He could still remember the radiant light that came off her as she sang. How captivating the song of the ekon was, hearing it from the lips of the star singer in person.

Leo remembered watching in awe as a little boy, watching Star Singer Iola perform her songs to heal the broken.

“Her enemies are many, Leo.” His father said at his side. “And I won’t be around forever, and neither will she. It will be up to you as her guardian to ensure the safety of the star singer.”

“I understand father.” Leo kept watching the Star Singer, captivated by her radiant beauty. “But… what if the next Star Singer…. Turns out to be… different?”

“Then it’s up to you to guide her to the proper path.”

“WE WILL BE ARRIVING AT GRAND VAULT IN HALF AN HOUR! ALL HANDS TO STATIONS!”

Leo stirred from his sleep as he heard Aralius’s voice blaring over the ship's intercom. The commander was still in a terrible mood. Not that he could be blamed. The damage to the Sovereigns Hope was more extensive than previously expected, taking five entire days to repair. Even though both Frontier and the Enforcers were repelled, the casualties and the damage to Altosk’s pride and joy would certainly not bode well, especially in the eyes of Sigmundus and Marina. Aralius- as the commander of the ship and Altosk’s forces- had to take responsibility for this attack to the governess and the council.

Though looking at the situation, that was the least of both their problems.

The Star Singer had fled again. And this time accompanied by someone that should have been left back where they found her. No, Leo should have killed her in that one strike. If not for his Lieutenant's debt to Professor Razz, that would have been the case.

Altosk’s press team had already engaged in fire control with the recent attack while lying that the Star Singer was in Grand Vault. As disgusting and degrading as this was, Leo could see no other way. He knew discontent in three of the cities was growing, and tensions with Sigmundus only getting worse; this deception was a necessary evil.

“Farther…” Leo, lying on his back in his cot sighed. “What would you have done…?”

“Rise and shine boss!” Rall entered the room without so much as knocking on the door before it opened. “Grand Vaults is already in-”

“I heard.” Leo gruffed.

“Bad time?”

Leo sighed as he got out of bed. “No. Just a… bad dream.”

“Right.” Rall stepped aside to allow Leo through. “Hey uh… About that girl. Felt does feel bad for suggesting we bring her along to the professor-”

“I’m as much at fault for allowing this to happen,” Leo said, not stopping to look back as Rall tried to keep up with him. “I will take responsibility for this. None of this will fall on you and Felt.”

“Damn… way to make us feel worse,” Rall muttered. “But you're the Star Singer’s Guardian. Not much they can do, right?”

Leo still kept his gaze ahead, half ignoring his subordinate. His mind went back to the girl, Allisa Reed. Even when fighting her, he couldn’t deny the energies she gave off. To force him to use his second barrel had never been done in a long time. Even in his brief exchange with Ciryn of Frontier, he only needed his first barrel to fend her off. It was no wonder that Felt proposed to bring her to Professor Razz. A specimen like her would have likely cleared both their debts to the professor.

Yet it appeared to have backfired. Not only did she escape but took out an entire elite squad and the technomancer, not to mention the fool lieutenant Mardo. Luck could only get you so far, especially against eather users.

Allisa Reed. Just what are you?

****

Despite the damage to its hull, the Sovergins Hope still cut an intimidating presence among the clouds of Sora, casting a shadow among the surrounding wilderness as it cruised high above. Various fighters and ships had moved in to escort the ship as it passed by the heavy sky traffic near the broken terras that made the wilderness surrounding High Rise. To the left, set at the foot of the tallest mountain in the biome, the city’s high-rise buildings could be seen lining the base.

The Sovereign’s hope had flown past, accenting the mountain high above the clouds. Once the ship broke through the cloud coverage, the final destination came into view; Grand Vault.

Nested above a large crater was Altosk tower. While its height was only eleven stories high (a pittance compared to the twenty-three stories in High Rise) it was the most lavish design. The large oval bulge is surrounded by seven towers. Nested on a rock directly above the crater connected by thin layers of rock, Sora’s mechanisms and support beams reinforce the structure, Altosk tower stood almost as its entity. To the south was the two-tiered district divided by two layers of walls with simple housing structures that differed from the tower. It was here the garrison of Grand Vault was quartered, all standing ready to respond at a moment's notice to any attack.

Not that any attack would be made as the outer walls and central crater were surrounded by massive turbo guns, capable of ripping apart any attacking fleet to shreds.

Indeed, this was one of the strongest fortresses in all of Sora, never being breached in its entire history.

As the damaged Sovereign's hope passed overhead, hermit transports began to disembark, making their way to landing zones in the districts before the tower. Leo road with Aralius- who barely said a word to him when they saw each other again- landing on the pad at the rear of the tower. The doors opened to a large procession of Altosk soldiers, lining the way to the tower.

Leo and Aralius walked through the line towards the tower, knowing what was in store for them. Of course, news of the attack and the Star Singer’s flight reached Grand Valut long before they arrived, and now the Altosk seats were assembled.

“No doubt they will want answers about the attack,” Aralius grumbled.

“What will you say?” Leo asked.

“Of course, I intend to take full responsibility. As head of Atlosk’s armed forces, it rests on my shoulders,” Aralius’s eyes darted at Leo, “Losing the Star Singer- as well as the brat that spirited her away- that’s on you.” He finished his sentence with a snarl. Leo simply glared back, not rising to his taunt.

*****

The central hollowed area of the Tower was a place of luxury that few in Ter’figmar would ever see. The ten-tier balconies were arranged and decorated for the elite of the biome, with bars and restaurants situated on each level. The decadent and extravagant of the individual tiers conflicted with the large military presence on the lower levels, populated by non-combatants and the influential elite of Ter’figmar. Lucky for the two leaders, they would not have to deal with them at the moment, following the procession to an elevator that would take them up the northwest turrent. The ascent gave the two of them a wide view of the tiers as they climbed higher and higher.

Reaching the top, the two exited the elevator, wandering into the extravagant lobby adorned with statues and other works of art. It was also empty of people, which would mean everyone was already in their seats.

“Uhh, I can already hear the bureaucracy from here.” Aralius groaned loudly. “Ha! Where it's up to me, we’d be out there crushing Frontier and those clans. Oh, and fix your mess.”

“You’ve made your point,” Leo said irritatedly.

“I don’t think I have,” Aralius grabbed him by the shoulder. “Let’s not mince words. I don’t like you,” He said in a low growl.

“You’ve made that abundantly-”

“Or what you stand for. I will not deny your power. Far from it. But you’ve let your position as guardian get to your head. Constantly you overstep your boundaries and assorted inference over the Star Singer, an influence you clearly do not have given what she’s done.”

Leo brushed Aralius’s hand off his shoulders and turned to the borgo. “As guardian to Star Singer Ion I have a duty to guide her down the right path for all of Sora.”

“And tell me; was it that guidance that led her to stage her kidnapping to change her allegiance?” Aralius snarled.

“.... That is a failing on my part, I will admit that.” Leo straightened his posture. “But simply having her locked away in a cage would not benefit Altosk in any way, let alone Sora.”

“Having her roaming around clearly was not to our benefit either.” Aralius continued. “She has shown clear hatred to the Governess and Altosk, let alone you,” Leo’s brow furrowed. “No, we didn’t need that. All we needed was her influence. Were it up to me she’d never have left Grand Vaults. Having her broadcast here would be more than sufficient to control the cities.”

“Ah, but that defeats the point brother.” A new voice interrupted one that had Aralius let out a deep sigh. “She’s a symbol, an icon that people aspire to. Not a prisoner, no, certainly not.” Coming towards them was a large, brown main Borgo dressed in a long, silver robe.

“Mouro.” Leo greeted the newcomer. Mouro the unbreaking, the third star of Altosk.

“Leo! It has been an age,” Mouro chuckled, brushing the long hairs under his chin. “Well done with the attack on T7. I heard you went head to head with Ciryn herself.”

“Yes. But unfortunately, she got away.”

“Because of an enforcer purge triggered by those terrorists where you and the troops of Altosk bravely held their own. Ohoh! Such a narrative practically writes itself.”

“This is not the time for your narrative brother,” Aralius growled. “We’re facing the gravest crisis in Ter’figmar in years!”

“Everything’s a narrative, brother,” Mouro said. “If you had your way, the entire population would be locked in their homes while we extend control over every aspect of their lives. No no, that’s asking for an uprising brother. Such things need to be done delicately, so they don’t notice it’s happening.

“Take the Star Singer. She’s a perfect symbol of the people, guarded by the strongest hune in the biome. We can’t simply have her behind a screen. A narrative will form that we have imprisoned her, and that rumor will spiral out of control. Better they see her in person.”

“That’s how this mess began!”

“I didn’t say it was without risks. And our narrative since then has been exceptionally well done, if I do say so myself,”

“... How we are from the same mated pair, I do not know,” Aralius let out a deep sigh.

“Although, I’m not sure what to make of this current situation,” Mouro said. “If she is seen with this… hune you picked up, it may be problematic,”

“I intend to question the professor on this,” Leo said. “Felt and Rall wouldn’t have suggested bringing her if they didn’t think the professor would be interested,”

Mouro’s lip curled. “Professor Razz. That one is too unpredictable for my liking.”

“Sirs!” A bunika secretary approached them. “The council is ready for you.”

“Now?” Leo looked around. “What about the professor and the Second Star?”

“The professor will be up shortly. As for the Second Star…. We did call her but she has yet to arrive.”

“Haha! Sora would be on the verge of destruction if Marie chose to come to a council session.” Moruo chuckled.

“Fair point,”

Both went ahead. Aralius stayed behind for a few moments, huffing under his breath. “All you stars are mad. Every one of you.”

*****

Aralius stood at attention once they came to a stop within the council chamber, a large circular room with large windows facing out at the cloudy sky around Grand Vault. All six seats were occupied by the seats of Altosk, the directors of each of the five cities of the biome. At the very center sat none other than the governess herself, Golmoria; a hune with long, golden hair, always sporting dresses that showed off her wealth, such as the green one-piece with a furred collar that she had chosen for that day. Her skin was completely flawless from the cosmetics she had used to hide any possible blemish.

“Welcome back, commander Aralius. Guardian Leo.” She spoke with sincerity, which she would do to hide her irritation that she would no doubt throw very soon. “I trust you had no problems with the very simple task you two were given.”

Her sarcasm caused Mouro to smirk as Leo stepped forward.

“I can explain-”

“Good.” Golmoria interrupted Leo before he could get a word in. The sincerity was already gone, replaced with a sharp accusatory tone. “Explain how the most valuable, high profile and completely untouchable young woman in all of Ter’Figmar- no, all of Sora- was able to evade us twice?!” Her last word she hissed with venom before turning to Aralius. “And you explain to us how Frontier terrorists were able to launch an attack of such magnitude on the Sovereigns Hope within a Conduit?”

Aralius cleared his throat. “There was a mole on board. Rest assured we have dealt with him, and are in the process of examining all operators and agents. This latest attack has shown there are some among our numbers who have ties to the terrorists.”

“Why was this even allowed to have happened in the first place?” Bracheman, a large round, gray main borgo, seat of Hollow Rock. “From the reports we’ve been given they should not have the equipment and manpower to launch this kind of attack.” He said with an uninterested and bored voice.

“We… are looking into it,”

“Was it not your previous assessment that the group would fall apart after the leadership collapsed?” questioned Luisia, a young brown-haired hune and seat of Reservoir. “That was… two years ago by my reckoning when you told the council that the death of Mikiel and the departure of Rika and Bec would have the group splinter off into smaller factions, easier for our forces to pick off one by one. Hardly smaller. If anything their numbers and backers have only grown in recent years.”

Aralius gulped. He knew the question was coming, even if he wished it hadn’t. “.... That was based on the intelligence we had at the time.” He said carefully. “Ciryn has proven more…. Resourceful than her father. More level-headed and cunning. But this attack was reckless. No doubt it drained them of precious manpower and equipment and scare away potential recruits and backers.”

“Intelligence he says.” Bracheman chuckled.

“Yet a frontier agent was able to infiltrate the ship, defeat an entire guard squad on her own and destroy one of the proto-warframes in development.” Said Prepa, a brown and white spotted bunika, and seat of High Rise. “Either Frontier has more powerful eather users than your intelligence suggested, or your own forces are woefully inadequate.”

Aralius’s eyes jabbed toward Leo before responding. “The agent in question was not Frontier.”

“Oh, then who is she? An agent of Marina or Sigmundus.”

“Neither by the looks of it.” Interrupting him was Kyrm, an elderly woman with short gray hair and seat of Destiny’s judgment; the mother of the current Star Singer. She had a hologram before her, watching footage of her. “It seems she was indeed taken from that other world in the report.” the other seats reviewed the footage provided, showing the fight between Leo and the agent in question.

“She certainly seemed to have given you a hard time, Leo.” Golmoria's lip curled into a smile as she watched Leo forced back before ending the fight. She then pressed on the hologram to show new footage recovered from the Sovereigns Hope’s sanctuary. “What concerns me more,” The footage showed the agent helping the Star singer out of the stasis pod before the two fled. “Is that the Star Singer has gone with her willingly.”

Leo cast his gaze down, clenching his fists. “She’s nothing more than an outsider in over her head.” He said coldly before looking up. “Her reasoning for initiating combat was basic and immature.”

“Nonetheless, this is another fine mess we’re in, isn’t it.” Bracheman chuckled as he shut the hologram down. “You’re daughter seems to continue to cause us nothing but hardships,”

Kyrm glared at her colleague. “I assure you I have nothing to do with any of this, if that is what you’re implying. Ion- the Star Singer was always a spirited girl growing up, and I gave her strict counseling on how to act into her role.”

“Yet according to the intelligence division, she was planning to change her allegiance to Marina. Clearly, you did something wrong.”

Kyrm scowl grew.

“What do we know about this… hune anyway?” interrupted Volzen, a slim hune with combed back golden locks, seat of Sky Reach.

“Nothing. She’s someone who was picked up from that world, nothing more.” Golmoria flicked the hologram away. “In which case, we can eliminate her without drawing ire from the populous or the rest of the Trinity.”

“Please! Let’s not be too hasty!” The doors to the council room opened. In came an old bunika with brown and gray fur, prosthetic legs, and a prosthetic left eye lens. “While this current event is certainly unfortunate, this hune is nonetheless an invaluable specimen to understanding Sora.”

“Professor!” Mouro greeted the newcomer, Professor Razz of Altosk’s Rn’D department, and the finest mind in Ter’figmar. “I was starting to think you weren't coming.”

“Of course, I wasn’t. I have far better things to do with my time than listening to them squabble.” Razz grumbled as he took his place in the center. “That was until I reviewed the data of your subordinate. It was rather… insightful. So much so I had to rush here knowing that these dimwits like… well him,” he jabbed his cane at Aralius who snarled. “Would have the girl killed before I had a chance to study her.”

“And why would you be so interested in a hune from another world?” Prepa said uninterested.

“As you know,” Razz cleared his throat. “Sora is a construct from the first Star Singer, Stelizia, blessed with the power of the Ekon to create our sanctuary from the calamity. Yet as millennials and generations have passed on, and that power has been passed from one successive Star Singer to the next, we are no further to understand the secrets of this cycle and the other truths buried within Sora. Only Markus was close to the truth before his… untimely demise.”

“Yes yes. Thank you for the history lesson.” Golmoria said impatiently. “But how does this hune fit into this understanding?”

“As you know, I have the eather signatures of the current Star Singer on file along with her predecessor. As expected the signature has not changed one bit and is unique to only them. At least, that’s what it should be.

“While it differs, this hune possesses a similar signature to that of the Star Singer.”

“What?!” Leo interrupted gobsmacked. “Her?!”

“What are you suggesting? This hunes a star Singer?” Aralius demanded equally perplexed.

“No no. I said similar, but there are differences. However, the similarities may mean she is another chosen of the Ekon, just like with Sterlizia prior to the creation of Sora.”

A long silence followed as the gravity of what the professor had said sunk into the council. Leo himself was even more conflicted. It wasn’t just a bizarre feeling he had, there was something off about that girl.

“So you’re suggesting we let her roam free?” Volzen interrupted.

“Oh no, I fully understand that we must apprehend the Star Singer at once. But instead of killing this hune with her, I propose we capture her and bring her here to Grand Vault for study, so I may finally ascertain the truth about the Star Singer and Sora.”

“Ha, I almost pity her then,” Mouro chuckled.

“All due respect, this girl has already proven herself dangerous. If anything she must be eliminated at once.” Leo said.

“The Fate of this girl is not the reason why this council is in session,” Golmoria interrupted. “It is to find and contain our wayward Star Singer before she causes any more damage.”

Aralius cleared his throat once more. “Scouts found a ship we suspected to have been commended by the Star Singer and this… girl. It was destroyed but there were no bodies inside. Likely, they fled deeper into the Expanse and the Craggs on foot. There are only a few places in that area that the Star Singer could have turned to, such as Riverside settlement or Sky High. I have troops in those areas at high alert.”

“Excuse me,” Volzen interrupted again. “But couldn’t it be more feasible that the Star Singer fled to Destiny's Judgment?” He looked towards Kyrm. “She is your daughter after all.”

“I am the last person she would turn to,” Kyrm said coldly.

“I will begin my search for the Star Singer immediately,” Leo said stepping alongside Aralius. “Rest assured I will not rest until-”

“No.” Golmoria raised a hand, interrupting him. “Your failure to safeguard her in the first place is enough to shake the council's trust in your abilities. Instead, I move that we place the recovery of the Star singer to someone more…. Capable and competent. Commander Aralius.”

“If I have complete authority, I will not let you down this time.” Aralius stood at attention.

“See that you don’t.”

“What of Frontier?” Prepa asked. “We can’t leave this recent attack to go unanswered.”

“It won’t.” Mouro stepped forwards. “I believe my Next Generation will be more than up to the task in hunting down the cells of Frontier. Provided we have adequate support.”

“Granted,” Golmoria said before glaring at Leo. “As for you, you and your lieutenants have been instrumental to Altosk’s power. However, the loss of the Star Singer was a colossal failure on your part. Aralius will locate the Star singer and you will retain your role as Guardian. Until such time the three of you are to be confined to Grand Vault.”

“.... As you wish.” Leo bit his lip, swallowing his anger.

“Then this conceal session is adjourned-”

“Wait!” Razz raised his hand. “Aha… the girl.”

“Oh right…” Gomoria sighed. “Commander, take the girl alive if you can. But don’t hesitate to kill her if she proves to be a problem.”

“It will be my pleasure.” Aralius bowed and turned to Leo, giving him a wide grin. “Time to clean up your mess. My way.”

*****

“Farther…. What would you have done?”

Leo would often ask that laying on his bed within his estate room. The judgment of the council was what he was expecting, and used to give the governess, but it was still a bitter pill to swallow.

All his life he had devoted himself to the Star Singer, the very ideals embedded by Iola. Whenever he felt lost, he would always remember back to that day, when his father, the guardian of the Star Singer, imparted his wisdom.

Yet Ion was so different, rebellious, and often uncertain. Whenever he was near her, he could feel her fear of him. As much as it hurt, I could not think of how to ease her. Now she had abandoned him, running off with a girl her age (at least physically) with no idea of the position Ion was in. That part irritated him the most.

“…. Sulking about it is pointless,” Reluctantly moving from his bed, he went to the sink in his room, splashing some water on his face. His eyes fell on the picture of his father. He picked it up, looking at the stowark man holding his eather gear- a gun blade- on his shoulders.

A beep came from the door.

“It’s not locked.”

The door slid open. “Am I interrupting?” Kyrm came in.

“No.” Leo put the picture face down. Kyrm noticed, giving him a sympathetic smile.

“Tor was quite a hero back in the day.” She said, picking up the picture. “You must be proud to have such a father?”

“I am,” Leo smiled back looking at the picture. “But…. It is quite a burden sometimes. I can’t help but think what he could have done differently.”

“I suppose,” Kyrm put the picture down. “I apologize for my daughter's actions.”

Leo’s smile disappeared. “It’s nothing you should apologize for. I just… can’t believe she would act so selfishly.”

“Selfish?” Kyrm sighed deeply. “That is something Ion isn’t. I may not condone what she has done… but I do understand why.”

“She was going to change her allegiance. Such an act-”

“Ion knows full well the consequences. Better than anyone,” Kyrm put the picture down. “Better than anyone.” She picked up another picture. “Iola was her idol too. Even before learning who she is she always wanted to be like her. I’d imagine that has plagued her since her anointment. If I may speak freely, this situation was only a matter of time.”

“And you did nothing to dissuade her? The damage this would have done to her would be catastrophic, too much for even the Star Singer to handle.”

“Do you think she consoled me about this?” Kyrm sighed looking out into the vista. “My daughter never forgave me for supporting the governess. Since she came to power, the two of us rarely speak and if it is it is formal.” She put a hand to her heart. “I will confess, it does hurt sometimes. But we both have our duties to Sora, even if our views on the other differ.”

Leo exhaled through his nose, folding his arms. Kyrm was hard to read at times. The mask she wore was thick, never breaking once. It was difficult to know what her true intentions were.

“… Why did you come here?” Leo asked. “It’s not to reminisce about your daughter.”

Kyrm sighed before turning to face Leo. She looked very serious. “You know where Ion will go, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

“Yet you held your tongue to the council. Why?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

Kyrm snickered. “I suppose even you can be spiteful.”

“It’s not that. I don’t trust Aralius.” Leo corrected her. “His tactics in that other world were brutal, not to mention costly to his own forces. He would sacrifice more to ensure Ion’s capture.”

“I suppose…” Kyrm sighed. “Yet Rika would never surrender Ion.”

“I know. It must be done by force.”

“… Will not stop you. But as you are grounded, how do you intend to liberate her from Rika.”

“Fortunately, I have an ace up my sleeve for situations like this.”

Kyrm’s brow raised. “You mean… Marie?”

“I must confess, not following the bureaucracy of Altosk can reap unexpected benefits. Chosen of the Ekon or not, she doesn’t have a hope against the Second Star.” Leo said full of spite.

Kyrm frowned. “This girl bothers you, doesn’t she?”

“… She’s a nuisance that should never have come here. Whether it’s by my hand or not, she will learn how powerless those ideals of hers are in the real world.” Leo turned about, looking directly out of his window.

“I won’t stop you,” Kyrm said before taking her leave. As the door opened she stopped and turned. “... But Ion will try.” She said before the door closed.

“.... I know,” Leo looked back at the picture of his father, laying it down. “But for Sora, I will do what even my father would not.”

****

“A joyous occasion for Ter’Figmar, and indeed all of Sora has occurred here in Grand Vault where Star Singer Ion has made her first appearance since her kidnapping a month ago. She is still far from making a public announcement but the sight of her in the tower of Altosk, waving at the brave troops with a smile-”

“What is this?” Golmoria paused the news footage, showing the Star Singer waving from atop the tower of Avalon. While the footage was indeed new, the woman in it was fake, a hune dancer who entertained guests in Altosk tower.

“You said to allay the public fears about the disappearance of the Star singer.”

“And instead you give me a puff piece with someone who’s clearly older than that blasted girl!” Golmoria turned off the monitor before slumping in her chair. With a deep sigh, she turned to face the window overlooking all of Grand Vault. “I cannot believe the situation she has put me in.” She cursed biting her nails.

“It’s not too surprising. The Star Singer has shown resistance to you even before she was anointed.”

“And with Leo under my thumb, I was hoping she would at least behave. We gave her everything she could want in exchange for her to sing, smile and read the script we give her. And she thanks us by biting us like a crazed Warframe.”

“Is it wise to speak so ill of the Star Singer?”

Golmoria turned away from the view. “We’re in private so I can say whatever I want.” She snapped, folding her legs. “You find this amusing, but need I remind you your neck is as much at risk as mine, Solon.”

“I am aware of it,” Solon got up from his seat; a hune male with blond, curly hair adorned in a tight blue suit. “That said, I do like a challenge every so often.”

Golmoria scoffed her nose. She then looked back into her office at the third figure sulking in the shade, obscuring most of his figure due to his black armor. “You don’t seem all that bothered by any of this, Xeno.”

Xeno moved his head, the scratch on the middle of his visor glittering. To the governess, it was the only time she had seen him with a notable dent on his armor.

“I work in the shadows. The fate of the Star Singer is of little consequence to me.”

“Yet you failed to apprehend her, or kill this meddlesome girl.”

“I was careless, and she got lucky. But her luck won’t last forever.”

“Make sure it doesn’t.” Golmoria leaned on her desk, locking her fingers together. “Aralius may be competent, but I can’t fully rely on him alone. Find the Star Singer. Kill that girl. I will not tolerate any more complications.”

Xeno said nothing as he turned his back on Golmoria and Solon.

“You should get that buffed out,” Solon said as the door opened. Xeno stopped, running a finger along the scratch.

“Not until I’ve killed the one who did this.” The door closed behind him.

“That reminds me, there’s another matter that demands our attention,” Solon said, keeping his gaze out to Grand Vault. “It concerns Markus.”

“What about him? He’s trapped on that world where we left him.” Golmoria snickered. “Even someone as smart as him can’t hope to return to Sora without a ship capable of the void.”

“Yet, he found a way,” Solon said, turning to the governess. “And he didn’t come alone.”

“What?”

“The council knows about the girl who engaged Leo, but if you recall from the report, Aralius’s attack on that military installation met with unexpected resistance from a handful of earther users.”

“Yes. What of it?”

Solon took out a remote and pointed it at the monitor in the office. “This is an image taken last night from a ravenger spy.” On it was an image of a large junk pile, possibly Figmar’s Edge. There was Markus, surrounded by a large group. “Supposedly they simply appeared out of a portal close to the boundaries of the biome.”

Golmoria furrowed her brow. “Who are they?”

“They match Aralius’s reports. A group of young eather users, all hune with two deviants,” Solon gestured to two of the group who had tails. “This group was able to inflict heavy casualties on Aralius’s forces and destroy a proto-warframe. I suspect they have come for their friend who they believe is in our captivity.”

“And you waited until now to say anything?”

“It wasn’t relevant for the council, and learning of this would certainly cause them to question your leadership. Needless to say, if this group were to meet up with the girl it would pose a problem.” Solon continued, never losing his wide smile. “That is unless we deal with it before they become a problem.”

Golmoria chuckled. “So that’s why,”

“Bear in mind the reason for your victory was not down to your popularity and influence,” Solon ran a finger on the desk as he walked past. “Access to the plates below, and this problem will go away before it becomes an issue,”

“To be clear,” Golmoria’s tone lowered. “They are to be exterminated. Not captured. Not disabled. Wiped out to the last child. Am I clear,”

Solom turned and bowed. “That’s all I needed to hear.” He took his leave.

Golmoria leaned on her chair and sighed. Her eyes fell on a picture she had on her desk, showing her shaking hands with Ion on her victory at achieving the seat of governess and the seat in the trinity. It was staged, but the Star Singer’s lack of a smile betrayed the very purpose of this puff piece.

“All you needed to do was smile,” Golmoria took the frame and lay it down. Her smile grew into a sinister grin. “Ion, I will see to it everything you love is taken away. You will learn what it means to cross me.”

****

Within the peaks, within the hallowed halls of Clan Kolbelk’s grand halls, sat the Matriarch of the clan; Thakreck sat on her throne. Her three pointed fingers gently ran over the head of her pet, Jarrg. The mightiest of all sabers raised by the clan, at her side for decades, was now a disembodied head, ripped from its body by the dishonorable cures that defiled the sacred hunt.

Never, in all the history of the kolbelk, has such an insult occurred.

The doors flung open. Chika and several krell, regs and skars flooded the chamber. “They fled to the peaks. The warriors stand ready to pursue, at your word my matriarch.”

Thakreck’s icy glare froze the sentinel and the hunters behind. Taking in the fear, Thakreck looked at the head of Jarrg. Images of the guardian flooded her mind, the steward eyes that defied her as death stared her in the face. The very memory drove the rage in her breast.

“RRRAAAAHHHHHHH!!!” With a piercing shriek, Thakreck threw Jarrg’s head to the ground, shooting up from her throne. “Find that guardian. Bring me. HER HEAAAAADDDDD!!!”

One of her throne thralls rushed to her side with the clan's staff, which Thakrek snatched from the reg, slamming the staff on the ground which echoed through the chamber. Not a single click could be heard.

“Let her be a warning to all fools who dare defy THE HUNTTT!”