Raa pulled a chair up for Caeilla, turning the girl so she faced the screen. Raa flipped to the first document he searched, "This is a report on the Vedrans. They are coming back. They have already planted several agents across the known galaxies. Remember when you told Dylan that you liked his slaves and he said we weren’t? Well, our people have been educated to believe that since we are using genetic manipulation and breeding tactics that we are the best. It isn’t true. We are striving to be the best but we aren’t yet. Who are the best bureaucrats?"

"The Perseids." Caeilla threw a glance at him. Raa could almost hear the gears moving.

"The best builders?"

"Than-thre-kull."

"The best bargainers?"

"Nightsiders."

"And what held them all together?"

"The Commonwealth." She turned and looked up at Raa. "The Vedrans want to reestablish the Commonwealth. Mother doesn’t. She wants to fight the Vedrans?"

"Without the ships, without the High Guard. She could. We can’t let her, Caeilla. The Vedrans will bring it back. But I can’t expect you to betray your mother for no reason or just on my say so. I’m going to see if we can get everyone back here because Caeilla, if we manage to win against your mother, then we will need your support. Come, let’s find Dylan."

* * *

Radli leaped for Ma’ctor. Ma’ctor leaned to the side. Bringing a fist down on Radli’s back, he ducked and grabbed a syringe. "If it had not been for her paranoia, we would have had no warning when we got trapped in a war."

"How stupid do you think the Matriarch is?! We knew that one day someone would mention Gryphon pride and it’s ancestors. Someone would connect it and tell that bastard of a Captain of yours. He would have come here expecting to take over Gryphon."

"Why would he take over a dying pride? You are dying because you do not listen. You are dying because Onnika cares only for this pride. Not for all Nietzscheans and when the time comes, Gryphon will be destroyed because she can not see it all!" Ma’ctor charged the Nietzschean, slipping under the spikes; he forced the needle in over Radli’s heart.

Radli shook, his eyes rolling back, with one convulsive jerk he died.

Ma’ctor opened his hand and read the label. "Ephedrine. Shkemti, your heart burst. Now where to hide you? I think the war has just begun."

Ma’ctor dragged Radli over to the bed and slipped him between the bed and the wall. Sitting on the bed for a moment and listening to his muscles complain, he got up and walked out softly.

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