Kikata set Richard on her shoulder and followed Prila towards her desk. "So what is so urgent?" She asked, a little disappointed to be dragged away from the Virtual Room before she was ready.
"You'll see." Prila called over her shoulder in a near whisper. They rounded the corner, arriving back in the lobby where they had first met. They followed Prila behind her desk. "Alright." She whispered, looking both ways to see if the area was clear, "I was doing a little snooping around. It's a pass time of mine here." She checked her sides again and nodded, "So right. As I was saying I was snooping around, listening to conversations and transmissions that get relayed through our base and I think I picked up one that the sender intended to keep secret."
"How serious is this?" Kikata asked, folding her arms.
"It's pretty serious. Listen for yourself."
Prila selected the sound file which she had saved and played it. Through the speakers a male neko voice spoke, "I am on public transmissions so I will keep this short." He began, already giving good reason for suspicion, "This base will make for an easy stepping stone towards Teralist. The jump takes about fifteen minutes and the base is not heavily fortified. I am waiting for my shipment, it should be here this evening." The transmission ended.
"Well. That is something." Kikata said with a nod, "When did you get this? Just now?"
"A few minutes before I came to get you." Prila responded, "So he is still here. I gave him a room not far from yours."
"What's going on?" Richard asked.
"I'll translate it for you briefly later. Basically we think this guy is working with the New Order."
"I see."
Kikata nodded, "I guess we should go have a little chat with him? That was quite the find, Prila. How did you decide to listen in on that conversation and not some other?"
Prila shrugged, "I thought he was handsome."
"Oh." Kikata stated with a furrowed brow, "Well. Lucky find either way, I am going to go change into my Guard clothing and then we will have our little talk."
~ ~ ~ ~
A few minutes later Kikata strolled down the hall towards the man in questions room. Richard sat atop her shoulder which was now covered in the tight fabric of Kikata's blue and white jump suit. She arrived at the door Prila had mentioned and rose her arm to knock. She took a deep breath before pounding her fist three times.
After a short pause the door opened, a tall neko stood in the doorway. Kikata eyed him for a moment, he had very definitive and sharp features. His exposed chest and stomach were very well sculpted, his short brown hair was elegantly disheveled and the fur on his tall, Alta ears almost looked overly groomed.
"Yes?" The man asked, his voice familiar from the recording.
Kikata shook her head, she had been staring. "I've come to question you about something." She stated.
"And what would that be?" The man asked, his light blue eyes fell on Kikata's jump suit and the tiny human perched on her shoulder. Slowly piecing together who she was.
"We overheard a transmission you sent from your room and it seemed to correlate with-" She gapsed as the mans fist suddenly flung forward, shoving her backwards as he took off down the hallway. "Stop!" Kikata shouted. She took Richard into her hands and chased after him, careful to keep Richard from bouncing around against her palms. Kikata grew frustrated as she could not keep pace, the man was heading towards the docking bay.
Suddenly, like a blur, the man was struck by a powerful kick. Prila stared down at him with a grin, "The lady said stop." She knelt down next to him, he was knocked nearly unconscious.
"What happened?" Richard asked, finally able to see outside of Kikata's hands.
"Prila got him." She said, smiling widely towards her. "I will head back to the ship and get some detaining cuffs. Keep an eye on him."
"Sure thing." Prila said with a grin, "He will be out for a few more minutes at least. Unless I have to put him down again."
~ ~ ~ ~
Kikata and Prila dragged the half unconscious man back towards his room. Kikata took out a set of metal cuffs that she retrieved from the ship and strapped them to the mans arms.
Slowly the man came to. His head swayed back and forth as he tried to get a hold of the world around him, a large red bump had formed over his right eye, "W-What did you do to me." He finally mumbled.
"What we had to do." Kikata stated, pulling out a chair and sitting down onto it, "Now, if you would kindly explain why you ran?"
The man dipped his head, taking a large couple breaths before responding, "I've had trouble with the law before alright? It was a natural reaction."
"What is this shipment coming in today?"
"Just...personal items..."
"Personal items?" Kikata asked with an arched brow, "So if we intercept this shipment and we find loads of weapons or any other contraband we can safely conclude that it is all yours?"
"I guess so."
Kikata sat back, glancing towards Prila and Richard who were watching from the far end of the bedroom, "Prila go make a call to the security department and alert them to the situation. We can't be too careful." She turned back to the man who was now eyeing her bitterly from behind a half closed eye, "Now. Why don't you cooperate and alleviate yourself of any truly harsh consequences."
"You'd love that wouldn't you?" He said, a grin forming across his lips.
Kikata scoffed, but ignored the comment, "You are undoubtably a part of the group that is calling themselves the New Order?"
The man's eyes darted away from her but he didn't respond.
"You understand that any affiliates of an organization like this will be tried for treason, murder, and countless other charges?"
"But you don't have a death penalty."
Kikata smirked, "Not officially. But I can imagine a life sentence of isolation in a tiny cell will have you begging for a death penalty."
"You don't have their death penalty." He stated, now eyeing Kikata sternly.
"They being the New Order?" Kikata questioned. The man nodded slowly, "So you are worried that they will come after you if you give information?"
"I think." The man began slowly, "You underestimate exactly how serious the New Order is in their mission."
"Mission?"
"To gain control. Complete control."
Kikata's brow narrowed, "I can assure you they stand no chance at that."
"You just wait." The man retorted.
Kikata eyed him for a few moments longer, she wasn't going to be able to crack him. She would leave that up to the professionals. "Alright then. I've got no choice but to give you up to the authorities. You had best reconsider your behavior if you want even the chance of having your freedom." She stood up and left the room. She turned to see two Nova Knights walking down the hallway towards her. Their armor was designed to reflect the surrounding terrain, they could almost melt into the white hallway.
"The prisoner?" A robotic voice asked from behind a thick wall of protective glass.
Kikata pushed open the door for the two Knights, "In here."
The soldier nodded, "Good work, Guard."
Kikata nodded, and made her way back towards the front desk where Prila and Richard waited.
"Who were those guys?" Richard asked.
"Nova Knights." She said, Knights is simply the word chosen for translation.
"They had some serious armor on."
Kikata nodded, "They are the soldiers."
"So, they have this under control?" Prila asked with a frown.
"Yeah, I think our job is done here." Kikata laughed lightly. "I will go report in, coming Richard?"
"As if I decide where I get to go." Richard muttered. He glanced over his shoulder towards Prila who gently lifted him by the waist and offered him up to Kikata. Kikata smiled and held out her hand, taking the small human on her palm.
~ ~ ~ ~
Kikata set Richard down by his chair before making the call to home base. Within a short moment the face of the General appeared on screen.
"Kikata." He stated, "I heard that you left Teralist a few days before your leave had expired. Though I must say I am hardly surprised to hear that you and Richard are behind this latest find."
"I hardly did the work." Kikata said with a nod, "A secretary here at the base intercepted the call and then notified myself."
"What was her name?"
"Prila Tchana."
"Well then, I will be sure to look into anything we can do for her. Either way you have handled the situation well, our servicemen will take the prisoner in for further questioning. We have also set up heightened security to intercept this delivery that he spoke of in the transmission."
"Thank you, Sir."
"You will continue your patrol as assigned. Keep your eyes sharp and be careful. We are on the edge of a very large conflict here, do no underestimate the enemy."
"Will do, General."
"That is all, good luck."
The generals face flickered off the screen.
"That went well?" Richard asked, rising from his seat and facing Kikata.
Kikata shrugged, "I guess so. We've got one more night here and then it is time for us to go."
"Sounds like a plan." Richard chuckled.
Kikata nodded, her eyes watching a team of Nova Knights as they searched through a transport vessel. She could feel something brewing, the words of the prisoner still fresh in her ears. What did he mean...their death penalty. She glanced down to Richard and forced a smile as she offered him a hand.
Giantess World
Nova Force by Ginbug