Project - Prometheus Ch. 41

"Thank you for your aid, my friends!!" Leroy said to the group as he hobbled to them, propped up by a couple of warriors. "We appreciate it and owe you all our lives!"

"I thought the Death Eagles were far away from here! There is no reason they should have attacked, especially since you are so close to neutral ground!" Dagan huffed, wondering why this was.

"I would have thought so too, but it seems like they don't take our laws seriously anymore," the Wolf Alpha replied.

"That in itself is quite troubling! Do you have any idea why they attacked?" Alex wondered, as he stood upright, trying to keep his focus.

"I know why," Cara replied as she limped forward to stand with her mate. "They were looking for you," she said, pointing at Matthias and Gloria.

"Us? Why?" Gloria asked, taken aback at the idea that others were suffering because of them.

"I think I might have a good idea why," Dagan said as he inspected one of the corpses of the Death Eagles.

"Oh?" Alex queried.

"I think those Confed turncoats sent them," the captain told the group.

"Impossible! The Confederacy hasn't been seen here since the Bombardment!" Leroy scoffed with a wince.

"Then how do you explain these firearms and other hand to hand weapons, that are of Confed make and design?" Dagan questioned, tossing some weapons that he collected at their feet.

"What?"

"Have yourselves a look before you think I'm telling lies," Captain Min told them all. The Wolves picked up some of the weapons and inspected them, looking for any telltale markings.

"I recognize this! This is a Braddock Machine pistol!! It looks new!" one of the Wolves called out.

"These knives they have... they aren't what the Eagles usually carry!" another growled, looking at the manufactured steel.

"Bring forth the prisoners!!" Cara shouted, her anger apparent.

Several Wolves came up, pushing what prisoners they had secured. There were less than a dozen of them, and they were bloodied and battered from the battle before. While they looked surly at their current predicament, a few of them looked almost... relieved. It was as though they had resigned themselves to whatever fate would come without hesitation.

"Where did you get these weapons?!?" Leroy demanded, growling ferally at the captured Eagles.

"I don't know," one of the prisoners replied.

"Not good enough! Break his leg. I don't care which one!" Leroy snapped, and a few Wolves moved to obey his command.

"You don't have to resort to violence to get the answers you want. I will happily answer whatever questions you have," another Eagle said to them, catching everyone's attention.

"Saroia, be quiet!!" one of the Eagles commanded.

"Oh, fuck off, Jorgh! You saw what happened to the chief's son? I'm not going to join him! I've betrayed myself for long enough!!" Saroia barked.

"Take the rest of them away. If they give any trouble, break a limb or something," Cara told the Wolves, and they pushed the Eagles away, leaving Saroia behind.

"Oh, and if they still put up a fight, send for me and I'll straighten them out," Alex chuckled menacingly as he embraced his violet power. Some of the Eagles gulped at this, seeing the malice in Alex's violet-colored eyes, and moved along, giving the Wolves no trouble.

"Really, babe?" Shazza sighed, crossing her arms and giving Alex a look.

"What? Someone had to put the fear of God into those bastards enough to piss themselves. It can't always be you doing that!" Alex snickered.

"He's got a point!" Korsa giggled, and Natalya and Kasumi voiced their agreement.

"Fine. You win, this time," Shazza huffed as a smile graced her lips.

"My turn next time!" Natalya laughed.

"Maybe we talk about this later, after we learn about the reason for this attack?" Alex reminded the girls.

"Anyway, what do you know about the Confederacy's interest in Prodosia?" Leroy questioned the Eagle turncoat.

"I don't know anything about why they are here. Even the old chief didn't know what their plan was. What he was concerned about was dominating every other tribe in the wastes. Once everyone was dead or united under him, he planned to attack the town of Tanith's Gully," Saroia told them.

"For what purpose?" Alex queried.

"Glory and being exalted as the strongest warrior on the planet. Many of the Eagles are simple like that. All out for personal gain and glory," the woman stated.

"But not you?" Natalya questioned.

"I am one of the few left alive who initially disagreed with taking anything from the Confeds. They are the reason this world is a heap of ruins in the first place! I, along with some others, dissented with them agreeing to help the Confederacy. The only reason I survived is because I am... was the chief's daughter," Saroia sighed.

"Wait... you're the daughter of the Deathslayer?!? I thought he only had sons!" Leroy gasped.

"I was a well kept secret. If anyone of the Death Eagles spoke of me to any outside of our tribe, it would have been a death sentence for them. No one was allowed to speak of my existence. I was also... sequestered because of my belief that we were betraying ourselves by taking what the Confederacy offered," the woman growled.

"What did the Confeds want in return? Surely they didn't just give you all of these things out of the goodness of their hearts," Dagan asked.

"They wanted us to do what we do best. Sow dissent, destruction, chaos, and mayhem among the tribes and the people of Tanith's Gully," Saroia told them.

"It certainly fits their MO. Incite all kinds of chaos and lawlessness behind the scenes. Then walk in, in an official capacity and offer order, security and stability," Natalya humphed.

"I would be inclined to agree with Miss Vostrikov on this. I have seen the Confederacy do this with many planets they have wanted and since taken. Sowing dissent, disorder, and chaos before showing up and establishing order. Something which many people would crave after such lawlessness. It wouldn't matter how unfair the laws would be, as long as there was structure to their lives, which could be predicted," Dagan told them all.

"How would they establish this order, with them causing all the chaos as they do?" Leroy queried.

"Usually a battlefleet shows up, with threats to bombard anyone who fights back. Apparently, since the days of their failed attack on this world, the Confeds have gotten pretty good with precision attacks. They have been taking worlds, one by one, over the years since this failure," Dagan told the group.

"They use the same tactics over and over again? You'd think someone would have been wise to their antics or caught onto what they were doing," Kasumi grumbled.

"Oh, there are people who see through the bullshit lies, but they are few. Those who are clever enough to deduce it either leave the planet while they still can, or they simply vanish without a trace. Those who do not vanish are found later, dead by apparent suicide," Dagan rumbled.

"Vanishing or suiciding anyone who could blow the lid off their operation. Barbaric and cruel, but effective in getting what they want done," Alex said with disdain.

"I'm curious about how you know so much about the inner workings of the Confederacy," Leroy asked with an air of menace to his voice.

"Two of my lieutenants are Confed ex-pats, though to the Confederacy, they are traitors. If there's one thing the Confederacy hates, it's others learning their secrets, or doing things better than they do. Especially by those who are disillusioned soldiers, because they have seen the lengths their people will go to, to ensure victory," Dagan stated.

"Why did they take up a job with you? I mean, there are better ways of staying off the grid. It's a big galaxy. Lots of places for anyone to go, should they not wish to be found," Korsa queried, curious about why they stood with him.

"Mainly because I am able to keep bounty hunters off their backs. Anytime a hunter comes looking to collect, I lie about them not being around and send them off in another direction. These two have been instrumental in helping me build my crew and they are good leaders themselves. I would have to be a callous and heartless prick to turn them over for a few measly credits," Captain Min told the group.

Hearing this earned a round of nods from the crew and the Wolves. They all knew that Dagan Min was a smuggler and a scoundrel, but this was new. While it was unexpected, they were glad to see that the man had a sense of loyalty, honor, and decency. While he was still a scoundrel, he also had the makings of a good man, elevating him in the eyes of the crew.

"Good to know! But it seems like we need to consider moving everyone here over to Tanith's Gully. Staying outside of the walls isn't an option at this rate," Alex told them all.

"I'm uncertain if we would be welcomed with open arms, given our... history with the town," Cara replied nervously. "More so for our... guest."

"The elder does make a point. I am Death Eagle. Likely to be killed on sight," Saroia stated.

"Maybe, maybe not. Right now, staying outside of the town makes us all vulnerable. If the walls will provide some measure of safety, then I say it's worth the risk. Out here, we will get killed. That much is certain," Leroy said, making his position clear.

"You know that many among the tribe won't like this, dearest," Cara warned.

"When our very survival is on the line, we will do what we must to see the next day. Spread the word among the survivors. Gather what truly matters and break camp. We leave for Tanith's Gully in the next few hours," the Alpha Wolf told those holding him up.

It was clear that they didn't like this news, but survival dictated you did things that you didn't want to. If you didn't do them, then you died. They carefully let the man down, allowing him to rest before they went around to speak to the surviving Wolves. Cara limped over to her mate and seated herself beside him, leaning into the man.

"What can we do to help?" Alex queried, offering to help speed things along.

"If you could help with the wounded, that would be much appreciated. Do you have any medical technologies that would save lives?" Leroy asked.

"Hold on. I thought the tribes of the wastes eschewed any form of technology," Natalya said, questioning why he was asking for help.

"In these times, I think you'll find people are willing to make exceptions," Leroy breathed.

"What about the rest of us?" Kasumi wondered, thinking about those who couldn't heal others.

"They can help us with setting up the dead for their final rites. We may live in the wastes, but we are not barbarians," Cara told them.

Nodding, the crew dispersed, springing into action alongside Gloria, Matthias and Dagan and his crew. As they were moving along, Gloria caught their attention, indicating that she wanted a word with them. The group huddled close and walked slowly as they moved towards the where the rest of the Shadow Dancers and the rover waited.

"What you did back there to save the Children of the Wolf was... impressive, to say the least!" Gloria told the crew of the Darkstrider.

"Well, thank you!" Alex replied with a smile, though that smile was strained.

"Are you all right?" Dagan asked, seeing the fatigue in the man's face.

"I just need a moment! Using the Aether like that took more out of me than I had thought!" Alex told him.

"You're not the only one who's a bit tired, babe!" Kasumi agreed as she plonked down next to Alex. The rest of his ladies did so as well, with only Shazza looking like she was moderately tired as opposed to dead tired.

"Using the Aether like that in such a manner will drain you. Especially if you don't use it very often," Gloria told them as she kneeled to each one and laid her hands on them. Seconds later, a surge of energy coursed through each crew member, invigorating them.

"Whoa! What... what did you do?" Korsa asked as she felt a surge of adrenaline and endorphins shoot through her system, waking her up.

"Helped moderate the fatigue you are all feeling. This is just a temporary fix, as we have a lot of work to do and we can't have you all dropping like flies," Gloria told the group. "Though I would advise you not to embrace such levels of power again. Not until you lot have had more experience and training."

"You don't have to convince me of that! I am aware that using this power can leave you tired far faster than you thought possible. Especially if you're not careful," Shazza told the woman as she accepted the fatigue cleanse from her.

"That's only half of my warning. The other half is the part where if you just give everything over to the Aether and let it control you, you can lose yourself to it," Gloria warned.

"Lose yourself to it? How so?" Alex wondered as he stood back up, stretching his arms.

"From the things I have read, there is the possibility that you can lose control to the Aether, if your will isn't strong enough. Should that ever happen, then everything that you are will be lost to it," Gloria told them solemnly.

"It's why she rags on me so much about having control over myself and never to let it control me," Matthias smirked. This earned him a withering look, and the man looked sheepish for even opening his mouth.

"While my son does need to learn to mind how he says things," Gloria told the group. "He is correct. Letting the Aether flow through you is one thing, but allowing it to control you is quite another."

"Well, this isn't the first time it's happened," Alex told the woman.

"You've done this before?!?" she queried.

"Yeah, but on accident," he said. "I would get into it somewhat, but we need to get around to helping the tribe out."

"Fair enough. But I would refrain from embracing such amounts of the Aether until you can handle that much and not be overwhelmed by it. Allowing the Aether too much control will erode your will with enough time," Gloria stated, making her stance known on the matter.

"Extreme circumstances only, I think, is the best approach," Natalya agreed.

"I would also recommend that you and yours do what you can to keep public displays to a minimum. While powerful when you do such things, being overt about what you can do allows people to see what you can do. If the wrong people see what you can do, then they will either try to control you, of find ways to subdue you," Dagan Min cautioned.

"A sensible approach if I've ever heard one," Matthias said to them.

"I concur with the idea of such a thing as a last resort sort of tactic. While it can be dangerous if used too often, the results of it cannot be ignored," Gloria said as she helped everyone to their feet.

"Let's get to work then. The sooner we help the Wolves in setting their affairs in order, the sooner we can get to the safety of the town's walls," Alex stated.

"Might want to give Miss Sunara a call there, Alex," Dagan suggested. "Giving her and the authorities of the town a heads up might help with getting these people to safety."

"Sound plan!"

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

Inari was standing behind a wall of plate glass, staring at Sargol when she got the call in from Alex. He filled her in on the events that had transpired out in the wastes and a range of emotions rippled through her. Shock, happiness, and disgust were just a few of the things she felt at hearing at what happened out there.

"So, yeah. We need to get these people to a place of safety before we find ourselves at the business end of a gun," Alex finished.

"The people there... can they fight?" Inari queried.

"A good deal of them can, and I'm sure you wouldn't have much trouble convincing them to fight. This is the Confederacy we're talking about, after all," Alex said with a laugh.

"No arguments there! I'll have a word with Daved and see what he says. It might be a bit of a tough sell, but I'm sure they won't argue with any extra reinforcements," Inari told Alex.

"Understood. We should be on our way in a few hours, so keep an eye out. Let the folks at the walls know not to shoot at us, as everyone here is in need of help, not a fight," Alex replied before the line went dead.

Inari stood there, thinking over what she had been told. This was something that caught her off guard and it showed as she contemplated what to do next. Thankfully, she was alone behind the glass, as Daved was busy questioning Sargol. So far, the man had given up nothing, but that was to be expected from a longtime spy on the planet. She knew she had to do something, so she sent a signal over the comms, letting Daved know that she needed a word.

As Daved finished up with his current line of questioning, Inari left the room to find Jenque. While she was Daved's wife, she was also one of the most influential and powerful councilors in town. Her opinion and political savvy would be needed to make this plan of Alex's work. She found the woman sitting with Luminia in Daved's office, chatting like they were old friends.

"...are really like that? Literally going to town on them so hard that you're fuck stunned until the next morning?" Jenque asked, fanning her flushed face.

"Artucian women are just as voracious, you know. It's not like we have no say in how often and how long we like to fuck," Luminia said with a smile.

"Damn!! Whatever it is your people eat, we could use some of that here! Lord knows there are days I wish Daved would just pound me into human mush!" Jenque giggled as she flushed some more.

"Teaching the locals about the finer points of Artucian life, Lumi?" Inari snickered as she entered the room.

"Not her fault! I asked! I saw your friend, Taal'ani, walking around like she had a stick up her ass, so I was curious if all Fel'caan are like that. That led to me learning that she has an Artucian boyfriend and... yeah," Jenque admitted.

"That's fair. Though I honestly think you could cut Daved a break, you know. He is a busy man, being the sheriff and all," Inari laughed.

"I know, I know! I just want him to pound me like a whore some days, you know? A woman has needs!" Jenque whined.

"It looks like he has been giving you the very thing you've been wanting, if that starry-eyed look you were sporting earlier is any indication," Inari grinned.

"What I mean is... I want to be... dominated! Like I'm some errant, lowborn whore, pounded into total and utter oblivion," Jenque explained.

"Have you asked him to do these things to you?" Inari queried.

"Well... no... I haven't really had the time to sit down and discuss it with him. We've both been more than a little busy," Jenque admitted.

"I do agree with you on the fact that we've both been really busy. What did you want to discuss, hon?" Daved asked as he entered the room.

"Um... maybe something we could talk about later? You done with Sargol yet?" the woman asked her husband.

"Nah. Just taking a break because Inari wanted a word. So, what's up?" Daved asked, turning his gaze to Inari.

"I just got a call from Alex. He's made contact with the Shadow Dancers, but... a lot has happened out there in the wastes," she said to them. Inari then filled everyone in on what exactly had happened out there. The good, and the bad, which left every there shaking and scratching their heads by the end of it.

"How in the name of... what the fuck is the Confederacy up to?!? The lengths they are going to, just to control this world, is unprecedented!!" Daved huffed in disbelief.

"Letting all those people into town... it's not going to be easy! Some of them might even be shot at, just for being here!" Jenque breathed, seeing how much of a problem this was going to be.

"We should find a way to make it work, though. If they are willing to fight to defend the town, then I don't think the people will balk too much. Not if there is a common enemy to fight against," Luminia put forward.