Hiro Kuat

"Ah Madam ..." Nomi looks at me for a moment before going back to addressing her friend or acquaintance, "I'm actually here because of work actually."

"I'm Mari," the Red Rose steps forward calmly as Nomi hesitates, "and this is Hiro. Nice to meet you Ms ..."

"Madam will do." the handsome woman smiles graciously, "But Nomi, what are you doing here in Rais Land? Its dangerous for you here."

"Dangerous?" Nomi suddenly blurts out, shaken from her daze, "We were told that its safe for people from the Citadel!"

"That was the impression I was under as well." Mari frowns as she directs her attention at Madam, "Could you explain, please?"

Madam takes a look as the crowd seethes around us as she considers Mari's request. Without another word, she gestures at us to follow her and begins leading us into another section of the inner courtyard. One of Madam's bodyguard's falls in beside her while the other leads the line of beast men she was lecturing just now out of the compound. We eventually arrive at a quieter spot of the inner courtyard where a rundown cafe is located. Madam steps inside with us behind her, with the cafe's scanty clientele barely paying any notice. A quick nod from our guide to the cafe's manager and we are seated at a corner table. Madam's bodyguard moves to block the sight lines of anyone that may try spying on us.

"Coffee for me thanks." Madam says to the manager and she turns to the rest of our group expectantly.

"Same." Mari answers politely. I nod in agreement while Nomi stares straight ahead with a tense, dazed look. I nudge Nomi and she awakens from her reverie with a start.

"Coffee's great, thanks." Nomi mutters distractedly.

"So, uh, Madam," I ask awkwardly, not quite getting over the use of a title as a name, "you and Nomi have been friends for some time, huh?"

"We're just acquaintances." Nomi suddenly interrupts, "I don't know Madam all that well actually."

Madam picks up the explanation, "I know Nomi through my business. She had helped me before with some security related issues."

"Yeah, that's right!" Nomi exclaims, "We just have some professional dealings with each other, nothing much else really."

"So, what are you doing here?" I ask Madam, really curious this time, "Why do you need to come to a trafficker's yard?"

"Recruiting talent." Madam says, her smile not wavering, "I run a nightclub and need beast folk performers. I admit its not entirely legal, but that's the nature of the line of business I'm in."

I sense Nomi relax in the background as she exhales a long breath. I give her a curious look but the only response I get is a bland smile.

"That's none of our business." Mari shrugs as she casts a side glance at Nomi, "We won't report this incident when we get back to the Citadel."

"That's nice to hear." Madam thanks as a waiter brings a tray loaded with our coffees. The drinks are served and Mari takes a moment to wet her lips before continuing.

"How are we in danger here, Madam?" Mari asks as she brings the conversation back on track, "As Nomi said just now, citizens from the Citadel are welcome here."

"Citizens of the Citadel are welcome, yes." Madam's lips tug downward silently and she adds some sugar to her coffee, "But the situation has changed in Rais Land. The Coalition have started turning the screws on the Rais. She has been ordered to be more vigilant about any Valkyries that show up."

"But the guards let us through." I object, "No one gave us any trouble. And we didn't advertise our identity as pilots."

"No one will give you trouble." Madam shakes her head, "Nobody here has the power to handle Valkyries. But you've probably been placed under surveillance."

"How would they know we're Valkyries anyway?" Nomi complains, "We landed at that awful beach some way back."

"So that was you?" Madam hums, "I think I saw something like that on the drive here. But to answer your question Nomi, your deployment earring is all the confirmation anyone needs of your status."

"So we're not in immediate danger then?" Mari takes over the conversation again.

"No? At least I don't think so." Madam muses, "But you would do well to conclude your business here as quickly as possible. What are you after anyway?"

"We're looking for beast folk girls. Around our age. Maybe a few years younger." Mari says, "If they match our requirements, we plan to take them back to the Citadel with us." Madam purses her lips at Mari's answer and her expression takes on an increasingly concerned look.

"That may be a problem." she finally manages to respond.

"What? Why?" Nomi hisses, setting her cup down with a clink, "I thought there was something something oversupply? How can there be a problem all of a sudden?"

"The Rais has been sending beast folk girls to the Coalition as tribute." Madam replies in a hushed voice, "No one knows why. The girls are taken to the Coalition's Arcology and never come back."

"I saw beast girls out there at the yard." Mari points out.

"Oversupply, like Nomi said." Madam confirms, "That means you still have a chance to get what you're looking for. But its guaranteed to draw even more attention on you."

"We'll need to move quickly then." I comment, looking about anxiously in case anyone had been spying on us. Thankfully all I see is disinterest and indifference from the rest of the cafe's patrons.

"Good luck with that." Madam finishes off her drink as she gets ready to leave, "Just remember not to overstay your welcome here. All the best, the three of you."

"Madam, wait." Mari suddenly interrupts, causing the woman to look at her curiously, "Madam, you know your way around this place right?"

"Of course." Madam answers flatly, her face an unreadable blank expression.

"We would be grateful for your help." Mari continues, "Our business will go much faster and smoother if you lent a hand."

"I would like to," Madam reverts to her polite smile, "but I need to be getting back to the Citadel. Perhaps another more convenient time?"

In response Mari retrieves from her jacket a badge and flashes it before Madam. The woman's expression breaks into one of surprise and then settles into a visage of profound dislike before Madam manages to smooth it back out into studied neutrality. Madam nods at Mari while the two of them lock eyes with each other in a contest of wills.

"We would appreciate the help." Mari repeats, "Very much so."

"I understand." Madam's plastic smile grows increasingly strained, "I would be honored to assist the Red Roses, noble Eliminator."

....

"Well, its certainly been less trouble then I expected." Nomi quips as Madam's bodyguard gathers the beast girls that fit Mari's description into an untidy line in front of us.

Even though Madam was clearly unhappy at being forced by Mari to help us, she worked quickly. A few words to the guards milling about the inner courtyard and they began rounding up as many beast women they could get their hands on at short notice. After that, Madam inspected the assembled group, selecting candidates that fit the profile Mari had given her. Madam was clearly an old hand at this and the inner courtyard guards obviously respect her.

"Wow. Lucky thing we met up with Madam." I comment to Nomi as the line of beast folk trudges forward towards us.

"Yeah. She's got influence here." Nomi agrees, "Probably gets a lot of her stock from this place."

"Stock?" I ask, not quite sure what Nomi is talking about.

"Performers. Performers for her nightclub." Nomi quickly elaborates, "Stock is just the, uh, industry term."

"How did you wind up doing security work for a nightclub anyway?" I quiz as Mari begins to fumble with a monocle, squinting through the lens at the beast folk Madam had brought before us.

"Huh." Nomi hesitates for a moment as she adjusts her collar, "Madam's place has a lot of Valkyrie customers, so regular bouncers won't cut it. That's all there is to it really."

"Oh. OK." I say, but before the conversation can continue, Mari draws our attention.

"Look at the guards by the inner gate." Mari whispers. I comply with her instructions and notice that the gate has been shut, with the guards blocking passage in or out.

"They're sealing the inner courtyard." I murmur back at Mari, the hackles on my back rising.

"That's not all." Mari's eyes dart about as she speaks, "We've been boxed in. Guards have surrounded our position."

I swallow hard at the realization that Mari is right. While Nomi and I had been too distracted with our conversation, lulled into a false sense of security, the guards had already made their move against us. Nomi makes an agitated snarl from the depths of the throat which is quickly silenced when Mari gives her a warning look.

"Stay natural. Don't raise a fuss just yet." Mari orders, "We've already committed to our course of action. We need to see it through."

"We can take them." Nomi growls softly, barely at the edge of my hearing.

"Which is why we can afford not to cause trouble." Mari explains, "They won't dare confront us directly."

With that said, Mari focuses her attention on the line of beast folk and starts scrutinizing each of them using her monocle. I see lines of holographic text flash across the lens as we accompany Mari on her inspection. As we work our way down the procession, Mari occasionally singles out any beast girls that get her attention and these beast folk step out of the line to the side.

"I thought we were supposed to test the candidates?" I murmur to Mari.

"We can't do that here." she whispers back, "I'm just scanning their compatibility with divine energy. Anyone rated above the norm will be brought back with us."

"Beast people can't pilot bulwarks." Nomi objects, rolling her eyes.

"That's because their affinity is too high and causes the bulwark's systems to short circuit." Mari responds irritably, "Look, just stay alert and watch my back, OK?"

"Sure." Nomi answers before making a vulgar gesture behind our squad leader's back. I tug at Nomi's sleeve and she relents, settling down after giving me a smug smile at the payback she got back at Mari.

"Hey you hear that?" Nomi abruptly says, her eyes sweeping the sky. At the same time, a low roar comes from somewhere in the distance.

"Jet engines." I confirm grimly.

"Damn it. Not now." Mari curses as Madam retreats to the spot between her bodyguards, worry all over her face.

All eyes in the inner courtyard are fixed on the horizon, and a squadron of grey painted bulwarks fly into view, heading straight towards the compound.

"Those colors ..." Nomi mutters, reflexively fiddling with her deployment earring.

"Yes." Mari states, not needing to say anything further. All of us recognize that color scheme from assorted briefings and training sessions.

The Coalition is here.