Chapter Eleven the straw that broke the camel's back...

"it's sheer chaos, pandemonium here on Diona, Omiko Kurita, well she's dead, from the video she looks like she died saving four children and defying the counter-protestors.  There's no way they could have missed her, she's been here for over a week, she was wearing one of her Kimonos, even for a human they couldn't have missed it, Steiner Blue, Davion Yellow, and Kuritan Red.  She wasn't only killed but they are stilling stomping and spitting where her crushed body is..."Titan 356 News

Sobbing "my love wait for me, forgive my actions and perhaps we'll meet in paradise"-Archon-Prince Victor Steiner-Davion upon viewing the death of his beloved fiance Omiko Kurita and their unborn son Kitsune John Kurita-Davion.

Walak, Federation Province-51 Days from Misjump

Poron Cesil was not a happy man, the Insectoids, well there were smashed, smashed by humans, precursors, whatever.  A species not even the size of his finger, they crushed his allies as if they weren't there.  The only plus is how quickly and ruthlessly they achieved it.  Titans were scared they were coming for them.  They may, but Cesil had to make sure they did, the only way his New 'Empire' would survive is if the imperial troops coming to invade had another 'dancing partner'.  He contacted his protesters and let them know that the annoying Omi Kurita was a fair target, she looked pregnant likely with that scum Victor's child.  If she and his spawn were to die, it is highly likely he would declare war on the empire.  That may just give them enough time to regroup and re-establish themselves.  Cesil never thought that his worlds might be on Victor's hit list as well.  Being farsighted was never one of his strengths...

Diona 8 weeks (56 days) from mis-jump

Aezhay, "Omi we might want to pull back",

Omi continues her education of the children on the inner Sphere "why they aren't any closer than yesterday",

Aezhay "Omi they are, I have a rangefinder, they are nearly a unit closer."

Omi "I don't see you telling Thurfrit to pull back", Aezhay smirks "that's because he's on my hand right now",

Thurfrit nods "Omi just climb up on Aezhay's hand, pull back a couple of units, you aren't exactly hard to see with your continued use of Steiner Blue, Kuritan Red and Davion Yellow, they've been coming at you with a vengeance, they've even tried to spit on you."  

Omi "I am as safe as anyone else."

Aezhay unleashes her heavy hitter Alesia "Omi why are you being so stubborn?",

Omi "I am not, I am educating Titans and humans on my universe",

Alesia "which you can do ten or a hundred units further away from the block.  Sorcha will kill me if you get hurt."  

Omi "it's not up to Sorcha, Gae, Aezhay or any Titan or hybrid to tell me what is safe and what is not."  

Alesia takes her hand and gently lifts her "you are lucky you and Victor had life extension injected after you conceived, you won't be dealing with the child for two years, instead of just nine months."  

Omi smirks "that's all well and good for Kitsune, what about future children?"  

Alesia as she slowly drags Omi to Aezhay's waiting hand "well you have two years of feeling a new life growing inside of you, evidentially the first time it's nearly enough to drive my mother nearly insane, me it's early yet, insanity may be a factor" Alesia says with a smile.

Alesia sets the now assuredly pregnant Omi on Aezhay's hand,

Aezhay smirks "yeah and hybrids aren't easy either, right husband of mine" as she just a touch rougher than normal muses his hair.  

Thurfrit chuckles "you wanted children as well Aezhay my love",

Aezhay gently gets him to her lips and kisses him "yes I did, I just didn't know what that human DNA would do to my Titan physiology, but if you want another..."

Thurfrit shakes his head "having three children who dwarf you before they even start growing, well that's enough".

Aezhay shakes her head "Tupp and Shaar it worked for the Freemans" she giggles.  

Thurfrit looks at her in awe and terror, Naskia is small compared to his wife, Niall is strong and determined, but he could tell the change in Niall, he and his wife were equals, but her physical dominance had been acknowledged, on the plus side Niall was getting lots of marital sex! on the minus side the bedroom was no longer a place of equals, yes their love was equal, but the partners, well they did what Naskia wanted.  She, of course, made sure Niall was happy, and she was MUCH happier since they acknowledged the fact.  Thurfrit didn't want to do that, once Aezhay goes down that path even if sex is awesome he losses control in his bedroom.  

Aezhay looks down in love on her tiny husband, that Niall and Naskia got there is a good thing she thinks.  You can only deny a thing that is obvious for so long, Thurfrit is smarter, he can organize better, so at the foundation, he's the boss.  Aezhay is even taller then Sorcha, maybe she should set the 'tone' for the bedroom, he will like it and she will love it.  Not that he does a bad job, but talking with Naskia... well there are so many other things he can do to her, and she can do to him...  

She speaks to her husband in a low sensual tone "when this is over my Tupp! your Shaar is going to play with you.  As you are the boss at the foundation, well we'll see what happens won't we" she says with a confident smile.  

Omi just smiles at 'human' relationships "Thurfrit" Omi states "so are you willing to acknowledge reality in the bedroom if I do it here?"  

Aezhay grins and nods, Gae chuckles, Alesia giggles madly.
 
Thurfrit "ah, um, ah",

Aezhay clears her right hand, and gently shakes him till his back is resting on her palms, she breathes heavily, sensually "so Thurfrit I suggest you ready yourself, it might even be tonight"
Aezhay's eyes gleam, Thurfrit tries to figure out how getting Omi away from danger morphed into giving Aezhay control of his bedroom and likely a fourth child...  Only explanation Omi Kurita is a witch, a good witch, but a witch all the same.  As to confirm it he hears her chuckling off to the side with all the women...

Diona 57 days since misjump

No one in the main party got much sleep last night.  Aezhay decided she and Thurfrit needed to play and then acknowledge reality.  Reality had Aezhay crushing her bed like it was a twig, and finding out a new baby girl would make her appearance in two Terran years.  Thurfrit was sleeping, utterly exhausted by the loving but a touch rougher than normal play.  Aezhay, well she was very satisfied as she gently caressed her sleeping MAN!  She would have to thank Naskia for sharing, it is so hard to keep things balanced, so many Titans are trying to keep everything balanced.  Naskia came to the conclusion that as long as both partners were thoroughly enjoying the other, well considering she is 119 feet taller than Niall may be in that one respect she should have a greater say.  Niall hasn't been happier or more productive, feels the need to keep the balance so Niall's human creativity and learning seem to spike to keep the balance in their relationship.  Naskia thinks it was the most awesome thing yet. Aezhay agrees with her scientist friend, maybe Zhan, Nick, and Alex could be convinced...

Omi enjoys her little revolt,  it was so easy to not say what didn't need to be said and say just enough.  Aezhay is a dominating woman, a good and gentle person, yes, but having a name like 'tall as trees' means she towers over even most Titans.  They were making the same mistakes as Victor was when he spoke of purity and harmony.  Victor believed that purity meant chastity, even virginity, her love had to be educated, such purity was that those who share in love would maintain discretion and share such pleasures only with the other.  The Titans she has been around in mixed relationships, seem to have a similar misunderstanding, for them purity is about equality. She shakes her head no, a Tiger could no more be the equal of a rabbit in carnal pursuits, it doesn't mean the Tiger and the Rabbit cannot enjoy what the other brings, however.  The Tiger can pursue, trap and play, all making the rabbit's evasion, dodging and the last stand so much better.  While Rabbit brings out the primal urges of the Tiger, tests its abilities and when the hunt is done allow it to honor its prey.

The female Titans are tigers they have to hunt, dominate and honor the prey of their much smaller human mates.  Sometimes you have to yield to nature, and acknowledge that the Tiger is going to be the one stalking the rabbit for it's 'food', it doesn't mean that in diverting the Tiger the Rabbit is incapable of enjoying itself.  One does not consider themselves equal to a typhoon one makes arrangements so as not to be blown away by one.  Aezhay is a living, thinking storm, she has to cap her power so many times each day, to have one place where she can safely let go and Thurfrit can enjoy it would make the already satisfied woman, much happier.  Plus it distracts them from what Omi wants to do as she sneaks back to the children she is instructing.

As Omi instructs Titans and Humans of her homeland, less pure eyes gaze upon her with malicious intent.  Scylane Rimosi was coordinating the counter-protest, if he had even a bit of an open mind he would have backed off Cesil's orders.  The woman was brave, charismatic, smart, that she wasn't a Titan really shouldn't matter, but she wasn't a Titan, and she was an interloper.  He felt a bit bad for what he was organizing, but orders were orders, the Insectoids had been crushed.  

Federation secession was bound to fail if nothing changed and from his few contacts in Tuaut Forna was confident enough of her 'conversion' job on the humans of the Empire that she would bring up an amended  Zeramblin Act.  Odds were good that they could get a super-majority, and dragged kicking and screaming into the Conservative coalition Aspire and at least half of New Empire.  Loona maybe granted floor leader after the next elections but she would be in that position because Forna had chosen her and conservative voters had elected her.  Forna would have co-opted her most dangerous foes and set human equality on an easily achievable glide path her party would be in power for 60 years at least and she would have statues of her being the liberator, the bringer of prosperity.  The South would have to significantly restructure to even compete.

Scylane couldn't let that happen, a cute little pet had to die, and in a moment of remorse an innocent child.  Even though Omi was a pet, the pup she was carrying was guiltless, it was almost enough to stay his hand, but so much more was at stake and the Block was not averse to shedding blood.  The die was cast, the pet loved teaching about her universe, she did it always in the same area, all that was required would be a rush of protestors and a quick stomping and it would be over...  That the war he would start would likely not go as he planned, well he had orders to obey and circumstances that forced his hand.

Tuaut, Deputy Floor leader Loona Armac's office Imperial House of Representatives 60 days from mis-jump

Loona "Pryvani you have to give me more, we all can guess Bulldog is prepping for war with us, but how It does us no good to have a general alert, hell we've been on general alert since they arrived in our universe"  

Pryvani glumly "I am actually going against my promise to Darren and the Avalonians going this far..."  

Loona "well Darren did go behind our back",

Pryvani "and he wasn't justified?",

Loona "I am not saying that but we can't be only for humans we have to establish things and we are close",

Pryvani "you are ok with Forna getting credit for what others have done?"

Loona huffs "if it works, yes I got outflank and outmaneuvered, but the end goal is what we want",

Pryvani "so you are going to drag Niall and Darren before a committee or court..."

Loona "we have to, but no one wants to see them punished beyond a certain level",

Pryvani "so this is their fault that they defend themselves..."

Loona "come on now, that's not what it's about, it's politics they fall on their swords little will happen, they don't not much more, but it will be more",

Pryvani "so you are going to punish beings that aren't considered class one sapients for being smarter than us?"

Loona "COME ON, it's not about that, it's not about...",

Pryvani "them not trusting us, can you blame them?"  

Loona "I know, you are going to ask what I have lost, what I have sacrificed" Loona sadly smiles and tears up "I have been far more successful then I could have ever dreamed, I have profited from their plight, I just want my pound of flesh from them not trusting me, I will protect them after that",

Pryvani "is that fair?",

Loona "NO it's damn unfair of me, but what would you have me do, I can't shrink myself, I can't make myself human, I have political realities here, Forna is ok with me grilling them, giving them a bit of hell and then letting go, Niall will be able to stay at Tannerhauser, Darren well he'll have to give up his position, but there is always Tol-Bot for him..." Loona says with a slight smile,

Pryvani "will you even try to stay being friends with them?"

Loona's eyes flare "that's not fair, all they had to do is say we are working on a project and I could have buried it",

Pryvani looks at her and shakes her head "So they hurt you personally",

Loona "you BET they DID"

Pryvani "so you would rather them be unprepared...",

Loona "I NEVER said that!",

Pryvani "so you would lose the friendship of two people who have helped you more than you ever helped them, who have sacrificed more on your behalf then you have for them"

Loona breaks down into tears "I get it, I GET IT, I will never be owned, sold or considered a pet, I will always have the laws protecting me, but why couldn't they just trust ME!"
 
Pryvani "the same question I ask you when I tell you I have told you everything I can",

Loona nods "you know I would have forgiven them, I will do what I can do leave them be, the conservatives may force me to dig into them, but I have seen a master at committee hearings I will defend them without appearing to, though I would have likely got there eventually without this conservation",

Pryvani smiles sadly "but you would have taken chunks out of them before and only when you saw how deeply you hurt them..."  

Loona smirks "for all the pain we've inflicted it is very petty of me to place my embarrassment ahead of their friendship, you know I will have to deal with Smit, he's going to have to go hard after them, he's going to call me an idiot for defending them regardless of how I do it",

Pryvani "I will deal with him, just try to get our defenses up a bit and make sure our troops treat theirs as honorable combatants"  

Loona "I can do that, thank you Pryvani",

Pryvani "for what darling", Loona "for reminding me why we are here and whom we should serve"
Floor leader's office 15 minutes later

Forna "she didn't give you anything definitive?"  

Loona "just some purchases and trades from earth worried her",

Forna "we can't lean on Earth to provide us the information?" Forna knew she could get Elaine to give her the data, but it would at best a large favor, both are free-market pols to extract private companies sells records for legal sales...

Loona chuckles "there is no leverage, they have leverage over us while Bulldog is still around in Orion"  

Forna shrugs "so if war does develop I doubt you want us to exterminate their soldiers like pests"
 
Loona "that would likely be counterproductive"

Forna "I doubt they could be sold as pets either",

Loona smirks at that "unless you want a trained soldier who's only known freedom to be placed in a household where likely any Titan would have no clue of just what danger they have bought and what they will do to regain their freedom."

Forna "as you have seen the Zeramblin Act is on the calendar, and no I can't rush it any faster.  However if all goes well Bulldog will of finished off our Insectoid problem, our military will reclaim the Federation and we'll have an overwhelming vote in support of the amended act"  Loona nods Forna has her ducks in a row, in just over three Terran months each would be finished, with the Zeramblin Act Bulldog will no longer be a threat and all those techs and applications can be sorted.  

Titan tech will jump a century, Terran will jump three, Sphere a century as well.  With all the new products and services there will be a boom unlike any and Forna will have statues raised to her as a liberator, an usher of prosperity, all but a goddess.  Loona was ok with it all her goals were there.  

Loona "so what do you want from me?",

Forna "I want you to be floor leader",

Loona "not with the way you have things stacked against my coalition",

Forna "who says Aspire has to stay with the South?"

Loona looks dumbfounded "I can't sell out my voters",

Forna giggles "you know Aspire and New Empire after civil rights issues are far more north than your coalition partners"  

Loona "that would be a betrayal..."  

Forna would it "if war starts we treat humans as we treat Titans, you have my word on it, and we pass Zeramblin Act with amendment as quickly as possible with overwhelming numbers.  That's not a betrayal that's getting everything you want just by shifting your caucus from South to North..."
 
Loona "conservatives will run everything for the next 50 years, my status of floor leader will be contained by the most conservative parties"  

Forna "more like 60 years, and yes your partners aren't going to let you reshape our society, but you will have vast control on things that are important to you"  

Loona feels likes she's been through her fifth loop "can I think about it"  

Forna smiles "certainly, need an answer before the campaign starts so we can maximize our pick up opportunities"  

Loona as she leaves she wonders how the hell did she get into this position, as with Darren and Niall the only thing she had at risk was pride, was her pride worth what she would gain?  She thought about it and like Darren and Niall, no her pride wasn't worth it.  In a day or so she would accept What Forna had offered with grace and she would have to get out of this funk.

FCS Yggdrasil

Dr. Banzai and his NAIS staff had been going over the various projects Archon-Prince Victor had tasked with.  Ammunition that can incapacitate Titans, check Generation 1 ether still loading that onto LRMs, SRMs, and artillery to allow for maximum dispersion.  Muscle relaxants on rifles and machine gun rounds, Lasers had been converted to heat rays (though with a single flip could be back to lasers) and PPCs into tazers.  It was one advantage of having such huge potential enemies that they weren't a flash kill, you had to hit them with enough to take out at least a small hovercar, not hard to achieve, but since that night enjoying brandy with Kai, Hohiro, and Victor wanted a war in which no one died, one that even his foes would only count at worst broken bones and sprained muscles.

To aid with that Dr. Banzai, actually, it was Dr. Lawrence Holo who figured out how to collapse warp bubbles with both Naval Lasers and Naval PPCs.  The Naval PPCs had a nice area of effect and slow dispersion, one light NPPC could with a single firing collapse warp fields in a 1000 cubic miles of where the beam started and terminated, the larger the longer and more expansive the effect.  They had been testing it on the logistical shuttles and it was sufficiently successful that they had to scale it back or the Titans would suspect.

Victor had given all these orders while he was fighting the Insectoids, he trusts and likes Sorcha, but she is half-Titan and she is a citizen of the Empire (even if they don't recognize her father on her birth certificate), besides it's safer for her to be kept out of this loop.  Banzai believes Jana suspects, but she doesn't know.  90% of all the preparations are done, the last that are still being worked out the upgrading of their jump drives, well they have to thank at least one Titan for that if not two, Naskia was key in providing them with the theory needed to upgrade their jump drives, as was Niall, but Kymie, Kymie was able to bypass the shortage of Germanium with copper and other base metals.  Banzai was surprised but it worked and was more effective then he would guess.  In under three days, all jump ships would have 10x their original range.  That a command circuit was be constructed to Archavia and the Empire's capital Tuaut was a bit of fiction so if a war was required the shock of Bulldog ships arrive from ranges beyond anticipated would provide a large tactical advantage over the Titans.

So the New Avalon Institute of Science with the aid and assistance of the Freemans had created several secret weapons.  As with most such weapons, it would only be a matter of time before they were used...  That time was growing very short indeed.

Donia 60 days since mis-jump

Aezhey was looking frantically for Omi, the block had retreated, but only to get better organized and to push through at a weak point.  Gae had last visual, she was, as usual, speaking with humans and titans on her home universe, winning hearts and minds.  Unfortunately, her confidence from being here this long was a bit too high.  The Aenur Foundation working with the Government had gained intel that Omi was going to be a target and soon.

Thurfrit and Alesia were searching for Omi when they saw the 100+ Block protesters, they were converging of course on the one member of their group with a Blue, Red and Yellow Kimino.  Whose only sin was that she was teaching children of all sapient species of her worlds, the worlds of her mate.  They could only hope it wasn't too late the Block seemed to have blood in their eyes.
As the other humans noticed the Titans approaching, Omi handed four babies off to their mothers "please get them to safety",

the first Mother as they try to pull her with them "you have to come with us!!!"

Omi "they come for me and my son, they are intent on having us, if I flee more will die, now go and May God look over all of you",

As the last prepares to leave Omi brave and defiant has a single tear flowing from her left eye "please make sure Victor receives these" as she puts her Buddhist texts, her Bible and her unfinished book her recordings in the woman's arms as her tears flow "let Victor know Kitsune and I will love him forever and we'll wait for him to pass to the next life, but he has love here and much to accomplish before he can come home to us" Omi hugs her and gives her a quick push "now go, flee to safety!!!"

The Block watch all the humans flee their presence as they should, all but one Omiko Kurita stands in defiance of their power, a pebble against their river, she will not flee, she is Kurita, her mate of choice is a Davion they would also hold fast against evil!  At this moment she will do penance for her family before all of humanity, 52 million dead due to the Kentares Massacre.  For once a Kuritan will be a symbol of human freedom, liberty, and dignity, her soul will be worthy of the family she has wished to join since she first met Victor on Outreach all those years ago.  To have the moral courage of the Davion's, to meet their fate like John, Victor's uncle Ian who sacrificed himself for his Soldiers, those who served their virtues like Victor's cousin Patrick Kell who by his valor and honor allowed Victor to be born.

As a block thug crushes her body she feels her and Kitsune's soul move on, she is bathed in gold and sunlight, John Davion, she knows his image from all the history she's studied, Joshua his son is with him, Edwina his wife, Paul, Melissa, Ian a number of Steiners are there as well Jennifer and Katrina being the most noteworthy, they welcome her and her child with warmth and love, of the two saviours she expects the one that isn't Budha welcomes her and her son home in his arms she looks down on Victor and prays "May you find happiness in the life you have my Love, may you stay true to who you are, may you find the love you have beside you" She smiles genuinely her tears are happy "Kitsune, your families and salvation await you, but you have so much more to do in the material world be the light and hope you are, it is paradise we'll all wait for you, Beloved!!!"  The family she had been joining since Outreach follows her home.  All wishing to share paradise with her and Kitsune...

Aezhay "what's happening?"

she sees Omi in defiance of beings at least 20x her height holding firm, buying time for the other humans to flee.  In shock, she can't believe it, she would be terrified, but there is nothing but resolve and courage in Omi face she screams "GET OUT OF THERE OMI!!!", she is crushed on the first stomp no way anything survived it, by the fifth "Tall as Trees" finds her anger and rushes toward the murderous thugs, her actions likely saved a thousand humans as Omi had only delayed their movements, her aggressive action toward the block with Gae and Palsa joining formed a bulwark from which the humans were able to pull back.  Within five minutes the peacekeepers are there and have arrested the block, too late for Omi, Kitsune and four hundred others... Aezhay and Thurfrit cry over the loss of all life but have grown to know the 'daughter of the dragon' they miss her presence, the loss of the Kuritan princess affects all the protesters as they hear about it.  How many more must fall before Humans are treated as they should be.  Out of sorrow anger begins to stir, humans at Titans for being so cruel, decent Titans at themselves for letting things get to this point, but this anger would be just a taste of what the universe had in store.