Lights flicker in the room, on and off every second, Xavier, sitting on a metal chair along with a table with another chair on the other side. He looks around in thought, thinking of what to think about to pass the time. His writing, his drawings, his machines at work, these crossed his mind to see which mattered the most to him to think the most about. First, the schematics for a luggage bot was scattered in his mind, thinking how it work in higher or lower gravity areas, how it would functions, if it would need solar or electrical power. This flashed through his mind as the thoughts of his writing compelled him. Characters, stories, world, how they would work for each other. It didn't take for this to flash by, then images of his machines and art came. Remembering each angle, each curve, remembering how to draw them.
His thoughts stirred him. he began to forget the flickering lights and the tables and then the world. He stared blankly into the wall as a glassy look began to form on his face. His thoughts were disturbed by light slapping his face, blinding his eyes. He looked towards the light as a feminine figure was in a doorway. The number flashed in his head, 63. So abrupt, so vivid, the number was burned in his head as the figure walked in with the door closed behind her.
It was someone different. Someone he didn't know, someone masked, and wasn't instructed to meet. "Where's Jell?" he said as the woman took a seat.
"At the hospital," the static of her voice out of the helmet was loud and sharp in Xavier's ears.
"Is she okay?"
"She's fine," she didn't move a muscle as Xavier scrambled to find comfort in the metal chair. "Do you know why you're here?"
"They told me... Questioning?" They paused in awkward silence. Xavier looked at her as she didn't move. She stayed in her seat as she finally moved her hand on the table, only to tap her fingers on it.
"Four fingers?" Xavier said. "You're not human?"
"How do you feel about death?" She didn't answer him.
"Okay, into the nitty-gritty," he said quickly. "If you're trying to see if I'm afraid of it, I'm not. I've embraced the damn concept and I accept it."
"Even if it happens early?" this hit Xavier.
"What?" he jittered. "What do you mean?"
"What if it happens early? If you die before the natural age?" this opened Xavier.
"Well, I've... I..." he paused. Her tapping stopped. "I don't know if the federation has it in file, but I've attempted suicide multiple times. I don't really care if I die. I mean, what's the point of caring if most of my family are gone and the person I have is an abandoning sister and a selfish dad?"
"You files says that on your finals missions, you lost a member due to inactive leadership," her unseen eyes looked into Xavier, "Is this true?"
"God damn federation, reminding everyone about everything. Yes it's true and I've lost some very dear to me. Now can we go to the next subject?" Her arm went under the table, laying on her knee.
"Very well," she said. "How would you feel to kill a man?"
"What?" He shouted. "First you remind me about my loss and you want to know if I can kill without question? What is this really abo-" she interrupted him.
"To see what position would you fit in."
"Then just give me Juggernaut!"
"That clearly doesn't fit you and shall we continue on with the questioning or should we waste our time with this argument?" She stares at Xavier. A wide visor, but her eyes still pierced though his soul like a mother. "Now how do you feel about killing?"
"You sent me on a mission where we had to get intel, there was eventually bloodshed."
"That wasn't part of the mission, yet you did so?"
"There was no other way. There were more guards than what we were informed with. It seemed like we were expected. What beef do you guys have against them anyways? They were just Heliums guarding their planet."
"We were suspicious of the planet. Too many guards in one place and they were enemies to the Federation. They were going to do something sooner or later."
"But they knew who we were. Won't they see us as a threat to them and try to wage war on us?"
"That was dealt with by..." she paused, forgetting what happened to the Admiral.
"By... Who?"
"Nobody. We'll continue this tomorrow. Walk to the guard in front of the door and have him walk you to your quarters." Xavier got up as she just sat there looking towards the floor. Inside her mind was nothing but her and the admiral in her hands as a hole hole through his cheek bled out the other side.
The door opened, a small sign of relief for her to remove her mask, but instead she was heard with a General shouting out of Xavier's mouth along with the guards saluting. "At ease," a familiar voice. Comforting to the ears. "Sister, I need to talk to you... Privately."
"Talya?" She turned to her as she wore the general uniform. She looked perfect for the suit. It almost suit her personality.
"Yes, Ash. Rookie, you are dismissed. Now take that helm off and let's talk." she took it off, air pressure projecting out of the back of the masked helm as she pulled it off. The door closed as a small tear and a frown appeared on her unmasked face. "What's wrong, Ashley?" She looked into her eyes for a subtle moment to see the person she held dear to her heart, he only family member. She hugs her, embracing her, feeling the warmth of her body. Only one tear she had to shed for she had to forget that tragic moment. "Whoa. What's wrong?" She pulls her head gently to reveal her saddened expression. "Oh, baby. It's okay. I know that was a tragic moment. I know." She shushed her calmly and stroked her hair like what a mother would do to her child. That's what she was to her, a mother to comfort her. "I know you are going through something, but you're apart of something big, Shey. You need put yourself together, okay?"
"I understand." she rubbed her eyes gently, only one tear she thought. Just one tear.
"The council wants to see you."
"What's it for?"
"They told me it was classified."
"But you're the third highest rank in the federation!"
"I know, that's why I ran here. Now go, before they yell at me." She put on her helmet, comforting to her skin, something hide her face to those around her. "Don't get your tail in a knot, Sister!" she said as she looked at her tail for second. Tattered, broken, a small mistake. Something that her and her sister use to kid about. She saluted to her as she ran to the council room. A rush flowed through her head along with other things. Confusing things. Mixed emotions. The only way for her to describe it.
***
The council of Scribes. The Council of Knights. The branches of the Heltic Federation. The people who fought in great wars, people who survived the worst of battles. Those who knew the ways of combat more than the rest of the world was all that made up the Council of Knights. Those who have solved problems. People who have stopped wars. Beings who made peace were all that made the Council of Scribes and Ashley had to meet with all of them.
She walked in slowly and calm, he arms to her side, he toes faces north of her. She didn't want to be the next laughing stock of all the Federation. She faced them as the lights dimmed, the councilors setting home in their chairs. Intimidating she thought. The most intimidating audience she had ever seen.
A hard voice of a Knight Councilor sounded, "Admiral Silas Joseph Hoster, your lover's father, was shot and was almost lost during a press meeting." Images began to flash in her head. The circle of red growing on the floor, the hole that dripped out the back of his skull.
Another councilor spoke, this time gentle,"We almost lost him. His heart still beats, but the assassin was not found the only thing we found of his was the rifle he threw away."
An aged voice took the speech, "No fingerprints, no organic material printed on the weapon, nothing for us to have as a lead to find who did this."
A loud and projected voice wet to finish their speech, "But the one thing we found was the same name engraved on the weapon we found on the scorched planet, Noigel. " The weapon was placed in front of Ashley, both of them. A barrel of a weapon and the rifle, both sharing the same engraved name, in the same writing. "Our Intel Gatherers have found no company, no shop, only the families. There were hundreds with the same family name, but only three bared the name with weapon production in their hands."
"We ask of you, find these three people and investigate their homes and plans."
***
"You dare insult me with such accusation!? I tell you that I have no business with petty thieves nor those who live in the slums." The fat lard spoke as the buttons on his coat began to stretch with his anger. His mooshed face began to be a bright shade of red.
"We're sorry, but by law of the Federation and the Planet's plans of Alliance state that-"
"I do not care! Get out of my mansion, you purple freak!" They were pushed out as the door slammed closed.
"Wow, he just had to look at the tail and had to just discriminate from there." Rebeka said as her hands were reluctant to pull out her pistol.
"Don't worry about him, I called authorities to come and arrest him." Josh began to stare at his wrist activiater. Pushing buttons and doing as much as he could to help with it.
"That's my recruit, Joshua!" Talya's voice made Ashley smile inside her mask.
"Let's just go out and find the final one. With him being the only lead, let's hope we find the Admiral's killer. " Slight anger sounded in her voice. Thoughts of beating the "fat f*ck" lingered in her mind. They went to each of their Falcons to fly to a close planet, Ordeel. A planet filled with rich men and the slaves they own, a perfect planet for the corrupt.
They began to be near the planet, a green mist with little water. Crops and sexual reproduction was the financial gain of the planet. Only those who survive is the planet's moto. They go to the location on the planet, a beautiful white mansion, with wooden doors and a gate made to fit the planet's color. They landed in the yard, big enough for four Falcons to land.
A man in a tux came to Ashley and asked, "Pardon me, but why are you here?"
"We are here, ordered by the Heltic Federation, to see Samuel Noigel."
"Oh, then right this way, ma'am." he walked them to the front door. Beautiful design were engraved on the door. A lion was on the top right, drenched in fire as a scorpion was beneath it laying on a rock. On the left was a Man pouring water into the heavens as a centaur with a bow and arrow aimed to the skies. The kind man cracked open the door calling his master. He turned to the team and said, "He will be right with you," and walked inside.
"Men from the federation you say, Alf? Let me see," the owner echoed as bright light began to shine out the crack of the door. A gentle pull of the door as the owner showed his face to the team. A robotic face. Geared lips, hollow cheeks and glowing eyes bearing the number, 6 and 3.