All That Glitters Ch. 61

"I don't have enough information now to let them know anything, Juliana," Fiona replied. "It will take me a bit to figure things out. You'll have to handle things on the fly as best you can."

"We have a lockdown on the ICS right now, I think Security did that. Nothing is getting off the platform for the moment. But that is not working for us. Best guess is that they believe that it was the children who were the targets and that one of them might actually be dead. There is a lot of panic out there," Juliana explained.

"And it is only going to get worse, Fiona," Cynthia informed her. "You are going to have to open comms to let info off the station before you get the President of Liramor Prime or, heaven forbid, the President of the Union breathing down your neck right here on the platform.

"What's worse is that a lot of the heads of state for the Greater Community now have their own Trine Class transports. We can't put it past them to come here themselves if we don't start saying something. You are going to have to put out a quick press release, now!" Cynthia told her.

"Damn, I am not ready for this," Fiona barked. "Perron, what do we know?"

"Ma'am, these two are apparently an Orin Sallé assassination team, at least they have the markings for it. It will take an autopsy report to confirm that. Their target may have been Raymond Clark, however, the children stepped in and stopped that attempt. The assassination team then turned on the children and they were forced to fight for their lives.

"One of the children was seriously injured but I cannot tell you how seriously. You'll have to get that from medical," Perron let her know.

"Gods!! We cannot tell the people that the Orin Sallé are back!" Fiona snarled.

"Right, Cynthia, start recording, begin by asking me what is going on and get a few 'glimpses' of this area but nothing too revealing. Keep their faces and the Orin Sallé out of the images, please. Perron, Juliana, open the feed for Cynthia," Fiona ordered.

"Got it." Cynthia quickly walked away a few meters and then turned back to Fiona, making it appear as if she was coming up on the scene. She opened to the feed and her system told her she had a link.

"This is Cynthia Stewart at Liramor-23. We have just had a major incident on the platform. I am going to try to get some information from Fiona Marsh, the former Director of the Station and now the Fleet Admiral in charge of Sector Fifty-Nine.

"Admiral Marsh! Please, can you tell us what is going on?" Cynthia asked as her floater snapped fleeting glimpses of the corpses and all the blood.

"Cynthia, this is not the time," Fiona snarled at her. "We don't know very much at the moment."

"That may be, Admiral but no one else knows either and the rumour mill is rife! We need some information," Cynthia begged.

"Best we know at the moment is that these two were targeting someone on the platform and failed," Fiona told the audience. "At the moment, we really don't know more than that."

"I have heard that someone was injured?" Cynthia interjected.

"Yes, I don't know who yet and I don't know the extent of their injuries. I'm heading to the hospital now," Fiona stated.

"May I tag along, please?" Cynthia asked.

"Cynthia, the people involved my not want to see a reporter right now," Fiona attempted to justify closing her out.

"I promise to be discreet, Admiral, but we need more information than what is running around the media at the moment," Cynthia explained.

"Dammit! I don't need this right now," Fiona shouted. "All right, keep up, but you shut that you feed down at the first inclination of resistance from whomever. Medical issues are private and personal!"

"Yes, Admiral, that is understood."

Damn but Fiona is an excellent actor! Cynthia thought to herself as she moved to keep pace with the swiftly departing Fiona. She left her feed live as she scurried behind her friend.

************

Har-Ret Rai was dealing with the large files of e-mails she was receiving from all sources, some from Pod-Saar, the Pod-Drran home world, some from Maha-Oran, the Maha-Rrin home world, and many from all over Union space.

An alarm started and she racked her brain to remember what it meant.

Lock down!! Shit! She thought to herself. She asked but no on knew what was going on.

She took a brief moment to rest her eyes and spotted something on the Liramor-23 News Channel. It looked like the Atohan's children sitting in blood!!!

She screamed out to the two ambassadors and rushed from the office into the open area were many more of the office staff of the various embassies were now congregating.

The news channel was now showing nothing more than the one incident, what was being reported to be an assassination attempt against the Piscium children.

Kome-Nar and his mate rushed back into their offices and donned their robes of state. They opened the channel to the Palace on Pod-Saar and demanded to speak immediately to the Kumar-pair on an item of extreme urgency.

The image of the Kumar-Pair in the main throne room came up on the screen. The ambassadors never even bothered to bow before they blurted out what was being shown all over the station now.

"My Kumar-Pair, the incident has only just occurred. The Interspecies Embassy is in lockdown. We are all in the dark on the situation. We do know that there are at least two dead and one injured but we do not know who has died," Kome-Nar Sai-Ro informed them. "I we have Har-Ret looking into getting more information from the station Director or Assistant Director, however, they are probably hard pressed at the moment."

"My sisters are not dead," Prakeshya reassured her parents speaking in an adult voice that let them know she was channeling Poda-La. "But one has been injured."

"We will send Har-Ret to make inquiries at the hospital, My Kumar-Pair," Kome-Nar stated. Just then, one of the Pod-Drran med techs came into the embassy and approached the ambassadors. He told them something and then turned and left.

"We have just received news, My Kumar-Pair. Ikekiya was knocked unconscious and received a concussion that is now being evaluated. The blood you saw on the children was not their blood but the blood of their enemies.

"It would appear that the children engaged two assassins who were targeting Raymond Clark Sai-Ro. Engaged them and killed them in single combat. Again, we do not know the exact story. We will attempt to confirm this before the end of the day," Kome-Nar indicated with a bow.

"Seneschal, at any time of the day or night my ambassadors contact the Palace, they are to be given immediate access to US," the Kumaraie snapped, getting an immediate low bow.

"Get more information, Kome-Nar, Nar-Tre. Find out when it would be appropriate for US to visit the family," the Kumaraie ordered her ambassadors before cutting the link.

The same news was being broadcast by all of the embassies back to their home worlds were leaders were being interrupted in important meetings or during rest periods...

************

Treäk> Mutt Herrtt, the Personal Assistant to the Asoc >Catal Mutt Herrtt, burst into the Asoc's private audience chamber in direct contravention of protocol while the Asoc was involved in serious discussions with several senior Gurn.

"There has been an assassination attempt on the Palda children!!" she practically screamed as she stood in shock before the Asoc.

"What do we know?" the Asoc asked calmly, while her heart raced inside of her. She remembered the admonition of Shusshhttookkann, who had prophesied that if one of the Palda Children died, Prakeshya would never become the ruler of her people.

"An incident occurred less than 15 Larr ago," Treäk began, "It is speculated that the Palda children successfully attempted to prevent the assassination of War Dragon Raymond Clark. The children killed the attackers but were injured themselves." Here Treäk> showed the image of the children covered in blood. One of the children appeared uninjured but crying while the other was painfully pale and laying in a puddle of blood.

Treäk> heard the Gurn in the room suck in their breath. She looked to the Asoc and saw shock, pride, and awe in her eyes.

"Treäk>, tell me again just how young these children are purported to be?" the Asoc demanded.

"Asoc, in comparison to our own, they are first year Ultar. However, these children are acknowledged to be advanced for their age," Treäk replied.

"Advanced for their age?" the Asoc snorted. "What Ultar is able to kill an adult Asocan? They came to the rescue of War Dragon Raymond Clark. He fought with us and earned his title during the Battle of AsocAr. He needs no one to fight for him. Yet they placed their lives ahead of his and succeeded in their task. That is not 'advanced for ones age', Treäk>, that is Goddess inspired.

"The Piscium family gave us of their home, their food, their time, they risked their lives to help us retake our Realm from Belgedra. Palda Junelliya herself prevented Belgedra's snipers from killing us. She and the children healed the very planet and spoke to our Gods and Goddesses. The Asocan people owe much to them, Treäk>.

"Ask our ambassadors for more information and find out when we can visit the family directly," the Asoc ordered. Treäk> gave a low bow and left.

The Asoc turned to face her guests but the petty issues of this day suddenly waned in comparison to the news they had just heard...

Interplanetary Police Forces HQ, Liramor Prime, The Liramor system

C Sup. Maria Sanger, Director of Operations for IPPF Liramor Prime, was standing in the control room with the team members of the inspection team that had been sent by Diana Gorman, the Director General of all IPPF in the Union. The team had just completed their task and had given the IPPF of Liramor Prime, a glowing summary.

The people were cheering and clapping for having received such accolades when someone shouted out 'MERDE!' (a miner French curse).

"There has just been an assassination attempt on the Golden Children!" the speaker elaborated on their one-word comment as she shunted the news to the main monitor of the room.

A rather harried looking news reporter was repeating the words while an image in the background saw three bodies, one of them a child, laying in a large pool of blood while a second child was sitting nearby covered in the blood and crying.

"No further news has come out of Liramor-23. I repeat, news has been delivered from anonymous sources out of Liramor-23 that an assassination attempt has been made against the Piscium Children, the delightful children that Liramor Prime also knows as the 'Les enfants d'Or' for their amazing musical abilities.

"No further information is currently available as Liramor-23 has shut down all non-official transmission from the station and the official sources are not responding to calls for information or comments..." the news reporter began to repeat his story so the sound level was turned down.

"Call from Antoine Liramor, Director," one of the Comms techs reported.

"On the monitor please," Sanger ordered. Antoine's face came up a moment later.

"Director Maria Sanger, I am Antoine Liramor, President, and CEO of Liramor Holdings. I am requesting the assistance of IPPF to investigate an incident on Liramor-23. You may have seen it on the local news only moments ago," Antoine stated formally to indicate to Maria that this was an official request.

"Hello, old friend. I have seen the news and it greatly saddens me. Why do you think this is IPPF's jurisdiction, Antoine?" Sanger asked.

"Maria, the Interspecies Embassy is on Liramor-23. When incidents on Liramor Prime involve embassies, they become the jurisdiction of IPPF. The same holds true in this situation. I need your help Maria, please," Antoine ended.

"Call from the President's Office, ma'am," said the Comms Tech.

"On the next monitor please," Sanger ordered. No sense repeating what the President would ask for..."Allow the two to see each other."

The President's face popped up on the next monitor but it wasn't just the President of Liramor-23 who popped up on the monitor.

Marcel Lapierre was speaking with the Wilford J. Holloway and...!!!

Standing beside the President of the Union was none other than Diana Gorman, the Director General of IPPF herself. Maria snapped to attention and fired off a salute to her boss.

"Director Maria Sanger," Diana began, "the President of the Union has requested our assistance in an incident of which he has just been made aware of involving the children of a rather special family on Liramor-23.

"You are directed to provide forces for a full investigation into this incident with the following operational orders: One, find out what exactly happened and why. Two, identify who is responsible for this afront and, three, capture, if possible, those responsible for this rather heinous crime."

"Understood, Director. Your Inspection Team of twelve has some of the best investigators in the business, may I steal them for this incident, ma'am?" Maria asked.

"They are yours," Diana confirmed.

"Monsieur Le President, I will need the assistance of the Chief Medical Examiner of la ville de Liramor, s'ill vous plaits," Maria asked of President Lapierre mostly in Standard for the President of the Union.

"I will see if Doctor Domuchelle is available, Chief Inspector," the President replied, though everyone knew that if the call came from the President's office, she would most like by available.

"Monsieur Liramor, I will need transportation for twenty to Liramor-23," Maria asked of Antoine.

"My daughter owns the Princess II. It can carry more than twenty-five guests and can get your there within an hour of launching. Annette, you are at the Superintendents disposal for this issue," Antoine said to his daughter, getting a nod from her.

Annette tacitly understood that her father was deliberately placing her on Liramor-23 to lend the support of the Liramor family and to those involved.

"Is there any one on your side that you would like to bring in for liaison purposes, Antoine?" Maria asked. She also understood the true purpose of Annette being there.

"If we could put Special Security Agent Meteryea on the team that would be ideal. He has worked with the IPPF before so you would be comfortable with him," Antoine advised.

"Director General Gorman, I will have a preliminary report to you within 24hrs," Maria stated, gave a brisk salute. She turned to leave the Control Room when the new call come out...

"Liramor-23 is transmitting again!" someone called out and it popped up on a third monitor. They saw the brief interview by Cynthia Stewart with Fiona Marsh and bare glimpses of bodies on the floor.

Admiral Marsh was heading to the hospital with Cynthia Stewart in tow...

************

It wasn't long before Fiona and Cynthia were at the hospital door. The first thing they noted was all the bodyguards in reception.

"What the hell is going on here?" Fiona snapped. "Why are you all here?"

"Ma'am, we came because two little girls needed our help," the guardian for the Grotté ambassador explained.

"Where are your principals? Don't tell me they are all here too?" Fiona demanded.

"No, ma'am. They are not. The Embassy is in lockdown with a few of our people protecting all of the Ambassadors. They sent us here to help if needed," another guard replied, this one from the Harradi embassy. "We will return to our principal's once we know things are better here."

Fiona knew she could not kick them out as they had been sent by their ambassadors.

"Right, you keep out of the way then," Fiona barked unnecessarily.

She moved toward the reception desk and was directed to a room off to the side by the nurse there.

She came into the room on a scene right out of the entertainment channels where medical staff were working on one of the girls. Fiona saw a crying Zarreniya being held by one of the nurses, her mother right at her side. There were at least a dozen people in the room other than the medical staff.

"Is my sister all right, Heyya?" Zarreniya asked, tears running down her cheek.

"Yes, Zarreniya, she is OK. She has just fallen asleep. It looks like we will have to use concussion protocol two here, people," Heyya told her staff. They immediately pulled out an ECG patch and placed it on Ikekiya's head. They looked to the monitor and all sighed in relief from what they saw there.

"She is doing alright. We see some oddities but that is not unusual from a severe blow to the head. We will monitor her for the night," Heyya told those in the room who made relieved sounds.

Heyya spoke to her team and they quickly got out some shots. They gave one to Ikekiya and then approached Zarreniya and gave her the other. Zarreniya pushed her face into Katanya's arms as she took the shot. She didn't like it but if her sister could take it so could she...

"OK, let's take a look at you now," Heyya said as she put Zarreniya down on the bed next to her sister. She did a quick look and was satisfied.

"Other than being a little bit scared by what is going on, I see no obvious injuries," Heyya commented. Zarreniya reached up and Heyya took her into her arms.

"I mad at you, Doctor Heyya," Zarreniya told her.

"Oh? Why is that," Heyya asked.

"You give us shots," Zarreniya accused of her.

"Well, you were going to need them soon so I thought it best to give them now," Heyya explained.

"I know. I forgive you...just not today," Zarreniya told her causing people to suddenly need to hide their smiles at her antics. Most didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Well, I can wait to be forgiven by you, Zarreniya," Heyya replied, smiling but tears now dripping from her eyes. She had managed not to shed tears until that moment...

"Is my sister really going to be alright, Heyya?" Zarreniya asked, half whining.

"Yes, Zarreniya, she will be OK. It might take her a couple of days to recover but she will," Heyya assured her. "Would you like to stay with her tonight?"

"Yes, please. I was so afraid, Heyya, I could not feel her...I thought she was gone," Zarreniya told them, looking at her sister.

"Can you feel her now, Zarreniya?" Heyya asked.

"Ugh huh. She there now," Zarreniya confirmed. She reached out to her sister and Heyya placed her on the bed with her.

"Be careful, Zarreniya, your sister is hurt and doesn't need you adding to that. She has a big bump on her head," Heyya warned her.

"OK, I be careful. What about mommy and momma?" She asked.

"We can make arrangements for them to stay here tonight," Heyya reassured Zarreniya.

"Momma, can we sing a lullaby for Ikekiya?" Zarreniya asked.

"Which one, Zarry?" Junelliya asked.

"My Little One," Zarreniya replied immediately. She cuddled up to her sister and slowly petted her hair down by her shoulder so as not to hurt her sister's head any further. Junelliya came to stand by the bed and stroked Zarreniya's hair as her daughter began to sing the song for her sister.

My Little One was an Anuuran lullaby that Junelliya had sung many times for her daughters. Both children knew the words and had sung them with their mother on more than one occasion. Junelliya added her voice to that of Zarreniya's as they began to sing a duet for Ikekiya.

Cynthia was recording everything and she looked on the scene in the bed. She saw a ghost of a smile form on Ikekiya's lips as the pair sang for her.

Soon enough, Zarreniya began to flag and before long only Junelliya was singing. She sang the song through once more before she brought it to an end.

She ran to Fayad and Hanalei for a hug that she desperately needed. Everyone in the room joined in on it, tears streaming down their faces as they unashamedly but quietly cried.