"So, let me get this straight,” Tiff said sharply, “You weren’t sure if it was a good idea for us to come with you because you wanted to keep us safe. Now that we have forced your hand you decide the best place to have this meeting is on Boutelerien? You realize that Planet was the Council’s capital, right?”

  “Was, being the key word there,” I quipped.

  “I fail to see how the fact that it is now occupied by the command structure of the True Havokium is a better option, Captain.” Kaj narrowed his eyes contemplatively.

  “He finally snapped!” C.J. exclaimed. “It wasn’t bad enough that half of us were forced onto that planet once. No, now you want to willingly go back? Andy, you realize that there will be defenses, right? The True Havokium have surely set up some sort of blockade. How exactly do you expect us to get there, much less Calista and her squad of Scandare thugs?”

  I shrugged. “Not sure, yet. I’m gonna trust that Natasha can bypass whatever perimeter they have set up. As for Calista, that is her problem to figure out. I have to meet her, but she said I could pick the location. She didn’t put any stipulations on that, so I am gonna make it as hard on her as possible. The way I see it, Randi can’t act if I am following Calista’s rules.”

  Kinthragor let out a low rumbling growl, his lips parting to show the rows of menacing teeth. C.J. recoiled in disgust as his eyes darted around the room.

  “Geez, is nobody else freaked out by that? Kinthragor, do you ever do anything that isn’t completely terrifying?”

  Michael chuckled and slapped C.J. on the back as he took a break from poking around on his new interface. “That’s his version of smile, it’s a…work in progress.”

  “Work in progress? What was it like before he practiced?”

  Kinthragor stood up, spread his four arms wide in an X pattern, lulled his tongue out to the side, and began producing a low guttural chirping sound. Everyone’s eyes went wide as Michael looked back and forth between Kinthragor and their horrified faces.

  “That was how his people show excitement, or amusement. Cool, huh?” he asked.

  “No, Michael. There are a thousand words I could use to describe the utter horror of what I am looking at right now,” C.J. groaned. “Nightmarish, fear-inducing, excruciatingly disturbing. All those words are infinitely more fitting to what is happening than, cool. Never,” C.J. glared at Michael, “and I mean, never in my fucking life will I look at that and think, cool.”

  Kinthragor stopped and walked over to me as the rest of the crew still looked on in shock. “Captain. I must say I was still somewhat trepidatious about my decision to align myself with you and the rest of the crew.” He turned and motioned toward Michael, who was still smiling, enjoying everyone else’s reaction to Kinthragor. “No, I followed him. He has proven himself to be honorable, and I owe him a life debt. I see now, though, why these people follow you, even if you don’t. Any leader who would throw himself willingly into the crucible of assured death, with nothing but the slightest chance of survival, is a leader I will willingly follow,” Kinthragor again put on his approximation of a smile. “You are crazy, Captain. I like you!”

  “See, everyone? Kinny is on board.” I exclaimed to the room.

  “Oh, great,” C.J. moaned. “The terrifying monster with a death wish is on board. Let’s break out the party hats and champagne, everyone. This is worthy of celebration.”

  “Andrew, are you sure this is a good idea? Seriously, there is likely to be a sizable military presence around Boutelerien now. We haven’t even been in contact with Red in months. We don’t even know if he is okay.”

  “I have contacts in Lucida. The same people who helped me get you all back safely. They were actively opposing the Council, so I am betting the True Havokium hold no ill will toward them.”

  “How do you know they haven’t made enemies out of their new friends?” Michael asked.

  “Oh, I’m almost positive they have planted the seeds of dissent. They are careful, though. Matthias isn’t one to show his cards too early. If I had to guess, he has been watching and getting the lay of the new landscape. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I trust him. I trust the people around him even more. I am going to respond to Calista’s message with the meeting spot and request thirty days.” I looked at Michael, “After all, we can’t have you going in there at level 1, and I need a few days to figure out how all these new changes to my stats and levelling are going to affect me.”

  “So that will give us about thirty more days in here, which is about 10 days outside. That leaves us about 20 outside days for travel. In that time, we need to grind XP and plan out how we get onto Boutelerien without being discovered. We also need a solid plan to get back to Earth safely and undetected.” Tiff said.

  “That was some quick math, but it sounds about right. We can do a lot of grinding in 30 days if we stay focused,” I looked at Kaj. “Kaj, I’m going to need you with me. I am going to take a couple of days to go get the lay of my new progression system,” I looked at Tiff. “Tiff, I need you to work with Michael and C.J., do your guardian thing. Get them in the mix and work their asses off. I need them to be levelled up as much as possible before we get out of here. It won’t hurt for you to work on gaining a few levels as well. Let them take out the lower-levelled mobs, and you can step in for the higher-levelled ones. Kinthragor can go with you guys. Loren, you can pretty much hold your own now. Why don’t you go with them as well and see if you can grind out a few levels?” I looked around the room. “You all wanted this, now it’s time to earn it. Nobody under level 15 will be going to Boutelerien. This isn’t up for debate. Even at level 15 you won’t be anything more than an aggravation to one of those Scandare, but I don’t see how you get higher in 30 days.”

  “Hey, wait just a second And…” Michael started.

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  I put my hand up and eyed him sharply. “No, Michael. You hold on. You forced my hand in initiating you. These are my terms. I am the Captain of the Bloodhound, and Natasha will follow my orders, like it or not. Everyone here except you and C.J. is over level 25. Kaj hit level 65 yesterday. Tiff is level 53. Hell, Kinthragor is knocking on level 50 now. Matty is level 30, and Loren is level 27. Everyone has a massive head start on you two, and I will not bring liabilities into a potential combat situation.” I turned to face C.J., “Also, you will both wear drop suits. So C.J., when we are travelling to Boutelerien, you will have 20 days to get Michael combat effective.”

  “Any other rules, Dad?” C.J. quipped.

  “I might think of one or two more along the way, but those are all for now. You all keep telling me that you follow me for a reason.” I smiled at C.J., “So don’t be a bitch when I make a few rules.”

  “Let’s fucking go then!” Michael exclaimed. “We rest tonight and move on to level 2 first thing in the morning.”

  “Yes, for your group. Kaj and I are going through now. I am going to push into level 2 and get a lay of the land, start clearing any high-level mobs that might be waiting. Don’t worry, I’ll leave the lower-levelled ones for you guys,” I teased.

  “Ooooh, Mr. Big Dick and his fancy armor and abilities is gonna leave us the leftovers? How magnanimous is our glorious leader?” C.J. said mockingly.

  Michael walked up and eyed me menacingly. “You better be about your business little brother, because I’m coming for you. I can’t very well let you be stronger than me forever, after all.”

  “What exactly is a… Big T.D.’s” Calista asked herself as she read Captain Dawes’s response to her request for a meeting.

  “I told you to proceed with caution with this human, daughter,” Solaris said as he entered Calista’s opulent room. “This one is wily and resourceful. Power, after all, is not always measured in levels and attributes. If the man didn’t despise us with every fiber of his being, he would be an ally worth pursuing.”

  Calista stood and bowed slightly, “Father, I wasn’t expecting you today. I fear I am not prepared for you at this time.”

  “Oh, daughter. Calm yourself. This is not a meeting to discuss matters of state. I simply wish to know what progress has been made with your plan to bring the human to heel.”

  “Little, I’m afraid.” Calista sighed and sat back down at her workstation. Virtual screens and notes detailing all of her plans and machinations populated the air in front of her. She swiped disgustedly and slumped back into her chair. “He has agreed to a meeting.”

  “That is progress, is it not?” Solaris questioned.

  “I thought allowing him to choose the time and location would be seen as a sign that I had no ill intent. Instead, I fear I have given him an advantage that could prove dangerous for me.”

  “Where?” Solaris asked coldly as he sat down across from Calista and pulled a stinger from his case.

  “Lucida, a place called…Big T.D.’s, in 30 Earth days.”

  “For all your arrogance and empty confidence, it seems you have let this human dictate the terms of this meeting and handed him the power required to humble you.” Solaris hissed angrily. “I have a contingent of dark ops specialists still operating within Lucida. I can ensure you get onto the planet safely, and they will ensure your safe return.” Solaris stood, taking a long drag of his stinger before tossing it to the floor. A masked servant rushed from the shadows to gather it. Walking around Calista’s workstation, he touched the back of his fingers to her cheek softly. She leaned into the gesture, greedy for the affection of her father and monarch. “I will not interfere with your plans again, though, daughter. You can never succeed me as monarch if you cannot create and complete plans of your own. Your oversight and failure to this point would be embarrassing enough were it to get out, and you know how I reward failure, do you not?”

  Calista’s eyes widened as she looked up at her father, his eyes cold, and an evil smile creeping onto his lips. The soft, affectionate touch turned violent as he violently backhanded her face, knocking her from her chair and onto the ground.

  “Your whore of a mother was a failure.” Solaris turned to leave her quarters. “Remember that is the reason she is nothing more than bones in the cold ground now. Try not to follow in her footsteps, daughter. It would be ever so lonely in this palace without your smile to light up the rooms.”

  Calista wiped the blood from her mouth and gathered herself, getting to her knees and bowing so low that her forehead touched the cold stone floor. She could smell the blood, the dirt in the cracks between stone slabs. She could feel the warmth of her cheek beginning to swell, and she smiled. After her father had left her room, she turned to the servant who had retrieved her father’s stinger earlier. The man stood silently, his mask concealing any trace of shock at the scene he had just witnessed. Calista stood and dropped her extravagant dress to the ground, pointing at her bed.

  “I require satisfaction,” she stated coldly as she wiped her mouth again, smearing blood across her cheek.

  The servant obliged, slowly approaching the bed and disrobing before lying down. Calista mounted the faceless servant and began furiously grinding her hips back and forth as a maniacal look of pleasure overtook her. After several minutes, she began moaning loudly as the silent servant performed the task required of him. Calista leaned forward as she screamed, slid a dagger from underneath her pillow, and in a lightning-quick motion sliced the servant’s throat. She kept grinding as the blood sprayed her naked body, kept screaming with maniacal satisfaction, until eventually she had her fill. She rolled over and ran her fingers down her stomach, giggling with crazed satisfaction as two more servants entered her quarters and removed the dead body of the servant who dared witness the future monarch be humbled by her father.