Danger surrounds us
When she saw the man kneeling in front of them, she was sure it didn't mean anything good, but when he said those words... She just froze. It was such incredible, impossible news that her mind couldn't process it. She looked at Catra. The Grand Marshal was standing with wide eyes and her knees trembling. Adora placed a hand on her shoulder and hugged her comfortingly. A shy smile appeared on her shining face. She shook her head and said in a sharp tone.
„What you said is absolutely impossible. For the past millennia, Etheria has been cut off from the rest of the Universe. During this time, no one... almost no one came here." She glanced at Adora.
Antares smiled slightly and said.
„However, I am absolutely sure that Catra is my child. How she got here is a mystery we must discover. We can perform appropriate genetic testing if you wish."
She was about to shout that there was no question of any tests, but then Catra spoke up.
„He's right..." her friend said quietly and looked at the others. "I was not born on Etheria."
She blinked and looked at her friend. Was this some ridiculous joke? Adora looked at her fiancée in surprise.
„We've known each other forever. You are present in my oldest memories." Adoea said in disbelief.
„ Almost forever." Said the Grand Marshal in an increasingly monotonous voice. „ Remember how you told me you found me in an applesauce box? Or maybe you know about it because Shadow Weaver told us about it? I must have gotten here not long before this happened. I did genetic testing before the wedding and it turned out that you are not from here. That's why I asked for the Fright Zone record. I didn't find any of them, but then I looked at the box and it said it was made in a place called Kesler." her voice was on the verge of breaking down. "I think that's where I was born."
Then the Lord Admiral spoke.
„I know Kesler, or rather I knew. It's a planet that has been devoured by the Swarm. I had one of my greatest victories near her. However, you were not born there, but on Atrax located in the same system, which I defended against the Swarm invasion. At one time, Kesler was a large food exporter, so a box with products coming from there is nothing strange... I apologize for the poor choice of words, but it was also a extraordinary experience for me."
She noticed that when Atrax was mentioned, Catra's ears twitched as well. Has she also heard about this place? She touched her temple, wondering what she should do now. Nothing had prepared them for this news. In the afternoon she heard about the existence of the Fleet, and at night she met its commander claiming to be Catra's father. Damn, more likely. she would have expected to meet Adora's family. And then there was the thing with her mother… No, there was a limit to the amount of world-changing news that could be received in a day. She sighed and said.
„We need to confer. The news you have brought is extraordinary and we must now consider what steps we should take next."
The Lord Admiral nodded in understanding. This man looked completely different than she expected from a non-Etherian military man, but then again she had no idea what she should expect from someone like that. He did not resemble Hordak in any way, much less Horde Prime . He wasn't nearly as bitingly arrogant as Catra's former superior, nor half as insanely conceited as a mad tyrant. He seemed patient and composed, like a soldier on briefing waiting to get back to his job. She couldn't say how old he was, she assumed he was her father's age, but she wasn't sure. He certainly looked like a true soldier who did not hesitate to lead his men in battle. He seemed respectable, but... there was something about him that she didn't like, as if there was a deep-seated ferocity more suited to the wolf standing by his side. She could be sure of one thing. There was a visible resemblance between him and Catra, especially in the glow of his blue eye.
Entrapta approached the large wolf-like creature with genuine interest and tried to touch it with her hair, but when the half-cybernetic monster looked at her, she behave unusually cautious and asked.
„Could I watch it? I've never seen a creature with so many cybernetic modifications."
The woman in the half mask smiled at her with only half of her mouth visible, it was a particularly nasty smile, and said.
„Sure." said women In halfmask and when the inventor approached the wolf, she added. "If you think you have too many limbs."
The inventor stopped mid"move and the Lord Admiral looked sharply at the masked woman and said.
„This is Lady Ka, my intelligence and information officer. She has a specific sense of humor." he placed his hand on the wolf's head. „ As long as I'm around, Resh won't hurt you, but I'd be careful around other nightmare hunters. They are creatures created for fighting."
"A specific sense of humor," she thought incredulously, and then added.
„I will soon give orders for you to be assigned rooms in the castle." her voice was as tired as she was. She felt like she was about to fall asleep on her own, but she still had a serious meeting with her friends waiting for her today. Of everyone gathered in the throne room, only John Killthem looked happy, and that didn't bode well.
She sat in a chair with her eyes closed and her head tilted back. She tried to use these few precious minutes to gather her thoughts, but her mind went blank. She didn't feel anything. For the first time in as long as she could remember, no emotions tugged at her dark soul. There was no fear, no anger, not even guilt. Only numbing silence. But it couldn't last long. She was aware of the crew members of this ship looking at her, asking "What next?" Only she didn't know the answer. "If Eti hadn't wanted to be so damn melodramatic, if Itel hadn't wanted to break into the castle... If I hadn't come up with a date... Bina, why did you entrust the care of these kids to someone whose parenting methods amount to tormenting and manipulation." She thought, although it all didn't matter now anyway. During this journey, she had to admit very often how little she knew. But she couldn't tell those kids that. She had to think of something, and fast, that would give them some time to analyze the situation and decide what they should do next. She looked at Eti and said thoughtfully
„So you and Catra are his daughters... Who was... the second gene donor?"
Eti tilted her head to the side and said"
„Asera, Igzar's sister ... The same one who shot him... Although only after her death. He had her body taken away and then gave it to Jantar... Old bad Cat claimed that the Admiral found it funny to create offspring with the one who almost killed him. But I'm not so sure. It doesn't matter anyway... „ she looked at her with her absolutely calm, or maybe even sad, eyes, with blue sparks shining in them. "But you're not Miss Daisy. Or maybe she's not you."
She sighed. She hoped it would never happen, even though she should have expected it. She once believed that she could complete the task unnoticed, without affecting the lives of the inhabitants of Etheri. But these were naive pipe dreams. Even before discovering the truth about the Lord Admiral, before learning Captain Moonshadow's identity, before meeting Eti, she should have known that the plans of a being like Nyarlathotep would change the lives of everyone and anyone who stood in their way. Or even just nearby. It was actually a selfish desire. Fear of facing the consequences of one's own actions. She was afraid of being judged for her crimes and se hatred in the eyes of Catra and Adora. She had a foretaste of this when she met Mikah.
„My name is Shadow Weaver, and my former name was Light Spinner" she replied in a tired, hopeless voice.
„So you were born here. You knew her, my sister, Catra ... „ Eti said, and the lack of emotion in her voice was downright painful.
„I was the right hand of Hordak , the brother of our Wrongdak, and one of the most important people in the Etherian Horde. I was no better than your... Your father, only I was less effective. I raised your sister, although this is a very euphemistic term...„ she said, and Eti nodded, obviously deciding not to pursue the topic, at least for now, although she was aware that she would not escape this conversation. Alatar and Lilka looked astonished, and Itel looked angry... But Rosie... She saw disappointment in the white-haired girl's bright blue eyes. She guess the former intern saw her as a role model, a mentor... especially after Dilayla left with Lady Cala . The deaf girl treated the mercenary like a older step-sister. She hoped she wouldn't lose it, although considering that the half"elf was traveling with Calamity , there was little chance of that happening.
„This conversation is probably needed by all of you, but unfortunately I must ask you to postpone it until later, because we have limited fuel resources, and I would like to remind you that the last time we refueled was on Saltmarsh, and this ship has not had a full overhaul since Akiton .„ said Mr Ilemshaw. „We can drift in space for a long time if we leave the planet, but in the atmosphere for a few hours at most. So I propose to everyone that we quickly find a safe haven."
The fish-like alien was right, but the answer wasn't that simple.
„How many ships did the Lord Admiral take with him... „ Itel asked carefully.
„I'm not sure, but everything indicates that he came here on board a small ship, a corvette even smaller than ours." Mr. Ilemshaw replied.
„So we can escape into space and hide there." Alatar said, but Itel and Eti gave him contemptuous glances.
„We didn't come to this planet to hide again like those rats." Itel growled at him. " We just need to find a safe shelter and resume our search there. Do you know the right place."
"I finally have to find out what you're looking for on this planet," she thought and replied.
„It's not that easy. Glimmer has the ability to teleport, as you may have already seen, and with a greater range than you might imagine. She also knows tracking magic, although your brother Wrongdak has figured out a way to block it. Still, it's unlikely she'll send Adora or the army after us." "Unless she ascertains my involvement in all this" – However, there is one place he cannot go. Castle Crypto is no longer Entrapta's home, but from what I understand it is outside the Queen's rule and Glimmer has never been able to navigate there. We'll leave Mr. Wrongdak somewhere safe along the way.
But the clone shook his head.
„No... I'd rather stay here with you and see how it all ends. – he replied, and she added in her mind. "And still spy for your brother"
„And the Lord Admiral? Won't he chase Eti now when her sister tells him everything?" Itel asked, but she smiled bitterly and said in a low voice.
„ It's unlikely. Catra has always been distrustful. It's largely my... credit."
They were in the Fireplace Room, where the fire had been rekindled. Now Glimmer stared into the flames and listened to her stories about her meeting with Queen Angela . Catra had asked for a moment to herself and was now sitting in the chair, covered with a blanket with Melog's head in her lap. Apart from them, buddies , there were only High Minister Shou and Onyx Sky.
„That's all I know... I'm sorry.„ She said and looked down, expecting bitter words, even screams and maybe even insults. But when Glimmer turned to her, she saw that her eyes were full of tears, which she expected, but she was smiling happily, which she was completely unable to understand.
„It's wonderful! I haven't been this happy in years." she said, swallowing tears
„Glimmer… Did you hear what I said? Your mother is a pirate, she was in some prison camp before and lost her arm. She hates me because all this happened to her because of me! Why aren't you mad! You should." she felt tears flowing down her cheeks.
„I know it's terrible, but you must understand, she's alive! Is alive! This is the most important!„ exclaimed the queen with euphoria in her voice, and Bow added with a warm smile.
„Adora, listen. We don't know everything. I'm sure it can be explained! Remember when Glimmer was in Horde Prime's captivity? Or when Catra got chipped? We managed somehow then, and we can do it now.
She smiled slightly, although she did not share her friends' optimism. They didn't see the hatred in Angela's eyes. Catra then spoke from her lair.
„She stayed in the portal. Do you remember how different and strange that reality was? How did it change our memories? We don't know what she remembers now. Besides, I may have never met Queen Angela, but from what you told me, she wasn't a woman who blamed others for her choices." her voice was quiet and sounded as if her girlfriend was exhausted to death.
„Oh, if it's a memory problem, I can fix it.„ Entrapta exclaimed with delight, jumping to her feet. Until now, she had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room, writing something down on a datapad, and it seemed as if she wasn't listening to them, but apparently that wasn't the case. "Hordak also lost a lot of his memory and I had to help him. I made him a machine that helped him regain his memory. After a month, the headache went away and the stepping of the mice stopped hurting him."
„A month's hangover in exchange for regaining memory... A difficult choice." Onyx Sky said, smiling shyly, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
„For now, we need to find out where she is... Do you think she will come here to Etheria?" Glimmer asked, staring at her questioningly. She thought about it and nodded.
„He'll almost certainly come here. She wanted my sword... That was probably the last thing she remembered from before she was imprisoned. – she felt a pang of guilt again, but Glimmer put a hand on her shoulder.
„Whenever she appears somewhere, I will teleport there and I will talk to her. She couldn't forget me, after all, I was her daughter. And maybe I'll take my dad...„ the queen smiled with delight.
„This isn't the best idea. To her, Mikah is dead. Seeing people we consider dead is very shoking to say the least... „ Catra said and shuddered. "This might not end very well."
Glimmer looked pointedly, Catra had mentioned her adventure in the library, although the walking dead were something straight out of a Shadow Weaver fairytales….
Glimmer finally sighed and nodded.
„You're right, it's better for dad not to find out that mom is alive. Just in case... „ she fell silent significantly. "And I guess we shouldn't tell anyone else about her. Let's just warn everyone about the marauding pirate, but let's not attack if she doesn't attack first... „ she said, but then Catra interrupted.
„Don't tell anyone about my sister either... especially this man."
Glimmer, Bow and Entrapta's eyes widened and the Queen asked.
„What do you mean your sister... How..."
„That girl... That Eti... She is my sister, she told me thatherself... She is so similar to me, but also so different." she said and described her meeting with this girl. Hearing this story, she herself opened her mouth wide, no less surprised than the others. When Catra was finished, she curled up in the blankets and seemed to be that little girl again, lost in the dark halls of the Fright Zone. Although not. In her eyes she didn't see the old despair and fear that had always accompanied her there, but rather hope, even if timid and unsure.
„That's... amazing Catra. You have a sister, a family... A little strange and unusual, but this is still a wonderful thing... Until they start stealing your things, following you around and crying when you don't let them... Jeez, I must have been a really terrible little brother." Bow laughed and her fiancée smiled shyly and she joined her and said.
„This Eti is a nice girl, although a bit strange. She herself found me on Icarus, when I went hiking alone because... I wanted to take a break from people. She immediately offered me a place on the ship. She was there with her friends. A Saihe girl named Itel and a deaf white-haired girl they called Rosie. Scorpia and Perfume encountered her remaining two friends, a winged lizard called Alatar, and a warrior girl named Lilka. There had probably been some sort of fight between them earlier, but when we met, they had already become friends. And Wrongdak was with them!"
Then Glimmer turned to her.
„Oh, have you met Wrongdak? Is he okay?" she asked, flapping her wings happily
„Nothing, even though he dresses so colorfully now so...„ she wanted to add, "that Hordak would start growling in irritation", but it might hurt Entrapta. "He was there with Emily, and from what he told me, those kids saved him from terrible danger. They're… nice kids. They probably also came from Kesler."
Catra frowned.
„And we're back to this planet again... Or this system." The cat girl rubbed her temples. "Tell me more about my sister. About this Eti."
She smiled because it was definitely a more pleasant topic to talk about.
„She likes to sneak around and is talkative and whines a lot, but she is nice and her friends gave me some crisps. Quite tasty, although terribly fatty. She can also be a little weird. She asked me to board their ship instead of Lady Cala. She probably wanted to get rid of Lady Cala, although I don't understand why, because Lady Cala is... „ she couldn't find the right word to describe this woman. "She is beautiful and strong. She is… You just feel that she was created for great things. I spent a few minutes with her, but I had the impression that she would be a better She-Ra than me."
Then Catra giggled.
„You're still really stupid sometimes, you know that? There is no better She-Ra, because she is you." she smiled mockingly.
„If you meet her, you'll understand." she replied to her fiancée, who snorted mockingly.
„I guess I should feel jealous." Catra smiled flirtatiously at her and winked. She shook her head and began to explain.
„Her name is Lady Cala Grayskull and she claims that she may be a descendant of Mara."
Hearing what Adora said, she flapped her wings and asked.
„That Mara? The previous She-Ra?"
Adora nodded.
„That's what she said. He comes from the planet Carurystal. But I don't know much else. She saw your mother... And she told me about what happened to her. I think they traveled for a while. They didn't even suspect who she might be."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her mother was alive, but she became a pirate. She would have laughed once if she heard about it. Queen Angel is a Pirate? Could there be a more ridiculous idea? But now, after hearing Adora's story... Why did something so terrible happen to her? A woman who did so much for Etheria, sacrificed so much for everyone. It was so terribly unfair!
„Is it true?" she asked and, seeing Adora's questioning look, she added. "It's about Lady Cala." she didn't even want to think about the rest. "My mother murdered a child. An innocent child. She has become as evil as the Shadow Weaver "
Adora hesitated.
„I'm not sure. She herself said that it could only be a legend passed down in her family. She doesn't look like Mara, but thousands of years have passed since then, who knows how much her family might have changed. I know almost nothing about Mara, apart from the few messages she left for me. I don't know if she could have had a child."
„If that Lady Cala really is a First One descendant, that would explain why She was hanging around her." Catra said, her voice quiet and pained, her two colored eyes seeming to be staring at something others could see, perhaps the past that was so terrible.
„She? Who are you talking about?" she asked, although something in the back of her mind told her she knew who she was talking about. The couple exchanged glances and Catra spoke slowly and carefully.
„Then, when I was chasing Eti, I saw shadows. The same ones she summoned, and when my sister disappeared, she was taken by a dark figure that looked like she was shrouded in darkness. I'm not entirely sure, but it could have been her." This time she cringed, but Adora sat down next to her and hugged her. Then she said.
„I saw them too... On Icarus. These shadows. It was after the fight with that ship of Queen Angela and at that time I thought it was just hallucinations caused by fatigue and stress, but after that Catra said...
She sighed heavily. Shadow Weaver was the last person who they needed now.
„This is terrible. Today I thought it was good that she wasn't here. What do you think she might be looking for here? Is she behind this break-in?"
Catra jumped to her feet and Melog glowed red.
„I have no idea, but Glimmer, she has my sister. You understand? SHE HAS MY SISTER." The cat-like girl shouted, wagging her tail violently. Adora walked up to her and put her hand on her shoulder.
„I talked to these kids, dear, and they were wild and belligerent, but also confident and happy, not at all like someone raised by Shadow Weaver… Not like us. They seem to have their own guardian, a woman named Bina. She screamed at them when it turned out that they had left the ship without permission. Lady Cala and her companions seem to only be traveling on one ship. I think they even mentioned that they had a sorceress or two on board. One is called Miss Daisy, I think"
She involuntarily let out a short laugh, even though she wasn't happy. Catra looked at her, surprised and a little irritated.
„What is it about?"
She looked at both girls in surprise and said.
„Oh, you don't know that?! She once told me that her favorite flowers are daisies."
There was silence, and only after a long moment did Catra speak firmly.
„ What we are going to do with it? We cannot allow her to roam Etheria unstoppable and continue to harm everyone."
„I know how much she hurt you... no, no one knows that except you, but understand. She's still just one woman, with no support or allies." She answered calmly.
Then Adora spoke up.
„You don't know what she is like! He's probably already weaving his intrigues in the shadows. You can't underestimate her."
„They're right, honey." Bow joined the conversation. "Even when she was on our side, she manipulated everyone to get what she wanted. Even you. And all she wanted was power."
She sighed and began rubbing her wing thoughtfully.
„You're probably right, she was always nice to me only because she needed me. Maybe we'll let a few people know, like my dad, but if she's with your sister, we'll have to be careful if we still want to keep her existence a secret. „ she looked at Catra again.„There's also the matter of your father."
Catra flattened her ears.
„Don't look at me like that. I've known him as long as you, actually less than Glimmer, because you heard about his exploits on Taurus. I... Just a few hours ago I was one of the many orphans of the Horde, and now I have a sister who tried to break into the castle, perhaps on the leash of the mangy woman who almost fucked up my life, and a father who came here with his own war fleet. So don't ask me what to do, because I don't fucking know"
Everyone in the Hall looked at the Great Marshal. Everyone in Brightmoon knew she didn't usually swear, so if she started doing it, it must have been serious. The first silence that followed the cat girl's outburst was Entrapta.
„We should establish cooperation with the fleet and the rest of the universe as soon as possible. I can't wait to learn about their discoveries. Can you imagine what technological development must have taken place there when thousands of worlds could exchange knowledge!" she clutched her hair, squealing in joyful ecstasy.
„That woman, Lady Ka, looked like she would love to feed you to that wolf." Bow said, but the inventor waved her hand.
„There was always something trying to eat me on Beast Island, so I don't see a problem with that. I got used to." Entrapta explained, apparently not understanding what the techmaster meant . Adora said thoughtfully.
„This woman, Lady. Ka, she looks very much like Bina. I don't know if they're twin sisters or maybe... Clones, but they must be related in some way."
Catra snorted in irritation.
„Sure, it's all connected, and there's a Shadow Weaver sitting in the middle, like that spider weaving its web of shadows."
She looked at her friend with concern. She knew from Scorpi that under stress she had bouts of paranoia.
„Maybe it is, but we don't know. For now, we need to find out more. This man, the Lord Admiral, I don't like him. He is too dangerous and at the same time he looks too noble... He is like a hero from a story. A noble and righteous commander who leads a noble army in the fight against evil. This is too thoughtful. Real people aren't like that."
„But." Catra interrupted her, looking suspiciously.
„But we might need it." she sighed and began to explain to her astonished friends. We won against Horde Prime, it's true, but we have been fighting his heirs for five years, but we have achieved nothing during this time, and our enemies are getting stronger. We have ships, a hell of a lot of ships, but no one to command them, and Adora and the other princesses can't be everywhere. He liberated Taurus within a week, something we have been planning to do for two years. If we are to form our Galactic Alliance, I must ask you to try to get closer to him since he wants to be your father anyway. After all, I could be wrong, he really is who he wants to appear."
Catra squinted and stared at the flames for a few moments as Melog glowed with all the colors of the rainbow. Finally she sighed and said in a flat tone.
„My sister told me... not to trust him, and I think we all guess it was about the Lord Admiral. However, if she is traveling with Shadow Weaver... She is deceitful and loves to manipulate others. She could have turned her against him, as she did with us cadets all our lives... You're right, we need to find out more." now her voice began to gain passion. "He can be an enemy or an ally, or both at the same time. But I want to know him because I want to know myself. To understand who I truly am and how much of that was instilled in me by Shadow Weaver." She looked at her hands. Her claws were extended to their maximum length. "You know, those claws always made me feel safe. They were something that even Shadow Weaver and Hordak couldn't take from me. My sister... She lost her right hand, but her left hand... she was declawed... in a cruel way. She claimed an evil woman did it... If I find out it was Shadow Weaver, I swear I'll rip her throat out the first chance I get, and no one will stop me." she drawled and looked at them, a cold flame burning in her blue eye.
