Whadgaf Jiris is no stranger to the Xx Banned Regions. She spent time here after her last confrontation with the Hafjeris man known as Frial Realfen, who fancies the name Agent Red because of the red color of his wings, and because he is the last surviving member of his family who became an agent for their revenge against their killer; the aforementioned Whadgaf Jiris.
Whadgaf is technically a mass murderer because she killed every member of the Realfen family present at their secret lair that floated high up in the atmosphere of the planet Hafjeran, except for Frial, though no record of her crime exists because the Realfen family line was believed to have died off long ago.
Maria Moreno, a human from the planet Earth, is her biggest admirer and she has been like Whadgaf’s second in command as they protect Representative Eakran of the Interstellar Panel from repeated assaintation attempts. Maria had traveled with Eakran and three other Earthlings; Alia, Giovanni and Darker; from Earth about five months ago RET to the IP headquarters. The first attempt on Eakran’s life had disrupted that trip.
“We have to attack them,” Maria says.
She is sitting in a large meeting room with Whadgaf, the Queen Ravileth, Giovanni, and three other veterans of the Ointite Independent Militia. This has been Whadgaf’s war council since they arrived in the Banned Regions and they have thwarted two stealth attempts on Eakran that they were prepared for because the safe zone of the Banned Regions kept them safe from the threat of overt attack from warships and weapons of plunder.
“The Earthling is aggressive, but she is right.” The Queen Ravileth sits next to Maria and puts a hand on her arm as she speaks. “We have been hiding for a while now, and I don’t plan to make the Banned Regions my permanent home.”
“Do you understand what that means?” Giovanni asks on the other side of the table. “We know now that the IP is split in two. The representatives from Vwrawl, Wiis, and Hafjeran consider Eakran a fugitive and we know there is a black bounty on him. If we attack the Mind Snatchers and their allies, we’re done before we start. Vwrawl alone has the resources to wipe us out.”
“That’s not true,” Maria shakes her head at Giovanni and then she looks to Whadgaf. “He’s only counting the militia that came with us from Oin…”
“Maria,” the Queen Ravileth says, hoping to calm her down. She was practically yelling at Giovanni who doesn’t seem fazed by her tone, but he is engaged in the discussion, never taking his eyes from Maria.
“Whadgaf, since we’ve been here in the safe zone, people have joined us. We have reinforcements from Druont, Bromeran, and Eel.”
“So we’re starting a war?” Giovanni asks. “You think all those people will be willing to die to keep Eakran safe?”
“It’s not about him anymore. Why do they want him so bad? Queen, you explain it better than me.”
The Queen Ravileth sighs at Maria.
“Whadgaf, we have discussed this before. The Dominant Krognian Queen on Vwrawl has been desperate for a warpway here, which we know is under construction. The Hafjeris will do anything to make the Bromeris mad. The question is, what do the Rhasdwiis get from any of this? And why are they all so hostile toward Eakran? Representative Prab has briefed us on the new addition to the IP, the Earthling organization known as the Consortium of Human History. And the Earthlings here have told stories about this organization that doesn’t seem to be a true representative of Earth at all. Maybe they want Eakran dead because he is the official IP Representative who visited Earth and his word could expose that truth. That must be why they have tried to capture the Earthlings as well. Representative Prab told us about the vote on the warpway to Vwrawl and how the Earthlings were able to cast the deciding vote in favor of the warpway that’s been denied for many rounts until their inclusion.”
Giovanni looks to Whadgaf. He was not in the briefings with Representative Kiarle Prab of Bromeran who had sent Whadgaf to save Eakran and his crew after the first attempt on his life. Giovanni had been training with the Ointite Militia and their weapons when he wasn’t meeting with this council. Earthlings had orchestrated the attempt on Eakran’s life and he wondered how that would shape Whadgaf’s decision making.
She has been silent through most of the conversation and after the Queen Ravileth is done talking, there is a moment of silence while Whadgaf considers everything that has been said.
“How did they get the Rhasdwiis on board with all of this?” Whadgaf asks to break the silence. “What did the Earthlings, this Consortium, do for them?”
“Does it matter?” Maria asks. “With respect, Whadgaf, this isn’t about politics. We’re essentially prisoners here. We can’t go back home to Earth and I’m pretty sure my friend Darker could use the comforts of home. This needs to be over.”
“Earthling, control yourself,” the Queen Ravileth says like an annoyed mother and she yanks gently on Maria’s hair.
“Stop it, Queen! You know you agree. We’ve talked about this and this is why we’re here, to council Whadgaf.”
“I understand Maria,” Whadgaf says. “But finding the root of this will help us to put a stop to it. I know you want action, we’ve been held up here for a long time, but if we rush out with lasers firing, we put people at risk that don’t need to be just yet. We don’t have a lot of permanent forces, Giovanni is right, we can’t win a war and we can’t ask people to volunteer their lives for Eakran and that’s what it’ll seem like we’re doing. This is about more than Eakran. This Consortium feels sneaky and up to something. The question of the Rhasdwiis motives in this could be a clue to that. We can’t play offense just yet. Not a showy one anyway. We need answers and we need them now so we can decide what to do next. Queen Ravileth, take Giovanni to Representative Prab to find out what you can about the Consortium and their connection to the Rhasdwiis. Maria, since you are so eager for action, you can come with me to Wiis.”
The Queen Ravileth is shocked by Whadgaf’s orders. The last thing she expected was for them to split up.
“Eakran has Druinte guards,” Whadgaf says, “he is well guarded. But we know what we’re looking for, I don’t want to trust anyone else to find what we need to know. Be safe, and disguise the Earthling. Maria and I will leave for Wiis with my friend Sevi as soon as preparations are complete.”
Maria smiles as the meeting ends. She is off on another space adventure and she is excited to see a new planet.
When everyone has cleared the room except for Maria and Whadgaf, Whadgaf says,
“I understand that you are worried about your friend. Representative Prab thinks that he can be helped on Eel, where your friend Alia currently is. The Kazi are miracle workers.”
“If I can talk him into it,” Maria says. “How is Alia anyway? I haven’t heard anything about her in a while.”
“Kazi Lograt says she’s the light of the universe,” Whadgaf says with a smile. “She’s a god to them or something.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Maria says and they leave to prepare for their trip.
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