"I want you to tell me everything."

Zakharov and Yang watched through glass as Shila pressed questions against the spy.  It was almost amusing, as the spies they'd captured apparently hadn't been trained against interrogation.  The hologram rattled questions off at them, and they answered in shaky voices, fearing for their lives.  Yang smiled as he watched the girl work.

"She's very good."

Zakharov grinned.  "Yes, yes she it."

Yang turned around in the small observation room and grabbed a chair.  "I can see what you see in her."

Zakharov turned around and looked at him.  "What do you mean?"

Yang pulled the chair up to the small table near them and gestured for him to sit down.  He complied.  "Oh, come now, Prokhor.  You don't think I haven't noticed you two over the last three years?  You and the little lady aren't very well at hiding emotions."

Zakharov never blushed, and he didn't know, despite his feelings being so easily exposed.  "What about you, Ji?" he asked, changing the subject.  "Any lucky ladies for the Hive chairman?"

Yang belted out a loud laugh.  "Oh, Prokhor, I somehow doubt I'll be hitting the dating scene any time soon.  Which brings me to my next question, how exactly did a busy Provost meet a girl like her?"

Zakharov didn't even want to try to explain that question.  "Well-"

"Cloaking."

Zakharov was interrupted by Shila, who nonchalantly now stood next to them.  Yang looked incredulous.  "My goodness, Jane.  I didn't hear you come in."

Shila ignored him.  Twenty years ago, Meskha used political ties to obtain two cloaking devices. She apparently obtained them from the lab of University Base, but any records can't prove that now.  Apparently, the governor of Bibliotyek Science helped her, as he was already 'a disgruntled governor of another forgotten base.'"

The two leaders nodded as she went on.  "Through her connections, Meskha learned that the hive had already completed and perfected the mind control interface, so she decided to use that to her advantage.  Malbora and Tenyar were previously mercenaries before Meskha contacted them.  She bribed them with three hundred credits a year from Mandelev College's own credit stockade.  Their task was to travel to The Hive in cloak and infiltrate their mind control interface."

"But why?" Zakharov asked.

"Meskha saw that Deirdre had nine tenths of her bases on the Gaian/University border.  Deirdre outnumbered us and outgunned us, even though we had more powerful weapons.  Meskha knew this, and she also knew that if she could start a war between the Gaian's and the University, we would be easily defeated.  As an added bonus, if Meskha got Deirdre to give her the conquered bases, she'd have her own ready made faction, bases and all.

"One question," Yang interrupted, "How was she possibly able to smuggle three hundred credits a year?"

Shila turned to him.  "Her position gave her access to the budge of Mandelev College.  For more then fifteen years, it was budgeted as "Base expense xx2".  No one even thought to check the budget, as Meskha was such a trustworthy assistant to the base.  It wasn't until four years ago that the governor discovered Meskha's secret, but by then, general dissent and the overwhelming work force devoted to Meskha was too great to be destroyed.  The governor was overthrown."

Zakharov nodded.  "So for years, Meskha has been plotting the destruction of the University, using the Hive as an unwilling partner to her crimes.  Now that we know that Deirdre is under mind control, however, we can just pull the connection and she'll be alright again, right?"

Shila stared at him, hesitating.  Zakharov raised and eyebrow and frowned.  "No?"

Shila sighed, a trait she'd obviously learned from Zakharov.  "The two spies were only intermediaries…the real command controls comes from the desk of Meskha.  We cannot shut down the connection from here."

Zakharov put a hand to his head and rubbed his temples.  "Can we just shut down the mind control interface?"

Yang shook his head.  "My drones won't be able to adjust without the mind control; they've grown too dependent on it.  My bases would be in anarchy, and they wouldn't rest until they have my head.  I can't allow that, I'm sorry."

Zakharov nodded.  "I understand, Yang.  We'll find another way."

Yang perked up.  "The only way to remove Deirdre's mind control is to find Meskha and to get those access codes.  I suggest we plan an attack on Mandelev College.

"I agree", Shila said.  "Let us plan.  We should meet in the control room."

The three nodded and slowly walked towards the door.  Before Zakharov exited, however, he turned around and faced Yang, who had a confused look on his face.

"What is it, Prokhor?"

Zakharov extended a hand to him.  "I owe you an apology.  You've been a greater ally to me and the University then anyone else I've ever known.  I'm sorry for judging you too quickly and harshly."

Yang smiled and took his hand and shook it.  "Don't worry about it, Zakharov.  Forget about the past…let's get your faction back so I can finally have my VIP quarters free for other VIP's."

Zakharov smiled as the two of them left the room.

----------------------------------------------------------

Yang walked out of his study and into the control center, joining Zakharov and Shila at the main monitor.

"What're you using that little monitor for?  Cadet, please transfer control of Monitor A to the main screen."

The cadet nearby nodded and the screen on the monitor went black as the main screen filled with the image they were looking at.  Zakharov pointed up at the screen at the spot that was highlighted.

"There, that's Mandelev College, one hundred and ten kilometers from the remains of University Base."

Yang nodded.  "It's a coastal base.  I recommend a naval assault.  Hive ships-"

Shila interrupted him.  "Yang, I need to inform you that Deirdre is still under the mind control of Meskha.  If you attack directly, Deirdre would be alerted and would attack you too.  This mission has to be one of subterfuge, or diversion and the very least."

Yang digested that information.  "Alright, then I have just the man to help us.  Tell me your plan, Jane."

Shila looked at the screen and adjusted some of the visuals.  "Tell me, Yang, what do you know about controlling the creatures of Planet?"

Yang scoffed.  "Mindworms?  Bah.  Useless waste of time, trying to train those things."

Zakharov spoke up.  "Yang, it's one of our only hopes."

Yang opened his mouth, and then closed it, frustrated.  "Tell me your plan."

Zakharov adjusted the visual and blue forces appeared about five miles from the base.  "We want a massive army of mindworms to be brought right outside the perimeter of Mandelev College's scanners.  At this point-" he played with the visuals some more, and the blue figures turned red.  "-you release the mindworms control, and then let them advance upon the base."

Yang studied the image.  "What if their defenses are too strong?"

Zakharov shook his head.  "That's not the main idea of the attack.  While the mindworms are taking down the bases defenses, we get our team inside the base.  That way, we hopefully won't be noticed."

Yang chuckled.  "Hopefully, that's the idea, huh."

Zakharov shrugged.  "If this was simply a destruction mission, I'd say take destroy her ultimately and totally.  You have the potential.  However, if we don't get those command codes, Deirdre will never be back into her right senses.  And with a given destructive personality, but no one to hold her back, she would be a dangerous force for all of Planet."

Yang smiled slowly.  "You know, I kind of feel sorry for her.  She destroyed your faction with no idea of what she was doing."

Zakharov shrugged.  "I hold nothing against her, now.  I direct all my resentment towards that traitorous Meskha."

"How long until you want to begin this project?"

"As soon as possible.  How long before you can have, say, ten demon boils?"

Yang shook his head.  "A week at the earliest, a month…I don't know.  I've never tried.  If you've done research on this, it might help."

Zakharov nodded.  "If you've been taking care of my Datalinks, it should be right in there."

Yang put a hand on Zakharov's shoulder.  "This will be dangerous, my friend."

Zakharov nodded.  "Yet living itself is full of risks, with every passing day you're either a target for assassination, or becoming a vicious Planet's food.  I'd like to help my people, and to help yours.  Will you help me?"

Yang shrugged.  "Am I your ally?"

Zakharov smiled.  "Thank you."

----------------------------------------------------------

Zakharov printed out the latest report from Ground Level Sea Lab before switching off his monitor.  It was the usual outspoken cry from Samuel:  "We will stay down here as long as you need us to, Provost, but we long to see the sun again.  We know you can help to save our faction."

"Prokhor, come to bed."

Zakharov looked over at Shila, who had disrobed and was lying in bed, waiting.

"I'm not quite sure I can sleep, Shila."

Shila giggled.  "Who said anything about sleeping?"

Zakharov smiled and faced the wall.  "I'm serious though, Shila!  Whatever happens will be the fate of our faction.  If we fail-"

Zakharov was spun around quickly and in a deep kiss before he could react.  Shila wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her.  Ending the kiss, she pouted impatiently.  "I'm collllld, Prokhor!  And you made me get out from under the covers!  Hurry up and make me warm…"

Zakharov kissed her again.  "I can't forget my responsibility…"

Shila returned the kiss.  "No, no, that would be horrible."

Zakharov reciprocated.  "Then again, we can't worry about it until tomorrow, at least."

Shila pulled him closer.  "Nope…nope, we can't."

Zakharov touched a button on the wall.  The lights in the room flicked off.

~