UGT (Unified Galactic Time): 12th Revol (July) 280 a.G.A. (after Galactic Armistace) / 1:58 p.m.

  Location: RRA Battlecruiser Vigilant Spear, Scarlay Port, De-Deinze system (blue giant), Republic of Aerondel, Milky Way

  The heavy clouds above Scarlay Port drifted slowly across the blue sky, their shadows sweeping across the sprawling military spaceport that had become the new cage of the last surviving RRA Inner-Noran fleet. The Republic of Aerondel flag, a blue sunburst on white, fluttered stiffly in the wind atop the checkpoint towers, flanked by railguns that glared down at the Association ships as though daring them to twitch.

  It had been five weeks. Five long, humiliating weeks of Aerondel's increasingly bold demands for 'cooperation', not that he could do much against them right now except point out the republic's very own legal framework.

  And yet Admiral Kaèl-Vèynar walked with his hands clasped behind his back and his chin lifted, every step of his carefully measured, knowing that the entire situation was still under control. The Aerondel guards tracked him with their rifles, but he didn’t spare them a glance. They wouldn't shoot, so they were insignificant.

  The spaceport that had been his home these last weeks was carved directly into the step-plateaus of Scarlay Port’s southern hemisphere, a strategic jewel ringed with concrete, steel, and an almost theatrical degree of discipline. Hangars sprawled across the hillside in terraced rows. Gantries carried cargo drones and shuttle pods back and forth, looking just like his Ruidan ancestors had once when they had still been primitive insects tending to their hive. Patrols marched with rigid precision, their boots pounding against metal plating. Even the fuel lines snaking across the tarmac were aligned with extreme mathematical exactness, as if a single mistake would mean execution.

  The Republic of Aerondel truly didn't do anything halfway. A history of loss after loss right after the end of their 'golden era' had beaten that truth into them. And that outlook was something Admiral Kaèl could almost respect on these humans.

  His fleet rested in designated berths below, strictly boxed in by towering bulkheads and permanent sensor beams that scanned every hull vent and emission signature. Aerondel’s neutrality laws were suffocating, but consistency was a powerful shield. They wouldn’t fire unless provoked and they wouldn’t interfere with his business either unless they felt threatened by his actions. And they wouldn’t break their own laws. Not for the Federation, not for the Association, not for anyone. And that equality in their treatment of everyone made the situation... manageable.

  He descended the staircase to the private command deck Aerondel had allocated for 'liaison purposes' as they'd called it, a polite euphemism for supervised confinement. His boots clinked against plated flooring as he stepped inside, greeted by the rustling of uniform fabric and the low hum of thermal regulators. The officers and Captains present straightened the moment he entered. Most of the Captains had decided that they would rather be stationed on the RRA Vigilant Spear during their ground stay, instead of remaining on their own ships.

  Captain Harèth'Scor, by now essentially the second-in-command of the entire fleet, stood front and center, head bowed. "Admiral Kaèl-Vèynar. I'm happy to report that the Aerondel afternoon inspections are complete. We made sure they found no violations of their law."

  "Good," Admiral Kaèl said with a nod. "They want us to slip so that they get an excuse to actually seize our ships. Let them wait until the end of the stars."

  Captain Harèth’Sor grimaced. "That's a true statement if I ever heard one. Their inspectors showed up twice today already. One asked to see even our engineering logs."

  "Let them," Admiral Kaèl replied, brushing past. "There is nothing highly secret for them to gain anymore. Not since the Association actively started participating in the war. Or enemies already captured enough of our ships to know everything they need, I'm sure."

  He allowed himself a thin smile. The Aerondel officials thought their scrutiny mattered and that they had actually managed to curtail him and his plans to rebuild his fleet. And sure, to some degree they had managed that with their annoying rules and measures, that had been expected from the very beginning. Still, Admiral Kaèl was relatively confident that he could soon start his plans for rearmament.

  "Captain tell me," he said towards Captain Harèth’Sor, "How does it look regarding our relations to our hosts? Has the inspector for sector three received his… stipend?"

  Captain Harèth’Sor hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, Admiral. And his wife’s medical bills were paid discreetly. He is very thankful and should he see more of our people outside of the designated areas... well, that's just his mind playing tricks on him that late in the evening of course."

  "Good." Admiral Kaèl’s eyes narrowed. "Tell me should the allocated funds for bribing the Aerondel officials reach its limits."

  "Yes, Admiral."

  The Association had never been all that rich. They were called a Raider Association for a reason, even if they held a somewhat unified command with a Queen at the very top. The only thing they brought to the table were the numbers their fleets held, which mostly made up for the internal friction and economic weakness. Overall, the Association was more focused on stealing advancements from others than to actually achieve them for themselves. Still, that didn't mean that the individual Admirals of the Association weren't quite rich by galactic standards. Especially in this case.

  From the very first day of this war, long before Zha’Vorr rose and fell, before Inner-Noran Admirals clawed at each other after the Grand Admiral's death, Admiral Kaèl had invested in himself. He had private vaults, hidden stockpiles, and loyal mercantile brokers who could be trusted to keep silent as long as the payments flowed. Because becoming a Grand Admiral had always been his goal, so he had horded resources for that specific day in the future. And while that day hadn't come the way he had expected it to, it had still proven to be worth it.

  Bribes were not cheap of course. But they were effective and a great way of proving that he had money. The one currency that every underworld, especially that of a nation like Aerondel, very much appreciated. And they were also far more flexible regarding the laws and who they supplied.

  By now the Admiral had already received three 'couriers'. Low-ranking fixers, or so they claimed, but most likely people that had stronger forces standing behind them. Smugglers whose ships weren’t on any registry. Trade networks with friends in inspection teams. Black market access for fuel, spare parts, even weapons. Of course, all of that came at extreme prices, but they all were more than willing to make deals with the Association behind their governments’ back.

  Admiral Kaèl rose from his seat and turned to face his officers fully. "Tell the men the plan remains unchanged. We obey Aerondel’s statutes to the letter. The more caught off-guard they will be when the day comes where we reveal our hand."

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  The Ruidans present nodded, understanding the unspoken truth in his words. He turned away. "Prepare my coat. I have a private appointment in the city."

  Captain Harèth’Sor stiffened. "Understood Admiral. Should we alert the marines for your escort?"

  "No. I won’t bring armed guards to a meeting that must appear… cooperative."

  Captain Harèth’Sor swallowed. "Admiral, these underworld types, they-"

  Admiral Kaèl cut him off with a flick of two fingers. "Captain. If they wished to assassinate me, they would have done so by now. They want something… bigger." He stepped past him, cloak trailing behind him. "Besides... the last thing the Scarlay Port underworld wants is a war with our marines. They need us alive far more than we need them. And just in case I will go armed."

  With these words Admiral Kaèl left for good, and minutes later got off the RRA Vigilant Spear, in front of which a transport shuttle was already waiting. Something that really wouldn't have any business being here if not for the bribes they'd paid. Without many fanfare Admiral Kaèl entered and the shuttle took off, taking him int Scarlay Port proper. The capital city, holding the same name as the planet itself, wasn't overly beautiful, but it was solid. Built from darkstone composites and ceramic slabs, every building felt like it had been designed to withstand artillery fire, which very well could be the case.

  Shops lined the streets with workers hurrying home from their shifts. As he left the shuttle deep inside the city, he already saw his guide waiting next to the curb. A tall woman with a civilian jacket and a military stance. "Admiral Kaèl-Vèynar?"

  Kaèl gave a curt nod. "I assume you represent our mutual… interested party."

  She didn’t answer. She simply turned and walked. Admiral Kaèl followed without hesitation. They wound through increasingly narrow alleys, passing flickering neon signs and backdoor taverns where smoking silhouettes eyed him with the predatory curiosity of opportunists sensing a new wallet. Finally, the woman stopped before an unmarked steel door. She pressed a sequence on a keypad, the door silently sliding open.

  The chamber beyond was spacious, too spacious for an illegal den, which meant it was just a temporary base for a meeting or two before being abandoned. The air smelled faintly of copper and cold metal. And sitting at the circular table in the center, dressed in a plain charcoal coat with a glass of something violet and expensive at his elbow, was a human who did not stand when Admiral Kaèl approached.

  "Admiral Kaèl-Vèynar," the man greeted smoothly. His accent carried the clipped edges of high-born Aerondel. 'French' it was called if his memory served him right. "Welcome to my little corner of the Republic."

  Admiral Kaèl studied him. The man wasn’t armed. But there were two figures in the shadows. Sniper rifles, heavy pistols, knives, probably more he couldn't measure at a quick glance. Still, he didn't feel threatened. At most he felt amused at the implied threat, that was utterly useless. "And you are?" he simply asked, not acknowledging the armed guards at all.

  The man offered a smile that didn’t touch his eyes. "As I'm sure you know, names complicate relationships. But if you require one, you may call me Merros."

  Admiral Kaèl inclined his head, playing along. "Very well. Merros. You requested a personal meeting due to your... let’s call it informant."

  "I did." Merros gestured to the seat across from him. "You have credits, that much you have already proven by bribing half of the local officials. Otherwise, this meeting wouldn't happen at all. You also have soldiers. And you have spaceships, maybe damaged but spaceships, nonetheless. That makes you a serious player on this planet." He tapped a finger against the table. "And I have… resources to offer you."

  "Spare parts, fuel cells, missile housing, reactor rod composites, and of course railguns. That's what I need, and I have the money to pay for it," Admiral Kaèl stated openly, knowing it wouldn't make much sense to beat around the bush. He needed to know if this human could get him what he needed.

  "Those I can get you," Merros agreed lightly. "But I can offer you so much more. Information you might not be privy to. Clearance protocols for certain restricted industrial districts, additional friends in the inspection offices, even a warship or two if you really want to." He sipped his drink. "All for a fair price, of course."

  Admiral Kaèl gestured with an open hand. “Name it.”

  "Well." Merros folded his hands. "The obvious payments are trivial. Credits. A few favors from you. Discrete interventions in my name from your marines here and there, the necessary bribes for that covered by me." He paused, tilting his head. "But I would not have requested you personally for such small things."

  Admiral Kaèl’s brow lifted. This was... unexpected. "Then what is it that you truly want?"

  Merros exhaled, savoring the moment. "When your fleet leaves the De-Deinze system," he said softly, "I want you to take down the planetary and orbital defenses."

  The words hung in the air like the cold edge of a blade. Admiral Kaèl didn’t move or even blink. And he made sure not a flicker of the contempt he felt showed. Merros mistook his silence for consideration and leaned closer.

  "You of all people understand opportunity, don't you Admiral? Aerondel’s defenses are formidable, yes, but not invincible. A few well-timed missile salvos. A disabled sensor grid. A sabotage of bastion three. My own people would take care of everything else. And then, dear Admiral, the De-Deinze underworld becomes the new master of the system. And the Association will gain a new potential ally on the galactic map.

  Admiral Kaèl’s thoughts were cold and sharp. That man was certainly ambitious. But he was also a delusional fool. Merros believed he could topple a system of the Republic of Aerondel with nothing but black-market smugglers and street gangs? That he could seize an entire highly militarized system with nothing more than criminal math? Truly megalomaniacal. Because even if his little rebellion succeeded, it would mean nothing. This system held maybe a fifth of the military power that Aerondel could field. The eventual counterstrike would see this entire attempted revolution crumble down, if it even succeeded in the first place.

  "And what exactly do I get in exchange?" Admiral Kaèl simply asked.

  "My full support," Merros said. "Every part you need, every resource and every contact available to me. My entire network. Your fleet will be able to counterattack far faster than anyone would've thought possible. You would surprise the Federation." Merros extended a hand. "So, do we have an agreement?"

  Admiral Kaèl took the offered hand with a firm, slow grip. "We do," he said with a smile.

  He had no intention whatsoever of keeping his promise. He would not engage Aerondel when leaving the system. No, he would milk Merros for everything he had and then leave. Because in the long term Merros didn't matter, for he was too arrogant and sure of his supposed importance to ever believe someone would betray or outsmart him.

  Let the man dream of conquest. Let him imagine himself as a king. Let the underworld boast of coming supremacy for however long he still controlled it. It wouldn't be longer than a few more years, he was sure. Not with him being such an arrogant human. He only needed Merros to keep supplying him until the fleet was rebuilt, and then reality would do everything else for him so that no loose ends remained. He wouldn't have to lift a single finger for that.

  "And now," Merros said cheerfully, "shall we discuss your first shipment?"

  "Yes," Admiral Kaèl replied with a nod. "Let’s."

  And just like that he had secured an important supplier in the underworld, someone that he needed to get his fleet back into shape. And the next few hours consisted of them talking about the details.

  In the end Admiral Kaèl left and stepped back into the shuttle carrying him back to the spaceport in the knowledge that he had absolutely and utterly played that fool of a human. Sure, he still had to pay a massive sum of credits, but he had also gotten far more than he'd bargained for due to that human fool's arrogance and ambition.

  Captain Harèth'Scor met him at the landing pad in front of the RRA Vigilant Spear. "Admiral," he whispered urgently, "Aerondel inspectors came by and asked why you left the port without saying anything!"

  Admiral Kaèl brushed dust from his sleeve. "I was invited by a local trade councilor. Harmless. Tell them to check their documentation again, I'm quite sure they will find it." Just one more thing he had talked with that Merron about, after all.

  Admiral Kaèl began walking toward the command deck. The air smelled of fuel, ozone, and the faint bite of cold metal. In the span of a single day his situation had turned from bad but acceptable to great. For now, he could finally start rebuilding properly.