Chapter 37:

The Lady of the Lake stepped back from her balcony a the sound of her new roommate coming through the door. With the change in their status, her lieutenant had become less prickly. The tension that had always existed between them was gone, with Cameron once more the snarky, funny girl Kate remembered.

"Visitors," the nymph announced. Frowning in puzzlement, Kate responded, "visitors?" "Important Visitors," Cameron confirmed.

Visitors was code for troublemakers. With Whiskey Pete gone, they'd had precious little of that. The treaty with the Pirate Princess and Tequila Kingdom had established Stilt Town as a neutral place.

With a sigh, Kate said, "alright, I'll see them. Notify Justin to make ready for trouble. We'll need to guard the work site for the new waterworks."

Fifteen minutes later, the former pirate settled into the chair behind her desk, while the sound of footsteps announced her visitors were on their way up. Kate prepared herself to be blustered at by some idiot merchant or wannabe conqueror.

With the backing she now had, she didn't see her visitor's efforts leading anywhere. It was just a question of how hard she'd need to push back.

When the newcomers arrived, she was staring at the message Bill had sent her with suggestions for names. With him on this side of the world, messages were a lot more consistent, and she'd taken full advantage. If she couldn't have him in her bed, she could at least talk to him.

The strangers were the florid pink that she recognized as belonging to the folk of Heart Kingdom. Their leader was a fat, short man, dressed in a military uniform covered in gold thread with a breast pocket slathered in medals.

Swabbing at his fat face, the stranger announced, "I am Duke Martin, third in line for the Red Throne. I'm sent by Her Eminence, the Queen of Hearts, to lay claim to this wretched town in the name of the Kingdom of Hearts."

Sitting back in her chair, eyebrow quirked, Red Kate responded, "just like that, eh? May I ask on what basis you've decided to threaten my domain?"

The fat man's beady eyes narrowed on her, as he declared, "you've committed an act of war in threatening invasion of our fair kingdom. The lives of you and the other pirate dogs are declared forfeit. I'll leniently allow the slaves and other trash to leave Her Eminence's new possession."

Sitting back in her chair, Kate responded, "have you cleared this with the King of Ooo?" The fat man stared at her.

Crossing her legs artfully, the Lady of the Lake remarked, "I declared fealty to the King of Ooo. His son, the Prince of Ooo is my common-law spouse. I don't think you want to test His Majesty's patience by troubling this domain."

As the fat man continued to stare, one of his companions stepped forward, declaring, "we are unfamiliar with this person you refer to..."

Toggling the phone on once more, Kate dialed up Bill. Momentarily, his rich, deep voice came through the phone's speaker, announcing, "hey, baby. What's up?"

"Hey, Bill," Kate responded, "there's a feller here says he's going to kill everyone in my city and take it from me in the name of the Heart Kingdom."

"Ok," Bill chuckled, "that's pretty funny. Dad was talking about reaching out to those guys later this year after the thing with the Ark got sorted out..." "Yeah," Kate chuckled, "I think we're a little short on time there. There's a guy here from Heart Kingdom... says he's... what was your name again?"

The functionary, who was goggling at the piece of technology on the table, burbled, "wh-who are you?" "Name's Bill," Billy replied. "I'm First Prince of the Civilized Kingdoms and Protector of the Western Kingdoms. Who're you?"

The fat man piped up, snarling, "I'm the great grandson of the Queen of Hearts! I am commanded to sanction this harlot and her cronies! We will not tolerate an assault on our fair kingdom!"

"Who said anything about launching an assault," Billy interrupted? "We received creditable information," the fat man retorted! "Our source is credible. This bitch is providing aid to the Pirate Princess in assailing our kingdom! We will not have it! We will..."

"You will go to the Grand Hotel," Billy interrupted. "I'll be there to discuss this matter in three days. Guards, please take His Excellency to the Grand Hotel. I'd like to speak with Lady Katherine alone."

As the fat man sputtered, the guards moved in, hands resting on their weapons. Sputtering curses, the fat man snarled, "I'll be on my ship! You have three days to come and get your bitch!"

With no further word, the fat man turned and stormed off down the stairs. His attendant stood there a few more moments before turning to go.

When they'd gone, Kate toggled the speaker off. Putting the phone to her ear, she murmured, "well, I wanted to see you, but not this way..." Billy chuckled, "s'ok. Getting tired of being poked and prodded and getting the stare from Lollipop..."

Moving on, he asked, "what do you know about these guys?" "Crazy," Kate replied. "The Queen of Hearts keeps a roll of disposable carpets in front of her throne. She'll have your head cut off for little or nothing."

"Huh," Billy rumbled. "This could be a problem, then. I'll bring troops." "Is this ok," Kate responded? "Stilt Town is important to my father, and you are a member of the Privy Council," Billy replied. "The Peace of Ooo is very important to dad."

"What about Morgana," Kate queried? "Morgana's got nothing to do with this," Billy responded. Frowning, Kate responded, "you sound pretty sure." Billy chuckled, "Morgana's mostly talk. Fighting a country isn't her cup of tea, Katherine. It's bad for business."

Smiling, the big man said, "I'll be down tomorrow. Put your mind at ease, baby." "Tomorrow," she burbled? "I'm not giving that clown time to do something stupid," Billy retorted. "See you tomorrow."

With that, Bill hung up. The Lady of the Lake relaxed visibly. "Sugarlips is cleverer than he looks," Cameron remarked. When Kate glanced up at her, the little nymph murmured, "they wouldn't have shown up on our doorstep like that if there army wasn't already here."

Kate's eyes went wide. Her mind had been so focused on baby names that she hadn't even considered that. "Down the coast," she surmised.

Leaning forward, she said, "have Justin send a scout ship to Muddy Cove. That's where I'd anchor, if I was waiting on a scouting report." "Sure," Cameron replied. "I'll be back in a couple days..."

Frowning, Kate remarked, "I don't recall telling you to go..." "Just like the old days, Kate," the nymph replied. "I swim in, so they don't see us coming." Wearing her concern like a coat, the Lady of the Lake retorted, "just make sure looking's all you do."

Far to the north, Bill stepped out of his office to find Olesia on her feet. "I'll get us packed," she volunteered. Us. Stroking his face, she said, "you're going into conflict, William. You need me." Nodding, Billy agreed, "I'll see you in a bit. I'mma let Lollipop know I'm going."

The big man found his stepmom sitting in her office going over the plans for the first streets in the new colony. As he approached the desk, Billy announced, "there's a problem down in Stilt Town. I have to go down there and get it sorted."

Without glancing up, the tasty treat asked, "what kind of problem?" With a heavy sigh, Bill explained, "the Heart Kingdom is threatening Katherine. They've said they intend to take Stilt Town away from her. There's some made-up story about Morgana attacking them..."

"You sure there's no truth to it," Lollipop murmured? Flushing, Bill replied, "even if Morgana was stupid enough to mess with those guys, Katherine's not involved. She's been head-down trying to fix the water problem."

Lollipop sighed. With so much pulling at them, she was torn, really. She didn't like the idea of Bill going south, and she certainly didn't want him in a battle. More to the point, Stilt Town was competing for resources with the New York colony.

It was a case of delayed gratification—something she'd never been very good at. Helping the Lady of the Lake get her people's drinking problem squared away, meant a more stable base in the south. A more stable base in the south would let them bring in more materials from the Civilized Kingdoms to help build the New York colony.

At the same time, Lollipop would really rather have used the iron pipes that Tequila Kingdom was making for Stilt Town to build a working sewage system for New York. The problem was getting worse by the day, and she feared it would lead to an epidemic at some point.

"Take your ring," she said. "Take the lamp. I intend to admonish Olesia to make sure you keep up your treatments..."

Clearing his throat, Bill replied, "I... want to say something..." "Listening," Lollipop declared. With a sigh, Billy remarked, "I... I wish you would send Mrs. Stanek home... At the least, I'd rather she was outside in that hotel room."

Glancing up, Lollipop studied him for several moments. "I don't trust her or her family," Bill remarked. Lollipop chuckled, "I'll be fine, Bill. Believe me when I say I understand the mindset of women like her." With a grin, the ex-model remarked, "I used to be one, after all."

Sitting up straight, she added, "I've got Fionna with me. Thor's got an army just the other side of the hills."

Scratching at the back of his head, Bill admitted, "I... uh... kinda' need to borrow some guys." Nodding, Lollipop responded, "I expected you'd take at least a company. Finn's wanted to talk to these guys for a while. It's better to do that from a position of strength. Do you need any of the war-robots?"

"I'll have Olesia," Billy replied. "Fine," Lollipop agreed. "Off with you. The sooner you go, the sooner you come back." As Billy turned to go, she admonished him, "no fighting, Bill. I mean it." He assured her he'd avoid conflict if he could, though he was speaking over his shoulder as he rushed off.

Minutes after he'd gone, Tasha strolled in. "Good morning," Lollipop greeted the mayor's wife. "Did you just get in?" With a wry smile, the trophy-wife responded, "I have to keep up appearances, dear. Mortimer and I actually had a nice evening at one of the cafés in the town."

Glancing out the door, she asked, "so what's your stepson doing?" With a sigh, Lollipop responded, "he's got to go to Stilt Town. Some idiots there are stirring up trouble. Nothing to worry about. He'll take a company with him. It's a chance to negotiate and calm things down."

Tasha nodded sagely. Moving on, she asked, "what about my suggestion? You know, having my daughter come and help you?" "Talking about it, dear," Lollipop replied. "Honestly, I expected she'd go back to the Candy Kingdom, now the Privy Council is in session."

Settling into the chair before Lollipop's desk, the mayor's wife remarked, "well, she feels that her efforts there accomplished little. She's worried and ashamed of how things are going here."

Meanwhile, Finn the King walked into the hangar where Bonnie's flying saucer was kept, his mind going back to the last time he'd been here. He'd been headed off into the literal unknown, hoping and praying to avoid the destruction of all he loved. At the same time, he'd left behind a lot of complication.

Those gathered inside the hangar were part and parcel of that complication both old and new.

He'd left Hurletta with a bun in the oven, and he'd feared he'd hurt her with his actions. At the same time, he'd left Blargetha just as pregnant, having gotten entangled with her in a foolish effort to somehow protect Hurletta from his own lust.

He'd traveled with Sarah as pilot with Orzsebet and Kara tagging along for seemingly no reason at all. He'd only found out later how Maja had somewhat manipulated things, urging Orzsebet to go along and providing Sarah with a transformation goop to disguise them as humans.

And then he'd met Minerva, his mother. It wasn't quite 'in the flesh', since Dr. Gross's foolishness had long ago taken Minerva's physical body. Still, the meeting with his mom had been bittersweet.

He'd left her on the ark, trapped in the machine that had become her host. He'd been morose and sometimes angry for weeks afterwards as the questions he shoulda'-coulda'-woulda' asked bounced around inside his head.

How times have changed, he thought. Minerva was now one of his most important advisors. Freed of the computer in the Ark's belly, his mother had dug into the business of securing a homeland and future for her people just as hard as anyone.

"Finn," Bonnie greeted him. Offering his wife a kiss on the cheek, the big man rumbled, "so where are we?"

"Preflight's complete," Minerva declared. "We've verified that the primary and backup remote control links are functioning." She was all business, something Finn attributed more to her background as one of the Ark's secret operating crew than her existence in an android body.

Her blue eyes suggested that she wasn't very interested in spending time on the emotional business. Striding forward, the big man hugged her, seeming to surprise her. "You want to go," he murmured. "Go on. I'll try and keep it short..."

Flushing, the android-woman turned to go. Then, as if rethinking her behavior, she turned and kissed Finn on the cheek before climbing the ladder into the saucer's hold.

Turning to the others, Finn said, "I want to thank you all for everything you've done in pulling things together." Blargetha gave him a harumph, suggesting she was still salty about having her working hours cut.

Sliding his hands around his plump little astronaut, Finn grabbed that lush ass and gave the plush princess a heated kiss. "Mmmm," moaned Blargetha. "You make me not want to go..."

Well, he wasn't exactly thrilled by this, either, but this was work that had to get done. Now that they were committed to the plan of using the asteroid as a warship and lifeboat, with Talia's help and even her blessing, Finn knew he needed to fish or cut bait.

The big man turned to Sarah, who leaned in and gave him a demur kiss, staying just out of easy reach, but then she was quite familiar with the King's very-fast hands. "We will be careful, babe," the sex-droid told him. "I promise not to murder her. Honest."

Drew now got into the act, shoving a bag into Blargetha's hands. "Keep those in a secure place," she said. "I expect a weekly report."

Blargetha opened the bag to find it filled with radiation badges. The evil princess muttered curses, but Drew was still dispensing instructions. "Listen for a change, sister," Hurletta interrupted. "You're pregnant. If we had somebody else to send, you wouldn't be going. Period."

With a heavy sigh, Blargetha nodded. Plucking one of the badges from the bag, she put it on before stuffing the rest in her pack. "C'mon, Sarah," she said. "Let's get at it."

Finn stepped back, as the pair climbed the ladder into the cargo hold. Taking Drew and Hurletta by the hand, the big man followed Bonnie to the door. As the heavy door cycled shut, he glanced back to see Minerva's face in the cockpit window. "Bye, ma," he whispered. "See you soon."

Inside the saucer, Blargetha settled into one of the seats in the cabin behind the two androids. Watching the pair go through the process to take off, she found herself becoming increasingly giddy. Still, nothing got said beyond, 'check'.

"Anybody else excited," she asked? Minerva responded, "you could lay down and sleep, if this is getting to you..."

Bristling, the slime-person retorted, "it's not getting to me. This is my first time in space. It's like getting my cherry popped or something..." "I was born there," Minerva retorted.

Mocking the witch under her breath, Blargetha uttered, "I was born there." Before she could say another word, the saucer accelerated, snapping her back in her chair. It was clear the bitch had done it on purpose.

Indeed, Minerva kept the acceleration up as the saucer soared into the sky. Blargetha found the speed almost terrifying.

"On ascent slope," Sarah murmured. "Right down the middle." Minerva grunted something. Blargetha strained forward to look out. "Stay," Sarah admonished her.

"Why're we...," the slime princess burbled? "Saving fuel," Minerva responded. "We don't gain from spending lots of time in the atmosphere." I wonder if that's all, thought Blargetha.

After what seemed an interminable amount of time, the fearsome acceleration abated, and she was finally able to move. Stretching forward, she looked out through the window to find herself staring into the void.

Finn's been here twice, she thought. The Hero of Ooo had fought Orgalorg for the fate of the universe, preventing the destruction of the great comet. He'd come here again and stopped the Ark from smashing into the planet.

"I feel all floaty," the slime-princess burbled. Frowning, Minerva glanced back, asking, "is that a problem?"

It took a moment. "I have implicit control over my form," Blargetha muttered. "And I have this nice space-suit besides." "Fair enough," Minerva muttered."Stay strapped in as much as possible for the next few hours. We have some course-changes to make."

This wasn't really part of the stories that Finn and Orzsebet told of the trip to the Ark. She's a machine, thought Blargetha. Simone and Betty had both talked of how easy it was for Finn's mother to fall back into the habits of a machine.

She intends to just use maximum power, rather than doing it slowly, the slime-princess surmised. Glancing up, she studied the machine-woman. The more she looked at Finn's mom, the more she was sure of it.

Ironically, of all the family besides Sarah or Nadia, I'm probably safest, thought Blargetha. Her malleable flesh made her much more resilient to force.

Still, as Minerva worked the control, maneuvering the ship over the next few hours, the abrupt course-changes and inputs became rather trying. Blargetha found herself wanting to complain again and again as she found herself squished into her chair like a piece of gum. Each time, the tremendous force would get relieved, just as she was at the breaking point.

Finally, the android-woman remarked, "you can take a look now, if you want. I'll give you a few moments before I have to start the docking sequence."

Eagerly unbuckling, Blargetha found herself immediately weightless. After a moment's panic, she caught a grab-handle on the ceiling and pulled herself forward. "Doesn't this thing have gravity," she burbled?

"Turned it off to save fuel," Minerva responded. "How robotic of you," Blargetha muttered, as she clambered forward for a look.

The Ark was every bit as impressive up close as the satellite feed had suggested. Craggy and littered with the remnants of antenna and other structures, it had clearly been modified.

"Does any of that still work," she asked? "The critical things," Minerva responded. "Anything not critical got cannibalized to keep key systems working."

"How hard is it to drill through the rocks," Blargetha asked? "Are there pass-throughs?" Before she could get too far with her questions, the android-woman commanded, "return to your seat, please. I'm about to start the docking sequence."

Muttering under her breath, Blargetha hauled herself back to her seat and began strapping in. Almost as soon as she'd finished latching the last buckle, Minerva began maneuvering the saucer in the same herky-jerky fashion as before.

It was almost as if she was making up for all the years she'd done this on the Ark, while having to carefully maintain the illusion that the city of New York was firmly anchored to the ground. Finally, the clanging of metal on metal announced that they had attached themselves to the Ark.

Rising, Minerva declared, "I'll go cycle the airlock, Sarah. You can help Blargetha prepare the various payloads and other materials to transfer." Blargetha cussed her the minute she was gone.

"Try to understand," Sarah murmured. "She's worried about the condition of the Ark's control systems. The faster we get aboard and assess things, the sooner we can regain control."

Blargetha spent a few moments muttering curses. Then, blowing out a breath, she declared, "right... let's go." Popping the buckles on her harness, she clambered out of the seat, grabbed one of the handles on the ceiling and began pulling herself out of the cockpit.

We're getting closer. The anti-Finn forces are on the move, launching their first attack against Stilt-Town, and the mayor's wife is trying to get her crooked daughter into the palace to help with the coup.