Alexandra had to admit she felt satisfaction. She had done her duty; she had brought judgment and as a bonus had hurt Oliver Tharks. All that was left to her was to suffer through the minimum ten-year tenure of this new posting. But she was not going to sit idle and if those old idiots on the Council thought so, they were sorely mistaken. She would build connections and use their own tools and tricks against them to ensure she would not be forsaken in this damned place for a full hundred-year term as Overseer.

Well, there was also the option to try and do an abysmal job while in charge of Last Hope. However, the Council would see through that and send someone to keep her on a short leash. No, being left alone and forgotten would be the best solution. Alexandra knew she was smiling, but how couldn’t she, seeing the Innari drag the mewling old man towards his inevitable doom at a fixed trial.

“Mistress von Eisstahl, I would need an explanation.” The security Chief asked from behind her.

She had completely ignored the man’s existence. She had been too riled up and, in a hurry, that she had forgotten to inform him of the situation. There was also the issue with him being a potential crony of Tharks, but Chief Rex had made his loyalties clear to her. Alexandra did owe him an explanation. She would have preferred an official briefing, but it could strain their future relationship. After all, the man knew the station inside-out and there was no doubt he also knew every little illicit thing happening on it. On top of that, Donovan Rex had control over the entire security staff and he could make her stay quite the ordeal in the long run, once the Innari left Last Hope.

“Major Khalid, your squad is to continue back to Docking station 2-24. Secure the prisoner on the ship and wait for my return. I need to have a word with Security Chief Rex.” Alexandra returned the crisp salute and turned to face the agitated Donovan.

“Chief, Overseer Tharks was charged with many crimes and I was sent to arrest him, so that he may face the Council’s judgment.” She spoke once the Innari went through the current section’s bulkhead. “Furthermore, I am to assume the role of Overseer effective immediately.”

“Are we to be replaced as well?” There was fear in Donovan’s eyes even if he hid it from his voice.

“The security staff of mining complex Last Hope is to be purged from disloyal elements, yes.” There was no point to hide the obvious from him. “The Innari are here to ensure that happens and then they are gone.”

“And what would be the classification for disloyal elements, Mistress von Eisstahl?” She smiled hearing the question.

He was worried about his neck. No doubt he had some sort of illegal side job set up amongst the miners and archaeological staff. She could use that to keep him under control.

“You can drop the official lingo, Chief. Alexandra or Miss von Eisstahl will do just fine. After all, we will be working together for quite some time.”

“Right.” Donovan’s face turned a sour expression before going back to the usual dumb one he wore. “Well, Miss von Eisstahl, would you care to answer my question or am I supposed to be an obedient guard dog?”

“Let me be clear Chief Rex.” Alexandra spoke in the tone she used when ordering around the neophytes at the Academy. “I can and will be polite, as long as our relationship remains civil. Your crimes are too minor for me to take an interest in them. I am not a Persecutor; I am a Knight Protector.”

She gave him a moment to process the words and continued.

“As long as, whatever you have going on here, remains minor, I can keep a blind eye. Overstep the line and I will not bother with a trial. Is that clear?”

“Perfectly.” He scoffed. “In the spirit of being painfully blunt, I have to warn you, Alexandra.”

The way he stressed her name irritated her. It was clear he was about to make a threat of his own, as foolish as that was, she had to give him credit for his courage. It was rare for someone to dare speak to her in such a manner and she had to admit it felt refreshing. She had spent too much time being surrounded by two-faced conniving opportunists. That did not stop her hand from taking hold of the sword on her waist.

“That list you wanted is pointless. But if you want to go with that stupid idea of yours to conduct a Purge, I won’t stop you.” There was fire in his eyes and something else Alexandra could not pin.

“One of every ten men is in Oliver’s pocket and I doubt you’ve brought a large enough purse to change that.” She got it now, it was defeat.

Removing ten per cent of the staff would strain their ability to complete anything. Those that would be left would hate her and conspire to hinder her at every step. And with the Innari bound to depart in a few hours, she would become a prisoner in all but name. Alexandra was aware that her battle-frame was too large to go through most of the corridors, something that Donovan had, apparently realised as well. Her reputation would keep them in line for a while, but that was just it, only for a while.

“Replacement staff will be drafted from the Academy, once I provide the recruitment forms.” Alexandra countered pretending that she had some sort of a plan.

“Right, right.” He smiled and leaned closer to her; the fear gone from him. “Let me share this with you before you learn it the hard way. This is Last Hope. No one gives a damn what happens here. Last time I asked for fresh recruits, all I got was a fifty-kilo girl, so fresh from the Academy, she was yet to sober up from the graduation ceremony.”

“The only reason the Council has sent you, the famous Knight Protector Alexandra von Eisstahl, to this damned place, is because you have screwed up, badly. Just. Like. Every. One. Of. Us.” Each word was drummed on her chest, by his accusing finger.

She had to admit it, she had underestimated the Chief. He was a smarter man than she had thought. Alexandra had allowed his appearance to fool her and coming to the mining complex, ignoring the reports or the staff files, had been a mistake. Donovan stepped back a sad smile on his face.

“You might not like the man, but Commodore Neverok could and still can keep the security staff in check.” The Chief took a breath to calm his voice, which was on the verge of becoming a shout.

“Damn, I hate him and can’t wait for the day he is gone, but I also dread the day this would happen. But the idiots at the docking bay, think of him as this big boogeyman because he comes from the Neverok family.”

Because of her position as a Knight Protector, Alexandra had access to many forbidden and suppressed documents. She knew the name Neverok had been a feared one in the Third Empire and the family was instrumental in sparking the Liberation War. However, during the last two and a half centuries, it had fallen into obscurity. To think it still had such an effect on the ignorant masses was worrying. It only showed that those on top, herself included, had no idea what was the actual state of the United Republics. Unwilling to admit she had made so many mistakes, Alexandra smiled coldly and turned on her heels and continued towards the docking bay.

Donovan smiled as he watched the woman walk away. He had struck a nerve if the sour mess that was her expression was any indication. She might have been a hero of the UR, but she had spent the last two decades at Sentinel Hill, surrounded by nothing but politicians and brownnosers. Miss von Eisstahl was no different than Oliver Tharks, he could see that. They both thought they played a larger game, but all they did was war with a handful of others like them, forgetting that people like Donovan were the backbone of the UR.

If she wanted to conduct a Purge, he was going to oblige her. The poor idealist thought that things would run smoothly if she wished for it hard enough. As if that was the case, instead he was going to bury her in the hole she had dug for herself. Donovan had exaggerated the numbers of those who thought the sun rose from Tharks’ backside, but he might as well get rid of some of the security staff he did not like. No point to leave such an opportunity to waste.

It would leave large holes in the coverage his people could provide, large enough for him to hide his tracks. And if there was some justice in the universe, the good Miss Knight and the maniac would kill each other in a matter of days. Allowing Donovan to continue his peaceful existence far from sight on Last Hope. With that pleasant thought, he followed after her.

Docking station 2-24 was as he had left it. His staff was lined against the walls on both sides, they even had the same shocked and wide-eyed expressions. No wonder, they had just witnessed the Overseer being dragged like a common thug into the ferry. Even if the Innari troopers did not have them at gunpoint, none would have moved a finger to help Oliver, out of fear it would anger the Scolia. The mighty battle-frame had a small fleet of technicians swarming around it, attaching all manner of strange equipment.

Donovan was sure they were preparing it for deployment deeper inside the mining complex. After all its size would not allow it roam freely. Perhaps an ace pilot like Alexandra von Eisstahl might find a way to squeeze through some of the tighter corridors, but that would restrict her to only a third of the complex. He wiped away the smile before it had fully formed. He had to make sure the eggheads did not inform her about the main spine-tunnels. They would allow the Knight Protector to have complete control over Last Hope since her battle-frame could walk freely through them.

The Chief was glad that Oliver had not seen any point in clearing the blocked parts and opening them for use. Who knew that the old man’s greed and laziness would be saving his skin?

“Which ones?” Alexandra’s cold voice brought him back to the grim task he had waiting for him.

“That’s not how this is going to work.” He whispered and shook his head. “We both need those that are left to be loyal.”

“Chief Rex, do try to remember that there could be a spot for you on the ferry if you continue to test my goodwill.” She hissed at him, but backed away, allowing him to address the worried men and women.

“Ok, boys and girls.” He raised his voice so that all everyone could hear him. “Overseer Tharks has been arrested on one too many charges of treason. Before you start pissing your pants, you all are safe.” He faked one of his usual warm smiles when he was about to give bad news.

“In compliance with article 43 from your deployment contracts, the following people are required to accompany the former Overseer and serve as witnesses.” He then proceeded and listed nine people mixed from those loyal to Oliver and those he wanted away. “You are to follow the orders of Major Khalid during your transition to Katovar.”

“Furthermore, the following personnel are to return to the Academy for new deployments under recommendation from Knight Protector von Eisstahl.” Another ten names and he had all those loyal to the former administrator of the complex gone.

“Is that all?” Alexandra whispered next to him while those mentioned removed their security gear and boarded the ferry.

“There are seven more on patrols throughout the complex.” Donovan shrugged.

“Their names?”

“Samantha Ku, Lorenzo Miro, Yo Hue, Killian Jackson, Hagar Rüde, Olivia Dougherty and Gregory Kamenski.” He gave the names of the last people who had intimate knowledge of what he had been doing on Last Hope.

“Call them over…” He did not Alexandra to finish the order.

“We’ll deal with them internally. Calling them here would tip the others.” He had to find a way to dispose of them.

With this Donovan would have the Knight Protector busy hunting what she believed were rogue elements in the security force, while he could think of a way to take back control of his HQ. He allowed a small sigh to escape his lips as he saw the woman nod in agreement. In addition, he was happy that there were no more messages from the maniac, which allowed him the time he needed to have his mind working on formulating a plan.

Damn him a thousand times over, but Donovan had the upper hand, which meant Alexandra could do nothing but agree with his suggestion. She had to have the security staff on her side, until for a few months. Six was the optimal estimate in which she could conduct a complete change of personnel. But she could not allow people loyal to Tharks to roam unchecked, unless… A plan formed in her head.

“Very well. Chief Rex, have two of your men go to the brig and fee Commodore Neverok. He should have learned his lesson by now.” She said loud enough for the guards to hear her.

“How very magnanimous of you, Mistress von Eisstahl.” She wanted to wipe that smile of his off of his face, but that could wait.

“Operator King.” Alexandra activated the local feed.

“Yes… I mean listening, ma’am… I mean Mistress…” The shaky voice of the tech sounded distracted.

“Cancel protocol ATD zero two. I am coming over to security HQ with Chief Donovan.” Her memory augmentation implant pulled the name for her and had a schematic of the complex displayed on her artificial lens.

“We will take mining line two-seven and come through section one-fifteen. Our ETA is twenty-six minutes.” She finished.

“But that is an ore belt….”

“Mr King, you will make sure there is no ore in transit or I will be very angry with you. Do you understand?” There was a short pause before she finally heard the man’s voice again.

“Understood…” With that, the feed link was closed.

“Chief Rex, you are coming with me.” She gave the wide-shouldered man a weathering glare ad opened the feed to her tech team. “Markus, have Scolia and all of her components moved to Repair bay 33.”

“Understood Mistress. She will be ready to accept once more in sixty hours.” The mechanic proclaimed with confidence.

Alexandra wondered how much of that was wishful thinking and how much was boasting. Retrofitting an Orion class battle-frame to a Kana class walker-suit that could be deployed inside a station of any kind, would take weeks. But she would deal with Markus after she had the more pressing problems dealt with. She nearly dragged the security Chief towards the conveyor belt which would lead her to the command room in what she assumed to be a record time.

Getting to it, however, proved to be a mild annoyance. It was situated just below the floor of the corridor leading out of the docking station and the only way to access it was through a maintenance hatch. The bloody thing was rusted and had not seen use perhaps since the UR had taken control over the mining complex. But with a few shots from her gauss pistol, Alexandra had it opened and jumped onto the fast-moving belt.

She realised why the comms operator had tried to voice his objection on the matter when her feet were swept from beneath her and she bounced around the closed space. Her left shoulder got stuck between the belt and the wall and she would have lost the arm if not for her armour. Donovan followed after her, with more grace and a string of profanities. Most of those, Alexandra was sure, were directed at her. After a few attempts and feeling something tear in her arm, she finally managed to take a stable position on the belt.

Her temper, the very thing that had made her a Knight Protector, was now working against her. She had made too many mistakes, which made her think that it was not her, but this cursed place. Because now, she had no idea how to get off. The minutes ticked, while she tried her best to come up with a solution and to ignore the pain in her arm.

“You are out of ideas, aren’t you Miss von Eisstahl.” Alexandra heard Donovan’s mocking voice over the feed.

“I am waiting for the service hatch.” She hissed over the boom of the mechanism beneath her feet.

“Allowing you to try and grab the hatch door and watching you break every bone in your body is not going to cause me to lose any sleep. However, I am pretty sure Major Khalid would not let me off with just a warning if that were to happen.” She heard what was clearly laughter and her anger burned anew.

“Let me teach a lesson, miss Knight Protector. Felix shut down line 27 in three minutes.” It had to be this place; it was clearly cursed if she had failed to think of something so obvious.

Sooner than she expected the belt slowed down and came to a halt. Alexandra could see the hatch just a dozen meters away. Biting through the pain and the embarrassment she stood up and walked to it. Fortunately, this one had been used and had an active composite ladder sticking from it. The thing came down with the slightest of nudges and she was inside the corridor of section 1-15.

The rest of the walk towards the security HQ was completed in silence and with her trying to ignore that the Chief was walking next to her. From the corner of her eye, she could see his smug smile and it infuriated her, but she could also see what looked like fear in his gaze. The man was slowly turning into a mystery, or he was hiding something very important. Either way, she would find a way to replace the Donovan as soon as she could. The two turret platforms mounted above the door tracked her movement but did nothing else. Alexandra was sure she had seen the Chief hesitate for a moment before placing his hand on the lock.

The room was a mess and she had to force her mouth shut, less she ordered the execution of the entire tech team. Exposed wiring, half-assembled or disassembled, most likely, consoles greeted her. To her right at the far wall were four civilians, who had shocked expressions on their faces. Due to witnessing the in-fighting among the guards, Alexandra was sure of it.

A wounded girl with dark circles forming under her eyes only a civilian jacket covering her upper body, the new member of the security staff, stood next to the largest man, she had ever seen. The Knight Protector would have pinned him as a mutated enforcer, if not for the cables sticking from his head and ending at the control panel in front of him. This had to be the comms operator King. Not what she had imagined from the shaky stuttering voice, she had been hearing over the feed.

On her left was a young guard sitting on a chair next to the two bodies of the ones who had followed Oliver Tharks’ command. As soon as Alexandra took a step over the threshold, the man jumped from his seat and holstered his pistol to his hip in one fluid motion and stood a perfect example of attention. Despite his young age, he had the bearing of a professional soldier, but his eyes reminded her of a natural-born killer. Something in him just did not feel right and had her on edge.

He was the perfect person to solve Alexandra’s problem with the seven rogue guards. She allowed a smile to land on her lips and turned towards the man who had to be guard Helix.