Strixes

Evelyn V

"I'm your commanding officer. That's Captain Lescheres, not princess."

"Whatever, princess." She crossed her arms. I was sympathetic but if she couldn't be professional, then she shouldn't be here. Her aptitude aside, if she couldn't follow orders, she was going to be a problem.

"Captain Lescheres," I repeated.

"Princess."

Oh, this was going to be fun. I could just feel it.

One of my better teammates took the cigarette out of his mouth and saluted. "Shinya Togane, at your service, Captain Lescheres."

"Glen Weber, ma'am!" He also saluted. At least I would have two subordinates I could count on.

I looked at her. "Jacqueline Porter, but if you ever call me Jac, I'll introduce your face to the ground, princess. Everyone calls me Jac."

Oh yeah, we were going to have a lot of fun.

"I'm Evelyn Lescheres."

Shinya frowned. "Evelyn Lescheres? Are you related to thy Evelyn Lescheres?"

Jac looked at him. "Who?"

Glen sighed. It was long and suffering. "Evelyn Lescheres is one of Sword's best hunters. She served with Sword for over fifty years."

"How old is the croon?"

I suppressed the urge to kill her. I was young and beautiful again, but that was still new. Commenting on my age brought back those violent impulses. Thankfully I've never been an impulsive person.

"Seventy-Eight. I heard they're going to force her into retirement. Damn shame."

"Better sending her off to the old ladies' home than putting her next to me. I'm not going to trust an old bat whose body is shutting down to watch my back."

She was asking for it alright.

"That is a shame," Shinya said, taking a drag of his cigarette. "In her prime, she had a gold combat rating."

"What's so impressive about that? We're rated gold too," Jac countered.

Shinya shook his head. "She had that rating before she graduated."

Glen whistled. "That's impressive."

Jac snorted. "So what? I graduated with a silver rating. It took me two years to make gold and I did after shattering your record, Shinya. I think I'm more impressed. I have to be the youngest hunter with this high of a combat rating."

I slowly let the anger drain out of me. It would take time, but I was sure I could put a collar on Jac and domesticate her. I had plenty of time for that. No need to rush. It would help if I didn't get under her skin too much.

"My aunt is Evelyn Lescheres," I lied, giving them the cover story. "She's already retired. The last I heard, she excepted a job at the Victoria Institute as an instructor for the advanced class."

"That's good to hear. It would be a shame to let her experience all go to waste."

If they only knew.

"How old are you, princess?"

Seventy-Eight. "Nineteen," I lied. Lying about my cover story was becoming second nature.

"Nineteen? What, are you fucking kidding me?"

"Is that a problem?"

"It damn well is a fucking problem. Who in their right mind puts a nineteen-year-old in charge of a hunting team like ours, huh? Have you even graduated from the institute?"

Fifty-eight years ago. "Yes, I have. Last year."

"Bullshit. How about we check your records?"

"You'll find them classified. I was a part of a special program, not affiliated with a particular institute."

"So we can't confirm? How convenient."

"Evelyn wouldn't be here if she wasn't a member of Sword," Shinya said. "The fact that she's made it past the first floor is proof enough of that."

"Sure. Whatever."

My team all had gold combat ratings. That was good. Other than Jac, this team might be worth something. Just one person was missing. "Where is Inspector Sparks?"

"Right here, ma'am." A grey-haired man appeared in the doorway, his face full of lines. He wore a suit that looked like it was personally tailored for him. Despite his age, he was in great shape and I could see the muscles bulging underneath. "Andrew Sparks, reporting for duty."

Jac took one look at the older man and laugh. "Jeez, first Evelyn Lescheres and now him. Are we running a retirement home or something?"

Glen ignored her and walked over to the inspector, offering his hand. "I'm Glen Weber, sir. it's an honor to meet you."

At least Glen and Shinya had good sense. Inspector Sparks was a legend, though I never had the pleasure of working with the man.

The inspector shook his hand. Glen grimaced a little. "Damn, this is the team they assign me to? When I was told I would be an inspector for one Trident Team, I assumed this would be full of experienced hunters. You're all so young. I'm surprised Sword has such faith in you."

"I couldn't tell you why Sword has so much hope in us, but we will do our best to live up to the expectations placed upon us."

Inspector Spark raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Really? I read your files, though they left out any pictures and ages. Top graduates. Inherent talent forged by fire in the field. This is the dream team alright. You might be a little on the young side, but I look forward to working with you all. It's been a long time since I was assigned to a hunter team."

"You're speaking as if we should know you."

I was about to say, but Shinya beat me to it: "Andrew Sparks is one of the best inspectors of this century and the last. He has uncovered thousands of strixes, lycans, and titans throughout his career. How do you not know who he is?"

"I'm not that famous," Inspector Sparks insisted.

"That isn't true," I said. Now was the time to insert myself into the conversation, before Jac says something stupid and makes the inspector ask for a new assignment. "Evelyn Lescheres. I'm the captain of this team. The Evelyn Lescheres you're thinking about is my aunt."

"Is that how whey they put you in charge? Family nepotism?"

"Sword has strict rules regarding familial ties and favoritism of any kind. My aunt's word wouldn't have been enough to get me this position. What I have, I've earned." It was a good thing I wasn't an old lady anymore, or I would have ripped her a new one. "My aunt didn't want me to join Sword. She insisted that I go to university and become a civil servant or enter the private sector."

That was true enough. If I had a child, I wouldn't have let them anywhere near Sword, but especially as a hunter. Being an inspector or a hunter was dangerous. I had seen so many fellow hunters and even more, inspectors cut down in the line of duty. If my child had wanted to work for Sword, I would make sure they got a desk job, or a support position. Far away from the action on the front lines.

Jac sneered at me, but she didn't say anything else. Other than being a pain and calling me princess, she hadn't been insubordinate with me yet. As long as she followed orders, I might even tolerate the nickname.

"I never got the chance to work with your aunt. That's something I regret. I've read the stories about her exploits and I'm a little jealous. I wish my career had been that exciting."

From what I knew about his career, it had been plenty exciting. After dealing with Jac for less than ten minutes, it was nice seeing someone who was a little more humble.

Not to say that Glen or Shinya wasn't humble, but I didn't know them very well.

"So, you're some kind of super inspector, is that it?"

"I wouldn't go that far, but I have been told that I excel at my field, for whatever that's worth."

"Not much."

Glen sighed and rounded on her. "Do you have to act like that?"

"Act like what, big boy?"

"That. Right there. You're treating us like garbage. Show some respect."

Jac was in his face. "Why don't you try and earn some respect, big guy? Or should I get on my knees and kiss your cock?"

"Alright, that's enough!" I used my commanding voice. It was a tone I perfected when I used to work with teams. Back before I was too old and no team would take me. Before I had slipped into a silver combat rating. "Jac, take it down a notch."

"Excuse me?"

I locked eyes with her. She was glaring, but I knew her type. I hadn't ever seen someone so extreme in Sword itself, but I had put plenty of guys with her attitude in check and I wasn't afraid of her. Looking away would be seen as a weakness, so I held her eyes. "You've been nothing but combative and confrontational since I arrived. You have gone out of your way to disrespect your fellow hunters and now another colleague. This ends here. If you can't control your mouth, I'll have you reassigned. I don't care how talented you are."

I thought she might put up a bigger fight, maybe even cross the line, but after staring me down like an animal, Jac turned away.

"Have I come at a bad time?"

I waved his concern away. "Not at all. We're happy to have you."

"Is it true that you're a celestial?" Glen asked. Jac whipped her head back. Oh great.

Inspector Sparks laughed. "Yes indeed. My astral form has helped me so dozens of cases over the years. I know most celestials prefer careers that will keep them safe and out of the crossfire, but I can't say that I agree with their train of thought.

Jac opened her mouth, but I silenced her with a look. She was not going to start anything again. Not on my watch.

"I'm sorry I'm so late, but I was overseeing the transportation of your new hardsuits."

"That's not an inspector's job, is it?"

"No, but these were special circumstances. When I was assigned to this team and Neptune, my superiors in Jupiter sent me with a gift."

"Sword Joint Command sent us new hardsuits?" Shinya clarified.

"That is what I was asked to deliver."

"Why weren't they sent here from one of the factories?"

"Simple. These suits have not yet been given over to mass production."

"These aren't mass produced?" I cut in. "Then what are they?"

"An upgrade on the Ares Hardsuits. The most advanced prototype hardsuits ever created. Well, ever created in Aquroya. We have no way to know what Nox in Lumios and Golden Shield in the USSS have created, but we are confident that this prototype is the most advanced hardsuit ever created. It's been named Athena-01."

The Ares Hardsuits had been in use since 2600, with numerous upgrades and changes over the years. Yet it seemed that Project Phoenix wasn't the only project that Sword had been dumping money into.

"Four state-of-the-art prototypes?" I asked. Inspector Sparks nodded. "Any reason that they're giving these new hardsuits to us?"

"As you all know, it is believed that two progenitors, possibly three, have come to Neptune. With their full courts. Rumors of a powerful lycan pack calling this city home for years are starting to look less like a rumor. If that isn't all, the titan radical Kamui had come to this city. He wants to start his revolution here. That's why Sword is increasing the Neptune budget twofold, and they've given your teams the new Athena Hardsuits."

I hadn't heard about Kamui coming here. Calling him a radical wasn't an understatement. He advocated violent revolution against the human race. He viewed the infected as the oppressed, even though most unregistered infected had a habit of killing humans. Well, other than the celestials, governments and organizations all across Artemis have found that celestials are incredibly useful. That gives them some protection in our society.

"So, where are these new hardsuits?" I asked.

Inspector Sparks grinned. "Down in the loading dock. Come on, I'll show you."

***

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