Collin looked at Edward and then at the other two gathered at the table. "You're kidding."
Edward emphatically shook his head. "No. Come on! They've already made contact with Darkside Base with their Etherships."
"We don't need help from a bunch of steampunks," Collin said with a jab of his finger.
"You didn't say that a week ago when one of their clanks helped smash a Technocracy base," Edward said.
Emily rapped on the table with her knuckles and all eyes turned her way. "Gentleman. Let us face facts here. The Etherites helped us 'rebels' when we broke from the Technocracy. Although their 'science' is deeply flawed..."
"Touched with madness you mean," Frank muttered.
"... that's not the topic here. They are building *offensive* vessels capable of helping us deal with extra-dimensional entities. With the Void Engineers cut off from our old funding, the Sons can be thrown into the fray and free up needed resources. Ed? You have images from Darkside?"
Edward handed out a photo of an A-10 floating against a sea of stars. "As you can see, they've gone a bit beyond steampunk. In addition, we have it on good authority they have contacts with the shapeshifters..."
Collin snorted. "It just gets better and better."
"... who have helped them design their weapons."
Collin and Frank looked at each other. "Garou are noted for their ability to kill extra-dimensionals," Frank said.
"Garou are noted for their 'ability' to attack anything that moves," Emily frowned.
Collin held up his hand. "Okay, okay. Maybe we should send a representative over to them. But we need someone with the ability to deal with both crazy Etherites *and* spirit-mongering Garou. And someone we can spare."
Emily steepled her fingers. "I think I have a candidate."
Jay sighed and put down his tools when he saw Malcolm enter the shop. "Time for another talk again?"
"Something else this time, Jay," Malcolm said with a grin. "Why don't you come into my office and we'll have a chat."
Jay followed Malcolm to his makeshift office and accepted the chair offered. He shifted in it uneasily. The former NWO agent rarely smiled at him or acted this friendly.
"Jay, you know I've kept a close eye on you. A real close eye. You're a damn fine engineer. Pity you're also a Deviant."
Jay crossed his arms. "I'll let my work speak for me."
"Yes, yes. We're all one Big Happy Family now." Malcolm waved his hand. "But as much as we need every trained hand, you know we just can't fully trust you. So I'm offering you a transfer. You'll be assigned to one of our allies as a liaison..."
"What? I'm an engineer, not an ambassador!"
"Really? Aren't you also a shaman? Intermediary between the 'spirit' world and the material?"
"Well, yes. That too. But I'm not ..."
"This might get you a berth on a ship," Malcolm interrupted.
"A ship?" Jay blinked at him. "What's the catch?"
Malcolm handed him a sheet of paper. Jay read it carefully, fingering the page slowly.
Finally he looked up. "There will be a raise in pay of course."
Malcolm frowned. "Of course."
"Hazard pay."
Malcolm glowered. "Agreed."
"They WHAT?" Kenny exclaimed.
Fredrick Owens shrugged and cut into his pancakes. "Hey, I was floating in a tank for weeks. *I* didn't have anything to do with it.
Kenny rubbed his face. "Oh great. The last thing we need is an envoy from the rebels. We have enough trouble around here without adding an ex-Technocrat to the mix." He nodded to Debra. "No offense meant."
"None taken," she growled and cut into her steak. "But your people have to be a little more careful around us. No offense meant."
"None taken," Anne said and stared at the Garou. "Just remember we're a little more fragile than you are."
Debra stared back. "And we have hair triggers."
Anne met the stare. "And we're armed."
"Ladies, please!" Kenny said. "We should be united in this! I'm against having a rebel come here."
The two woman broke off their stare down. "But you've dealt with the rebels," Anne said quizzically. "Even shared your house with one."
"Oh, Jay," Kenny waved that off. "Jay was special. He never should have been with the Technocracy in the first place. But what do we know about this guy, huh? He could easily be a spy."
"For the Technocracy," Debra snarled.
"For either side." He circled his fork above his eggs. "This place is special. Aside from the important Scientific work being done here..."
Debra made a derisive noise.
"This place is a node. With all the fighting going on either side would want to snag this place." His fork pierced the yolk. "I'd rather this place be kept between the Sons and the Garou."
"It'd be best if this place be kept by the Garou," Debra growled.
Fredrick looked puzzled. "I thought we were partners."
Debra looked at him with simmering anger. "Don't you get it? This place is a caern. A holy place. You're lucky we don't throat all you mages..."
"... and not have our help fighting Wyrm creatures," Anne responded coolly. "Be reasonable. We're a force multiplier. With our help you can kill more of your enemy than without."
Kenny watched the two women with alarm. "Debra, please. It doesn't matter that we Etherites discovered this place first; we're willing to share it. Your fight is now our fight."
Debra bit into her steak. "Point taken."
"And please give us credit - we haven't tried to suck this place dry. We've tried to modify our behavior to be less offensive to you. I have the scars to prove it."
Debra burst out laughing. "Quite true, Kenny Fool-of-a-Fool."
Fredrick shook his head. "The things you miss when you're in a regen tank."
"And we can agree that even though we're doing a lot with the rebels, we *don't* need one on base. What do we know about this guy? Why did he leave the Technocracy? And why is he coming here of all places?"
He waved his fork in the air. "I don't trust either side. I've been screwed by both. The rebels still owe me for the weapons I help make for them. I say we make a formal protest about this."
Debra nodded. "I'm with you this. Let's go!"
The two stood up and left the mess hall. Anne and Fredrick looked at the abandoned plates.
"She left her steak," Fredrick murmured.
"He left his coffee," Anne remarked.
Kenny and Debra marched down to the small office where the administrator was. Debra knocked but didn't wait for an answer.
"Armand! We need to talk about this ambassador you're foisting on us!" she announced as she strode in the door.
Kenny was on her heels. "We have concerns about him... or her. None of *us* were consulted on the matter."
Armand looked at the two and frowned. "The Garou have three votes, the Sons of Ether have three votes, and I have only one vote on the council."
Debra leaned over the man's cluttered desk. "I heard it was a close vote. May I ask how you voted?"
The Celestial Chorister avoided the mistake of making eye contact with the werewolf. "No. As you can see, I'm a busy man."
He spread his hands over the paperwork on his desk. "Requisitions, tax forms, utilities. All very important items that have to be attended to so that your two groups can concentrate on engineering and military matters. If you have something constructive you wish to talk to me about..."
"I want to know more about this liaison." Kenny demanded. "How do we know he's not a spy?"
"Mr. Davidson!" Armand stared Kenny straight in the eye. "The council considered all aspects of this affair and I assure you that all these things were thought of and hashed out."
He looked tired. "Very well hashed out. And if you want more input on such matters, Mr. Davidson, you can abandon your research and take a seat on the council. I'm sure I can arrange it."
Kenny folded his arms. "That's not the point. How do we know we can trust..."
"Enough." Armand folded his hands and spoke quietly. "There were Etherites and Garou on both sides of this matter. If we're going to be prancing about in space we're going to need a contact with the Void Engineers and the other rebels. We need to coordinate efforts. And we need to do it peacefully. Any more questions, take it up with either the council," he looked over at Debra, "or your pack leader."
"I'll do that," she growled.
"So will I," Kenny said. They walked out shoulder to shoulder.
Their paths diverged shortly thereafter.
"Good luck with your pack leader," Kenny said as Debra departed for the 'Garou only' side of the base.
"I'll need it. What are you planning?"
"Petition drive."
"Pssff. You folks are bloodless," she called over her shoulder.
Henry Farnsworth looked over the petition. "A good idea my boy, but I have to disagree with you on this one..."
--------
Johnson Carries-the-Spear snarled at Debra, "I will not be disobeyed on this!" and leaped over his desk.
--------
'Fast' Tom Dvorak nodded as he read the petition. "I think you've hit the nail right on the head. Got a pen?"
--------
Debra dodged another swipe and delivered an solid blow to the jaw...
--------
'Rad' Erasmus shook his head. "Nope. Sorry. We *need* the help..."
--------
Johnson bounced away from the wall and savaged her with a kick to the chest...
--------
Elaine Pitowski handed Kenny back his petition. "I respect your skills and knowledge, but I think you're dead wrong about this...
--------
Johnson's claws dug into Debra's shoulder. She grabbed the arm and prepared to throw him over her shoulder and into the wall. In her Rage she forgot that the ceiling was too low to perform that maneuver...
--------
Professor Ardjin thumped his fist on the table. "Mr. Davidson! The Void Engineers sent us the qualifications of half a dozen candidates! Do you know what it was like finding someone who acceptable to everyone on the council?"
Kenny leaned backwards against the verbal assault. "Sir, I meant no insult..."
"You meant every insult. I've read your work Mr. Davidson," the Professor continued, "and you're a professional pain in the ass. You have issues with security? So did they. They were so stingy with specifics we didn't even know the men - or women's - names! But by the information given to us we think the one we finally settled on will do fine."
"Still..."
The professor pointed a finger at him. "Know this, Mr. Davidson - before you came there were certain Scientists who didn't care for *your* presence here. Troublemaker, they called you. Well, I gave you a chance and now you'll return the favor. I expect to see you three days from now - pressed and dressed - when our liaison arrives. Understand?"
Kenny bit back his anger. "Yes, sir."
--------
Debra lay moaning on the floor while her pack leader did the 'Go Me' dance next to her bleeding body.
Kenny strode out of his quarters wearing a frown and his Sunday best.
Anne, dressed in black slacks, black jacket and white button-down shirt, eyed him critically.
"I see you're still taking your fashion cues from 'Dr. Who'," she said wryly. "At least you ditched the scarf. And your petition drive fizzled."
Kenny adjusted his cuffs. "It might have helped if you'd signed it," he groused.
"You're just being obstinate and pig-headed."
"And I think I'm right, too."
They started walking towards the mess hall. "I see Debra isn't with you today," Kenny observed. "I'm relieved. I appreciate the attention of beautiful women but seeing the two of you eyeing each other with such hostility for the past few days has made me nervous."
"She'll get over it. She just wants to have your cubs. I have more permanent plans for you. Which reminds me..."
They embraced and kissed each other.
Anne fondled his lapels. "You know, it would be easier if we were sleeping together."
"Ah, but I'm old-fashioned. No 'nookie' until we're legally married."
"But I like to check the merchandise before I buy. Beside, it'd be easier for me to leave my scent all over you."
"Scent? Why would you... ah ha! Wolves."
"Wolves. Shall we go meet our 'New Order of Reason' liaison?"
Kenny sighed loudly as they continued down the hall. "I still think it's a bad idea."
They came to the mess hall. About half the Etherites were there and most of the Garou. The shapechangers were garbed in a variety of styles - everything from business suits to leather-and-feather outfits.
The Etherites were less conservatively dressed.
"Hey, Rad, didn't dashikis go out of style in the sixties?" Kenny whispered to the man next to him.
Rad smoothed his colorful garb. "Just keeping in contact with my roots. Besides, with these long sleeves I can carry extra wrist instruments."
"Don't see why we have to get all dressed up for this..."
"Sshhh!"
They lined up to greet the liaison. Kenny spotted Debra briefly. He'd been informed that the scars would be quite appealing when they'd fully healed.
Armand, dressed in white, entered the room. Behind him, dressed uncomfortably in a suit, was a dark-haired man in his early thirties.
"Ladies and gentleman," Armand announced, "Please extend a warm welcome to..."
"JAY!" Kenny ejaculated.
The man looked down the line. "Kenny?"
"Dude!"
Kenny rushed to embrace his old friend. "What the frell are you doing here?"
Jay looked a little embarrassed. "Um, I'm the liaison."
"No shit! If I'd known I wouldn't have started a petition against you."
Jay blinked at him. "Petition?"
Armand looked at Kenny impatiently. "Are you done?"
"Heck no!" the Etherite bounced. "I'm just getting started! Anne! Come on over and meet Jay!"
"So much for ceremony," Johnson muttered.
"And here," Kenny gestured, "is what we're really all about."
The hanger door swung open and Jay let out a soft whistle. "A modified A-10. That's so..."
"Modern?" Anne asked with a grin. "What? Were you expecting a War Zepplin?"
They entered the hanger. Jay was entranced by the Ethercraft. He give the wing a gentle stroke. "It likes you," he said to Kenny.
"Well," Kenny blushed a little. "I like it too."
"And here are its main armaments: the Luftgaia missiles," Anne said as she patted one gently.
"Ah," Jay reached out.
Kenny stiffened. "Uh... you may not..."
Jay barely touched the missile before pulling his hand back quickly. "What kind of weapons are these!"
"Chatty," Kenny said with a frown.
"Dedicated," Anne replied. "The spirit inside acts both as a guidance system and adds extra punch to the high explosives that we pack inside. They're designed by the Garou."
"I ... see. Hmm."
He looked back at the Ethership. "Any chance of a ride sometime?"
Anne and Kenny gave each other quick looks.
"One of us should take him up in the trainer," Anne said.
"I think you should do it. You're the better flyer and better teacher."
Jay radiated joy like a light bulb. "That would be great!"
He blinked and his smile slowly grew even broader. "Teacher?"