The First of a Thousand
Lady Ka sneered as she saw Asindesa come out of the bridge.
- Manipulating Hellknights is like kicking a puppy. A lot of joy, but no satisfaction. -she giggled.
Antares looked at her askance.
- I hope we won't hurt ourselves with this ruse. - he said thoughtfully, touching the lens of his cybernetic eye.
Miss Ka waved her hand.
- By no means. What can they prove to us? That we were trying to obtain one of the White Demons, creatures we might be fighting. Also, as commander, you don't have a duty to share confidential intelligence with your subordinates. And we've learned that the Order of the Eclipse, and perhaps all the other orders, are hiding the truth about the Ravaged Zone from the people of the Galaxy. – she laughed – We only made sure that the world knew the truth.
The commander Reese winced as he listened to her argument.
- It is not right to manipulate allies, especially when the whole galaxy depends on us.
The intelligence officer gave him a contemptuous look.
"If they rely on us, they'll be surprised," Lady Ka thought with amusement.
- The HellKnights have only temporary allies, for they are devoted only to their cause and only it matters to them. - the Lord Admiral replied to the commander. She respected her superior for being able to use the truth as a weapon.
- I understand, sir, but the Lady of Blades... She seems to be an honorable warrior - Reese said carefully.
„OIf you weren't so good at commanding people, I would have thrown you out of the airlock a long time ago for stupidity.: Lady Ka watched at the Commander with the contepmt.
- Honor is valuable in peacetime, but in war it can easily lead to unimaginable tragedies. - the Lord Admiral said seriously.
The commander nodded. Antares turned to his inteligence oficer.
- Do you think they know anything about the Horde that we don't? -he asked thoughtfully.
- No one knows more than us, except perhaps our toothy friend - said the woman in the half-mask.
- Remember that the galaxy is immeasurable. The so-called Prime Empire was vast and could affect many worlds. During those few years, many may have left its borders without even having Dift Drive and access to planar travel. And others could go there -n Antares said slowly, rubbing his face where he had been shot. Lady Ka always wondered if he was aware that he was doing this.
- We still do not know what exactly annihilated the Lord of the Horde and whether he poses a threat to our fleet. - he added after a moment.
- Sir, our forces are made up of veterans hardened in the Hive War. We have five capital ships at our disposal. There's very little we can't handle. said Commander Reese with feverish enthusiasm. The Lord Admiral smiled at his words, but replied.
- That's a lot for a mercenary, but on a galaxy scale... The Horde had forces far greater than ours.
- But Prime is dead and his subjects... you know Lord Admiral - said Commander Reese uncertainly, staring at his commander.
- That's the problem, our dear litle commander. - Ka walked over to Rees and took him under the chin. - That's pretty much all we know, which means we don't know anything about his fall.
Antares gave her a warning look. She knew he had a fondness for his former adjutant, and besides, Reese was an effective and well-liked officer. Too bad he was a sanctimonious moron by the way.
-That's why I want this deal to go through. - He turned the image back on the monitor. The clone they saw was quite different from the ones they knew. He had colorful hair and light blue eyes. He was wearing a shirt a bit too big for him, one of the kind the Skittermander for Vescs could come up with.
- It gives us first-hand information, without relyng on the successes of our research team and Lady Caly. - He looked at Lady. Ka meaningfully. She bowed to him almost mockingly.
- I'll try to buy it, but I can't promise anything. As far as I know, there will be three buyers at the auction, including at least one with assets equal to what we have.
- Do you suspect who it could be? - asked hers commander, clearly troubled. He was very rich, after all, so few could rival him.
- Veskarium or Azlanti, maybe Aspis. But I suspect the Azlanti because they have the most to gain, and they did not participate in organizing this expedition. The auctioneer has the protection of the Drejs, a local gang, but that's no problem for us. The dude is from Atrax, so for one word from the First of a Thousand will be on his knees begging for mercy.- She laughed with sadistic amusement. Antares, however, did not take his eyes off her.
- You'd better succeed... - He said seriously, but she answered him with an indulgent smile.
- Oh, my good Lord Admiral. Don't expect me to be one of those servants who is always eager to assure their master that all will be well, and then cower in fear when it all falls apart. I wasn't like that for Jantar, I won't be like that for you, that's not why you keep me here.
The Lord Admiral almost smiled. He didn't do that often, and usually it didn't bode well, but she knew him well enough to know she was safe. Whatever can be said, Antares was not one to punish his subjects for harsh words and legitimate criticism. Especially for honesty. Of course, within reason
- Fly to Invictus, Lady Sorrowflame wants to talk to you. - said the Lord Admiral. She saluted him to the temple hidden behind the mask.
- Aye Aye Admiral! she said, and went to get the documents Sorroowflame probably needed.
-„After talking to the dork knight and listening to Reese, it's worth spending some time with someone normal. Necrotechnics will do just fine. „ She struggled to hold back a burst of laughter.
The heavy cruiser Invictus may not have been the most powerful ship in the fleet, but of all, it held all the important secrets Antares possessed... and all its dark deeds. "As he used to say, keep evil out of your home. Invite them to your summerhouse." She had to admit that her superior had an extraordinary talent for aphorisms. He was also a man who valued science. She was about to go to one of the greatest minds in the galaxy. Literally and figuratively.
She had served Antares for five years, ever since Igzar slew her predecessor, Testimonez. Personally, she thought she was doing an excellent job as an intelligence officer. Even she herself was sometimes surprised by her talent for solving problems of a delicate… or dark nature. But Lady Sorrowflame had served House Antares for two hundred years. And Lady Ka knew very well that she was much, much older…
The corridors of the cruiser were shrouded in darkness. All the lights were dimmed. All important prisoners were kept here, so it was necessary to create a suitable atmosphere. The Lord Admiral liked to slowly soften the prisoners, to mold them for months, so that they would finally understand their mistake and do the will of Antares of their own free will. Lady Ka was not patient enough, so she preferred harsher methods. After all, everyone was entitled to a little pleasure, right?
There was only one prisoner on the ship at the moment, but he was the most special of them all. Antares' favorite for over thirty years, whom only he could interrogate. He held ordinary prisoners on transport ships with absolute respect for all international conventions. Prisoners are not taken to die of hunger or disease. Of course, sometimes it was enough just not to take prisoners. "Orders not given, crimes not done."
By the smell she knew she was approaching Lady Sorrowflame's workshop. The smell of a corpse, necromantic ingredients, formalin and liquorice created a unique blend that became the hallmark of the ancient Necrotechnician. The great room was even darker than the corridors, shrouded in red light, full of strange machines and body fragments. Lady Sorrowflame was sensitive to light, and many relics stored here would be destroyed instantly after short exposure. The lady of the place has stood by the big metal brother and screwed the metal plates to the corpse of the three-and-a-half-foot humanoid. Lady Ka whistled in admiration.
- Is it amazing that you build each of the Dread Walker yourself! - she said, looking at the object of research of the red-haired woman. She stopped her work, turned to the head of intelligence and took off her gloves.
- If you want your position to be unwavering, you must be irreplaceable. And to be irreplaceable, you must not let anyone in on your secrets.
The Necrotechnician was a very attractive woman. Tall with alabaster skin and fiery hair. Of the entire command, she was the only one to establish closer relations with her. Even very close. Well, the Lord Admiral was quite handsome, and even if he wasn't, she would have gone to bed with him just to hurt Reese, but her overlord didn't like to mix work with pleasure. Of course, the commander did not take it into account for more or less obvious reasons. But Lady Sorrowflame was a woman both hot as flame and cold as folk. If anyone could be said to like him, it's an ancient necromancer.
-And how's the search for the artifact going? – Said the necrotechnician looking at the intelligence officer
Lady Ka winced.
- I have invested considerable resources in finding this gadget, but still no lead, - she said a little embarrassed.
- It's such a shame. You can't even imagine how important it can be! - Sorrowflame said sharply. Her eyes sparkled gold. But the head of intelligence rolled her only visible eye.
- You don't think I'm going to find that relic? - If I find him, I'll find my little sister and her little monster. And believe me, there's nothing I want more than these two. But the old leech defends them. she said, but then she changed her mind. - Sorry about the leech. - She preferred not to make an enemy of a creature of such great personal power.
- As we talk about the little monsters. I analyzed your father's papers. There was indeed a prototype - the necrotechnician said, accepting the apology - But Jantar sold it to Nayrlathetop's cultists.
- Oh, I'm so sad. It's just my heart bleeds. Ms. Ka murmured with undisguised satisfaction.
- Don't don't understimate it. After all, you too should rot in the depths of the Atrax caves.- Lady Sorrowflame smiled.
- Don't compare me to some bioengineering freak. I am K-nation number 4886. Supreme Queen Ka. The First of a Thousand.
This is the thirteenth chapter of this story, so I decided to leave comments in which I will mention the curiosities related to this fic.
Mrs. Ka's thread was created by accident during an RPG session when players killed one npc, so he had to come back in a different version.
Lady Sorrow is a canon character from Golarion