw bauxite ore is highly flammable and will break into open flame from a drop of water. Enough water hits it and you can have a major blast."

"Enough to destroy a ship," Viradoferro said, whistling, "Congratulations Major Blane, you just created a floating bomb."

"Can we tap it now?" Blane asked hopefully.

"No," Corinne said, "Even if we had the chemicals it would be too dangerous to do on a ship."

"So what should we do?" Viradoferro asked exasperated, "Just sit here and wait for a high wave to get some of this wet?"

"Get all your men moving," Corinne said, "We need to get all of the bauxite in the staterooms. Any plastic you find, wrap it up well. It will make us top-heavy, but more likely to withstand a storm. Any smaller pieces have your strongest men hurl it into the sea and let it explode, but do not for any reason let it hit within ten feet of the ship. If you can't throw it that far, don't."

"What are you going to do?" Blane asked.

"I'll be down to help in a minute," Corinne said, "Get your men moving. I need to talk to Viradoferro first."

Corinne walked over to Viradoferro and spoke quietly to him.

"Ok," she said softly, "You are to stay right next to me, no matter what."

"Why?" Viradoferro asked, wondering.

"Because," Corinne hissed, "If this damned tub explodes I'll need to shield us both to ensure survival. I can't do that unless you're with me. Got it?"

"Yeah," Viradoferro said, trembling a little, "You think that's going to happen?"

"I don't know," Corinne said honestly, "Let's hope not. Now get your ass down there and start lifting. We work together, but we will be working."

Viradoferro looked at her and sighed. He knew better than to argue at this point. He just couldn't wait until he could get her back to the empire and teach her a well-deserved lesson.

Chapter 105 - Speed Run

It took a few more hours before the scout party from the capital came out to the base. They were in shock to find the four remaining Mullinix sitting together on the wall surrounded by dead and dying bodies. Their leader walked over to them, almost in awe.

"How?" the young man asked.

"We took out the power users," Medoferro said, "I'm injured and could use the services of a good medico."

"Of course," the young man nodded, "I'm Sergeant Jacobs. There were more of you before."

"It was a costly battle," Medoferro lied, "Let's leave it at that, shall we?"

Jacobs nodded and ordered his medic to take a look at the Mullinix. It took only a few minutes to get everyone loaded up on the horses and brought out of the area. Jacobs rode with the Mullinix and probed a little as they rode to the capitol.

"President Kimball will want to see you," Jacobs said, "I still don't believe it, but I'm glad you were able to do it."

"I'd have been happier not to have to," Medoferro said, the others knowing it would be best to remain quiet.

There was a little bit of cheering as they were brought in, but no one expected Medoferro to make any speeches, which was good because his heart wouldn't have been into it. The last thing he felt like after this debacle was celebrating.

The four of them were whisked into the presidential palace where a medico was waiting for Medoferro. President Kimball, wearing his best politician's smile, came over and shook hands as the cameras went off. Medoferro had to fight very hard from making an obscene gesture as the last thing he felt like doing was posing for pictures.

"Could you kindly get them out of here, Kimball?" Medoferro said, masking the near rage in his voice, "I'm tired and hurt and would prefer not to have my bloody leg photographed."

"Of course," President Kimball nodded, "We'll clear them at once."

Within five minutes everyone except President Kimball, the medico and two top advisors who sat silently in the background were gone. Strong drinks were handed out and declined by all four as they knew it would clash with the power use potions they had all taken. Softer drinks were offered and accepted as they all sat down.

"I don't know how you did it," President Kimball said, "But thank you on behalf of a grateful Gottgol Nation."

"I didn't do it for you," Medoferro grunted as the medico worked on his leg, "I did it to stop the mess before it spilled over my border. I knew you didn't have the people trained for this, luckily I did."

"Regardless," Kimball said, trying to keep his smile, "I thank you."

"You're welcome," Kyrie piped in, taking over for a very irritable Medoferro, "Forgive him, he doesn't handle pain well."

Medoferro looked at her and realized that she'd saved his irritable butt from generating an international incident. He reclined and let the Medico clean out the wound on his leg and let Kyrie do the rest of the talking.

"I understand," President Kimball shrugged, "Taking down a horde attack with just a few people is a remarkable achievement. I just wish I could do more for you."

"A ride home after your medico cleans up Medo's knee will be nice," Kyrie said, "I don't think Medoferro is up for a horse ride."

"Of course," Kimball said immediately, "I'm sure we can come up with a wagon for you..."

Kimball stopped as he saw a very ragged young man come up to the hall. It was a Mullinix messenger and the young man looked as though he had been running all the way from Mullinix Centre, which as it turned out wasn't far from the truth.

"Mullinix!" the messenger exclaimed, "I'd hoped to find you here!"

"What is it?" Medoferro asked, grunting quickly as the medico pulled a piece of gravel out of the injured knee.

"Do you need privacy?" President Kimball asked.

"No Mr. President," the messenger said, "This message was to be delivered to you as well. Trinaferro wanted both of you to know this information."

"Spit it out!" Medoferro growled.

Kyrie nodded at the young man, who looked a bit frightened at the way Medoferro was acting. He pulled out the coded message and spent a few moments decoding it. He then read it to the group.

"The Bolantines invaded Mavelans at 2200 Hours on Thursday Evening," The messenger said, "We have deployed troops and expect to be in a general war with the Bolantine Empire by the time this message arrives. Please finish quickly and send Medoferro back to Mullinix Centre as soon as possible."

Medoferro let out an audible curse and no one in the room thought that it was anything but a reaction to the news he had just been given. If he'd had both his legs healthy Medoferro would have kicked something. He intellectually knew that this was a possibility, but he was still annoyed by the timing.

"I should have guessed we were a smokescreen," Corie said finally, "That makes more sense, really. He couldn't possibly have expected this harebrained scheme to work."

"It probably was a bonus," Copeland shrugged, "Anything to keep us busy."

"Trina has it in hand," Medoferro said, "She's no slouch in this area and she won't let Bolantine win."

"Is there anything we can do?" President Kimball asked.

"Keep the Bauxite out of Bolantine's hands," Medoferro said honestly, "If you can send a unit of Volunteers down to the Mavelans, that could help too. I won't ask you to send draftees for that, however."

"I will put out a request for Volunteers for this," Kimball said, "Will you assist in transportation down there?"

"Of course," Medoferro nodded, not believing they'd follow through, "It looks like we need to head back."

"Suvorov was looking for you," the messenger said, "I ran into him in the square. He had been turned back by the guards because he didn't have his papers."

"I'll have him brought up," Kimball said, nodding at the aides, "If he's back it means he has news."

"Why didn't he bring Anderson back with him?" Copeland wondered.

"Probably left him with Stacy," Kyrie said, "He travels faster alone."

There were a few moments of silence as Rav Suvorov was brought in. President Kimball offered him a drink, which as a former alcoholic he declined. He sat down and let out a deep breath.

"I just heard the news," Suvorov said, "Bolantine is at it again."

"How did you hear?" Kyrie asked, "We just heard."

"It's all over the square," Suvorov said, "Likely is all over the continent by now."

"Good," Medoferro said, "Maybe it will encourage people to sign up to fight the son of a bitch."

"We have another problem," Suvorov said, "The ships got out just as we stormed the camp. Viradoferro and his bitch got out to sea, though they left half their people behind. Stacy and Anderson are working the questioning now to see what we can learn."

"Damn!" Kyrie and Copeland exclaimed in unison.

"Not good," Medoferro said, "We really don't need him getting into Bolantine's hands."

"That's why I'm here," Suvorov said, "I was hoping you'd be done. I want to make a speed run, but I need power users to do it."

"I'm in no condition to do it," Medoferro said, "Simon is already back in Mullinix by now."

"We can do it," Kyrie said, "Give us horses and we'll push them."

"Damn right," Copeland said, "Let us finish what we started!"

"Are you in good enough shape?" Medoferro asked his son, "You took one hell of a heat blast..."

"No way are you stopping me," Copeland said, "I want that son of a bitch's head on a platter."

"I will provide horses," Kimball said, "How many do you need?"

"Two," Kyrie said, "I can ride with Suvorov. He can steer while I trance feed the horse."

"Fine," Medoferro said, "Go down to Selenia. You have Mullinix approval."

"What about you?" Kyrie asked.

"Corie and I can head back with Gottgol assistance," Medoferro assured them.

"Sure," Corie nodded, "Unless you need me for something I'll go with him."

"Stacy wants you in Eringol," Suvorov said to Corie, "She wants your help in going through what was left behind and seeing if you can help coax a few people to talk."

"Medoferro?" Corie asked, "Which would you like?"

"You've paid your debt," Medoferro shrugged, "If you're serious about wanting a job, go help Stacy. We'll determine what to do after that. You and she can return to Mullinix Centre together."

"We will ensure the Mullinix Medoferro makes it home safely," President Kimball assured them, "We owe him a debt of gratitude we cannot repay otherwise."

"Right," Medoferro said, "Go!"

They needed no more encouragement. Everyone departed for where they needed to go.

Chapter 106 - The Plan

Charissa walked up the steps to the Sotan Palace for the second time within a week. She was tired from all the traveling but knew that it was necessary and that she had it a lot easier than Simon had going with Medoferro into Gottgol. The guards were nice to her, seeing that she looked as ragged as she felt.

One of the guards poured her a drink as the same advisor she'd spoken to walked into the room. He didn't look particularly pleased to see her this time, wrongly figuring that she was here to try to talk the king out of something that the young man was stubbornly set on.

"If the Mullinix sent you to try to talk him out of it," The advisor started, "Please save your breath and our relations and don't try."

"Quite the opposite, I assure you," Charissa said, smiling a little, "He needs the information I have."

"Very well," he said, "The king is on the secure balcony enjoying a bit of sunshine as he reads reports."

The guards led Charissa to the balcony and the young king was sitting. Despite being only a few days since their last meeting the young man looked a bit older and very tired. She could tell that he was spending his time preparing for the upcoming battle.

"You again," King Weatherby said, looking over Charissa suspiciously, "While I don't mind seeing you again so soon, I have to wonder why you are here."

"I'm not here to talk you out of it," Charissa assured him, "Have you heard any news out of the Mavelans yet?"

"No," Weatherby said, looking at her, "Bolantine starting something?"

"He invaded last night," Charissa said, "We got the information yesterday that he was going to and he did so just as I crossed the border."

"I should have figured on that," Weatherby said, his disgust for Bolantine apparent, "That son of a bitch had my father assassinated for a reason."

"Same reason he tried to get Medoferro," Charissa agreed, "And the same reason he got Jagards in the Mavelans two days before the invasion."

"Jagards is dead too?" Weatherby asked with a cocked eyebrow, "Who is in charge down there?"

"Pirotase Black," Charissa told him, "She's working closely with us to try to repel the Bolantine invasion."

"So I take it you want our help?" Weatherby asked.

"No," Charissa said, shaking her head, "We want you to continue on with your original plan."

This took Weatherby off guard. He figured that the Mullinix would be asking for their help in keeping the Bolantines off their border. He knew that the main reason they had kept the Mavelans as an independent nation was to avoid having the Bolantines on their southern flank. He wondered what had changed in the Mullinix strategy.

"There has to be a method behind their madness," Weatherby said, "Why would you want me to attack in the east when they're..."

King Weatherby stopped and thought about the situation for a minute. He had been planning this for over a month and hadn't even tried to hide it very well. Their army had been recruiting heavily and was about ready to start the fight that the entire nation had been screaming for.

"You're seeing the same thing we are," Charissa smiled, "Aren't you?"

"They don't know about my plans," Weatherby said, returning the smile, "Or think that I'm going to drop my plans and go help you."

"Exactly," Charissa said simply, "Trinaferro thinks that we can repel them for a while without you. She wants you to continue on with your plan and march for Bolantinople, taking out every agricultural area apart you can get on the way."

"Bait and switch," Weatherby nodded, "Do we know where their third Army is?"

"On its way to the Mavelan front," Charissa said, "We recommend you hold off your offensive until they commit to that field of battle. That will give you a better shot at Bolantinople."

"We were not expecting to do much more than burn Genesis," Weatherby told her, "But we were also expecting to run smack into their third army."

"By all means do what you need to in Genesis," Charissa said, "But the real prize is Bolantinople and their industrial belt near there. If you can break that area open and destroy their industrial capacity then we might be able to break the Bolantines."

"The Mullinix are thinking big," Weatherby said, "I wasn't even thinking about destroying them."

"We won't destroy them," Charissa told him, "Not as long as they're led by an immortal. But we may be able to wound them bad enough that they won't be a threat again in our lifetimes and hopefully our children's lifetime."

"I'm all for that," Weatherby said, "The Mullinix aren't going to be taking Bolantine territory?"

"No," Charissa said, "We will be assisting the Mavelans to bring them back to prewar borders. If some of the south combines with the Mavelans we won't care all that much, but that's way in the future. Whatever falls together down there is likely going to be better than the Bolantine menace we have faced for the past two decades."

"No argument from me," Weatherby said, accepting Charissa's point, "I make no promise that we won't take Bolantine territory."

"We don't care," Charissa told him, having been warned that they might do this, "Just don't ask us to help you hold occupied territory. We'll help put the Bolantines down, but not to occupy an unwilling populace."

"We can live with that," Weatherby said, "I guess we're in this together."

"Always were," Charissa smiled, "I'm just glad this is no longer a unilateral war on your part. I didn't want to see our relations strained."

"Leave it to Bolantine to screw up all our plans," Weatherby said, "I will work with you on this. Will you stay the night this time, as you've made this trip too quickly several times now?"

"Sure," Charissa said, sick of the traveling, "I will gladly accept your hospitality. Trinaferro has enough to worry about."

"And Medoferro?" Weatherby asked, "You didn't mention him once."

"He was still in Gottgol when I left," Charissa said, "Trinaferro is running the home front at the moment. I'm sure Medoferro will get involved when he returns."

"I'm sure," Weatherby agreed, "I must meet with my advisors now. Please honor me with your presence at dinner tonight?"

"I wouldn't miss it, King Weatherby," Charissa said, bowing, "And I will gladly take the opportunity to rest."

"We shall see that you get that chance," Weatherby said with a smile, "I will see you at dinner."

Charissa was led out of the room and King Weatherby was left alone with his chief advisor. His advisor looked at him and waited until the Mullinix representative was out of the room.

"We should have seen this coming," King Weatherby said, "Do you buy it?"

"We just got the first reports while you were meeting with her," the advisor said, "She has no reason to lie about this. You know the Mullinix as well as I do. They don't play games on things like this."

"And they hate Bolantine as badly as we do," Weatherby nodded, "Get the orders out to prepare. If they're willing to take on Bolantine in the Mavelans, the least we can do is hold up our end of the bargain and make it hurt them."

"I shall get the orders drawn up," the advisor said, "We will make them pay."

"We'd better," Weatherby said, "Otherwise they'll make us pay."

The advisor nodded and slipped out of the room. There was nothing he could say to that.

Chapter 107 - Lister on the Line

Lister Black wore his helmet and looked over the maps in front of him. He wasn't really thrilled at the way the defenses looked, but he had no choice but to live with them...and hope that the Mullinix troops that were beginning to filter in to the lines could do the same.

"What are we seeing?" Lister asked the nearest Mavelan military man, "How dedicated are the Bolantine troops?"

"They are even more brutal than they were last time," Colonel Shears said, "I was a private in the last one. They threw people out of their homes and destroyed things, but this time they are systematically murdering anyone who lives in the area."

"I don't get this," Mullinix Colonel Robbins sighed, "What in the hell is he trying to accomplish with this?"

"Demoralization," Lister said, "I've been studying these bastards for over twenty years now. They train their soldiers to be psychopaths for a reason. There is nothing more terrifying than facing an army that lives to do nothing more than kill everything in their path."

"There's no better motivator either," Colonel Shears said, "We've been expecting this for twenty years. I know my family had an evacuation plan. As soon as we heard about the invasion my wife and kids went north, except for my son in the army. We're motivated to stop these sons of bitches and we're not hobbled by King Facie's stupidity this time."

"I agree," Robbins said, "We're all better prepared. This appears to be a light feint right now. Where are the bulk of his forces?"

"The third army is arriving in Bolanpyris tomorrow," Lister said, "We can expect them on the lines tomorrow or the next day."

"Why wait?" Shears asked, "Their lines are flimsy and they are expecting us to be unprepared. We have four battalions coming in from the mine region tonight and we know this area better than the Bolantines."

"You want to attack them?" Robbins asked, "Are you mad?"

"He makes sense," Lister said, letting it roll around his mind a little, "Think about it... We will face the Bolantine third sooner or later. Do you want to face them on their terms or ours? They're designed as a blunt force instrument. That could be their downfall."

The three men looked over the maps and it was actually the Mullinix Colonel who saw it first. The river to the back of Bolanpyris was a weak spot that they likely weren't covering. The brunt of the Bolantine advance was a direct push on the southeastern border.

"The river..." Robbins said, "What is navigation like on that river?"

"Deep and wide," Shears said, "We still use the northern end to trade with Sotanberg. Why?"

"That river flows south," Robbins said, "And it juts around to flow just south of Bolanpyris. Where is the third army going to encamp? I mean they aren't just going to fly into battle without setting up their base camp..."

"And we can weaken them significantly," Lister said, nodding appreciatively, "I know the committee still maintains significant shipping assets. We can press those ships into service."

"Not to mention the hundreds of smaller boats that navigate the river," Shears smiled, "We can have several thousand people behind Bolanpyris within a day."

"Will the Mullinix agree to this?" Robbins asked Lister, "You know her better than we do."

"Trinaferro will appreciate the strategy," Lister said, "But it could be a suicide mission for the men who go."

"I'll volunteer my regiment," Colonel Shears said, "They will go to a man for the honor of taking out a large part of the third. There isn't a man in that troop that didn't lose a close relative in the last war, be it a father, uncle, older brother... We all suffered from the Bolantines. They'll all want Bolantine blood."

"Get it in motion," Lister ordered, "Robbins, I want your people to press on the Bolantine regulars from the front line. The Mavelan troops know that river and the terrain better than your troops do, so you'll do better in the front line battle."

"Got it," Robbins nodded, "I'll get my people started. Any particular area to concentrate on?"

"Any place with Bolantine soldiers," Shears said, "They're all over the place."

"We'll leave the tactics until after your idea is tried," Lister told him, "If we can crack that third army we might have a shot at holding them back."

"Are we expecting reinforcements from Sotanberg?" Shears asked.

"Unknown," Lister said, "I would consider it unlikely. From what I hear they were considering an offensive of their own. The Mullinix are likely going to encourage them to hit the bastards in their own territory. The better to make them regret starting this."

"I hope there are more Mullinix coming," Shears said, "From what I'm seeing they outnumber us three to one."

"I don't have numbers," Lister said, "That's my next job is to go back to Mavelan City and consult with both Pirotase and the Mullinix. Assume that you have no help and then be grateful for what you get. I'm sure more is coming, but you can't count on them until they are here."

"Any rules of warfare?" Robbins asked, "You have the last instructions."

"Anyone is a Bolantine uniform is fair game," Lister said, "There are no official orders on that regard, though we expect you to treat everyone humanely. Torture for fun will not be tolerated by either Mavelan or Mullinix authorities."

"Got it," Shears said, nodding, "Win. That's the name of the game."

"That's the only game worth playing," Robbins agreed, "I'll organize a counterattack in the easternmost quadrant. That way they'll be looking that way while the Mavelan group hits the third from behind."

"I believe we have a plan," Lister said, clapping both men on the back, "Keep an eye out for my son Randy. He will be my main conduit of information while I move back and forth."

"Colonel Shears," Colonel Robbins said, "Are you ready to kick some Bolantine ass?"

"Hell yes," Shears smiled, "I've wanted another crack at those bastards for over twenty years. Not enough to want to see this war start, but now that it is here I'm ready and so are my men."

"Then I suggest we get it moving," Lister said, "Good luck, men."

The three men went their ways and hoped that the decisions they made there that day didn't come back to haunt them later on."

Chapter 108 - Fresh Horses

The horses were about ready to collapse from exhaustion when Suvorov had them stop at the base camp outside Immortal Park. They had made time that couldn't have been beaten by trains in this part of the country, especially seeing as there was no direct train line going from Gottgol Road to Selenia in the south. The best they could have done would have been a roundabout route through Macmanite, Polonion and Nessun Cucchiaio, which would have taken two days even if they'd taken over the lines and halted all other traffic.

"Where are we?" Copeland asked as he hopped down off the horse, "I've been half trancing for what feels like hours."

"Immortal Park," Suvorov said, "How do we wake her up?"

"Let her stay tranced," Copeland suggested, "Get a couple soldiers to help carry her to the new horse. It'll save us an hour of retrancing. She'll pick up the new horse when you get her settled."

"How are you holding up?" Suvorov asked the young man, "Any aftereffects from the fight with Marina?"

"Wish to hell I had my glasses," Copeland grumbled, "Think you can have someone send a message to Selenia to have a new set made?"

"Sure," Suvorov said, "I'm going to spend about ten minutes walking around and then I'll make the call."

Copeland nodded and did some stretching himself. He was sore as well, but he knew that his body was still young and resilient. He just hoped he'd stay that way long enough to finish what he'd started. Although he had no reason to believe Viradoferro had been anything but what he seemed to be, he still felt partially responsible for what happened.

He knew that he had to get over it and that what Viradoferro had done wouldn't be fatal to the nation, but it was hard for him. He was running on sheer adrenalin by this point, adrenalin tinged with a small bit of hatred. He wanted to stop and get the satisfaction of killing the murderous Mullinix.

His concentration was broken by a bit of crowd noise from the nearby train terminal. People were moving around and loading crates quickly. There were also a lot of men, most of them standing in formation. Copeland couldn't focus on them normally with his glasses destroyed again, but he could use power sight to look as he saw an army regiment getting ready to deploy.

He walked down and wished he could see the faces. It didn't take much to put two and two together. These men were about to go down and fight in the new Bolantine war. Despite being weary and beaten he went over to the man who was obviously in charge.

"I'm sorry young man," the new colonel said, "We can only take people out of service school."

"I'm not here to enlist," Copeland said, "I'm just checking on things as I'm passing through. I'm Mullinix Representative Copeland Irons."

"Certainly!" the colonel said, offering a hand, "Would you care to inspect my troops?"

"No sir," Copeland said, "I lost my glasses, can't see em worth a damn anyway. Just a couple questions for you. How are they handling the deployment?"

"Well," the colonel said, "None of them are thrilled, but they see this as a fight that needs to be fought and won. Are you heading that way?"

"Not yet," Copeland admitted, "I'm sure my father is on his way down there, but I am heading for Selenia on another mission. I wish your men success and good luck."

"Thank you," the colonel said, "Let the Mullinix know we're behind them a hundred percent on this. The same is happening all over the countryside. No one wants to let Bolantine win."

"That's because we have smart citizens," Copeland smiled, "Thank you for your time, Colonel."

"Anytime Representative Irons," The colonel said, saluted and then went back to work.

He walked back over to the horses and found Suvorov standing there, waiting for the young man to return. He didn't look angry, although the horses had already been set up and Kyrie had been moved over.

"How are they?" Suvorov asked him, "You seemed to take an interest in the troops?"

"They're determined," Copeland said, "They know what they are getting in to and that's why we'll win in the long run. Our people are smart enough to know what Bolantine is. His people can only be lied to for so long."

"You're learning," Suvorov smiled, "Only a man with something to fight for can be a good soldier. You just have to find that thing to fight for."

"What do you fight for?" Copeland asked him, "You've never gone the road of family man."

"Them," Suvorov said, waving at the troops, "I fight so that they will never have to endure what I did in Cirrus a quarter century ago. And the fact that you are putting this together for yourself makes me feel a lot better about the future."

"So what now?" Copeland asked.

"Let's go kick Viradoferro's ass," Suvorov suggested, "The ships and your glasses should be ready by the time we get there in a few hours. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Copeland nodded, climbing on the horse, "Let's get this over with."

"Absolutely," Suvorov nodded, "Let's move."

The three of them tore out of town like a bat out of hell, the energy pushing them towards Selenia at a breakneck pace.

Chapter 109 - Corie on the Coast

Corie was dead tired when the Gottgol Military coach pulled up to a stop at the command center that had been hastily set up in Eringol. The grateful military men who'd been charged with getting him back to the place he'd first landed in Eringol had plied him with some really bad coffee as they made their way north, but he was still weary.

"We're here," a young sergeant said, "Looks like they're using the tents over there as a temporary base."

Corie nodded and jumped out of the coach. He didn't like the fact that he was going back to this area but knew that his best chance of finding permanent work in Mullinix was to help as much as he could. He thought about this a bit longer as he walked over and found Stacy Cossy sitting with Anderson.

"I hear you guys kicked Marina's ass," Stacy said as she offered Corie a seat, "Good for you."

"It was long overdue," Corie said, "What is the current situation here?"

"We have rounded up a couple dozen of your countrymen," Anderson told him, "There's another batch holed up in the mine, refusing to come out and give up."

"They think you're going to execute them," Corie said, "That's what we were told over and over, that any enemy would simply execute us for being Bolantine disciples."

"While I admit it is tempting," Anderson said, "We haven't executed anyone in centuries."

"Think you can talk them out?" Stacy asked, "We'd prefer to do it peacefully."

"I can try," Corie said, "I am still technically their commander and they have no way of knowing I turned."

"Ok," Anderson said, "Let's see if that works. I'd prefer not to have to order my men in."

"No need to do so," Corie said, "If they don't come out let them starve in there. It will be time consuming, but eventually they'll weaken enough that either they'll come out on their own or you'll just walk in and quietly arrest the survivors."

"Nice," Stacy said, "Think they're that crazy?"

"Like I said," Corie told her, "They think you're going to execute them in brutal ways."

"I still don't get why they'd believe that," Anderson said, "Why would they think that?"

"Because Bolantine would do it," Corie shrugged, "Why would they assume your leaders are any nicer?"

"You did," Anderson said.

"I lived in Siraq with Bolantine for several years," Corie retorted, "I was exposed to the outside world. Most empire citizens don't get that luxury."

"See if you can talk them down," Stacy said, "Then we'll do a walk through and you can explain some of the stuff we've found."

"Fair enough," Corie said, "We'll want to be quick about it though. They're fighting my former boss in the Mavelans now."

"Figures," Stacy said, "We should have guessed that. Medoferro on his way back?"

"Yes," Corie nodded, "Sounds like Trinaferro had it in hand."

"She would," Stacy smiled, "She's smart like that."

The three of them walked over to the lines that had been set up around the mine entrance. Corie walked over and simply walked through the barricade to the edge of the mine entrance. Stacy stayed back as she didn't want to inflame things any further.

"Do you think he can do it?" Anderson asked her.

"Depends on how crazy this group is," Stacy said honestly, "I don't know if he knows that either."

Anderson nodded and watched the entrance as Corie slowly made his way inside. The de facto leader of the mine crew met him, a young man he had seen only briefly on the ship, one that had come in with Sheldon's men. It took him a few moments to remember that his name was Baker.

"Corie!" Baker exclaimed, "We thought you were dead!"

"Captured early," Corie lied, "How many of you are left?"

"Thirty-five, sir!" Baker almost shouted.

"They left you behind?" Corie asked, "What happened?"

"The Mullinix and Gottgol troops came in quickly. They had to cut the ropes on the ships and get away with the ore," Baker told him, "We decided to hold the mine and hope that they spent the time on us and not on the ships."

"Ships have been chased by another group," Corie said, "It's time to give up this fight. We can't win and it is useless to starve yourselves more."

"They'll kill us all!" Baker exclaimed, "We have orders..."

"Given to you by a madman who expected us to fail!" Corie said, "This country hasn't executed anyone in centuries."

"So you want us to give up?" Baker asked, "And let the mine fall?"

"Do you want to die in here?" Corie asked him.

"We all die sometime," Baker said, "At least we can die loyal."

Baker turned his back to him and Corie saw that he was going to a black powder charge he had set up. Corie knew then that this was about to go very bad. He turned around and ran full force out of the mine jumping the last four feet as the black powder charge went off and collapsed the mine on top of the remaining Bolantine troops.

"What the hell was that?" Stacy asked as she went and helped Corie up.

"A seriously fanatical moron," Corie grumbled, "Not uncommon from his ilk. He was from the Bolantinople heartland. They've been under Bolantine rule for better than five centuries. Not like the western areas that have only been under for a few decades. Those areas still have people that were alive before Bolantine."

"It's going to take months to dig that mine back up," Anderson sighed, "So much for getting it to Mullinix."

"Not a big deal," Stacy said, "Best to keep it out of Bolantine's hands."

"Amen to that," Corie said, "You said you had stuff you wanted me to look at?"

"A few crates," Stacy said, "Most of the stuff here was standard mining equipment. Nothing out of the ordinary, but there were three large crates left unopened. I want to know what they're for."

Corie nodded and they all walked over to the dock area. Stacy pulled the covering off and showed Corie the three crates full of chemicals that Stacy had not been able to identify.

"Holy..." Corie said, genuinely surprised for the first time, "They are completely stupid!"

"What?" Stacy asked, "What is it?"

"The tapping chemicals," Corie said, looking in amazement, "Those two ships will never make it to Southern Oasis. One drop of water hits that ore and those ships are going to explode like nothing we've ever seen. They left out the single most important step in preparing bauxite ore for shipment."

"Tapping?" Anderson said, "Never heard of it."

"I have," Stacy said, "Offhand knowledge from the last time I was in Mavelan City. You use the chemicals to render the ore inert so it won't explode on contact with water."

"I see," Anderson said, "That explains the report we got in form the coast. One of the ships exploded just north of Northport. Any bets it is because of this?"

"Pray that the other ship goes before the pirate hunters find them," Corie said as he looked at it some more, "because if they attack that ship conventionally..."

"Many people will die," Stacy sighed, "I don't think we can beat Suvorov's crew there. Outside chance at best?"

"I don't think you're going to do much more good here," Anderson said, "The survivors survive no more. I'll be glad to offer a chariot to your best communication location?"

"Northport," Stacy said, "It has enough infrastructure for this for the call and I want to check on them anyway. You coming with me, Corie?"

"I've nowhere else to go," Corie shrugged, "Can we get food on the way?"

"I'll send you with rations," Anderson said, "You can get real food after making your calls in Northport."

"Thank you, Anderson," Stacy said, "Let's go, Corie."

Corie nodded and followed along. He wondered where this was really going to take him. He did know that wherever it was, it seemed to be the right place to go.

Chapter 110 - The Good Ship Entropy

Suvorov stopped the horses outside the government house on the coast. This had long been a staple of the region as the anti-pirate forces in the area were one of the oldest and most storied military organizations in the Mullinix Empire. Their heroics in the first Bolantine war alone were enough to keep their legend up and running.

"Suvorov!" someone shouted and bounded out of the building, "You guys have really stirred up a storm up in the Centre."

"No worse than Bolantine himself has started down south," Suvorov said, "How are you doing up here, Linus? You finally make it past Major?"

"Funny," Admiral Linus Brooks said, "You know damn well they promoted me after Michelset retired."

"Just pushing your buttons, Linus," Suvorov smiled, "Who do you think pushed Medoferro to promote your sorry butt?"

"Figures," Linus chuckled, "You always were a pain in the butt, but you never did forget where you came from."

"You know it," Suvorov said, "You guys get my messages from Immortal Park?"

"Yep," Linus said, offering his hand to Kyrie, who was starting to come out of her trance, "I take it this is Kyrie with you?"

"We in Immortal Park already?" Kyrie asked, taking the hand, "I am hungry as hell."

"You tranced through Immortal Park," Suvorov told her, "Copeland suggested we not break the state."

"Gotta love power users," Linus shrugged and turned to the other horse, "Copeland Irons I presume? We rousted the local lens maker with your prescription. You should have a set of glasses here within the hour."

"Thank you," Copeland said, hopping down, "I'm sick of being blurry."

"You seem to get around fine without them," Linus said, noticing that he made it down without running into anything.

"Power sight," Copeland shrugged, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I heard so many stories about this unit when I was younger."

"Probably about Southern Oasis," Linus said, "That was a right mess. I'm glad I survived it. A lot of us didn't, but we put a hurting on those Bolantine bastards as we left."

"You're about to get another chance," Kyrie said, "Provided we can find them."

"Our spotters will pick them up if they haven't gone back into the mist," Linus assured her, "They keep track of every ship that passes us."

"Anything so far?" Copeland asked, "We have been a bit out of the loop."

"One of your ships exploded outside Northport," Linus told him, "Don't know what happened, but it sounded like a catastrophic boiler failure. Either there were no survivors or the other Bolantine ship got them first."

"Could be either," Suvorov said, "How long ago was the blast in Northport?"

"Six hours or so," Linus shrugged, "Not enough time for one of those tubs to get down this far. Unless they try to dodge in the outer mist, they'll be here sometime in the next few hours."

"They can't do that again," Copeland informed them, "Corie already said the ship was damaged from the first time. With as much ore as they're carrying they will be slow."

"What design are the ships?" Linus asked, "Do we know anything about them?"

"Mullinix design," Copeland said, "The Bolantine plan was to blame us for the Bauxite theft in Gottgol."

"Didn't work huh?" Linus asked, "Serves the bastards right."

"Rarely does when one of your top men defects," Suvorov shrugged, "How ready are you guys? We haven't had a pirate attack in years."

"Come on the ship," Linus invited, "Unless you need to rest first?"

"We do," Kyrie said, "But I'd prefer to see the ship we're going on first."

"Sure," Copeland shrugged, "I can at least do a power sight layout."

"They'll bring your glasses down to the ship," Linus promised, "Jake should be finished with them anytime."

The four of them went down to the dock and stepped on the large vessel. Suvorov hadn't been on a ship since he had left home for service school. He never did like the things very much and still hated the smell of the sea. Kyrie sensed this and walked over to him.

"You ok, Rav?" she asked him, "You look as though something is bugging you."

"I left the sea a long time ago," Suvorov told her, "I had hoped never to have to come back. I grew up on a fishing boat. Left that far behind when I went to service school and decided not to come back."

"It will be over soon," Kyrie promised, "And we'll be back on dry land."

"I know," Suvorov said, shaking his head, "Let's go."

"Welcome to the good ship Entropy!" Linus exclaimed, "Most of the men are still in town, but as soon as we have a sighting we'll ring the bells and go stop them."

"Weapons?" Copeland asked.

"Swords, bows and crossbows," Linus said, "And the solid steel ram on the front. If they're overloaded they won't stand a chance."

"Lifeboats?" Suvorov asked, "Survival stuff?"

"We have plenty of both," Linus laughed, "Afraid of the water after all the fishing you did?"

"I saw too many friends die out there," Suvorov said, "That's why."

"I understand that," Linus nodded, "We're careful, Rav. We haven't lost a man on a ship fight in over a hundred years."

"Let's hope we don't start now," Suvorov said, looking over the ship, "We'll be here long enough. Shall we get some food?"

"Sure," Linus said, "Any other questions?"

"Not now," Copeland said, "Let's just make sure we don't miss him. We won't get a second chance."

"Right," Linus said as he looked at them, "Do I want to know why three reps are involved in this?"

"Viradoferro," Suvorov said, "It isn't just a case of bad judgment, Linus. He's gone bad and he's on that Bolantine ship."

"I take it I can't tell anyone about this?" Linus sighed, "So we're going to take out a Mullinix?"

"You're men are to take out the Bolantine ship," Suvorov said, "The three of us will handle Viradoferro."

"Understood," Linus sighed, "This mission takes on a whole new significance."

"Yep," Kyrie said, "Just stay out of our way when we see him and it will turn out all right."

"Of course," Linus said, "I want no part of that."

"Let's go eat," Copeland said, "We'll think about this when it's time. No sooner."

"I think this kid has sense," Linus smiled, "Come with me. We've been preparing for your arrival."

Chapter 111 - The Mullinix Center for the Criminally Insane

Mason Stone sat on the train seat as the lumbering beast pulled into the Mullinix Centre station. He was tired, but knew that if the news they had heard was true they were in for a lot more trying times. Simon was sitting up and ready to go.

"Marina still sleeping?" Mason asked.

"Probably best," Simon said, "I don't really want to look at her."

"Need to get past that," Mason reminded him, "She's a victim as much as anyone else. She does have information we'll need."

"We should have guessed this was a ruse," Simon grumbled, "Should have..."

"Should have done what?" Mason asked him, "Think about that. What were you going to do? Put more troops down there? Your people would have crucified you. That horde had to be stopped. You know that."

"I know," Simon sighed, "He's playing us."

"That's what he does best," Mason agreed, "You just have to play him right back. We play his game and then use his game against him. It can be done. You just have to find the right lever."

"You have more experience with it than I do," Simon said, "How do you do it?"

"Practice," Mason shrugged, "I've been through this dozens of times, often with Bolantine on the other side. It's annoying but at least he is predictable. I am more afraid of what he's built. Usually, he isn't this good at building a society."

"He's had help, I'm sure," Simon grumbled, "Too many people to do it otherwise."

"Let's get her locked up," Mason suggested, "We'll deal with the Bolantines when we need to."

"So I'm going to the MCCI," Marina said, waking up, "I always wondered what it took to get put in there."

"I think you qualify," Simon said, "Shame you won't be meeting Sascha in there."

"I didn't think you had it in you to kill her," Marina chuckled, "I'm sure that new girl is going to love that about you."

"I didn't have to," Simon shrugged, "She did it to herself as she cursed your existence."

"More likely cursed yours," Marina said, "So this is going to be my life. A blind cripple in a loony bin."

"Better than most of your victims got," Simon taunted.

"Cool it," Mason said, "Remember the deal, Marina. You answer any questions that get asked."

"I have no reason to protect Bolantine," Marina said, "I'll be happy to watch you destroy each other, so to speak."

Mason just shook his head as they walked off the train and wheeled Marina along. They made their way to the large building on the northeast corner of Mullinix Centre. They were admitted and given a thorough search as the duty Medico walked over to speak with Simon.

"A delivery directly by a Mullinix Representative?" Medico Walker asked incredulously, "Who is this?"

"She is to be listed in records under Patient M," Simon told him, "Access is to be strictly limited and she's to be kept under perpetual power watch."

"Power user?" Walker asked, shuddering, "We don't need any of those."

"She's a burned out power user," Mason told him, "She lost her arms in the same incident. She shouldn't be able to do anything, but we'd prefer to have an eye kept on that."

"Of course," Medico Walker nodded, "Who is on the access list?"

"Mullinix staff only," Simon told him, "Medoferro, Trinaferro, Suvorov, Charissa, Stacy, Kyrie, Copeland and myself. Mason here too."

"Viradoferro?" Walker asked.

"He's out of the loop," Simon said, his eyes burning slightly, "He shouldn't be a factor, but he does not get access."

"I'd love to hear the story on that," Medico Walker said, "Anything else?"

Mason looked around the common room and saw one young man that looked very familiar. He poked at the Medico and pointed him out.

"Where did that young man come from?" Mason asked Walker.

"Wandered into a bar in Cirrus," Walker said, "Was ranting and raving about Bolantine and being immortal. Hasn't been quite right since we had him, mainly holding him for his own safety."

"May I go see him?" Mason asked.

Simon looked over and saw the same thing that Mason did. He looked slightly different from the last time he'd been with Jim Entragian, but that was definitely the same immortal that had saved their bacon twenty years before.

"Jim!" Mason exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying the drugs," Entragian said with a slightly jerky and half paralyzed smile, "What are you doing here, Mason? I thought you were in Albuquerque?"

Jim Entragian then turned around and started dancing like a village idiot. The immortal was acting as if he'd been living off an IV drip of vodka and hallucinogens.

"Albuquerque hasn't existed in over two thousand years, Jim," Mason said, "What do you... Oh, hell. You must have been caught in the same crap I was."

Simon started to question how Mason knew and then saw the large shape on the back of Entragian's head. It looked similar to what Mason had in his head.

"Let's get him back to the Palace," Simon said, "Walker, you're going to be short one patient. Jim Entragian needs to be brought to the medico room at the Palace."

"I'll take him," Mason said, taking his old friend by the arm, "I'll end up doing the fix anyway."

"I'll take the relief," Walker shrugged, "I don't have the men to spare."

"How many do you need?" Simon asked.

"At least another ten," Walker said, "better to get more."

"I'll see what I can do," Simon told him, "Mason, let's get back to the palace."

Chapter 112 - Pirate Alarm

Copeland Irons had just finished the stock dinner that had been fed to the sailors when a large bell started ringing. He looked over at Kyrie and Suvorov who had also been finishing their dinner and wondered what it meant. Linus stood up and went over to the back of the room where a young man had just run in.

"The Bolantine ship has been sighted!" Linus shouted, "Suit up and get to the ships. Ship #1 is going to do the attack. Ship #2 is the backup and rescue if things go wrong."

"Damn," Copeland grumbled, "I'd hoped they'd have gotten me glasses first."

"Jack will bring them down to the ship," Suvorov said, "If not, can you function without them?"

"I can use power sight," Copeland said, "I'm not missing this."

"Me either," Kyrie said, "Let's make sure that Viradoferro and that Corinne bitch don't make it out of Mullinix."

The three of them got up and followed the sailors down to the dock where Linus stopped them for a moment and directed them at an older man who was standing at the edge of the stairway.

"That's Jack Summers," Linus said, "He'll have your new glasses, Copeland."

"Thanks!" Copeland said, "Don't leave without me!"

Linus nodded and went back to his preparation. He had drilled for this for years, but this was the first time since Southern Oasis about twenty years before that there had been an actual alarm. His men were all armed with swords and crossbows. Finally, he joined Suvorov and Kyrie in his cabin as they got ready to depart.

Copeland scrambled up and joined the others in the cabin. He was wearing new glasses and carrying a hard case in his hand. He smiled and sat down, looking and seeing Linus' face for the first time. Kyrie looked at him and wondered what was in the case.

"What's in the case?" Suvorov asked, not content to wonder.

"More sets of glasses," Copeland said, "I go through them too fast to not have extras."

"Good," Kyrie said, "No more whining about not being able to see."

Copeland stuck his tongue out at Kyrie and stored the new glasses case in his pocket. Suvorov chuckled slightly at this lighthearted exchange and was glad that someone could keep it light as they left the dock. He still hated the ocean.

"Ok," Linus said, "Your ship has been seen about twenty miles north of here. It wasn't moving very quickly and appeared to be a bit top-heavy, which I don't really understand."

"We'll find out when we catch them," Suvorov said, "How does this work?"

"We find them and order them to stop," Linus told them, "If they don't do so..."

"They won't," Kyrie said.

"...Then we ram them and board," Linus finished, "That's a maneuver that we've been practicing for centuries. This ship is fashioned with a hard metal ram that's designed to allow us to hit them without damaging our ship."

"Sounds like fun," Suvorov said, "Let's just hope you don't trigger the same explosion that happened on the other ship."

"Ramming won't trigger a boiler explosion," Linus shrugged, "That was likely inexperience on the part of their crew running it too hard."

"That's likely," Kyrie said, "They didn't get all their crew on there, did they?"

"Nope," Suvorov said, "We got there too quickly."

"And they probably built off stolen plans," Linus reminded them, "Which means they don't have experience running this model anyway."

"I'm torn," Copeland said, "Part of me likes the idea that Viradoferro is lying dead in the sea, but some part of me still wants to kick his ass before he dies."

"We'll find out soon enough," Suvorov said, "You know damn well they'll be leading it with Corie gone."

"Do I need to know something about our missing Mullinix?" Linus asked, "Going bad is one thing, leading a Bolantine crew is another."

"This goes no further than you," Suvorov told him sternly, "But our missing Mullinix is a Bolantine plant."

"You're kidding!" Linus exclaimed, "How the heck?"

"Long story," Copeland growled, "But rest assured the hole that let it happen has been closed. Now, we just need to clean up the mess."

"Preferably with a long sword," Kyrie muttered.

"This is going to be interesting," Linus said, "What are the rules of engagement on this?"

"The Bolantines are fair game," Suvorov said, "Viradoferro and his girlfriend are our problem."

"That's dangerous," Linus reminded them, "Let us handle the boarding."

"They have a power user," Copeland told him, "We can contain her."

"Fine," Linus said, "But you don't come on until she starts being a problem."

"We'll manage," Kyrie said, "We'll stay out of your men's way, just stay out of ours as well."

"That works," Linus nodded, "Just be careful. My men are trained on sea fighting. You aren't."

"Of course," Suvorov nodded, "We're not here to piss in your pool, Linus. Just get that son of a bitch back to Mullinix Centre."

"Going to put him on trial?" Linus asked.

"Not if I can help it," Suvorov told him, "Though if he survives this I'd like to question him on how they pulled it off. We think we know all the details, but you can never be too careful."

"And I want the opportunity to kick him in the nuts," Kyrie muttered, "He killed one of our best friends."

"Sounds like a real winner," Linus said, "Just prepare yourselves because this is going to be a bumpy ride."

Over on the remaining Bolantine ship Corinne paced around and watched as the ship slowly moved. She knew they weren't making good time and that they were likely getting near the pirate fighting base that they'd learned about. She watched the horizon and wondered just when they were going to come out of nowhere to sink them.

Viradoferro walked out on to the deck and sat down in a chair across from Corinne. He was seriously bored and since they finished moving what could be moved of the ore he was looking for something to do. Seeing as Corinne was one of the few women on the ship and about the only one who didn't look like an old sea dog, he decided to try to convince her to play games with him again.

"There's nothing out there," Viradoferro said as he looked at her, "The Mullinix haven't had a pirate attack in nearly thirty years. Not since we locked up the coast down south. They probably won't even notice us."

"They know we're heading this way," Corinne said, "Suvorov chased us up to Eringol. You think he will let us get away that easy?"

"There's no way he could have gotten from Eringol to here that quick," Viradoferro shrugged, "Even with an incompetence order they'll think twice about firing upon me without a Mullinix Rep or a Mullinix present."

"You had better hope you're right," Corinne said, "Because if you're wrong all it takes is one shot or a ram to blow us all to smithereens. If any of the water out there hits that ore, we're all dead."

"Sitting here won't change that," Viradoferro told her, "Come on, let's go have some fun while waiting."

"Fun?" Corinne said crossly, "I never found sleeping with you to be any fun."

"You sure seemed to enjoy it then!" Viradoferro exclaimed, "What changed?"

"I had to keep you in line then," Corinne muttered, "It was my duty. That job is thankfully over now."

"So you're a paid whore of the Bolantine Empire?" Viradoferro said, "Is that it?"

"If you want to be crude about it," Corinne growled, "If it were a choice between letting the human race die out and sleeping with you again, I'd be happy to move into extinction. Now shut up and keep your eyes off my ass and look for Mullinix ships."

Viradoferro grumbled but knew that at this moment she could subdue him easily with power use. He sat down and looked out over the empty ocean, scanning the horizon for anything he could see. He wasn't expecting to see anything, but surprisingly he was the first to see the Mullinix Ship approaching.

"I hate it when you're right," Viradoferro growled at Corinne, "There's a Mullinix ship heading for us!"

Corinne cursed as she looked around for a spyglass. She took one away from the young steward who had been stuck on the ship and looked out at the approaching Mullinix Ship. It was a similar model to the one they were using, but theirs was actually in decent shape and not overloaded with an explosive bauxite ore. This alone gave them the advantage in maneuverability.

"Get ready," Corinne told Viradoferro, "We're going to hope like hell they aren't very bright and fall for your crap."

Copeland was the first one of the Mullinix to see the Bolantine ship. Once the contact was confirmed the ship was maneuvered to head straight for the Bolantine craft. They all knew the Bolantines couldn't maneuver their way out of it so the best thing to do was to stop them from even trying.

Kyrie had the spyglass and saw Corinne and Viradoferro on deck, barking some orders. She was not surprised to see them, though they looked a lot different through the spyglass than they did in person.

"It's them," Kyrie told them, "Corinne seems to be barking orders."

"Good," Suvorov said, "Odds are, she's never run a ship. That's a point in our favor."

"Should we warn them or ram them?" Linus asked, "You know the Bolantines better than I do."

"They're tired, sore and beaten on," Suvorov said, "I don't think they've got the fight in them."

"Give them a shot at surrender," Kyrie suggested, "Otherwise, ram the bastards."

"I can go with that," Copeland nodded, "I'll even do the power shout."

"We've got a few minutes," Linus said, "I'm going to maneuver. Let's see what they have left for power."

"Get suited up everyone!" Suvorov shouted, "It's time to tango."

"Suit up?" Kyrie asked.

"The rubber suits," Suvorov said, handing a vest to her, "These will keep you alive if you fall in."

Copeland and Kyrie suited up as they approached. Corinne and Viradoferro watched and trusted the man steering their ship to have some sense on how to approach it. She was half-hoping that they'd be able to dodge and somehow outrun the Mullinix Ship after they pulled off the deception.

"Are you ready?" Major Blane asked Viradoferro, "We have to do this soon or they will ram us."

"Let's get this over with," Viradoferro grumbled as he got his Mullinix uniform on, "Hopefully this is the last time I ever have to act this part."

"Damn!" Corinne muttered and then turned to Viradoferro, "Don't bother. They won't fall for it."

"Why not?" Blane asked her.

"It can't be Suvorov," Viradoferro grumbled, "We left him back up in Eringol!"

"The full trifecta," Corinne said, "Somehow our friends caught up with us. Copeland, Kyrie and Suvorov are all on that ship."

"How the heck?" Viradoferro wondered, running over and roughly grabbing the spyglass from Corinne to look out at the Mullinix ship, "They just won't give up!"

"You shouldn't have killed Alisa," Corinne noted, "He was rather attached to her."

"Just another dead piece of ass," Viradoferro spat, "He would have tired of her eventually. Should thank me for making it easier to move on."

Corinne fought down the urge to kill him herself. She had even considered pulling her sword when she saw the Mullinix ship changing direction and starting to head directly for them.

"Can you dodge them?" Corinne asked Blane.

"Doubtful," Blane said, "We're top-heavy. They aren't. If we turn too fast, we'll capsize and the ore will kill us all."

"And if they hit us the same thing will happen," Viradoferro said, "Better to try to dodge."

"Better to try to talk them out of it," Corinne said, "Blane, prepare to dodge but don't do it yet."

"Think you can do it?" Blane asked, "How is that?"

"I plan to talk sense," Corinne shrugged, "They aren't suicidal. If they hit us, we all die. What is the percentage in that?"

"They'll never fall for it," Viradoferro said, "They'll think we're bluffing."

"We could always launch ore at them," Blane said, "I doubt they have anything near the potency of our ore against water."

"That's likely to get us killed too," Corinne said, "Especially if we're trying to dodge at the time."

"Get your men started making round ore shot," Viradoferro suggested, "Can't hurt to be ready."

"Give up the ship and we guarantee your safety!" Copeland's power enhanced voice came across, "We want the Mullinix and his girl, not the rest of you!"

"You hit us and we all die!" Corinne shouted, pushing her voice the same way, "Are you ready to die today?"

Both sides thought the other was bluffing. Corinne watched as the Mullinix ship came closer and as her own people began collecting ore to launch using the on board catapults. Kyrie stretched a little and began pulling a little power for what she thought was a coming battle.

"Linus," Suvorov said, "Explosives on the ship?"

"We have none," he told the former fisherman, "Not worth the risk. Doubt they have any either."

"Think she was bluffing?" Suvorov asked Kyrie.

"I don't know," Kyrie shrugged, "They might have something, but I doubt it's much. We know they were laden with ore."

"I'm going to try again," Copeland said, "If they think they'll get away without him maybe they'll hand him over for passage."

"What about the ore?" Suvorov asked.

"We sink them after we get our people," Copeland said, "Or force them back to port. I don't much care at this point."

Linus was not really paying attention. He knew it would come down to a ramming. Copeland and Corinne traded a few more barbs, but once he got the ship in the direction he wanted he rammed the throttle to the max. He knew there was only one way to deal with pirates and that was forcefully.

"Linus!" Suvorov shouted, "What are you doing?"

"My job," he shrugged, "Brace yourselves. We're going to hit them."

Corinne and Viradoferro were having all they could do to keep control of their crew when they saw the sudden increase in speed from the Mullinix ship. It took her a few horrified seconds to realize that they fully intended to ram the ship.

"Get this thing out of the way!" Corinne yelled, "They're ramming!"

"It's already at full throttle!" Blane yelled, "I push any harder and that boiler is going to blow!"

"What do we do?" Viradoferro asked, completely panicked now, "We can't let them get water on that bauxite."

"Risk it!" Corinne yelled, "I'm going to try one more time!"

"They won't stop!" Viradoferro said, "You know damn well how stubborn they are."

"Stay next to me," Corinne hissed, "I'm going to try one more time. If that fails we're shielding and praying for the best."

"You can't be serious!" Viradoferro yelped, "We'll be blown to..."

"Kyrie!" Corinne yelled, violently interrupting Viradoferro, "Order your ship to stop! We're carrying untapped bauxite! You hit us and we all die!"

This caused Copeland's head to turn quickly to Kyrie. Kyrie had taken enough geology to remember the basics on how Bauxite ore reacted to seawater. She went pale as she looked at the others.

"If she's right then that's why the other ship blew," Kyrie said, "Untapped bauxite ore is highly explosive in seawater."

"She's bluffing," Linus said, "Get ready! We hit in two minutes!"

Copeland thought about interfering but didn't know what to believe. He and Suvorov, both completely ignorant in geology, thought that she was bluffing but something about Kyrie's reaction didn't leave him as sure.

"They're going to hit!" Corinne shouted, "Jump now if you want a chance in hell of living!"

Corinne didn't even think about it, she pulled Viradoferro close to her and threw up the most powerful shield she could muster. One that was reminiscent of the one Medoferro had used during her sister's assassination attempt. The only problem with it was that it was a shield that let off a bright glow that was unmistakable.

"She's shielding!" Copeland yelled, "Linus! Don't hit them... She's not bluffing!"

Linus didn't believe them and pushed the throttle faster, knowing he had a little bit more power in the steam engine. Suvorov believed Kyrie at that point and went over to try to pull Linus off the throttle. Copeland froze for a half second and then looked at Kyrie, who returned the gaze.

"Shield!" Copeland yelled at her, "With all you have!"

Kyrie watched Copeland throw the shield and knew that she wasn't going to leave anyone behind. She ran over and pulled Suvorov away from Linus, who had managed to shove the older representative away and kick the throttle to maximum. As the ship jolted she pulled him down to the deck with her and threw a full shield around the both of them just as the two ships hit.

There was a sickening crash that, despite in reality only taking a few seconds, took an eternity. Within seconds, the water poured into the hold and the chemical reaction began. Copeland would later swear that he heard and saw it, but the reaction happened in nanoseconds, far faster than his brain could possibly have recorded it.

The two ships were blown to pieces as the shipload full of Bauxite ore reacted to the mildly acidic water as if someone had set off a storehouse full of dynamite, leaving only pieces scattered across the water.

Chapter 113 - The Shielded

Copeland woke up to the salty water going up his nose slightly. He spit it out and was very thankful for the flotation jacket Suvorov had insisted he wear. He knew how to swim, but could not have stayed afloat after the disaster otherwise.

There was smoke everywhere and debris all around him as both ships had been completely destroyed in the blast. He tried to use power sight to see as he had lost his glasses yet again but was seeing little but a haze. He growled and figured that it was the sheer amount of death around him that had released too much power, similar to what had happened in the horde.

He swam around a little bit and shouted for Kyrie, but he received no response. There was none. She was either dead or still out cold, much like everyone around him. He saw several bodies of various crew members as he swam around looking for someone still living.

"Kyrie!" he yelled again, not liking this, "Anyone!"

"Over here!" he heard a voice shouting, "There's a large section of deck to your right!"

Copeland swam over that direction and found it. He climbed up and saw a single young man sitting in the middle of the section of deck. He groaned when he realized that Viradoferro had survived the explosion, likely because of the shielding he had seen before the collision.

"You," Copeland said as he looked at the blurry figure he saw on the piece of deck, "I was rather hoping the explosion had gotten you."

"You aren't that lucky, Copeland," Viradoferro said, "Elise shielded us. Much the same way you survived I assume."

"Where is she?" Copeland asked him, sitting down on the floating section of deck, "Or did you kill her too?"

"Likely sank and drowned," Viradoferro shrugged, "I haven't seen her since the blast. She kept me alive so I guess she served her purpose."

"You are a pure psychopath," Copeland noted, "And I once considered you a friend... How the hell did I miss this about you?"

"You saw what I wanted you to see," Viradoferro said, "Because all of you holier than thou morons couldn't even imagine someone would switch things like this. This is why Bolantine is a God and you are simply idiots."

"Bolantine is a psychopath as well," Copeland said, "The only thing even remotely special about him is the fact that he's immortal. That doesn't make him a God, just a human that's lived too damn long for his own good."

"He knows more than you ever will," Viradoferro said, "He will rule this world in a way you could never fathom with your inexperience."

"A world ruled by him would be hell," Copeland said, shaking his head at Viradoferro's views, "But you obviously grew up with those delusions, so I'm not going to debate you on them. We'll fight Bolantine. You won't be there to see him go down, though."

"Yeah," Viradoferro said, "So you're going to throw me on trial?"

"Probably," Copeland said, "You murdered Alisa and several guards. I'm not really interested in trying to cover that up."

"You don't think I'm going to go quietly do you?" Viradoferro asked him, "I'm not your puppet and I'm not going to dance."

"What choice do you have?" Copeland shrugged, "The boats are gone and with them your passage to Southern Oasis. The only help that'll come is our backup ship. They're probably already on the way."

"It will be an hour before they get here," Viradoferro said, "Plenty of time."

"You're not going to try to fight me now, are you?" Copeland sighed, "I mean, really... What point would you make now?"

"I know you Copeland," Viradoferro said, "And I know how Suvorov operates. I'm guessing the only people who know what truly happened are in the inner circle. You, Kyrie, the other reps and so on. Probably a few of the remaining house staff as well."

"Your point?" Copeland asked, standing up and stretching himself a little.

"My point is that you probably didn't tell anyone why you were here," Viradoferro smiled, "Or if you did, they were here on the ship. Loose lips and all that sort of stuff. So all they know is that there was an incompetence order put out on me."

"That alone will stop them from following your orders," Copeland reminded him.

"That's fine," Viradoferro shrugged, "All they have to do is take me back to shore. I'll tell them that the Bolantines kidnapped me and that is why they put out the incompetence order. Once I get back to shore, I can slip out and then make my way across the border somewhere else."

"Not with me here," Copeland said, nodding sadly, "You're going to try to kill me."

"I'm going to do more than try," Viradoferro said, "Prepare to die, Copeland."

"You do realize that I'm a power user, right?" Copeland said, "I could just put a wall around you?"

"Go ahead and try," Viradoferro grinned, "I'd be interested in seeing that."

Copeland didn't like the sound of that and tried to do so. His power use was almost useless, just like his power sight was. He then realized what had happened and cursed loudly.

"Bauxite dust," Viradoferro said as he pulled out his knife and rushed his former representative, "One of its properties is blocking power use. That's why your sanitarium's walls are lined with it."

"Fine," Copeland growled and knocked aside the initial rush, "You forget, I'm an accomplished martial artist too?"

"I've been trained since I was a child," Viradoferro said finally, "Let's see who had the better training, eh?"

Copeland knew that the odds were against him on this. He couldn't see very well and Viradoferro was a good three inches taller than he was. The fact that he was armed didn't hurt either. Copeland looked around and took in what he could of the situation. They were on what was roughly a fifteen by twenty section of deck from one of the ships that had retained enough of the beams to remain seaworthy.

Viradoferro attacked again, knowing that he was living on borrowed time. Copeland's initial strategy was to stall. As much as he wanted to kick Viradoferro in the nuts he knew that his best bet was to try to keep him at bay until reinforcements arrived from the shore. He pushed Viradoferro back and let off a strong blow to his ribs.

Viradoferro grunted and flipped the knife, trying to slash at his opponent to disable him further. Copeland couldn't see clearly, but he could see the motions of the knife and dodge them. He then let off a sharp kick to Viradoferro's knee to try to slow him down. He knew damn well that Viradoferro would be in better shape after resting for a few days on the ship.

Viradoferro managed to deflect it. He used the fact that Copeland couldn't see very well to his advantage, making a flashy move with his knife to distract him before letting off a solid kick just below Copeland's left knee. Copeland screamed and fell backwards, narrowly avoiding having Viradoferro's knife plunge into him.

They went through another round of this, beating on each other roundly. Copeland was no slouch at self defense, but the vision advantage was a telling one. Viradoferro had enough skills to take advantage of Copeland's blurry vision and extremely tired body.

Finally Viradoferro managed a kick to the side of Copeland's head that sent him down to the deck with a thud. Copeland groaned, dazed from the blow and tried to get back up. Viradoferro picked up the knife he'd dropped earlier and jumped on the chest of the fallen man, holding the knife to his throat.

"That was fun, Copeland," Viradoferro said, "You put up a good fight."

Copeland tried to move but his beaten body didn't have the strength left in it. He looked at Viradoferro, whose face was close enough to be clear to him. He couldn't speak at the moment, but saw the insanity in his eyes.

Viradoferro, much like a cat playing with a mouse, sat up and pinned Copeland's arms with his knees. It wasn't enough that he'd won, he now needed to play with his prey, something he'd been wanting to do for a while but had not had the time.

"You know," Viradoferro said, "This is really empowering."

"How so?" Copeland asked him, "You get off on this, don't you?"

"More than you know," Viradoferro said, "I'm almost sorry that bitch died before I could give her a true taste of what it was like."

"You insane son of a bitch," Copeland spat, "You had it all in your hands, but you pissed it away..."

"But you're the one who trusted me," Viradoferro grinned, "But I did play the part well, no?"

"Not well enough," Copeland growled, "Stop playing... If you're going to kill me, do it and stop boring me to death."

"In a hurry are we?" Viradoferro asked, "Very well, any last words?"

"Look behind you," Copeland said as his eyes attempted to focus on something moving behind him.

"You really don't expect me to fall for that, do you?" Viradoferro laughed, "Prepare to die, Cope..."

Viradoferro raised the knife high to make a show of it and just as he was getting ready to let it drop the next thing Copeland heard was a loud crack as a piece of wood came down on Viradoferro's skull, cracking it open and sending the insane pseudo-Mullinix falling over almost off the platform.

"Thanks," Copeland said, looking up at his savior trying to determine if it was Kyrie or another survivor, "He almost got me."

"I didn't do it for you," Corinne d'Abruzzi said as she let the makeshift club drop to the deck, "I did it for me."

Copeland was surprised to hear that voice as he sat up. He then felt in his pocket and was gratefully surprised to find that the box containing the extra sets of glasses had survived. He put a pair on and focused in on Corinne, who looked more like a drowned rat than the attractive woman she'd normally been.

"You?" Copeland asked, surprised at what he saw, "Why?"

"He's a lunatic," Corinne said simply, "I wish I'd done it days ago."

"I take it you don't want to try his plan?" Copeland asked.

"No point," Corinne shrugged, sitting down on the deck, "Even if they'd let him go I still had a full warrant out on me. Frankly, I didn't feel like going out like that without the chance to kill that son of a bitch first."

"He's not dead yet," Copeland said, looking at the fallen man, "He's still breathing."

"Not for long," Corinne told him, "He's likely going to die from the blow. If not, I'm sure you can handle him now."

"Have you seen Kyrie?" he asked her.

"She's floating about thirty yards from here," Corinne said, "Unconscious but with a death grip on Suvorov."

"Listen," Copeland said, "You've already made your bed with him, will you help me get Kyrie and Suvorov out of the water?"

She nodded and they spent the next few minutes pulling in Kyrie and Suvorov. They were both alive, but Copeland and Corinne got an unexpected surprised when they were hauled onto the raft. Kyrie was fully intact, but Suvorov had been torn nearly in half. How he'd survived as long as he had was anyone's guess.

"Damn," Copeland said, sighing and poking Kyrie to see whether she was still alive.

"Is she all right?" Corinne asked.

"Probably," Copeland said, "She'll wake up soon, hopefully. Doesn't appear to be any major damage."

"Pity the same can't be said for him," Corinne sighed, "And I don't want to think of how many others are out there dead because of what I've helped to do."

"A Bolantine agent showing some conscience," Copeland said, "This has truly become a weird day."

"I was raised to do this," Corinne said, "But I was never good at it, not like my sister was."

"Annalisa," Copeland nodded, "The assassin who tried to kill my father."

"How?" Corinne asked, "No one knew about her!"

"The same way I know your name, Corinne," Copeland said, "And that you and that sack of shit laying over there removed and took the place of Alvin Nixon and Elise Malloy."

"Close," Corinne said, "The real Alvin and Elise were removed while we were coming in country. I never did hear what happened to them. How did you find all this out?"

"We put it all together by going to Southern Oasis," Copeland told her, "You'd played it perfectly, but he had given me enough over our time together to allow me to put it together. Once I saw a picture of the real Alvin Nixon, I knew we'd been duped."

"It was a plan I'd never expected to work," Corinne sighed, "I was supposed to learn about Mullinix and disappear back to the Empire. They'd been setting up two candidates a session for nearly a decade now."

"Nice," Copeland said, "And it all ends here."

"It seems so," Corinne said, looking at Kyrie, "Let's hope it doesn't end for you and her here."

"Reports of my demise are exaggerated," Kyrie mumbled, coughing up a bit of water afterwards.

"Nice to have you back," Copeland said, "You ok?"

"Define ok?" Kyrie said, "By most definitions I know, not really."

"Better than him," Copeland said, "What happened?"

"I could only half shield him," Kyrie sighed, "I don't know how he's still alive."

"He won't be for long," Corinne said dispassionately, "He lost a significant portion of his lower torso."

"What should we do?" Kyrie asked both of them.

"Nothing we can do," Copeland said, "If he's that bad off he's probably better off not waking up."

"I knew I didn't want to come out here," Suvorov mumbled, "I was born on this damn sea, I just knew I'd bloody die here."

"Rav," Kyrie said, taking his hand, "You're..."

"Don't tell me I'm not going to die," Suvorov grunted, "I can't feel anything below my neck and from your reactions I'd say I'm better off for it."

"It isn't pretty, Rav," Copeland said, "Is there anything we can do?"

"Don't sugarcoat it and tell me what's missing," Suvorov gasped, "I want to know."

"Most of your lower half," Copeland said, "Enough that you are probably missing some serious organs."

"Viradoferro?" Suvorov asked.

"Unconscious from a head wound," Copeland told him, "He's not waking up any time soon."

"I can see the backup ship!" Corinne exclaimed, "They're heading for us."

"What do we do now?" Kyrie asked, "I mean, we never figured out what we were going to do when we got them."

"Remove him," Suvorov said, "We can't let what they've done get out."

"You want us to kill him?" Kyrie asked, "I mean he's done so much evil and all..."

"Kyrie," Suvorov said, "Listen to me. I'm running out of time and you're going to be on your own after this. Remember, you will be Mullinix soon after you hit the mainland."

"I'm trying not to think about that," Kyrie muttered.

"She's going to be Mullinix?" Corinne asked Copeland, "How did that happen?"

"Me," Copeland said, "We had to improvise when the files were burned. She'll become Mullinix as soon as Viradoferro's post becomes vacant."

"Listen to me," Suvorov said, "You will have to make decisions like this, every day. Everything you do will impact lives. You will be able to do it and you will do it well. Don't doubt yourself."

"I won't," Kyrie said, "I will miss you."

"You'll do fine," Suvorov said, "Copeland, a word if you will?"

"Sure," Copeland said, moving closer to the dying man, "What is it?"

"Keep her sane," Suvorov said, "She feels too much. You're a little harder. A representative can process a judgment in extreme circumstances. This is an extreme circumstance."

"Alisa," Copeland nodded, "Corinne, did he murder Alisa like she said?"

"Yes," Corinne admitted, "One of the many reasons I brained him."

"That ship is going to be here soon," Suvorov said, "I won't be here to meet it. Make sure that Viradoferro isn't either."

"I don't know if I can kill in cold blood," Copeland said.

"She becomes Mullinix as soon as he stops breathing," Suvorov said, "Remember Alisa, and do it for her. Don't let Kyrie have to start her run with that. She has enough problems without that uncertainty."

Suvorov tried to say more but he no longer had the strength. He gasped for a moment and fought for control of his dying body one more time. He then said what would be his final words.

"Preserve the Mullinix..." Suvorov said and died.

Copeland sighed, held Kyrie's hand and then looked over at Viradoferro. He was surprised when the now former Mullinix stood up and reached for his knife. He staggered drunkenly a couple steps and then looked at Corinne. He was shocked to see her sitting with the others.

"You!" Viradoferro exclaimed, "You..."

"Yes, me," Corinne said, "You lose."

Viradoferro tried to move towards them, but the severe concussion and cracked skull had thrown off his balance, which was now no match for the unstable motion of the platform. He tripped over a piece of wood and landed face first into a pool of water that had been trapped on the deck.

"Oh my," Kyrie said and then noticed the sheer amount of bruising on Copeland's face, "I take it I missed something, Copeland?"

"A lot," Corinne said, "I bet Copeland wishes he'd missed it."

"Let's say I owe Corinne one," Copeland said, "I'd be dead if she hadn't brained him with the wood he tripped over."

"If he stays in that puddle for long he'll drown," Kyrie said, "Should we save him?"

They all looked at each other and realized this was the opportunity that they'd wanted. None of them wanted to be responsible for killing even a vile creature as that. So they let him slowly suffocate in the water, drowning a slow and pitiful death.

"Appropriate," Copeland said, "He goes out not with a bang, but a whimper."

"More of a gurgle," Kyrie said and went back to Suvorov, "I'm staying with his body. What's left of him is getting a full state funeral. It is the least we can do for him."

"And more than we'll do for Viradoferro," Copeland said, "What should we do about you, Corinne?"

"Take me in," Corinne shrugged, "I failed my mission. I would face justice in the Empire for that anyway. I'd rather face a Mullinix trial. It will frankly be a less painful death."

Kyrie and Copeland looked at each other. They knew that Corinne had saved them in this. Copeland spoke first and looked at Corinne.

"If you want to go, we won't stop you," Copeland said, "You saved us and stopped him. The documents are gone and you don't know anything Bolantine couldn't get from anyone else he's turned. We won't turn you in."

"Where would I go?" Corinne asked, "Into hiding? I don't want to live the rest of my life on the run. I surrender to Mullinix justice. Bring me in."

"The ship is approaching," Kyrie said, "This is your last chance?"

"No thanks," Corinne said, smiling, "I'll go happy knowing that this son of a bitch died first."

"Is he dead?" Kyrie asked Copeland.

"Yes," Copeland said after checking Viradoferro's neck for a pulse, "He's gone."

"Good," Kyrie said, "Can we go home now?"

"Yes," Copeland nodded, sitting with his cousin, "I think we can."

Corinne sat silently on the other side of the raft. She was numb and had decided to just let control fly out of her hands. She didn't have it in her to commit suicide directly, but she could let justice roll. She reflected on the damaged she'd helped cause and realized that she was indeed guilty of likely every crime they will undoubtedly lay upon her, simply by aiding the lunatic who now lay dead in front of her.

114. Sad News

"Have we heard anything else out of Selenia?" Trinaferro asked tensely, "Any survivors at all?"

"Unknown," Simon sighed, "The rescue ships weren't back yet. If it was as bad as it sounded there isn't a whole lot of hope."

"How the hell could this have happened?" Trinaferro snapped, "What if this was a trap all along?"

"Expensive trap," Mason said reasonably, "They couldn't have known that Viradoferro would break. This wasn't Bolantine's operation directly and he isn't that good. The only thing I can think of is untapped Bauxite."

"Good guess," Medoferro said as he limped into the room on his crutches, "I got a message from Stacy just before I got onto the train. She and Corie found the tapping chemicals still in their original crating, just as they had been when leaving Southern Oasis. The Bolantine troops were riding on floating bombs."

Trinaferro got up and ran over to Medoferro, hugging him tightly. He smiled and kissed her softly, putting his weight on his good leg. She looked at the heavily bandaged knee and sighed, knowing that this was likely the least of her problems now.

"Have you heard anything?" Trina asked him.

"No more than you," Medoferro said, "I was in Nessun Cucchiaio about to get my leg checked out when I heard and figured I'd best get back here."

"How is the leg, Medo?" Simon asked, "As bad as we thought?"

"The Gottgol Medico thinks I probably have some nasty tendon damage and that I'll probably never walk without a limp," Medoferro shrugged, "Considering how many people Marina killed out there I guess it's a small price to pay."

"She's safely ensconced in the sanitarium," Simon told him, "Bauxite walls, just like the palace basement in Siraq. If her power does come back it won't do her a lick of good in there unless someone croaks within a hundred yards of her."

"And then only if she's able to notice it," Mason said, "Jim and I can do it, Karen somewhat. I doubt anyone other than an experienced power thief could do it as a mortal."

"She may be one," Medoferro said, "But I don't think she has the ability anymore."

"Did you get any other word from Stacy?" Trinaferro asked.

"Most of the Bolantine soldiers brought the mine down on their own heads rather than surrender," Medoferro told her as he shook his head, "She and Corie were helping wrap up the scene and were planning to come here. He proved his reliability in that mess up there. I promised him a job and intend to keep that promise. Especially with his former boss up to his old tricks."

"Yeah," Trinaferro sighed, "The Mavelan forces are about to try a bold counter offensive on the third army as it arrives. Sounds suicidal to me, but they think it is better than fighting the Bolantines on their own terms."

"Any of our people there?" Medoferro asked, concerned.

"Our people are on mine patrol and fighting on the established front," Trinaferro told him, "They are filling holes by the missing Mavelan regiments, but it was actually one of our people who came up with the plan. Lister and Pirotase signed off on it and they know the situation on the ground better than I do."

"Lister has a good head on his shoulders," Medoferro said, "He saved our bacon in the last war. I'll put my money on him. Any word on the Sotans?"

"I sent Charissa to coordinate and send them on a destruction run," Trinaferro said, "I'm betting we can hold them off long enough ourselves to give the Sotans a shot at destroying their industrial base."

"Good thinking," Mason agreed, "If you take away his industrial base you take away most of his army's supplies. He isn't original in his thoughts, but he does have the experience of two thousand years of human warfare, so he'll likely have it reasonably well defended."

"The third army is their main defense," Medoferro said, "If that's in the east for this war they probably have the much weaker second army in eastern defense. They don't fear the Sotan army like they do ours."

"How did you find that out?" Simon asked.

"Corie," Medoferro smiled, "He and I had a conversation before he and Stacy went off. He let me know a few things that would help. He doesn't want to see his countrymen win anymore than we do now."

"Mason," Trinaferro said, "Any idea when Jim will be well enough to join us?"

"Depends on when Medo can assist me," Mason said, "I need another power user to help. Simon doesn't have the fine power skills Medo does."

"You found Jim?" Medoferro asked, surprised, "Where did he turn up?"

"In the sanitarium," Simon chuckled, "He is conscious but has no idea who he is and rants like a madman. He was picked up trying to get into a whorehouse in Cirrus City. No idea how he got there or where he came from."

"Why am I not surprised?" Medoferro said, "Let me get my knee looked at and then we'll take care of him."

"He's been down this long," Mason shrugged, "Won't hurt him to be down a bit longer. Maybe he'll know more about what happened to us and can help me find Karen."

"Let's hope," Simon told him, "We could use all three of you, that's for sure."

"Line is open!" Tracia, one of the younger house staff members, said as she poked her head into the room, "Selenia."

"Let's go," Medo instructed everyone, "Just be careful not to hit the knee."

There was a general migration to the line room and everyone went in, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. Trinaferro stayed next to Medoferro, knowing if the worst happened to her son she would lose it for a bit and need him to keep her sane. Simon and Mason knew this would not be pleasant.

"Selenia on the line?" Trinaferro said finally, "Code please."

"I don't know the code," Kyrie said finally, "You never taught me that."

There was a general cheer when they heard Kyrie's voice come through the line. This meant that there were survivors and that it was likely that Copeland had made it through as well."

"You don't know how glad I am to hear your voice," Trinaferro said finally, "How many survivors."

"Five survived the explosion," Kyrie said finally, "Only three of us made it back to shore alive."

"Oh my God," Medoferro said solemnly, "There had to be a hundred crew on that ship."

"Not to mention all the Bolantines," Mason said, "That's a nasty death toll."

"Who else lived?" Trina asked, "Please tell me that Copeland is with you."

"He is in the Medico ward," Kyrie said, "He'll be fine, but he took one hell of a beating."

"Suvorov?" Simon asked hopefully.

"He didn't make it," Kyrie said sadly, "I managed to shield about half of him, but the rest was torn apart by the explosion. He died on the raft before help could arrive."

"Damn," Simon said, having worked with Suvorov for nearly three decades, "I can't believe he's gone."

"Who were the other survivors, Kyrie?" Medoferro asked, "Anyone from our side?"

"Corinne and Viradoferro," Kyrie said, "Corinne is in custody here on shore. Viradoferro tried to kill Copeland, beat him pretty badly which is why he's in the medico's ward."

"I take it Copeland won," Medoferro said, "Right?"

"Wrong," Kyrie said, a slight bit of cheer coming into her voice at the next part, "He was without glasses and power use, not to mention drained from the previous days. Corinne actually decided she had enough of Viradoferro and brained him. He drowned in a puddle on the raft since none of us wanted to save him."

"A fitting end," Trinaferro said, "How has it been written up?"

"Copeland is blaming his injuries on the explosion and the earlier fight in Gottgol," Kyrie told them, "They're assuming Viradoferro died as a result of the explosion or due to Bolantine torture. Corinne is the only one who could refute it and she's refused to talk."

"Keep it that way," Medoferro ordered, "She's on a gag order. Is Chick still the Colonel down there?"

"Yes," Kyrie said, "How much should I tell him?"

"Pass on my order," Medoferro told her, "Chick isn't a strong Colonel and won't buck me on this. I want you and Copeland back here on the same train."

"I figured as much," Kyrie said, "Medico is adamant that Copeland spend the night in his ward. After that he said he'd release to a train ride only. Copeland isn't to sit on a horse until a Medico up in the centre clears him."

"You two have earned the break," Trinaferro said, still relieved that she and Copeland were alive, "Escort Corinne and Viradoferro's body up here. We'll do the formal ceremonies after that. Copeland gets a break upon arrival, but you get to go through ceremony."

"Great," Kyrie sighed, "Please, be gentle on the naming?"

"I'll have that decided by the time you get here," Trina promised, "And we will likely having seating for the line because of Medo's knee."

"I'll see you tomorrow night," Kyrie said, "Medo, how are we going to cover my unorthodox choice?"

"I'm going to make a statement today," Medoferro said, "I figure they see my beaten and broken body they'll go easy on me. Then, we get to work dealing with the Bolantine threats."

"We'll be there," Kyrie promised, "I will go pass the orders to Chick and go get a few hours of sleep before we catch the morning train."

"I suggest we all go get some sleep," Trinaferro said as Kyrie faded off the line, "Unless you want to talk shop first."

"I want my knee looked at," Medoferro said, "Can Jim wait until morning?"

"Yes," Mason nodded, "I want you rested before we try that operation."

"Ok," Trinaferro said, "We'll all convene in the morning."

Chapter 115 - Bolantine Command

Bolantine walked around the command camp waiting for new information. His people were moving and the war machine he'd built was humming like there was no tomorrow. For many of these young men and women they knew if they did not win for their country they knew there wouldn't be a tomorrow.

It was early in the morning when he saw a scout unit come back from the front lines, missing two members and looking all around banged up. The ragged leader, a young man whose name Bolantine couldn't recall, walked up to the immortal leader, knowing that he would be chastised if he went for food before reporting.

"Come inside," Bolantine told the young man, "We'll feed you while you tell me what is happening on the front."

The young man nodded and followed his leader. He was saving his voice because the last time he had gone through this he had spent four straight hours talking. Bolantine was an expert interrogator, be it on a willing subject like this young man or a prisoner. He could find details that even the subject themselves hadn't thought important enough to mention.

Nikki Bolantine was sitting at the map table munching on a piece of bread from one of the field food packs that were used to feed the army. Bolantine made it a point to require everyone on his staff to eat the same food as the grunts. It helped morale immensely.

"News?" Nikki asked, "I've been playing out scenarios with the known numbers."

"Go on," Bolantine said, handing the young scout a food pack, "Tell us the basics as you see them. I'll probe for more detail when I need it."

"Certainly Emperor," the young man said, "The lines have expanded as expected. We now have advanced about ten miles in and some of the opening units made it to the outskirts of Mavelan City before meeting any real resistance."

"Better than we hoped," Bolantine grunted, "How much opposition are we hitting?"

"Enough," the young man told him, "We didn't catch them as unprepared as we'd hoped. There are booby traps everywhere. We're losing more people to trapped houses than we are to the enemy right now. The Mavelan natives have mostly retreated, leaving only a few scattered militia units. Our men wipe them out when they are found, but a few have been reasonably successful."

"How did they know we were coming?" Nikki asked, vexed by that, "Do we have a leak on this side?"

"Unknown," the young man said, and then stopped because he realized the question wasn't for him.

"They've been expecting us to reprise for twenty years," Bolantine noted, "Probably been preparing for this sort of thing. It's to be expected with total war."

"Not welcome though," Nikki growled, "Go on, scout."

"The units we hit at first were disorganized," the scout continued, "They're getting better now. Not sure if it's practice or if we're hitting more Mullinix trained forces."

"What language are they speaking?" Bolantine asked him, "Did you hear anyone barking orders?"

The scout thought about this for a minute. He hadn't thought about it, really, but realized that the commanders had all spoken a variant of the same language he did. Bolantine heard that response and wondered.

"The Mullinix are commanding?" Bolantine said, "Where the hell are the Mavelan units? They still use Mavelan in their battalion level orders don't they?"

"Last I heard," Nikki said, sitting down and going to the map, "Where did you see the biggest masses of troops?"

"Here," the scout told them, "Smaller pockets here and here."

"What about the old Mavelan base here?" Bolantine asked, concerned by this, "Two weeks ago there was a 3000 man army based there. Did our first wave hit them?"

"Not in any reports I have," Nikki said as she shuffled papers, "Think they could have dispersed behind the lines?"

"I don't know how we could miss that many," Bolantine said, "I'll feel better when the third army is ready to hit the lines. Where are they?"

"Lousy weather delayed their movements," Nikki told them, "They had to hike from East Facie because the bridges went out and the trains wouldn't have been able to go back."

"That means there is no way we tore through them," Bolantine said, "If they counterattacked with 3000 men we'd have faced a breakthrough. We need to find those soldiers."

"We'll go out and find them; Emperor!" the scout said forcefully.

"I have more questions," Bolantine said, "Sit and eat. You can answer me between bites. Those men won't magically appear in the hour it takes me to question you properly."

Bolantine spent an hour prying every little piece of memory he could from the young man. When he was certain he got every piece of tactical information he could get he decided to let the young man go and go to the other news of the day.

"Nikki," Bolantine said as he sat down, "That worries me. How the hell did we lose a Mavelan Battalion?"

"I don't know," Nikki admitted, "But they may have fallen apart. We don't know for sure."

"What are you reading?" Bolantine asked, "News from the outside?"

"Yeah," Nikki said, "We captured a light code news relay from Mullinix. Cheaper than their line network and easy to intercept. I must approve."

"So what did we find out?" Bolantine asked.

"Our Gottgol gamble failed," Nikki said, "The ships exploded at sea. Somehow they must have gotten out without tapping the bauxite. They are also reporting the death of Mullinix Apprentice Viradoferro. He was supposedly killed on the second exploding ship."

"I can't believe Corie screwed up that much," Bolantine grumbled, "Any survivors?"

"A few on the Mullinix side," Nikki said, "Including that troublesome son of the Mullinix and his cousin. No other word on Bolantine survivors."

"At least they can't prove it's a Bolantine ship now," Bolantine chuckled, "It served its purpose. That's what I was looking for."

"We could have used the bauxite," Nikki groused, "What now?"

"We wait for the third to get here and ready," Bolantine told her, "I'm betting when we start that assault about forty-eight hours from now we will be on our way to rolling into Mavelan City."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Nikki agreed, "So what do you want to do while we wait?"

"Sometimes the old pursuits are the best ones," Bolantine told her with a smile, "Would you like to retire for a few hours?"

"I love the sound of war while we screw," Nikki grinned, "I do like your proposal, Bolantine dear."

Chapter 116 - Scandal Watch

"How's the knee, Medo?" Simon asked as he entered the kitchen, "Medico manage to do anything to it?"

"Cleaned out the wounds," Medoferro grunted, "Still hurts like hell. She probably couldn't have hurt that knee better if she tried."

"She'll have plenty of time to regret it," Simon assured him, "She's locked up securely now."

"Still doesn't make me feel better," Medoferro said honestly, "She still represents a massive failure on our part."

"We've done a lot wrong," Simon admitted, "But that doesn't take away what we've done right."

"I know," Medoferro told him, "Just a bit disheartening. I'm still divided on what to tell everyone about Viradoferro's death."

"We have two choices," Simon told him honestly, "We can shovel him under the rug or we can come clean. I don't recommend anything else."

"How much do we know for sure?" Medoferro asked, "We think we know some, but how much do we really know?"

"We know he's a Bolantine plant," Simon said, "Sascha screwed with the records. We know that for a fact. We know how it was done, but there's no one left alive other than the inner circle and the Bolantine girl that survived with Kyrie and Copeland."

"We need to figure out what to do with her too," Medoferro grumbled, "How do we keep her quiet?"

"That's the question," Trinaferro said as she sat down next to her man, "What is your feeling on how to handle this publicly?"

"My brain is telling me to bury it," Medoferro told him, "My heart is telling me to tell the truth. It is an interesting conundrum."

"It's going to be more than just you two," Simon reminded them, "It will affect Kyrie as well. She's the one who is going to have to live with the decision you make."

"I don't think we can give that information out," Trinaferro said after a moment, "Too many problems to go into."

"We can go light on the details," Medoferro agreed, "We don't need to reveal all the details. Viradoferro died of misadventure."

"Now the key is how to deal with Kyrie's ascension," Simon told them, "This needs to be released carefully."

The three of them thought about that for a minute. There was no good time to tell anyone news like this. They knew that they could feasibly shove it under the rug, but it would feel dirty. Medoferro had cleaned up after that type of mess before during the Cirrus situation thirty years before.

"Who does it?" Trina asked Medo, "You or me?"

"Me," Medoferro said, "I have a better poker face than you do."

"I'm the Mullinix," Trinaferro said, "People might see it as a cop out."

"Not going to matter much," Simon suggested, "Do it at the ascension ceremony, same way you handled Cirrus thirty years ago. People will understand that you've not had time to process everything.

"You're right," Medoferro said, nodding, "It won't be fun, but it will be get us through it."

"Hopefully we can take the spotlight off Kyrie's connection to me," Trinaferro nodded, "I think that will work."

"You start thinking about what we need to release and what we can bury," Medoferro suggested, "I need to go help Mason extricate whatever has screwed up Jim's head."

"I wish Stacy and Suvorov were here," Trinaferro sighed and then teared up a little, "I wish Suvorov was still with us at all."

"Me too," Medoferro said, kissing her cheek, "We can't dwell on that now. We have to keep going. Suvorov would."

"Yes he would," Trinaferro smiled, "Did right up to the end, I'm sure."

There was a general agreement on that fact.

117. Jim

"How's the leg, Medo?" Mason asked him as the Mullinix came in on crutches, "Though I bet you're getting sick of that question."

"Glad it's still there," Medoferro grunted, "Have you figured out what is wrong with Jim?"

"Looks like a similar problem as mine," Mason said, "I've put him out with power use. We will need to pull it out."

"I can provide the power," Medoferro said, "But I'd feel better if you did the delicate work. We probably did more damage on your memory than you would have."

"You did what you had to," Mason shrugged, "I'm awake and alert. I'll take that to being an unconscious lump."

Mason probed Jim's neck and found the object that was impeding the regeneration of the lower portions of his brain. Medoferro pushed some power to the delicate construct that Mason created over him and simply watched the immortal work.

Unlike the clumsy construct Medoferro had created over Mason before this one was a much more solid work field. Mason, now freed from the construct, was able to put his effort into the surgical work. Mason did this part, having done this more than once during his life. He quickly cut open the bulging area in the base of Jim's skull.

"What do we have here?" Mason said as he extracted the piece of equipment, "This is something I haven't seen in a long time."

"What is it?" Medoferro asked, "I've never seen anything like it."

"No reason for you to," Mason said, examining it some more, "I haven't seen one since before the cataclysm."

Mason didn't finish answering the questions so he could finish cleaning out Jim's wound. It took him a few minutes and then he got the tools out of the area. He nodded at Medoferro to let the construct go. Medoferro did and then relaxed as the power dissipated.

"That went a bit easier than what we did to you," Medoferro admitted, "So what is that thing?"

"An integrated circuit," Mason said, "You don't see many of these anymore. The same magnetic fields that allow power use and turn the Mavelan people yellow will short one out in a hurry, even if you can find a way to power it properly."

"What does it do?" Medoferro asked, "Looks like a simple wafer."

"I don't know," Mason said, "Jim will likely understand it better than I. I was never an electronics guy."

"Well," Medoferro said as he looked at the sleeping immortal, "We'll probably find out in a couple days."

"Let's just hope we can wait that long," Mason said, "I'll stay with Jim until he wakes. Let me know if you need anything."

"Probably won't need you for a bit," Medoferro said, "The rest of the representatives are due back soon. We're probably going to regroup for a bit and see how the offensive against the third goes. That's going to tell us a lot about how this war is going to go."

"If you need my expertise let me know," Mason reminded him, "I may not know current situations, but I still have over two millennia worth of tactical knowledge and familiarity with Bolantine's tactics."

"I won't forget that," Medoferro grinned as he picked up his crutches and stood up, "You saved our ass in the last war with that knowledge. Only a fool would leave you on the sidelines."

"So far you have shown good sense," Mason agreed, "Let's hope you continue to do so."

Medoferro nodded and hobbled out of the room, leaving Mason and Jim alone again. Mason looked over at his old friend and wondered just what they had gotten themselves in to this time. He sincerely wished he could remember what had gotten them in this position.

He looked at the circuit board and started probing it a bit. It was crude by the standards he grew up with, but extraordinary for this time period. The fact that it hadn't burned out completely amazed him. He wondered if Bolantine had managed to crack the problem of the magnetic fields that kept these circuits from working.

Mason didn't know but decided to let Jim have at it when he woke up. In the meantime, Mason wanted to get some rest so that he would be fresh if the Bolantine war down south went bad.

Chapter 118 - The River Bend

Colonel Shears looked at the doomed men sitting in the little fishing boat they had commandeered to take them to the landing site. He had been right in volunteering his group for this assault. Every one of these men had willingly volunteered to have a chance to take on the Bolantine Third Army that had killed so many of their countrymen twenty years before.

"How long out?" Shears asked their navigator.

"Landing zone in about ten minutes," the young man said, "But it looks like there is someone signaling us from shore. That's an allied flag he's holding too."

"Pull over to the side," Shears said, "We need to find out who it is. If it's the Bolantines then we've already lost this battle. If it's one of ours, they may have information we need."

The young man nodded and expertly guided the small boat to the shore. Shears recognized the man when he came out of the shadows caused by his flag. Randy Black hopped across the three foot bit of water onto the boat.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," Shears said as he shook Randy's hand, "I thought you were still running spy rings for your father?"

"I am," Randy said, "That's why I'm here. When I found out what you were up to I knew I could help."

"We don't expect to make it home," Shears warned, "You sure you want to do this?"

"Relax," Randy said, "I'm a spy, not a fighter. I'm here to give you intelligence and a bit of a helping hand. My men are a mile down the river with the equipment I gathered for you. I came ahead so we could talk and travel."

"I'll take whatever help I can get," Shears agreed, "What do I need to know?"

"The third came in this afternoon," Randy told him as he pulled out a map of the area, "This is a Bolantine map of the area. I had one of my agents lift it this morning. We've put in the locations of the officer groups. They should be your first priority as improvisation is not something their troops are good at without their leaders."

"That will help," Shears agreed, "Power users?"

"Both Bolantine and his bitch are there," Randy said, "They are in the cabin closest to the town. However, power use can be stopped in this case. See this building right here between them?"

"What is it?" Shears asked him.

"Their armory," Randy smiled, "The third Army isn't fully armed yet. Nothing but swords and a few small bolt guns. The big gear bolt guns are in this building along with the bauxite they've collected for recycling. This is where you will have some luck on your side. Do you have any decent Mullinix speakers?"

"Two," Shears said, "Both have an accent."

"They'll do," Randy told him, "I have a set of binary chemicals that will produce one hell of a bang when put together. Get your men to throw the packs together in the middle of the bauxite and not only will you destroy their heavy weapons but you'll create a bauxite dust cloud. That will render any power users in the area almost useless."

"Audacious," Shears said, nodding, "How will they get in?"

"I also have sets of Bolantine uniforms and today's codes," Randy said, "I'm likely to lose a few contacts out of this, but it's worth it and this attack will likely remove their usefulness anyway."

"This might give us a fighting chance," Shears agreed, "What is the morale like in there?"

"Word is they are all tired," Randy said, "They are disciplined, but they have been marching all day because my partisans destroyed all the rail bridges between here and the old border. The current plan on their side is to rest the troops tomorrow and do a breakthrough attempt the next day with fresh troops."

"Let's put a kink in those plans, shall we?" Shears said, smiling as he saw Randy's people, "Where do you plan to be during all this?"

"I am going to stay out of the way," Randy shrugged, "My last job in this sector is to report back to my father on what happens with your offensive. This way they know how much damage you managed to do."

"Good," Shears agreed, "Make sure that people know what our men did."

"They will," Randy said, smiling a smile he didn't feel, "School Children will be learning about your crew for centuries."

"Preferably in a free Mavelan nation," Shears said, "You may be Mullinix, but the gratitude of the Mavelan people goes to you for all your nation has done for us."

"My stepmother is Mavelan and so are my half brother and sister," Randy told him, "Nationality doesn't matter. Evil is evil. We stand together against the Bolantines."

Shears nodded and motioned to the navigator to stop for Randy's crew of partisans. They gave all the equipment they had to the Mavelan contingent and dressed the Mullinix speakers in properly fitted Bolantine uniforms to get them ready.

"Anything you want me to tell my Dad?" Randy asked him, "I'm going to head to the top of the butte overlooking the Bolanpyris plain."

"Tell him we have no regrets," Shears told him, "And to make sure they don't bollix it up after we finish."

"It won't be in vain," Randy promised him and then turned to his men, "I want you boys back across the border in two hours. Head north and you shouldn't hit any major resistance. You talk to no one until you get back to Mavelan City."

There was a general murmur of agreement as Randy's men ran like hell. Randy stood there a moment longer and saluted Shears and his men. He knew he wouldn't see bravery like this again. He didn't want to sit and watch the blood bath he knew was coming, but knew someone had to.

"God speed," Randy said and hopped off the boat to go to his waiting gearbike.

Shears watched him and looked at his men. He silently ordered them on and they went down the river to their moment of destiny. They were less than an hour away from the end of the line.

Chapter 119 - Impending Ascension

Copeland and Kyrie walked off the train at Mullinix Centre at nearly two in the morning. They had been reading all the news reports they could get on the status of the war. Both of them were worried about what this meant for the ascension ceremony that was already overdue.

"You worried?" Copeland asked Kyrie, "You haven't talked much for a while."

"Long week," Kyrie shrugged, "I'll do what I have to do. So will you. I don't feel right about having this ceremony while at war."

"It has to be done," Copeland sighed, "At least the faux-Alvin is no longer in the picture."

"We still have to deal with Eli... Corinne," Kyrie said, "Any ideas on that?"

"No," Copeland said, deflating a little, "I don't feel right in condemning her after she saved my ass."

"We may still be able to avoid that," Kyrie said, "But that's not even the main issue right now."

"How do we handle Viradoferro," Copeland said, knowing that was what was on her mind, "Do we tell the truth or not?"

"I don't know," Kyrie sighed, "I feel like a fraud already."

"You're not that," Copeland told her, "We didn't cause this mess. Marina did. She's now stuck for the rest of her days in that damned sanitarium. She's gotten hers."

"Doesn't make a difference," Kyrie said, "It's us who have to live with the results of it."

"That's true," Copeland nodded, "There's Stacy and Corie. What are they doing here?"

"Let's find out," Kyrie said, "I could use some good news."

"Not going to find much here," Stacy said as she walked up and hugged the new Mullinix, "How are you feeling, Kyrie?"

"I'm sick about Suvorov," Kyrie sighed, "I tried to save him."

"I have no doubt," Stacy told her, "If you'd had the information we found up there none of that would have happened."

"You knew about the untapped bauxite?" Copeland said, not believing this, "How?"

"We found the tapping chemicals on shore untouched," Corie said, "The mining crew should have known better, but evidently they thought that the soldiers on the ships were doing it. Either that or with their leaders gone no one thought of it."

"We tried to get you the information," Stacy told them, "But you were already out by the time we got to where we could get a line."

"You tried," Kyrie sighed, "We were all behind the eight ball."

"Yeah," Stacy said, "Suvorov's body on the train?"

"I arranged for him to be brought to the palace," Copeland said, "He's getting a state funeral."

"He should be honored instead of Viradoferro," Kyrie said bitterly, "He served the Mullinix all his life, just to die on the sea."

"He will be honored for his service," Stacy promised, "Don't worry about that. Let's get up there and get this lunacy over with so we can concentrate on Bolantine."

"I can't say I'm surprised at this war," Corie sighed, "I should have known they didn't expect us to succeed."

"They were probably hedging their bets," Stacy said, "Just like we're doing."

None of them really wanted to go into the subject any further. The four of them walked up towards the palace. The construction crews had stopped for the day, but the damage was still eerily visible in the moonlight. Stacy's mouth gaped as she saw the damage for the first time. Corie had never seen the place before, but was surprised that it was so much smaller than the seat of government in Bolantinople.

"We don't need the opulent crap," Stacy said, reading Corie's look, "This is a place of work, not of idle leisure."

"You should see Empress Bolantine's room," Corie said, "It is larger than this entire palace, filled with nothing but idle leisure."

"Comes with being immortal," Stacy told him, "You have to get bored after a while."

"No doubt," Corie said, "Is this where I depart?"

"You've earned a meal," Stacy told him, "And unless there's something I don't know I think you've earned at least a short-term job."

Corie nodded and followed along. He didn't expect them to trust him, but they weren't going to let someone who knew this much about Bolantine's operation go without pumping him for information. He followed along when he saw Corinne d'Abruzzi led to the palace in handcuffs. He didn't recognize her directly, but knew instinctively she was the survivor from the Mullinix Plant operation.

"What are they going to do with her?" Corie asked them, "My knowledge of Mullinix law is a bit fuzzy."

"We don't know yet," Kyrie told him, "A lot of that is going to depend on how they handle the ascension."

"That is a question," Stacy said, "One we'll find out in a few hours."

"Copeland!" Trinaferro yelled as she saw them come up, "Kyrie! It's so nice to have you back!"

"It's nice to be here at all," Copeland agreed as he hugged his mother, "Look what we found at the train station waiting for us."

"Glad to have you back too," Trinaferro said, hugging Stacy as well, "I take it this is your new friend Corie?"

"Pleasure to meet you, Mullinix," Corie said as he bowed to the Mullinix, "Sorry it couldn't have been under better circumstances."

"You learned late," Trinaferro said, looking at the man, "Better than not learning at all."

"We stopped that lunatic bitch," Corie said, "That was good, but not enough. Maybe now we can stop the bastard that ordered us on that mission."

"Medoferro was right about you," Trinaferro agreed, "If you are still willing we'd like to make use of that knowledge."

"I've cast my lot," Corie said, "You lose and I will die a painful death in a public execution. I'll do whatever it takes to ensure that doesn't happen."

"I understand," Trinaferro said, "The remaining house staff will feed you if you go in to the field kitchen. I can't have you there for these meetings."

"Don't particularly care to be there at this point," Corie told her, "Point me in the right direction and I'll take the food."

They went by the field kitchen that had been in use since the assassination attempt destroyed a large portion of the palace. Two house staff members started making some warm food for Corie as the rest of them retreated to the office.

"It feels strange being back here," Copeland said as he sat down, "So much has changed now."

"It's been a long week," Medoferro admitted, looking up from his seat, "How are you guys holding up? Copeland? Kyrie?"

"I feel as though I've been run over by a stampede," Copeland admitted, "I'm looking forward to resting at some point."

"You get to sleep today," Medoferro said, "Kyrie, I want you to get a few hours rest as well. We've got to do the ascension ceremony today. It will take a few hours to get Viradoferro ready."

"You're not planning on hiding this?" Kyrie asked, "Making him out to be a victim?"

"We have no choice," Trinaferro said, "We can't let that information out. We're not going to release a story right now, just let it die in the wake of the war."

"Suvorov?" Stacy asked, "What about him?"

"He died trying to protect Kyrie," Medoferro said, "He will be given a spot of honor on the stage. We just don't need to give specifics on how he died."

"I don't like it," Kyrie said, "I don't want to start that way."

"No choice, Kiddo," Trinaferro said, "You two need some rest. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"More than you know," Medoferro said, "The Mavelan flank of the Bolantine Third should be getting there any time now. We'll know more about how that mess is going to go by the time the sun goes down tomorrow."

Kyrie and Copeland looked at each other, not sure what to make of this. Stacy wasn't worried about it anymore. She just wanted to sleep in a real bed, though she was about to be disappointed.

"Any real beds left at all?" Stacy asked.

"Your room is intact," Trinaferro said, "The main damage was to our room, the hallway and Copeland's room. We had our mattress pulled out of the rubble and have been sleeping in here."

"I just need a place to sleep," Kyrie said, "And to talk to Copeland."

"One of the guest rooms has two beds," Trinaferro told them, "All the injured have been moved out to the Collegium now so you can take it if you don't mind sharing."

"I'll share with him for now," Kyrie said, "I will likely be able to sleep through his snoring."

"Go get some rest," Medoferro said, "Stacy, I need to talk to you about Corie."

"Sure," Stacy said, "I can stay awake a few more minutes."

Kyrie and Copeland walked off and found the room that they were going to share that night. Kyrie didn't even bother removing anything but her shoes before plopping down on the bed. Copeland was a little more deliberate in his movements, his body still telling him very nasty things from that beating he took.

"What do you think?" Kyrie asked him after he got in the bed across the room.

"I don't know," Copeland admitted, "I see their point in this. We don't really need this black eye right now."

"Doesn't make it right," Kyrie said, "Suvorov deserves better than to share the stage with that son of a bitch."

"Suvorov would tell us to suck it up and do it," Copeland reminded her, "In fact, he did so on the raft."

"What do you think I should do?" Kyrie asked.

"Should or could?" Copeland asked her, "There's a big difference."

"Both," Kyrie asked him.

"You should leave well enough alone," Copeland said honestly, "You could bust it wide open while on stage."

"What would you do?" Kyrie wondered.

"I don't know," Copeland said honestly, "I'd sleep on it. Make the decision when you have to. See if you can live with the status quo. If you can, then I suggest doing so. If you can't, then do what you have to do to live with yourself afterwards."

"Will you be behind me either way?" Kyrie asked him.

"Of course," Copeland assured her, "I'm your rep now. I'll support you until they throw us both out on our ear."

"Hopefully that won't happen," Kyrie smiled, "Thank you, Copeland."

"Get some sleep," Copeland suggested, "You'll need it."

Chapter 120 - The Third Man

The two Mavelan soldiers hiked into the Bolantine encampment quickly. They made sure that they looked the part that Randy Black's men set up for them, right down to the identification numbers on their arm. Surprising to them, they didn't get stopped by anyone as it was figured that they were separated from their front line units and looking for a meal.

They made their way to the weapon building, knowing they'd be expected to turn them in for inspection and refurbishing if they were who they appeared to be. This was fine for them, as they were heading that way to begin with. They approached the building and saw that there was only one guard actually awake, the other taking a nap at his post.

The two soldiers went up and pulled out the Bolantine issues bolt guns. One of them made a show of pulling it out to hand over the other one pulled his out and fired a bolt directly into the guard's brain, sending him slumping quietly over. The other soldier fired a shot into the sleeping guard's head, ensuring that he would never awaken.

They worked quickly and set up the explosive concoction in the middle of the bauxite recycling receptacle. They followed the instructions given to them by Randy Black's men and put the chemicals together, letting them mix in a deadly concoction. They then jogged out of the warehouse to find a place to hide until the fireworks started.

Colonel Shears and his men had crept to within two hundred yards of the camp. They had quietly dispatched the outside guards and left themselves a way in without being spotted. All they had to do was wait for the explosion to start the attack.

Randy Black saw through his spyglass that everyone was waiting. He started jotting down his notes as he saw people started to move. He just waited for the battle to begin. One of his men was sitting nearby, not sure what they were supposed to be doing.

"What are we doing here, boss?" one of his men asked, "Aren't we too close?"

"We're observing," Randy said coldly, "Those men down there are likely all going to die tonight. The least we can do is convey accurate information on the outcome to the Mavelans and Mullinix. That way their sacrifice won't be in vain."

All of a sudden the chemical explosive went off and Bolantine soldiers started scrambling. Colonel Shears gave the order and his men came out of all directions, attacking anything that wasn't wearing one of their own uniforms. The first wave was a complete rout on the Bolantine side since nobody knew what was going on.

Bolantine and Nikki were knocked out of bed by the explosion, being in the building right next to where the weapons had been stored. They ran out and did what they always did, tried to use their power sight to figure out the lay of the land. They were surprised at first to find that they couldn't see anything.

"Bauxite dust!" Nikki yelled at Bolantine, "They blew the bauxite store!"

Bolantine cursed loudly as he tried to get past the fire and saw the mass of bodies. The Mavelan attack was ferocious and they were far better armed and armored than the Bolantine troops were. None of them thought that there was a chance of an attack this far behind the lines and without the guards to sound an alarm they were getting overwhelmed despite the numerical superiority the Bolantine army had.

Colonel Shears didn't even try to coordinate, knowing that any attempts to do so would simply slow down the attack. Their best hope was to cut down the Bolantine numerical advantage as much as possible. The Bauxite cloud that the wind spread out over the whole camp made this task much easier. The Bolantine army couldn't see to communicate or coordinate. This made it difficult to defend against a force that had already breached their perimeter.

"Kill them all!" Shears shouted, "Every one of these psychotic scum!"

Bolantine heard that and decided that he'd better get in there. He went towards the camp and found that he had no powers at all, just as if he'd been back in that bauxite lined arena below the Siraqi palace twenty years before. He knew he would have to do this the hard way.

Bolantine pulled a large sword out of the fire, his flesh impervious to the heat and flame. He held the glowing piece of metal and rushed in to take on some of the Mavelan soldiers. He cut a swath through the group as he tried to get to the leader. Shears, however, saw him coming and knew that they had to get him out of the game.

"Go for the head!" Shears shouted, "It's the only thing that will slow him down."

A young soldier, barely eighteen when he joined less than a year before, picked up a fallen Bolantine soldier's sword. He then used the terrain and smoky dust to his benefit as he went around Bolantine. The soldiers had gotten out of the way as they knew their leader wouldn't differentiate when he was that angry. The young soldier didn't worry about it, he simply ran and jumped on to Bolantine's back.

"This is for my little brother!" he yelled as he rammed the sword into the base immortal dictator's head, shoving it through until the tip came out of his left eye. Bolantine fought for a minute to try to remove the blade, but it had gone through his motor skill core, which all but paralyzed him. He soon lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

"Good job, kid," Shears said, "Go back to the fight!"

"Yes sir!" he yelled and went back into the fray.

Nikki took a look at the tactical situation and knew that if they kept going like this they were going to take horrible casualties. She shouted for her commanders and gave instructions.

"Retreat," Nikki said, "Regroup up on the ridge and attack in force. We still have numbers on them, but only if we disengage now!"

"But the emperor!" General Masters said.

"Is immortal you twit!" Nikki yelled, "Do what I told you. We'll find Bolantine when we clean up the mess!"

Randy Black watched the carnage from his spot on the hill and was amazed at the ferocity of the doomed Mavelan troops. They knew they weren't going to prevail in the long run but he estimated that most of those men had taken out at least three times as many Bolantines as they lost themselves.

Randy took copious notes as he wanted this to be fully documented for future generations. He then noticed that the Bolantines were withdrawing from the camp battlefield. He didn't like the look of that, especially since the Bolantines still had more than double what was left of the Mavelan force.

"Get out of there," Randy mumbled, "You've done more than anyone could have imagined, go home so you can fight again."

Colonel Shears noticed the withdrawal as well. His men started burning the tents and packs as there were fewer and fewer Bolantines to fight. He knew that they hadn't completely won but pondered what to do next. He looked his men.

"Where are they heading?" Shears asked one of the scouts.

"Over the ridge," he said, "Looks like they're regrouping."

"What do you think boss?" the second in command said, "Should we go for another wave?"

"They're expecting us this time," Shears said, thinking, "We've burned their tents and killed much of the rank and file. Has anyone seen the food stores?"

"Pyro team set them on fire," the second told him, "They will be hungry really quick."

"Retreat," Shears said, "Go back to the river and take any boats we can still get moving back. If you can't make the river, keep going north until you either hit friendly territory or the Sotan Mountains. Once you get back into Mavelan territory head back to Mavelan City to reinforce the Mullinix."

"New orders!" the second yelled and started running.

The survivors needed no coaxing. They had done the damage they had intended to do. In less than two hours they had decimated nearly half of the Bolantine third army, including most of their heavy weapon stores and their food supply. Now, it was time for the survivors to get away from Bolanpyris with their lives.

Randy Black breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the Mavelan troops begin their retreat. He had his men pack up as well. It was time for them to get out of there before the Bolantine troops started their search for Mavelan stragglers. They didn't want to get caught in that sweep as the Bolantines would be even less kind than their normal dour selves.

"Head northeast," Randy told them, "The Mavelan forces are likely heading northwest and the Bolantines will either follow them or lick their wounds. Either way, you can go northeast into Sotanberg and make your way back up to Mullinix. You can reenter the Mavelans via the Cirrus Pass."

"What about you?" They asked him.

"I'm heading north on the gearbike," Randy told them, "I can get there ahead of the Mavelan troops and dodge the Bolantines as well. Alone on a gearbike I've got a better chance to make it back than any of the Mavelan soldiers. The fact that I'm not wearing Mavelan clothing will help me too."

"See you later, Boss," they said and didn't waste any time running as far away from this hill as they could.

Randy sighed and packed his notes well and got on the gearbike. He had a lot of riding ahead of him. He looked back down at the battlefield that was now beginning to be better visible in the rising sun. Bodies were everywhere, most of them Bolantine but more than a few of them his countrymen.

He just hoped the slaughter was worth what it was going to do to both the Bolantines and the survivors. He knew that just seeing it he would never be the same again. He shook his head and took off just as the first Bolantine search parties began forming to look for survivors among the hundreds of dead.

Chapter 121 - Walking on a Wire

Kyrie woke up early, not really being in the mood to sleep before having her life turned completely upside down. She walked around the building and looked at the people moving around. She knew she would be in a serious job and was worried again.

Simon Sutcliffe walked out of the line room and saw the new Mullinix sitting on a couch just looking around. He was impressed that she had avoided the look of sheer terror that Medoferro had during his ascension nearly thirty years before.

"You look serious," Kyrie said as she saw him, "And you're up way early?"

"Medo and Trina are sleeping and we just got some news from down south," Simon told her, "The Mavelan counterattack went through around three in the morning."

"Counterattack?" Kyrie asked, "We had enough people to do that?"

"The Mavelan forces went down the river," Simon told her, "Attacked the Bolantine Third before they could get to the front. Ten miles behind the lines and while they were tired and unarmed."

"Wow," Kyrie said, "I know Mavelan numbers and they had to be outnumbered at least three to one even with the surprise attack."

"Try five to one, Kyrie," Simon told her, "It was insane, but brilliant. They lost 70% of their men, but they destroyed more than half of the Bolantine army and likely injured another twenty percent. They also destroyed the armory, which means they will have fewer weapons available. Despite the losses, this is a success of a massive order."

"Hard to think of that as a success," Kyrie sighed, "But they probably knew there would be massive losses going in."

"They didn't expect anyone to make it out," Simon told her, "The fact that people managed to escape at all means it went well."

"I hope I don't have to make that sort of decision soon," Kyrie sighed, "I'm still trying to figure out if I am ready for this."

"Look at it this way," Simon said, smiling a little, "After the last guy you are definitely a lock to do a better job. Hard not to when the bar is set that low."

"Too low," Kyrie said, "I'm not sure how I feel about their plan."

"Don't think about it too much," Simon suggested, "Easier that way."

"Thanks," Kyrie said, "When is the ceremony?"

"They're setting up now," Simon told her, "I'll get Medo and Trina in a few minutes. We're pretty much going to go through it quick since it's relatively fresh in mind."

"I'd better get ready," Kyrie said, "I want to at least clean up a bit."

"Good idea," Simon told her, "Put on comfortable shoes and a long skirt. Will help you immensely during the long time on your feet."

"Thanks," Kyrie smiled weakly, "See you later."

Simon nodded and left the area. Kyrie went off to get herself ready, though she didn't know how ready she would be for this. Copeland walked out of the room he'd been sleeping in and saw Kyrie wandering. He walked over to her and wondered how long she'd been awake.

"Ready for this?" Copeland asked her.

"Of course not," She said as she put on a pair of heavily padded shoes that she found in her pack, "Especially since I'll have to look at Viradoferro the whole damn time."

"Look at the crowd," Copeland suggested, "It might be easier."

"Yeah," Kyrie sighed, "Thanks."

She walked around her room for a minute and then finished getting dressed. She then walked into the common area and found that Trinaferro and Medoferro had come out to go out and do the necessary ceremony. She heard the chants of the crowd and knew that the time was coming.

"Let's go," Medoferro told her, "We've got a public to please."

"I'm coming," Kyrie sighed, "Let's get this over with."

Chapter 122 - The Nameless One

Medoferro looked out at the crowd and sighed. He knew Trinaferro would have to give the performance of her life and try to avoid gagging when she lauded the deceased Mullinix. He looked at Kyrie and knew that it would be better if she didn't have a cloud over her head from Viradoferro. He then placed his hand softly on Trinaferro's shoulder.

Trinaferro gripped her lover's hand tightly and took strength from him as she readied herself for the ceremony. She just hoped it would be the last one that was necessary for many, many years. She walked out and put her most confident face she could as she did so. She waved to the crowd and put on the most fake smile she had ever had.

"Thank you!" Trinaferro yelled, "Please be patient, it's been a long week and my voice is already a bit hoarse."

Simon, Copeland and the other representatives filed out and took their seats in the front row. They were interested to see just how Trinaferro planned on handling the touchy departure of the previous Mullinix, something that Trinaferro herself had not been able to decide upon.

Kyrie watched Trinaferro from the side of the stage and waited for the words she knew was coming. The tension on the stage was obvious, even to the people watching out in the crowd. Trinaferro cleared her throat one last time and then began.

"It has been a long couple weeks here," Trinaferro started, "A lot has happened and unfortunately it has culminated in the death of a young Mullinix. I had hoped to not need another one of these ceremonies for a long time, but here we are standing here again."

Trinaferro then spent the next few minutes going through a technically accurate but only partially true version of events. She particularly whitewashed Viradoferro's role in the events and left out the events in the palace completely.

While this was going on Kyrie looked at the two bodies in their coffins on the stage. Viradoferro looked a lot more peaceful in death than the psychotic madman he had been during the last hours of his life. Suvorov, his lower extremities covered with a funeral blanket so his injuries couldn't be seen, looked dignified as befitting his station as a lifelong servant of the empire.

"Unfortunately," Trinaferro said, "No one foresaw what would happen on the ship where the Bolantine agent..."

Kyrie knew that Trina was about to start a full on lie and decided she couldn't live with the consequences of it. She stood up tall and walked up to the front of the stage. She looked at Suvorov one more time and took the strength she needed to defy both of the elder Mullinix and forge her own path forward.

"Trinaferro," Kyrie said loudly, "Stop. I can't let you go on with this farce. The world deserves to know what a slime Viradoferro really was."

Trinaferro was about to say something when Medoferro put his hand on her shoulder again. She looked up at him and he put his finger to his lips. Trinaferro nodded and realized that Kyrie was not going to allow the deception to continue and that she should be given the opportunity to make it right in her own way.

"What Trinaferro told you is the truth," Kyrie said, "But it wasn't the whole story. You deserve to hear the whole story, as ugly as it is. So we're going to break from tradition for a bit, since I've been here for more of it.

"Viradoferro was, on paper, a perfect pick. He fit the part in the classroom and in the leisure hours. Both Copeland Irons and I spent many hours with him before he was chosen and he showed no sign of the duplicity he would later show.

"Of course, he was trained by the best that the Bolantines could muster, including a rogue member of the house staff. Yes, we were taken in by a Bolantine plant. The file that was used to choose him had been altered by another, now deceased, house staff member. I read the file that Medoferro and Trinaferro used for the choice and had I been assured of its authenticity as they had been I would have chosen him as well.

"The system, however, is stronger than a fictional file and a Bolantine trained agent! His first mistake was choosing the son of two Mullinix as his personal representative. His second mistake was me. You see, Copeland and I knew what Mullinix were supposed to act like. He started off well, but the personality needed to be a double agent is diametrically opposed to being a Mullinix.

"Copeland and I started to wonder early and by the time of the assassination attempt those early warnings were becoming sirens to us. We had to make a choice and it was easily one of the hardest things we'd ever done. We went to one of the other representatives, the one that we knew would take us seriously and help us question authority.

"Rav Suvorov, the man unfortunately lying here after dying to save me out on the ship, was the man who helped us put our suspicions together and gave us the cover we needed to investigate the man who was technically our boss. We went to Mullinix Oasis and found the unfortunate proof of what happened. The Alvin Nixon who left the Oasis last year was not the same one who showed up to service school here.

"We now know that the real Alvin Nixon is dead and that our imposter was sent in to learn more about Mullinix. He happened to be the right agent in the right place. They altered his file and it was fed to Medoferro while Insegniferro was dying.

"Anyway, once we figured it out we tracked the source of the file and found it to be a house staff member. Once found out she torched the file system in the palace and died shortly thereafter in the medico ward. This was probably the harshest thing she could have done to us as we now have no sorted files for the switch.

"In the confusion that resulted from the fire Viradoferro escaped. This was when we put out the incompetence order. We had hoped to catch him and find out more about how he got into the country. Unfortunately, he fled north to the Bolantine ships that had invaded Gottgol. Stacy Cossy and Rav Suvorov missed them by minutes as we stopped the horde.

"We rushed south and managed to get to the anti-pirate force before the Bolantine ships do. We went out onto the sea and met them in a pirate run. Unfortunately, we found out too late that the Bolantine ship was carrying untapped Bauxite that reacts explosively with water. Suvorov heard the Bolantine warnings and tried to save Copeland and Myself. Unfortunately, I couldn't shield him and he died out there of his injuries.

"Many people died because of our mistakes. I can only tell you that we've done everything we could for the empire. Now I'm up here because I'm the only constitutionally eligible person that we can verify quick enough to meet the requirement that we do a ceremony within a day of a Mullinix death.

"I know many of you have questions, but I don't have any more answers than I have said now. I do promise you this. I will stand up here and look each and every one of you in the eye and promise to do my best for you. That is all I know how to do. I have learned from the best here and I intend to continue to do so."

The crowd broke into applause. They appreciated the honesty that came from the young woman and it definitely silenced the little bit of grumbling that had happened.

"I do know one more thing," Kyrie said, her voice hoarse after that long speech, "I won't share the stage with that thing."

Kyrie pointed at the body of Viradoferro. She walked over and spit into the coffin.

"Guards," Kyrie said, "If you could, put that rotten cadaver down on the ground in front of the stage. He isn't fit to share a position of prominence with such a selfless man as Rav Suvorov. So if you could file up normally, let's get this procession done so we can concentrate on stopping the bastard who is responsible for putting me here. Bolantine's army was hurt this morning, but the war isn't over yet."

Medoferro smiled and didn't say a word. Kyrie had handled it perfectly. He had never liked the idea of lauding Viradoferro. He hobbled over to Kyrie and hugged her tightly. He looked at Trinaferro, who came over to them and joined the hug. She then took over the proceedings again and looked at the crowd.

"Thank you," Trinaferro started, "And thank you, Kyrie, for setting the record straight in a way that I was too chicken to do myself. However, we do need to finish the ceremony. I won't bother trying to laud her predecessor, but I do need to convey the name on our new Mullinix. Kyrie Ellison, do you accept the name of Kyranferro as the new Mullinix? It means Iron Lord and I feel that it fits you perfectly after this."

"I do accept," Kyrie said, "But only if my predecessor goes to his grave as an unknown soul."

"Agreed," Trinaferro said, "Viradoferro does not exist, the name itself is stricken from the record as being as fraudulent as its owner. However, since he was our mistake he will be buried in the Mullinix crypt as 'The Nameless One!'"

The crowd went wild with approval and lined up peacefully for the procession. Kyrie kept her word and looked each one of the people in the eye, apologizing and giving her solemn word that she would do better. Everyone in the crowd agreed that it would be enough.

Chapter 123 - A Battle Lost

Nikki Bolantine growled as she walked around the battlefield that had been an encampment a few scant hours before had become a stinking mass of bodies. She looked around and saw nothing but maimed men that had failed to prevent an incursion by a much smaller force.

"Where did that come from, Empress?" Colonel Levant asked her, "We had men set out on that river."

"Probably were cleaned out by the same resistance fighters who took down the bridge near the old border," Nikki grunted, "Has anyone seen Bolantine anywhere?"

"He went down in the fighting," Levant said, "Not sure why he hasn't come back yet."

"Look for him in the bodies," Nikki said as she fumed, "He probably took a blade to the head. He'll have regenerated where the corpses are starting to decompose."

Nikki was a bit worried by this result. She knew that there were going to be losses, but this was audacious and foolhardy. Even being immortal she would have hesitated to make an incursion like this against a better-armed and larger army.

She was beginning to wonder if they'd miscalculated the Mullinix/Mavelan willingness to fight with them. She let out a deep breath and walked over to the officer's cabin that they'd been using as a command post since starting the war.

"Status on the front?" Nikki asked them.

"News of this is demoralizing them," General Covey told her, "It's going to get worse until we can get the remains up on the line and make some breakthroughs."

"Start organizing the remaining people," Nikki ordered, "Are the lines holding?"

"For now," General Covey told her, "West side is getting too thin for my liking. They aren't stupid. As soon as they get some reinforcements from Mullinix they will hit us on that side."

"Do we have any estimates yet on how many people we have left?" Nikki asked him, worried even more now, "Survivors out of the third and our reserves on the line?"

"About fifty percent survived in serviceable condition," Covey told her, "Say another ten percent are badly wounded, but living. The other forty percent are strewn over the battlefield."

"You're telling me we lost over ten thousand people to a Mavelan force less than a third that size?" Nikki asked, baring her teeth at the cowering general, "Whose men were responsible for guarding the river?"

"Major Soderberg's local regiment," Covey said, "None of them have been found yet."

"They'd better be all dead!" Nikki told him forcefully, "If any of them aren't, bring them up here and I'll finish the job personally!"

"Yes Empress," General Covey nodded, "What are your orders now?"

"Put together what's left of the third," Nikki told him, "Let the locals man the lines and use the third to make a push to the mine region. If we don't do it now it won't get any easier."

"That could still leave us a bit thin," General Covey said, "The local troops are still not up to snuff."

"Then they'll pay for it with their lives," Nikki said coldly, "We ordered them to keep readiness up. Told them it could happen at any time. Now, they will pay for their disobedience."

General Covey was trying to think of a way to respond without sounding insubordinate but was saved the trouble by Colonel Levant as he and three soldiers burst into the room carrying Emperor Bolantine's unconscious body. They laid him out gently on the couch and Nikki rushed over to him.

"Who hit him?" Nikki asked as she saw the sword, "That's one of our swords."

"No idea," General Levant said, "Could have been picked up by one of the Mavelan troops or it could have been a soldier that was confused and hacking at anyone in the dead of night."

"Likely whoever did it is dead," General Covey said, "We don't think many Mavelan troops escaped."

"How many have been found?" Nikki asked.

"Not enough," Levant muttered, "We're estimating 1500 to 2500 dead Mavelans right now. Hard to tell at this point as there's too much blood to identify most of the bodies."

"Unacceptable," Nikki growled and then kicked a chair, "They shouldn't have been able to cause that much carnage!"

"Too late now," General Covey told her, "What can we do to help the Emperor?"

"Hold him down," Nikki said and waited for them to do so, "I'm going to pull out the sword."

She pushed some power to make it easier and pulled the sword out of Bolantine's head. The wounds closed behind the sword, but she knew it would take a few hours for him to wake up after that sort of injury. She just hoped that his brains weren't scrambled by the damage.

"Get those soldiers moving!" Nikki exclaimed, "The sooner they hit the front lines the better off we are."

"Yes Empress!" Levant and Covey agreed.

Nikki watched as they departed and cursed again as she looked at Bolantine lying on the bed. She sat with him and decided to let everything else lapse for a bit. She didn't care at the moment so long as he woke up soon to help her again.

Chapter 124 - The War

"Sorry," Kyrie said as they retreated into the common room, "I couldn't let you lie like that to cover up that son of a bitch."

"No," Medoferro said, "We should be apologizing for putting you in that position. But you did well and gave the reasons for your selection better than anyone could have."

"You handled the procession well too," Copeland said, "You looked each and every one of those people in the eye. I rather enjoyed watching them all spit on the nameless one's corpse."

"That was a nice touch," Trinaferro agreed, "How is your knee, Medo?"

"It could have been worse," Medoferro grunted as he maneuvered himself on to the couch, "Do we have any news from down south?"

"Nothing new," Simon told him, "The staff has produced a modest meal for us. We need to figure out what we're going to do next."

"Go to the line room," Stacy said, walking into the room, "Gottgol road on the line. There's a Gottgol officer who wants to talk to you."

"We'll handle it," Trinaferro told Medo, "You rest that knee. Kyrie and I can take the line."

"Not arguing," Medoferro said, raising his hands, "I don't want to move again."

"Simon," Trinaferro said as they departed, "Get his knee checked, will you?"

"Sure," Simon chuckled, "The medico is upstairs."

Kyrie and Trinaferro walked towards the line room. Trinaferro looked at her niece and felt a lot of pride that she had turned out so well. She'd have preferred not to have to put Kyrie in this position, but felt she showed guts out on the stage earlier.

"You did good," Trinaferro told her, "I wish I'd had the guts to make the speech you did out there."

"You did what you thought was right," Kyrie said, "So did I."

Trinaferro nodded and the two of them walked into the line room. They went through the code process and the colonel at Gottgol Road came on the line. Trinaferro took the lead, knowing the colonel from service school. She had pushed his appointment ten years before and had not regretted the choice.

"What's going on Jim?" Trinaferro asked, "Someone from Gottgol?"

"Yeah," Colonel Jim Adams said, "Five thousand someones, all armed and looking for a ride to the Mavelans."

"They came through," Kyrie said, "Who is leading them?"

"A man named Anderson," Colonel Adams said, "Only one of them that speaks Mullinix."

"Is he there, Jim?" Trinaferro asked, "We need to talk to him."

Jim Adams took a minute to get the Gottgol man into the room to talk on a device he'd never even dreamed he'd use. It took him a moment to get to business.

"Anderson?" Kyrie asked, "That you over there?"

"Kyrie?" Anderson said, "Yes, I'm leading the expeditionary force. Your group risked their lives to save thousands of my countrymen. The least we can do is help put these Bolantine dogs into the ground. We only ask one thing in return."

"What is it?" Trinaferro asked.

"Put some pressure on the Serenians to stay off our border," Anderson asked them, "We've got five thousand troops ready to go so long as the Serenians stay quiet. Once word of the Bolantine involvement with the invasion came out recruits started flying in. We'll use the new recruits to cover the border so we can help faster."

"We'll have someone talk to the Serenians," Trinaferro promised, "They hold no love for Bolantine either, not after what he did to the people they took on from Siraq."

"Give us a ride and we'll fill in where we can," Anderson said, "Or let us through and give us directions and we'll walk."

"Jim are you still there?" Trinaferro asked.

"Yes," he said, "Want me to arrange train transport?"

"Please," Trinaferro said, "Get those men to the border as fast as you can. If they're willing to help the Mavelans aren't in a position to turn away anyone."

"The train is in town," Jim told them, "I figured this was coming and told them to hold."

"Good man," Trinaferro said, "Anderson, I'll have some of my southern force meet you at the border. We've wounded the third, but they'll be hitting the lines soon."

"We intend to be there to help stop them," Anderson told them, "Will we be seeing any of you there?"

"I intend to go down there," Kyrie told him, "I don't know when, but I intend to be there."

"Medoferro and I will work from the palace," Trinaferro said, "I don't have the tactical mind he does and his knee is still bad enough to make travel impractical."

"Hope to see you, Kyrie," Anderson told her, "As for this, it's the least we can do."

"Thank you," Kyrie told him, "From all of us."

Trinaferro and Kyrie left the room after that. They walked out and Trinaferro stopped her niece before they could get into the main room. She looked at Kyrie to make sure the young woman was holding up well under the strain.

"You intend to go down there?" Trinaferro asked her, "Why?"

"Because I need to see it," Kyrie told her flatly, "I can't let myself get sequestered up here and not see what our men are going through. I won't go to the front lines, but I am going to go down there."

"You're sounding like Medoferro now," Trinaferro smiled, "Let's go give Medo the good news, shall we?"

"Agreed," Kyrie said and followed her aunt.

Chapter 125 - The Big One

Mason Stone read through a few of Insegniferro's books as he waited for Jim Entragian to wake up. His old friend was in the last stages of REM sleep, so he knew that it would be happening soon. He had gone through a recent Mullinix history book and was starting on a Sotan tome when Jim's eyes opened.

"Welcome back," Mason said as his old friend woke up, "What do you remember?"

"I screwed up," Jim said, shaking his head and standing up, "We were in that plant down in Bolantine's territory. I tried to disassemble one of their prototypes and it blew up on us, I have some shaky memories of making my way across the border and then I woke up here."

"You're doing better than I am," Mason told him, "Evidently I lost about fifty years or so. They pulled a large piece of piping out of the base of my skull. Was Karen with us in there?"

"Yes," Jim nodded, "You and I were thrown out the window. She likely went down with the building. You haven't seen her?"

"I woke up a few weeks ago in a guest room here," Mason told him, "They found me in a river down in the Mavelans. Rodney pulled the pipe fitting out of my head. He's getting old, looks like we will have to set up a new compound sometime soon."

"What did you pull out of me?" Jim asked, "If you were down for that long something must have been lodged in my head as well."

"This," Mason said and handed him the chip, "Odd thing to find in your skull, to say the least."

Jim looked at it and let out a whistle. He hadn't seen one of these in nearly two millennia. It was an integrated circuit and while a bit on the crude side it was definitely pre-cataclysmic in origin.

"This came out of my head?" Jim asked in wonder, "You don't see these much anymore."

"Bolantine's people make a breakthrough?" Mason asked him, "That had to come from the factory."

"You can't make these anymore," Jim said, "The construction is impossible, even behind bauxite walls. It's too delicate a process now."

"So it's pre-cataclysmic?" Mason asked, "What the hell?"

"Russian," Jim said, "Brings back some bad memories, Mase. It's a part of a nuclear trigger, same type that killed Claire in Siberia when we were first getting started. I'd like to know how the hell it got here. Russia has been gone for well over two millennia."

"He must have found another set of bombs," Mason told him, "I doubt that blast was nuclear though, if it was those pieces would have vaporized, not lodged in your head."

"Didn't go critical," Jim said, "Only explanation. Either that or it was only a casing. Think Bolantine is trying to replicate nuclear technology in a post-cataclysmic age?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," Mason agreed, "But why?"

"Trump card," Jim said, "For the next war?"

"That war is now," Mason told him, "He invaded the Mavelans a couple days ago. It's not going well for him so far."

"Which makes this even more dangerous," Jim told him, "Should we tell the Mullinix?"

"Not yet," Mason said, "We need to know more and there is little they can do with the information. You and I are probably going to have to head south soon and see if we can find out more about this."

"Right," Jim sighed, "Think the Mullinix can stop him?"

"Hopefully they'll do a better job than we did," Mason said as he shrugged his shoulders and handed Jim a drink, "How the hell did we let him get this far?"

"We're good," Jim said as he downed the drink, "But he was doing this long before us. It was inevitable that he would manage to get something together we couldn't destroy on our own."

"Right," Mason said, shaking his head, "Maybe we can help the Mullinix bring him down, once and for all."

"We'll see," Jim agreed, "Let's go reintroduce me, shall we?"

Mason nodded and the two of them left to go join the war planners.

Chapter 126 - Mail

Corie paced in the room he'd been given reading public reports on how the war was going. He was disappointed that Bolantine had used him in that way after all he'd done for the Empire, but it didn't surprise him very much. Gratitude was something that didn't count for much in the upper echelons of the Bolantine government.

He was halfway through the recounting of the Mavelan attack on the Bolantine third when he heard a knock on the door. Corie opened it up and was surprised to find Medoferro standing there alone, using a set of crutches to get around.

"Medoferro," Corie said, "I'm surprised to see you here."

"We need to talk," Medoferro said, "Mind if I sit down?"

"Please," Corie told him, "This is your house after all."

"It belongs to the Mullinix people," Medoferro reminded him as he lowered himself on to the chair slowly, "Unlike your home nation, we work for the people, not the other way around."

"Yes," Corie agreed, "I've noticed that. It's a mindset that Bolantine can't understand. That part of him is missing."

"Not surprising," Medoferro growled, "Any man who can order total war against a population like he did against the Mavelans is not human."

"He hasn't been human for millennia," Corie said, "So what do you want to talk to me about?"

"You need to make a choice," Medoferro told him, "And you need to make it quickly."

"What choice?" Corie asked him.

"You have one more chance to leave," Medoferro told him, "As far as I'm concerned we're even. You don't owe us anything."

"I leave now I wear a target for the rest of my life," Corie told him, "I left to stop Marina. She wasn't the problem though, just a symptom of it. These wars won't stop until Bolantine is removed from power."

"If you stay for this, you're in until the end," Medoferro told him, studying the former stooge for signs of deceit, "I can't afford you to have information that could allow you to go back home."

"I don't want to go there anyway," Corie told him, "The only family I have back there is a girlfriend that I'm almost positive works for Bolantine's secret police force. Even if I could get back without getting killed for my failure, I don't believe I'd want to."

"I was hoping you felt that way," Medoferro smiled as he detected no deceit at all from him, "You have knowledge that I need. We're about to convene for a strategy meeting. We've already pardoned you for the Siraqi issue. Now we'd like to employ you. We're down two Mullinix representatives. Pay sucks and the hours are long, but for the present I'd like to offer you the chance to put your skills to work."

"I'm in," Corie said, shaking the Mullinix's hand, "Even if it proves to be short-term."

"Prove yourself and you can keep the job," Medoferro told him, "Even if we win this war we'll likely need someone who knows that region."

"That's what I call incentive," Corie smiled, "Let's go figure out how to put my old boss out of business."

Corie assisted Medoferro up and the two men walked to the Mullinix office. Kyrie, Trina, Simon, Stacy and Copeland were already there going over the large map that they'd set up to keep track of the intelligence that was coming in hourly over the line to Mavelan City.

"Welcome," Trinaferro told Corie, "I guess you took the job?"

"Yes," Corie nodded, "I have a lot at stake. If you lose the war and I'm caught, I have nothing but a painful execution to look forward to. Not to mention if Bolantine wins even a minor victory we'll be at this again in a few years."

"It's time to put a stop to him," Medoferro agreed, "No more half measures. We don't stop this until we drive them out of the Mavelans and preferably back to Bolantinople."

"Going to be an interesting road," Copeland said, "The Mavelan intel people only have vague knowledge of where the rest of the Bolantine armies are."

"I can help with that," Corie told them as he reviewed the map, "They're probably dead wrong on the location of the second, reasonably right on the first."

"Where were they when you left?" Stacy asked, her military training telling her that the location of reinforcements was paramount.

"Because of the costs, the second army's command was moved southeast to Bolantine Forward Command," Corie told them, "It's further away from the border, but the climate is far more temperate. Easier to keep people warm and cool and the train tracks don't fall apart as badly."

"How did we not know this?" Kyrie wondered aloud, "That was a major move."

"It was a subtle shift," Corie told them, "And it was only due to fully take effect this month. They likely hadn't finished yet. Bolantine rarely considers the second to be anything more than a support army, especially after how bad they got hit in the first Mavelan war..."

"Wait," Trinaferro said, slightly confused, "I thought the second was the one held on the Sotan border."

"The numbers change every five years or so," Corie told them, "The second is what you knew as the Sand Riders twenty years ago. The third is the Bolantinople forces, the ones who didn't fight twenty years ago. The first is the remains of the forces that your troops beat outside Mavelan City. They were moved closer to Bolantinople to get more of the hardcore Bolantines in there."

"That's rather insane," Stacy said, "But I don't expect more out of them."

"So how long until any of them hit?" Copeland asked, looking at the map, "Reports put what's left of the third massing towards Alanaris. We've got reinforcements heading that way, but nothing major until the Gottgol group gets down there."

"He'll hold the first in case of Sotan invasion," Corie told them, "The readiness reports on the second are terrible and they are probably even worse than the reports say. He will bring them in if he has to, but it won't be quick and they won't be terribly effective."

"They may not have to be," Medoferro noted, "A good force of a thousand and an inept one of twice that may be enough to stage a breakthrough."

"If only we could get in on their communications," Kyrie said, looking at the overview, "These reports are all vague. If we knew where the hell they were going we could get our people in place."

Copeland thought about that for a second. He looked over at Corie and wondered if he actually knew anything about their communications. Reading the enemy's mail can often be worth a full battalion of men.

"I know they don't have a line network," Copeland asked Corie, "What the hell do they use for communications? They can't have a line network like ours. Takes too much Bauxite to run the cabling."

"Pressure tube network," Corie told him, "Cheaper to run, reasonable to maintain and quicker than messengers."

"Same thing the Sotans use," Simon said, "I saw them when Charissa and I went over to see Harmon last year. Not as quick as our lines but much cheaper to maintain."

"Still vulnerable," Medoferro said thoughtfully, "I'd imagine it wouldn't be difficult to tap and intercept if we could get someone behind the lines."

"Wouldn't do any good," Corie told them, "They use a binary code system. Hard as hell to crack."

"Do you know the code?" Copeland wondered, "Even delayed information could be useful."

"No one man knows both," Corie said, "I only know what's known as the Emperor's code. Their messages are sent in a double wrapped layer. Emperor's code is the internal one. The Empress's code is the other type. They're careful about who they give it to and make sure that if you get it then none of your friends has the other half."

"Which type do field agents usually get?" Kyrie asked, "The one you have?"

"No," Corie said, "I got this because I was with Bolantine for so long in Siraq. Most of the time field agents get the Empress's code if they get it at all."

"What are you thinking, Kyrie?" Medoferro asked.

"Corinne d'Abruzzi," Kyrie said without missing a beat, "We have her sitting in a cell here."

"Who is she?" Corie asked, "That agent we were chasing with the fake Mullinix?"

"She was the agent who was running Viradoferro," Copeland confirmed, "She also kept that son of a bitch from killing me out there while we were waiting for the rescue ship."

"They usually give deep cover operatives the Empress's code because it's the outer wrapping," Corie told them, "Thing is, the deep cover operatives are usually highly indoctrinated. What makes you think she's willing to turn?"

"She has nothing to go back to," Copeland said simply, "Her sister died here trying to kill us. She killed her agent instead of helping protect him. We even offered to let her go once we got to shore. She refused and said our execution methods were more palatable than what awaited if she went home after that."

"She may turn then," Corie acknowledged, "If she knows the other half we can read the messages if we can actually get them. They watch those lines carefully and the messages are crafted with care."

"Could you forge messages?" Kyrie asked him, "If we had both ends of the code?"

"It would take both of us on site," Corie said, "We'd have to tap into the Bolanpyris line and do live intercepts. They'd notice anything else."

"What are you thinking, Kyrie?" Copeland asked her, "You have a plan?"

"Yes," Kyrie nodded, "How long before the Sotan offensive?"

"They're holding until the third totally commits to the battlefield," Simon told them, "Probably another couple days."

"What if we got the Bolantines fighting each other instead of us?" Kyrie asked them, "Corie, do the first and second armies know each other?"

"No," Corie said, "Some people in them would know, but likely their commanders don't know them."

"Think anyone would question an order for the first to move east?" Kyrie asked him, "And an order for the second to move west?"

"Doubtful," Corie admitted, "The tactical moves tend to come out of Bolantine or Nikki. Since both of them are in Bolanpyris we could give them whatever orders we wanted if we could take control of the line."

"That's a dangerous plan," Trinaferro told Kyrie, "It requires sending a team behind lines."

"I'll do it," Corie told them, "If we can convince the other girl at least."

"I'm in," Copeland told them, "A small force should be able to skip around the lines."

"You're going to need power users," Simon said, "I'll go too."

"I'd go," Medoferro admitted, "But I'd slow you down with the knee."

"I'll go too," Stacy said, "I know military tactics and should be able to help make use of the information we pull."

"I'll go as well," Kyrie said, "I'm a power user and can give Mullinix level orders."

"Out of the question," Trinaferro told her, "We can't replace you if something goes badly."

"She's right," Medoferro said, "You can go to Mavelan City to be my eyes and ears, but no farther. We can't have you running behind the lines."

"But..." Kyrie started and then thought better of it, "I won't fight on that right now. Think Mason will go?"

"Probably," Medoferro said, "Jim too if he's awake before you leave."

"Next job is to convince Corinne," Kyrie said, "Who gets that job?"

"I do," Copeland said without hesitation, "Though I might need Corie for that."

"Of course," Corie nodded, "Whenever you're ready."

"No time like the present," Medoferro said, "I'd say meeting adjourned. I'm going to go spend some time on the line with Pirotase to get a better feel for things."

"I have a two-week backlog of cases," Trinaferro sighed, "You guys handle that, I'll do the grunt work."

There was a grunt of agreement and they all went their own ways.

Chapter 127 - Offensive

Nikki was going over some status reports as Bolantine finally woke up from the injuries he had received on the battlefield. He looked up and realized that the battle must not have gone well from the look on Nikki's face. He stood up and checked himself out, glad to see he'd regenerated as normal.

"About time you woke up," Nikki said, "It's not been a good day."

"How long have I been out?" Bolantine asked her.

"Fourteen hours," Nikki told him, "Enough time to figure out we lost half of the third in that mess."

"Great," Bolantine said, "Where are they now?"

"Reforming the ranks," Nikki told him, "Luckily their resources were thinned by this as well."

"Not enough," Bolantine said, "That was a gambit I didn't expect from them. I wonder who thought of that and got it off the ground."

"Our spies say Lister Black is running the combined force along with a smattering of Mavelan Generals," Nikki told them, "No sign of the Sotans yet."

"That scares me right there," Bolantine sighed, "Do we know where their main armies are?"

"No," Nikki said, "And that annoys me. I've got orders out to find that out. Probably will be a week before we know."

"What do you want to do?" Bolantine asked her.

"I want to start the second into readiness," Nikki said, "No movement yet, but I want them ready to go. I don't want to have to wait for reinforcements if we can't break through."

"Give the order," Bolantine agreed, "Then we use what's left of the third to try a breakthrough. If we can get that mine and hold that area, we can bring this to a stalemate and likely stop this thing to prevent a full scale battle."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Nikki said, "If it gets that close it won't be pretty."

"War rarely is," Bolantine reminded her, "It's necessary to our greater goals."

"And a bit of fun too," Nikki grinned evilly, "I'm going to push our scouts some more. You get yourself together and catch up on the reports."

"Fair enough," Bolantine said, "I'll be up to speed soon."

Chapter 128 - Holding Cells

Kyrie, Copeland and Corie stopped walking outside the holding cell section. Copeland looked at them and sighed a little bit. He was a bit nervous about how to handle this. They were about to ask someone to do something that neither Kyrie nor Copeland would ever be willing to do themselves.

"How do we handle it?" Copeland wondered, "Corie, you've gone through it. How did you come to the decision to turn against all you've known?"

"I came to the realization that my own country was wrong," Corie said simply, "If she is to turn, she will need to come to the same conclusion. Considering what you told us happened out on the wreckage, she may have already come to that conclusion."

"I think you should start alone," Kyrie suggested to Copeland, "You're the driving force behind this anyway and you're the one who has the biggest reason to want to help her."

"I agree," Corie nodded, "It's a personal decision and if we all go in it will look like we're pushing her. You will likely have better luck alone."

"Why do I feel bad in doing this?" Copeland wondered.

"Because you're asking her to do something you couldn't fathom doing," Corie told him, "But you have a different situation. You weren't raised in a nation run by a madman."

"Right," Copeland agreed, "I have to keep that in mind. I'm going in."

"We'll wait out here," Kyrie said, "If you need either of us, come on out and get us."

Copeland nodded and walked into the hallway. The guard looked up and saw that it was a Mullinix Rep. Copeland nodded at the guard and silently motioned for him to take a break. When the guard left Copeland took the chair over to the end cell where Corinne d'Abruzzi was sitting silently staring at the wall.

"They told me you refused the offer of books," Copeland said as he sat down, "Not bored enough to read?"

"Only books are Mullinix in nature," Corinne said, "Don't really want to think about that right now."

"I gave you the opportunity to leave," Copeland said, "I could do so again."

"You need someone to blame for the mess," Corinne said, "You can't put Vlad out to dry now."

"Kyrie already did," Copeland told her, "She went up on stage during the ascension ceremony and told the world the whole sordid mess."

"Then you can't let me go," Corinne said, "Not without risking a riot."

"You were barely mentioned," Copeland said, "Besides, that's not why I'm here."

"Then why are you here?" Corinne asked, "To gloat?"

"Far from it," Copeland said, "I came to ask you a question."

"What?" Corinne asked, moving to the cell door and looking at Copeland.

"Why did you decide to stop supporting him?" Copeland asked, "Now that you've had a chance to think about it."

"Answer hasn't changed," Corinne said, "I did it for me. Because I didn't want to be responsible for any further damage he caused."

"Do you want the chance to atone?" Copeland asked her.

"That's why I'm here," Corinne shrugged, "Only way I can atone at this point."

"I can think of other ways," Copeland told her, "For instance, do you know the Emperor's code or the Empress' code?"

"You have a good source somewhere," Corinne said, "All field agents learn the Empress code. Good luck in finding someone to turn that knows the Emperor's code. Only high ranking army officers or personal servants to Bolantine know that one."

"We already have one," Copeland said, "With both of you, we can go down there and read his mail. I assume you heard the guards talking about the war."

"That stupid mission up north was nothing more than misdirection," Corinne sighed, "I should have guessed that. Are they winning?"

"Not yet," Copeland said, "I'd like to stop them from doing so."

"You want me to go against my whole nation?" Corinne asked, "Is that it?"

"I want you to help stop this war," Copeland replied, "We don't want to destroy your nation, Corinne. We just want them to stop trying to take over the world."

"Even if we break the code all we'll get is orders," Corinne said, "What good will that do?"

"We intend to alter them," Copeland said, "Maybe if we can screw up their plans we can stop the war."

"Risky," Corinne said, "I've heard tell of Bolantine's generals knowing how he speaks and writes. That could easily backfire."

"Corie lived with him for several years," Copeland smiled, "He wrote the orders for a while."

"You turned Corie?" Corinne asked, surprised by that one, "He's been in the upper echelons longer than we've been alive."

"He turned himself," Copeland shrugged, "Walked up to us in Gottgol Road because he was sickened by what he saw Marina do."

"Lady M?" Corinne said, visibly growling, "She's the reason I'm here in this mess."

"She's blind, crippled and powerless in the sanitarium," Copeland promised, "She's a victim just as you are. Bolantine is the enemy here, Corinne. You have the power to help. Do you want to take that step?"

"Corie huh?" Corinne said thoughtfully, "Can I talk to him?"

"Sure," Copeland said, surprising her completely, "I figured that would be coming. He's right outside."

Copeland walked out the door and Corie walked in a moment later. She was surprised that they trusted him enough to leave her alone with him. Her handlers had fed her so much misinformation during her formative years that she no longer knew who to trust.

"So you're the product of Lady M's school," Corie said as he walked in and sat down, "They treating you well in here?"

"No one has talked to me except you and Copeland," Corinne said, "I never would have believed it. You of all people?"

"I didn't believe it myself," Corie agreed as he looked at the young woman, "But you've got the benefit of a world view as good as I had. Surely you can see that most of what you were taught was bullshit."

"I did my job," Corinne said defiantly, "I didn't turn."

"You know why I turned?" Corie asked her, "It wasn't just Lady M and her insane plan, though that was the final straw."

"What?" Corinne asked him, "Morality?"

"These," Corie said, handing her the old pieces of paper that he still kept, "I kept these from my time in Siraq with his infernal majesty. I didn't know why I kept them, but I've had them for over twenty years now."

Corinne read the treatise that had been written by Insegniferro so many years before. She had read similar but had been taught all her life that it was garbage, but her time with Viradoferro had taught her one thing about the Mullinix and that was that most of them were honest. Medoferro was as fair as any man she'd ever met and Copeland was definitely cut from the same cloth.

"You bet your life on aged words?" Corinne asked him.

"I bet that if those words weren't true then life wasn't worth going on with," Corie told her, "Our home nation is rotten to the core, starting right with the immortal madman right at the top. They won't stop until they gobble the world up, one piece at a time. They don't deserve our loyalty."

"But they made us..."

"What did they make us, Corinne?" Corie interrupted her, "They made you an accessory to murder. They made me an expendable pawn to be used to divert away from another war. And this war? They are slaughtering Mavelan people by the thousands and would be killing more if they hadn't already evacuated the border area. Total war, Corinne. Against a people who had never attacked him. Is that right?"

"Of course not," Corinne sighed, "But what about the old adage, My country, right or wrong?"

"Makes about as much sense as saying 'My Mother, drunk or sober'," Corie countered, "Our nation is wrong. Most of our brethren are too brainwashed to throw off the Bolantine yoke. You know better. And you and I working as a team can help stop them."

"I have nothing to go back to," Corinne sighed, "If I agree to this, what is left for me?"

"Our pride," Corie shrugged, "The ability to look yourself in the mirror again. When is the last time you looked in the mirror and liked what you saw?"

"It's been a while," Corinne admitted, "Get Copeland and Kyrie. I'll do it. Are you sure you can hold up your end?"

"Yes," Corie said as he stood up and opened the door, "So long as you know the empress code I can write the messages and do the emperor coding."

"You in, Corinne?" Kyrie asked as she walked in.

"Yes," Corinne sighed, "If you'll trust me that much."

"You saved my life," Copeland said, "And we were friends before. You can't help your circumstances. The important part is to get past them."

"Then let's do it," Corinne said with a half smile, "You've got your code."

"Let's get some food in you," Kyrie told Corinne as she opened the door, "We'll discuss details while we eat."

Chapter 129 - Hold the Line

Pirotase Black had aged ten years in the past two days. She hadn't slept very much and Lister saw the strain on his wife as he walked into the room. She was going over a report with a glass of Mullinix Wine in her hand. He smiled as he went over and poured himself a glass and sat down with her.

"Please tell me you have some good news," Pirotase said without looking up, "I could use some right now."

"The lines are steady," Lister told her as he swished the wine around the glass, "If Randy's sources are to be believed the third is reforming still."

"That's better," Pirotase sighed, "I'd be happier if you told me some help was coming."

"How about five thousand troops from Gottgol?" Lister smiled and then took a sip, "Probably in the next forty-eight hours."

"What the hell?" Pirotase said, looking up to see if he was joking, "You're kidding?"

"Nope," Lister told her, "Just got off the line with Trinaferro. Gottgol showed up at the border with a full volunteer brigade asking for transportation to the front lines. Seems they're pissed at Bolantine for releasing that horde into their territory and want some payback."

"I'll take any help I can get," Pirotase told him, "Erican is doing what he does best, recruiting for the defense. Thing is, those are going to be green troops and Bolantine's worst are better than that."

"The Mullinix have more people flooding in," Lister told her, "Trinaferro said they may have some more tricks up their sleeve. Not to mention the Sotan attack that is impending."

"I can only hope," Pirotase sighed, "I wish I could do more."

"You're doing all you can," Lister assured her, "So am I. We're not the front line people we were twenty years ago. We've got new responsibilities."

"Yeah," Pirotase sighed and looked at her husband, "Why did I agree to take this job again?"

"Because if you didn't Erican would be running things," Lister grinned, "And we'd be hauling ass to Mullinix with the Bolantines on our tails."

"Right," Pirotase said and gulped down her wine, "I feel bad going to sleep while our boys are fighting."

"Rest is a weapon," Lister reminded her, "You're due for a public address in the morning. The people need to know someone is in charge. I'll handle the line duties. You get some sleep."

"Ok," She nodded, "I have no idea what I will say."

"Tell the truth," Lister suggested, "It's all we have."

"Thanks," Pirotase smiled and moved over to the couch where Lister was sitting, "Can I lay down here with you while you read?"

"Of course," Lister smiled, "Hand me the report and you can sleep all you like."

Pirotase handed him the latest field reports and laid her head down on his lap. She smiled and curled her tall lanky frame up on the couch, falling asleep quickly as Lister wondered how they were going to hold the lines.

Chapter 130 - Planning

Medoferro looked at his son as he debated in his head whether the risks were worth the rewards of their plan. It meant sending several highly qualified people behind the lines at high risk, but it also gave them a chance at striking a possibly mortal wound to the global ambitions of the Bolantine Empire.

"Are you guys sure you can do this?" Medoferro asked the group, "This is not a trivial undertaking."

"A small group can move down there easier than an army," Copeland said, "Corie and Corinne know the culture and both are power users. Simon and I know offensive power use for protection. Stacy knows tactics and hand to hand. Lister Black should be able to get us a reliable guide that knows the current circumstances."

"Simon," Trinaferro said, "I need you to go to Serenik instead of on this. Charissa will meet you up there. I need you to talk to the Serenians to keep them off the Gottgol border."

"Why me?" Simon asked, "I'm not a good diplomat."

"Charissa is meeting you there," Trinaferro told him, "She'll be the diplomat, but you have the status and she won't go alone to deal with her homeland, you know that."

"Fair enough," Simon sighed, "Sorry guys."

"That's important too," Kyrie said, "We need to keep the Serenians at home as well."

"If you can talk them into sending a force down, please do so," Medoferro suggested to Simon, "I will go down to Cirrus to have some more authority closer."

"I'm still going to Mavelan City," Kyrie said resolutely, "I promised that I would and I intend to keep that promise to our people."

"So long as you stay there," Trinaferro instructed, "I have no way to replace you, which means we can't risk you."

"That's part of what I'm working on," Medoferro said, "I'll be working out new checks and balances for the Mullinix selection system."

"Include photographs," Corinne suggested, "A photograph with a checkpoint system would have made our jobs much harder."

"That's likely going to be part of it," Medoferro admitted, "We also need to figure out how to rebuild the house staff."

"There's one thing we need you to do," Corie told Medoferro, "We need you to pump Lady M for information. She had unfettered access to the upper cores of the Bolantine government, much more than I did. She was basically Nikki's pet power user for nearly twenty years."

"It won't be a pleasant talk," Medoferro sighed, "But it should probably be me."

"What equipment do you need?" Trinaferro asked.

"Very little," Corie said, "We'll need someone mechanically inclined, but we'll have to get all the equipment on the other side of the line. I doubt I could get the pieces we need up here."

"I think Jim is awake," Trinaferro said, "Think he'd do it?"

"We'll ask him and Mason," Medoferro agreed, "They'd be the optimal choices and least risky."

"Who asks them?" Copeland asked.

"I will," Medoferro said, "Mason wanted to talk to me anyway."

"I think we have a plan," Kyrie smiled, "What do you think of its chances of success?"

"Slim," Corie said, "But those odds will increase as we get the pieces together."

"And if we can get through the lines," Corinne reminded them, "The secret police will be all over the border area."

"I've got a line call to Pirotase in an hour," Trinaferro said, "I'll have her get Lister on the task of finding a proper guide for you."

There wasn't much more to do at this point but prepare. Trinaferro dismissed the meeting and everyone went about getting their stuff together. The last train to Cirrus was due to leave in an hour and they wanted to get this crew on to it.

Chapter 131 - The Kaiden Project

Medoferro walked into the room where Jim and Mason were sitting and was gratified to see both immortals speaking intelligently again. Thankfully Jim's problem wasn't permanent.

"Medo!" Jim said as he jumped up and shook his hand, "Nice to see you again."

"At least you remember me," Medoferro grinned, "Feeling better now?"

"Much," Jim said, "We have a bit to talk about."

"I figured as much," Medoferro said, "We have a plan that we want to discuss with you as well."

"Let's start with your plan," Mason said, "Then we'll see if what we wanted to talk about is relevant."

Medoferro relayed the basic plan proposed by Copeland and Kyrie. It took a few minutes to explain but both Mason and Jim were impressed with the finesse and sheer artistry of the idea.

"I take it they want us to tag along?" Mason said, "As backup?"

"You know Bolantine better than anyone," Medoferro agreed, "Jim is also the best mechanic on the planet."

"I should be able to do the job," Jim said, "But we have another potentially nasty problem."

"That chip we found embedded in your head?" Medoferro asked, knowing that it could be a problem, "Has Bolantine broken some new ground?"

"Old ground actually," Jim told him, "They're pre-cataclysmic. He must have found another base like they did in Siraq. Luckily the one we triggered wasn't nuclear. But given the type of chip it is they likely have a nuclear one somewhere."

"If they figured out how to move that from the ground," Medoferro said, suddenly very scared, "That's not good."

"We need to know more," Mason agreed, "Luckily, it seems that you may have the key to finding out more sitting in a sanitarium down the road."

"Marina," Medoferro said, putting two and two together, "Why am I not surprised?"

"Power use is well suited for studying those things," Jim told him, "And she wouldn't have had any moral qualms about the project."

"She hasn't had a moral qualm since she was a teenager," Medoferro grunted, "Just goes to show how dumb a young man can be."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Jim grinned, "I'm the one who trained her, remember?"

"Regardless," Mason said, cutting off this string of regret, "We need to know more about the Kaiden Project. That's the name of the project papers we found. Unfortunately, one of us set off an empty bomb casing before we could find out much else."

"We think he might have a real one that's usable," Jim told him, "But we don't know anything more."

"You want me to pump her for information?" Medoferro sighed, "Right?"

"Yes," Mason said simply, "It could be important information."

"I'll do it," Medoferro agreed, "I had planned on talking to her anyway, but if they have something like that it is something we need to consider."

"Keep the information quiet," Mason suggested, "We don't want to start a panic."

"I'll tell Trinaferro but no one else," Medoferro agreed, "How will I get you the information?"

"We'll go with them down to Mavelan City," Mason said, "You have a line there now, right?"

Medoferro nodded. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation with Marina.

"Medo," Jim said, "Do you know the trick that Nikki used on Marina to give her the illusion of love?"

"No," Medoferro said, "Should I?"

"It might make her easier to pump for information," Mason admitted, "Let me show you real quick."

Mason spent about ten minutes showing Medo how to morph the power in the way he needed. Medoferro hoped it wouldn't become necessary because he felt dirty every time he tried that.

"Doesn't feel good to do, does it?" Mason asked him.

"I'd prefer to avoid it," Medoferro admitted, "But if it comes down to it, I will use it to get this information."

"Good," Jim said, "We'll do a line conference with you when we get there. You should be able to get something by then?"

"I'll go over before I head down to Cirrus," Medoferro promised, "I should have some news by the time you get to Mavelan City."

"That's all we can ask," Mason nodded, "Ready to go back into action, Jim?"

"Beats the sanitarium by a long shot," Jim grinned, "Let's do it."

While Mason and Jim got ready for the trip Medoferro walked down to the office where Trinaferro was sitting and going through the daily paperwork generated by the Mullinix Empire. She looked up at him and wondered why he had such a serious look on his face.

"They going?" Trinaferro asked him.

"You knew they would," Medoferro said, "The group of them are heading to Mavelan City in a bit. I'm just a bit worried about how this is going to play out."

"Kyrie going with them to Mavelan City?" Trinaferro asked, "Or are you forcing her to go with a separate security contingent."

"She's going with them," Medoferro said, "You know she'd find a way anyway."

"Better to have her go with them," Trinaferro sighed, "I don't like it."

"Insegniferro didn't like it when I went to Cirrus alone either," Medoferro said, "Or Siraq for that matter."

"And you nearly got killed both times!" Trinaferro said, "We can't replace her easily."

"I've got a plan for that," Medoferro said, "The new term starts in three weeks anyway. I've tested the three assistants that Sascha had, all of them are clean. This time we'll have any candidates checked by the local guard units and I've already ordered photos be taken for graduation requirements. We won't get burned the same way again."

"I still don't like it," Trinaferro sighed, "But you're right, better to build up her confidence and have her go with the most qualified people."

"Exactly," Medoferro said, "Besides, there may be more at stake than a simple misdirection plot."

Trinaferro looked up at him and wondered what he meant by that. He sat down next to her and told her all about the Kaiden Project, just as Mason and Jim had told him a bit earlier. That sat her bolt upright in her chair and sent a chill down her spine.

"Do you think they're right?" Trinaferro asked him.

"I don't know," Medoferro admitted, "It wouldn't surprise me. Also, if they have something like that, you think they'd hesitate to use it on us if we were the architect of their nation's dissolution?"

"Not in a heartbeat," Trina said, holding back a few choice curse words that were on the tip of her tongue, "When will they get there?"

"About ten hours," Medoferro told them, "Probably get to the border at the same time as the Gottgol contingent."

"They'll take gearbikes the rest of the way," Trinaferro sighed, "I feel helpless, you know that?"

"I know," Medoferro agreed, "I'm going to go do the only useful thing I can with my knee like this."

"Marina," Trinaferro sighed, "I thought that was a wound from the past."

"So did I," Medoferro said, "But she's in a place where she can no longer hurt anyone else."

"Except you," Trinaferro reminded him and kissed his cheek, "Don't let her do that, ok?"

Medoferro nodded. He didn't want to think about that. He worried a bit about what the next days would bring. Trinaferro sat with him and knew that Kyrie took after them as much as her son did. They wouldn't give up or follow orders if they thought they could do better. She just hoped that Copeland and Kyrie would live through it like Medoferro did.

Chapter 132 - Serenik

Charissa stepped off the train in Serenik and stretched out. She'd been traveling pretty much every day for the past week, so the redirection order was a bit perplexing. She wasn't so much surprised at being redirected but more at being redirected to the north instead of down to the Mavelans.

"Chrissie!" Simon Sutcliffe yelled, "Over here!"

She smiled at that one and walked over to her long time partner and hugged him tightly. Simon kissed her softly and took her hand as soon as he let her go. She was happy to see him, but still a bit curious as to why they were reuniting in Serenik instead of Mullinix Centre.

"What's going on?" Charissa asked, "Please tell me my former countrymen haven't picked the world's worst time to start something?"

"They've been quiet," Simon told her, "The Gottgol government has sent a large battalion down south. They asked us to talk to the Serenians and get them to back off their border."

"Won't happen as long as they hold the disputed area," Charissa sighed, "They're stubborn about that."

"Maybe we should try to take care of that while we're here?" Simon suggested, "Got any ideas on how to make them see reason on that one?"

"They consider any practicing Serenian a citizen," Charissa reminded him as they walked to the government house, "There are people in both zones that would prefer to be Serenian."

"And people in both who would prefer to be in Gottgol," Simon grumbled, "So we need to figure out a way to defuse this situation."

She nodded and gripped his hand tightly. They walked together into the government house and sat down at the table. Food was already there as Simon had arranged for a meal to be set out for tem as soon as the train came into town.

It had been too long since they'd spent time together, so they spent some time going over the events that both of them had gone through. Charissa marveled at the tale of what happened in Gottgol and Simon shook his head at the impulsiveness of the new Sotan king. The elephant in the room, however, was what to do to keep the Serenians out of the disputed zone.

"What about a relocation program?" Simon said finally, "Similar to what we did in Siraq twenty years ago?"

"But how do we do the demarcation line?" Charissa asked, "The maps aren't as clear cut?"

"Seregol," Simon suggested, "It's right in the middle of the two zones. Which zone is a higher percentage Serenian?"

"North," Charissa said, "To the tune of 90 percent that are highly discriminated against."

"South side?" Medoferro asked.

"Fifteen percent at best," Charissa said, "Held down by similar force."

"So we suggest switching the zones," Simon suggested, "Anyone who doesn't want to live in the zone they're in can switch sides or come to Mullinix on our dime. That way we stabilize that region and can concentrate on putting the Bolantine problem behind us."

"Let's try it," Charissa shrugged, "Luckily they hate Bolantine as much as we do, so they'll likely agree to at least keep out of it."

"If they want to send troops south we won't stop them," Simon said, "But I'll settle for them staying home."

"So long as I never have to live there again, so be it," Charissa nodded, "Who are we meeting with and when?"

"Marlintic Sernak," Simon smiled, "Your uncle. That's why they wanted you here. You've got good timing. We meet him in another 30 minutes."

"Who do I need to curse out?" Charissa asked crossly, "Medo or Trina?"

"Both," Simon shrugged, "Trina is mainly handling domestic work right now, Medo is handling foreign affairs. Kyrie is on her way down south to take up station Mavelan City."

"Fine," Charissa sighed, "Which side of the line?"

"The usual meeting shack," Simon told her, "They don't want us there, we don't want them here."

"Let's get this over with," Charissa said crossly, "I don't like Marlintic or any of the rest of my family."

They went to the traditional meeting point for relations between the Mullinix and Serenians. It was a building in a clearing that neatly bisected the centuries old border fence that ran through this region. The building wasn't the best-kept structure in either country, but it was cleaned daily in case it was ever needed.

Simon and Charissa walked through alone, wanting to show a sign of trust. Marlintic Sernak wanted to show no such thing so he came in with enough guards to make their end of the building a bit crowded. Simon and Charissa looked at each other and had to bite their lips to avoid laughing at the rather comical display.

"Good day, Uncle," Charissa said, bowing respectfully to him, "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us."

"The Supreme Leader is very interested in what is happening down south," Marlintic said and then looked at his guards, "There is no danger here. Go."

Marlintic studied Charissa and Simon intently as his guards filed out. He realized that Mullinix had been good to her, better than the time in Siraq had been. He knew that they had something to talk with as southern policy was not generally a subject the Mullinix consulted a Serenian representative on.

"Thank you," Simon told the older man, "I know this was set up on short notice."

"I've heard about what is happening," Marlintic told them, "And the mess in that nation of infidels to our west."

"That's why we're here," Simon told him, "Bolantine has started another war and this one is going to be bad. They also perpetrated an unprovoked act of war on the Gottgol People."

"We've heard about that," Marlintic nodded, "Have you proven it was Bolantine in origin?"

"A Bolantine officer turned," Simon smiled, "We know for sure. As such, the Gottgol government is sending troops down south."

"I see," Marlintic sighed, "And you're asking us not to take advantage of the situation to get our people back?"

"Not exactly," Charissa said, "We'd like to see this particular conflict end. It isn't doing any good for either of you."

"Tell them to release our land," Marlintic said, "And it's over. They won't do it."

"I'm looking for resolution," Simon told him, "I have a proposal that might prove to be advantageous to both sides."

"I'm surprised you didn't send Suvorov for this," Marlintic said, "He's had more experience talking with us on this stuff."

"Suvorov died a few days ago in an explosion caused by those Bolantine lunatics," Simon told him, "Along with another hundred Mullinix Sailors."

"That is a shame," Marlintic said, actually sounding sincere in that, "He was an adversary for many years, but always an honorable one. I will listen to your proposal, but promise no more than that."

"That's all I ask," Simon replied, "Let me lay out the idea for you."

Simon and Charissa spent the next hour or so laying out the idea that they'd put together. Marlintic was actually receptive to it, he was as sick of the constant border squabbles as they were. He also added a few wrinkles that were going to make it more acceptable to the theocratic leader of Serenia without materially changing the plan.

"If we could get this through Gottgol do you think you'd be able to push it on your side?" Charissa asked her uncle.

"Yes," Marlintic said, "I think so. You proved you were honest during the Siraqi cession."

"We don't hope to gain anything other than a peaceful border from it," Simon assured him, "We have enough problems down south."

"Do you have plans for the reconstruction?" Marlintic asked them.

"We want to win the war," Simon shrugged, "Other than restoring the original Mavelan borders, we don't have any plans."

"We have forces that are restless," Marlintic posed, "If we sent down a two battalion force would we be able to take territory for the glory of our Supreme Leader?"

Simon and Charissa looked at each other, surprised by the offer. Simon didn't even know what to think of that. Initially, he was repulsed by the thought, but he knew that two more battalions could spell the difference between a draw and kicking their butts back to Bolantinople. Simon had to think carefully about his response.

"Our only territorial goal is to restore the Mavelan nation to its pre-Bolantine lines," Simon said finally, "So long as you do it south of the old border and outside the old Damascan borders, we don't care. Frankly, we'd rather have you there than the Bolantines."

"Will you provide safe passage?" Marlintic asked, knowing he could use this as an excuse to exercise a restless army and set up a profitable outpost in the south.

"We will provide you passage down south," Simon nodded, "We'll even set up a train run just as we did for the Gottgol troops."

"Let me put it to the Supreme Leader," Marlintic said, "I will be back by nightfall."

"We'll spend the rest of the day here," Charissa promised and then looked closely at her Uncle, "Why are you doing this to help infidels?"

"Evil is Evil, Charissa," Marlintic said simply, "We're still dealing with the wounds that Bolantine inflicted on the old Siraqi lands. We have many men who would love nothing more than to kill as many Bolantine Soldiers as they can and would consider it a personal service to God."

"I understand," Charissa nodded, "Thank you, Uncle."

"On a personal note," Marlintic said, looking at Charissa directly for the first time, "Are you happy in Mullinix?"

"Yes," Charissa said with a smile, "I am free here, something I could never have been at home."

"We should have let you emigrate," Marlintic nodded, "It would have been less painful, but we needed that treaty at the time."

"That's in the past," Charissa said, growing a little cold at the memory, "You couldn't have foreseen Bolantine. It came out for the best. I am who I am now and with a man I dearly love. What more could I want?"

"Good," Marlintic nodded, "I will be back soon. God be with you."

Simon and Charissa nodded solemnly and didn't insult him by pretending to be a believer. They walked out of the building and made their way back to the government house, still registering surprise at what had transpired.

"Wow," Simon said simply, "Just wow."

"I don't know what Marlintic is planning," Charissa said, "And frankly I don't care. A Serenian client state carved out of some of the old Bolantine area would be far preferable to having the Bolantines down there."

"Agreed," Simon nodded, "I'll talk to Medo and Trina. You organize the trains?"

"Works for me," Charissa said and then kissed him, "I needed that first..."

Simon smiled and hugged her tightly. Then they went to do their work.

Chapter 133 - The Sanitarium

Medoferro hobbled into the Mullinix Center for the Criminally Insane followed by four guards that he'd known for a long time. This was a rare event for MCCI as they rarely got visits from anyone official, let alone the Mullinix-Elder himself. They watched as Medoferro made his way up to the desk on his crutches.

"Patient M," Medoferro said simply, "I don't care if she's ready or not. I need to speak with her."

"Certainly," the clerk said, "You are on the list, Mullinix. Would you like a wheelchair to make it easier on your injured leg?"

"No," Medoferro said, shaking his head, "I need to learn how to move on these blasted things. Just have someone lead me there and keep everyone else away until I'm done."

"What about us?" the guard asked.

"You stay outside," Medoferro said, "She cannot feed herself, let alone walk properly. I don't think she will be much of a problem."

There was no argument from anyone. Medoferro's tone didn't leave any room for it so he was led quickly up to the second floor. It was the first time that Medoferro had been into this building and he didn't think that it could have gotten any more depressing if it had tried. The walls were a dull gray from the Bauxite infused covering that kept power use out of the realm of possibility inside the building.

Medoferro hobbled his way into the room where Marina was sitting listening to a crank recording of a popular Mullinix novel. He sat down on a chair in the room and waited until a break in the routine before saying anything at all. Marina didn't sound at all surprised to hear him.

"Medoferro," She said, "I didn't expect to see you here, well...so to speak."

"I didn't want to come," Medoferro said as he looked at her scarred face and body, "But we're locked in a struggle with your old boss. I'm not about to let a source of information go untapped."

"How noble," Marina sneered, "So glad you care. So what are you looking for? I wasn't a Military girl. I did special projects, nothing more."

"The Kaiden Project," Medoferro said, giving it a moment to register with the former power sink.

"You aim high," Marina said, letting off a little whistle, "Even I didn't have much to do with that."

"What is it?" Medoferro asked her.

"Pre-cataclysmic technology," Marina said, "I never knew the details, but the techs working on it were all scared of it. Scared to the point that they conducted the project in an office building on the outside of town."

"I want details," Medoferro told her, "Everything you remember about it."

"Sure," Marina said, making a motion that likely would have been a shrug if she still had arms, "Kill as many of them as you can. Maybe if this helps you can kill a few more for me."

"Whatever," Medoferro said and started taking notes, "Start talking."

Marina gave Medoferro names and occasions, most of which likely weren't going to mean a damn thing for him but he hoped they'd be useful for Mason and company. He used his abilities in interrogation to get all the information he could out of her.

"Why should I believe any of this?" Medoferro asked her.

"I don't care if you do," Marina said, "Hopefully you can use the information to destroy each other. That's what I wait for at this point."

"Don't worry," Medoferro said as he got up and left the room, "I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to think about it as you sit here alone."

Medoferro left the room and closed his eyes tightly. It pained him to be like that, but dealing with her was painful at best and it was a wound he couldn't afford to have fully reopened. He left MCCI quickly, hoping to get the information to Mason in time for it to do some good.

Chapter 134 - Of Gear Bikes and Tall Men

Jim Entragian gladly got off the gearbike as they stopped outside the Mavelan City palace. He had actually never been here before, having missed the last trip for a stint in Southern Oasis. He looked over at the others who were dismounting as well.

Copeland and Kyrie got off their bikes, looking more than a little tired after the strain they'd been under. Copeland's wounds were beginning to fade some, but he still looked as though he belonged in a hospital. Stacy, Corie and Corinne also dismounted with various different attitudes governed by their past experiences in the area. Mason looked as if it had been the first time he'd been there, not being able to remember his last trip.

"Where are we going?" Corinne asked.

"Council hall," Stacy said, having been here since the war, "That's where Pirotase's government is based. Lister will likely be close by."

Copeland spent a few minutes educating Corie and Corinne on the roles played by Lister and Pirotase in the Mavelan government before they continued on inside. They were led quickly into Pirotase's office, as she had been forewarned of their arrival.

"Welcome," Pirotase said and walked over to the group, "I'm glad to see all of you."

"I bet," Stacy smiled and hugged her old friend, "How are you guys holding up down here?"

"Steady," Pirotase sighed, "But we're expecting the remains of the third to get in to the fight soon. Those reinforcements from Gottgol can't get here soon enough."

"They crossed the border when we did," Kyrie told her, "They're moving at a controlled march pace to ensure they aren't tired out when they get here."

"Understood," Pirotase said, "I'm still a bit unclear on what you guys are planning on doing? The only clear words I got from Trinaferro were that I was to keep Kyrie here with me."

"She would say that," Kyrie grumbled, "I still want to go on this."

"Keep your people out and we'll explain it to you and Lister," Copeland told them, "We don't want word of what we're doing to go any further than you two."

"Lister will be here in a minute," Pirotase said, "You must be tired after that run. Would you like some food or drink?"

"I wouldn't turn down a snack," Corinne said, "I've been eating bad ship rations or prison food for too long."

"I am a bit hungry as well," Corie agreed.

Pirotase looked at Corinne and Corie. She was surprised by the accent she heard out of Corie's mouth, knowing full well what a Bolantine accent sounded like. She looked quickly at Copeland and Kyrie.

"They are with us," Kyrie assured her, "All will be explained in a few minutes."

Pirotase nodded and ordered the food be brought in. Corie kept his face mostly hidden as the servants came in and left food. The Mullinix contingent filled up as they knew that it was likely the last decent meal they would get until the mission was over. As the meal was ending Lister and Randy Black walked into the room.

"Welcome," Lister said to the group as he picked up a roll, "I'll tell you...I'm glad to see you guys."

"Been a long time, Lister," Jim said, holding out his hand, "Don't mind Mason, he won't remember."

"Mason," Lister said, "We met again after he woke up, I brought him up there."

"Nice to see you again," Mason said, "Any word from the Mullinix?"

"Yes," Lister nodded, "Just got off the line with them. Medoferro wants you on the line."

"I'll let them explain the plan," Mason nodded, "I'll go get a final set of information from Medoferro."

"How's life treating you, Lister?" Stacy asked Lister as Mason left the room.

"Lousy," Lister said, "How about we finish the briefing while you finish eating?"

"Who is he?" Copeland asked about Randy, "We need as few people as possible to know about this."

"This is my son Randy," Lister said as Randy bowed, "You asked for the best guide I had. He's it."

"Nice to meet you," Kyrie said, nodding at the tall young man, "So you've signed up for this insane mission?"

"Let me hear what the mission is," Randy said as he smiled at Kyrie, "Then I'll decide."

Randy Black looked around the room and was a bit surprised at what he saw. He recognized Corie from the scout missions he'd done around Alanaris a few years earlier and was very surprised to see him traveling with a Mullinix contingent.

Kyrie looked Randy over as she was struck by his smile. He was tall, like most pureblood Mavelans, standing nearly seven feet tall. He shared the slightly yellow tint that his father did but had a much leaner frame that came from his Mother's side. He smiled back at Kyrie, but kept to business.

"So what are we doing?" Lister asked them, "I want to know what we're putting you and Randy through."

"Manipulating the mail down there," Copeland said simply, "We have Corie and Corinne here who together can read the code work. Do we know if Bolantine is still based out of Bolanpyris?"

"Yes," Randy said, "One of my agents got back to me an hour ago. Bolantine is up and around again. He was out of action for nearly a day because of the attack but was seen in Bolanpyris this morning."

"Good," Copeland said, "Corie, does this make it easier?"

"Yes," Corie nodded, "There's only one conduit out of Bolanpyris. We should be able to intercept everything going to or from them."

"Provided you can use the lines," Lister said, "We've tried to intercept that network before. We sometimes get a break in to get a single message, but no more than that."

"Not to mention than infernally difficult code," Randy added, "But I'm guessing that's why you are here, Corie?"

"And me," Corinne said, "We know both ends of the Bolantine Code system so can break and fake the messages."

"We'll be making a trip to Alanaris first," Corie said, "They keep a couple replacement conduit links there. We should be able to liberate them with few problems."

"Interesting," Randy said, "I take it they don't know you turned?"

"They likely think I'm dead," Corie shrugged, "I figure that even if they know I turned they wouldn't have spread the word to Alanaris."

"Do you know how to install it?" Mason asked him.

"No," Corie admitted, "But it shouldn't be too hard for Jim to figure out."

"There likely will be a set of instructions with it," Corinne put in, "Most of the technical crews are not too bright."

"Bolantine does seem to have a knack for stupid people," Mason admitted, "Makes them easier to control."

There was a general agreement on this, even from the two former Bolantine citizens. They spent a few minutes going over the general plans and figured that it wouldn't get much better.

"How do we get across the border?" Mason asked Randy, "I assume you have a way?"

"The Bolantines can't watch the sandy border," Randy told them, "I have other routes to get to Bolanpyris, but the job is simpler going to Alanaris. We take gearbikes through a smugglers tunnel and dodge the Bolantine patrols."

"Gearbikes mean traveling light," Lister said, "Pirotase and I used them when we went twenty years ago."

"Us and packs," Copeland said, "Enough food in the pack to keep us going for a few days. This is going to be a finesse mission."

"Weapons?" Randy asked.

"Small ones," Copeland told him, "We're not going to be fighting much and most of us are power users."

"When do you want to leave?" Lister asked them.

"As soon as we can," Corie said, "The sooner we get this going the more good it will do."

"Stop and rest for a few minutes," Randy said, "I need to go consult some sources and arrange for the bikes."

"We have bikes," Copeland said and was stopped.

"Not sand bikes," Randy told him, "Those ones you were riding will bog down in the sand. I'll take care of that, this is my part of the job."

"Works for me," Stacy said, relaxing, "I could use a bit of rest time before we go."

"Everyone could," Jim chuckled, "We have a few minutes while Mason consults with Medoferro anyway."

"We'll ensure that you get what you need," Lister said, "Relax everyone, you'll be under fire soon enough."

Everyone ate slowly and Copeland walked over to Randy just before he walked out the door. They spoke for a few minutes before the younger Black left.

Chapter 135 - The Third Comes Pouring In

It was late in the day when the Bolantine Third Army came pouring on to the lines to the southeast of Mavelan City. The Mavelan armies knew they were coming, but they didn't have the manpower to repulse the initial wave. The Bolantine troops surged northwest in a run towards the mine area.

The Mavelan Generals saw the maneuver, but they were not organized enough to repulse the attack. The Mullinix troops were better off and had spent their days before the full invasion building a series of bunkers and defensive structures, digging in and preparing for the battle to come.

"Here they come!" a Mullinix scout yelled, "What do we do?"

"Pick them off from cover," a Mullinix General said, "We don't have to defeat them by ourselves. Just slow them down."

The Bolantine soldiers were not prepared for the battle that they had gone into. Over the centuries the Bolantine armies had fought many groups, but the sad fact was that Bolantine had never picked a fight with someone he thought he had a chance of losing to. The Mullinix, being a defensive force, knew that their best defense was being better than everyone else.

The Mullinix forces spread out in the defensive structures and started looking for anyone with Bolantine uniforms. The Bolantine troops were unprepared for the onslaught of well-trained troops and their lines moved much more slowly than they were used to.

The biggest difference than normal was the fact that neither Bolantine nor Nikki were on the front lines directly. They had chosen to make the mistake of large governments over the centuries and direct a war from afar. The Mullinix were not micromanaging from Mullinix Centre, but letting the commanders on the scene control where the troops go. The Bolantine armies were being controlled as if by remote control from Bolanpyris, which was a good way away from the action.

The Bolantine commanders knew that they were not making the progress that the Emperor demanded. Most of them sent reports that were overly optimistic if not outright fictitious. This fact was giving the Mullinix the best chance to slow the advance until the reinforcements from Gottgol could show up.

Chapter 136 - Subterranean Crossing

Randy Black looked at the group that was going to Alanaris. Two Mullinix representatives, two immortals and two Bolantine expatriates. It was a motley group and one that he was wondering if they could do what they were trying to do. He looked at the eight cycles and wondered why Copeland had told him to get that many.

"How are we getting down there?" Copeland asked Randy, "You've seen the latest reports?"

"There's a smugglers' passage," Randy told him, "Big enough to ride gearbikes through. We've been using it for years. It will take us under the watched border."

"Any word on the troops?" Mason asked him, "Have they found it yet?"

"Unlikely," Randy said, "Bolantine troops tend not to be very bright, no offense to our new friends here."

"None taken," Corie smiled wryly, "You're absolutely right. Most of our frontline troops are idiots. The Bolantine armies are blunt instruments."

"I'm not Bolantine by blood," Corinne shrugged, "I won't shed any tears after what they did to my sister and myself."

They were starting to mount the gearbikes and familiarize themselves with the different feel of the off-road tires when Kyrie came down and jumped on to one of the bikes. Stacy looked at her and showed a very disapproving look on her face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Stacy asked, "You're supposed to stay here."

"You need me," Kyrie said, "I can make decisions that no one else can. I am also a pretty good power user."

"And Trinaferro will have my butt," Stacy said, "Come on, Kyrie!"

"I'll vote for her," Corie said, remembering her guts in Gottgol, "She has as much right to risk her ass as we do."

"Stay out of this," Stacy growled, "You're staying here, Kyrie."

"She's earned the right to come," Copeland reminded Stacy, "You know damn well my mother would have in her place."

"I won't turn down another power user," Randy said, "Though eight of us may raise more notice."

"Mason?" Stacy said, "You know the stakes."

"I do," Mason agreed, "I think she should come if she wants to. She'll just get in the way here, but she could be useful down there."

"Fine," Stacy said, still unhappy about this, "Let's get moving and get this over with. The sooner we get her back over the line the better I'll feel."

Kyrie smiled and got onto her gearbike. They left quickly and rode the bikes southwest until hitting an old abandoned mining complex. Randy was the first one off the bike and signaling for them to hold back for a few minutes.

"Who's out there?" an old, grizzled voice said, "More of them Bolantine bastards?"

"It's Randy," he said simply, "Back off the switch, friend. We need to use the tunnels."

The old man looked outside and saw the Mullinix contingent. He was about to welcome them when he saw Corie with them. He grabbed a bolt gun and ran out aiming it at Corie's head.

"What the hell are you doing, old man?" Randy asked him, pulling his own minibolt gun, "Put that down!"

"That's Corie, one of those Bolantine stooges!" he yelled and fired, just barely missing Corie's head as the former Bolantine ducked.

Mason jumped up and took the gun from the old man who simply didn't have the strength to fight off the immortal. Mason pushed a calming current out to him and the old man backed off a little.

"He's on our side," Randy told the old man, "Corie turned himself in to the Mullinix up north before the damned war started."

"And you believe that?" the old man growled.

"I believe it," Kyrie said, walking over, "I don't know if the news about the ascension made it down here yet, but I am Mullinix-Apprentice Kyranferro. You have the look of a veteran. Did you fight in the last war?"

"Last war?" the old man laughed with a racking cough, "I was part of that lunatic army that our insane former ruler sent over the mountains at you. I admire your leader's restraint. Not many men would have stopped chasing us the way you did."

"The same leader whose restraint you admire cleared Corie for this mission," Kyrie told him, "The same man who committed troops to defend your nation, then officially an enemy because of the belligerence of Facie, from that bastard down south. Are you going to question his judgment or loyalty at this point?"

"No ma'am," he said, nodding, "I saw the wording of the speech you gave a few days ago. You're actually crossing the border?"

"I said I'd go," Kyrie told him, "I keep my promises."

"Go ahead," the old man said and looked hard at Corie, "You try to screw any of them and I'll have better aim next time."

"I fully believe that," Corie nodded, "Thank you for missing."

"See," Kyrie said as they entered the tunnel, "Bringing me was useful."

Stacy just shook her head and handed Corie a helmet. He looked at her and then got her meaning. His identity was a liability until they got close to Alanaris. He put on the helmet and it obscured his identity fairly well. They went through the miles of old mine tunnels along with natural caves before coming out from another old mine front six miles into Bolantine territory.

"How the hell did you find this route?" Corie asked, "I thought we searched every mine in the area."

"When you searched it they weren't connected," Randy said, "We finished out a few of the mines for this purpose ten years ago. My father knew this day would come and wanted ways to get people across the border safely."

"Welcome home," Stacy said to Corinne and Corie, "Where to now?"

"Alanaris," Corie said, "We need the conduit equipment."

"We also need to scout the line," Copeland said, "Maybe we should break into two groups?"

"How do we communicate?" Stacy asked, "And how do we protect her?"

"I can take care of myself," Kyrie said defiantly, "I'm sure we can come up with a meeting place."

"Jim and I can communicate with power use," Mason said, looking at the group, "I'll go with the scout group and he can go with the Alanaris contingent."

"How do I guide both of you?" Randy asked reasonably.

"You go with me," Mason said, "Kyrie and Stacy do as well. Copeland can go with Jim, Corie and Corinne to get the devices."

"Which is safer?" Stacy asked, "Not that any of this is safe?"

"Kyrie is more likely to be recognized as Mullinix," Mason told her, "We should be able to stay out of sight and find a place to do the tap while the others liberate the machine."

"Can you find your way to Alanaris?" Randy asked them.

"I can't," Corinne said, "I've never been this far inside the empire before. I spent all my time growing up in Southern Oasis being trained as a cover agent."

"I can," Corie told them, "If we are where I think we are then it's a few miles southeast of here."

"You got it," Randy agreed, "See if you can find conduit maps while you are there."

"They won't have them," Corie said, "Alanaris is likely a ghost town. The mining crews from there died either in Gottgol or on the voyage back. Should be nothing but a small guard crew."

"Then let's get moving," Stacy said, looking around, "I don't like this place."

"That makes two of us," Copeland said, "Take care of yourself, Kyrie?"

"You too cousin," Kyrie said, "See you in a few hours."

"If not sooner," Corinne said as they split up and went in their own directions.

Chapter 137 - Counterforce

Medoferro and Trinaferro sat in the line room as Lister and Pirotase came on. Pirotase was still not used to using a line room, so it took her a moment to adjust herself and get used to the audio resonating around her as if they were in the same room.

"I still find this odd," Pirotase said, "Both of you there?"

"You get used to it," Trinaferro assured her over the line, "Both of us are here. What is the current situation?"

"Bad," Lister admitted, "Our lines are crumbling. They haven't given yet, but they won't last much longer. If they bring in the first or second we will crumble, despite the weakened third."

"Have the Gottgol Battalions arrived yet?" Medoferro asked, "They should be getting close."

"Anderson's runner arrived a half hour ago," Lister told them, "They're about five hours out. They're going to take some time to get into the lines. They'll help secure the mine, but if Bolantine plays tactics and flanks from the east we will collapse."

"How long can you hold?" Medoferro asked, "We may have an ace in the hole for you."

"If they don't come in force from the east we can hold 48 hours if we're lucky," Pirotase replied after consulting her notes, "If they give up on the frontal mine attack when the Gottgol group comes in then we're looking at significantly less time."

"So if you have an ace," Lister said quickly, "It's getting close to time to play it or fold."

"The ace is already in transit," Trinaferro said, "The Serenians are committing two Battalions of chariot troops. They won't be under our command, but their instructions are to push the Bolantines out of your country."

"And try to convert our people," Pirotase said, "Though if it pushes out the Bolantines I can deal with a Serenian minority."

"They want land," Medoferro said simply, "They breed like rabbits and are running out of room. I told them that our territorial goals were to restore the original Mavelan borders. Anything south of that was fair game so long as they didn't expect help in defending it."

"More power to them," Lister chuckled, "The Serenians are a pain sometimes, but they are far better neighbors than the Bolantines ever have been."

"Can we direct them at all?" Pirotase asked, "Because if we can get a line of Serenian Chariots to handle the east we can reinforce the western mine area and maybe break the third."

"This is assuming they don't bring in the second," Lister said, "Word is they are gearing up too."

"That's what our other group is supposed to be doing," Medoferro said, "Has Kyrie made herself useful down there?"

Lister and Pirotase paused for a moment as they tried to figure out how to tell the Mullinix that they had lost their apprentice. Trinaferro shook her head and chuckled a little bit as she looked at Medoferro. Medoferro was the one who finally broke that silence.

"She went with them, didn't she?" Medoferro said, "Don't worry about it. I knew she would when I let her go. I figured I just had to put up a public pretense about forbidding it."

"She's with my son Randy," Lister said, "So you know we'll make sure she comes back."

"I know," Medoferro assured him, "I'm heading down to Cirrus tomorrow. I want to be closer to the action."

"We could use your tactical knowledge here, Medo," Pirotase told him, "Your generals are pretty good, but you don't have many who are veterans and even fewer of them hold a candle to your ability."

Medoferro and Trinaferro looked at each other. She sighed and knew he would go. The hard part was that Pirotase was right. Medoferro was the best tactician they'd ever had and a large part of why they won the war twenty years before.

"I won't stop you, Medo," Trinaferro said, "But you have to stay in Mavelan City or behind the lines. I can't afford to risk both of you."

"I don't have the mobility to do the lines," Medoferro said, "But the medico said I can travel. I'll go down with the contingent tomorrow."

"This isn't going to be pretty," Pirotase said, "But they left us no choice."

"If we don't put a stop to them now we'll end up doing this again in ten years," Medoferro agreed, "They overstepped this time. We may never get this chance again."

"Get back to work," Trinaferro said sadly, "Let's get this over with."

The line turned off and Trinaferro looked over at Medoferro and grabbed his hand.

"You know it's the right thing to do," Medoferro said, "If I can help end this war one day earlier..."

"I know," Trinaferro smiled and kissed his hand, "But that doesn't mean I have to like it, do I?"

"Of course not," Medoferro agreed and pulled her in for a hug, "How about we take the rest of the night off. There's nothing more we can do anyway."

"Now that's the one idea I've heard this week I like," Trinaferro smiled and walked with him out of that booth.

Chapter 138 - Alanaris

Corie led the group to a wooded area about a half mile outside the Alanaris mine complex. They parked the gearbikes in the trees and cracked open the package that Randy had left them with as they went to scout locations.

"The uniforms right?" Copeland asked him, "You're the one who would know."

"Yes," Corie said, "They'll do. They'll know me there, being in a Bolantine Style uniform will be enough. Corinne is going to have the hardest time as we don't have a decent female uni."

"Out west they don't seem to care," Corinne said, "When I drop the Mullinix accent I naturally use I'll betray my western roots anyway."

"I take it we aren't to say a word," Copeland said, "They'll know Jim and I aren't Bolantine as soon as we open our mouths."

"They won't expect you to talk," Corie said, "You're part of my contingent. Leaders in Bolantine do not have attendants who are part of the team, they are simply window dressing and brute force labor. Likely they won't give you a look."

"What do you think the chances are that we get in and out without anyone being the wiser for it?" Jim asked hopefully.

"Slim to none," Corie said, "But I can get in the door. Once I get the lay of the land we can figure out what to do next."

"Let's get this over with," Copeland said, "The sooner we do this the sooner we can derail this war train."

"Indeed," Corinne agreed, "I have no desire to be in this place again. I miss Mullinix already."

"It does have a gray quality to the atmosphere," Jim agreed, "Bolantine has gotten better over the years, but he's still a petty dictator at heart."

"No argument from me," Corie said, "Keep your weapons handy. We may end up fighting our way out if things go wrong."

"Let's not have anything go wrong, shall we?" Copeland suggested, "I don't feel like having to fight my way through a pile of angry Bolantine soldiers."

"Nor do I," Corinne agreed.

The four of them walked to the road and then hiked up to the gate. A single Bolantine soldier, an older man who looked as if he would fall over dead at any time, manned the gate. He carried a bolt gun, but the bolt gun was very dirty. Corie smiled at this, knowing that if he was manning the gate the cupboard had been left very bare.

"Stand up straight!" Corie barked at the old man, "Why are you out on gate duty?"

"Corie, sir!" the old soldier said, jumping up and flashing a Bolantine salute, "I wasn't expecting to see you back here! Word had it that you died in Gottgol!"

"Word has it wrong," Corie said, "Who's left here? My unit here has gotten separated from the main contingent. Is the old mine still being used for storage?"

"Yes sir," the old man said, "They stopped the mining functions a few months ago, just after you left. Took all but me, Tookey and a slightly dumb kid from Genesis."

Copeland had to stifle the chuckling that came from the thought of this overaged, overweight and overrated gate guard calling someone else dumb. Corinne simply stared at the older man with a look boiling of contempt.

"Where are Tookey and the kid?" Corie asked him, "Inside?"

"Yes sir!" he shouted.

"Good," Corie said, "I need something from inside. I'll spot check them."

The four of them walked up to the mine complex. Without breaking visual character Copeland decided he had to ask a question.

"Is it really going to be this easy?" Copeland asked.

"Not necessarily," Corie said, "That so-called dumb kid is probably a secret police agent watching the equipment. They wouldn't trust Tookey with that and he's not as dumb as our overweight friend here. Keep up appearances until we see the units we need."

Copeland nodded and continued following along. They made it to the inner gate and found the young man that they had been warned about. Corie looked at the youngster and wondered if he was wrong. If this kid had any intelligence at all he hid it well.

"Corie sir!" he shouted, "What do you need sir?"

"That's my problem," Corie said, "Get out of the way!"

Corie arrogantly pushed the kid aside, as any normal Bolantine officer would do. They opened the door and found that there was little there but a few crates. The kid decided not to stay put and went to find Tookey, leaving Corie and the Mullinix alone in the building.

"There they are," Corie said, "They are portable units too, that's a good break."

Portable must have been in the eye of the beholder because those units were humongous. Silver bauxite boxes with slots and a motor compartment, the only claim to portability at all was the fact that they had wheels and pull handles.

"How do we get them out of here?" Jim asked, "Those damn things must weigh a couple hundred pounds each."

"Pull trucks," Corie said, "There should be a couple of them at the motor pool. I wanted to find the units first."

Tookey blustered into the room, pulling up a loose fitting Bolantine uniform. He hadn't liked Corie all that much when he'd served under him and now that he didn't have official command over him he didn't feel like taking anything from him.

"What are you doing here, Corie?" Tookey asked, "You're supposed to be in Gottgol."

"I'm back," Corie said simply, "And I need those units."

"You can't have them," Tookey said, "They are the only reason I'm here. I was ordered to keep them on standby in case of breakthrough at the mine and last I heard we weren't even close."

"Bolantine's orders, you halfwit," Corie said, invoking the name that no one in their right mind would use without permission in the empire, "Now I'd suggest getting out of my way."

The kid was listening outside and knew that something was wrong. Corie was supposed to be dead according to the last known intelligence reports. He also knew there was no way Bolantine ordered anything done with the third flailing as they were. To prevent the betrayal this kid looked for something he could do and smiled as he saw a weak point.

"I don't think so!" the kid said as he did a quick power push at the weak point in the mine.

Copeland felt it first as the kid had been trained in blood power. He retaliated against the kid's power stream and then created a lift block as soon as he saw the wall starting to crumble. The kid realized it was going wrong and reversed the power technique on him, locking Copeland to the walls before running out the door.

Corie jumped and quickly pulled his sword, decapitating Tookey before the bumbling former camp commander could realize that something was going wrong. Jim and Corinne went after the boy while Corie took care of Tookey, pulling up barriers around themselves and rushing out front. The boy, who was a junior agent and only a mediocre power user, tried to ambush the both of them with a quick power blast that bounced off their shields.

"I'll shield," Jim said, "You stop him. I'm good on the defensive, but can't do offensive worth a damn."

Corinne nodded and pulled enough power to do a solid flare. She was about to let the kid have it when Corie ran out of the building shouting to not kill him.

"Do not kill him!" Corie shouted, "You kill him and Copeland gets flattened, along with the units!"

"Reversi," Jim growled, "I haven't seen that technique in a while."

The kid smiled and tried to release the hold, but was surprised when Corinne lashed out and did a hard bind routine on him. The noise was noticeable even by the buffoon at the gate who came up running. Corinne did a force burn on the kid's lips as Jim put a power barrier around him to keep him from releasing the construct Copeland was caught in.

"What's going on here?" The old man asked, "Why are you..."

"It's not your problem," Corie said as he fired the bolt gun into the old man's eye, "Now we need to figure out how to get Copeland and those units out of that building."

"I can hold him and keep his power flowing the way we need it to," Jim said, "Where are the pull trucks?"

"Motor pool," Corie said, "Around the corner."

"Still take two people to operate?" Corinne asked.

"Yes," Corie nodded, "You worked one before?"

"A long time ago," Corinne said, "When I was a kid. If you can steer it I can pedal the damn thing."

"Deal," Corie said as they made a break for the motor pool.

The motor pool consisted of nothing but a half dozen dilapidated gear bikes and two poorly maintained gearpull units. They were slow and required two people to pedal, but they were faster and more maneuverable than pulling those boxes out by hand.

Jim held things as best he could but that kid was trying his best to get out. Copeland, who didn't quite know what had happened, was simply trying to keep himself and the building alive. He saw Corie and Corinne pull the large vehicle in and back it up. Corie worked on the trailer hookup as Corinne rushed over to Copeland to check out how he was doing.

"What the hell?" Copeland grunted.

"Reversi is what Jim called it," Corinne said, "Hold time, Copeland. Jim is holding the kid. We will get the conduit units out of here and then we'll figure out a way to break you out."

"Do it quickly!" Copeland seethed, "This is starting to drain me."

Corinne nodded and flashed a smile at him. She had always liked him, even when she worked against him. She couldn't believe she was in this situation, but she just had to keep going.

Corie finished with the first one and both of the Bolantine expats got onto the pull cycle to pull the unit clear. They repeated the process and got the other unit out. Now there was nothing left but to figure out how to get their friend out of the bind he was in.

"Jim," Corinne said urgently, "Do you know how to break the Reversi?"

"Power pull him out of there," Jim said as he gritted his teeth on the strain, "Once he gets far enough away the power should backlash to this son of a bitch."

Corinne nodded and ran up to the building. She knew that neither her nor Corie were good enough power users to pull Copeland out from outside the mine building. She looked at Corie who was trying to take stock of what was happening.

"Get the rope," Corinne said quickly, "I'll go in and shield both of us. You pull on the rope to pull us out."

"Dangerous chickie," Corie said, "You sure you want to do this?"

"He decided my life was worth saving," Corinne said, "If we're going to live there..."

"We need to prove it," Corie nodded, "You're better at shielding than I am."

"Be careful," Jim grunted, "Snuggle up close to him and get your arms up under his. Do not break his connection until you're ready for the conduit to break, but do it quick before he can't do a controlled break anymore."

Corie tied a good knot in the rope and wrapped it around Corinne's waist. They had just enough to get out of the door. Corinne walked into the crumbling building and stood behind Copeland. He was pushing and even though he was a power sink he didn't dare anchor this alien construct to it.

"I'm going to slide my arms around you," Corinne said, "Then I will slowly shield. Once I have the shield most of the way up do a controlled break and hold on to me. Corie is going to pull us out of here."

Corie pulled a little power as he was very good at that end of power use. He listened for Corinne's signal as he pulled the line tight without putting pressure on her.

Corinne did what she told Copeland and slid her arms around him. She gripped his body tightly and locked her hands on her wrists so that she couldn't easily drop him. She then pulled up the shield slowly and gave Copeland the signal.

Corie didn't hesitate. As Copeland broke the construct Corie pushed every ounce of energy he could into pulling them out. Without the power holding the crumbled structure up it began to fall quickly, the shielding stopping several pieces of the roof from falling on their heads. Corie pushed and ran himself into the back of one of the pull units as the rest of the building collapsed at the feet of Corinne and Copeland, who were barely outside the door when it stopped.

Jim Entragian let the construct backlash into the kid who screamed as the power burned him badly. An uncontrolled Reversi construct tended to be very nasty to the constructor if it was broken like that one was. This kid wasn't good enough to handle it and the rush of power that Copeland had used from his power sink was enough to set his flesh on fire.

"I almost feel sorry for you," Jim said, "Almost being the operative word."

Copeland let himself relax for the first time and laid there with Corinne still wrapped around him. She had let off the shielding and just let out a deep breath knowing that they'd escaped a nasty one. Corie got himself up and just shook his head.

"Did I say something before about this being easy?" Corie said as he walked over to Copeland and Corinne.

"Yeah," Copeland said, "You can let go now, Corinne."

"Easy my ass," Corinne said as she took Corie's offered hand and got up, "What now?"

"I'd suggest getting out of here before someone realizes that we've got the units," Jim said, "Too bad we don't have the instructions anymore."

"We have them and we're alive," Copeland said, "I'll settle for that."

"The other group has found the line," Jim said, "Fifty miles southeast of here. We need to get moving."

"How are we bringing gearbikes?" Corinne asked, "If we're all driving these."

"We stop to get them on the way," Copeland said, "How fast will these things go?"

"We should be able to make it in about three hours," Corie said, remembering his last experience with them, "Fifteen to twenty miles an hour, tops."

"The other team is looking for a house on the line," Jim told them, "According to Randy this area is mostly barren being that close to the border. We should be able to pretty well do a straight shot on the old road two miles southeast."

"Then let's go and get this over with," Corinne said, "I want a nice hot bath now."

"Let's just try to stay alive," Corie suggested, "Think about baths later."

139. Phantom Forces

Bolantine read the reports and stood up quickly. He kicked the table in anger and threw the chair against the wall, shattering it along with the slate blackboard they had been using. Nikki watched the display and let Bolantine get the anger out. The reports were not good for them, that's for sure.

"Why the hell haven't they hit the mine yet?" Bolantine wanted to know, "Now we get reports that we're getting pushed back? How are we losing this thing?"

"Get the scout in," Nikki told the cowering page, "We need information and we need it now."

The page gladly left the room and went down to the scout area. Bolantine paced around seething for a few more minutes. Nikki kept her distance as she didn't feel like being on the receiving end of his rage.

"We knew this was a possibility," Nikki said, "We're still winning, but not as fast as we wanted."

"I still want to know if we're getting hit by the Sotans," Bolantine grumbled, calming down a little, "If the Sotans aren't there, why the hell are we having trouble with this?"

"Emperor?" the young scout said as he poked his head into the room, "You sent for me?"

"Yes," Bolantine said, "Get in here. I have questions for you."

The young man came in, hoping that he would be able to give the answers the Emperor wanted. Bolantine softened a little bit, knowing that the boy wasn't the cause of the problem. He sat down and looked at the young man.

"You fresh off the lines?" Bolantine asked him.

"Yes sir!" the boy said, "Just got done doing a position run."

"Where are the Mavelan Troops and the Mullinix Troops?" Bolantine asked him, "Show me on the map, kid."

"They are all lumped together," the boy told the emperor, "You look at any location and you'll see an intermixing of both types of uniforms. They look like they're mostly clustered around the path to the Mine."

"So what is slowing down the troops?" Bolantine asked, "We know their numbers and even after that fiasco outside Bolanpyris the third should be more than ample to overcome them."

"There is another group over here," the boy told his emperor, pointing at the area in between the mine and Mavelan City, "They showed up about ten hours ago. We don't know who they are, but they don't speak any language I've ever heard."

"Are you familiar with Sotan?" Bolantine asked.

"Yes sir," the boy said, "They train us on that one. It's not even related to any language I've ever heard."

Bolantine and Nikki looked at each other. If they weren't Sotan then they didn't know. Nikki wondered if the Mullinix had convinced someone else to come in.

"Describe the people," Bolantine instructed, "Are you familiar with Damascans?"

"No sir," the boy said, "But these people are mostly fair skinned."

"That lets out the Sotans as well," Nikki said, "Who does that leave?"

"Serenia and Gottgol," Bolantine said, "Possibly a Siraqi contingent, but most of them were integrated into Mullinix and Serenia."

"Were you able to hear any of their speech?" Nikki asked, "Clear enough to understand if you knew the language?"

"Yes ma'am," the boy said, "I would likely recognize it if I heard it again."

"Fine," Nikki said and then switched to the Gottgol language, "This is how they speak in Gottgol. Does this sound like what you heard?"

"That's it," the boy said, "That's the same type of cadence they used."

"Gottgol," Nikki said, "It looks like our gambit up there backfired."

"Give packup orders to the second," Bolantine said, "We'll give the third another day to wrap this up, but if they can't make the breakthrough we'll add the second."

"And if the Sotans are still in disarray we may need to bring in the first," Nikki said realistically, "Want me to send orders to them yet?"

"No," Bolantine said, "Not until we get word on what the Sotan army is up to. They are the big dog that hasn't yet gotten into the fight. I want the first available to repulse them, depending on where they come in."

"I want the Kaiden Project on standby," Nikki told him, "If this turns bad we will bring that thing up into Mullinix Centre, see if we can decapitate them."

"Tell them to package it up and bring it here," Bolantine told her, "I don't think it will go that bad, but it won't hurt to have that close by."

"I'll start a recruiting drive too," Nikki said, "If this turns into a war of attrition we'll need the men."

"Talk to Jablome in Bolantinople," Bolantine suggested, "His ministry is responsible for that. Draft them if necessary."

"I'll get the orders written up," Nikki assured him, "At least there's no sign of Stone yet. You going to go out?"

"He's probably here somewhere," Bolantine said, "He has this aversion to killing we don't share, so as long as I stay out of the fight then he will. I may go out with the scouts, however."

"Do it quick," Nikki suggested, "I need you here."

"Not until dark," Bolantine told her, "I'd prefer not to be seen."

She nodded and went back to her reports. They had a lot of work to do if they were going to finish this up the way they wanted to.

140. Interception

Kyrie paced around underneath the tree. Mason and Stacy were keeping an eye out. They knew they were in the right area, but they knew little about the lines. Randy sat down and rested his eyes, appearing completely unconcerned with the situation they were in.

"How can you rest?" Kyrie asked him, "You're sitting there as if you're in your back yard in Mullinix, not fifty miles deep into the Bolantine Empire."

"Practice," Randy said without moving, "I've spent a large chunk of my time down here. This is probably the safest I've ever been down here since their attention is on the battle lines fifty miles away. Besides, I have you guys watching."

"They have the devices and should be nearby in ten minutes," Mason said, "It was hairy, but they have them."

"I think the line runs under us," Randy said, now opening his eyes, "I've been listening to small whooshing sounds below me for an hour."

"Good," Kyrie said, "I'd like to get this over with."

Jim and Corie pulled the machine to a stop a few yards in front of where Randy and Kyrie were standing. Copeland and Corinne did the same. Kyrie ran over to her cousin and looked at the new bruises on him. He noticed that Corinne had a few new cuts and scrapes as well.

"What happened?" Stacy asked, "You look like someone big stomped on you."

"Small little bugger actually," Copeland said as he gingerly got off the gearcart, "Pulled a Reversi routine on me. Corie and Corinne pulled me out of it."

"You're lucky," Mason observed, "Usually a reversi kills both sides. You're lucky to get out of it at all."

"Another inch and we'd both be missing feet," Corinne told them, "Anyways, where are we going?"

"We've found the line," Kyrie said, "It's right below us. How do we get to it?"

"Are there houses nearby?" Corie asked them.

"Two to the southeast," Randy said, "One about a mile to the north."

"Mavelan or Bolantine construction?" Corie asked.

"The ones to the southeast are Mavelan," Randy said, "The one to the north is Bolantine."

"That's where we're going," Corie said, "This area is considered a wasteland by most of the empire. If a house was built with Bolantine construction it's a cover for a conduit maintenance link."

"Manned or unmanned?" Mason asked him.

"I don't know," Corie said, "I just know how they maintain the links. We take that over and we'll have a link to the pipes."

"You four stay here," Mason told them, "You look bad right now. We'll handle the clearing."

"I'll go," Corie said, "I may be able to help you in easier."

"Good," Stacy said, "Kyrie can stay here and treat the others."

"You need me!" Kyrie said, "I'm not a child, remember?"

"I do remember," Stacy told her, "I also know that you know first aid from living with your mother for so long. You're not a fighter by trade. I am. You stay here and take care of them."

"Jim," Mason said, "I want you to examine those machines and figure out how they work."

Jim nodded and went to work on one of the units. Kyrie sat down with Copeland and Corinne and started going over their injuries. Copeland could tell she was fuming and wondered if he needed to have a talk with her. Corinne looked on and said nothing.

"Spit it out, Kyrie," Copeland told her, "You are fuming again."

"I have every right to be here," Kyrie said, "We're on a mission to save the Mavelans. Why does she have to make me feel like a child?"

"Because she feels responsible for you," Corinne said simply, "She is a strong woman, but she's likely dealing badly with another loss."

"Suvorov," Copeland told her, "She had been close to him for over thirty years. Dad thinks she's always had a thing for him too."

"That explains a bit," Kyrie sighed, "Considering that night I spent with him just before we went to Gottgol."

"Do tell," Corinne grinned, "I smell a story."

"It's no secret," Kyrie shrugged, "We spent a very nice night together at a time when both he and I needed it. It was while we were chasing your sorry ass across the country."

"Better company than I had," Corinne grumbled, "I should have saved all of us a lot of trouble and killed him when he tried to kill Alisa."

"He succeeded," Copeland said, "She lived long enough to tell us what happened, but not much more."

"It was all bad," Kyrie said, "But now we need to get this project under way."

"Mason wants us to bring the carts up," Jim said, "They removed the two occupants."

"We're up," Kyrie said, "You ready, Jim?"

"Hopefully this is easier than it looks," Jim said as he got into one of the carts, "Who rides with me?"

"I will," Kyrie said, "Unless you need me to share with one of you?"

"We can manage," Copeland assured them, "Ready Corinne?"

"Yes," Corinne nodded, "Let's move."

It was actually an easy trip for this one as they'd already been moving most of the afternoon. They pulled up outside the house where Mason and Randy were standing outside. Randy was favoring his right arm, but otherwise was fine. Mason was stretching a bit after the fight.

"Where's Corie and Stacy?" Kyrie asked.

"Inside," Randy said, "She's removing bodies and he's reading a set of manuals."

"Is there a way to get these things inside?" Jim asked, "And is there exposed pipe?"

"We lucked out," Mason said as he pulled open a double door that was wide enough, "Corie said this was designed to be a relay station if the war went badly."

Mason and Jim maneuvered the trailer into the door while Copeland, Kyrie and Corinne pushed it inside. Corie came over and helped guide the trailer into place.

"How do we power it?" Jim asked as he looked at the device, "We're missing a unit!"

"It's a pedal power device," Corie cursed, "I saw it in there but didn't pull it."

"Get the gearbikes," Jim said, "Looks like the power supply is internal. I should be able to modify them quickly."

It became a group effort then. They put the bikes together and removed the wheels to get them in place. Jim quickly reworked the gear ratios and used some pieces from around the building to put them in place. It was a hard couple hours, but they got everything into place.

"Ok," Jim told them, "We should be ready to go in a couple minutes."

"How long do we need to pedal?" Corinne asked, "I take it we're doing shifts?"

"The rest of us are," Mason told her, "You and Corie will be excused since you need to read the messages and write them. The rest of us will be taking shifts. I'll take the first one. Who's going with me?"

"I will," Kyrie volunteered, "How long are we going?"

"Until you're tired," Mason said, "Jim, you ready for the switches? "

"I can help," Corie said, "I've helped once before on this."

"Mason," Jim said, "You need to do the other switch. Let Kyrie and Stacy take the first shift. A live switch on this system is going to release steam. You and I can take it, they can't."

Mason nodded and went over to have Jim show him how to work the switchover. Corie and Corinne watched closely as Kyrie and Stacy started pedaling. Luckily the resistance wasn't too heavy so they could keep a decent pace and build the pressure in the devices.

"Ok," Corie said, "You're going to have to make the switch at the same time otherwise they'll see the pressure drop and send investigators."

"We're ready," Kyrie said, "Let's do this!"

Mason and Jim mentally set a snap count and made the switchover in seconds. There was a rumbling and true to Jim's prediction both immortals were heavily bathed in hot steam from the conduit fluid.

"Did it work?" Kyrie asked as she continued pedaling.

"Yes," Corie said, "We have both ends of the conduit."

"Set up your worktables," Jim told them as he pulled off his mostly destroyed shirt, "Randy, think you can get information on things up north?"

"There's an information cell based a mile north," Randy said, "Give me a gearbike and I'll relay."

"Go," Mason said and then looked at the system shaking, "We getting our first message?"

Jim went over as soon as the transfer unit clanked into place he turned some dials and pulled out the canister. He then handed it to Corinne who cracked it open and began immediately translating the contents of the tube. It took her only a few minutes to break it down to the emperor's code which Corie could translate quickly.

"We strike gold first time," Corie said as he handed the paper over to Copeland, "Order from Bolantine himself wanting the results of the mission to find out where the Sotans are. Seems our friends in Genesis are late."

"Send it on," Kyrie said, "We could use their answer and modify the response."

"I concur," Corie said, "Better to fake as few as we can get away with."

"Put it back and send the same tube on," Mason said, "Quickly."

Corie did so and Jim put it into the tube that went on to the original destination. Kyrie and Stacy kept pedaling the devices as it got a little harder when they had to send the unit down the line. Copeland brought two chairs over to the bike area so they could consult. Jim sat down next to one of the units so he could keep his eye on the gauges. Mason looked at the crew and wondered what would come through next.

"Incoming!" Jim yelled as the device on his side started shaking.

He pulled the canister out and let Corinne and Corie do their translation process. This was a longer one, which meant it was a report of some sort. Jim took the opportunity to show Copeland how to run the machines as he intended to take a shift on the bike.

"Readiness report," Corie said, handing the sheets over, "Looks as though they were ordered to get ready."

"Can you redo the report and embellish it slightly?" Copeland asked, "Make them think they have more than they actually do?"

"Yes," Corie nodded, "Five minutes."

Corie put that together while they had the first shift change on the bikes. Mason took the southern side as it had more pressure and took more legwork. Jim took the other one and started building up the pressure again.

"Done," Corie said as he handed the tube over, "Send it."

This was done post haste, pushing the now erroneous information up to Bolanpyris. They went through several more exchanges, most of them rather mundane until they got the one they had been waiting for. To keep the chances of detection low they let most everything go through unaltered, simply keeping notebooks of what was going through.

"Sotanberg has come through," Corie said, "They poured over the lines an hour ago and are heading straight to Genesis."

"About time," Jim said from his perch on the bike, "They took their time about it."

"What are they asking for?" Mason asked, "They following orders or asking for them?"

"Asking for them," Corie said, "This is probably a good one not to send."

"A better one to alter," Kyrie said, looking at the coordinate information she'd gotten from the Bolantine reports over the past hours, "If they're asking for this then they don't know what is going on. So we tell him that the Sotans are doing nothing."

"He wouldn't buy it like that," Corie said, "He'd want to know why."

"Political Instability," Corinne said, "That's what my sister said the point of her mission was anyway. Evidently, the Empress thinks very little of mortal governments, assuming they'll fall just because their leader dies, just as their government would."

"Not a bad idea," Kyrie said, "Their new king is young, but decisive. He actually made the decision quickly to invade. They only held off at Charissa's request because they're just as interested as we are in destroying the Bolantine government."

"You write it," Corie told Corinne, "You know basic report skills better, being that type of agent."

Corinne nodded and wrote it up. They encoded it and sent it through the line, wondering if the big man himself would buy it. They all looked at each other and knew that they had to start sleeping in shifts as well.

"Kyrie," Stacy said, "You, Corinne and Corie go get some sleep. I've got the next bike shift and Mason can watch us. We need to keep rested because if this does blow up on us we will need to get out of here quickly."

"I'll keep watch," Mason agreed, "Get some sleep people, we will need it."

142. Eastern Front

Medoferro hobbled on his crutches up the palace steps. He hadn't been to the Mavelan palace since just after the end of the first Bolantine war. He looked around at the large contingent of security that had followed and frowned. He hated being in that much security but knew it was necessary.

The Mavelan Palace had turned into a giant war command center with sections for Mullinix, Mavelan and Gottgol commanders. A new section was being set up for the Serenian contingent that was halfway through Mullinix on their way south. Lister and Pirotase were going over a new set of position reports as they saw Medoferro hobble into the room.

"I'm glad to see you!" Lister said as he walked over to Medoferro, "Welcome to the war room."

"I wish I could say I'm glad to be here," Medoferro told him, "But you and I both know I would be lying."

"I know," Lister nodded, "I'm still glad to see you."

"We're taking a beating out here," Pirotase told him, "You have any ideas on what we can do to stem the bleeding?"

"Let's go look at the map and see what we can do," Medoferro said, "Invite Anderson from Gottgol and see what we can come up for strategy."

"Need anything to drink?" Pirotase asked, deciding to be a decent host, "Or do you want to rest first?"

"Let's get some plans made," Medoferro told them, "I need to see where we need to patch holes in the line."

"We have anyone other than the Serenians?" Pirotase asked.

"The Sotans have crossed in to Bolantine territory," Medoferro told them, "The runner made it to the line at Northern Pass with the news about four hours before I got to Cirrus."

"Bolantine doesn't know yet," Lister said, "Word from Randy. They set up their station and intercepted the notice. They sent a faked report that the Sotans are inactive because of political instability."

"We have a conduit to them?" Medoferro asked him.

"Not a quick one," Lister said, "But we can get word to them."

"Kyrie all right?" Medoferro asked, "And don't sweat it, we figured she'd ignore us and go anyway."

"Copeland nearly got caught in a reversi maneuver, whatever that is," Lister told him, "He and Corinne nearly got flattened by a falling building too. Everyone is safe so far."

"Good," Medoferro nodded and then saw Anderson walk over, "Nice to see you again, Anderson."

"How's the knee healing, Mullinix?" Anderson asked as he bowed to the Mullinix, "Hopefully nothing too permanent?"

"Your medico did a good job," Medoferro assured Anderson, "I'm probably going to know it whenever it's about to rain, but I'm alive. That's a lot more than I can say about too many of your countrymen. I just take solace that it would have been much worse if we hadn't gone."

"We couldn't let this go unanswered," Anderson told him, "You risked much for people that weren't even yours. Bolantine has ordered the murder of innocent people for too long. Mine, yours and the Mavelans. It's time to put that murdering bastard out of business."

"Amen to that," Lister said, "So here's what we're doing right now."

Lister showed them the known positions on the map. The bulk of the Bolantine Third was coming up from the southeast. The combined Mavelan and Mullinix forces were concentrated between them and the Bauxite Mines west of Mavelan City. The fresher Gottgol forces were coming down from the northeastern quadrant, leaving a Mullinix reserve force to watch the eastern area to give warning if another Bolantine army came in.

"So we're holding the mine area, but losing on the east?" Medoferro said, "And if they double back?"

"We lose," Lister said simply, looking at the map, "We have no way to repulse them without giving up the mine area."

"Where are the Serenians setting up shop?" Anderson asked, "I may not like the sanctimonious bastards, but I know full well how good their soldiers are."

"Lister," Medoferro said looking at the map, "If we take the eastern quadrant off the table can we hold them?"

"Only if they don't bring in another army," Lister said, "They bring in the second to back them up and we may have a harder time holding."

"Here's what I'm thinking," Medoferro told them, "The Serenians want a chance to eat up Bolantine territory. Let's give them a chance. When they come into the field of play, we'll move the remaining Mullinix forces to push against the Bolantine third. The Serenians can cross into Bolantine territory and start pushing against Bolanpyris. Then, they can raise hell with their supply lines and head towards Western Command."

"They can have as much of that wasteland as they want," Lister nodded, "And if they can take on the second, even better."

"Too early to worry about that," Medoferro told him, "Let's just destroy the third first. The more damage we do on this side the longer the Sotans have to head towards Bolantinople."

"You think they'll make it that far?" Anderson asked him.

"Depends on how good they are without Bolantine's direct input," Medoferro said honestly, "And whether our ruse down south works. If they can screw up the orders enough anything is possible."

"That is the wild card," Pirotase noted, "Think they can do it?"

"I have faith in that crew," Medoferro said, "They haven't let me down yet."

"We'll see," Anderson agreed, "We have an offensive planned for their east flank as soon as it's dark. The Bolantines are uncharacteristically uncoordinated after dark. I'm hoping we can get in and do some damage."

"Good luck," Medoferro nodded, "We'll support if we can, but we can't afford to commit too much and let the line break."

"This one is ours," Anderson assured him, "There will be plenty to break down if this works and plenty of problems if it fails."

"Shall we get some dinner?" Pirotase asked.

"Soldiers rations," Medoferro said, "I eat what my men do."

"Would you like to tour the back camp?" Lister asked him.

"You have better things to do than protect me there," Medoferro said, "Let's eat our rations and go through this intelligence. Maybe we can figure out what to do next."

"I do like a leader who is willing to work," Pirotase grinned, "I'll get the rations. You guys start the paper work."

143. The Pivotal Orders

The conflicting reports from the front were annoying Bolantine, but this was to be expected from a major war. They had not anticipated a full battalion formation to appear from Gottgol. That and the surprise attack in Bolanpyris had radically changed their plans for the war.

"I don't like it," Bolantine said to his Empress as he looked over the map, "We're losing ground now. Slowly, but if the Mullinix can bring more troops in from somewhere else this is not going to go well."

"The only good news is the reports from Sotanberg," Nikki agreed, "At least the Dark Order assassins got one out of the three right."

"Won't help if we can't win this quickly," Bolantine reminded her, "I think it's time to bring in the second."

"I agree," Nikki said, "But they can't do it alone. They're quick but never recovered from that horrible fiasco inflicted in the last war. The readiness reports are pitiful."

"You want to risk bringing in the first?" Bolantine asked her, "What if the Sotans get their head out of their ass?"

"We win over here and they'll stay out of it," Nikki said, "And you read the report just like I did. The king over there doesn't have the power to call out a dogcatcher, let alone an army."

"Move the cavalry," Bolantine said after thinking about it, "The infantry is too slow to help us here with the damned bridges out. We'll send them by train to Genesis to keep on guard in case the Sotans try anything."

"Thinking of a shot on Mavelan City?" Nikki asked him, "To distract?"

"And destroy," Bolantine told her, "We're going to punish them for daring to resist. We kill the inhabitants of the city and break their spirit."

"And get rid of their breeders," Nikki nodded, "I can live with that."

"Let's hope they can't," Bolantine said, "I'm also hoping that it will lessen the pressure so that the second and third can finish the job at the mine."

"If all else fails we have the Kaiden Project," Nikki shrugged, "It shouldn't be too hard to have that sucker brought into Mullinix Centre."

"I'd prefer to save that for a future war against the Mullinix directly," Bolantine said, "But if it comes to that it will be worth it to get a stable supply of Bauxite. We get a mine that solid under our control we could build an unstoppable army and run over both Mullinix and Sotanberg in ten years."

"I'll write up the orders to the second," Nikki told him, "You know what you're envisioning for the first, so I'll let you do that one."

"Fine," Bolantine agreed and went back to the maps, "Let's see if we can break this mess."

Nikki nodded and they both wrote up their orders. She then went back to the equipment reports so she'd know who had the equipment to try the next breakthrough.

Once Nikki sent the orders out through the tube network they hit the interception station quickly, one after the other. Corinne quickly did the initial empress code translations, leaving the final decoding to Corie. Copeland and Jim were taking shifts on the bikes when they came through and wanted to know what they'd got this time.

"Two in quick succession," Jim said, "What's Bolantine up to now?"

"These are the orders we've been waiting for!" Corie said as he finished the initial translation, "This is the order for the second to come north. Evidently they're getting hit hard by the Gottgol contingent and with the disaster we inflicted at Bolanpyris they need the new blood."

"Where is the other one directed to?" Copeland asked Corinne as she undid the first layer. He had learned that the first layer of encryption included the address information.

"First army headquarters outside Bolantinople," Corinne told them, "Corie, we need to do this one quick. This will tell us if they bought our line about Sotanberg."

"I'll get it in a minute," Corie said as he finished up, "Here's the text of the orders. See whether it makes sense to either of you."

They passed the paper around as Corie finished his translation of the second set of orders. Kyrie was particularly interested in the timetable and route Nikki had given for the second army to take to try to flank the mine area.

"They're trying the same routine that they did twenty years ago," Kyrie said as she read, "Only this time we're not going to get down there in time to mine the field."

"We learned from that debacle," Corie said as he remembered the carnage, "The units were redesigned to not have that weakness. I nearly got flattened that day myself."

"That's only if we send the orders," Mason reminded them, "Something I have no intention of doing."

"We can't send this order," Kyrie agreed, "This would probably work this time."

"They bought it!" Corie exclaimed, "This is an order to the Bolantine First out of Bolantinople. They're splitting the army in half, the infantry to Genesis and the cavalry to Bolanpyris to start an offensive on Mavelan City."

The blood drained out of Corinne's face when she read the orders. She couldn't believe that someone could so casually order the systematic murder of an entire city's worth of people. Kyrie could believe it, but she didn't like it.

"How the hell..." Kyrie said, "They are monsters, aren't they?"

"Bolantine was born bad and got worse," Mason said, "He was born 30 years before I was and had already taken over a city's organized criminals by that point. He was an unethical slime when I came into the picture."

"How did you meet him?" Copeland asked, "If you don't mind asking."

"Jim and his partner had created the serum formula that made us immortal," Mason told them, "Karen and I were the test subjects. I was a mostly dead cop and she was a terminal cancer patient."

"Cancer?" Corinne asked.

"What you call the wasting sickness," Jim explained.

"So you made that stuff?" Corie asked him, he'd never heard the story from Bolantine.

"I did," Jim said, "I've regretted it for over two millennia. Mason and Karen showed me the error of my ways with a shotgun. I've been with them ever since."

"Bolantine had no problem ordering innocent people murdered for his gain," Mason told them, "We couldn't stop them from being dosed, but we were able to destroy the serum, but not before they murdered several dozen people."

"And that was just our first encounter with them," Jim sighed, "Needless to say, neither of us are surprised by this order."

"Nor am I," Corie said, "Not after what I saw in Siraq."

"So what do we do about it?" Kyrie asked, "Copeland, you studied with Medoferro all those years. What do you think?"

"The best case would be to remove them from the field of play," Copeland said seriously, "How absolute are Bolantine's orders, Corie?"

"They love to micromanage," Corie told them, "If you don't follow a direct Emperor or Empress order immediately then you risk a painful and public execution. The Bolantine people have been bred for centuries to see him as an infallible God."

"I guess you and Corinne are exceptions to that," Copeland noted, "Any idea why?"

"I lived with him," Corie said, "That was enough to show me who he really was."

"I'm not Bolantine by blood," Corinne said, "I don't know who my parents are, but they were careful with my sister and myself because we weren't 'of the blood'."

"You said 'bred for centuries'," Mason said, "Do you mean literally?"

"Yes," Corie nodded, "It's common history in the empire. The Emperor took a backward people from Genesis and started breeding them. They exerted absolute control of matches and of genetics for nearly four hundred years. It wasn't until he'd built us into the people you see today that they started expanding. Bolantinople was built two hundred years ago as a monument to their vision."

"To this day you need a breeding license in the empire," Corinne nodded, "To be outside the national bloodline was to be an outsider. The exceptions were twins like Annalisa and myself."

"That means the lion's share of Bolantine citizens will never move past their emperor's domination," Stacy said finally, "They can't see a world without him."

"Correct," Corie nodded sadly, "They will never know what real freedom is."

"That also means they'll follow orders," Copeland said, "No matter how stupid they are."

"Yes," Corie said, realizing how many stupid orders he'd followed from Bolantine over the years, "They will."

"So why don't we set the first and second armies against each other?" Copeland asked, "Do you think they'd follow those orders?"

"Only if worded correctly," Corie said, thinking about the idea, "I think they'd figure out that the lines were corrupted if we told them to attack their brethren."

"So we take a page out of their own book," Kyrie said, seeing the possibilities, "We tell the first that there's been a breakthrough by the combined forces. They defeated the second army and took their storehouses upon their surrender. Now they're dressing in Bolantine uniforms to make passing through the land on the way to Bolantinople easier."

"But what about the second?" Stacy asked, "They would have to be advancing east for that to work?"

"Reverse the story," Copeland shrugged, "Tell the second that the Sotans have invaded and defeated the first."

"I can flesh that out a bit," Corie said, "There's a gigantic army provision center in Genesis. If Genesis falls, so does the uniform factory."

"Let's try it," Mason nodded, "It will be worth it even if it delays them for a while. If they actually come to blows, even better."

"But how do we keep Bolantine on the hook?" Corinne asked, "He won't wait forever for answers."

"The armies will answer affirmative," Corie said, "We modify the responses. Easy enough."

"We tell Bolantine what he's expecting to hear," Mason agreed, "It's an audacious plan, but one with little downside for us."

"Hopefully Randy will get back soon," Kyrie said, "I want to get someone up in Bolanpyris so we know when we're blown."

"Get writing," Mason suggested to Corie, "I want to go over it before we encrypt and send it."

"Kyrie and Stacy," Jim said with a smile, "It's your turn on the bikes."

"I swear," Kyrie said as she switched with Jim, "After this I never want to sit on a gearbike again."

"Amen to that," Stacy grumbled as she took Copeland's place.

144. Genesis Hall

Major Ronald Holland led his unit into the Bolantine city of Genesis under the cover of darkness. The Bolantine units were not expecting their arrival and most of them fell quickly. The Sotan army was playing for keeps and they had no intention of letting any of the Bolantine leaders off the hook.

"City hall is a block ahead," Holland yelled, "That's our target!"

Major Holland and his men rushed for their target. They were but one of the special forces groups descending on Genesis at that point. The Bolantine units had not received any warning as the warning should have originated from the Emperor's unit after the warnings.

They rushed into the building as they broke through the door. The local guard units fought but were no match for the highly trained Sotan special units who quickly dispatched them. The black men subdued the Bolantine political machine and began looking for the communications equipment.

The Mayor of Genesis was a longtime Bolantine flunky named Condor. He had served Bolantine in similar ways to Corie, though he had not served outside the nation like Corie had. As such his loyalty to the emperor was still absolute and he rushed for the communications room.

Because of the micromanagement of the Emperor and his system the Mayor had few real duties other than keeping watch. One of those few duties, however, came in to play that day. Condor opened a box that he knew existed but had hoped that he would never have to use. There was a similar box in every Bolantine pressure line communications room.

He pulled out two different containers, one a communication capsule and the other a large jar with two types of liquid in it separated by a glass divider. He put that one aside and opened the communications capsule and wrote what little he could without regard to encoding. He simply didn't have the time.

Major Holland and his team ran for the communications room once they'd deciphered enough of the documents to figure out where it was. Holland and his men began chopping at the thick door on the communications room, which let Condor know he was running out of time.

Condor finished his report letting them know that Genesis was falling and that the Sotan Army was well within the Bolantine empire. He shoved the paper into the communications container and shoved it into the pressure line, pulling the lever to send it out to the next station. He then looked over at the intruding Sotans and picked up the other jar as they broke in.

"It's over, Bolantine Bastard," Holland said as he aimed his crossbow at Condor's head.

"That it is," Condor agreed, "Enjoy your victory. It will be your last."

He then dropped the jar onto the floor. The jar contained what was known as the last gasp jar. It contained a powerful binary chemical explosive that was lined with shrapnel. It exploded and completely destroyed the communications room along with most of the second floor of the building. The explosion could be seen across the entire city of Genesis as the Bolantine citizenry awoke to an invasion the likes of which they'd never seen before.

145. Respondents

Randy Black walked into the house where they'd been passing messages for the past two days and saw some seriously tired people. Stacy, Corinne and Corie were sleeping while there was a respite from the messages. Kyrie and Copeland were on resting watch while Jim and Mason, being immortal and in the best shape, kept the riding watch for a while.

"You guys look beat," Randy told them as he sat down, "Anything major come through?"

"They bought it," Kyrie said with a very tired smile, "We got the responses from the first and second a couple hours ago. It's been pretty quiet since then."

"Any word from up north?" Copeland asked him.

"Your father is in Mavelan City," Randy informed him, "He's organizing the forces from the Palace along with my dad, Pirotase and Major Anderson from the Gottgol force. The Serenian contingent is due tomorrow with two full battalions to hit the eastern front and take the pressure off that direction."

"Serenians too?" Kyrie said, impressed, "Who thought of that?"

"They did," Randy said, "Encouraged along by Simon and Charissa. They want a chance at territory and the Mullinix agreed they could do what they wanted in Bolantine lands so long as they let the Mavelans go back to their original borders when this is done."

"Anything out of the ordinary in Bolanpyris?" Copeland asked, "We're sitting ducks down here."

"Not yet," Randy said, "But this can't last much longer."

"We're doing ok," Copeland said, "I just wish we'd found a better way to power these machines."

"This is probably the best shape you'll ever be in," Mason told them from on top of the gearbike, "Enjoy it."

"Incoming!" Jim exclaimed, "South side."

Kyrie jumped up and pulled the oddly colored canister out of the machine. She looked at it for a minute before she nudged Corinne out of her sleep. Corinne woke up slowly and looked up at the canister that Kyrie held in her hand. It took her a second but as soon as she focused on it she jump up like a shot.

"Where the hell?" Corinne asked, surprised, "I never thought I'd see one of these in person..."

"What is it?" Kyrie asked, "That's not a normal communication canister?"

"I forget the official name," Corinne said, still shaking a bit, "But we always called them death pods."

That got Corie's attention. He woke up and saw the canister. He too had heard of them and been trained on them, but he never in a million years thought that he would see one in a real live setting.

"Dangerous?" Mason asked them.

"Not to us," Corinne explained, "These are last ditch communications. They are to be used in emergency situations when all hope is lost. They are kept in a secure box in the communications room along with a death jar."

"Nice name," Kyrie sighed, "What is it?"

"A binary chemical explosive in a jar," Corie told them, "Perfectly safe in the jar. If the two chemicals mix then it explodes. They're usually filled with shrapnel to kill anyone in a thirty-foot radius."

"Sounds charming," Kyrie frowned, "Why do that?"

"Last ditch communication if the city is falling," Mason said as he realized Bolantine's mind set, "He'd want to know if a city fell and keep his communications system out of their hands. I'm betting that contains a quick record of what happened and then he exploded the jar after sending it."

"No bet," Corinne said as she read it, "It's only Empress encoded, likely because they didn't have time to do anything else."

"Where is it from?" Randy asked, "Our troops haven't taken anything with a communication center?"

"Genesis," Corinne said as she read further, "The Sotans have marched deep into Bolantine territory taking every Bolantine population center between the border and Genesis. No sign of the first army and a final declaration that he'd fight to the death."

"Condor," Corie said as he read the translation, "I went to school with him twenty-five years ago. A die hard if there ever was one. He was the mayor of Genesis last I heard."

"That should hurt them," Jim said, "Genesis is their food hub."

"I'll be more impressed when reports of fighting happen down south," Mason shrugged, "If we pull that one off, that's the end of the Bolantine Empire as we currently know it."

"I wonder how long we can pull this off?" Kyrie asked, "How soon before he gets suspicious?"

"When did we say the Second would get there?" Copeland asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Corie said, "That's probably about the end of our usefulness."

"Then we'd best get some more sleep," Corinne said, "Have we performed well enough?"

"You've more than earned citizenship," Kyrie promised her, "You can't help what you were trained to do. You're doing the right thing now, that's what matters."

"Too early to think about that," Corie said as he sat down again, "I just want to make it through this alive first."

There was a general agreement on that.

146. Kinder Murder

"News from the Sotans!" Pirotase yelled as she came into the room, "They've broken the lines in the east and taken Genesis with almost no resistance. There's no sign of the Bolantine first army."

"That may not be such a good thing," Anderson noted, "They may be on their way here."

"No sign of them on this end," Lister said, "Randy's network is still functioning and they'd know about it before we would. The Bolantine front is still suffering from personnel issues right now. Supposedly both the first and second have been called in, but there's no sign of any of them yet."

"You're going to love this," Medoferro said as he stepped out of the line room, "News from the Damascans. After the last mess that cost them a city they put together a network in western command. The second army deployed twelve hours ago."

"I don't love that all that much," Pirotase said, "That means we're going to have problems."

"They deployed east in search of a breakthrough army heading for Bolantinople," Medoferro smiled, "Guess what the Sotans just reported the first army inexplicably did?"

"Headed west for a breakthrough army heading for Bolantinople?" Lister asked, knowing what he'd do if he were intercepting, "They did it... The Bolantines are engaging themselves and probably don't even know it."

"The Serenians will be ready in four hours," Pirotase said, "We might actually have a shot now."

"It's only a chance," Medoferro cautioned, "Remember, they could figure out what happened and head north just as easy."

"Let's hope for Bolantine stupidity," Anderson said, "Is the Serenian commander planning on setting up shop here?"

"They plan on hitting Bolanpyris and taking their command center there," Lister told him, "It will be up to us to mop up the second and they'll go through and cut a swath down to Cradam in the south. They're planning on taking Cradam and using it as the base for their new Serenian satellite republic."

"More power to them," Anderson nodded, "Maybe it will get them off my borders."

"That situation has been resolved," Medoferro informed him, "Charissa and Simon have brokered a land switch accord similar to how we did the Siraqi cession. You're switching disputed chunks on either side of the city up there. Anyone who wants to move to the other zone can do so or they can settle in Mullinix if they just want out."

"About time someone got some sense," Anderson muttered, "I've been wanting to do something about that situation for years, but it's never been politically feasible."

"That's the nice thing about my government," Medoferro grinned, "We don't ask permission, we just do the right thing."

"Don't get me started," Anderson chuckled, "The important thing is that the Bolantine Empire is never allowed to do this again."

"Our differences all pale compared to the evil that immortal son of a bitch stands for," Lister agreed, "I saw the horrors of the empire in person, as did Pirotase. I won't shed any tears if they just up and cease to be."

"I'll settle for contained in the Bolantinople sector," Pirotase said pragmatically, "I'm not greedy at this point."

"Let's get back to work," Medoferro suggested, "We can discuss this stuff after the war is over. We still have some creative tactics to come up with or there won't be a victory party."

There was a murmur of agreement as they all went back to current positioning reports and keeping track of where everyone was. They had hope now, but it was a long way from being certain.

147. Broken Communications

"Where the hell is the Cavalry?" Bolantine almost screamed at the scouts, "Their advanced unit should have been here hours ago!"

"No sign sire," the scout said, "There's another problem as well."

"What?" Bolantine seethed, "Second is late as well?"

"No sign of them either," the scout sighed, "The third is fighting against a rising tide. That isn't the issue, though."

"Then what's the problem?" Nikki asked, "Spit it out!"

"Chariot forces are attacking the east front," the scout said, "Numbers aren't solid yet, but looks like a two battalion force."

"Chariots?" Bolantine asked and looked at Nikki, "Who the hell uses chariots? The Mullinix and Mavelans prefer straight cavalry like we do."

"The Gottgol force is all on foot," the scout added, "We don't know who they are."

"Has to be Serenia," Nikki said, "Didn't you tell me they used chariots up there?"

"Now that's a rabbit I didn't expect Medoferro to pull out of his hat," Bolantine said, looking at the maps, "Two battalions could break us if we don't get the other forces here soon."

Colonel Levant walked into the room with a young man who looked like he had seen a ghost. Bolantine looked at the Colonel and wondered what other bad news he had.

"You'd better listen to his story," Levant said, "You can tell truth better than I can."

"What happened, son?" Bolantine asked the young man.

"Black soldiers," the boy said, "They came from everywhere. Took all the government buildings and destroyed the armory."

"Where?" Nikki asked quickly, knowing she wouldn't like the answer.

"Genesis sir," the boy said, "Condor got to the com room, because I saw the final explosion."

"Did we get the final com?" Bolantine asked quickly, "If not, something is very wrong."

"Nothing," Nikki said, very concerned, "The last communication from them was a report that the Sotans were beset by political instability after the loss of King Harmon."

"Get the last reports," Bolantine instructed a page, "All of them and their containers."

"Where were the Sotans heading?" Nikki asked the boy, "Did you see anything at all?"

"No empress," the boy said honestly, "I was too busy running from the attack."

"That's fine," Bolantine said as he paced, "You did right by coming here, boy. Levant, get him some food and a warm place to sleep."

"Yes sir," Levant said with a salute, "Orders?"

"Contract the lines," Bolantine said, "Stop advancing. We need to hold ground until we figure out where the First and Second are."

"Here are the communications and containers sire," the page said and indicated a cart, "Everything from the line room in the past 24 hours."

"What are you looking for, B?" Nikki asked.

"Code method," Bolantine said as he examined the papers, "The empress code is keyed. We didn't do it for an individual, but we did do it different for the school locations."

"I forgot about that," Nikki said, "The Genesis scribe should have a different code than the first army scribe and a different one still from the second army scribe."

"Exactly," Bolantine said as he read and made some notes, "And all of these notes have a completely different key than any of them. The Empress coder on these messages learned at Southern Oasis."

"We have a turncoat," Nikki said, "And they've broken our communication lines."

"Empress code is one thing," Bolantine said, "But these are also emperor's coded. There are only forty people in the empire who know that code and none of them would have taught it to anyone else."

"So that means we have more than one," Nikki said, growling, "If that's the case, the first and second armies could be anywhere."

"Send runners on gearbikes," Bolantine ordered, "I want to know where those armies are."

"Send a twin," Nikki suggested, "We have a few sets of communicating twins. Keep one here and send the other south."

"How quick can we get one to the encampment?" Bolantine asked.

"Straight shot to the southern camp in two or three hours," Nikki said, "We may be overrun by then."

"Each of those armies has an Emperor's code scribe," Bolantine said, thinking about it, "I hate doing them, but I can do a power ping and figure out both where they are and where the turncoat is."

"Do it," Nikki said, "I'll play note taker."

Bolantine nodded and sat down on the floor and used an ancient meditation technique to clear his mind. He had ingrained himself into his people for so long that he could tell individual ones apart with power use, but he did it rarely because it was so much information to sort through with there being millions of pure and half-blooded empire citizens. That much information was painful for a human mind and would be fatal for anyone who wasn't immortal.

"When I hit the trance start asking locations on the emperor's coders," Bolantine instructed Nikki, "Go through the whole list so that we find the turncoat as well."

"Got it," Nikki said as she sat in front of him and waited for him to hit full trance.

It took about five minutes for Bolantine to get his connections sorted out. Once he had tapped in to the network that he'd been building for centuries he was ready to find who he needed to find.

"Adam Kubelsky," Nikki said.

"Dead," Bolantine said, "Last trace in Hulkensuxor, Mullinix."

"Aron Corpland," Nikki asked.

"Southern Oasis," Bolantine said.

"Asam Monto," Nikki asked.

"Cradam," Bolantine said, his expression not changing.

"Braden Cole," Nikki asked.

"Western Command," Bolantine said.

"Broden Bradley," Nikki said, "Look for circumstances around him, he's with the second army."

"Battle Zone," Bolantine said evenly, "Ten miles west of Cradam."

"What the hell are they doing fighting down there?" Nikki wondered and then asked went to the second army's scribe, "Justinius Blue."

"Battle Zone," Bolantine continued in the same toneless manner, "Ten miles west of Cradam."

"They didn't..." Nikki said and her eyes went wide with anger, "Of course they did... They set the armies on each other. No reason for them not to go, the orders were emperor scribed."

"Brutal battle," Bolantine said as he saw snippits of the fight going on, "Blood against blood."

Nikki had to hold her anger for a few moments before going back to the list. She knew that things had just gotten a lot worse, but they needed to know who had screwed them over this severely.

"Calien," Nikki said.

"Dead," Bolantine said, "Last trace Black Village."

"Condor," Nikki said, knowing this would be an indicator of veracity.

"Dead," Bolantine said, "Last trace Genesis."

"That fits," Nikki sighed, "Ok, this one should be dead too but let's check where... Corie..."

148. Discovery and Escape

Corie sat bolt upright from the flash he felt go across his head. Corinne was doing an initial decode of a new message from the south when she saw that look on his face. Jim Entragian jumped up as well as he had noticed a pulse that hadn't originated locally.

"What happened?" Corinne asked him.

"Bolantine knows," Corie said simply, "He knows I'm alive and is looking for Emperor's code holders."

"How?" Mason asked him.

"He can reach anyone of the Bolantine blood," Corie said, his fear now coming out, "He doesn't do it often because it is painful, but he can do it at any time. This is how he was able to be away for years in Siraq and off doing everything else."

"How the hell?" Randy asked, "That's not possible..."

"He must have ingrained his own genetics into your people," Jim said, a bit horrified at that thought, "Transfusions maybe?"

"Probably," Mason nodded, "He couldn't pass on his blood, but he could ingrain himself in those people. It would have taken years."

"Centuries," Jim told him, "Think that was what he was doing all those years we lost track of him?"

"Probably," Mason nodded, "After we knocked down his third kingdom at around the Mullinix year 900 he disappeared for a while. The only trace we had of him was another incident with precataclysmic weapons about a hundred years later."

"They disappeared again for about six centuries after that," Jim remembered, "Probably were building the bloodline we see now."

"That's right," Corie nodded, "Empire history. The emperor bred us for the conditioning and cared for us. We were a city state of Bolantinople for about five hundred years. Once we started getting stronger we expanded slowly, building up to where we are now."

"Luckily they always get overconfident and make a mistake like this," Jim said, "This is going to be a big one."

"We need to get out of here," Corie said, "I'll head east and draw them off your trail. He will be sending people after me soon. He knows I'm alive."

"We're not abandoning you," Copeland said, "Not a chance."

"I'm like a beacon now," Corie told them, "I won't let them catch Kyrie because of that."

"Translate this first," Corinne said as she handed over the missive she just worked on, "We'll decide after that where to go."

The group bickered for a bit with Stacy and Randy siding with Corie and the two younger members, Kyrie and Copeland stating that they couldn't leave him behind.

"They're desperate," Corie said, his face going even paler, "This is a response from the special operations front. The Kaiden Project weapon is on its way to Bolanpyris. Likely is there by now according to this."

"Does it say what it is?" Mason asked, his curiosity now piqued.

"No," Corie said, shaking his head, "But they do say that care must be taken to not have it explode from power use."

"Power use?" Jim said, "Nukes won't be affected by power use. It would take a high velocity shot to set one of those off that way. Casual power use wouldn't hurt it."

"Plasma would," Mason said, "The Bauxite container is likely barely containing it at all."

"What's the difference?" Kyrie asked.

"Nuclear will generate a huge explosion," Jim said, "Enough to level a city the size of Mullinix Centre and will leave it unlivable for centuries."

"And Plasma?" Copeland put in, unfamiliar with the technology.

"Slower going," Jim told him, "Less damaging to the environment but harder to hide from. It will evaporate most anything in its path and leave a circle of destruction probably about a mile and a half in diameter."

"Both sound bad," Corinne said, "Which is worse?"

"Nuclear is bigger and more damaging but will leave survivors on the outskirts," Mason said from his old knowledge of weapons, "Plasma is a bit smaller but will leave nothing standing. It's concentrated fire. Imagine every candle in Mullinix burning at once and the power crammed in to a ten-inch ball."

"We have to stop it," Copeland said, "If his back is against the wall do you doubt he'd use either one?"

"He has before," Mason said, "He's that ruthless."

"He's coming," Corie said, "I can go meet him and try to set it off behind the lines."

"He'll kill you if you go alone," Copeland said, "I'm going too."

"We all can go," Kyrie said.

"Not for this," Copeland said, "Protecting Corie is one thing, but this is taking the emperor on head on."

"What are you proposing?" Stacy asked him, hoping the young man was showing sense.

"Kyrie, Stacy and Randy go back to Mavelan City," Copeland said, "Corinne can go with them too to provide power support. Corie, Mason, Jim and myself can go after Bolantine and try to stop the weapon."

"Can you shield something like this?" Corinne asked.

"Plasma can be shielded," Jim said, "Nuclear not so much. The radiation screws up the power waves."

"Dad needs to know what is going on," Copeland told her, "I'm a power sink and may be able to help counter Bolantine's prowess with sheer power. You're a decent power user, but not that good."

"Your duty is to the people of Mullinix," Stacy reminded her, "Copeland is right."

Kyrie stomped around for a moment and knew they were right. It didn't make her like it very much, however. She looked helplessly and hugged her cousin tightly. She just hoped it wouldn't be the last time she ever saw him.

"You come back," Kyrie told Copeland, "You hear me?"

"Of course," Copeland smiled, "I am not letting you off that easy. You either, Corinne."

"Come back and I may give you a surprise," Corinne whispered to Copeland and kissing him on the temple, "I have to atone for letting Vlad kill Alisa somehow."

Copeland smiled and hugged her. The group went out and distributed the remaining gearbikes out. Kyrie and company took the remaining two wheeled gearbikes because they were more maneuverable. Copeland and company took one of the gearhaulers with the other two bikes in the back.

"We have to go now," Corie said urgently, "They're moving!"

"Let's go," Stacy told Kyrie.

Stacy, Kyrie, Corinne and Randy pushed to the east and planned to go around the crumbling third army. Copeland, Corie, Mason and Jim went north to meet destiny.

149. The Kaiden Project

"Corie," Bolantine growled as he shook his head, "I'm going to tear him to pieces!"

"Now we know why Marina failed," Nikki nodded, "We've got to get the remains of the first and second together. We're about to be overrun."

"Contract back down to the Cradam/Bolantinople corridor," Bolantine said, "Start putting out feelers see whether we can get any of the armies to stop. We can't afford to lose that corridor. Give whatever we need to have to keep that part of the nation."

"Fastest way to do that would be to kill their leaders," Nikki said, "Intelligence says they are using the Palace in Mavelan City for a command center."

"We have the Kaiden Project weapon," Bolantine said, "I'll take it and a small crew. We can hide out and bring it up there. We'll decapitate them and it should give us a chance to rebuild our lines. I'll do that as soon as I kill that son of a bitch Corie."

"He'll find you," Nikki said, "Especially if he's with Mason Stone. They won't let you go quietly with this project."

"Then I'll kill them all if it comes down to it," Bolantine growled, "Get everyone moving. Start the fighting retreat."

Nikki nodded and kissed Bolantine. She ran out barking orders and saw the initial surge of Serenian soldiers come in. She shot a few fire blasts at them and gave the orders.

Behind the line Copeland pushed power into the machine as Mason and Jim pedaled it wildly. They'd made the fifty-mile journey in less than an hour by pushing power. Corie knew from his experiences in Siraq that Bolantine would know he was coming close. He also knew he could use that same connection to tell where Bolantine was.

"He's in the center building!" Corie yelled, "He's still searching for me, but not as actively as he was."

"The Serenians are starting to get close!" Copeland yelled, "I can hear the rumbling chariots."

"Make straight for Bolantine!" Mason yelled, "Jim, stun any Bolantine soldier that comes near us!"

That proved not to be necessary. The line had completely crumbled in the east and was nearing full collapse in the west. There was panic in the afternoon sun as everyone ran around trying to get away from the attackers. The camp was pretty thoroughly surrounded and Mason hit several fleeing Bolantine soldiers with the gearhauler as they tried to bring it to a halt.

"Brakes can't handle the speed!" Jim yelled, "We're going to crash!"

"Hit the sandwall building!" Corie yelled, "Softest landing!"

Mason narrowly kept the unwieldy vehicle under control long enough to crash it into the sandwall, throwing the four of them through the wall into the storage room where Bolantine and his crew were preparing to take the Kaiden weapon out to head to Mavelan city.

"Wow," Bolantine said as he looked at them, "I didn't think I'd get the chance to kill you myself before I headed north."

"You really think I will let you get away with it," Mason told him, "It's over Bolantine. Put your tail between your legs and go back to your diseased civilization. You may have a chance to have your petty kingdom to rule when it's all over."

"Minor setback," Bolantine said, "Nothing more. Surely you can't approve of these mortal governments?"

"They do a better job than you do," Mason said simply, "We outnumber you this time."

"So you think," Bolantine said and whistled, "Attack!"

Bolantine let out a concentrate force blow that threw Mason backwards into Jim. Copeland tried to let out a shot on Bolantine, but Bolantine saw it coming. He looked at Corie and sent out a painful thought blast at his former assistant that sent him flying across the room.

The guard contingent then filed in and started fighting. The guards were too tired to be effective but Bolantine joined into the fight. Jim and Copeland managed to push the fighters out the door and bar it shut. Mason was about to begin using power against the immortal when Jim stopped him. Jim pointed at the box and saw that it was the right size and shape to be a plasma carrier.

"You use that we all go up," Bolantine grinned, "You and I run away but your friends all become toast."

"Haven't you destroyed enough?" Corie asked as he stood up and looked at his boss, "Did you ever wonder why I decided to turn?"

"You're an ingrate," Bolantine seethed, "You're going to die painfully for this."

"I did it because anyone who could order someone like Marina to do what she did," Corie said simply, "Simply doesn't deserve the loyalty. You used us as a diversion. We're cattle to you."

"You're no better," Bolantine said, "You've done what you were born to do all your life. Now, you will die for your emperor!"

Bolantine then gripped Corie's neck and lifted the middle aged man up off the ground. He looked into his former subject's eyes and instead of the fear expected he saw a defiance that even Corie had not known he could bring up to the surface.

"Time to die, traitor!" Bolantine shouted and began to squeeze the life out of Corie's neck.

"Not a chance," Copeland said and pushed power into the immortal, "See if you can deal with this!"

Bolantine felt a flash of pain as the power pushed into his body, causing him to drop Corie on to the wooden floor. It was not a type of power use he'd ever felt before. Copeland had learned it from his father when he'd operated on Mason to remove the pipe fitting from his head. It was able to interfere with their immortal body defenses and start pushing the molecules apart. Jim went between Bolantine and the weapon to shield it from the power.

"Keep going!" Corie yelled as he stood up and rubbed his neck, "You're getting him!"

"I can't die!" Bolantine yelled as he pushed back, "You can't kill me!"

Mason didn't know what to do. He looked at what Copeland was doing and knew it would fail. Even with a power sink he didn't have the power to destroy the belligerent immortal. He considered pulling Copeland out before he accidentally killed himself.

"You will never kill anyone again!" Copeland seethed, pushing harder.

Jim Entragian saw an opportunity. Copeland had managed to open up the cellular network that had kept Bolantine alive so long. He didn't have the raw power that Copeland did, but he did have the ability to work a finer weave than the young power user did. He did this and pushed deeper into Bolantine's being that he had thought possible.

"Jim!" Mason yelled as he saw this, "What are you doing?"

"Taking over," Jim said simply as he pushed, "Copeland, let go of your stream before you burn out!"

"Not without..." Copeland said and was stopped by Mason.

"Let Jim take it," Mason said, seeing what Jim was looking at, "Trust me."

Copeland slowly released his stream as Jim pushed his harder and tighter. Bolantine, paralyzed by the stream flooding into his body, looked at Jim with contempt and hatred. Jim Entragian pushed harder and physically shoved his left hand into the wound that had been created in Bolantine's midsection.

"What are you going to do now?" Bolantine mocked, "You can't kill me!"

"Copeland just showed me the blueprint," Jim said, smiling, "I can finish something now I should have done nearly 2500 years ago!"

"No!" Corie shouted, "You aren't!"

"What?" Copeland said and then looked, "You can't..."

"He is," Mason said, closing his eyes and sighing, "You sure, Jim?"

"I made him," Jim said, "It's a burden I've carried for 300 lifetimes, Mason."

"How long?" Mason asked him.

"If it works it will be quick," Jim said, "If it doesn't then we lose."

"Shield yourselves," Mason told Copeland and Corie, "Corie, shield your head directly. Copeland, shield both of your bodies and close your eyes. I will put an outer shield on you."

Copeland and Corie looked at each other and wondered what Jim was actually going to do. Bolantine looked at Jim in hatred, but was losing his ability to speak. Jim dragged them over a few feet to the box that Bolantine had planned to use to destroy Mavelan City.

"Ready for hell, Bolantine?" Jim asked him as he built a power structure dangerously close to the Kaiden Weapon, "Because it's time for eternity!"

"I can give you everything!" Bolantine shouted, "Everything! You don't have to die like this!"

"You can give me nothing," Jim said and closed his eyes, "Maybe now I can see Claire again."

"She'll be there waiting for you," Mason said as he touched his old friend on the shoulder, "I'll miss you."

"Find Karen and take care of her," Jim said, "Perhaps I will see you again someday."

Mason went over and pushed a massive shield over the two mortals and positioned himself behind the shields to allow them to take the pressure from the blast. Jim Entragian looked around one last time and then into the pleading eyes of the immortal who had been born Endicott Bolantine III in the streets of a precataclysmic city that was long gone.

"Goodbye," Jim said and shoved his right hand through the construct he'd created and released the power of the plasma weapon into his body.

The power went through Jim Entragian's body as if he were an electrical circuit. He had interrupted his own cellular structure the same way Copeland had done to Bolantine, but took it a step further to allow the entire power of the weapon to flow through them.

Bolantine fought the power but even he couldn't handle the power of ten million candles flowing through the inner reaches of his previously immortal body. Jim had pushed the structure that Copeland started and used the power of the plasma weapon to finish what Copeland alone could not.

Bolantine tried as his last act on earth to signal all his people to attack and destroy the people who dared to oppose them, but this was the worst thing he could have done. The power burning them had been looking for a way out and this gave it a link to human beings of Bolantine blood. The power flew out and went into the human network that Bolantine had been cultivating for centuries.

This didn't save either Jim or Bolantine, however, as the sheer amount of power vaporized the cells faster than they could heal, vaporizing both of them in a cloud of power that destroyed the camp and the front line of the Serenian army.

150. The Empire Ends

Kyrie, Stacy, Randy and Corinne had been riding most of the evening and had ended up stopping behind a Bolantine base camp. The battle had shifted across the lines much more than it had before they left. They were trying to get a scout reading when the saw the blinding flash and heard the screams.

"What the hell was that?" Kyrie asked, standing up quickly and looking, "Did you feel that, Corinne?"

"Yeah," she nodded and looked around, "The flash came from the battlefield."

"Stay here," Randy said, "I'm going to take a look."

He ran up to the edge of the wooded area and he was in shock by what he saw. The entire Bolantine force had fallen over. Most of them didn't even know what had hit them, just a flash of light and then eternity. Stacy, Corinne and Kyrie came up behind him and looked out to see the same site.

"What did this?" Randy asked, "How?"

"There was a flash in the northeast," Corinne said, "I wonder if they set off the Kaiden project weapon."

"That doesn't explain the thousands of corpses out there," Randy said, "It looks like the entire Bolantine army just up and died."

"Prepare for shielding," Kyrie instructed Corinne, "Let's go north and see if we can find anyone still living out here."

"What if..." Corinne said and stopped, "If it comes back we're dead no matter where we are."

"Exactly," Kyrie said and walked north.

The four of them began a walk to see where the carnage ended. While they were walking north through the field of bodies the scouts of the Sotan army saw the same flash as they neared Bolantinople. The plan had been to take the capitol and destroy the base of the Bolantine empire, but the plans changed as that flash went through.

The flash went through every person in the city, leaving a wave of death wherever it went. The defining moment in this city, however, was in a nondescript office building just on the outskirts of town. Bolantine had used it as the headquarters for the Kaiden Project for years and a young scientist was in the room testing the case on the dirty Kaiden weapon.

Unfortunately for everyone the young man had his hands on the weapon when the flash hit him. The pulse set off the explosives which drive the subatomic particles together and began a thermonuclear explosion.

The Empire that Bolantine had been crafting for centuries was destroyed in a matter of minutes by the very weapons that he had retrieved for their protection. The plasma killed the people and the nuclear weapon destroyed Bolantinople in a gigantic fireball of death.

The Sotan commander watched this fireball and saluted it. He knew just as everyone watching that day did that the old ways were over and that their long time enemy was no more.

"Salude," the commander said, "The evil empire is no more. His people will no longer die slowly under his regime."

151. Bolanpyris

Copeland Irons got up and looked around and realized that they couldn't have been luckier. The ground around their bubble was charred to the point of being almost glassy. The building was no more and there was almost no wreckage left for several hundred feet.

Corie was still on the ground. His shielding had only half worked so he still took a large burst of energy to his skull. His right eye, the one closest to the ground was completely destroyed and his face in that section was badly burned. Copeland went over and shook his partner, hoping that he'd managed to survive the pulse that had killed everyone else of Bolantine blood.

"Corie!" Copeland said, "Come on, the shielding had to have helped..."

"I felt them die, Copeland," Corie said, "There's so much pain..."

"We'll get you help," Copeland said and pushed a calming wave into him, "This should help for now."

Several dozen Serenian soldiers charged across the field and went over to the only sign of life in Bolanpyris. Their translator, a young man who grew up near the Mullinix border, came over and asked for their names and ranks in the Bolantine army.

"Not Bolantine," Copeland said, "We're Mullinix."

"Mullinix?" the young man said, "What happened?"

"I wish I knew," Copeland said as he looked around, "Look for another man. He's around here somewhere. Might also want to look for a five-foot tall woman who is likely still around here somewhere."

Mason Stone walked up in his still smoking clothes that were hanging off him in tatters. He had taken a full brunt of the explosion but because his molecular system hadn't been breached like Bolantine's had been it couldn't do more than forcefully throw him across the remains of the camp.

"How is he?" Mason asked Copeland as he shifted his burned clothing, "He doesn't look so good."

"He's alive," Copeland said, "Better than most everyone else around here."

"Every Bolantine soldier dropped dead on the lines," the young man said, "We saw the flash and they dropped out of nowhere. Didn't matter what they were doing they just up and died."

"Bolantine reached out before he died," Mason said, shaking his head, "Jim fed it into him in such a way that it flooded every part of him, including however he reached out. It sent enough power out that likely anyone who had more than a touch of Bolantine blood had their cerebral cortex overloaded."

"Long distance electrocution," Copeland said, "How far do you think this went?"

"Bolantine could reach his people from Siraq," Corie reminded them, "If that connection was wide open, then it's likely there isn't another person left with any Bolantine blood other than me."

"I think we need to get you back to Mavelan City," Copeland told Corie, "You don't look so good."

"We will take you back before heading southeast to Cradam," the young man told them, "Looks like it won't be as hard a trip now."

"That's for sure," Copeland muttered.

"We just found the woman!" a Serenian soldier yelled, "She's lying catatonic over here."

Mason walked over and looked at the pitiful form of the former Nicole DeSeve. She had received the same power thrust that their people had, but unlike them she couldn't die from it. The power of losing Bolantine, however, had destroyed what was left of her mind. Her body was still living but at this point she was a shell, for all practical purposes as dead as Bolantine and Entragian were.

"It's over," Copeland said as he looked at her, "They can't rebuild now, can they?"

"No," Mason said as he looked over the blast site, "They can't do this to anyone again."

152. Homecoming

Medoferro met Kyranferro at the border as the entire palace support crew had heard about the mass death. She ran over to Medoferro and hugged him tightly as they both looked in wonder at the bodies that were everywhere, most of them untouched by signs of violence.

"What happened?" Medoferro asked, "I'm not sad the war is over, but something catastrophic happened."

"Happened in a flash," Kyrie told him, "Corinne thinks it might have been the Kaiden Project weapon going off in Bolanpyris."

"We have reports of a larger flash out of Bolanpyris," Medoferro said, "No sign of survivors that way yet, but the Serenians are searching the area."

"Where's Copeland?" Medoferro asked, "And the others?"

"Bolantine tracked in on Corie," Corinne told them, "Copeland, Corie and the immortals went to prevent Bolantine from using the Kaiden Project Weapon."

"Great," Medoferro sighed, "Any chance of survivors out of there?"

"Yes," Kyrie said, "Mason said that if it was a plasma weapon it could be shielded. If Copeland knew it was going off he would have shielded."

"We need more information," Medoferro said, "I just needed to see this myself."

"Please tell me you have a method of transport other than a gearbike," Stacy said finally, "I don't ever want to see one of those blasted things again."

"I think we can accommodate you," Medoferro laughed, "Why is that?"

They all got into the steam wagon they were using for transport and told the stories of what they had done down in the south. Medoferro was amazed that they'd pulled it off as well as they had, despite the odds against them. He also determined that Corie and Corinne were deserving permanent jobs with them if they wanted them.

They returned to the Palace and found that the Serenian contingent that had been carrying Mason, Copeland and Corie had arrived before they had. Mason was wearing a Serenian uniform but looked little worse for wear. Copeland looked fine and jumped up to go to Kyrie and Corinne as soon as he saw them. Corie was being treated by the Palace medico crew for the burns he received from the final flash.

"I'm glad to see you," Copeland said as he hugged Kyrie and Corinne, "It's been one hell of a day."

"Maybe you can shed some light on what happened," Medoferro asked his son, "I see you survived."

"Thanks to the combined shielding of Mason and Myself," Copeland nodded as Corinne jumped in his arms, "Jim and Bolantine weren't so lucky."

"Wait," Kyrie said, "The immortal emperor is dead?"

"I used a variant of the technique dad used on Mason and Jim to get the pieces out of their heads," Copeland said, "I didn't have the power to finish the job, but Jim saw what I was doing and took over. He then set off the Kaiden weapon himself and channeled the power through both of their bodies. They both vaporized and it looks like Bolantine reached out to his people as he died, sending some of the power out that way as well. It overloaded the brains of everyone who shared a blood connection."

"Corie?" Kyrie asked, "He was of Bolantine blood."

"Jim delayed long enough for us to build shielding," Copeland said, "He seemed to know what would happen and told Corie to shield his head. Mason and I handled the rest of it. Corie is alive, but lost an eye and has some nasty burns."

"He may be the only one," Lister said as he came out, "Reports are coming out all over the place of people falling over and dying. Seems anyone who had any Bolantine blood was affected. Trinaferro came on the line and said that there are hundreds of death reports in Mullinix and Sotanberg."

"We had a few people in the palace go down too," Pirotase told them as she came out, "Two of which were the children of rape by Bolantine soldiers during the first war."

"Bolantine ingrained himself into their blood line," Mason said, "We knew it was possible but didn't think he'd be able to do it. We were wrong and all those people have now paid the price for Bolantine's evil."

"What do we do with her?" Copeland asked as he pointed to Nikki Bolantine, who was still laying there with eyes wide open and unseeing.

"We need to dispose of her," Mason said simply, "My suggestion would be a stable cemetery under Mullinix control."

"I've got a better idea," Kyrie said, "Is construction still ongoing at Mullinix Centre?"

"Yes," Medoferro said, "They're getting ready to start rebuilding the Mullinix rooms."

"Let's put her in a bauxite concrete mix and put her into the load bearing wall," Kyrie suggested, "That is the best defended building in Mullinix and lasted almost two millennia without any serious damage. Bury her in it and forget she existed."

"I like it," Mason agreed, "Unlike the last time I buried her I doubt she'll be any use again even if she is let out."

A young page came out and handed a message to Pirotase. She read it quickly and shook her head. She passed it to Lister and looked at the others.

"The Sotans report that Bolantinople went up in a giant fireball," Pirotase shared with them, "The Bolantine Empire ceased to exist in a manner of minutes."

Kyrie and Medoferro looked at each other and wondered how it had come to this. Corinne, remembering all the people she grew up with, started crying as Copeland pulled her against him as the enormity of what happened started to sink in.

"In a war," Mason said finally, "No one wins, there are only degrees of losing."

No one had any inclination at that point to disagree with him.

153. New World Order

"Much as it pains me to have to resort to this," Kyranferro said as she passed her first judgment in a Mullinix session, "I find that this child should live with his maternal grandparents as both parents are completely unsuited to raising an animal, let alone a child."

Kyrie left the session chamber and walked into the office where Trinaferro was going over some paperwork. Medoferro came in behind her, now walking with the aid of a cane because of his injuries in Gottgol. He sat down and nodded appreciatively to the two women in his life.

"Good job," Medoferro told her, "How does it feel?"

"Compared to my first two weeks on the job?" Kyrie chuckled, "This has been a breeze."

It had been six months since the end of the Bolantine Empire and life was starting to get back to normal. Medoferro wisely decided that he wanted no part of deciding the territory splits of the old Bolantine empire so had thankfully left that to the Mavelans, Sotans, Serenians and Damascans. Medoferro's only request to all of them was that conquered territory be reverted back to the pre-Bolantine owners.

"Any word on what is happening down south?"

"The Serenians settled in Cradam and have taken control of that region," Trinaferro said, "We just got a report on that yesterday. The Mavelans have moved back down and repatriated their conquered people and are reporting that the Serenians have become exemplary neighbors, likely because there's more than enough empty territory with the sudden demise of the Bolantine empire."

"That won't last forever," Medoferro mused, "But that will be someone else's problem by then."

"The Sotans went to pre-Bolantine borders and left the stripped area down there on it's own," Kyrie said, "Word is that a post-Bolantine society of survivors has coalesced around Genesis but without the leadership of Bolantine or Nikki they are mostly toothless."

"How did they survive?" Trinaferro asked.

"They weren't of the blood," Corie said as he walked into the room, "Just had lived under the Bolantine regime so long that they knew nothing else."

Corie had taken Suvorov's place as a senior advisor and additional Mullinix representative. He now wore a patch over his burned out eye and sported a curious streak of white hair where the power had burned him. He considered himself lucky as there were reports of deaths as far north as Gottgol from the Bolantine blood purge.

"Any word from Simon or Charissa?" Medoferro asked, "They still in Serenik?"

"They should be home any time," Trinaferro said, "No one expected the entire guard unit up there to be of Bolantine blood. Also the fact that the colonel up there was a Bolantine Plant as well..."

"I'll take this over the alternative," Medoferro agreed, "So what do you think of your old friend marrying your cousin?"

"Let's say I never expected things to end up like this," Kyrie laughed, "but I'm glad it worked out. Now that Corinne has dropped the idiot act she put on with the Elise character she's turned into a solid number three for us. I can see why Copeland was smitten."

"I don't understand why they went south for a honeymoon though," Trinaferro said as she shook her head, "I'd think they'd both have had enough of that part of the world."

"It may be a way for her to burn off some demons before setting into her new life," Corie suggested, "If Bolantinople hadn't been completely destroyed I'd have considered doing the same."

"Any regrets, Corie?" Medoferro asked him.

"Plenty," Corie said seriously, "But I've atoned for most of them, I think."

"I agree," Medoferro said, "Just like Marina did in the last months of her life. She was the only person left with the inner knowledge of how the Bolantine government worked. I think it gave her peace to dictate that knowledge out."

"Probably having Nikki's hooks out of her didn't hurt," Trinaferro said, "She died peacefully in her sleep. Something I never thought I would be so glad of."

"Me either," Medoferro agreed, "That's enough of this reminiscing. We have work to do."

"It never ends," Trinaferro smiled, "Always business."

"At least during the day," Medoferro grinned, "After that, I'm all yours."

Kyrie smirked as she watched that display. She knew she made the right choices after all. She walked out of the room and sat down in her usual place in the garden.

"How are you holding up?" Corie asked her as he sat down next to her.

"I'm all right," Kyrie said, "Just makes me remember everyone who died from this."

"We all die," Corie reminded her, "Even an immortal emperor can meet his end, it just takes him longer than everyone else."

"Right," Kyrie smiled, "Thanks Corie."

"Anytime," Corie said and touched her shoulder.

Kyrie looked at the load bearing wall that contained the former Empress's shell. She knew then it had all been worth it.

154. The Ruins

Copeland woke up with his new bride sleeping against his chest. Finding lodging in the former Bolantine camp was easy, the Damascans had only recently took over administration and there were more empty buildings than there were people.

"I can't believe I'm back here," Corinne said absently as she woke up, "Ending up with you of all people."

"I must admit to being a bit confused by the turn of events myself," Copeland chuckled, "Any regrets about that part?"

"Had it not been for the orders I would have taken a shot at you anyway," Corinne grinned, "I talked to Alisa about you a few times, was jealous that she got someone caring and I ended up with him."

"That's in the past now," Copeland said, "We've got a busy day ahead of us today. You sure you still want to look for these records?"

"I need to know," Corinne said finally looking at her husband, "I need to know what the Bolantines did to my family."

"Then let's go see if we can find the records," Copeland agreed, "That's why we came, after all."

She kissed him softly and let him hold her close. The months she'd been with him after the war were easily the happiest of her life. She didn't really expect to find anyone else still living but wanted that chapter of her life closed for good so she could enjoy her life with Copeland in Mullinix.

They got up and got dressed in traditional Damascan dress, something that she had learned young was far better suited to the extreme climate than the Bolantine uniforms she'd seen. It also fit far better with the returning residents, many of whom had left on the tails of the Bolantine invasion twenty years before.

The Bolantine records buildings were left intact despite the higher percentage of survivors in Southern Oasis than in other former Bolantine cities. That was one of the reasons the Damascans had come back so slowly as they had to handle the remaining Bolantine nationals.

"I haven't been here in a while," Corinne said, "I remember taking things here as a page when I was ten."

"Think it's occupied?" Corinne asked him.

"There's a gearbike outside," Copeland noticed, "Likely a Damascan historian."

"Let's go get this done," Corinne said, "I want this part of my life behind me."

They went in and were met by an older Damascan who nodded at them and came over to see what they wanted. He had actually been entrusted with watching the records as the Damascans wanted them preserved for historical purposes.

"We're here to find out what happened to my wife's family," Copeland said, "I'm Copeland Irons, Mullinix Representative."

"Go ahead," the Damascan nodded, "Please no take records."

"No need," Corinne said, "Just need to know. No reason to remove the records afterwards."

The Damascan shrugged and went back to his guard position. It took them about forty-five minutes to find the records dating back from when she was a child. The Bolantines were a rather meticulous bunch and kept a full record of everything.

"I found it," Copeland said, "d'Abruzzi, Corinne and Annalisa."

Corinne went over and they opened the file together. It was a short file, mainly going over their suitability for certain operations. The personal history was brief, but gave them the information they'd come all that way to find. Corinne's family had been descended from one of the many patchwork groups in the wild south that had been overtaken during the expansion in the years before the Mavelan invasion.

"My family is likely all dead," Corinne said after reading it, "Most of those groups were either integrated or killed. The ones who integrated mostly married in to Bolantine blood and were killed when the empire blood died."

"Yeah," Copeland said, hugging her tightly, "We can go down to that town if you want?"

"No," Corinne said as she stared at the pages, "Anyone still alive down there will not be family to me. I have you and the rest of your family in Mullinix. You guys took me back despite what I did. They're my family now."

"Let's go get some dinner," Copeland suggested, "Then we can get back to enjoying the honeymoon."

"I like the sound of that," Corinne grinned and took her husband's hand, "I do think I'll take you up on it."

One restaurant had started up in the undersized settlement serving traditional Damascan fare. They ordered up a local delicacy, deciding to be adventurous. They were about halfway through a delicious meal when a familiar face came walking into the café.

"Funny seeing you here," Copeland said to Randy Black, "Care to join us?"

"I'd love to," Randy said, "But I'll pass on the local cuisine."

"As you wish," Corinne said as she ate a little more, "This is delicious."

"What are you doing nowadays?" Copeland asked him, "Still working for your stepmother in the Mavelans?"

"Not much call for a spy without an enemy," Randy said, "I've been working for Mason Stone since the war ended. We've been trying to find the remains of the factory where he, Jim and Karen were injured."

"That why you're here?" Corinne asked, "To take advantage of the records?"

"Partially," Randy nodded, "I also heard you two were here. There's no one better at searching through rubble than you and your father, Copeland, and we could use that help once we find it."

"You did it during my sister's insane attempt," Corinne said to Copeland, "I think we can help."

"I agree," Copeland nodded and looked at her, "You mind cutting our Honeymoon short?"

"If it weren't for Mason there would be no honeymoon," Corinne said honestly, "Either we all would be dead or the war would still be going on. If we can help him get Karen back I'd be honored to do so."

"Do you know where that factory was, Corinne?" Copeland asked her.

"Check the news office," Corinne suggested, "The orders archive likely has it as well."

They found the location they were looking for in the orders archive quickly. The factory was actually in Mavelan territory, nearly a hundred miles to the west. Corrine knew the filing system and was able to find a set of plans and coordinates of the factory they were looking for. Once they authenticated it, Randy brought them outside town to see something that they'd only had images of in the past.

"Wow," Copeland said, "I've read about these, but have never seen one."

Randy had been riding a speed transport that they'd salvaged from the remains of the massive battle between the Bolantine first and second armies. There were very few of them remaining, but there was no faster way to cross the desert, especially with two or three people pedaling to add power to it.

"With this we should be able to hit the factory location in about four hours," Corinne said, "Provided we can convince Copeland to pedal after that nightmare day we spent down south?"

"I can manage," Copeland said, "It definitely made my legs stronger."

"Let's go," Randy said, "Mason will meet us at his new Mavelan compound. Be prepared for him to scream since I think we were searching a half mile too far north."

The ride across the desert was quick and uneventful, bringing them to the compound just as dusk broke. Mason was sitting, as he often was, going over conflicting orders from the remnants of the Bolantine empire to try to figure out where Karen Stone could be.

"Thank you for coming," Mason told them, "Please tell me you have some news."

"We've been a half mile to the north the whole time," Randy told him, "Hopefully that will be the difference."

"And if nothing else I can help with range," Copeland told him, "We figured you did enough for us, the least we could do is come help you."

"Should we go tonight?" Corinne asked, "Or do you need light for this?"

"Star charts will be more accurate at night," Mason said, "Unless you guys are too tired?"

"Let's do it," Copeland shrugged, "No time like the present."

The four of them rode the same device down to the remains of the factory. The factory complex was in terrible shape, having been destroyed well over a year before. The area had still been infested with Bolantine soldiers up until the end of the war and their bodies were still laying all over the place. Luckily the six-month lag had allowed the smell to die down enough to make it possible to go inside for a non-immortal.

"Any memories at all?" Copeland asked.

"None," Mason sighed, "I wish I could have brought Jim for this. He still remembered the events."

"If not for him the Bolantines would still be holding this area," Corinne said, "But there are a lot of ifs in this life you know?"

"That there are," Mason nodded, "I wonder where she could be in here."

"According to the plans we picked up the storage was at the south end of this building," Copeland said as he looked around, "And it looks like that end of the building collapsed."

"We already checked down there," Mason grumbled, "No sign."

"Kaiden Project facilities would have been lined with Bauxite," Corinne said, "That would block the power push you're using."

"Can you detect Bauxite?" Corinne asked her man.

"Should be able to," Copeland nodded, "I remember what it did to my power sight after the explosion."

Copeland went over to that area and started doing controlled power pushes. Corinne went over and used a broader scan, letting Copeland augment it and showing a large mass of Bauxite infused wreckage. It also showed her a cavity down there. She was about to break off when she saw something moving in the piece of the cavity beyond the edge of the bauxite.

"Something is moving down there," Corinne exclaimed, "There's a cavity!"

"Think you can move this slab?" Mason asked Copeland, "If I show you how to concentrate the power properly?"

"It will be touchy," Copeland said, "I don't know for how long we'll be able to move it."

"I'll create a backup function," Corinne said, "Mason can go in since he won't get hurt permanently if it falls."

"Use the same routine we did in getting my Dad out," Copeland nodded, "Randy, think you can pull both him and Karen out?"

"I can power up the vehicle," Randy suggested, "If you give the word, I'll release the brake and have them out of there in half a second."

"Good idea," Mason agreed, "Let's get in position."

It took only a few minutes to set up the constructs that they were going to use. Corinne held Copeland's hand and allowed the power to flow between them. They then put up their constructs. Copeland's power pushes brought the slab up quick while Corinne's held it in place as Copeland recharged. It took only a couple minutes to bring the large slab up.

Mason went in and found Karen Stone moving around the small opening, surprisingly not unconscious just extremely bored. Mason went over and grabbed her tightly. Karen held on to him, but the construct was beginning to fail.

"I have her!" Mason yelled.

"Pull them!" Corinne yelled, "Copeland is losing the construct!"

Randy let go of the break and yanked both the immortals out from under the falling slab, managing to only catch one of Mason's feet under it as it fell. They all stayed put and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Welcome home," Mason told Karen, "Sorry it took me so long."

"Find Jim yet?" Karen asked him, "And who are your friends here."

"Let's go to the camp," Mason suggested, "We have a lot to fill you in on."

It was a long night of storytelling. Mason and Karen held each other closely in front of a fire that Copeland and Randy had built. Corinne snuggled up with Copeland and they told Karen everything that had happened.

"So it's possible to kill us after all," Karen said, "Bolantine is finally in the hell he so richly deserves."

"Long time coming," Mason agreed, "I think it's time to take a long vacation."

"I agree," Karen said and kissed him, "No more intrigue for a while?"

"Until we get bored again," Mason agreed, "How about you guys?"

"I don't know," Randy said, "I'll find something to do."

"Go on up to Mullinix Centre," Copeland suggested, "We could use your skills in training."

"I might," Randy said, "What are you two going to do?"

"Get used to each other a bit more," Copeland told them, "Kyrie still needs us, even without the Bolantines making trouble."

"Enjoy the fact that I can live honestly," Corinne smiled, "What more do I need?"

"Not much," Mason agreed, "Not much at all."

"A toast," Karen said and raised her glass, "To all the victims of the Bolantines, may they never be forgotten."

"Now that is something I can drink to," Mason said.

Copeland, Corinne and Randy agreed and intended to never let any of it be forgotten.

The End

