All That Glitters Ch. 30

Negotiations begin with the Piscium A Society at the Emperor's Fleet Shem. An Insectoid begins to earn the trust of humanity. An empath continues her training. The Grand Congress of Empaths is turned on its head.

© bigtddybr March 2021. This story 'All That Glitters - Ch 30' cannot be transferred to any other site besides Literotica.com without the prior authorizations in writing from the author and bigtddybr must be credited for this work.

Due to the number of abbreviations, ship listings, and list of characters, in this story, I include a glossary that is now in a stand-alone chapter called 'All That Glitters: Notes'. Any and all information that you want or need to know about the series is included in Notes. It will be updated frequently simply by re-issuing the chapter to Literotica.

There is little attempt to explain the back story, so it is necessary to read previous chapters to fully understand where we are.

As before, I claim sole responsibility for the story line. This story is a fantasy, with no basis in reality. Any similarity that you may perceive to current events, people, or situations real or imaginary is completely unintended. Look no further than the story line for its intent and purpose.

A big shout out to SaddleRider for all the help she has provided in editing. With her guidance, I'm making fewer and fewer errors, but she still finds them. If you find any errors still left in this chapter, they are mine.

Please rate and comment. But keep your comments respectful. If you rant and rave or are disrespectful in your commentary, it will be deleted.

'Nuff said...enjoy.

HD 114153 Star System, 132 Light Years from Terra

The Princess had arrived at the location given by Adm. Ramison to look at the mining platform proposed as LMC-30. The first impression wasn't a good one.

Annette, her father Antoine, and their engineers had to use Emergency Escape Suits to safely move anywhere on the platform. The platform was venting gas into space. It's Marilon Generators were second-hand models and not in the best of condition. The six ore ovens were older models that Annette recognized as rejects having come from a refit of one of their platforms. They were aware of the bitter irony of that fact.

The 'accommodations' were rudimentary at best and completely unsafe. The whole station was almost a write-off. However, the core was sound. They could work to improve what they had and build off that to expand the platform.

Annette figured it would take six months before the could safely use it as a mining platform and up to two years to complete it to current model and safety standards.

They seriously debated whether to refuse the offer, however, two billion credits were being offered at very good rates by the TGA to rebuild and make use of the platform. That, is what swayed them.

They moved over to the shipbuilding station, which was in much better condition than the platform.

"What do you think?" Adm. Ramison asked the Liramors when they all moved into a small conference room.

"It's in really bad shape. The only thing that is usable is the core of the platform. It would cost too much and take too long to refit what is there. Better to take it all back to the core and build outward from that point.

"If we do that, we can have a functioning platform, with six to eight ore ovens, up to code in six months. It will take us up to two years to build it into something like the current model of LMC-23.

"Six months," Ramison stated, looking dubious.

"Can't do it any sooner," Annette informed him. "Not with the funds being provided. There are currently too many problems with the platform to safely bring what's there up to code. We need to start from near scratch. The core is solid, the rest is simply unsafe.

"If we take it back to the core, that would allow us to add more support structure to the core and build outward from there. We can have enough secure quarters to have people working full time at the platform in six months with maybe eight ovens in use, more likely six. Nothing before that would be safe," Annette told Ramison.

"Our engineer said it could be in full operation within six months," Ramison stated.

"I would fire that engineer then, Admiral," Antoine Liramor told him. "He either doesn't know what he is talking about or is scrimping on safety measures to get your platform ready in that timeline. Our estimate will get you a working platform, up to code, with six to eight ovens, in six months but one that is in transition. Anyone tells you otherwise, you want to have a second opinion on their estimates."

"I see," Ramison said with a nod. "François, what do you think of the station?"

"It is in reasonable shape but there are issues here as well," the senior Pallanders said. "We will have to work those out before we could safely put people on this station, looks like six months before we could do that. Anything short of that and I would not let my people work here as it would be a cut rate job.

"Most of the equipment is old and in poor shape. We would have to replace it all. That means new machinery at almost all levels, especially the Marilon Generators which are second-hand models to begin with. We need to replace them all with the new M/A generators. Costly, as it would all have to be shipped in.

"The big thing is to get the exterior cages built. The three cages left behind by the previous owners, are not safe to work in. It would be better to scrap them and reuse the metal for new cages.

"We could build one cage a month for every hundred EVA workers we provide. You want twenty cages now. Are you willing to support 2,000 EVA workers to have those ready in one month? If we place priority on the cages, you would have to provide transport ships that would stay in system for up to a year as housing.

"Best bet would be to do the necessary repairs and replace the station's equipment then build the cages. Six months minimum to get the station online with the current funding. Then we could put all the people we require on the station and build the cages as we need them. Eight to ten months from now, we will have the twenty cages you want, a station that is fully manned, is up to code, and is safe to work on or as safe as such a job site can be.

"We can provide engineers to support Liramor Holdings on the refit of their platform. That would be cost effective for us to have the platform ready as soon as the station is. Working together, in six months we could have the platform up and supplying us with metals and this station would be ready for full occupation. The platform would be able to supply us with a good part of our metals requirement.

"You want a timeline anything short of that, we would have to turn the job down as this station could not possibly be up to code. Not with what you are offering for funds. You want both the platform and the station up and running at full capacity in six months, you would have to provide a lot more funds," Pallanders told Ramison.

"How much more?" Ramison demanded.

"Another billion for each site, at the same favorable rates you have already offered," François told him. "I can guarantee that we can have the station in full operation within six months. We can bring in extra people to support the platform and house them here until the platform gets to minimum standard."

"With the extra funding, we could hire a lot more people," Annette stated. "We could have all eighteen ore ovens working in six months with enough space for 2,000 workers on the platform. The rest could be housed here on the station and moved to their new quarters on the platform as they are built. In one year, we would have a working platform with space for 12,000, while still providing metal for the shipyard's requirements.

"One last thing, this is going to be a navy site. You will have to have a large security presence here and Navy ratings for the armaments on both the station and the platform, which both are lacking, plus Navy warships in support. I have no doubt that the pirates will try to raid this site to take it out of operation once it becomes public knowledge that this site is still functional.

"How many people do you have that have practical experience setting up and securing a working site like this? I don't want to lose Fiona Marsh to this site from Liramor-23. She is too valuable there for you and for us," Annette finished.

"Wouldn't matter," Ramison said. "This site is in the jurisdiction of Sector Twenty-Three. Fiona Marsh could be lent to it for a time but that is all. She belongs to Sector Forty-Two and Charles Thenton and, I suspect from your tone, you wouldn't give her up from Liramor Holdings.

"However, she has a subordinate that has been working with her for several years now and is ready to be promoted. I think it is time to do that.

"Very well, I am authorized by the TGA to provide each of you with two billion credits for your separate projects and loan guarantees of an additional two billion you can draw on to ensure that this site is brought up to code and fully functional as soon as possible.

"Your statements tell me that would be in six months. Would you be willing to sign documents to that effect?" Ramison asked.

Pallanders Shipbuilding and Liramor Holdings agreed. Hannison pulled out the prepared documents. In ten minutes, they had their agreements and were ready to get to work.

Samaya Hotel, Scherm's City, Hollander's World, Sullivan System, Sixty Light Years from Terra

The Councillors of the Grand Council of Empaths came together via video link from all corners of the globe. The 245 Councillors all logged on in anticipation of a momentous meeting. Another 100 sat in one of the smaller chambers with the Chair and the lead Councillors from the recent Grand Congress of Empaths.

"The Chair of the Council of Empaths, Councillor Petronellaya," the Emcee intoned.

"Welcome fellow Councillors," Petronellaya said, calling the meeting to order. "There are a number of issues that have been raised at this Grand Congress of Empaths that you may or may not be aware of.

"First, we have called for 186 new Grand Masters as instructors. This year, we managed to get all of the instructors as volunteers. We will be able, as a consequence, to run all of the Crushes that you have requested support for with no anticipated incidents from the instructors," Petronellaya informed them.

This had always been an issue year and year again, as many people did not want to volunteer their time as instructors. It was not a one year assignment but often was a three to five year requirement of employment. Like all people, empaths had ambitions of their own. However, the needs of new empaths trumped all. As a result, the council was sometimes forced to conscript Grand Masters as instructors, sometimes with unforeseen results.

"This fiscal year, to date, we have had 1,734 new members enter the ranks of the Council with 3,451 still in training Crushes. We will lose 895 graduates from the Crushes.

We now have just over 1,400 Grand Masters. Because we have the full number of Grand Master Instructors available, the Central Council has accepted all of the requests to host a Crush. This will require the Council to support 4,290 members in Crushes around the globe. Not an unusually heavy amount. Information will be coming to the Regional Councillors shortly, along with a budget.

"I know all of you are wondering about the new empath, some of you might have been in her range during the final session, when we broadcast the traditional blessing at the end of the Grand Congress of Empaths. For those of you who did not attend in person, this year's Grand Congress of Empaths was held in the Samaya Hotel in Scherm's City.

"Yes that is correct, Councillor Hetyea, what you felt came to you from this hotel," Petronellaya explained to the viewers.

"On day one of the Grand Congress, the traditional day for new inductees to be presented, we were graced with the presence of an exceptional new empath, Junelliya Herlan, originally from Planet Anuura. She is incredibly powerful. How powerful you ask? Her basic profile reads completely off the chart," the Chair paused to let the commotion settle.

"Order, please," she finally intervened when order didn't return on its own.

"Are you telling us, Madame Chair, that this years blessing, felt in my home province, was pushed to us by one single person?" Cnslr. Hetyea asked.

"Yes, Councillor, I am," Petronellaya confirmed. Once more she had to intervene to restore order.

"When can we meet this new Empath?" asked another councillor.

"I'm afraid that Junelliya has returned home, Councillor, so we will likely not see her again until the next Grand Congress of Empaths," the Chair explained.

"You let her get away!?" one of the Councillors shouted. Again there was a commotion that the Chair had to bring under control.

"What would you have us do, Councillor? Place her in chains to prevent her from leaving? We could hardly keep her here by force, Councillor, especially considering the person she works for," Petronellaya stated, throwing up an image of Fiona Marsh for the Councillors to see.

"The Fiona Marsh?" someone asked arbitrarily.

"Yes, Councillor, she works for The Fiona Marsh of Liramor-23 fame. She is quite the formidable lady, Councillors. I would not wish to piss her off, so Junelliya was allowed to leave, along with her Trine and her pod," she explained.

"Sorry? Her Trine?" a Councillor asked.

"I did say they came from Anuura. Planet Anuura allows for plural marriages. Junelliya is part of a married Trine," the Chair stated.

"Wait, did you say her pod?" asked another confused Councillor.

"Yes. At the introduction ball, three cats bonded with the Trine," the MC confirmed.

"But they should not have been able to leave the planet then," a Councillor stated matter-of-factly.

"They have the means to bring food for their cats to their home," the Chair indicated. "This will be the first time ever that cats will leave the planet for an extended period. We will have to see how that works out.

"Grand Master Murhaya is working with them as an extended support group. She will be monitoring how the pod does with the Trine. She is expecting that Junelliya's incredible power levels will help support the cats. It will be interesting to see if that is so. If they cannot be cared for properly, then they will be required to return to Hollander's World," the Chair commented.

"That would bring them back to Hollander's World then, when they have fully bonded with their cats," Cnslr. Geturyea stated.

"They have already fully bonded, according to Murhaya," Cnslr. Deriya said.

"What? That fast?" the Chair asked.

"Yes, Madame Chair," Deriya confirmed. "According to Murhaya, the bond was quite remarkable. The cats had already accepted their names the day she met them, even though they had only been introduced the night before."

That brought incredulous comments from the assembled Councillors.

"You do not have to believe me," Deriya said. "Ask Murhaya. Junelliya is an incredibly powerful empath, she has to be for the cats to bond so fast with her. Also, her Trine is composed of one empath, Junelliya, and two non-empaths, that the cats bonded to in order to be near Junelliya."

"Enough," the Chair snapped. "While I would love to have Junelliya here on Hollander's World for her instructions, the risk is too high."

"What do you mean, Madame Chair?" Cnslr. Gallayea asked.

"You may not remember the last empath of such high power that came from off world, but I do," Madame Chair told the assembly. "Empaths of such power, coming into their powers so late, tend to self-implode. With her incredible levels of power, it is better that does not happen while she is on this planet. The last time it did, a lot of people were severely injured. Some died.

"For now, Junelliya has the best of both worlds. She has a family that loves her, and a powerful empath to train her. It is possible that Grand Master Vangeliya will lead her to her full potential. If so, we will benefit from that in the not too distant future. If not, Junelliya will die in a blaze of glory that I do not wish to be part of..."

Piscium Family Quarters, Liramor-23, Piscium System, 106 Light Years from Terra

Junelliya flopped down on the couch and sighed as she finally got a chance to truly relax, the excitement of Mind-Ur's citizenship ceremony still vivid. Juneya rubbed her head against her ear and rumbled her purr for Junelliya, who reached up and stroked her head.

Juneya looked around and then jumped from Junelliya's shoulder to explore the family space. The pod was still getting used to their new abode.

Fayad came in with Fayea riding his shoulder, pushing an anti-grav unit ahead of him. The cats suddenly got interested in the boxes of food on the unit.

"We'll have to find storage for these boxes outside of our quarters if we want to keep our cats out of them," Fayad quipped with a grin.

"I think they are still keyed up because of all the travelling to get back here," Junelliya replied. "I get the impression that they are excited about all the little spaces they can hide in here in our home."

"That should be interesting should they decide that they want some alone time," Hanalei said. "We might not find them for days until they get hungry."

"I was surprised at how upset they got during the confrontation at customs when we said we were taking the Cats off Hollander's World," Fayad commented. "I never saw such a fuss before. If it hadn't been for the intervention of Murhaya and Petronellaya, we might never have gotten off the planet!"

"Yes," Hanalei said with a huff. "It took everything Junelliya had to keep the pod quiet during that fracas. You'd think that people form Hollander's World would know what that kind of disturbance does to Cats!"

Junelliya giggled, entranced as she watched the three cats running around their home, chasing each other as they explored their new space.

"Murhaya said to make a nest for them someplace high, where they will feel safe when we have visitors," Fayad reminded them. "We'll have to watch them to see where they think that is."

The chime sounded. "Speaking of visitors," Hanalei said as "Yes?"

"It's Vangeliya," came the reply to her inquiry.

"Open," Hanalei called out as she went to the door to greet their new partner.

"How are you finding your quarters?" Hanalei asked.

"Comfortable enough," Vangeliya replied, "though a little smaller than my previous apartment. At least I have a nice view of the gas giant," she remarked as she sat down.

She suddenly found herself the center of attention as three cats landed on her and then took off again, causing her to giggle.

"They seem excited," she commented.

"I think they finally realize that this IS their new home," Junelliya said.

"Makes sense," Vangeliya agreed looking around. She spotted the food boxes on the grav unit.

"You going to leave that in here?" she asked of Fayad.

"No, but I need to find a place to store it," Fayad returned. "I'll talk to the QM and see what we can do. We'll need to bring in food periodically so we should ship it to the platform instead of to us."

Fayad opened his link and contacted the QM to see what he could do about the arrangements.

The door chimed again and Junelliya asked who it was.

"It's Mind-Ur," came the response.

Junelliya was up instantly, ordering the door open as she rushed to greet her friend. Mind-Hur stepped into the room as pandemonium broke loose!

First was Junelliya, Hanalei and Fayad giving her hugs. Suddenly, Mind-Hur found herself surrounded by flying creatures that buzzed her head before landing briefly on different members of their pod, then jumping back off to land on their respective bond mates, then doing it all over again.