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Hope you enjoy.", "writing": "By Right: Gauntlet\nBy TerraMGP\n\n\tThe dusk light was slowly slipping from the cracks in the rock that served as the only entrance for the camp. Light from the planets star slowly slipping past the distant mountains and breaking on the nearby lake. Those last fingers of daylight broke themselves in brilliant striations over the large hunk limestone that had heaved itself up back in some ancient time and split under the unimaginable pressures. It almost felt like divine providence, or at least serendipity.\n\n\tA figure slipped through that dwindling twilight. Tall and lean, largely camouflaged from view as shades of blue gray swept over the sea of short grasses that lined the vacant prairie. The tall figure slipped his long shadow along the rocks and crags which dotted the landscape. Mixing poor attempts at stealth with long hard trudges until eclipsing some of that dying light.\n\n\tThe owner of that shadow peeked his head into the cave, and stopped short. A shimmering beam of silvery white light rested a hairs breath from his throat. The fine tapered tip of the construct pulsing menacingly as the impossibly thin weapon slowly moved its way up, forcing the man to raise his chin fearfully.\n\n\t“Who are you?” The owner of the weapon was hard to see. The little camp had almost no room and was lit only with a small military-style space heater and whatever shreds of light dared slip past the intruder at the doorway. That, and the blade itself. \n\n\tThe owner of that blade slowly shifted weight on her camping mat. A Pangolin, thin and athletic with the build of a soldier. Her straw-blonde hair and cool blue eyes were the most noticeable things to the intruder. Though as the light shifted her natural scales seemed to catch the light oddly at the tips. Hints of barding. Simple iron filigree put on to the tips of her scales. She shifted her weight in such a way that the young buck was almost sure her hand might slip and the rapier claim his life then and there. Yet neither the blade nor her eyes moved.\n\n\t“I need help! Please, put the weapon down. Hear me out.” the buck said as calmly as he could. Which wasn’t saying much.\n\n\t“Speak. If I like what you hear, then we can proceed from there.” The woman sat calmly. Her farm-simple face twisted in a mask of annoyed menace.\n\n\t“You’re the woman who protected Colony 7, yes? The one who drove off the raiders there?”\n\n\t“Raider.” The woman corrected “But yes. That was me.”\n\n\tThe deer buck nodded as he let his eyes wander around the cave. It was rather telling. The woman seemed to be wearing a rubbery body sock, and around her were a set of odd silvery parts that seemed arranged in some odd manner. Poultry hung in the back of the cave. Duck, if he had to guess. The feral birds had thrived on this planet more so than most other animals. They were hung up and covered in what looked to be crushed rock salt. There was also a small chain of rosary beads hanging from a piton driven in to the stone above the sleeping mat. All quite a bit for what had to be a couple cubic meters of space.\n\n\t“Did you have something to say? Or are you just here to size me up?” The Pangolin muttered. Her voice dripping annoyance.\n\n\t“It’s my sister.” The man blurted. “She and six others. They were taken by a raider. She tore though our defenses and demanded ’tribute’. Demanded we offer up some of our own people to her.” He winced hard as he raised his hands slowly, showing no signs of a weapon. “We didn’t have any choice. My little sister, she was among those taken. The rest of the town seems fine with the deal but I knew I just had to find some way to get my sis back. Some way to stop them from doing what they were doing.”\n\n\tThe woman narrowed her eyes. She was reading him, that much was obvious. Scanning him for signs of lies or deception. When satisfied she lowered the blade. Leaving the weapon active but no longer an immediate threat. “How long ago was this?” she sighed.\n\n\t “A year” he stated I without thinking “A bit more, but not much.”\n\n\tShe narrowed her eyes once more. “You didn’t bother finding help before now?”\n\n\tThe man slumped a bit and shook his head. He started to reach down slowly. The blade twitching and nearly touching his hand. He stopped, sighed, and let her reach into the pocket of his jumpsuit, pulling out a long flat square of carbon and silica with a few numbers stamped in the corner.\n\n\t“The fee. I didn’t know how much I needed to save and I couldn’t get anyone to chip in so I don’t even know if it’s enough t-”\n\n\t“Enough.” The blonde woman muttered coldly. She tossed the chit back at him and allowed the blade to dissipate finally. You have the co-ordinates of her base?”\n\n\tThe Pangolin nodded her head and shifted, pulling the rosaries from where they hung. “Then that’s enough. Leave.”\n\n--------------------\n\n\tThe small blue-green and white marble of the planet loomed though the lower observation window of the Gibson. It was a sobering sight, even if it wasn’t the first time she’d seen it. A vast and mostly untamed world full of plants and animals specially designed by explorers long passed to survive on the world and adapt it to suit the needs of its future inhabitants. A near virginal celestial jewel full of untapped resources and farmable land which might one day produce a bustling civilization. \n\n\tFor the moment, though? For the moment it was all but unspoiled. Only a few microscopic specks of silver that represented the sum total of sapient life littered on the surface. Scattered settlements with populations not quite big enough to avoid the long term threats of inbreeding. Not that it mattered. They were the first. The pioneers. It was they who would lay the ground work for what may in a hundred years time be new cities.\n\n\tThe wolfess had it in her power to live that long. Much like ancestors who came before she may well live longer. Ruling over the Great Tree as one of the premier forces of power in the known galaxy before slipping off into retirement and anonymity. Leaving her own daughter to claim the throne. She smiled a bit at that. ‘known galaxy’. A few small strips of the spiral that housed Terra itself and small inroads to the closest ones nearby. A handful of wormhole gates that cemented absolute power for those who controlled them. Even that was just some small slip of what there was even in their own back yard. The universe was a near infinite sea of stars and in centuries of time the whole of furkind had managed to splash around in the knee deep waves and pick up a few shiny bits of glass that washed ashore.\n\n\tThey were all just so very small.\n\n\t“Lady Runa.” A sharp voice cut though her thoughts. The wolf looked up to see a young Collie, probably only a few years older than Runa herself. The woman dressed in a sharp gray service uniform with the company logo tastefully embroidered in silver on the left breast. Above it she wore two marks. The first was a simple silver bar with three black diagonal lines taking up the right third. Lieutenant Commander. Not bad at all for her age. Along with it was a Silver Cross with the left arm set black. The Schneider Cross, or the Medal of Faith. One of the few honorifics generally permitted worn out of dress grays. The young officer moved sharply up to the small platform where Runa stood and gave a small salute. Her clenched right fist clutched and held rigid with knuckles touching the collarbone.\n\n\t“Lady Runa, I am LCRD Cruz. Captain Pavlovic wished that I greet you personally to ensure everything is to your satisfaction.”\n\n\t“Thus far” Runa nodded “At ease, Lieutenant Commander.” Runa turned and glanced at the brown-haired collie a moment. Taking the time to size her up properly as the woman relaxed her posture, if only just. “You do realize that, technically, I am considered a contractor under the exploratory fleet for the duration of my stay on this world. You don’t have to be so formal.”\n\n\tThe Collie blinked a bit and stiffened up. Not so much going to attention as half-assuming it and then trying to relax with her muscles relaxed. “Lady Runa, as per Article four of the Yggdrassil corporation military Uniform code of conduct, any member of the executive family is to be given dispensation by anyone below Admiral ranks. This clause extends to any member of minority age and may only be rescinded by order of another member higher in the line or the Lady Thane herself.” Cruz all but barked the words in a proper fashion as she tried like hell not to look Runa in the eye. Eventually turning her eyes back to the young noble. “And, well, Permission to speak freely, My Lady?”\n\n\t“Granted.” Runa nodded\n\n\t“I kept current on the work you have put in to understand military structure and combat. I think it’s fair to say you deserve that inherent respect regardless. Champion Niavi respects you, and you trained under Lady Oda. I’d be willing to wager you have more skill than half-, well, That you are more skilled than many in various military support structures, My Lady.”\n\n\tShe stopped short of saying it. Runa knew though, the wolf doing her damnedest not to giggle. “I see. Well then I won’ argue, Lieutenant Commander Cruz. I will, however, guess that at the very least your Commander is not among these less capable individuals?”\n\n\t“No, Ma’am, My Lady.” She said proudly. “The Gibson boards a hand picked crew. I’d be happy to give you a tour if you’d like. At least while we wait for the Engineers to finish down below.”\n\n\t“A tour, No. A walk would be fine, though.” Runa started off without saying anything. The collie falling in to perfect step back and to the left of her. It was quite impressive considering how lax the crews of the last few ships had been.\n\n\t“This really is a cut above what I have gotten used to over the past year, Lieutenant Commander.” Runa said as they passed out of the small observation lounge and through to the hallways\n\n\t“Without bragging, My Lady, I am not surprised. As I said we are hand picked. Technically we are with Navy SpecOps. In fact this particular ship is the sister to your brothers personal craft. If I may brag, Lady Runa.”\n\n\t“Somehow that does not surprise me.” Runa sighed. “Though it does feel odd that they’d send you to pick up the latest batch of security forces. Or to bring the next set of compound components. Seems like an actual freighter would do the job better.”\n\n\tCruz shook her head. She half-led Runa down the left hand split as they reached a large cylinder where the walkway curved. It was the housing for the fusion reactor. Enough space to keep the mechanisms going, and then more besides lined with a series of dampening and protective materials. In larger ships such structures could be mounted unobtrusively in the heart of a ship, and in smaller ones the glowing ball of energy usually just sat mounted uncomfortably close to the pilot and crew. It felt odd to Runa, though for Cruz it seemed all but second nature as she led the visiting noble around it and towards the sloping foot ramp up to the upper deck.\n\n\t“That includes you?” Runa quizzed “I can assume you are the ship Gyoja, as well as first officer?”\n\n\tThe Collie blinked at that. She stopped short and actually had to steady herself on the hand rail. “You knew that, My lady?” Cruz asked as she tilted her head.\n\n\tRuna pointed to the little badge of honor resting next to the woman’s insignia and smirked “I read the crew manifest while on the ride up. The cross, well that’s not exactly something you earn by keeping your boots clean is it?”\n\n\t“I suppose not, My Lady.” The collie said sheepishly.\n\n\t“So you are the Gyoja, then?” Runa smirked\n\n\t“Yes My Lady. Well no, My Lady. I mean I know the rights and the proper procedure. I am the ship spiritual officer. I fill the role of Gyoja. Though I’m Presbyterian, Ma’am. Honestly I’ve never been quite sure if that just means I’d be the Chaplin or I’d still count as Gyoja.”\n\n\t“Presbyterian.” Runa nodded\n\n\t“Second reform, yes My Lady. Family was in from the start of the second reform back on the old Centari station.”\n\n\t“Second reform. So basically Methodists, then?” Runa chuckled softly\n\n\tThe young officer had to struggle to keep herself from laughing. In the end she failed miserably. Her composure utterly shattered as she gripped for the hand rail to keep from doubling over. “Forgive me My Lady. I didn’t mean to. I mean.”\n\n\t“It’s fine.” Runa snickered “I admit I was a bit worried when I said it. I know some people can be a bit touchy.”\n\n\tCruz righted herself and shook her head with a shrug “Not at all Lady Runa. It’s not like my teachers In the Seminary courses didn't make the same joke.” The collie got the laughing out of her system and sighed before tilting her head softly and looking up at the young corporate princess. “My Lady, I hate to ask again, but I know it’s been bugging the Commander, and he is unlikely to voice his concerns…”\n\n\t“Speak.” Runa nodded.\n\n\t“Well it’s simply, there are some tactical concerns My Lady. Specifically with regards to security. There have been rumored reports of unlicensed raiding parties in the area. Also, well I don’t know if it’s my place to say. But border tensions with Avalon and Third Sun have both grown worse of late.”\n\n\t“Which is why they sent you, and not whichever passing freighter was going to be making a nearby run anyways. Correct?” the wolf perked her ears a bit “Just in case there is trouble?”\n\n\t“To be honest, there are elements within the Navy who feel that you should have at least one ship assigned in orbit at all times, like you did early on. Thus far your presence here has been kept relatively secret. Most simply seeing your operators license and presuming you have deep pockets to fund all of the cargo and troops moved around. It wouldn’t take much digging to get past that, though. Not to mention the probable Avalon agent.”\n\n\tRuna shook her head softly. “I don’t think you have to worry about her reporting back. If she was an agent I doubt she’d be operating out here. Nor do I think she’d have attacked me.” Runa reached up to touch the scar where her eye had been taken from her. She wasn’t usually aware of the prosthesis. The little glowing ball of metal, plastics and electronics felt as much a comfortable part of her as her natural eye. Except when she thought about it. That little seed which could drive one mad if they let it.\n\n\t“To answer your question, Lieutenant Commander. I understand that it’s a bit of a risk. Probably more than the board would be comfortable with if they knew. But that’s part of why I have to do this. The Great Tree is sick, Lieutenant Commander. It has been for a long time. I don’t know that I can heal it, but I’ll never get a chance if I don’t do this now. What I forge has to be mine.” She sighed “Or else what’s the use of it?”\n\n\tCruz nodded a bit and sighed. She remained silent for a long moment, looking down at the small cut out triangle patterns lining the top of the walls. In a red alert status they’d light up to direct people to their proper stations. They were also the only real adornment on the walls, and thus the only real distraction from making eye contact. “I don’t know about any of that, My Lady. But I do know it pays to be prudent with these sorts of things. ‘What king would oppose another king in battle without first considering how an army of ten thousand may best an army of twenty thousand?’” The collie muttered the words with an ashen taste in her mouth She slowly returned to a more formal pose. Not quite at attention, but close.\n\n\t“Hulfbert took on armies with a crew of five.” Runa shrugged “Though I get the meaning itself well enough. Bu I’d rather have a handful of brilliant blades than a sea of scrap. The age when numbers meant victory has largely gone. I needed a team to start, but now I feel what is left I can shape into-”\n\n\t“Lady Runa, would you please report to the bridge. We have an emergency situation, code red.”\n\n--------------------\n\n\tA lone silver figure strode along the field. Pacing slowly towards the large box canyon gouged into the side of a Mesa. The figure moved unabashed. Confident and strong. The armor was of Avalon make. A shimmering silver cuirass with an angular, crested chest trimmed in electrum barding. Its surface polished to a mirror sheen though bare of typical house markings or filigree. A pair of narrow spalders sat even on the shoulders, a shield crest molded into the left one and left coated a blank white, and the gorget was covered by a thick brown scarf that streamed down over her back. \n\n\tIn spite of its inspiration the whole assembly was far lighter and far more sleek than the armor it emulated. The determined footfalls landing relatively lightly as they walked though the battle scarring leading up to the large front gate. The automated guns quickly twisted and turned their attention to the intruding figure. Servomotors screaming and whining as a bevy of heavy tank ordinance was brought to the fore. Small slips of silver-white light began to dance around the fingertips of the armored figure. The guns started to warm up. Capacitors pushed to critical mass. The armored figure tossed the light from either hand as it streaked though the air. Each one slicing deeply into the automated guns which shook as the raw energy was unleashed and caused each of the weapons to detonate in turn.\n\n\tToo late to back down now.\n\n\tShe dashed through to the gate as the protective field around it flickered and waned. A thin rapier beam of energy slipping from the left gauntlet protrusion. Two swipes gouging a hole though the physical structure and allowing her to dash inside. The base looked positively vacant. Minimal guards largely running around or heading for hard points. Simple prefab buildings and a large arena taking up the middle. There seemed to be minimal internal defenses. A set of anti-aircraft guns, but almost nothing that would pose a threat to ground forces beyond the now defunct turret guns.\n\n\tIf nothing else it made her job much easier.\n\n\tThe few defenders she saw quickly made their way out of sight, met moments later by a hail of heavy fire as 12MM metal slugs began to smash in syncopated rhythms against the shielding around her armor. A few shards peeled off or slipped though at an angle to ping off of the armor itself. It didn’t worry her too much, though it prompted the woman to speed up the pace. Dashing on armor-augmented legs around the buildings as the some of the rounds began to miss her shield or strike the sandy soil behind her. The compound may not have been anywhere near what she had expected, but that didn’t mean her target was any different. The sensors in her suit switched modes with a thought. Power signatures and electrical activity on full display. The biggest activity was naturally for the computer core. At least of the draw going to the buildings. The auto-guns had their own supply. If circumstances were different it might have been a place to hit. Instead she looked around slowly until her eyes landed at a building on the far edge. The EM fields and electron flow measured telling her it was probably the likely candidate for her target.\n\n\tShe ran to the building at the far right edge of the compound. Shots pelted the ground around her and pinged off of her armor. It was almost enough for her to consider taking the guards head on. But then slaver camps were like hornet nests. Best not to disturb them if you didn’t have to.\n\n\tThe door posed little challenge as Gwen carved though the simple slab of steel and synthetics. A pair of cross slashes from her parrying blade and a hard boot-kick was all that she needed to force her way in. A simple hallway leading down to the other end where she could see what looked to be the insides of a dungeon, stone built and well used. An odd accessory to be sure, but not one she really cared to think on at the moment.\n\n\tThe scan allowed Gwenhwyfar to spot the room she needed. Another hard slice granting her access to the first side-room. Suspension pods. Low grade variant medical pods designed for the sole purpose of easily storing a catch for transport or to await some form of further processing. A normal slaver camp might have hundreds of these pods in heavily armored wings of a compound. Tools to keep the choice ‘material’ close as can be to how it was at catch for weeks or even months at a time.\n\n\tThis room only had six, and only two of those had the little telltale light which showed they were in fact occupied.\n\n\tGwenhwyfar approached the first pod and hit the display button. The display came up. A Doe, eighteen years of age on entry. The data outline had a few other readily apparent facts. Rather extreme chest and butt enlargements. Hair altered to a natural pink color. Fur lightened. The start of what most slavers might do when cooking up a typical brainless bimbo sex toy. The only odd thing was that her personality and mind seemed to be the same as they were going in. Not that she had any time to figure that out.\n\n\tThe knight hit the emergency eject button and moved over to the next tank. This display even more unusual. A young mole girl. No modifications. No genetic alterations. Seemingly stuck in deep stasis for no apparent reason and yet not even shipped off planet yet. Gwenhwyfar narrowed her eyes a moment and reached for the same emergency eject. Then stopped. The pod was stuck on diagnostic mode. An hours long process run once every week or so. On its own relatively harmless, but the various tools and scans used could cause serious damage, maybe even death if interrupted. She didn’t have the time to wait. Not if he camp guards realized that they could gang up on her and take her out.\n\n\tGwen stood with her hand over the button for a long moment. Wavering back and fourth before balling it into a fist and moving back to the first pod. She grabbed the drugged up doe by the wrist and turned to leave. She had to just hope hey were smart enough not to shoot at what seemed to be a huge chunk of their profit margins. That the proto-bimbo-doe getting dragged off with the chance to get her back was a better risk to take than ending her out of spite. Granted the wolf might not see it that way. But if it came to that, Gwen would be ready.\n\n\tShe dragged her target out of the building but held her so as to keep the drugged girl behind the armor. A few warning shots hitting the dirt around the doorway but none daring to aim at the merch. That was something. Something she could use, maybe even a good path to take next time. Saved the knight the risk of hunting down the base guards and getting mobbed, too.\n\n\tShe kept a loose grip on the Does wrist as the two stared out into the courtyard. Gwen keeping her eyes peeled ahead of her watching for the marks of gun fire. Sniper scopes or the glow of primed rail guns. All she had to do was make it out of small arms barrage with the Doe and then worry about how to take care of things next.\n\n\t“KYAAA!”\n\n\tGwenhwyfar looked just in time to see the figure rocketing towards her. Arms raising reflectively as a heavy hammer blow struck. In her off-kilter stance the Pangolin felt herself quickly stumbling back and struggling to keep footing on her off-foot. The HUD of her helmet started to scream and flash its dull silver light in warning as her hands lowered.\n\n\tGwen stumbled back even as Bi swiped forwards. Small sharp claws of hard light lashing though the air and tearing though the shield like tissue paper. A lightning barrage of swipes and spear strikes that seemed to miss by split-seconds each time. Raining down as the silver knight twitched and swung back each time. The pair swaying and weaving as they made their way along the main yard of the compound.\n\n\tThe bright silver blade soon snapped to life, joined by an ornate rapier hilt that found its way into Gwen’s right hand. Gwen swiped with the blade, a sudden sweeping arc that inched near the other woman’s armor. An elbow strike from Bi hit the flat Gwens blade just as it touched one of the smooth black plates in the tigress’ new suit. The silver sword blade shattering into farielight as its relatively fragile cohesion was broken.\n\n\tBi managed a quick leap back and shifted her stance even as the silver knight shifted on the offensive. The blade in her right hand twisting and flourishing as she made her way forwards. Forcing the tigress to twist and move. Rolling and striking the flat by mere centimeters each time. The strikes whirling and looping, closing off any time Bi might have to get in more than a token swipe or kick. \n\n\tThe battle shifted hard as the knight pushed the tigress back harder. Both blades making long graceful sweeping arcs that forced the tiger further and further towards the dungeon building. With the lack of helmet it was easy to see the young cocky sneer plastered on the tigress’ face. Her tail twitching happily as she managed to parry each and every swing with growing ease, even as she was backed slowly towards dungeon building.\n\n\tA particularly fast blade swipe forced Bi to fall backwards off of her footing to avoid it. She fell like a stone, a loud telltale thunder crack barking as the jump thruster on her back barked out a hard boost and shoved her backwards. Both fists crackled with energy as the gloves built up a heavy electrical charge. Streaks of lightning jumping along the surface as she thrust one open palm out. The silver-clad knight jumped to the side, and then was only just able to swipe her parrying blade in a hard backhand. The second plasma ball deflecting off into the ground and searing the grass as it smoldered.\n\n\tThe charges built up again as Bi stopped short at the wall of the dungeon building and another thruster-bark shot her up into the air. Landing on the roof. The tigress looked up just in time to see small daggers of silver light streaking up towards her. She threw with both hands now, unloading the gauntlet capacitors in a wide arcing shock of lightning that enveloped and shattered the projectiles. The flash from her counter attack forced Bi to look away, the armored warrior-slave barely able to catch sight of the next barrage heading for her. It was pure luck that she managed to leap down quickly with only the segmented armor on her tail managing to take a thankfully minor gash as one of the daggers slipped though the shield and heavy plating. \n\n\t“You’re gonna make a good trophy” The tigress snarled, more to herself than anything. Another heavy jump dash allowed her to delver a powerful kick that forced the knight to block it. She then shifted her weight and started to deliver a hard barrage of raw punches and knee strikes that drove the invader back. Eschewing the claws of her gauntlets for raw physical impact to stagger and worry the Pangolin into submission. She kept her green eyes sharp, flashing over the body of the intruder until finally spotting her opening. Bi planted both feet and delivered a hard, surging uppercut directly to the solar plexus of her foe. Actually lifting the Pangolin up off of her feet and sending her back.\n\n\tGwen took the blow in stride as she shifted her balance. The sturdy power armor landing with an almost unnatural grace on the scarred earth. A split second later she was standing right in Bi’s face. The glowing blue photoreceptors of the helmet looking into those green eyes.\n\n\tThe knight stood with her parrying blade out behind her. Cocked and poised at he zenith of a slash. Bi looked down A large gash having formed though her armor from hip to shoulder, with the hilt of the rapier pushed firmly against the Tigress’ upper belly. The blade lingered for a frozen moment. The shimmering silver light piercing though the heavy plating meant to guard the spine as well as some of the thruster housing. The tiger stood in place. Mouth open in a silent scream.\n\n\tThe hilt pulled away, the blade dissipating harmlessly into the air. Without Gwen’s arm to keep her propped in place Bi collapsed face first into the dirt.\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "By Right: Gauntlet
By TerraMGP

\tThe dusk light was slowly slipping from the cracks in the rock that served as the only entrance for the camp. Light from the planets star slowly slipping past the distant mountains and breaking on the nearby lake. Those last fingers of daylight broke themselves in brilliant striations over the large hunk limestone that had heaved itself up back in some ancient time and split under the unimaginable pressures. It almost felt like divine providence, or at least serendipity.

\tA figure slipped through that dwindling twilight. Tall and lean, largely camouflaged from view as shades of blue gray swept over the sea of short grasses that lined the vacant prairie. The tall figure slipped his long shadow along the rocks and crags which dotted the landscape. Mixing poor attempts at stealth with long hard trudges until eclipsing some of that dying light.

\tThe owner of that shadow peeked his head into the cave, and stopped short. A shimmering beam of silvery white light rested a hairs breath from his throat. The fine tapered tip of the construct pulsing menacingly as the impossibly thin weapon slowly moved its way up, forcing the man to raise his chin fearfully.

\t“Who are you?” The owner of the weapon was hard to see. The little camp had almost no room and was lit only with a small military-style space heater and whatever shreds of light dared slip past the intruder at the doorway. That, and the blade itself.

\tThe owner of that blade slowly shifted weight on her camping mat. A Pangolin, thin and athletic with the build of a soldier. Her straw-blonde hair and cool blue eyes were the most noticeable things to the intruder. Though as the light shifted her natural scales seemed to catch the light oddly at the tips. Hints of barding. Simple iron filigree put on to the tips of her scales. She shifted her weight in such a way that the young buck was almost sure her hand might slip and the rapier claim his life then and there. Yet neither the blade nor her eyes moved.

\t“I need help! Please, put the weapon down. Hear me out.” the buck said as calmly as he could. Which wasn’t saying much.

\t“Speak. If I like what you hear, then we can proceed from there.” The woman sat calmly. Her farm-simple face twisted in a mask of annoyed menace.

\t“You’re the woman who protected Colony 7, yes? The one who drove off the raiders there?”

\t“Raider.” The woman corrected “But yes. That was me.”

\tThe deer buck nodded as he let his eyes wander around the cave. It was rather telling. The woman seemed to be wearing a rubbery body sock, and around her were a set of odd silvery parts that seemed arranged in some odd manner. Poultry hung in the back of the cave. Duck, if he had to guess. The feral birds had thrived on this planet more so than most other animals. They were hung up and covered in what looked to be crushed rock salt. There was also a small chain of rosary beads hanging from a piton driven in to the stone above the sleeping mat. All quite a bit for what had to be a couple cubic meters of space.

\t“Did you have something to say? Or are you just here to size me up?” The Pangolin muttered. Her voice dripping annoyance.

\t“It’s my sister.” The man blurted. “She and six others. They were taken by a raider. She tore though our defenses and demanded ’tribute’. Demanded we offer up some of our own people to her.” He winced hard as he raised his hands slowly, showing no signs of a weapon. “We didn’t have any choice. My little sister, she was among those taken. The rest of the town seems fine with the deal but I knew I just had to find some way to get my sis back. Some way to stop them from doing what they were doing.”

\tThe woman narrowed her eyes. She was reading him, that much was obvious. Scanning him for signs of lies or deception. When satisfied she lowered the blade. Leaving the weapon active but no longer an immediate threat. “How long ago was this?” she sighed.

\t “A year” he stated I without thinking “A bit more, but not much.”

\tShe narrowed her eyes once more. “You didn’t bother finding help before now?”

\tThe man slumped a bit and shook his head. He started to reach down slowly. The blade twitching and nearly touching his hand. He stopped, sighed, and let her reach into the pocket of his jumpsuit, pulling out a long flat square of carbon and silica with a few numbers stamped in the corner.

\t“The fee. I didn’t know how much I needed to save and I couldn’t get anyone to chip in so I don’t even know if it’s enough t-”

\t“Enough.” The blonde woman muttered coldly. She tossed the chit back at him and allowed the blade to dissipate finally. You have the co-ordinates of her base?”

\tThe Pangolin nodded her head and shifted, pulling the rosaries from where they hung. “Then that’s enough. Leave.”

--------------------

\tThe small blue-green and white marble of the planet loomed though the lower observation window of the Gibson. It was a sobering sight, even if it wasn’t the first time she’d seen it. A vast and mostly untamed world full of plants and animals specially designed by explorers long passed to survive on the world and adapt it to suit the needs of its future inhabitants. A near virginal celestial jewel full of untapped resources and farmable land which might one day produce a bustling civilization.

\tFor the moment, though? For the moment it was all but unspoiled. Only a few microscopic specks of silver that represented the sum total of sapient life littered on the surface. Scattered settlements with populations not quite big enough to avoid the long term threats of inbreeding. Not that it mattered. They were the first. The pioneers. It was they who would lay the ground work for what may in a hundred years time be new cities.

\tThe wolfess had it in her power to live that long. Much like ancestors who came before she may well live longer. Ruling over the Great Tree as one of the premier forces of power in the known galaxy before slipping off into retirement and anonymity. Leaving her own daughter to claim the throne. She smiled a bit at that. ‘known galaxy’. A few small strips of the spiral that housed Terra itself and small inroads to the closest ones nearby. A handful of wormhole gates that cemented absolute power for those who controlled them. Even that was just some small slip of what there was even in their own back yard. The universe was a near infinite sea of stars and in centuries of time the whole of furkind had managed to splash around in the knee deep waves and pick up a few shiny bits of glass that washed ashore.

\tThey were all just so very small.

\t“Lady Runa.” A sharp voice cut though her thoughts. The wolf looked up to see a young Collie, probably only a few years older than Runa herself. The woman dressed in a sharp gray service uniform with the company logo tastefully  embroidered in silver on the left breast. Above it she wore two marks. The first was a simple silver bar with three black diagonal lines taking up the right third.  Lieutenant Commander. Not bad at all for her age. Along with it was a Silver Cross with the left arm set black. The Schneider Cross, or the Medal of Faith. One of the few honorifics generally permitted worn out of dress grays. The young officer moved sharply up to the small platform where Runa stood and gave a small salute. Her clenched right fist clutched and held rigid with knuckles touching the collarbone.

\t“Lady Runa, I am LCRD Cruz. Captain Pavlovic wished that I greet you personally to ensure everything is to your satisfaction.”

\t“Thus far” Runa nodded “At ease, Lieutenant Commander.” Runa turned and glanced at the brown-haired collie a moment. Taking the time to size her up properly as the woman relaxed her posture, if only just. “You do realize that, technically, I am considered a contractor under the exploratory fleet for the duration of my stay on this world. You don’t have to be so formal.”

\tThe Collie blinked a bit and stiffened up. Not so much going to attention as half-assuming it and then trying to relax with her muscles relaxed. “Lady Runa, as per Article four of the Yggdrassil corporation military Uniform code of conduct, any member of the executive family is to be given dispensation by anyone below Admiral ranks. This clause extends to any member of minority age and may only be rescinded by order of another member higher in the line or the Lady Thane herself.” Cruz all but barked the words in a proper fashion as she tried like hell not to look Runa in the eye. Eventually turning her eyes back to the young noble. “And, well, Permission to speak freely, My Lady?”

\t“Granted.” Runa nodded

\t“I kept current on the work you have put in to understand military structure and combat. I think it’s fair to say you deserve that inherent respect regardless. Champion Niavi respects you, and you trained under Lady Oda. I’d be willing to wager you have more skill than half-, well, That you are more skilled than many in various military support structures, My Lady.”

\tShe stopped short of saying it. Runa knew though, the wolf doing her damnedest not to giggle. “I see. Well then I won’ argue, Lieutenant Commander Cruz. I will, however, guess that at the very least your Commander is not among these less capable individuals?”

\t“No, Ma’am, My Lady.” She said proudly. “The Gibson boards a hand picked crew. I’d be happy to give you a tour if you’d like. At least while we wait for the Engineers to finish down below.”

\t“A tour, No. A walk would be fine, though.” Runa started off without saying anything. The collie falling in to perfect step back and to the left of her. It was quite impressive considering how lax the crews of the last few ships had been.

\t“This really is a cut above what I have gotten used to over the past year, Lieutenant Commander.” Runa said as they passed out of the small observation lounge and through to the hallways

\t“Without bragging, My Lady, I am not surprised. As I said we are hand picked. Technically we are with Navy SpecOps. In fact this particular ship is the sister to your brothers personal craft. If I may brag, Lady Runa.”

\t“Somehow that does not surprise me.” Runa sighed. “Though it does feel odd that they’d send you to pick up the latest batch of security forces. Or to bring the next set of compound components. Seems like an actual freighter would do the job better.”

\tCruz shook her head. She half-led Runa down the left hand split as they reached a large cylinder where the walkway curved. It was the housing for the fusion reactor. Enough space to keep the mechanisms going, and then more besides lined with a series of dampening and protective materials. In larger ships such structures could be mounted unobtrusively in the heart of a ship, and in smaller ones the glowing ball of energy usually just sat mounted uncomfortably close to the pilot and crew. It felt odd to Runa, though for Cruz it seemed all but second nature as she led the visiting noble around it and towards the sloping foot ramp up to the upper deck.

\t“That includes you?” Runa quizzed “I can assume you are the ship Gyoja, as well as first officer?”

\tThe Collie blinked at that. She stopped short and actually had to steady herself on the hand rail. “You knew that, My lady?” Cruz asked as she tilted her head.

\tRuna pointed to the little badge of honor resting next to the woman’s insignia and smirked “I read the crew manifest while on the ride up. The cross, well that’s not exactly something you earn by keeping your boots clean is it?”

\t“I suppose not, My Lady.” The collie said sheepishly.

\t“So you are the Gyoja, then?” Runa smirked

\t“Yes My Lady. Well no, My Lady. I mean I know the rights and the proper procedure. I am the ship spiritual officer. I fill the role of Gyoja. Though I’m Presbyterian, Ma’am. Honestly I’ve never been quite sure if that just means I’d be the Chaplin or I’d still count as Gyoja.”

\t“Presbyterian.” Runa nodded

\t“Second reform, yes My Lady. Family was in from the start of the second reform back on the old Centari station.”

\t“Second reform. So basically Methodists, then?” Runa chuckled softly

\tThe young officer had to struggle to keep herself from laughing. In the end she failed miserably. Her composure utterly shattered as she gripped for the hand rail to keep from doubling over. “Forgive me My Lady. I didn’t mean to. I mean.”

\t“It’s fine.” Runa snickered “I admit I was a bit worried when I said it. I know some people can be a bit touchy.”

\tCruz righted herself and shook her head with a shrug “Not at all Lady Runa. It’s not like my teachers In the Seminary courses didn't make the same joke.” The collie got the laughing out of her system and sighed before tilting her head softly and looking up at the young corporate princess. “My Lady, I hate to ask again, but I know it’s been bugging the Commander, and he is unlikely to voice his concerns…”

\t“Speak.” Runa nodded.

\t“Well it’s simply, there are some tactical concerns My Lady. Specifically with regards to security. There have been rumored reports of unlicensed raiding parties in the area. Also, well I don’t know if it’s my place to say. But border tensions with Avalon and Third Sun have both grown worse of late.”

\t“Which is why they sent you, and not whichever passing freighter was going to be making a nearby run anyways. Correct?” the wolf perked her ears a bit “Just in case there is trouble?”

\t“To be honest, there are elements within the Navy who feel that you should have at least one ship assigned in orbit at all times, like you did early on. Thus far your presence here has been kept relatively secret. Most simply seeing your operators license and presuming you have deep pockets to fund all of the cargo and troops moved around. It wouldn’t take much digging to get past that, though. Not to mention the probable Avalon agent.”

\tRuna shook her head softly. “I don’t think you have to worry about her reporting back. If she was an agent I doubt she’d be operating out here. Nor do I think she’d have attacked me.” Runa reached up to touch the scar where her eye had been taken from her. She wasn’t usually aware of the prosthesis. The little glowing ball of metal, plastics and electronics felt as much a comfortable part of her as her natural eye. Except when she thought about it. That little seed which could drive one mad if they let it.

\t“To answer your question, Lieutenant Commander. I understand that it’s a bit of a risk. Probably more than the board would be comfortable with if they knew. But that’s part of why I have to do this. The Great Tree is sick, Lieutenant Commander. It has been for a long time. I don’t know that I can heal it, but I’ll never get a chance if I don’t do this now. What I forge has to be mine.” She sighed “Or else what’s the use of it?”

\tCruz nodded a bit and sighed. She remained silent for a long moment, looking down at the small cut out triangle patterns lining the top of the walls. In a red alert status they’d light up to direct people to their proper stations. They were also the only real adornment on the walls, and thus the only real distraction from making eye contact. “I don’t know about any of that, My Lady. But I do know it pays to be prudent with these sorts of things. ‘What king would oppose another king in battle without first considering how an army of ten thousand may best an army of twenty thousand?’” The collie muttered the words with an ashen taste in her mouth She slowly returned to a more formal pose. Not quite at attention, but close.

\t“Hulfbert took on armies with a crew of five.” Runa shrugged “Though I get the meaning itself well enough. Bu I’d rather have a handful of brilliant blades than a sea of scrap. The age when numbers meant victory has largely gone. I needed a team to start, but now I feel what is left I can shape into-”

\t“Lady Runa, would you please report to the bridge. We have an emergency situation, code red.”

--------------------

\tA lone silver figure strode along the field. Pacing slowly towards the large box canyon gouged into the side of a Mesa. The figure moved unabashed. Confident and strong. The armor was of Avalon make. A shimmering silver cuirass with an angular, crested chest trimmed in electrum barding. Its surface polished to a mirror sheen though bare of typical house markings or filigree. A pair of narrow spalders sat even on the shoulders, a shield crest molded into the left one and left coated a blank white, and the gorget was covered by a thick brown scarf that streamed down over her back.

\tIn spite of its inspiration the whole assembly was far lighter and far more sleek than the armor it emulated. The determined footfalls landing relatively lightly as they walked though the battle scarring leading up to the large front gate. The automated guns quickly twisted and turned their attention to the intruding figure. Servomotors screaming and whining as a bevy of heavy tank ordinance was brought to the fore. Small slips of silver-white light began to dance around the fingertips of the armored figure. The guns started to warm up. Capacitors pushed to critical mass. The armored figure tossed the light from either hand as it streaked though the air. Each one slicing deeply into the automated guns which shook as the raw energy was unleashed and caused each of the weapons to detonate in turn.

\tToo late to back down now.

\tShe dashed through to the gate as the protective field around it flickered and waned. A thin rapier beam of energy slipping from the left gauntlet protrusion. Two swipes gouging a hole though the physical structure and allowing her to dash inside. The base looked positively vacant. Minimal guards largely running around or heading for hard points. Simple prefab buildings and a large arena taking up the middle. There seemed to be minimal internal defenses. A set of anti-aircraft guns, but almost nothing that would pose a threat to ground forces beyond the now defunct turret guns.

\tIf nothing else it made her job much easier.

\tThe few defenders she saw quickly made their way out of sight, met moments later by a hail of heavy fire as 12MM metal slugs began to smash in syncopated rhythms against the shielding around her armor. A few shards peeled off or slipped though at an angle to ping off of the armor itself. It didn’t worry her too much, though it prompted the woman to speed up the pace. Dashing on armor-augmented legs around the buildings as the some of the rounds began to miss her shield or strike the sandy soil behind her. The compound may not have been anywhere near what she had expected, but that didn’t mean her target was any different. The sensors in her suit switched modes with a thought. Power signatures and electrical activity on full display. The biggest activity was naturally for the computer core. At least of the draw going to the buildings. The auto-guns had their own supply. If circumstances were different it might have been a place to hit. Instead she looked around slowly until her eyes landed at a building on the far edge. The EM fields and electron flow measured telling her it was probably the likely candidate for her target.

\tShe ran to the building at the far right edge of the compound. Shots pelted the ground around her and pinged off of her armor. It was almost enough for her to consider taking the guards head on. But then slaver camps were like hornet nests. Best not to disturb them if you didn’t have to.

\tThe door posed little challenge as Gwen carved though the simple slab of steel and synthetics. A pair of cross slashes from her parrying blade and a hard boot-kick was all that she needed to force her way in. A simple hallway leading down to the other end where she could see what looked to be the insides of a dungeon, stone built and well used. An odd accessory to be sure, but not one she really cared to think on at the moment.

\tThe scan allowed Gwenhwyfar to spot the room she needed. Another hard slice granting her access to the first side-room. Suspension pods. Low grade variant medical pods designed for the sole purpose of easily storing a catch for transport or to await some form of further processing. A normal slaver camp might have hundreds of these pods in heavily armored wings of a compound. Tools to keep the choice ‘material’ close as can be to how it was at catch for weeks or even months at a time.

\tThis room only had six, and only two of those had the little telltale light which showed they were in fact occupied.

\tGwenhwyfar approached the first pod and hit the display button. The display came up. A Doe, eighteen years of age on entry. The data outline had a few other readily apparent facts. Rather extreme chest and butt enlargements. Hair altered to a natural pink color. Fur lightened. The start of  what most slavers might do when cooking up a typical brainless bimbo sex toy. The only odd thing was that her personality and mind seemed to be the same as they were going in. Not that she had any time to figure that out.

\tThe knight hit the emergency eject button and moved over to the next tank. This display even more unusual. A young mole girl. No modifications. No genetic alterations. Seemingly stuck in deep stasis for no apparent reason and yet not even shipped off planet yet. Gwenhwyfar narrowed her eyes a moment and reached for the same emergency eject. Then stopped. The pod was stuck on diagnostic mode. An hours long process run once every week or so. On its own relatively harmless, but the various tools and scans used could cause serious damage, maybe even death if interrupted. She didn’t have the time to wait. Not if he camp guards realized that they could gang up on her and take her out.

\tGwen stood with her hand over the button for a long moment. Wavering back and fourth before balling it into a fist and moving back to the first pod. She grabbed the drugged up doe by the wrist and turned to leave. She had to just hope hey were smart enough not to shoot at what seemed to be a huge chunk of their profit margins. That the proto-bimbo-doe getting dragged off with the chance to get her back was a better risk to take than ending her out of spite. Granted the wolf might not see it that way. But if it came to that, Gwen would be ready.

\tShe dragged her target out of the building but held her so as to keep the drugged girl behind the armor. A few warning shots hitting the dirt around the doorway but none daring to aim at the merch. That was something. Something she could use, maybe even a good path to take next time. Saved the knight the risk of hunting down the base guards and getting mobbed, too.

\tShe kept a loose grip on the Does wrist as the two stared out into the courtyard. Gwen keeping her eyes peeled ahead of her watching for the marks of gun fire. Sniper scopes or the glow of primed rail guns. All she had to do was make it out of small arms barrage with the Doe and then worry about how to take care of things next.

\t“KYAAA!”

\tGwenhwyfar looked just in time to see the figure rocketing towards her. Arms raising reflectively as a heavy hammer blow struck. In her off-kilter stance the Pangolin felt herself quickly stumbling back and struggling to keep footing on her off-foot. The HUD of her helmet started to scream and flash its dull silver light in warning as her hands lowered.

\tGwen stumbled back even as Bi swiped forwards. Small sharp claws of hard light lashing though the air and tearing though the shield like tissue paper. A lightning barrage of swipes and spear strikes that seemed to miss by split-seconds each time. Raining down as the silver knight twitched and swung back each time. The pair swaying and weaving as they made their way along the main yard of the compound.

\tThe bright silver blade soon snapped to life, joined by an ornate rapier hilt that found its way into Gwen’s right hand. Gwen swiped with the blade, a sudden sweeping arc that inched near the other woman’s armor. An elbow strike from Bi hit the flat Gwens blade just as it touched one of the smooth black plates in the tigress’ new suit. The silver sword blade shattering into farielight as its relatively fragile cohesion was broken.

\tBi managed a quick leap back and shifted her stance even as the silver knight shifted on the offensive. The blade in her right hand twisting and flourishing as she made her way forwards. Forcing the tigress to twist and move. Rolling and striking the flat by mere centimeters each time. The strikes whirling and looping, closing off any time Bi might have to get in more than a token swipe or kick.

\tThe battle shifted hard as the knight pushed the tigress back harder. Both blades making long graceful sweeping arcs that forced the tiger further and further towards the dungeon building. With the lack of helmet it was easy to see the young cocky sneer plastered on the tigress’ face. Her tail twitching happily as she managed to parry each and every swing with growing ease, even as she was backed slowly towards dungeon building.

\tA particularly fast blade swipe forced Bi to fall backwards off of her footing to avoid it. She fell like a stone, a loud telltale thunder crack barking as the jump thruster on her back barked out a hard boost and shoved her backwards. Both fists crackled with energy as the gloves built up a heavy electrical charge. Streaks of lightning jumping along the surface as she thrust one open palm out. The silver-clad knight jumped to the side, and then was only just able to swipe her parrying blade in a hard backhand. The second plasma ball deflecting off into the ground and searing the grass as it smoldered.

\tThe charges built up again as Bi stopped short at the wall of the dungeon building and another thruster-bark shot her up into the air. Landing on the roof. The tigress looked up just in time to see small daggers of silver light streaking up towards her. She threw with both hands now, unloading the gauntlet capacitors in a wide arcing shock of lightning that enveloped and shattered the projectiles. The flash from her counter attack forced Bi to look away, the armored warrior-slave barely able to catch sight of the next barrage heading for her. It was pure luck that she managed to leap down quickly with only the segmented armor on her tail managing to take a thankfully minor gash as one of the daggers slipped though the shield and heavy plating.

\t“You’re gonna make a good trophy” The tigress snarled, more to herself than anything. Another heavy jump dash allowed her to delver a powerful kick that forced the knight to block it. She then shifted her weight and started to deliver a hard barrage of raw punches and knee strikes that drove the invader back. Eschewing the claws of her gauntlets for raw physical impact to stagger and worry the Pangolin into submission. She kept her green eyes sharp, flashing over the body of the intruder until finally spotting her opening. Bi planted both feet and delivered a hard, surging uppercut directly to the solar plexus of her foe. Actually lifting the Pangolin up off of her feet and sending her back.

\tGwen took the blow in stride as she shifted her balance. The sturdy power armor landing with an almost unnatural grace on the scarred earth. A split second later she was standing right in Bi’s face. The glowing blue photoreceptors of the helmet looking into those green  eyes.

\tThe knight stood with her parrying blade out behind her. Cocked and poised at he zenith of a slash. Bi looked down A large gash having formed though her armor from hip to shoulder, with the hilt of the rapier pushed firmly against the Tigress’ upper belly. The blade lingered for a frozen moment. The shimmering silver light piercing though the heavy plating meant to guard the spine as well as some of the thruster housing. The tiger stood in place. Mouth open in a silent scream.

\tThe hilt pulled away, the blade dissipating harmlessly into the air. Without Gwen’s arm to keep her propped in place Bi collapsed face first into the dirt.
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