2214 RP Thread 3

Al's communication signals started to garble again. Shell's voice, with Gren speaking in the background, became unintelligible for a few seconds.

"Shell, come in...? It seems I'm passing through another distortion..."

Al checked his rear-viewport cameras. He was shocked at what he saw behind him.

"There's no way... it's David!"

The moon appeared just several thousand miles behind the Pesachim, completely intact.

"It wasn't there a second ago!"

Taygeta watched as the Tennou walked out of the room in his holographic screen.

He was not surprised at all when he turned around and found Liara standing just behind him.

Taygeta stepped up to her and slapped her across the face.

"What the hell was that stunt you pulled!?" He yelled. "You were supposed to ensure that the invasion went PERFECTLY!" Taygeta bore his eyes into her face. "And don't tell me about unexpected variables. The only variable that needs to be controlled is your 'brother'."

Liara rubbed her face and laughed timidly. "I'm just having a little fun. You can't begrudge me that."

"FUN!? That was an imporant moment in my plans it was no time for GAMES!" Taygeta pulled his gun on her, daring her to say something else to upset him.

"Oh please..." She said as she activated a warp, which fizzled. "Oh... this is a new trick Taygeta... a 5D warp inhibitor? Very fancy."

"I am not stupid Liara. You will do as I say or I will kill you."

Liara breathed gently, not looking into his eyes. "Five... Four... Three... Two... One..." She warped behind him.

"What the!?"

"Hmn, I must have gone back in time to disable the warp field. Oh well... I may as well go and do that now." She phased out, but stayed long enough to move to his ear and whisper: "Things must be done in an order Taygeta. Your will shall come about, but it will be done on my terms. Just remember that."

Atlas fired the engines on his mech and silently left the area, without notice from the Pesachim.

"None of this makes any sense. What was I doing there?"

His mech approached New Pandora. He remembered bits and pieces of his battle with Gren.

"They'll probably be expecting me to attack them. I should try to get in unnoticed."

Atlas turned around in his seat, opening a box and pulling out a space suit.

"I get one shot at this."

He put on the suit, set the pressure, and exited the mech. He "stood" on the side of the mech in a crouching position, eyeing the station in front of him.

"I miss, and I die in the coldness of space."

As the mech drifted closer to Pandora, Atlas could see that his approach was very fast. He pushed himself off of the mech as hard as he could, flying towards New Pandora.

Atlas slammed into the side of the station, bracing himself on impact. Recovering from the blow, he guided himself to an un-guarded hatch and entered an airlock.

Gren realises something and lets out a slight laugh. "You're still ignorant, aren't you," he says softly. He was, of course, referring to Lynx, who didn't seem to have a clue as to who he was playing with. He smiled, enjoying the whole effectiveness of his disguise. It must be pretty effective.

Unfortunately, he wasn't taking the greatest care to maintain cover. Deception is not really his area of expertise. "Let's head to the hangar," he says more conversationally. "There's got to be something there we can use to investigate all the current activity."

The Tennou nervously sat and listened during the emergency meeting. Leaning over to the president of Graves, he whispered,

"We've been here for three hours. What is the point of this?"

The Council was quietly discussing something with Taygeta, periodically glancing at the large round table where the leaders of Kaperth's nations were sitting.

The Tennou became frustrated.

"What's the meaning of this? You are up there speaking to each other, keeping us sitting here just waiting? Why have you called us all here?!"

The head councilman stood up and addressed the Tennou. Taygeta smugly stood next to the councilman.

"There has been a change in plans, Tennou of Kadmas. It seems that the global war-powers act, passed by a unanimous vote in the global council, is now in effect. Since Kadmas was directly involved in the construction of New Pandora, we have reason to suspect that your people are directly involved."

The Tennou started to look quite pale.

The councilman continued,

"Therefore, you are forbidden to return to New Pandora, and control of Kadmas is temporarily delegated to the global council. Taygeta will be in charge until you are cleared."

The Tennou rushed to the council's bench, infuriated.

"Damn you, Taygeta! I *knew* you were planning something, but usurping command of my own nation?!!! I'll KILL you!"

The guards seized the Tennou as the leaders of the other nations of Kaperth looked on.

"You won't get away with this!"

Outside of the council's chamber, the Tennou broke free of the guards and made a mad dash for the nearest elevator.

"Either I get back to the investigative team, or die trying...."