"If she isn't malfunctioning, and just detecting the source of the strongest local transmissions? That’s the hub for their air control," I said through Candice.
"I'm good with killing air controllers. Still, I doubt a bunch of comm workers just decided to kidnap one of us and try to steal our ship. Do they work for Cutout?" Anna asked.
"The only name I got him to drop so far is Jade. I'd ask if she was someone who wanted you dead from your Scholar days, but really, wouldn't it be more surprising if she wasn’t," I said.
Anna narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "The name means nothing to me. Ratticus?"
Ratticus looked nervous and shifted in his chair, "Requisitions went through Jade. A cruel woman."
"We were attacked by a supply clerk and air controllers? We do draw the eye of only the most dangerous and competent of adversaries," I said.
"Competent enough that they came closer than I'd like," Anna said. "Emma, do you have a location on this council of theirs?"
"I do. They convene aboard one of the larger airships. I hope you aren't planning on being social? We don't need more enemies," I said.
"That is exactly what I plan. If we take out air control, this whole place might start shooting unless they have a heads-up. We don't need to be in the middle of a war zone. Ophelia, I want you to lead the infiltration team. Get Mechos out of there and find any information you can," I said.
"You realize, despite putting me in charge of espionage, I'm not actually a super-spy right?" Ophelia asked.
Anna stared at her. "I'm going to say this once and it applies to every one serving under me. I don't care where you came from or what you were in the past, under me you have the potential to be something better. When you're given an opportunity, seize it."
"Inspiring speech. However, I think even your grating tones won't quite carry to Tara's testing cell. We're in the middle of vivisection number nine. If you'd care for her to hear it, she can when we're done," I said.
Anna turned her attention to Candice whom I had spoken through. Her gaze was icy and furious. That stare persisted for several long seconds until she finally said, "When you're done putting her back together, let her out of the cell. Tell her to suit up and join the team with Ophelia."
"So now I get to do the mission with someone who will probably betray me. Great. Winning plan," Ophelia said.
Anna gave her another glare.
Ophelia cleared her throat and said uncertainty, "Which I'll execute flawlessly, because that is just the kind of total badass I am?"
"Unconvincing," Ratticus said.
I agreed with the Rat. Ophelia had been a more impressive specimen with the orb in control of her mind.
"We'll go with you to get him back," said the Mechanite woman.
"Emma. Keep watch and if either of us gets into trouble, do something," Anna said.
It was brilliant, concise orders like that which made her such an effective Queen.
Ophelia was going to take the Graven on her mission. It was more likely that she would need the firepower. Anna could teleport to the council ship. I didn't trust any plan we were involved in to not go terribly awry, so I had Ratticus position teams throughout the ship in case we needed to start shooting.
I also let everyone held in testing chambers know about the plan.
They were doing well. Hot Stuff was starting to get a handle on her new ability and it were unlike anything I'd encountered to date. In an attempt to activate whatever the metal core had done to her, I'd been shooting at her with drones. Suddenly, metal formed around her and Hot Stuff found herself on a fiery motorcycle.
Further testing proved that she could manifest it at will. Maximum speed was something like two hundred kilometers per hour and she was even able to fire some built-in machine guns.
A shame it wasn't a plane, that might have been more useful in the current situation.
Still, Hot Stuff was willing to kill and murder if things went bad, she always was.
Doctor Batavius was another matter.
"If Jade is involved, we need to leave now. No pursuing matters of vengeance, no getting back Anna's pathetic hopes of a mechanical lover," Doctor Batavius said.
"It sounds as if you know and fear her. A rival for Lady Sylax's favorite pet?" I asked.
"The problem is not her loyalty or her competence, but her lack of both. Jade schemes and plots, and Lady Sylax always finds out," Batavius said. "She allows it, because she enjoys the hunt. Enjoys the punishments and humiliations that come after."
That was a concern. We still weren't entirely certain that Lady Sylax was actually alive, but if she were I wasn’t eager for a round two.
"Loyalty and competence are sadly rare commodities, Doctor. If I was convinced you had either I might let you out of there to assist," I said, and killed the comm.
I'd be extra-prepared for trouble, and to make a quick exit.
31
The teams had been gone on their respective missions about two hours. Candice and Diana stayed behind, it was best to keep my military drones close at hand in case either team needed support or a teleport was required. It left me feeling strangely disconnected from the action.
When the Graven lifted from the tower it was something of a relief, although the hail I got raised questions.
"Emma, support fire requested at the following coordinates," came a voice over the comm. It wasn't Ophelia's, I believed it was Tara.
The coordinates were in the middle of a merchant section in the city. I wasn't detecting anything worthy of a shelling there.
"I think perhaps you've overestimated our relationship just because I've stopped vivisecting you," I said.
"Quite pleased to have my intestines on the inside. Mechos is aboard, but he isn't doing well and neither are the Mechanites. Ophelia is still in the tower and will need an extraction soon. I'm not certain what you are meant to be shooting at, but really think you should," Tara said.
Well, I'd heard worst arguments for opening fire on a city. It was at least worth investigating. I teleported one of my science drones and initiated a scan. There were makeshift stalls that were exactly what they purported to be, but the city was built completely on top of old airship hulks tethered together. From the hulls beneath I detected strong power readings and active machinery.
That was enough for me. I pulled free of the dock and flew the Powerhungry into the air so that I could get a charged shot off from the main cannon.
The explosion was well out of proportion to the shot. A pillar of flame climbed from the site of impact and the entire city shook with the force of the blow.
"Well, that will have gotten their attention," Tara said.
That was a bit of an understatement. A lot of ships were floating above the city, guns ready and their crews not having enough rest—which meant twitchy trigger fingers. They started shooting. Some of that firepower was directed towards us.
I raised shields and moved to cover the Graven.
There was a second explosion from below, if anything even more powerful than the first. It completely obliterated the control tower—with Ophelia still inside.
I teleported my second science drone. It didn't take long to find her remains, they were about all that was identifiably human and doing the utmost to put themselves back together again even as fires raged. I locked sensors on what was left and teleported the bits to the Medbay.
Another teleport was just occurring. Anna blinked into existence. For some reason she was naked and covered in what appeared to be engine oil.
"Long story. There is about to be a tiny explosion," Anna said.
A third boom rocked the city, larger than either of the two that had come before, as the council ship detonated in the air, blasting the city beneath it to splinters.