Allied enemies, p.24
Allied Enemies, page 24
“Some imperator was smarter than me,” Doktorg commented. “At least, they knew better than to tangle with a tri-hull.”
“Enough of that kind of talk, Doktorg,” Fastark said sternly. “You’ve more than made up for that blunder.”
“Last raider contact was the construction platform,” Goskerk noted. “Governor, add a semitransparent shell color to represent the empire’s limit.”
“Look at that,” Fastark enthused. “Why take that course from the previous encounter point?”
“The warship imperator saw it,” Doktorg said disgustedly and smacked a fist into his palm. “We were so foolish.”
Goskerk surveyed his companions and shrugged. “He does that,” he said. “Talks to himself to develop his idea. You just have to be patient.”
“Governor, add Commander Fastark’s fleet records after the raider encounter until the fleet sailed for home,” Doktorg requested.
the governor replied. Then a close network of lines crisscrossed a small portion of the display.
“What do you see?” Doktorg inquired of his audience.
“Your fleet lines mimic the yellow shell that marks the empire’s boundary,” Deckus replied.
“Of course,” Goskerk said, the light dawning for him. “The raider struck so many peacekeepers with trackers that it was able to discern many of our ship movements, while we attempted to lose it.”
“We were careful not to take courses that sailed toward home or the unknown civilization,” Fastark added.
“Unknowingly, you scribed the Imperium boundary,” Ragirt finished.
“That’s why the raider imperator swung around the empire’s outer perimeter before heading inward and searching for our home worlds,” Doktorg surmised.
“This gives us a good starting point,” Deckus said. “The construction platform might have offered some refined metals and gases, but it wouldn’t have provided immediate essentials for the population. The citizens would have need of such things as food, water, and hydroponic nutrients.”
“Which means that immense ship is still headed inward,” Gretren surmised.
The team had many cycles in which to hatch ideas about tracking the raider, while they waited for their peacekeepers to arrive.
Deckus and Fastark split the ships into four commands as they arrived. They were quick to separate those imperators who had sailed within the same fleet.
After a few interviews with the new imperators, the team met again.
“Same old problem,” Gretren groused. “None of them have been informed of their new duties.”
“Worse, the imperators and the declinators are excited about the prospects of a new duty,” Goskerk added.
“That’ll soon change,” Tarbar commented sourly. “By whom and how will the news be broken to them?”
Beaks turned Tarbar’s way.
“Sure, why not? Make the nasty inquisitor deliver the bad news,” Tarbar replied. Although, he didn’t seem that upset about it.
“No use commanders starting out by scaring their direct reports,” Fastark remarked.
“But is that smart?” Ragirt asked. “At some point, you’ll provide more details, and then your reports will know that you were aware of their assignments.”
“He has a good point,” Doktorg said.
“He does,” Fastark added, and he regarded Deckus.
“Agreed,” Deckus replied. “Tarbar, looks like you’re relieved of nasty duty.”
“We’ll need a cohesive summary,” Goskerk offered. “We want to begin and continue to act in coordination.”
Cycles later, Gaketork informed the team that the territories’ contributions had ended. No details were forthcoming, which meant the admin had sent them the message.
“We’ve four fleets of thirty-two peacekeepers,” Goskerk lamented. “That’s a total of eighty fewer peacekeepers than we expected.”
“We have what we have,” Fastark said, ending complaints. “It does limit our search patterns, but I think we’ve got the beginning of a good plan.”
“Right up to the point where we find the raider,” Tarbar remarked.
“This is about the time a SADE would be extremely helpful,” Ragirt mused.
“You don’t think Cremsylon could spare us one or two, do you?” Gretren asked. It was another of those comments that individuals weren’t sure was meant to be flippant. Lately, there had been a lot of them.
With the fleets assembled, four commanders sailed with thirty-two peacekeepers each.
As there were only three advisors, they were shared as Tarbar with Deckus, Ragirt with Gretren, and Doktorg with Goskerk.
On the subject of Doktorg’s assignment to Goskerk’s flagship, he’d queried, “Commander Fastark, shouldn’t you have Doktorg with you?”
“The short of it, Goskerk, is that we both need him,” Fastark had replied. “When we enter a mêlée, every moment will count. Now, I ask you, which of us will be quicker to embrace Doktorg’s unorthodox approaches?”
“Your logic is unassailable, Commander,” Goskerk had replied and gurgled.
“And, Goskerk, while I’m senior to you in fleet time, we’re equal in rank. You may call me by name,” Fastark had replied.
As it was, Fastark was disappointed that his fleet, which had experience with the raider, had remained at Imperium. He considered that the committee was more comfortable with it protecting Imperium. This made no sense to the seven, as the three most important individuals to that fleet were sailing away.
During the voyage, the seven, who were confident about their search strategy, considered battle tactics. As expected, the advisors had as much to say as the commanders.
The flagship imperators and their declinators were surprised that they were kept out of the loop. However, none of them had encountered the conclave ships or the raider.
When Fastark mentioned that his flagship imperator expressed concern about missing the strategy meetings, Tarbar commented, “It’s probably for the best. Some sacrifices might have to be made.”
Via the vid conference, a few stunned expressions were easily visible.
“An explanation would be appreciated,” Fastark requested. He was one of the individuals surprised by the remarks.
“The encounter with the raider at the mining facility has been reviewed many times by each of us,” Tarbar said. “Our adversary is formidable. I wait to hear the proffered attack scenarios and listen to your estimates of losses.”
“It appears the raider likes to observe a potential target for a lengthy period from deep in the dark,” Goskerk began. “Our best opportunity is to scatter and monitor systems along the ship’s approach line. If our peacekeepers can detect the raider’s exit from the dark, there should be time to send a message and allow the fleets to collect and attack as one.”
“I believe Tarbar is more interested in our proposals for the fleets’ combined attack,” Doktorg said. He had an idea where the inquisitor was headed, and he was relieved that someone else might be interested in unusual fleet maneuvers.
“Four point spread and attack,” Fastark replied. “Standard formation. We’ll swamp the raider with the number of missiles and probes that we launch.”
“Fastark,” Deckus said gently. “We’ve been surprised by the conclave enough times to realize that our technology is antiquated. It’s more than possible that the raider has armament that we’ve never encountered. I suspect that if we fire from a distance, the raider will simply move. If we get close, we’ll lose ships.”
“What’s your plan, Deckus?” Fastark inquired peevishly.
“That’s the problem. I don’t have an inventive plan, and that’s because I’m like you. I’ve been in fleet service too long,” Deckus replied.
“So, we let the junior commanders design the battle strategy for all of us?” Fastark inquired incredulously.
“I’m saying we listen closely to their concerns and work with them,” Deckus advised.
“Goskerk, what’s your idea?” Fastark inquired.
“I’m deferring to our resident raider interventionist,” Goskerk replied, gurgling.
“This should be interesting,” Fastark replied testily. When Deckus cleared his throat, he quickly amended, “Apologies, Doktorg.”
“It will take a coordinated attack to take the raider,” Doktorg began. “Furthermore, Tarbar has the right of it. Imperators and declinators won’t like this plan if they’re aware of the potential losses.”
“Which is what?” Goskerk prompted.
Devices received an animated vid. On approach to the raider, the usual fleet formation, which was arranged along a plane, shifted. It collapsed into a dense cone pointed at the raider. Three peacekeepers were buried at the cone’s rear.
“Explain the actions,” Gretren requested.
“If the raider stands its station, then we’ll be able to get close,” Doktorg explained. “The raider will fire multiple types of armament, which will devastate the cone’s surface. It should enable the protected peacekeepers to get close enough to launch barrages, which would remain active. The raider might not have enough time to prevent their impact.”
Dead silence greeted Doktorg’s idea.
When there was enough time to digest the possible destruction of most of the fleets’ ships to take down one raider, Tarbar said, “That’s one of the most imaginative concepts that I’ve ever heard, and it just might work. This is why I said that it might be in our best interest to prevent imperators and declinators from taking part in these meetings.”
“We’re talking about consigning the majority of our crews to their deaths,” Fastark objected.
“We agreed to listen,” Deckus said to Fastark.
“Let me remind everyone that according to the committee’s directive we’re not to return to Imperium until we’ve accomplished our task,” Ragirt said. “If we’re not bold, this could become a process of diminishing returns.”
“Translate your scientific speech,” Fastark requested.
“Suppose we take a conservative approach to destroying the raider and lose a quarter of our ships,” Ragirt explained. “Try another approach, which is a little more aggressive but less than needed, and we lose thirty percent of what’s left. Soon, we haven’t enough ships to try an innovative plan.”
“I agree,” Tarbar interjected. “I think we’ll get one opportunity. If the raider escapes us unscathed, the imperator will move the ship to new territory and start raiding again. Then we’ll be forced to wait for more contact information before we start a second search.”
“I’m not in favor of Doktorg’s plan, but I can’t argue with the scenario that has been proposed,” Fastark admitted. “There’s time for us to develop different aggressive tactics that might not cost us so many crews.”
20: More Sisters and Suits
DARMIAN HOME WORLD
RADAGUL SYSTEM
The Freedom and its escort of a Trident squadron exited the dark and immediately transited near Darmian.
Z sent.
Julien sent.
Miranda replied.
Julien asked.
Z replied.
Julien sent.
Miranda replied swiftly.
Julien offered.
Z replied.
Julien sent.
Julien received a set of coordinates and a warning not to let the travelers touch down on the roof.
Miranda inquired.
Julien replied. Before Miranda could repeat her warning, he added,
Miranda and Z, in the company of some suits, returned to the enclave with three negotiator families. The trip was fairly uneventful. If there was anything the warriors had learned, it was to stay clear of the digital giants.
Most of the damage to the sisters had occurred during the initial forays to the markets with the negotiator families. The warriors had set ambushes. They descended en masse on the sisters, hacking with heavy-bladed axes. When some sisters were seriously injured, the remaining sisters had resorted to harsher treatments of their attackers.
Three sisters might have been incapacitated and eight in need of repair, but thirty-two warriors lost their lives in the attacks. Still, the ambushes continued with more inventive tactics, and the warriors brought more dangerous weapons. Although, they’d yet to employ energy weapons.
Long ago, the chiefs had decided that the energy weapons could only be used on other planets, and that edict remained in force.
Miranda and Z learned of the edict from Fygthurn and Ogdurg, but they knew it was probably only a matter of time before the chiefs rescinded the law. In their kernels, they predicted a war brewing. It wasn’t a matter of if; it was a matter of when.
When the Freedom’s travelers hovered above the roof, Miranda, Z, Nebulon, Escher, and Ceda met the ship’s passengers.
The sisters, who were part of Nebulon’s group, had been apprised of the situation, as their traveler descended.
Nebulon noted to Julien.
Julien replied.
Nebulon inquired.
Julien replied.
Escher interjected.
Julien sent privately,
Escher connected Julien to the rooftop group, as he laughed. he sent.
Julien asked. He received one of Escher’s training vids that he’d prepared for the new suits who would be dropping planetside.
Julien watched the ambush unfold. The sisters spread to blunt the attack, while the suits formed a tight protective cordon around the families. Frequently, a suit leapt out to prevent a sister from being buried by Radag warriors. In this instance, Bethany used her suit’s power to crash into warriors and drag the sister toward a negotiator family.
The fighting continued until more sisters arrived and attacked the warriors from behind. By then, the suits had taken part in about a quarter of the warrior fights.
Julien was surprised to note that as the families passed the downed warriors, they didn’t appear cowed. Some growled fiercely at the bodies. he sent when the vid finished.
When Jasper’s team disembarked from their traveler, there was a joyous greeting with Escher and Ceda. Then the pair led the new suits on a tour of the enclave, while they explained the job.
A concerned Ceda asked them,
Jasper sent proudly.
Lita added.
Red sent.
During the tour, Escher and Ceda walked Jasper’s team into a storeroom.
Sisters were loading the three severely damaged sisters on a grav palette.
The eight injured ones connected to the new suits and welcomed them to the fight. As they passed the ex-mickies, they warned them to be careful.
Jasper and his companions stared at the missing arms and the heavily dented or twisted legs.
When the room was cleared, Red sent,
The laughter of the other new suits was strained, which was the mood that Escher and Ceda wanted to see.
Then Escher sent the first vid, and the couple taught Jasper’s team the various tactics that they’d employ. Over and over again, they stressed their responsibility to protect the families.
Escher sent.
Ceda added, staring pointedly at the mickie.
Scrounger iterated.
Jasper’s team watched vids and listened to their instructions for the remainder of the morning. By the time Escher and Ceda finished, they were sobered, but they weren’t scared.
The Freedom’s SADEs quickly restored the sisters and returned them to duty. By then, Julien had sent a message to Tocknicka requesting a small freighter under escort for Darmian. He detailed that the freighter should carry extensive repair facilities for the sisters and a supply of their preferred avatars. The escort would be free to return to the outpost, but the freighter would remain on extended duty.
The increased number of sisters allowed for more negotiator family visits to markets and other locations on a daily basis.
As Escher and Ceda had explained, the new suits joined outings led by Z or Miranda. They were taken aback by the ferocity with which they were challenged as they passed warriors.
“Enough of that kind of talk, Doktorg,” Fastark said sternly. “You’ve more than made up for that blunder.”
“Last raider contact was the construction platform,” Goskerk noted. “Governor, add a semitransparent shell color to represent the empire’s limit.”
“Look at that,” Fastark enthused. “Why take that course from the previous encounter point?”
“The warship imperator saw it,” Doktorg said disgustedly and smacked a fist into his palm. “We were so foolish.”
Goskerk surveyed his companions and shrugged. “He does that,” he said. “Talks to himself to develop his idea. You just have to be patient.”
“Governor, add Commander Fastark’s fleet records after the raider encounter until the fleet sailed for home,” Doktorg requested.
“What do you see?” Doktorg inquired of his audience.
“Your fleet lines mimic the yellow shell that marks the empire’s boundary,” Deckus replied.
“Of course,” Goskerk said, the light dawning for him. “The raider struck so many peacekeepers with trackers that it was able to discern many of our ship movements, while we attempted to lose it.”
“We were careful not to take courses that sailed toward home or the unknown civilization,” Fastark added.
“Unknowingly, you scribed the Imperium boundary,” Ragirt finished.
“That’s why the raider imperator swung around the empire’s outer perimeter before heading inward and searching for our home worlds,” Doktorg surmised.
“This gives us a good starting point,” Deckus said. “The construction platform might have offered some refined metals and gases, but it wouldn’t have provided immediate essentials for the population. The citizens would have need of such things as food, water, and hydroponic nutrients.”
“Which means that immense ship is still headed inward,” Gretren surmised.
The team had many cycles in which to hatch ideas about tracking the raider, while they waited for their peacekeepers to arrive.
Deckus and Fastark split the ships into four commands as they arrived. They were quick to separate those imperators who had sailed within the same fleet.
After a few interviews with the new imperators, the team met again.
“Same old problem,” Gretren groused. “None of them have been informed of their new duties.”
“Worse, the imperators and the declinators are excited about the prospects of a new duty,” Goskerk added.
“That’ll soon change,” Tarbar commented sourly. “By whom and how will the news be broken to them?”
Beaks turned Tarbar’s way.
“Sure, why not? Make the nasty inquisitor deliver the bad news,” Tarbar replied. Although, he didn’t seem that upset about it.
“No use commanders starting out by scaring their direct reports,” Fastark remarked.
“But is that smart?” Ragirt asked. “At some point, you’ll provide more details, and then your reports will know that you were aware of their assignments.”
“He has a good point,” Doktorg said.
“He does,” Fastark added, and he regarded Deckus.
“Agreed,” Deckus replied. “Tarbar, looks like you’re relieved of nasty duty.”
“We’ll need a cohesive summary,” Goskerk offered. “We want to begin and continue to act in coordination.”
Cycles later, Gaketork informed the team that the territories’ contributions had ended. No details were forthcoming, which meant the admin had sent them the message.
“We’ve four fleets of thirty-two peacekeepers,” Goskerk lamented. “That’s a total of eighty fewer peacekeepers than we expected.”
“We have what we have,” Fastark said, ending complaints. “It does limit our search patterns, but I think we’ve got the beginning of a good plan.”
“Right up to the point where we find the raider,” Tarbar remarked.
“This is about the time a SADE would be extremely helpful,” Ragirt mused.
“You don’t think Cremsylon could spare us one or two, do you?” Gretren asked. It was another of those comments that individuals weren’t sure was meant to be flippant. Lately, there had been a lot of them.
With the fleets assembled, four commanders sailed with thirty-two peacekeepers each.
As there were only three advisors, they were shared as Tarbar with Deckus, Ragirt with Gretren, and Doktorg with Goskerk.
On the subject of Doktorg’s assignment to Goskerk’s flagship, he’d queried, “Commander Fastark, shouldn’t you have Doktorg with you?”
“The short of it, Goskerk, is that we both need him,” Fastark had replied. “When we enter a mêlée, every moment will count. Now, I ask you, which of us will be quicker to embrace Doktorg’s unorthodox approaches?”
“Your logic is unassailable, Commander,” Goskerk had replied and gurgled.
“And, Goskerk, while I’m senior to you in fleet time, we’re equal in rank. You may call me by name,” Fastark had replied.
As it was, Fastark was disappointed that his fleet, which had experience with the raider, had remained at Imperium. He considered that the committee was more comfortable with it protecting Imperium. This made no sense to the seven, as the three most important individuals to that fleet were sailing away.
During the voyage, the seven, who were confident about their search strategy, considered battle tactics. As expected, the advisors had as much to say as the commanders.
The flagship imperators and their declinators were surprised that they were kept out of the loop. However, none of them had encountered the conclave ships or the raider.
When Fastark mentioned that his flagship imperator expressed concern about missing the strategy meetings, Tarbar commented, “It’s probably for the best. Some sacrifices might have to be made.”
Via the vid conference, a few stunned expressions were easily visible.
“An explanation would be appreciated,” Fastark requested. He was one of the individuals surprised by the remarks.
“The encounter with the raider at the mining facility has been reviewed many times by each of us,” Tarbar said. “Our adversary is formidable. I wait to hear the proffered attack scenarios and listen to your estimates of losses.”
“It appears the raider likes to observe a potential target for a lengthy period from deep in the dark,” Goskerk began. “Our best opportunity is to scatter and monitor systems along the ship’s approach line. If our peacekeepers can detect the raider’s exit from the dark, there should be time to send a message and allow the fleets to collect and attack as one.”
“I believe Tarbar is more interested in our proposals for the fleets’ combined attack,” Doktorg said. He had an idea where the inquisitor was headed, and he was relieved that someone else might be interested in unusual fleet maneuvers.
“Four point spread and attack,” Fastark replied. “Standard formation. We’ll swamp the raider with the number of missiles and probes that we launch.”
“Fastark,” Deckus said gently. “We’ve been surprised by the conclave enough times to realize that our technology is antiquated. It’s more than possible that the raider has armament that we’ve never encountered. I suspect that if we fire from a distance, the raider will simply move. If we get close, we’ll lose ships.”
“What’s your plan, Deckus?” Fastark inquired peevishly.
“That’s the problem. I don’t have an inventive plan, and that’s because I’m like you. I’ve been in fleet service too long,” Deckus replied.
“So, we let the junior commanders design the battle strategy for all of us?” Fastark inquired incredulously.
“I’m saying we listen closely to their concerns and work with them,” Deckus advised.
“Goskerk, what’s your idea?” Fastark inquired.
“I’m deferring to our resident raider interventionist,” Goskerk replied, gurgling.
“This should be interesting,” Fastark replied testily. When Deckus cleared his throat, he quickly amended, “Apologies, Doktorg.”
“It will take a coordinated attack to take the raider,” Doktorg began. “Furthermore, Tarbar has the right of it. Imperators and declinators won’t like this plan if they’re aware of the potential losses.”
“Which is what?” Goskerk prompted.
Devices received an animated vid. On approach to the raider, the usual fleet formation, which was arranged along a plane, shifted. It collapsed into a dense cone pointed at the raider. Three peacekeepers were buried at the cone’s rear.
“Explain the actions,” Gretren requested.
“If the raider stands its station, then we’ll be able to get close,” Doktorg explained. “The raider will fire multiple types of armament, which will devastate the cone’s surface. It should enable the protected peacekeepers to get close enough to launch barrages, which would remain active. The raider might not have enough time to prevent their impact.”
Dead silence greeted Doktorg’s idea.
When there was enough time to digest the possible destruction of most of the fleets’ ships to take down one raider, Tarbar said, “That’s one of the most imaginative concepts that I’ve ever heard, and it just might work. This is why I said that it might be in our best interest to prevent imperators and declinators from taking part in these meetings.”
“We’re talking about consigning the majority of our crews to their deaths,” Fastark objected.
“We agreed to listen,” Deckus said to Fastark.
“Let me remind everyone that according to the committee’s directive we’re not to return to Imperium until we’ve accomplished our task,” Ragirt said. “If we’re not bold, this could become a process of diminishing returns.”
“Translate your scientific speech,” Fastark requested.
“Suppose we take a conservative approach to destroying the raider and lose a quarter of our ships,” Ragirt explained. “Try another approach, which is a little more aggressive but less than needed, and we lose thirty percent of what’s left. Soon, we haven’t enough ships to try an innovative plan.”
“I agree,” Tarbar interjected. “I think we’ll get one opportunity. If the raider escapes us unscathed, the imperator will move the ship to new territory and start raiding again. Then we’ll be forced to wait for more contact information before we start a second search.”
“I’m not in favor of Doktorg’s plan, but I can’t argue with the scenario that has been proposed,” Fastark admitted. “There’s time for us to develop different aggressive tactics that might not cost us so many crews.”
20: More Sisters and Suits
DARMIAN HOME WORLD
RADAGUL SYSTEM
The Freedom and its escort of a Trident squadron exited the dark and immediately transited near Darmian.
Julien sent.
Julien received a set of coordinates and a warning not to let the travelers touch down on the roof.
Miranda and Z, in the company of some suits, returned to the enclave with three negotiator families. The trip was fairly uneventful. If there was anything the warriors had learned, it was to stay clear of the digital giants.
Most of the damage to the sisters had occurred during the initial forays to the markets with the negotiator families. The warriors had set ambushes. They descended en masse on the sisters, hacking with heavy-bladed axes. When some sisters were seriously injured, the remaining sisters had resorted to harsher treatments of their attackers.
Three sisters might have been incapacitated and eight in need of repair, but thirty-two warriors lost their lives in the attacks. Still, the ambushes continued with more inventive tactics, and the warriors brought more dangerous weapons. Although, they’d yet to employ energy weapons.
Long ago, the chiefs had decided that the energy weapons could only be used on other planets, and that edict remained in force.
Miranda and Z learned of the edict from Fygthurn and Ogdurg, but they knew it was probably only a matter of time before the chiefs rescinded the law. In their kernels, they predicted a war brewing. It wasn’t a matter of if; it was a matter of when.
When the Freedom’s travelers hovered above the roof, Miranda, Z, Nebulon, Escher, and Ceda met the ship’s passengers.
The sisters, who were part of Nebulon’s group, had been apprised of the situation, as their traveler descended.
Escher connected Julien to the rooftop group, as he laughed.
Julien watched the ambush unfold. The sisters spread to blunt the attack, while the suits formed a tight protective cordon around the families. Frequently, a suit leapt out to prevent a sister from being buried by Radag warriors. In this instance, Bethany used her suit’s power to crash into warriors and drag the sister toward a negotiator family.
The fighting continued until more sisters arrived and attacked the warriors from behind. By then, the suits had taken part in about a quarter of the warrior fights.
Julien was surprised to note that as the families passed the downed warriors, they didn’t appear cowed. Some growled fiercely at the bodies.
When Jasper’s team disembarked from their traveler, there was a joyous greeting with Escher and Ceda. Then the pair led the new suits on a tour of the enclave, while they explained the job.
A concerned Ceda asked them,
During the tour, Escher and Ceda walked Jasper’s team into a storeroom.
Sisters were loading the three severely damaged sisters on a grav palette.
The eight injured ones connected to the new suits and welcomed them to the fight. As they passed the ex-mickies, they warned them to be careful.
Jasper and his companions stared at the missing arms and the heavily dented or twisted legs.
When the room was cleared, Red sent,
The laughter of the other new suits was strained, which was the mood that Escher and Ceda wanted to see.
Then Escher sent the first vid, and the couple taught Jasper’s team the various tactics that they’d employ. Over and over again, they stressed their responsibility to protect the families.
Jasper’s team watched vids and listened to their instructions for the remainder of the morning. By the time Escher and Ceda finished, they were sobered, but they weren’t scared.
The Freedom’s SADEs quickly restored the sisters and returned them to duty. By then, Julien had sent a message to Tocknicka requesting a small freighter under escort for Darmian. He detailed that the freighter should carry extensive repair facilities for the sisters and a supply of their preferred avatars. The escort would be free to return to the outpost, but the freighter would remain on extended duty.
The increased number of sisters allowed for more negotiator family visits to markets and other locations on a daily basis.
As Escher and Ceda had explained, the new suits joined outings led by Z or Miranda. They were taken aback by the ferocity with which they were challenged as they passed warriors.
