Chapter Summary: Bugs are sighted on the horizon. A secret mission is launched. And so it begins.
Chapter Word Count: 5,445
Author Notes: This is just a teaser. This chapter may change in the future. Many OCs'. The next 10 chapters were written originally for NaNoWriMo 2018.

Disclaimer: This is a derivative (aka transformative) work. All Glee characters belong to or were created by Ryan Murphy and Co. Not sure who actually owns Glee. Fox originally broadcasted it. The Devil Wears Prada was written by Lauren Weisberger and the movie adaptation was from 20th Century Fox. Miranda Priestly and Andrea Sachs are owned by someone in that list.

"What are we looking at?" Rachel asked, stepping into the Fleet command center behind Quinn. On a large display on the other side of the room was a moving star field and the occasional flash of light.

"The Bugs have just crossed our outer border," Santana said. "This is the view from our closest viewing post."

"There's nothing there," Rachel said, looking at Brittany for confirmation, "is there?"

"They aren't showing up on our regular deep space scans," Brittany said, frowning. "We know they're there because we can detect the Blue Clan response to their presence, but we aren't picking them up on their traditional wavelengths."

"Blue Clan's intel is worth squat," Santana said, grimacing. "The Bugs are adapting to their attacks."

"Artie? What about the Galactics?" Rachel asked.

"You have been provided all known data on the 'Bugs'," Artie said. "Blue Clan has been unable to provide updated calibrations for the Bugs."

"Blue Clan can obviously detect them but they seem unwilling or unable to provide us with the correct calibration data," Santana said.

"Intentional?" Rachel asked.

"Those Blue Clan ships are AI driven," Brittany said. "They apparently respond only to Blue Council requests, and are ignoring us."

"Well, Blue Clan is off my Christmas list," said Rachel. "Aren't we all in this together?"

"They appear to not believe you are speaking for the Serpent Clan," Artie said. "Blue Clan Council has given full control of their defenses to their ship AIs. The Bugs destroyed their battle fleet in their first encounter and the AIs took over their fleet."

"Just lovely," Quinn said, a disgusted expression crossing her face.

"That's just spiffy," Santana said, sarcastically. "AIs are not equipped to make strategic battle decisions. No offense, Artie."

"None taken," Artie said. "By design, we are not given the ability to quickly decide life or death in combat situations."

"So, they're ignoring our requests for info," Rachel said. "What does that mean?"

"We're alone in this," Brittany said, "though we expected that to happen. The other Clans are playing defense and are just glad to push the Bugs out of their territories."

"What other tricks do you have to see them?" Rachel said. "You must have plans for this?"

"The model makes allowances for the Bugs behaving differently than in the past," Brittany said. "We don't know anything about the Bugs, other than what was derived through examining the remains of their ships. If they are intelligent beings, they are bound to change."

"Show them," Santana said.

The screen changed, briefly going neon pink. After a moment of neon blue, the screen cleared and a large number of dark objects were visible against the background stars.

"So we can see them?" Rachel said.

"We can see their effect on subspace gravitational fields," Brittany said. "From there we can extrapolate what they look like."

"Is this in real time?" Quinn asked.

"There's an hour delay," Brittany said. "We don't have the processing power to do any better. Which is why we are still trying to get calibration data from Blue. They must have found a way to detect the Bugs that we are missing."

"Where can we get the processing power to make this realtime?" Quinn asked. "This is going to be useless under actual battle conditions."

"No one has that kind of processing power," Brittany said. "Unless some research company out in the Confederation has it."

"None that are close enough to take advantage of," Artie said. "The Confederation will continue to request data from the Clans."

"I have some of my wiz kids trying to recalibrate our deep space scanners to detect the Bugs in their new ships," Brittany said. "But it's a long shot. We may need someone to get a lot closer to get scanner data."

"Which is potentially a suicide mission," Santana said. "I'm not sending any of my crews on a potential suicide mission unless there is no choice, and we're still looking at other options."

"There's always the Miranda option," Quinn said. "Can't she go places no one else can?"

"She's already providing us with useful intel," Brittany said. "But we can't plug her into our sensor arrays every time there's an incursion. We need a more permanent solution to a technical problem."

"Okay," Rachel said. "I'm assuming you don't need me to do anything?"

"No," Brittany said. "Unless you want to war game our different plans for when they reach the first system."

"No," Rachel said. "I've got other things to do."

Quinn waited for Rachel to leave the room before asking the question that had been on her mind for days.

"What are our real chances of success right now," She asked, stepping closer to the display.

"The model says we have a 90% probability of survival, and a 40% chance of defeating the Bugs completely," Brittany said.

"And what does your intuition say?" Quinn asked. "Forget the model, what do you think?"

"Quinn... I don't know. If we don't have any support from the other Clans, it's going to be very hard," Brittany said.

"But we didn't expect them to help," Quinn said.

"No, but they might have some data that would improve our chances," Brittany said.

"Other options? Besides the ones you've mentioned?" Quinn asked.

"Miranda is an important resource," Brittany said, "but there are limits to how we can utilize her abilities, and I would rather not depend on her."

"Deus ex machina?" Quinn said, frowning

"Yes," Brittany said. "Exactly."

"What?" Santana said. "What machine?"

"It means, more or less, that an unexpected miracle happens, some god, or in this case Miranda, solves our problem," Brittany said. "We can't plan our whole campaign with the expectation that at some future time Miranda will pull a rabbit out of her hat and rescue us."

"Miranda is powerful, in some respects, but she isn't divine or all powerful," Quinn said, nodding in agreement.

"And she'd be the first to say that she can't snap her fingers and get rid of the Bugs or find us a way to defeat them."

"Got it," Santana said. "Miranda is a resource, not the ultimate solution to our Bug problem."

"Correct," Brittany said.

"Any real gods or goddesses we can tap?" Santana said. "That Fox god floating around somewhere. Put him to work. And there must be others running around, with all of those legends."

"No," Brittany said. "The Fox god is good at inspiring, like our goddesses, but not much with the direct action. And there's never been any proof of local gods and goddesses. If there are any wandering around they don't involve themselves in the affairs of mortals."

"It was a thought," Santana said.

"We can't reject any ideas," Brittany said. "We need all of the options we can get if we want to win."

"Is that why you've requisitioned a scout ship?" Santana said. "One of those options?"

"I requisition a lot of things," Brittany said, winking at her. "You'll have to give me more details."

"A scout ship with one of the new experimental stealth shields," Santana said. "I'm assuming you're planning on sending some of your spies on a long trip?"

Possibly," Brittany said. "I've found a possible task for Miranda, Andy, Romana, and Ixchel."

"Something we need to know now?" Santana said. "Or should be worried about?"

"No," Brittany said. "It's still in the early planning stages. If the research doesn't pan out it won't happen anyway and they'll go do something else with that ship."

"Okay," Santana said. "Just make sure they bring it back in one piece. Might need a stealth scouting ship myself before this thing is over."

"That's an ugly looking critter," Santana said, after Quinn completed testing her newest suit on the range.

"It's a composite of all of the known information about the Bugs," Quinn said. "Doesn't give us much to go on, they've never engaged the Clans outside their ships."

"You think that'll be different this time?" Santana asked her.

"If we take offensive action against them, it's inevitable," Quinn said. "If it's just the Fleet against the Bugs we'll lose."

"My people are awesome," Santana said. "The Bugs can't beat them."

"They don't have to beat them," Quinn said. "They just have to wear us out."

"You aren't planning on boarding any Bug ships blind?" Santana said.

"The first couple of times," Quinn said. "Unless one of the other Clans decides to take an interest in our survival and gives us the info we've been requesting."

"Not likely," Santana said. "They've survived the Bugs for another millennia. If we win that'll upset the balance of power among the Clans, and they won't want that."

"You think they'll actively interfere?"

"No, but they won't cry if we get squashed by the Bugs," Santana said. "They aren't enemies but they aren't allies."

"They'll have to recognize us if we win," Quinn said.

"Someone in the original Serpent Clan must have ticked off the Council of Clans," Santana said.

"Why?" Quinn asked, frowning.

"Ask Rachel about the history of inter-Clan relations. The Clans don't always get along but they aren't usually such roadblocks," Santana said. "There must be a reason they aren't giving us any help."

"So, you think it's intentional?" Quinn said. "That Blue is intentionally interfering?"

"If I were me, I'd say yes," Santana said. "If the Bugs wipe us out on their way through this sector, then Blue can claim our territory."

"Won't be much left of it if we get bugged," Quinn said. "Just piles of radioactive sludge."

"Plenty of room to expand," Santana said. "We have some prime under-developed planets in this sector. And the only ones keeping it from being exploited are our patrols. Plenty of untapped resource to make smaller clans like Blue jealous."

"As long as they don't interfere in our plans, they can want it all they want. They won't get any of it while we're here," Quinn said.

"When will you be at full strength?" Santana said.

"Another cycle," Quinn said, "and I'll have all positions filled."

"Good, good," Santana said. "The last troop ship comes online next month."

"Good," Quinn said.

"What's the plan?" Andy asked Brittany. "I'm assuming you have a plan if you've asked all four of us here now."

"I need you to go on a data gathering trip," Brittany said. "There's a big hole in the model."

"Something that will take all four of us?" Miranda said.

"You're willing to risk Romana for a spy trip?" Andy asked.

"It's very low risk," Brittany said. "You go in, talk to some people, and come back. Simple and easy."

"Details?" Miranda asked.

"Of course," Brittany said. She pulled up a star map. "I need you to go here."

"And here is where?" Andy asked.

"The Prophets of Zircon Nine," Brittany said.

"They are a myth," Romana said. "A dangerous myth. No one who goes looking for them ever returns."

"They were real in my world," Ixchel said. "Though they rarely gave useful advice."

"Prophets work better in hindsight," Andy said, frowning. "They tend to give some mumbly prophecy that has half a dozen possible solutions."

"What do you wish us to ask them?" Miranda said.

"I have a list of questions for them," Brittany said.

"What kinds of questions?" Andy asked.

"The usual," Brittany said. "And a few to test how accurate they are."

"That's dangerous," Andy said. "If they think you are mocking them they could react badly. If they aren't myths."

"How do we find them?" Romana said. "Although I've heard tales about clansmen who traveled to their planet, they never give directions."

"Rachel found several references to them in old Clan records," Brittany said. "And we've finally unlocked that shuttle. It included the coordinates to several supposedly mythical places in its logs."

"So, this is the first trip? You want us to track down other myths?" Andy said.

"It depends on how successful this trip is," Brittany said. "Not all legends have the same value."

"When do we leave?" Andy said. "We'll need to say goodbye to the girls."

"In a week," Brittany said. "The ship you'll be using should be ready then."

"Good," Andy said.

Santana looked around the large auditorium. All but the most essential crew were there, and even they were listening in on the public comm channel. Her XO stood next to her. Quinn was standing off to the side with her command team. Brittany was not there in person but was visible in the front screen.

"Ladies!" Santana said, her voice easily carrying to the back. "If you can chill, we can start."

Silence slowly filtered through the room as the several hundred crew came to attention.

"You've all heard the rumors. So let's make it clear. The Bugs have been sighted crossing over into our sector from Blue Clan territory. Given their currently predicted path and speed, they won't reach occupied Clan territory for nine months. We currently have Scout Squadron Delta monitoring the Bugs. If they deviate from their path we'll be quickly informed."

"We aren't going to wait for them to threaten any of our systems," Santana said. "By the time they reach us, we expect to have a good idea on how to slow them down. The Shadows are currently examining all incoming data and will keep Fleet updated."

"We don't expect this to be easy. The Bugs are a notoriously difficult foe to engage, as history shows us. In the past they've been like a tidal wave, rolling over all in their path. That ends here. We will beat the Bugs. The Serpent Clan is the end of the road for them."

The room erupted in cheers and shouts.

"Lady Shadow is here to brief us on what we know about this incursion," Santana said. "And then back to business."

"Ladies," Brittany said. "We're still collating the information coming in from our scouts but this is what we know - The Bugs are moving at their traditional speed. They are employing a new form of shielding that is blocking our regular scanners. The Bug fleet appears to consist of six fortress class ships; six cruiser class ships, and ten colony class ships. We have not observed any troop carriers or auxiliary vehicles. We have not engaged them, but have observed several Blue Clan encounters with the Bugs. Blue Clan was able to redirect the Bugs away from occupied systems, at predictably heavy losses. The Bugs are behaving in a purely defensive manner. If they are attacked they fight back but otherwise they ignore any other ships."

"Their actions when approaching a planetary system, on the other hand, have proven to be very destructive. Although Blue Clan kept them from passing through their major population centers, all systems in their path were stripped of all metals and organic material."

"In the last two encounters with the Bugs, which occurred several thousand cycles ago, there were no troop engagements between the Bugs and other forces. We hope to change this. Lady Hands and her teams will be testing Bug defenses and will be trying to draw them out. If we can weaken them, in any way, before Fleet engages them, we will have a higher chance of not just surviving this encounter but of destroying them completely. It's time the Clans removed the Bugs permanently."

The room erupted once more in shouts and cheers.

"Enthusiastic crew," Quinn said. "I've kept my teams informed of the seriousness of the upcoming encounters with the Bugs, and I assume you've done the same."

"Of course," Santana said. "All of my crews know the score. But they have faith in the Council. If the Council says it is possible to defeat the Bugs, they believe it."

"That optimism may matter more than some of our plans," Brittany said in their ears. "Given equally outfitted groups the group with the more positive attitude will win when it comes to life or death."

"We don't know much about the Bugs," Quinn said. "Even our information about their abilities is third hand. None of the clans have engaged them outside of their ships during this incursion. They could be automated ships."

"That would be embarrassing, if the Clans have been losing to ships on autopilot," Santana said.

"There are no signs that they are being driven by AI," Brittany said. "Or at least not AI as we know it. But you are correct. They could be empty. Or decoys. We don't know."

"Which is why my teams will engage them head on," Quinn said. "We have several ambushes planned before they reach any systems."

"We could catch them in stasis," Santana said. "Or we could end up waking them up."

"We aren't going to be that lucky," Brittany said. "They may be predictable, so far, but if we poke them too much they may learn to react."

"There is too much unknown about the Bugs," Quinn said. "Each encounter will teach us something."

"When is your first Bug test?" Rachel asked, staring out her window.

"Next week," Quinn said. "The Bugs haven't deviated from their path, so we'll hit them in an open area between systems with just enough force to get a reaction from them."

"Any idea why the other clans didn't try this?" Rachel asked. "It seems obvious that a small group could sneak in past their barriers."

"There hasn't been a lot of innovative thinking," Quinn said. "Just standard attacks. Blue Clan treated them like pirates. But pirates need a different touch than a fleet of mysterious aliens."

"Blue Clan was really unprepared for the Bugs," Rachel said.

"Why do you say that?" Quinn asked.

"It's obvious," Rachel said. "If they'd been prepared they wouldn't have lost their main battle fleet. Look at how Santana is guiding the Fleet. She won't risk her entire fleet and our sector just to meet the Bugs in flashy battle like they did. If Blue had studied how the other Clans encountered the Bugs they would have known it was a bad idea. Even I can see that and I'm not a tactician."

"Well, we learn from history," Quinn said. "I'm not sure Blue Clan knows the history of the Bugs. And what was tried against them."

"It would be silly of them to have not researched the Bugs. We've been preparing for them for a long time," Rachel said. "What have the other Clans been doing? Why have they been silent?"

"Santana thinks it's a conspiracy. She things that's the only way to explain their incompetence. Or they've just gotten so used to their quiet sector that they didn't prepare. The Blues haven't had to fight pirates or deal with smugglers in years." Quinn shook her head. "I think our chance will come. We've known they were coming for years."

"I can't speak for the Blue Clan Council," Rachel said. "But there must have been something really wrong for their Council to be almost wiped out."

"The Bugs shouldn't be approached as if they were some natural phenomena or like pirates. But that's what the Clans have been doing. Blue has taken the most serious damage but the others didn't come off well either. For all of them, this is about politics. They looked for some way to come out on top and leave the other clans in the mud."

"Santana and Brittany won't play that game," Quinn said. "We aren't going to defeat the Bugs by will power alone. Or by trying to outmaneuver the Bugs using semantic tricks. The Bugs can't be reasoned with."

"As long as you don't forget that," Rachel said. "We won't be trying to convince them to go in a different direction because we ask politely."

"What are you waiting for, Q," Santana's voice came over the comm. "Chatting away with your squeeze, when you could be doing something productive."

"We're still five days away from our first mission against the Bugs," Quinn said. "I know my business. We'll be ready for this experiment. Expecting my teams to maintain that level of awareness for a week will result in tired troopers, the opposite of ready and alert in fact."

They'd been probing the Bug fleet for the last week. Small one person scouts keeping pace with the larger, lumbering Bug ships just out past known sensor range. Smaller AI driven probes in closer.

"How close are we to getting real-time sensor data from them?" Santana asked, watching the data streams on the bridge monitors.

"It's getting better," her XO said. "The Shadows are giving us near-real time data, within ten minutes."

"Still not good enough," Santana said. "We can't fight a close in battle with a time lag like that. We could lose an entire attack group because we didn't see something happening and not know it until it was too late."

"We're working on it," the sensor team lead said. "The Shadows believe they can crack the shields hiding the Bugs from our sensors. They just need a little more time."

"We're ready when you are," Quinn said over the command comm. "You've seen our plans."

"Yes, and it's too risky with our sensor issues," Santana said. "The mission is on hold until that is fixed."

"We can't put it on hold for much longer," Quinn said. "We need to know how they will react to small scale attacks."

"You're just itching to test your new armor," Santana said.

"It's the best our armorers can make," Quinn said. "It can withstand anything we've run into so far."

"We don't know what kinds of up close weapons the Bugs have," Santana said.

"Which is why we need to do this now," Quinn say, almost growling. "A month from now could be too late. Once they reach one of the planetary systems we won't have time to figure out a defense."

"Yada, yada," Santana said. "I know this. I've got similar problems. None of the data we've managed to pry loose from the other Clans gives us info on how to adjust our shields against their weapons. Did you see what their main battle beam did to that Blue Clan cruiser? Cut through it like it wasn't even there."

"Our tech is better than Blue's," Quinn said. "Our techs are smarter and just plain better."

"We hope our tech is better," Santana said. "Sure, we started out with the most advanced tech the Confederation could give us but the Clans have always been a step ahead of the Galactics in ship and weapons tech."

"The Clans have nothing like our hard suits, and their ship tech has stagnated," Quinn said. "You could design a better attack craft in your sleep than what we've seen Blue using."

"The Bugs haven't engaged any of the Clans at the troop level this time around," Santana said. "When was the last time they did that? Showed up with an army?"

"At the Battle of Hara's Reach," Quinn said.

"During their first known incursion, over ten thousand cycles ago," Santana said. "And they won."

"Which doesn't explain why they haven't used ground troops since," Quinn said. "I need to see what they have. Brit's gang hasn't been able to confirm they even have troops."

"They could have robots," Santana said. "Maybe they don't need ground troops?"

"Well, if they don't have them now they will need them before we're through with them."

"Darwin wasn't a general," Santana said. "Evolution is too slow for the battle field."

"We've been steadily improving our hard suits," Quinn said. "What we had five years ago was amateur hour compared to our current suits."

"Which you'll be able to take out for a test drive against the Bugs as soon as we can provide fit support," Santana said. "We don't do suicide missions in this Clan."

"It's not suicide, it's a calculated risk," Quinn said.

"Don't let Brit or Rachel hear you say that," Santana said.

"Lady Air?" Santana's Comm officer said, interrupting them.

"Yes?"

"We have an incoming transmission," she said. "It's using a communication encoding we haven't used in centuries."

"Do we know who it's from?" Santana asked.

"No, ma'am," she said. "It's missing the complete id tags."

"Put it on screen," Santana said.

The main screen on the bridge switched to a static filled view of the bridge of an old Clan cruiser.

"This is Captain Hoor of the Chandar Planetary Defense fleet," a wavery figure said.

"Comms, clean that picture up," Santana said, in a low voice. "I am the Lady Air of the Serpent Clan Fleet," Santana said. "How can we help you?"

"We've been unable to contact Chandarian Space control," Hoor said. "And Blue Clan Defense is not responding on the usual sector channels for our help request. Serpent Clan control is listed as emergency backup."

"Chandar is outside of our purview," Santana said. "Just a moment." Santana switched over to her command com.

"XO, what can you tell me about Chandar? Specifically their Planetary Defense fleet," she asked.

"Small system, mostly asteroid mining," her XO said.

"How close to the path of the Bugs through Blue sector?" Santana asked.

"Half a parsec, Lady Air," her XO said. "They should not have been in danger from the current incursion."

"So, other possibilities?" Santana said. "Pirates? An invasion?"

"Obviously, the Bugs have more than one fleet," Brittany said, joining in on the command channel. "Unexpected but not a complete surprise."

"Do we have a plan for this?" Quinn asked. "We're still on track to reach the known Bug fleet in several days. If we're going to Chandar first we'll need to make changes."

"Uploading alternate plan now," Brittany said. "Contact me when you've reviewed it."

Santana switched back to Hoor. "We'll make a team available to investigate," she said. "Send us coordinates for your location. We'll send a ship."

"Yes, Lady Air," Hoor said, looking relieved. "We'll be expecting them."

"What do you think?" Santana said, after reviewing Brittany's alternate plan. "Can this be adapted?"

"Yes," Brittany said. "We'll need a ship to pick up Q and Gold team, and Black Team will need additional personnel to handle the original recon."

"Q's going to want to do both," Santana said. "She'll need a Shadow crew. Who can you spare?"

"The light cruiser Hotep just came out of dry dock and re-int testing," Brittany said. "They haven't been assigned anything critical and can be repurposed."

"We might need something larger if this is really Bug related," Santana said.

"We don't have time," Brittany said. "If there's another Bug Fleet out there we need to find it. But we also need more data on the Bugs."

"How'd we get tagged in as Blue Clan backup anyway?" Santana asked.

"Only for this side of their sector," Brittany said. "Chandar is the only populated system we share with them."

"Good to know," Santana said.

"We have a few too many unknowns for this plan to work as is," Quinn said over the comm. "I'll need faster transportation, preferably armed, and the usual spares."

"A cruiser, the Hotep, is on its way to your location," Santana said.

"Good, we've worked with them before," Quinn said. "Do we have in-depth data on Chandar? Tactical info?"

"It's being compiled now," Brittany said. "Blue is still being difficult but we should have enough for you to work with before the cruiser gets to you."

"Lady Hands, welcome aboard," Captain Jolie said, she and her deck crew saluting Quinn and her Gold Team XO, and their Shadow liaison.

"Glad to be working with you again, Captain Jolie," Quinn said. "You've had a chance to look at the mission plan?"

"Yes, Lady Hands," Jolie said. "It makes for interesting reading. We're to assess the Chandar system for any Bug incursion and to discover why there is no communication from control systems in the area."

"Correct," Quinn said. "Although there is no reason to believe that the Bugs have been involved in whatever is going on with Chandar, you are to assume that they may be nearby."

"We'll be ready to go as soon as all of your gear is stowed," Jolie said. "Your team has the same quarters as our last trip. Master Chief Han is our new troop equipment engineer."

Quinn turned to her XO, "Pin, please make sure our suits are stowed and update the Master Chief with the suit changes."

"Yes, ma'am," Pin said, nodding at the Master Chief. They left the deck together.

"Ma'am, all equipment and personnel are aboard," Jolie's XO said. "Ready for movement."

"Nav, set course for Chandar," Jolie said.

"Aye, ma'am," the ship's navigator said. "Ready for transition."

"All hands, prepare for transition," Jolie said over the ship's comm. "On my mark, go!"

With a barely perceptible hum, the Hotep seemed to leap forward. To an outside observer it would have looked like a flash as the ship seemed to disappear.

"You have the new triphase engines," Quinn said to the captain.

"Yes," Jolie said. "Just got back from integration. We can move faster than any known ship outside of Fleet. We should be meeting our contact outside Chandar in three days."

"Excellent," Quinn said. "That'll give us time to go over the mission parameters. I've made a few changes, based on additional Bug data. You've got the Mark V weapons system, yes?"

"Only the best for your personal chariot, Lady Hands," Jolie said. "XO, we'll be in my office."

"Yes, ma'am," her XO said.

"What do you really think of the mission?" Jolie asked the sitting Lady Hands after handing her a drink in her office.

"The Council is concerned with the lack of cooperation from Blue Clan," Quinn said. "You read the reports on their encounters with the Bugs. The Blues seem to be in chaos. They weren't prepared for the Bugs and took more damage than they should have. The Galactics haven't been able to put us in touch with the Blue Clan Council. It appears that Blue fleet is under control of their AIs."

"And since the Council of Councils doesn't completely recognize us, they aren't going to help. So, we could be heading into a serious cluster situation?" Jolie said.

"Yes," Quinn said. "The Galactics will back us up but they don't have anything capable of touching a Bug fleet. We're going to have to step carefully once we reach Blue sector. We have authority to help Chandar but we an't interfere with Blue internal politics."

"And they really love their politics," Jolie said, "if I remember my history."

"Lady Shadow believes that someone in Blue took the disaster with their main fleet as an opportunity to seize control."

"So, we only have Gold and Green teams for ground support, and the Hotep," Jolie said.

"Any more would have been too provocative," Quinn say. "And if it is the Bugs, they're likely to have moved on anyway, they usually strip a system in days and the Chandar ship lost contact over a week ago while investigating reports of ship movement in the next system over."

"So, they got lucky and missed whatever happened to their system," Jolie said. "Well, here's to the gods making it simple pirates."

"Pirates," Quinn agreed, raising her glass. "Haven't had a good pirate fight all year."

"That's because they know better than to let one of your troops get close enough to engage," Jolie said. "If they can't get away from Fleet they self destruct."

"Crazy," Quinn said. "It's not like we'd kill them if they surrendered."

"They're pirates," Jolie said. "Only crazy people become pirates in Clan territories."

"So, you have the new suits," the Master Chief said, looking at the troop manifest with Pin. "How's their durability?"

"A lot better than the Mark C9s we used to use," Pin said. "With a few extra features that haven't been released to the rest of the fleet yet."

"Lady Hands does like to use the best," the Master Chief said. "Her hands are all over the Fleet tech manuals for this model."

"She won't let our teams wear anything she hasn't approved herself," Pin said.

"And tested," the Master Chief said with approval. "What do you need us to do to prep them?"

"Just standard pre-fight unpacking," Pin said. "We were already en route to the Bug Fleet for recon. So everything is already prepared for action."

"Which means overkill if Chandar isn't a Bug problem," the Master Chief said.

"There's no such thing as overkill in a hard suit," Pin said, grinning. "Come on, let me introduce you and your techs to the teams. We've had a few troop changes since you were with us last."

Author's Note: Posted infrequently, as material becomes available. No guarantees.