Arsha and those who pursued Dr. Borg were taken in for treatment. It was touch and go for a while, but their bodies no longer opened any fresh wounds nor did they lose too much blood. They still needed blood transfusions, but the virus was purged and they were properly vaccinated. Arsha, Rellmeer, and Baltar were the last ones to be given a clean bill of health. \u201cYou have my thanks, Doctor,\u201d bid Rellmeer. \u201cNow, there is something I need to take care of. As many can tell you, cross a Fae and you enter their Circle of Vengeance. Arsha, Senator Baltar, if you would please join me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, My Empress,\u201d replied Baltar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d quizzed Arsha, fearing the worst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re closing the Circle of Vengeance,\u201d answered Rellmeer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMistress, respond!\u201d urged General Remsey, a portly, green-skinned, male Sprite in military regalia, over the radio. \u201cCome on! I need new wings!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been doing that for an hour,\u201d sighed another male, violet skinned Sprite, his brother, Mortor. \u201cShe\u2019s most likely expired.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe family\u2019s not very pleased with you, Father!\u201d shouted a voice outside the door. It then disappeared in a flash of fire to reveal Arsha, Baltar, and Rellmeer. Rellmeer threw a coil of rope at Remsey and it wrapped itself around him. Baltar then caught sight of Mortor. \u201cOh, for the love of…WHO ELSE IN MY FAMILY IS DR. BORG\u2019S SLAVE?!\u201d he wailed in frustration. As he fell to the ground, Remsey realized he was caught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy Empress, it\u2019s not my fault!\u201d he pleaded. \u201cMortor made me do it! It was all his idea to join Dr. Borg! Forgive me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThrow me under the carriage, why don\u2019t you!\u201d protested Mortor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf I were any of my ancestors,\u201d hissed Rellmeer, \u201cI\u2019d take you to the top of the palace, display your bound, whimpering frame to the crowd below, then SHOVE YOU OFF, TRAITOR! Children would bet on where you would land and your spattered remains would be sold as mulch for a gardener\u2019s flowerbed!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSpare me!\u201d begged Remsey. \u201cI\u2019m old! I\u2019m fragile!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re biologically immortal,\u201d argued Baltar. \u201cYou CAN\u2019T get fragile from age.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI thought you said you weren\u2019t afraid of Rellmeer!\u201d snarled Mortor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI lied!\u201d wailed Remsey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, don\u2019t let her intimidate you!\u201d snapped Mortor. \u201cShe\u2019s NONE of her ancestors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLucky for you!\u201d hissed Rellmeer. \u201cUnlike my ancestors, I understand that Dr. Borg has corrupted you. You\u2019ve been tempted by her delusions of power, exposed to her twisted ideas of dominance! In light of this, I am willing to forgive.\u201d She snapped her fingers, causing the rope binding Remsey to vanish. He knelt down and clasped his hands with a relieved smile on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy Empress, I swear to you…!\u201d he began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo NOT confuse my mercy for weakness!\u201d snarled Rellmeer. \u201cIf I do not hear from Dr. Belshay that your addiction is being treated nor see a single T from you donated towards reconstruction in Midiriki\u2019s forced attack, your assets will be seized and liquidated, your position will go to someone else, and you will be banished from the Fae Republic and its borders! You will be a pariah! An unwanted outcast severed from our hive! Am I understood?\u201d As Remsey whimpered, he nodded. Mortor growled but nodded all the same. \u201cGood. I thought so,\u201d answered Rellmeer. \u201cRemsey, don\u2019t bother getting up until Dr. Belshay gets here. Mortor, stay with him and begin efforts to make considerable donations to fix property damage.\u201d She took Arsha and Baltar with her and reforged the door with a wave of her hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, that was…militant,\u201d muttered Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t become ruler without letting those who crossed you know,\u201d replied Rellmeer, \u201cthat mercy is neither weakness nor infinite.\u201d At that moment, Midiriki and Hanako approached them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAunt Midiriki!\u201d cheered Arsha. The two hugged before Midiriki broke off the embrace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA fine command of the situation,\u201d she praised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI must agree,\u201d supplied Rellmeer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d replied Arsha, \u201cboth of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou seem a little more jovial, all things considered,\u201d observed Rellmeer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy dwelling on the past wasn\u2019t doing anyone any favors,\u201d answered Arsha. \u201cThe events with Reb are still in the back of my mind, but I can better honor those that died by continuing with my job of protecting the Realms as they did. I will admit, after they died, I wasn\u2019t feeling like much of a Captain. Now that my crew and I managed to avert a plague and stop a psycho scientist, I know exactly what kind of Captain I\u2019ll be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGood to know that,\u201d praised Hanako.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNeed a lift home, Mom?\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI came here in the family shuttle,\u201d replied Hanako. \u201cNo need to go out of your way to drop little ol\u2019 me off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEmpress Rellmeer,\u201d interjected Midiriki, \u201cI DID have a motive for coming to the Drelda Forest in the first place before Dr. Borg kidnapped and hypnotized me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh?\u201d quizzed Rellmeer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019d very much like to add Fae honey to Mystic Tails\u2019 inventory,\u201d explained Midiriki. \u201cI came here to negotiate a deal. I can certainly start a fundraiser to help repair any damage I have caused while under Dr. Borg\u2019s influence on top of paying your price for honey.\u201d Rellmeer stroked her chin in consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Midiriki Rotano, let\u2019s discuss this over lunch,\u201d she declared as she led Midiriki away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s my sister,\u201d sighed Hanako. \u201cAlways looking for a deal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFae honey IS tasty, from what I recall,\u201d mused Arsha. \u201cIn any case, I must return to the Endeavor<\/em>. See you around, Mom!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFarewell, my Precious One!\u201d returned Hanako. Baltar escorted Arsha to the hangar where the Endeavor<\/em> rested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Fae Republic owes you a great debt of honor,\u201d remarked Baltar. \u201cIf we can help you, you need merely call us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you need our help,\u201d answered Arsha, \u201cdon\u2019t hesitate to contact us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI must also apologize for my stubbornness,\u201d bid Baltar. \u201cI didn\u2019t think Dr. Borg could return like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe concept IS a little out there,\u201d replied Arsha. \u201cYour stubbornness was justified.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you think we\u2019ll see her again?\u201d mused Baltar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hope not!\u201d shuddered Arsha. \u201cOnce was more than enough for me! See you later!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGoodbye, Captain Royana!\u201d bid Baltar. As Arsha entered the Endeavor<\/em>, the ramp raised and sealed itself behind her. She made her way to the bridge and found Oak, Malak, Shalvey, and Nazay at their positions. Oak got up from the Captain\u2019s chair and let Arsha sit in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re looking well,\u201d observed Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m FEELING well,\u201d replied Arsha. \u201cShalvey, any new missions?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJust a minor delivery mission,\u201d replied Shalvey. \u201cUnder-realm based. Mana crystals from the Greshkagh mountains to the Haldebor Drider Caves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll right. Nazay,\u201d directed Arsha, \u201clay in a course for the nearest Over to Under Realmgate, then to the Greshkagh Mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCourse laid in,\u201d replied Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNice and easy,\u201d answered Arsha. The Endeavor<\/em> then left the hangar and grew to its normal size along with its crew. It proceeded on a nice, easy path to the Realmgate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Arsha and those who pursued Dr. Borg were taken in for treatment. It was touch and go for a while, but their bodies no longer opened any fresh wounds nor did they lose too much blood. They still needed blood transfusions, but the virus was purged and they were properly vaccinated. Arsha, Rellmeer, and Baltar […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,94],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-2040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-1-her-highness-the-captain","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2040"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2041,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040\/revisions\/2041"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}