Weirding Out

Previous parts of Oriana's Chapter from Merchant Federacy
>Waiting
>Fragile
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Surround the Object and open fire. Keep the distance. You must not enter hand-to-hand combat at all cost. You must not hold fire to protect other Operators in hand-to-hand combat. You must not withdraw from the scene under any circumstances. You must not cease fire until out of ammo.
Don't run. Never run.
There's no such thing as too many casualties when neutralising the Object.
                                                                                                - Anonymous Respirative Officer about Renegade Duelists

***

Oriana closed her eyes, listening into soft humming of her pWEGs warming up, silencing the stings of pain from various minor wounds. Tavasts' duelist stood few stories below her, his visors fixed on her hiding place. Their weapons shifted with loud cracking, as their synthetic brains were going through infinite possibilities for each other's next move. In the very next moment she was dashing down through ruined floors to meet her opponent. She felt large object flying by her, Malican duly noted it was her own arm, cut off cleanly a bit below elbow. At the same time her own weapon went deep into man's chest, slipping out of her, currently only, hand. She broke away looking back at giant, barely slowed by sword sticking out of his body. Once again, she shortened the distance by quick jump, feeling Tavast's weapon smashing her back. At the verge of consciousness she grabbed her own sword and forced shapeshift into it. Her opponent started to hack madly at her, as her blade shifted into talons and fangs, following the vital organs reorganising inside other duelist to avoid lethal damage...

Too late, too slow. With loud thud Tavasts' duelist felt on his back, ruckling and groaning. She was trying to stand up before Doge's Agent arrives, but all that she achieved was sharp spike of pain in the back and losing sight in the process. Blind and half-deaf, she crawled away from opponent, to finally reach the wall and sit by it. She heard the calling of soldiers, but couldn't answer. Last thing she remembered was her sergeant pulling her up. Her back answered with another explosion of pain and she slipped into nothingness...

***

Marge laughed loudly and clapped her hands together, watching the live feed on screens. Recorders on Malican soldiers and official feed from Doge's Respirative showed the fallen Tavast duelist, pierced by Malican mod-steel. Ardogast left the room, not really disgusted by transmission, maybe rather... unnerved. Oriana was in awful shape and he doubted they could bring her back before next duel - or that she'll be eager to participate in it. Oh, he fully understood Marge, who was probably already receiving necessary documents to overtake the Industrial Moloch their duelist just won for the Family. Win one planet and lose two, it didn't matter as long as cargo kept flowing on board of Sails and the Profit was optimal
- For Profit and Honour he mumbled the credo of Merchant Federacy, walking through mostly empty hallway. Private chambers of Malicans were empty with most Family members working on their own businesses on dozens of different planets. He approached the window and looked at planet surface. Pillars of Merchant Federacy grew tall above the cities, piercing the skies and guarding the enormous, deep, artificial bay which ordinary freighters used as a launchpad to reach one of the Sails hanging up above them in loneliness of space. Down there, there was life. There was no Honour and no Profit that stayed in the back of one's head, carefully weighing every move, every gesture and every emotion. He wasn't appreciating it back then when he was still allowed to roam the streets in escort of local nobles, now even that he couldn't do
- You're getting old, father!
Oriana's voice echoed in his thoughts. Since he adopted her she insisted on calling him "father" and no amount of explaining that it was done only for Family's greater good was enough. Nor was begging. So he finally got over it and just occasionally rolled his eyes while she kept calling him like that - of course encouraged by Marge, who apparently found it hilarious to torment her own son.

Ardogast wondered, whether Oriana actually remembered that they had met before. He really doubted it, as it was short episode on Sardis, one of twin home planets of Malicans. She was barely seven Councils old, while he was already fifteen and considered himself adult. He just received his very first sword and she approached him curiously during one of obligatory Family meetings that Marge and Uncle were holding in beautiful, lush forest of which Sardis had plenty. Little Oriana announced that she will become duelist and he responded that, of course, each Family member has to learn fencing, so it isn't really a secret. She then corrected him, saying that she will become "real duelist". Of course first he let his temper get better of him and before he realised what she said he was standing there alone, with aching shin. Before next meeting Oriana was already at New Karalu and what was done to her there he preferred to not know. Final result was more than enough for him.

- Most honourable Ardogast?
- Yes? he turned around to face the Klone servant. It wore skintight suit in black and yellow colours of Malicans and appeared as woman, although he knew well that it was useless to use such words in regard to those automata. Full cloning facilities resulted in handful of civil wars in the past of Merchant Federacies, so new Klones were tailored to fulfill their job without being sentient. Still, if treated to live long enough, they were capable of becoming sentient to certain degree. Much to his concern, considering that most Families thought about it as dishonourable while he had affair between Klone and their duelist at hand
- Most honourable Marge Malican wishes you, most honourable Ardogast, to accompany her during dinner.
- Please, tell my mother I'll be there shortly he turned back just to land face first into another Klone, this time a bit fancier, fashioned after half-men half-beast of old myths. He didn't even have to look at white suit it was sporting to know he's facing Doge's servant for Profit and Honour.
- For Profit and Honour, most honourable Ardogast Malican Karalu-Sardis roared Klone in deep bass Doge Larka, Thirty-Sixth of this name, invites Ardogast Malican to planet Gyaclea.
His eyebrows rose in surprise. He wasn't expecting Doge to invite anyone, much less in such unofficial - or maybe rather whispering - way. On the one hand, he wondered what could be so important to seek advice among Families - and even more important, not Head of one them - on the other, he feared that Doge might actually got too close with Malicans and others' concerns weren't as missed as he originally thought. He also considered that it might be him specifically, that Larka wants to... meet. He was fine, young man and she was great looking, even younger woman, so... He sighed. She was also a Doge and her advisers had carefully chosen... the right path for her in that matter. The path that specifically omitted all the Families. And there was also that small thing, that sat in the back, the one which asked
- How will this damage the Profit?
- Doge Larka, Thirty-Sixth of this name awaits answer, most honourable Ardogast, to plan her day accordingly.
- Huh? Ah, yes, I will arrive with Sail 5. Its arrival plans should already be accessible at Gyaclea Pillar.
- For Profit and Honour Klone answered in tone heavier than his stomps, while he was leaving the corridor. Ardogast returned to his mother, full of new concerns.

***

- We are worried, little sister.
- I'm fine, big brothers.
- You should rest. We will tell them to send you back to your happiness, little sister.
- I wasn't created to rest, big brothers. Nor were you to worry Oriana laughed at large ship's care. Her pWEGs were still cooling off, so when they were traveling on Weirding Yacht she could speak freely with Sail 11 - only downside being that she was only one that could be heard in the ship. Fortunately, her soldiers knew about their small talks and technician that was operating the medical equipment couldn't care less, barely overseeing the healing process carried over by her gene-mod body and synthetic carapace
- We are sure that there are enough of us to worry without affecting the performance, little sister.
- I swear I'm fine, big brothers! she moaned can you now give me some time? I want to be alone now.
- Just remember you promised to visit us after trip!
- Of course I remember, big brothers.
- You also promised we will meet Sophiya, little sister
- Her name is Soviya, big brothers. And that I remember too she felt barely noticeable vibrations going through Yacht's hull as Sail 11 withdrew their presence. She looked around, noticing that in the meantime her soldiers listened to the order and left to landing compartment. Lack of comfortable sits wasn't making any difference to them considering their heavy armours, but she still felt guilty. Using the fact that she was now alone - besides technician running the diagnostics - she summoned comm station and requested her home. Next few minutes she spent observing Soviya - Klone was deaf and mute, so they weren't "talking" much - as she presented her new dresses that she bought. Assuring her that she'll be back soon, Oriana ended transmission and tried to roll into more comfortable position.

She remembered Sail 11 from way back. They met at New Karalu in very young age and were going together through WEG-optimalisation process. Back then Sail-tailored duelists were new thing, but currently there were even tries of back-fitting the Sails and older duelists, as similar frequency of Weirding Effect had positive effect on pWEGs warm-up time and comfort of usage. She was still only eleven Councils old, but already gene-mode, while big brothers were going through first Weirding Effect passages, so, with constant shape changes each time they met, they could be anywhere between nine to nineteen Councils old. She didn't even know whether they were boy or girl, as she saw them in both forms and Sail 11 themselves haven't remembered anything from those times aside of - at least so they claimed - the pleasant feeling of goodness when they were passing the tests well with Oriana.
She didn't remember lot from New Karalu either, it was only lots of pain twisted with lots of happiness, depending on whether it was day of operations or training. At first it was only pain, but it was clear to her that it's because she hadn't been trying good enough.

Oriana rolled on her other side and hissed in pain as fragile bonds in her newly re-attached hand bent under painful angle. With cursing she sat down, trying to massage some circulation into the limb. Technician wasn't reacting, so she tried to stand up. Then she felt some actual input from her medic, as she almost felt back before the tingling sensation started - small stings from diagnostic equipment activating right muscles for her due to broken connections in her spine
- Can you fix that? she asked, surprised by own, hoarse voice. As they discussion with Sail 11 went largely through Weirding Effect, she wasn't aware of how she really sounded
- Lady Oriana, I'd prefer it to heal in natural pace. Interfering right now may come with unnecessary pain.
- So you can fix that?
Technician sighed, calling appropriate switches from the console. Comm system of Yacht automatically requested sergeant to come back to cabin and oversee - and, if needed, stop - the process. Few moment later he carefully placed whimpering duelist back into the bed.

***

Ardogast jumped out before hatch fully opened and took the deep breath of salty air. Gyaclea was permanently covered with fogs and clouds, above which dominated the Great Three - Porting Pillar, with landing pad deep down beneath its feet, shortest and stubbiest of all three, Pillar of the Council - the medium one, where Council meetings between all families of Merchant Federacy met, but also the largest trading hub in known world and finally Spire of Doges, tall, slim construction with single, ornamented entrance breaking its otherwise perfectly smooth surface. Inside were the gardens, menageries and palaces, all at whim of currently ruling Doge Larka.

Before he could reach the building, two white-suited Klones suddenly appeared from fog and gently but firmly led him deeper into the fog. This was the first time Malican regretted not taking anyone with him and even refusing the usual four soldiers in yellow-black armours to accompany him to the surface. He was already getting afraid that he accidentally ran into faulty Klones and they don't know what they're doing, when he noticed darker shape before him. Rest of the trip he spent inside Rover, completely unaware of direction they were traveling to, with visibility barely reaching beyond his nose.

Still, he wasn't surprised that they soon arrived at the feet of Spire, the fact he could recognise only by smooth surface of object in front of him. He looked to the left and right, wondering if they expect him to climb all the way up or is there some kind of flier awaiting them as well. He still doubted they will be able to enter the Spire unnoticed - all after all, the entrance was designed the way it was to avoid the secrets and conspiracies - but he haven't expected that young Doge thought it all the way through. Okay, technically she wasn't much younger than him, but he was still quite assured of own experience in world of politics, while it was hard not to notice that despite teachings of her father, current Larka was quite happy with Council making decisions in her stead.

And then the earth rumbled.