Everyone waited for the princess to answer. She gripped her doll tight and looked us in the eye. The trauma she went to is still fresh on her mind. We all stood in silence as we observed the orphaned princess as she tried to think things through. While we waited I ordered C.H.R.I.S. to scan and notify us of new regarding Kyatto.
"Honestly I don't know what to do." Nico said.
Celestine and Strife came to comfort her.
I have to say it but I think our little conspiracy theory about her parents apparent pirate ambush is not good for her. It probably isn't helping her process and cope with what she's been through. I know how she feels, to be taken away from your family, to be in this new situation that you don't know what's the first thing to do.
And I know I could comfort her but I don't think what experience would translate well to her current state. Regardless I knelt down and looked her in the eyes.
"You have a choice to go home. We could bring you there if you want to." I told Nico.
Her eyes watered.
"I'll contact Garner." Celestine informed me.
She went to the holotable to call Garner.
"I have intercepted an emergency nation address on Kyatto." C.H.R.I.S. announced before Celestine could even reach the table.
C.H.R.I.S. flashed on the screen the Kyatto's spokesperson. He is standing besides the heavily injured, yet surprisingly active Duke Rainek. It seemed as if the Duke called this conference to set the records straight. Celestine requested to turn the volume up.
"My brother and his entire family were murdered by those scums over at Seak! They commandeered our ship, shot my brother, sister-in-law, and my innocent niece right before my eyes!" Duke Rainek shouted at the top of his voice.
Nico watched her uncle in disbelief. "Uncle, I'm alive…" She said even knowing she won't be heard.
"Now most of you might be skeptical but I've already deployed intelligence officers to Seak verify their involvement in today's incident. If they are somehow the masterminds behind my brother's murder then I can't gaurantee that the peace celebration could continue" Duke Rainek delivered his message with pent up rage.
Strife closed the feed. He knew that letting Nico watch could destroy the kid.
"No. that's not true." Nico stood in disbelief.
"This is a heavy exposition drop don't you think?" I asked Strife and Celestine.
Both of them silently looked at me.
"I think your uncle just proved our theory. So what do you want to do now?"
"I want to avenge my family and reclaim the throne. I need your help in doing so." Nico answered.
Celestine and Strife looked at her.
"I need you to point me in the direction of the biggest baddest mercenaries you can find. I will declare a coup on my own uncle to reclaim my planet." Nico pointed at me.
For a kid to talk about vengeance is pretty heavy stuff regardless I humored her.
"How much are you willing to pay?" I asked the now vengeful princess.
"If they're good, then they can name their price"
"If they ask for half a million credits, that's okay?"
"I am the crown princess of Kyatto. Money is not an issue."
"It's good that you're negotiating like a royalty, but the first thing you have to remember is everyone thinks you're dead." Celestine reminded Nico.
"So?" Nico asked.
"That means you have the element of surprise. You show and everyone will lose their minds." Strife added to Celestine's statement.
The three of them started to talk amongst themselves about plotting revenge. I also heard some things about monarchy and other political stuff.
"It's nice that you guys are bonding about political and revenge stuff… But before the princess was rescued we're still on the clock from our last job." I told everyone.
They broke off their conversation and looked at me like the party pooper I am. I simply ignored them and browsed through the navigational log. Entered Garner's coordinates and looked back at them.
"I love to serve poetic justice as much as the next guy but I don't wanna do it on an empty stomach. So how about we deliver the knife and we get back on this little revenge side-quest okay?"
Strife sighed and so did Celestine. They dispersed again back to their original hang-out spot. Celestine took Nico with her to the kitchen. I went back to the shelf, took the Prozden knife and started polishing it.
☆☆☆
Right after Duke Rainek finished his speech he was handed a pair of crutches. His walk staggered like a drunkard walking out of a vehicular accident. He was assisted by his secretary as they walked towards his room. There were two guards standing by the door, they were extra snappy. The duke instructed the guards to not let anyone in.
"The broadcast was streamed by almost everyone on the planet sir." The secretary informed Rainek.
"Good. This will surely put the entire planet to support me in waging war against the Seakians."
"Yes sir, however we still have one unresolved problem."
"My niece, I am well aware. What's the status of the search team?" The duke's tone changed to a menacing concern.
"They have not found any trace of her pod in any of the projected zones. There's a possibility that it could've been knocked off course which gives us the option of her being stranded in space… and if that's the case, then the princess could die of starvation"
"However we can't ignore the possibility that someone could already rescue her."
The secretary's face radiated with concern, not for the princess but for his own oversight. Duke Rainek looked at his secretary and simply smiled. As if on cue a woman with ash white hair and snow white skin walked in.
"But don't worry I've already delegated this job to someone else."