Chapter 817: Fast Travel Enabled
"Sis, I want to hear my son’s voice on his birthday! Can you put me through to him? No, first is he safe? Has he been killing lots of Drakoshi? No wait, put me through first! No wait, tell me-"
"Val!" Serena screamed at the top of her lungs, the act encouraging everyone present on the command deck to turn towards her. She then whispered through the communicator with so much anger, her voice was practically a growl.
"Listen here you little shit, not only have you just broken a serious, serious law, but since I am not going to rat out my sister, I am an accomplice. So fuck you for that. Now tell me straight. What. Do. You. Want? I don’t have time for games. I am in the middle of a fucking war. It’s bad enough these fuckers have turned up, now I’m dealing with this."
Valerica took a deep breath listening to her sisters scolding before speaking calm and collectedly. "I want to know if it’s possible to talk to Apollo. It’s his birthday and after missing the invitation to the party one of his partners is hosting on Eucumenopolis 4, I am feeling sad and maternal. I just want to hear from him. You have so many children, Serena. I only have Apollo, my one and only. Please just let me speak to him. I’m begging you."
Serena felt her lips quiver for a moment, it was true, she was very blessed. Her twelve children were everything to her. Her love is unconditional. So for her sister to only have... One?
"Wait, what about Kathrine?" She clarified.
"Who? Oh right, yes. My only son is what I meant... Please sis? I know you said you didn’t like or trust him, but I love him so much. He is family whether you like it or not."
Serena sighed, she wasn’t going to hear the end of this, but she was the more mature sister, so she did what she needed to do. "Look. I was wrong. I’m sorry, but Apollo is a fucking warhero. I will never allow my prejudice to affect my judgement going forward. However... I’m sorry, I cannot get you in contact with Apollo."
*Thud* *Thud*
"Hello?" Serena said, worried after hearing two thuds. It was then another voice spoke up.
"H-Hey, this is Janine, Apollo’s Seppida. We are just missing Apollo. Why can’t you get Apollo... He isn’t injured is he?"
"Janine is it? I am sorry I cannot be of more help, but Apollo has been behind enemy lines running a sabotage campaign for months, because of him, we have been able to allocate resources to different fronts and honestly it has pushed the war ahead by months. What I do know is that he, as far as we know, is alive and continuing to put some serious hurt on the Drakoshi."
Janine sighed. "Oh, ok... Well thank you for at least letting us know he is doing something worthwhile. It makes the pain of missing him a little more bearable... Gosh, that sounds so selfish."
Serena took a deep exhale. She understood the concept of missing someone dearly, but. "Look, I am sorry to be curt, but I have a war to get back too after dealing with another interfering factor asking for Apollo... Also, if you need to go to Euc 4, can’t you just ask Valerica’s old teacher?"
*BANG!*
Suddenly in the back of the communication, the sound of a heavy impact was heard followed by Valerica screaming at the top of her lungs.
"HECATE! I almost forgot she existed with her studying isolation! She can get me to the Party! I’m not a bad mommy!"
Suddenly there was a lot of clattering followed by Janine speaking once more. "Ok, thank you for letting us know. I am going to follow Valerica before I get left behind again. Um, bye and nice to meet you."
The communication then abruptly ended and Serena felt a headache coming. ’So domestic...’
Her headache continued to increase as she heard a rather impatient cough coming from behind her.
"Do that again and I’ll really give you something to cough about, detective."
Thorne took a deep exasperated sigh. "Look, I’m not exactly thrilled to be here either, everywhere I go in this investigation, A Hyllus just so happens to be present. Not my idea of good company, offence meant. Can we just get to the part where you are denying our clearance to ask Apollo a few questions?"
"I just told you before the call, Sentinel Lambdason is behind enemy lines right in the thick of that war down there. So if you pair of hot dicks want to go take your monochrome access down there and just waltz right through the Drakoshi lines to question a currently active warhero some questions about, who was it? The fucking sanguine butcher? Are you serious? Then be my fucking guest. If not? Get the fuck off my ship so I can do my job."
Malone looked like he wanted to speak, but Serena then cut him off as well.
"And no, I don’t care about breaking the compliance clause. I am at war, if you try to enforce it, King Dickon will be hearing straight from King Sigismund and we both know how that will go... Don’t we?"
The duo looked between once another before Thorne sighed. "Thank you for your time, commander. A thousand victories over the coming months and-"
Suddenly Thorne’s pocket began to chime. Wasting no time, he stopped what he was saying and activated the communicator. This was the transfer communicator meaning only one thing.
"Oh Sterling~ I did a whoopsie! Looks like a face reveal is in play, about time since you clearly needed a hint! Come and find me~"
The communication then ended and he turned to Malone.
"We have to go."
...
"Do you really think I should come with you? Apollo and I are at most acquaintances. This will be packed with all his close friends. I don’t want to stand out." Circe said as she began to be ushered by Hecate.
"Nonesense! This is about having fun, getting to know your acquaintance through the lives he touched before us meeting him. Kathrine was kind enough to extend the invitation to me after all, such a good girl compared to her delinquent mother. Now enough, you are wearing that dress yummily and as much as it pains me to admit it, I do need a break from my research and I am not turning up to a party without a date. Now let’s go."
Hecate then opened her wormhole to the coordinates she knew of on Ecumenopolis 4, the Hyllus building. But before she could walk through, she suddenly frowned. A serious attack to her office door occurred, engaging several defence mechanisms.
She immediately went to investigate only for a shout and barging to give it away. "Hecate! Hecate are you in there! Let me in! I need to get to the-Ahh!"
Hecate opened the door as Valerica barged against it again, making her crash inside.
"Valerica what are you doing- Oh, hello Janine, Orchid. To what do I owe the delight?"
After a few moments of being caught up, Hecate just laughed. This was just perfect. She could hold this over her friend and former pupil for at least half a decade before it wears off.
"Alright everyone. I will take you, but on one condition." She then looked Valerica straight in the eyes and smirked. "Thank me sincerely, Valerica. For being such a-" Her words were taken from her mouth as Valerica closed the distance between them and pulled HEcate from her floating onto the floor below.
"Thank you thank you! I felt so ill at the thought of not being there. Apollo might not be there, but it’s the thought. It’s a party in his honour, to show how much we love him. You are such a good friend for taking us! Thank you, thank you!"
Hecate’s fly trap hung open wide as she watched Valerica on the verge of tears. She instantly knelt down, feeling just terrible and hugged her friend. "Hey, it’s ok. I suppose fate wanted you to go to that party huh? Circe and I were literally seconds away from being on Euc 4 before you charged into my door. Oh, dear. You are quivering. It’s ok. Look, the wormhole is set up on your penthouse balcony, remember? Why don’t we get your access card from your room and have a couple of drinks to soothe that mind of yours before we go to the party? Hmm? We can’t give Kathrine the satisfaction of seeing you all worked up can we?"
Valerica laughed at what Hecate just said. "Yeah, I suppose not. Plus with you having a pre drink. The party might get more than a little interesting. That is if you don’t pass out first.
Hecate then turned to the other two present and looked at their attire.
"Would the two of you like to go home and get changed before we head out? Not that you don’t look lovely, but I was told the event was high class."
Janine shrugged her shoulders. "I have some clothes at Sophia’s that I left behind. I can just throw something on. If not, I’ll steal one of Talia’s dresses. It’s fine.
Hecate then looked at Orchid and frowned unconsciously at the aura emanating off the woman.
"Just open the wormhole."
