Run Like Hell

[Ashley Walker]

Ashley uncomfortably watched Cece telepathically access the Scots woman's mind. Satisfied they separated, the link broken.

Ethan cleared his throat, "If y'all are looking for a place lay low there's an Alliance safe house in New Seattle that we never use. Too far out of the way."

Ashley glanced at Cece, "That sounds like a good place. At least temporarily until we can land on our feet."

[Cece Ryder]

"You should go there. I've got something already set up." Cece said as she stood up. "Thank you Kat." she smiled softly and nodded her head. "And I wouldn't worry so much, they appreciate everything you do for them. I don't think I ever told you this before... thank you for helping Trinity. She does mean a lot to me."

"That's high praise." Trinity whispered to Kat. "Hey... Carly... are you okay? Really?"

"I'm fine. Really." Cece said softly. "I'm not exactly doing 'okay' with what my mom and dad did... but we have to focus on this first. But soon..."

[Kat Donovan]

"I have learned people do things they no would normally do survive or to protect the ones they love lass," Kat said thoughtfully. "I have done some wee nasty things my own self to survive, yet here I am. Yer folks had their reasons, yet the fact that they didn't shoot their way out of the compound when they escaped tells me that they are not irredeemable. If that were the case ye should arrest me now. You know all me secrets now."

[Cece Ryder]

"And you know some of mine." Cece said softly. "I think they can be redeemed but... it's going to be hard to walk back the destruction of planets, even if they're enemy worlds, they're still planets. Not everyone was guilty." she sighed. "I have some ideas... but I'd have to discuss them later. In any case, Dominus and Bellatrix are the clear and present danger and this is a rare opportunity, given that we'd have them AND Sieg'Ajem helping them, now we've got her and her loyalists... "

"I agree... this isn't something that comes up often, Ajem don't work with the Jase or anyone affiliated with them, so they must be worried about their hides. Enemy of our enemy and all that." Trinity said and sat next to Kat. "I... saw this. I saw red blades standing with light blades. I didn't understand it, I thought it was Bellatrix trying to manipulate me into joining her. But... maybe it was this."

"Precognition... that would have been useful a decade ago." Cece rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Maybe we'd still have had our Terra Alpha."

"And yet, we'd never have come here and and... that reality was fucked before I was born. Literally. We had to fix it. Of course, I have come to understand why you've kept me arms length at times and why you didn't let me out of your sight. It hurt and confused me but now I see why." Trinity said as she put her arms around Cece. "Just y'know... treat me like a woman that knows a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two okay?"

"Fair enough. Ethan... I do have one thing to ask of you... don't tell the President anything about this plan. Not yet at least. They're my counterpart's and my siblings guardians now, I can't have anything happen to them." Cece said softly. "Anything goes south, I'll take the hit. I'm just a remnant of a dead world, I can make a new life if I have to. Burn Cece Ryder. Alright? Given who my parents were, easy enough for me to be the villain and take the heat."

[Ethan Talon]

"With Camp Ryder in operation I don't have much call to go to the Capital anymore, unless I'm ordered to attend a Joint Chief's meeting. I won't volunteer the information, but I will not lie and defy a direct order."

[Cece Ryder]

"I wouldn't expect you to. Trained you better than that Ethan." Cece said and put her hand on his shoulder. "Of course you're not the little cowboy Marine that used to run ops with me. You're a Major General now. Command of a Corps, a whole camp under your command. Wife, children on the way. You two grew up. As your former CO, I must say... I'm immensely proud of you two. So do not jeopardize that for your old Captain, alright? Or I'll have to kick both of your asses and you know I can. Just... let me do what I can before I make my presence known outside the core group. President's Chief of Staff running with the enemy, that's going to look bad on him too. When this is all over, I'm retiring... "

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan chuckled, "Of course it wouldn't be the first time I defied a direct order." He looked over at Trinity, "Some things are more important that the chain of command. What was his name? He was fit to be tied when he found out I'd snuck on board for that mission that took us here." He winced remembering how he brow beat Trinity into telling him where she was going.