Mongoose

Angelina and Bethany sat in their quarters when the mail arrived on the wall-comm. Bethany walked over and accessed it.

"It's an eyes only for you Ang."

She slipped off the bed and walked over and looked at it, high level encryption, Guristas. The message was a simple one on the surface, a collection of goodbye messages from the Guristas now that she had left their ranks. There was a sub-syntax indicating that it was being decrypted as they watched, so there was something hidden. She input a series of commands and the real message flashed out fast then erased itself leaving only the fake behind. Flash to Angelina. Carmilla kidnapped. Mongoose.

"Ang? Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

Angelina turned around to Bethany, not realising she was crying and gripped her in her arms.

"Carmilla's in trouble, I don't know what but I think Gallica's got her."

"We should tell Ithiria...."

"And how is a Holder going to help me to get my sister back?"

"Trust her.... trust me.... Tell Ithiria."

She bowed her head and nodded.

"Go and get her please. I'll wait here."

A few moments Bethany and Ithiria returned to their quarters. The guards who stood outside were gone. Ithiria opened the door and looked inside and found the guards. Unconscious. Angelina hunched in the corner.

"What happened?"

"I needed to vent my anger before you arrived. I...."

She paused, thinking to herself what she had promised herself. But overriding that was what she promised Carmilla, no matter how much her sister hated her.

"I need your help to rescue Carmilla. And I need you to trust me..... as much as I am going to trust you."

She looked at Ithiria, saw her body stiffen, saw the look in her eyes. And her resolve softened, it was the same look she saw in the mirror.

"I need to get back to my bar, the Spaced Mongoose. I have a contact there who can help us. But I can't do it alone... or without your permission."

Angelina walked over and dropped to one knee before her Holder, head bowed and hands raised in suplication.

"Please..... Ma'am. For Carmilla."