19 - Ahead Full

<< Might Makes Right

Ages - Kurtherian Gambit - The Kurtherian Gambit

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Several major battles define this book. The Battle with the Leaths (and Kurtherians) being the largest. Planets Devon (avenging Ch’ehtoe) and H’lageh (defending Tina,find scandalous gang action). Todd (Lead Marine Guardian), is killed, Stephen wounded almost unto death. Julianna Fregin tries to save EI Rickie Bob, and instead he saves her. pBYPS (weapon) evolved, and other technology. Giles, Frank Kurns’ son, introduced, important in future? All Guns Blazing decides to expand (franchises on other planets) as an adjunct of Bad Company. Instructions as to how to make a major Gate are found. (Can go back to Earth?) Tina proposes to Marcus – YES! Bethany Anne, as Baba Yaga, disappears in her ship, Shinigami, to hunt Kurtherians.

Chapter Prologue

Franath D’Tzaa interviews Bethany Anne: "Is this the reason the Etheric Empire keeps fighting the Leath? "Yes." "Why?" “Because I really, really hate bullies.”

Baba Yaga

Chapter 14

Problem on Devon. Baba Yaga dresses in all black, including black fingerless gloves, like a Jedi, covering her persona. Baba Yaga and Stephen go to take care of a problem. Planet had evolved with no leadership, until the ineffective had led the inefficient to produce the insufficient. Baba Yaga and Stephen had come to avenge attack on Ch’ehtoe, one of their people who collected “news” for them. Landed, docked. Shinigami had been experienced 72 attempts to break in through the primary interface with the star port in the first 10 minutes after landing. Cannot attempt to protect ship or self without paying for license to allow a proper response.Baba Yaga and Stephen visit him in hospital, help with healing.Stephen orders Shinigami to record Baba Yaga Antics 101. Until end of operation.

While Stephen is in line getting lunch, Baba Yaga intercepts a thief trying to steal lunch money. After much conversation (bad press for Empire, lies, etc.), Baba Yaga ends up buying controlling interests in many companies on Devon, so that she might hack their books legally, finding out where the improprieties lie. Will force Th’ehngnock to work for her, or else.

Begins acquisitions from about-to-sell-to-Lerr’ek businesses. Offer 80% of worth. Fre’dhom will move office out of town, Baba Yaga will tell Zhyn business already sold to her. Fre’dhom agrees, leaves.

Zhyn businessman, gradually taking over Devon through applied force. Receives report from Faleepio that Ch’ehtoe had survived with premiere care, so must have been important.Going to “negotiate” the purchase of business. Stephen waiting for Zhyn. Tells him cannot negotiate, and to leave, without bodily harm.Faleepio shoots Stephen in the stomach. Stephen retaliates by blowing his arm off with one of his new Jean Dukes. Bethany Anne finishes him with Etheric Energy balls. Bethany Anne lets Lerrek know what Hell is by putting him into Etheric. With promise that she would be back. Wants him to work for her for ten years, as punishment.

Will work on Devon to develop planet in right way. Will call Stephen to know what is “right”, which will not upset Baba Yaga. Will receive a communicator implant for ease of communication.

Communication device implanted. Bethany Anne forgot the pain suppressor. Oh, well--

Christina

Chapter 07

Christina’s new boyfriend,or friend, Allahnzo, was to meet her at a bar. When he showed up, it was with 2 Skaine body guards, and he was going to turn her in for the bounty on her head. Shot at her, and hit R’yhek, who flew out 44 story window. Christina followed, catching him with her anti-gravs, and both came to a light landing. Allahnzo was surprised she was not dead, and did not know what she could have done. Nathan will let Tabitha handle this, as it is not a personal Bad Company matter, and needs justice.

Planet H’lageh. Dark due to gases settled in low places. 5 locations (4 cities, 1 Holy City) inhabited. Tabitha, Ryu, Hirotoshi to find, enact justice. All 3 make bets about what unusual will happen, tease each other about past events. Land, go to bar to get info re Allahnzo. Learn about Nat-Nis, gang that runs the 4 cities. (Torcellan/Skaine take-over). Get into fight, are attacked, capture 3 small flyers belonging to attackers, go to Holy City. Allahnzo vows to get Tabitha, Ryu and Hirotoshi to turn in for bounty. Allahnzo alerts gang in Holy City, flyers bombarded with missiles as they approach. Achronyx handling them, as Tontos and Kemosabe had escaped to Achronyx earlier. Achronyx demolished the emplacements. Tabitha et al approach Palace, Hirotoshi, Ryu stay at ground, battle gang, Tabitha up to bedroom to rescue Princess Sis’talana. Cannot take her, or all citizens will be killed.

Tabitha calls Barnabas, who calls Bethany Anne, Baba Yaga takes over, to help Tabitha, in new ship Shinigami.

QBS Alexander on planet, ADAM and John Grimes in charge. Meet with BeeA shuttle(Adam Beedle, Pilot, Matthew Pike, Co-Pilot), which is commanded to remain on course and not land for 30 minutes. QBS drops “mosquitoes” to all cities, Citiseerth, Peeg’eth, Seetanaeth, and 1 more, to help Guards take out gang base. Explodes armories, barracks in all 4. Goes into space. Guards to complete mission. Tabitha starts out of Palace with Princess, meets Skaines. Tabitha set up Princess to fire on them, (one-way shield), videos it so she will have footage to support her declarations, then Tabitha finishes them off.

Four Guards, each with fighters, go to four cities to mop up remaining forces, including Allahnzo.

Halloween Witch; Etheric Empire; Funeral Duty, sneaks away

Chapter Epilogue

Extending the myth of Baba Yaga, Bethany Anne appears to Etheric Academy kids, on Meredith Reynolds. Might have started a tradition.

Noel-ni reported to have broken into one of Etheric empire’s systems.

Old Yoll book found, with message that only the lead scientist, or the King of Yoll, or Kael-ven’s DNA can unlock it. So, Thomas called and Kael-ven came, along with Kiel.

Book translated to Gate information, but Gate can’t be built. Yoll King designed it, manufactured a few parts, left no notes, and there is no-one alive who worked on it. Have found location of Earth, but will not be able to go for 20 yrs. Might need years to develop it, and a budget of over ½ of the Etheric Empire to afford it. Each Gate is unique. Problem: if someone were to slip through Gate, they would know where Earth was. Do they want that?Solution: Have transfers available only if initiated from Earth side.

Bethany Anne does funeral duty, in Yollin system, honoring all 172 caskets. Maria, Todd in gold-draped ones. Jerrleck of Leath honored, as well. States that Leath may choose own future. Treaty signed in 14 days, granting Leath the choice of friend or foe with the Etheric Empire. She wishes friend, as there are too many dead already to bring more through choice of foe

Greeting., etc. Leath a great people. Not a defeated people, but a liberated one. Told story of Jerrleck and his love, his sacrifice.Sneaks out of stadium, as Baba Yaga, onto Shinigami. Still after the Kurtherians. Those Kurtherians were going to DIE! (Disappears after speeches.)

Noel-ni Ambassador being interviewed. Wants to look his best. Thinks anyone wanting to negotiate with either Leath or Etheric Empire should go easy. Too much strength shown. Noel-ni have better relationship with Leath, Assassination attempt years ago still upsetting to Etheric and Noel-ni. Peace will be interesting. If Franath might want to interview him again, please call.

TQBs mystified over how Bethany Anne had gotten away. They found her trail, and realized they wouldn’t be looking for Bethany Anne, but for Baba Yaga, DEATH. Found that she had been planning this for a while. Lance will start looking for what other clues/ways she took care of business before she left. TQBs will look for her Ad Aeternitatem.

Leath; Jerrleck; Ricky Bobby's Message; Planning Attack on Leath; Jerrrleck Takes Action; Ready for battle, battle begun; Leath /defense Station A-QZZ; Leath realize they are under attack.; Leath ships surrender; Terellet makes a decision.; ArchAngel talks to Baba Yaga; G’laxix Sphaea docks at space station; Seven’s Holy part of the city, on Leath; Bethany Anne goes after the Kurtherians

Chapter 24

The Leath Prime One Intelligence officer, Jerrleck, watches interview video, realizes the Leath have been “conquered” by the Kurtherians, and that he had been mind-wiped, and helped all of it to happen (including the death of his wife by his own hand). He needed to revive a rebellion that had been put on hold until he became aware of it. He vowed to do so.

Leath Prime One Intelligence Officer. Wants to escape Leath, make his way to Etheric Empire, ask Empire to help him save his people from themselves. Is leaving.Packing, clothes, weapons, perhaps a musical instrument. Has 7 businesses set up on other worlds, with false ID to match.Sets a rocket to go off from a neighbor’s house, destroying his house, and him. Travels to district with transportation to off-world places.

Needs to find contact for Etheric Empire. Goes to a shop, addresses a device, after 20 minutes of searching, finds a possible contact on Devon. He will go there and see.

Jerrleck finds his way to Devon, learns there is a new ship in port that no one can break into, and “knows” that this is what/whom he needs to see. Only hopes that they will let him speak for his people before they kill him.

Jerrleck watching the ship. Lerr'ek and Stephen will find out why. Baba Yaga beat them to it. Was talking to Jerrleck when they arrived. Lerrek excused to go about Etheric acquisitions, Stephen and Jerrleck go into ship.

Jerrleck explains his purposes, and about the mind wiping he had experienced. TOM came in and confirmed it.Had ordered the death and torture of his own wife and child. Wants to see them dead, all of them, even if he has to do it from beyond the grave.

Ricky Bobby, the EI that had snuck through the Gate during a Leath battle, power was fading, and didn’t have much useful time left. To commemorate his existence, he sent a compendium of the statistics on his ship, his recommendations, and what he felt he could still pull off to his pilot Juliana Fregin, through the Etheric, in one long dump.

Julianna receives message, reads it, vows to go to EI Ricky Bob and save him, because his message implies that he had advanced to an AI.

Julianna approaches her crew, tells them she wants to rescue AI Ricky Bob, and that she has asked Empress for use of an Empire ship to do so. They all volunteer to go with her.

Bethany Anne confirms Etheric involvement, Julianna and 12 others to invade Leath system to rescue Ricky Bob and draw Leath ships into trap of Etheric design. Will have Armada ready to release final effort to conquer Leath. Have ships, volunteers, inside info. But Leath might be suspicious of trap. Need a dummy ship. Has TOM, who also wants to kill the 7. Have broken faith with ancestors. Tom and Bethany Anne responsible for upsetting Kurtherians enough to chase them, Bethany Anne will make carrier blow up, fake a problem with the Shinigami, and escape using one of the Leath Gates, probably into the system they would be next attacking.

Jerrleck sneaks into communication towers transmitting all local and international shows and news. Had what he needed – an uplink to the stations, and access to the Gates. Was setting a trap.

Ashur and Matrix join Bethany Anne in the Battle to end all fights, Kael-ven and Kiel assigned to renovated G’laxix Sphaea,to join the battle. Yollins swarm to apply for crew. QBS Trojan Horse awaiting companion ship, the Shinigami. Trojan Horse gates through, fighters launched into space. Time to get Ricky Bob back. Julianna finds Ricky Bobby at assigned meeting area, takes him on as AI, her wing complete. Shinigami out, linked with fighters and with ADAM. Yollin ship ready and with them. Etheric carrier just arrived,deploying small fighters in-system. Leath order defense satellites to go active. Defense satellites not responding. Leath start calling for help. All Leath ships in outer system head towards home planet and attackers location. (4 ships) Fighters released their payloads, and scrambled back to Trojan Horse .Capt. Ni’ers J’onghe boards Shinigami, takes place on bridge, is encased in all virtual shields, controls, as if back on Trojan Horse. Will have job to do.

Kurtherian Council meet, discuss attack. Levelot, First of the Seven, assigned duties. Terellet to find breach in Security. Torik to find reason for defenses down, and fix. During meeting, Bethany Anne,Baba Yaga speak, the TOM, who identifies himself as Kurtherian, and quotes the Justice of Righteousness as handed down from the Court of Perfection in the year 27,672, when they were sentenced. They in mental pain as the truth about the Etheric Empire is revealed. Levelot orders Bethany Anne to be killed immediately. No one judges Phraim’Eh. No one! Command is given to all ships to “TRACK AND ATTACK ALL INVADERS UNTIL CONFIRMED DEAD. TOM tweaks missile to hit the two battleships leaving planet. 27 hit, 5 missed. Leath battleship YahmaKaz fires missiles at Etheric ships. Trojan Horse destroyed, but all fighters heading for Shinigami.Tom has changed the destination of the Gate. If Etheric get to new destination, all Leath ships will have to be called off. A trap.

Terellet attacks Jerrleck in communication tower, tortures him. Jerrleck tells Terellet the mind wiping was incomplete. Jerrleck has body strong enough for a transfer. Taunted him with that. Took body in transfer, discarded it later.

Baba Yaga, on Shinigami, and 26 fighters, goes through expansion gate, followed by 29 massive Leath ships behind them, exiting into the K’llereck system.Fighters warned by Baba Yaga to stay on her path, or die. Julianna looks back, sees 12 missiles coming through gate, at fighters. Julianna’s fighter is demolished when she turns in front of Ricky Bob, who had headed for the missile as a sacrifice. Baba Yaga see it, turns Shinigami, and heads back to rescue her Captain and the co-wing, Ricky Bob stops spin, slows speed, and leaves Ricky Bob to save Julianna. Parks close to her as she transfers herself and oxygen to unused cockpit of Ricky Bob’s fighter. Shinigami off to fight Leath ships coming through Gate. Lured battleships into pre-set Mine zone, holding thousands of pBYPSs, Etheric Energy Lasers. Lasers fired, damaging most of ships.

Baba Yaga calls Leath ship, requests cease fire, as Yollin Navy shows up with 33+ ships gating in near the fighters, including seven super dread-noughts. If Leath will cease fire, and destruct missile in space, she and her ships will also try tro save crew of all damaged ships. She is not fighting the Leath, she is fighting the Kurtherians! Captain Mel’nij agrees.

Has stopped all news video, to local space, or to neighboring systems. Puts the word out to all other 6 Kurtherians, Time to transfer to younger organic bodies. Terrellet Is in Jerrleck’s body, as he/she/it travels through all of the sacrifice rooms filled with skeletons of those used in the past. Jerrleck will keep fighting, as long as he has any small part of his brain under his control. Notifies Baba Yaga that ArchAngel is going through Gate. Baba Yaga calls G’laxix Sphaea. They are running the ship through Gate, under the ArchAngel, and will get the team where they need to go.Peter and Todd rev up their Weres/Marines to fight well. Play Sexy Lady song, sing it out with Guardian words. Fighting time in 10 minutes.

Peter’s and Todd’s men, (Peter as Pricolici), enter station, Set force fields for protection. Were confirming that all defenses were off-line, so that Empress could approach Planet. Peter hit by massive shot, half jaw gone, arm shredded, bad chest injuries. Todd activated Field, saving Peter so he could heal. Grenade thrown over top field, Todd throws himself on it, saving Peter and others, but blown to bits all over everything. Peter gets mad, takes out group who had killed Todd. Peter angry beyond reason, fought harder, will grieve later (drink). 30 minutes later defenses down, Bethany Anne could arrive.

Leath fighters fought hard. Stephen caught in crossfire, and armor was overcome by the fusillade of anti-aircraft guns pointed his way. Emplacement was destroyed, but almost too late for Stephen. Baba Yaga kneeling beside him, trying to force him to drink her blood. Pressed left hand to his forehead, pulling Etheric energy into him, shocking him to combat injuries. Stephen comes out of it, is given to Jennifer and John to take back to G’laxix Sphaea.

Baba Yaga, John, and Guards find Council Meeting Chamber, empty. Sees Video of Jerrleck in Communications tower, gets more angry. Looks for hidden paths, doors, hallways. Found halls of sacrificed bodies of transformed, horrified. Found Jerrleck and his love, other fresh bodies. Warned that there were powerful minds ahead.Met by Terellet, who TOM recognized as crazy. (Schizoid) Maybe two minds in one body, male and female? BA hit by mental blast. Needed to not fight against it,as her strength was being used against her. Slammed with Etheric Energy, causing pain in waves. Kurtherians escaped. Bethany Anne furious, wants her ship to try to find/follow them. Bitches remind her that the planet needs her more, now, that Peter and Stephen need her.

Bad Company

Chapter 08

Need to expand to get more “whispers” of places like Planet H’lageh. Nathan would like to have a force that could have done what was done on Planet H’lageh. R’yhek thinks he will open an All Guns Blazing franchise.

Weapons; BYPS progress

Chapter 18

Jean Dukes has discovered why the dogs' armor was kinking and not flexing, and she will fix it for all.

The calculations came in from ADAM on powering and manufacturing the BYPS system, so Team again considering firing many BYPS systems at same time, using energy from the Etheric. OK, as long as they are fired sequentially, to allow the energy to flow back into each drainage. Will talk to Bethany Anne about it.

Have ability to manufacture, but have no materials to use, only enough for a few thousand. Not scarce, just not mined, as no call for it. Trade for metals from asteroids, and no one has mined those metals, as there was no call for them. Buy them through shell companies, so market is not disrupted. Will take 2 months. Available on Devon, so contact Lerreck to start buying.

Stephen talks to Lerreck about upping production on metals needed, building base on Devon envisioned in prior talks.

Personal; Earth's location; Todd dies

Chapter 23

Tina asks Marcus to marry her. He accepts. Marcus still absolutely dense about feminine wiles or attractiveness.

Bethany Anne gives Stephen a gift of Jean Duke Specials (see Weapons, pg. 4), along with an upgrade to his HUD. From Bethany Anne, the Bitches, the Rangers, and Jean, along with an upgrade to his iHUD.

Found instructions on making large Gate, to get back to earth and to find Michael. Have found Earth's location, but will take 20 years to get there.

TOM and Bethany Anne talk about their personal relationships. Both satisfied for it to continue.

Todd dies, taking a grenade meant for Peter, in Leath attack.