Tiraninot listened to report following Yarasa's announcement. The admirals teeth clenched and his fist tightened.

What, In the seven hells, was the reserve fleet DOING? How could they let such a small force slip past their defenses so easily? The only explanation he could find made his face set into a dark scowl. There was likely a traitor amongst the army's ranks.

He filed away that issue for later. Right now he had to remain focused on the current crises. A few of the governors would easily be replaced with time, but the high councilor's death could mean the absolute fall of ordered society in plutonium space. He held his breath for a moment and thought, the admiral entering his meditative state again. There we very, very few ways to act in this situation. Anything attempted could potentially end in causalities of VIP targets if any plan was poorly handled. The was only one disicion he could make. And the Admiral disliked it severely.

"Very well, Lieutenant, lower the shields. We will allow them to board our ship." He stared coldly at Yarasa's projected image. "It appears you and I will be having a face to face meeting, captain Yarasa." He pressed the transmitting controls and cut the communication. Gearalt approached the admiral slowly.

"Sir, are we... we really surrendering?" Tiraninot didn't answer Gearalt's question immediately. He staring out the view port, seeing Pluto's surface in the distance.

"Gearalt... sometimes one has to rely on unorthodox methods to succeed. Some... persuasive diplomacy might be the best solution at the moment."

Lilith overheard what was said...and she didn't like it. She knew for a fact that Tiraninot never ever surrendered....unless....Unless he's up to something. She kept herself quiet though, knowing that the captain was smart enough to smell a trap. As for her, she was actually looking forward to seeing Tiraninot again. Would he be mad that she was now a pirate? Would he even remember her? Nah, he won't remember little ol' me, I'm not important enough. She got her old M-16, and placed the strap on it on her shoulder, so that the gun now rested on her back. Now to wait for her captain's order.

"Ok I want my first mate to stay here but I need at least four more people to go with me to greet Tiraninot, Lilith, I would like you to be one of them. Yarasa had a feeling that Tiraninot had something up his sleeve but for now she had him by the nuts and he knew it. The polititions may not mean much but if their great leader died it might cause too much chaos for even Tiraninot to handle. She sent another communication to the team with the plutonian leader that if she didn't return and report to kill him. She also told her first mate that if she should not come back, he was in charge. They took many weapons and communicaters and the five of them got onto a shuttle to meet Tiraninot. It didn't take long and Yarasa and her first mate were the first out of the shuttle, Yarasa's coat swirling behind her as she walked toward Tiraninot. "Well hello there handsome." She teased watching his expression as they approached, her hand on her laser rifle at her hip.

Lilith followed closely after Yarasa, holding the strap of her M-16 with one hand(her left) and having her other hand close to her laser rifle. When Tiraninot came into full few, she gave him a smile and a wink. My god...he hasn't changed at all!! the only thing that seemed even a little bit different about him was the way he carried himself. As if he was even more ruthless then she remembered. She tightened her grip on the strap to her M-16, feeling slightly nervous now that Tiraninot was actually in front of her. She hoped everything would go smoothly, she would hate if her precious captain got hurt....but she would also hate to see Tiraninot hurt as well.

“Third major Lilith, would you mind telling me why you’re assisting a national criminal against us?” Lilith's smile completely vanished as these words went through her ears. He remembers me! She looked to Yarasa, then back to Tiraninot. She shrugged and her smile returned, but it held the nervousness she was now feeling. "What can I say? There was only one thing to hold me to the military after my training, and that one thing didn't seem to pay any heed to me." she left out that the 'one thing' was him. "Besides, the military seems to have survived without little old me. That and Yarasa seems to appreciate talents that the military frown on."

Pluto
Undisclosed location

In a large laboratory chamber, where the only light came from computer screens and the rows of glowing blue vats, a small group of scientist watched the monitors. The news was playing, showing footage of the orbital battle. Knowledge of the high chancellor’s hostage situation was withheld from the public. The idea of uppity rebels seeing the current crises as an opportunity was not an inspiring idea.

The image was cut off when a message alert appeared in the corner of the screen. The head technician opened the e-mail and read over it quickly. He sighed as he closed the letter and massaged the bridge of his nose. “The schedules been sped up.” He grunted. “Turn ‘em on, we’ve been ordered to have ‘em deployed.”

Scientist and technicians both began moving quickly about the lab chamber. Their was loud clacking from fingers on keyboards, and hissing steam as pressure valves were opened. Inside the vats dark vague shapes began to twitch in the glowing blue liquid. In several, a bright red dot shown on some of the shapes; blinking on and off occasionally for some strange reason.

“Careful,” one of the staff yield “stay away from the glass. They might be a little grouchy when they get out.” Even as he said that a loud thud could be heard. A large crack appeared on one of the vats as its contents began pressing against the glass. The crack widened as the glass was repeatedly pounded upon from the inside.
With a resounding crash a twisted organic and metallic fusion of a hand burst through, spilling blue fluid onto the floor. As it thrashed about wildly, a low ear piercing howl that was a mix of animal screeching and electronic static filled the room.
Others soon joined it.

Onboard the Ashur

Tiraninot stood flanked by two of his soldiers outside the communications bay and watched the pirate captain as she was led down towards him. Denied to reply to Yasasa’s comment on his appearance and kept the same, if slight aggravated, scowl on his face that he always had. He noted with some additional annoyance that the two crew men escorting the pirates didn’t confiscate their weapons. As if he didn’t have enough problems without the possibility of their ‘guest’ attempting something else while on board.

It was while he was analyzing the group that he caught notice of one in particular. One of the female members of to the side, she look a lot like…. no it couldn’t be. It had to be a coincidence. She couldn’t be the same person. As they got closer the woman winked at him and his doubts started to fade quickly. He didn’t know why, but he felt the urge to groan and shout at the same time. Only one person ever gave him a look like that. She had the same appearance and behavior as a certain subordinate he had back when he was still a lieutenant coronal. A subordinate that went missing in action three years ago.
A subordinate that apparently defected somewhere during those three years.

James Tiraninot’s voice was slightly colder than normal when he spoke. “Third major Lilith, would you mind telling me why you’re assisting a national criminal against us?” Lilith's smile completely vanished as these words went through her ears. He remembers me! She looked to Yarasa, then back to Tiraninot. She shrugged and her smile returned, but it held the nervousness she was now feeling. "What can I say? There was only one thing to hold me to the military after my training, and that one thing didn't seem to pay any heed to me." she left out that the 'one thing' was him. "Besides, the military seems to have survived without little old me. That and Yarasa seems to appreciate talents that the military frown on."

"That doesn't answer my question." There was the faintest twitch in Tiraninot's facial features as he spoke. The phantom image of an uncommon emotion appeared for only a fraction of a second. Anyone who hadn't know Tiraninot for a long point of time would have ever even noticed it. "It's a pity, I considered you one of my more trustworthy soldiers."

"That doesn't answer my question." There was the faintest twitch in Tiraninot's facial features as he spoke. The phantom image of an uncommon emotion appeared for only a fraction of a second. Anyone who hadn't know Tiraninot for a long point of time would have ever even noticed it. "It's a pity, I considered you one of my more trustworthy soldiers."

Lilith blinked, surprised by this statement. The serious part of her nature was out now as she looked to Yarasa again, unsure of what to do.

Yarasa grinned. "Do we really need to talk about the past or how about we come back to the present and talk about the fact I am holding your leaders hostage. Or the fact that the rebellion is actually behind my little takeover here. They promised me anything I wanted if I could get you on your knees, so why don't you indulge me." She grinned again more evilly her eyes almost maniacle in there glee. "I know you must have some plot to try to stop me but I don't think you counted on me working with the rebellion. You couldn't stop them but now that they are working with me, we have quit a big advantage."

So in other words shes a pawn. Tiraninot didn't voice this thought. Opinions had to be closely guarded less they turn on oneself, and Yarasa struck him as an egotistical individual. "I figured as much. There would have been little other reason to wade this deep into our territory with so small a fleet." He turned and walked into the communications bay, the escort motioned for the pirates to fallow. Inside the com bay were another squad of soldiers. They stayed against the walls with their rifles held loosely at their sides, ready to raise them at the slightest hint of aggression. The com bay itself was a large circular room full of terminals and monitors and staff running its systems. Some of the technicians looked up nervously at the entering group but went back to work quickly, training overriding impulse.

"Though I will say that you seem to be overestimating the amount of power the rebels have. Most of their more recent attempts were somewhat desperate moves. Their last attack may have even cost them a significant number of what armored vehicles they managed to secure." Though how they got those light mechs in the first place was a mystery. He would have payed a guess that a pirate like Yarasa had been secretly supporting them, but then they wouldn't risk themselves in the same kind of engagement they had gotten into here. There had to be someone else pulling the strings. There were only a few people Tiraninot could think of that could organize something like this, and non of them were members of the rebellion.

Who is your contact. Who betrayed us.

Though his mind continued to work, Tiraninot's face held the same cold emotionless stare it always had.

__________

The High councilors court office

Charles Villandi the second, High Councilor of Pluto, was not happy at the moment. Nor was he particularly comfortable. One minute he was being forced to listen to the outer station representatives drone on about some petty little complaint over funding to this or that project. Then the next minute a group of rather rude people burst into the court room and start making making orders and waving there guns around. He was half tempted to hit the 'emergency' switch on his desk but held back. Partially because they made him put his hands in the air before he could hit it, and partially because he didn't have his filter mask on hand. And he wasn't too keen on getting a nostril full of his own nero-toxin.

So now the young aristocratic dictator of Pluto was forced to sit back in his chair, an armed man to his right pointing a gun at him, while he waited for some harpy pirate witch to try and extort one of his admirals. And considering that Tiraninot was the particular admiral she picked to bully it stood to reason that this would ether take a while... or end with a few extra pay checks for the grave diggers.

"Really? James? You picked James of all people to fight with? I thought he would have scared you of after what happened with the last pirate captain he caught." To be fair though broadcasting a video of a man getting skinned alive to a pirate base might have been a bit harsh. But it did bring the percentage of attacks on the mining colones down by about 8% for a few months.

He let a faint smirk appear on his delicate lips as the pirate leveled a gun barrel to his temple. "Quiet you." The gruff man growled. The young dictator raised his hands again in mock surrender. "Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Though the faint smile stayed on his face much to the annoyance of the pirate. "Oi, Burk, get over here and check out the jewels I found in this broads purse!" One of the other pirates called from across the room. 'Burk' gave Charles one last ire ridden glare before strolling of to where his crew mate was ransacking the hostages belongings.

Savages. The young dictator thought. Glancing at his desk mounted computer noticed a moment later that a message had entered the inbox of his email account. It was from Tiraninot. A quick glance to see if anyone was looking and Charles opened the email. He smirked again as he deleted the message. Charles stood, with the same dramatic fashion he had practiced as the high councilor, and cleared his throat to get the rooms attention.

"Excuse me, Everyone?" He called out, getting both the pirates and the representatives to look at him. "We might be here a while, it was sometime ago that our... guest arrived. Since my fellow members of the government are only visiting from the outer colones might I ask that they be released?" Charles's face was the image of sainthood as he spoke. A paragon smile brimming on his lips. "I'm really the only person you need to keep here for leverage with your demands. I would gladly stay here without a fuss if you let my companions go. I can even throw an order to the troops outside to keep from intervening until your transaction has been complete if you agree."

Burk frowned as the dictator stood and started going on about letting the others go. Yarasa had said that something like that might come up and to contact her when it did. "Well, now I will just have to contact my superior." He said and pulled out the comm. "Yarasa, Yarasa, Burk here, please come in."

Yarasa continued to watch Tiraninot as she walked and picked up her own comm. "Yarasa here, go ahead."

"The birds want to be freed, just like you said they would captain. What's our next move?"

"Pick the most useless ones and let them go but keep the rest." Yarasa said and put her comm back.

Burk grinned and put his away. "Well it looks like I can let a few go, now which ones should it be?" He rubbed his chin as he looked each of the hostages over.

The High councilors court office

"Pick the most useless ones and let them go but keep the rest." Yarasa said and put her comm back.

Burk grinned and put comm his away. "Well it looks like I can let a few go, now which ones should it be?" He rubbed his chin as he looked each of the hostages over.

Charles repressed the urge to role his eyes. Oh please, most of these morons are just here to gripe and moan over some half assed document nobody gives a care about. Most of the members in the court office were replaceable, and it was the High Councilor's opinion that they were just there to do the paper work for the important people. However it was the long hassle of replacing this many officers that made Charles flinch. Really, he didn't want to look through forty reports on plumbing problems and worker protest a day.

... though if he actually did with the latter task he might not be in this position in the first place.

The repetitive 'tap tap tap' of something scurrying across metal broke his concentration. Charles eyed a small vent where a quiet clicking noise was emanating from. It stopped after a few seconds, becoming eerily silent. Charles glanced back to the room at large and tried to not show his urgency. He kept the same smug façade as he silently counted down the seconds. Hurry up, hurry up, I don’t exactly have the patience at the moment.

On board the Ashur

"It's rude to ignore someone." Tiraninot said, eying the comm in Yarasa's hand. "Wouldn't make more since to have one of your subordinates back on your ship to handle questions from the grunts?" As He spoke he made hidden hand sign behind his back. One of the tech crew watching immediately began working on a different message broadcast system. Attempting to put a trace on the local signals.

"At any rate you still have yet to tell me what the rebels demands are."

Lilith didn't notice the hand signal, but she did notice the tech crew member start working at the radio. Her hand slipped from her laser gun, and she tightened her grip on the strap of her M-16. She was starting to have a bad feeling abut this whole situation. She found that she still held a great amount of respect for Tiraninot, and also found that she actually wanted to be on his side in this situation. She stayed silent though, looking him in the eyes seriously for the first time since coming aboard the Ashur.
What's going through your head right now sir? Your calm as ever on the outside, but I can see a fire in your eyes. That fire only comes when you know you have a ace up your sleeve.... a spark entered her eyes, one that hadn't been there in years...since she had left the military. Whatever it is, I am most interested in seeing it...and most interested in helping, though that would mean betraying Yarasa...whom has only used me as a pawn to get closer to the military.