"Something's wrong," Solae whispered to herself. Kalrio glanced over to her and narrowed his eyes in pensive thought while Kent shifted his weight uncomfortably.

The latter's eyes were glued to the smuggler laying on the ground, writing in pain, as he bled out slowly. As the life drained out the of the wounded man the butler grew more and more pale. Despite all the atrocities he had witnessed during his tenure at the plantation he had never bore witness to a death like he did now. That was not to say he believed every slave lived a long, full life while his gaze was averted, but it was easier to pretend not to know. His willful ignorance had a price. As both the marquise and Syshin stood unmoving in their resolve to let the depraved individual die he felt increasingly nauseous. His stomach rumbled and churned until he fell to his knees and began to vomit violently. Both looked at him as if he was a monster but it them who had become desensitized to killing that were losing the morality they touted over him so smugly.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she tried to ignore the retching behind her. Before the offensive strike to take the spaceship had been launched Rene and Solae had both taken slightly outdated earbud communicators to help assure that arrogance about the perfection of their plan would not be their undoing. It had almost seemed to be an excessive precaution at the time but now she was glad that she had been so insistent. The small devices were a lifeline as they were separated by simmering tons of super-heated metal and two thugs that could take down the noblewoman in the blink of an eye.

"I'm trapped in a... it doesn't matter! Get inside the mansion where it's safe!" Rene replied. There was grunting relayed before the curt transmission cut out.

"Argon!" Solae snapped immediately.

"Yes, Solae Falia?" the artificial intelligence responded after a distinctive pause that made the already internally panicking scion's heart stop. The synthetic voice was being projected over one of many external speakers that had been affixed to small low-rise walls that acted as barriers between the fields. For someone of the non-criminal variety these would have been functional dividers meant to help distinguish plots of land for testing of various soil nutrients before deciding if a crop rotation was necessary. For the felons that actually owned the sprawling estate they also concealed various security software meant to help spy on laborers, spot advancing law enforcement, and allow Argon to relay orders when a direct supervisor was not present.

"Explain the delay," she demanded as hysteria lumped in her throat.

"You will be pleased to know I have connected Byona Prap to Armistice medical services," was the smooth emotionless statement. If she hadn't known better the diplomat would have thought that Argon was satisfied with himself in his announcement.

"No!" she exclaimed. For a split second she was dizzy with everything that was crumbling before her. Rene was allegedly trapped, where and how was not clear, thus they had not successfully taken the vessel under their control. The maid was undoubtedly selling out the golden-haired linguist for the sizeable bounty reward that was designed to entice every soul on New Concorda save a select few loyalists. Kalrio and his companions had yet to be sent to Amber Horizon. A military force of the rebellion could advance with a single uttered clue or traceable call.

"Argon sever the connection immediately," Solae ordered as she turned on her heel away from the landing pad that was still emitting sizzling heat. "Drop all reinforcements on the manor immediately. I want the closest drone to be given the order to execute Byona as soon as the reinforcements over the bedroom windows have been properly removed."

"Yes Solae Falia," Argon acquiesced with perfect obedience.

"Sir Kent, I suggest you run immediately as far as you can because I don't intend to leave this place standing," she said ruefully as she glancing at the trembling elderly creature that was curled into a fetal ball on the ground. As soon as the words left her lips the former butler jumped to his feet and bolted mindlessly into a throng of tapped rubber trees as if he thought she would use him for target practice with her pistol next. Solae would be remiss if she did not admit to herself the thought had crossed her mind but she would not murder someone who had helped more than he hindered deplorable as he might be. She'd not be judge, jury, and executioner for more beings than she was absolutely compelled to be. Had only her life been at stake she'd have taken the higher ground of the pacifist she used to stand upon.

"[i]Are you sure that is wise?[/i]" Kalrio queried in Syshi.

"[i]No, but I still need to sleep at night,[/i]" the marquise said with a sad smile. "Argon," she started again, "I want all of the nine remaining drones not assigned to Byona Parp's execution to converge on my point. They are going to escort the Syshin back to Amber Horizon. I want you to turn over control of their operation to Kalrio, the Syshin beside me."

"[i]That isn't necessary,[/i]" the alien objected.

"It is," Solae replied quietly. "It truly is. Let me do all I can for you, please. It's my honor to help."

Kalrio's scarred face softened and he bowed his head as he offered her back the sword of Lord Armon. All of his compatriots did the same, pausing as they made the formal gesture of respect. Solae uncomfortably held the blade in one hand as she shifted from one leg to the other at what she felt was undeserved recognition. A few times now she had seen her soldier lover express this very sentiment and found it odd he did not want accolades that he so clearly had reaped by virtue and just action but now she understood more intimately. After a certain point it felt as if there was too much praise for being decent and humane rather than courageous above and beyond what was expected. She did not feel like a hero for ordering machines to guard beings that had been beaten, tortured, abused in every imaginable way, and exposed to the horrors of the world simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I have to go burn down a house," she explained, nodding one final time as she sprinted away and through the stalks of sugar cane. The marquise could feel their stares on her back but she dared not tarry a moment longer while lives were in danger. With her thumb she turned on the weapon held in her off hand and used it to slice through the vegetation that would otherwise rip at her clothing and flesh alike in her reckless dash. Had she the time to dwell upon it she might have realized how light it was, how terrifyingly efficient it was, how there was no resistance to her novice swings that were no better than a child playing with a toy.

"Argon!" she yelled as she rounded on the gaudy building that had become all too familiar. "The artificial intelligence you downloaded earlier- is there any chance you can upload it directly to the parked ship? You had to download before you copied it to an external drive for me so there should still be a temporary download in your storage."