If you find mistakes, pls tell, thx. I don't like mistakes.

Also feel free to ask for more background information on the world. I am somehow running out of interesting points regarding the small comments at the beginning of the chapters.

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“

And today one of Resch Coorp.'s branch facilities was literally purged from Gathering-Station by the newly arrived species called Humans. The inhabitants of Gathering-Station have to mourn over two hundred people who worked for the company. We don't know the actual fate of many who were caught up in the incident, but the released footage doesn't give much hope.

The reason for this diplomatic disaster is apparently the abduction of an ambassador by Resch Coorp. The newcomers retaliated in a most disconcerting way. Some species voiced their approval after the Humans released proof that their ambassador was indeed found in Resch's facility and that his treatment was against everything what should be done to an intelligent being.

The Zeen see no viable way to intervene or mediate in this conflict, as the Humans still refuse to sign any of the contracts between civilised species.

Meanwhile Resch Coorp. is denying all evidence and voiced their intention to retaliate with all possible force...

”

-Calderian news channel

***Galactic Centre, Aether***

***Gideon***

I crumble the note between my fingers and look at Melan who is sitting across from me in my office. “So? Any idea how she managed to walk up right next to me and stick that fucking thing onto my back? And apparently she was right next to us in our house! I don't know where to feel safe any more. Up until now it was just those creepy calls, but now it feels like hunting her down is my only option!”

Melan shakes her head. “It might not be as bad as you think. As you know our house is full of cameras and microphones for safety reasons. It's far more likely that she hacked the security system. I'll check it from top to bottom as soon as I get home.”

“And her shroud spell?” I ask.

“Sadina was a very eager student of mine. Before I met your grandfather I earned my money with a trait which isn't quite legal.” Melan starts kneading her fingers. Luckily all I have to do to get her spilling the beans is squinting my eyes.

“Industrial espionage. I was quite good at it.” She confesses.

I gesture at her face. “Is that where the eyes come from?”

“Not quite. Though I have to say that my mutation is quite handy if I want to set up a secret surveillance system.” She sighs. “But the problem is that I taught Sadina an illegal version of the shroud spell when she was younger. It's illegal because it's so good, there is almost no possibility to get through it. It is used for our ships, but this version is optimized to a degree that it can be used as a personal cloaking spell by a techno-mage. The version you know of is probably only half as efficient, as it doesn't include sound or smell and some electromagnetic signals.”

“And how did you happen to learn an illegal spell?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

“Not all my espionage was related to the private sector. I also worked for the government. You know. Spying on an elder for another one. They have their differences despite what you might think. The system tries to make sure that they are keeping an eye on each other.” Melan explains.

“Then teach me that spell.” I demand.

Melan's eyes widen. “I already unleashed Sadina with that ability. Look around. Apparently she walked right past several faceless. Originally I didn't expect her to master the spell to that degree, but she must have trained it since we last saw each other.”

“You mean you don't trust me?” I ask.

“That's not how I meant it.” She answers with a pained expression.

“Well then, let's get to work.” I spread my hands. “How else should I find a possibility to catch her?”

Melan snorts. “Not before you tell me why the aliens are getting all crazy about us. That Forlorn ambassador, Illya? Yes, I think it was her. She was trying to talk to the authorities. In fact she may be still sitting in the reception room.”

I smile “Oh, that's a long story.”

***Galactic Centre, Aether***

***Cyla***

“Say it. Ma-Ma.” I wave my hand in front of Aurelia's face to get her attention. I have her on the thick carpet in the living room.

It's hard work to look after the child alone. Gideon ran off for some stupid mission. Nonetheless that gives me the chance to to pull the first words out of Aurelia. When I connected to her this morning I think I got a first glimpse at a forming personality and self-consciousness. When children are at that stage it doesn't take long for them to pronounce their first words.

Once more I move my lips in an exaggerated manner. “Ma-Ma!”

Aurelia moves her lips, but doesn't make a sound. I sigh. Maybe it's too early after all. She still has the body of a baby. Her vocal cords must not be up to the task. The book says that almost all children start with mind speech first and only learn to articulate themselves with sound afterwards.

Suddenly a shadow falls onto Aurelia and she starts grinning. I turn around to find Gideon looming above us. Before I can stop him he opens his mouth. “How about Pa-Pa? That's easier! Pa-Pa.”

“Pa-”

“Pa!”

Aurelia wrings the disjointed syllables out of her mouth and I freeze up. All the hard work and it was stolen from me in a few seconds! I cup Aurelia's chubby face between my hands. “Gideon. Right now I want to strangle you!”

“What did I do?” He steps back.

I pick up Aurelia and place her in his arms. “That's for yourself to find out!”

***Galactic Centre, Aether***

***Gideon***

I carry Aurelia to her cradle and place her there. Then I join the sulking Cyla on the sofa. “Sorry for... whatever I did?” I offer an apology, though I really don't get what I did wrong. Sometimes I don't understand her despite sharing minds. But right now she has closed up on me. “I had to do hard work recently. To be honest the next few weeks will be quite interesting.”

Then I simply continue to fill Cyla in on recent events. She doesn't show an immediate reaction to my story. It's no wonder. Such revelations are hard to stomach.

When I am done I give her time to think and switch on the projector for one of the walls. The wall is immediately filled with one of the alien news channels.

What's displayed there is a report of what happened to our ambassador and what we did to the facility's staff. To my surprise most scenes aren't even censored. There are no scenes of dead faceless, so I suppose that Ed held that material back.

Suddenly Cyla tilts her head. “Funny. I could swear that that yellow thing you shot at the beginning looked like one of the collectable monsters from that game of yours.”

Then it finally hits me and I place a hand above my mouth. “You may be right! I shot Pikachu like some common rat!”

For a while neither of us says a thing until Cyla finally judges the report. “It is a rat. And didn't you hate that game anyway?”

“Yes I did.” No reason to feel remorse. I inch closer and put a hand around Cyla. “I also got a message from Sadina.”

Cyla stiffens a little when I explain, letting out the last piece of the message. So I hurry to reassure her. “I think I've found the loophole which Sadina was using. I've also disconnected the house from the net nonetheless. There is no communication unless one of us explicitly requests it.”

My better half starts massaging her temples. “This may be my first migraine as a married woman!”

Her shifting body reminds me that I am on withdrawal since three days, so I lean onto her. “Are you sure? There might be a treatment.”

“Oh, I wonder what that might be?” She asks and lets herself being pushed onto the sofa.

I shift and pull off her trousers. Then I open my pants and push her legs apart, dropping myself onto her, hugging and kissing. I am not in the mood to waste my time with clothes. “Don't you get a little turned on when you know that someone could be watching?”

“It's only you who is turned on by the thought!” She answers, closing her legs around me. “I for my part can say that I am repulsed, but I get how you feel on the matter.”

I start rubbing against her and she switches off the report. “God only knows how we managed to get from such gruesome pictures to this!”

“Who cares about pictures? I need you now!” I cup Cyla's chest in my hands and kiss her neck while she guides me inside her.

“I shouldn't have married a wild beast like you.” She gasps and I start moving, pressing her hips against me with one hand while hugging her with the other.

“And you are the beauty or what?” I mumble into her soft skin.

***Galactic Centre, Aether***

***Aurelia***

But someone -is- watching! Mom, Dad, what are you two doing? I am fairly sure that isn't some kind of crawling exercise? I want attention!

.