Of Capes, Cowls, and Cuddles (NEW Issue 3 Chapter 9 Up! 11/25/18)

[Wannatripbaby]

That's a bit of an odd note to end on. What are you up to, Selpharia?

10 hours ago, Selpharia said:

Please see Rodolfo in the valet parking area over there, and he'll...take care of you.”

That sounds ominous! STRANGER DANGER! STRANGER DANGER!

[Sarah Penguin]

[Selpharia]

It is, a bit! I actually intended it do that the reader ends up feeling a bit of the discomfort and awkwardness that Bridget is feeling, knowing something is wrong and about to be more so. I’m glad to see it was still enagaing! Also, finally on page 2. Woo! 

Now, given how much I love answering questions, who knows what I might let slip if asked?

[Wannatripbaby]

Oh really? In that case...

(Takes deep breath)

What is the square root of 13,689? Who and where was Antonio Stradivarious? When calculating the force exerted by Val's Gravitic powers do you take into account the latent heat dissipation involved in the exothermic reaction which would likely melt Bridget's organs every time she uses it? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? Did you ever see that movie about the dog that played basketball? What am the sky? How does eat food? Is Stell a Star Warden? Who is the real Selpharia? Did you ever see the sequel to that dog-basketball movie where the dog goes to space and if so which of the two do you prefer?

(GAAAAAAASP)

[Selpharia]

117, Cremonia 1644-1737, Val dissipates the heat, African or European?, yes, blue, mine for fish, she has Star Warden powers, I am, yes, the first 

[Wannatripbaby]

4 minutes ago, Selpharia said:

117, Cremonia 1644-1737, Val dissipates the heat, African or European?, yes, blue, mine for fish, she has Star Warden powers, I am, yes, the first 

Oh. My. God.

I think I'm in love.

[Selpharia]

Sorry, taken

[Sophie ♥]

I love this story so much!  I'm so excited for more magic powers and pull-ups!  Val and Bridget are just the cutest little relationship ever and Ahhhhh.  But I'm also so excited for some other characters to come back, like her best friend and the mean girl from school and stuff!  I'm actually eager for another intermission  

Keep up the amazing work!  Hands down one of the best little stories I have ever read!!

[CDfm]

Wonderful. Poor girl just can’t seem to catch a break. I do have a feeling though that eventually Bridget will put the six to shame with her own heroics. Can’t wait to read more. 

[ELLIE52]

On 12/5/2017 at 8:59 PM, Wannatripbaby said:

Oh really? In that case...

(Takes deep breath)

What is the square root of 13,689? Who and where was Antonio Stradivarious? When calculating the force exerted by Val's Gravitic powers do you take into account the latent heat dissipation involved in the exothermic reaction which would likely melt Bridget's organs every time she uses it? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? Did you ever see that movie about the dog that played basketball? What am the sky? How does eat food? Is Stell a Star Warden? Who is the real Selpharia? Did you ever see the sequel to that dog-basketball movie where the dog goes to space and if so which of the two do you prefer?

(GAAAAAAASP)

You are a trip, Wannatripbaby.  Is that Fallout 4 spywear you are wearing?

Sorry, Selpharia, my reading is behind, into video games lately and reading comments is about as far as I go.  Who knew that a feisty 15 lb visiting papillon/pomeranian mix could throw me off my game and land me in the hospital?  Maybe he's a Star Warden.

[Wannatripbaby]

1 hour ago, ELLIE52 said:

You are a trip, Wannatripbaby.  Is that Fallout 4 spywear you are wearing?

Nah, I wouldn’t be caught dead in that geek-gear! One night I decided to spike my Sunset Sarsaparilla with an entire box of Orange Mentats. That ridiculous post was one of the many disastrous results.

[Sophie ♥]

SELPHIE POST MORE OR I WILL EAT YOU!!!

[Wannatripbaby]

28 minutes ago, Sophie ♥ said:

SELPHIE POST MORE OR I WILL EAT YOU!!!

You better listen to her. I don't think she's bluffing!

[Sophie ♥]

[Selpharia]

I’m working on it! This next part is really important and it needs to be as close to perfect as I can make it! Also, Sophie, if you eat me you’ll get my hat and have to do the writing

Also, sorry to hear that, Ellie, I hope things improve for you soon

[Wannatripbaby]

13 minutes ago, Selpharia said:

Sophie, if you eat me you’ll get my hat and have to do the writing

Wait, so your hat is tied to your writing? *Gasp* Are you possessed by your hat like it's Super Mario Odyssey or something? 

[Sophie ♥]

[Sarah Penguin]

5 hours ago, Sophie ♥ said:

Nooo not kirby with the powers of supper!

[Selpharia]

Yes, that is what’s going to happen! I’m working on it, sorry it’s taken awhile ;_;

[Wannatripbaby]

We understand. It's the holidays. Naturally you want to spend time with your loved ones, not confined to a writing desk just to appease your insatiable fans. All we wanted was a progress report.

Now go kiss that beautiful Girlfriend of yours.

[Selpharia]

I’ve actually written about two chapters worth, but I want to release the Issue finale closer together than my usual schedule.

[Selpharia]

So, I'm happy to announce that the next three days (Dec 24-260 will have a chapter-length piece released each day, leading up to the end of Issue 2  Thank you, everyone for bearing with me. I've been so excited to get to this point and share it with you all. I'm grateful beyond words for all my readers and comments, and look forward to beinging you more of Bridget's adventures, as well as some new stuff, in the new year.  As always, questions and comments are welcome, and start thinking of your favorite chgaracter, because we're going to have another poll at the end (Yay voting!)

Without further ado, here's

Issue 2: Chapter 12 Part 1: The Gala

“Come on, Sami, give her a break,” Stell cut in, frowning at her teammate.

“But- Dean Takeda's-” Sami sputtered.

“She's up on stage, so she doesn't need a seat, it's fine.”

With a sigh, Sami relented. Bridget's cheeks just got redder, and she wished in that moment that she could just use her powers to disappear.

But Stell, at least, didn't seem to mind; she gave Bridget a small smile, and turned her gaze back to the speaker.

If the gesture was intended to be calming, it had exactly the opposite effect on Val.

<<What's your game, glow-worm? Don't think we'll buy your facile display of kindness, even for a second,>> she muttered.

Bridget, meanwhile, took advantage of the lull in conversation to get a good look around the table at the rare sight of the Stalwart Six decked out in their finest. Leanne had replaced her functional, insulating bodysuit and its practical black for the crisp, pressed blue of a military dress uniform. It had no rank or insignia, save a pin in the shape of a bronze eagle with an ornate crown, and the letters “RAF” beneath its outstretched wings. She leaned back, confident, and relaxed, so that the light glinted off the golden buckle in her white belt. Bridget felt an inexplicable desire to say something about it, but her tongue felt fat in her mouth, and all her usual wit just evaporated the second Leanne glanced her way with her piercing blue eyes.

Her second-in-command, meanwhile, was expending considerably less effort to appear alert and attentive as the remarks droned on. Isis wore a strapless dress in forest green, and was idly fiddling with her silver cartouche necklace, and looking longingly toward the exit back out into the hall. She turned toward Stell, giving Bridget her first good look the single ankh-shaped bronze earring dangling from her right earlobe.

“Hey Sparkle, you doing okay?” Isis asked her white haired teammate. “Our fearless leader told me you had a fly-in with Ironclad and her laser batteries earlier today.”

Stell put her hand to her chin as she thought for a moment. “Oh, yeah,” she said distractedly. “She sure was a...something. I'm good, though.”

<<The unmitigated gall of this Star Warden, showing off her powers like that, and bearing the emblem of her people so brazenly!>> Val fumed.

Huh, what do you mean? Bridget asked, bemused by Val's sudden vitriol.

<<She's using her power to turn her hair white, and that emblem on her chest is essentially the battle flag of the Luminous Princeps.>>

Bridget had been too busy looking at Leanne to pay Stell's outfit much attention, but she looked again and saw what Val meant. The Stalwart Six's fashion designer had made herself a dark navy halter top, and a short matching skirt. The front of her top looked like a field of stars, a smattering of white dots, all dominated by a single large star with sharp points in each of the four cardinal directions, with four more points detached from the star's main body. The whole emblem looked like a cosmic compass rose.

Oh. But why would she do that? Shouldn't she be trying to keep a low profile?

<<Yes. But beings of pure luminous energy aren't usually much for subtlety or subterfuge.>>

Bridget tried to puzzle out what Stell's purpose could be, but her train of thought was interrupted again by another question from Isis.

“Still just the rockets and the light show, though, right?” Isis asked in an urgent whisper, “No soulreaper cannon or runic tracery on her armor ar anything?”

“Nope. Just the same stuff as last time. I don't think Kimmy was helping her.”

“Well, that's good at least.” Isis gave a soft sigh and slouched back in her chair. “Now that she's started ripping out people's souls for sheer fun, the last thing we need is her to be going around making friends.”

As the Stalwart six comtinued their hushed discussion, an Asian woman in a dark suit, with black hair and bifocals, ascended the stage and began speaking. As she did, Sami leaned forward eagerly.

“Leanne, we're on once Dean Takeda's done, right?” Sami asked. She tried to suppress it, but Bridget could hear the nervousness in her sister's voice. Her team leader gave a curt affirmative nod.

The rest of the Stalwart Six remained resolute in ignoring the proceedings, continuing their review of their last mission. Kendra, clad in a sharp-looking maroon suit, was typing away on what looked like a smart phone. Knowing her, though, it was probably much smarter than the average device.

“What I can't figure out,” she said, staring intently down at the screen, “is who the other person there that night could have been. Those two Hellbloods were talking about a kid.”

Bridget barely managed to bring a hand up to her mouth in time to stifle a gasp, and turned away, trying desperately to find anything else to stare at besides the Six's tactician, and willing away the enormous lump that had abruptly formed in her throat.

“That's probably Kimmy again,” Isis replied. “I have no idea why, but she loves pretending to be a kid for some reason.”

Bridget let out a small sigh of relief, and turned back to the table, hoping that the blush in her cheeks wouldn't give her away.

At this Phoebe let out a particularly unsubtle cough, and steepled her black gloved fingers. The black blindfold traced with silver runes over Phoebe's eyes made it difficult to read her facial expressions, but her irritation was obvious beneath it. “Well, whoever wrecked her diagrams had at least basic magical knowledge,” she pointed out, “and Kimmy doesn't seem a likely suspect.”

“Maybe it was that Tenkai person,” Stell ventured. “She's young, and definitely likes the magician persona, so she probably knows at least some magic.”

Bridget had no idea who Tenkai was, but in that moment, she was intensely grateful they existed.

“What do you think, Leanne? You probably have it all figured out, right?” Sami asked, turning toward her leader expectantly.

The brown on your nose really matches your uniform, sis.

Leanne gave Sami a soft half-smile. “I wish I did. But I'm afraid we'll have to table this discussion, ladies-”

At that moment, Leanne was interrupted by Dean Takeda, whose voice rose as she finished her speech with a sweeping gesture toward their table.

“..., I present to you, The Stalwart Six!” she said dramatically.

“-the stage awaits.” Leanne finished, rising to her feet and making her way toward the stage with a calm and poise that Bridget couldn't help but envy. The rest of the Six rose and fell in line behind her, with Isis second in line, with Stell, as the most junior member, bringing up the rear.

<<Well, that was enlightening,>> Val said sarcastically. <<But at least from this distance we can finally get a good look at miss Star Warden up there without her noticing. Bridget, do you remember how we adjusted your sight when we fought Kimmy?>>

Yeah, but, um, could you help me? Bridget asked hesitantly, a little ashamed that she hadn't thought to practice that earlier along with all her flying tricks.

<<Of course, little one.>>

Bridget closed her eyes for a moment, and felt the familiar warmth of Val's presence.

<<Now then->> The mental sound of Val's voice suddenly stopped short in surprise.

<<Well. That's decidedly not optimal.>>

Bridget opened her eyes. Sure enough, the Stalwart Six and the crows of attendees glowed the same soft green that the Hellbloods had, full of life energy. Stell's body did the same, but in her case the green was intertwined with a piercing white glow, the same color as the shooting stars she conjured. But that wasn't what caught Bridget's eye as she looked toward the front of the room. Below the stage where Stell glimmered like a miniature star was the VIP seating area, a long, rectangular banquet table where the bigwigs of business, art, fashion, and finance enjoyed a front row view of the festivities. The entire twelve feet of it was engulfed by a vastsphere of energy that rose to touch the vaulted cathedral ceiling, and sunk down beneath the floor. It swirled and twisted as if it were a miniature world covered in swirling winds. The globe of power was so dark it was almost black, dotted with the tiniest hints of an all-too-familiar purple.

<<Voidwalkers,>> Val pronounced gravely.

That's a Voidwalker energy signature? It's massive! Bridget's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

<<We'll need to investigate. At the very least, we need to find out who here is compromised. Once we know that, we can decide on our next move.>>

Up om stage, heedless of the enormous sohere of darkness roiling below her, Leanne began to introduce each of her teammates in turn, describing their contributions in the battle against Dreadnought.

Bridget listened long enough to hear about how Isis had “taken the battle to Dreadnought and his minions with unparalleled ferocity and cunning, lending her considerable magical might to the defense of the city,” before she tuned it out, trying as hard as she could to determine which of the people at the VIP table were secretly aliens, wearing human bodies like a set of living formal wear. She squinted and strained, until her eyes hurt, but the energy was so large that, even though, geometrically, it had to be one of the six people at the center, she was unable to determine the source.

Five of them were clad in standard formal wear: black suits and ties, or black dresses that were obviously well made, but lacking in individual character. The sixth, however, seemed determined to make up for the drabness of her compatriots. Her dress was a sparkling blue, almost butterfly-like pattern, and her brown hair was done up in loose ringlets that would have made her look childish, if the blue of her eye shadow and the sharpness of her cats-eye makeup weren't so strikingly adult. All of her neighbors were dutifully observing the presentation, but she looked everywhere around the room freely, holding her chin in her hand, as though considering some deep conundrum.

<<Well, we can eliminate her as a candidate. No Voidwalker would ever choose such a loud guise for an operation that requires subterfuge,>> Val opined smugly.

Bridget was inclined to agree, but that didn't exactly leave them with anything to work with. She briefly considered the idea that all of them could be Voidwalkers, but Val nixed that idea quickly.

<<Thankfully, no. Their individual signatures would be much more visible, unless they were actively working to combine them. In such a case, that effort would be obvious even to the humans around us. I'd say there are one or two at most. That said, they're incredibly strong.>>Val tried to keep her voice even and analytical, but Bridget could hear a touch of awe creep in as she concluded her evaluation.

Bridget was about to ask Val what she thought they should do, when they were both distracted by a sudden change in the globe of energy. As Leanne finished describing Phoebe and the sonic bolstering she had done to allow the Stalwart Six to fight Dreadnought and his army of minions by themselves, a tendril of dark power extended from the globe, approached Phoebe, and bean to slowly and methodically sliding itself around her body, like the tentacle of a jellyfish grabbing onto a bit of jetsam, searching for a meal.

Bridget watched, frozen, unsure of what to do, wanting to shout a warning to Phoebe, who just stood there, impassive as the alien energy writhed over her. Finally, after a few moments that felt like an eternity, the tendril retracted as she acknowledged the crowd's polite applause with a perfunctory nod.

The relief that Bridget felt as the Voidwalkers left Phoebe alone was unfortunately short-lived. As soon as Leanne turned her attention to Sami, praising her valor in facing the mechanical monstrosity Dreadnought had piloted in single combat, the black tentacle resumed its work with a new target. This time, however, it was much bolder, and quickly slithered its way around the golden heroine, probing and prodding with certainty. It seemed impossible that Sami wouldn't notice, but whether she was too distracted by the arrival of her moment in the sun, or whether the tendril's phantom touch didn't register with her at all, Bridget couldn't tell. Sami just glowed with happiness, a tiny nimbus of golden light outlining her smiling face.

There was only one heroine left to thank, and Stell stood awkwardly while Leanne recounted how she had single-handedly stopped Dreadnought from detonating a device that would have leveled half the city. Val, meanwhile, watched eagerly to see how the Voidwalkers would react to the presence of Stell's glowing-white alien power.

But, surprisingly, there was nothing to watch. The gravitic tendril retracted into the dark sphere from which it came, and did not emerge again.

<<Hah. Strong, but not so confident to pick a fight here and now. Perhaps my concerns were excessive after all,>> she said, with burgeoning confidence. <<Once these trivial formalities are over, we can continue our investigation in earnest. I'm certain that closer analysis will yield more useful results.>>

-

P.S. Please don't eat me

 

[kerry]

Oh my goodness this just gets better and better...

[Wannatripbaby]

another Voidwalker? Dear God...

And we're getting 2 more chapters in the next 2 days? Selpharia, you win Christmas!

[Selpharia]

Thank you so much for the compliment, kerry. We'll see how bad this really turns out to be for poor Bridget. Here's the second of the three parts, with one more that you'll get to read tomorrow. As always, questions and comments are wonderful.

Incidentally, I have the full speech that Leanne gave, but Bridget wasn't paying much attention to. I could post it, if anyone would be interested. For now, however, here's the next part

Issue 2: Chapter 12 Part 2: Unusual Suspects

Leanne concluded her speech, thanking the whole team, and the whole room applauded while the Stalwart Six descended from the stage and back toward their table. The silence of the room was broken as many side conversations began at once, and people got up and began milling about.

“Nice job, oh fearless leader,” Isis congratulated, as they resumed their seats. “All the stuffy society people really ate that up.”

There was a chorus of assent from the other team members.

“Well, thank you. I did try to fit the tastes of the audience,” she replied with an uncharacteristically impish smirk. “I assume, dear, that you'll be engaging your standard protocol for events like this.”

“Yep!” Isis said cheerfully, shifting to her cat form in a blink. She let out an excited mew, and streaked off in the direction of the hors d'oeuvres.

“Um, Leanne?” Stell asked uncertainly. “I think I'll go mingle. There's...someone I want to talk to.” She nodded her had in the direction of the VIP table.

“Certainly. It's good to get used to socializing at events like this. That goes for all of you of course,” she said, surveying the team. “You're welcome to stay here and field questions for the team with me, or do whatever you like. If there's a problem, just give the signal, and Isis will be there to give you an out.”

<<Now, little one, the real work begins. Let's->>

Tail the Star Warden? Bridget finished for her.

<<Indeed.>>

Bridget waited a few seconds, then got up and followed Stell, swerving only to avoid passing by the table where her parents sat, and the death glare her mother was no doubt sending her way for her earlier breach of decorum.

Bridget did her best to look innocuous, as she made her way quietly to the VIP table, carefully making sure that Sami was too caught up in conversation with some older heroes to notice or complain that she wasn't with the rest of the family. As she sidled closer, she could hear the garish butterfly-woman engaged in loud, spirited discussion with her white haired male neighbor. The bubbling, transatlantic-accented torrent of her chatter carried through the air in a self-involved stream of conversation, ostensibly directed at one person, but performed for all to hear.

“...they're just so DRAB, Karl. They might as well just hang TOWELS over their shoulder and flap them around in the breeze! I mean, look at that girl over there; precious thing, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as a little squirrel. And quite frankly, squirrel pelt would be at least SOMEthing original about her. Star theme, bright colors, form-fitting tights. I'm feeling my wits dull just looking at that travesty of a Soviet reject.”

The woman lifted a hand with turquoise nails to point to the table where Sami was waiting to talk to an elderly man with short-cropped salt and pepper hair, and the twin scale emblem of the League of Virtue on his chest.

Bridget barely restrained a giggle.

I changed my mind. I like this lady, she thought to Val.

<<Stay focused little one,>> Val admonished. <<Don't let yourself be distracted from our vital mission by petty personal concerns.>>

“You see, Karl?” the woman continued. “This young lady's costume is fanTASTically daring. As she turned away from Sami in disgust, er eyes fell on Stell, who had wandered nearby. “There's so little here, but it says so much! Clearly THIS one at least was designed by someone with half a brain!” She reached out to grab a pinch of the blue material of Stell's costume and run it through her fingers.

“In fact, I'd even say it has some of the hallmarks of my own ingenious design!” She clicked her tongue as she looked Stell up and down. “Yes, yes, all the BRILLiant Cecelia Aster trademarks are here. A bare midriff to display a raw, eleMENtal power, an excellent choice of contrasting colors, no cape to ravage the unity of theme, and a skirt to keep a touch of femininity in the midst of battle! Surely one of my students gave form to this masterpiece!”

“Um, actually Ms. Aster,” Stell said awkwardly, “I designed all the uniforms for our team. I've been a fan of your designs for ages though.”

<<A likely story, glow worm,>> Val scoffed.

Cecelia Aster, however, was much more easily swayed by Stell's attempt at flattery.

“Oh, but of course you are, darling! Tell me, which team do you design for, dear? You seem a little green to be designing for the League of Virtue.”

“Oh, um, the Stalwart Six?”

Cecelia Aster paused for a moment, one finger on the side of her cheek, as though she was having trouble remembering.

Seriously lady? Bridget thought, indignation welling up on Stell's behalf despite herself as her opinion reversed in an instant. How can you be so self-centered that you don't even remember the name of the group the gala you're at is for?

After a few long seconds, the bombastic fashionista was able to remember something, at least.

“Ah yes, of course! So you were the ones to dispense justice to that terrible Dreadnought character, and spare us all the agony of his atrocious bronze pauldrons,” she said, her face scrunched up in disgust. “Well, that's certainly an act of heroism for which we should all feel the most profound gratitude. Don't you agree, Sonia?”

Ms. Aster turned expectantly to a woman in a sharp black pantsuit with meticulously polished golden buttons who was diagonally across from her, who was looking intently at her tablet. What Bridget could see of her face from the side was dominated by the swirl of her straight-cut mod hairdo, visible only for a moment as she looked up long enough to reply with a dry and perfunctory “Indeed.” Having engaged in the minimum required degree of politeness, Sonia returned to her reading material. She paid no attention to the scowl that had formed on Cecelia Aster's face as the consummate socialite realized with a huff that she had been summarily blown off like some half-witted debutante.

“Well! I am sure what Ms. Quentin meant to say was-” Cecelia Aster began, shooting Sonia a reproachful look.

“Estella Annabelle Roarke.” Ms. Quentin interrupted, her voice a steely monotone. “I have a query to pose to you.”

“Um, I- okay?” Stell was obviously taken aback by the use of her full name.

“Why are you out on the front lines in the city's battle against criminality? Those in Ms. Aster's profession seldom have much taste for warfare.”

“Oh. Well, I was out with kendra on a routine patrol to test her new equipment when things suddenly went south, and no one else could get to us in time. And I had never figured that I would make much of a fighter, but I turned out to be better at it than I expected.”

“Better than you expected? What precisely do you mean by that?” Ms. Quentin's mouth was a straight line, and the piercing look she gave Stell made it clear that she found the heroine's vagueness both intriguing and suspicious.

<<Finally, someone in this city has the sense to be suspicious of a being who can construct anything out of light and has the combat prowess of a fully-trained commando, but purports to be a mere stripling artist.>>

“Still, to fight many meta-human criminals at once by yourself is no small feat, especially untrained. Did you have some power that enabled you to prevail?”

“Well, I have my power that's kinda...” she paused for a moment thoughtfully, “in my skin, and it makes me pretty hard to hurt when I'm in my star form.” Stell breathed in, and suddenly her skin glowed with a light that stung Bridget's eyes as it flared, and looked as though it were sheathed in millions of shining crystals.

Val let out a mental yelp of surprise, and the sheer shock of her passenger's sudden emotion made her flinch backward. Sonia did the same, and it took her a moment to regain her composure. Ms. Aster, meanwhile, positively squealed with delight.

MagNIficent, darling! Why, if you could incorporate a feature like that into your designs, you could become truly legendary!”

“Oh!” Stell said, “That would be amazing, but I can't really do it for other people. Even if I were to encase them in my shooting stars, they'd fade as soon as I stopped concentrating on them.” To emphasize the point, she let her star form drop, and in a moment, her light faded.

Sonia Quentin pursed her lips thoughtfully, then spoke. “Ms. Roarke, I find your abilities quite intriguing. Scientific research is never a certain endeavor, but I believe, if you would be favorable, my company and I could help you develop your powers to achieve the level of permanence that would be necessary to augment others in a similar fashion.” She handed Stell her business card.

Ms. Aster nodded encouragingly. “It's quite the opportunity, darling! It would certainly bolster your curriculum vitae.”

“Thanks, I -” Stell began, then did a double-take as she looked down at the card. “Wait, you're the CEO of Vector? THE Vector?”

“Indeed,” Sonia said, dryly.

“B-But this is amazing!” Stell sputtered.

“I think it will be quite the mutually beneficial arrangement, and will enable both of us to learn much.” She gave Stell the same steely stare from before; it made Bridget quail a little just from being in its line of fire as she stood behind the sparkly heroine.

“In fact, if you would be amenable...I had considered offering Vector's sponsorship to your entire team. Do you think you could prevail upon Ms. Shelby to see the wisdom of such a move?”

“I...well, I can certainly try,” Stell said brightly, betraying a tiny quaver of uncertainty in her voice as she did.

“Splendid. These contracts are fairly standard, but I'll have my assistant retrieve the details.”

She snapped her fingers imperiously. Then, a woman in a bright red dress and black stockings, her hair in a tight, high ponytail emerged silently from thin air barely a foot to the left of Bridget, holding a massive suitcase that must have weighed forty pounds in one hand. She strode, heels clacking on the floor, to stand behind and to the right of her superior.

<<WHAT?>> Val gasped. <<How did she-?>>

Bridget herself nearly shot straight up in the air in surprise, but just barely managed to hold her composure, as Val found hers again.

<<Quickly, little one! Look at her energy signature!>> Val commanded, and Bridget hurried to obey, feeling the rush of Val's power into her eyes. Sure enough, as Bridget looked at Ms. Quentin's assistant, she was surrounded two overlapping auras of dark energy. The first was the same massive concentration she'd seen from afar, but the second clearly radiated out from the center of the woman's body.

<<B-but that shouldn't be possible. I am the Chief Science Officer of the Void Fleet! There's no way some random flunky could have eluded my-our senses.>>

But she was invisible, maybe that-

<<We should still have been able to see through it!>> Val snapped.

The Voidwalker and the executive, however, did not give Val the time to deduce why the impossible had happened.

“Well, Ms. Roarke?” Sonia gestured to the table where Leanne sat, surrounded by a gaggle of other party guests, with Isis perched on her shoulder, nose deep in a deviled egg. Phoebe stood nearby, idly running a hand through Isis's fur, observing everything through blindfolded eyes and well-honed ears. “Shall we?”

Stell nodded her assent, and the trio rose and headed in the same direction. She took the lead, Ms. Quentin followed behind, and her assistant walked in her shadow.

<<If we let the Voidwalkers get their tentacles into the Stalwart Six, there's no way we'll be able to persuade them to our side; they'll all be attuned before long.>>

Yeah, but what are we going to do about it? It's not like they'll believe us if we tell the truth.

<<Don't worry, little one. I'll think of something.>>

-