---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sergeant Aylen stood silently in the corner, watching as the Voktlix leader levied insane demands onto his Captain, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of his stomach as Ekianei snuck another glance and a wink at him. "Ohhhh, I hope that look doesn't mean what I think it means." He thought to himself, trying his best to ignore her. Though honestly, It's not like he was against the idea, really... But after his previous relationship, he found he was more interested in dating an Aasteran female than a Terran or Voktlix. Something that he had thought long and hard on. Was it right to be attracted to someone because you knew they wouldn't betray you due to their biology? Though he had to admit, the bright red female tanker that had joined the ship was rather stunning... The fact that she reminded him of a dragon notwithstanding. "We will not withhold technology we share with you from other nations. If the navy decides to uplift you to the state we have the Aasteran, we will do so to your entire planet. Not just your nation." Michael replied for the fifth time, his annoyance growing by the second. "That is unacceptable. We currently lead our planet both economically as well as militarily. To uplift other nations to that of our own, a nation we have worked hard on strengthening would demean us all." President Lunouri replied with a self-righteous smirk. Srettia scowled at the male, fighting back the urge to gut him where he sat as he continued to insist that his nation lead his world. "It is everyone's planet, not just your own President Lunouri. Are you not worried about your sick or starving? What about your dying? Why would you deny our help based on such a petty thing?" President Lunouri leaned back in his chair, seemingly thinking he had the upper hand in this negotiation and was near victory. "There is nothing petty about it. We will not forget the work of my ancestors. To do so would be against what the southern continent stands for." Yirphayen sang out in disbelief. This carbon form was clinically insane and must be made aware of this fact before it doomed its entire species. "I would recommend you see a Terran mind doctor. I believe you to be ill and in need of assistance." Srettia covered her mouth with her hands and quickly turned away, while Jack disengaged his hard light body to do the same. Ankiah, on the other hand, just sat in her chair, letting the amusement be seen plainly on her face in an attempt to annoy this 'leader.' "What!? I will not allow such an insult to pass! I demand you leave this room immediately!" President Lunouri replied, standing from his chair in anger. Singing a tune of confusion, Yirphayen dug deeper into its chair, making its stance known. "I will do no such thing. Allowing your people to suffer over a difference on where they were created is what I assume to be madness. I recommend you see a mind doctor. They may have a readily available cure." "Maybe a bullet." Caithen whispered out to Ankiah. Michael sighed as Lunouri snarled in rage, pulling out his datapad and keying a few buttons, prompting a countdown to be seen by all. "Let's take a short break. A tour of the ship, perhaps? To calm our spirits." "That sounds splendid!" Ekianei said as she smiled, rising from her seat and walking over to Aylen with a grin. "Would you be a gentleman and do me the honour of giving me a tour of the ship?" Aylen looked over to Michael, who just returned his plea with a shrug and sighed in resignation. "Of course, madam Ekianei. It would be an honour." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ahh... There go another four... Think I should alert the Captain?" Steven asked, looking over to Chief Engineer Tanda. "Yeah, I think so... I can't get you any more power either, so whatever is doing it can't be picked up by our sensors." Tanda replied with a scowl. "Nothing on this planet should be that advanced." "Another six gone.... Whatever is picking off these Briolb is not something I want to meet without some TG armour. That forest is damn near death, I tell ya." Steven openly stated, heavily scanning the area. Tanda quickly started a com to Michael, hoping not to interrupt this important meeting with the leaders of the city they were hiding in. "Uhh... Captain. I thought you'd like to know that ops is picking up some weird readings. We're talking like. Maybe a hundred Briolb disappearing every five minutes or so kind." Michael groaned as he walked into the lift. Srettia hot on his heels. "Any idea why?" "Not a one, Captain." Steven replied, watching as another seven disappeared. " Computer estimates there won't be a single one left in the forest by nightfall at this rate." "I'm on my way." Michael replied as he cut the com and wrapped an arm around Srettia as she leaned into him, kissing her gently as she did... "Something wrong?" "He's so selfish." She said, leaning into his chest with a sigh. "They're a young people. Give them time." He replied, standing straight as the lift stopped. "But what about Ankiah? She seems to care about her people! Why doesn't that male?" Srettia answered, standing with Michael and walking off the lift, head high. Michael clutched Srettia's hand with a smile and walked towards the bridge. "My people were like that when we were young. A few bad leaders can lead to disaster for everyone. Maybe yours were too before the freeze." He said, stopping before the door. "When resources are scarce, people do dumb shit." "Doesn't mean I have to like it." Srettia responded, hitting the command to open the bridge door. As Michael walked onto the bridge, moving to take up his Captain's couch. He looked over to Steven, his ops officer and nodded. "What do you have for me?" Steven nodded back and put up a local scan of the forest, highlighting some Briolb that we're by themselves. "See.... Here's the odd thing. When they're alone like this, they seem to be able to find each other rather easily. However, once they get into groups of four or higher...." Steven swapped the map to a group of three, moving towards a singular Briolb. "Watch this." Michael watched as the group of three closed in on the singular Briolb, meeting up and stopping. Interestingly, they only seemed to stop for moments before charging off in the direction of another singular one. However, on their way, the most curious thing as happened as all four quickly disappeared from the local map. "See." Steven replied with reluctance. "Every time they get into groups larger than three, they disappear." "Is it a tech they need the four of them to combine parts for, or something else?" Michael asked, watching as another group disappeared. "It's obviously the bugs Ankiah warned us about." Srettia stated, sitting at the helm in her diplomat's attire. "We would be able to detect them if it was biological." Steven replied, doing another sweep of the local area. "Maybe you can't." She replied firmly, not backing down from her opinion. Michael thought silently to himself before sending a quick glance over to Tanda. "Get a camera drone out there. Print off a long-range one if you have to. I don't want anything sneaking up on us when we finish dealing with the locals here." "Aye, Captain. Tanda replied, getting up from his couch and exiting the bridge. Leaning back on his couch, Michael began coming up with his argument for the next battle of words he was about to enter into. With the President firmly believing he could somehow control the flow of the conversation, Michael's thoughts drifted towards an option he didn't really want to take, leaving the President completely unaware of how close he was to losing everything. "I might pack up and head out to the central continent." He said aloud, looking at the display in front of him as more markers disappeared. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "This ship is spectacular!" Ekianei stated, tightening her hold on Aylen and pushing into him as a male Aasteran walked by. "It's one of our most advanced ships. Undetectable as long as we wish it to be and holding our most advanced weapons. The first crew of it's kind as well, having Voktlix, Aasteran, and Terran serving aboard." Aylen replied, not bothering to glance down at the female's obvious advances. "In here is medical. You wanted to meet with Basthin, correct?" "Yes. It is important that I meet with him." Ekianei replied, waiting for the door to slide open before stepping in, pulling Aylen by the hand as she did. "Ahhh, Madam Ekianei! What a pleasant surprise!" Basthin stated from his medical bed. "Come to check up on an old male such as I? It brings a tear to my eye, knowing you care about me so much!" "Basthin. We have a problem. My idiot husband is on the verge of losing everything we are due to his arrogance." Ekianei stated coldly, Still holding Aylen tightly. "He thinks he can bend this Captain to his will but fails to see the anger of the Aasteran diplomat or smugness of one of our own. I feel the Terran Captain will leave and seek another leader at this rate. With the wall broken, we cannot allow that." Aylen shot a look down at Ekianei in shock, earning him a wink in return as she waited for Basthin's reply. "I had a feeling it might come to this. How bad is it?" Basthin replied, still allowing the doctor to scan his body. Moving to Sit on a chair in front of Basthin, pulling Aylen along with her as she sat, Ekianei looked the General in his eyes with worry. "He is demanding that he alone lead our world into the stars. His bluffs that we are the world leaders are not only causing more harm than not, but he was called insane by the Eaenhreph ambassador causing him to enter into a fit." Basthin exhaled a long breath, taking a moment to himself before returning her look. "And we have no means of issuing a no-confidence vote at the moment either... Are you asking me to issue military order?" "I am. I will support your move to take control of the ministry as long as you promise me to put our people first." Ekianei stated, digging in her pocket to pull out a broach. "Take this. This will show that you have my full support in your declaration." Basthin took the broach and put it in his pocket, looking to his doctor as she finished up her scans. "Anything else wrong with me, beautiful?" "A few issues with your bones that I was able to fix. You're free to go save your people now." The doctor replied, stepping back with a smile. "You were a treat to heal, General." Basthin nodded and stood on his foot, testing it a bit before nodding in surprise. "Amazing! Thank you, doctor. And I will go do as such." Aylen looked down at Ekianei in surprise, earning him a smile as she pulled his hand into her face. "Don't be surprised, dear Aylen. Voktlix politics are quite the fickle thing." "Do you assume me to place you in the president's shoes once I remove him from power?" Basthin asked as he walked towards the door, waiting for Ekianei and Aylen to catch up. "Would you place anyone else in the position?" Ekianei answered, walking up to Basthin with a smug grin. "I am not blind enough to miss the fact you have been the true leader for the last few years. I would ask how long you were planning this, but I hardly believe even you could tear invaders down from the stars and allies to help us." Basthin stated, walking out of the room and looking back at Aylen. "Please direct me to the room in which the President resides. And perhaps bring another guard or two. This may get ugly." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ankiah sat in her chair, Caithen directly behind her, wondering to herself why they had not exited the room quite yet. "Ankiah..... Why are we staying here with this angry idiot?" Caithen whispered, earning a chuckle from Ankiah. "Ohh. You'll see. Normally I would have left with Srettia, but the smell the third lady was giving off as she pulled poor Aylen out of the room tells me that she's up to something interesting. I don't want to miss it." Ankiah replied, still sitting in her chair. "If you say so." Caithen replied, placing a hand on Ankiah's shoulder. "You don't seem upset over the President's attitude." "Oh, I am. But you see. The southern continent has a means of dealing with idiot leaders." Ankiah replied, watching as the current President talked smugly among his aides. As if cursing his existence. General Basthin, flanked by four armoured Terran soldiers and Ekianei, walked into the room, pausing to eye up the President and his aides. Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and walked across the room towards President Lunouri. "My friend.... Mr. Lunouri. You have overstepped your limit." Basthin began as he slowly continued across the room. "You will doom us all with your talk of leading our world, and I cannot allow that." "How ridiculous! The Terran Captain was on the verge of committing to help us." Lunouri spat, looking around the room and finally noticing Ankiah with her smug grin and her feet up on the table. "If anyone should be removed, it should be that traitor over there." Basthin exhaled a long breath, looking over to Ankiah before looking back to the President. " I'm afraid not. She is entirely the reason we are all still alive. Mr. Lunouri, Leader of the southern continent, no longer. With my power as commander of the Southern Army Federation. At this moment, I. Basthin. Declare a state of emergency and now take the position to lead our people against such threats." Lunouri's eyes widened as his aides nodded and left his side, leaving the male to his own devices. "How dare you! Vice president Ekianei will never support such an action!" Ekianei chuckled to herself and stepped out from behind the soldiers. "I'm afraid I do, darling. You have put me in a position of choosing between you and our people. I told you before when you wed me whom I would choose. Did I not?" Lunouri ground his teeth in frustration, looking around the room at all who opposed him. "I see. I shall see you in court then." He replied, noticing three more soldiers enter the room. "They are to be my escorts then?" "Fraid so." Commander Soto replied, nodding at Aylen for a job well done as he entered the room. "Come with me, former President. I'll take you to a nice room while we figure all this out." Ankiah laughed and look at Caithen with a smug grin. "See what I mean?" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------