MF Max Intel Ch. 01-05

*Samira I am sending you a mental image of three suspects Joon is uncomfortable with. One straight behind Teffa and one on each side. All on the upper level. Sending you a mental image now.*

Samira received the images and quickly identified the three. Each of the three were wearing police uniforms and attempting to make their way to the front of the balcony, getting a clear line of sight. Samira, very unobtrusively, made her four arm lasers ready to fire and cleared her tabbard from her thighs for immediate access to her Oricalcum pistols.

The State Prosecutor asked Teffa, "Major-domo Teffa, would you please recite the events as you remember them on the night in question?"

"Yes, revered Prosecutor. I was monitoring cameras the staff had placed on top of and around the Embassy when I noted an aircraft was violating our airspace. Concurrently I noted two vehicles stop in front of our main door. I locked the blast doors to the front as I let the staff in attendance know we seemed to be under attack. I notified the correct authorities in accordance with Concordat procedures while the staff quickly armed themselves to repel the attack and we were successful in thwarting it with no casualties, even taking a few prisoners which we allowed the police to interrogate."

"Major-domo Teffa, do you recognize any of those whom you took prisoner here in this courtroom?"

Teffa nodded and was about to point to the defendants when Samira spotted the central figure pull out an SMG and move to aim it at Teffa. Samira immediately yelled, "Teffa! Get down!" Samira activated her hard light armor and jumped between the assailant and Teffa while aiming all four of her lasers on the assailant. Three targeted the SMG and one targeted the assailant's eyes, burning them out of his head. The barrel of the SMG quickly melted under the heat but not before several rounds had been fired, all of which bounced off of Samira's hard light shielding.

Samira concentrated on her shields and was able to envelop Teffa as well just as her peripheral vision caught sight of two grenades being hurled by the other two suspects. Samira knew she and Teffa were safe...but the rest in the courtroom would likely be dead if she didn't do something fast.

Deep down in her being Samira felt an itch. She flung herself wide to it and instantly 5 shafts of hard light shielding struck out from her body, their terminating ends enveloping the three assailants as well as the two grenades.

Within a blink of an eye the two grenades exploded with bright flashes of light and loud booms. The hard light shielding not affecting the sounds or lights of their explosions.

As soon as the explosions were contained Samira had her four pistols out and demanded everyone get on the ground. It was chaos in the courtroom. But, to their credit, Emuzi and his palace security officers jumped and subdued the three assailants as Samira's hard light projections lowered them to the ground floor.

"Emuzi! Clear a path! We are outa here! Teffa! Jump onto my back and hold on!"

Teffa jumped up and held on for dear life. Emuzi grabbed two officers and they literally bulldozed their way through the maddened crowd. And the group was inside the Limousine and exiting the area within 30 seconds.

"Back to the Embassy?" Emuzi asked in Slarmiti forgetting to use trade speak in the excitement.

"Ssamira, to the Embasssy?" Teffa translated.

"Yes. And stop for nothing!"

Teffa translated to the driver and Emuzi and the driver put the limousine through its paces, tearing through the streets with abandon.

0o0

Max began to give orders. "Addams! Secure the front of the building! They will be coming in hot, and we want them under cover the instant they get here! Agatha! Get the Deirdra airborn! Battlestations everyone!"

Astrid ran to get into her battle bots and as soon as the cargo bay doors were opened, she shot out and moved to intercept the limousine so she could provide air cover for their return. Max, Vika, and Agatha shot out of the main hatchway with Addams who was shouting orders over his comms, putting the Marines on high alert and moving a contingent to the roof with anti-air munitions and the front door to secure the perimeter.

On one straight-away the limousine driver saw an airship, not dissimilar to the one that attacked the party with the dignitaries, doing a strafing run at them from straight ahead. The driver was able to veer clear of the laser blasts but as soon as they passed the airship tuned to make another run.

*We are under attack by an airship!*

Astrid responded, *On it! I have them in my sights. Neutralizing!*

Astrid's bots flew by at incredible speed and engaged the airship, destroying it with the initial salvo. *Another airship is on an intercept course, moving to engage!*

It never got close.

The front doors to the Embassy burst outwards and a squad of Marine Spec Opps troops with Vika and Max standing at the apex formed a semicircle in front of the doors just as two large trucks came to a halt fifty meters away. Twenty-five fully kitted assailants piled out of the backs of each of the covered trucks and Max pulled her bow.

"I got this."

Max pulled up her haste and let loose with 60 arrows within 5 seconds and took out all fifty assailants with perfect head shots, disabled both of the trucks, and killed the drivers.

Vika laughed, "GOOD SHOOTIN TEX!"

The Marines were slack jawed until Sergeant-Major Addams barked, "Pay attention to your fire arcs Marines! The limousine is ETA three minutes!"

At that moment, three 12 foot tall, bull Largath bellowed a battle challenge from the other side of the road. They had just cleared the corner of the building in full battle armor and were running dead at the Marines.

Vika hollered, "Hold your fire! I got this!" With a poof of purple smoke Vika appeared before the charging Largath and before they could train their rifles on her she let loose with 24 wind blades, blinding the Bulls before she poofed and reappeared on the back of one Largath at a time, driving her dagger into the base of their brain before popping onto the next until they all lay dead in the street.

Vika popped back to the perimeter just as Steiner mumbled to the Marine next to him, "Remind me to thank Lakita for saving my ass at the demonstration."

"Roger that, Marine! Was all he managed to say."

*Samira, we just cleared the street of 50 Slarmian assailants and 3 bull Largath. Tell your driver to run on past them, the area is secure.*

Samira relayed the message to Teffa who translated on the spot to save time.

"Polkovnik Emuzi as you are the Grand Slarmian Dynasty's Naval Infantry Officer in Command of the Palace Security Regiment: I, Major-domo Teffa, hereby formally advise you that the Terran Embassy and it's staff are again under attack."

Emuzi was not amused though he did smile at the Major-domo's attempt at humor. "I have no doubt that heads will roll. I suspect The Grand Potentate will now meet no resistance declaring martial law until this is completely dealt with. This has now officially become an Executive matter as the office of Potentate has now been publicly embarrassed."

Just then the limousine breached the defensive perimeter of the Embassy and Max opened the limousine's doors, "Everyone inside! Move it!"

Everyone in the car, including the driver, immediately moved. The driver reading body language making verbal understanding unnecessary. The Marines closed around everyone and backed into the Embassy, closing the blast doors with improved locks as they passed.

Sergeant-Major Addams called his Marines over and quietly stated, "You saw nothing. Understood? This is eyes only stuff and is above everyone's pay grade."

Steiner laughed, "Who would believe us? Who of us wants to end his or her career? You're damn straight Sar-Major, I didn't see shit!"

Max looked to Agatha, *The Deirdra's sensors picking up any more hostile traffic?*

*The air traffic lanes are alive with military and Bazaar security ships, it is getting crowded up here. No more hostiles on sensors. Astrid is doing a wide sweep to be sure before docking and we will be returning to the Embassy.*

*Full debrief in 30 minutes in Joon's office.*

*Yes, my Captain-Wife.*

0o0

When the shit hit the fan, Nikke and Emma hit the cyber net to gather all the intel they could. While the hands of Agatha monitored the military and police traffic, they focused on electronic communications coming from and going to the Palace and the Embassy techs focused on the public sector. The data collected was a windfall for the intelligence side of the group.

0o0

After Astrid verified the area around the Embassy was now clear she pushed her thoughts to her drones, complimenting them on a job well done. While not fully AI, the drones did have personalities and were proud of their performances, expressing their appreciation for her praise. The drones mustered in the cargo hold and shut down to standby mode after a data dump into the Deirdra's main computer. Astrid was disgorged and she walked up to the Bridge where several hands of Agatha were manning fire control, communications, and piloting. The place was quiet as a mouse since everything was being coordinated via telepathy between the hands.

Agatha at fire control threw Astrid a mental hug, *You saved them. You know that, right?*

Astrid smiled, *My kids did a fantastic job, today. I made sure to tell them so already. But, thanks.*

0o0

Polkovnik Emuzi, Agatha, Samira, Astrid, Max, Joon, Vika, Sergeant-Major Addams, Lieutenant Cynthia Nesbit, Lieutenant Walter Hill, and Senior Chief Jason Ferguson, Zuki and Teffa (Zuki was not leaving Teffa' side) were all in Joon's office, sitting uncomfortably and waiting for Joon to begin. The Marines were still on high alert, watching the perimeter and the Navy personnel were still monitoring the digital traffic.

Emuzi asked, "May I be allowed to update thingss from the Dynassty'ss sside?"

Joon smiled and agreed.

I have just been in contact with the Grand Sslarmian Police Chief in a conference call with the office of the Grand Potentate and my ssecurity office sstaff. No move has been made againsst the Grand Potentate, however he iss being clossely guarded until this debacle can be ssorted out. The three captivess from the courthousse are being interrogated ass we sspeak by Insspector Yzix, who will also ssoon be coming by to deal with the deathss of the asssailantss in the sstreetss."

"I have been forwarded a video from an adjoining building that sshowss ssome very interessting thingss. I apologize, but the video recorder was placed there by my office, I hope you undersstand."

"Joon smiled, "Emuzi, I would be very surprised if that had not been done. It will always be in your people's best interests to know who is visiting the Embassies on Staverka. No offense is taken."

"Thank you for your undersstanding, Exquissite Lady." Emuzi bowed deeply. "I have questionss that need ansswering before otherss make it here, if I may?"

Joon nodded, "Please, continue."

"Firsst, the airsship that ssaved our livess in the limoussine? I do not believe I recognize it, though it did have liness ssimilar to a Dauchazi battle drone, if a very heavily modified one."

Astrid asked, *What can I tell her?*

Joon looked at Emuzi, "I take it this is information that cannot be contained?"

"Several Naval vessselss who were ressponding to the attack do have documentation, and I ssusspect sseveral citizenss may have video ass well."

Joon nodded, *Go ahead and be honest.*

Astrid looked at Emuzi, "I was inside that flying craft. It is actually a composite craft of several highly modified Dauzakai drones and is a very powerful defensive craft."

"I mean no dissresspect, Misss Komatzu, however, what I ssaw wass a very capable craft. Capable of both offenssive and defenssive operationss. I take it your aircraft only came out becausse of the threat to the Conssulate sstaff?"

"That is absolutely correct, Emuzi. We are not an invasion force. We are diplomats who just happen to be able to defend ourselves."

"Thankfully sso, Misss Komatzu. I have no doubt our driver, mysself, and your Major-domo are sstill alive ssolely becausse of your timely intervention. When assked I will emphatically expresss the craft iss sspecifically for usse in defensse of the Embasssy and wass brought online in ressponsse to the earlier attack on your ssoil."

"Which would be exactly how we see it, Emuzi," Joon agreed.

"Ssecond thing, Ssamira. It would sseem you not only have lasser rifless in your armss but alsso can alter their power output. One asssailant wass blinded with little damage to hiss face while the rifle he carried wass literally melted and even cut into piecess while sstill in hiss handss."

Samira nodded, "You are very observant, Emuzi."

"Misss Ssamira, I alsso note that you have ssome type of adaptive body sshielding? Itss exisstence iss remarkable but what really impresssess iss you can manipulate it to envelope other people or objectss. Iss thiss technology widely ussed in Terran Federation Sspace?"

"I can tell you for certain, it is a one-of-a-kind type of shielding of my own invention."

"Would one be able to aquire thiss technology?"

"Sorry, Emuzi, it is not available."

Emuzi nodded, "I apologize, but I had to assk."

Just at that moment there was a chime from Sergeant-Major Addams's video phone on his wrist.

"Whatcha got?"

"Sar-Major, there is a shuttle carrying an Ambassador Crinx who is asking for permission to land on the pad. Do we have permission to allow the shuttle to land?"

Joon nodded.

"Let them land and escort the Ambassador directly to Ambassador Joon's office."

"Roger that, land and escort. Out."

"Thiss bringss me to the video outsside. Would you like to ssee it?"

"Yes, please!"

Emuzi tapped his comms device and a hologram appeared in the center of the room. It displayed the moments just before the Marines came bursting out of the Embassy up to the point the Limousine pulled up. It clearly showed Max pulling a bow out of thin air and with eye-blurring speed, loosing dozens of arrows. It also showed Vika disappearing and reappearing in puffs of purple smoke as she attacked the Bull Largath. The Skerawk wind blades and glass like knives appearing out of nowhere and then, after a few moments, disappearing into thin air.

The military people present, with the exception of the Sar-Major, went white as ghosts.

Emuzi looked at the video and quietly whispered, "I don't know where to begin. I mean, are thosse hard light consstructss?"

Max smiled, "Something along those lines, yes."

"I musst assk, Sstarchild: iss thiss your doing?"

Agatha smiled, "You seem very well informed, Emuzi."

"I am not the head of Palace Ssecurity becuasse of my rugged good lookss," Emuzi smiled.

"Yes, I am a Starchild. Yes, I have imbued my family with fantasy class abilities. No, I have no desire to rule over anyone. And what I just told you is for your eyes and ears alone."

Emuzi nodded, "Sso I will be correct in sstating it is technology that is very limited and few posssesss it and it is not for ssale."

"You would be correct and honest as far as that goes, yes."

"Thank you all for trussting me. I will keep your ssecretss ssafe."

Sergeant-Major Addams looked at the Lieutenants and the Senior Chief, "Now you know. It seems this little fiasco has revealed a few things that are not for publication on any report, to anyone. I have operational control of this unit and I am exerting my authority in this matter. It is none of our business."

The three just looked shocked, dumbfounded, and speechless.

There was a polite knock at the door.

Max walked over and opened the door to Ambassador Crinx. "Come in, Ambassador. We were just finishing our debrief of today's unfortunate incident. I am sure the Grand Slarmian Dynasty's Naval Infantry Officer in Command of the Palace Security Regiment can fill you in later. How might we be of service?"

"I have been sent by Grand Potentate Zalix the Eighth to express his complete embarrassment. He wishes to assure everyone he will stop at nothing to hunt down those responsible and has instituted martial law as well as issued a statement of summary justice against all involved."

Both Zuki and Teffa gasped and Emuzi blinked.

"Teffa, could you explain your reaction? I seem to be missing something," Joon inquired.

"It meanss all thosse who were involved, upon confirmation, are to be executed on ssight! The Judicial branch iss out of the loop! Thiss has now become a military action!"

Joon nodded, "Ambassador Crinx, Please tell the Potentate we appreciate his dealing swiftly with this situation, that we still hold the Slarmian people, His Majesty, and his rule in the highest regards."

"Please also inform him that I will be departing with my family for a vacation while things settle down here; but that is not to be taken as misgivings of any kind or as a change in policy. The family just needs to get away for a while and with us not here, it gives time, without us as a distraction, for his majesty to deal with today's events in any way he feels is necessary."

"Additionally, my report to the Terran Diplomatic Office shall include nothing but praise for the manner in which things have been handled and that the risks to the Embassy have now been permanently removed."

"On behalf of the Grand Potentate, we thank you, Exquissite Lady. Your patience and undersstanding in thesse matterss hass been mosst appreciated. Upon your return, the Palace would like to have a banquet in your honor to formally recognize your effortss and the actionss of your family and sstaff."

"That would be wonderful! We gladly accept the invitation. Please make arrangements with my Major-domo."

"Commander Emuzi, would you like to return to the Palace with me on my sshuttle? I am ssure you will wissh to return as quickly as posssible? There iss a military esscort for your driver and the limoussine."

"By your leave, Exquissite lady."

"Absolutely, Emuzi. Would you do me one favor?"

"You need but name it."

"Would you forward to my office a copy of your report when you submit it? It would be most helpful when I file mine and my office will reciprocate the courtesy."

"Conssider it done, Exquissite Lady."

0o0

Lieutenant Cynthia Nesbit, Lieutenant Walter Hill, Sergeant Major Zoe Addams and Senior Chief Jason Ferguson reconvened in Lieutenant Hill's office.

"What the fuck did we just witness!"

"Fantasy class abilities? What does that even mean?"

"What is a Starchild? Are they a threat to the Terran Federation?"

Addams just shook her head. "This is why you didn't need to know. Everyone just take a deep breath and chill for a moment. If you want to know about Fantasy class abilities, I suggest you read up on it. There is a plethora of information on the holo-net. As for Agatha being a Starchild, it is a being known by some in the M.E. but, not by T-Fed. She is a new species for us. As far as her being a threat, everything she has done says differently. Until that changes, we don't report it. Boggs is aware."

"Who the hell are these people?"

"Better, what the hell are these people?"

"Even better, are they still people?"

Addams just shook her head again, mumbling to herself this was going to be a long ass evening.

0o0

Max looked at Joon and broadcast to the family,

*You have 10 minutes to pack, we are heading out to upload and then taking a vacation to Terran space. Agatha and Una will stay with the staff as before. Astrid, call your aunt, ask her if we can visit. Joon, let mom and dad know. Inform all three this is not for publication. This is supposed to be a holiday, not another mission.*