Hancock asks the Azure Queen as she rests in her private quarters, “Noble Queen, I’ve been meaning to ask… What happened to Kane’s gauntlet? Th-The golden arm device.”

  She looks at him with a placid and tranquil look, much softer than a couple days ago even. “He is still catatonic?” she asks via the computer translator.

  Hancock nods, and she sighs. “I was afraid of this. But, I suspected outcome. Your friend is not what he appears. Come.”

  She rises to her feet, calmly wrapping a fur-blanket around herself. She leads Hancock out of her stateroom and through her castle at a calm pace. He’s curious about what they did, but he also needs to find out what is happening to Kane. Everyone’s on a razor’s edge presently, and no one wants to pick a fight with the Azure Queen that they know they’ll lose.

  To the Azure Queen, they’re more like business partners anyways, so she doesn’t address it either. Instead, she asks softly, “Are your injuries healing?”

  He nods. “They are, thank you. Yours?”

  She nods. “Why do you thank? I was merely curious.”

  Hancock replies, “Oh. Well, for humans, showing such a personal concern is a sort of courtesy, for which we thank the person asking. Humans appreciate sympathy and other social interactions, so we show it.”

  She is quiet for a moment. “Shining Daughters are connected at all times -usually-. And yet, far too often, the Divine Bond feels silent when help is needed most.” She doesn’t elaborate any further, and instead, redirects by asking, “What was Zeeannssii’s part of your infiltration into my castle?”

  Hancock smirks. He replies sincerely, “I told her if she helped me find you as quickly as possible, I wouldn’t kill you from long range.”

  “So, you would have attempted to assassinate me?”

  Hancock nods. “I would have. I didn’t know what else to do, but the entire reason I took her from the Polonia was to try to return her to you in hopes of negotiating peace. When I finally got that to sink into her brain -by arriving in orbit over this world-, she was more open to actually helping maintain peace, if only because I also offered to try to push for helping with her sterility. I… take it, it was a lot more serious to them than I realized.”

  The Queen nods, “For a Shining Daughter, status in life is granted by children; Queens specifically, and then by victories and conquests. Generally speaking, all Queens are born and raised to be War Queens, and with enough accomplishment, can become Blessed Queens. A true irony, if you ask me.”

  “How’s that?”

  “The more effective a combatant is, the further we move her from battle.”

  Hancock chuckles. “That’s not so far from how humans were. At least on Earth. Out here, everyone has to fight, it seems like. And even then, it sometimes isn’t quite enough.”

  The Queen is quiet as they walk. She states quietly, “If I have my way, I will never reside far from battle.”

  “There ARE advantages to keeping a commander safe.”

  “And, if I die in battle, I will be remembered by my own accomplishments, not those of others.”

  Hancock nods. “That’s… surprisingly astute. I like it.”

  She glances at him briefly, but leads in silence from then on.

  They reach a lab, where several void Queens are working on various projects. It reminds Hancock a little of Lopez’s lab -or at least, the lab he has to pass through to find her sometimes-. They look at the Queen adoringly, but visibly dim when Hancock enters.

  The Queen, never one to not antagonize, remarks, “It seems they are still bitter about their failed fake assassination attempt, Hancock.”

  He chuckles nervously. “Please don’t remind me…”

  She states, “Sisters. Show Hancock the device.”

  The Void Queens hesitate, but agree. They turn the lights on for a device that looks a little like a container.

  Sure enough, there is the strange artifact of immense power with a human hand, forearm, bicep, shoulder, and…

  Hancock looks at the Queen, who was watching him. She remarks softly, “So, it is unexpected to you as well.”

  Hancock nods. “H-... Is he… regenerating?”

  She nods. “When I took his arm, it stopped at the first joint. At first, we thought there was some residual power remaining in the device. But, the power has not shut off. The rings continue to turn.”

  Hancock stares at the arm. “If… that’s true then… Who’s walking around the Polonia right now?”

  One of the Void Queens answers this time, “We suspect a shell. When a soldier loses its queen, it becomes empty, soulless. The human who wielded this device is behaving that way now.”

  “What happens if he fully regenerates here?”

  The room is quiet for a moment. Hancock thinks as well.

  Amnesia… That… would explain his amnesia. He had to regenerate from scratch.

  “When I met him, he couldn’t remember much of anything. He couldn’t remember his name or where he came from, but he knew how to use his device -instinctively, it seemed-. Could… Could his soul be attached to the device somehow? Is that why it’s regenerating him here?”

  The Azure Queen nods. “I was foretold of the existence of this being by another being calling herself the Bachsuu. Yes, the same spirit being the Grodrrns used to hold in high regard. She even told me how to defeat him -at least temporarily-. She did not speak of this, however.”

  “This… Bachsuu… Does she know who Kane is? Who he really is, I mean? We don’t know where he originally came from, and though we believe fully that he’s a human, there are no records of his existence on Earth prior to the grodrrn invasion, as if he showed up just to fight them.”

  The Queen nods. “That is possible. The Bachsuu said he would come for her, and that he would destroy all who stand in his way. She also spoke of certain triggers deep within him that can make him extremely dangerous.”

  Hancock nods. He faces the Queen, though, and requests humbly, “Noble Queen, I must request, when Lieutenant Commander Kane is recovered, please return him to the human fleet. He is a valuable asset to our survival.”

  She stares at him, and one of the Queens scoffs. “You dare make such a request? This human is dangerous and possesses a technology that could destroy…”

  The Queen glares at her briefly, and the subordinate Queen shrinks, returning her focus to her work. The Azure Queen looks at Hancock again, saying in her normal tone, “The gauntlet is preventing reverse engineering and study anyways. As long as you protect me from his wrath when he awakens, you may return him to your fleet now.”

  Another Void Queen asks more in caution, “Dear Sister, would it not be better to keep him here?”

  “No. The humans are asking about him. It will put their minds at ease to understand and see all of this as well.”

  “You favor the humans, Sister.”

  “I favor my first equal. Perhaps, if the humans succeed, you will favor them as well.”

  The Void Queen retorts softly, “Please forgive my simple skepticism, Dear Sister.”

  “Forgiven. Beg Hancock’s forgiveness as well.”

  Hancock quickly retorts, “That’s not nece-...”

  The Queen shoots him a glare, but the Void Queen adds without further prompting, “Forgive my doubt in your people, Hancock. Sister Azure trusts you more than I do, but I will accept all humility if I am wrong.”

  Hancock nods politely. “And, I as well, if we fail you.”

  Hancock suddenly tenses, remembering something else. “That reminds me! Uh, Azure Queen…”

  She looks at him curiously, “Yes, Hancock?”

  “The head scientist in charge of the project requested that I ask you…”

  She sighs. “Enough hesitating. One would think you of all people should know we share few boundaries now.”

  He chuckles, “Alright… They requested that you serve as a sort of control for the experiment. Since we know the genome of Grodrrns, and… you share genes with Grodrrns and Zarakyssns, they hope it will help speed up the process if they can study your genome as well.”

  One of the Queens remarks dryly without looking up from a plant study she seems to be working on. “That sounds extremely invasive.”

  The Azure Queen asks facetiously, “You do not wish to clone me, do you, Hancock?”

  He laughs. “I don’t want to do anything. That’s what they told me, and it made sense.”

  She scrapes one of her teeth with a formidable nail. “Very well. It will be a good chance to see your scientists work.”

  “Prepare to be underwhelmed, Noble Queen.”

  She smirks. “Most things underwhelm me. Let us proceed.”

  ***

  Niolajt Jardzen Mrff watches briefly while Baskylla Jardzen Khla holds Dzilika, speaking cordially with Helmdraavv Khla, Helmdraavv Nyonnyss, and Spaceman Long, as well as a few others he doesn’t know at all. The infant grodrrn, with Nyonnyss’s egg right nearby, are both testament to the achievement of a goal most grodrrns had shaky faith in to begin with. The assassination of the Saurmynnyka was a single point failure on many fronts, and a glaring weakness to anyone who thought about it. Unfortunately, such thinking was treacherous under the control of the Fievegal itself.

  Mrff looks at Admiral Long and Baskylla Jardzen Dzor, next, who were just discussing with him the path forward. It’s a casual conversation at the moment, since Khla and his Zhi are still having a short reunion.

  Mrff asks in a low voice, “This… science. It was not accident?”

  Dzor shakes his head. “I’ve seen the data myself, and all three have had success. Niodzen Vvlach is gestating egg now.”

  Mrff looks at some of the grodrrn crewmembers nearby, particularly the females. “They all will plead…”

  Long replies this time, “We’re willing to treat all afflicted female grodrrns. Population management would still fall to crewmembers themselves, though. Like us, we need to be a little more mindful of how tight resources are. Especially because the skirmish with the Azure Queen set us back a little.”

  Dzor growls lowly, glancing around with only his eyes, “She is dangerous. Unstable.”

  Long nods. “Agreed. She seems at least a little more manageable around Hancock, but the sooner we can help the Void Queens and leave, the better. I wish I knew genetics sometimes.”

  Dzor snorts, and Mrff nods in agreement.

  The Niolajt Jardzen replies to the original query, though, “It is not up to me, but I do not like the notion of returning to the Fievegal proper, not yet. Something was off about the kidnapping attempt on Laurel. I believe the Azure Queen orchestrated it, but I also believe the Fievegal allowed it to happen.”

  “How could that be? How could she have so much influence in both empires?”

  “I do not know.”

  Dzor offers, “It may just be meant to appear that way. She did orchestrate the assassination of the Saurmynnyka to look like the humans did it.”

  Mrff nods in agreement. “And now, we orbit her world, supposedly free.”

  Khla approaches after handing Dzilika back, and he states, “I heard enough. I will offer the crew the ship to return, but I am staying. My bondmate is on the ship, and she will be delighted to partake in the next wave of treatments. I think. Regardless, I agree with Mrff. The Fievegal is not safe with so much lingering support for the old way; the Saurmynnyka or nothing. We were not meant to live like that.”

  Long nods in agreement. “I don’t know how or why someone could come to that conclusion, and I can’t even begin to imagine the Fievegal thousands of years ago, but it sounds like it was a truly selfish decision; one meant to control. No offense.”

  Khla replies, “None taken. You are most likely right. Amusing, such a short-lived species could see the bigger picture better than us.”

  Long smiles. “Short-lived means we have to come to these realizations faster.”

  He looks directly at her, asking softly, “Is it true, Admiral?”

  Long’s smile softens, and she replies, “Yes. We won’t know if it’s a boy or girl, or the level of chimerism until the baby develops more, but I have been blessed.”

  Khla nods with interest. “The human fleet never ceases to be interesting.” His gaze suddenly trails, and the others look where he’s looking.

  Walking onto the Polonia via the orbital shipyard’s umbilicus are none other than Hancock and the Azure Queen.

  ***

  The Azure Queen watches as Hancock salutes a random-seeming spacer standing at the entrance from the umbilicus. He states, “En-... Lieutenant Hancock, requesting permission to come aboard.”

  The spaceman stares at him and the Queen intermittently, trembling lightly. He looks towards the center of the hangar, where Admiral Long and the grodrrn officers are. She nods at him, and he salutes in return. “P-Permission granted. Come aboard, Sir.”

  Hancock nods, “Thank you. The Azure Queen is with me.”

  The spaceman nods nervously, and the Azure Queen follows him, asking bluntly, “You must request permission to board your own ship?”

  Hancock nods, “Sure. I’m a pretty low-level officer. We have rules.”

  “You are the only reason any of these people are alive.” She makes no effort to conceal her dialogue with Hancock, locking eyes with grodrrns who glare at her. Some seem itching to band together and attempt to defeat her, and together, they might be able to. She managed well enough during the attack because Dzor faced her alone, and most of the other grodrrns were caught without armor to protect them. Her weapons are not like normal Zarakyssn immobilizers.

  Hancock salutes several of the grodrrns, who salute him in return, as well as greet him cautiously. He replies to the Queen, “I am a loyal soldier to them all. I respect them, and they respect me. I don’t think I’m better than anyone.”

  She snorts at the last remark, but doesn’t comment on it. Instead, she comes to rest beside Hancock when he stops before Admiral Long and the three Jardzens. Hancock salutes, “Admiral, Jardzens.”

  Long salutes him, but the Grodrrns stay focused on the Queen. She smirks, standing as tall as both Dzor and Mrff, and curious herself as to whether they could defeat her right now. Both appear to be healed, though Dzor is permanently reduced by his stunt during first contact with Zeeannssii.

  Long replies cordially, though, “Lieutenant. Everything okay?”

  Hancock nods, replying sincerely, “Yes, Admiral. Doctor Caldaren requested a few blood samples from the Queen to see if the project can be streamlined using her DNA as a control sample.”

  Long bows, saying sincerely and respectfully, “Thank you for cooperating, your highness.”

  The Azure Queen snorts, retorting in grodrrn, which the translator computer quickly translates, “Grovelling. Pathetic.”

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Long brushes it off, even as the grodrrns present resist the urge to growl. Long replies cordially, though, “True, I couldn’t do what Hancock did. My battlefield is ship to ship warfare, and I regret that I was woefully unprepared for your attack. Regardless, I’m thankful Hancock was able to negotiate this truce.”

  The Queen stares at her. She grumbles, “At least they respect you, Hancock.”

  He chuckles nervously, but replies more confidently to Long, “Is everyone okay here? Everything still running okay, Admiral?”

  She replies warmly to him, “Yes, Lieutenant. We have been able to stabilize the ship’s systems, including hydroponics. I… would ask you keep away from the Cave Queen’s den, though. Mina’s daughters are much more easily startled than Vivi and Melody were.”

  Hancock nods, “Will do, Admiral. We’ll be heading to bio-sciences, specifically. Please excuse us.”

  Just as Hancock is about to walk, Long asks, “Hancock?”

  He faces her, “Yes, Admiral?”

  “Are… you sure you’re okay?” She glances nervously at the Queen only once, who smirks in return.

  Hancock replies sincerely, “I’m a little exhausted, but I’m fine, Admiral. I know you think she’s intimidating me into saying it’s all hunky-dory, but these are my own words. What… she was doing when I arrived… That’s what would be going on if we were still prisoner. The Polonia is free, even if I anger her and she kills me. Otherwise, the Zarakyssn horde would already have possession of us all.”

  Mrff grunts, “One would argue… that is exactly the case.” His gaze never leaves the Queen. She looks at him and retorts in grodrrn, “You should be on your knees, Niolajt Jardzen. I am treating you as part of the human fleet. The Fievegal has not defeated me yet.”

  He growls lightly, and a deep rumble fills the Queen’s throat -an eager growl-.

  Hancock steps between them, saying to the Queen, “You promised me you wouldn’t antagonize anyone.”

  She snorts, musing, “He started it.”

  Hancock faces Mrff, “Jardzen Mrff, I am personally asking you to stand down as well. The Azure Queen is not our enemy. Whatever affliction the Void Queens have is our enemy right now, and then surviving space again. If you want to leave, your ship can go. Right?”

  He looks back up at the Azure Queen, and she nods. “Yes, go. Grodrrn scientists are useless anyways.”

  Mrff’s jaw tightens, but Long adds gently, “I agree, Jardzens. I can sense the tension here, so let’s calm down, please. I am asking you to stay with us as part of our fleet, assuming we can find the rest of them, and to play nice while the Azure Queen is hosting us. We don’t have a lot of options, combat-wise, so let’s try to achieve this goal peacefully. Jardzen, if you have any experienced biology or genetic scientists, please send them to bio-sciences here on the Polonia. If they prove her right, we’ve lost nothing. If they prove her wrong, I doubt she’ll be angry.”

  The Azure Queen hums jovially -laughing warmly-. She says with a chilling, but amused tone, “I see. So, you are a warrior of words, and actually skilled. I see why Zeeannssii underestimated you.”

  Long replies, “You honor me, your Majesty. I will ensure our science team has everything they need.”

  The Azure Queen nods, saying proudly, “Let us go, Hancock. If this is to speed things up, let us speed them up.”

  Hancock nods, saluting again as he departs. He leads the Azure Queen towards the hallways, and she has to duck under some of the fixtures on the ceiling. She reminds herself that the ship was built for humans, and follows him.

  She does notice the humans making concerted efforts to avoid her. Those that stand aside in the hallways glare at her, but ultimately say nothing.

  It’s when the word ‘monster’ is uttered by one of the pathetic lower lifeforms that she whirls to face it.

  Hancock reacts in a flash, catching her hand before any of her strength can propel it. He shouts to the human, “Run!”

  The Azure Queen roars as the handful of humans fall in attempts to flee. They scramble to their feet and sprint away, crying out. The Queen tries to pull her hand away from Hancock, but also, she embraces it.

  She embraces his presence.

  She pants as he holds her at bay with his presence alone, and she glares down at him.

  He never hesitated. Not when others were in danger, and not in the face of a being that could crush him.

  She slowly calms herself, and Hancock stands in front of her, never saying anything. He doesn’t disparage her. He doesn’t curse her. And, he doesn’t insult her. He simply reminds her of their agreement.

  She licks her teeth, rising back to her walking posture. She says coldly, “I am what I was forged to be.”

  “I know. Can we go?”

  She nods. “I will kill them next time.”

  “Please don’t. Why would you confirm what people think negative of you, rather than what people think positive of you?”

  She looks away from him, following as he walks. “Why would I abide the insults of lesser beings?”

  Hancock replies gently, “The greatest being is the most powerful AND the most loved. Acting like that will only make you more hated.”

  “The hate of lesser beings is meaningless.”

  “Apparently not.”

  She glares at him, but looks away almost as quickly. As they walk, though, he suddenly says, “Thanks.”

  She looks at him, confused. He adds, “Thank you for not ripping my arm off. You obviously stopped yourself.”

  She looks ahead as they walk. “It would defeat everything if I harmed you now.”

  Hancock smiles gently.

  He leads the Azure Queen into the science lab, where the nervous human scientists try to hug the walls. It’s quite possible they heard her roar and knew exactly who it was when she showed up a few minutes later.

  As they carefully hook up the needles to draw some blood, they have to be careful. Zarakyssn and grodrrn blood alone aren’t necessarily toxic, but like any blood, they have to treat it like a biohazard. Especially since Zarakyssn blood has a high sulfur and selenium content, making it fairly toxic to humans.

  One of the junior scientists calls out, “Lieutenant?” Hancock looks to the door, and he sees Kenzie.

  He swallows hard. This is a day he wasn’t looking forward to. He says to the Azure Queen, “Please be nice, Noble Queen. I’ll be right outside.”

  She nods, but stares at Kenzie for a long time.

  Hancock walks out into the hall with Kenzie, and she hugs him, asking, “Rex!? Where have you been!? I… Isn’t that…!? What’s going on?”

  Hancock sighs, saying gently, “It’s not the easiest story to tell because it’s going to sound REALLY strange. But, the short of it is… Because I was able to stalemate her in the fight, -and, partially thanks to Mmnnorrynn interfering- I’ve become the Azure Queen’s confidant, I guess. And… uh… she asked me to… uh…”

  He swallows, and Kenzie asks, “Wh-What is it?” She’s becoming more nervous.

  Hancock sighs. He tries to whisper it, but she asks, “I… What?”

  He massages his temples, feeling immensely embarrassed, but also afraid of how she’s about to react when he tells her. “The Queen… is trying to produce children… with… me…”

  Kenzie’s face drains of all expression. This time, it’s not that she isn’t hearing him or is actually confused. She asks coldly, “What?”

  Hancock doesn’t really want to repeat himself, and his expression becomes hesitant.

  “Tell her no! If you’re such a close friend of hers!”

  “You don’t understand…”

  “What’s to understand!? You’re spoken for! End of story!”

  Hancock closes his eyes, swallowing hard. “Kenzie…”

  “Don’t ‘Kenzie’ me! I’ve been worried sick about you! And instead, you’re flitting around with some m-...” Hancock snatches her mouth. He whispers sharply, “I get you’re angry, but if you value your life, you won’t finish that word.”

  She slaps his hands away, snapping, “Don’t touch me! Go in there and tell her to screw off! I don’t care if she does have control of the ship! She doesn’t know you! She doesn’t even care about you! I do!”

  “Please… listen…”

  “What’s there to listen to!? You just need to-...”

  Hancock shouts, “It’s done!”

  Kenzie halts and stares at him. He repeats more calmly, “It’s done. I chose to accept, and it’s done. I’m sorry.”

  Kenzie stares at him for a long time. Her face twists to anger, and she slaps him. She starts to walk away, but spins back around, slapping him again. She hisses, “Don’t ever speak to me again. I hope you kill each other.”

  Hancock watches as she storms away. He can’t say he’s surprised, but it does hurt. He’s not sure if he made the right choice when he accepted. There are practical advantages to it, but he still had a choice. True, when survival is on the line, and boons are available to make life easier, everything can very easily become transactionary. But, is that so wrong? It’s not that he doesn’t value or love Kenzie. But, maybe he didn’t love her enough. He ponders it a moment longer before walking back into the lab. He looks down the hallway one last time, but Kenzie didn’t stop or look back. He sighs, “Sorry, Kenzie…”

  The Queen stares at him as he enters. He doesn’t dwell on the fact. He knows she heard every word, even when he tried to whisper. He knows she can understand almost all English already, she just doesn’t speak it yet.

  Thankfully, she doesn’t pry while they’re in the lab. She waits until they’re walking alone back towards the hangar.

  “That was your human mate?” asks the Queen quietly.

  Hancock nods, still rather numb from the whole thing. “Yeah.”

  “She does not see the practicality of mates with purposes?”

  Hancock sighs. “Humans don’t do that. At least, not most of us. We… were close. And, I betrayed her. She’s right to be upset.”

  “Humans make excuses for the strangest things.”

  “It’s not an excuse. I hurt her.”

  “It is an excuse. Neither of you made efforts to correct, if you were so close.”

  Hancock looks at the Queen. She’s holding her head high, but isn’t being smug. She’s simply proud and knows she’s correct. He replies quietly, “We were, but…”

  “You could have denounced me. She could have convinced you I was not worthy of you. You could have offered her offspring as well. She could have attempted to kill me.” The Queen scrapes one of her teeth with a nail, which seems to be a sort of preening she does. She adds dryly, “The last would likely be the least successful, of course. But, she could have tried, and allowed you to stop her, as you did me.”

  Hancock is silent. She is right. He could have made an effort to save the relationship. But then, so could Kenzie. He doesn’t feel resentment or blame for her, of course. But, for it to fall apart so suddenly, so cleanly… Maybe they weren’t as close as he thought. He was already suspecting that they weren’t as close as early on, and this kind of confirmed it. He hopes she finds solace. He understands the outcome, but he doesn’t feel as guilty as he imagines he probably could. The Azure Queen chose him, of all the beings in the galaxy so far, for something that should have been simple. And, he accepts those consequences.

  The Queen offers as she comes to a stop at an intersection, and Hancock turns to face her. She looks down the hallway to the right, saying quietly, “You can attempt to recover what you had, Hancock. An eroded foundation can sometimes be repaired.” She begins walking forward towards the hangar on the straight ahead path.

  Hancock jogs into step with her, "Hang on." He sighs, "We had a deal. I already screwed one thing up. I know well-enough to know I probably will only screw up another.”

  The Azure Queen snorts, retorting dryly, “Still so strange. You fear nothing more dangerous than you, and yet you fear what you yourself claim is a strength of humans.”

  Hancock chuckles, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Mind if I share a story with you?”

  She nods, “Entertain me, Hancock.”

  “I don’t know about entertain, but when the grodrrns first attacked, I was a new soldier. I had all the basic training; which way to point a gun, how to put more bullets in, who to salute and when… Basic stuff. When I met my first grodrrn, though,... I couldn’t pull the trigger. I was frozen in fear. Chief Grey… You’d know him if you met him; salty personality, one good eye, always throwing himself into danger…” Hancock smiles reverently at the thought of his primary mentor. “Chief Grey grabbed me by the collar and told me that my bullets weren’t doing any good weighing down my weapon, and if I didn’t fire it, he was going to take my weapons and give them to someone who would, leaving me defenseless. When one of the children we picked up was in danger… Everything finally clicked. I was able to jump and worry about surviving on the razor’s edge of battle, rather than trying to avoid the battle by not firing my weapon -which wouldn’t have worked obviously-.” Hancock looks up at the Queen, who has her eyes tilted towards him. “From there on, the fear slowly died in me. It’s inhuman really. It’ll get me killed. But, until then, I can serve people who need someone fearless. As shameful as it is to admit, the human fleet and YOU are served by this. It’s practical. Which is why… It hurts, but Kenzie deserves to be the center of someone’s world. That’s all.”

  The Queen looks ahead without a word. She walks for a few yards before replying. “This child… Your offspring?”

  Hancock chuckles, “No. But, we found her and brought her with us. She was more terrified than I was, and she needed me."

  Hancock smiles warmly, looking up at the Queen. "That was barely two years ago. About four times as long as we've known Zeeannssii."

  The Queen stares down at him for a moment, seemingly surprised. Hancock adds as he walks forward, "Now, I'll fight to protect anyone who needs it. If only to have more allies."

  The Queen muses. "I see. It seems we differ in that regard, but I can understand your drive now. You sought to protect me from myself, hmm?" She smirks a wicked, toothy smirk, but Hancock replies sincerely, "In a sense, yes. You’re bound to meet your match someday. If it really was me, then I protected you from my own bullet. And, Mmnnorrynn inadvertently protected me.”

  “Is sentimentality another human trait?”

  Hancock laughs. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

  The Azure Queen walks in silence for a few more yards. She says cryptically and coldly, “May it pass on.”

  They pass into the hangar, and the Queen rises to her full height when she no longer has to slouch. She stretches, and Admiral Long approaches once more. “Azure Queen, were there any problems?”

  The apex predator leans close to Long, saying deviously in grodrrn, “It seems we have much in common, human.”

  Long replies, “I’m sorry. I’ve heard a version of what happened, and given the lack of bloodshed, I’m thankful. Whatever actually happened, I apologize for the inconvenience.”

  The Queen snorts, rising back to full height. “Humans. Need everything explained.”

  “I… Pardon?”

  “Nothing. Hancock, take me to your ship builder.”

  Surprised by the suddenness, Hancock states, “Come again?”

  Long, also confused now, asks, “Do you mean… Mr. Right? He’s probably the only one with all of the designs on the Polonia. Everyone else was on the Providence.”

  The Azure Queen looks at her, and then at Hancock. Hancock explains, “Mr. Right isn’t a ship-builder per se, but he was the… uh… sub-ruler that helped design and oversee the construction of all of our ships, minus anything we stole.”

  “Then take me to him.”

  “May I ask what you need?” asks Long cautiously.

  The Queen glares at her, growling, “I desire to know everything about where Hancock comes from. I deal in intelligence after all.”

  Long becomes hesitant, but it becomes clear that it’s not optional when the Queen wanders a direction herself, saying arrogantly, “Come, Hancock. Time I am here is time wasted.”

  Hancock sighs. He replies to Long, “I’ll… let you know if there are any problems.”

  She nods, “Thank you Hancock… for everything you’re doing.”

  He nods. “Of course.”

  Hancock leads the Azure Queen to find Mr. Right, who is, surprisingly, sitting with Lopez on the bridge of the Polonia. Lopez quickly closes her laptop when she sees the Azure Queen, turning pale. Mr. Right instinctively rises to his feet, but Hancock knows Russell is about as fearsome as a kitten. He might spit and hiss a little, but the Azure Queen is not the person to antagonize.

  However, the Queen teases coldly, “You needn’t bother, fool. I know you’ve actively been trying to data-scrape my ship.”

  Lopez gasps, hugging her laptop even tighter. However, Mr. Right retorts, “Doctor Lopez is our ship’s foremost scientific mind, I’ll have you know. Without her, we would be…”

  “Dead? Lost in oblivion? My prisoners? I know that, too.” She looks at Hancock, asking, “This is your shipbuilder?”

  Hancock nods, “Well, the businessman who made our ships happen.”

  The Queen looms over him, glaring down at Mr. Right. However, Hancock notices strangely that Mr. Right is actually keeping himself between her and Lopez. The Queen growls, “Give me all of your ship designs.”

  Mr. Right recoils. “I beg your pardon? What would you want with our ships?”

  “I do not need to justify myself to lower life forms.” She raises one of her hands, and he trembles lightly. However, she simply scrapes one of her menacing teeth once more. “I told you, I do not do business with those beneath me. I give orders. The designs. Now.”

  Mr. Right looks at Hancock. Hancock thinks for a moment. He doubts the Queen, knowing all of this, and the fact that her attack disabled all of the ships instantly, NEEDS the designs for anything. Maybe she’s just swinging her authority around. She does strike him as the type to do exactly that.

  Hancock replies, “The Azure Queen doesn’t really need it anyways, does she, Sir? She’s gathering information.”

  Mr. Right looks up at her again, and her glare hardens. “You would deny me AND your savior?”

  The former businessman swallows hard, and he sighs. “Behind my desk on the shelves, Hancock. Portable hard drives. Everything’s there. Up to date with the Gaia’s modifications and the upgrades to the Providence. As well as the unnamed keel.”

  Hancock nods, “Thank you. This way, your highness. We’ll retrieve it.”

  She snorts. “These peasants should be made to retrieve it. Why do you burden yourself with menial tasks?”

  Hancock sighs. He replies, “Lopez is the one who designed and built my power armor. She’s as much responsible for our stalemate as I am, whether you like that answer or not. And, Russell designed the backpack that let me fly.”

  She’s quiet for a moment. She states, “I assume this will translate. A tool is only as functional as its wielder. No one praises Mrrk’lah for my teeth. They praise me for how I use them. You are the one with teeth. Not anyone else.”

  Hancock sighs, “It’s okay to share some of the glory.”

  “Acceptable, but not necessary. Your life was wagered. They should all crawl before you.”

  “Like your sisters?”

  She narrows her eyes at him, and he adds, “I mean no disrespect to any of them. But, I noticed you don’t make them grovel. That’s how I feel with everyone here. They don’t need to grovel before me, even if I saved them. I just want us all to live.”

  She sighs, “So sentimental. Come. Let us fetch this device and return to my fortress. The prayers of the Horde are driving me insane.”

  “You can hear them? Even now?”

  She nods, “Virtually always, if I am not shielded. I can hide my thoughts, and even those of weaker mind near me, but I cannot block out the voices entirely.”

  “I see. Fascinating.”

  “Is it? Endless drivel about ‘So sayeth the Stones’, when they can’t even read them.”

  “What are the Stones?” asks Hancock curiously as they reach Mr. Right’s Polonia office. She replies as he enters to search briefly, “They are sacred texts etched into stones on the homeworld. Do not ask its name or location. I should kill you for even mentioning its existence.”

  He chuckles, “Fair enough. If you don’t mind, what do these sacred texts speak of?”

  She scoffs. “Has Syretia not informed you? She knows the words of the Blessed Queens by heart. Sorry, I misspoke. I meant the Stones.”

  Hancock scoffs as he returns to the hallway with the harddrives. He knows Lopez has a full copy in her lab, so he’s not worried about taking them from Mr. Right’s office. “I sense the Horde is rather human in some ways. And by that, I mean, of course, we all have secrets and misinformation within our respective empires.”

  “I should be disgusted, but you’re correct. If anything was truly about equality, lies would be unnecessary. But then, all Shining Daughters dream of being Chosen Queen someday.”

  “Including you?”

  The Azure Queen scoffs. “I dream of ruling the Horde. But, I detest grovelling. I would be constantly murdering Blessed Queens, I suspect.”

  Hancock chuckles. He probably shouldn’t be surprised about that.

  “Any daughters I have should be worshipped, not hated. They do not realize it, but I could have conquered the Fievegal already if I was raised to be a War Queen.” She looks at him with burning eyes, but they soften after a moment, returning to the strange, chilled look she normally wears.

  Hancock offers, “If one of ours is a Queen, I can’t say for certain she’d be worshipped, but her abilities would be respected by those of us that matter. That, I can guarantee you.”

  She smirks. “I would insist she be worshipped, Hancock. She will be the strongest being of human descent. No exception.”

  He chuckles. “What are the odds of that happening?”

  “A Queen? Low. Syretia is very fortunate. She is quite young to have had a daughter already. Though, it’s meaningless now.”

  “I don’t think so. Even if a Princess never gets to be a Queen, she can and should still be loved by her family.”

  The Azure Queen flexes her jaw, clearly having felt a small way about that statement. Hancock offers, “Apologies. I meant no disrespect.”

  She looks at him and sighs again. “My path is made of steps long taken and far behind. I was just envisioning a daughter with your sentimentality.”

  He chuckles, “Fair enough. Sorry about that.”

  She’s silent as they walk, saying almost nothing as they return to the shuttle to head back to the fortress. Hancock wonders if he pushed the wrong buttons.

  ***