<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-a1afd8d7-7fff-a390-9533-cdaa2aa510dc"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mission: Andromeda's Chain</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Day: 1</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Stardate: 2446.01.03</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(USS Exeter – Bridge – aCO Cmdr Ailynn Bracken and Empress Lana Wakeman – 0435)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Hello Babybird.” The Empress had  gloriously announced, to a resistance of some, and a genuflection of most. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I have to admit Lana...I did not see that coming.” Ailynn said honestly. “Which raises a couple of questions in my mind.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Immeasurably...Intelligent.” The Lana/Empress crowed to her sycophants. “The first two words on her personal file. So this...THIS...is the creme de la creme?  Gently, almost seductively with a slow, measured step that echoed just enough to resound around the Bridge, a measured step that even Ailynn would even herself admit were perfect to unsettle. “An at best second-rate brain butcher, multiple neuroses and severe personality disordered ex-addict.  I wonder how you got your promotions? Sure as hell wasn’t by sleeping your way to the top as you're not even that interesting.” Lana’s voice rolled, one verbal slap after another.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn herself however squared her shoulder and pulled herself up to her full six-two...pushing six-three if she straightened her whole spine and hips. Her eyes flashed dangerously, a half wide eyed note to all who knew it that it’s focus had their whole, unreserved, emboldened,  utter intellectual concentration.  However, a part of her bubbled it’s way to the surface. It was the insincere, playful, emotional tease; Ailynn smiled a half smile; perhaps more correctly, a full smile, on one side of her face. The Empress had her unreserved attention.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A tiny part of her, deep deep within Ailynn’s psyche, a new set of neurons had formed in the last few days, they themselves had made new connections, an innumerable number of new neural nodes made themselves available to her, her attitude and thought processes touched by a new scattering of flavour. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Gabrielle, had at least in part, survived.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Her innate positivity, her sheer unwavering body confidence, Self belief that Ailynn had never had was having a subtle affect on Ailynn’s thought processes. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lana continued. “You’ve been outplayed...Bracken….I win.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn smiled wryly,  buying herself time, thinking as she let her mouth move almost on its own accord. “I have to say...your emperiousness...I’m impressed. I normally have a finger on the pulse of how people feel, I had no sense of discord, no...rumblings of discontent. I wonder how you did it? You may as well tell me; I’m going to figure it out anyway.” It was a blatant boast, Ailynn had no idea yet how to proceed, she needed time to  think, to plan, and her normal outlets to vent, and bounce ideas off, where completely shut off to her. ~In a situation where you didn’t know who to trust, trust no one~ “What is it that you actually want...Your Grace…”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Babybird...Are you hoping that I’ll stand here twirl my moustache and monologue away?”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn shrugged. “I was kind of banking on it to be honest, acting...Ensign….” In her mind she sighed, she’d hoped that she could draw information out in the same way that she had with the wraith that had been inhabiting Trentin Jost. Sadly, the Empress seemed to be unaware of the rules of these situation, and steadfastly refused to give all her plans away. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Resign...I’ve won, checkmate, the Queen is dead...long live the Empress.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn stepped forward, literally nose to nose, this was admittedly far less effective as Ailynn had intended, as Lana was considerably shorter than she was. “I’m not playing Chess...you putrid fleck off a Pyteck’s rump.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">There was a flicker, deep in the Empresses eyes, Ailynn had always had an innate skill for reading a tell, it was the reason she was banned from every casino gambling floor near the Academy, even now. It was the minutest flash of uncertainty, Ailynn knew that the Lana/Empress was momentarily on the back foot, ~she knows that she’s reaching the limit of her influence, she knows that I know things that she doesn’t.~</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Tell you what...Go fish...I’ll trade you the ten of swords for Bertie Bun the Baker’s son...Old Maid…” Ailynn stared deep into Lana’s eyes, her steely gaze unyielding. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Here that?” Lana squealed in delight, “She seeks a bargain.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn’s hand shot out and grabbed the neck of Lana’s uniform, curling it up in her fist and pulling her toward herself, curling her fist, tightening the collar. “I seek no bargain. When did you get on board? Maxine was the Empress we all knew that.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Choking slightly, a single atom of fear firing in her soul. Outwardly Ailynn was always playful, less than serious, rarely fully switched on to the tasks around her, a casualty that she had taken for lassitude. The Empress too had looked into her advisory’s eyes, and where she had expected weakness, she now saw restraint, where she had seen playfulness, she now saw a tigress, where she had once seen kind, gentle mentorship...she now saw death.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lana tapped the hand at her throat, and felt it tighten momentarily a message sent to her silently through the delicate, but immensely strong hands. Ailynn’s fist then unclenched, then pulled Lana’s collar straight. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Maxine was a dupe.” Lana said. “You were always supposed to believe she was behind everything. Nix had found so much out, nearly all of it, but...he was a step behind. That’s why I had to kill him. You’ll have figured by now that it’s my voice that called for security 5 minutes after his death.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I’d figured that…”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“You can’t win Wakeman…”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I believe I already have Babybird.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn smiled. “I’ve changed too much, you’re so behind that you haven’t even looked at the picture on the box let alone opened to puzzle to find the corner pieces.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“You’re stalling, wittering away to your crowing supporters. Buying yourself time.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Maybe...but last time I did, I killed a god. Me. and I’m not afraid of you. Because do you know what...I know how much more I know than you do...I have one question…”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“SPEAK! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD SPEAK SENSE.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“</span><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">I don’t want to.” </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ailynn’s voice dropped to a whisper, sometimes, Ailynn had learned, ice cold quiet was far far more powerful than all the rage of a stellar vortex. “</span><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Because the question is going to give me the answer. You’ve already lost. MahJonng. Yipee-Kay-aye..." </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">She wiggled her head insultingly, wide eyed, but smiled, a hint of Gabrielle's sense of play coming through again. Ailynn then half stepped back, pulling off Lana’s rank pip and communicator, dropping them on the floor, stamping on both, then spitting on their broken remnants, all the time holding The Empresses gaze, a stare deep deep into the backs of her eyes, every cell of Ailynn’s body was afire with resistance, her entire brain was racing with thought.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">She was Paladin.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Reply Bridge)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.44;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Spectral,serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Posted by Mark)</span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div>