Chapter 6

Pest Control

 

Livvy!

Please tell everyone that I would love to reply to each and every one’s letters, but Simone told me I can only mail it on one sheet. I hope that Damien is doing well. I heard from Xavier that the crew got injured. I hope everyone is doing fine, and they are not too injured. I also anticipate the day when we all get together again. You can tell Summerfeld to take a hike with this slave treatment. I also don’t appreciate him beating Charie either. He’s a stupid jerk!

Besides that, I am doing well. Mr. Nielson has been using the progress reports you’ve given him as a means to help in my development. Currently, we are reading poetry, and next we’ll be learning the distinct English play styles evolved from Greek to contemporary times.

I hope you won’t send any more of that exploding paper. The shavings covered my entire room, and Elliot made this scrunchy angry face and told me to tell you (and I quote): “If you send paper like that, at least have the common decency to tell me [him] first.” He then muttered something about having to clean the scorch marks and shavings on the table and the floor.

 

Lottie Lionsheart

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Lionsheart,

Cheric told me that she did not have time to respond to your letter, so I’m writing in her stead. I hope you’re doing well. I’m also sorry about the exploding paper. Had I known, I would have written on my own parchment. I was wondering why she was particular about the paper we used.

I’m doing all right, thank you for asking. I am in the sixth month of rehabilitation for my leg. When the ship capsized in the squall, I had torn my quadricep in my right leg. It was a miracle I had been walking on that beach. It’s been two months since they have taken my knee brace off. They expect me to be walking fluidly by my seventh or eighth month of rehab.

You have Mr. Andrew Nielson as your instructor? That’s surprising; I’ve had him as an instructor three to four years ago. Weird. I’m glad to hear that your studies are going well. Try looking up Arthur Rimbaud. His poem “Asleep in the Valley” may peak your interest.

For your knowledge, this paper will not explode. You can rest assured I used my own parchment this time. The Division’s crew and I am looking forward to your favorable response.

 

Damien Drummond

 

PS: Aden says (and I quote), “You’re a naïve damsel in distress who hasn’t experienced the likes of a real man.”

Um, I don’t think he necessarily means to be . . . stupid as you’ve put it, but perhaps you should avoid calling him names? Maybe you guys should have a heart-to-heart when you two meet because I think you guys just rubbed each other the wrong way. Aden isn’t as cruel as you’re making him out to be. Hope you’ll reconsider.

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Everyone,

Time seems to fly by faster than I would like it to. I’m doing well. With the way things are going, I will be caught up with everyone in academics in no time! Damien, I found the poet you mentioned, and I love his poems! Mr. Nielson was impressed by your suggestion he decided to add a curriculum on poets from the seventeenth century. I don’t know whether to hug or strangle you the next time we see each other.

I didn’t know the extent to your injury, Damien. I hope that your leg will get better! I see you sailing the seas, and not sitting in a wheelchair!

Livvy, you’re being unfair! No offense to Damien, but I hoped to hear from my best friend to see how she’s doing. Moe. You could at least say hi!

I’ll reconsider being nice to Summerfeld if he apologizes for calling me Charie-Lottie and treating me like an idiot. I have a name you know: It’s Char . . . well, you know. I’ll apologize for calling him names too if he does.

I wish I could see you all. I miss you already.

 

Lottie Lionsheart

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Charle,

I cannot cater to your heaps of letters each and every time. I have things that are in the works that need to be finished. Also, “Moe” is not a word. It is an onomatopoeia, and it is not cute. Use real English words before I chuck my heavy set of Oxford dictionaries at you and at whoever taught you it. Summerfeld also wants to write his share onto this sheet.

Apology accepted. I don’t hold back against people whom I consider my enemies, so if you don’t want to be an enemy of mine, try being more truthful. I’m offering one piece of advice about Andy: don’t trust him. Right now, there are factions being built within the state, and no one should be trusted.

As for what your name is, I know what it is. “Char . . . well, you know.”

 

Aden Summerfeld

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Aden,

What do you mean not to trust Andy? At first, I didn’t know who Andy was until Mr. Nielson said you must be referring to him. Mr. Nielson has diligently been my tutor and guardian for the past four months he has been with me. We get along great, and nothing strange has happened either. He is a trustworthy person, I give my word.

Also, Mr. Nielson’s been telling me past stories about you guys as children. Apparently, Damien had a rabbit named Snow? He must have been so cute! I love animals! He also mentioned something about you all being related. I didn’t know you had two older brothers. I have a younger brother myself, so I guess we’re alike in that regard?

And I don’t appreciate you quoting my line of “Char . . . well, you know.” You know I cannot write my real name down. Jerk.

It’s nearing the end of the month, and according to what Damien mentioned earlier, he was going through his rehab. Is he walking normally? I hope he’s finally able to. He sounded excited to finally being able to walk fluidly. I wish I was there to celebrate when he does!

When will we make a time to meet one another? Elliot and Simone said that I can’t leave at all, even though they have posted Mr. Nielson as my guardian. I really miss everyone. I want to get to know everyone some more. I want to help out with whatever you’re doing.

I know Livvy is a hard worker, and I’m sorry for the previous comment about wanting you to respond to me. You guys have things that have to be done, and I can only sit here, writing letters. I just wish I could do more. I want to protect everyone too.

Simone is giving me mental training exercises to do as well as dream journals to write. I’m to write anything that I can remember, even if it sounds silly. I’m still plagued with nightmares about what had happened seven months ago at the estate, but I know in time it will dwindle. I just hope my little brother is safe. No one has heard from him at all. I remain fearful for him.

I wish you all good health and great success, whatever you are planning. I will try my best to support you with Elliot and Simone.

 

Lottie Lionsheart

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Charie finished reading the letter to the occupants in the room before looking up. Olivia could not help but notice that after her months of tinkering and playing around with the mechanisms within Charie, she was able to create an android capable of looking human. “Master Charlotte’s letter is finished. What shall I do with her letter?”

“Burn it please,” the inventor replied before taking a sip from her root beer and returning to her work. There was only a little bit of her drink left before she finally sighed and tossed it over to the Great Dane lying beside her desk. Content with the bottle, the mechanical beast happily chewed on the glass and finally swallowed it whole. Charie smiled to her master and everyone within the room before bowing and exiting the room upon Olivia’s request.

Olivia was sitting behind her desk, working on the devices they would need for the upcoming assignment. She had finished with her mobile oxygen retainers for quick underwater swimming, goggles with night vision for nighttime wear, and communication muffs to communicate between one another while keeping ears warm. And she was now finishing the recording rings for infiltration and gathering information. The Relic location compass (RLC) that was finished months ago was packed away in her desk with the box of fake stones that Charie would be presenting within the upcoming week.

Xavier was teasing his younger brother the entire letter while Damien turned a shade red because of the memories of his bunny. Xavier never let him live it down when he brought it home to the dorms one day. It was sick and injured and needed someone to take care of it.

“Your days of playing Bunny Boo are slowly catching up to you!” Xavier teased, and the blond reached across his seat to chuck a paper ball at him.

“Shut up!” The blond was finally fully capable of walking normally, and while the male appreciated the concern Charlotte gave in her letter, he still didn’t approve of Andy Nielsen revealing his past stuff so openly. Snow was his favorite bunny, and he was devastated when it passed away a year ago.

“Andy is dead the next time I see him,” the blond sputtered with a flush face. Aden was sitting on a counter, looking out into the distance remembering times that would never come back.

“Damy and Snow, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Leo and Jakob chanted before running around the room. They had just returned from their assignments last week because Olivia requested them back. Sarah was sitting in a chair while Belle and Anna were discussing what they should do for Charlotte when they finally were able to meet again.

Sarah was trimming her nails with a file before snapping at the two goofballs running around. “If you don’t shut up and sit down—so help me—I will castrate you myself.”

The two guys running around gave a nervous reaction before obediently finding themselves a seat next to Damien. He was still red while they poked him in the cheek and side.

“She doesn’t listen to people, does she?” Aden, the quietest of the group, said to Olivia as she pulled her goggles from her eyes. Wiping her brow with her gloves, she gave him an aloof expression.

“She curious about people’s business, if that’s what you mean. That is what I love about her though. She thinks she’s doing you a favor by getting to know you, and having Mr. Nielson there only implicates that feeling.” She raised her ring up for examination and gave the top a twist.

“She doesn’t listen to people, does she?”

“She curious about people’s business, if that’s what you mean . . .”

Twisting the top so it shut off, the inventor looked pleased that her recording finally worked. “We have other fish to fry. Since Bunny Boo here—”

“Hey!” Damien interjected, embarrassed be the nickname.

“As I was saying, since he is fully recovered, we will put our plans into action. You three”—she pointed to Damien, Xavier, and Tyler, who had been quietly writing some notes—“have you gotten control of your powers?”

Xavier nodded. “It was hard at first. I didn’t even know what I could do.” He walked behind Aden and closed his eyes. Aden didn’t appear to be fazed by what his older brother was doing, but when he realized he couldn’t move the lower portion of his body, the emerald-eyed male gave a death glare over his shoulder to the tattooed guy behind him. “Look what I can do!” He started flailing his arms and legs like a monkey, and Aden, much to his anger, was doing the exact same thing. “I can control shadows, pretty nifty, huh?”

“Impressive,” Olivia replied before whipping out a camera and taking a photo. She had taken an appreciation for photography since her last birthday because Charlotte had given her a camera as a present. Whether it was taking pictures of nature or of people, Olivia examined each picture with care to get the creative juices flowing.

“Next,” she replied, already bored of the monkey dance.

“So picky,” Xavier teased before releasing Aden from his control.

It was in this moment that Aden gave a roundhouse kick to Xavier’s solar plexus, which the eldest brother avoided. Xavier followed Aden’s movements shortly after so he could yank his brother into an affectionate headlock. It took two minutes of scuffling around before Xavier had given Aden a rough-styled version of a noogie. Glaring at him with a twitch in his left eyebrow, the youngest of the brothers replied darkly, “You’re going to find yourself in a barrel shipped to Davy Jones’s locker.”

“Not before I ship you to Liliec,” he smirked, and Aden froze. Liliec was the country where the academy was located. It had also been where he had blown up a cafeteria too.

“Don’t you dare.”

Damien walked forward to the window behind Cheric’s desk before sighing. He didn’t want to show any of them what his power was since he knew it would only intensify the name-calling. “You guys can’t watch,” he muttered before Cheric smiled at him. It was a faint one, but it was enough to make Damien jump a little in his spot.

“You’ll show us, won’t you, Damien?” The emphasis of the last part of the sentence gave the blond goosebumps before he opened the window with a sigh. He peered behind his back, feeling awkward that a whole bunch of people were watching him.

He took a whistle from his pocket out before blowing on it. A shrill sound and a second later, a huge hawk flew into the room. There was a huge ring the hawk was carrying in its talons. Landing softly on Damien’s extended arm, the blond reached up to scratch the bird under its wing.

“I can communicate with any type of bird.” He blushed before turning back to his new pet and handing it a treat. “You’re such a good hawk.” The bird chirped happily as it received its treat before nuzzling its beak into Damien’s hair.

Olivia snapped a couple of shots, much to Damien’s chagrin, and turned to her secretary. “How about you, Tyler?”

Damien walked his hawk to the window before lovingly telling it goodbye. The hawk didn’t want to leave, but after some cajoling, it did. Closing the window, he turned around to see a very nervous Tyler in the center of the group.

“I can . . .” he started before shaking his head. His glasses were sliding down his nose, and he was sweating slightly. “Lady Olivia, I don’t think I’ll be of any use to you. It’s completely silly.”

Olivia got up from her seat and pointed over her shoulder to Damien. “I’m sure whatever power you have is ten times better than Bunny Boo’s here.”

Damien indignantly huffed before stalking over to where Aden was. Crossing his shoulders, the middle brother fumed while Tyler fidgeted some more. “I’m just kidding, Damien; you know your powers are amazing,” Olivia replied and scratched her Great Dane’s head with some affection. “Everyone has a power specialized just for them, no need to be shy, Tyler.”

“I’ll need someone’s imagination for a second then.” He looked around, hoping someone would jump up and volunteer. When no one did, he sighed. “I just don’t know what to do.”

Anna jumped up from her seat when she saw his disgruntled expression. “I’ll help. What can I help you with, Tyler?”

He turned to her before smiling. “Thank you! Actually, we need to go outside the room. That way, it’ll have more of an effect.” He kindly ushered her to the door, much to everyone’s curiosity.

When the door shut closed, they all stood in silence.

“Wonder what it could be,” Sarah said before yawning.

“It’s Tyler,” Belle started. “He’s always excelled in everything he did. Besides, Lady Olivia, of course.”

Olivia was tapping her fingers against the oak before walking over to the side. She had a feeling something was going to happen.

Sarah was trimming her nails still when the lights went out. The dim light from outside the window gave the room an eerie feeling, and everyone snapped their attention up to the ceiling.

“Why’d the lights go out?” Xavier croaked as he finally caught his breath.

“Shut it, Shadow,” Aden replied in the same headlock position and, for good effect, kicked him. “It’s not like the mermaids are going to eat your brains.”

“You shut your mouth; they could be waiting for these types of things!”

“Right, just like how one impersonated Dean.” Aden shoved his way out of his older brother’s grasp when he loosened his arms. “And almost ate your face off.”

“How can you not be scared shitless from that?”

“Oh geez,” Damien sighed and turned his attention to the door then shook his head. He thought he saw something by the door, but when he felt his eyes adjusting, there was nothing there. “Aden.” He pointed to the door regardless. “There’s something in here besides us.”

“Hmm,” the male replied while straightening up and scanning the room.

Leo and Jakob were playing some child’s hand game with a long piece of string before they felt a chill run down their spine.

“Did you feel cold all of a sudden?” Leo asked Jakob.

“Did you feel that chill?” Jakob replied back to Leo.

Belle screamed bloody murder, jumping from her seat. She was swinging her hands around her before collapsing in a heap on the floor. Tears were in her eyes while she shook. “There was a ghost!”

When Belle announced what it was, the room instantly erupted with ghosts, ghouls, demons, dreary-looking monsters, and bloodied fiends. Olivia gave an involuntary shudder, looking at the scene before becoming aware of what was going on.

“Oh my god, there’s a mermaid!” Xavier yelped in fright and backed up into his younger brother Aden by accident. The momentum of force was enough to knock the emerald-eyed male off his feet and on the ground. Meanwhile, Damien had tried to catch his brothers from falling, which caused all three to drop to the floor in a jumbled mess.

“Relax,” Olivia spoke up and reached her hand to calm the barking of her Great Dane. The only ones freaking out in the group were Xavier, Belle, Sarah, Leo, and Jakob. “It’s only an image projecting lifelike images. Tyler, Anna, please come back in.”

The projections died away, and like before, the room became lit and normal. There were no ghosts or demons prowling around them. The door opened to reveal an amazed Anna and a nervous Tyler.

“It was amazing!” gushed Anna. “He just closed his eyes and said that whatever I told him, he would make happen in this room! I didn’t believe him at first, so I thought of the most horrifying and demonic things I could, but there it was! I heard poor Belle scream! I’m so sorry, sissy!”

Anna ran over to her twin to comfort her while everyone else in the room instantly thought, Tyler Marklin should not be messed with.

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

The state was in complete upheaval would be an understatement. Just as Olivia had planned months prior, Charie walked into the boardroom where the temporary fleet admiral, vice admirals, rear admirals, and captains were together for their monthly meeting. Aden was yawning into his hand when he saw the doors swing open in a grandiose state.

“Wait! You can’t go in, miss!” Tyler Marklin, who had been assigned to manning the door of the board meeting, became extremely flustered as the girl with formal attire and a veil covering half of her face walked inside. She was carrying with her an unopened box that instantly won everyone’s attention. She also did not stop until she was standing at the edge of the round table until all eyes turned to her.

Admiral Chief of Naval Operations Julian Mathers slammed his gavel down onto the table to maintain order. “Order, I will have order. What is the meaning of this?” he yelled at the young girl. Rising from his seat, he pointed his finger at the door. “Mr. Marklin, escort this woman out this instant.”

“Rig—right away, sir . . .” Tyler Marklin appeared beside the girl’s arm, but she snapped her head up to look Julian in the eye. Her fierce determination was very similar to Charlotte’s that even Aden was captivated by her presence.

“You will not escort me,” she replied, “My uncle’s wish was for me to come here and deliver something to the state, and I will not be denied any longer by your footmen. My name is Charlotte Rothschild, and I demand vengeance for the death of my kin!” She slid the box so that it would conveniently stop in front of Aden, who merely looked at the box with skepticism. He was unsure of this plan working. But after eight months of planning, preparing, and perfecting, it was all or nothing now.

Everyone else in the room burst out into chatter until Julian calmed everyone down with the slamming of his gavel. “Miss Rothschild,” he gulped before resuming, “the official report said you had died. Do you have proof that you are indeed the very same Charlotte Rothschild?”

“Are you serious, Mr. Mathers? You worked with my father countless times. Do I not look like the same child you ran into at the estate back in Chiariotti?” Her remark was crisp, like a cleaver against a meat slab silencing the questions on her identity. She knew she had the floor, so she projected her voice to add on.

“I’ve been working my way to find some aid in my endeavors. Fending pirates off while keeping my uncle’s wishes. Only when I arrive, I am treated like a fraud. I’m alive, and I’ll be damned if I let those pirates get away with their crimes.”

A captain under the name of Eric Nunez raised his hand. “I find your dilemma to be most unfortunate. Most of the continent—nay, the whole world—feels your pain, my lady. Perhaps if we sat down for some tea and biscuits after we’re done discussing—”

Charlotte slammed her palm into the oak, silencing whatever he was going to say. “I will not be sugar-coated, cajoled, removed, or assuaged until this matter is resolved. You call yourselves men when all you do is sit month after month discussing what to do—when people are dying! They are fighting for your cause! Not you.”

The discontenting generals’ and captains’ feelings became palpable in the air, and many grew uneasy in their seats.

Robert Petersons remained the most relaxed out of all the captains. He leaned his head back into the chair and replied precariously, “The little missus is right, gentleman. Ever since the devastating fall of the estate, we’ve been doing absolutely nothing. Though I’m curious as to what her uncle’s dying wish was. Hmmm?” he sneered at the girl with translucent brown eyes. “What is in the box, Charlotte Rothschild?”

She snapped her attention to Aden and pointed at the box in front of him. “If you aid me in my vengeance, I shall give you these.” Charie pointed at the box once more.

Aden, finally bored with everyone staring intently at the box, grabbed it with nonchalance. The men and women around him started to gasp as he began to toss it up in the air. He was waiting for his admiral chief to command him to open it while enjoying the slight discomfort Charie showed when he began the feat.

“Summerfeld, open it.” Julian gave his gavel a sickening whack against the wood, and Aden shrugged. He caught the box in his one hand, and with the other, he popped the top off. Inside, there were four shiny stones resting evenly on the velvet for everyone to see.

“I’ll give you these Relic stones if you will cooperate with me,” Charie replied with the sincerest and innocent smile her seventeen-year-old self could muster. After all, she realized that the floor was all hers to command.

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Olivia wiped her brow with her hand while holding the microphone connecting to Charie’s voice box. While she would normally allow Charie the freedom to use her own mind to think up things to say like Charlotte would, Olivia did not want to chance it.

The inventor had somehow managed to get the state’s attention, but who was the rat? Who? Damien was sitting beside her, holding a pair of earphones to his ears. He was listening to everything going on and then dictating to Olivia, to which she would reply in “a Charlotte-like way.”

“Do you think they would have revealed themselves?” Damien whispered before Olivia shushed him with her finger.

Tuning back into the state’s meeting, Damien prepared for what was coming next.

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Admiral Chief Julian found himself falling into his seat. “Are those what I think they are?” Everyone else seemed to jump into a frenzy trying to see the stones.

Aden glared at those who looked ready to jump him and was thankful no one had been stupid enough to do it.

Charie nodded her head grimly while Aden pulled out his spare gloves from his pocket. He picked up one of the stones out with a gloved hand and examined it in the light. He paused for dramatic effect before placing it back into its aligned place. “These stones are genuine. Zaine had a way of gloating when he had stones.” He glowered when a hand reached over, but before they could touch the stones, he closed the lid shut. “Don’t touch them unless you can resist their call. These stones are looking to be used.” He gave a dark look to Robert Petersons who only smirked in response.

“That’s right. Aden had his fair share of piracy in his prime while searching for the stones. It’s surprising that he’s even allowed in these meetings as a captain.” Robert has touched his own eyebrow, as if signaling to the scar on Aden’s face.

The male in question glared openly to his taunt. “I am nothing like those pirates,” he rebuked before staring distastefully at the box in front of him. “Girl, take these stones before I decide to grind them to dust.”

Charlotte walked around the table where Aden was sitting and grabbed the box in her hands. She moved delicately while she leaned down, and wisps of auburn hair slid over her shoulder and hit him on his cheek. It was strange that it was light like real hair, but he paid it no mind as she leaned back and away from the people staring at her.

“Summerfeld, Petersons, you will cease your banter. Miss Rothschild, I understand your dilemma, but we can’t do anything more for your deceased uncle. While it is distressing, I do hope you accept our sincere apologies.” Admiral Chief Julian nodded to Tyler Marklin. “Tyler, take Miss Rothschild to a guest chamber, but before you go, I must circumvent you having those stones. The government needs all it can get between itself and those pirates that have killed many of our innocent people.”

Two gentleman, Eric Nunez and a man known as Henry Lovetts, stood up to face the girl with hands out. “Be a good girl and give us the box,” Eric Nunez said with a smile while Charlotte took a step back. She was hoping to run to the exit, but Lovetts blocked her completely.

“Is this what it comes down to?” she yelled. “You corner a girl with stones and claim it is for the good of the state? What has our government come to?”

Tyler closed his eyes and started to whisper a prayer while Aden just grunted. Taking this opportunity to save Tyler and Charie, Aden rose from his spot. “Look, little girl, you come stumbling into this meeting, thinking we’d follow what you’d say? You must be naïve.” He pushed past Eric and he grabbed the girl roughly at her forearm and waited for the squeak. Just like clockwork, Charie acted like the real Charlotte.

Julian slammed his gavel down on the oak, getting everyone’s attention once and for all.

“Summerfeld and Marklin, escort Miss Rothschild to Lady Olivia Cheric’s office. I order you as admiral chief to leave those stones in her care. She’ll likely have some knowledge on how to draw out their powers into a weapon against Zaine and his pirate crew. If that is all, we are done. Meeting adjourned.” He stood up in a hurry, and everyone looked puzzled at the quick ending of the meeting.

When no one made a noise, Aden and Tyler pushed the auburn-haired girl out of the room and out of further danger.

“Did you use your power, Tyler?” Aden said to Tyler indiscreetly.

“Yes, I had him see an illusion of someone with a telegram for him entering the room. The telegram mentioned about his wife having an emergency. He isn’t the type to ignore an emergency call from his wife. Olivia was that all right?” Tyler waved a hand in front of Charie’s face, and with an Olivialike mannerism, she flicked his hand away.

“That was perfect. Quick thinking, Tyler. Summerfeld, please escort Charie to the lab. She’s done her job now.”

Aden continued with his brisk pace with her hand still in his grasp. Tyler followed after, looking over his shoulder nervously. He was thinking someone might have followed them, but no one was there.

“What do we do now?” Tyler whispered, and Aden breathed out, “We wait.”

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

The walk to Olivia’s lab was a quiet one, only the tranquility ended when a group of men appeared from around the corner. It was a squadron of men surrounding a man with brown eyes and suit. He was calm when he caught Aden’s eye but immediately stopped his gait when he noticed Charie beside the captain.

Tyler Marklin immediately saluted to the man stopping in place. “New Fleet Admiral Viktor Schurk, sir.”

The man stared at the girl before replying, “At ease, Warrant Officer Tyler Marklin. Why, if it isn’t Miss Charlotte Rothschild, I read that you had perished at the estate. Captain, where are you escorting her to?” He directed the question to Aden who saluted reluctantly.

“We are escorting her to Olivia Cheric’s office.” He was wary about giving too much information, though anything regarding Rothschild would peak anyone’s interest.

The man placed a hand over his heart while faintly smiling. “Perhaps I can escort you instead? We can discuss about your uncle if you’d like.” He noticed the box in her hands and attempted to reach her hand.

Aden immediately stepped to block his approach with a stern expression. “Admiral Julian Mathers specifically ordered us to escort her. I would hate to inconvenience you, sir.”

Tyler glanced between the two of them and tried to warn Aden from further disrespect. “He doesn’t mean any disrespect, Fleet Admiral, sir.”

Viktor merely crossed his arms over his military suit. He didn’t seem offended by the quick maneuver. Instead, he tactfully asked the young girl a simple question, “Can you remember anything of that day at all?”

Olivia gripped the microphone in her office while listening in with the bug. “The smell of death and blood plague my dreams daily, but I suppose the worst was the fall.” Olivia used her control box to have Charie frown at the memory though that seemed to perturb the new fleet admiral. She remembered Damien and Xavier discussing how Charlotte had been thrown off the cliff near her uncle’s estate, which would more than likely be the most prominent memory to the attack.

“How unfortunate,” the fleet admiral replied with a narrowing of his eyes. It was then that he straightened up and continued on his way. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I have a meeting with Admiral Chief Julian.”

Aden and Tyler saluted while Charie gave a small curtsy to him. They continued to look at him until he was out of sight.

“Woah, who would have thought the new fleet admiral would be on site?” Tyler pondered out loud while Aden grunted. He got a terrible premonition that something terrible would happen.

“Tyler, we need to continue on.” He ushered Charie forward with the guidance of Olivia’s controls from her office. She was also pondering why the sudden interest to Charlotte.

Speaking through Charie, Olivia replied darkly, “Why would the new fleet admiral stop a specialist, a captain, and a young girl? Even if she was the previous fleet admiral’s niece, she shouldn’t have gathered that much attention. Peculiar.”

Aden could only agree.

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

With Charie safely returned to Olivia’s room, they waited. Olivia was given an order through the intercom from Admiral Chief Julian to report to him once she performed all her tests on the stones. He was interested in the powers the stones potentially possessed and how they could be used for. Unbeknownst to the admiral chief, Olivia had long since performed those tests on the stones and given the reports over to Aden to hand over in two to three days.

“Good job, you three. Now we wait.” Olivia drummed her fingers on her oak desk before sighing. It was always the waiting game with her plans, but it wouldn’t be long before the fleet belonging to Zaine showed up.

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Late during nightfall four days afterward, something had triggered an alarm. The buzzing was a welcome sound despite what it brought. After all, it meant an end to the rat that was in the premises. What was not in Olivia’s calculations was that the rat turned out to be three-fourths of the state officials rather than just one singular person.

A few choice men remained loyal to the true calling of the state’s mission and, after some persuading, joined hand in hand with Olivia’s plan.

Admiral Chief Julian was standing on guard with Tony Dirk and Eric Nunez while Olivia held her mechanical tools as a weapon. The android had been targeted multiple times within five minutes of the bell alarm going off. Her android held the box of the four fake jewels in her hands and could only move defensively. Olivia’s Great Dane provided support by snarling at the pirates that slowly advanced upon them. They seemed to not be deterred by the mechanical dog in the slightest.

Standing as their adversary was Captain Robert Petersons with smug countenance and holding his blade with poise against the admiral. “Someone higher up wants you dead, Lady Charlotte. How unfortunate your tragedy continues on.”

“I will not allow you one step closer!” Julian snapped his sword forward while his flanking men kept Robert’s men at bay.

Olivia threw her screw driver against a pirate’s cheekbone when he charged her. Charie ran over to the window as she went through her defense protocol. The girl was about to throw the window open, but shots ricocheted through the glass.

Charie fell, and Olivia had to duck to check on her. “Tyler, is the controller still functioning?” she asked to the machine, and Tyler, who was sitting in a remote location away from the danger, answered by moving Charie’s arms.

“Controls are running smoothly, Lady Olivia. Hold on a little further. Aden and Xavier are on their way there now.”

Olivia nodded before touching the hearing piece in her ear. “Summerfeld, Drummond, what’s your status?” She snapped her hand up, and her Great Dane jumped on the couple of pirates that had managed to kill Tony and knocked out Eric Nunez. She waited until she could see the Dane was doing all right before focusing on the communications piece once more.

“Zaine and Aden are locked in a sword fight, and I’m currently stuck, trying to hold off the ice princess here. Our ETA is delayed to another ten to twenty minutes. Cheric.” Olivia clicked her tongue, making it apparent that this was all not going according to plan. Facing the admiral, she voiced the change in plans to Julian locked in his sword battle. “Captain Summerfeld and Commander Drummond are caught in a battle of their own. We cannot wait for them any longer!”

The admiral chief grunted before pushing Robert off his blade. “Robert, this is your last chance! Give yourself up and the state will give you mercy!”

Robert laughed loudly before slicing up and down with his sword, effectively getting past his defenses.

“If you talked less, you might have avoided the attack, Admiral Chief!” Olivia grimaced before turning to Charie.

Admiral Chief Julian was kneeling on his dominant leg while he grasped his side of his abdomen in pain. Robert was swiftly dancing around him, ignoring the other pirates and naval officers fighting around them. Julian merely looked in the corner of his eye to see Olivia and Charlotte barely able to cover themselves from the battles around them.

After all, the perimeter of the office of Lady Olivia was barely more than seven hundred square feet. When Robert lunged at him, Julian blocked him with his sword and looked over his shoulder to the girls. “Olivia, Charlotte, retreat! Take those jewels and go!” With that, Julian grabbed Robert’s coat with his spare hand and yanked the pirate to the opposite end of the room.

“Go!” Olivia grabbed Charie’s wrist, pulling her up from the ground. The box that was in Charie’s left hand remained between her bodice and her clenches while they rushed through the opening the admiral gave them.

“Damn it all!” Robert shouted before taking his backhand and knocking the admiral chief unconscious. “Kill those two before they leave the premises!”

The two rushed out the door and down the hallway. It was a battle against time, and they only needed to get to thePhoenix before they wound up dead. Swiftly turning the corner ahead of them, Olivia slammed into the firm body of an older woman. Her darkened auburn layered hair and a beauty mark just below her left eye distinguished her as the haughty Captain Nico Guarnera. She had a sinister look upon her face before laughing at the girls who back away.

“What’s this, two mice scampering away from the looks of things?” She drew her blade from her sheath before advancing. “Won’t you give me the honor of a dance, Lady Charlotte?”

Charie and Olivia ducked when Nico swung her blade horizontally over their heads. Luckily, the blade clashed itself against the wall, giving the two girls enough time to scurry past Nico’s next attack.

“After them!” Men from Robert’s squadron appeared on all sides of their escape route, causing Olivia to stop. She equipped her air pellet pistol and started firing air bullets at their enemies, but more and more came. Charie started to struggle when two men grabbed her from behind.

“No!” Olivia yelled and shot two distinctive air bullets into the faces of Charie’s captors. Shortly after releasing her bullets, the men released Charie, and the two girls went back-to-back.

“You all right?” Olivia heaved while Charie nodded.

“Charie is fine. Be more concerned about your health, Master Olivia.”

Olivia grimaced as she reloaded her pistols. The pirates began to menacingly laugh before parting as Nico and Robert appeared before them with bemused expressions.

“Run, run as fast as you can,” Nico chanted while bringing her blade to her lips. She slowly licked the blade with a glint. “Give us the jewels, girls. You are outnumbered and outclassed.”

Olivia narrowed her eyes while Charie shuddered. “Did you honestly think I would leave without a plan prepared? You must be incredibly stupid.”

The hall erupted with loud birds, ranging from roars to squalling as different types of the aerial species defended Olivia and Charie from further harm.

Robert grimaced as a hawk clipped his dominant sword hand. “There’s a Relic user among them!”

Nico hissed and shoved her sword forward; it looked like she was antagonizing any species of bird to charge at her. “After them! Those girls are escaping!”

The pirates that had encircled them had opened up a path for Olivia and Charie to escape through, and halfway around the corner, they were joined by Damien with his sword ready. “You looked like you needed a hand.” A tiny baby eagle popped up from its hiding spot in his jacket to on top of his shoulder as he jogged beside the girls.

“If you’re looking for gratitude, look for it later, Drummond. We got more pirates incoming at ten o’clock.”

Damien side-stepped over to his right side as one of the pirates lunged out from nowhere. It was then that Damien thrust his sword into the man’s abdomen before continuing his pursuit after the girls.

“How much longer until we get to the storage unit where your transport is located?” Olivia looked down at the watch on her wrist before snapping her head up.

“We have another two minutes. The door will unlock then, and we’ll use the scooter.” Charie was running silently before something caught in between her legs. She tumbled down in the hall, causing Olivia and Damien to cease their running.

They noticed a whip had entangled Charie’s legs, so she couldn’t move.

“Son of a—” Damien cursed before lunging forward to the two pirates that appeared suddenly.

“Damien, get down!” The male heard Olivia yell and did as she commanded. Seconds later, the wall where his head was at had blown off.

 When Damien regained his composure, Olivia began to run over to Charie. The droid was trying to untangle herself, but the whip was getting caught in her leggings. Grasping the whip, Olivia realized immediately why Charie was having difficulty. She winced, pulling her hands away to examine the biting sting of puncture wounds in her palm. The whip had small prickles that stuck to fabric too easily and hurt those who would try to untangle themselves from it.

“Take the leggings off!” Olivia yelled at the droid, and Tyler, who operated the android’s vocal and movements, flushed. He never took a girl’s leggings off before, and he had to remove them now when he was a couple of hundred meters away.

“I don’t know how!”

“Damn it.” Frustrated, Olivia reached underneath the skirt line and pulled off the leggings as quick as she could.

Charie lay there waiting, but beyond the eyes of the android, Tyler saw a pirate come up from behind Olivia.

“Lady Olivia, behind you!”

Olivia merely ignored the pirate and allowed her dog, who had just arrived moments before, to protect her in place of Damien. Her fingers were bleeding from the whip, but at least, the whip and leggings were cleared away. “Get up and move. Damien!”

Getting the boy’s attention, the blond pushed back the two pirates and ran toward the girls. They began their running marathon straight to the storage closet. “I didn’t think I would see you undress another girl, Cheric,” Damien said while running and was rewarded with a slap to his face.

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

Xavier wiped the sweat that accumulated from his brow as he focused in on his foe before him. She was a hard target to read, especially since she did not have a particular pattern of attack. She was swift, intelligent, and emotionless. It was like she was in a trance of some type.

“Ice princess, I really don’t want to hurt you,” Xavier replied. His sword was up in the second position, trying to defend himself from oncoming icicle attacks. His adversary would have the help of a Relic.

“Xav, she’s like a doll!” Aden shouted over the roar of the flames that had appeared around the cafeteria. The pirates had begun lighting the place with lighter fluid and fires while they were preoccupied with Zaine and Claire.

“I know that!” he shouted back before another stream of icicles came his way. “Just hoping she’d gain something . . . like a consciousness, you know.”

Aden gritted his teeth, holding his sword in the fifth position, waiting for his own foe to lunge into his strong upward arc he’d initiate. “It’s not like her Jiminy Cricket is going to pop out all of a sudden.”

Aden’s adversary laughed. “A bit flustered, are we?” The mask that was adorned on his face seared a fiery orange as the flames licked around them. “That isn’t the same boy I trained eleven to twelve years ago.”

“Shut it.” Aden snapped his sword hand forward, bringing himself into a lunge. He swung his blade swiftly upward and watched Zaine sidestep his sword. Before he could turn around, the backside of Zaine’s blade sliced into the cloth of his forearm. Aden could feel a trickle of blood trail down his arm while he heaved a breath.

Zaine merely stood at ready while holding his blade in the fourth position above his right shoulder. He was just toying with him after all this time. Following his example, Aden also put himself into the fourth position but switched his sword to his other hand.

“It’s time this ended,” the older man with the mask replied before charging.

Aden did the same only as he went to swing his sword, he dropped down to his knees, sliding on the linoleum, and raised his sword up to block the downward slant of the sword. It was only a millisecond, but it felt like a lifetime.

Bracing the back of his blade, Aden ignored the bite from his blade’s cut as Zaine pushed into him harder. It was there that Aden realized his problem. Zaine’s foot collided into his temple, causing him to lose composure. When he fell, Aden managed to lift his sword up to prevent Zaine’s sword from beheading him on his way down.

When he collided with the ground, the sword in his hand was knocked out of his grasp.

“Aden!” Xavier cried out, but he was being assaulted by icicle spears flying through the air. Bringing his sword over his body, he blocked a majority of the attack. A couple managed to get through and snag him on his left side and right cheek. Grunting, Xavier used his left hand to tap the earpiece in his left ear.

“Leo! Jakob! Where the hell are you?”

There was some static over the communications device before Leo and Jakob replied together over the device.“We got stuck in the corridor when some guy named Henry appeared! He’s making it hard to move forward!”

Xavier gave a growl before tapping the device again. “Find a way to get through!”

There was more static before he received a “Working on it!”

Xavier shook his head before running forward. All he needed to do was grab her shadow and end it. He didn’t need to kill her, only something in his peripheral caught his attention. Snapping his sword arm up and away, Xavier managed to block whatever whizzed at him.

“Watch out!” Aden shouted while another bullet whizzed through the air in front of Xavier.

“Hooo hoo, that was a close call.” Xavier grinned before looking at his blade. The blade got hit with two precise shots from a high-caliber gun. If he took another attack from those icicles or a sword even, it would break in two.

“Shall we end these games, gentlemen?” Zaine raised his gun in his left hand while supporting his sword in his right. He was ambidextrous when dealing with weaponry. Claire had taken her time walking over to his side with her own dagger in her right hand. She looked on with interest as her master kept the situation always in their control.

When he peered at her, she immediately charged forward to Xavier, and he braced himself in the second position for the next attack. When her dagger connected with his steel, it immediately buckled, breaking at the contact, and flew into Xavier’s shoulder. In pain, the man with the moon-and-stars tattoo withdrew from his stance. His shoulder was bleeding from the wound but not enough to make him faint.

“Xavier!”

This surprised the male when Aden shouted his name, and for a millisecond, he realized why. Icicle shards flew at him as quick as a cat, but before they made it to its intended target, a swooping scooter came out of nowhere and brought Xavier to a safer location.

Damien was standing at the entrance of the cafeteria, closing the doors from the onslaught of the pirates following them with the help of Charie while Olivia had rescued Xavier.

“Your ETA was off by fifteen minutes, Drummond. You owe me big.”

The commander leaned on the back of the scooter’s tail. “I’ll buy you as many kegs of root beer and tools as you want. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”

“And where do you think we can leave from?” Olivia looked around the huge galley before Xavier pointed straight to the balcony located on the west side.

“We escape through there. The window. We can easily get to the Phoenix from there if we cut across the manor’s garden. We’ll save time.”

Olivia scanned the window before parking her scooter and jumping off. She easily kicked off the plate where all the wiring was at and began working through the mechanics.

Xavier paled. “What exactly are you doing?”

Olivia replied coolly with a screwdriver in her mouth. “I’m changing the programing to hover short distances. You won’t be able to land on your feet with a wound like that.”

Xavier grimaced before grabbing the broken sword tip embedded in his shoulder.

“Just wanted to put this out there, but this is why I hate violence.” He pulled it out before placing his hand over the gaping wound that bled freely now. “There.”

Olivia snapped her attention up to the man before pulling out a long cloth from beneath her mobile transportation. “You should have known Aden’s mission was the most difficult. Don’t complain. Now put pressure and apply this to your wound. I do not want you dying from blood loss.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Damien was holding the door back while Charie dragged over a bench from the table to barricade the door. Damien merely took the bench and slammed it against the wood before looking at Aden’s position. The Great Dane that Olivia built jumped up onto the bench that Charie had brought over to add more weight up against the door as it bulged from the pirates pushing their way through. It began to snarl when a hand reached through a broken panel of the door, but one snap of its metal jaw was enough for the pirate to withdraw.

“Go help Aden! I can barricade the door with the pup.”

The door was being banged upon, but Charie did not need telling twice. Damien slammed a slate of wood in place of the entry point of the door before beginning to slide a couple of tables and benches over.

Aden was struggling to bring himself back up, but before he could regain his footing, Zaine was standing above him. His sword was pointed at the nape of his neck as he stared calmly at the boy.

“Do you honestly think you all will survive just because backup has arrived? You have truly changed, Aden.” Onyx eyes stared into deep emerald ones before raising his sword. Only before he could thrust it into Aden, Charie charged forward, box still in her left hand, and collided into the older man with the mask.

Aden stared in shock as Zaine lost his footing but regained his stance by grabbing the girl’s auburn locks and dragging her up to his face. “Look who we have here. How long has it been?” He enjoyed watching Charie struggling in his grasp, just finally realizing he had found what his real captain wanted.

“Seems like we have an affinity for meeting, Miss Rothschild, but today will be your last day. I will assure you of that.”

Whatever Olivia had done to her scooter was finished because she was shouting at Damien to forget the door and go to the window. Despite all the barricading he did, the door was already in shambles from all the swords, axes, arrows, and daggers. Running across the hall, he saw Aden lunge forward to grab Zaine’s leg, but the man merely stepped on Aden’s chest to hold him down in place.

“Aden!” the blond called out, seeing Charie in Zaine’s clutches. “Lionsheart!”

Olivia snapped her attention up to where Aden was and clicked her tongue in distaste. The weight capacity of her vehicle could only take one more light person with the flight proportions applied the way they were, but it would inevitably slow down her machine some more.

“We have to leave Summerfeld! Now!” Olivia yelled over the chaos of the fighting, blood, and pain she saw etched into her estate. The only thing that remained calm was Claire who had still not moved from the center of the room. It was like she was waiting for a command to move.

“Aden, be good and stay there, won’t you? I have business to attend to with Miss Rothschild here.”

He gave a sinister grin before thrusting his sword into her chest and jerking the blade a couple of inches up and across her torso. Olivia didn’t know whether she should have added all those features to make Charie as humanlike as possible, but now she regretted it. It felt like her best friend was there dying in front of her. Olivia felt the shock course through her.

“Charlotte!”

Aden watched in horror as the girl above him stared at the blade in her chest. It was only when Zaine withdrew his blade sickening slow that the droid comprehended what had happened. The box in her left hand dropped to the ground and scattered the four jewels on the linoleum.

Aden had no clue what overcame him then, but he found the strength to overpower Zaine’s strength. Charie was tossed away like a rag doll while Zaine stumbled back from Aden’s forceful jujitsu.

Damien had run over to the auburn-haired girl, picking her up as carefully as he could before running over to the window. Aden lifted himself up, and it seemed to Olivia that he was seeing nothing but killing his nemesis before him, but it was short-lived when Damien’s whistle erupted. Aden picked up his discarded sword and ran to the window. Helping Damien hold Charie, they took hold of his hawk’s ring and disappeared through the window.

Olivia felt the room drop in temperature as Claire finally registered what she had to do, but the mechanic and lieutenant commander had already flown out of the window. Putting her hand over the button on her communication piece, Olivia issued the order for retreat. “Everyone, retreat. The Phoenix is leaving.”

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

The flames licked around the cafeteria galley as the only two remaining occupants remained. Zaine had bent down to retrieve the discarded box and jewels while Claire had walked over to the window.

The door that was barricaded was breached, allowing an army of pirates of men and women alike to plow through. It was then that the crowd quieted and parted. Inside the group was a squadron of naval officers and the first admiral standing with a smirk.

Taking off his mask, Zaine looked at the jewels before crushing one in his hands.

“It appears to be a fake, Captain Zaine.” Fleet Admiral Viktor smiled. Nico Guarnera walked forward in the crowd and went straight to him. He embraced the woman before giving her cheek a soft peck. “No matter, I’ve control of the state now. We just have to ‘get rid of a few rats’ in our premises.”

The pirates laughed over Nico who remarked smugly, “Surely, Lady Olivia underestimates the true power of pirates. Wouldn’t you agree, Robert?”

Robert Petersons tossed an apple up and down from where he was standing. “All it took was someone on their side to reveal what they planned.” He laughed then took a bite of his apple. “My power easily provided a means of winning my liege.” He gave a weak bow to Viktor before resuming his dinner.

“They’ll come back again, but one less from the looks of it.” Viktor looked to the window where the skies were dyed with red and white. “Return to your posts. Robert, make ‘wanted’ posters for our retreating naval officers. Captain Zaine and Nico, get your vessels prepared. You have more to do out on the sea.”

Zaine slipped his mask on and summoned Claire to his side. “As you command.” He disappeared into the flames with Claire.

Nico, meanwhile, merely wiped her lips with a napkin before whistling. “As you command.” A boy with brunette hair and streaks of silver highlights appeared beside her with a vacant expression in his hazel eyes. “Shall I have Skylar accompany me, Viktor?”

The man looked at the boy and smirked. “He is part of the true Relic, and as long as you keep him under your control, he will not disobey.”

Nico nodded before wrapping her arms around the twelve-year-old’s shoulders. “Come along, Skylar. We have work to be done.”

“Sounds like fun,” he replied with a ghost of a smile.

 

۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞

 

After the transmission was sent to everyone, those who were not in league with the pirates had assembled to man the Phoenix. The only ones who had not been able to arrive was the previous fleet admiral Julian with his aide Eric Nunez. From the last transmission Olivia received, the two had escaped and were bound for Liliec where the academy resided. There they promised to keep the grounds open for their use if they ever needed a place to hide. In the meantime, the crew on the Phoenix ranged from forty-six abled men and women and twenty-three mechanical robots working continuously on the ship.

Tyler Marklin ran to the edge of the ship’s starboard side to see everyone arriving in shambles. “I couldn’t see or hear anything after Zaine had grabbed Charie! What happened?”

Olivia gave Xavier over to Radium and Dean who immediately took him to the medical wing. Leo and Jakob helped bring Anna and Belle on board who were shaking from all the troubles they suffered. Apparently, the pirates had somehow managed to guess every single move they made and bested them. The only thing they didn’t seem to know was that four of them were Relic users.

Damien and Aden arrived last, holding a very bloody and oily Charie. They brought her on top of the deck and lay her out, not even bothering to take her to the medical center. They knew the wound was a fatal one, even though she was a droid.

“Can’t you do something, Cheric?” Damien asked, desperately gripping the girl’s hand. She felt cold underneath his warm touch.

Olivia merely watched in shock before shaking her head. She could tell just by looking at her that there was no way to restore Charie back to normal.

It was then that Aden slammed his hand on the rail of the ship. He was angry that everything was falling apart. He was supposed to be their captain. He was supposed to be the one protecting and saving everyone, and yet she was the one who saved him.

“Mas—ter Olivia . . .” Charie started weakly, and everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her.

Olivia walked over to her creation and knelt beside Damien who was still holding the droid’s hand.

“I’m here, Charie. You did a brilliant job.”

Charie just shook her head before a clicking sound was heard. Everyone pondered what she was doing, but she returned to normal a couple of seconds later. “I have—a letter for you. Miss Char—lotte sent it three weeks after her last let—ter. Let me fulfill my duties by reading her sent—iments.”

 

Hello, everyone!

This may not be a perfect time to send a letter, but I want you to know that I will do everything I can from my side to assist and aid you in your endeavors. I just wish that whatever you wind up doing, you all are safe and sound. I am sorry for all the trouble I’ve given you, but I hope one day we meet together. Whether it is two weeks, three months, or twenty years, I know we will find one another again. I do not know a majority of the crew on theDivision, but I feel through our previous correspondence that I know you fairly and decently enough to say I love you very much. You all are in my thoughts. Until we meet again.

 

Charie whirred once again when she finished the letter. Everyone, except for Aden, had shed some tears throughout the reading, but what made it worse was Charie turning to Aden in the end and smiling.

Olivia gasped out as she witnessed for the first time her invention smiling as bright as her best friend would have in any given situation.

“Mas—ter Aden, please do not be hard on yourself for what hap—pened to me. Being similar to the mis—sus, I knew deep down, she would have done the same. Be hap—py. Mas—ter Oliv—ia, thank you for aw—aken—ing me from my slum—ber. I am hap—py to have felt what it was like to live. Thank you.”

Aden stared at the dying droid, never letting her hazel eyes leave his sight. It was only until she whirred a third time before crashing entirely, leaving nothing but a dead droid in their midst.

Olivia breathed a shaky but deep breath in before pulling herself up. “Leo and Jakob, prepare the masts. Anna head down into the caboose and prepare an easy-to-eat meal. Tyler, I want you to take the RLC and go to the helm. Damien, take Charie down to the medical bay. I will clean her up and prep her for a funeral pyre. Aden, man the reigns as captain. Move out.”

Everyone could only say in unison, “Yes, ma’am.”