Catelyn

"Don't worry you're safe now," The man Eddie referred to as 'Doc' said soothingly. "Can you tell me your name?"

The young man resting on the table opened his eyes, he wore the same blue jumpsuit as his companions which bore the blue sphere sigil. He had short red hair and a beard the very spitting image of her Robb. When Eddie had returned with him the sight shook Catelyn out of her stunned stupor watching the burning camp in the distance. She followed the healer into the wheelhouse to offer her aid finding herself unable to stand the sight of the wounded man.

"Jacob McConnell," he said weakly. "I was in research, meteorology."

"Good," Doc said. "Where you from, Jacob?"

"Lagrange Two, Island-Five," Jacob said. "Emerald City."

"Beautiful habitat," Doc said. "All right pal just needed to confirm your identity, you're okay you're aboard a Journeyman you get to ride easy till the cavalry comes."

"Thank you…"

As Jacob slipped into rest 'Doc' caught her attention pointing toward what looked like towels, she grabbed one and handed it to him as he placed it over the man's forehead. Three survivors had been rescued, and they were exhausted and beaten, Jacob had the worst of it his hands were purple from bruises and his cheeks were bloodied. Perhaps it was his resemblance to Robb that made Catelyn feel great sorrow. A man so young should not have received such torture for simply being lost.

"He's stable for now," Doc said. "Thank you, Lady Stark. I can handle this now."

"Of course," Catelyn said. "Excuse me."

She left the small medical area and stepped into the kitchen of the Wheelhouse; they were once again headed toward Bitterbridge moving swiftly to lose the trail of any trackers who found the ruins of the Lannister sellswords. Ser Martinez had brought letters sent via raven which the commander of the mercenaries had failed to destroy like a fool. They were called the Blooded Sons a small band of armed wanderers led by a landless Hedge Knight who pledged his services to House Lannister. From her readings to translate for Ser Martinez as a favor it appeared that Tywin Lannister had given orders for his bannermen to recover any possible strangers to send for Harrenhal for interrogation. Even with her own sorrows, she felt sympathy for the strangers, Harrenhal was a grim place some smallfolk would even dare to call it haunted. It was the keep of her mother's blood, House Whent she only knew of it from stories as a girl, but they still sent a chill down her back as a woman.

Catelyn sat down amongst her escort of knights who were calmly sitting at a large table sharing a hushed conversation. Wendel Manderly, Lucas Blackwood, and Robin Flint stood briefly but Catelyn quickly motioned for them to sit.

"Be at ease," she said. "I simply desire to join you."

"Of course, m'lady," Lucas said. "Forgive us we were simply discussing last night."

"We ought to send word to King," Robin Flint said. "He will want to know what they are capable of."

"Who would believe us?" Perwyn Frey said. "Six men killed an entire camp with singing weapons. I can still hear that dreadful sound of the popping even now."

"I do not like it," Wendel rumbled. "Skulking through the grass like thieves, striking men from yards away. That is no way to make war there is no honor in it."

"I do not think they care for honor in their Union. Not in the way we value it, anyway."

Catelyn did not care much for men's talk of war especially these days. But even she had been moved by the ferocity of that night. After Ser Martinez had disappeared into the night his very presence becoming transparent like Nan's stories to the children about the others, they had found themselves joining the woman named 'Chatty' by her machine as she watched from above. Even now as she closed her eyes she could see the haunting image. The night was day within the machine, Chatty quickly explained their 'cameras' could provide light where none existed. Ser Martinez and his men were five glowing spirits approaching the camp with a slow deliberate pace calling out men as they spotted them as Chatty would mark them with a symbol. The mark became one of death, whether by Ser Martinez's hands or that of his men, they slowly obscured the patrolling sellswords before they would strike. The first man Ser Martinez would approach from behind in the darkness and wearing his transparent clothes they had no chance of noticing him until they were in his grasp a knife being pressed into their throat.

Any man who was out of reach died from their black weapons. The small exotic man they called Rock was sitting atop the wheelhouse with the patience of a hunter able to somehow observe men from yards away when Ser Martinez gave the command there was a sudden loud crack in the air like the breaking of a tree branch and whistling death roared through the air striking true within the camp. When they reached the tent with the prisoners their interrogator had been in the middle of questioning when Ser Martinez finished him with two silent cracks of his weapon. The tall man had been reduced to a bloody mess as the rest of his men followed their weapons cracking as they put more shots into the man. As they were recovering the prisoners, they were spotted by the Blooded Sons and all hells broke loose.

Ser Martinez cried for the woman called 'Daisy' to provide cover and the quiet cracks became a loud clatter of death. Even from their vantage point, they could hear loud popping as her weapon tore through the camp, men rushing to investigate fell, horses screamed and the few women and children among the Blooded Sons screamed into the night. The battle was brief, panicking men lit their tents on fire by mistake and ran in confusion in the darkness searching for invisible enemies. The one called Rock continued firing away with his weapon striking down any threats to Ser Martinez and his group as they retreated into the darkness. The Blooded Sons were racing into the night in a blind retreat as they clambered into the vehicles and raced away.

"It is a shame."

Catelyn looked up to see Robin Flint had spoken.

"Ser?"

"Ah, I was thinking aloud m'lady," Flint said. "Simply that it is a shame they have no cause with us. If we had their power this war would be a brief one."

Catelyn simply nodded in silent agreement as Wendel Manderly retorted. Their power was frightening to behold that night with only twelve men they had utterly routed a larger force with ease. It was a power not meant for this world, the battles between travelers of the stars must be a truly terrible thing if a mere small band were capable of this. She wished Ned were here to be with her no doubt he would be able to face them more bravely or at least would pretend to for her sake. But another side of Catelyn thought how if they were capable of such a rescue with no losses what else could they be capable of?

Her mind turned to her daughters, even now Sansa and Arya were trapped in King's Landing surrounded by Lannister swords. If Ser Martinez and his men managed this rescue could a far grander mission be possible? There was a risk, King's Landing was a far more daunting target than a mere sellsword camp. But they were unknown to the Lannisters, they would doubtlessly not believe any reports from the survivors of Blooded Sons, and even if they did investigate they would find nothing but dead men and burned ruins. Twelve men who fought like catspaws might be able to slip past even the terrifying Lord Varys.

But how? Catelyn thought How can I get them to fight with us?

Ser Martinez had said again and again they had no desire to enter their war. His only concern was rescuing his people. If none of his people were in King's Landing then he would no doubt refuse. And even if there was he would truly agree to rescue Sansa without any cause. Ser Martinez seemed like a noble enough man. Perhaps if she explained he be moved into action.

You fool; he is a sellsword, not a true knight.

The thought was a bitter one but true. Even if he was willing to help her the man was a stranger. The last time she had trusted strangers Bran had been left crippled. She shook her head and sighed the desperation of a mother had caused her thoughts to spiral down a foolhardy path. She would complete her task for Robb, return to Riverrun, and care for her father until there was a chance to negotiate for her daughter's freedom. She would put her faith in the gods and her son, not strangers from the sky.

Catelyn stood and excused herself from her knights. She was no longer in the mood to discuss the issue and walked toward the rear of the wheelhouse. Several rooms were organized in a long hall she tried to recall which of them was the bedroom. It felt strange to sleep while on the move but apparently, such arrangements were quite common for people of the stars. She tried to recall her brief tour of the vehicle selecting a room to retire in trying to remember the symbols and their meaning when she selected the nearest one. There was a grey handle, but she recalled this was only used for emergencies and instead touched her palm to a small tablet shape on the wall which caused the door to slowly slide open revealing the room. Within she saw the exposed back of a shirtless man who was staring out the window he turned, and Catelyn recognized Ser Martinez who cocked an eyebrow before reaching over to a green shirt and hurriedly pulling it on.

"Can I help you, Lady Stark?"

"Forgive me ser," Catelyn said. "I had not realized you were inside."

"It's no trouble," The contractor said. "If the light on the door is red that means someone is inside."

She found her eyes drawn to his chest and arms surprised to see his body. He was strongly built with tight muscles, and there \was little fat on his square chest was filled with scars and tattoos a sharp contrast to his clean face. She saw the symbol of what looked to be a hooded figure carrying a scythe surrounded by fire, there were black stripes like that of a shadow cat and there was an image of a weeping woman in robes who almost looked like the mother. Martinez noticed where she was looking as he pulled the shirt down his chest.

"I usually charge for that." He said with a cocky grin.

"I- "Catelyn began but sighed. "I was looking at your tattoos. What do they mean?"

"Ah those," Eddie said. "From another life. The skeleton with the scythe is the Grim Reaper, an omen of death. Was the symbol of my old unit back in the Rangers."

"Rangers?"

"System Rangers, Union Armed Forces," Eddie explained. "It's not like most military forces our job tends to be rescuing people and security. I was in the Special Task Group our mission was handling situations like rescuing hostages and defending ports."

"Rescuing hostage," Catelyn said. "Why do you not simply negotiate for their return?"

"Because once you do people keep taking them," Eddie said. "So, the logic goes anyway but people keep taking them regardless. It's not a political maneuver like you might be familiar with if I get the idea of your system. These aren't political hostages but rather victims of violence meant to terrorize people and get political demands or steal money."

"Banditry. I am familiar." She spoke. "Have you…often done these hostage rescues?"

"A few times during the war," Eddie said. "Was a bad time to be in the Rangers."

Catelyn struggled to imagine Ser Martinez fighting in a war, he was certainly capable of it she had seen with her own eyes. But he did not carry himself like her father, Eddard, or even Robb there was a lack of the quiet stoicism that she saw in men's eyes when they killed instead there was a distinct lack of passion, a detachment. She could not say for sure if it disturbed her or not.

"What was the nature of this war?"

"Oh, a bit of this a bit of that," Eddie said. "Some colonists didn't like the government telling them that settling worlds with life on them was illegal. They tried doing it anyway and the government tried rounding them up and sending them back home by force. Things got ugly real fast as war tends to."

Catelyn was unsure if she fully understood but nodded regardless. "The way of men I suppose…Forgive me, ser. I have disturbed you long enough."

"Anytime Lady Stark," Eddie said. "Try the room next door it's empty. Now outta my room, ya pervert."

Catelyn was caught by surprise when he gently pushed her through the door and winked as it suddenly closed. She was shocked by his lack of decorum when she dwelled on that word he had called her. It was unfamiliar, though as she dwelled on the context…Catelyn suddenly felt a rush of anger.

"How dare you!"

If the door had been opened she might have slapped the man. With a huff, she entered the next room and closed the door. No, she did not like Ser Martinez at all.