Chapter 20: When All Is Said and Done When It Is Not

The historical fighters had gathered for celebration of the completion of one mission and await the return of the Casion with her Captain and Master: Hepzedah.

"Explain this to me," Albert says to the others, "If in changing the past to correct the future, aren't we tampering with forces that only the gods play with?"

"What do you mean?", Georges answers in a question as all share in the food and drink at the bar.

"Hasn't it occurred to you that anyone one of us could go back to our time with some of the technology we have here to alter the course of our war.", Albert tries to explain. Werner gets up from the German side of the table and walks over to Albert, James gets up and follows suit, as does Edward right behind James.

"Listen mien friend, I have no urge to go back when I can live here in luxury and riches beyond my wildest dreams. Lest we not forget, in our time- we are all dead. Does being dead gives you incentive to go back?", Warner says.

"But that can be changed, now that we know what happened, we can take action to correct them...", Albert says.

"And what? Live to fight another day? Hasn't this future taught you anything? The war is history- Germany lost, we lost...", Manfred started to say as he turned on his seat to face him, "But I do not know about you- but I prefer to fight a fair and even battle. Using weapons from this time would only create a slaughter on both sides."

"What do you mean, 'slaughter' ?", James turns to the Baron.

"Simple- who's to say, what if... lets take Werner here. He goes back to our time with some weapon from this time. You find out, and go back as well with another weapon. Now with two futuristic weapons in our time, can you imagine the horrors that would reek?", the Baron explains.

"And if we were to meet in battle...", James started to say.

"It would not end in a gentlemanly manner.", Werner ended.

"No, in the past we are all dead. Here in the future, we live. That is fine enough for me.", Manfred says.

Albert lets out a sigh, still contemplating on the possibilities of a temporal incursion by anyone in the group, including himself.

"Besides, anyone who would try would find themselves dead before they can get to the other end of the temporal gate.", a female voice joins the group. They all turn to face her, finding Hepzedah, Tabitha and L'zerdah right behind them.

"Aren't any of you gentlemen giving up their seat for a lady?", Tabitha says in a tone to match the mood of the rest of the bar.

Albert, Manfred, Oswald and Georges jump out of their seat to offer to the females, each taking the one closet to them: Hepzedah taking Manfred's chair, Tabitha taking Oswald, but L'zerdah stands to look at both Georges and Albert to choose and yet tries not to make eye contact with them.

Georges takes L'zerdah's hand, "Why with the tears of saddness?", he then asks bending down to her to make eye contact. She tries to look away from him.

"She lost a close friend in the last mission. But she knew that he accepted risks and certainty that he may not ever return.", Hepzedah says before taking L'zerdah by the wrist which hand Georges was holding, and pulls her onto Georges' seat. He turns quickly as she is taken from his hand onto his chair, managing to hold onto her paw.

"If she needs a friend, I am here for her, as we all are.", Georges saids trying to sound romantic in an attempt to cheer her up.

"I dont think she needs that kind of friend...", Edward says in a soft but harse and yet joking tone. Georges could only turn his eyes to face him, only letting the comment bother him for a moment before he restores his composure.

The waitress returns to their table, adding three more glasses of water in front of the ladies before asking, "Anything else?"

"Just keep adding to the nuts, these spicy wings and drink.", Frank says as he pointed to item on the table, ending with, "And thank you, Matta Hari." The waitress smiles at him before she steps away from the table to fullfill the request.

"Matta who?", Hepzedah asks.

"We just call her that, she did us a favor we pay her back with our patronage.", Frank explained.

"What kind of favor?", Hepzedah asked.

"Matta Hari was a World War One spy, who worked on both sides.", Tabitha tried to explain.

"I repeat- what kind of favor?", Hepzedah said more sternly.

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"A package for you, Captain Lasivelle...", a nervous crewman stands besides the newly appointed captain of the Wraith with a dolly containing a fur-sized container as she sits on command chair of the recently repaired bridge.

Captain Lasivelle reaches over to receive the package, finding it more than something that can be put into her paws. "Alright, put it in my office.", she tells him.

He hands over to her a small communications pad before heading to deliver the box to her office. She tries to start the messeage within, finding it contains a private message for her crew's mission order. She shuts it off, looking at her office door and waiting for the crewman to leave. As he does, she gives out her orders, "Science Officer, take the lead of this ship while I am gone."

"Aye, sir.", the Science officer responds as he step towards the command seat. Captain Lasivelle steps off the command seat and walks to her office, closing the door behind her. The Science officer sits down onto the command chair, eyeing the controls and the view he has, saying to himself, "I can get used to this."

"Dont get too comfortable sitting there, Joezef.", a female voice saids from the Communications Station.

"Its not a good omen for the captain to leave her seat before a mission.", another voice saids, this time from the Tactical/Weapons Station.

"You would have to explain to me about this superstious mumbo jumbo to me...", the Science Officer says as he turns to the Tatical Officer.

"Consider this Joezef- we already have our mission plans set for the next many years. now the Captain gets a private com and a large package? That can only mean that there has been a change in plans. Now you tell me, is this crew ready for a sudden change in plans?", the Tatical Officer explains.

"Bah... you're too paranoid.", the Science Officer says as he turns away from the Tatical officer. "Now lets see, what would be my first set of commands?", he then asks to himself.

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Captain Lasivelle sits behind her desk in the captain's office, eyeing the communications pad in her paws before starting it again. Requesting her personal code, the message within begins upon authorization.

"Greetings Captain. Lets skip the formalities...", as it begins to play Norzal's recorded message, "You first and only mission is to take the Wraith back to its homeworld. That is all. You are to distribute the contents of the package to your crew before the mission begins, all will be explained then."

"HOW DARE YOU!", Captain Lasivelle yell as she slams the communications pad hard on the desk. The message on the pad ends although it seemed that she may have broken the pad when it merely shut itself off. She quickly activates her desk station and connects to her communications officer, "Get Me Norzal Now!"

"Captain, the armada is under radio silence.", her communications officer replies.

"Don't give me that Orion Gibberish! We have line-of-sight trajectory, initiate a laser-com connection and get Me Norzal NOW!", Captain Lasivelle starts to explain before yelling at the console.

"That will take several minutes to set up, captain.", her communications officer says to her as calmly as possible.

"THEN DO IT!", Captain Lasivelle yells back as she bangs her fist her the desk. The link with the communications officer breaks from the other end, as Captain Lasivelle contemplates on that Norzal stated as '...first and only mission...'

After less than a minute of time passes, Captain Lasivelle's computer screen lights up with Norzal on the screen.

"What is it Lasi?", Norzal asks.

"What the hell do you mean by 'first and only mission...'?", Captain Lasivelle states to him as she shows some fang.

"Didn't you read the whole content of the message?", Norzal asks.

"No- I slammed the Com-Pad on my desk and may have broken it.", Captain Lasivelle stated angrily.

"I see.", Norzal stated.

"Well, I want an explanation.", Captain Lasivelle demanded.

"Calm yourself down first of all.", Norzal stated but is interrupted by Captain Lasivelle.

"No- you tell me what is going on before I calm down...", Captain Lasivelle stated.

"OK then. Just understand that I gave you command of the Wraith because you are the only one I can trust. Trust with it and its mission.", Norzal stated.

"And after the mission is completed, I'm to give it up?", Captain Lasivelle asks in anger.

"No- I don't expect you to give it up. But this is a one-way suicide mission, one that will bring this little private war of ours to the doorsteps of those who started it...", Norzal stated.

"A suicide mission? BUT WHY?!!", Captain Lasivelle asks, almost pleading.

"Look- the package contains 200 temporal beckons, one for each member of your crew including you. That will save your crew from the destruction of The Wraith. Your mission- to fly The Wraith into the Orion Star system at the other side of their star and put the Orion Rift Generators the ship has into Runaway mode.", Norzal explains.

"But that would...", Captain Lasivelle started to say.

"Implode their star? Why not? Did they not do the same to us? Do they deserve any better?", Norzal started to explain.

Captain Lasivelle remains silent for the moment.

"Now, can I trust you with the mission or do I have to go there and replace you?", Norzal stated in a very harsh and cold tone.

"I will see the mission to its completion...", Captain Lasivelle says in a soften toned, looking down and away from the computer screen; her tail already tucked between her legs.

"Good, then I'll expect you to be by my side when all is said and done.", Norzal says in a much more cheerful tone.

"Yes, Norzal.", Captain Lasivelle says softly, almost inaudible.

"Don't worry, the next ship we capture, you and your crew will be reinstated to command it. But right now sacrifices has to be made. I hope you understand.", Norzal says.

"I do.", Captain Lasivelle says.

"OK, get your ship and crew ready. I'll resubmit the orders to you on another pad; but the time frame still stands- there is only 94 hours left to mission start.", Norzal stated.

"Aye, my captain...", Captain Lasivelle says.

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Norzal gets up out of his seat and walks to a nearby portal to look out onto the starry nebula of his darken office.

"Now before I go rabid on you, where is my wife Uniessya?", Norzal says.

"I don't know. The last time I saw her,... was when I walked out... of the dining area.", a tied up and beaten Zyekmal Lagamorphia says tiredly.

"Then have it your way...", Norzal says as he puts on a pair of bloodied gloves and reaches over and grabs a primitive hypodermic injection device. He places it to the back of Zyekmal's neck and pushes it in.

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