Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 506: Just Chatting

The blade glowed as he looked it over. Shimmering with the light from the heat it was producing.

"Why would you need something like that?" Jace looked at the High Priestess who had been checking in daily. "Won’t a simple blade suffice for combat?" She had been checking up on their progress by personally visiting the last two days. Tomorrow they would both be too busy with the galactic conference.

"Nope. This is actually a metal with fragments of crystallized Suneater remains embedded throughout it. The metal’s reaction to having electricity run through it causes the metal to heat up and vibrate." It was one of the many metals they had discovered over the last day that had been determined to be useful. "We have not found a material it can not cut through just yet. But shielding does stop it temporarily and stronger shielding reflects the blade."

"Huh... okay. But it is not the strongest material you have found?" The High Priestess asked as she looked at the various workstations. Gorund was in the middle of forging something. Taylor was mixing some chemicals. While the other four were sitting around the computers.

"Nope. Not by a long shot." Jace shook his head as he put the last finishing touches on the sword. Once he was done he grabbed the sheath and slid the blade in as it went quiet. "Gorund in the middle of forging the first armor while Taylor is making the resin and other things that will go between the armor and the person. It will not be one hundred percent protection. But there is only so much that can be done for armor."

"Jace, you realize the gathering is tomorrow. Do you have a plan for the meeting?" The High Priestess asked. "Because I have not heard anything from Director Fenrir for the last few days."

"That is because she and the other countries have all been checking to see if the threat is real. By tomorrow they will either realize the kind of threat that is coming our way. Or they will determine it is far more beneficial to self destruct." Jace answered honestly as he finished his work and set aside the blade. It was one of many weapons he had made over the last day.

"The politicians from the government branch are coming after your head. Especially after that trial that completely fell through. They are now looking to limit the military and MILD." The High Priestess explained.

"That is why you are adopting the Holy Empire soldiers and the Vampires. Are you not? You see the same threat I do and want to unit the galaxy under a single banner." Jace pointed out as he began fiddling with another device.

The High Priestess seemed lost in thought for a moment before nodding. "You are right. We have been aware of other united galaxies for a while now. In fact, ourselves and several others have been contacted by those groups looking to take us under their banner. But we do not trust them."

"For good reason." Jace nodded at Gorund. "I have heard all about those other galaxies. If we give them a foothold we will lose control of our galaxy entirely. We need to keep them out early and be prepared for an invasion from them. Especially with the rate our technology is progressing. If I am right, it will not be long before we know a method to travel between galaxies."

"Either way they are going to bring up working with those other nations. You will need something to counter that suggestion as well." The High Priestess reminded him.

"We will see. Was there another reason you came today or do you just want to talk about my plan for tomorrow?" Jace asked as he grabbed a pair of chairs and pulled them over so they could sit. "Because I do have a few more weapons I want to make before the day’s end."

The High Priestess sighed as she sat down. "How are they working out?" She nodded toward the table where his adopted daughters, the vampire, and the valkyrie were sitting.

"Which pair do you mean? My daughters or the headaches you sent my way?" Jace asked with a chuckle as he opened a few drawers before stopping and pulling out a bottle of alcohol and a pair of glasses.

"Both. But let’s start with your new daughters first." The High Priestess decided after a moment of thought. "I know I was thoroughly surprised when you decided to do that."

Jace shrugged as he poured them both half a glass of alcohol. He had no idea what it was, just that it was alcohol and that it smelled strong. Well that and it was labeled with some alien writing or dialect he had not seen before. "Do you mean when I adopted them? Well it felt right and it gives me something to do outside of my working hours."

The High Priestess clicked her tongue. "Speaking of outside working hours. How is it going between you and Nila? I know you have that whole manwhore thing going on but I figured she would still latch onto you. I never saw her give up anything she had ever wanted once in her life. That includes the time she stabbed another kid to get back her candy."

Jace sighed, "they all ambush me when they get a chance but I try to keep myself busy." He told her as he scratched the back of his neck and sipped the alcohol. "Oh... that is some decent stuff."

"Speaking of ambushes." She decided to change the subject again. "Chances are that if you are right we will need to send in you and a team made up from people from every nation into the enemy ship. If your and Solisa’s theory is right we will need to know all we can about their ships and weapons. So the basic plan will be to get you on that ship to steal and send back as much as you can while also finding a vulnerable point of the Mortella’s ship."

"At the same time I will be going with a bunch of soldiers from different nations." Jace sighed as he leaned back and then thought of something. "By the way... did you see my report on the Xenar?"

"I did, as well as your theory regarding the originators of the Victorium. I have classified it for now while I do some digging on my own. But it might end up becoming a problem for us later down the line. They really have played the long game with this. But species like the Centuria will probably become our steadfast allies when that comes up." The High Priestess decided.

"Hmm..." Jace nodded and then remembered something. "Actually that reminds me." He looked toward Taylor. "Hey Hielo, come over here for a second." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Taylor Hielo looked over from her work station before pulling off her gloves and goggles before walking over. "Yes, what do you need?"

Jace looked at his watch communicator and sent a flurry of messages to her. "I just sent you some things. Look it over and then once we are done here. That will be your and Gorund’s next project. I already got the okay from Fenrir."

Taylor frowned and pulled out a datapad that was hanging in a bag that was on her hip. She looked it over and made several different facial expressions. "This is... oh... Something on this level... are you going to be helping me with this as well?" She asked but then her eyes flashed and she shook her head. "No you aren’t. Okay. We will work on this but we will probably hole up in the Echo System."

"That will be fine. Just as long as you can move it to the place I indicated." Jace slowly grinned as she started walking away. He looked over to see the High Priestess’ confusion.

"Did she just-"

"Yup." Jace nodded, confirming her worry.

"Well that is bad." The High Priestess sighed.

"Really bad. Especially since I did plan on helping them after we get rid of the Mortella that is already in our galaxy." Jace took a bigger gulp of his booze. "But I am going to think of the moment and not the possibility that someone whose mind is moving through time just might have let slip about important information about the future."

"Fine." The High Priestess looked back over at the computer station then at him. "What about Victor Al-Ulman and-"

"The Valkyrie?" Jace asked, interrupting her. The High Priestess raised an eyebrow in confusion. "She prefers it over her actual name. I think it is some type of rallying cry for her people since we got the percentage of people that were lost in both the Circle of Yuri and the Holy Empire. How is that negotiation with the Circle of Yuri going by the way?"

"The clan leaders are already bowing their heads. We have moved our line forward to encompass the Yuri system as well. They will be a great boon. That reminds me. I sent you a list of recommendations to hire. A number of them are former daemons slaves that were brought to our galaxy." The High Priestess informed him as she took a sip and flinched. "That is too strong."