NationStates Jolt Archive

Sensi Miyagi was leaning on his cane, quietly watching the Emperor, Voivode and Mog-ur. He stood by one of the buffet tables, though did not appear to have taken any food, a gentle smile curving his long white mustache and fluttering his beard. The old master tapped his cane against the polished floor as he saw Michiko. "Played some more unwary younglings out of their money?" he asked, giving a deep-throated chuckle.

"Played some more unwary younglings out of their money?"

"And quite a number of those old enough to be more cautious too" Her eyes crinkled and wicked merriment danced in them for a moment "But it was all for the good of the skull. It was desperately lonely but I think I managed to assauge it's loneliness a bit. I think I shall need to talk to the Voivode...I've never been able to feel the emotions of those passed on before." Michiko'sw glance over at the skull was faintly worried, but she hid it and turned back to Sensi Miyagi.

"So if I may pry, did you come to an acceptable agreement with the Viovode. Will you be going to Pamaltela?" The Dowagar Empress had heard that Muri culture was not of the uninitiated. Though she knew that Sensi Miyagi was quite capable of taking care of himself, was he as adept at handling a new and vastly different culture?

She looked about the room, so adorned with Muri religiion and culture, and briefly wondered once again where Marisol had gotten off to. But the young Celestial was an adult who didn't need Michiko worrying over her.

"Will you be going to Pamaltela?"
"If all goes according to plan I believe I will be," Sensi Miyagi said with a twinkle in his eye. "The Empress was concerned for me. It was touching, really, how she feared for my safety. Among the huge, powerful trolls, and I teaching them combat, she thought I'd be hurt. I told her that I took on thousands of rowdy kitsune fresh out of high school: After that, the Muri will be like a windfall." He laughed, but seemed to be having the same thought she was. Of course, though Miyagi was old, he was not senile, he had been young once himself. He knew where they were (or at least he hoped they were where he thought that they were) and what they were doing, and he hoped they were having a good time of it.

The Voivode continued to share stories with the Mog-ur, nodding at the dance floor as he did. "Young Fokzzfire had bezzt be careful-Muritan zzeduzzed de lazzt of the Ptolemyzzez wid hizz danzzing.
"Me zzhall haff to engage de Dowager Empress myzzelf on de floor-me hopezz Zzenzzei Miyagi doezzn't put me to zzhame." He smiled, baring huge sharp fangs. "Do you danzz? A zzuitable partner can be found, or perhapzz zzome gambling-de zzkullzz reprezzent dem azz haff fallen in de pazzt year, zzo you may play for dem, or lozze heartily to dem, and me dinkzz Qonn underzztand..."

After that, the Muri will be like a windfall."

'Well I wouldn't want one to fall on me," She looked at the Muri, the smallest of which was fully seven and a half foot tall and looked to be close to seven hundred pounds in weight. "But I think that advanced students would be more disciplined"

She could feel that Sensi Miyagi was more concerned that he appeared, and chose to speak comfortingly "I think they will value you as a teacher, and will come to resepct you greatly. Now... should we dance on empty stomachs, or does a light meal sound good first?"

"Do you danzz? A zzuitable partner can be found, or perhapzz zzome gambling-de zzkullzz reprezzent dem azz haff fallen in de pazzt year, zzo you may play for dem, or lozze heartily to dem, and me dinkzz Qonn underzztand..."
"I am afraid I cannot dance, my bones are not longer as flexible nor my muscles as quick to react as they were in the past. Gambling, well, that is a different matter. I shall find out if my mind is as clear and keen as it used to be too." He gave a gutteral laugh.
"But I think that advanced students would be more disciplined"
"Not all the students I receive and choose to educate are crisp future admirals or posh whealthy children." he replied.
"I think they will value you as a teacher, and will come to resepct you greatly. Now... should we dance on empty stomachs, or does a light meal sound good first?"
"I should hope so! I have already eaten, but I have found there is always room for a little more." His mustace twitched as he smiled at the sight of Muritan and Jade whipping across the dance floor as speeds he felt would soon reach terminal velocity. The dance floor hadn't been a dance floor before, but the sight of a huge troll whirling around the Empress while she grinned with every sign of enjoyment (and keeping up nonetheless!) gave everyone cause to clear the way.

"I am afraid I cannot dance, my bones are not longer as flexible nor my muscles as quick to react as they were in the past. Gambling, well, that is a different matter. I shall find out if my mind is as clear and keen as it used to be too." He gave a gutteral laugh.
"Well, if you drink too much, there's dizzing azz well azz cardzzez." the Voivode replied, watching the Mog-ur head to the tables.
Seeing the Dowager Empress and Sensei Miyagi heading towards the buffets, he moved to intercept them. "Emprezzzz, Zzenzzei-pleazz, try dese..."he indicated a display of chocolates. "Dere'zz dizz little chocolatier in Big Rubble who'zz an abzzolute mazzter. Me would like to zzee what de Dowager Emprezzzz dinkzz of dem..."

"I should hope so! I have already eaten, but I have found there is always room for a little more."

"Then perhaps just a nibble, while Muritan and Jade captivate all eyes." Michiko's eyes twinkled as she looked at the disparate but enviably graceful pair whirling about the impromptu dance floor. She turned to look at the lavish bounty spread enticingly before them and wondered aloud "Oh my! These all look almost too magnificent to eat. Which should I choose"

"Dere'zz dizz little chocolatier in Big Rubble who'zz an abzzolute mazzter. Me would like to zzee what de Dowager Emprezzzz dinkzz of dem..."

"Why Voivode Bruno you mean there is any such thing as a small Muri" She cocked her head, a teasing expression on her face as the Voivode joined her and Sensei Miyagi at the buffet table "Well that is a happy recommendation. I adore chocolate, though I don't feel I am in any way a connoisseur." She took the piece he proffered and bit into it. She let the piece melt in her mouth and her eyes began to faintly glaze. Michiko slowly took another bite and her eyes drooped closed for a moment. "This rates the same as a properly done tango"

"This rates the same as a properly done tango"
"Is dat a hint, Milady?" the Voivode smiled and bowed deeply, taking but one hand and touching his snout to it. "If zzo, you haff all de zzublety of a land mine. When you are ready, let uzz tango, den..."

If zzo, you haff all de zzublety of a land mine. When you are ready, let uzz tango, den..."

It hadn't been a hint - but the chocolate was exquisite and had been loaded with Emotion. That Chocolatier needed to be on her 'go to' list, he was a master indeed. And sometimes a land mine is just what is needed, Michiko fluttered her eyelashes at him then curtseyed to Sensei Miyagi "If you will forgive me." With a quick movement she 'tore' the hem of her gown- revealing that it was designed to become short enough to handle the most passionate of dancing,

She allowed the Viovode to laed out on to the dance floow as the music to a classic but...polite tango (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXZRiX6PxFA) began. Michiko wondered Bruno would confirne himself that decorous a dance or would he lead her though the moves and steps (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh-GEHHWv04)that once had the dance labeled lascivious.

The Voivode gave a near-imperceptible nod to the band, and they began to sing in Shadowspeech (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPX_uoriC4U) to a lively beat. He purred softly on her ear:"Remember, dizz izz a danzz of Darknezzzz-not one sliffer of light muzzt pazz between uzz."
He began sedately enough, but the muri love of life and it's ultimate expression in the act of sex soon became apparent. He was graceful for a being of his size, or indeed any size, and his limbs limber as a youth's.
Although his dancing seemed with complete joyous abandon, Michiko noted his hands stroked merely the fabric of her dress when approaching areas suited only for a spouse, though he kept to his word, not allowing even a sliver of light to pass between them. She noticed he was intently concentrating, and had she been aware of trollish Darksense, she would have known he was using his to predict her actions and compensate or enhance their effect on viewers.
"Tell me, Emprezzzz-dezze Xa-are dey related to de kzinti?"
She was somewhat shocked-his aura implied he knew the answer, but he was intent on her response as well. And he had accused her of having the subtlety of a landmine...

OOC: Ouch, oh ouch, whimpers as ribs crack with laughter - how did you know that was my favorite tango!
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Not even a hint of light passed between them, her body pressed intimately against his -save when he threw her away in a spin, but with utmost mastery brought her back to him.. And she made sure he felt her pleasure in the dance and where it could lead...The light in her eyes and what she projected back to him was a clear, but very private invitation.

Tell me, Emprezzzz-dezze Xa-are dey related to de kzinti

That brought an uninhibited laugh from her as she slid down his body and then back up, never missing a beat. Her reply was a whisper for his ears alone and as he lowered his head to catch it fully one finger trailed up the length of his ear "Why Bruno, are you worried about ‘scream and leap’ tactics?”

"Zzertainly not-effen uzze dem meself on occasion." The Voivode purred, allowing his hand to move slowly along her spine. "Me juzzt wantzz to know de neighborzzez, hmm?
"De Univerzz izz changing, Emprezzzz-izzolation is not an option anymore." He deftly maneuvered around the dance floor, pointing out certain of the guests. "Dizz azzzzembly izz a ploy-an attempt to befriend while dat time izz upon uzz. Dingzzez are happening dat will make dezze timezzez few and far between."

Michiko let a pleasant shiver race though her. Her son was far more the puritan than she - she was just selective and discrete.

"I wish Mm'rr'll had stayed just a bit. I can't take you in to their memory but I have been taken within it extensively. She had honored me, taught me though it. They are a proud people whom are still expiating their 'debt'." Michiko did not miss a step but let him feel the emotions she had felt while within the Xa Cx'inni racial memory.

"Created to be the Tan'Nar's ultimate weapon, and ultimate play things" she could not hid her soul deep disgust "they became more than intended and freed themselves. If you are looking for allies against Chaos, I can recommend none better. And they have been the Phoenix Empire's staunchest ally since we came to the Celestial Ring." She refered to the stellar object that the Xa had long ago created at the bidding of their cretors. It was known to those of Earth as the Hoag Object.

"De Tan'Nar were monzzterzzez." the Voivode replied, shuddering at her words. "Komor izz bedder for dey abzzenzze. Zzumding to look forward to, at leazzt. Do you know much off de Neo-Kirizzubanzzez? Muritan dinks me should zzpeak wid dem."

Do you know much off de Neo-Kirizzubanzzez? Muritan dinks me should zzpeak wid dem."

"I know that recently they suffered the near total destruction of their people, and are now living on a world gifted them by the Terran Fedral Union within the regions of space that they hold. Though small, their military is well trained and supplied. I understand that it is a culture dominated by females, but how much of a matriarchy it is I am unsure. They seem to be a worthy people, and I feel would make good allies." Michiko advised the Voivode with what she knew of the Neo Kirisubans, but she knew that it was probably no more than he already knew - he seemed to be extremely well informed...as well as an excellent dancer.

The music was ending though "Ah" She looked up at him, saddened by the end of the dance "I must not hold you hostage." Though it was very evident she was loathe to leave his arms.

"Later, after I have mingled a bit, we zzhall dizze, Lady Emprezzzz." Bruno promised, bowing. "I doubt I zzhall find azz delightful a partner tonight."

"I doubt I zzhall find azz delightful a partner tonight."

"Or is that one so willing to be interrogated as they dance?" Michiko teased, but he could tell she had not been angered or upset by the conversation they'd had. She gave him an elaborate curtsey and allowed him to lead her back over to Sensei Miyagi.

"So Master Miyagi, you mentioned something about being a champion of the dance floor in your not so distant youth? I think that is a fox trot they are beginning..."

Indeed one of the finest songs to fox trot to was just beginning...Fly me to the Moon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rAsoLm1Ges)

"So Master Miyagi, you mentioned something about being a champion of the dance floor in your not so distant youth? I think that is a fox trot they are beginning..."
"Hmmm, yes," the old Sensi nodded sagely, "I would not call myself a champion, but there were several young ladies at the time who were rather swept off their feet, ha ha. The fox trot indeed, and I will not will not speak of the sour grapes I tasted when the Voivode took you away." he winked to show he was kidding, and took Michiko's hands, leading her to the dance floor.

Michiko smiled at him as the settled into positions and began the graceful measures of the foxtrot. "Would those grapes turn to fine wine if we had a second dance?" She asked as he guided her through the moves with a panache worthy of his claims.

Other couples had joined in, and the dance floor was a whirl of pleasant emotions that increased Michiko’s own. She noted that Sensei Miyagi was a masterful dancer even with an Xiscapians ever present katana on his hip.

"Wine only becomes better with age: I like to think the same applies to myself." Miyagi chuckled with his eternal smile, and began pointing out various dignitaries on the dance floor. "Ah, that's Governor Drell, I see she's found some young man to enchant. Chief of Police Kliff, he dosen't look comfortable does he, I'm afraid he's at his best with the street under him lighting up a cigarette at three in the morning standing under an overhang in heavy rain. I do believe that's one of the aide's of General Dom, that's a CEO from Biocyber Corp, that man is one of the Alversian diplomats..."

"Wine only becomes better with age: I like to think the same applies to myself."

That brought a carol of laughter from Michiko. "Without a doubt. Why in a century you will be matchless. And I will have to clain an anneversary dance...if the line isn't so long it makes the Guinness Book of Intergalactic Records." She teased lightly. His littany of who's who on the dance floor, along with the capsule commentaries had her grinning at times. His observations showed just how well he knew them all.

"Tell me, Michiko," Miyagi knew it was allowed and even encouraged for friends of the Empress to call her by name rather than title, "what are your thoughts on the niece and nephew of the Emperor? You have not met them, and they are so reclusive you may never meet them face-to-face, but undoubtedly you have heard of the government's discovery of them. They are unbalanced, particularly the male...he is so full of anger and fear. Their history has left them with only bitter hatred, a complete lack of morals and an unbreakable bond between them. Do you know their story?" For the first time the old kitsune looked sorrowful. The tale of the twins was a sad, brutal one.

Do you know their story?"

"No I have never had a chance to meet them" Michiko said softly, "and I only know a little of their tale. And what I know..." and here she looked as sad as Sensei Miyagi "It does not speak well of Xiscapia. Their treatment, if I understand the various facets ...that is something that I personally - and I think I can speak for most Tanarans - find highly distasteful, even shameful."

And she continued to speak frankly, for she knew that he would know she was not speaking of him, she did not believe him capable of treating the twins badly. "It is a legacy, a part of your culture that your people must set aside before we will accept Xiscapia as fully our equals. There are many, many mixed species in Tanara, and we will not allow them to be denigrated."

She knew her people and knew that there were many who had reservations about treating with, allying with the Xiscapians. And their know treatment of hybrids was one of the central reasons.

North Calaveras? The Xa are but two whiskers from declaring war upon them. And if they did the Grendels would follow, Tanara would and then the Unity would get involved...and where had been their worlds , there would be an empty patch of space time. Those thoughts she kept deeply hidden.

"The decisions and actions of two individuals in a race containing billions does not define that race." said Miyagi without rancor. "What happened concerning the Halfbreeds is a source of great shame for Xiscapia. But the twins are not Halfbreeds, not by a long shot. They are bekko. Different. With all due respect Michiko, I think your information concerning the two events is confused. Come," he spun away from her, taking her by one hand, and artfully led her off the dance floor, "I don't think I can speak at length and dance at the same time without experiencing unfortunate and rather embarrassing things." Miyagi had located from somewhere a glass of champagne and drank deeply from it, procuring a second for Michiko. He drained it halfway and, after a moment of consideration, began to speak.

"When the Hayai Shikyo was released by the Korr and our distress call was answered, we knew Halfbreeds were a inevitable. A Halfbreed is defined as the offspring of a kitsune and another race. We didn't have any idea of how they would work, how different or similar they would be to one race or neither. The first Halfbreed emerged in our culture, and they were almost universally accepted. Elsewhere, though, things were different.

Alversia prides herself on the huge diversity of her races and peoples, as she should. But wherever you gather together so many different cultures and customs, you get conflict. Halfbreeds, while legal and protected under their constitution, were heavily discriminated against at first. Soon it turned into race riots. Halfbreeds, their families and friends were all targeted, as were politicians and groups working for their equality. Homes were torched, stores smashed, possessions stolen or destroyed, people threatened, beaten and even killed. Soon enough news, like-minded people and the events themselves spread to Xiscapia.

The governments managed to suppress the riots and arrest most of the perpetrators and all of the ringleaders for the attacks. It was only later we found out it had been incited and heavily influenced by a secret cell of the SASM. But it makes little difference, even so. Such things should not be possible in so-called modern, tolerant peace-loving nations. In this chaos a few very significant people arose to undertake a huge task: Exposing the SASM.

Their names are famous now: Ashe Reyes, a secret Halfbreed Alversian Naval officer, her commanding officer Alexander Cavourna, a turncoat Rebel by the name of Sasha, and the two mercenaries, Kartosh and Skyler. They brought the attention of the governments to the SASM, alerting them. Once the SASM knew they had been found out they began their campaign. With their seemingly invincible Pathfinder Battleships and millions of Biodroids they swept over the outer colonies of both the People's Republic and the Kitsune Empire, abducting thousand of citizens to subject to sick experimentation. After destroying several colonies and wiping out the defenders, notably the entire Alversian Deep Space fleet, they took the brains of the colonists and implanted them into Biodroids constructed in factories aboard the Pathfinders. For every being they captured it would create another soldier for their use.

The five I previously mentioned managed to take down a Pathfinder from the inside and steal vital data concerning Pathfinder shields, weapons and tactics. The Kitsune Empire and People's Republic amassed a huge fleet, every Imperial ship and nearly every Republic ship, to destroy the SASM. Moments before the battle began Ashe was abruptly promoted to Admiral of the Fleet, with Sasha as her Executive Officer, due to their knowledge of the SASM. The battle commenced and the Halfbreeds, again with the help of the mercenaries, were able to coordinate their forces to destroy the Server, and ultimately the SASM, to a ship. The fact that two Halfbreeds had commanded an entire fleet and saved both Xiscapia and Alversia, trillions of lives and probably countless future nations and beings from annihilation, changed public opinion on Halfbreeds immensely."

Miyagi drained his glass and set it down on a nearby table, clearing his throat. "Ashe and Sasha hold the two highest positions in the Alversian Navy. Halfbreeds are recognized as full citizens with all the rights of any other being, and are accepted by all people within our borders. I cannot speak for the People's Republic, but I know the Xiscapian government has done everything in it's power to ensure equality. The race riots were a brief but terrible time, and entirely inexcusable. I share the shame for what acts my people have committed." He looked mournful. "This brings us to the nephew and niece of the Emperor, and drags us deeper into the twisted debauchery of sentient nature."

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"Many years ago, when the Korr War was still being fought, the Emperor was a soldier. He had a monozygotic brother, named James, and they belonged to the same unit, as close as blood relations can be. In one battle on one of the moons of Jomstar they became separated, and James was last seen behind advancing Korr lines. He was listed as MIA, presumed dead, and the Emperor went into a state of deep depression. He buried his brother on that day, but unknown to anyone, James survived.

James high jacked a Korr transport and left the system. Why he did not return to Xiscapia, or attempt contact, no one knows. Theories say something happened to him in the heat of the battle, he went mad or somehow lost himself. The Emperor has his own thoughts, known only to him. While traveling the stars James met another Xiscapian, a pirate captain named Vila. Vila was the head of a pirate fleet and preyed on merchant vessels and the less heavily guarded convoys. She was arrogant, greedy, ambitious, cold and altogether power hungry. They joined forces, and for some reason or another, began their plot against Xiscapia.

While in the early stages of organization they conceived, in hopes of bearing multiple children. If they were to be killed, they would use their children to channel their spirits and live on from beyond the grave, if they were not killed and the plan succeeded, the children were to be lieutenants and enforcers under them. However, when they found out Vila had given birth to twin bekko, they were disgusted and horrified. Bekko are incredibly rare, with only a handful of documented cases in all of Xiscapian history. Bekko are granted immense power, more than any Xiscapian, more than I or the Emperor or any kitsune. They are characterised by fur covering their entire body, only two top ears instead of four, and generally being more fox-like than your average kitsune. They are said to be disciples of Qonn, and Vila and James, drawing their power from the gods of Chaos, wanted nothing to do with Qonn or anything of his blessing.

Why they were not murdered in the cradle is uncertain. However, it is believed that they though what they did to Silvertooth and Nightshade was infinitely worse and more scarring than death.
They loved them.
They fed and clothed and sheltered and protected the twins, careful never to teach them anything of the dark powers of Chaos. Once they had reached the age of ten, Vila and James gave Silvertooth and Nightshade to the Calaverians for a large sum of money to finance the Rebellion."

Michiko thought she could have seen the shine of tears in Miyagi's eyes when he looked at her. When he spoke, though, his voice was steady. "Can you imagine, Michiko? Your parents, the two people who you thought loved you more than anything, sold you to a race of xenophobic torturers who drive their captives mad with fear and pain and isolation before dissecting them alive? The mere fact that the Observer they were held on was not immeaditely destroyed says something about how heartbroken they were. Silvertooth and Nightshade spent four years with the Calaverians, shuttled from one Observer to another, studied and treated like animals. The Calaverians never held them in one place for too long, because wherever the twins were forced to inhabit strange things would happen. Computers would fail inexplicably, hangers would suddenly open and expose the crew to space, scientists went insane and guards were found gruesomely murdered in the halls.

Finally the Observer they were on was attacked and destroyed by a race called the Danaversians. The bekko were captured by them and held for five years because of their unusual physical characteristics. The Danaversians were smarter than the Calaverians: They tried to break the spirit of the twins. They beat and starved and denied them rest or waste facilities, but the will of Nightshade and Silvertooth only strengthened. The same things began to happen to their captors as happened to the Calaverians, and soon enough the Danaversians would have done anything to get rid of the twins. They did not kill them, though, because as a race they are loathe to do anything if there is another way of doing so to make a profit.

So they sold the twins to Jorga the Hutt, a chief supplier and financier of the Rebellion at the time. They had spent less than two days in Jorga's stronghold when a combined team from the Kitsune Empire and the People's Republic, sent to assassinate Jorga, rescued them. Silvertooth killed Jorga and they escaped with the team in a ship. Once they were in orbit, however, a Danaversian Barracuda Battleship intercepted and caught them in a tractor beam. The Xis-Alvo team was knocked out, leaving only the weak, malnourished, abused and half dead bekko conscious. A few of the crew saw them do it before they slipped into unconsciousness, but the ship's cameras captured Silvertooth and Nightshade butchering the entire Danaversian boarding party before piloting the ship away from the Barracuda. Moments later the Battleship mysteriously exploded, killing all aboard.

The twins threatened the Xis-Alvo team and stripped them of their weapons, taking command of the ship. They were afraid to go to Xiscapia, because they believed they would be executed because they were the son and daughter of a traitor. However, they were captured by a follow-up team and brought to the Emperor, who, to their surprise, welcomed them with open arms. Since then they have had the best care Xiscapia can offer, and the Emperor has attempted to pacify them somewhat. But their hatred of Calaverians, Danaversians and Chaos remains for what each of these has done to them."

Miyagi seemed to have finished, and was now shaking his head. "They do not like other people, because others pity them, or are uncomfortable around them. Nightshade is rather more balanced than her brother, having adapted to life here better with a cool head and more open heart, but she is decidedly cold towards some and still harbors some hatred. But Silvertooth is always looking for another way to lash out at those who destroyed his life, and his rage is always there, just below the surface, ready to come out. I fear for what will become of them."

Michiko sat listening quietly to the story Sensei Miyagi laid out. She was intent, taking it all in and making no comment until he had finished. Then she nodded quietly.
When he cam to what the twins parents had done to them, she closed her eyes but did not raise a barrier against the emotions flowing from the aged Kitsune. If he could speak of it she had the duty, she must hear it...

When he finished, she was silent for a long time, marshalling, disciplining her emotions.

"Thank you Sensei Miyagi, I am glad that I now know the proper truths of the matter - the information I had was incorrect in many aspects, data blended together - some correct but not applicable to them, some incorrect conjecture, and perhaps outright falsehoods." She took a deep breath and looked at him.

"Would you please suggest this to their Majesties for me. Send them to Tanara for a time. There no one has to know their past, and they will be accepted as 'just people' - but I have to be honest - this additional information may just tip it so that we end up in a war of utter extermination. The Empire has won every conflict we have been involved in. But we have started only one. It was over slavery. What the Calaverans and Davnersians are are worse than mere slavers. And as compassionate as the Xa are, they have no problem with genocide as punishment for certain crimes."

Miyagi gave a deep, weary sigh, leaning heavily upon his cane. "I am sure Silvertooth and Nightshade would not object to spending time on Tanara. However, I'm afraid, then, that I must ask that you not share the information I imparted to you with others. My sentiments are shared by the Emperor and most Xiscapians, and it is that there is no such thing as justifiable genocide. It is one of the three Great Atrocities, along with Slavery and Rape. One Atrocity cannot cancel out another. Yes, what the Calaverians and Danaversians did was wrong. Yes, they should be punished. But to exterminate an entire race for the wrongdoings of those in power?" He rapped his cane against the floor. "What if, Michiko, someone, another being from a powerful distant race, saw what James and Vila did to their son and daughter? And what if this being decided that, because of what the two had done, the entire race of Xiscapians should be murdered? What if someone had seen what the Novan Divine One had done, and decided that because of this every Novan should be killed for his affiliation with Chaos?" He shook his head, looking her in the eye. "I expected better of you, Michiko. You should know these things. On Earth, in the holy book of one of their religions, it says the sins of the father shall be visited upon the third and fourth generation. The grandchildren and great grandchildren of this father have done no wrong, they are innocent of anything he has done. And yet they are punished for something outside of their control, something they may even be against. If the Xa were to carry out their xenocidal campaign against the Calaverians and Danaversians, they would not simply be destroying the evil, they would be annihilating an entire people. And that," his voice shook, "makes them no better than the SASM."

"If the Xa were to carry out their xenocidal campaign against the Calaverians and Danaversians, they would not simply be destroying the evil, they would be annihilating an entire people. And thatmakes them no better than the SASM."

That is my own anger speaking" Michiko sighed. "I truly doubt that the Xa would commit genoide, but they would most certainly make sure that those who were guilty were indeed punished, and never again allowed the ability to repeat their crimes. It is my own past that makes me so angry on their behalf, for it is close, so close to mine own." She looked down, face pale with memory.

"You see my father raised me in the middle of nowhere, well, actually a series of middle of nowhere's, at his various archeological dig sites. Until the time that I was twelve I never saw more than a dozen people together at once, or few more than that over the course of an entire year. We never had money for laborers or assisstants - though occassional my father would get a grant to fund a student to come out for a semester." She continued on with a firm, but empty voice "or for food or clothes. I was always hungry and ill. When I was twelve I was bitten by a very venemous snake, and it was left untreated until I almost died. But he was off one one of his sprees and his assisstant - we actually had one that year - took me in to a village, about two hundred miles from the dig site. We walked for days but I don't remember it much. I was pretty delerious."

"When I came to I was missing most of my right leg and the other was chained to a bed post, and I was in hell. I served their... pleasure" the word came out ground glass harsh despite her control "for three years before my father bought me back from brothel. He figured I was fully broken in by then. I then served him until he died two years later in a severe snow storm. If the authorities hadn't sent out a general sweep for people caught in the unseasonal storm, I would have died too. I had pneumonia and was unconscious when they found me. When I woke up in the hopsital my Donas, my Empathy, had activated and the resulting unchecked receceptivity nearly killed me."

"So yes I rather understand how they might feel, Sensei Miyagi."

"So yes I rather understand how they might feel, Sensei Miyagi."
Miyagi bowed his head. "They do not have your restraint or grace," though he had been calm though his entire speech, now the sorrow was painfully evident. "They are hurt, and they cover it with anger. Your trials and theirs are very much the same, but the end results are obviously nearly polar opposites. Their power, combined with their pain and rage and youth, makes them unpredictable and dangerous. They are not even adults yet, by our standards, but if you look into their eyes they are aged a million years. Lesser beings that you, Michiko, would have died or given up or killed themselves long before now. If you can talk to them, show them that they are not alone," he looked at her, "maybe you can make them understand. Maybe someone can start the healing of old wounds, and put them on the right path. Maybe not now, maybe not for a decade, or even five, but I believe they are not beyond help."

Michiko took his hands in hers, but nodded in agreement "Yes it won't be easy. It took me a long time. While I healed in the hospital, they had to grow me a new leg- and I learned, studied constantly, save when an adept with the gift of Redaction- that's a form of psionic mental healing - came to help me get the Empathy under control - it took two years but when I turned eighteen I was able to pass equivalency exams. I didn't know what to do though -being around too many people- in cities and such was painful and terribly scary"

"My father had taught me to shoot, the wilds had many predators, and the security industry is always hiring, with less requirement for being psychologically ...sound. I joined the firm that had the record for taking the most dangerous contracts. For three years I got to kill, legally, people nearly every day. The Out- lands were savage in those days and so my rage had a legal outlet. I got to be very good at killing."

Sensei Miyagi could tell that she was not proud of that. "Then the team that I worked with decided to form their own firm and asked me to join them. However the man who was the driving force behind it insisted that I get more therapy. And he was right."

"I ...I raised an unholy stink, fought it every step of the way but the thought of losing the only people that even came close to being friends, scared me worse. Richard Albert Cromwell the third was a very determined man and he got me the best but even then ...I don't which was worse the abuse or the cure."

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I even learned to love and trust again, though I nearly slipped back when Richard was killed. We'd only been married a month."

"Of course I will help then to the best of my ability. I owe it to the universe, to pass forward the grace it gave me. But I can not promise, that depends of them in the end."

Bruno's ears twitched as he overheard the Empress Michiko's and Sensei Miyagi's conversation. Such tragedies for those so young, but Life, the Great Adapter, would adjust, and soon these events would be obscured by Time and Life, and things would rectify themselves. He would want to meet these bekko-twins were sacred to the trolls-but this was an affair of state, and such considerations had to be brushed aside for formalities...
He made his way to the Xiscapian Imperials, bowing low and touching his snout to the Empress's hand. "Let us hope this bodezz well for our peoplezzez, milady." he spoke softly, refering to the gathering, "Have you effer heard of an Augury Dance? We zzhould perform zzuch to zzee if de Godzzez approff off our allianzz..."
Firefox Rose remembered the Augury Dance Gerrak had performed before embarking on the O'Kuni campaign-the great crushing poles, the blades, the arcs of energy, with the young troll weaving gracefully among them...