Elinsys rose from her sweat covered bed, shaking and muttering to herself. Drops of sweat were still making their way down her purple neck towards her soaked shirt. A ringing noise throbbed all around her, right at the threshold of pain. She smelled fire and charred meat in the darkness around her and it was driving her crazy. The sweet smell of the Shil’vati flesh made her mouth water, but the burning hair made her nose burn. Together, they combined to make a perfume that was sickly sweet and made her stomach buck and heave. It refused to leave, even when she pressed her sodden shirt to her nose in hopes its stench would overpower the smell of burning meat. It didn’t help, nothing helped remove it. Her ears perked up as she heard something far away. A voice from behind her, it was distant, but growing louder. The ringing blocked it out, making the words unintelligible. Elinsys didn’t know what was worse: the ringing, the smell, or the glaring light, which forced the darkness around her to dissipate into shadows on the walls. She could see things more clearly now, and things around her were becoming less and less blurry. She looked at her hands. For just an instant, they were black and her nails were too long, formed into raking claws. Then, as if it were just a delusion, they were just blue. They were as they should be, covered in blood of her species. She smiled, they were as they should be…

“Elinsys, are you okay?” A female voice came over the intercom. Elinsys’ head was still ringing, but she could hear it better now. With every passing moment it became more and more clear, just as her sight was also sharpening. She looked at her hands once again, they were purple, a bit sweaty, but they were back to normal. So was everything around her now, white and purple, not red or black. “Elinsys, please answer me.” The voice came again, now that Elinsys’ mind was clear of the fog she could recognize Ir’ela and her sweet and tender voice.

“I am fine now, Doctor. I had a nightmare, which must be a consequence of my exposure to the dust. I could use some water, I’m drenched in sweat.. And maybe a change of clothes? I am soaked.” She was soaked, she looked like she went swimming in the ocean.

“Yes, I will get you some, please cover yourself with the blanket until then. We wouldn’t want you to catch a cold.” The intercom went quiet and Elinsys sat waiting for her clothes.

Mrek walked into the room, not wearing his hazmat suit. “Hello, Major. How are you today? I heard about the nightmare, is this an usual occurrence for you?”

He walked over to the sofa and sat down. Turning on his omnipad, he started making notes as he began burrowing into her mind.

Burrowing? What was she saying? Mrek was helping her. Elinsys didn’t like doctors in general, always bad news from them, but Mrek was actually trying to be positive and make her laugh here and there.

“Had them every now and then, they only increased after I came into contact with the dust. Whenever I touch it I see… things. Horrible things which make me want to puke my guts out.” Elinsys was about to mimicher words, Mrek was writing it all down onto his omnipad.

“I know this is hard, but could you describe them more vividly? Maybe we could learn what in your subconscious is disturbing you. From others who were in contact with it, we learned that the consequences are wildly different. From simple dizziness and pleasant sensations to… well, you heard of the riots. It seems the reaction is quite dependent on the size of the dose which one takes.” He was staring at her.

“I would hope that any remaining dust has been eradicated. It would be most unpleasing if such an accident repeated itself. Make my vocation rather difficult, don’t you agree?”

Mrek smacked his lips. “Unpleasant, I think that is the word you are looking for. Now do please go into details, sparing nothing.” He smiled, it was a fake smile all doctors gave to their patients.

“Do not be concerned, I never spare anyone… the details I mean.” Elinsys corrected herself quickly, her head hurt slightly. Elinsys tried to remember her latest nightmare, but as it always is with dreams, she blanked when trying to remember the details. Actually, she couldn’t remember any of them anymore, as if there was a hole where they should be.

“I am afraid my memory refuses to oblige me, but I remember it being dark, not dark-room dark, but like there was nothing-around dark. Floating-in-space dark and it was cold, not space cold, but like a winter night. It was odd, it felt like I was in a void, but there was life in the cold. Or maybe, anti-life. Not the cold of nothingness, but the cold of malignancy. I wished I had fur or a very warm coat. There was frost on the walls, but also fire, it was as if they were stuck in a stalemate fighting a war no one would win. One pushes, the other retreats, but pushes somewhere else. And they leave nothing but devastation in their tracks, ruined homes, families torn apart either by the soldiers or by themselves. Survival of the fittest it was, it still is.”

Mrek gawked at her, looking like a deer in the headlights. “I am glad you felt comfortable sharing that. I might have some pills which will help you with those nightmares. Now I will give you...”

“Sleeping pills don’t help, not really.” Elinsys was tired of those pills, why do they always give them those damned pills?

“Not sleeping pills, I am afraid your previous doctors were overlooking, be it their inexperience, indifference or some misplaced, at least I hope it is, fear of their superiors. You suffer from PTSD.” Mrek was still writing.

Elinsys looked at Mrek with her eyebrow raised. Of course she suffered from PTSD, she knew this, how couldn’t she? “Doctor, I am well aware of my state and I have gone to therapy and had the proper medication...”

“Elinsys, please. Maybe you received the proper treatment before and maybe then it helped, maybe you didn’t feel you had any problems, but you do now. Maybe it is from the rebellion and someone fast-tracked you to this position before you could have a proper medical check up. If this happened, and I fully suspect it did, you must tell me.”

Must tell him? She should tell him, but could she get into trouble with the Interior? Wouldn’t it be more trouble if she broke down on the job? Yes, that would be far worse than pissing off some Interior cunt.

“When we arrived at the capital, I went to a party, drank too much and next day I was fast-tracked to my current rank. The only medical check I received after the rebellion was on the Veneration for sleeping pills. ”

Mrek made a sigh and then a groan. “They always do this, I swear everytime I hear or see someone not receive proper medical care it's the bloody Interior.” He wrote something down quite angrily. “I am going to give you the pills for now, but you will need therapy.”

“I do have my duty to do. I am afraid I must stay on the Veneration, so therapy will have to be on the ship.” She didn’t want to stay on this station, it was cramped and required repairs. Now that the Promenade was gone, nothing could possibly interest her here.

“I am afraid that is impossible, you have been in contact, multiple times, with an unknown drug which makes people violent in large or concentrated doses. Now, for some reason you haven’t become violent, so either it was due to the previous smaller dose or a natural immunity. We must keep you here until we can find out...”

“Nilni hasn’t turned violent either.”

Mrek was visibly uncomfortable and shifted in his seat. “Well, yes she hasn’t turned violent… not as the rioters, at least. She has exhibited some violent traits after we found you both.” He kept glancing towards the door every so often, planning his escape or trying to signal to someone to pull him out.

“Why are you scared? I have no intention to harm you, all I want is for you to release me so I might get on with my task. You can’t hold me here for PTSD and you have more than enough test subjects from rioters.” Elinsys was staring at him, he was getting more nervous.

“Well, yes, but they are not...” Mrek was sweating, beads of perspiration moving down his soft, slim purple neck.

“They can’t remember what happened? I am afraid the dust makes you rather forgetful. Can’t even remember how I ended up in the ventilation.” She stood up and slowly walked over to Mrek. He stood up and held his omnipad tightly. He was so short compared to her, she could probably just pick him up with one hand.

“So doctor, please get me my discharge papers. I do have a job to do. We would hate it if I was stuck here, wouldn’t we?” She almost put her hand on her shoulder, but decided against it. She didn’t want to scare him, not any further, that is.

“Excuse me... I have to go.” Mrek ran towards the door and waited for it to open and let him out. He was breathing heavily, his heart beating quickly. She could hear it, it was obnoxious.

“I would also like to see Nilni. Do see if she is available for a visit.” Elinsys added when Mrek stepped out of the room. What did he mean when he said violent traits?

*

An hour later, Elinsys was still in her room. Mrek was taking his sweet time. Probably trying to get her to stay somehow, hopefully, he will fail. She was lying on her bed, waiting to be released and finally see Nilni.

“Major, the Commodore and Captain are back to see you again.” Ir’ela said. Elinsys looked up to see Melora and Henera outside her door.

“Ah, you arrived. Here to regale me with your story of your daring exploits during the crisis? Maybe tell me how you saved the station?” Elinsys was chuckling to herself. Melora and Henera were being quite serious.

“Mrek asked us...” Melora started.

“Begged us, would be a better word for it.” Henera interrupted. “ Mrek has urged us not to let you go. To ask the Admiral for a replacement and leave you here for… treatment.” Melora was being very careful with her words, more so than usual.

“Study, I believe he wishes to study the effects the drug had on you and Nilni. I do not understand why he wishes to concentrate on you two. My suspicion lies in your trip to the abandoned section.” Henera crossed her arms.

“Yes, she is right. So I have to ask you, and you have to answer this honestly. Are you capable of performing all of your duties as head of Operations without any problems?” Melora was waiting for an answer, hesitant to hear it.

Elinsys took less than a second to think. “Yes, I am fully capable. May I leave now?” She blurted out and stood up.

“Well, are we sure you are fine? It would be terrible if you turned violent and we had to put you down.” Ir’ela brought over some tea. “Thank you, Ire’ela. I heard what you did to the office after your first dose.” Henera said as she sipped her tea.

Melora stared at Henera with a bewildered look. “If Elinsys claims she is capable and of a sane mind, well, then she is. The tests came back clear, and if something was wrong, wouldn’t it be as obvious as with Nilni?”

“What happened to Nilni? Did she turn violent?” Elinsys asked sharply. Why was everyone being so secretive about Nilni?

“Well… The issue is… Nilni is…” Melora suttered her words out, clearly trying to change the subject.

“She has been rowdy to say the least. Fighting doctors and nurses, refusing to take her medicine. Mrek said he thinks that Nilni still believes herself to be stuck in that abandoned section.” Heneta was very relaxed.

“Yes, now you will get to see her, it might do her some good. For now, let me finish the story while we wait for the discharge papers?” Melora looked around for approval. Both Elinsys and Henera nodded.

*

Melora and Henera burst into the Comms room. “Someone get me a connection to the Veneration and Frontier, my friend here needs a line to the Javelin! Hurry up, precious time is being wasted.”

Only half a dozen overworked communication officers were on watch at this time, but they began scrambling to fulfill her orders. Within minutes the lines were alive and Fera, Veneration’s Head of Navigation was on the other side.

“They tried to capture the airlock, ma’am. A few braves at first, but Head Rixva greeted them with her mighty wrench. After that, I gathered the security staff to hold the airlock and the path leading to it. We had a few more pathetic attacks, but not one of them landed a blow on me. Those we captured we threw into the hold. They were speaking as if possessed by a demon. Not one of battle, as their failings proved. I took the liberty to warn other ships, be they of our pack or strangers.” Fera was calling not from the Veneration’s bridge, but rather the airlock she had turned into a battlefield. Melora could hear her crew shouting and celebrating in the background. “Tell Melora we will happily push towards the Promenade from this direction! We will encircle the bitches!” Fera growled at Trynell, who had interrupted her call.

“Hold your position. You will help the Admiral if she so requests, but focus on keeping yourself and others safe. Melora, out.”

“Your orders will be followed, but forgive me if I get carried off by the hunt. Fera, out.” The line went dead.

“Commodore, my crew has secured the hallway and are ready to press forward. Where is the Admiral?” Henera approached Melora.

“Great minds think alike, Fera just offered to go hunting for rioters herself. Sadly, no news from the Admiral, I was told she is holed up in the central area and is gathering her forces.”

“Ah, Fera! Wouldn’t mind her being my XO. Ferocious Rakiri if I ever met one. So, what do we do now? The Admiral appears to be gathering her forces in the centre of the station. We have two security forces on our ships ready to secure the perimeter around the Promenade and end this riot. Is this a riot anymore, or a rebellion?”

Melora looked at her. “Hard to tell. If it is an insurrection, Elinsys would be useful now, but something tells me this is more complicated than that. Captain, get me a direct line to the Admiral right now, we have trapped them in the Promenade and must push our advantage.”

Henera, eyes sparkling, saluted with a dangerous smile on her face and walked off. Melora started to look over the plans of the station and the Promenade. Looking for possible places to lock off and trap some of the rioters in, vantage points for snipers, narrow hallways perfect for killing grounds. She would have to focus on limiting the civilian casualties, so getting into touch with the trapped civs is objective number one. “You! Get me a map with all the rooms! Who we had help calls from, as well. I want to know if they are soldiers, armed, safe and if they are wounded. You have five minutes.”

The officer looked at her and opened her mouth. “Three minutes, Lieutenant!” Melora shouted. The officer ran off to get the map.

Henera returned with blueprints to the Promenade and an active line to the Admiral. “Where do you want me to put these?” Melora pointed to the table and grabbed the line. “Admiral, this is Commodore Melora and Captain Henera, we have established a temporary headquarters in the Comm room. I would like you to bring your women here and join me in the war room.”

Henera laid out the blueprints and started to mark known enemy positions with anything she could find, be it mugs, pencils, pens, badges, clothing. “Do you need anything else?”

“Yes, I will need you to lead an attack group from the gate and act as my eyes and ears on the developments. Go there and make those officers sync their visors to our screens, do you remember how to do that?”

“Yes, I will report from the emergency line when I get there.” Henera marched out of the room with a few security guards she had gathered.

Melora turned her attention back to the Admiral. “Only after we also launch attacks from the Veneration and from the Javelin will we go and clear the Promenade. First, my forces will secure the perimeter, close down bulkheads and gates. We know there are soldiers stuck in the Officer’s lounge and some other bars. They might attempt to break out. We must contact them and make them stay there until we make our push and then, if they are armed, they could provide covering fire.”

The Admiral was quiet, too quiet. “I am bringing in an EXO suit, two of them to be precise. They will make short work of these traitors. They will move forward from the main gate and clear the streets...”

“With all due respect, that is a poor idea, Admiral. We should...”

“No, I will not risk my soldiers to save the lives of these rebels. They will get what they deserve. Now, I suggest you order your women to switch to lethal and start clearing the perimeter…”

“They are not rebels! I’ve been out there, seen them firsthand. They don’t move like a Shil’vati is supposed to. They have made no requests or have any reason to rebel, as far as I am aware. The most important thing is that they have hostages within the mob, if you fire into it you will kill them.”

The Admiral was quiet again. “The situation is that bad?”

The Comm officer returned with the map, the Promenade was covered in red dots, orange, yellow and green depending on how much danger they were in. There were also marks outside of it.

“I am afraid it is, I will start focusing on the perimeter and take out any pockets that are left outside of the Promenade.”

*

The doors to the Comm room opened. The Admiral stepped in, wearing her armor and escorted by elite marines. The communications room had been turned into a war room. The lights were dimmed except over the table and few monitors, which showed friendly positions and the known enemy ones. The map showed only the Promenade in red, other areas were secured and were actively being cleared of any possible stragglers.

“Admiral, glad to see you again. Hopefully, next time it will be under better circumstances.” Melora stood up and saluted.

“What is the situation Commodore? Have we lost any important systems, corridors, how is the enemy armed?” The Admiral sat down and looked over the map. The marines spread out and looked over any entrances, guarding against any incursions.

“They almost took out the power supply to the service tunnels, and we have reports that a few hatches were broken. They might have access to the tunnels now. We have cameras on the gates, so we know they haven’t reached any other sections. Captain Henera is positioned at the gate and should call us soon. Are your EXO’s on their way there?”

“Yes. One is an older model which was used when we defended against the Roaches years ago. We had more then, but we lost them. The other one is newer and was brought in at my personal expense. Sadly, they don’t have any non-lethal capabilities.”

One of the officers put a speaker on the table. “Can you hear me, Commodore Melora?” Henera’s voice came over the speaker. The message was distorted by the sound of shooting and shouting in the background.

“Captain, we hear you, what is the situation at the main gate?” The Admiral asked, taking over the control.

Henera was hesitant for a second. “I heard from your reinforcements that we should receive the EXO’s in a few minutes. I was notified by a runner that Fera will be contacting you soon, too. She has pushed further from the Veneration and secured the service gate near the water station. She is currently sniffing out the remaining rioters.”

Another three speakers were placed on the table.

“Fera, Head of Navigation on the Veneration, reporting from the service gate.” She was breathing heavily and panting. “They broke down the service gate and headed out towards the water stations with some gold dust. I had it thrown out of the airlock. I think they were trying to put it into the water supply.” She shouted some orders to her guards. “The gate is secure. We parked a service tram to block them off, they still tried to go under or over it, but then they crawled right into our claws. Excuse me, I shall return.” Her speaker was still working and one could hear what was going on. “I will hunt you down like the bitches you are!”

Melora silenced her speaker. “Javelin security, do you hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am. We have secured the hallways leading to the Javelin and Frontier, and have been evacuating civilians onto the ships. What are our orders?” The voice belonged to Henera’s second.

“Go to the service gate. You and Veneration’s security forces will move into the Promenade’s service tunnels and clear them out. I suggest you prepare for possible loss of air if they decide to flush the tunnels.” The Admiral was observing the two large triangles which were the EXO’s.

“Lieutenant, who is the third speaker?” Melora asked, looking towards the small speaker on the table.

“Can you hear me? Hellooo?” The voice on the speaker was female and quite annoyed.

“We can hear you, state your name and rank.” The Admiral ordered.

“Uhhh… my name and rank… well I guess trader captain is my rank… but my name… is it important?” The voice sounded uninterested and distant somehow, like she was not actually there.

“You will answer us, you are wasting precious time!” The Admiral was shouting now.

“Ohhhhh….noooooo. That is not important, I just want you to know…. I was told to tell you this… I wouldn’t...but I must listen. The rioters are out of their minds.” She cackled to herself.

“Yes, yes they are. Lieutenant, hang up. She is wasting our time.”

“NO! No….no. They can’t control themselves, they are drugged out of their mind. I spiked the air supply. Now, sadly… and this is very sad… the sections have their own independent air systems… which is sad. So, sadly, I only got the Promenade… I know, I failed...”

“You are behind this? ...WHY?” The Admiral grabbed the speaker.

“Love.” The line went dead, the Admiral was shaking. “Where is this call coming from?” She demanded.

“The… old section ma’am.” One of the officers replied.

“We need to send someone there, to capture this woman. Send in a squad of marines.”

“She is lying to you, Admiral. If she had spiked the air supply everyone on the Promenade would have gone insane. Now I am not denying she might have somehow poisoned the rioters, but she did not do it by air.” Melora interrupted the Admiral, much to the old woman’s disdain.

“What if it is a trap? Or a distraction? What damage can she do in the old section?” Melora interrupted. “We can send in someone later, we need to deal with the Promenade right now.”

“She is right, Admiral, the EXO’s have arrived. We are ready to take back the main gate and push them back.” Henera spoke up.

“I am ready to hunt, let my claws be painted blue. We shall engage in melee combat in the ventilation. Henera’s second will lead the attack from the service gate and together we will encircle the enemy. Good hunting to you all.” Fera howled and cheers could be heard on her side.

“I am ready, Henera, on your mark.” Henera’s second spoke up.

“Admiral, Commodore? Do we go in?” Henera asked, fear in her throat.

The Admiral looked over the maps, the predicted casualties and then at Melora. Then she spoke up on the intercom.

“Rioters on the Promenade, surrender now, lay down your arms and you will be spared any injury. To the innocents trapped, stay strong and stay safe, hug your loved ones and hide until this is over. To the brave officers and soldiers trapped in the bars. Once our lines push past you, join us and claim your revenge. And to the vile woman behind this, I will make sure you are executed. You will pay for every life lost today. Charge!”

*

Melora looked over the maps, dread slowly setting in, only heightened by the quiet humming of the monitors and steps of the nervous officers moving around the war room. The Admiral was drinking. She had offered Melora some, but she refused. Melora wanted to keep her mind straight and clear, she didn’t want to remove the horrible thoughts from her mind. Every second she imagined a slaughter, a massacre, a corpse of someone she cared about. Henera shot and lying among the corpses of others, Fera floating in the service tunnels with no oxygen, it having been purged. The civilians being pulled out of their hiding spots and paraded through the Promenade, the officers in the bar stuck in the burning building, and Elinsys and Nilni… She had forgotten all about them, but now she couldn’t remove them from her mind. Are they well? Maybe they had gotten to safety, maybe they joined up with one of the security forces and are currently kicking ass, maybe they went into the abandoned section and are hunting that bitch down? Yeah, that is what they are doing, both of them are fine, all shall be well. She took a swig of Admiral’s drink.