"The entire solar system is well guarded. As you all know, the celzex have the most complicated and extensive planetary defense network known to the universe. This is likely because they are one of the oldest species to exist in ether the Milky Way or the andromeda. Our intelligence suggests that they have technological capabilities thousands of years ahead of our own, and that includes the use of some sort of dyson sphere."

"What is a Dyson sphere?"

Adam looked up from his mapping, with a scandalized look as if he couldn't fathom someone not knowing.

Ramirez shrugged, "What? I'm not a science fiction nerd."

"Its not a.... it's a feasible form of energy harvesting that..... never mind, I can see you aren't listening.'

Ramirez grin where he leaned his chin against his hands, "Nope, but you are cute when you get all riled up."

Adam turned bright red, and Sunny couldn't help but laughing from where she stood next to the wall. She loved it when he blushed, she found it do be an endearing fact about humans, and Adam in particular, the sudden rush of blood to the skin that gave away his thoughts so easily, not that he was a particularly difficult man to read in the first place. Ramirez turned and winked at her and she hummed softly in her chest.

He didn't have to do that, she knew that Ramirez would never attempt to steal Adam from her. He was a womanizer.... And a mananizer? Basically Ramirez would try anyone once, and many people more than once, but she knew –having become one of his close friends within recent years—that he would never REALLY attempt to go after Adam as long as he was claimed by someone else. Ramirez may have been a proverbial "Player." But he never chased parked cars.

Adam sighed, "Can you not."

"But your blush is just so adorable, how could I resist." Ramirez countered making the other members of the Omen laugh as Adam huffed. Not everyone was there yet, which is why Ramirez was able to behave so openly with Adam. Adam was his superior by more than a few ranks, and social convention should have held that the two men were not friendly least of all friends, though that had not stopped either of them in the slightest.

Adam's usual battle assembly was there. Sunny, Ramirez, Maverick and Dr. krill, who was roped into pretty much anything if it had a risk of injury.

Though, she mused, risk of injury was a rather large understatement considering that they believed the Celzex had weapons capable of destroying entire planets in one go, if not stars, and by extension, solar systems.

All of this was the reason the had to be careful.

It was just then that the door opened, and a few other members of the crew stepped in, including her brother kanan, with Lord Avex riding on his shoulder.

Lord Avex was one of the aforementioned creatures, small, colorful and furry with big eyes, a pig nose, and floppy pig ears. He was actually the son to Emperor Celex, supreme ruler of the Celzex, and would be the most knowledgeable on the subject, though he had been annoyingly tight lipped since this all began, though it was at his urging they were here in the first place.

Adam adjusted himself standing straighter as the group filed in. His sharp green eye stared out at them from the left side of his face, his right eye conspicuously covered by a large black patch which he wore on most occasions.

They had just returned from speaking to the GA council, and were now reviewing their plan of war, or what Adam liked to call war, even though it was more of some kind of spy mission. Sunny still did not entirely agree with the idea of spying. In her culture spying was seen as underhanded and even heretical, even after her ascension to Sainthood, she had not bothered to change that way of thinking.

However, she was used to such behavior by now and so kept her peace as he began to speak.

"As you all know, Lord Avex has informed me that his contact with his father has been recently interrupted. GA communications report that the Celzex have not made contact in months, and reports from our surveyors indicate large groups of Celzex ships amassing on the boarder of their solar system.

This is, of course, concerning considering the sort of firepower that even one Celzex ship is said to have much less an entire Armada."

Lord Avex was nodding gravely in agreement. Anyone else might have taken his agreement to be a sort of self congratulations for the power of his own people, but not only were Celzex generally highly conceited they were also completely right. If they wanted they could have taken over the galaxy long ago, which was precisely the thing they were worried about. Lord Avex in particular worried that something had befallen his father and one of their rivals was now making a move for universal domination.

It was important they strike now before any plan of the sort could be carried out.

"it is going to be our job in the proceeding months to send a team into Celzex airspace, and determine the nature of the threat and either neutralize it or send word back to our allies so it can be properly prepared for. There is, of course, the hope that this is all some sort of misunderstanding, and we will find the Celzex simply disinclined to pick up their comms, but that is a bleak hope."

Sunny looked around at all the sullen faces on display seeing her own thoughts reflected back I the faces of others.

They did not see that as very likely, and neither did she.

"Lord Avex has graciously agreed to allow a small group of us into Celzex air space-"

"Though I do so on a few conditions." His lordship began, ears quivering.

Adam nodded, "yes of course, hence the SMALL group of us. This will make things more difficult, but we will be going in mostly blind to our location, but once we are planeside, those rules go out the window. The general plan is to gain an audience with the emperor himself, but barring that we hope to react to whatever issues we may find there."

He adjusted the collar on his brown leather jacket, an item that had once belonged to his brother Thomas, and looked them over, "The team is going to consist of me, Sunny, Lord Avex and-"

"And me."

Sunny whirled towards the door, spear out and ready to confront the unfamiliar voice, and even less familiar silhouette that darkened the doorway. The rest of the group was slower to turn, but when they did, eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

Maverick's face was immediately split with a look of distain, while Ramirez's face had such a look of plain hunger on it that Sunny was almost embarrassed for him. Adam for his part seemed only surprised as the figure stepped from the doorway to finally show herself in the light of the room.

Sunny was no great expert on human females, but even with her limited knowledge, she could tell that this one was a fine representation. She was tall, almost unusually tall for a human woman, around five eleven or so. She had a sharp angular haircut that framed her face in sharp strokes of black, and her eyes were an unusual sort of blue the color of glacial ice. She had high cheekbones and a strong jaw, with long athletic legs and the body of someone who spent an inordinate amount of their time at the gym.

Sunny was reminded of the Greek statues, which Ramirez had introduced her to on his return from New Athens. Not in the way of Greek women as portrayed in marble, all soft and curvaceous, but more like the statue of Zeus translated into female form. If Maverick had been taller, or this woman shorter, they might have been comparable in physique.

She wore a tight black T shirt, and loose black pants.

Sunny had never seen this woman before.

And clearly neither had anyone else.

Adam frowned, "Who the hell are you and how did you get aboard my ship!" He seemed almost insulted as he looked at her hands resting on the table before him.

The woman stalked forward in that predatory way that humans had, and smiled at him, her teeth showing.

Despite smiling being considered a good thing for humans, Sunny got the distinct impression that it was not meant to be a good smile.

"Why, Admiral Vir, they told me you were supposed to be more hospitable than that."

His eye narrowed, "Not generally to people who board my ship uninvited. In fact, I believe they have a word for it."

The woman stalked forward, and when she moved her body wove like a snake.

Sunny huffed sharply, and kept her spear pointed at the woman, who, to Sunny's mild annoyance, didn't even bother to notice the spear that was pointed at her. Sunny would have thought that would be mildly concerning, but the woman barely gave her a glance as she moved forward to rest her hands on their war table.

"Call your dogs off, I'm UNSC." She said, reaching into one of her man pants pockets and withdrawing a wallet. She allowed it to flip open and reveal the badge on the inside which Adam scrutinized closely. Sunny couldn't see what it was from that particular angle, but Adam seemed surprised, stepping back where he stood , and raising an eyebrow, his right eyebrow since he was incapable of raising the left one.

"I see." He squinted to look at the badge and ID, "Agent Amelia McKenny. They didn't tell me you were coming."

"They didn't know that I was coming until a few minutes ago. I had heard about your little problem and decided to offer my services." She leaned forward across the table, and Sunny got the distinct impression that she was watching an intimate moment not meant for her eyes. She didn't know why she thought that, but there was something about the way the woman leaned forward and the emphasis that she placed on her words that Sunny didn't like.

Maverick, Krill and Kanan missed it all together but Ramirez shot her a look.

So she wasn't being crazy after all.

Sunny shifted as the woman pulled back, scooting over to the side so she could more easily see her face.

And she saw the woman's eyes, ice blue, and locked upon Adam with an expression that was too subtly human for Sunny to decode. She watched those eyes as they swept over Adam, starting at his feet, his, missing leg hidden under folds of fabric, his stomach, his well, muscled chest, the line of his jaw, his lips, and finally to fall onto his one remaining eye.

Sunny bristled. Watching the woman look at Adam like that was like watching her run her dirty hands all over him. It just seemed so.... So wrong somehow. Sunny had to stop herself leaning back against the wall. She was being insane, this woman hadn't touched him, hadn't done anything untoward –other than sneak aboard the ship.

"How did you get on board my ship?' he asked, completely oblivious to the woman, looking him over like a pricy cut of steak.

She sighed, "I asked politely and showed my badge at the gate."

"Right."

She smiled then, showing less teeth this time, "I only offer my services because I have some experience with the Celzex. Likely I am one of the only other humans to have gained favor with the emperor himself."

Lord Avex shifted at the mention of his father, "Is that so. I have not heard your name."

She turned to him and bowed low, "Ah Lord Avex, or would Prince be more accurate?"

"Lord will do." He said stiffly, eyeing her with distrust, though that was being somewhat soothed by the differential manner in which she behaved towards him. Celzex could be easily won with flattery, and this woman seemed to be well aware of that.

"Very good. As I was saying, my Lord, that your father would not have mentioned me. We met some time ago in passing and our short partnership was... mutually beneficial. We correspond regularly, though some time ago those correspondence stopped."

Adam glanced at lord Avex, who still did not seem convinced.

"You will have to let us discuss this." Adam began, "We don't know you, and quite frankly we don't trust you. The last time I trusted someone blind, we suffered for it."

She shrugged noncommittally, "Take all the time you need, admiral. I am sure you will find nothing but an exemplary record." As she pulled back all the way, her hand brushed momentarily over his. The tips of her fingers dragging lightly over the back of his knuckles.

She watched Adam shiver and withdraw his hand as she smiled at him.

Sunny found herself craving kebabs. Specifically, UNSC agents on a stick.

Adam motioned a hand to Maverick, "Maverick, take Ms. McKenny's badge number up to the bridge and see if she's telling the truth. Kanan, Lord Avex, keep an eye on her until it clears. We will discuss the rest of this when the results come back."

The room nodded in consensus, and everyone stood.

Maverick stalked past the woman nearly colliding with her shoulder before hurrying off, and Ramirez sidled over to her as the room began to disperse.

Sunny gave him a look muttering low under her breath, "Tell me I'm not crazy."

He shook his head, "Definitely not crazy. I think she was being a bit obvious."

"Do you believe her story?"

"I don't see why not. But that doesn't mean that I like her."

The light in his eyes when she had first entered the room was completely gone now, looking at her with all the suspicion that Sunny felt, and she was glad for him.

"Thank you Ramirez."

He winked at her, "No problem. You know my rules."

She did, in fact know his rules, a very extensive list of rules about who he could and could not like, a list that he said precluded him from making decisions that were just a bit too dumb. This rule included anyone who threatened his friends.

Adam stepped to leave the room, but in the chaos Sunny lost him for a moment, only to be surprised when he appeared next to the doorway with Amelia at his side. Their feet were positioned at a comfortable 45 degrees to one another, but somehow she had managed to position herself so she was closer to him than average conversation might have permitted. She 'pretended' or so it seemed to Sunny, to stumble forward, steadying herself against his chest.

Sunny felt all four of her fists clench as the woman's hands flattened against the muscle, lingering too hard and to long before Adam Stepped away resting a hand on her shoulder to steady her. Sunny wasn't bothered by his action, it held no familiarity, but the way the woman's fingers trailed away from the front of his shirt....

She was about to step forward and do something, when the woman was jostled back, and she was surprised to find Ramirez between them a rueful smile on his face, "Sorry sir, tripped."

Her chest filled with a sudden and overwhelming thankfulness towards their marine as Adam was finally able to step away and out into the hall. Sunny followed after him, blocking the exit before the woman, to allow Adam to get away before following after him.

She caught up to him in the hallway off to his quarters catching him by the wrist.

Even she was surprised when the sudden rush came over her, and she turned him to face her grabbing his shoulder with her other hand and pressing him back into the wall. She stepped forward pressing her body against his, warm human skin and muscle to Drev Chitin as she leaned her head down trailing, what would have been lips on a human, over the skin of his jaw and upper neck. She felt his hands move to her arms in surprise, and he let her go for a moment before.

"Sunny?" She heard the question on his voice, the confusion obvious.

She didn't want to answer his questions, was too angry to do so, wanted to do something to spite that stupid agent that she hated so much for no damn reason, but his question made her step back and take a deep breath centering herself again as she stared at him. His face was flushed a delicate pink, like a bulb fruit just before it begins to ripen.

His eyes caught hers and then narrowed, "What's wrong?"

Out of all the people in the world, She was the only one he could read like that.

"I think Amelia is trying to seduce you." She blurted. Sunny had never been a very subtle person, and keeping this to herself was going to be impossible. Adam for his part looked stunned, as she knew he would.

"WHAT? Why do you say that."

"Just Trust me, Ramirez saw it too. She couldn't keep her dirty mitts of you." She was seething slightly

Adam looked shocked, he had never seen that in her before, and she had never seen it in herself.

"Are you jealous/" He wondered incredulously, eyes widening

"Yes!" She said again not one to be dishonest.

He blushed again, and this time she saw a smile split his face.

"What is so funny." She grumbled.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I uh.... That's actually very flattering."

She blinked, and he grinned, "You being jealous I mean."

He Stepped forward and took her hand his expression growing serious, "Come on Sunny, you know there's only one person in this universe capable of seducing me, and she doesn't have an A line haircut."

He winked, though with only one eye showing it could have been a blink.

Sunny relaxed slightly and allowed him to go without further protest.

He was right of course.

No need for her to be so worried.