“Copy that Chance, sending approach vectors to all Brooms now. Docking sequence will be Pegasus 1, 2, 3, 13, and 15.” Keats announced.
“Received, Pegasus Control. See you all in a few. Chance, out.” Chance’s voice replied. She sounded happy.
Concentrating, I was up in the lounge. Sceptus and Reclos looked pale as they both stared at me, frightened.
“What? I’m a witch…that’s what we do.” I rationalized with a playful smile.
I looked up in time to see Chance, in Hope and a Pair, slowly hover in then invert in place and wave to us as she maneuvered for docking. Lokust then Kitty appeared on approach just within view.
“Reclos? Your mouth is hanging wide open, sweetie.” I pointed out politely.
He quickly asked then hurried to the side that I specified Lokust would dock at and pressed his face tightly to the transparent Lounge wall to watch.
“She waved at me too!” He bubbled excitedly to us. He then rushed across the lounge and watched in fascination as Kitty maneuvered toward her docking pylon.
“What does this mean?” He asked innocently raising the middle finger on his upper-right hand.
Sceptus looked to the boy then to me slightly aghast. I felt an impish grin fill my face.
“That’s the Lynxin gesture for ‘a job well done’, sweetie. Lady Cora said it means ‘success’ in native Antarran too.”
Sceptus fought valiantly to keep a straight face.
 
 
“Cora!” Kitty shouted angrily as she appeared in the compartment’s doorway. “Why’d ya do it? Telling the kid to give me the damned finger! Then telling him it was the Lynxin gesture for ‘job well done’!” Apparently, Kitty didn’t see Reclos or Sceptus sitting across from me next to Charli.
“I did nothing of the kind, Kitty!” Cora huffed as she stiffened to her full 155.735cm.
I just sat quietly eating my meal and randomly glancing over at Charli. Sceptus and a very embarrassed Reclos sat next to her having just started to enjoy a meal ‘on the house’.
I felt two sets of eyes and two wands pointed at the back of my head and began to concentrate on a better, tactical position.
Kitty and Cora were instantly in front of me and I had my wand at the ready in one hand and my revolver in the other.
“Is there something you wished from me, ladies?” I asked menacingly.
“To know how you just did that would be one big ‘something’, sister.” Cora said nervously.
I concentrated again and found myself in the doorway as Kitty instantly turned to attack.
“Dammit, Summers! Stand still!” Kitty snarled.
“Why? So you can disrobe me like Lyra does Aquia?” I giggled as I was instantly back, facing my Lynxin sister.
“You have got to teach us that, Hope.” Kitty smiled tensely.
“I just concentrate on where I want to be.” I admitted nonchalantly.
“That’s it?” Cora frowned. “It’s that easy?”
“I never said it was easy. You just need to keep your concentration.” I answered.
“A pervert like you might not be able to do that though, Cora.” I teased.
“I like them, Pater!” Reclos snickered then began laughing.
I responded the way any true Summers would; I took a bow. To my surprise, Cora and Kitty did too!
I guess we really were a family.
Our antics only made Reclos laugh harder.
“Hope? You need to see this!” Christina called from further back in the compartment.
“Whatcha got, sweetie?” I asked as I walked up beside her.
“Tell me what you see.” She said motioning to some kind of microscope-looking thing.
“I see some sort of single-celled organism- actually a lot of them.” I replied as I looked at the weird blobs through the optics.
“Where have we seen this thing before?” She asked.
“Ummmm… Sixth grade biology class?” I answered honestly. I actually had no clue what this creature was called.
Christina rolled her eyes at me.
“This little critter caused all sorts of havoc back in the late twentieth-early twenty-first. It was known as Legionnaires Disease- Legionella. Now look at it with your Current sight enabled.” She suggested.
I did and to my surprise saw a small dot of red Current- a small speck of taint.
“So that’s how they’re doing it?” I sighed. “Do we have a way of countering it- shy of chlorinating all the pipes and reservoirs on four planets?”
“Possibly. Now look at this slide.” She suggested.
“This is our counter agent.” Christina said as I looked at the newest blob. This one had an amber speck.
“Looks completely different.” I observed out loud.
“That’s because our little beastie is based on Terran white blood cells- antibodies. I think we can release these critters into the main water supplies on all four planets and totally eradicate our nemesis.” Christina rubbed her hands diabolically.
“Okay? So how do we keep them from taking over and overwhelming their water systems?”
“Just program them to sleep after reaching a certain concentration in fresh water then when they detect gastric fluids reactivate and trigger.” Chance said beside me.
“Welcome back, High Priestess. It’s about time.” I commented.
“It was a long, exciting patrol, so exciting I never had enough time to utilize Hope and a Pair’s Five-Star facilities.” She said with a straight face. “Actually, I just really needed a shower.” She contradicted with a teasing grin as she regarded Christina, Simone, Link and Cora.
“So… what’s with the Antarran Science Ministry?” She giggled.
“Well… Dr. Francis N. Stein there decided to make things look official.” I rolled my eyes, pointing to Christina.
“That’s ‘Fronk-en-schteen’!” Christina exclaimed in a haughty, royal tone. “And we think we have a viable cure.”
Chance and I groaned. Everhardt watched way more media than I thought!
I snapped my fingers, disheartened. “Thought I had her on that one.”
“Better luck next time, mom.” Chance patted me on my shoulder.
“So? How do we distribute it?” She added, curiously.
“After reprogramming, all we need to do is seed the main reservoirs of each planet. Cellular mitosis will do the rest. Since white cells are considered helpful by most societies- according to my esteemed colleagues,” Christina thumbed to Simone, Cora, and Link, “planetary bio-filters should let them pass, unimpeded.”
“Almost forgot, Christina.” Chance interrupted. “Better program in an expiration date as well. Five years sounds like a nice round figure.”
“Agreed, High Priestess.” She acknowledged with a nod.
Sceptus had been very quiet during our latest conversation.
“Sceptus? Do I detect questions?” I asked of our guest.
He took a minute to decide how and what to ask.
“According to Galactic vocabulary, Legionnaires Disease implies that warriors and only warriors contracted this affliction. Therefore, it would seem the disease was manufactured to only decrease or defeat a military. Why would anything like that be devised in the first place?”
“Legionnaires Disease was a name given to a water and airborne biological that was discovered in some of Terra’s Veterans hospitals initially. It later spread to hotels and other public meeting places through the environmental systems of the time. It took several decades to finally quell. Whether it was intentional or accidental has never been recorded, Sceptus.” I relayed- As much as I could remember from ‘ancient’ Earth history.
“So how did it get to Tarantis? We are much closer to Antarra than Terra.”
“Obviously Hobgoblins, Sceptus. It’s been theorized the original Hobgoblins originated on Terra just as ‘Current’ or ‘Energy’ was first being discovered there.” Cora speculated, trying not to reveal much about their true origins.
“And for that the Terran people are truly apologetic, Governor Sceptus.” Chance added quickly.
“Where they originated is not my main concern, High Priestess. How this agent of delivery was able to bypass our filtration system is a matter of system security.”
“My guess would be when the filtration system was working overtime to meet the demands of Webb City and the other three worlds, Sceptus. It would be the most opportune time to contaminate the supply. I’m guessing the shipments went right into the reservoirs on the other worlds?” Charli theorized as she started tapping away on her unpowered DataTab.
“You already know that to be true, Lady Charli. And you can dispense with the dramatics. I have already surmised you are able to infiltrate our high security records. It became obvious to me when you brought inquiry to those shipments. That was highly classified information due to the sensitivity of so much water going off world. Public outcry might have hampered the project from the start, so we released reduced cargo manifests by adjusting our measurements. Repayment in the form of much smaller shipments back to Webb City have been progressing for seven months now.” Sceptus told us. Reclos was baffled and stunned that his ‘Pater’ had misled the people and gasped.
“But Pater? Isn’t that lying? You have preached to me for many seasons not to do that- that it is wrong.”
“Sweetie, sometimes…when adults need to do things to help out…in this case your neighboring planets, not everyone can see the good in it. I’m sure you know of the word ‘greed’. In this case, I’m sure there would have been many people that considered themselves ‘entitled’ and demand the water stayed here- for them to use and nobody else. I’m sure you know that is very wrong and very self centered- very greedy.” I tried to explain. “Your ‘Pater’ did what he had to do to help those in need. The very fact that no one here noticed any shortage proved his actions to be appropriate.”
“So, Sceptus. Since the subject has been breached, was there ever any outcry then sudden acceptance from any of the politicians in the know?” Charli asked suspiciously.
The Governor thought on that for several minutes.
“Only two, but they have since been voted out of office, why? You believe them to be complicit?”
“I believe them to now be forgeries, Sceptus. Hoblins can become doppelgangers- it would follow that they would try to impersonate high-ranking officials to enact their plan.”
“But if that is the case, how can they be discovered?” He questioned.
Everyone in the compartment looked directly at Christina.
“I understand, Lady Charli.” Christina acknowledged the unspoken assignment.
“I can find our suspects. I’ll leave it up to you to get us there. Hope and Chance should come along for support.” Charli proposed.
“I’d like Link along also, Lady Charli.” Christina requested. “We seem to work well together.” She smiled.
“High Priestess? Alright with you?” Charli asked.
“If Cora and our other sisters have no objections?” Chance replied as she looked to each individually.
“All right. While we’re on our mission, Lokust, coordinate operations here. We still need to protect the shipping routes. We should probably inspect the other reservoirs and purge any conscripts found in those areas.”
“Copy that, Chance. Kate, let’s get the Brooms online and ready for launch.”
“On it, X-O.” Keats acknowledged with a nod as she walked out of the compartment.
 
 

 
 
“Former Commissioner Theridae found.” Charli announced with her eyes closed.
“You are very frightening, Lady Charli.” Sceptus commented as Charli opened her eyes and looked at me. She nodded to me.
“Ok? Where do we go?” I asked.
Chance, Hope, Link, and Charli just stared at me patiently.
“Care to do what you seem to do rather well, Christina?” Chance smiled.
“Ummm…” Did she mean they were waiting for me to transport us to some unknown- to me- location?”
“We’re waiting, sweetie.” Hope smiled with her arms crossed and hip thrust to the right in anticipation.
“I… ummm… I don’t know where to go.” I admitted shyly.
Charli gave me an understanding look. “Just use that well developed intuition you seem to have, honey. It seems to work really well. To use a very old axiom, just point and click, Christina.”
As with all the other times I had employed the ‘flue powder’ method, I shot from the hip. Meaning I didn’t have a clue, I just let my strange power do what it needed to do and stood amazed like everyone else.
We were instantly in one of the strangely designed homes that we had seen from the air just outside the city on arrival. A very large home from the looks of the inside of this place!
From where we stood, we had arrived during some sort of formal function.
Awkward.
“I know this place.” Sceptus announced quietly.
I was surprised by his presence, not having considered him even coming along. Reclos had apparently remained behind on Pegasus.
“In fact, I remember being invited to this celebration.” Sceptus continued as he looked to me in curiosity.
“I remember declining the invitation as well, Lady Christina.” He concluded.
“Sweetie? When are we?” Hope inquired, quietly.
“When, Lady Hope? Today was the date indicated on the invitation; I don’t understand your question.” Sceptus looked at Hope questioningly.
A look of relief filled Hope’s face.
“Long, complicated story, Sceptus. Is Theridae here?” Hope replied.
“She should be. This is her abode.” He answered and nodded to an average sized, slim Tarantin woman talking with several other women. Everyone was dressed impeccably.
“I fear we will be asked to leave due to improper dress.” Sceptus mumbled worrisomely.
“Maybe we should’ve dressed for the occasion?” Chance thought out loud.
I took that as our cue for a wardrobe change and thought about a nice, dignified, society-type dress.
Sceptus inexplicably exchanged clothing too. “It’s borrowed, but you look good just the same, Sceptus. No one need know, though.” Chance giggled. He now wore what I assumed was a custom tailored formal dinner jacket, shirt, pants, and high-gloss shoes.
He did look handsome… in a Tarantin sort of way. Handsome but scared shitless by what just happened to him! I struggled to hold in my amusement.
“Now that we fit in-.” Chance began to say as I blinked on my Current Sight and gasped.
The party host’s Current showed as dark red!
“Christina?” Chance nudged quietly to bring my mind back to the mission.
“Taint.” I said simply, just above a whisper.
“I see it, sweetie.” Chance acknowledged. “We need to separate her from the others…”
“No, everyone has some level of taint, Chance!” I whispered.
“Damn! How did I miss it?” Chance gasped quietly.
“You’re not the only one, sister.” Hope added.
“My Ladies, I have a bad feeling about this. My exterior is afire with the quakes.” Sceptus informed us in a fearful whisper.
“What’s the plan, ladies?” Link asked, as Theridae apparently, finally noticed us. She graciously excused herself from her present conversation and began walking in our direction.
“Governor Sceptus. How wonderful you reconsidered my invitation. Queen Norge? How have I garnered consideration for your attendance?”
“We were in the area, Commissioner Theridae.” Link replied, looking and sounding every bit our aunt. “May I present my niece, Christina Norge-Everhardt, and my visiting, Terran Ladies-in-Wait, Hope, Charlene, and Chance Summers.”
Theridae looked confused for a moment then smiled nervously for just an instant. “Of course, a pleasure to meet all of you. Such esteemed nobility is always welcome. Please, enjoy the party, my ladies. Governor, may I have a word in private?”
“But of course.” Sceptus looked to us trying to conceal his fear and strong urge to run. He did surprisingly well at hiding it though, proving he was an experienced politician.
“What nerve, you bringing them here! Do you know who they represent, Sceptus?” I overheard with my extra sensitive hearing.
“Why such contempt? They arrived yesterday at my request, dear Theridae. My advisors suggested we finally reach out for assistance with this system-wide plight we are experiencing.” He defended.
“They are outsiders and have absolutely no business meddling in our affairs! To keep up appearances, I will allow their attendance, but a proper hostess is all I will be, understand?”
“Perfectly, my dear Theridae. Thank you for indulging me.” He answered politely then paused.
“Hmm. While I have your attention… Could I possibly steal you away for a few moments, Theridae? I have need of answers to questions Queen Caroline has posed about your former district that I believe only you can supply. Answers that need to be considered before she and her fellow researchers can begin their investigation into our problem.”
“For just a few minutes, Sceptus; then I need to attend to my guests. My office is right at the top of the stairs.” She answered, not sounding very happy at all. “Follow me.”
Sneaking a glance in their direction, I noticed Theridae seemed overly confident.
“Ladies? Please excuse me. I will return momentarily.” Sceptus apologized with a tentative wink toward us.
“I think she’s going to try conscripting him.” I warned. Link, Chance, Charli, and Hope all gave me a slight nod of agreement.
“Hacking into the home’s surveillance system now.” Charli announced with her eyes closed. “Got them.”
“I guess we’ll see how good your cure is, Christina.” Chance smiled. “If Sceptus has been cured then Theridae won’t be able to conscript him easily.
“So far they’re just talki- what the hell was that?” Charli’s eyes flew open as she jumped.
“What? What happened, dear?” Hope demanded, quietly.
“I’m thinking she got a taste of her own medicine?” Charli rubbed her eyes several times. “I saw the conscription process begin, but then there was this vastly brighter blue feedback! Theridae is out cold, flat on her back!”
“Sounds like you definitely used the high-test, sweetie.” Hope giggled as she looked to me in satisfaction.
We were instantaneously in the Ex-Commissioner’s home office.
“I have no idea what happened, my ladies! I felt some kind of…‘tickle’ then a bright flash, and Theridae was out cold on the floor.” Sceptus reported, seeing us appear off to his side.
“Christina? Want to check the Commissioner for any remaining ‘cooties’?” Hope deadpanned.
I had already enabled my Current sight and was in the process of scanning the unconscious woman as she asked.
I sighed and shook my head.
“She’s still very infected, and the taint seems to be increasing. I’d like to try the serum on her, High Priestess?” I asked as I looked over at Chance.
“Sceptus? She’s your constituent.” Chance deferred.
He nodded once, slowly.
Thinking about a prepared syringe, one appeared in my upturned hand. I bent down quickly injecting its contents into her butt.
A bright, light green aura surrounded my patient and she began to spasm and flail in pain! She seemed to simply ‘melt’ away until just a green colored moist spot was left in her place on the carpeted floor!
I gasped in horror!
“Sis?” Link took my forearm. “What just happened? Why did she melt?”
“It’s official, we’re in Oz.” Hope commented morbidly. “Any idea what happened, Dorothy?”
“It…it should’ve worked! I-I don’t understand!” I gulped as the guilt of what I had just done filled me with despair. I had just killed someone! I started to feel nauseous.
“Hey! Kiddo! You couldn’t have known.” Hope tried to comfort me. “Apparently she was a ‘dopple’. Had you ever tried that out on one of them?” She posed.
I shook my head that I hadn’t. From what I had been told, a ‘dopple’ was not the actual person, but a fake- basically a Hobgoblin impersonator.
Oh, how I wished that the real Theridae could be recovered!
A large, bright white ‘orb’ popped into existence in front of me causing me to quickly jump back, startled.
As the orb began to fade slightly, a figure began to materialize.
A female Tarantin figure!
“And there she goes again, girls!” Charli announced, sarcastically, in defeat.
As the bright white orb I had somehow conjured dissipated completely, the standing female Tarantin crumbled to the floor, unconscious.
Hope and Chance immediately crouched down to examine her.
“She’s alive, just unconscious.” Chance announced, looked up at me, and smiled tensely.
“I’m not so sure about Sceptus though.” Hope added.
Sceptus stood, still as stone, and just as white as the finest marble used for the wainscoting of this room!
I still felt guilty, but now for doing what everyone- including me- thought impossible.
Commissioner Theridae started to moan as she began to stir. Sceptus too, began to blink all four of his eyes.
“What is this? Where am I? Who are you people?”
“What, where, and who; why is it never ‘how’?” Link joked. I think to change the overall mood of the situation.
“Majesty?” Theridae’s eyes widened as she focused on Link’s voice.
“Sorry, commissioner, but I am her daughter, Coraline…” Link grimaced using Aunt Cora’s hoped-for relationship. “But I prefer ‘Link’.”
“Theridae. How are you feeling, dear lady.” Sceptus asked after recovering from his shock.
“Sceptus? What’s going on? Why am I on the floor?”
“We were hoping you could answer those questions.” Sceptus replied. “This is how we found you.”
He really wasn’t lying.
“Is this my home office? How did I get here?” She questioned.
“I would say walked, ma’am. I seriously doubt that anybody can instantaneously transport from one place to another.” Chance answered, downplaying what had actually happened.
I took the hint about not revealing my ‘talents’.
“Lady Hope? Lady Charlene? What are you all doing here? Has there been another attempt at our sovereignty?” Theridae asked, apparently remembering Witch Corps’ last visit. “It’s been three years! I thought those hideous things would stay away longer.”
“My dear, what is the last thing you remember?” Sceptus asked to get an idea of how long the real Theridae had been gone.
“We were discussing the implications of donating such huge quantities of water to the other three worlds. I was opposed to misinforming the general populous of the expected shortages here in Webb City. We adjourned the debate for the night… I was just heading out the council room door when…” She paused looking very confused.
“I’m sorry. I can’t seem to remember what happened next. It seems I’m drawing a complete blank.”
Sceptus was stunned!
Hope and Chance helped the woman to stand and once she was steady, I did an impromptu scan of her.
I smiled at my initial observation.
“I warn you, Antarran! I am not accepting of any of your twisted dating rituals!” She warned, staring at me heatedly.
I felt myself blush!
“Theridae, Lady Christina was not ‘flirting’. She was scanning you for the infection.” Sceptus explained calmly.
“A very strange way to scan somebody, Sceptus. Where is the apparatus?” She challenged.
“Fine.” I said in a none-too-happy tone. “I’ll do it the more obvious, embarrassing, visual way then. Since you take issue with a clandestine scan.” I announced as I called my wand, held it sideways by the middle and moved it slowly down her body from head to toes.
“You are a Mage!” She declared in shock.
“And you are clean of the phage, Commissioner Theridae.” I answered back in rhyme frigidly.
“I should say so! I have never advocated nor partaken of such deviate behavior.” She huffed haughtily.
What a bitch!
“It has been discovered that the infection is distributed through the water supply, Commissioner.” Chance glared at the woman coldly. “Unless of course, you consider drinking water for necessary hydration, deviant activity?”
That shut her up! Go Chance!
“My apologies for such a rude assumption, my lady.” Theridae bowed slightly to me after thinking things through a moment or two.
“I’m just glad I could help, ma’am.” I nodded back professionally in response.
“Lady Chance? What about the others downstairs?” Hope inquired to change the topic.
“What ‘others’ downstairs’?” Theridae questioned cautiously.
“Theridae, it has been six years since your last stated memories have happened. When we arrived, ‘you’- figuratively- were in the middle of throwing a rather posh social gathering.” Sceptus revealed. “According to Lady Christina, everyone in attendance is carrying the infection and are mere nanometers away from being conscripted into Hobgoblins.”
Theridae’s mouth dropped open and her four eyes blinked simultaneously many times.
“How can we stop it?” She gasped out in fear.
“I propose inoculation, ma’am.” I recommended, but found myself biting my lower lip nervously. “Um…similar to what Sceptus allowed me to do for you.”
“You seem very tentative, Lady Christina. Why? What happened when you gave me your cure?” Theridae’s eyes- all four- narrowed in suspicion.
“You had an unexplainable, adverse reaction, Theridae. Lady Christina is now apprehensive because of that reaction.” Sceptus explained politely.
“Would that explain the green, wet spot on my carpet?”
She was sharp.
“That’s what’s left of your Hobgoblin doppelganger, Commish.” Hope bluntly informed the hostess.
Memories of Dorothy’s confrontation with the wicked witch in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ began playing through my mind. I had to get it out before it became a ‘Mind Worm’!
“It was fortunate Christina found a small, usable piece of your code array to rebuild you, Commissioner Theridae.” Link revealed to my horror.
The woman gasped; her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened dangerously in horror.
“Re-rebuilt… me?” She stuttered asthmatically.
“From that, Commissioner.” Link pointed to the green spot.
“Yeah, I knew that was going to happen.” Hope said without emotion. “I hope you two enjoyed that.” She nodded to the once more unconscious Tarantin female lying in a heap on the floor. “I know I did.”
“Mother!” Chance exclaimed in angry surprise, but she couldn’t fight the devilish smile that snuck onto her mouth.
“Having worked around Commissioner Theridae for many years now… that was very satisfying, my ladies.”
“I guess we should wake her up and help her to her feet again.” Hope sighed.
“Not to spoil the fun, but I just spotted Representative Lycos on the house security network.” Charli announced.
“Are you sure, Lady Charli?” Sceptus questioned in surprise.
“Big burly guy; six arms; four eyes; badly in need of a shave and a full body depilatory?” Charli described.
Sceptus rolled all four eyes. “That would be him, yes.”
“EWWWWW!” Link and I exclaimed- grossed out by the image that description conjured.
“Why is he here?!” Theridae groaned in despair, holding her forehead in consternation.
“You are the one that invited him, my dear. You tell us?” Sceptus chuckled.
Theridae sadly looked down to the wet mark.
“I… um… I wasn’t myself.” She replied sheepishly.
“Understatement of the century.” Hope commented wryly. “Shall we get back to the party?”
Theridae smiled nervously and just looked around at each of us.
“Um… Just what was I celebrating?” She asked, embarrassed.
“According to my invitation, you and Lycos were going to announce your joint gubernatorial and vice-gubernatotial run in the upcoming election.” Sceptus told her.
“WHAT? Why would I even waste my time…” Theridae quickly recovered and apologetically looked at Sceptus, “and with the ‘Wolfman’? What was my evil double thinking?” She glared down to the location on her floor.
We all laughed at the venom expelled in her voice! Apparently, there was no love between her and Rep. Lycos.
“Oh, sorry about the mess. I’ll clean it up, ma’am.” I said as the spot vanished.
Once again, Theridae’s complexion paled and she began to waver. Chance and I quickly steadied her until she recovered.
 
 
Lycos was an easy man to find. All we had to do was follow the boisterous, loud laughter and look for the guy holding a brew in all six hands.
Oh, and the smell of excessive perspiration.
“Representative Lycos, I’d like to present Queen Caroline Norge and her entourage; Christina Norge- Everhardt, Hope, Chance, and Charlene Summers. Of course, you know Sceptus.” Theridae introduced. She too was a very experienced politician, as demonstrated by her ability to not puke as we got close to the unshaven, pungent lawmaker.
And yes, we decided on Link’s continued portrayal of Aunt Cora. It just seemed appropriate since most people automatically assumed her identity anyway.
Did they have Lycanthropy here on Tarantis?
“How’d ye do, lasses?” He greeted in a very thick accent. It sounded almost like Scottish.
“Sa’sorry ives me brogue’s a wee harsh, hail frum da hi-linds dis-teric, I do.”
That explained the heavy beard and long hair trying to escape his formal shirt collar and top few buttons along the front.
“Heard ye be thinkin’ to call fer halp frum outs-side, Gov’nor. Smart o’ye to call the experts! Lady ‘ope. Nice ta finely meet ye. Were off wit mah late press-cessor last ye were here.” He said as he extended his top right hand to her.
“A pleasure, I’m sure, Rep. Lycos.” Hope smiled professionally as she shook the offered hand.
“If you’ll please excuse me? I have other guests to welcome, ladies; gentlemen.” Theridae begged off and turned to walk toward another group of arriving guests.
“So, ‘ave ye found a cure, mah ladies?” Lycos asked bluntly. “Upon return last time, heard tales about ye, them Terran witches an’ how’d dey banished them Hob-gremlin things. Figured if ye conjured such a miracle, ye could halp ‘ere an’ now.”
“We think we have found the cure, Rep. Lycos. It involves an injection to the posterior.” Sceptus informed him. “If agreeable, Lady Christina can surreptitiously perform the procedure here and now.” He said motioning to me.
“Whatcha awaitin’ fer? Ye gots mah ‘proval, lass!”
To say his eager, exuberant smile seemed very predatory was an understatement, but I had become almost numb to men talking to my huge globes.
“Quick and clean, Lady Christina.” Chance said as my coven sisters circled me and Lycos.
I quickly conjured a full syringe, injected him and dismissed the spent implement within a matter of a few seconds.
Then I turned on my Current sight and waited.
As expected, an amber aura engulfed my patient and I watched as all traces of taint disappeared from his body. Coincidentally, the smell of latent perspiration dissipated also.
“By the way ye’s smilin’ I’ll takes it it worked, Lass?” He asked with a smile.
“It has, Rep. Lycos.” I answered with a smile of my own.
“One down and… probably two hundred more to go.” Hope deadpanned. “How much did you bring, Christina?”
“About two liters.” I answered as I conjured one of the 1-liter serum flasks to show her.
“That may not be enough.” She warned.
“Cannit be die-luted, lass?” Lycos asked with a very serious expression.
“I’m not sure how much.” I explained.
He offered one of his nearly full glasses to me.
“Let’s find out, shall we, lass?” He said and I poured an individual dose into the glass then observed it with my Current sight.
“It seems to be stable. Rep. Lycos, so yes it appears so.” I answered with my findings.
“I’ve gots a plan. Does it mix well with Antarran Scotch?” He asked out of the blue.
“I don’t know, why?” I answered honestly.
Lycos snatched the serum flask out of my hand!
“I’ll let ye know, lass!” He said as he walked away with a shit-eating grin on his face.
My mouth dropped open! Did he just quote ‘Scotty’ from Star Trek?
“I know what you’re thinking, Christina and… Just. Don’t… Go there.” Hope giggled. Charli just placed her thumb and finger to the bridge of her nose, closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. Chance rolled her eyes a few times, and Link looked completely clueless.
Within minutes Rep. Lycos was making the rounds of the party guests with magnum after magnum of spiked Antarran Scotch! He had suddenly become a very popular man.
Looking around with my Current sight engaged, I witnessed most of the guests’ auras light up with the expected amber hue.
I also noticed one of the guests actively trying to avoid anyone with a glass of said Antarran Scotch!
“Governor Sceptus? That man off to the right? Do you know him?” I politely and quietly asked.
“You mean the skittish, well groomed fellow trying unsuccessfully to remain anonymous? I can’t recall ever seeing him before.” Sceptus replied with a frown. “Let’s introduce ourselves.”
 
 
“Excuse me, my good man, but I feel I know your face. Try as I might, I cannot recall a name to go with it. Could you possibly re-introduce yourself?” Sceptus addressed our mysterious- nervous- target.
“We’ve never met, sir. I have to be going now.” He said sharply and quickly turned to retreat.
“But I do remember you, dear man! Wasn’t it at a rally several years ago on the Upper East Side?” Sceptus pushed as he snagged one of the man’s arms.
I noticed a bluish glow at their juncture. Sceptus must have also noticed and looked stunned for a moment.
I also noted that the taint was very concentrated in this one!
“I say we have not met before, Governor Sceptus! Please, I must leave now. I am late for an important meeting!” The unknown man said through gritted teeth. It seemed like he was in pain as he kept glancing down at his arm then back to Sceptus and I.
“But if we have not previously been introduced, how can you know my identity? At least tell me your name so that I can better remember it for the next time we meet?” Sceptus insisted.
“Phoneutria, Gov. Sceptus. Now, can I go? I really am late for my meeting.” The man relented and seemed to grow even more nervous.
His taint also seemed to increase in intensity! I squeezed Sceptus’ hand a little tighter a few times.
“One more thing, Phon! We have found a cure for our strange affliction. Lady Christina here has graciously offered to inoculate all of my known associates and has prepared a treatment for you also. Might she administer it now? I assure you it is painless and quite invigorating.” Sceptus insisted.
The governor had some balls! Just being able to overcome his deathly fear of Hobgoblins took large ones!
“I said I’m late for my meeting you insignificant politico! Unhand me before I am forced to retaliate.” Phon threatened.
“We are but part of a celebratory group here, Phon! Civil behavior is mandated. So I must recommend you dial it back, sir. Let’s not make a scene? Especially in front of my royal guest!” Sceptus recommended as he now squeezed my hand several times in quick succession. He still grasped Phon’s arm tightly. “Maybe we should take a walk outside.”
“Do not make me angry! You would not like me when I am angry!” Phon continued to threaten.
“Ah! Gov’nor! Queen Car’line said she seen ye head this die-rection. Be ye needin’ anny halp, sir?” Lycos offered pleasantly as he appeared off to our left and approached.
“I thought I recognized this man, Lycos. It appears Phon is having an adverse reaction to the festivities and the libations. Do you know him from your district?” Sceptus asked.
“He seems f’miliar, Gov’nor. Me thinks he just needs fresher air. That’s where I be headed. Carin’ ta join me?” Lycos offered.
“If agreeable with Lady Christina?” Sceptus said as he looked at me and winked with only one eye.
“Some fresh air would be great! I have no idea how Aunt Cora can stand these things. Gentlemen?” I answered with a smile while motioning to the closest exterior door.
“Then let’s not keep ‘er ladyship frum ‘er air much longer, gents!” Lycos chuckled as he opened the French doors and motioned us out onto a wide, railing encased, natural stone patio.
‘This was where it was going to happen then.’ I thought, sadly. Either this Tarantin was severely infected or he was a doppelganger of someone who used to exist.
“I insist you unhand me, Gov. Sceptus!” Phon demanded.
“Not until we have a few things resolved, my good man.” Sceptus answered calmly.
“There iss nothing to ressssolve! Unhand me! NOWssssss!”
His demand quickly deteriorated until the last word came out as a hiss-sort-of scream, combined with a growl!
“I must insist that you keep it civil in front of Lady Christina and Queen Caroline, sir! The Antarran Court is highly regarded here in the Tarantis Sector. You should already know that.” Sceptus reminded the angry Tarantin. “Which begs the question; where are you from? What are you truly?”
In a bright blue flash Phon morphed into a truly hideous, large… spider!
Sceptus and Lycos jumped back from the monstrous thing in fright!
I intended to stand my ground, and called upon my wand and my uniform.
“So… your true form finally materializes, Phoneutria fera- in the Terran, Latin tongue. In layman: The Brazillian Wandering Spider. The deadliest spider known to that world. Who has done this to you, Phon?” I asked with no fear or stutter.
In fact, my voice seemed to echo around us.
Wait! How did I even know the Genus and Phylum?
Ah! Sixth Grade Biology? Maybe?
“I warned you all jussst to leave me be, but no! No, you couldn’t… wouldn’t heed my warningssss!’ He answered in a ragged, hissing sort of voice.
I noticed liquid occasionally drip from his horribly frightening, dangerous mandibles. That, if I remembered my suspected biology knowledge correctly, couldn’t touch our skin.
“So you intend to kill us? In close proximity to this peaceful celebration?” I asked. “What was your purpose here tonight?”
“Isssn’t it obvioussss? We intend to take over thisss sssssysstem. It hasss been imposssssible until now to ssssecure.”
“Lady Christina? A sane sort woulda be ta step back frum da ting, Lass.” Lycos suggested with fear in his voice.
“That would be a very undesirable move, sir!” I replied, not taking my eyes off this aggressor. “If allowed to leave, he would continue to threaten your System. More people would succumb to his evil, sadistic plan.”
“We have the necessary provisions to take care of him, Lady Christina. He will not escape.” Sceptus promised.
“He has no intention of leaving, sir.” I revealed. “Either he conscripts everyone at this gathering or…or you all die. He has no preference either way.”
“And what can ye do, Lass? Point dat mere stick ta him as threat?” Lycos proposed with a chuckle.
“That is exactly what she proposes, Rep. Lycos.” Chance’s voice said from behind us.
“Sis? We’re here if you need us.” Link’s voice promised.
“I hardly think she needs any help, Sweetie. Let’s just see how things progress.” Hope added with a giggle.
I looked away as I giggled.
Phon took my momentary lapse in concentration to lunge at me!
I found myself staring- point blank- at those very dangerous, dripping, mandibles!
I also felt the telltale trickle of tainted Current flowing into my body through the wand in my right hand. It was lodged into the joint between head and body.
“No offense to you and yours, Sceptus, but I hate spiders!” I said calmly as the trickle of Current continued.
I felt a burning sensation on my arms. I had caught some of the dread venom on them and it was apparently seeping into me.
Shit.
I willed my conversion of Current to accelerate and was rewarded with a much-increased inflow of tainted Current.
“Gentlemen? I suggest we turn our backs from this scene. I have witnessed Christina’s power in this instance and it is blinding. At the least I recommend shielding your eyes.” I heard Sceptus advise as I really began to concentrate on ‘purifying’ this monster.
The bright blue orb that surrounded us lasted for only a few seconds before fading quickly. What was left was an overturned corpse- a furry spider of about 5 cm, its eight legs folded over top and unmoving.
“Tis impossible! How’d ye do dat, Lass?” Lycos asked in stunned amazement as he stared at the small, lifeless corpse.
“Need you really ask, Lycos?” Hope asked with a giggle. She flourished her wand at the husk and it flashed in a puff of smoke leaving only a trace amount of ash.
I was still looking to the places on my arms where the venom had soaked past my skin. It was only a matter of time before I started to feel the symptoms.
“Christina?” Link cried as she began to approach.
“Stay back, sis.” I warned- my voice echoing unnaturally.
I felt a burning begin in my arms which quickly sped to my stomach settling there as a nauseous feeling. My throat began to constrict.
Unconsciously, I was looking at my arms again and noticed no discoloration or damage.
What was going on?
The constricting of my throat continued and I felt I needed to clear it.
Doing that resulted in a rather rancid tasting, large amount of phlegm.
Looking away from the others, I expelled the foul, thick liquid to the patio’s stone floor.
The natural stone began to sizzle and smoke in the small amount of light from the mansion’s windows.
“Christina?” Link asked again.
“What is that she spat out, Lady Chance?” Sceptus asked.
Lady Charli hurried over with her DataTab materializing on the way and scanned the foul excretion.
“It’s pure nucleic acid. This stuff’s a thousand times more acidic than the strongest hydrochloric acid.” Charli announced then looked up at me in confusion.
“You should be dead, Christina.”
“It didn’t seem that strong.” I answered. “As is, it just left a bad taste in my mouth. May I have a swig of your Antarran Scotch, Sir Lycos?”
The man mechanically offered the bottle he held. All four eyes remained wide open and unblinking.
On me.
I took a swig, swished it around my mouth a minute and swallowed.
“Ah, the good stuff.” I smiled as I handed the liquor back to Lycos. He again mechanically took the container but never blinked.
“That was fantastic, Lady Christina!” Link all but shouted in excitement.
“Un. Freakin’. Believable!” Hope muttered in disbelief.
“Some would call it a miracle.” Chance deadpanned. “Others, God-like.”
“One could argue a Goddess given her striking beauty, Lady Chance.” Sceptus added making Lycos blink once or twice then gasp.
“Are you feeling alright, my friend? Do not hold back, just ‘spit’ it out like you always do.” Sceptus advised his fellow politician.
Lycos slowly turned his head to observe Sceptus holding back laughter.
“Twas a thinga beauty. Tell me lass, be ye engaged or otherwise attached? If not, would ye consider a mature hi-lind-er?”
“Huh?” I blinked in confusion.
“Ye reminds me a’ me nan, lass.”
“Sorry… um…I’m spoken for, Rep. Lycos.” I winked nervously.
“Is everyone alright out here? Someone informed me of noticing a rather unusual weather event through these patio windows.” Theridae asked in genuine concern as she glided through the double doors and out to where we all stood as a group.
She effectively changed the subject.
Thank God!
It gave me a chance to regroup; and change back to my original party clothing.
“Maybe a flash of ‘heat’ lightning or two, but nothing life threatening, ma’am.” I answered quickly before anyone else could as I turned and pointed to the far off horizon.
As added cover, I thought about how it would be appropriate if a small part of the heavens out where I was pointing discharged some static electricity.
A distant cloud was suddenly outlined by a quick ‘smudge’ of light.
“Oh, wow! Another one! You certainly have some strange, but impressive, weather phenomenon here, Gov. Sceptus.” I said excitedly as I turned back to face them.
Everyone was staring at me!
I tried, diligently, to cover my hard swallow and ‘caught red-handed’ expression.
Lycos winked one eye at me again and began chuckling. His chuckle turned into outright hysterical laughter! Very quickly, everyone- me included- was laughing…
Hopefully at the absurdity of me being able to call upon such a random event, and not about me being any kind of a Goddess!
Now that was crazy thinking!
Still, I wanted to find a big rock to climb under!