End of Line...

[Ophelia]

"Oh I know it, that's why I do it. But that's the problem, it IS my business. If he is distracted or worse, losing his nerve then he will not be effective in whatever you send him to do." Ophelia gestured with her hand. "After his failure he needs to get his confidence back."

[Bellatrix]

"That wasn't the problem, though, honestly his affinity for someone was his problem," Bellatrix replied. "Despite what you may or may not of felt about your sister Ian loved Órlaith. And no, not like you think. It was a brotherly love, but he feels conflicted by these recent events. I have to admit, it's a feeling I share. She most certainly betrayed us by fleeing into the arms of our enemies, and in truth her heart betrayed us long before she fled on that shuttle. That said, had she not attacked Ian in her escape she'd be dead, and the instict for survival is something I understand all too well."

[Ophelia]

"Like I said, Ian needs something to make himself feel in control of all this. He looks like one of the slaves after we've beaten them for breathing funny, just cowering and sullen. Hell, for those, I give them a slave of a lower class to push around, perks them right up. Makes them feel like they got a little bit of control even though they have none that which we give them." Ophelia sat up and stretched. "Anyway... that was lovely wine mother... where did we plunder that? I wish I could have partaken in some of the food, but I had a rather large meal earlier and any more and people will think I am expecting." she sighed. "I miss Orlaith too, I fear I was a bit too harsh with her at times, but in these days... there is very little time for coddling. But she did seem far too... caring. She was brutal, but only because she was acting that way because we expected it of her, not because she had that inner fire that we share."

[Bellatrix]

"She came back from that mission in which Cross killed our acolyte different. Though, I have always suspected that it was Órlaith that actually killed him. I sensed deception when she told me what had happened. Anyway, she no longer did her duty without question because that was all she knew, and that sent her down a path that isn't compatible with our line of work."

[Ophelia]

"Sometimes not every plan works as we hoped. I do still have her DNA in the ship's repository, just in case you or father have the desire to start again with her." Ophelia said and shrugged her shoulders. "That is providing we survive the coming days, I do not fear death honestly... I just don't want all our work to be for nothing because some punk with a kilden bloody took us out and we have no one to carry on the plan. Once the galaxy has become what we've worked toward then I can die. I knew from the time I was old enough to reason that my life is finite, we may be as goddesses to some of these lower lifeforms, but we're not immortal. And who the fuck wants to live forever? I believe it was a philosopher from the 20th century who once said 'live fast, die young, leave a pretty corpse."

[Bellatrix]

"There's no sense in waiting until later and wishing we had done it now. Go ahead and let's clone her. We can keep her in a time dilation chamber indefinitely. I would assume we can adjust it to go slower than normal time."

[Ophelia]

"Of course, the chambers can make a century out here like days in there or days out here like a century in there. I must say, the technology is remarkable, the one good thing the Imperium in this reality created so we could refine it. A virtual existence. Go in a fetus come out an adult." Ophelia glanced at her own body. "I mean, the fact that I was able to accelerate the growth on this body, teach myself a few new things and return to 'normal' in about as much time as it took to have my period is remarkable. Just proves what so many cling to as life is so meaningless. With the right simulations and stimulation, I could go back, have you and I spend my formative years together and have in jokes and in stories we would know." she tapped her chin. "Perhaps that's what we need do with Orlaith 2... create those bonds earlier. Almost from infancy. Like you did with me, I feel like I was only a toddler when I crushed my first windpipe with the Iljuna."

[Bellatrix]

"That's because you were," Bellatrix replied. "I'm not sure how to best use this asset at the moment. I'll have to think on it, but I do believe you are correct on the training and conditioning. We have to overcome her natural personality, which like yours is incredibly strong."

[Ophelia]

"Well given who you and father are... are you really shocked we have strong personalities?" Ophelia said with a smirk. "We can work on the clone later, for now I have a mission... and one that I can't use violence to solve. Although can I use a liiiitle bit? Not like murder, just... inflict a tiny amount of pain to bring my point across? Besides, for some pain IS pleasure. Course I'd rather be the one inflicting it than having it inflicted on me. I'm no man's submissive."

[Bellatrix]

"And you shouldn't be," Bellatrix replied. "Have a safe and productive journey my daughter. And enjoy yourself."