Chapter 17.2 Talk softly, and carry The Biggest Stick.
3027
Styx
Bridge of The Biggest Stick
Twenty four hours later, the enemy dropships were less than five hours out from the Mining station. And the Heimdall agents were prepping the Silver Eagle to get out of the Styx system, well, once the Combine dropships go away. They were still constantly sending back requests for me to actually do something to prepare for the Combine.
I had purposefully made sure the idiot wannabe pirates didn’t know about the Stick yet.
But this was the fun part. I was on the bridge, casually sitting in one of the very comfortable chairs Melissa beside me as we opened communications with the Overlord dropship.
The Fury dropship was unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Even if they did do something stupid. I had Nighthawks. Their elite infantry have nothing to counter that.
Huh. I was stacking up a lot of uncounterable weapons of war wasn’t I?
The call went out, and it took a few moments for a response to connect. The Holovid showed exactly who I suspected would answer a call.
Yorinaga Kurita. The man who was the rival of Morgan Kell.
I gave him a moment to take in what he was seeing, me casually relaxing in a chair, Melissa Steiner sitting next to me.
“I am Lord Yorinaga Kurita. I am here to recover Melissa Steiner from this act of piracy.”
“Commander Victoria Eisen-Blume, ISDF. I am here to protect Melissa Steiner from the kidnapping attempts that have been made on her. I am afraid your mission is already complete Lord Kurita. The ISDF thanks you for your… offer of help but it is not needed.” I say playing along, It was such a Kuritan thing to try and pull the, ‘oh no we aren’t kidnapping her! We are rescuing her! And then taking her to Luthien of course.’
Yorinaga didn’t even twitch, although I could see his eyes taking me in, probably doing some goofy Chi Magic to determine if I was a “Warrior” Or some Combine Nonsense.
“You are within Combine space. You are outnumbered. Whether you hide atop an Asteroid, or the planetoid means nothing. We will not allow you to leave. Surrender, and you will be treated honorably.”
I remained quiet for a time choking back my instinctual reaction to Combine ‘Honor.’ I could probably handle this without revealing my new toy, but that was sort of the point. I wanted the Combine to know.
I wanted to rub my face in their mistakes.
I wanted the Coordinator to realize the extent of the enemy he had made. “Captain Nelson. Disengage the stealth attachments.” It was quiet for a moment, Yorinaga was a patient man as he said nothing, simply waiting to see what my ‘trick’ was going to be.
“Attachments released, opening thrust, We are moving Commander.” Sandy tells me and a moment later the stone exoskeleton on my Warship peeled away revealing the gleaming steel beneath.
The Steel coated in ISDF Colors. The concrete white and the large red Eisen-Blume.
I could hear it. The sudden cry of shock behind Yorinaga, as his crew on his own sensor sytem grasped what he was seeing, and then started trying to relay the information to Yorinaga.
I kept his eyes, and he kept mine, a battle of wills, or as he would understand it, some goofy chi spirit battle.
He blinked first, when the cry of “Warship!” Echoed even through his Holovid.
“I wonder, Lord Kurita. How would the Coordinator react to you heading out to kidnap the Steiner Heir, only to end up captured yourself?” I stared into his eyes letting him process that. “After all, the Coordinator himself did say that the DCMS is at war with the ISDF. I don’t know my Lord, I am feeling pretty warlike today. How about you?”
Sandy was already igniting our thrusters, the Warship was thrusting towards the dropships. Cutting their 5 hour time to landing in half. Although we were only at safe thrust, even if he maxed his engines we would run him down long before he could even slow enough to turn around much less make it to a Jumpship.
“If you wish me captured, you will have to fight for it.” He stated simply, and I nodded.
“Sandy, give them a warning shot with one of our Naval Gauss. Let’s remind them what it means for a Warship to be active once more.” I say calmly, never taking my eyes from the man that had come here to kidnap one of my friends.
“Understood Commander! Power the weapon systems, we are moving into battle ready status!” There was a flurry of actions on the bridge. Honestly most of them were stuttering slow things. I was bluffing pretty hard right now. I was super glad that Yorinaga couldn’t see what was happening on the bridge.
My kids could sometimes get the ship to do what we wanted.
But in this case, they had been practicing to make sure the guns could fire.
They really only got the one gun working… Good enough.
The Rumble of the Naval Gauss rippled through the ship, the force of the slug accelerating to hypervelocity was physically felt.
“Lord Kurita, experience the power of this fully operational Warship!” I demanded, and I could see the discomfort in the man's eyes as his men were yelling something at him in the background. It seems the firing of the Naval Gauss in his general direction had made an impression.
“The Genyosha step away from this conflict, Commander Eisen-Blume. The Heir of the Commonwealth is in safe hands.”
My hungry smirk disappeared into a pout. I honestly hadn’t expected him to retreat.
“Fine.” I finally grumbled, “Get your dropships out of my system. Until the Highjacking of the Silver Eagle is resolved, the ISDF are taking control of this system to ensure no civilians are killed during this act of piracy. If the Coordinator, has any issue with my actions here today, remind him that he sent me a pretty poem declaring a war against my people. So he knows how to contact me.”
I watched the man take in my words. He nodded his head, and the Comm line cut out. “Sandy, they had better be turning around.”
“They are Commander. Both dropships are starting reverse burn.”
“Keep an eye on them. If they even think about continuing, or slowing their burn. Shoot at them.”
“Will do.”
“Jesus.” Melissa muttered as she shook her head “I didn’t think the Combine accepted retreat like that.”
“They don’t.” Andrew Redburn added having watched my little show from farther away. “It is very likely that Yorinaga will be punished severely for that.”
“Possibly.” I add. “But the Coordinator also wants Yorinaga alive, so very likely, he will commend him instead for returning with knowledge of the ISDF Warship. Alright, with that taken care of, Let’s get the Silver Eagle moving. Sandy let’s make sure we have everything ready to jump out of the system, including the jump collar for the Silver Eagle.”
“That I can do Commander.” She tells me with a fake positive voice. I don’t think Melissa or Andrew caught it, but I could guess that she wasn’t happy about having to make a difficult maneuver to connect to a civilian dropship, and then jump the whole lot of us out of here. She had already been cussing at me just for making her do a jump into the Styx system to begin with.
She will get over it though. It’s good practice.
As long as we don’t explode.
—--
Melissa had apparently decided that the best way to get over her shock at the current circumstances was to start regaining some control. She was currently taking command of the Heimdall agents, and the captain of the Silver Eagle, and was working to get everything underway to get them out of this system.
Of course I was more focused on Yorinaga Kurita who had followed through, he was full burning back to the jump point at this point.
Although I was under the impression he was having a hard time getting a jumpship. It had been brought to my attention by Sandy that every Jumpship that jumped into the system was practically hot-loading their drive just to get out.
Which usually happened at just about the amount of time it would take for their sensors to notice the fucking Warship hanging out in system.
That cat was out of the bag, but I already knew that. I was planning on making sure Melissa didn’t run into any further trouble on her way to New Avalon after all.
Even if I had to escort her into the New Avalon system myself. I bet Hanse would shit his pants. Which suited me just fine. He was supposed to be a pretty good match with Melisssa, but I would decide that!
But then something I had hoping would happen, happened.
“Commander, another jumpship just entered the system, this one has a load of dropships.”
“Oh? More Combine?” I asked as I perked up. I had been relegated to a back section of the bridge so Sandy could remain in her chair, and so I wouldn’t accidentally press something I wasn’t supposed to.
It had only happened once!
“A few more minutes before we get a confirmation on that, but the Genyosha dropships are altering course away from them. They probably already got the data. So probably not.”
“Alright, go ahead and send them a message to identify themselves with our tags. Let’s see how they respond.”
“Understood Commander. You heard her! Lieutenant Wren! I want a message sent out! And why are we tilting? Get back in control of the ship!”
I smiled, Sandy was doing a great job taking control of the ship.
A few minutes later the Comms officer perked up. “Confirmation Captain, the new Jumpship is the Cucamulus! Kell Hounds transponder!”
“Well at least it’s allies this time.” Sandy muttered.
“Go ahead and call up Melissa, for me? She will want to know that the Kell Hounds are here.”
“Right away Commander!”
“And when you are done with that, send a response to the Kell Hounds that this system is under the protection of the ISDF, and that Melissa Steiner is recovered and safe.”
I smirked a little at that.
The Kell Hounds had no idea Melissa was here if I remembered my history right. That was gonna be a funny message they received.
—-
My feet were kicked up as I waited for the Kell Hounds to get into 1 to 1 communications range. It had been funny to see the way Yorinaga’s dropship had reacted to the appearance of the Kell hounds. I was pretty sure if not for the distance involved he probably would have turned around damn my warning to him and try for an assault. But he had eventually continued on, grabbed a jumpship and disappeared. I was sure there would be a strong reaction from the Combine soon.
We should be gone before anything happens though. The Silver Eagle was following behind us as we burned towards the jump point. It might have taken longer to get the Silver Eagle moving if not for Melissa, turns out when the Daughter of the Archon tells you to get moving, you get moving.
“Captain, 1 to 1 communications reached with the Kell hounds, Incoming transmission!”
“Go ahead and put it on over here!” I called out, Melissa was already sitting beside me looking eager to see her ‘uncle’ or uncles, as the case may be. I actually wasn’t sure what Morgan was doing. Was he even with the Kell Hounds now? History was so wibbly wobbly I had no idea anymore.
But well, I found out.
The Holovid connected, and the stern face of Morgan Kell transmitted over. “Hey old man, long time!” I chirped out before anyone else could speak.
“Oh god. Can we keep her?” A second face popped into the Holovid, the famous Patrick Kell looking me over. Morgans younger brother looked delighted at the torment of his brother.
“Absolutely not.” Morgan responded instantly, but as always he was serious and looked to Melissa. “Melissa, are you alright?”
“Uncle Morgan, it’s good to see you, I’m fine. Vicky showed up before the Combine even came close. As you can see, she had things in hand.”
Both men looked relieved that Melissa was okay.
“What are you even doing out here Kid? I hadn’t heard anything about you being off Tharkad.” Patrick interrupts.
“I’m on my way to New Avalon Uncle. It was meant to be kept secret.”
Both men blinked at that, looking confused. “Why are you going to New Avalon? Are you going to the NAIS to study?” Patrick asked. I snorted barely restraining a laugh. Despite the Helm Core getting around, the NAIS was still one of the premiere research institutes in the Inner Sphere, Hanse had made sure it kept up it’s reputation even as the knowledge of the Helm Core spread out.
I wasn’t about to say it, but I couldn’t help but shaking my head. “Clueless.” I offered the three, earning a few annoyed looks. “What don’t be upset just because I can figure out basic stuff.”
“What does that mean Victoria?” Morgan stated plainly, and I could feel a shiver up my spine.
“Hey! What did I do! I am the big damn hero here!”
“Where did you get a Warship Victoria?” Morgan asked instead, and I erped as everyones attention was suddenly on me.
“Found it.”
“That is not an acceptable answer.”
“It’s the one you're getting, take it or leave it.” I shrug, what was he going to do, tell me and my Warship to go home? Hah! Ignoring his glare I continued. “Relax old man, The ISDF may have the only working Warship in the Inner Sphere, but everyone can rest assured we won’t be bombarding planets. We are a neutral peace keeping force.”
“Fighting the Combine doesn’t strike me as very neutral.” Morgan rebutted.
I didn’t even offer a laugh, no, that Combine attack was not a joking matter to me. “They declared war on the ISDF, hence, we are still neutral, it’s not like we can stop the DMCS from declaring war on us.”
“Wait, the Dracs, actually declared war on you?” Patrick interrupted sounding interested as I nodded.
“Even got a poem from the Coordinator, couldn’t read it though. I figure on the day that the ISDF plants a flag on Luthien, I’ll hand it back to him if he is still alive and make him read it to me then.” The utter coldness in my voice got a reaction, even Melissa shifted slightly away from me.
“You do realize, none of the great houses will accept you having a warship.”
“You do realize none of them can stop me?” I expelled a breath then, letting the tension go. “But I do have plans to settle some of the mistrust that having a Warship will bring. The ISDF may be a neutral force, but we are still part of the Inner Sphere. Don’t worry Old Man, just let me do the talking next time I run into Aunt Katrina… Or Hanse I guess.”
“Okay I was right, we are definitely keeping her.” Patrick offered with a grin, “Hey kid, how would you like to join the Kell Hounds?”
“Kell hounds? Is that some tiny Merc company? Sorry never heard of it. But the ISDF is always looking for solid Mercenaries looking to work towards the peace and prosperity of the Inner Sphere. Want a job? We have Warships.”
Patrick burst into laughter, but eventually shook his head, “Unfortunately, I don't think I can accept, tempting offer though.”
I shrug. “Worth a shot. Well you two might as well dock up. I am sure you both want to see Melissa, and get the chance to set foot on a Warship.”
“Now that is an offer we can accept!”
—-
A bit more than two days later, we reached the jump point on Styx. With the Silver Eagle docked, we disappeared from the system.
It took a bit of doing, the Jump system was still something Sandy was getting used to. Honestly I hadn’t wanted to show, or admit just how unfamiliar my people were with the ship. They were learning from SLDF courses that had been on Helm, and just taking everything slow. Any issues were covered by me.
Of course, that was only inside the ship. Outside? We were jumping multiple times heading towards New Avalon. Only making a slow stop once to pick up the Leopard, and it’s crew. Thankfully having them on board helped mitigate some of our crew issues.
Some.
The FedSuns forces that noticed us were freaking out. The fact was Warships were extinct, to see one jump into your system, and one not wearing any symbol of the great houses?
Yeah. We had a lot of very tense discussions, fortunately, we could double jump thanks to the Lithium Fusion Battery which meant the time it took us to reach new Avalon was cut in half.
When we entered into the Capital system of the Federated Suns, there were already plenty of forces ready to meet us.
“Look Melissa, I think they came to escort you.” I joked. Looking at our normal sensors. My Sensor was kept in hand by a single Sensor officer to make sure our guests didn’t know it existed.
Not that we needed it. The entire sensor net on the Stick was lighting up.
“More like destroy me. Perhaps we should be reaching out Vicky!” Melissa hissed, the sensors, showed that the FedSuns weren’t playing around. A lot of dropships and ASF were floating in the black between us and the planet.
“Yeah yeah. Captain Nelson, mind if I take over here?”
“Be my Guest Commander, I don’t really want to deal with this mess.”
“Great thanks.” I tell her with a grin as I step up to the Comm station. “Federated Suns forces, This is the ISDFS The Biggest Stick, We are here on a diplomatic escort mission. We understand the concern of our appearance in your system, we will follow all needed reasonable orders.”
“This is The Marshall of the Federated Suns, First Prince Hanse Davion.” The message was sent out by a random mix of the dropships that had been sent up to meet us. More interesting was that Hanse would need to actually be on one of them to have the 1 to 1 communications speed.
“Well that certainly makes this easier.” I inform the man relaxing quite a bit. “Hanse, I got your guest on board, next time you send someone important across the Inner Sphere, make sure they have actual bodyguards… Or more than just Andrew. Good guy, but a little lacking against a Combine death squad.”
I looked to Melissa who was standing beside me as her jaw dropped at how audacious I just was. I gave her a thumbs up. She tried to slap me but failed. A few moments later, the connection went from audio, to Holovid, I accepted, and Melissa quickly retook her seat to look dignified as Hanse Davions face appeared over the screen.
“Well. I can’t say much against that. I can’t say I was expecting the Warship though.” He offered with a charming grin.
“Yeah it was something I just had laying around. Want a tour?”
“I would love one.” He offered with a boyish grin.
“Great come on over.”
And that was how I invited the Prince of the FedSuns over to my spaceship.
We had tea.
I hate tea. Stupid leaf water! Why is there even tea on this ship in the first place!?
—-
Sitting across from The First Prince was an interesting experience, but honestly he didn’t have anything on Katrina. I laughed at his stern looks!
Although he did look like Shatner. Which was kinda cool.
But he was sitting in one of the meeting rooms aboard the Biggest Stick, Melissa sitting beside me. Of course Hanse also had his staff including Ardan Sortek with him, that was cool. And he brought like a horde of death troopers. Which I shrugged at. A few of my kids were Delta.
Their storm trooper outfits were better.
On Melissa’s side was me, Melissa, and a grumpy Morgan Kell, who had refused to let Melissa run off to New Avalon without an escort. Patrick had shrugged after his tour of The Stick, and had headed back out with the Hounds. Apparently, despite the Kell hounds being chased around by DCMS patrols, after they hit Styx, there weren't any more pursuers. I couldn’t say why.
So that was how I was dealing with this awkward ass meeting.
Morgan was glaring, having found out exactly what Melissa Steiner was doing here, and he was being a grumpy Uncle. While Ardan was watching me like a hawk.
Hanse was as well but he was doing this weird thing where he was pretending to keep his focus utterly on Melissa, while actually keeping an eye on me. She had noticed of course Melissa was sharp.
Like I said, awkward.
Finally as Hanse was discussing summer on New Avalon of all things I interrupted. “Okay, you are all acting like children. Which coming from me is saying something. Morgan, stop glaring, the marriage is likely happening, Hanse, either focus on Melissa, or ask me your questions, yes she noticed too. Mr. Sortek, my face doesn’t have the answers you are looking for. You need words for that.”
I took a fake sip of tea enjoying the looks of surprise on the people who don’t know me, and the exasperated amusement on those that do. Except Morgan, he was just grumpy.
“I apologize.” Hanse offered with a chuckle, “Melissa, I have been looking forward to your visit for some time, but I have to admit, that with the current circumstances…”
“No, I understand. Vicky has that effect… On everyone.” She offered deadpan.
“Don’t blame me for being fascinating.” I offer with a casual shrug. “Owe!” I looked around shocked, that hadn’t been Melissa, “Old Man!”
“If you wish to act like a child, I can discipline you like one.” Morgan Kell tells me, the man that had literally just kicked me under the table. Luckily my armor meant it didn’t really hurt, but still!
“I admit, when Katrina warned me about you, Commander Eisen-Blume, I hadn’t quite understood. I do now.” Hanse Davion tells me with a charming smile as he leans in, “So where exactly did you find a still functional Tharkad Class Warship. There was only what? Thirty made? Which one was this?”
“ISDF secret, unless you want to join under my Banner?” I ask joking. “I’m afraid the location of the ISDF Naval base is classified.” I answered promptly, which as I knew it would, only added more questions. “And this isn’t one of the original Lyran production run.”
I hadn’t mentioned a naval base before, and if Melissa’s glare at me she knew exactly what I had just done.
I had created the wonder in their mind.
Was this all I had? Did she actually have a working shipyard?
“Fascinating.” Hanse offered with a laugh.
“Frightening, You mean. Commander, you are correct, I do have some questions for you.” Ardan Sortek offers, and he like Morgan wasn’t smiling, “The fact you have a Warship under your control, is a massive security concern. I am not comfortable with your possession of this ship.”
“Now, now Ardan, let’s not hit her with the bad cop this early into the evening. Let’s at least start over dinner.” Hanse interrupted but I waved him away, which from his surprised look must not happen very often. Good he could use some ego trimming.
“You can have this ship over my dead body.”
“Vicky! Let’s not be so quick to escalate.” Melissa spoke gently but I shook my head.
“No, I guess this needs to be said. The Biggest Stick is my Warship Mr. Sortek, not the Commonwealths, not the Federated Suns. Not even the future union of the two.”
“That could create issues.” Ardan replied with an almost bored tone of voice, but his eyes were anything but bored. “I do not believe any of the parties here tonight is willing to allow you to have control over this weapon of war. I am sure we can find a… Acceptable price for its handover, but the Federated Suns will not allow possession of a Warship in the hands of a private citizen.”
“I suppose at this point I would ask ‘you and what army of Warships,’ but that is an escalation I don’t want. But neither will I hand over my Warship. You lost all of yours Mr Sortek, waging war around the Inner Sphere, until even the knowledge of how to fix the ones you still had was lost. Yours are not trustworthy hands. We both know that the first thing that you will do when this Warship ends up in your hands, Commonwealth or Fed Suns. It will be sent out, and a planet will die.”
A tenseness filled the air, as Ardan Sortek, the Prince’s Champion would bend on this matter no more than I would.
“Mr. Sortek. Vicky has my trust.” Melissa offered simply, completely breaking the tension in the room as every person, myself included, jerked their head towards her. “And you do not speak for the Commonwealth. Or the Archon. Please do not infer you do again.”
“You are comfortable with her having a Warship?” Hanse asked, and I smirked as he did finally reveal that despite Ardan being the Bad Cop, this was under the direction of Hanse Davion.
As if I had ever doubted that. Sure, Hanse Davion sits back and lets his right hand try and browbeat me into handing over my Warship? Please.
“Vicky has earned a great deal of latitude over the years. While I do have concerns about a Warship being brought into the Inner Sphere and what effects that will have, I assure you, if it had to fall into anyones hands, I would rather it be Vickys, At least with her I can be assured no betrayal is incoming, and any discussion about what equipment is in the hands of a member of the Commonwealth, isn’t your concern. Yet.”
That seemed to take Hanse back for a moment. “Correct, this discussion is early Ardan, we haven’t gathered our partners thoughts on the situation, and for something this serious, it is not something we can act on without their input, Forgive me.” He offered to Melissa, and she nodded imperiously.”
“You two are cute.” I tell them, the two had been doing the gazing into eachothers eyes thing. How sickening sweet.
“Vicky…”
“Yeah yeah, okay well since Melissa totally ruined my plot, I suppose I’ll just reveal I never had any intention of keeping The Biggest Stick to myself entirely. It’s a bit much don’t you think?” That caused the rooms focus to switch back to me as I smiled evilly at them, “Of course… It’s gonna cost you.” I tell Hanse fingers rubbing together.
Hanse Davion blinked at my offer before breaking into a hefty laugh. “Oh this is something I have to hear.”
“Well of course I understand that the Commonwealth, and the FedSuns, or the Federated Commonwealth? Is that the name you are going with?” I asked only to get blank looks in return.
“Anyway. I am a neutral party and I was always planning on having connections to the other parties in the Inner Sphere, so in the spirit of friendship. I will allow, Commonwealth, and Federated Suns military to crew a percentage of my ship. After all, I am sure you will be doing your best to re-create your own Warships now and in the future. You will need a trained crew for their operation.”
“You… Vicky, you gremlin.” Melissa whispered as she realized what I was getting at. Shooting her my best evil grin I continued.
“That way the use of The Biggest Stick will always have some protections against being used against your forces, of course, allowing your people to train on my unique and precious Warship will cost you. Payment for allowing your people to train on my ship, perhaps a bit more to cover maintenance costs, or ammunition during training, and of course we can discuss the cost of hiring the ship for any defensive action to protect your planets. Anti-Piracy actions are free of course, that is simply part of the ISDF’s pledge to the Inner Sphere.”
I smirk to the room tilting my cup of tea up to the Prince of the FedSuns.
“And in exchange we can all be satisfied that the neutral entity in your space isn’t planning on shelling your planets with their Warship.”
“Ah. I do believe this is that Lyran Business instinct? I think I will have to ask my partner about this one I’m afraid Commander. I feel like I’m being horribly swindled at the moment.” Hanse joked.
“You are.”
“Just a little.” I say just as Melissa spoke at the same time, I shoot her a grin and she simply rolled her eyes at me.
“She gets everything she wants, and we pay her for the experience. Really Vicky?”
“It’s the best part of business Melissa, I get everything I want, and someone pays me to do it.”
“I somehow doubt that is business at all, sounds more like Bribery.”
“Tomato, Tomato~” I tease back earning a scoff from the other blonde. Hanse was watching this all with an interested look on his face. “Well good. Glad we got that all figured out, I’m going to get out of here, feel free to stay around as long as you like, if you want to let us enter orbit and travel back to New Avalon you can, and if you want us out of your space, just let me know, we can get back to Zaniah.”
“Well, since we will have to discuss your business offer.” He says looking to Melissa, who looked pleased at Hanses statement. “I think being able to ride on your fascinating ship a little longer is just fine. Ardan? Take care of it?”
“Of course.” The other man stood, and I wave him after.
“I’ll take you up to the bridge Mr. Sortek, it can be a bit confusing at first.”
“My thanks. Commander.” He tells me as I guide him out of the room, letting Morgan play chaperone between Melissa and Hanse.
Ardan finally spoke up as we walked down the halls. “I do hope our previous interaction won’t cause any disruption in the relationship between the ISDF and the Federated Suns?” He asks dryly, as if he was expecting an emotional response from me.
I blink taking a moment to parse what he was getting at before snorting. “Please. Aunt Katrina is scarier, and that is when she is being nice. You do realize I still have to explain to her that I even have a Warship? There is a reason I am offering to let Hanse pleasure cruise on my ship for a while… It gives me an excuse to stay away from Tharkad for a bit longer.”
My full body shudder at the end was very real. I could practically feel Katrina’s glare already shooting out at me.
“Interesting.”
