Melinoe Ch. 16-20

Samira cycled through the locks with her wetware as the limb was accepted into her isolated system and she proceeded to log all the capabilities of the new appendage.

As Agatha continued with her briefing, she told them what they needed to know, and would not elaborate due to time constraints or possible changing mission parameters. She felt Max's pride and Nomissa's professional approval...Samira was still recovering from her dive, but the emotions from her were appreciative.

"We will deploy through the boom, fully extended and lowered to the shore line. The less exposure the Deirdre receives the more likely our insertion will remain covert." Agatha explained.

The breaching boom airlock could be canted at thirty degrees port or starboard and down at a forty-five degree angle, allowing for deployment three meters below the ship.

Agatha nodded to her team and, with all checks completed, they cycled through the boom to the armored breaching lock.

"Helmets, and hoods." Agatha declared.

Agatha did a H.U.D. team check... eight green...

"Engage nanoweave."

They were ready to drop.

The corvette came in low, it's powerful Trankaran maneuvering thrusters held station with ease. The breaching boom extended and gave the Deirdre an appearance of having a proboscis.

Vika feathered the thrusters and held, within a meter of the soft grey sand of the beach. The Ambassador's operatives dropped within seconds...In two separate places. Agatha said, "Go!" at the same time.

As Deirdre's digital camouflage made the tiny warship less noticeable on the deserted stretch of beachhead, Vika feathered back with a soft touch as the ship deftly rotated. Agatha aligned and retracted the breaching boom... it had performed exactly as she had expected.

The optical camouflage the nanoweave coverings afforded was superior in concealing the team of commandos. Agatha led the way across the sands to a rough-cut terrace. The terrace gave access to an extensive natural cave system wherein was a sacred place the Mulsi Holdship traditionally held their breeding rituals.

Agatha knew exactly where Miku was... but worse, she knew what was planned for her.

0o0

"We are entering the caves," Agatha faithfully reported. Ambassador Zess held her sister's hand... listening to the continuous updates from the rescue operation.

As Joon listened she watched the personal mannerisms, noting the Ambassador relied greatly on her family in this moment. Agatha mentioned the caves were partially engineered, carved rooms and there was some leveling the natural inclines. She also mentioned sentries, what few encountered were drones. Agatha asked the Ambassador to consider an area media blackout.

"What do you need, and when you need it." The Ambassador asked with a steely resolve. Agatha outlined her layered contingency planning. The Ambassador nodded in understanding, "I can make that happen."

0o0

Agatha slowly moved her head around the corner of the corridor. The nanoweave hood bent the light spectrum around her, but it did nothing for sound or movement.

The repulsor drone was moving at a steady sedate pace. It might be in autonomous mode, but Agatha was sure there was a Dauzakai somewhere on it's monitoring tree.

Agatha was able to relay the situation to Max with touch signals from her hand much further back in the tunnels they were traveling. As the drone turned the next corner, Agatha advanced with quiet steps. Agatha's priorities allowed for no compromises to the mission's covert nature.

There was a time constraint, but discovery would only hasten undesirable outcomes.

Agatha repeated the slow corner check, seeing the drone ascend a carved stone incline. Her other Hand led the Rescue Team through the twisting passages. Threading a silent path through the maze, their route couldn't be diverted. Agatha quietly backtracked to rejoin the team, having done so several times now.

The minutes oozed by as they moved deeper into the caves in silent infiltration.

0o0

Astrid was monitoring the Mulsi Holdship's activity. Agatha's briefing outlined their production numbers and Astrid noticed that this Holdship was one of the few who hadn't taken any initiative on diversifying their capabilities. They seemed stuck in the status quo, for a decade.

Astrid had also noticed that Mulsi rarely fostered clutches from other Holdships, a common practice from the more productive communities. "They seem to disdain other holdships..." Astrid said quietly.

Agatha nodded, then combined these thoughts with what she knew of planned events. "This Holdship has developed a number of... Questionable practices. They don't just 'revere' some obscure tradition... they actively encourage elitist behavior across the Enclave." She concluded.

Astrid peered at Agatha, "Just what have we got here, Ag's?"

Agatha shook her head, "Not now... we will have time later for discussion." Astrid blinked not having heard Agatha's command voice, but she immediately understood. They really couldn't get distracted, not in the middle of a mission.

0o0

Agatha surveyed the massive chamber... It looked like some kind of amphitheater. Two long banners hung from the ceiling emblazoned with a stylized fishing spear. It gave the impression of having seen better times as it was unkempt and dirty. I was indirectly lit by three powerful floodlights, but there was a darker section, where one fixture was no longer functioning.

She saw two security drones...

In the center of the cavern was a huge pool of water. Agatha knew it was connected by an underwater tunnel... allowing a dominant Daubukai access to the chamber. The two security drones slowly circled the edge of the pool...

The Team advanced quietly, taking up positions next to her at the entrance. Agatha studied the timing, and as the drones reached the optimal range the Rescue Team quietly moved to the shadowy patch in the gallery.

The three Hands of Agatha armed with XLR-120's climbed even higher into the auditorium. Her Hands quietly and carefully set up the heavy sniper rifles which were shrouded by nanoweave sleeves with only the very tips of their long barrels peeking out.

Max, Samira and Nomissa were lying low in the shadowy section of the carved stone seats of the amphitheater gallery. Agatha's two remaining Hands took up flanking positions on her team.

Then she felt it...A toxic, loathing, overpowering hate entered the bubble of her empathic senses.

0o0

Agatha glanced at Joon, an unusual expression on her face.

Joon raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

Agatha pursed her lips, "Something new..."

Zess peered curiously, "New?"

Agatha turned to the Ambassador, "My apologies, your Excellency..."I was under the impression that there would only be Dauzakai in the Mulsi Holdship. There is a presence there that is decidedly not Dauzakai."

Zess stared blankly, "What does that mean, Is this becoming more than a rescue operation?"

Agatha's lips thinned... "I would rather not speculate at this time."

Joon bit her lip, and nodded, "You're juggling right now, I am sure the after action report will be enlightening."

"If this becomes more than I can handle, I will request assistance." Agatha stated soberly. Zess and Joon's eyes met... Agatha could sense worry adding to the stress in the room.

Agatha had to concentrate on the mission.

0o0

Agatha could now sense Miku... She was confused and upset. A long line of Dauzakai in pale robes marked with the fishing spear made their way down the far tunnel into the amphitheater. The emotions from them were an odd mix of fear and fervor.

Agatha watched the progression noting possible combatants. Within their numbers a large maintenance drone half carried, half dragged, a naked and dazed Miku. She was bound at the wrists with polymer shackles held by the manipulator arm of the drone. Miku's staggering gait suggested she was still under a debilitating drug's influence.

At the rear of the procession Agatha finally saw the source of the overwhelming hate. A smallish, sickly-looking Dauzakai, it's scales pale and dull. She walked with a long barbed fishing spear, with sharp, wicked looking edges.

She was holding it before her like it was an icon, a symbol, of this new world order. The closer the hateful leader got the more confusing the emotions became. An interwoven duality... Two distinct feelings of hate... impossible to separate

A sibilant hiss sounded across the chamber and the forty-seven Dauzakai in robes moved to line the large pool. The two security drones deployed illuminating torches and HD-holo recorders.

Agatha suspected the hateful leader was making every effort to use this opportunity to orchestrate an emotional spectacle. This was now obviously a single play in a much larger game. Agatha asked the Ambassador to ready a media blackout and stand by.

The hateful Dauzakai directed the large drone handling Miku to move to the edge of the pool. All of the Dauzakai lining the pool disrobed at the hateful leaders command. Her instructions in the Dau language were jagged and halting.

They turned their backs to the pool and crouched down and they began the holdship's breeding ritual, engaging in a sing-song chant of their native tongue and punctuating each stanza with a tail slap upon the surface of the pool.

During this ritual, Miku seemed to become more aware of her surroundings. The hateful leader stood behind Miku who was still held upright by the large drone.

Agatha studied the diminutive hateful Dauzakai. She was wearing a faded robe, her arms, legs and tail seemed thin and frail. Yet her back was hunched and bulky, like she wore a large duffle under her apparel. Agatha could taste the two different colors of hate, one was far more dominant.

The tail slapping ritual began slowly increasing it's tempo. Miku's unfocused eyes gazed briefly at the pool just as a huge dark form rose from the depths. Agatha had been expecting him... She asked the Ambassador to engage the blackout.

Five meters in length with black polished scales, the Daubukai was a large specimen. His head alone was a meter long, with a maw full of sharp curved teeth. The ritual ended and the Dauzakai turned around and knelt all around the edge of the pool.

A deep reverberating growl filled the ritual chamber. Miku became fully awake, she managed to stand on her legs, her eyes wide with fear. The hateful leader raised her thin arms holding the spear aloft proclaiming loudly in the Dauzakai tongue.

Daubukai would cleanse this world of the unclean... His rival was nothing but prey. The Dauzakai lining the pool raised their arms, mimicking their leader.

A massive black scaled snout drew close to Miku. Intelligent green eyes focused on her as two nostrils on the end of the snout opened and snuffed at Miku's belly.

Miku stood stone still, gazing at the massive male.

Their eyes locked. The Daubukai snuffed Miku again, a long slow inhale then drew back. He then rolled over on his back, presenting seven engorged penises.

The hateful leader screamed in rage. Yelling how stupid the Daubukai was as she felt the moment slipping away. The tiny hateful Dauzakai charged Miku with the wicked looking fishing spear poised to strike.

A sudden massive crescendo of weapons fire shattered the ritual.

Every weapon fired in that very precise volley had a specific desired effect.

With the XLR-120's Agatha placed the 50g 15mm tungsten projectiles at the CPU of the large maintenance drone, the weakest joint of its manipulator arm, and the thickest part of the bulky object that was hidden under the hateful leader's robe. Agatha suspected that it wasn't a backpack.

She also neatly shredded the two security drones with her XR-75's in controlled bursts. Agatha felt the hate instantly disappear; a weak sense of relief emerged. A curtain of sparks showered down from the large repulsor drone and screams and waves of fear from the dozens of Dauzakai followed with the chaos of them fleeing for their lives back up the tunnel.

The Daubukai must have felt this situation was too noisy for him, even for sex, and left the chamber through the underwater tunnel.

The drone arm that was holding Miku was shattered, she dropped and rolled to the side as the large drone, which was perforated through its CPU, effectively lobotomizing it, slid harmlessly away at a sedate and declining trajectory.

Max and Samira leapt into action... running down the steps. "Miku, it's Max... We got you." Max rattled off as her blurry form huddled next to Miku. The Terran Captain disengaged the nanoweave shroud and Miku's eyes went wide, a tentative smile appeared on her face.

Samira, Nomissa and two of Agatha's Hands also disengaged their light bending apparel, showing Miku she had rescuers.

Nomissa looked at the crumpled form of the sickly thin Dauzakai; Her faded robes now soaked black.

"We need to recover this one also..." Agatha glanced at Nomissa.

The Caretaker nodded.

Agatha's XR-75 wielding Hands went into their packs. Max received a nanoweave poncho with a hood for Miku. She showed the now trembling Miku the push button to activate the light bending material.

Miku was obviously suffering from shock, but there was no time to recover here.

Agatha had stuffed the rest of the contents of one pack into the other after redistribution. The pack was then expanded as large as it could go and Nomissa and Samira eased the small pale Dauzakai into the pack, she was barely conscious.

With her body securely in the pack, only her snout and face were protruding. Agatha felt a gentle serenity flowing from the frail figure. Max switched packs with Agatha and carried the sickly thin Dauzakai. Nomissa guided Miku, holding her hand and whispering encouragement.

Samira would be at Miku's back ready to provide cover should she need it.

Agatha's Hands, who were high in the auditorium, had collapsed their bi-pods and moved down to the pool's edge, arriving just as the team re-activated their nanoweave and returned to the tunnels they had used to get to the chamber.

That is when more repulsor drones came in through the other entrance: two Security drones and a Combat drone. Their bronze insect-like Dauzakai designs gave a sinister appearance in silhouette.

The security drones were designed to be light and fast and were equipped with an efficient surveillance package and satellite tracking; excellent as a first responder or reconnaissance role. They carried the equivalent of small caliber SMG with three hundred rounds of ammunition.

The larger combat drone was armed with a pair of assault rifle equivalent weapons and utilized armor plating and almost a thousand rounds of ammunition. Designed for threat elimination, it relied on more specialized drones for target acquisition.

Nomissa was intimately familiar with them; she was an expert drone pilot among her other qualifications Agatha had briefed everyone, but Nomissa could have elaborated... They could still encounter much nastier drones.

The team advanced to the exit while three Hands stopped, turned, took aim and fired the 15mm caliber rifles.

The three drones dropped as one... their CPU's cored through.

0o0

"We have successfully liberated Miku from her captors." Agatha reported.

An exuberant cheer arose in the living room of the residence and Agatha felt the anxiety dissipate.

"We are proceeding to extraction." Agatha continued. "However, we have a complication..."

The Ambassador nodded, "Iss it concerning what you couldn't posstulate about earlier?"

Joon glanced at Agatha.

Agatha looked somewhat chagrined, "My apologies, your Excellency."

Zess smiled, "I completely undersstand, you are working very hard right now, you have nothing to apologize for. Now what sseems to be the difficulty?" The Ambassador leveled her gaze.

Agatha nodded, "According to my intelligence, in addition to Miku, we are also extracting Vizier Telkiss of the Mulsi Holdship, Haeguss Enclave.

"I cannot be certain, but I believe she was influenced by a parasite, and it's corpse may still be in play." Agatha continued. "What priority would you place her, and where should we deliver her?"

Agatha waited patiently letting the Ambassador mull that over.

Zess refocused on Agatha, "Bring them both here... I will call medical assistance to Ssakima-ssadi-missimi."

0o0

Agatha trotted down the dim tunnel, her footsteps were less stealthy than she would have wished.

A Combat drone suddenly rounded the corner and Agatha threw herself down and to the side. Brrrrrrrrt... The muzzle flashes, like twin suns lit up the passage, over Agatha's head. The drone pilots had figured out some manner of camouflage was masking the positions of these intruders.

With amply armed and trained citizens, even a highly trained strike team will get worn down eventually. Worse... the pilots were obviously learning, passing on knowledge in a shared interface.

Agatha's second Hand cored through the Combat drone as the first had lured the ambusher out.

A Security Drone peeked around the corner attempting to Identify the shooter of the Combat Drone. The prone Hand shredded it with her XR-75.

Agatha knew this little skirmish would draw drones to it... as they attempted to saturate this area. This had the benefit, though, of drawing them away from the tunnels the rest of the Rescue Team were now using to reach the beach...and subsequent extraction.

She was confident her Hands could catch up with them... after this little distraction did its work.

0o0

Max slowed and stopped... Nomissa and Miku made slower progress but, as they made their way, Samira covered them from behind. She employed her new tail to keep constant watch behind them.

The tactic had already proven invaluable, as the fast little Security Drones had already come up behind them once already. Samira was able to shred them efficiently, dual wielding her XR-73's, using her tail and smart-links in targeting...Downing both of them, without stopping, without turning, and behind her own back. The large anti-ballistic riot shield stopping the small caliber rounds fired as the Drones were finished off.

Agatha sent two Hands to divert attention away from the Rescue Team's exit strategy, but Max was worried about losing any part of Agatha, she was precious. Then felt the little something in her mind.

*Thank you.*

Max blinked in shock.

They embraced briefly... *We have both grown stronger.*

Max thought it sounded like Agatha's voice in the communal dreams.

*Tell me...* Agatha thought to Max.

Max looked at the blurry outline that she knew was Agatha.

*Your voice is lovely...* Max thought to her alien wife.

Agatha hugged her again. *Thank you, honey... we can practice together now.* Agatha thought to Max.

Nomissa and Miku caught up to them so they both continued moving, it was slow and steady... as quiet as they could travel.

Max and Agatha started chatting together without making a sound.

0o0

Agatha frowned at the sensors...Vika glanced at her.

"This might be unfortunate..." Agatha muttered.

Astrid's eyes went wide, "Fuckmuffins!"

The Heavy Battle Drone was now flying back up the coast, and according to tracking data, at flank speed. Agatha glanced at Vika. Vika didn't make a sound but nodded.

"I know it's a little late to ask... Is there a way to stand down Enclave forces?" Agatha asked the Ambassador softly.

Zess nodded, "I can make a requesst, but every Enclave has an amount of independence on defending itsself." Zess shrugged, "If I am very lucky, Intendant Naoli will be willing to take me at face value if I ask her to stand down."

Joon pursed her lips, "What kind of political backlash will that carry?"

Zess bit her lip, "Mosst likely... Quite a lot.