Brenda walked, tour guide in hand, along the street with the highest percentage of Federation Intelligence employees. It was easy to track their source, an underground light rail line that had a stop in a park several blocks away.

She wandered the park happily with a bag of donuts. Baconville (her name for the human district) had some absolutely wonderful little bakeries and pastry shops, great coffee too! She sipped her giant cup and wondered if it was actual coffee or just a really good synthetic.

She decided she didn't care.

The park was absolutely beautiful! Beautiful abstract sculptures, wonderful plants from dozens of systems, fish ponds from world after world after world. It was fantastic! She had to admit it. The Republic had nothing like this! Can’t do this with just four living systems. She smiled a happy goofy lopsided smile. The weather was absolutely perfect! Nice sunny day but still brisk enough that her hoodie made sense. Picking a bench shaded by some sort of tree she had never seen before she sat down her handbag and started happily devouring the donuts.

She looked about. It was easy to spot the government cogs, the nerds, and the sleek dangerous agents. She discreetly slid a small plug into her neural jack and silently activated the powerful microphone in her ratty purse. By cutting the feed into slices she could focus on any single direction with pretty decent accuracy.

She was rather proud of the mic. She put it together this morning out of two children’s toys, a cheap amplifier from a second hand music shop, and a few hand cut sheets of copper from a craft store. God bless porkies and their silly little crafts. Then again, she smiled, she was fond of her little crafts as well.

She focused on a young affectionate critter couple sitting near a crystalline fountain. Oh, talking about agency business outside of the building… Naughty naughty…

She focused her right eye on a lean dangerous looking human standing near a food cart. She didn’t need any analytic voodoo to figure him out. Young, well dressed, obsessively well groomed, making a point to keep his eyes moving… Cliche’ much?

In short order she easily identified a score of Federation Intelligence employees and agents in the park and lunch was just starting. Yep. This was definitely a watering hole and the antelope were fat, happy, and completely unaware.

Perfect place for a crocodile… Chomp! She giggled to herself.

I wonder... she thought to herself. She took her tablet and activated a powerful directional antenna she put in a few months ago. It wasn’t cobbled together from bits and pieces. It was a very nice piece of work if she said so herself.

While she typed an overly enthusiastic letter home to her fictitious family she shifted the tablet as she wrote targeting the various food stalls, food trucks, vendors, and nearby restaurants as she did the real work through her neural jack.

Yep, most of the kiosks, carts, and trucks were using Crednet, a Federation standard for point of sale processing. Good old Crednet, cheap, reliable, and completely and utterly hackable. She didn’t even consider it a hack. She had an app. Best five grand she ever spent.

She wondered who Jessie was. Whoever she was she wrote some great shit. She always was on the lookout for more of her stuff on the black market. She even asked around but it seems they went exclusive and joined a crew awhile back.

Pity.

She shrugged and opened up the first kiosk and pulled up transactions for the last month…. Nope. Ok, how about that one… Nope. Wait… She zoomed in with her right eye. Was that a sushi cart? Let’s see…

Bingo.

Axlea Kalent 367… and she’s a regular! She eats there several times a week. I wonder why Kalent only have first names, she idly thought as she bit into her last donut. Oh no! Out of donuts! She frowned. This was serious. Mission abort!

Sushi! She could really go for some sushi. She stood up, brushing the crumbs off of her boobs, and tossed the coffee cup into a nearby receptacle. Cold coffee didn’t go with sushi.

She idly strolled back to the park entrance closest to the Federation Intelligence building and then wandered towards the sushi cart. So many nice, tall buildings… She stifled a smirk. Some noobs actually try to climb them or otherwise gain access to the rooftops. Imagine! Actually lurking up there like you were in some movie with an actual (snicker) rifle…

This was the thirty second century for Christ’s sake… Some people… I mean, how would you even get down?

Her left eye was constantly taking passive measurements as she walked. Her eyes weren’t bionic, not entirely. They were still the ones she was born with, just with a few little enhancements, almost unnoticeable and if they were they were easily passed off as corrective implants and nothing more.

They cost a mint but damned if they weren’t worth it. They made things a lot more convenient.

By the time she reached the sushi cart she had a pretty good layout of the place. She would rather have taken a few “selfies” but she figured that might be pushing it just a little. The wrong “007” getting his panties in a knot because he was in the background could be a problem. Oh they probably wouldn’t cause a scene but she really preferred not to be covertly scanned and then run through a database, not that she would be worried. She wasn’t in any of them. It’s just poor practice.

She looked at the menu at the sushi cart. She recognized a few staples but hey, she was a tourist! She enthusiastically asked about the various offerings and got a really nice assortment of hand rolls and a cup of some sort of tea that the vendor assured her was ok for humans. The vendor was really nice, even if he was a porkie. She made the decision to not get him caught in any potential “mess”.

It was really good too! She could see why Director Axlea liked this cart. Munching happily she, reading her tour book, walked into the metro entrance. There was this really nifty sounding spaceflight museum she wanted to check out.

She bet their gift shop would have all sorts of toys! She liked toys.

She reached for another hand roll as she took her seat on the metro. It was even tastier than the first! Maybe she would let Axlea eat before she killed her. She could die happy. That would be nice.

She smiled as the metro pulled out of the station. She nodded happily as she munched away. Yes. Axlea should get a last meal especially if it’s this tasty.

I mean she was a killer and all but she didn’t have to be mean about it.

***

That evening Brenda went back to the park metro stop this time going to a nearby restaurant that had good reviews. She wasn’t exactly sure what Rivvialn cuisine was but humans sure seemed to like it. That was one of the neat things about traveling so much for work. You got to see so many interesting things and eat so many interesting foods! She paused at a trash can to toss a small pastry box into it (never can have too many donuts) and then went to dinner.

It was pretty darn good! They did this really neat thing where they brought out little flaming braziers and cooked stuff right in front of you. She always liked things like that.

It was really fun! She went home full and happy.

Around the planet’s equivalent of two in the morning carefully timed between metro stops (They still had trains running at that time, impressive.) She connected her neural jack to her tablet. Accessing the restaurant’s network was pretty simple considering the fact that she already had all the necessary info. She has taken the liberty of hacking the place between courses.

Using the restaurant’s wifi she contacted what was actually inside that pastry box. A small cylinder with tiny little fins silently rose from the trash can and, easily passing for a Federation sensor bot, flew to the top of the building she had pre-selected. After hovering around for a few seconds she found the perfect little niche in some decorative structures.

She parked the little cylinder up there and put it to sleep. She soon followed.

***

The next morning Director Axlea entered the Council Chambers, a monumental structure in the center of the city and made her way to Councilor Yoltran’s office.

“Ah, Axlea, thank you for dropping by,” a large Threen said warmly.

“Yes, Yoltran, Axlea said with a smile, "I figured I would save you the trouble."

Councilor Yoltran, head of the Intelligence Oversight Committee frowned slightly. The rumblings that he had heard were very disturbing… and very unlike Axlea.

“Instead of the usual pleasantries I will cut to the chase,” Axlea said. “You undoubtedly have questions. I know you too well, Yol.”

“By the Abyss I do,” Yoltran said with a growl. “Namely, what the fuck? Have you gone mad? Blackmail, extortion… and I’m afraid to speculate what else.”

“Yoltran,” Axlea said quietly, “Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do you stupid eel. I would have had you hauled in front of the whole council if I didn’t,” Yoltran replied. “I’ve known you for years, Axie. What’s going on, really going on?”

“I can’t tell you Yol.”

“As you say, carpshit,” Yoltran growled. “I have the same clearance as you do. Now cough up what you are choking back or I will reach in there and pull it out.”

“Ok, Yol,” Axlea said, “First off the Kalent Forum is actually concerned about this. If I’m blocked they will take matters into their own hands.”

“Fuck me...” Yoltran muttered.

“Secondly, once I brief you there is no turning back. If you leak this I will kill you myself. I’m not kidding, Yol.”

Yoltran took a deep breath.

“Well it’s my job. I need to know.”

“Ok but don’t get mad at me later for telling you...”

About an hour later Yoltran let out a heavy growling sigh shaking his whole body.

“I’m mad at you for telling me,” he laughed grimly. After a few moments he said, “The last time I held you back over a billion people died. This time I’m going to turn you loose. Creators forgive me. Do what you must but we cannot afford another war with the Republic.”

“The Forum agrees with you, Yol.” Axlea said. “And even more importantly I agree. It was a billion last time. Next time there is no telling how many casualties there will be. That war is in part what I am trying desperately to prevent… by any means necessary.”

“I’ll keep the committee off your back if I can but for the love of all life be discreet, please. Either that or actually blackmail the entire council, whichever.”

“Thanks, Yol. I owe you.”

“If you take care of this we will be the ones owing you,” Yoltran replied.

“When I take care if this you won’t owe me anything,” Axlea said calmly. “After this I’m finished. I’ve already done too much and crossed too many lines. No telling how much more I will have to do before this whole affair is over. I will no longer be fit to lead. I could wind up being a greater threat than that human. I will return to my homeworld and slip into the great ocean with no regrets.”

Yoltran nodded. “Ok. You have my backing until that monster is slain. After that, you can rest.”

“Thank you old friend,” Axlea said with a tired smile.

“If you excuse me, Axlea,” Yoltran said with a sigh. “I’m taking the rest of the day off. I think I need to wash down what you just fed me and it’s going to take more than one mugful.”

“Later, Yol,” Axlea smiled. “I’ll keep you in the loop.”

***

Axlea returned to her office and after a few frustrating hours of stale intel reports and no progress from the lab she needed a break.

The weather was nice that day. A plate of sushi and a nice sit by the fish ponds was just what the doctor ordered. Maybe a little break would make her more productive.

She walked out the entrance of the Federation Intelligence building and down the street. She could already feel herself relaxing a bit. She hated bringing in Yoltran. Poor old Threen didn’t need to be burdened with this. She could quit and fade into the great ocean. Him, he was going to have to deal with this for years.

He asked for it, she reminded herself.

She entered the park and smiled at it’s simple beauty and the happy people and couples enjoying it. This, this is what she was fighting to protect.

It was a good reminder.

She made her way to her favorite sushi cart. She ordered her usual. The vendor had already started to reach for the ingredients before she completed her request.

She smiled and, carrying the sashimi, she walked over to her favorite fountain. In the pool at the base was a carefully constructed ecosystem comprised of fish and plants from over ten different worlds, all living in complete harmony…

Oh if it was only that easy for sophonts, she smiled. Opening the top of her globe she dropped a piece of sashimi into her tank, snapping it up with relish.

As she stood admiring the fish she did the same with each piece, one after the other…

***

Brenda was sitting on a bench across the park happily demolishing a box of eclairs. She had found the pastry shop! She looked up with a little chocolate frosting on her nose and watched Axlea enter the park.

Too bad I won’t be going back there, she thought taking another big bite.

Watching Axlea without looking directly at her, she quietly observed her go to the sushi cart. Sashimi, she observed.

She, the plug already inserted into her neural jack, idly activated the tablet in her handbag as she selected another eclair.

She smiled as she risked zooming in with her right eye. Axlea seemed to be really enjoying lunch. That was nice.

She watched as the last piece of sashimi disappeared. Final meal enjoyed. This was good. Axlea seemed at peace, just looking at the fish. Good. She deserved that. She did a quick survey of the area with her left eye. Nobody else was within the impact area.

Goodnight, sweet princess...

Brenda activated the small cylinder. Suddenly she could see through its eye. Using the cylinder's passive optical sensors, she targeted Axlea’s globe and then focused her attention on an imaginary icon labeled, “Splat!” It flashed twice and then disappeared.

The cylinder quietly floated out of its niche. It started moving slowly at first, lining itself up exactly with Axlea’s globe and then a massive power surge hit the thrusters, burning them out in a fraction of a second but not before the cylinder was accelerated to hypersonic velocity.

It descended down upon Axlea’s bot like a fist from a Terran God (more like a pinky finger of one but whatever) Most of it disintegrated in such a way as to disrupt things as it tore through her powerful shield but some componets, especially the payload, some heavy ceramic ball bearings (courtesy of a repair shop in the shipyard) survived and were massive enough to punch holes through the transparent polymer.

The fragments were powerful enough to completely rupture the globe, instantly converting some of the water to steam. It exploded with a powerful shockwave completely ripping several legs off of the bot and blowing the body into several pieces one of which slammed into a nearby sculpture, shattering it.

Of the globe, and its contents, nothing remained.

Even though Brenda knew it was coming, it still startled her causing her to smush the eclair into her face. As she sat there, chocolate and cream smeared across her cheek she made a quick check of the surroundings. It was one hell of a mess but most of the debris went about where she expected and it looked like nobody was injured… Wait… no… some people were hurt but it looked like nobody was critical.

She mimicked a perfect shocked/horrified expression but inside she was smiling happily. One target, one kill, no collateral casualties… well no collateral death anyway. Looks like the others will be ok.

And now to confirm the kill… Oops… She playfully chided herself. Vaporized another one…

She got up and followed the general movement of the shocked and confused herd trying to drift close enough to the blast area to look for remains. She could see dozens of communicators being produced and people of a variety of species screaming into them. She followed suit, grabbing her phone and yelling obscenities.

It was chaos, beautiful glorious chaos! They were completely losing their shit. As she wiped her face with her sleeve she eased her way into the confused mob. It was easy to drift among them.

Was that a nugget? Yes! Lucky! Idly looking around to time it so that nobody was looking directly at her she bumped into someone and dropped her bag, spilling some of the contents. She quickly bent down and gathered her belongings, plus a little something extra, a chunk of flesh no larger than a piece of sashimi… Sashimi… Hmm… She was a little peckish. She wondered if she could get a rainbow roll anywhere around here.

Looking about she saw a group gathering around someone who looked important. She fell in with them. They all left for the Intelligence Building. A few of them flashed ID’s to the police arriving on the scene (Great response time! She was quite impressed!) as they left. She just gave one of the police a grim nod as she followed.

Nobody stopped her. Why would they?

She followed the group for a block slowly drifting further and further behind them until she eventually turned down a side street and walked away.

***

Chaos reigned at Federation Intelligence. Director Axlea had been slaughtered right in front of them in the monitored zone around the building no less. Agent [email protected]@ snarled at the fidgeting agent in front of him.

“Now help me to understand,” [email protected]@ hissed at the miserable pol-ka, “A whole twelve man surveilance team, equipped with the best tech the Federation has, whose only job was to watch the Director and stop an assassination attempt that we knew was coming, can’t even tell me exactly what the fuck happened?”

The pol-ka winced.

“It just happened so fast, sir,” the pol-ka whined. “We detected… something… and then a fraction of a second later, she just… blew up.”

“Just blew up? That’s all you can fucking tell me?” [email protected]@ yelled. “The director put her life in your hands and all you can tell me is that she ‘just blew up’? I already know that! Everyone in the fucking park knows that! Everyone in the fucking Federation is going to know that within the fucking hour! I don’t need ‘just blew up’! I need fucking answers!” The Xvli hit his desk hard enough to crack it, the impact tossing his terminal to the floor. “Go over every single fucking one and zero you have until you have something!”

“Yes si-”

“GO!!!”

The pol-ka fled.

Agent [email protected]@ sat down and put his head in his paws. He had warned her. He fucking told Axlea that this was too risky. All the old fish would say was that she was ‘sufficiently protected’ with that annoying smug little smirk. Well, all that Kalent tech did exactly shit didn’t it, Director.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to fly into a rage, break some shit. Unfortunately, he did not have that luxury.

Taking a deep breath he picked up his terminal from where it landed, switched it on, and opened a file titled “In Case I Die”.

***

Patricia was sitting at her desk with her face in her hands. It hadn’t been a good morning. She had just received word that three more of her “immortal” riders had turned up dead back on Terra. Not only that but yesterday's attempt to turn Jon was a dismal failure. She had bared herself and Jon had laughed at her. God, she had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable, in her whole life.

Well, not since that day…

She reached into her clutch and pulled out a small silver locket. She opened it and gazed at the small holographic image.

“Darling,” she said, her eyes red, “I... I’ve had a bad day, a couple of bad days. I don’t know where it went wrong but I’m at a complete standstill here. I… I don’t know if this is going to work... I… I wish you were here. I miss you so much… I…”

There was a quiet knock at the door.

“I said not to disturb me!” She yelled.

“My Lady,” Crimson cautiously said from the other side, “you might want to turn on the news, any channel.”

“Go away!”

“Yes, My Lady.” Crimson beat a hasty retreat. She knew from personal experience what happened to people who lingered too long when Her Ladyship was like this.

Patricia activated a holoscreen. On it were views of the park surrounded by police and government vehicles.

“We have just received confirmation from the Department of Federation Intelligence that Director Axlea, the head of Federation Intelligence, was slain in an explosion of unknown origin...”

Patricia wiped her eyes and smiled.

At least something finally went right. She smiled at the locket.

“Thank you for giving me strength, my love,” she said as she snapped it shut. She reached for her communicator.

“Crimson,” she said with a smile.

“Yes, my lady?”

“I authorize the remainder of the payment to The Hatchet. Be sure to thank her for her good work and let her know that there is always a place at my table for her, should she desire it. In fact, add another five hundred thousand to the final payout. This is someone I want to keep happy.”

“We are going to let her live?”

“Absolutely,” Patricia laughed, “It would be a shame to lose such a resource and besides, do you really want to be on her bad side?”

“I suppose not, My Lady.”

***

Deputy Director Gvx-Taa groomed his leg spurs nervously as he tried to somehow gain control of the bedlam in which he found himself. His communicator buzzed constantly. He had taken to ignoring it for the time being.

He opened a set of standing orders that he was sent on a daily basis from the late director, a file he had hoped he would never have to read.

He cocked his head curiously at the first item, priority one.

Contact Agent [email protected]@ immediately.

Agent [email protected]@ was a well respected, but not especially high ranked agent. Gvx-Taa knew that he often worked closely with Axlea though. When people thought nobody was listening it was whispered that he was one of the Director’s assassins.

He went to [email protected]@’s cubicle. He was surprised to see the Xvli surrounded by over a dozen people.

“Nothing changes,” [email protected]@ said to the group. “We proceed exactly as if Director Axlea was still here. For the time being, however, we shall observe only. We can only assume that this will embolden her. Let us use that to our advantage.” [email protected]@ looked up at the Deputy Director as if they were expected.

“I will arrange a more secure meeting area,” the Xvli said calmly, “Until then, follow the orders that I send you. That will be all.”

“Director,” agent [email protected]@ said calmly.

“I’m still the Deputy Director until informed otherwise.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I was told to meet with you,” Gvx-Taa said curiously.

“Sir, I have information concerning this whole situation,” the Xvli said with little emotion, “With a fairly high degree of certainty, we know who is behind this and why. Perhaps we could retire to a more secure location?”

“Come with me,” Gvx-Taa replied dreading what he was about to find out.