Kyla was on edge, ready for the operation to commence.

Yet, here before her was Baroun, rambling on about the bill about to be passed by Parliament. Kyla smirked, this time he’d chosen not to stand upon her desk; instead he was on a nearby side table.

“They have legal claim.” She finally spoke, cutting him off. “They have taken up legal residence on the forest moon.”

“The Parliament does not feel the way you do Empress, and they, not you, have final say.”
Kyla leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs femininely. “I would urge both you and Parliament to reconsider.”

“The matter is settled.” Baroun said firm. “The specks are to relinquish all territory on the forested moon.”

“We will not.” All within the room looked to the view screen and the image of the leader of the Speck high council.

“You must.” Baroun demanded. “That moon is to be used for mining operations.”

“Operations which will enrich yourself and your cronies in Parliament,” The speck leader, named Aiden charged.

Kyla liked this man Aiden, he did not mince words.

“The bill will be passed by Parliament, will become law.” Baroun wisely chose not to answer the charge, made by Aiden, mainly because it was true.

“If you hold this vote, if this bill passes, we shall withdraw from the government.”

Baroun looked to the speck upon the screen, studying him for quite a time. The stakes in this game has just been raised considerably. "Well, you're just Specks, no real loss."

“I must tell you, that in this particular matter, the Collosi members of Parliament stand in solidarity with the Speck people.” Jaycone, leader of the Collosi caucus spoke, “If this bill passes we shall also withdraw from the government.”

Baroun looked to the Empress who leaned back in her chair, not one flicker of emotion upon her features. He knew full well that if he pressed the passage of the bill now, his government would fall. In such a case, the Empress would assume emergency powers and rule alone until a new government could be formed.

“Tensions are high…” The Halfling Jada rose to her feet; “May I suggest a delay on this vote, say… 14 days?”

“I agree,” Baroun took the opportunity given him by Jada. A week would give him time to formulate a plan.

Kyla slowly stood, these last few months had been tough. Every delay tactic possible had been used to hold up a final vote on the mining bill. The threat of withdrawal from the government by both Colossi and Specks was the last attempt to stop the bill from passage and finally kill Baroun’s plan. Or… the little man might just go ahead with the vote and fracture this fragile coalition democracy in hopes of forming a government more favorable to his own ends.

“I would urge all members of parliament to carefully consider their options. This issue could cause irrevocable harm to our government.” Kyla’s words were meant solely for Baroun.

The little man glowered at her, but said nothing.

Turning, Kyla began to walk away, until Baroun’s question gave her pause.

“Why must you insist upon protecting these specks?”

“They are people, like you, like me. They deserve rights and respect no matter how small.” Kyla placed hands on hips, looking down at the little man on the table.

“Their increasingly diminutive size makes them become an ever greater burden upon our resources. They need more and more protection just to survive. I believe they would do far better under our care safely enclosed in terrariums where---“

Baroun yelped in surprise as Kyla deftly snatched him into her hand. His stomach hit the floor as she lifted him to a spot directly in front of her face.

“How quickly you forget.” growled Kyla. “That your own people were considered living toys by many of us Colossi. Sienna convinced me it was best to respect your new status as citizens when I was a Viceroy, even though many considered your people to be a… burden.

“They are too weak to---“

Baroun attempted to argue. He didn’t finish his sentence, hard to do so when upside-down.
Kyla smirked at the little man, hanging as he was, one leg pinched gently between her thumb and forefinger.

“You are weak compared to me, compared to even the smallest of us Colossi, yet we deem it a good for your people to have rights, to be treated as equals.”

She raised the little man directly in front of her eyes. “If you continue to pursue this course, your actions may not only bring down the government, but also the partnership between our peoples. Consider this Baroun, should you fracture the government, then absolute power falls on me. The moment power is mine; perhaps I will order the forced relocation of your people to the forest moon.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Baroun shouted while struggling vainly to pull himself upright.

“Count on it, worthless little man.” A menacing smile appeared on dark lips. Your people and the specks can war with each other over who may colonize the planet. I hear the specks have very advanced weaponry, should prove to be quite a fight.

The fingers holding him let go without warning.

Baroun screamed as he fell.

Catching him with her other hand, Kyla made it a point to set him down ever so gently upon the table top before she walked away.
**
Within the hangar bay of the Imperial Starship Vengeance, Parcrya stood, watching anxiously as the walkway lowered. Even though she had checked time again to see all was ready, something could always go awry.

Parcrya nodded as the Empress and her consort appeared at the top of the ramp. The officer of the deck yelled out the order. Instantly, the assembled crew of Halflings, Minis, and Colossi came to attention.

“Gods…” muttered Amarice from her spot within Parcrya’s collar as the Empress ducked down. Parcrya was thinking much the same as she moved to kneel. Kyla was dressed in her usual tunic of white, skin tight black pants with gold stripes down the side, neatly tucked into highly shined black boots. At her side, tucked into its holster was her blaster.

“Get up.”

Parcrya did so walking a step behind the Empress and to her right.

“Civilians are not to be on military missions Commander.”

“Empress--” Sienna began in a deferential tone.

“But, if Amarice is anything like my wife,” Kyla continued. “There was no way you were going to keep her from your side.”

Parcrya smiled.

With a slight turn of her head, Kyla winked at Amarice. “You are most devoted, little one.”

“Shall we get underway Empress?” asked Parcrya.

“Immediately. Best possible speed.” Kyla ordered, ducking down low to get through a door.
Finally after months spent hand selecting a loyal crew and ship, they would return to see what was happening on Earth.

**

“This is not going to end well.”

“Then why did you agree to it?”

Kyla looked down at Sienna and shrugged. “Pure curiosity.”

“It was more than that,” Sienna poked Kyla in the leg with her finger. Gods on high! Kyla was growing absolutely enormous! Now her wife stood a full 370 feet in height, taller than every Colossi in the New Empire. “You want to help them, which is most admirable I think.”

“If they will accept our help.” Replied Kyla, looking up warily at the all too close ceiling, as the door to their private quarters slid shut. As the Vengeance was her flagship, it had been built, then rebuilt again to accommodate her even increasing inches. Now it was on the verge of being too small again. Kyla was beginning to wonder if and when the growth would stop.

“The messages seemed sincere, they appear to be fighting for freedom.” Sienna gingerly lowered herself into a chair, even for her the furnishings were a bit small. The tight fit of the chair was all but forgotten as she gazed down at the side table. There, just visible were the massed ships of the Specks all proudly lined up ready for inspection by their Empress. She didn’t dare lean forward any further, lest her breath blow them all away.

“You are ready for your part in this mission?” Kyla asked softly just in case the crews of these ships had chanced to stand upon the tabletop. Inwardly Sienna chastised herself for not remembering to do so when they entered the room, the sound of her voice must have been deafening to the Specks.

“We are great Empress.” The voice sounded in Kyla’s ear.

“You are to be our scouts, you size will ensure that you will not be seen by the inhabitants of Earth. I want to know what exactly is going on leave no stone unturned.”

“As you command.”

Sienna watched as the teeny ships lifted off. For her to just be able to see them, they must be enormous on the speck scale.

“Where are they going?”

“To an area, off the main bridge, to wait until we enter the Earth’s solar system. Then they will launch.”

For long moments, Sienna sat in silence as Kyla took off the belt holding her blaster. Outside the viewport, the stars blurred as the ship entered warp.

“Do you think Baroun will find out?”

Kyla paused to take a seat, squeezing into a chair. “The specks tell me they’ve created a false image of us on the forest moon that we shall appear to just be taking a long vacation with Parcrya and Amarice.”

“If he decides to investigate further? Figures out the Vengeance is missing?"

“The ruse will be discovered, and from there who knows.” Kyla crossed her legs. “I may be a former Empress, in jail for treason, and you—“

“By your side.”

Kyla watched mutely as Sienna dipped her head, looking down into her lap.

“Empress, hear my plea.”

Uh-oh… Kyla sat up a bit.

There was no way to ease into the subject so it was best to plunge right in.

“I am of the opinion…” Sienna paused to raise her head and look Kyla directly in the eye.

“My love, why do you cry?” Kyla leaned forward and Sienna allowed her to grasp her hand.

“Because what I say now, I had hoped never to say.”

“And that is?”

“The Speck people, for their own protection, should be placed within terrariums again.”

Kyla recoiled in shock. “What!?”

“I know full well how it sounds. That I, who was one of the first to consider the Specks equal to ourselves now ask that they be placed into a cage.”

Kyla stood, beginning to pace immediately “I fought for the specks, secure in the knowledge that you were on my side in this! Now you tell me they should be caged!?! You side with Baroun!?!”

Sienna let out a pained sigh. “Be patient my true love,” she placated seeing the anger upon Kyla’s face. “Hear me.”

Kyla stopped pacing, crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at her wife.

“I am always on your side. I just ask you to consider my point of view. Kyla, you are 370 feet tall and continuing to grow. In fact, the pace of growth for all of us continues to increase. Even with the incredible advancements the specks continue to make, it will soon be impossible for them to scale a weapon large enough to stop beings which from their perspective are thousands of miles tall.”

Kyla moved to look out the viewport. Her back to Sienna. For a time, silence between them.

“Something Baroun said,” Kyla finally spoke, “that I am protecting people I cannot see. Truthfully, I’ve had the same thoughts, it pains me, thinking one solitary step could potentially wipe out millions of lives. People I can’t see, people who are much like you and me, except in size, dying under my boot.” Kyla allowed her shoulders to slump forward, “What’s worse, I wouldn’t even know it. I’d just continue blithely walking along, killing millions upon millions more.”

She pivoted, facing Sienna.

“But is it right that we who are so big, take rights from those who are so small. Even if it is in the name of protection?”

Sienna wiped her eyes. “It isn’t. It’s not right, nor fair, but I’ve come to believe it must be done. The bigger we grow as a people, the less those among us will consider the Specks as equal.”

“First, I must talk with the Speck leader, this Aiden. Tell him honestly and forthrightly all that we have discussed here. I need to hear his perspective…. after…. This mission.”

“Agreed.” Replied Sienna. “Because if the Specks return to a cage, they shall never leave it again.”