"Status report?" Solae breathed as she watched the holographic display. She had made Argon shrink it so that she could look at a more comprehensive 3D rendering of not just the building Rene had been inside but the entire plantation. There were gaps in blind spots over rows of crops but it was more than sufficient for her purposes. Tiny little moving figures less than half an inch tall represented the living, sentient creatures that were emitting a heat signal the synthetic being could detect through various sensors, video feeds, and the drones that acted as observers to the chaos. One by one the little red replicas were falling to the ground and fading into a yellow hue indicative of catastrophic heat loss- dying or death.

Fortunately it was just detailed enough she had stopped the massacre of Syshin before it started. The first directive had to been to kill any living target that was not Rene. In her panic Solae had forgotten there were probably alien captives on the plantation as slave labor, sexual servants, or toys for deviant minds to torture. The exotically different joints and stature had given her sufficient time to set conditions on the initial command and discriminate between the races. A wireless relay ensured that Argon, who was sophisticated enough to tell the difference, would not let his underling drones accidentally execute a non-hostile.

Try as she might to detach the marquise felt cold watching the scene. It was [i]her[/i] that had ordered the death of numerous men. True, Rene had taken out more than she had anticipated with only soldier training and scant weaponry at his disposal, but he was prepared for war. He had been trained and given authority to act within combat parameters set by the Stellar Empire. All Solae was able to rely on were ethics and history classes that were introductions for for the nobility that wanted to matriculate into leadership roles with her studies. Since such desires had never been a part of her she had understandably declined further education down those avenues. Squeezing her eyes shut she slowed her breath as she waited for Argon to make his calculations and reply to her query.

"Drones are in pursuit of two armed individuals in the coffee field. All others have been confirmed deceased. Do you have further requests, Solae Falia?" the automated male voice interrupted her mental meditation.

"What sort of broadcast system do you have access to?" Solae responded as she clenched and relaxed her hands slowly. Her gaze had settled onto the sitting form of her bonded among at least half a dozen Syshin. What little she could gleam from their posture they were more likely male than female. One was holding Rene's sword which she took to mean he had established a positive rapport and was not in immediate danger.

"There is a half mile radius broadcast from the manor in all directions that may be utilized as well as smaller X95 intercoms on all buildings with the exception of one that is showing significant damage. If you wish to use that system I will need to summon a repair technician immediately. Would you like me to establish contact with a Systec representative?"

"No, no, that won't be necessary. Please turn on the half mile broadcast and adjust the frequency and volume to only project a quarter of a mile. Let me know when the adjustments had been. When I tap my finger three times then I want you to end the broadcast."

"Yes, Solae Falia. I am ready," Argon acquiesced pleasantly as a new holographic display appeared overhead to indicate that the connection had been made per her instructions.

For the next two minutes and fifty three seconds the unmistakable voice of Solae flowed out of the manor in composed and fluid Syshi. Rene's companions bobbed their heads in understanding and made noises of exclamation to one another when the scion took a breath between sentences or phrases. That Rene had proclaimed himself a friend and defended them was unusual but that he had also come with someone that spoke Syshi made even the jaded veteran of the plantation's cruelty joyously surprised. Before their trip to Amber Horizon the soldier would not have been able to distinguish even Syshin names from conversation but here he could spot a few that he knew- Solae mentioned both Nari and Enro explicitly.

When she tapped her fingers three times the broadcast ended without a single syllable of Imperial Common. The Syshin whispered to one another as they argued over who was the best to attempt to translate to Rene what Solae had imparted. It was the youngest, a Syshin with dark emerald plumage and just barely of adult age, that stepped forward hesitantly. "You bonded say... she in there. Open front door but she think other inside. Be careful. Once safe, we can go inside and rest, eat." His face creased in an unusual way to express displeasure at his halting grasp of the human language.

"Argon, I want to release the lock down in individual segments." The two men that a drone had been in hot pursuit of crumpled then exploded into shimmering dust on her holographic display. Solae tried not to stare at the spot they had once occupied. Horrible as they were they had been [i]alive[/i] and she had taken it away. The drones acted because of her. "The front door is first. Please remove the reinforcement. Can you show me the manor's interior with heat signatures?"

"Acknowledged, Solae Falia," Argon intoned as the front door's metallic coverings slid back out of sight an easily open, unlocked door remained. Half a second later a green diagram sprung to life directly above the larger plantation model and showed not one but seven different beings trapped inside the manor with her. Not one moved towards the front door. Four were cowering in bedrooms in fetal positions, one was pacing in the hallway directly outside the study, another was in an upstairs bathroom, and one was walking from the kitchen to what she presumed was a dining room in a foreign, vintage style complete with cushions rather than chairs for seating arrangements.

"Fuck," she swore under her breath.

"That command is not known to me, Solae Falia. Can you please elaborate?" Argon quipped.

"Can you identify the seven others in the manor with me? Your memory banks must have stored personnel information, does it not? Professions only, please." Despite her perfect vision she leaned in to evaluate each of the seven hoping for some clues as to whether they merited a visit from the drones or Rene or if she should declare more peaceful intentions to them. There was no telling what sort of staff slavers kept in their company. Ordinary peons could have been stolen from their homes and forced into servitude to work off debts.

"Yes. There are four maids, one chef, one butler, and one guard inside the manor, Solae Falia. Three of the maids are of Syshin heritage," Argon informed anticipating her next question. Solae bit her lip absently. Obviously the maids were to be spared but she did not know what to make of the chef, butler, and guard, and the drones would not be able to do more than to eliminate targets within preset criteria with extreme prejudice. They were not capable of a judgment call. The marquise rubbed her temple and hoped one of them would be dumb enough to make a run for it and let the survivors outside determine if they ought to live.