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Chapter 31: The Counterattack
Chapter 31: The Counterattack

The bot had spotted 'too many enemies to count'. Seacat didn't know if that meant Emily couldn't see all of the Horde troops or if the bot actually couldn't count that high, but either way, this wasn't just a scouting party. "Sound the alert!" she yelled. "Horde incoming."

The marines unloading the cargo from the Leaping Dolphin looked at her, blinking.

She clenched her teeth. "That was a warning from a scout! The Horde's attacking!"

"What about our pickets?" a woman asked. "They can't have missed that!"

"Then they're dead," Seacat snapped. "Alcy, Licy, Horas! Prepare the ship!"

"What are you doing?" Entrapta asked.

"Alerting the Captain and Mermista!" Seacat took off towards the waterfront.

"Oh, OK!"

A quick glance over her shoulder showed Seacat that the princess was following her, using her hair to take giant steps.

Seacat almost ran into a particularly slow and blind soldier, but slid around the man, then dashed towards the citadel. Mermista would be quartered there, not in the lower part of the fortress.

As she turned onto the ramp leading up to the citadel gates, she finally heard the alert being raised in the port. Took them long enough!

That would alert Mermista, too. But she wouldn't know what was happening right away. Seacat drew a hissing breath through clenched teeth and pushed herself to run faster. There! That was the princess's party! They had stopped just in front of the gate! "Sea Hawk! Mermista!" she yelled.

"Hey!" Entrapta chimed in.

Seacat reached the group first, but she was too short of breath to say anything other than "Horde attack! Bot spotted them!" before Entrapta arrived.

"Emily alerted us of a large Horde attack," the princess announced - a little too cheerful for the occasion. Seacat, still catching her breath, noted that a few of the marines seemed taken aback. And everyone seemed to know who Entrapta was talking about.

"How many?" Colonel Kilian - he hadn't been on the pier - asked.

"Too many to count, for Emily - though she can count rather well," Entrapta replied.

"Where are they? They can't have sneaked a large force past my pickets!" Kilian protested, echoing his marine's words.

"Unless they took out the pickets," Sea Hawk said.

"We've got roaming patrols, too."

"Emily was patrolling south of the river," Entrapta said, "when the rockets went up. That's about…" She poured her lips and wrinkled her nose. "...five miles out!" she finished with a bright smile.

The Colonel noticeably calmed down. "That's far out of the pickets' positions. They must have caught the patrols, but we've got enough time to deploy and prepare."

"Are you going to face them in the field?" Mermista asked.

"We can't let them set up fortified positions on the river bank; they'll bring up siege guns, and it'll be a bloody affair to throw them out again. Best to finish them in the field - with support from the frigates," the Colonel replied.

"They have to expect that," Seacat pointed out.

"That never stopped the Horde before," the officer retorted with a humourless chuckle. "It'll be a massacre when we catch them in the field with a few broadsides.

Seacat didn't agree. The Horde leaders weren't military geniuses, but they weren't stupid, either. Unfortunately. And if Shadow Weaver was behind this, she'd have some plan other than 'throw bodies at the enemy until one side runs out'. And yet, the river would block an attack on the fortress from the south, and this close to the sea, the river was very wide, so the frigates could sail upriver and decimate any enemy forces on the riverbanks.

"We need to scout the river, Captain," she said, more quietly, while Kilian bellowed orders to his troops.

"Indeed," Sea Hawk agreed. "The Horde has shown cunning lately; it wouldn't do to underestimate them."

"The Dragon's Daughter V is ready," Seacat told him - she trusted the others to have prepared the ship for combat by now.

"Then let us depart post-haste!" Sea Hawk declared before turning to Mermista. "We have to be off, my love!"

"Be careful."

"Always!"

The kiss that followed was neither careful nor hasty. But a few minutes later, the Captain and Seacat were back on their ship.

"We beat the Navy again!" Seacat said as they were casting off, looking at the frigates still in the process to get under sail.

"Technically, we're part of the fleet," Sea Hawk told her.

She frowned. "You know what I mean."

"I do." He smiled. "Although I wish I knew what our enemy is up to. They must have a plan to deal with the frigates."

"Mobile artillery? Skiff-deployed guns could shell the ships," Seacat suggested.

"I doubt that they have enough of them to match a frigate, much less several," Sea Hawk replied. "But I could be mistaken."

Great. If the Horde had enough guns to contest control of the river, the Dragon's Daughter V would be the first to find out.

They left the harbour and turned towards the river. A quick check with the telescope confirmed that the frigates patrolling were just turning around - they would take a while to return. Well, the two frigates in the harbour would be enough to wreck a Horde attack. Usually.

"Alcy, Licy - to the bow! Man the gun and keep an eye on the river!" Sea Hawk yelled.

Good. Usually, that wouldn't be needed so close to the sea - here, the river was deep enough for frigates. But if the Horde was planning something… Seacat braced herself on top of the mast and studied the southern shore.

She couldn't see anything out of place there. Two guardposts, manned - but they were evacuating already, boarding longboats to get back to the fortress. No, there was no Horde here, yet. That left the coast and the river. And they were going upriver.

Seacat turned and studied the water and shore ahead. Some driftwood, nothing unusual… She blinked. That was a lot of driftwood coming down. Had a Horde ship been blown up? She hadn't heard about any combat, but… accidents happened, and Adora might've sent some soldiers to the upper part of the river to protect her flanks.

Though… that would still be quite fast to reach the sea just now. Just when a Horde attack was about to take place…

She clenched her teeth and focused on the drifting wood. It looked… not like planks. More like pieces of tree trunks. Quite even pieces. Spread out, too. Wait… was that a line between two pieces? Or what?

"Alcy!" she yelled. "Shoot the driftwood, canister!"

"Which one?" Alcy yelled back while Licy started loading canister.

"The closest one!"

Sea Hawk was already slowing down. Good. Seacat really didn't like the looks of this. Dozens of those pieces were being carried with the river's current, towards them.

Alcy fired. A moment later, the wood exploded in a cloud of splinters and water. "That was canister, right?" Seacat yelled down.

"Yes!"

Damn. "The trunks are rigged to blow! They're bombs!" she screamed. "Keep shooting them!"

A moment later, the ship jerked as Sea Hawk put in reverse. Seacat kept her balance with ease, though - she was used to worse in a gale or even a storm. But those drifting bombs… The frigates wouldn't be able to enter the mouth of the river - hell, they would have to stay away from the coast since those things would spread out in the sea.

The Horde had just neutralised the Navy.

She slid down the mast to grab the signal flags.

"Warn the fortress!" Sea Hawk told her.

Alcy fired again, and another trunk blew up while Seacat scaled the rigging once more. She hoped the explosions had already attracted attention. Then she started signalling. The distance wasn't too far, so… Yes! On the closest tower, a marine was acknowledging her warning.

Another explosion - quite close this time. How many bombs had the Horde manufactured? Wait… the powdermills were in the heart of the fright zone, and they didn't require anything exotic like crystals. Damn. Shadow Weaver would have been able to get all the powder she wanted.

She studied the southern shore again as they reached the mouth of the river. The two longboats were clear - or should be. One was lagging a little, but they would be able to outrace any of the trunks.

Yes, they were evading the bombs. Good. She looked further inland. Still no sign of the Horde - but then, moving a few miles took time for an army. Though she would expect their scouts to show up - a skiff could cover the distance in a fraction of the time an infantry force took.

There! Smoke was rising in the light forest in the distance. She took a closer look with her telescope, just in time to see a small tree fall, uprooted by… a bot? A bot with those colours… Emily!

"There's Emily!" she yelled. The bot hadn't evaded the enemy forces by heading west - the dumb thing had gone straight towards the fortress. And now it was trapped on the southern shore, pursued by… Skiffs. Skiffs with guns.

A shell blew up next to the bot, making it stumble. Seacat held her breath. If the bot fell… but it recovered and kept going. And returned fire with its own gun - though at that range, and with a gun that made the Dragon's Daughter V's swivel gun look big, it wouldn't do much to the enemy.

Damn.

"First Mate! Signal Emily to head to the cliff! We're going to sail there and pick her up!"

What?

That was a cliff - they couldn't land there. If they wanted to pick up Emily, they would have to find a spot on the river's shore. Which would put them at risk of getting blown up by the bombs drifting in the river.

But Sea Hawk was the Captain. She signalled to the running bot, which promptly changed course.

Great. Now the Horde also knew where they were going. Well, they were hard to miss, anyway, so close to the shore, but still!

At least once they were alongside the cliff, they would be safe from the bombs - the river's current was dragging the things out to sea, not along the coast. Hell - Seacat realised that the bombs would render the entire area unsafe until they were disposed of. Sailing at night would probably be too dangerous. And they would never get all of the bombs. Any ship, friend or foe, would be at risk. No wonder the Horde had been willing to sacrifice their frigates if they had planned this!

And once the offensive along the river started, they would have to deal with more of those.

Seacat clenched her teeth, hissing with frustration, as she kept an eye out for bombs while the Dragon's Daughter V swung around, now going in the correct direction again, and headed towards the cliffside.

What a mess! But she had to focus on the task at hand: Saving a bot. She shuddered briefly when she spotted Emily leaping a small ravine - it looked similar too… Seacat wasn't going there. "How are we taking it on board?" she yelled down. The cliff was as tall as their mast. If the bot leapt, it would damage the deck, at least - and probably damage itself. And if it leapt into the sea, well… bots weren't boats.

"We'll rig a line!" Sea Hawk replied. "Horas!"

The burly minotaur was already swinging a line with a grappling hook at the end. But that wouldn't hold a bot - someone would have to climb the cliff and fasten the lines properly.

And the best sailor for that job was Seacat.

She watched the cliff again, gauging the time she had left before Emily - and then the Horde pursuit - reached the top. And she didn't like what she came up with. This would be close. Damn close.

Alcy fired the swivel gun, and Seacat jerked - just in time to catch a bomb exploding at sea. Ah. Good.

She slid down the mast, landing lightly on her feet, and grabbed the other line next to Horas. "Is the line secure?"

The minotaur pulled on it, then nodded.

"Good." She slung the other line over her shoulder like a sash, then gripped the grapple line. "Hold it tight until I reach the cliff, then give me some slack!"

Without waiting for an answer, she quickly made her way towards the cliff, hand over hand, upside down. Horas, as ordered, let the line go slack as soon as she touched the rock, and Seacat scaled the cliffside with the help of the rope and the claws in her feet.

She arrived on top just in time to see Emily appear about a hundred yards away. Damn - the grapple hook would never hold the bot's weight. Where to fix it… ah!

She ripped the hook out of the soil, then sprinted to the closest rocks on top of the cliff, wrapping the line around it and tying it up. A few tugs - that should hold.

She ran the other line through the loop, then dashed back to the edge of the cliff and threw it down. Horas caught it. "Hold on to it! We'll use it to lower Emily down!" The minotaur should be able to hold the bot - but he'd have to brace himself.

And speaking of… Emily arrived, beeping at her while her turret swivelled back and forth. She wasn't shooting - had she ran out of ammunition?

"Get over here! I need to tie this line to you!" Seacat yelled.

The bot beeped again. Then the earth a few yards behind it blew up - the Horde was shooting at them with guns.

"Hurry!" Seacat screamed.

The bot finally obeyed, scrambling over to her on its stubby legs - one of them not working, she noticed. Whatever. She grabbed the end of the line and jumped on top of the bot. There had to be a ring or something to run the line through… If she had to run the line around the bot, that would take far too long…

Next to her, a hatch opened and a ring appeared. "Ah."

Seacat knelt to fix the line to the ring when another shell hit - almost directly underneath Emily. The explosion sent the bot stumbling - towards the cliffside. Seacat gasped, then rushed to tie the line off before the frantically beeping bot - and her with it - tumbled over the edge.

"Horas!" she screamed, holding on to the line as Emily started to fall. "Pull!"

They fell for a second that felt like an eternity, the water below - and the rocks beneath it - seemingly to rush at them, until the line went taut, and their fall was stopped. Seacat almost lost her grip on the line, scrambling with her feet for purchase on Emily's shell, while the bot swung back and forth.

"Lower us! Quickly!" she yelled again. "Before they blow up the rope!"

They started to descend, and Seacat got ready to jump into the rigging - she didn't know how long the rope would hold both her and Emily's weight. Not after the abrupt stop before.

When Emily swung towards the Dragon's Daughter again, Seacat jumped off, launching herself towards the ship's rigging, then pushed off again and grabbed the other end of Emily's line, adding her weight to Horas's while she dangled above him.

"Come on!" she screamed. "Just a few yards more!"

Suddenly, the line went slack again. And both Seacat and the bot dropped.

Seacat fell onto Horas, barely managing to twist her body so she didn't end up gored by his horns, then slid off and landed on the deck. Not quite on her feet.

Emily hit the deck with a resounding crack, cracking the planks and smashing part of the railing. The force of the impact caused the Dragon's Daughter V to roll starboard, and Seacat dug in her claws to avoid sliding into the railing.

Emily warbled when the ship rolled back, the bot tethering on the edge. But Horas grabbed one of its flailing legs and heaved, pulling it back from the edge.

"Tie it down!" Seacat yelled as she grabbed the line that had fallen down - they couldn't have the bot roll around on deck; it'd smash half the ship to cinders.

"Skiffs on the cliff!" Licy yelled.

Seacat briefly looked up. Yes, there were skiffs. And they were deploying guns. Damn. They couldn't fire that far down, the angle was too steep and they were too close, but if the Dragon's Daughter V left the cliff for the open sea…

The Captain wasn't about to expose the ship like that, though - he steered it alongside the cliff as Horas and Seacat quickly lashed Emily to the deck. And they were picking up speed - just in time; some bright Horde scum had started dropping rocks from the cliff.

But there were rocks in the water, too, so close to the shore - and if they hit anything at the speed they were going… Seacat clenched her teeth and rushed to the bow; they needed all the eyes on the water to spot rocks and other obstacles below the water.

A shell went overhead - were they firing at the top of the mast? It didn't matter; no one was up there.

"We can't return fire," Alcy told her when Seacat climbed past the woman onto the bowsprit. "The angle's too steep, and we'd have to shoot through our own rigging."

"Just watch for rocks!" she snapped. "We need to gain enough distance to safely turn towards the sea.

Alcy muttered a curse, but leaned over the railing as well, followed by Licy.

The sea looked clear - no, there was a shadow in the water. "Port!" Seacat yelled.

"Port!" Sea Hawk repeated as the ship swung away from the cliff.

"Steady!" Seacat yelled. They just needed to stay the course now until they were past the rock.

Further out to the sea, a column of water up, followed by the sound of a gun. The Horde was firing on them. And they couldn't turn back towards the cliff with the rocks in the way.

"Steady!" she yelled. "Steady!"

The next shell hit closer - close enough to splash the deck with water. "Check the hold for leaks!" she yelled.

The ship swung around, towards the open sea. After a few seconds, it turned back towards the cliff. Sea Hawk was trying to evade the shells. But they were sailing straight towards a reef!

"Port!" Seacat yelled.

The Dragon's Daughter V started to turn, but it was still getting too close - there was a current pushing them towards the cliff. "Port!" she yelled.

Any second she expected to hear the sound of planks getting crushed and rocks slicing open the ship.

But it didn't come. Another shell hit the sea further out, and one ahead of them - but to the side.

They were back in the shadow of the cliff, where the Horde's guns couldn't hit them. At least with direct fire. If they had howitzers...

"Rock ahead!"

"Port!"

Once more they left the shadow of the cliff, and the shells landed closer. They were still not out of the range of the enemy. Sea Hawk steered the ship more erratically - waving back and forth. But at that distance, that was just rolling dice and hoping you got lucky.

More shells flew, landing behind them and to the side. None were ahead of them - they had to be close to out of range, then.

Close but not yet there. "Steady!" she yelled - the course back to the cliff was still blocked by rocks that would gut the ship.

How much longer?

"More rocks! Steady!"

They kept going. Another close shell doused them in water. Seacat heard the pumps starting - Horas was pumping. They must have sprung a leak. Or more. Probably a loose plank.

And they still couldn't sail closer to the cliff.

But the shells were falling behind them, now. No longer to the side.

"We're out of their range!" Alcy yelled.

They were. They had recovered Emily and escaped. But they had sprung a leak or two. And the waters were still rife with bombs. And…. Hell! More skiffs were setting up guns above them! They must have chased along the cliffside to cut them off!

"Someone must really hate us," she muttered. Well, that was to be expected when sailing with Sea Hawk. "Captain!" she yelled. "Guns on the cliff!"

"I see them. This will be a little tricky!"

Uh oh. Was he going to make a break for the open sea? That would be very dangerous… but they couldn't keep sailing along the cliff; it was slowly turning eastward, which meant they'd be exposed to the guns behind them. They'd be in full view of two batteries, with nowhere to hide.

Oh!

"Watch out for rocks!" she told Alcy and Licy, then dashed to the bridge. "Captain! Do you have more smoke powder?"

His eyes lit up. "Great idea! Yes, the tin is in my cabin, in my desk! Hurry!"

She jumped over the railing, landing on the main deck, then dashed into Sea Hawk's cabin. Tin. Tin. Where was the tin? She ransacked the drawer of his desk. There!

She grabbed the tin, then grabbed a pot from the galley and rushed back on deck - just as another close shell sent a wave of water across it. She kept the tin pressed to her chest as the water rushed over her. They couldn't take much more of that, even if they weren't hit directly, the Dragon's Daughter V might break up from the shockwaves of near misses.

She dashed up the stairs to the bridge, past Sea Hawk, and put the pot down at the stern before she emptied the entire contents of the tin into it.

"Tie it down!"

"Aye aye, Captain," she replied. She would do it after igniting the powder, though. Every moment counted now.

She struck a match and dropped it inside the pot, leaning away from the initial flame, then looked for some rope to tie the pot down as dark smoke started to blow out from it.

"Huzzah! Brace yourself - we're making a break for it!"

Clenching her teeth and holding her breath, she quickly wrapped the line around the pot, threading through the handles, then tied it to the railing. Coughing, she withdrew. "Pot secured!"

"Full speed ahead!"

The Dragon's Daughter V turned towards the open sea and almost seemed to jump when Horas pushed the engine's throttle all the way up.

Sea Hawk started weaving back and worth, spreading the thick smoke trailing behind into a veritable wall. Shells continued to fall, some quite close, but… they were spread out more, Seacat realised after a few minutes.

It was working. The Horde scum was firing blindly. They still could land a lucky shot, of course. But the odds were now in the Dragon's Daughter V's favour.

Though there were an awful lot of shells falling into the sea, she noticed. Not just behind them and to the sides, but some also ahead of them - those had to be from the guns that had just set up.

"How's the hold?" she yelled to Horas.

"Holding!" came the reply.

She snorted against her will - it couldn't be too bad if the minotaur could joke, but she'd have preferred a more precise report.

So she moved to the hold, keeping her balance by digging her claws into the deck when Sea Hawk took a tighter turn than normal, and took a look for herself.

There was some water in the hold - about an inch high - but the pumps could keep up. Mostly thanks to Horas working them. She really needed to ask Entrapta about a pump with an engine.

Provided they survived this, of course, she added to herself when another close shell shook the entire ship, and she saw more water enter through a crack in the hull.

"Keep it up!" she yelled, then went to the captain.

"We're holding up, but it's getting worse," she reported on the bridge.

"She'll get us out of that, no worry! The Dragon's Daughter V is a brave ship!" Sea Hawk replied. "Huzzah!"

Another close shell seemed to lift the ship up a little - and pushed her further ahead. For a moment, Seacat feared that the engine had been damaged, but they didn't lose any speed.

And, finally, the shells were falling behind. Just when the smoke powder started to run out.

"That was close," she said. "We've got several leaks in the hull."

"Indeed!" Sea Hawk nodded, flashing his teeth. "The floating bombs, now the mobile artillery - the Horde is determined to negate our naval power. This will be a hard battle, I fear."

"Yes." The frigates would be needed to throw back the Horde assault - but between the floating bombs and the guns, this could become very costly for the Salinean Navy.

"Let's return to the Fortress. And keep an eye out for floating bombs!" the Captain ordered. "We've got news to deliver. And Horde scum to defeat!"

*****​

They had to give the cliff a wide berth - and keep an eye out for floating bombs - on the way back to the fortress. Wider than the apparent range of the Horde guns - Seacat wouldn't put it past them to try and lure them closer by firing deliberately short shots.

At least the frigates had been warned - the two picket frigates hadn't sailed closer to the shore, and the frigates in the harbour hadn't left. And longboats were at the entrance of the port, probably looking for floating bombs. Or fishmen infiltrators.

The Dragon's Daughter V slid past them, Licy waving at them, and headed straight to the closest pier.

"Tie her up, then start plugging the leaks!" Sea Hawk yelled. "Seacat, with me!"

Seacat frowned. Leaving the ship when they needed everyone to fix the damage as soon as possible? But the Captain's orders were, well, orders. "Do what you can, focus on the smaller leaks you can completely fix," she told the others and went to cut loose Emily. The bot warbled some more, then awkwardly got up and headed towards the gangway.

"Wait! We'll have to lift you to the pier with a crane!" she told it. "The gangway is too narrow and too weak for you!"

Fortunately, the bot stopped, and Seacat went down the gangway and addressed the closest soldier on the pier. "Get a crane over here and get the bot on the pier!"

The man stared at her, then glanced at Sea Hawk coming down the gangway before he nodded. "Yes, ma'am!"

She clenched her teeth. Sea Hawk couldn't be expected to handle everything; that was what he had his crew for. The soldiers should know that she spoke for him.

But they had more important problems than the chain of command. More urgent ones, too. "What's the plan?" she asked as they walked down the pier at a brisk pace. What she meant was: Why do you need me here?

"We need to talk to Mermista. And to Entrapta. We need a way to deal with those floating bombs."

"Ah." That was it - she should've known. Mermista would be busy being in command, so Seacat as the next best woman would be the one to talk to Entrapta. And check the princess's ideas for practicability. And for safety. That made sense.

"Now, where would my dear love be?" Sea Hawk mused as they reached the waterfront. "If she saw us entering the harbour, she would have sent word already, so she must be in the citadel." He nodded at his own words, rubbing his moustache. "Onward, then!"

Seacat shrugged as she followed him. It was as good as any other guess.

But the Captain turned out to be correct - they were met by a runner halfway to the gate of the citadel. A few minutes later, they entered the planning room at the top of the main tower.

"Sea Hawk." Mermista nodded at him, Seacat saw, but she was far tenser than normal. Well, a battle was starting. Or had started - the first shots had definitely been fired.

"My dear Mermista!" Sea Hawk hugged her anyway. "We've returned bearing a rescued comrade of the mechanical variety, and dire news."

"Emily! You've brought Emily!" Entrapta blurted out. "Where is she? How is she?"

"Emily's on the ship, about to get unloaded, and apart from being a little banged up, looked fine," Seacat replied.

"Oh, no! I've got to check on her - it's thanks to her that we received advance warning of this attack!"

"Emily's fine," Seacat told the princess, holding up her hand. "But before you go, we need to talk about the bombs."

"Oh, right. The bombs. Those are bad, right?"

"Yes," Seacat said. "Probably as much powder as a shell. They'll hole any ship and might sink a smaller one right away."

She saw the admiral in the room wince at that, and Colonel Kilian nodded with a grim expression.

"And they're floating in the sea, hidden amidst driftwood," Mermista said. "We need to destroy them before they sink any of our ships. Their mere presence - the mere possibility of their use - will affect our entire fleet and supply lines."

"Can you use your powers to gather them all in one place?" Seacat asked.

"I need to see them for that," Mermista told her. "I could create a wave that cleared a path, but it wouldn't stop them from coming down the river."

"We could use nets to gather them up, as long as they don't sink underwater," Entrapta said. "Though they might explode when touching each other, so the nets would be quite large, so the explosion won't damage the towing ship, and they'd need to be frequently replaced."

"Courier ships with swivel guns can more or less reliably destroy the bombs from a distance," Seacat pointed out.

"But we're short on courier ships," the admiral said. "We've got two here, three if we count the gunboat. And we're short on swivel guns, too."

"What about bots?" Seacat asked. "Emily had a cannon large enough to trigger such bombs."

"Oh, that would work, but… we would need a ship for her, and for the other bots," Entrapta said. "Longboats aren't large enough. I could design a smaller bot, but they wouldn't be as effective since the cannon would be smaller as well, and the ammunition would be limited…"

"Then we'll build rafts," Sea Hawk said, grinning. "We've got the materials and men for that. "They won't be going to sea, but they're enough for coastal work - or on the river."

"And they'll be easy prey for the Horde guns," Kilian pointed out. "And without the frigates, we won't be able to push the Horde guns away from the cliff."

From where the guns would be able to bombard the fortress - and the harbour. That would soon render the port unusable.

"And without the rafts, we won't be able to get the frigates close enough to shell the gun emplacements," Mermista added.

"Mobile gun emplacements," Seacat said. "They can move them pretty quickly with skiffs.

"Ugh." The princess pressed her lips together in a deep frown.

Seacat looked at the others. They all knew what this meant - someone would have to deal with the guns, and they would likely take heavy casualties doing so.

Damn, she was thinking like an officer. She had to think like Seacat. There had to be a way to avoid sacrificing people in a bloody suicide charge. If only… Her eyes widened. "Entrapta! I've got an idea!"

*****​

"How's the ship?" Seacat asked as soon as she stepped on the Dragon's Daughter V's deck.

"We've patched up most of the smaller leaks, but the big one… is still leaking," Licy replied from the hold.

"Keep at it. We'll sail soon," Seacat told her. If Horas could keep up - and he had kept up with more leaks - then they would do fine.

"What?" she heard Licy exclaim, followed by Alcy shushing her.

"We need to move the Horde from the cliffside," she told them, peering down into the hold.

"Who's 'we'?" Alcy asked.

"The Salinean Navy," Seacat replied. "But someone needs to clear the floating bombs for them."

"And that'll be us?"

"Us and the other courier ship. And what rafts they manage to build for Entrapta's bots." Seacat flashed her fangs. "But at the start, it'll be just us."

Even Horas seemed to wince at that.

"We'll be working at the mouth of the river, though," she told them, "under cover of the fortress's guns."

Alcy nodded, but looked grim still - with good reason, of course. The artillery was already duelling, and the Horde had more guns, and more mobile ones, too.

A few shells had landed inside the port already - fortunately, not too close to them. Still, staying in port wouldn't be a good idea either.

Well, the frigates would add their fire to the fortress's guns once they moved to the cliffside. A few broadsides would make the Horde gunners take notice. Or so Seacat hoped.

As much as it was logical to risk a few small ships and boats instead of the frigates - or longboats packed with marines crossing the river - it would still be hard on the small ships. Such as the Dragon's Daughter V.

But they would do what they had to to defeat the Horde. "This is their big push," Seacat told the others as she climbed down into the hold to help them plug the last leak. "They've sacrificed their fleet to gain time. They must have used most of their powder supplies for the floating bombs. And this must be most of their artillery skiffs and their best troops. If we defeat them here, the war's as good as won!"

She wasn't quite lying - the Horde had more troops and more guns - but the Horde didn't have too many good troops. And they couldn't just move all of them around nily-wily. Just sending so many to the fortress would have strained their supply lines.

But if they won, they would regain the initiative. Hook up with the trapped troops up north. And start pushing towards Seaworthy again.

They had to stop them here. Stop them and defeat them.

*****​

By the time Sea Hawk arrived a quarter-hour later, they had managed to plug most of the biggest leak by hammering the planks back in place and sealing the gaps with tar. It wouldn't hold up for too long, but it would last long enough to fight the battle, or so Seacat hoped. Odds were, after a few hours, it wouldn't matter one way or the other.

Right when they cast off, an explosion shook the southern wall - a Horde shell had landed directly on a gun emplacement, the powder charges going off and wrecking a part of the wall. The marine gunners shot back, but they were outnumbered - and the Horde gunners could move quickly to disperse themselves - or focus on either end of the southern wall.

Another shell landed in the middle of the harbour, close enough for a small wave to hit the Dragon's Daughter V on the way out.

"Steady!" Sea Hawk yelled as they passed the line of longboats. "Signal the frigates on station that we'll be clearing the way to the cliff!"

Seacat scrambled up the mast. The frigates were a long way off due to the floating bombs - just about close enough so one could pick out signals without a telescope - but she saw water erupt close to one frigate as they shot at bombs. Or driftwood - no ship could take a chance here, even though the frigates could manoeuvre much more easily thanks to their engines.

Seacat used the flags to inform the frigates of the plan, clinging to the top of the mast with her legs, the claws on her feet digging into the wood. Usually, she'd cling to the rigging, but for this, she needed to be as visible as possible. Timing would be everything.

Alcy fired the swivel gun, and an explosion threw up a column of water right at the edge of the mole - a floating bomb had come so close? Things were worse than Seacat had feared.

As they sailed alongside the mole, shells flew overhead, hitting the harbour - but soon, they began to fall next to the Dragon's Daughter V. Quite close, too.

Sea Hawk started to weave through the waves, which threw off the Horde gunners's aim for now, but they would soon adjust. And if every gun fired on them, a shell was bound to hit them by sheer chance.

She shook her head and focused on her task. "The frigates are on the way!" she yelled. Not as fast as she'd like, but the ships were moving, following longboats looking for bombs.

"Huzzah!"

The cheering from Alcy and Licy was interrupted by another shot, which didn't blow up a bomb, though.

"Port!" Alcy yelled. "We missed!"

"'We'? I'm just the loader!" Lucy added.

Seacat would have snorted if she hadn't spotted the floating bomb drifting closer and closer to them, despite Sea Hawk turning the ship away.

"Steady, crew!" the Captain yelled. "Just a little longer!"

Seacat clenched her teeth and hissed with frustration. They were a target out there, hemmed in and slowed down by bombs and shot at by all the Horde artillery on the southern shore. This wouldn't go well if the princesses didn't act soon!

As if they had heard her, the cliffside and southern shore was suddenly starting to be covered in thick smoke - Entrapta must have finally finished building the special shells Seacat had asked for! A few minutes later, the entire area was covered in black clouds.

Seacat turned to look at the mole. Yes, with the Horde gunners blinded and their guns having been aimed at the Dragon's Daughter V, Mermista had climbed on top of the battered mole and raised her trident.

A moment later, a huge wave rose in front of the princess, shooting out towards the southern shore.

*****​
 
Chapter 32: The Gunboat
Chapter 32: The Gunboat

The wave Mermista had conjured swept over the water. Even though the Dragon's Daughter V wasn't in its path, she was pushed away as well, and Seacat had to grab the mast with both hands to keep from getting thrown off as it tilted to the side. She heard Alcy and Licy curse and Sea Hawk yell with glee as the ship righted herself.

But her attention was focused on the wave approaching the cliffside and southern shore. The closer the wave came, the higher it rose - and it carried driftwood and floating bombs with it. Almost… almost… The wave hit, smashing into the cliffside - and washing over the lower parts of the southern river shore. And the bombs it carried with it went off as they hit the rocks and soil. About a dozen explosions in short order - or more. She cheered at the sight.

"Signal the frigates to head in! We're moving to cover the river!" Sea Hawk yelled

"Aye aye, Captain!"

She turned to signal the frigates, quickly repeating the message twice, then grabbed her telescope from where she had stuffed it into her top to check for acknowledgement - she couldn't make out the signals with her bare eye.

For a moment, she feared the frigate's signal officer had missed her message, but then the ensign in the crow's nest started waving the signal flags. Yes!

"They're coming!" she yelled down.

"Huzzah! Into harm's way we go, then!"

The Dragon's Daughter V turned and headed upriver.

"Keep an eye out for bombs!" Seacat yelled.

They were on the southern side of the river, too - the northern side, as Seacat could see, was covered by a bot and a few guns setting up near the fortress. As she watched, a floating bomb was blown up by a well-aimed shot of Entrapta's bot.

Alcy soon followed with a hit of their own. Seacat cheered - though she knew it was a bad sign that the Horde still had so many bombs to send downriver.

And, worse, the smoke cover would soon be gone - Entrapta hadn't been able to create too many smoke rounds, and what she was now constructing wouldn't be enough to keep the enemy covered.

Now everything depended on whether the frigates could rush in quickly enough to silence the Horde guns before they blew the Dragon's Daughter V out of the water.

"Yes!" Alcy hit another one.

But Seacat was glancing at the shore. The smoke was thinning rapidly now. She could already spot the first Horde soldiers waving - at them.

"The Horde's recovering!" she informed the captain.

"As expected!"

Alcy fired again, but nothing blew up. Either she missed - or the target wasn't a bomb. Hard to say. The woman fired again - still no explosion.

"Try again!" Seacat yelled, studying the target through her telescope. "It looks like a bomb!"

The next shot hit it - she could see the wood splintering - but it didn't blow up. "Next!" she yelled. "That's a dud!"

Then the water blew up near them, and Seacat had to grab the mast to keep from falling - the first Horde gun had started to fire on them.

She swung around and glanced back towards the sea. The Salinean battleline had formed and was approaching, but not fast enough.

The Salinean guns in the fortress were firing normal shells again, but that hadn't stopped the Horde guns before.

Another gun fired. A second later, the shell passed over the deck of the Dragon's Daughter V. "Captain!" she yelled, "Half a dozen guns are about to open up on us!"

"Understood!" Sea Hawk sounded tense now. A moment later, the Dragon's Daughter V swung around and started weaving through the water. "Use the burner!" the Captain yelled.

"That'll obscure the bombs!" Alcy yelled.

"We can't blow them up if we're blown up!" Sea Hawk yelled.

Licy was already dashing to the bridge, though. She slid to a stop at the stern and grabbed the burner there.

But as she lit it, two guns on the shore fired. One shell fell short, another hit the stern - and didn't explode. A dud? Seacat felt relief.

Then a third gun fired, and, a moment later, the port half of the Dragon's Daughter V's rigging was sliced apart.

Chain shot. The Horde guns were using chain shot, Seacat realised as the mast started to topple to starboard.

Then she clenched her teeth and jumped into the river before the mast smashed into the water.

The current stopped her dive quickly - and then started to push her back, towards the ship. She resurfaced, then swam to the side as fast as she could - if she got entangled in the rigging floating in the water, that would be bad.

The Dragon's Daughter V had stopped, the toppled mast acting like an anchor - and the river's current was slowly turning the ship around. Even with the burner still producing smoke, the Horde gunners wouldn't keep missing a stationary target like that for long.

"Cut the rigging!" she heard Sea Hawk yell.

"There's Seacat!" Licy had spotted her.

"Forget about me! Get the ship clear!" Seacat screamed as she passed in front of the Dragon's Daughter V. She could climb back onto the ship easily, once she was clear of...

"Bomb! Coming at us!"

"Don't shoot it! Seacat's too close!"

Damn it. Seacat clenched her teeth and redoubled her efforts. She had to get on board - if the bomb exploded with her in the water…

Something hit the river to her side, and she caught it trailing below her. Chain shot - the Horde was still firing chain shot. Not as bad as a shell detonating in the river, but if that had hit her, she would've been sliced in half…

She reached the ship's hull and dug her claws into it, then pulled herself up. "Shoot!" she yelled.

A moment later, Alcy fired. And a column of water rose. Close. Damn close.

"Hit!"

Yes! Seacat scaled the hull, reaching for the top of the railing - and the Horde guns' barrage arrived.

To starboard and port, the river erupted, throwing up water. Explosive shells, Seacat realised while she struggled to hold on to the railing. More explosions shook the ship - and she heard the groaning of wood being torn apart.

Then the ship jerked once more, suddenly shooting forward, and Seacat was slammed into the hull. Grunting with pain - her cutlass had been slammed into her thigh - she slipped, sliding back, her claws carving gouges into the wood as she barely kept from falling into the water.

Screaming with rage, she pulled herself back up, then slid over the railing, panting. A quick glance showed that she hadn't lost her sword this time - but she was missing her telescope. Damn. And her signal flags.

"First Mate! Are you wounded?"

"No, Captain!" she replied, forcing herself to stand. She could worry about herself later - they had to save the ship.

"Bomb ahead!" Licy yelled.

And they still had to screen the frigates. Seacat glanced to starboard. The Salinean battleline had formed and was now almost in range. They were sailing towards the cliffside - straight south. Not ideal for sweeping the riverbanks clear of the Horde guns, but they could hammer the cliffside without being hemmed in by the river and risking the floating bombs.

The bomb exploded - too close for Seacat's taste. They would have more leaks in the hull - Horas was already belowdecks, keeping the pumps going. Alcy and Licy had the bow. That left her… she climbed the stairs to the bridge. The burner was about to run out and needed to be refilled.

Before she reached it, another volley from the Horde guns arrived. More shells exploded to the portside - and one starboard, close enough to push the Dragon's Daughter V off-course.

"We've sprung a leak!" Horas yelled. "I can't keep up!"

Seacat cursed and jumped down onto the main deck, then leapt through the open hatch into the hold.

She landed in knee-deep water - a whole plank had been pushed in, broken, and the water was streaming in. Snarling, she grabbed the edge of the plank and pushed back, digging her feet's claws into the deck. She had to plug the leak, or the ship was lost!

But the force of the water was too strong - she barely made any headway. And the water kept rising. It was hopeless.

"No!" She clenched her teeth and screamed with frustration. Not like this! "Damn it!"

Then Horas was there, pushing as well - and they managed to plug most of the leak.

"Hold it in place!" she snapped, quickly looking for spare planks to nail over it.

"The pumps…"

"Hold it!" she cut him off. There! She grabbed a plank and the hammer and nails from their mounts and started nailing the plank into place.

By the time she had finished - and the thing was holding - they were standing hip-deep in the water. Horas started pumping again, but… he had barely kept up before, and now?

She climbed to the deck. "We're not gonna last, Captain!" she yelled. "We're taking too much water!"

"Can we reach the port?" Sea Hawk yelled back.

"Maybe!" she yelled back.

"The Dragon's Daughter V is a good ship! She'll bring us home!"

Seacat could only hope that the Captain was right.

They were headed straight towards the port - mostly; the ship was still weaving to throw off the Horde gunner's aim and spread the remaining smoke - towards the port. Seacat grabbed new signal flags to inform the frigates that they couldn't screen them from bombs any more.

The smoke… She rushed up to the bridge again. She needed to refill the burner. "Captain! The burner!"

He threw a tin can to her. She grabbed it with one hand as she passed him, then slid to a stop at the stern, grabbing the burner. Refilling it extinguished the fire, but she relit it without any problem.

More shells flew, but fell short this time - they Horde gunners had miscalculated their speed. Where were the smoke rounds from the fortress? And what was the battle line doing?

Wait. She had to inform the Salineans about the change of plans. She went and grabbed two more signal flags. With the mast gone, the bridge was now the highest spot on the ship, so she returned to Sea Hawk's side and started signalling as more shells hit the river near them. More leaks as well, probably - the Dragon's Daughter V was now as low in the water as if she'd had her hold stuffed full of ore. And they were still only halfway to the port.

She didn't wait for the acknowledgement - the sailors could see the Dragon's Daughter V sailing back anyway, and they'd have to be blind to miss that she'd lost her mast.

Another volley. One shell hit close enough to spray them with water. Seacat snarled. Just a little longer - just a little more luck…

Suddenly, thunder sounded in the distance, and she gasped - the Salinean ships were firing! Four broadsides' worth of shells hit the cliffside as they briefly turned away to bring their guns to bear. For a moment, the entire top of the cliffs vanished in smoke.

She cheered. "Take that, Horde scum!"

"Huzzah!"

"Yes!"

"Yay!"

"We've got another leak!"

Damn!

She jumped down to the main deck and then into the hold. Yes, there was another leak - smaller than the other, but in their current state… She hissed and started plugging it with what was at hand.

But the water kept rising - it was now reaching her chest. And Horas's waist. And each time the ship turned, the water sloshed around, making the list worse - and doing its best to sweep them off their feet.

They wouldn't make it. She shook her head, wiping water and tears from her face, and stopped hammering the loose plank. If they kept going, they'd roll over with so much water in the hold.

"Get out, Horas!" she snapped. "It's hopeless."

"I can keep pumping!"

"Not for long! Out! On deck!" She snapped. "Move!"

The minotaur gave the pump another turn, then started towards the stairs. Seacat followed him - swimming while he waded.

But they reached the stairs and made it to the deck. "Captain!" she yelled.

He looked at her.

She shook her head.

He nodded. "Abandon ship!"

Alcy and Licy jumped overboard, followed by Horas ripping off part of the railing and joining them. Seacat was about to jump as well, but then noticed that Sea Hawk hadn't left the con. "Captain!"

"I'm fixing the wheel - the closer she's getting to the fortress, the better to raise her afterwards!"

"Captain!"

"And she'll serve as a distraction to draw fire away from us!"

That was a good argument. But not good enough. She scaled the stairs to the ridge. "Captain!"

He finished tying down the wheel. "All done!"

She grabbed him and threw him overboard, following a moment later. They were about in the middle of the river - the current was strong, but they could make it to the shore if they swam for it.

"Hey!"

Or they could swim to the longboat coming towards them. Someone must have noticed their distress on the shore.

The Dragon's Daughter V was staying her course - headed straight towards the northern shore. But she was sinking - the bow was almost dipping into the waves now.

Halfway to the longboat, she felt herself being pulled upriver. What the…?

Oh. Another big wave smashed its wave upriver. At an angle - Mermista was covering for them. But why would…? Seacat turned in the water. Ah. The Salinean battle line had turned and was now sailing straight up the river, parallel to the southern riverbank. And shelling the Horde positions with broadside after broadside.

Good.

A few strokes brought her to the bow of the longboat - marines were in it, she noticed - and a lizardman pulled her out of the water. "Are you hurt?" someone asked.

"No," she replied. She wasn't looking at them. She was looking at the Dragon's Daughter V. The bow had slipped beneath the waves now, but the engine was still working - and driving the ship down to the bottom of the river mouth.

She watched the ship disappear as more broadsides were fired in the background and hoped that this had been worth it.

*****​

The longboat took them back to the fortress, but the marines had to fight the river for it - or, rather, they had to fight the waves Mermista kept sending upriver to sweep the river mouth clear of bombs so the frigates could keep decimating the Horde troops on the riverbank.

And, as Seacat could see, the frigates were doing a decent job - the Horde artillery had fallen silent. Although she didn't know how many Horde guns had been destroyed and how many had fled the riverbank and were now setting up for indirect fire in or near the forest. She saw a number of smoking gun emplacements, wrecked by shells, though - the Dragon's Daughter V's sacrifice hadn't been in vain.

Alcy and Licy were cheering anyway at each broadside. Horas wasn't, though, and neither was the Captain.

"They still have their army," Seacat pointed out. "If they keep it away from the coast, they can move against our forces when we start going upriver."

"Oh." Licy looked crestfallen.

The marine sergeant in command of the longboat nodded. "We'll have to defeat them in the field." She was grinning, though. "But with their artillery wrecked like that, we won't have too much trouble."

"Don't underestimate them," Seacat told him. "They already got us with the underwater infiltrators and now those bombs."

He shrugged. "That won't help them in the field. We've beaten them whenever we faced them."

If the Horde gave battle. If they were smart, they'd just retreat, only offering battle in good positions where they had the advantage and the fleet couldn't help. Of course, the Horde wasn't always smart. But they had come up with a lot of ideas lately.

Seacat clenched her teeth. They had still lost, but it had cost the Alliance. She had a feeling that defeating this army would cost a lot more, too.

As they finally rounded the mole and entered the port, they saw several rafts being towed out, each with a bot on it.

Good. That meant Mermista wouldn't have to keep sending huge waves upriver.

*****​

"Mermista! My Love!"

"Sea Hawk." Mermista was smiling, but she looked exhausted - using her powers for so long had taken a lot out of her. Adora didn't have that problem, Seacat knew. Then again, she was She-Ra, not just a princess.

"That was great! Those waves… you saved us all!" the Captain exclaimed as the two embraced.

Seacat frowned. Sea Hawk wasn't wrong, of course - but it made it sound as if they had lost the Dragon's Daughter V for nothing. Then she noticed the admiral nearby frowning at the couple and glared at the woman. What did the admiral think she was, Mermista's mother? She was Mermista's subordinate, not her keeper!

"She saved the fleet," the admiral commented with a sneer. "After your ship got sunk."

"We knew that this could happen," Seacat retorted. "And someone had to draw fire so Mermista could do her thing."

"As did our frigates. But they didn't get sunk."

Seacat hissed. She wanted to claw the sneer off of the woman's face.

"Enough!" Mermista snapped. "Sea Hawk and his crew risked their lives for us; I won't tolerate any disrespect!"

The admiral had the grace to blush in embarrassment. Or anger. Or both. Seacat didn't care - she was fed up with those snobby officers. She looked at the battle on the other side of the river mouth. The frigates were turning around, which meant their fire lessened as they blocked each other's broadsides during the manoeuvre. But there didn't seem to be much left on the Horde side that could shoot back. All four frigates were still sailing, seemingly untouched, but without her telescope, she couldn't check if they had suffered more damage.

"What now?" she asked. "Send the marines over the river?"

"Colonel Kilian is in favour of that," Mermista said. "But I fear that would be what the Horde wants us to do." She turned to look at the distant shore herself. "They knew we'd have to respond to their artillery. And they know we can't let them stay so close, ready to attack or flank our force once we push upriver."

"Yet when we attack, they'll retreat from the shore, rendering our fleet ineffective and fix us in place. Like a fleet in being," the admiral pointed out. So she wasn't entirely useless.

"Well, we need to trap their forces, then, and prevent them from retreating," Sea Hawk said. "I have an idea!" He beamed. "It'll be dangerous, but if it works out, we'll completely defeat the enemy!"

*****​

They were going slow. Too slow, for Seacat's taste. And not just because the gunboat she was on couldn't go nearly as fast as the Dragon's Daughter V, lacking an engine - they were going slow because someone upriver was still dropping floating bombs into the river and they had to deal with them.

And it didn't help that most of the bombs were now duds or decoys. Quite the contrary, in fact - now the swivel guns mounted on the bow needed to take a few shots to be sure they had hit a dud. If she ever found out who among the Horde scum had come up with this…

She hissed in frustration.

"Patience, First Mate!"

She turned to scowl at the Captain.

As usual, he wasn't fazed. "We're doing well - exactly according to plan!"

"We're not doing anything," she corrected him. "We're just passengers."

"We're in charge of the operation," he told her. "That makes us staff."

Staff, but not crew. This wasn't her ship. And she hated it. If only they hadn't lost the Dragon's Daughter V! "Mermista's in command," she retorted.

"And my love's a great commander, but she can't do everything. Which is where we come in. And this was my idea, of course!" He grinned. "Cheer up - we'll be in the thick of it soon enough."

Well, at least they weren't at the fortress. Waiting to land at the southern shore, not knowing if they would be needed, would be worse than being passengers on a gunboat. She huffed, and Sea Hawk put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

"I just want to do something," she muttered. To get back at the Horde for sinking their ship. Her ship.

"I know. And we will. Soon, I think."

Seacat sighed.

"Guns on the riverbank!"

She whirled and grabbed her new telescope. Yes - there, between two patches of trees, Skiffs were unloading guns. They had drawn the Horde's attention, as expected.

"Signal the Fortress!" Sea Hawk yelled. "We're engaging Horde guns!"

Seacat clenched her teeth, flexing her claws. Now she would be even more useless, watching while the ship fought.

In front of her, the bow gun emplacement turned, gunners struggling to aim the large piece at the shore while the swivel gun crews ducked.

The two main guns of the gunboat fired before the Horde had finished setting up their four guns, but both shots went wide, bracketing the enemy's position.

Seacat longed to yell at the gunners to correct their mistake but held her tongue. With some difficulty.

Then the first gun of the Horde fired. Second from the right, Seacat noted - likely the best crew, and that meant one of the primary targets. The shell fell short, hitting the water and blowing up a column of it without coming close enough to shake the ship.

The gunboat's guns fired again before the rest of the Horde guns were ready, and this time, the stern gun landed a direct hit. Seacat saw the enemy gun flip through the air after the shell exploded, followed by secondary explosions as the powder stored there went up. Unfortunately, that hadn't been the fast gun - which fired together with the remaining two. Two shots fell short - one going wide as well, but the third went long - the gunboat had been straddled. The Horde gunners wouldn't take long to find the range, then.

It was all up to their own gunners, now. And Seacat hated that. Those weren't her crew. She didn't know them. She couldn't trust them. Hell, this was a prize crew - and everyone knew that the Salinean captains didn't staff prizes with their best sailors and officers.

The gunboat's two guns fire once more. Another hit and miss - and once more, the stern gun had hit while the bow gun had missed. Against a stationary target! This time, the third gun from the right vanished in a fireball. That left two guns to return fire. Among them the best gun crew of the enemy. They fired quickly - and hit. Seacat ducked when the shell exploded against the bow, sending shrapnel and splinters across it.

Screams sounded, and Seacat jumped up, then dashed towards the wrecked bow. "Alcy! Licy! Help me!" she yelled as she passed the bow gun.

She winced when she reached the bow - the swivel gun crews had been cut down. She saw one goatman holding the stumps of his legs, screaming as he tried to stop the bleeding, and a mothwoman staring at her bleeding belly without even trying to do anything. The rest… well, ripped to pieces described them well.

"Check for bombs!" she told the two women behind her as she knelt, ripping the belt off a dead lizardman and then grabbing the goatman's belt. "We need to tie this off!"

He didn't listen and kept screaming. Useless.

She pushed his hands away and started to tie the belts around his legs. He still tried to interfere. Snarling, she hit his arms away. "Stop!" She had another wounded to take care of.

Alcy fired when Seacat finally knocked the goatman out so he'd stop untying the belts, then went to check on the mothwoman.

Who was slumped over and not breathing anymore. Damn.

Behind her, the guns fired again. She looked to the shore and bared her teeth when the good Horde gun was hit, vanishing in a fireball. That was enough - the remaining gunners fled, not bothering to pack up their gun.

By the time she had gotten the wounded goatman to the hold, the guns had fallen silent, and the boat was turning towards the southern riverbank.

She dropped the wounded off in the hold - the gunboat was much too small to have a healer there, but they had someone taking care of the wounded.

When she returned on deck, they had resumed their course upriver. And the crews at the swivel guns had been replaced. "Going to be a bloody affair," she muttered as she rejoined the Captain at the railing.

"I fear so. It should help sell the whole plan to the Horde, though," he replied.

"It better do so," she said through clenched teeth. If all this was for nothing…

"Can you check if the frigate is entering the river mouth now?"

"Aye aye." She climbed the stairs to the bridge - which was in the middle of the ship, not at her stern, where the second gun was housed - and peered back, downriver. The frigate was indeed sailing upriver already - using her engine.

And she could see the rafts it was towing. "They're underway!" she yelled back.

"Good! Press on, captain!" Sea Hawk yelled to the gunboat's captain. "We need to find where they drop those bombs in the river!"

It was an obvious target - and Horde would be aware of this. Which meant they would be prepared for an attack. Seacat wasn't a fan of making obvious attacks, no matter how necessary they might be. On the other hand, the Horde's forces covering the river wouldn't be able to stand up to the frigate and the troops on the rafts she was towing.

Which meant the Horde would have to either fall back - or move the bulk of their forces in. And, seeing as the Alliance didn't have the bulk of their own forces on the river, that would allow the Horde to defeat them in detail, as Kilian had called it.

But for that, they needed to move their forces out of the forest where they were hiding and to the river - or they would miss the opportunity to fight under favourable conditions. Seacat hissed. She couldn't see if the Horde was moving.

"I'm taking a look," she said, then jumped into the rigging and scaled it. Taking out her borrowed telescope - Mermista could get another one easily if she needed one - she studied the shore. The riverbank wasn't very steep here, so she could see the forests behind it - small patches dotting the fields before they merged into a denser wood following the river. Was that movement? A skiff!

"I see a skiff going upriver!" she yelled down. It would be a courier or scout. A courier sent upriver to get the bomb droppers to evacuate… or a scout to secure the route for the army following them. Or, Catra remembered her lessons, a strike skiff, full of soldiers for rapid deployment.

She kept watching the forests. More movement. Another skiff. That was carrying a gun. Damn. "Skiff artillery!" she yelled. "Not deploying yet!"

How much further upriver were the Horde forces? They couldn't be too far - they would lose too many bombs in the river. At most two turns or so. And they would have to have boats - or a ship - to drop the bombs in the middle of the river so they wouldn't get dragged to the riverbank right away.

They were in the first turn now - Seacat recognised the area from their raid upriver. Another, wide one, followed.

"Ship ahead!" the lookout yelled from the crow's nest.

Seacat turned and took a look herself. A gunboat. Damn. Same class as the one they had - and they were dropping trunks into the river. "Get that boat!" she yelled.

The gunners in the bow were already moving the gun, but the swivel gun crews were in the way - and they were firing as well since a lot of trunks and bombs were coming towards the ship. They needed to change course so they could bring both main guns to bear - and let the swivel guns keep firing. What was the damn gunboat captain doing?

"Clear!" the gun commander yelled.

The swivel gun crews dropped to the floor.

A moment later, the bow gun fired - and the shell went wide.

The Horde gunboat was turning, and first the stern gun, then the bow gun fired. The stern gun missed, as did the bow gun - but they came closer.

"Turn so we can match their guns!" she yelled as the swivel gun crews returned to their guns, firing quickly and blowing up another bomb while the main gun reloaded.

They were still not turning. Sea Hawk was going to the bridge now. Finally!

Once more, their own gun fired - and missed again! Seacat wanted to jump down and throw the gunners into the river and take over. What kind of incompetents had been assigned to this boat? She would gut the captain who had used this to get rid of the officer!

The Horde ship fired now - they matched the Alliance gunners in speed, too! - and one near miss threw water all over the deck while the other exploded further behind them. It had missed the hull by inches; Seacat had seen the shell pass by.

This couldn't go on!

Another bomb exploded - Seacat could see that the Horde sailors were still dropping the things into the water. What the hell…

A scream drew her attention - Sea Hawk was holding the gunboat captain at sword point! Seacat quickly grabbed a line, then jumped, swinging over to the bridge.

She let go of the line at the right moment and landed on all four on the bridge, hissing. If anyone went after the Captain…

But the gunboat was already turning - finally! The bow gun shot again, missing, but a moment later, the stern gun fired - and hit the afterdeck of the horde ship! That should at least throw off the stern gun's crew…

The enter afterdeck of the Horde gunboat blew up. They must have hit some of the bombs stacked there! The boat stopped moving at once, the mast already swaying - but the Horde's bow gun fired one last time - and hit.

Seacat ducked, clenching her teeth,when the shell hit the already damaged bow of their ship. The crew of the main gun there, as well as the swivel gunners, were thrown around by the explosion, and the bowsprit was blown off - Seacat saw it fly through the air for a moment before it hit the water.

But she also felt the ship slow down with a jerk - despite the sails still catching the wind.

She knew what that meant: They had been holed under the waterline, and the water was pouring inside, slowing the ship down.

"Keep going!" Sea Hawk yelled. "Beach her on the Horde side."

"What? No!" the gunboat captain protested.

"Do it, or I'll cut you down and do it myself!" Sea Hawk snapped.

Shaking, the helmswoman stayed the course.

Upriver, the Horde gunboat's remains slipped under the waves leaving a field of wooden debris.

The enemy shore was closer - Seacat didn't think they would manage to turn around before sinking, certainly not with the wind blowing from the rear like now - but they would be stranded on the enemy riverbank.

She clenched her teeth. That was what the Captain wanted - a tempting target for the Horde to make them commit their forces.

It was a good plan, but they would have to hold out long enough for the frigate to reach them with the reinforcements for it to work without getting them killed. And they would have to reach the shore without sinking. If they couldn't beach the gunboat and save the guns, they wouldn't stand a chance to fend off even a small Horde force. "I'm checking the hold," she spat, then grabbed the railing and jumped over it, landing on the deck below.

A few quick steps took her to the hatch leading down. Alcy, Lucy and Horas joined her. "We're going to beach her," she told them. "I'm checking the damage below."

"We're going to beach her?" Licy gasped.

"We're going to be bait." Alcy looked grim, as did Horas - they understood Sea Hawk's plan.

"Oh."

Seacat ignored the byplay and climbed down into the hold. The water was already knee-deep, streaming past a bulwark that wasn't quite working. Shoddy Horde craftsmanship. And there were people down here. People who couldn't move. People who were unconscious. "Get the wounded on deck!" Seacat yelled to the sailor treating the wounded as she reached for the legless goatman. "Horas! Alcy! Licy! Help!"

She carried the moaning but unconscious goatman up on deck, laying him down at the railing. If the ship didn't make it to shore… but they were close, and if the wind held, they would make it. Probably.

Behind her, Horas reappeared, carrying two more wounded, followed by Alcy and Licy, carrying a third. That left… One more.

The sailor who had been treating the wounded was already on the stairs, but he was struggling to carry the last wounded - and the bulwark could break at any moment. "Horas!" Seacat snapped, moving towards the wrecked bow.

The minotaur reached down and lifted both the sailor and the wounded gunner up with one hand as Seacat passed them. Good. She climbed over the wreckage of the bow gun. One swivel gun was still - again - manned, and fired as she reached it, blowing another bomb up. So, they had decent sailors who knew their duties in this crew as well.

Good. "Prepare for beaching!" she told them. "We're going to hit the riverbank there." She pointed at a sandy slope ahead.

"Right." The woman manning the swivel gun nodded at her while her comrade reloaded the gun.

"And be ready to fend off Horde attackers," Seacat added. "We'll have to hold until the relief arrives."

The frigate would have to go slow, too, what with the bombs still floating in the river. If the Horde was quick enough…

Seacat clenched her teeth and grabbed the piece of the railing still standing as the riverbank rushed up in front. "Brace!" she yelled.

Then the ship hit the shore. The already wrecked bow crumbled under the impact, wood splinters and broken planks flying everywhere. Instead of sliding up the riverbank, the gunboat turned and hit the riverbank sideways, the sudden stop and the wind still driving the sail almost toppling the ship as it rolled to starboard, then swung back to port.

Most of the crew were sent sprawling on the deck, but Seacat managed to keep her balance by digging her claws into the planks and grabbing the railing. Sea Hawk, likewise, held on to the steering wheel, though the helmswoman herself lost her grip and was sent over the side, landing on the riverbank with a scream.

And the wind was still blowing against the sails, rocking the ship back and forth.

"Cut the lines! Get that sail down!" Seacat yelled. A moment later, she jumped down on to the main deck and slashed the lines herself with her claws - the gunboat's crew was too slow to get their act together. They had been sent on a critical mission with the dregs of the service! When Mermista heard of this, heads would roll among the captains and admirals!

Or Seacat would make them roll literally.

With most of the lines cut, the mainsail finally was torn loose, burying the helmswoman underneath it as it was blown on to the riverbank.

"Get those guns ready! We will have Horde scum attacking any moment!" Seacat yelled. The skiffs she had seen… if they carried scouts, then those would easily match them. And the force stationed upriver, with the gunboat dropping floating bombs into the water, would have troops to spare as well, with the boat sunk.

They were on their own until the frigate arrived. And with the blown-up remains of the Horde gunboat carried downriver by the current, hiding any left-over bombs, the frigate couldn't risk rushing ahead.

She clenched her teeth as she joined the Captain on the bridge, looking at the shore. She could already hear the engines of several skiffs drawing closer. If they managed to get guns in place...

This would be a bloody affair, as she had predicted.

*****​
 
Chapter 33: The Beachhead
Chapter 33: The Beachhead

Stuck on a gunboat beached on an enemy shore, half the ship's guns wrecked already, half the crew wounded or dead, reinforcements delayed and the better part of a Horde army bearing down on them... Seacat forced herself to appear calm. Like the Captain. Even though she wanted to kick the crew still struggling to get the bow gun back up overboard and do it herself.

"Horas! Help them!" she snapped.

The Minotaur grunted in acknowledgement and went to help them lift the cannon on the repaired carriage. Seacat doubted that the gun would be of much use for precise shooting, but every gun able to shoot at the Horde would help. At the very least, it would provide the Horde gunners with another target so the stern gun crew, which was decently skilled, would get off another shot.

She sighed.

"No worry, First Mate!" Sea Hawk told her - in a lower voice, but with his best smile. "We won't have to hold out for too long - relief is on the way!"

Yes, she could even see the top of the frigate's mainmast. If she used a telescope. They would take a while to reach them. Of course, so would the Horde's main force. But the Horde troops upriver, which had been handling the floating bombs? And the scout or strike force on skiffs which had been on the way to reinforce them?

They would be here any minute.

She looked at the bow. Horas had laid the gun barrel down, and Alcy was directing Licy in fixing it to the carriage. Good. They knew their business.

Which couldn't be said about the swivel gun crews. Those were obviously barely trained to handle the guns. Then again, most of the trained gun crews had been killed in the duel with the Horde gunboat. And she couldn't train them up in the time they had left - not that she was an expert gunner, anyway.

She clenched her teeth. She couldn't just stay here. She had to do something. Something productive. She eyed the crow's nest. The mothwoman up there was looking at the shore, but… Seacat knew she had the best eyes on the ship. "I'll go take a look," she told the Captain. "See if I can spot the scum." She turned away.

"Careful, Seacat."

That had been barely more than a whisper. And yet it made her stop and look over her shoulder at Sea Hawk. He was smiling, but… She had rarely seen that look in his eyes.

She nodded, then jumped into the rigging near the bridge and scrambled to the crow's nest.

The mothwoman jerked when she arrived there. "Uh… it's a bit..."

Seacat ignored her attempt to point out the obvious lack of space for two people there and climbed higher, to the top of the mast. The riverbank had a gentle slope here, but it was still rising quite high - here was where the river started to cut into the cliff - so the higher she was, the better.

She wrapped her legs around the mast, gripped the top with one hand and pulled out her telescope. First, west. No sign of the enemy post which had to be there, but… there was something moving in the forest at the foot of the hill blocking her view of the next part of the river, at least according to the birds flying around there. Unless the things were still shocked by the gun duel on the river.

Somehow, Seacat didn't think that was the case.

She turned to look south and south-east. More flocks of birds were barely visible in the distance, where the Horde's main force was supposed to be. On the march, then. At least enough to counter the landing force coming from the fortress. But they wouldn't reach the beached ship before the frigate arrived.

Then movement much closer caught her eye. A skiff turning around a patch of trees. She adjusted the telescope and hissed - that was a strike skiff, carrying half a dozen soldiers. And more were coming behind it. Two, three, four… six. About thirty soldiers. Almost double the remaining crew with them.

But they could take those soldiers. Even without the guns, they could take them - Seacat would give her own crew decent odds against thirty Horde soldiers, even if they were strike teams, which were generally a cut above the rest, as Catra had learned.

Then she saw the skiff with guns on them. And cursed under her breath.

"Artillery skiffs!" she yelled down to the Captain. "Four of them! And about thirty soldiers!"

"Get the swivel guns ready to repel boarders!" Sea Hawk's voice rang out. "Prepare the guns to return fire - we need to sweep them off the slope as soon as they appear!"

The skiffs stopped well behind the top of the riverbank, outside the sight of anyone but Seacat and the mothwoman below her, and the soldiers quickly dismounted. The gun-carrying skiffs stopped as well and started to set up. They weren't going to deploy on top of the slope, then - they would be shooting indirectly. Like mortars. Damn. A ship generally didn't have to worry about mortars - hitting a ship on sails with direct fire was hard enough. But a beached ship? The gunboat couldn't move.

"They're not charging!" she told the others. "They'll bombard us!"

"Ready for counterfire!" Sea Hawk yelled.

The gun crews started to raise the barrels of the guns - the bow gun, once again, being far slower.

And the strike skiffs departed. They would be fetching more soldiers. Seacat hissed with frustration. That would delay the Horde attack - but it would also mean they would attack with at least double the numbers.

She glanced upriver. Or more - she still couldn't see the soldiers in the forest, but the birds getting disturbed showed they were closing in as well.

And soon, the guns would start shelling the ship. They had to take the guns out, and quickly, or the gunboat's remains would be scattered all over the riverbank before the frigate arrived.

"Where's the enemy?" the officer commanding the stern gun yelled.

Uh… Seacat lowered the telescope and narrowed her eyes. "About half a mile from our position," she yelled down. "Sought-southeast of us!"

"Elevation four!" the officer yelled, down on the deck. "One charge!"

"Elevation four, one charge!" the loader replied.

The Horde gunners were still setting up. Seacat could see them shovelling frantically to set up the guns so the recoil wouldn't launch them across the countryside.

"Ready!"

"Fire!"

The stern gun fired. Seacat kept her eyes trained on the enemy position. So close, it wouldn't take long… An explosion erupted on the field, about a hundred yards to the east of the enemy position. "You missed by a hundred yards, to the east!" she yelled. "Shoot more to the west!"

"I'm a trained artillery observer," the mothwoman in the crow's nest below her said.

Oh. Seacat clenched her teeth. She should've asked before assuming everyone was inept. "Call them out, then!" she told the woman. "I'll keep an eye on the Horde!"

The Horde soldiers had dropped to the ground right after the shell had exploded, but they were getting up now and running towards the top of the riverbank.

"Incoming soldiers!" Seacat yelled.

"Prepare to receive them!" Sea Hawk yelled, and a quick glance told Seacat that the two working swivel guns were trained on the top of the slope.

But the Horde soldiers stopped before reaching the top and dropped to the ground again. Out of sight of the swivel guns, and too close to be shelled indirectly by the main guns. Great.

"They're gathering right behind the top!"

The stern gun fired again. Seacat glanced upriver - no change - then looked at the enemy guns again. The shell exploded quite close to the eastmost gun.

"West fifty!" the mothwoman called out.

"West fifty!"

"Bow gun ready!"

"Fire!"

The bow gun fired, at last. But the shot went wide and long.

"West two hundred! Short two hundred!" The mothwoman yelled.

The gunners struggled again to move the barrels. And the Horde guns were now ready - Seacat saw them loading… chain shot?

She cursed. "They're using chain shot! They're shooting at us!" she told the mothwoman. Glancing down, she saw the sailor pale.

But the stern gun fired again. A moment later, the shell landed exactly on the eastmost Horde gun, which vanished in a fireball.

"West thirty!" The mothwoman yelled out - she was walking the fire.

And she wasn't leaving the crow's nest, Seacat realised. Damn. She hesitated. What could she do here? She wasn't a trained observer. She should get down and do something more useful. But that would look… that would be cowardly.

The Horde guns shot and Seacat tensed. One shot hit the top of the riverbank, cutting through grass and soil, and spinning off to the side. Another went long and wide. And one came so close, Seacat heard the chain and balls cutting through the air.

"Get down; you can't do anything here," the mothwoman told her. "I'll handle this." Her voice hitched a little - she knew what this meant.

As did Seacat. And she hated it.

"First Mate, come down!" Sea Hawk yelled.

Damn.

"Go," the mothwoman hissed. "You can't do anything here I can't do."

Hating herself, Seacat nodded at the woman and slid down the rigging. "Captain."

"First Mate."

The stern gun fired again.

"South thirty!"

So, no hit. Damn.

The bow gun fired next, but Seacat didn't expect them to hit anything anyway.

"South hundred. West fifty."

And they didn't. Seacat kept looking up.

Then the Horde guns fired. One chain shot wrecked the rigging below the crow's nest. Another smashed into it. Seacat didn't see a third. She didn't hear a scream, either - but she saw an arm sticking out over the railing.

Cursing, she scrambled up the rigging. The Horde guns were reloading, so she had some time. Then she saw the blood dripping from smashed crow's nest. Damn.

When she reached the top, a glance was enough to confirm that the mothwoman was dead - she had been cut in two by the chain shot. Seacat snarled, then turned to look at the Horde guns. Two were reloading, one was doing something with the muzzle.

The bow gun fired again. She counted the seconds until the shot hit. Yes! The middle gun - one of the faster ones - was hit, its crew cut down by shrapnel. "Hit! West thirty!" she yelled down. Before the bow gun could fire, she saw the third gun finish reloading and quickly grabbed the closest line, then pushed off.

She was halfway down to the deck when the next chain shot arrived, cutting the line and most of the remaining rigging. Seacat it the deck on all fours, turning to scale the mast again when she saw it was listing even more than before.

"The mainmast's going!" Sea Hawk yelled. "Cover!"

Seacat dashed across the deck, to the bridge, as the mast slowly started to topple. The beaching must have damaged it before - masts didn't break that easily!

They easily broke things when they fell, though - it smashed the portside railing and half the hold before crashing into the water.

The bow gun fired now, but without anyone observing the shot, they were shooting blindly.

Well, it wasn't as if they were shooting any better before.

"They'll have the soldiers at the top of the riverbank spot for them," Seacat told the Captain. She could already see the grass there move a little weird.

"Then we need to encourage them to keep their heads down," he replied. "Swivel guns! Rake the top of the riverbank with canister!"

That might delay them, but it wouldn't keep the Horde from getting someone to spot them - the riverbank was long, and they only had so many guns. Two, to be exact.

The stern gun fired.

They'd have to hope for a lucky shot. Two lucky shots, actually. Or they would have to get an observer of their own on top of the bank. Or take the guns out in another way - but they didn't have enough forces to rush the guns. Not through thirty Horde soldiers. They could probably break through them, but not fast enough to keep the guns from loading canister and shoot them to pieces before they reached the guns.

She ducked as she heard the faint sound of a Horde gun firing. A moment later, there was a splash in the river, about a hundred yards behind the beached gunboat. Then a shell exploded on the beach. A hundred and fifty yards to the east.

The bow gun replied, followed by the stern gun. Were they shooting faster than before? Well, they were effectively shooting blind, so they probably didn't have to adjust their aim quite as carefully any more.

The stern gun, closely followed by the bow gun fired again. Still no Horde shot. Ah - the observers would have to relay the corrections to the guns by a runner; it was too far to yell. Seacat snorted - a sailor worth their salt would be using signal flags. But Horde soldiers rarely cross-trained. Someone didn't consider that when sending out troops.

Or they hadn't had any signal officers available - the Horde artillery had been pounded by the Salinean fleet, after all.

She looked upriver. The bird swarms were closer now. Damn. "I need to check what's coming up on us from upriver," she told the Captain.

"Wait until the next volley arrives, then go," Sea Hawk told her. "I've got a feeling they'll hit a lot of the riverbank before they hit us."

She snorted. They weren't better off either - with the mast down, their only hope was getting a lucky shot in before the Horde got the range and angle to shell the ship.

Another shell hit the water, closer, though also wider, followed by a shot that almost hit the top of the riverbank. Either the Horde gunners were much worse than the bow gun crew, or they had some defective weapons. Either way, it looked as if the Captain was correct about the enemy artillery.

"I'll swim to the underbrush there," she told him, nodding at the closest patch of forest on the riverbank. It wouldn't be a good idea to let the soldiers on the top of the slope see her run upriver.

Unless she wanted to lure them into an ambush, of course. But they needed information about the approaching enemy more than a few dead scouts.

So she slid over the railing at the port side of the ship, shielded by the wrecked rigging and the bridge from the Horde eyes, and then dived.

The current wasn't too strong here - the river was wide - but she still had to struggle to swim upriver. If she surfaced halfway to her goal, that would ruin her plan. And probably get her killed. And if she was in the water when the next shell hit…

She clenched her teeth and kept swimming as fast as she could until she couldn't hold her breath any longer and came up for air. Gasping, she glanced around - she was pretty much where she had been going, the area where the trees reached the water. Shielded from view by most of the riverbank, too.

She dived anyway, swimming further upriver. Better safe than sorry. When she came up for air again, she couldn't see the riverbank. Which meant the Horde soldiers there couldn't see her either.

Panting, she climbed on shore, pushing wet hair out of her face - her ponytail had lost a few strands. But she had her cutlass, and her borrowed telescope was still safely strapped to her belt.

Time to get to work. She moved through the forest, ears perked. Soldiers moving through dense trees were loud. Hell, soldiers moving as a group were loud, period. Catra remembered enough marches to know. Soldiers would be complaining about everything as they walked, too.

Most of them, at least - the scouts would know better. And even the dumbest Horde scum would shut up when getting close to the enemy, if only because they were too busy being afraid.

Seacat, though, wasn't Horde scum. She was a sailor, but she knew how to move without alerting everyone! She stuck to the shore, never letting the river out of her sight, and made her way west. Behind her the artillery duel continued - she could hear the shots being fired.

About ten minutes later, she suddenly heard something. She froze, ears twitching. Twigs cracking, leaves rustling…. Close, too.

She slowly rose and stepped behind a large tree, drawing her cutlass without making a sound. That had to be the Horde vanguard!

Pressed against the trunk, she gripped the hilt of her blade tightly. The Horde scout or skirmisher was getting even closer - and she didn't hear anyone else. Good! Now she heard footsteps. Almost on the other side of the tree. Left or right? Left.

She drew back her arm, with the cutlass pointed at the ground, and waited, holding her breath.

The leaves next to her parted, a face appearing - a Horde helmet.

Seacat lunged, her cutlass coming up, then down, slicing into the helmet - and through it into the soldier's shoulder. She pushed her foot into the man's chest and pulled the blade out as half his head fell to the ground.

One scout down. She quickly checked the body, ignoring the blood still flowing out of the wrecked head and throat. The markings on the armour weren't familiar to Catra, but that didn't mean anything. The armour was infantry, though. Regular. That explained why the man hadn't noticed her before he had lost half his head. But did the Horde force coming down the river lack scouts and had used infantry instead? Or had they sent their scouts elsewhere?

She didn't know. But she knew that she couldn't stay here. Even regular Horde infantry would sooner or later notice one of their vanguard missing. And she needed to know what kind of force was on the way.

She listened again - another shot from the gunboat. So they were still shooting, good. Then she heard birds screeching - close. Frowning, she crouched, then carefully followed the dead soldier's trail upriver. Soon, she heard the sounds of a larger number of people making their way through the forest - and the expected cursing. Damn. They were already far too close. And even from just the sounds, she could tell there were at least a few dozen on the march.

Clenching her teeth, she looked for a suitable tree. There!

A quick dash brought her to the tree, and she easily scaled the trunk. Up in the canopy, she sat down on the thickest branch, staring at the forest ahead of her.

There was the Horde force. They were moving in a ragged formation, soldiers stumbling over roots as they tried to keep pace, others slipping on mud or pushing through the underbrush. At least fifty. Whoever was leading them wasn't a good commander, in her opinion - this kind of march would tire the soldiers, and they ran the danger of being defeated while strung out. Whatever advantage moving under cover of the trees might provide, it still wasn't a good trade.

But her friends lacked the numbers to take advantage of this. And with about thirty more soldiers on the top of the riverbank, they were in danger of being rushed. Not even canister shot would put down all of the soldiers of a charge, and the gunners wouldn't have time to reload…

She had to do something! Kill the commander? That might stall the advance. Or help the Horde in the long run, if the second in command was actually capable. And she'd have to get into the formation to do it - few Horde commanders led from the front - and then escape, which would be difficult...

Or she could kill a few more scouts and lead them on a chase. That would distract them for a little while at least. But she'd have to let them close enough to spot her and give chase before escaping.

What would Sea Hawk do? Set the forest on fire, of course! But without some oil, that would be difficult so close to the water. And the wind was blowing from the east, which wouldn't be ideal for spreading any fire she could get going northwards.

If she had some smoke powder, she could use it and make the Horde think that the forest was on fire, though. Or that the fire was much bigger than it appeared.

That sounded like a plan. The best she could come up with, in any case, on such short notice. She turned and started to jump from branch to branch, quickly making her way back to the beached gunboat. She had to hurry if she wanted to keep the Horde from leaving the forest.

Halfway to the gunboat, she heard yelling behind her - they must have found the dead vanguard. She bared her teeth - with a little luck, this would make the Horde slow down and look for ambushes now.

Then she reached the edge of the forest and gasped. The gunboat was on fire, covered in thick black smoke… Oh. Sea Hawk was using the smoke powder to make it harder for the enemy to correct their shots. With the gunboat's guns firing blindly anyway, it wouldn't impact them. And the wind was blowing the smoke up the slope, to blind the infantry there.

But it would also hide a Horde charge, should the scum have the guts to charge into the smoke. The Captain was gambling on the frigate arriving before the Horde got their act together.

And, as a glance told Seacat, the frigate had only covered about half the distance since they had beached the ship.

Well, she didn't have time to dwell on that. "Captain!" she yelled, dashing across the shore towards the boat, "I'm coming in! Don't Shoot! It's me, Seacat!"

She kept yelling as she dashed along the shore, towards the stern of the gunboat. No canister shot ripped her to shreds - they would have moved one swivel gun to the stern by now - and no shell blew her to bits. Even better, as she reached the beached hull, she saw the unmistakable form of Horas standing there, next to Alcy and Licy manning, as expected, a swivel gun.

"Horas!" She jumped up, dug her claws into the wood and quickly scaled the hull to the deck. "I need smoke powder and oil! And watch the treeline - we've got soldiers incoming if my plan fails."

Horas didn't ask or argue, merely turned and started towards the hold. Alcy and Licy swung the gun around, looking grim, and Seacat rushed to the bridge, past the sweating gunners struggling to load the next shell into the stern gun. The smoke she breathed hurt, but she ignored the pain. If she wasn't quick enough, smoke inhalation would be the least of her troubles.

"At least fifty soldiers are on the way to flank us!" she snapped as she reached the bridge. "They'll be here in ten minutes, or sooner."

"I see. Things will get even busier, then."

"I've got a plan to delay them - setting the woods on fire, and add some smoke." She was about to explain further, but a sudden whistling noise interrupted her, and she dropped to the floor before she realised what she was hearing - an incoming shell.

Sea Hawk had taken cover as well, and a few moments later, the entire ship shook as a shell exploded a few yards from the hull, sending wooden shards and splinters, as well as soil and sand, into the air.

"They're getting better - or luckier - with their shots," Sea Hawk said."The smoke helped, but…"

She nodded, getting up. "I'll be back as soon as possible."

"If you get cut off, swim to the other shore," he told her.

She knew what he meant. If the ship got destroyed while she was away, he wanted her to abandon them and save herself. She snorted - as if she'd do that.

Judging by his smile, he knew that.

Then Horas arrived, with a barrel of oil and a pot of smoke powder. She slung a piece of rope through the pot's handles and tied it across her chest, then grabbed the small barrel and attached another piece of rope to it.

She couldn't carry it - she'd be too slow to do any good - but she could throw it into the river and drag it along the shore.

Once down on the shore, it ended up more rolling than throwing, and she had to wade through the water herself, but it was doable. But would she be quick enough to reach the treeline before the Horde forces did? Clenching her teeth, she pushed herself. She had to, or her friends would be flanked by the Horde troops.

But the barrel was damn heavy, and the current, even though it wasn't very strong at the shore, was working against her. Wading slowed her down as well, and her feet slipped on the pebbles and mud of the shore and shallows. She might not…

"Let me carry it."

Horas! He must have jumped down and followed her. She wanted to send him back - the Captain might need him - but…

A shell exploded on the riverbank, quite close to them, and she heard a splinter whiz past her. "Take it and follow me!" she spat, rushing out of the water and sprinting towards the trees. Another shell hit the river nearby, the water slowing down the shrapnel enough to render it harmless. Mostly.

She pressed on - the Horde wouldn't shoot the forest, not when their own troops were approaching. Unless the Horde gunners weren't aware of that, which was possible. Damn.

Then she was at the forest's edge, panting. Where were the Horde forces? She could hear them, but she didn't see a glimpse of their uniforms, yet. Good enough. She put down the smoke powder pot and opened it, then lit it.

Horas, panting as well, arrived. And he was bleeding from a cut on his arm - not all the shrapnel had been harmless, then.

"It's nothing," he grunted.

She took him at his word. "Splash the oil on the trees along the shore," she snapped. "Don't go too far." That would let the wind blowing from the north drive the flames into the rest of the forest. Too bad it wasn't blowing from the east - that would drive the flames towards the approaching Horde force.

Horas did so, grunting again. And Seacat could hear the cursing Horde soldiers now - and was that someone moving in a bush? The smoke was already hampering her view. Best not take a risk. "Horas!" she yelled. "Come back!"

He started towards her, trampling a few bushes, as she moved to the edge of the oil-soaked treeline. As soon as he was clear, she lit the oil, watched the fire spread for a moment, then followed Horas. "Back to the ship!"

He didn't reply, just started to run - and she could see another wound on his back. That wasn't a scratch. Damn. Clenching her teeth, she rushed after him. "You idiot!" she hissed as she passed him.

He grunted in return. At least he didn't seem to be slowed down - even though he was leaving a trail of blood drops. Damn the idiot!

She threw herself to the ground, sliding down the riverbank and almost rolling into the water, when another shell exploded near the ship. Behind her, Horas did slip into the water but quickly recovered, and they ran on.

Seacat reached the ship, scaling the hull with her claws. "Licy! Get a rope! Horas's wounded! Alcy, keep the gun pointed at the forest!"

"Oh, no!" The woman gasped but grabbed the closest rope.

They tied one end to the railing, avoiding a ragged edge left by a shell, and Seacat jumped down with the other end. Horas arrived, staggering. "Just a scratch!" she hissed at him. "Can you climb?"

"Yes."

"You better."

She climbed up before him, grabbing the rope. "Help me pull him up!" she told Licy.

Together, they managed to drag the flagging minotaur over the railing and laid him out on the deck. "We need a Healer!" Lucy yelled.

They didn't have one. "Get a bandage!" Seacat yelled, pushing to roll Horas on his stomach so she could check the wound in his back. It was deep, but it should have missed his lungs - he could breathe without blood foaming at his mouth. But he was bleeding still…

"Horas?" That was the Captain. He should be on the bridge!

"Shrapnel in his back," Seacat told him. "Too deep to pull it out."

Sea Hawk cursed, then reached into a pocket, pulling out a flask. "This should help." He poured the concoction into the wound just as Licy arrived with a bandage.

"He needs a Healer," Seacat spat. If he hadn't come with her…

"There'll be one with the frigate," Sea Hawk told her. "We just have to…"

Behind them, the bridge vanished in a fireball - a shell had hit it directly.

Seacat dropped to the floor, clenching her teeth, as bits and pieces rained down on them. Had anyone been on the bridge? She hadn't seen anyone, but with the ship mostly hidden in the smoke… She pressed her lips together as she got up. If anyone had been there, they were dead.

"They're getting better with their fire," Sea Hawk said. "Or luckier."

Which worked out the same. Seacat hoped that no Horde soldier had watched the hit in the smoke - if the enemy guns kept firing at the same spot they'd quickly wreck the gunboat. Well, wreck it further. A quick glance told her that the forest she had set ablaze was burning nicely now - the Horde wouldn't be charging through that!

Horas groaned - softly, but she heard it easily. "Horas?"

"It's nothing," he lied.

"We need to get you belowdecks," she spat.

"No!" he protested.

"We could evacuate him - if we make a raft, he can float towards the frigate," Licy suggested.

"A good idea. We need to be ready to evacuate our wounded," Sea Hawk replied. "Start building a raft. I'll see to the guns."

"I don't need…" the stupid minotaur started.

"You need to shut up," Seacat told him. "Stay here. Licy, come with me - we'll start building a raft at the shore." She jumped over the railing and landed on all four in the mud at the bottom.

"Huzzah! Return fire, lads!" she heard Sea Hawk yell. "Help is almost here!"

The two guns fired again - not that they had been waiting for the command, anyway - but Seacat didn't think much of their chances to hit anything. She shook her head - she had to focus on her task.

Licy joined her on the ground, stumbling a few steps after landing. "Where do we get the wood?" she asked.

Seacat pointed to the bow, which must have been further wrecked by enemy fire in the time she had been in the forest. "Plenty of wood there."

"Right!"

They hurried towards the bow, ducking when a shell flew over the ship to hit the water - almost in the middle of the river. That was one inept gun crew. Or a worn-out barrel.

When a gust of wind thinned the smoke cloud for a moment, Seacat looked downriver. The frigate was closer now. But it would still take her fifteen to twenty minutes to be in position to fire her guns at the Horde. And the barges would take even longer to reach the sore.

It would take them almost as long to create a raft, but it would mean they wouldn't have to wait for the frigate's longboat.

She grabbed the closest plank - broken in the middle, but that wasn't too bad - and then looked for more. They'd have to lash together a large raft if it was supposed to carry Horas and the other wounded.

Another shell hit the riverbank on the other side of the ship, close enough so the whole boat shook and a few broken parts fell down on them from the deck above. Licy yelped when one of the pieces bounced off her head.

"They must have made some corrections to their aim," Seacat spat as she grabbed another plank.

"Took them long enough," Licy agreed, tying down the next part. "Do… do you think the Salineans will arrive in time?"

Seacat hesitated. She didn't want to lie to the woman. But it didn't look good.

But before she could reply with something at least half honest but not discouraging, Licy muttered a curse. "We need to get Horas out, then."

"We will."

Seacat heard another shell coming down. Down!" she yelled, dropping prone and holding her hands over her head.

Licy joined her, landing across Seacat's legs with a shriek.

Then the shell detonated right above them, on the already wrecked bow, and Seacat felt as if she had been punched when the shockwave hit her right before a cloud of dust and smoke descended on them.

She coughed, blinking and feeling around. Her ears were ringing. Someone was on top of her - Licy! Seacat wriggled out from under the other woman and fumbled around until she felt Licy's head under her hands. "Licy?"

She sounded off, somehow. The smoke and dust thinned, and she blinked, coughing a few times. Lucy didn't look hurt - she wasn't bleeding. But she had her eyes closed, and her lips were moving, but there was no sound. Wait. There was no sound at all - the explosion must have deafened her! Temporarily, or so Seacat hoped with a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Licy?"

The other woman finally stirred, shaking her head. Her lips were still moving, twisting in a smile when she noticed Seacat, but whatever the woman was saying, Seacat couldn't hear it.

She pointed at her ears then shook her head, and Licy's eyes widened. She must have understood. Yes, judging by the way Licy grabbed her own ears, then slapped a hand on her mouth, she was suffering from the same problem.

Seacat pointed at the half-finished raft and looked for another plank. The shell would have sent a lot of broken wood down, which should make finishing the raft easier.

She had been right - there were lots of broken planks and other pieces. But she also saw three broken, bleeding bodies: The shell hadn't hit just the bow, but the bow gun, ripping the crew to pieces.

And the gun - she saw the bent barrel sticking out of the mud a few yards away. If it had landed on them...

She shook her head. There was no time to think about such things - she had a task to do. Captain's orders.

She clenched her teeth and grabbed as many planks as she could. "Hurry!" she yelled - and heard her own voice, if faintly. Temporary deafness, then.

Licy grabbed two planks and started tying them to the rest of the raft. "...ot enough…"

"What?"

"It's not enough!" Licy repeated herself. "There'll be more wounded!"

More dead, too. They were lucky that the gun hadn't had much powder left. Seacat dragged more wood to the raft. "We need to push it into the river!" she yelled. Before they wouldn't be able to move it anymore.

Together, they managed to push the raft into the river until it was halfway in the water.

Seacat turned, looking for more wood. Lucy was hammering a stake into the riverbank to tie up the raft.

There was a plank. And there… Seacat froze, staring at the top of the riverbank.

The Horde soldiers were charging down the slope. And they were far more than thirty - the western force Seacat had stalled in the forest must have joined them!

*****​
 
Chapter 34: The Holding Action
Chapter 34: The Holding Action

Dozens of Horde soldiers - almost a hundred! - were charging down the riverbank. "They're attacking!" Seacat yelled. "They're coming!"

At the stern, the swivel gun Alcy had been manning fired. A couple soldiers were mowed down by the canister shot, but the rest kept running. The swivel gun left at the bow fired as well, and a few more Horde soldiers went down, but not enough. Not nearly enough. And they were already too far down the slope for the stern gun to hit them.

Damn.

"We have to get Horas!" Seacat yelled to Licy.

"But…" The other woman stared at her.

"We can't stop them! We need to save the wounded!" And the Captain. And themselves. "Come on!" Seacat scaled the hull - at the wrecked bow, she didn't need her claws. Which meant the Horde wouldn't have much trouble boarding them, either.

On the deck, she saw that Sea Hawk was handling the lone swivel gun, pushing a charge down its barrel as bolts rained down near him. "Captain!"

"Get the wounded!" he snapped without looking at her.

Damn. But he was right. "Help him load!" she told Licy, who was just reaching the deck herself. "We need to hold this part to use the raft!"

Without waiting for an answer, she dashed towards the hatch to the hold. Two jumps took her over the remains of the bow gun. A quick sprint carried her past the wrecked bridge, and she was on the main deck. A sailor was holding a spear in his hands and staring at the railing, ducking whenever a bolt flew by.

"Drop that and help me evacuate the wounded!" she screamed at him.

He jerked, whirling to face her, and she kicked the spear out of his hands. "We're leaving. Come with me!"

The bow swivel gun fired again, and she heard screaming. Good. The stern swivel gun hadn't fired, though. What was Alcy doing?

But she had a task to do. She climbed down into the hold. She saw a figure on the floor, next to the minotaur. "Horas!"

A groan answered her.

She quickly checked the other wounded. Dead. And one who could walk. That left Horas. "Get to the bow and on the raft there!" she told the wounded sailor. Then she turned to the sailor she had ordered to come down and pointed at the minotaur. "Help me carry him!"

"What?" the sailor gasped.

"Leave me, I'm done for. Save yourself!" Horas said.

"Shut up!" she yelled at both. "Grab his arm. Now!"

She was already crouching at the wounded minotaur's side. "We're not leaving anyone behind!"

The other sailor was just standing there, though.

She hissed at him. "Help me, or I'll cut you in half and feed you to the fish!"

Paling, he hurried over to them.

"Grab his arm, you idiot!"

Once more, he jerked, but this time, he grabbed Horas's right arm.

"Heave!" she screamed, pulling with all her strength. "Heave!"

Horas was heavy. Damn heavy. But she could carry him with a little help. Very little help - Licy or Alcy would've done better.

She managed to get Horas to the stairs leading up to the main deck. Baring her teeth, she looked up. That was steep. But she had to do it.

"It's too much!"

"Shut your mouth, or I'll shut it for you!" she yelled at the sailor. "Push him! I'll carry him!"

She bent down and grabbed both of Horas's arms, dragging them over her shoulders. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the minotaur on her back.

And started to climb the stairs, panting with every step. She clenched her teeth so hard, she feared they might crack. Her fangs cut her own lips when she teetered on the fifth step and almost fell down.

"Push, you sorry excuse for a sailor!"

"I am pushing!" came the weak reply.

Idiot. She dragged Horas forward, ignoring the pain in her back, and took another step. And another. Sweat drenched her fur, and her legs felt as if they would fall off. And her back…

Another step. And another. And another. And…

She stumbled as she reached the deck. She heard more screaming. And another shot from the swivel gun at the bow. "Alcy!" she yelled. "Help me!"

She heard the swivel gun at the stern fire, then she saw Alcy run towards her. And behind the woman, grapple hooks flew over the railing. The Horde scum was boarding. Too late.

Together with Alcy and the sailor, she dragged Horas to the bow. On the way, she saw the other wounded - dead with a crossbow bolt in his chest. Damn.

"Huzzah! Keep them down, lads! And lasses!" The captain was standing there, blade flashing, as he battled the oncoming Horde forces. Licy was helping him, but only three more sailors were present - the survivors of the stern gun crew.

"We need to get him down to the raft!" she said, looking around for a rope.

There was no way she would be able to carry Horas down through the wreckage of the bow. Especially not with Horde scum hot on their heels and swarming around the hull.

"Alcy! Cover our backs!" she snapped. "You!" She glared at the sailor. "Grab that rope there!" She turned to Horas, who was leaning against the railing facing the river. "Horas!"

"Leave me. I can…"

"You can shut up and grab the rope!"

She threw the rope at his head, and he grabbed it out of reflex. "Help him tie it around his chest!"

Holding the other end, she looked up at the remains of the mast. No. Too far. But…

She dropped the rope and dashed back to the main deck, past Alcy, drawing her blade. The first Horde soldiers were climbing over the railing. She cut down the first, then screamed as she dashed towards the others. Most of them jumped back down. The one who didn't got her skull cleaved for her stupidity.

Then she whirled, eyed the broken mast still stuck to the ship and cut.

Entrapata's blade cut through the mast with ease, and, after a moment, the thing started to roll, towards the bow, smashing more of the railing before coming to a rest - pointed forward and to the side, sticking out over the river.

Yes!

She jumped, grabbing hold of the end of the mast with one hand and pulled herself up, just in time to dodge a crossbow bolt. More bolts flew at her, missing, as she ran on top of the fallen mast towards the bow. "Licy! The rope!" she yelled from the fallen mast as soon as she reached the wrecked bow section.

The other woman turned, grabbed the rope and threw it up to her. Only the sailor who had 'helped' her carry Horas was left on deck; the other sailors had already gone down to the raft. She hoped for their sake they had done so on orders!

Seacat caught it and ran it around the mast, then jumped down. "Hold it!" she told the sailor. "Licy, you too!"

"Uh-uh…" The woman looked a little queasy.

"Just hold it!" Seacat was already at Horas's side. "And you - over the side you go!"

She heaved, screaming, pushing him up with trembling legs, draping his arm and chest over her shoulders. She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, then screamed as she leaned forward and pushed him over the railing.

Then she whirled, grabbing the rope together with the sailor and Licy, just in time to stop Horas from crashing down.

"This is too heavy!" the sailor complained,

"Shut up," Seacat snarled. A mainsail was heavier, anyway. "Lower him down slowly!" They couldn't let the rope slip - that would doom Horas. And rip off the skin on their hands. Or a limb. "Slowly!"

She guessed that Horas was about halfway down to the raft. They'd know when he reached it since the rope would go slack.

The sailor whimpered.

"Hold fast!" she snapped.

"It's so…" Licy groaned.

"Hold!" Hand over hand, she let the rope go - slowly.

"They're scrambling up the stern!"

That was Alcy. Seacat looked to the side and saw the woman fall back towards them, cutlass flashing as she fought against a Horde soldier with a shock rod. And more soldiers were climbing over the wrecked bridge. They'd be swarmed in a moment.

Seacat cursed. "Licy! Hold them off!"

"What?"

"Hold them off!"

"But…"

Seacat glared at her as she dug in her claws.

Licy let go of the rope and drew her sabre.

And Seacat strained to keep from getting pulled along with the rope. She didn't have the leverage. It didn't matter - only about a yard more...

The sailor let go of the rope with a scream, and Seacat was pulled off her feet and slammed into the mainmast. She screamed with pain, but didn't let go of the rope, she had to… She realised that the rope had gone slack and quickly moved on top of the fallen mast, then looked down. Horas was in the water, making feeble attempts to reach the raft.

Damn.

She whirled, then raced on top of the mast towards Alcy. A Horde soldier was climbing on the mast as well, back at the middle of the ship. She bared her teeth as she drew her cutlass, slashing at Alcy's opponent as she passed them. The Horde soldier fell with a bleeding throat, and Alcy finished him off.

"Go help Horas! Take Licy too!" Seacat snapped. "I'll hold them off."

"Aye aye!" Alcy didn't question her but turned at once and dashed towards the bow.

Seacat charged at the soldier balancing on the mast - the mainmast wasn't that thick - and grinned. She had claws and the better balance! He managed to parry her first strike - and even kept his sword from getting cut in two - but it cost him. Unbalanced, he couldn't parry her next slash, and with his belly slit open, he fell off the mast.

Seacat jumped off the mast, landing on the deck next to the wrecked bridge, then ducked as a soldier fired a crossbow at her. The bolt went wide, and she fell back, then turned. A jump carried her up to the top of the remains of the bridge, at the back of the three Horde soldiers about to descend on the bow. She cut the first in half before they realised she was there, then kicked the next so she fell down onto the mess of rigging and broken wood. Judging by the screams that followed, the Horde soldier wouldn't get up again.

That left the third soldier - a lizardman. The Horde scum hissed at her but didn't charge her. And he held his spear as if he knew how to use it.

Damn. She couldn't stay here. She had to take the scumbag out and secure the bow before it was swarmed. And the lizard looked like he knew how to balance as well.

She blinked, glanced down, then grinned - and slashed into the wreckage.

She saw the lizardman's eyes widen a moment before the part he was standing on broke off after she'd cut its support, and he was sent over the side, crashing into the riverbank.

Seacat jumped off as well, landing on a clear patch of the deck, and raced to the Captain. Alcy and Licy were already off the boat, as was the damn coward. That left just the two of them.

And about two dozen Horde soldiers.

"We need to go, Captain!" she yelled as she cut down a Horde soldier climbing over the railing.

"We have to buy the raft more time - they won't be fast."

Damn. He was right.

"Alcy! Lucy! Once you have Horas, push off and get away!"

"But…" she heard Licy starting to complain.

"Aye aye!" Alcy cut her friend off.

Seacat nodded and turned to face the Horde soldiers charging from the stern while Sea Hawk kept facing the soldiers scrambling up the wrecked bow.

The bridge's wreckage blocking most of the deck and the bow's height were the only things that saved them from being swarmed by Horde scum. Seacat could block the small passage left open by herself.

Not forever, though - soldiers were already climbing over the remains of the bridge, and one particularly daring scumbag was balancing on the fallen mast. Seacat feinted at the first soldier on the deck, driving the tall man back for a moment, then jumped up and slashed to her right, cutting through the ankle of the soldier on the mast. Screaming, he fell into the river.

She had to take a few steps back as the first soldier charged, rapidly thrusting his spear at her, but she managed to step to the side and into his reach, cutting off the spearhead with another blow of her blade.

The Horde soldier tried to use the wrecked spear as a staff, but he had clearly not been trained as well in that as Catra had been. She ducked under his swing and ran him through with her cutlass. He collapsed, blood streaming out of his helmet, and the Horde soldiers lined up behind him didn't seem willing to share his fate.

That left the three Horde soldiers about to flank her through the bridge's wreckage. The foremost of them was almost through the jagged mess of splintered wood. Almost, but not quite.

She dashed back, rounding the wreckage, and jumped up. The lizardwoman swung her shock rod, but Seacat batted it aside with the flat of her blade and caught the woman with the tip of her blade on the backswing before she could recover. The Horde soldier hissed with pain, dropping her weapon to hold her bleeding thigh, and Seacat jumped on the remains of the steering wheel, then pushed off, flipped in mid-air and came down on the Horde soldier climbing over the corpse of the spear-wielder.

He saw her coming and raised his blade to skewer her, but he was crouching on the bleeding body of his fellow Horde scum, stumbling when he tried to whirl. Seacat batted his sword aside and hit him feet first. Her claws dug into his chest and sword arm, gouging both. She kicked out, pushing him over the remains of the railing, and jumped back, landed in a crouch in the middle of the deck. "Who's next?" she yelled, baring her fangs.

She could see the Horde soldiers falter, looking at each other. The one trying to reach the wounded lizardwoman in the wreckage paused.

"Huh? Who wants to die next?" She added, flashing her blade. "Come on!"

Then she noticed that the smoke was all but gone - and there was a line of Horde crossbowmen on the top of the riverbank, ready to shoot down on her and the Captain.

"Captain!"

She whirled and jumped, tackling Sea Hawk to the deck. A moment later, A dozen crossbow bolts hit the wreck. And Seacat.

She screamed when she felt a bolt graze her shoulder and another pierce her thigh. Damn!

"Seacat?"

"Hit," she hissed. "We have to leave."

She rolled off him, screaming some more at the pain that caused, but she managed to keep her blade. The Horde soldiers were about to surround them. Cutting them off from the water. "Go!" she told the Captain. "I'll hold them off!"

"No! You'll just get killed by the crossbowmen!" he replied.

Before she could protest, she felt his arms around her, lifting her up. "And off we go, Horde scum!"

One of the Horde soldiers on deck tried to intercept them, but Seacat cut him down with her blade. And then they were above the railing, plunging down into the river.

She barely managed to close her mouth when they hit the water - in the shallows. Sea Hawk hadn't managed to jump far enough to avoid crashing into the muddy ground underwater. She felt him let go of her, and she twisted around coughing and sputtering as she resurfaced. The first Horde soldiers were rounding the ship and entering the water themselves. No, stopping to line up their crossbows!

Groaning, she dived, Sea Hawk at her side. A bolt passed through the water next to her, and she dived even deeper - not that the water was deep. Her leg hurt like hell, and her lungs started burning while she kept swimming.

She had to resurface too soon, though - far too close to the shore. At least the raft was almost to safety. Where was the Captain?

She gasped when she saw him - a bolt was sticking out of his back. "Sea Hawk!"

"It's just a scratch! Swim on, I'll be right behind you!"

She'd kill him for that. But… a dozen crossbowmen were taking aim at her. More were reloading. Damn.

She swung her blade in a circle, once, twice, then slung it towards the wrecked hull with all her remaining strength. It clattered against the wood and fell to the ground.

Seacat saw a Horde soldier run towards it as the first bolts started to plunge into the river next to her.

But her hands were already on the scabbard. "Captain! Dive!" she yelled, before flipping the switch.

She caught a glimpse of the gunboat and most of the shoreline vanishing in the explosion just before she ducked her head and dived. She had barely gone under when the shockwave hit, but compared to the Horde bomb vessel exploding at the Battle of Salineas, this was nothing. Just a strong push - punch - to the back.

She still hit the ground - the river was not deep here - but quickly recovered and swam back to the surface. Bits and pieces started hitting the water, hurled this far by the bomb, and a smoke cloud was rising above the riverbank. Where was the Captain? She couldn't see him. No!

She dived again. He had to be underwater… hurt… maybe even knocked out… if her bomb had killed him… No!

She looked around. The water wasn't very clear, and the sand and mud and dirt falling down didn't help. She had to find him! He had to be around here. She had the best eyes in the Alliance - where was he?

She surfaced again and looked around. Sea Hawk had been… downstream. He must have been carried away by the current.

Cursing her own stupidity, she dived again, ignoring the pain in her leg and shoulder. Sea Hawk needed her! Where was he? He would… if the shock knocked the air out of his lungs, he would… sink.

She dived to the ground, looking around in the dimly lit, muddy water. Where was he? There! Something big, in the mud!

She swam, she raced to it, then wanted to cry - it was a rock. Not Sea Hawk. No! She shook her head - and caught a glimpse of something else. A shadow in the water.

A few strokes - her leg hurt even more now - got her close. A body! Sea Hawk! She grabbed him with one hand and started to swim to the surface, kicking with her legs, clenching her teeth at the pain, until she broke the surface.

She quickly pulled Sea Hawk up, holding his head over the water. Was he breathing? She couldn't tell. She needed to… she needed to get him out of the water so she could help him. But she was in the middle of the river. No, closer to the shore. The raft… was too far downstream.

No choice. She swam as fast as she could manage, with her wounds and dragging Sea Hawk, to the shore. If the Horde soldiers spotted her… But the entire riverbank was engulfed by the smoke cloud from the explosion. And the crater she could see beneath it… she doubted anyone on the riverbank had survived the explosion.

She could only hope she was correct.

She reached the shore, covered with bushes and a few trees, panting and exhausted, and dragged Sea Hawk out of the water.

He wasn't breathing!

She knelt down, stifling a scream of pain - there was a bolt in her thigh, still - by clenching her teeth and pushing a fist against her mouth, and started to breathe into him. Then she turned him around - blood started running down her thigh as the bolt twisted - and tried her best to get the water out of him. Sea Hawk had taught her how to save a drowning sailor, but…

She wiped tears from her eyes and breathed into his nose and mouth again. Almost afraid, she checked for a pulse. Weak, but still there, but he still wasn't breathing.

She kept it up, breathing into him, then pushing on his chest, flipping him over, ignoring the wound in his back, trying anything to make him breathe. Breathe. He had to breathe! She couldn't keep this up forever…

Panting and shivering - it was getting cold - she did it anyway. Finally, he coughed. And kept coughing, spitting out water. Then he drew in a choking breath. And he opened his eyes.

She managed to smile. "Captain!"

She hugged him, not letting go.

He groaned, then hissed. "Ugh… Where are we?"

"Shore. Had to blow up the boat," she replied, not looking up. He was warmer than her. "Sorry." She took a deep breath. "Horde shore."

"Ah." She felt him breathe, raggedly. Felt him cough. "Not the safest spot."

"No."

"Can you swim?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Good. I see the frigate - it's not too far." He groaned again. "Let's get up."

Seacat nodded and released him before pushing herself.

Only she didn't. Her legs refused to work. And… and… She blinked. Was it getting dark? It wasn't that late, was it?

"Seacat!"

"Yes, Captain?"

It was really dark now. And she was tired. So tired. And with the Captain safe, she could rest.

"Seacat!"

She blinked. "Wha...?"

"Stay awake!"

"Aye aye, sir." Staying awake. She could do that. After a little rest.

"First Mate!"

She gasped. "Yes?"

"Stay awake. This is going to hurt."

"What?" Then she screamed. Her leg…

She stared at the bolt. Sea Hawk had cut the protruding bit off. It was bleeding. A lot.

Until Sea Hawk tied his belt around her thigh - above the wound. That was… a tourniquet. But… Had she been bleeding out without noticing? In the water?

"We'll have to swim to the frigate."

Right. She shook her head. Focus. She needed to focus. "Aye aye, Captain."

"Good."

Wait… "What about your wound?" He was wounded too!

"I'm not about to... fall asleep," he replied. "Into the water! Now!"

She tried to stand, but he had to help her up - and then lowered her into the water.

She gasped - the water was cold. She was cold already. But…

"Swim!"

She swam. The current quickly dragged her downriver, but she kept swimming towards the other shore. Towards the frigate.

"Come on!" Sea Hawk encouraged her. "We're almost there!"

She almost laughed - they weren't even near. But she kept swimming, as well as she could with a numb, bleeding leg.

"Hey! Ahoy! Huzzah! We're here!"

Sea Hawk was yelling. And waving.

She blinked. Oh. There was a longboat. Headed towards them.

Seacat changed course, slightly. The current was still dragging her downriver, but the longboat was moving to intercept her. Them.

Just a few more strokes. Her shoulder didn't hurt any more. And she couldn't feel her leg, either, apart from some dull pain. A few more strokes. She could spot the ensign in the bow, yelling something.

The river's current did the rest of her work, and then she was grabbed and dragged out of the water.

Then she screamed when something or someone bumped against the bolt in her leg.

People cursed.

"Treat her gently, you idiots, or I'll cashier you and then feed you to the sharks!"

That was the Captain. Seacat managed to laugh. She turned her head, saw him sitting on a bench in the boat, then looked at the sky again.

"Sorry, sir!"

"Let's get back to the ship! Hurry!"

"Setan! Call ahead - we've got wounded!"

"Aye aye, sir!"

A moment later, Seacat heard someone bellow: "Two wounded! Call the Healer!"

Would the frigate's Healer be busy with Horas already? Wait… She tried to push up, but failed. "Did you get Horas and the others? They were on a raft!"

"We did. Don't move."

"Rest, Seacat."

She felt Sea Hawk's hand on her good shoulder and sighed. "Aye aye, Captain." She was cold. Damn cold.

Suddenly, she was lifted up - and someone jostled her wounded leg. Again. Once more, she hissed with pain as she was placed on a gurney. And then raised. She caught glimpses of the frigate's hull, but too quickly, she was on the deck, and someone was poking her wound - more pain - before ordering her belowdecks.

"The Captain's wounded, too!" she managed to say before she was carried off. "Don't let him walk off!"

A quick trot through narrow corridors followed, until she was in the sickbay.

"Two wounded!"

"Put them on the table, I'll take a look." That was the Healer. Seacat recognised the robes.

"I was shot in…" she started to say, but she was cut off.

"I can see it. And you're in shock. Just lie there and let us handle this."

But… She clenched her teeth. This wasn't… OW! "That hurt!"

"Good. You'll keep the leg, then."

What? She gasped. Then she sighed. She didn't know what exactly the Healer did. But the pain stopped after the woman had poured something over her leg. Same that… Oh. Horas! She forced herself up. "Where's Horas?"

"Please calm down, we're healing you," someone else told her.

She bared her teeth as someone tried to push her back down on the table. "Where's Horas? Big, burly minotaur, he was wounded. Splinter in the back."

"He's sleeping. He's not trying to make his wounds worse by being an idiot!" the Healer snapped. "If you don't behave, I'll put you under!"

Under? Underwater? Or what?

But Horas was alive. She let them push her back down and sighed. Damn. That had been a bloody mess.

"Rest now. That's an order. You lost a lot of blood. Stupid idiot."

Seacat wanted to protest, but she felt too tired. Much too tired.

She'd yell at the woman later.

"And now to you idiot."

"That's Admiral idiot for you, Healer!"

"Very funny. Down!"

Seacat chuckled as she closed her eyes. A bit of rest, a short nap, would be good.

Then the frigate fired her broadside, and Seacat knew she wouldn't be able to sleep.

*****​

"So, what's the verdict?" Seacat asked when Sea Hawk entered the sickbay, glaring at him and baring her fangs. While she had, of course, obeyed the order to rest, she really didn't like that he hadn't done the same, but had pulled rank instead as soon as he was able to stand. And she also wasn't happy about the fact that the frigate's guns had fallen silent some time ago and she hadn't heard anything until now.

He didn't flinch - he sighed and sat down on her cot. "Well, we beat the Horde troops back and established a beachhead."

That had never been in doubt. The Horde hadn't had enough troops, much less enough guns, in the area to contest the landing. They had barely managed to overwhelm a wrecked gunboat, after all. "But?" She cocked her head.

"They didn't bite. The main force of the Horde withdrew into the forest." He sighed again. "My plan failed."

"Ah." Well, it had been a gamble anyway. Land just enough troops to draw the main force out to destroy them, then land the rest south of the river mouth, moving to cut them off from retreating into the forest while the first landing force held out with frigate support… "The Horde commander isn't an idiot."

"I hoped that they were aggressive enough to attack - they've been quite daring with their ships, after all," Sea Hawk replied.

Seacat snorted. "That's because whoever commands the force isn't a naval commander, but infantry. Or artillery, perhaps - they used their guns quite effectively. Anyway, they sacrificed the ships because they considered them expendable." The ships wouldn't have been put permanently under their command, but just for this operation. And Catra knew very well that the Horde's navy wasn't popular among the rest of the Horde - as stupid as that was.

"That would be remarkably short-sighted - and I say this as a Captain willing to sacrifice my own ship for the cause." He shook his head.

She shrugged, then winced - her shoulder hurt.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. Just felt a pinch."

"Let me see!"

She hesitated a moment, but he was the Captain, and so she turned on her side. "See? It's not soaked with blood. The Healer knows her business." Even though the woman was about as friendly to her patients as a drunk bandit from the Crimson Wastes.

He poked the skin near the wound, gently, but it still hurt. She didn't make a sound, but he didn't miss how she tensed at the pain. "More bed rest," he said. "That's an order."

"In here?" she asked.

"We're headed back to the fortress," he told her. "You'll be able to rest there in safety - and more comfortable than here."

She slowly nodded. "What about you?"

"I'm fine," he said, flashing his teeth at her.

"Can I poke your back?"

He coughed into his fist. "I don't want you to strain your body."

"I'll tell Mermista." And the princess would visit Seacat.

He glared at her. "Perhaps I'll rest myself."

She snorted. "It wasn't your fault," she said.

"My plan, my fault," he replied. "I should've insisted on a better crew as well," he added, after a glance to check if anyone was listening. "We had one good gun crew; if we'd had two of them…"

She nodded. They might've silenced the enemy guns in that case, but… "Maybe. Or we might've caught a shot to the magazine."

"Yes." He sighed once more. "Overall, our losses were light. One gunboat, but we destroyed one of theirs, and a fourth of our crew made it out. And after your sword blew up, our marines had no trouble establishing a beachhead." He grinned. "A little more powerful, and there would be a neat little bay now, perfect for landing boats."

Seacat smiled, though she had to force herself to do so. If the explosion had been that powerful… That had been very close, then, closer than she had thought. "So, what do we do now? There wasn't supposed to be a force around threatening our lines when we secure the river."

"Ah." He took a deep breath - and she didn't miss how he winced a little when he did so. 'Fine'? Hah! "We'll have to take the river," he said. "But it'll be more difficult."

And more costly. Another bloody mess, Seacat would bet on it. "Do we have enough troops for that?" If they had to secure the whole river against attacks… "We'll need more ships - more gunboats."

"Yes. We'll have to see what we can do about that. And we need a new ship ourselves, of course."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "A proper ship. Not a gunboat." She didn't want to sail on another of those boats again.

"Of course!"

*****​

"You used the bomb function!"

Seacat suppressed a wince when Entrapta entered her room at the fortress - in the citadel, not on the waterfront, close to the harbour, where she had hoped to be quartered - and squealed like a kid receiving gifts. "Yes, I had to," she replied. "The Horde was about to shoot us full of crossbow bolts."

"Oh! And the bomb took them out? At what range?" The princess, carried by her hair, climbed on Seacat's bed - which was, to be fair, big enough for a minotaur to sleep in comfortably - and pulled out her 'recorder'. "Tell me everything!"

"Uh…" Seacat pulled her head back, but Entrapta just pushed her recorder even closer into her face.

"I need the data! What was the range? Was there a delay? If so, how long? What was the area of effect? Was there any standard object affected to measure the force of the explosion?"

"Uh… I was in the water, and I had thrown it on the shore, so…"

"You had thrown it? Did that affect the effect? How long did you wait until you used the bomb function after throwing? Was it an air-blast?"

"No, I waited until it was stuck in the mud there, close to the gunboat."

"Oh! A gunboat! A Horde one?"

Were there any others? "Yes."

"So we have a standardised object to measure the damage against! All we need is another Horde gunboat, and we can determine the force of the explosion by comparing it to a powder charge!" Entrapta blinked. "Although we should better use at least two gunboats, in case there's some threshold to overcome to pinpoint the damage. Or three. Do you think we can get three gunboats for science?"

Seacat smiled wryly. "I don't think we can get even one for such a test. We need every single boat to secure the river as long as that enemy army is hiding south of us."

Entrapta pouted. "Oh, damn, I forgot about that. Yes, Mermista told me something about that - she asked if I could build a gunboat."

"Ah." Seacat nodded - carefully; her shoulder still hurt. "And can you?"

"Well, I could. If we had a yard. Or if I built a yard, first. But it would take as long as having the ships built in Salineas and transported to here."

"But gunboats aren't ocean-going vessels," Seacat pointed out. "If there's rough weather, most of them will sink on the way."

"Oh." Entrapta frowned again. "Well, we could capture the Horde yards upriver so we can build the gunboats there!"

"We probably need the gunboats to secure the river up to there." Seacat resisted the urge to rub her twinging shoulder.

"Oh. That's a dilemma." Entrapta scrunched her nose. "I guess I should build one or two then." She sighed. Her hair flitted around like the tentacles of a drunk octopusman.

"You don't want to?" Seacat asked

"It's bo-ring," the princess said, pouting. "Not as bad as building dozens of smoke rounds for cannons, but still… there's no challenge in building gunboats."

"Not even if you add an engine?" That would greatly improve on the design.

"I thought about that, but…" Entrapta sighed again, slumping over - and almost sitting down on Seacat's wounded leg.

Seacat subtly pushed the princess's leg back a little. "But?"

"I'd rather work on your new ship, to be honest," Entrapta said. "Or on a new gun!"

"New gun?" That sounded… dangerous. For everyone.

"Yes! That's why I'm here! I need the data for the new project. If it works out, we won't need any boring gunboats!"

Why would… Seacat drew a sharp breath. "You want to build a gun that shoots something like my old sword?"

"Yes!" The princess beamed at her. "And which doesn't use powder, by an engine-derived method of propulsion!" Her hair formed a… well, it looked like a barrel. Sort of. "Imagine a gun big enough to fire at the horizon! Firing not a shell with powder, but an enhanced bomb device! Boom - and then BOOM!" Entrapta made an explosive noise and opened her hands in a typical 'blow up' gesture. She nodded. "The Horde would have to surrender since they couldn't fight against that!"

This time, Seacat didn't hide her wince. "They'd still fight," she said.

"What? But they wouldn't be able to do anything - we could blow them up before they even know we're around! The army hiding in the forest? Boom!" Entrapta shook her head. "It would make no sense to keep fighting if you will only get killed."

"That won't stop Shadow Weaver or Hordak," Seacat spat. "They would fight to the bitter end, trying to win." She shook her head. "Faced with such a gun? They'd grab hostages so we'd be killing innocents alongside Horde scum whenever we use it."

Entrapta was looking at her with such obvious horror that Seacat felt a spike of guilt in her stomach. "But… that's…"

"That's the Horde for you," Seacat told her. "Trust me, I know how they think." Catra knew Shadow Weaver very, very well.

"But… That means no supergun."

"Not yet," Seacat told her. "But it would be very useful when we're attacking the fright zone." If they could take out both Shadow Weaver and Hordak in a minute by blowing up their headquarters… that might make the rest of the Horde surrender.

"Really?"

Seacat nodded. "Really. We might not need it anyway, but better to have something and not need it but to need something and not have it."

"Good!" Entrapta nodded firmly. "Now, that means I need your data even more. Tell me everything!"

"Uh… OK." Seacat smiled weakly. She didn't really want to remember everything - Sea Hawk and she had almost died, after all. But Entrapta… Well, she wouldn't understand that. And her sword had saved Seacat's life. Several times. She nodded and took a deep breath. "Now, I just had thrown the sword, so I was about…"

*****​
 
Chapter 35: The Recovery
Chapter 35: The Recovery

"There's one!" Licy exclaimed, almost jumping over the rampart behind which she was standing.

"Where?" Alcy asked

"At the top of the cliff, next to the small, round bush!"

"The top of the cliff is covered in small bushes."

"But this is a round bush! Perfectly round!" Licy replied.

"Those are bushes; none of them is… right! There they are!"

"See? I told you!" Licy lowered her telescope and grinned.

Watching the two's antics, Seacat sighed and shook her head. Slowly, of course - even after a few days of recovering, her shoulder still hurt. Not as much as her leg would hurt, should she try to stand at the rampart, as Alcy and Licy were, instead of sitting in a wheelchair Entrapta had cobbled together in ten minutes. "We already know that the Horde has scouts on top of the cliff," she said.

"But now we know exactly where they are!" Licy protested.

"And what can we do about it?" Seacat asked.

"We can send a patrol over to catch them," the other woman told her.

"And have them ambushed by the Horde forces," Seacat retorted.

"Then we need to send more troops over!" Licy wouldn't easily give up on her idea. Or on any idea, Seacat knew. At least she wasn't chasing Sea Hawk any more.

"The Horde scouts would see them approach, and withdraw," Alcy said.

"Exactly - and that would mean they'd stop spying on us!" Licy smiled widely.

"Or they would be more careful next time, so we wouldn't be able to find them as easily," Alcy replied.

"It wasn't easy to find them!"

"If you can spot a scout from across the river, then they are easy to find," Seacat pointed out. If she had been as sloppy, she would've been caught several times by the enemy.

"Perhaps they want us to think they're easy to spot," Licy suggested.

"And why would they do that?" Alcy asked.

"So we'll underestimate them!"

"No one's underestimating them any more," Seacat countered. Not after they had managed to thoroughly delay the planned offensive twice.

"Yeah…" Licy looked dejected, and Seacat caught her glancing towards the hospital of the citadel. Where Horas was still healing up.

She clenched her teeth - she hadn't meant to dampen their spirit like that. "He'll be up in a few more days; he's tough." If the minotaur had been a little less tough, he would've died; Seacat had asked the Healer in charge. Once more, she clenched her teeth. Stupid dumb brute, too proud to tell her about his wounds.

"Yes," Alcy said, with obviously forced cheer. "Then we'll get a new ship, and be off again!"

"Yes," Licy agreed.

Seacat had no doubt that they would get a new ship - Sea Hawk had always been quick to replace a lost ship - but it wouldn't be a courier with an engine of Entrapta, like the Dragon's Daughter V. They'd probably get the next Horde courier brought up by the Salinean Navy while trying to run their blockade. Or they'd get another gunboat for the river campaign. Though those would have to be built, and they had no yard, and Entrapta was busy building her 'supergun'. In top-secret, so as not to alert the Horde spies who were undoubtedly all over the place.

"Provided Mermista ever lets him go again," Alcy added.

Seacat chuckled with the others; the princess hadn't taken well to their narrow, very narrow escape from death. Nor to Sea Hawk directing the battle on the frigate while wounded. While Seacat had been allowed out of the hospital after two days, the Captain was still confined to his bed.

She sighed. It wasn't really funny, anyway.

"Are you alright? Do your wounds hurt?" Licy asked, looking at her with a concerned expression.

"No, no, I'm alright. Just thinking," Seacat replied.

"Ah."

"There's another ship coming," Alcy reported, lowering her telescope. "Looks like a transport. Salinean, not Kingdom of Snows. They're coming from the east."

That meant they were coming from Salineas. Well, most transports would travel through the Seagate.

"She's riding low in the water. Must be stuffed with supplies," Licy commented.

That wasn't new, either. The fortress was full of supplies. They'd launch the offensive upriver any day now - but without a gunboat or two, things would get sticky as soon as the river wasn't navigable by a frigate any more.

They really needed a gunboat. Seacat wondered why Mermista hadn't told Entrapta to cobble one together. Was that because she didn't want Sea Hawk to take command of it?

She had to talk to the princess, Seacat decided. Finding Mermista was easier said than done, though. Especially with Seacat limited to her wheelchair. At this time of the day, Mermista should be either in the planning room, or in the office - well, what passed for an office in her quarters.

Seacat grabbed the wheels of her chair and started to roll towards the ramp at the end of the wall; it was built to push cannons up to the ramparts but it handled her chair as well.

"Seacat! What are you doing?" Alcy asked before Seacat had managed to travel a few yards.

"Looking for Mermista."

"You're supposed to rest, not work!" Licy protested.

"I'm not running around, am I?" Seacat pointed out. "I'm resting."

Alcy snorted. "You're not resting your shoulder."

"Exercise is good for recovering from bed rest," Seacat replied.

"Once your wounds have healed," Alcy retorted. "Not when they're still open."

The two women had caught up to Seacat, and Alcy had grabbed the back of the wheelchair. "Don't exert yourself."

Seacat sighed. If only she wasn't so… Ah well. "Alright, then start pushing. I need to talk to Mermista. She should be in her quarters. Unless you saw her walking around down in the harbour?" She turned her head to look at the two women.

"No, she isn't. I would've noticed when the soldiers and workers started running instead of walking and lollygagging," Licy told her, grinning.

"You need to talk to her?" Alcy asked. She was frowning a little, Seacat noticed.

"About gunboats," Seacat explained. "They should be setting up a yard or something. They aren't, though."

"Ah." Alcy nodded. "I haven't heard anything about it, either. But this sounds like you want to start working again."

Seacat clenched her teeth. She didn't want to sit around being useless when the war was going on, and everyone else was fighting. Any day she wasted here, any day the offensive wasn't launched upriver, meant another day the Horde could focus on Bright Moon's forces. On Adora. "I just want to know what's going on," she said.

Alcy still looked as if she doubted her, but Licy nodded. "So do we! Let's go!"

They went down the ramp - which was a little more concerning than going up, Seacat realised. If Alcy let go and the wheelchair's brakes broke… that would be hard on her hands.

But they reached the yard, where marines were drilling, without trouble and followed the wall to the entrance to the main part of the citadel. Double the normal guards were there - another sign that Mermista was here.

"We're looking for the princess," Seacat told the marines standing guard. "Is she in her quarters or the planning room?"

"We don't know," the corporal in charge told her. "I'd try the planning room," he added, glancing at her wheelchair.

The planning room was on the ground floor. Mermista's quarters were higher up. And there were no ramps leading upstairs. "The planning room it is," Seacat agreed.

"I hope she's in a good mood," Alcy said as they went on.

"She spent her fury," Seacat said. At least she hoped that was the case - Mermista had been cursing Sea Hawk for quite some time. After hugging him, of course. "We'll be fine."

As they approached the planning room - two more marines were guarding it - the door was opened, and Mermista stepped out. The princess frowned as soon as she saw them. "Seacat? Shouldn't you be resting?"

Oh. "I'm resting," Seacat claimed. "Entrapta made this for me so I can still go around without exerting myself." She patted the armrests of the chair.

"As long as she's not pushing the wheels herself," Licy added - very unhelpfully.

Seacat heard Alcy groan for a moment while Mermista glared at them. At Seacat. "You need rest! You almost died from blood loss according to healer Kirsten!"

"But I didn't," Seacat blurted out before she could help herself. "And I can't stay in bed all day!"

"Oh, you can, trust me," Mermista replied. She glared at Alcy and Licy as well. "Didn't I order her to rest?"

"Yes, Princess!" Alcy said, nodding.

Licy tried to make up for her earlier mistake. "But she's resting - Entrpata said the chair would let her rest while being, uh, mobile." She nodded a few times.

"Entrapta did?" Mermista frowned again.

"Speaking of her," Seacat cut in, "I was wondering about gunboats. Namely, where are we getting more of them?"

"Do you honestly want to discuss strategy and logistics in the middle of a hallway?" Mermista shook her head.

"We can discuss it inside," Seacat suggested.

"No. We'll get you back to your room to rest, and I might answer a question or two - if you're being good and staying in bed." Mermista nodded at Alcy and Licy.

The two women jumped to grab Seacat's wheelchair and turn her around.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"Of course, Princess!"

Traitors. But there wasn't anything Seacat could do. Not with her leg still useless. And with Mermista in a bad mood.

"We considered building gunboats, but we don't have the facilities," Mermista explained as they crossed the courtyard again. "Building them would take too long."

"Even with Entrapta's help?" Seacat asked.

"Yes."

They entered the building where Seacat was quartered.

"Entrapta suggested to build the parts in the yards in Salineas, ship them here and put them together," the Princess went on. "But we'd need a yard here anyway."

"So, what can we do?" Seacat asked, trying not to groan when Alcy and Licy lifted her out of the chair and onto the bed.

"You can rest. We're going to take the Horde yards upriver. The frigates should be able to reach the base there." Mermista smiled tightly. "We're expecting more landing boats from Salineas - the transport that arrived should carry them with the rest of the supplies."

"So, we're launching a limited offensive?" Seacat bit her lower lip. And then they would have to build gunboats? Provided the yards were taken intact? That sounded like a tall order.

"Yes."

"What about Bright Moon's forces?" And Adora.

"We've sent a skiff upriver the day you almost died. They know we can't move to link up with them yet.

Seacat smiled. That meant they wouldn't overextend themselves, expecting support when none was coming. Adora would be safe.

*****​

Seacat grunted as she manoeuvred her chair through the door. Her shoulder still hurt a little when she strained her arm - and moving in her wheelchair without someone pushing her was straining after a while, though good training as well. Oh. Horas was awake. "Hey!" she said.

He grunted in return. He was sitting in his bed - which was much bigger than hers - and while most of his chest was covered in bandages, it was still a good sign.

"How are you doing?" she asked. "Alcy and Licy send their regard; they're busy looking at barges."

He grunted again.

"That bad, huh?" She grinned. "Cheer up! We'll soon be out of here. Probably before Mermista lets the Captain out of his room." She rolled over to the side of his bed. "I'd offer you my chair - I'm getting crutches - but I fear you wouldn't fit. But I can ask Entrapta to make a bigger one for you if you want."

"I'll manage without," he said. "I wouldn't want anyone to break something trying to push me around," he added.

She flashed her fangs in a grin. "Hey! I managed to carry you!" she reminded him.

"And I thank you for that." He nodded somberly, and she suppressed a wince - she shouldn't have mentioned that.

"That's what crew does for each other," she told him. "The sacred laws of the sea bind us together," she quoted the Captain.

Once more, Horas nodded with a sombre expression. He seemed to be taking this far too seriously. It wasn't as if she'd done anything special - she'd have done that for anyone.

"Anyway, you've probably heard already, but we're launching an offensive upriver, to capture the Horde base with the shipyards," she said. News had spread in the day since she'd heard of it.

"Yes." He took a deep breath - she could almost hear the bandages straining. "That will be bloody."

"A frigate can reach up there. And the troops will move overland, following the river." She shrugged.

"The bombs will be dangerous."

"We don't know how many they've left," she pointed out. "And they can clear a path." They certainly had had enough practice. "And we've got more barges to ferry the soldiers over the river."

"It'll be bloody anyway."

"Of course it'll be bloody." She grimaced. In theory, the frigate would suppress and wipe out the Horde guns covering the river, allowing the troops to cross the river and land on both sides of the base. Then they would shell the fortifications and take the base. But things never went as smoothly as that. The river was navigable for a frigate - but only barely. They might not be able to get close enough due to bombs. "But, hey - what else can we do?"

Not that they could do anything, what with being laid up while they recovered.

He nodded again.

*****​

The Captain was frowning at her when she entered his room. He had his arms crossed over the chest and was sitting in his bed. She could see the hint of bandages through his open shirt as well, but he looked better than Horas.

"Captain." She raised her eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

"I'm still confined to the bed," he told her.

That explained the two guards outside. And the bars on the window, which hadn't been there during her first visit. Yet… The Captain had gotten out of tighter spots, and he looked quite healthy. Well, healthy enough to stand and walk, which meant he would climb and jump. So, why…? "You've broken out of more solid cells," she said.

"Err, yes…" He grimaced.

"You're not chained to the bed, are you?"

"What? No!"

"So?" She rolled to his side.

"Mermista made me promise not to leave the bed until I was healed," he said, pouting. "And a man of the sea is a man of his word!"

"Especially if you gave your word to Mermista," she told him.

"Well, yes." He sighed. "But she's being really unreasonable about this. I'm almost healed up."

"Ah." The princess must've been more struck by their close brush with death than Seacat had thought. She shrugged. "It's not as if we could do much, anyway - we're still missing a ship. Right?"

"Ah, right." He sighed. "Mermista said she's ordered a new courier for us, but that'll take some time. Our new ship has to be built first, then sailed to us. And then Entrapta will have to install an engine."

So, at least a month, if the yard pulled double-shifts or Mermista commandeered a courier already on the slip. Yes, everyone would be healthy once the new ship was ready. She sighed as well. She didn't like waiting and doing nothing while others risked their lives. Like Adora.

At least she'd be able to ditch the chair soon - her leg didn't hurt as much any more, and crutches would be fine. At the very least, she'd be able to stand on the leg without ripping the wound open. Hell, if Entrpata hadn't taken time out of her busy schedule to build the chair for her, Seacat would've ditched it already.

"What are you thinking about?" Sea Hawk suddenly asked, and Seacat realised that she'd fallen silent for a few moments.

"Adora," she replied.

"Ah." He smiled. "I should've known."

Seacat felt a pang of guilt. Even healing up, she wouldn't be able to help with the offensive. The curtailed offensive. "We've let Bright Moon down," she muttered.

"Huh? What brought this on?"

She frowned at the Captain. As if he didn't know! "We should've taken the entire river by now and finished off the encircled portions of the enemy army. But instead, we've got Horde forces threatening our lines, and Bright Moon has to fight alone."

"I'm sure Bright Moon suffered setbacks as well. They didn't take the mines on schedule, either."

And Seacat was sure that Adora would fight even harder to make up for any setback. She wouldn't sit around doing nothing while others fought. And died.

"Hey! It wasn't your fault at all," Sea Hawk told her. "If anything, the fault belongs with me - I should've expected such an underhanded move as the Horde pulled with the harbour!"

She snorted at that. "That's the fault of the Salinean officer corps."

"Oh, don't be too hard on them. If I didn't think of it, then they couldn't even imagine it." He flashed her smile.

"But they could imagine listening to you," she shot back with a scowl.

"Ah, that." He shrugged. "They'll come around."

Her scowl deepened. They had been 'coming around' for a long while now, and she still couldn't see the port of that journey. "They are a bunch of…"

A knock on the door interrupted her, and before Sea Hawk could answer, the door was opened, and Mermista walked in. "There you are!" she snapped.

"Where else would I be, since you've confined me to my quarters?" Sea Hawk retorted with a pout.

"For your own good. If you want to run off and risk your life again, you'll have to be fully healed at least," she shot back. "But enough of that. How are you doing, Seacat?"

"Me?" Seacat's blinked. "I'm doing fine," she replied. She didn't want to end up confined to a bed as well, after all. "The leg doesn't hurt too much any more. And the shoulder's down to some twinging." She patted her shoulder to demonstrate. And didn't wince.

"Ugh," Mermista replied. "You're almost as bad as he is." She glared at Sea Hawk. "That means you can barely stand, I guess. And crutches would still strain your shoulder."

Seacat glared at her. "I'm not an invalid. I'm almost back to normal," she lied. Well, almost lied - compared to being crippled or dead, she was much closer to healthy.

"Sure you are." Mermista, damn her, wasn't fooled, though, and shook her head. "That's your fault." She turned to Sea Hawk. "She's got that from you."

He smiled in response. "She learned from the best!"

"Oh, you!" Mermista wasn't amused.

Sea Hawk, though, didn't double down - he held up his hand. "My love, my dear Mermista, we're at war. With the Horde. To win, we have to take some risks. Playing it safe will only let the Horde recover from the defeats they've suffered. And how could we not share the risks of our soldiers and sailors?"

Seacat bit her tongue to keep from telling Mermista that the princess had fought and risked her life as well. Mermista was aware of that. And she hated being poked like that. She still winced a little when the princess glared at them.

"I'm very much aware of that," Mermista admitted. "But there is a slight - no, a huge! - difference between fighting in the war, and risking your life with reckless abandon."

"It was a calculated risk," Sea Hawk replied.

"Then you miscalculated."

"Hey! Bad luck happens," Seacat cut in. She raised her chin when Mermista glared at her. "The plan was sound. A little dangerous, but sound."

"We've gone over that before," Mermista told her. Well, she must have done that in private with Sea Hawk.

"Oh, yes, we did." Sea Hawk confirmed with a wince.

"In any case, you won't leave the bed until you're whole again," Mermista said. "And the same goes…"

Another knock at the door interrupted the princess.

"Enter!" Sea Hawk said quickly.

A Salinean marine stood there. "Princess! There's a skiff approaching - it bears the colours of Bright Moon."

Seacat blinked. "A courier?" Bright Moon's forces didn't have many skiffs - most of them were captured Horde skiffs if she recalled correctly. Too few to use them to transport troops, as the Horde did. But they did great work as couriers - on land, of course.

"News from the Western front," Mermista said, frowning. "Probably asking for a new estimate for when we'll start our offensive."

Seacat winced. Having to tell your allies you couldn't do your part was embarrassing. She didn't envy Mermista for that. And… if this was a courier, they probably carried letters as well. Adora!

She almost jumped up in her haste but managed to turn it into sitting straighter. "Let's go welcome them!" she said, grabbing the wheels of her chair.

"Ah, wondering if there will be news from your lover?" Sea Hawk asked.

She glanced at him and huffed. That was obvious, wasn't it? And perfectly natural. Seeing as he was working directly with Mermista, he shouldn't be teasing her about wishing for a letter.

She frowned when she rolled out of the room. She'd have to write to Adora anyway. Inform her about the latest events. And… tell her she'd been wounded again. Though she could truthfully say it wasn't anything serious. Not any more.

Mermista caught up to her, and, a moment later, the guard who had informed her about the skiff's arrival started pushing Seacat's chair down the corridor. She almost protested that she didn't need the help but relented. Mermista would call her a fool, and Seacat didn't really need to prove anything.

They reached the courtyard right after the skiff set down. It was a former Horde skiff, too - a scout model. And… her eyes widened, and her heart seemed to skip a beat when she saw the pilot. "Adora?" she yelled out.

"Cat-Seacat!" Adora turned, smiling. But as soon as she saw Seacat, she gasped. "No!"

Seacat winced. "I'm fine!" she protested - but Adora had already jumped down from the skiff and was rushing towards her.

"Seacat! You're wounded! Oh, no! And it's serious!" Adora reached out for her, hugging Seacat to her chest, then released her as if she'd touched hot coal. "Ack! Sorry! I almost hurt you… what happened? How did you get hurt?"

"The usual way. We fought the Horde," Seacat blurted out before she could help herself. That was about the stupidest thing she could've said.

"They almost got killed when they beached their gunboat on the Horde's side of the river," Mermista said. "That was after their ship got sunk."

Adora gasped again, then stared at Seacat. "What did you do?"

"Adora!" The shrimp's arrival in a wave of sparkles, together with Brain Boy, kept Seacat from answering. "Hello, Mermista! Hi, Seacat." The princess waved at them both.

"Hello, Mermista, Seacat." Brain Boy, as usual, was less outspoken, and took a short bow.

"The Horde crippled Ca-Seacat!" Adora blurted out.

"I'm not crippled!" Seacat protested. "I'm just using this to heal up more quickly." She tapoped the armrest of her chair.

"But you're still hurt!"

"Well, heal her, then, Adora!" the shrimp said with a frown.

"Oh… right!" Adora nodded with a determined expression.

"I'm fine - I'm just…" Seacat started to explain, but Adora wasn't listening.

"For the Honour of Grayskull!"

And there was She-Ra. She took a step back, then levelled her sword at Seacat. And glowing energy shot out of the blade's tip at Seacat.

Seacat clenched her teeth and held her breath as the energy - the magic - hit her. Then she shivered when she felt her body heal. For a moment, she felt weird. Then she sighed - her leg wasn't hurting any more.

"Did it work? Are you healed?" Adora asked, gripping her sword with both hands as she leaned in. "Can you walk again?"

Seacat flashed her fangs in a grin. "Let me get up and find out."

"Uh, of course!" Adora blushed in that cute manner of hers and took a step back. The shrimp snickered, and Brain Boy shook his head with a wry grin. And Mermista would be rolling her eyes - Seacat didn't need to turn her head and look at the princess to know that.

She smiled at Adora instead, then slowly got up from the chair. Her leg still didn't hurt, and she stood, then carefully started to shift her weight on her healed leg. It held. Not even a hint of pain. Nodding, she took a few steps. No pain either. "Yes, It's good," she said. She rolled her left shoulder, then gripped it with her hand, squeezing. "That's good as well. Thank you."

"Your shoulder was wounded as well?"

Seacat frowned. Adora needed to calm down. She took one more step forward and hugged her, sighing into She-Ra's chest. She was fine. Everything was fine. Well, almost. Seacat raised her head to look up. "You should heal Sea Hawk too. And Horas," she said.

"Sea Hawk is also wounded?"

"Confined to bed," Seacat confirmed.

Adora gasped once more.

"That's just to keep him from running off and hopping on the next ship to fight the Horde," Seacat said.

"Oh. But he's still wounded?"

"Yes. As is Horas," Seacat told her.

The shrimp cleared her throat. "We also need to discuss the actual reason we've travelled here."

"One of the reasons," Brain Boy added.

The shrimp briefly frowned at him, then nodded at Mermista. "We need to coordinate our forces. And I think we can help you out."

Mermista looked like she wasn't sure if she should be happy or annoyed at the offer, in Seacat's opinion. But she nodded. "Let's talk in the planning room."

Right. Any Horde spy would now be aware that the She-Ra and the Princess of Bright Moon had arrived. And it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that they weren't here to sightsee.

Great.

"Let me!" Adora said to the guard next to Seacat. A moment later, she had gripped the chair and turned it around. "Back to where you've come from?"

"Uh, yes." Seacat told her.

At least it's not as embarrassing as being carried like an invalid, she thought.

*****​

"Marvellous! The difference between your magic and the Healer's arts is astonishing!" Sea Hawk flexed and struck several poses. "I feel no pain whatsoever any more!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Mermista said. "Can we focus on the planning now?" She rolled her eyes and pointed at the map table. But Seacat didn't miss that the princess's cheeks had flushed a little.

And, judging by his wide smile, neither had Sea Hawk. "Of course, my love! Now that I have been freed from my prison, the Horde's defeat is merely a question of time!"

"Let's not be too hasty," Brain Boy pointed out. "The Horde has surprised us several times lately. We cannot underestimate them."

"That's right!" the shrimp agreed. "Not only did they stall your offensive from Fortress Freedom, but they also resisted our own."

Oh? So the forces of Bright Moon had encountered trouble as well? More than the expected resistance? "What did they do?" Seacat asked.

Adoira winced and glanced at the shrimp. Seacat's eyes narrowed. Adora was too honest for her own good. When she didn't want to answer a question, something was wrong.

"What did they do?"

"We attacked as usual, to break through their lines," Brain Boy told her. "Princesses in the front to overwhelm the local defences, regular troops behind them to exploit the breakthrough. A classic strategy. But they were ready for us - they retreated quickly, and when we pursued, they blew up their own lines."

Seacat gasped and looked at Adora. She knew her friend - Adora would've been leading the charge. "They blew you up?"

"They tried. But I was too fast for them!" Adora defended herself.

"They mistimed the explosion," the shrimp corrected her. "Adora was already closing in with the retreating Horde forces when the bombs went off. But the company following her was decimated, and she was cut off and surrounded."

Adora looked down at the floor, pressing her lips together. She felt guilty, Seacat realised. She took a step towards her lover and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "It wasn't your fault," she whispered.

"It was. I shouldn't have charged ahead. A leader stays with their troops. I should've known better."

"If you had stayed with the company, you'd have been caught in the explosion and you'd be left wounded for the Headhunters," Brain Boy told her.

"Headhunters?" Seacat narrowed her eyes. Catra didn't remember any such unit amongst the Horde.

"A new force that the Horde's fielding," Brain Boy said. "Soldiers specially trained to fight princesses, as far as we know."

"What?" Mermista blurted out.

"Yes. they've got better weapons and training than the regular Hode soldiers - better than the scouts and strike units, too!" Adora said.

"Could they hurt She-Ra?" Seacat asked, squeezing a little harder.

"Not really…" Adora trailed off. "Just scratches. Mostly. They didn't hit with their cannons."

"Cannons? Artillery?" Sea Hawk asked.

"No. I would've wrecked them before they could've gotten a shot off. They mounted small cannons on skiffs." Adora rubbed her shoulder. "They shoot while moving, so they don't hit very often."

"Swivel guns. They mounted swivel guns on skiffs." Seacat cursed. "That'll… we need to adjust our tactics. Small units will be cut to pieces in the open by such skiffs."

"Yeah, that's what kinda happened afterwards," Brain Boy said. "Turns out that soldiers trained to fight princesses are good to fight other soldiers."

"I beat them," Adora told them, with a rather mulish expression.

"In your sector. But Spinnerella and Netossa almost died. If they hadn't managed to catch the skiffs in the nets - if the Horde soldiers had been a little farther away…" The shrimp shook her head. "We had to fortify our positions and dig in while Adora healed them. And herself."

Seacat narrowed her eyes again. Aha - Adora had been hurt more seriously than she had said!

"Anyway!" Adora spoke up, looking anywhere but at Seacat. "We're here to plan how to deal with those new tactics. I've got some ideas!"

"They better be good," the shrimp said. "The old ideas didn't work."

Seacat looked at Brain Boy as Adora hunched her shoulders again and the shrimp suddenly looked guilty.

"Concentration of force. Instead of following up with a company per princess team, we gathered all princesses, and then Glimmer transported us behind the enemy lines," he told her.

That sounded like a decent plan. Unless… "They were prepared for that?"

"They detonated another bomb in their own camp as soon as we were spotted," Adora said through clenched teeth, "They killed a company of their own to kill us. Glimmer got us all out just before the explosion."

"Because Bow had detected the fuse they were using," the shrimp said.

"But… if they were so close and so quick… whoever lit the fuse would've been caught in the explosion as well, wouldn't they?" Mermista asked.

Adora wasn't the only one who looked grim as she nodded. "We don't know if they were told the explosion would be smaller - or if they were ready to die…"

Seacat cursed again.

Mermista shook her head. "Horde soldiers aren't fanatical enough to sacrifice themselves. They break far too easily."

"You've mainly fought the Horde fleet," Adora retorted. "They are the dregs of the Horde forces. They have much more fanatical troops." She grimaced. "I should know; I was raised as one."

"But you turned to the light as soon as you were aware!" the shrimp told Adora with a smile.

"You've been naive," Seacat added. "And Shadow Weaver did a number on you." She managed not to hiss at the name, but she tensed a little anyway. That was in the past. She was Seacat, not Catra. She had beaten the witch.

Adora took a step towards her, then hesitated. "Yes, but… many wouldn't have known better."

"And once they've lost a few friends in battle, many will harden their resolve and fight to avenge them," Sea Hawk said. "They might not believe in the Horde - but they hate us."

Adora flinched again. Seacat sighed and went to hug her. Her friend was probably once again blaming herself for Catra's 'disappearance'.

Seacat felt her relax some, leaning into her hug. She wanted to let go of her again, but Adora wrapped her arms around her.

"Anyway…" Mermista cleared her throat. "If they keep doing this, they'll run out of loyal soldiers."

"Yes!" Sea Hawk nodded. "Many crews - not mine, of course - would be lost without a good captain and first mate. Any loyal officer lost like this will have repercussions."

"Well, for the longest time, you two were your crew," the shrimp said. "But, yes - that's also our prediction. The Horde won't be able to sustain these tactics for long, and it'll significantly reduce the effectiveness of their forces overall."

"Even the 'Headhunters' are having such an effect," Brain Boy added. "They're their best soldiers - and they're missing from the regular forces. That means the average troop quality of any unit other than the Headhunters goes down amongst the Horde forces. We can exploit that."

Seacat almost snorted. The boy sounded like he was giving a lecture.

"Yes." Adora nodded, her chin touching Seacat's shoulder. "Change of tactics - we use the princesses as a decoy to draw off their best troops, and then hit them with our regular forces."

"Though it'll be harder to move enough troops for that," the shrimp went on. "I can't transport enough soldiers to make a difference."

Seacat's eyes widened. "But ships can. Or barges."

"Exactly!" The princess beamed at her. "The Headhunters use skiffs to move around rapidly. We don't have enough skiffs to match them - but if we fight along a river, we can use ships instead."

"We already planned to secure the river," Mermista pointed out. "And we need to remove the Horde from its shores for that."

"Yes," Sea Hawk said, "But moving more troops with ships will allow us to move along the coast and strike deeper from any point of the river without a big obvious buildup." He grinned." We'll be able to trap the enemy army across the river."

"That's the plan, yes," the shrimp said. "Lure them into attacking the river, and cut them off."

"Like we are supposed to cut off the Horde forces north of us?" Seacat asked. "Just pointing out that we haven't done that, yet," she added when the shrimp frowned at her. But Mermista was frowning at her as well. Damn.

"We're working on that. But the recent setback has further delayed our offensive," Mermista said.

"Well, according to our scouts, the Horde forces in the north are mostly cut off already - they are only receiving a trickle of supplies overland," Brain Boy said.

"But they are holding in place, instead of trying to break through our lines and retreat over the river," the shrimp added.

"Trying to get an army across a river as big as this one requires a lot of boats and time," Mermista told her. "My frigates would cut them to pieces, and they might not have the time or supplies to move west of the Horde base on the river to cross outside our range."

"They would be in our range," Adora said, releasing Seacat. "We'd sweep around them and encircle them. Waiting for a relief force might be their best bet."

Seacat wasn't convinced. In their place, she'd have thrown everything south - even if the attack failed, it would've done something. And if they had attacked together with the southern army… Could the Horde really lack enough carts and skiffs to move their army? "I don't like it," she said. "The Horde must be up to something. Shadow Weaver must have a reason for letting the Horde forces north of us die in place."

And it was probably going to be very bad for the Alliance.

"Well, whatever her reason, she won't stop us from taking the Horde yards!" Adora announced. "That's why we're here - we want to launch a pincer attack on it!"

"As soon as possible," the shrimp added.

"Let's strike in the morning! Huzzah!" Sea Hawk, of course, was all for it.

But Seacat wasn't quite as enthusiastic.

*****​
 
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Chapter 36: The River Offensive Part 1
Chapter 36: The River Offensive Part 1

"We can't strike at the Horde yards in the morning," Mermista pointed out, leaning over the map table. She tapped the bend of the river where the Horde base was located. "If we want to hit the base from both sides, we need to coordinate, and Princess Glimmer and She-Ra need a day to return to their forces."

"And a day to get ready for the march - or to send word back to you that something delayed us," the shrimp said, nodding.

"Ah, logistics and topography!" Sea Hawk hit his palm with his fist. "Many a good plan was wrecked by those fiends!"

Adora, the shrimp and Brain Boy were staring at him. Seacat rolled her eyes - the Captain was joking. Mostly. He was very much aware of both logistics and topography - no sailor worth their salt could ignore either.

"Yeah…" Mermista frowned at him. "Let's be, like, serious about it."

"Of course, my love!" Sea Hawk straightened and coughed into his fist. "I believe that even with the threat of more floating bombs, we can move our forces upriver and into position within a day. And, supported by one or two frigates, we shouldn't have much trouble landing them on the southern shores."

"Yes. The trouble we'll have will be breaking out of a beachhead." Mermista frowned. "If the Horde forces at the yard are as mobile as the ones facing us here, then we'll be handicapped. They can reposition faster than we can, and we will have inferior numbers of guns as soon as we leave the shore. And a direct attack on the base with frigates will be dangerous. They'll be prepared for that."

"But you can land your forces on the Horde side of the river without trouble. We can't do that as easily. And we can't fight our way east through the Horde lines on the southern side of the river - it would take far too long. So, we'll need assistance to cross the river on our side of the base," the shrimp said.

Seacat noticed Adora wincing during the exchange. Brain Boy also looked uncomfortable. "I take it you tried it before."

The shrimp nodded. "We performed a pincer attack on the Horde force blocking our way down from the crystal mines. It worked, but… we lost a lot of soldiers in the river."

"I wasn't fast enough to take out the enemy guns, once they revealed themselves," Adora said. "They were pre-sighted on the river and the shore."

"Indirect fire - our own guns couldn't reach them until we had eyes on them," Brain Boy added.

Seacat winced. So did Sea Hawk and Mermista. Crossing a river - even a small one, like the river close to the mines - under fire from several enemy guns, and without fast boats…

"We can send some of our transports upriver - but they will have to run the guns of the Horde base," Mermista said.

"And doing that, the Horde forces will be aware of your presence," Seacat added. "Though I don't know if you can hide moving so many troops downriver anyway."

"If we land farther away from the base, we should be able to establish a beachhead without much resistance," the shrimp said. "But we won't be able to attack the base right away in that case. And the Horde might be able to evacuate before we encircle the base."

"Or call in reinforcements," Brain Boy pointed out. "Those skiffs allow them to move strike forces quickly."

Like the Headhunters. Seacat pressed her lips together. "We haven't seen the Headhunters here, yet. They probably didn't expect Mermista to fight on the frontlines. But now that they know..."

Mermista nodded with a grim expression. "They'll send some down here - if they can spare them."

"Which means we could fool them to deploy Headhunters here while you travel upriver," Seacat went on. "If Entrapta can create artificial waves, and we find a body double…"

"Even without artificial waves, a body double might be enough for the Horde to send Headhunters to this front and keep them around," Sea Hawk said. "If only to be ready to react to landing attempts."

"But they'll have Headhunters in the yard as well," Adora said. "They'll know that we'll be striking at it - it's the last stronghold they have on the river. If they lose it, they are reduced to raiding. And, even with their new mobile forces, they aren't as effective when raiding as we are."

Seacat nodded. The Horde was focused on massed soldiers and guns. "They know we are coming. And they've had time to prepare for our attack." Not good odds for an offensive.

"That means we'll have to be creative and surprise them!" Sea Hawk said. "I might have an idea."

*****​

"Glad that's over!" the shrimp announced, stretching her arms over her head as they left the planning room.

"It's not quite over," Adora protested. "We only have an overall plan - we haven't hashed out the time tables and the marching order, final lines and unit disposition!"

Seacat snorted. "That's not our job," she said.

"What?" Adora stared at her with her mouth slightly open.

"That's the job of the Salinean and Kingdom of Snow officer corps," Seacat explained. "They are responsible for sorting out how to accomplish what Mermista decided." Which was why Mermista and Sea Hawk were still in the room, dealing with the pricks.

"But…" Adora blinked.

"And it's not your job to decide those things for the forces here, either." Seacat grinned. "Not that you'd be able to since it involves ships."

"Hey! I've read up on ships! And I helped out when we travelled on the Dragon's Daughter… III?"

Adora pouted in that way that made Seacat want to kiss her right then and there. So she did, putting her hands on Adora's cheeks and pressing their lips together.

"Aw!" The shrimp apparently approved.

Brain Boy cleared his throat - as if that would make Seacat stop. She was a sailor, not some prissy princess. She wrapped her arms around Adora's neck, digging her fingers into her lover's blond hair, and moaned loudly.

Brain Boy cleared his throat again, but by now, Adora was getting into it as well. Seacat felt her hands wander down her back, brushing over the strip of bare skin between her shirt and breeches, and grabbing… Yes! Damn, it had been way too long!

"Uh… perhaps you want to, uh, go to your room?" Brain Boy said.

"Oh, come on, Bow! They haven't seen each other in a long time!" the shrimp told him.

"I'm not objecting to their display of affection. I'm just… we're in a hallway outside the planning room."

He was right, of course. Mermista would be mad if they went any further here. Seacat broke the kiss, panting, and smiled at Adora - whose face was flushed. "Yes, let's go to my room!"

"But…" Adora looked at her friends.

"Go on!" the shrimp told her with a smile. "We'll see you at dinner."

"We're not going to head back until tomorrow," Brain Boy added, "when we have detailed operation plans to take back."

It was the first time Seacat was glad for the Salinean Navy's love of paperwork. "OK!" she said. "We'll be…"

Adora interrupted her by sweeping her up into a bridal carry. "Let's go!" her lover said, starting to walk without waiting for an answer.

Seacat blinked, then leaned her head on Adora's shoulder. This once, she'll let it go - she had been wounded until a few hours ago, after all.

*****​

Later, Seacat, in her bed, with her head on Adora's chest, sighed with a smile. It had been too long. Far too long. She didn't want Adora to leave again. Ever. But she couldn't ask that of Adora. The Alliance needed her. Needed She-Ra. She sighed again.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt? I mean, we, ah, we…" Adora trailed off.

Seacat didn't have to look at Adora's face to know the other woman was biting her lower lip. "No, no, I'm fine." As if she'd be hurt by what they had done. Really! "I'm just… You're leaving tomorrow."

"Oh." Adora's chest rose as she took a deep breath. "I'm needed at the front - the western front, I mean."

"I know."

"Ah."

"That doesn't make it any easier to see you leave," Seacat went on, looking at the ceiling.

"I don't want to leave."

She smiled at that. "I would be hurt if you wanted to leave," she said.

"You could come with us," Adora suddenly said after a few moments of silence. "We need help with the crossing. And with the boats on the river. You're the best sailor I know."

Seacat took a deep breath. Going with Adora? Upriver? Leaving the Captain and the crew? Mermista and Entrapta? She wet her lips. They didn't have a ship. Wouldn't have one before the attack would start. Not even a gunboat. It was either a barge or a frigate. Neither appealed to her. And Adora was right - the Bright Moon forces needed people who knew their way around ships, not just boats. As large as the river was, having sailed some boats on Bright Moons shallow lake wasn't enough to handle the crossing. Although… Seacat alone would have her work cut out for her.

She grinned. "I think you need more than myself for that. Fortunately, I know a crew who's currently waiting for a ship."

*****​

"You want to return with Princess Glimmer?" Sea Hawk asked at dinner. Which was held in Mermista's dining room, making it both fancy and private. Good food but you had to watch your manners more than usual.

"We need help with ferrying soldiers over the river," Adora said before Seacat could answer.

"And with shipping supplies downriver," Brain Boy added.

Seacat frowned at him, then cleared her throat. "We're still waiting for a new ship, and we aren't exactly needed on barges or frigates here." The marines could handle the barges, and the Salinean frigates had decent crew, if not always good officers. But neither Seacat nor the rest of the crew would be accepted as officers.

"We were planning to send a selected group of marines with experience in such things upriver," Mermista said. She wasn't frowning, though.

"That's a good idea. We can tag along," Seacat said. "Or rather, we can travel with Adora and her friends and start preparing before the marines arrive." She frowned. "How are you planning to get them around the Horde base, anyway?" They couldn't exactly carry their boats and barges overland, and the Horde fortress's guns commanded the river there. "Run under the guns at night?"

"That, or send a couple of our skiffs to ferry them around the base overland," Mermista replied.

That would take most of their skiffs - neither the Salinean forces nor soldiers from the Kingdom of Snows had many skiffs, what with the things not working over water. It would work, though, so Seacat nodded.

"We'd need one skiff carrying us upriver, too," Seacat said.

"I think that can be spared. We'll need a courier anyway."

That sounded good. Mermista was on board. But the Captain hadn't said anything yet. Seacat glanced at him - he looked happy. She frowned for a moment. He wasn't happy to see her leave, or his crew. She knew better than that. Still…

"I think that's a good idea," Sea Hawk said. "You need the experience, and my dear crew will make a difference with your forces."

Which probably meant that they wouldn't be making much of a difference with the Salinean forces. Well, it wasn't really wrong - Seacat and the others were great at handling smaller ships, not frigates, and barges were, well… they didn't need a sailor.

"Have you asked the others yet?" Sea Hawk interrupted Seacat's thoughts.

"No." She shook her head. "I wanted to clear it with you first."

"Well, you did, First Mate!" He beamed at her. "And I'm sure they'll jump at the chance as well!"

Well, probably.

"Do you want to come as well?" Adora asked him.

Seacat winced - Mermista's scowl was one of the worst she'd seen lately. Fortunately, Sea Hawk was quick to reply: "My place is at my love's side!" as he reached over and wrapped his arm around Mermista's waist for a moment, and the princess smiled again.

"Oh, of course! Sorry!" Adora was blushing with embarrassment, Seacat noticed. And the shrimp was whispering into her ear.

Seacat's ears twitched, but she only caught the tail end of the shrimp's line: "...ly, Adora!"

"Sorry," Adora mouthed in return.

Seacat placed her hand on her friend's thigh and gently squeezed. She'd meant well, after all.

*****​

"So, what do we do now?" Adora asked, stretching, once dinner was over. "Carousing?"

"I'd love to," Sea Hawk told her, "but I've found that my and my dear Mermista's presence tends to, ah, inhibit the soldiers and sailors enjoying their leave."

Mermista rolled her eyes. "Duh. No one wants to get drunk under the eyes of their princess or commander."

"Really? Even if it's not against regulations?" Adora asked.

Seacat sighed with a smile as the shrimp and Brain Boy exchanged a glance. "Most people don't like to have their superiors know about the side of themselves they show while drinking," Brain Boy said.

Adora frowned. "Why not?"

"Uh, it's embarrassing?" the shrimp told her.

"Not everyone's as honest as you are," Seacat explained. "Some get rowdy and insulting when they're drunk. They wouldn't want their officers or Captain's to be present.

"So they wouldn't drink as much, which would impact the business of the tavern we'd visit," Sea Hawk added.

"Oh." Adora nodded. "We'd have to make up for the lost business."

"Or we'd have to punish people if they do something we can't overlook," the shrimp said.

"But… if they're breaking regulations, shouldn't they be punished?" Adora obviously wasn't quite familiar with how regulations were enforced, or not enforced, in practice.

"I'll explain it to you over a beer," Seacat told her with a smile.

"But…" Adora started.

Seacat ran a finger over her lips, interrupting her. "Shh. We can talk over a beer." She also ran her tail up the back of Adora's thigh.

"Uh… right!"

Adora blushed quite cutely, too.

*****​

"...and that's why the officers overlook such things on leave, but never on board." Seacat downed her ale.

"But if sailors - and soldiers - need this, this…" Adora gestured at the rest of the tavern, which was packed with sailors and marines. "...this 'winding down', why not adjust the regulations?"

"Because you don't want them bitching and complaining all the time. If it's officially allowed, then they'll do it at sea as well." Seacat told her friend. "Even if you say that they can only complain on leave or without insults, people will still do it."

"Would that be so bad? Soldiers curse all the time," Adora said.

"They do, as do sailors. But that's not the same as complaining about their officers." Seacat shook her head. "A frigate isn't like our own ship. She has a much bigger crew - hundreds of sailors. They need discipline to function. If you don't keep a lid on complaining and making fun of officers, they'll mutiny. And if you keep them from winding down, they'll mutiny as well. Or you'll end up with a system where the crew elects the officers and captain. Like pirates."

"Would that be bad?"

Adora was really naive. Seacat smiled at her. "You want the most capable leading you, not the most popular."

"Ah." Adora took a swallow from her ale. "But you said that the Salinean officers aren't the best."

She frowned. "They could be better, but they could be a lot worse, too. And overall, they have done decently well. It's mostly the admirals who are idiots. Well, about Sea Hawk - some of them know their business well enough."

Adora snorted, shaking her head "To hear you argue for discipline…"

Seacat forced herself to smile back. She wasn't Catra any more. "I grew up. I still don't like it myself - which is why I could never be a sailor in the navy." Following the orders of some prick officer? Hah!

"That was very interesting, but I think we've had enough lectures," the shrimp cut in. Brain Boy looked a little disappointed, but the princess wasn't looking at him. "We're here to have fun! Drink and dance and…"

"...be merry?" Brain Boy added with a smile.

"Bow!" The shrimp shook her head. "That is having fun! We need a third thing to do. It's a rule."

Seacat narrowed her eyes. Perhaps the shrimp hadn't been quiet during the explanations because Seacat had been a good teacher, but because the princess had had a few ales already.

"Singing! Drinking, dancing, singing!" Adora declared.

She'd had a few ales as well, Seacat realised. And she hadn't yet changed into She-Ra.

Uh oh. Seacat winced when her friend stood up and raised her mug as if it was her sword.

"Off to war we go, we go, for the glory of the…" Adora trailed off with a grimace. "No, not that one."

Seacat nodded. A Horde marching song wasn't a good choice here - or anywhere. Then she winced again when Adora accidentally emptied the remains of her ale on herself, yelping: "Eeek!"

The shrimp snickered - no, laughed, a full belly laugh complete with pounding the table with her fist. And Brain Bow's grin was threatening to reach his ears.

They had drunk far more than Seacat had realised while she had been explaining naval discipline and customs during leave to them. Far more than Seacat had drunk as well.

"Seacat!"

She turned her head while Adora was still trying to find a song that she hadn't learned as a Horde cadet, ticking off her failures on her fingers. There were Alcy, Licy and Horas, Lucy waving enthusiastically at them.

"Come, sit down," Seacat yelled to them. "And fetch me a couple ales on the way! We need to show those landlubbers that they can't outdrink a sailor!"

Not without cheating and transforming into a seven feet tall buff princess.

"I can so outdrink you!" Adora protested at once.

Seacat snorted. "Let me catch up to you, and we'll see!"

"Well, I doubt that anyone amongst us can outdrink Horas," Brain Bow commented.

"What?" The shrimp sneered. "Is that a challenge?"

"Drinking contest?" Licy beamed at them. "Bartender! As much ale as the table can handle!"

Loud cheering, not just from Seacat's friends, but from half the tavern, answered her. And Seacat could see the tavern owner's eyes light up at the thought of all the coin he'd make tonight.

Ah well, they had come here to carouse, hadn't they?

Seacat grinned. It wasn't her fault that Adora and her friends had drunk more than she had during her explanation. "We need a prize, too!" she said.

More cheering answered her.

The night was off to a good start!

*****​

Seacat blinked as she stared at the mug in front of her. That was… she had lost count. Too many mugs.

"Are you giving up?" Licy asked from across the table, brushing a strand of her blonde hair out of her face. Or trying to - she had a little trouble coordinating, or so it seemed.

Seacat scoffed. "You wish!" Even with the ales she'd already drunk, she could drink the woman under the table. She lifted the mug. "To Princess Mermista!" Then she raised the mug to her lips and tilted her head back.

The ale flew down her throat. She almost gagged, but managed to keep it under control - spitting out any beer would've made her lose.

Licy had copied her. Or was trying to. But she was swaying a little - and Seacat could see that she was struggling. Good.

And Licy started coughing. She was stubborn, though, and didn't pull the mug away from her mouth.

Which resulted in all the remaining ale splashing on her face and chest. And that meant...

"Yes!" Seacat cheered. "Another victory!" She stood, raising her hand in triumph, then had to sit down rapidly when her legs started to wobble. "Uh…"

Alcy patted her friend's back, then helped her wipe the ale off. Since Alcy had dropped out earlier, she wasn't actually helping. At least, it didn't look like she was helping.

And that only left… Seacat looked around the table. Horas was there, already refilling his mug. Adora was also sitting there, but she seemed to be not quite there - she was looking at a patch of the wall with a silly grin. With the shrimp and Brain Boy out already, that meant second place would be Seacat's - it wasn't as if she would be able to outdrink a minotaur. Though trying was fun.

Someone had refilled her mug while she had been pondering that, and she gripped it with her right hand. "Alright!" She could do this. She could beat Adora. And, maybe, if Horas had some… no, Adora had healed him. He wouldn't have some lingering weakness. Probably.

She shook her head and repeated herself: "Alright!"

"Wait!"

Seacat glanced to her side. Adora was struggling to hold the mug. "Giving up?"

"You wish." The blonde beamed at her. "Just getting my second wind." And her sword, apparently. Wait! "For the honour of Grayskull!"

Seacat winced when her lover changed, the sudden light briefly blinding her.

"Hah! Now I'm ready!" She-Ra announced.

"Foul!" Seacat protested. "No magic use!"

"Yeah," Horas agreed. "No magic!"

"That's the sacred law of the sailor's tavern!" Seacat went on. "You use magic, you're dis… dish… you're out!"

"What? I didn't know that! And Glimmer used magic before!" Adora gaped at her.

"She teleported to fetch more ale," Seacat said. "Not the shame."

"I think Queen Angella might disagree about there being no shame," Adora replied.

Seacat blinked. "Shame."

"Exactly."

"No, not…" Seacat shook her head, then regretted it at once when the tavern started spinning. "Anyway, you're out!"

"Yes!" a sailor standing near them yelled. "No magic!"

"That's the rule!" another agreed.

"Yes!"

She-Ra pouted. "That's unfair!"

Seacat giggled, raised her mug, and started drinking. She managed to empty the mug into her mouth and not onto her chest - though it was a near thing - and slammed it down. "Yeah!"

Horas, of course, had already finished his. "Refill!"

Seacat blinked, then raised her hand. "No need, I give," she said. "I mean, I give up. You get the mug!" The mug Brain Boy had engraved or something - she hadn't paid too much attention. Seacat nodded firmly, which sent the whole tavern into a spin again.

"Seacat!"

Oh. She had her head on the table. How had that happened? And Adora looked worried. Ah well! Seacat pushed herself up, then slid to the side, resting her head in Adora's lap. Yes! "Perfect!"

"Hey!"

She groaned in return and closed her eyes.

"Seacat?"

"Just a little nap," she told her friend. Her lover. Yes. Perfect.

"Seacat! Glimmer! Uh… Bow?

"Yesh?"

"What do we do now?"

"We drank, sho we… danshe!"

"You want to dance?"

"Yesh!"

"Glimmer?"

"Glimmer! Where did she go?"

"To she danshe floor!"

"Yes! Come on, Alshy!"

"Lishy!"

That sounded like a good idea. "Lesh danshe!" Seacat said and got up.

"Seacat! Wait!"

Oops. She almost fell down if not for Adora's arm getting in the way.

"How do you want to dance when you're like that?"

"With you!" She beamed at Adora. That was a silly question, anyway.

She could do anything with Adora.

*****​

Seacat didn't hurt when she woke up. That was a nice surprise. Usually, she had at least a slight headache after a drinking contest - unless she won quickly - but today? No, she felt fine. No headache. And the sunlight shining on her bed didn't feel like someone was stabbing daggers into her eyes, either.

And she was warm too - sprawled on top of Adora, basking in the sunlight warming her back, and her lover's body warming her front. A perfect way to wake up.

She rubbed her cheek on Adora's chest, then raised her head and rolled her shoulders. She was a little stuff, though. Stretching would do her good, and…

"Oh, good, you're finally awake! Good morning!"

That was… Seacat froze, then turned her head. Entrapta was standing next to the bed, smiling at her. How had the princess…? Ah. She had used her hair to walk, which meant she hadn't made any noise. "'Morning," she mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you to wake up, of course!" The princess nodded. "They said I couldn't wake you but had to let you sleep in, so I waited until you woke up."

"Oh." That made… some warped sort of sense. Or would. "I don't think they meant waiting in our room."

"But how would I know when you're awake? I could listen on the door, I guess..."

"When we're leaving the room." Now she was developing a headache. Sort of.

"Ah." Entrapta nodded. "I'll make a note for next time. But now, since you're awake and all: We can talk!"

"About the barges and gunboats?"

"About the rafts for shipping the Bright Moon forces downriver! I've made and tested a prototype for a raft that can be constructed quickly and operated safely - Sea Hawk and Mermista insisted on that quality even though that will reduce performance some. But, apparently, they won't be sending sailors upriver to steer them. Something I don't get, actually - it would make the raft much more efficient."

Seacat felt Adora move underneath here. She looked back just in time to see Adora open her eyes.

"Huh? Whatsgoinon?" Adora blinked. "Seacat!"

"Good morning, Adora!"

The smile turned into a gasp as Adora's eyes widened. "Entrapta? What are you doing here? You didn't… we didn't, did we?"

"She came in in the morning to talk to us," Seacat told her.

"Oh." Seacat felt and saw Adora relax. "That's good."

"Yes, it is!" Entrapta agreed. "And I can ask about your sexual activities as well."

Adora wasn't the only one who blinked at that. "What?" Seacat asked.

"Yes. Remember when you told me that Mermista would tell me about this subject?"

Seacat did Vaguely. That had been in Seaworthy. Some time ago. "Yes?"

"Well, she didn't tell me much. Not much I didn't know yet, anyway." Entrapta nodded. "But she told me to ask you two for the details."

Of course Mermista would do that. Great. And Adora was blushing and mumbling. Useless. "Rafts," Seacat said. "We need to talk about rafts first. The war takes priority."

"Right! Rafts, then sex. Actually, they're more like barges - just more square. I wanted to make them modular, but field engineers can't match the tolerances for that. Still, you can expand on the designs and make them larger." Entrapta showed them some blueprints. It looked like a normal raft, other than…

"Getting so many planks will be difficult," Adora said. Of course, as soon as the talk was about war, she was all business.

"No, it won't!" Entrapta beamed at them. "I made a portable sawmill with an enhanced cutting blade!"

Oh! "You adapted my old blade?" Seacat asked.

"Yes! And I've built it so you can easily cut all planks to specs! You'll be able to construct rafts aplenty as long as you have wood - and you can cut wood easily with my blades!" The princess nodded. "But the real trick is the glue!"

"Glue?"

"Yes! Normally, you'd use nails and ropes and stuff to construct the rafts. That takes time and is a structural weakness if you lash the planks together. It also means you need more parts if you use rope and nails. But my glue will keep the planks together easily! And it's much easier to transport, too. Just…." She winced. "Don't fall into it. Really don't. I'm still trying to get Ophelia her legs back."

"Ophelia? Legs?" Adora sounded shocked.

"My new bot. She helped to test my design. I could make new ones, but that wouldn't work for people who got their legs stuck, so I am working on finding a solvent to counter the glue."

Ah. That was a relief. A small one - seacat didn't want to imagine what would happen if she managed to get her legs or any other limbs glued together. On the other hand, that might be a good weapon for special occasions...

"So… let me show you how to build a raft in seventeen easy steps! Then we can test the designs in the harbour!"

*****​

The portable sawmill was pretty much only portable if you were Horas or She-Ra. But it worked very well - they had the planks needed for the construction ready in no time. On the other hand, the sawmill would also cut any sloppy soldier handling it to pieces in record time.

And the glue… Seacat kept her distance from it. Normal glue and fur didn't go well together. Special glue made to build a raft and hold it together? She shuddered at the thought.

Entrapta, of course, was handling a barrel of it as she demonstrated how to assemble the raft. "And that's the basic body. Now for steering and propulsion, we'll be using simple technology as well!"

"You mean paddles," Seacat said.

"Yes! They can be made with the sawmill as well, but you'll need some leather wrappings to protect your hands. Easy!" Her hair moved and dragged some rough paddles over. "I made a few already! And this is the setup to steer it in the current!"

That was a more complicated setup - double rudders, to be exact, linked with rope.

"You can just use paddles to steer, but that's not too efficient. But the important thing is this!" She pointed at the openings left in the raft. "You can use rope to tie them together, forming a bridge!"

"Could we use the glue, too?" Adora asked.

"Err…" Entrapta winced. "You could, I guess - but handling it in water is not advised. It's kind of easier to glue yourself in the water. You could stay upriver of the glue, of course, but… if you get stuck to the raft, the raft will be unusable."

"And it would be painful as well," Seacat pointed out.

"That, too, yes." Entrapta nodded and hair-walked over to the assembled raft. "So! Let's test the raft in the harbour!"

She reached out to the raft with her hair, but Adora stepped in front of her. "Let me! For the Honour of Grayskull!"

She-Ra could carry the entire raft without breaking a sweat, as she demonstrated by lifting it over her head.

Seacat couldn't resist. She pushed off the wall that she was leaning against, jumped on Entrpata's design table, flipped and landed on the raft in a crouch.

"Hey!"

The raft wobbled a bit while Adora adjusted, but it was nothing a sailor used to heavy seas couldn't handle - Seacat didn't even lose her balance. She smirked. "What? Am I too much for you?"

"What? No!" She-Ra announced and started to move towards the door.

"Uh… not the door; it won't fit. We have a gate here!" Entrapta called out. "For ships. Well, they were meant for ships, but I didn't build one yet."

Seacat didn't have to see She-Ra's face to know what she was thinking when the princess pointed at the canal inside her workshop and jumped off before She-Ra threw the raft into the water. Then she smirked at She-Ra - she wasn't born yesterday, after all.

She-Ra huffed, then pointed at the raft. "Come on, sail it outside!"

Seacat grinned and jumped off, landing on the raft. It was pushed a bit lower into the water, but she heard no creaks and saw no give - the glue held as promised.

But, as she soon found out, the raft handled as expected - like a slab of wood in the water. Fine for a calm river, but not for the sea. And she wouldn't trust it on a river or a lake during a storm, either.

But it would do what it was meant to do: Transport soldiers down and across a river. Provided they managed to build enough of the things. And if the soldiers could actually steer those things.

"So, it works, right?" Entrapta said.

"Yes," Seacat said. "Easy enough for even Adora to make and steer."

"Hey!" her friend protested.

Seacat laughed. Just teasing you. But you are a landlubber - so you're a good test subject.

"Right!" Entrapta nodded. "So, since the raft has been tested…" She smiled widely and pulled her recorder out. "It's time for the sex talk!"

Seacat grimaced.

*****​

"We'll need another skiff," Seacat said as she looked at the Bright Moon skiff. "Maybe two."

"Two?" The shrimp frowned at her.

Seacat pointed at the portable sawmill, the supplies, and then at Horas. "Unless you've got one of the Horde skiffs carrying a gun, those scout models won't carry us all and the gear."

"Uh, yes," Adora agreed. "We're already be pushing it with seven people in two skiffs. With the supplies…" She shook her head. "We need another."

"Or a carrier skiff," Seacat said. "But I don't think we captured one of those. Not a functional one, at least."

"So… three skiffs." Adora looked disappointed for some reason.

"I'll ask Mermista for one," the shrimp said. "Start loading the stuff!" She walked off instead of teleporting.

"'Start loading'?" Adora smirked.

Seacat sighed. "Go on, show off!" Adora pouted at her, and she smiled. "I'm teasing you, dummy."

"Ah! For the Honour of Grayskull!"

While She-Ra grabbed the sawmill and heaved, Seacat leaned over to Brain Boy and asked, in a low voice: "How often does she transform like that?"

"Actually, only when we need her," he told her.

"She doesn't stay She-Ra in the field?"

"Not always."

Seacat couldn't believe that. That was… if the Horde sent assassins or those Headhunters after her… She shook her head. "Damn. That has to change."

"What has to change?" Licy asked as she and Alcy joined them while Horas finished loading the supplies on the skiff.

"Adora needs to stay as She-Ra in the field," Seacat explained. That was safer.

"I do?" She-Ra asked.

"Yes. With the Horde going after you and the other princesses specifically, you have to be more cautious," Seacat said.

She-Ra blinked, then smiled. "Don't worry, I can handle them."

"Don't underestimate Shadow Weaver."

"I won't, don't worry."

Seacat clenched her teeth and refrained from making a scene. She-Ra was overconfident. She'd bring this up once they had a bit more privacy.

And there was the shrimp. "Mermista's sending a skiff over," the princess announced. "Who here has steered a skiff before?"

She-Ra, Brain Boy, Seacat and both Licy and Alcy raised their hands. Horas shook his head.

"Alright." The shrimp nodded at Brain Boy. "We'll take our skiff. Adora, you and Seacat take the cargo skiff."

"It's not actually a cargo skiff," She-Ra said. "It's a scout skiff; we're just using it to transport cargo."

The shrimp waved her comment away. "It's carrying our cargo, so it's our cargo skiff. And we need you two to pilot it since the cargo is crucial for our offensive, and you are the best to protect it."

She-Ra nodded with a serious expression. Seacat wasn't quite convinced that the shrimp was entirely honest. It would make more sense to have She-Ra ride on another skiff so she could fight without endangering the cargo, but if it meant Seacat could ride with her friend for the trip, she wouldn't complain. So she nodded as well.

The shrimp pointed at Licy, Alcy and Horas. "And you three are on the third skiff. Which should arrive any minute now."

Seacat doubted that. Mermista was the princess, but unless the fortress was under attack, the bureaucracy wouldn't be so easily moved. Not that she cared; after setting Entrapta on them, Mermista deserved some trouble with the bureaucracy. "So, we're following the river?"

"Yes. It should be safe enough, and we can do reconnaissance at the same time," She-Ra said. "We used the same route coming down."

"The Horde might have an ambush prepared, then." That's what Seacat would do in their place - send smaller parties over the river to scout and ambush - and to keep in contact with the trapped Horde forces to the north. And the Horde had been acting very sneaky lately.

"If they do, we'll smash them!" She-Ra said.

Yes, her friend was overconfident. Damn. She really had to talk to her about this. Preferably before they ran into a Horde ambush.

*****​
 
Chapter 37: The River Offensive Part 2
Chapter 37: The River Offensive Part 2

Mermista managed to get a skiff assigned to them before noon, and they set out after a light meal. The shrimp and Brain Boy led the formation, Adora and Seacat were in the middle with the cargo, and Alcy, Licy and Horas as the ones least experienced with overland travel in a warzone brought up the rear.

They made good time at the start, too - but then, they were still in the area occupied by the Salinean (and Kingdom of Snows) forces in Fortress Freedom. And the sun was shining, making it pleasantly warm.

Seacat squeezed past the sawmill tied down in the middle of the skiff and went to the stern, where Adora was controlling the skiff. She leaned against the railing there, smiling at Adora. "I still can't believe that you wanted us to eat rations on the way."

"It would have saved us an hour," Adora replied with a quick pouty glare at her before she focused her attention on the skiff and terrain ahead of them again.

"It also would have damaged our morale. Probably irreparably," Seacat told her. "Really, you should know best that you don't eat rations until it's an emergency."

"They're standard food in the field!"

"For the Horde. If we have to eat them, it's an emergency," Seacat said with a smile. She craned her head and enjoyed the wind for a bit. "So, you've travelled this route before."

"Yes. We know the terrain. We'll spot an ambush in advance," Adora said. "Bow is really good at it."

Of course, she knew what Seacat was trying to work towards. "Well, he better be good," she grumbled. "But there's always someone better."

"In the Horde?" Adora snorted.

"They've got good scouts, too."

"Compared to Bright Moon's rangers and Plumeria's irregulars? No." Adora shook her head. "Trust me, we've been beating them every time we faced them - and they didn't even manage to get through the Whispering Woods."

"But the Horde did collect their best soldiers for those Headhunters, didn't they?"

"Yes. But their scouts were bad before."

Seacat clenched her teeth for a moment. It sounded promising. And Adora did have more experience - both in the Horde and at fighting them on land. But… "I don't like this," she said. "Why aren't they even trying to save their encircled forces?"

"They don't have the supplies to move them through the wilderness and across the river. By staying put north of us, they at least tie up our own forces. You know the Horde leaders - they'd rather have everyone die fighting than running."

"I know." Seacat did know that. And it sounded logical - for the likes of Shadow Weaver. But… "I can't help feeling that we're running into a trap."

"If there's a trap, we'll spot it. Don't worry!" Her friend beamed at Seacat. "We're good at that." She raised her balled fist for a moment.

"Does running into a trap and fighting your way out count?" Seacat shot back, raising her eyebrows.

"Uh…" Adora suddenly found the horizon very fascinating.

Seacat smirked but soon sighed again. She had a bad feeling about this.

*****​

By the time they struck camp for the night - not even Adora wanted to travel at night and sleep in shifts on the skiffs - they hadn't encountered any Horde troops. Nor were there any nearby - Brain Boy had scouted the surrounding area with the shrimp's help and they were widening the net, so to speak.

That left everyone else to put up camp. Which meant Adora and Seacat, relying on Catra's memories from her Horde training, were doing it while Alcy, Licy and Horas were helping as best as they could - a sailor hadn't much use for tents and campfires.

"You know, the Horde had better tents. Tents which were easier to put up, at least," Seacat commented while she struggled with the poles for the second tent.

"That's because the dumbest Horde soldiers were expected to be able to do this," Adora replied.

"Well, that's not a bad rule," Seacat said.

"We're not dumb!" Licy protested.

"You aren't," Seacat told her. "But this could be easier."

"Well, that's Bright Moon's standard tent." Adora shrugged. "You get used to it."

"We should loot some Horde tents, then," Alcy suggested.

Adora grinned. "Well, we could… but the Horde tents aren't as comfortable as Bright Moon's tents."

"Never mind then!" Licy quickly said. "I'd rather spend a little more time putting those things up and be more comfortable! We can plunder Horde camps for other stuff."

"Most of the Horde gear and supplies are like that," Adora said. "Easy to use, cheap to make, but not as good as what the Alliance uses. They use crossbows a lot but few bows, for example."

"Well, their ships are the same," Alcy pointed out. "Not as good as Salinean ships, but they'll do the job."

"But taking a ship is far more profitable than taking some cheap tents," Licy added. "And we'd need a transport to grab stuff in bulk."

"If we can make additional rafts, we could ship a lot downriver," Horas said.

"You sound as if you're only here to loot the Horde base," Adora complained.

The three scoundrels grinned at her while Seacat chuckled. "Don't forget that while Sea Hawk's an admiral in the Salinean Navy, we haven't joined the Alliance. We're just sailors working for Sea Hawk," she told Adora. "And as such, we like prizes and loot."

"But…" Her friend gaped at her.

"We're not just here to loot, of course," she went on before her lover could find the words to complain. "But we won't dismiss the possibility, either."

"And the officers loot anyway," Alcy added. "The soldiers too - though they call it foraging."

"That's not the same!" Adora protested.

"It works out the same for those who have their farm plundered," Horas said, putting down a log meant for the fireplace.

"But the Alliance doesn't need to forage! We've got good supplies!" Adora shook her head. "And there aren't any farms left in the Fright Zone."

"Well, that's because the Horde razed them all and replaced them with factories and stuff," Seacat said.

"How do they get food, then?" Horas asked.

"Food? They raid for actual food. But they produce rations somehow," Seacat replied. Catra knew that, but not how they were made. Only that they made hardtack taste good in comparison.

"Rations are made from plants cultivated in controlled environments. I've seen them - huge tanks with green and grey stuff floating in it," Adora said.

"The Horde eats algae?" Licy looked shocked.

"I don't know what it is, but it floats and grows in huge tanks," Adora said.

"Sounds like algae." Alcy grimaced. "I'm almost pitying them."

"Well, Horde rations really don't taste well," Seacat said. "That's why they are so eager to raid."

"They could hunt and fish instead," Horas told them.

"That's harder. You need to have a reason to be in the woods, or at the shore of a lake or river, or you'll get punished. Raiding and plundering is part of the war," Adora explained.

"And if you hunt or fish, your squad will expect their share. If you raid, they'll have loot themselves," Seacat added.

"What a screwed-up system!" Licy scowled.

Coming from a former pirate, that was a condemnation indeed.

"That's why we're fighting the Horde," Adora said. "Well, one of the reasons."

"And we'll beat them!" Licy agreed. "First this base, then we finish off the Horde army in the North, then we cut into the Fright Zone!"

That sounded a good plan, Seacat knew. But the Horde wouldn't just sit there and take it. That she knew as well.

*****​

After the meal - some hardtack and dried meat, but also fresh fruits Brain Boy had gathered, and some roots they had boiled - Seacat sat down closer to Adora. "Hey, Adora."

"Yes?" Adora tilted her head and looked at her.

"We're soon in the territory contested by the Horde." Technically, they were in the contested territory already, but still closer to the Alliance lines.

"Yes?"

"Won't we have to expect those Headhunters to attack us?"

"If they do, we'll beat them. With the skiffs, we can outmanoeuvre them," Adora said.

"Yes. But what if they surprise us?"

"Uh…"

"What if they get a volley off before we're ready - or know that they are there?" They would only need to set up a battery for indirect fire and have someone spot for them.

"That would be bad. But we're looking for ambushes."

"Yes, but… She-Ra can shrug off explosions, right?" Seacat watched her lover's face as she asked.

"Yes, as long as they aren't too powerful, I can… Oh." Adora scowled. "You can't shrug off explosions."

"No, I can't - but you can." This was about Adora, not Seacat.

"But you'd still be dead." Adora shook her head.

Seacat blinked. What the…? Oh. Oh, no! She scowled. "Adora. If you had to sacrifice yourself to save me, would you do it?"

"Of course!" Her lover looked shocked at the question.

"Even though you'd die, leaving me alone?"

"Yes, though you would…" Adora trailed off, then set her jaw. "It's not the same!"

"It is the same!" Seacat insisted. "I don't want you to take unnecessary risks. You're a princess - the Horde is gunning for you. The Headhunters were created to fight you and the other princesses. If you're She-Ra, you're safer."

Adora pressed her lips together and didn't answer.

Damn. Seacat shook her head again. "Adora, you can't expect me to accept that you can sacrifice yourself for me, but I can't do the same. Sort of."

"If anyone has to die, it should be me," Adora said, looking away from Seacat.

"What? No!" Seacat reached out and grabbed Adora's cheeks, turning her lover's head to face her. "That's wrong!"

"I'm She-Ra. I'm supposed to protect everyone."

"But not like that!" How could her friend be so…" Did you talk to that ghost again?"

Adora looked away and flushed a little.

"You did!"

"She helped me figure out my powers a little better," Adora said. "Like healing."

"And she told you that you had to die for us?" If Seacat ever found the bunker again, she'd wreck it and Light Hope!

"She said I had a duty. I was chosen for this. She-Ra is the protector of the whole world. I can't let others die to save myself."

"That's not the same! What you're talking about is killing yourself pointlessly!" Seacat exclaimed.

Adora frowned at her. "I'm not going to let you die while I live."

"But I want you to live even if I die!" Seacat retorted.

They stared at each other. Why couldn't Adora see how stupid she was? Dying like that didn't help anyone!

"And I'm going to kill both of you if you continue this!"

"Huh?" Seacat turned her head and saw that the shrimp was glaring at them.

"Glimmer…"

"Don't you 'Glimmer' me, Adora!" the shrimp cut her off. "You're not going to kill yourself, understood? We're entering Horde territory soon; be She-Ra for the rest of the trip."

Seacat nodded in agreement. The shrimp knew what she was talking about.

"And you!" The shrimp turned to her with a scowl. "Show a little more understanding! Adora doesn't want to live without you! That's not smart, but it says a lot about her love for you!"

"But…" Seacat started to say.

"No buts!" the princess cut her off. "You're both stupid. Now kiss and make up or I'll teleport you into the river and keep you there until you do!"

Seacat blinked. "Can she do that?" she asked Adora.

"Uh… probably."

"She can, and she can hear you just fine," the shrimp added. "Now stop being stupid."

Seacat clenched her teeth. She wasn't stupid! She-Ra was the stupid one here! She looked at her friend.

Adra looked mulish - but also guilty. They really had to do something about Light Hope.

"Besides," Licy added - right, everyone was listening - "Have you done it as She-Ra and Seacat yet?" She giggled.

Adora blushed like a wildfire before Seacat could tell off the woman with a suitably lurid comment.

"You have?" Licy asked.

"No! I'm so strong as She-Ra, I might hurt Seacat."

Seacat closed her eyes for a moment and groaned. Really! "I'm not so flimsy," she told Adora.

"Uh…"

"Well, if you need some tips, we've done it with strong people," Licy offered. "And I'm sure Horas has experience with smaller partners, too!"

"I think that's a little too much information!" Brain Boy blurted out.

Seacat ignored them both. "Really, you aren't that strong as She-Ra," she told Adora.

Her friend frowned. "Are you sure?"

They had fooled around with Adora as She-Ra, hadn't they? Seacat remembered a little of that, at least. She nodded. "Yes! Besides, my claws can cut through armour - did you see me being worried about hurting you accidentally?"

"Too much information!" Brain Boy protested again.

"It's not the same," Adora insisted.

"Just try it out - you can heal her, can't you?" Licy wasn't really helping.

And the shrimp looked baffled - no, angry, now. Seacat wondered if they'd end up in the river anyway. "Ugh!" The princess shook her head. "That's enough of that! Sort it out in private!"

"But…" Adora started again.

"No buts!" The princess held her index finger up and almost stuck it into Adora's face. "You staying She-Ra in the field is a sound military decision. And Seacat's right that you can't expect us to live on should anything happen to you unless you accept the same for yourself!"

"B… I'm She-Ra." Now the girl was pouting. Really!

Seacat shook her head with a sigh.

"And you're our friend - and Seacat's lover," the princess added with a glance at Seacat. "We're all in this together. We share the risks and dangers, but only as much as we must; not as much as we could." She blinked. "Did that make sense?"

Seacat nodded. As did Brain Boy. And Alcy, Licy and Horas nodded as well, though Seacat wasn't quite sure if Licy was just nodding along with everyone else.

Adora still looked mulish. Sometimes, she was far too stubborn for her own good. Such as the time she had wanted to defeat a bot in training even though they hadn't had the weapons to do so. She had ended up in the infirmary - and Catra had been blamed for it by Shadow Weaver.

She didn't want to think about that. The shrimp was right - they had to sort this out. But not at the campfire. The tent didn't grant them a lot of privacy, but it was better than nothing. It wasn't as if you had much privacy on a ship either. "Tent. Now," she told Adora.

To her surprise, Adora nodded and followed her into the tent. "That won't keep anyone from hearing us," she said.

Seacat sighed. "But it'll help - if we keep our voices down."

Adora frowned but nodded.

Kneeling on their sleeping bags, they stared at each other for a moment without saying anything.

"I'm sorry," Adora said. "I just…" She looked away.

"I know. I'm sorry, too," Seacat replied.

"I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either." Seacat sighed. "But we're at war. And the Horde's after us - they know us."

"They're after me specifically," Adora pointed out.

"Who was kidnapped?" Seacat retorted. "You or me?"

"You, but because of me."

Damn. "No, because Shadow Weaver is an evil bitch," Seacat spat. "That's not your fault."

Adora obviously disagreed, but she didn't contradict Seacat.

"Anyway. I don't want you to take unnecessary risks," Seacat told her. "You don't want me to do that, either, do you?"

Adora pressed her lips together. She couldn't really argue against that. But Seacat could tell that she wanted to. "I don't like it," she finally said, pouting.

Seacat shrugged. "No one does. But it's war. Until the Horde is defeated, we'll have to deal with this." And even afterwards… the sea wasn't safe. A sailor took a risk every time they set out on a voyage. But this wasn't the time to mention that.

Adora smiled - weakly - for the first time in this talk. "I guess we'll have to hurry up beating the Horde, huh?"

Seacat nodded. "I guess so."

Once more, the two of them stared at each other in silence for a moment. Then Adora cleared her throat. "They, uh, can hear everything, right?" she whispered.

Seacat nodded. And, judging by the lack of any sound from outside, they all were listening.

"So, even if we, uh…" Adora blushed again.

Ah. Seacat smirked. "So?"

"So?" The blush got worse.

Seacat pointed at her ears. "I can hear people even through doors." Thin doors, unless she was actively trying to listen in, but still.

"Oh."

"And I believe we need to test your claim about being too strong for me."

"Uh…" Adora was wringing her hands nervously now.

Perfect. Seacat leaned forward and then crawled towards her friend. Her lover. "Transform," she whispered into her ear.

*****​

She woke up with arms wrapped around her, held in the crook of She-Ra's arm. The princess was warm, like Adora. But she smelt a little differently. And she was much stronger. Much tougher, too, as Seacat had found out. Her claws could still hurt her, though - not that she had tried. Not seriously. Just a scratch or two.

She shifted a little. Through the hole in the fabric above her - raising your sword to transform wasn't a good idea inside a tent - she could see the reddish sky. Dawn, then. Time to get up. Even though she didn't want to. She wanted to lay there a little longer. Bask in She-Ra's presence.

But they had a mission. Sighing, she wriggled out of She-Ra's arms. "Wake up," she whispered into her lover's ear.

A groan was her answer. And this was the woman who had wanted to skip lunch yesterday to gain an hour. Sighing, she started poking She-Ra's face. That didn't do the job, either, so she unsheathed her claws and pricked her.

"Ow!" She-Ra's eyes flew open, and she sat up so quickly, Seacat had to jerk back to avoid getting clipped by her lover's head, then had to put her hands on She-Ra's shoulders to keep her from standing up.

"Don't wreck the tent… any more than you already have," she said.

She-Ra blinked, then pouted. "That was an accident. And your fault!"

Seacat raised her eyebrows. "My fault? How was it my fault?"

"You distracted me when I was about to transform, so I didn't think about the tent."

"Ah." She grinned widely. That was good to know. And very flattering.

She-Ra was still pouting, but, after a moment, she started to smile. Then she grinned.

Seacat's eyes widened. She knew that grin. When Adora grinned like that…

Too late. Faster than such a strong woman had any right to be, She-Ra pounced, and Seacat found herself on her back, with She-Ra's hands on her shoulders. "Gotcha back!"

"That's not how it works," Seacat protested.

"Really?" She-Ra kept smiling, then bent down to kiss her.

Seacat closed her eyes and sighed, then moaned into the kiss. Perhaps this was how it worked…

"We're leaving in half an hour! Get ready! Breakfast will be ready soon!"

She-Ra pulled back at once, gasping - and blushing.

Seacat wanted to claw the shrimp. "We heard you!" she snapped.

"So did we!" the princess shot back.

She-Ra's blush intensified.

Seacat sighed. "Alright, let's go get something to eat." She arched her back for a moment, stretched on the ground, then rolled over and crawled out of the ten.

The princess was up, as were Brain Boy and Horas. Alcy and Licy were… groaning in their tent. Awake, but not up.

"You know we've heard everything," the princess told her.

"Of course you did; you aren't deaf." Seacat snorted.

Both the shrimp and She-Ra gasped at her comment. She ignored that and looked at the pot of water hanging above the campfire - recently revived with a few more logs. "Do you have tea? Or chocolate?"

"Both." Brain Boy smiled at her. "Pick what you prefer."

"Tea then."

The tea was passable. She'd had worse. She'd had better, too.

"It's the standard Bright Moon tea," Brain Boy told her - he must have caught her reaction.

"For everyone in the army?"

"Yes, of course," the shrimp butted in.

"It's good then."

"'Then'?" the princess asked.

"If this was a special royal tea, it wouldn't be good," she told them.

"Well, I like it!" She-Ra declared.

"You grew up on rations. Of course you'd like it," Seacat told her.

"So did you!" She-Ra shot back.

"But only one of us never traded for better food," Seacat shot back. Adora had been too straight-laced for that.

Another pout was her reward. Adora remained Adora, even if she grew a foot in a moment. Seacat grabbed a sausage from the open pack next to the campfire and started munching.

"I wanted to make a hot meal, but…"

"We don't have time for it," the shrimp said. "This is the most dangerous part of our trip. We don't know if we have to make a detour, and Mermista is counting on us to arrive in time to move the forces downriver."

"And the Horde knows we're using couriers along the river," She-Ra added.

Seacat mumbled in response and took another bite out of her meal. As long as it was tasty, she didn't need a hot meal. Not when it was pretty warm outside. "Say… are there special royal tea brands?"

The shrimp frowned. "Uh… Mom got some special tea brands. I was punished once when I… Uh…"

Seacat grinned. "Raided the pantry?"

"I wanted to make tea."

"It came out more like some… soup?" Brain Boy said.

"I was four, damn it!"

Seacat laughed and finished her sausage.

*****​

"So, everything sorted out?" the shrimp asked a little later while Adora ran a check on their skiff. Seacat would've done it, but her lover was a little more familiar with the things than her.

"I thought you heard everything," Seacat told the princess with a smirk.

"We heard everything that you did in the tent. We didn't hear everything you said before that." The shrimp pouted slightly.

Seacat shrugged. "She's She-Ra now."

"Kind of obvious." Princesses could roll their eyes with the best of them.

"Why are you asking, then?" Seacat shot back.

"Adora's my friend," the shrimp told her. "And while being She-Ra in the field keeps her safe and is good for her, I'm not just worried about the Horde hurting her."

Oh. Seacat narrowed her eyes at the princess. "I won't hurt her!" she hissed.

"You know how devastated she was when you were kidnapped? She blamed herself for that."

So, she already hurt Adora? Seacat clenched her teeth. That hadn't been her fault. Not just her fault, then - if she had been more cautious about poison…

"Look, it wasn't your fault. And it's over and done, anyway. I'm just saying…" The shrimp sighed and glanced around.

"No one's listening," Seacat told her. "Or no one can hear us at this distance. Unless you start yelling."

"Ah." Another sigh. "Anyway… She-Ra might be nigh-invulnerable, but Adora's inexperienced in those things. Relationships."

"I know. We grew up together, remember?" Seacat suppressed a scoff.

"Yes. But… " The shrimp wet her lips. "You've been living a normal life for years. As normal as it gets with Sea Hawk, anyway."

"Hey!" She glared at the princess. Sea Hawk was the best Captain anyone could wish for!

"Adora, though… she's vulnerable. She's putting up a brave front, but she's… not as confident as she appears."

Seacat sighed. "I know." Adora was her oldest friend, after all. "She's no carousing sailor. But we're working on it."

"I didn't mean that!" the shrimp hissed. "I mean… Oh, damn it! Look, Adora's insecure. She thinks she has to protect us all."

"We've been talking about that."

"Good. Make her see that she doesn't have to sacrifice everything for others."

"I'm trying."

"Good."

They looked at each other for a moment. Then the shrimp nodded and turned to walk over to her skiff.

And Seacat went to join Adora.

*****​

"It looks safe," Brain Boy said.

"That doesn't mean it is safe," the shrimp replied. "The Horde could be hiding inside the forest there."

"It's a bad position. Too easy to flank, and since it's at the bottom of the valley, they wouldn't have any way to detect approaching enemies," Adora told them.

"Can't we just give it a wide berth?" Licy had joined them on the ridge, looking down at the valley crossing their route.

"We could. But if there are Horde forces there, it'd be better to know before we send our troops down there," the shrimp told her.

"Even if there aren't any now, there could be when we return," Seacat pointed out. "Best just go around them. Or around the empty forest."

"But while they don't have a good view of us, they can see up the valley just fine," Adora retorted. "If they have scouts in the woods, they'd spot us."

"So? They know we're using couriers on this route," Brain Boy said.

"We aren't a courier. We're a convoy," Adora told him.

"A small convoy," Licy added. "One transport, two escorts."

Seacat chuckled at that. "A tiny transport."

"Yes!"

"Ha ha ha." Obviously, the shrimp didn't like making fun of their mighty skiffs. "We should still check if there are Horde troops there. If there are, that's valuable intel."

"Use a skiff as bait?" Adora suggested. "Draw them out, and if they give chase, we hit them."

"And if they don't give chase, we'd be split up. And they'd still notice us," Seacat said. "Have they attacked any couriers so far?"

"No. Which is why I think they will soon," the shrimp retorted. "The Horde has been much more active lately. What with the damn Headhunters attacking us."

"Would they send Headhunters against couriers?" Seacat asked.

"If they don't have princesses to attack, probably. It would be wasteful not to use the troops," Adora said. "But they might keep them in reserve instead, in case we're about to attack them."

"All that doesn't help us. Do we try to get around them? Or just drive past them? The clock's ticking!" the shrimp blurted out as if she, too, hadn't kept them discussing things.

"I say let's drive past. Our main mission is to reach your forces," Seacat said. "Anything else is a distraction."

"Alright," Adora said. "Perhaps we should… Look!"

A skiff was racing out of the forest. A Horde skiff. And behind it were two more Horde skiffs. Firing at it.

Seacat trained her telescope on the skiff. It was a little tricky- the skiff was swerving wildly to avoid the shots from the swivel guns - but… She cursed.

"That's Lonnie! And Kyle and Rogelio!" Adora blurted out. "They're fleeing from the Horde!"

Or trying to appear like they're fleeing, Seacat thought.

"And those are Headhunters behind them," Brain Boy said.

"Damn!" Seacat muttered. That meant there were a lot of Horde troops down there. And if the Horde scum noticed them…

"We need to save them!" Adora said.

Change that to 'when', not 'if'. Adora would never give up on their squadmates. Former squadmates. Seacat sighed.

"It could be a trap," the shrimp said.

"They don't know we're here," Adora retorted. "We have to save them!"

There weren't any more skiffs chasing the trio, Seacat noticed. They could take two skiffs. Even if the skiffs had guns on them. "Can you teleport us on the chasing skiffs?" she asked.

"Yes, but not on both at the same time," the princess replied. "And not more than two people."

"Drop me and Brain Boy on the first skiff, then get Adora for the second," Seacat said.

"But…" Adora started to protest.

Seacat cut her off. "The second skiff will be expecting you."

"...right!" Adora nodded firmly. "Let's do it!"

"It's going very fast," the princess pointed out. "I can't match its speed."

Oh. That would be like getting hit by the skiff. "New plan. You drop me on the first skiff, then get Adora for the second." They could handle it. Brain Boy? Probably not.

"But…"

"Do it!" Seacat snapped when the leading Horde skiff fired again, and the upper part of the steering sail of the trio's skiff was ripped off. She drew her new blade - a replacement that hadn't been enhanced by Entrapta - a moment before she felt the shrimp grab her shoulder.

The next moment, she dropped on the deck of the leading skiff - and crashed into the pilot, almost impaling herself on the steering gear. The skiff was going so fast, she barely managed to hit him with her feet first, raking her claws over his chestplate and smashing the Horde soldier off the skiff, then had to grab and dig her claws into the steering sail to avoid getting thrown off.

But she did it and swung around, then clawed her way back to the deck just as the two gunners in the front noticed her. Snarling, she charged them, swatting the loader's staff away with her blade and raking her claws over his faceplate, down his chest.

He dropped, throat and chest shredded, with blood running down his armour, and she whirled, parrying the shock rod from the second Horde scum. The woman was good, she noticed quickly as she had to deflect, dodge and parry a flurry of blows. The Headhunters must be almost as good as their reputation.

But she wasn't good enough. Seacat leaned away from the next blow, then dropped, sliding over the deck, and slashed at the woman's ankles. Her blade didn't quite cut her legs off, but it cut through her armoured boots, and the Horde soldier dropped with a scream as her leg gave out.

Seacat brought her sabre down on the Horde scum's neck, decapitating her, then rushed back to take control of the skiff.

By the time she managed to bring it to a halt, Adora had finished off the second skiff - by cutting it in half or something; Seacat saw her jump off before the whole thing crashed into a boulder at the bottom of the slope.

"So much for a second prize," she muttered before remembering that Adora wouldn't claim the skiff as a prize in the first place.

The skiff the Horde scum had been chasing was slowing down, too, she noticed. Good - trying to stop the idiots would've been difficult. Or messy. Seacat brought her new skiff around - it handled decently well even with a slashed steering sail - and went towards her lover.

"Hey, Adora!"

"Seacat!" Adora jumped and landed on the skiff, and Seacat had to struggle for a moment to keep control of the vehicle.

"Watch it!" she snapped.

Adora laughed. "I thought you could pilot anything?"

Seacat huffed in return. "It's damaged." She glanced to the side and saw that their own skiffs were now cresting the ridge. "Well, the cat's out of the bag," she said.

Adora laughed again. "Let's go meet them."

"Right." Seacat brought the skiff around and headed towards their former squadmates.

They drew up next to the Horde skiff, and Seacat saw that the Headhunters hadn't just hit the steering sail. The hull was peppered with small holes, and Kyle was bandaging Lonnie's arm and leg. Canister shot - the woman had been lucky that the Horde skiffs mounted small guns. If that had been a frigate's gun, she'd lost a limb or two. Or her life.

"Lonnie?" Adora called out.

Seacat saw the other woman frown and clench her teeth, though Kyle beamed at them. Rogelio… well, he wasn't hissing at them.

"Adora! You saved us!" Kyle said.

"She didn't save us. We were outrunning them," Lonnie said.

"Sure, sure. And you'd have magically stopped bleeding out while steering the skiff," Seacat said as she released the controls. Lonnie glared at her in return, which made Seacat grin.

"What are you doing?" Adora asked.

Seacat didn't roll her eyes.

Lonnie had no such restraint. "What does it look like? We are deserting!" she spat through clenched teeth.

"And why are you deserting? I don't remember you questioning the Horde's goals last time we met," Seacat said.

Lonnie hissed and glared some more. Kyle, though, as expected, nodded and replied: "We didn't know any better, back then. But after we got back to the Fright Zone and healed up, we were sent to the Headhunters. Special units."

"We're familiar with them," Adora said.

Behind them, the shrimp and the others arrived. Lonnie tensed, Seacat saw. As if it mattered - Adora could've taken all of the deserters by herself. Blindfolded and with one arm tied behind her back. Seacat could've done the same, too.

But Rogelio stepped closer to the other two. Between them and the rest of Seacat and Adora's group.

Oh, of course! They didn't know the others, Seacat realised. And didn't trust them.

"Hello!" Brain Boy waved. He was the only one, though. Horas glared at Rogelio, Alcy and Licy stared at Lonnie, and the shrimp… jumped over to Seacat's new skiff.

"So, those your old friends," she said, cocking her head.

"Yes," Adora said.

"Old squadmates," Seacat corrected them. "The wounded is Lonnie, that's Kyle and he's Rogelio."

"And you're Princess Glimmer!" Kyle replied. The shrimp started to preen when he went on: "We were trained to recognise you on sight when we joined the Headhunters."

The shrimp frowned in return. "I see."

"Uh… but we deserted!" Kyle hastily added.

"And why did you desert?" Seacat repeated her question.

"Uh… the Headhunters weren't what we expected," Kyle said. "They were good, I mean, not the dregs of the Horde, but, they, ah…"

"They kill our own troops to get the enemy," Lonnie spat. "Use them as bait for their traps. And the Force Captain in charge doesn't care how many of the Headhunters die, either, as long as he achieves his goals."

Ah. Seacat nodded. That made sense.

"Oh, no!" Adora looked shocked. "We knew they were using bombs to trap us, and that they had killed their own, but we didn't know they planned to do so!"

Lonnie didn't look like she believed Adora, but Lonnie had always been like that. Kyle, though, nodded. "Yes. Once we realised that, we decided to desert at the first opportunity. And when we were sent to the outpost here, we had that opportunity."

"An outpost? How many Horde soldiers are there?" the shrimp snapped.

"Uh...we were ten with three skiffs, and… one left?" Kyle said.

"One was left in the outpost," Lonnie said. "The rest chased us."

"We wanted to sabotage their skiffs, first," Kyle explained, "but they caught, uh, me, and…" He hunched over. Rogelio patted his back.

"Should've escaped at night," Seacat said.

Lonnie glared at her. "We can't see in the dark."

Seacat grinned. "I know. But the Horde wouldn't have been able to see in the dark, either."

Adora cleared her throat. "Anyway, you did desert, and we saved you."

"Yes," Kyle said. "Thank you!"

"It was our pleasure," she replied. "We don't like the Headhunters."

"So… you want to join the Alliance?" the shrimp asked.

"Actually…" Kyle started, but Lonnie elbowed him in the stomach.

"Yes," she said, still glaring at them.

If that was an attempt to infiltrate the Alliance, it was the most inept one Seacat had ever seen.

"Are you sure?" Adora asked.

"What else can we do? Three Horde soldiers with a damaged skiff? By now, Murkin will have informed the base about us." Lonnie scoffed. "Alone, we won't cut it."

"Caught between the Horde base, the horde troops up north-east, and the Alliance," the shrimp said. "Not the best position."

"And the mountain passes are closed," Lonnie said. "We'd be stuck to the plains. And hunted by the Horde and the Alliance."

The shrimp looked at Adora and Seacat. "What do you think?"

"They'd be the worst choice for Horde spies," Seacat said. Her grin widened when Lonnie gritted her teeth at that. "And that's another skiff for our troops."

"They're our squadmates! We grew up together," Adora said. "I'm sure they'll help us."

Well, Kyle had been more hindrance than help, Catra remembered, but Seacat was sure the boy had outgrown his clumsiness. He wouldn't have survived years in the Horde otherwise.

The shrimp nodded. "Welcome to the Alliance."

*****​
 
Chapter 38: The River Offensive Part 3
Chapter 38: The River Offensive Part 3

Now five skiffs instead of three - Seacat piloted her new prize, Adora their old one and the three deserters stuck with their stolen one - the convoy left the valley before any Horde reinforcements could arrive. They drove west, keeping the river in sight but not following too closely - with a damaged skiff, it was better not to tempt fate. Or something.

Seacat didn't really care. Piloting a skiff all by herself wasn't much fun. Fortunately, they reached the Alliance camp later in the afternoon. It didn't look like Seacat had expected. There were earthen fortifications, like those that the Salinean marines put up in the field. But theirs weren't covered in wooden spikes and thorny hedges like the ones here. How old was… Oh. That must be Princess Perfuma's work.

She also didn't see as many gun emplacements as the Salineans would have as they drove up close to the massive wooden gate - another creation of the Plant Princess, no doubt.

"Open the gate!" the shrimp yelled - she was leading the convoy for the last leg. With their captured Horde skiffs, they didn't want to risk fatal misunderstandings.

"Open the gate! Princess Glimmer is back!"

"We've got Horde deserters!" the shrimp added as the gate swung open. She jumped off the skiff as soon as they were inside the camp and addressed the officer at the gate. "Gather every commander for a meeting! And get the skiffs looked after!" She turned. "Bow! Come with me! Everyone - park the skiffs and join us in the main tent!"

Brain Boy dutifully trotted after the shrimp. Seacat looked at Adora. "Pushy little princess, isn't she?"

Judging by the scowls from the closest guards, the soldiers had overheard her as well. Well, it wasn't as if Seacat cared too much.

"Uh… she's the commander," Adora replied.

"As I said." Seacat flashed her a grin, then turned to the scowling guard. "Where do we put the skiffs down?"

The woman pointed her spear at the back of the camp. "Skiff park's there."

Seacat nodded and drove the skiff off.

The skiff park was rather small - the Horde usually had far more skiffs in a base of similar size. But that was no skin off Seacat's butt. She set the skiff down in a corner, aligned with the closest skiffs, tied it down - you always tied your vessel down, no matter how small it was - and headed towards Adora.

Who was headed towards the deserters. Well, Seacat had expected that. Or should have. She followed her lover and yelled to her three crewmates: "Come on, no lollygagging!"

Alcy scoffed good-naturally in return, Licy stuck out her tongue, and Horas merely kept working. Morale was good, then.

"So, come with us!" Adora told the deserters. "You heard Glimmer."

"Lonnie needs a Healer!" Kyle protested.

"No problem!" Adora beamed, pointed her sword at Lonnie, and a beam of magic struck the woman before she could react. "See? All healed!" Adora announced before frowning. "Well, you should be healed. Are you?"

"Watch where you point that sword!" Lonnie replied, gingerly touching her bandaged limbs. Then she blinked. "It doesn't hurt any more."

Seacat sighed. "Check if it's healed, duh!"

Lonnie scowled at her - she was being pretty ungrateful, in Seacat's opinion - but started to unwrap the bandages.

Kyle jumped to help. "Wow! Not even a scar!" he gushed.

"Good!" Adora beamed again.

"That's She-Ra - the best fighter and Healer in Etheria!" Licy said - the rest of their group had finished securing their skiff, then.

"Uh… anyway," Adora said, coughing, "we should go. Glimmer is waiting for us."

Lonnie cursed under her breath before speaking up. "I don't think we're expected at the staff meeting of the princesses."

"What? No, you heard Glimmer: She wants us to join them! Come on!" Adora insisted.

"Yeah," Seacat added. "Better don't start your service in the Alliance with insubordination. Do you know what they do with mutineers in Bright Moon?"

Lonnie's scowl deepened, but Kyle gasped and leaned towards Seacat. "No! What do they do?"

"They tie them down under their magical crystal lens, then let the moonlight focus on them. It drains them of every bit of moisture in their bodies - slowly. Most live three nights."

Kyle looked horrified, and even Lonnie and Rogelio seemed uneasy.

"Ca-Seacat!" Adora scowled. "That's not true!" Then she blinked and added: "I think. I don't remember Bright Moon having a deserter."

Seacat grinned. "Of course not - who would dare to desert with such a penalty?"

"If things were as bad as in the Headhunters, a lot of soldiers would," Lonnie said.

"Oh." Adora nodded. "I'm sorry. I wasn't…"

Seacat shrugged. "That's probably why the princess wants you at the meeting - first-hand information about the Horde forces."

The three deserters exchanged a few glances, then Lonnie nodded. "Let's go then!"

They walked over to the biggest tent in the centre of the camp. "Too obvious," Seacat muttered.

"It has to be big so they can hold meetings in it," Adora told her. "And by being in the centre, an enemy has to go through half the camp to reach it."

That was true. But… "Would that stop the Headhunters?" she asked Lonnie and the others.

"Uh…" Kyle grimaced.

"Tents won't stop shells," Lonnie said. "But the walls will stop an assault, even in a skiff, and they can't set up guns behind a ridge here."

That wouldn't keep them from blowing up the wall in a suicide run, followed by another. Though that was harder than it sounded - Seacat knew all about using a vessel to ram a target. And they'd need a huge bomb to blow up this wall. Or an enhanced engine bomb. And either was vulnerable to shells. Especially if placed on a skiff. "What about assassins?" she asked. They passed some guards who scowled at the Horde uniforms but didn't say anything.

"We weren't trained for that," Lonnie told them as they approached the tent's entrance. "Ambushes and scouting, rapid deployment. Massed attacks. Assassinations? No."

That made sense, of course - princesses were hard to kill without numbers or bombs. And an assassin strong enough to carry a bomb powerful enough to kill She-Ra wouldn't be able to sneak anywhere. She remembered the bug princess from the Fright Zone and snorted.

"What's so funny?" Lonnie asked.

"Just remembered a funny story," Seacat replied as they entered the tent. The shrimp was there, Brain Boy, several Bright Moon officers, a few people who looked like they had lived in the wilderness for years, and...

"Adora!" A blonde woman rushed at them. "You're back!" The Plant Princess.

"Hi, Perfuma. Didn't Glimmer tell you we were back?"

"I did," the shrimp said.

"Glimmer did," the princess confirmed. "But it's good to see you myself."

"Ah."

She didn't have to hug Adora for so long, Seacat thought. She didn't say anything, though. She noticed two women - two princesses - standing in the rear. "I'm Seacat. These are my crew, Alcy, Licy and Horas. And they are…"

"...they are our old squad. Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio," Adora cut in. "Sorry!" She blushed. "Perfuma, Netossa and Spinnerella," she presented the other princesses. "General Juliet, Colonel Kris and, uh, Headranger Loran and his deputy, Ranger Nesta."

"Plumeria didn't have a standing army, so we had to improvise," the Plant Princess explained. "Rangers were our guards, and so they're our officers."

"Ah." Seacat didn't really care about landlubber ranks. Not that she'd tell the person who supplied the entire Alliance with most of their food that.

"But we're adapting. And I think it makes us stand out a little, so people won't think all Plumeria does is provide food for the Alliance."

Seacat nodded, trying not to look as guilty as she felt. Even if Plumeria's food production was much, much more important than whatever soldiers they might send to fight.

The shrimp cleared her throat. "Anyway! Now that everyone's here, let's start." She didn't wait for a response and pointed at the map on the table in front of her. "This is our goal. The last base the Horde has on the river. We take it, and the river is ours - and their troops north-east of us are completely cut off. We've planned this with Mermista; we'll attack from both sides at the same time. We'll ship troops downriver on rafts that we'll construct thanks to the machine we brought."

"A machine?" the Plant Princess frowned. "I could grow rafts."

"That would tire you out," Adora told her. "And we can't risk you being too tired to fight should we get attacked. They definitely have Headhunters at the base."

And the rafts probably wouldn't swim very well, in Seacat's opinion. She doubted that the princess had any experience with ships and other vessels. "But you can grow some trees to be cut," she told the Princess. "If that's not too exhausting."

"Oh, no, no - I can do that."

"But as soon as we start constructing the rafts, the Horde will know what we're up to," the shrimp said.

"We'll have to prepare the wood in advance before we start assembling the rafts," Adora said. "Make them think we're, uh, going to turn this into a fort?"

Brain Boy nodded. "That sounds like a good plan."

Seacat nodded. "It won't fool them for long, but any delay will help us. They have no gunboat, but they'll place guns on the river as soon as they realise that we're coming."

"That will force us to either detour overland, run the guns or take them out," Adora said. "We can't detour; even a single battery could delay us long enough to jeopardise the entire operation."

That made sense as well.

"But can we take them out quickly enough? We'd have to screen the whole southern shore of the river as we travel downriver - on land," Brain Boy pointed out.

"Then we'll have to gather a force on rafts to land under fire and take out any guns setting up," Seacat said. "Or have them on skiffs following the river - on the southern shore. But that would keep them from retreating across the river if they are attacked by stronger forces."

"Or a combination of both," Adora said. "If we have our main screening forces on skiffs, we can quickly react. Reinforcements on rafts in case we need more forces."

Seacat hid her scowl. That was a good plan - as expected from Adora. But it also meant She-Ra would be on point the whole time; everyone knew who would be on the skiffs: Princesses and select other outstanding soldiers. Such as Brain Boy.

And Seacat.

"So, we have experienced sailors here to handle the rafts," Adora went on, nodding at Seacat, Alcy, Licy and Horas.

What? Oh, no, she couldn't! Seacat glared at her lover. She wouldn't be stuck on a raft while Adora was on the frontlines!

"Yes. Only four of them, but it'll have to do until we link up with the Salinean forces," the shrimp said.

Seacat swallowed her retort. The princess was, damn her, correct - they were here to help with shipping the troops downriver.

"You'll have to handle both the rafts transporting the bulk of our troops and the rafts with the reinforcements for the screening forces," the princess went on.

"I'll handle that. The reinforcement rafts," Seacat blurted out, glancing at everyone.

No one contradicted her. Adora frowned but didn't say anything. She'd better not say anything when she was going to travel by skiff - on the Horde side of the river! With other princesses!

"The Headhunters are ready for a raid," Lonnie spoke up. "They'll be ready for a small force on skiffs."

"Yes, we've trained for that," Kyle added. Then he blinked and ducked his head. "I mean, back when we were in the Horde."

"How many Headhunters are there?" Adora asked with a stern expression.

"There is supposed to be a company of Headhunters per regiment," Lonnie replied, "but you know that we - the Horde - never had their full complement in the field. So, it's usually half that. Multiply that with the number of regiments..."

"Unless they mass all companies," Kyle piped up. "Force Captain Crusher wanted all under his command to defend the river yards. He thinks the rest of the Horde is just cannon fodder."

"Yes," Lonnie confirmed. "Last we heard, they were gathering all Headhunters at the yards."

"That would mean the river's only covered by regular Horde sc… soldiers."

"The dregs of the service," Seacat said.

"We can't underestimate them," Adora told everyone. "And it also means that when we reach the yards, we'll be facing... " She frowned for a moment. "...a regiment full of their best."

"Unless more of them desert," Lonnie said. "Not everyone in the Headhunters is ready to die for the Horde."

That was only logical, Seacat knew. The best soldiers were often the brightest ones as well - and many of them would see the writing on the wall. Although… She narrowed her eyes. "All the Headhunters are being gathered at the yards?"

"Yes," Lonnie scoffed. "I already said that."

"But that means that they won't be defending the approaches," Seacat pointed out. "The Salineans could push through the rest on land, even without support by their frigates."

"And the same goes for us," Adora added, nodding.

"So why are they doing this? Headhunters are very mobile; they could harass the Alliance all the way to the yards," Seacat asked. "They would gain more time for reinforcements that way." It was as if they wanted the Alliance to hit the yards. "It's a trap!"

"Mass your best forces in a good defensive position and let the enemy smash themselves to pieces attacking you, then counterattack them." Adora nodded. "But we won't be smashed or smash ourselves. Even if they have an entire regiment of Headhunters, we can beat them."

"Yes. But they know that - they've lost enough battles," the shrimp said. "I agree with Seacat: This is suspicious. Very suspicious."

"They might not want to risk losing their best forces piecemeal," the general pointed out. "Either of your columns could overwhelm a smaller force. And even on skiffs, they risk being cut off or crippled, then mopped up."

"And they'll have shorter and less vulnerable supply lines at the yards. Until we cut them off, of course," Adora added.

"Well, if they don't oppose us, we'll be at the yards in a day," Brain Boy said. "And then we'll find out what they are planning."

"And we'll defeat them!" Adora added.

Everyone nodded. But none cheered, Seacat noted.

*****​

"...and we were told to - taught to - stop to shoot, for added precision," Lonnie explained while pointing at the swivel gun mounted on the skiff. "Three people per skiff, plus shells and powder."

Seacat suppressed a yawn. That was pretty obvious. Unlike ships, skiffs could quickly stop and didn't have to deal with waves or the currents of a river.

"We noticed that, yes," Adora said. "But it's good to have confirmation."

"You can shoot on the move," Kyle added, "as you've seen." He pointed at the damaged steering sail of the skiff. "Canister shot is preferred, too."

"We've also noticed that," the shrimp said, rubbing her arm.

Kyle blushed. "Uh, sorry." He tried to push back a box of canister shots back, slipped and almost fell off the skiff, but Rogelio caught him in time. "Sorry!"

"And what's the supply situation?" the Plant Princess asked.

"We've got enough rations, but we've been short on powder," Lonnie replied. "Too much went into the bombs floated down the river, they say. And into the bombs that wrecked our own lines." She snorted. "There were even rumours that they were building catapults!"

"I've heard them myself!" Kyle protested. "And I saw the materials drawn from the depot!"

"Catapults?" General Juliet looked surprised. "They haven't been used in years! If they're building catapults, the Horde must be really short on powder."

That would be good news.

"But how would they use catapults?" Adora asked. "Their ballistic arc makes them not very useful as field artillery - especially not against a mobile enemy. Are they planning a siege?"

"Or they plan to use them against us when we lay siege to their yards," the shrimp said. "They could save on powder and still have some artillery for indirect fire. Not very precise, but they could target ships and a beachhead."

"And when we charge, they have their guns," Adora said.

Seacat shrugged. "They would have to be desperate. Entrapta thought of using catapults to shoot her anti-engine solution, but no one in Salinea had the needed expertise to use them effectively - as effectively as the design could be, anyway."

"The Horde hasn't been using catapults since the earliest part of the war," Adora said. "They would have to train their crews just for this."

"We've also heard rumours that the Horde called back the best artillerymen to the Fright Zone for 'new training'," Kyle told them.

"Their best?" The Shrimp shook her head. "They wouldn't call their best back; they need them for the real guns. They could as well take anyone and teach them how to use a catapult."

"Well, they did call them back!" Kyle protested. "Or so I've heard," he added, ducking his head at the shrimp's glare. "But the Force Captain was pretty angry about losing one of his best artillery crews."

"He recruited from the Headhunters?" Seacat asked.

"Yes." Kyle nodded, almost hitting his head against the beam of the sail behind him.

"Only one crew? That could be meant for training catapult crews from scratch," Seacat said. "Teach them indirect fire and how to call the shots."

"Or that's a disinformation ploy," Adora said. "They know that Horde soldiers have been deserting and switching sides for a while. They might want us to underestimate them."

"Yes," Brain Boy agreed. "If they have cannons in reserve, and we think they are out of powder..."

Seacat winced. That would wreck the operation. "Were there any other rumours?"

All three former Horde soldiers shook their heads. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual gossip," Lonnie said.

"Nothing?" Seacat frowned. Adora was looking worried now.

"Did you hear anything about new frigates being built?" Seacat asked. "Gunboats?"

"Who cares about the navy?" Lonnie shot back. "But, no, we didn't. Not since you took the crystal mines."

"But they're building gunboats!" Kyle piped up. "At the yards."

"Ah."

"That means we need to hurry so we can catch them before they use the gunboats against us," Adora said.

"The Salinean ships can sink them, and we can board them," Seacat said.

"And almost get killed by a shell," Adora said with a frown.

Seacat frowned back. That had been one time. And bad luck. She wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Anyway, we should get a move on," Brain Boy said. "We need as many rafts finished as possible by tomorrow."

"We can save on the numbers needed if I carry seeds and grow our supplies in place," the Plant Princess offered.

"That's a good idea!" Adora agreed.

"As long as you don't get taken out by the Headhunters," Seacat pointed out. "Or we'll be stranded without food."

"Oh." The princess hunched over a little. "I didn't think of that."

"It's still very useful," Adora said. "We'll carry emergency rations and can save them for such an emergency. Enough to get back to this base, at least."

"Right!" The princess was smiling again.

"Then let's get started!" Adora said.

This time, there was cheering.

*****​

The soldiers from Bright Moon and Plumeria weren't sailors, but they knew their forest - and they knew how to cut and use wood. Coupled with Entrapta's sawmill and the Plant Princess growing trees right into the mill, planks were quickly piling up.

"Looks like the glue's going to be the bottleneck," Seacat commented.

"We're creating more of the stuff, but the Princess' instructions were a little…" Alcy shrugged.

Seacat nodded. The princess was a genius. Unfortunately, she had a little trouble realising that not everyone was as smart as she was. Or knew as much about alchemy. "So, we might have to use ropes? Do we have enough?"

"Licy and Horas are checking the supplies." Alcy hesitated a moment, then added: "I think we'll actually be faster using ropes - the glue's too dangerous for most."

It wouldn't be dangerous if those idiots would listen, of course. But what could you expect from landlubbers? "As long as the rafts don't fall apart on the way, anything goes," Seacat told Alcy. "And I want all-glued for my force." She didn't need a raft falling apart in the middle of a landing operation just because shrapnel sliced a rope. "Remind me to check how many of them know how to swim," she added.

Alcy groaned. "I hope more of them know how to swim than the soldiers from the Kingdom of Snows."

Seacat chuckled. Sure, it got so cold up north, odds were most sailors would freeze to death in the water before they could reach land or a boat, but that was no excuse for not learning how to swim. She blinked. "Oh. If ropes are a problem, see if the princess can grow some rope-like plants or something."

Alcy nodded. "That's a very good idea." She glanced at the Plant Princess, who was conjuring up more trees.

"Provided she doesn't exhaust herself," Seacat said. She sighed. "I'll talk to her."

Alcy nodded, appearing to be relieved. The woman was still a little shy around the princesses, Seacat realised.

She walked the few dozen yards over to the sawmill. "Hey!"

"Seacat!" The princess beamed at her. "Is everything OK?"

"Plenty of planks, yes. We might run out of glue," Seacat told her. "Or of people trained to use the glue." They hadn't had a serious glue accident yet, but it was probably just a question of time."

"Oh." The princess blinked. "Am I overdoing it?"

"No, no - we're looking for ropes. They'll do in a pinch, though we'll be slower."

"Oh! I can grow ropes!" She beamed at Seacat. "No problem!"

"Will they hold up in water?"

"Oh, yes. Plants love water!"

Ah. The princess meant living ropes… "As long as they don't suddenly ensnare the passengers."

"Oh, no, they won't! But wouldn't that be useful for cargo?"

"It would - but you'd be needed to unload every raft," Seacat pointed out.

"Right." The princess's face fell. "That would be a bad thing if anything happened to me."

"Anything happening to you would be a bad thing anyway," Seacat told her.

"Of course. But letting down the Alliance would be worse. We need to help each other to win this terrible war."

"Yes. But you're already doing so much," Seacat told her.

"I could do more, though."

She suppressed a groan. The Plant Princess was as bad as Adora, it seemed. "No one's being helped if you hurt or exhaust yourself."

"I know! It's just…" The princess sighed and wriggled her fingers, and a tree grew into the sawmill. "I want to do more."

"Well, don't overdo it. Please," Seacat added. "We need you healthy and in good form."

"I'll do my best!"

That was what Seacat was afraid of. But she nodded. "Thank you."

"How many ropes do you need?"

"We'll see that when Licy and Horas are back and we'll start assembling the rafts."

"Alright!"

Seacat smiled, nodded, and returned to Alcy. "We should be good," she told her. "Keep an eye on things - I'll check up on Adora."

Alcy smiled widely as she nodded. "Aye aye, First Mate!"

Seacat sighed. "Not like that." But she was smiling as well. Everyone needed a break, and she was sure she could convince Adora to take one with her.

*****​

Adora was, unsurprisingly, busy. Very busy - Seacat's lover was bent over the planning table in the command tent and sketching on a map. A map of the Fright Zone, Seacat noticed when she cocked her head and took a closer look. "Hey, Adora! What are you doing?" she asked.

"What?" Adora looked up, blinking. "Oh." A smile appeared on her face that managed to make even She-Ra look cute. "Uh... I'm making plans."

"For an assault on the Fright Zone?" Seacat raised her eyebrows. That was quite the forethought. Although it was also very optimistic - they hadn't even taken the yards yet, much less finished off the northern forces Horde.

"They're contingency plans, you know," Adora went on. "Just in case." She nodded firmly with her jaw set.

"In case…?" Seacat tilted her head.

"In case we should end up invading the Fright Zone."

Seacat sat down on the table - it was massive; her weight wouldn't budge it at all - and took another look. "An invasion from the Whispering Woods."

"Yes."

"We're east of them. And we'll be far more east once we take the yards."

"Yes. They are contingency plans." Adora nodded even more firmly.

"In case we abandon our current operation?"

"Yes."

"And withdraw to the Whispering Woods."

"Yes." Adora smiled. It looked more than a little forced.

"Should you plan our retreat to the Whispering Woods, first, in case the operation fails, and we cannot hold the river?" Seacat asked.

"I already made those plans." Adora pointed at a few rolled-up maps on the side. More than a few, Seacat realised.

"How many contingency plans did you make?" Seacat counted half a dozen maps or scrolls.

"I like to be prepared," Adora replied. "For everything. We can't afford to be taken by surprise again."

"Well, I say we need to be well-rested, or all the plans in Etheria won't help us. That means you and I are taking a break, now!" It wasn't as if most plans survived in the field, anyway.

"I can't take a break! I need to prepare our operation!"

"Adora, you've been planning an offensive in case we scuttle the operation, abandon the river and attack - somehow - through the Whispering Woods. You can't know what kind of forces we'll have available for such a strike. You don't know what the rest of the Horde will be doing." Seacat leaned forward, her hands brushing some of Adora's notes away, and faced her friend. "We're taking a break."

Adora opened her mouth to protest, but Seacat cut her off. "I can call the shrimp and make it an order." Wait a minute. She frowned. "Where is the princess, anyway?"

"Uh… she's inspecting the troops."

"Ah. And she said you should keep making plans?" Seacat narrowed her eyes. If the shrimp had ordered this...

"Uh… She didn't say I shouldn't."

Adora was a terrible liar. "She told you to take a break, didn't she?"

"Uh… I took a break. Really."

"For a few minutes?" Seacat shook her head. "We're taking a real break. Get some food. We can look for something useful to do when you're no longer trying to plan imaginary battles."

"They aren't imaginary!"

"Sure they aren't."

They walked over to the mess tent to grab some food. Seacat couldn't help but whistle at the sight. So many fruits - fresh fruits! And fresh bread. No hardtack and lemon juice. Although… no fresh fish, either. And not as much meat, salted or not, as she was used to.

"Isn't it great? And we owe it all to Perfuma!" Adora said, smiling as she loaded a plate with fruits and sweet bread.

"Yes. I knew she was more or less supplying the entire army, but to see it in action…" Seacat nodded and filled a plate with as many different dishes as she could manage. "This looks almost as good as the buffet at the Princess Prom."

"Oh, no - there's not much dessert, really," Adora corrected her. "And not as much fish, either."

"I noticed," Seacat said. She also noticed that Adora must have been used to living with a princess if she was missing dessert in the field. "I hope Perfuma's bodyguards are on the task." If the Plant Princess was killed, the logistics of the Alliance would collapse.

Adora nodded. "Oh, yes. Perfuma doesn't like it, but we have an entire company looking out for her in the field."

Seacat snorted. "Let me guess: She wants to fight."

"Uh… yes and no. Perfuma doesn't like to fight, actually," Adira explained between eating her snack. "But she doesn't like not fighting when we're fighting even more so." She blinked. "Did I say that right?"

"I got what you mean," Seacat told her. No fish, but the fruits were good. And the bread was good as well.

"Ah… good." Adora kept eating, but she was fidgeting.

Seacat sighed. "Relax, Adora."

"I can't relax while everyone else is working so hard!"

"I'm relaxing here," Seacat told her.

That earned her a glare. And a pout. "Everyone but you, then."

"People take breaks. People need breaks. If you're exhausted, you make mistakes." And that could sink a ship, as the Captain had taught her.

"I'm She-Ra. I don't get easily exhausted."

Seacat leaned over the table and tapped her index finger on Adora's forehead. "Your body might be tougher, but your brain? That's pure Adora."

"Hey!" More cute pouting.

Seacat suppressed the urge to grab Adora's face and pull her in for a kiss. That wouldn't have worked anyway - not when Adora was She-Ra. Too heavy. Too strong. Seacat grinned anyway. "If you can't relax here, we might have to go take a nap."

And now Adora was blushing. But her pout turned into a frown and then into a smirk. "I doubt that we would actually nap."

"But we would relax," Seacat countered.

And the blush returned. "I only have a tent here. Everyone would hear us."

"You didn't care about that last night."

"That was… we weren't in the middle of a camp, then!"

"Actually, we were in the middle of a camp. Just a small one," Seacat pointed out.

"That's… that's not the same! And we were surrounded by our friends! Not by… everyone!"

She was right, of course. Seacat didn't really give the entire army a show. But teasing Adora was fun - and helped relax her friend. Or at least distract her.

And Adora needed a distraction before she ran herself into exhaustion with busy work. As the Captain always said: A good sailor knew when to sleep. "Come on," Seacat told her, finishing her snack. "Let's find the princess and see what needs to be done."

*****​

"Alright you scallywags! Get those rafts into the river, but tie them up first! I don't want to see anyone drifting downriver! If you lose a raft, I'll throw you in myself so you can swim after it and drag it back!" Seacat put both hands on her hips and yelled at the landlubbers lining up on the shore. She heard a few scattered laughs from the assembled soldiers, but they quickly died down when she glared at them. "Move it!"

"Seacat's in a bad mood today," she heard Alcy comment as the woman waved towards the first row of soldiers.

"She had to sleep in a tent in the middle of the camp," Licy replied.

"Ah. That would do it."

Seacat rolled her eyes. No, the fact that last night, she had only cuddled with Adora hadn't put her in a bad mood. Or shouldn't have.

But the delay in getting the rafts ready because some idiots glued themselves to the glue reserves? That had annoyed her. They had to get a move on to reach the Horde yards on schedule or they would open themselves to defeat in detail. Fortunately, Perfuma had managed to compensate. As long as her living ropes held up in the river, they could still make it.

"You there!" she bellowed at a soldier in the second row, loud enough to carry through a storm. "Don't fiddle with the ropes!"

Alcy and Licy had the first rafts in the water now, tied up to the improvised pier they had built. There, soldiers would board it. Seacat would've preferred if those who built the raft boarded it, so they would be motivated to take extra care, but that would've meant more instructions and more delays.

"Seacat!"

She turned. The shrimp had arrived, followed by Brain Boy. "We've started loading troops on the rafts," she told them.

"I can see that," the princess replied.

Of course she could see it. But you still reported. That was the way things were done on a good ship.

"Any problems so far?" Brain Boy asked.

"No one managed to drown yet," she told him. "Not for lack of effort, though."

The two others chuckled. Seacat snorted - she had only been half-joking.

"What about your force?" the shrimp looked around.

"We need the rafts to carry Adora's force across the river, first," she told them. "Those are our most stable rafts." She had checked them personally.

"Ah." The princess nodded.

Seacat suppressed a scowl. She should be with Adora, not on the river.

"How long until we're ready to move?"

"An hour, by my guess," Seacat replied. "And even then, we'll still be loading people on rafts. But the first rafts will have to move then."

"Ah."

"We've only been using ships for supplies so far, so we're not used to this," Brain Boy told her.

"I know." He didn't have to state the obvious. Anyone would know this after a glance at the pier. If those were her crew, she'd keelhaul the lot of them. "Form orderly lines, you misbegotten sons of squids!" she yelled.

Brain Boy looked surprised, but the princess giggled. "I'll have to remember that."

She snorted. Soldiers were like sailors. Some only moved when you cursed. "Any news from the east?" she asked.

"Nothing. So, we'll proceed according to schedule. As close to schedule as we can manage," the shrimp replied.

"We'll manage," Seacat told them. "Even if I have to personally drown anyone who's lagging, we'll be there on time."

Once more, the two laughed, but this time, she had been joking. Mostly.

If anything happened to Adora because of some idiot soldier not following orders… What was that noise? She turned and saw three skiffs driving towards them. Adora, Spinnerella and Netossa in the leading skiff, Lonnie, Rogelio and Kyle in their liberated gun-armed skiff, and behind them, bringing up the rear… a skiff with just a single pilot? That would be the shrimp and Brain Boy's skiff.

"Not going to comment about the commander of the entire force riding in the skiff on the enemy's side?"

Seacat blinked. "Why would I? Admirals are on the bridge of their flagships, sailing straight at the enemy. Plus, you can teleport." And she could save Adora if she had to.

"That's refreshing," the shrimp told her with a smirk aimed at Brain Boy. "Some people didn't want me near the frontlines at all."

"I just mentioned that it's more difficult to command an army if you're fighting a skirmish," the boy told her.

"General Juliet has my full trust." The shrimp scoffed and crossed her arms. "Seacat understands!"

"We're not at sea."

"We're on a river running a convoy. That's almost the same," the princess retorted.

"Hey, Seacat!"

"Hey, Adora!"

Adora jumped off the skiff and quickly joined them. "So, how's it going?"

"We're going to be on schedule," Seacat told her.

"Mostly," Brain Boy butted in.

"We're going to be on schedule," she repeated herself with a glare. "So get on your skiff and get going! We have an army to ship downriver!"

"Uh, right." Brain Boy climbed onto their skiff.

"So…" Adora shifted her feet.

Seacat sighed, then grabbed her for a hug. "Don't do anything foolish," she whispered.

"Same for you," Adora told her. And squeezed.

Very tightly. "Bit… tight…" Seacat managed to say.

"Oh, sorry!" Adora released her. "I didn't…"

"I know. Just… don't die."

"I'm She-Ra!"

She narrowed her eyes at her friend.

Adora caved. "I won't die."

"You better not."

"So, can we get a move on? We need to ship those skiffs over to the other side!" the shrimp butted in.

"Glimmer!" Brain Boy blurted out.

"What? It's true! We're on a schedule."

"Right." Seacat laughed. "Let's get you over the river."

And then they would be on their way to the Horde yards. The next step to winning this war.

*****​
 
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Chapter 39: The River Offensive Part 4
Chapter 39: The River Offensive Part 4

"Watch it!" Seacat yelled. "There's rougher water ahead! Make sure you won't fall overboard! Don't stand up!"

She looked over her shoulder to check if the landlubbers with her were obeying. Their 'ship' was just three rafts tied together, so you would have to be a damned fool to treat it as a real ship - but as she found out while loading half an army on rafts, there was no shortage of such fools among the soldiers of Bright Moon and Plumeria. Unlike Salinean marines, they had no experience with ships and tended to see rivers as larger brooks, which meant they severely underestimated the dangers when they were travelling on water.

At least the few dozen soldiers with her were supposed to be the best of the bunch, but that often came with arrogance, which was about as dangerous as foolishness for a soldier. Or for the people relying on them.

She glanced to the southern shore. She couldn't see Adora, nor any sign of the three skiffs of the screening force, but she hadn't heard any shots being fired, either. That meant they weren't fighting. Unless… a catapult was silent compared to a cannon. The sound of its release wouldn't carry far. But would they manage to hit a moving skiff? Much less three of them?

No. Seacat firmly shook her head, but she couldn't help worrying a little anyway.

Then they reached the rougher waters, and she was busy keeping the raft on course. It wasn't an actual challenge, of course - if it were, the army following them was doomed. But still… keeping the raft stable so the idiots with her wouldn't panic required some care and attention. Some.

But they cleared the spot quickly, and the river slowed down and smoothed out. If not for the danger of a Horde ambush, it would be a pleasant trip. Sunny weather, a light breeze, fresh food… Seacat had had worse trips.

She looked back. The main convoy - if a bunch of rafts could be called that - would be hitting the spot any time now. Yes, there they came. Alcy was handling the first raft, and she had things under control. And the soldiers were sitting and holding on to the ropes and other handhelds on the rafts. As they should be.

But just as Seacat was about to turn away, she spotted some fool standing up and going after… something rolling the raft. She squinted as the thing fell into the water. What idiot would…?

"Sit down!" Alcy yelled, but it was too late - the man stumbled, the raft wobbled, and he went overboard, his scream cut short as soon as he hit the water. Seacat hissed and kicked the rudder, slowing down her raft. "Look out for the idiot in the water," she snapped. He would be surfacing any moment now…

But the man didn't come up. Damn.

"Where is he?" the sergeant in charge of the Bright Moon forces with her asked.

"I don't see him," Seacat told her. "He wasn't wearing armour, so he shouldn't sink. Unless he hit his head somewhere. Or came up under a raft and was pushed underwater again."

"Maybe he couldn't swim."

Right. Some of those landlubbers couldn't swim. She clenched her teeth. There wasn't much they could do. Not much she could do. She could slow the raft, but to paddle upriver? No chance. And the current would've dragged the idiot away by now.

Damn. "Let's hope that'll teach the rest not to stand up when they're in rough water," she muttered. "Damn fool."

The soldiers nearby glared at her, but she ignored them. The man had been a fool. Alcy had given strict commands, and the idiot hadn't listened.

What a waste.

"If we only lose one soldier, we're lucky," she told the soldiers. "The idiot could've caused the raft to capsize, throwing everyone on it into the water."

"What?" Even the sergeant was now looking at their raft as if it might sink any moment."

"Well, it wouldn't have been easy - but if he had resurfaced, screaming, and the entire load had gone to one side to pull him in…" She shook her head. "That might do it."

And the landlubbers definitely were stupid enough for such a thing to happen. That was why she had sent Horas with Perfuma. He was massive enough to rebalance a raft by himself - and he could throw a fool or three overboard if he had to.

Perfuma would disagree, but the princess was worth dozens of those fools.

*****​

Around noon, Seacat heard shots. Swivel guns. Horde ones or captured ones used by Lonnie and the others. "Look sharp!" she yelled. "We've got company!"

She couldn't see whoever was shooting, though - as had happened often, Adora and the others were hidden behind the forest that lined the riverbank at this point. But the shots had been fired ahead of them.

She scoffed and guided her raft closer to the shore. "Sergeant!" she snapped. "Take five soldiers and scour the riverbank ahead of us. I don't want to run into an ambush."

"Yes, ma'am! Bonetti, Greo, Lars, Kepel, Anna - with me!" the woman bellowed.

The five the sergeant had named groaned but were ready to jump on the shore as soon as Seacat manoeuvred close enough. They weren't Salinean marines, but close enough.

She pressed her lips together as the soldiers started moving through the forest. She should be leading them, not staying on the raft. But no one else could steer the vessel as well as she could. And if they came under fire, an inexperienced helmsman could doom the entire force.

She still hated it. "Brad!" she yelled. "Stick the pole in at the stern! We need to hold back a little so we won't overtake the others!"

"Aye aye, ma'am!"

She swallowed the rebuke - the man wasn't a sailor. "Reta! Signal the main force to slow down! Combat ahead!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The goatwoman quickly started waving her flags. Again, not quite as deft as a signals ensign in the Navy - or Seacat herself - would have been, but good enough. Seacat had certainly seen worse on some frigates.

One she saw that Alcy had slowed down, she gave the go-ahead to go on. They couldn't let the landing party get too far ahead either, or they would be left without support.

They entered the next turn of the river - a northward one, the river snaking around a hill on its route eastward. That was an ideal ambush spot - forest to conceal a gun, and the turn meant they could be sailing right into the firing arc of a gun but be too far away to rush it.

And the swivel guns ahead hadn't stopped firing. That wasn't a mere scouting force - Adora could have crushed such a force by herself. That was a skirmishing group; if it were a larger force, Adora would've sent the shrimp to inform them.

They advanced slowly, Seacat pushing a pole into the riverbed to counteract the current. She could catch glimpses of the advance party as they approached the turn. Was that movement ahead of them?

Her eyes widened as something reflected the sun in the middle of a bush. "Hold on!" she yelled and pushed the raft to the side, away from the shore.

A moment later, a gun fired and a shell ploughed into the river next to the raft - then detonated underwater. "Hold on!" Seacat yelled, digging her claws into the raft's deck as the shockwave pushed them up. She heard screams from the soldiers as the raft tilted before falling back, then even more screams followed by splashes.

Snarling, she steered the raft back towards the riverbank. "Everyone off!" she yelled.

"We've got people in the water!"

"And we'll be dead if we don't get on land!" she bellowed. "Off the raft! And charge that position! Brad! Tie it off!"

Everyone in her force could swim, anyway. Or should be able to. They hit the shore, and she grabbed a line, then jumped off and secured the line to the next tree. Unfortunately, Brad wasn't fast enough - he didn't manage to tie up the raft's stern before it swung out, dragging him into the water.

The slower soldiers, those who hadn't been able to jump on land, cried out, and two more fell into the water. "Hold on!" Seacat yelled. "The raft'll hit the shore again!"

But before the raft could turn around fully, the gun fired again.

And half a dozen soldiers on the raft were blasted to pieces by shrapnel.

Seacat turned to look at the gun. At that distance, with this reloading rate… "Get them out of the water! Get the wounded!" she screamed.

And started to sprint through the woods. If she pushed herself, she could reach the gun before they could reload.

She dashed between the trees, jumping on and to branches at a particularly thick spot, and quickly overtook the landing party. "Follow me!" she yelled, rushing past the sergeant, jumping and clearing a dense patch of underbrush before scrambling up a tree leaning over the water, launching herself towards another tree.

Her claws found purchase on a thick branch, and she used her momentum to swing around it and land on her feet on top of it. Almost. She could see the gun from this spot - they were just ramming the powder charge into it.

Too close. She clenched her teeth and launched herself towards the next tree. And the next. And the next.

One of the Horde scum manning the gun spotted her and cried out in alarm. But she was too close. Too fast. One more tree, then she pounced, claws extended, down on the gun captain.

The woman raised her shock rod, but Seacat batted it aside with a kick before slamming into the officer and smashing her into the ground - away from the gun. She rolled with the impact, tumbling over the ground, and came up in a crouch, baring her fangs at the Horde scum.

The gun crew was turning towards her, one of them reaching for the gun, but Seacat was still faster. She dashed forward, one foot hitting the groaning officer's head before the woman could react. She shattered the faceplate and raked her with the other foot, then brought her blade down on the sailor's arm before he could fire the cannon.

He screamed, clutching his ruined arm, and collapsed on his knees as she whirled. She parried a strike from a burly man with a ramrod, then gutted the scum with a swipe of her free hand. Another came at her, screaming like a madwoman, but Seacat ducked away from the first wild blow and slid around her, then slashed at her knees from behind.

One more Horde scum down. That left two of the gun crew. And...Damn! There were more Horde scum coming at her through the woods. Seacat jumped on top of the gun, kicking out to knock the second loader down and into the water, before whirling and slashing her sword across the face of the lizardman trying to catch her from behind. If she could turn the gun around and face the oncoming Horde… No. It was too heavy. And the sergeant's party wouldn't reach her in time.

But there was the ammo dump! All those shells and powder bags! She grinned as she grabbed a fuse and a match.

She lit the fuse, dropped it, and jumped into the water, past the groggy loader dragging herself out of the river. Seacat dived, scraping over the ground, the pebbles scratching her skin as she pushed herself further. The fuse wouldn't burn long… and she needed to be as deep under the water as possible before…

Something hit the water next to her, slamming into the ground and throwing up a cloud of mud. She looked over her shoulder and up and saw dozens of pieces splashing into the water. Wooden splinters. And metal ones. And body parts. The powder had gone up, then.

She kicked her feet, swimming deeper, as more and more pieces hit the river and sank - or shot - into the water around her. None touched her - and the water would slow them down anyway.

But she couldn't hold her breath much longer. She pulled her legs under her, brought the feet down into the mud covering the riverbed, then pushed and shot towards the surface.

She broke it and inhaled deeply, looking around. Smoke still covered the spot where she had set off the powder charges, but she could see more Horde soldiers moving in the woods nearby. More than enough to overwhelm the marines in the advance party.

And the river's current was dragging her away, around the turn. Had the Horde scum seen her? She couldn't tell. But she had to return to the shore.

She took a deep breath and dived again, swimming underwater towards the riverbank. She didn't surface until she could see the riverbed rising in front of her - she was almost at the shore. If anyone had seen her… She resurfaced again to breathe and take a look.

No one shot at her - no bolts or arrows flew towards her. No one yelled, either. They must have missed her.

Or they were waiting in ambush for her to expose herself by coming out of the water.

She scoffed. The soldiers she had killed hadn't been good enough to think of something, much less pull it off. Not with reinforcements bearing down on them from upriver. She dived again, swam forward, then climbed out of the water behind an overhanging tree.

Still no one - but she heard yells and commands ahead of her. Unless her men had been far slower than they should've been, they would be hitting the enemy right now.

Once more, she climbed the closest tree, her claws quickly taking her up into the canopy. Hidden by the foliage, she could see more people moving alongside the shore - both Horde scum as well as Alliance soldiers - and clashing near the former gun emplacement.

Perfect.

She turned, then ran down the angled trunk, jumping off in the middle of it. She hit the ground running and weaved through the forest towards the battle ahead of her, drawing her blade.

The Horde scum were still trying to form lines but the underbrush hampered their movement. She caught a straggler from behind, slashing her neck and left her bleeding out while she ran past. There was a lizardman stuck in a denser bush - his uniform had gotten entangled with a thicker branch. He turned towards her and snapped. "Help me, damn it…"

She saw his eyes widen when he realised that she wasn't another Horde soldier. He opened his mouth, gasping, about to scream, and she stuck her blade through his mouth, turning his attempt to warn the others into a short gagging noise before he fell over, blood gushing out of his mouth.

She was already running forward again when she heard someone yelling: "Stand! Stand and hold!"

That sounded like an officer. She bared her fangs in a feral grin and changed direction towards the man. Dodging behind a tree, she almost ran over a Horde straggler hiding there. The woman gasped, staring at her with wide-open eyes.

Seacat cut her down before she could warn the others. And kept going. She jumped over a fallen trunk, then scaled a tree - and saw the officer still screaming at his troops, many of them apparently giving ground under the assault of the Bright Moon and Plumerian soldiers.

For a moment, she hesitated. The man was surrounded by half a dozen soldiers, one of them holding a flag. Attacking him would be dangerous. But the Alliance forces were obviously advancing, and if the Horde soldiers lost their leader at this point, when they were falling back under pressure…

She hissed and dashed forward on the thickest branch of the tree, then jumped off, gripping her blade with both hands - and brought it down on the officer with all her weight behind it.

Her sword bit into the man's shoulder - he had moved at the last moment - but it didn't matter; the force behind the blow was enough to drive it through most of his chest. He jerked, then started to fall in a shower of blood. And Seacat found her sword stuck. Caught on the chest plate, or a rib or whatever.

And the soldiers around her were reacting. She ducked under a wild swing with a shock rod and kicked the soldier in the stomach, pushing him into the way of another who stumbled over him. But before she could exploit that or free her sword, she had to jump back to avoid a spear thrust, then drop when a goatman tried to decapitate her.

She rolled over the ground, slashing his ankles with her claws, and came up… to drop down again and scramble to the side to avoid two shock rods and another spear. She cut the spear shaft with her claws, then jumped, pouncing on the suddenly disarmed soldier. One swipe with her claws shattered his faceplate and left him clutching his slashed face, and she jumped off his falling body, launching herself towards the closest tree...

...and was hit in the side and smashed to the ground by the Minotaur wielding the flagpole. She tried to roll with the impact, but her ribs burned with pain, and she gasped, freezing for a moment.

Three soldiers were charging her, howling like madmen. She hissed at them - and counter-charged. Two faltered; the third pressed on, and his spear traced a bloody line across her already wounded side when she was a little too slow to dodge.

But now she was inside his reach, and before he could react, she lashed out with both arms and raked her claws across his arm and throat. She grabbed the spear and whirled - and barely managed to bring it up to parry a sword strike. The blade cut deep into the shaft, but not through it, and she twisted the spear, wrenching the stuck sword out of the Horde soldier's hands.

But more were pressing her. She threw the spear and sword at the legs of the closest soldier, making him jump back and collide with another, then lunged to bury her claws into the side of the disarmed soldier.

He screamed like a stuck pig and stumbled back, and she whirled again. "Who's next?" she snapped, baring her fangs.

For a moment, the Horde soldiers were frozen. Looking at each other, not at her. They were breaking…

Then something hit her left shoulder, forcing her back and almost sending her falling. Crossbow bolt. Stuck in her. Rendering her left arm useless. The sheer pain made her hiss.

Worse: Her getting hit had rallied the Horde soldiers. They were charging her.

The tree was too far away. Her arm was useless. She was bleeding.

She charged them, hissing and screaming. One of them gasped, slowing down. Another stumbled over a root. The other two kept coming at her. She ran on, eyes on the man with the shock rod. He lifted his rod, ready to strike, and she dropped, sliding over the torn ground, into his legs.

Her shoulder made her scream with pain, but she reached up with her good hand, claws extended, and ripped through the inside of his thigh and into his groin.

He collapsed with a shriek that was heard through the forest - and was cut off when the other Horde soldier hit him instead of Seacat with her sword.

Seacat pushed the wounded scum off and launched herself at the woman, her right arm reaching for the Horde scum's sword arm before the woman could raise her blade again. Grabbing the wrist, she twisted and rammed her hip into the enemy, then pulled - and slammed her into the ground.

Another crossbow bolt flew past her, and she ducked, then dropped on her back and rolled over her good shoulder to avoid the clumsy Horde soldier who had managed to get up. The one who had hesitated was gone, his weapon on the ground.

She jumped up, kicked the woman she had thrown in the face, then charged the crossbow shooter. His eyes widened, and he fumbled his weapon, then dropped it to draw his sword.

But he only managed to get his hand on its hilt before she reached him, raking her claws against his sword arm, then ramming him with her good shoulder and smashing him against the tree behind her.

His head was thrown back, and she ripped his throat out on the backswing while she whirled to face the last Horde scum.

Who was fleeing.

For a moment, Seacat stood there, chest heaving, blood from her and others running down her front. The bolt was still stuck in her shoulder. The pain was terrible, but if she pulled it out, she'd bleed. A lot. Damn.

Looking around, she saw more Horde scum running - away. Past her. And the yelling and sounds of combat were coming closer. Good. But if she got caught in the melee when the Alliance soldiers arrived… She looked at the tree. She could climb it. Even without one arm.

Then she heard screams and yelling from the other side. And saw Horde scum running back towards her. Gritting her teeth, she dug her claws into the trunk and started scaling it, trying to ignore the pain every movement caused in her shoulder. But she had to clear the ground or she'd be caught between… well, everyone.

She reached the lowest branch and groaned as she pulled herself up on it to rest. Just a moment. Her shoulder… She hissed as she touched the shaft of the bolt and felt the blood dripping down.

And she had to climb higher - anyone with a crossbow could pick her off where she was. She just had to…

Below her, the Horde scum retreating from the Alliance soldiers clashed with the others running from whoever had gotten into their rear. Oh. That's where Adora and the others had gone. She should've realised that.

Scoffing at her slow mind, she started to climb higher. Just another branch. Then she could rest and hide and wait.

By the time she was sprawled out on the next branch, limbs pulled up, the fighting had reached the tree. She turned her head and glanced down. The Horde soldiers were getting massacred. They were trying to escape into the river now, but their armour wasn't good for swimming. And Seacat doubted that they would have the time to strip out of it.

"Stand! Hold! Damn you!"

Oh. One officer - no, a squad leader - tried to rally the Horde. To make a stand. But an arrow hit her head before she could say anything else. Then Adora appeared, throwing a Horde lizardman at a clump of soldiers hiding near a tree.

"For the Alliance!" she yelled as the Horde scattered, raising her sword. "Forward!"

Damn, she looked hot like that! Really hot. For a moment, even Seacat's shoulder didn't seem to hurt as much.

Then she shifted a little and gasped with pain. Damn. At least the tree below was now surrounded by Alliance soldiers.

"Hey, Adora!"

"Ca-Seacat?" Adora looked around.

"Up here, you dummy!" Seacat giggled, then winced.

"Seacat!" Adora's smile only lasted a moment before turning into a horrified expression. "You're wounded!"

"Yes. Crossbow got me in the shoulder," Seacat told her. "I got him and the commander of this lot but had to hide afterwards. Give me a moment to climb down."

But Adora was already climbing - or jumping - up the tree. "Seacat!"

"It's not that…" Seacat stopped trying to defend herself in favour of holding on to the branch when Adora, all seven feet of her, landed on it and sent it shaking so much, it almost threw Seacat off.

"Oh, no! I'm so stupid!"

"Well, no argument from me," Seacat said, flashing her fangs in a grin.

Adora shook her head and didn't answer. Instead, she bent down and picked her up.

Seacat tried and failed not to wince when she was lifted off the branch into bridal carry.

"You're badly hurt!"

Well, yes, that should've been obvious. "And you're going to jump down with me?" Seacat clenched her teeth. That would hurt.

"Of course not! Glimmer! Glimmer!"

The shrimp appeared a few moments later next to them in a shower of sparkles. "Oh, no!"

Seacat closed her eyes and sighed. She wasn't that hurt. "I beat half a dozen Horde soldiers like that," she snapped at the princess. "And then climbed the tree."

But no one was listening to her. The shrimp reached out and grabbed her hand, and a moment later, all three of them were on the ground.

"I'm going to heal you!" Adora declared. "Just a second!" She looked around.

"Just drop me on the ground. I'll live," Seacat mumbled. "The battle's still going on." She could hear the sounds of people fighting. And dying.

Once more, no one listened to her. Adora kicked a corpse out of the way and set her down on some moss at the foot of a tree, then took a step back. "Uh… I need to get the bolt out, or it might… mess up the healing."

"Just do it," Seacat told her. She could take it.

Adora grimaced. "Glimmer? Can you pull it out? So I can heal her right away?" She levelled her sword at Seacat.

The shrimp grimaced but nodded. "Sure."

Seacat rolled her eyes. "Just Do iAAAGH!" The bloody shrimp had done it!

But the pain vanished at once. Seacat closed her eyes, relieved.

"Now stay here - we'll finish the fight! You!" Adora bellowed as she pointed at a soldier nearby. "Watch her! Don't let her engage anyone! And protect her with your life!"

The Alliance soldier - a Plumerian ranger, Seacat noticed - nodded a little shakily. Seacat snorted - when Adora was like that, there was no arguing.

Then Adora left, followed by the princess - on foot, not teleporting. Saving her magic for essential tasks since she wouldn't be able to recharge until she returned to Bright Moon.

And the princess had teleported once - no, twice - for Seacat.

She sighed. If she hadn't climbed the tree, that wouldn't have been necessary. But if she hadn't climbed the tree, she might've been killed. She wouldn't have had to climb the tree if she hadn't been wounded, of course. But they were fighting a war - you couldn't play it safe. Not too safe, at least.

She turned to face her freshly appointed guard. "How was the fighting going before…" She shrugged. "...before all this?"

"We had them on the run," he replied. "They were trying to flee through the river or overland, but we had them encircled, so all that left was the river."

She nodded. That fit with her observations.

"We've beat their blocking force! They couldn't stop us!" the ranger added with a smile as if this was a great victory.

"We were facing the dregs of the Horde," she corrected him. "They broke easily. When we're facing their best, things will be much harder." Soldiers trained to fight princesses wouldn't break easily - or at all.

He didn't like that. "But we have She-ra and the Princesses with us!"

"And the Horde is prepared for them." She snorted again. "Don't underestimate them."

"But they weren't prepared for us, not here."

She shrugged, half-wincing when the expected pain didn't come. "Their leaders didn't expect them to win; at best, they were meant to delay us. They had a single gun on the river and not enough troops to hold our forces, much less the entire army."

"But why sacrifice them like that?"

"To gain time for more training and preparations. To make us feel overconfident." She shrugged again. "Perhaps their commander wanted to get rid of a rival?"

He looked shocked at the last suggestion. "But… their own troops?"

"They blow them up for a chance to get a princess," she reminded him. "In the Horde, soldiers are expendable. Everyone is. With the exception of Hordak."

He shook his head. "That's…"

"That's why we're fighting them." She leaned against the tree and crossed her arms.

"We aren't fighting them right now." He sounded mulish.

"We've got our orders." She grinned. "You'll get your fill of fighting soon enough." And then some. For a Plumerian, he was rather eager to fight - but that could just be the effect of running into battle with your friends and driving the enemy off.

"I suppose so."

And Seacat would get her lecture from Adora. She wasn't looking forward to it. And she still needed to recover her sword.

*****​

"...and what were you thinking, attacking the enemy by yourself?" Adora shook her head, hands on her hip.

"I didn't attack the enemy on my own," Seacat defended herself. "I attacked a single gun and its crew to save the rest of my soldiers, and then I took out an enemy commander and a few of his guards."

"The enemy commander, surrounded by his best soldiers!" Adora shook her head. "That was… That was reckless!"

"And necessary," she retorted. "He was rallying the troops."

"And you were alone and almost died! Ca-Seacat!"

Being snippy and telling her lover that almost only counted with artillery shells wouldn't be a good idea. Seacat bit her lower lip. "That was bad luck. But I had to take out the gun, and then I saw the leader before they saw me. And I saw the opportunity to decapitate the enemy forces, as Mermista would call it."

"You almost died!"

"Sorry."

"You better be sorry!"

But others had actually died. Soldiers Adora hadn't been able to heal.

Neither of them mentioned that.

"Well, we need to continue our trip," Seacat said instead. "We need to make landfall by nightfall." Otherwise, the operation would be delayed at best. Ruined at worst.

Adora slowly nodded, then reached out and grabbed her. Hugged her.

"Never do this again," Seacat heard her whisper. "Promise me."

She hugged her back, but she didn't promise. She couldn't. And Adora knew it.

*****​

Getting the convoy going again in a semblance of order took longer than the battle had lasted, even including the time spent looking for wounded and prisoners. And there were a lot of empty spots on Seacat's rafts, even with Adora healing the wounded. A few of them were soldiers who hadn't been able to swim as well as they had claimed. But most had been killed by the gun ambush.

Morale was high, though - most soldiers didn't seem to realise that the Horde troops had been pushovers. Seacat wondered, privately, if this was the result of the Horde concentrating their best troops in a few elite companies. If there had been a few more officers and sergeants rallying the others, a few more soldiers holding the line instead of panicking...

"I don't know if the Horde's new strategy is working for them," she muttered.

"Pardon?" the sergeant - she had been wounded, but healed - asked from behind her as their raft drifted down the river.

"They pulled out their best troops from the line companies to form the Headhunters," Seacat explained. "That left the regulars without their best soldiers and officers. Easy to break."

"Ah." The sergeant shrugged. "They were easy to break before as well - at least when the princesses took to the field."

Seacat nodded. Of course, Horde scum wouldn't last long when facing Adora and her friends. And if you were losing the soldiers anyway, then pulling out their best troops and forming the Headhunters was a sensible if cold tactic. Better to concentrate their best troops and have a chance of killing princesses than losing both their regular and their veteran soldiers for no gain.

It was hard on the regulars, of course. But then, if they were doomed either way… She shook her head and muttered a curse. She had almost been killed by those 'easily broken' troops, after all. Numbers did count, and if soldiers thought there was no way out anyway… "In any case, our next battle will be hard," she said.

"The Headhunters?"

She nodded. "They'll be waiting for us at the yards."

"They're going for the princesses first," one of the soldiers on her raft said. "Not for us."

Seacat narrowed her eyes at the mothwoman. "We'll be right next to the princesses. We're the vanguard."

The sergeant frowned. "You think they'll send Headhunters to stop us?"

Seacat nodded. "If they want to stop us from linking up with the Sallinean forces, they have to send their best."

"They could stop the Salineans instead!" the mouthy soldier added.

Seacat snorted. "Good luck stopping one or two frigates."

"But the Salineans only have two princesses, and one of them doesn't fight," the mothwoman retorted. "We have five! They're the easier target!"

Seacat scoffed. "Have you ever seen a Salinean frigate? Twenty guns per broadside, and swivel guns and carronades on top of that! The Horde would need dozens of field guns to equal them - and the Salineans have the better gunners."

The mothwoman looked stubborn. "But they have only one princess, and she's limited to water."

"We're on a river," Seacat told the dumbass. "That's ideal for Mermista's powers. And Entrapta is a genius. Her bots fight for her."

"We've dealt with bots before. They're worse than the regular Horde soldiers."

The mothwoman was starting to piss her off. "You haven't dealt with her bots." Seacat glared at the woman. "I've fought at the sides of Princess Glimmer and She-Ra as well as Mermista and Entrapta. And I've fought at sea. The Salineans aren't the easy target you think they are."

"Shut your mouth, you fool," the sergeant growled. "And don't try to lecture veterans."

"Yes, sergeant," the mothwoman replied, ducking her head. But Seacat's ears picked up her muttered "dumb cat", and she had to suppress the urge to kick the woman into the river.

This trip couldn't end soon enough.

*****​

They reached their destination with a few hours delay. Instead of late in the afternoon, they arrived at the area surrounding the Horde yards early in the evening. "Signal the convoy to hold!" Seacat ordered.

"If we wait too long, it'll be night before we can disembark the troops," the sergeant said.

"We're close to the yards. If we start disembarking troops and the Horde hits us with fast troops and artillery…" Seacat shook her head.

"We've got the princesses protecting our flanks!" dumbass chimed in.

"They won't be able to keep us safe if the Horde sends their Headhunters after us," Seacat replied. The Headhunters would have their best guns and gunners, too. They could spread out and set up to shell whatever beachhead the troops established - from too far to be easily dislodged. And Seacat would bet half her pay that the Headhunters would be lying in ambush for any force trying to go after the guns.

"If we're fast enough, we can push them back!" the idiot added.

"Are you faster than a skiff?" Seacat retorted.

"We have skiffs ourselves."

"We can't spend the night on the rafts," the sergeant pointed out.

"We need to scout the area before we can land troops," Seacat said. "Let's get closer to the…"

Shots interrupted her order. Horde guns.

"Not again," she muttered. What had Adora blundered into now?

"Signal to the convoy to disembark the troops on the northern shores!" she snapped. "We'll land on the southern shore and see how we can support the princesses!"

Cheers answered her - first and foremost, and closest to her, the dumbass's.

"And signal to Alcy to prepare three rafts to evacuate skiffs and send them over!" Seacat added.

"Do you think we'll have to retreat?" the Sergeant asked.

"If we're facing the entire force of the Headhunters?" Seacat scoffed. They would be lucky to escape.

Then they reached the shore, and she jumped off. "Tie them up and form a perimeter!" she yelled. "I'm going to take a look up top."

She didn't wait for anyone to acknowledge her order and ran up the slope of the riverbank. She had to check on Adora. And the others.

*****​
 
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Chapter 40: The River Offensive Part 5
Chapter 40: The River Offensive Part 5

Seacat reached the top of the slope and immediately dropped to the ground, then crawled up the last yard. She could see a dozen skiffs racing across the small plain between two hills and a forest, swivel guns barking as they spread out. Headhunters. And they were chasing three skiffs which were trying to avoid being surrounded and cut off.

Cursing under her breath, she considered the situation. The forces with her had no guns, not even a swivel gun - an oversight, but they were meant to be a landing force to charge enemy positions at the river, not a siege force, so artillery wouldn't have been of much use. And charging on foot against mobile skiffs? That would be a massacre.

On the other hand, if the skiffs set up on top of the slope, they could shoot at the rafts below - and once they set up actual field artillery, things would turn into a massacre as well. So, she couldn't help Adora and the others. She couldn't even signal them - and if she could, odds were that the enemy would spot her waving flags first. Adora might not even notice, what with the Horde skiffs harassing her. That left…

She bared her fangs and yelled down to the beach: "I need oil up here! We need smoke!"

A minute later, the sergeant led five soldiers up the slope carrying casks of oil. The dumbass was among them, alas. "Set the top of the slope on fire!" she snapped. "We need cover for the evacuation!"

She glanced at the river. Three rafts were making their way over to their shore. But they were still several minutes out. Damn.

"Greo! Spread the oil on the eastern side! Lars, western side! The rest, fill the area between! Leave this spot clear!" the sergeant barked before moving to Seacat's side. "What're we going to do?"

"We need to evacuate the princesses," Seacat told her. "And they need to know where we are."

"Ah. Set it on fire!" the woman yelled.

The wind would push the smoke over the river. That was good for hiding them but bad for embarking troops, especially skiffs. "We might have to leave the skiffs," she said.

"If they even make it to us," the sergeant commented as shots struck one of the skiffs - not Adora's - and it veered off, slowing down. Damn.

Two Horde skiffs closed in, but one was driven off - no, toppled - by a hurricane, and the other suddenly veered off, a net entangled around its steering sail. But more Horde skiffs were appearing on the hill to the east, racing towards the battle. And Adora's skiff was turning, as was Lonnie's.

Seacat cursed again. Had they missed the smoke? No, the damaged skiff was slowing down - probably a hit to the hull had damaged it too much. Yes. The two princesses and the pilot were jumping on board Adora's skiff. But six people on a single skiff was too much. Even four was pushing it. They would be too slow, and there were more Horde skiffs closing in… No! She wouldn't…

She would! Adora jumped off and charged the closest skiff!

"That bloody idiot! I'm going to kill her!" Seacat yelled.

At least the two skiffs were now headed towards the river - straight towards them.

But so were half a dozen Horde skiffs.

"Everyone up here!" Seacat yelled. "Be ready along the slope! We need to jump them once they reach the top of the slope!"

The soldiers with her, even dumbass, obeyed. The others down at the shore were slower, but started running up the slope after a moment.

But would they be in time? Three Horde skiffs were moving to intercept the others. One of them was seen off by a well-placed canister shot from Lonnie, but the other two… One fired, a shell, blowing a hole into Lonnie's steering sail, the other… crashed into the first thanks to a net and hurricane combination.

That opened a hole for the two skiffs to drive through and reach the riverbank, but more than a dozen skiffs were in hot pursuit. And Adora was… poised on the wreckage of a skiff, seemingly fending off shells with her sword while several skiffs drove in circles around her and fired their swivel guns. She was tough, but those were guns, and if they used canister…

As the Alliance skiffs drew close, Seacat stood. "Over here!" she yelled.

They changed course and drove towards her.

"Move to the side!" Seacat yelled to the soldiers as she waved the skiffs on.

A moment later, the skiffs cleared the riverbank and drove down towards the shore.

And the shrimp jumped off and landed next to Seacat. "We need to get Adora!"

"How could you let her do this?" Seacat spat. "Go fetch her!"

"She said she'd hold them off until the rest are on the rafts!"

And the idiot would know they weren't ready yet. Seacat cursed once more.

Then the Horde skiffs arrived at the riverbank.

The main part of Seacat's force was still charging up the slope when the first skiff reached the top of it, but Seacat and the vanguard were already in position. She jumped up, pushing her claws into the hull of the skiff, and quickly scrambled up to the deck. A Horde soldier tried to fend her off with a spear, but she dodged to the side, hanging from one hand, then grabbed the shaft right behind its head and pulled.

The Horde soldier was smart enough to let go of the spear instead of letting himself be pulled down, but it didn't help him - she was up on deck in the time he needed to draw his cutlass and rammed the spear into his belly before he could get his guard up.

The gunner at the swivel gun glanced over her shoulder, gasping even as she fired the gun, shooting a load of canister down the slope. Seacat snarled and raked the back of the soldiers' neck with her claws before she could turn to face her. The woman died before she hit the deck.

That left the pilot. Who was trying to turn the skiff around but only succeeded in sliding down the slope towards the river. Seacat charged him across the tilted deck, her claws leaving gouges in the wood. He managed to parry her first blow with her blade but had to release the controls of the skiff for that, and the vehicle took an even sharper turn, almost toppling over.

He lost his balance and when he grabbed for the steering again, he left himself wide open. She lunged, thrusting the blade into his chest - no, into his armour; the sword didn't cut through the chest plate. New design, she realised as she stepped back, avoiding the man's wild swing with his cutlass.

By now, the skiff had almost completed its turn, the bow pointing up the slope. Seacat snarled and rushed the man, batting his blade away with her own, then raked her claws across his faceplate. He fell back and off the skiff, screaming as he reached for his ruined face.

She really needed a better sword when fighting Headhunters.

She grabbed the controls and looked at the top of the slope. Two skiffs were filling the gap in the smoke - with their guns aimed down the slope. Soldiers were trying to board them from the side, but they were firing down - at the rafts. And at the soldiers charging up the slope.

Two more skiffs had broken through the smoke east of them, but the princesses were pushing them back - as Seacat glanced at the Horde vehicles, the gunner of the closer one fell off it with an arrow sticking out of their head, and a hurricane pushed the other skiff into it.

But the ones in the gap… Seacat clenched her teeth and drove her freshly taken skiff up the slope, as fast as the thing would go. The Horde scum at the bows saw her coming and swung the guns towards her, but it was too late - she jumped off before the guns fired, and the double-load of canister hitting the skiff couldn't stop it.

Seacat tumbled down the slope but managed to stop her slide and look back in time to see her skiff ramming the first Horde vehicle from the side, pushing it into the other with enough force to break their hulls. The three skiffs slid to the side, stuck together, and the remaining soldiers scrambled up their hulls before they came to a stop.

By the time Seacat was halfway up the slope, the skiffs had been taken. She saw the mothwoman cheer at the helm of the middle one.

And she saw the dumbass get torn apart by a load of canister from behind - the rest of the Horde skiffs were in range. But that meant… Where was the shrimp, damn it? Where was Adora?

The three rafts were still on the way, but the raft that had transported her force should be able to handle two skiffs. And they could take the other rafts to evacuate the shore.

"Get the two skiffs on the raft!" she yelled back at the shore, then sprinted up the slope, running as fast as she could, past torn and bleeding bodies. And trying not to think about the fact that the mud her feet were running through was a little too reddish in places. Too many were dead already - if things continued like this, they wouldn't need more than one raft.

She reached the top of the slope - and saw three more skiffs moving towards them. No, they had stopped and were shooting at them. Covering fire - but that required another force to charge. And where was Adora?

She crawled forward a little, past the wrecked skiffs, until she saw the first skiff they had lost. Adora was still there, hacking at a skiff that had come too close.

Where was the shrimp? She should be teleporting Adora back now!

Seacat glanced around, but she couldn't spot the princess. Had she been wounded? Or killed? On Seacat's watch? No. She would appear in a cloud of sparkles soon enough… Sparkles the Headhunters were trained to spot and fire upon. Damn.

She looked back at Adora. Her lover was jumping on a skiff that had driven too close. A swing of her sword cut both gun and gunner in half, then she threw the loader at the pilot, knocking both off the skiff.

"Come on, Adora! Take the skiff and join us!" Seacat hissed. It would take longer, but…

There was the shrimp! Landing on the skiff's deck! Adora was headed to the controls, but the shrimp reached out to her.

A moment later, both disappeared.

Right before a volley of shells wrecked the skiff. The Horde's field artillery had set up. And they were on target. Bad news!

Seacat hastily crawled back. "Everyone - on the raft now! We've got artillery incoming!" she yelled as she slid rather than ran down the slope.

Spinerella and Netossa took out another skiff that had driven through the smoke - which was thinning, Seacat noticed - but the rest of the force started to head back to the shore. Where they were just loading the second skiff on Seacat's raft.

"No time!" Seacat yelled at the soldiers. "Drop it overboard - we need to evacuate everyone right now!" Before artillery shells killed the entire force.

"But…" one of the soldiers trying to tie the skiff down protested.

"Do it, or I'll throw you overboard!" she screamed at him, slashing the ropes that had already been slung over the stern of the skiff.

"Do it!" Bran yelled.

"But… we need to drive it… and it doesn't work on water!"

But it would work on the raft. Was the idiot afraid of getting wet? Before Seacat could throw him overboard, the skiff lurched - and toppled over, almost capsizing the raft as it slid overboard.

"Hah!" Adora stood there, teeth clenched in a tight smile. She had just pushed the skiff into the river by herself!

Seacat wanted to kiss her right here and now. But they had troops to command - to save. So she flashed her a smile, then yelled. "Everyone on the raft! Now! Move it, you landlubbers!"

Yet, there were still troops fighting on the slope. Familiar soldiers. The sergeant was leading them, she realised. What was the idiot doing? "Sergeant! Fall back!"

The woman didn't react. But she had heard Seacat - Seacat knew how to make her voice carry through a battle at sea or in a storm. Had she been rendered deaf in the fighting?

No.

Yet, the sergeant was charging the closest skiff. And the rest of her men weren't falling back, either.

The damn idiots were holding the Horde back so the rest could evacuate! Even though they couldn't teleport or fight from the shore, like the princesses. They wouldn't escape.

Snarling, Seacat jumped off the raft. Her feet sank into the mud at the shore - the results of dozens of soldiers trampling over the grass and sand - and she cursed. "Fall back!" she yelled, both hands forming a cone around her mouth. "I'll keelhaul you if you don't!"

"Cat-Seacat!"

Adora? She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Adora grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back. On the raft one-handed.

Seacat was about to curse her, but… a shell hit the river, sending up a plume of water and causing the raft to rock slightly. They had no time any more. Clenching her teeth, she yelled: "Cast off - we're leaving!"

She kept looking at the riverbank as the raft drew away, dragged by the current as much or more as the paddles and poles the soldiers used. One soldier was blown apart by canister trying to board a skiff. Another fell, taken from behind by infantry. She couldn't see anyone else still standing except for the sergeant. The woman was on the deck of a skiff, fighting with two Horde soldiers. An arrow from Brain Boy took out one of them, the woman gutted the other…

And the skiff blew up as a shell landed straight on it a moment before the rest of the volley struck the shore.

Seacat closed her eyes and didn't resist when Adora pulled her in for a hug from behind. "Idiots," she mumbled.

Adora didn't contradict her.

Neither said anything until they, trailed by the rafts that Alcy had sent over and which had turned around as well, reached the northern shore.

*****​

"Half of our screening force lost, together with two skiffs." The shrimp wasn't happy as she looked up from the map in the command tent and at the rest of them in the tent. "We managed to inflict higher casualties on the Horde troops, but that's pretty much the only good news."

"We also know more about their forces and their rules of engagement," Brain Boy added. "And they did lose at least a dozen skiffs."

"They'll be able to recover most of them," Adora corrected him. "We didn't do too much damage."

That was the problem with fighting on land - skiffs didn't sink like ships. If this had been a battle at sea, the Horde would've lost most of their skiffs. Seacat shook her head. "We also know that they can deploy field artillery very quickly. Any landing operation will have to deal with that."

"Can we?" the shrimp asked. "Can we land our forces in the face of that?"

"Not without a lot of casualties," Seacat told her. "Once they have the range, they'll be able to shell a beachhead. And they'll see us coming."

"And if we rush the artillery, their skiffs will hit us," Adora said.

And delay them until the artillery could target their positions. And if they tried to ignore the skiffs… well, that wouldn't end well.

"Deploying our own artillery will take time, and we won't have spotters on their position, so taking the Horde guns out will be difficult," Adora went on.

"The problem is the rafts," Seacat took over. "They're slow and hard to manoeuvre when crossing the river. The Horde will see them coming and have a lot of time to get ready to receive us."

"Can the Salienans help us out?" Juliet asked. "They have faster boats."

"They don't have too many of them - they need barges for most of their troops. And they're faced with the same problem," Seacat replied.

"So we might need to cross the river at such distances that they cannot react," the shrimp said.

"They have their best troops on skiffs - they can shadow us and react rapidly," Adora corrected her.

"We can hide our movement - we control this side of the river," Brain Boy said. "Leave some decoy force, make it appear that we're still here…"

"That could work," Adora said. "But if they see through our decoy… And even if we establish beachheads further away on both sides of the yards, we won't be able to coordinate with each other. We might do better to just unite all troops and form one force. Land and then move to the yards to encircle them there."

"They'll be prepared for that," Seacat pointed out. "That's the obvious response." And you should never do the obvious, the Captain had taught her that. Unless the enemy expected you not to do the obvious, of course.

"Do you have an alternative?" the shrimp asked.

Seacat didn't. But before she could admit that, the tent flap was pushed back, and a guard peered in. "Commander! The Salineans have arrived! They've sent two officers."

The shrimp all but jumped. "Send them in!"

"See? I told you we were expected!"

Seacat's eyes widened. She knew that voice - the Captain!

And there he was. Sea Hawk stepped into the tent, then held the flap back for Mermista. Both of them were wearing regular Salinean uniforms, not their regular clothes.

"Merm…mghlrm."

Seacat glared at Adora while she strained to keep her lover's mouth shut. "They're in disguise!" she hissed. "Don't blurt their names out!"

Sea Hawk smiled, but Mermista rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Seacat nodded at them. "Good evening."

"Good evening! You're hale and whole, I hope?" the Captain boomed.

"Of course," she replied.

"Really." Mermista somehow didn't seem to believe her.

"She was hurt badly in a battle on the way here," Adora, the traitor, told them as soon as Seacat released her mouth. "I healed her."

"I am hale and whole," Seacat insisted. Now.

"Now." Mermista shook her head. "And you will do your worst to change that, I suppose."

Seacat wasn't going to answer that - she was doing her part in the war, like everyone else. If the princesses could risk their lives, then she couldn't do any less. But a change of subject would be good. "I thought you were staying in Fortress Freedom?" she asked in a low voice.

"Officially, we are!" Sea Hawk said. "To fool the Horde into thinking we were still at the fortress. But when we were informed that the Horde had changed tactics and wrecked a scouting force of our troops, we decided to travel upriver with the Salinean contingent. My dear Mermista, the cunning Entrapta, and my glorious self!"

"You've had trouble as well?" Adora asked.

"Yes. Their Headhunters ambushed our screening force," Mermista said. "Mauled them - few of them got away."

"We faced the same problem. Crossing the river will be a challenge," the shrimp told them.

"Oh, we've got a plan about that." Sea Hawk smiled widely. "It's why we're here."

*****​

"Are you sure Mermista can do it?" Adora asked, looking at the river down below.

Seacat rolled her eyes. "She said she could." And Mermista was many things, but not a liar.

"But it's an awfully long distance." Adora was biting her lower lip - Seacat knew it without needing to look at her lover.

"She can do it - she's experienced," Seacat told her. More experienced than Adora by far.

"But we don't exactly know what the riverbed looks like," Adora went on. "Mud and worse…"

"That doesn't matter. Mermista commands the water."

"Yes, but… what if she, uh, gets tired? Exhausted?" Adora looked at her.

"Then we'll still have the structure Entrapta and Perfuma came up with," Seacat retorted.

"Entrapta said she couldn't guarantee that it would hold up under the water's pressure," Adora said.

"She said she couldn't guarantee that it would hold up for longer than a quarter of an hour," Seacat corrected her. That was if Perfuma grew the wood to specs, of course.

"Yes. But the river's quite wide. That's an awfully short time to cross the river on foot. In mud."

"Yes." Seacat shrugged.

"I'm just saying… it'll be dangerous. So much can go wrong, and if it does…"

"It's still not as dangerous as trying to cross the river in the face of enemy artillery," Seacat said. She looked at Adora. Her friend was… still biting her lower lip. "Are you… worried?" she asked. She wouldn't say 'afraid'. She-Ra wasn't afraid - quite the contrary.

"No!" Adora blurted out. A moment later, she sighed. "Yes. We'll be down there. At the front. All of us."

Seacat narrowed her eyes. "We talked about that. Mermista, Entrapta and Perfuma need to be at the front, or the tunnel won't go anywhere."

"Yes." Adora hissed.

"And they need protection to keep the tunnel up until we've established a beachhead and took their artillery positions." At which point they would be able to move barges across the river without trouble. Without much trouble.

"Yes." Adora pouted.

"And the rest of us are the best choice to protect them." And charge ahead once they were on the other shore. They had talked about this at length the day before when hashing out the plan.

"It's just… all of us will be concentrated in one location. If the Horde has hidden a bomb at the riverbank…" Adora trailed off.

"Entrapta has some thingie that can detect the bombs," Seacat reminded her.

"Yes."

Seacat sighed. "Adora… We went over all of this yesterday. What's really bugging you?"

"I…"

"Yes?" She was growing impatient. Everyone was getting into position for the surprise assault. Decoy forces had been sent upriver and downriver so the Horde would assume they were about to cross the river as expected. And here, Adora was...

"I can't protect you from the river!" Adora blurted out. "I can't cut the water down! I can't smash it to pieces before it can hurt you. And if I throw myself in front of you, you'll still drown!"

Oh. That. Seacat considered telling Adora that she could swim, but that would be a lie. Sort of - should the river flood the tunnel, swimming wouldn't save anyone. Not at that depth. Not inside the tunnel. Not with the force of the river and the water pressure bearing down on them. Sure, there was a chance that she could escape the tunnel and reach the river's surface. But the odds were really, really low.

"I wanted to tell Glimmer to get you out, should anything happen…"

"You didn't!" Seacat gasped. That would… No. Just no. To ask the shrimp to save her and let the others die…

"I didn't."

"Good."

"But I wanted to. I could probably survive, but…" Adora took a shivering breath.

Seacat took a step and hugged her. As tightly as she could, given their current size differences.

Neither of them said anything for a while.

*****​

When they reached the small cove, hidden from the Horde's view thanks to dense trees, and pushed their way past the assembled volunteer forces to the shore, Entrapta all but jumped on them. "There you are! Everything is ready! We were just waiting for you! This is so exciting! We'll be combining technology and magic! In a new and daring way, I mean! This could revolutionise travel, too! Come, come! You have to see this!" The princess grabbed Seacat's hand and started to pull her towards Emily, which was standing at the shore.

Well, Entrapta wasn't apprehensive in the least. Mermista, though, Seacat saw, was very stern and serious. And holding Sea Hawk's hand as she stared at the water, her trident in her other hand. She looked confident, but Seacat knew her too well to be fooled - the princess was nervous. Nervous but determined, of course - she would see this through.

Perfuma, on the other hand… The princess of Plumeria was obviously nervous. Her smile looked fake, and she was fidgeting. The shrimp and Brain Boy looked similar to Mermista, as did the other two princesses.

If this failed, then the Alliance was done for, Seacat suddenly realised. With the exception of Frosta and Queen Angella, the entire leadership of the Alliance was present.

Damn. But they had to do this. They had to take this fortress and finish the Horde forces in the entire area. Otherwise, the Horde would recover, and any offensive would be even more costly.

"Alright!" Entrapta yelled. "Let's get going! Emily's ready with the scanner and the sealing agent!"

Indeed, the bot had a huge tank with clear liquid in it fixed to its rear.

"Yes, yes, no need to shout," Mermista grumbled, then stepped into the water and raised her trident.

At once, the water retreated in a circle in front of her - forming a tunnel leading into the river.

"Perfuma, now!" Entrapta was smiling widely.

Plants started to shoot out of the ground and into the tunnel, lining the invisible walls and covering them with a thick weave.

"Emily!"

The bot moved forward and started spraying the liquid onto the plants. It quickly hardened, sealing the gaps. In theory, at least - Seacat had no wish to find out how long it would resist the river in practice.

"It's working!" Entrapta cheered, holding what looked like her recorder but was the size of her head in her hair. "Just as designed - the solution is hardening on schedule. Let's go deeper; I need pressure values to estimate! It's too bad Frosta's not here - she could freeze the water for additional stability."

The tunnel quickly lengthened, and Seacat took her first step into it soon after Entrpata led Mermista and Perfuma further down. The mud felt… oddly dry under her feet. Not dry, but more like wet sand than mud. And she could see the waterline - the sealing stuff was transparent enough, and the plants left some gaps. Which meant she knew exactly when she was underwater. Which was a weird feeling.

"Brrr."

She glanced to her side. Adora looked like she had just shivered. Her lover caught her looking at her and flashed a fake smile at her. "Amazing, right?"

Seacat nodded, even though she felt ill at ease herself. "Yes. Amazing." It was, of course - the Horde wouldn't see this coming. Or so they hoped. But walking underwater, the entire river above them, the immense pressure only held back by Mermista's power… She shivered and barely resisted the urge to run her hands over her arms. This might be a little more… challenging than she had expected.

Then she felt a hand grip her own, and Adora smiled at her.

Seacat took a deep breath and kept walking. Forward. And down. A bot was planting sticks with some glowing substance on top that Entrapta had brought every few yards, but the tunnel was still rather dim - for most people; Seacat could see just fine, of course.

But she could also hear the water running over the surface of the tunnel much better than others. Not deafening, but she couldn't ignore it, either - it was too loud. And too dangerous. She hoped the landlubber soldiers wouldn't realise just how dangerous water was. If they panicked in the tunnel, the Horde wouldn't have to lift a finger to defeat them.

She looked up a little when Emily moved to the side to spray the next part. Mermista looked… well, Mermista was tough and liked to act even tougher, but she had some tells, though Seacat didn't think she was about to collapse. On the other hand, they weren't even halfway to the other side.

"Everything's fine!" Entrapta's voice rang in the tunnel. "The pressure is within expected parameters, albeit barely, and we're on course according to my compass!"

Good. Seacat nodded to herself.

Adora looked over her shoulder. Seacat did the same - she couldn't see the exit but she could make out the start of the riverbank.

"No one's following us," Seacat commented. No one should be, of course - the soldiers weren't supposed to enter the tunnel until Seacat and the others had reached the Horde's shore - something about the airflow, Entrapta had said. They needed some wind blowing through the tunnel to keep the air breathable for the army. Another thing to worry about. Or not - their group was small enough to not need more air.

"Shouldn't we start to go up by now?" Adora asked in a low voice.

"Not really," Seacat replied. "They'll have the riverbed dredged in this area for their yards. Gunboats don't have much of a draft, but they'll want some safety margin." She pointed at the ground. "See there? The stone with the scratches? That's from dredging, I think."

"Ah. So we're close?"

"Probably," Seacat replied. She wasn't really certain - it was hard to estimate the distance underwater. But they had to be close. Unless she was completely mistaken.

"So…" Entrapta suddenly said. "This is pretty steep, I think. Rather hard to go up."

Oh. Seacat moved ahead and took a look. Indeed, the riverbank was rising quite steeply here. Too steep for a charge. If the soldiers had to scramble up this slope, they would spend too long in the tunnel. "Go sideways?"

"I guess so," Entrapta said. "But that will affect the airflow."

"I… I can make stairs or a ramp," Perfuma offered. She looked quite tired, though.

But it wasn't as if they had a choice.

"Alright!" Entrapta nodded with a smile. "Then we can go straight, and my calculations will still hold true! Everyone: Back up a little; we'll build a ramp!"

They backed up - well, Adora stated to help move mud around to stabilise the plant ramp. Seacat watched, feeling both guilty for not helping, even though there wasn't enough room anyway, and more and more anxious. Was the air growing stale? Adora would need lots of air to work so hard, and they were basically staying in place…

She took a deep breath to calm down, but the air was smelling stale. And the river's roar was louder here, somehow.

But then they were moving ahead again. And up. And a few minutes later, Seacat could see light - Mermista had broken the surface.

Seacat bared her fangs as she drew her sword.

It was time to charge.

Adora was, as expected, the first out of the tunnel, but Seacat was right behind her - even though she had to jump over the shrimp to keep pace. The tunnel had reached the Horde shore almost on top of the planned spot,- a little beach right outside the first fortifications protecting the yards.

She heard shouting and yelling, followed by sirens as the Horde scum raised the alert, but Adora was already charging the fortress. A running jump carried her to the top of the earthen ramparts, and she started cutting down the troops there while they tried to rally.

Seacat couldn't quite match that, but the earthen walls provided easy hand- and footholds, and she quickly cleared the top as well, intercepting a guard running towards Adora with a quick slash that caught the man in the throat, between helmet and chest plate.

Adora was handling an entire squad on her side, so Seacat cut down another Horde soldier who was too brave for his own good, then rushed towards the gun emplacement at the corner - the crew was moving the gun to aim it at the tunnel, where Entrapta was giving the signal to the troops on the other side.

Two guards with spears were trying to bar her way, but Seacat batted one spear away, jumped over the other, then landed between them. Her left foot lashed out, claws slicing through the man's calf while she swung her blade and slashed the back of the other guard.

Both collapsed, dropping their weapons, and Seacat dashed forward, into the middle of the gun crew. The officer in charge had his blade out and faced her, trying to buy time for his men to fire. He had a solid stance, sabre pointed at her. Quite different from the scum she had fought before.

But Seacat wasn't about to duel the man while she had a gun to destroy. She flashed her fangs at him in a toothy grin, then jumped on the rampart, landing in a crouch.

The Horde scum couldn't help it - they turned to face her, and she launched herself over their heads to land next to the powder bags stacked near the gun. A quick cut with her blade cut three of them open before she was moving again - charging the gunner who was holding the rope match to fire the gun.

The woman dropped the rope and backed off, drawing her cutlass - but once again, Seacat ignored her. She slid under the wild swing of the woman, picked up the rope match and somersaulted back to the powder charges.

She saw the Horde scum pale and gape as she jumped on top of the wall, holding the lit match above the spilt powder, and grinned at them before she dropped it and jumped off.

The explosion a moment later sent stone and body parts over the ramparts - from which she was hanging by her claws. As soon as the powder had gone off, she pulled herself up and on top of the rampart again

The gun had been thrown halfway across the gun pit, and only two Horde soldiers were still alive - and one of them was on the ground, clutching at the broken ramrod stuck in her chest.

Seacat glanced around. Adora had cleared the rampart on her side and was rushing towards the gate tower. Spinnerella and Netossa had dealt with a sally from said gate and were holding it against the soldiers trying to charge them. And the shrimp, Brain Boy and Sea Hawk were guarding the tunnel and the princesses keeping it from collapsing with half the army inside.

And Entrapta was coming towards her - she was climbing the wall as well; her hair tendrils were slung already reaching the top of the ramparts. A moment later, she arrived next to Seacat. "Whoo! Let me check for hidden bombs!" she announced while pointing a gadget at the courtyard below.

Seacat clenched her teeth. This base was manned by Headhunters - they would've mined the yards, at least. Although… was that a catapult in the citadel? Yes, it was. A huge one, too - and placed so you couldn't spot it from the river. Was it true that the Horde was running out of powder?

"Oh… there's no bomb in this part," Entrpata told her. "But there's lots of powder in there!" she pointed at the citadel of the fortress.

"Is it a bomb, or just a magazine?" Seacat asked, moving to block a squad of Horde soldiers rushing up the stairs nearby.

"Magazine. Of course, a magazine is a bomb if you have the means to set it off." Entrapta grinned. "But that's it - all the other stuff is just dispersed powder."

Seacat frowned, but before she could ask another question, the squad reached the top of the ramparts, and she had to fight them. They were good - their leader was a grizzled veteran with long, grey hair and scar crossing her face who really knew how to wield a blade. But they were on the stairs, and they weren't able to gang up on Seacat, who was holding the top of the stairs. And as good as the veteran was, Seacat was better. Faster and stronger - and more skilled. She knew it after a few thrusts and parries.

And so did the Horde soldier - Seacat could see how she set her jaw and fought on despite the odds, wielding her sword expertly - until she misjudged a swing, and Seacat got inside her guard, ramming her blade into the woman's throat, then kicking her corpse into the rest of the squad and sending them tumbling down the stairs.

"No bombs in the yard?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"None!" Entrapta replied, fiddling with her gadget. "Although… there's a crystal engine there, big enough for a frigate. And a few smaller ones according to my sensor arrangement."

Had the Horde been planning to build a frigate here? Seacat shook her head. "We need to get moving!" she snapped. "Before a crossbowman nails us."

The first bolts were hitting the rampart - and coming quite a bit too close to hitting them for Seacat's comfort; the Horde forces were rallying across the courtyard.

They dashed towards the gate, more bolts flying after them, but they reached the shelter of the gate tower - cleared by Adora without getting hit.

"Seacat! It looks like our plan worked - they are understaffed; they must have deployed the bulk of their troops against our decoy landing operations!" Adora told them with a wide smile as she finished off the apparently last defender of the gate.

"Good." Seacat smiled - briefly. Something felt off, though.

Then she heard yelling from outside: "For the Alliance! Bright Moon! Plumeria!"

The vanguard of their army had arrived and was leaving the tunnel, charging towards the fortress. Seacat looked through one of the slits in the walls and saw the first soldiers reach Netossa and Spinnerella, who directed her towards the gate.

Which Adora was opening for them.

The guns disabled, the army storming the gates - all that was left was taking the citadel and the yards.

"Oh. The big engine's moving," Entrapta announced. Slowly, but it's moving.

"They've installed it in a ship?" Seacat dashed to the top of the tower. There hadn't been a ship ready on the slips. She peered at the yards while the soldiers streamed through the open gate, rolling over the Horde troops trying to face them. There was no gunboat moving - and she couldn't see any gunboat in a state ready for an engine, either. So, where was that…

Then she saw Horde troops pushing a huge engine towards the citadel. Why would… She cursed. "Entrapta, is that an enhanced engine? Can it blow up?"

"Uh… my sensors aren't good enough to catch the fluctuating changes that would cause, but… I'll take a look!"

Hair tendrils latched onto the roof's railing, and, a moment later, Entrapta swung up from below and peered through her goggles at the engine moving towards the citadel.

And she gasped. "Uh… yes. There are some modifications on the engine. Not as elegant as mine, but…

The Horde had enhanced engine bombs. That was what they needed the catapults for!

"Adora! That engine is a bomb!" Seacat yelled down.

Adora looked up at her, then turned. "Bow! Nail it down!"

Brain Boy jumped on a low wall, took aim, and an arrow splashed glue all over the crew pushing the engine's cart.

Seacat pulled her telescope out and took a closer look. They were… they were… "Cover! Take cover!" she yelled. "Stop and take cover!"

The soldiers started to react - stopping their charge, then moving towards the ramparts and courtyards of the fortress.

"Adora! Take cover!"

But Seacat's friend wasn't listening - she was charging towards the bomb.

Seacat cursed and jumped over the railing, landing on the ramparts below, then jumped down to the courtyard. "Adora!"

"Cut the rear part! The controls are there!" Entrapta yelled. "It can't explode without the controls!"

Seacat clenched her teeth, running after Adora. But she knew she wouldn't make it.

Then Adora yelled and threw her sword. Seacat saw it flip over while it flew through the air before it hit the engine - right on the controls.

"Charge!" Seacat yelled as she rushed forward. "Charge!"

And the soldiers charged. Adora was the first to reach the bomb, recovering her sword and cutting down the Horde scum around the bomb, but the soldiers quickly passed her, storming the citadel. The first were placing charges on the gate when Seacat reached Adora.

"You…" She shook her head. "That was too close."

Adora smiled grimly. "Yes."

The charges at the gate went off, blowing the entrance open.

"Let's finish them off!" Seacat told her.

"Yes. let's…"

A bright flash, followed by an explosion that sent a smoke cloud so high, it dwarfed the clouds, interrupted her.

"That was…" Adora trailed off.

"...the decoy force to the west," Seacat finished for her.

Another flash, another explosion and more smoke rose into the sky to the east of them.

Seacat couldn't tell, but she was sure that the Salinean decoy force, including the frigate, had just been wiped out.

*****​
 
Chapter 41: The River Offensive Part 6
Chapter 41: The River Offensive Part 6

Seacat stared, frozen, at the smoke cloud rising over the river in the east. The frigate would be gone as well as anyone in the decoy landing force. So many dead in a moment… And if not for Adora, they would've shared their fate here.

"Keep going!" Adora yelled. "Secure the citadel and the yards! And secure any and all skiffs - and gather them at the gate! Move it!"

The soldiers, who had faltered, charged again.

Seacat shook her head. She couldn't… she had to do something. Think! "We'll need to have bigger screening forces - so we can detect and intercept any catapults before they are in range," she muttered.

"Yes," Adora agreed. "That's why we need every skiff we can get. If they manage to throw such a bomb at the yards while we're here…"

Almost the entire leadership of the Alliance would be gone. And their best troops. Seacat gasped. "We need to warn Fortress Freedom - the river's probably too wide for a catapult there, but if they manage to lure the frigates in port closer…"

"Yes." Adora nodded. "Let's meet the others. We need to act swiftly."

"Yes." Seacat pressed her lips together. If they were caught by surprise again, they would be lost.

They quickly returned to the gate. Netossa and Spinnerella were there but looked shocked still - the two princesses were glancing around as if they were expecting assassins to drop down on them. "What was that?" Netossa asked as soon as she spotted Adora and Seacat.

"Planning meeting," Adora snapped instead of answering. "Inside the gate tower." She marched towards the stairs leading up, Seacat on her heels.

As the soldiers before, the two princesses straightened and nodded and quickly followed them.

Inside the gate turret, Entrapta was mumbling and tapping on her device. "...frigate scale engines… crystal density… area of effect… boosting effect… delayed acceleration…"

"Entrapta!" Seacat spoke up.

She looked up, blinking. "Oh. I was just… calculating the bomb blast. I don't have it precisely down, so I need more calculations to get a good average range…"

Seacat sighed. "Just take the worst estimate."

"But…"

"Entrapta, we need to plan how to react to this," Adora told her. "Where's Glimmer? Glimmer!"

"Probably still at the tunnel, keeping guard - soldiers are still travelling through it," Netossa said.

"Ah, right." Adora nodded. "But we can't wait for too long. Alright." She nodded again. "Send out scouts with any skiffs they can get ahold of, downriver and upriver - we need to know as soon as the Horde tries to get close enough so they can use their catapults. What's the range?" she asked, looking at Entrapta.

"Uh…" Entrapta bit her lower lip. "I need to look at the catapult and the bomb."

"Do that," Adora told her. "Netossa, Spinnerella - help to secure the skiffs. Seacat…"

Seacat nodded. "We'll need to get the boats here, so we can move the soldiers back to our shore." She doubted that Mermista and Perfuma would be able to hold the tunnel together long enough to evacuate everyone back to the northern shore. Or construct another tunnel.

"Exactly." Adora flashed her a weary smile. "We can't keep them concentrated here; it's too dangerous."

Seacat nodded again, then cursed. "Even if we evacuate everyone back over the river, we'll have to keep a close watch on the entire river to know as soon as the Horde tries to cross." Hell, with those bombs, the Horde finally had something that didn't take a huge army to move and could still do as much or more damage as a princess or two. And if they used it against Bright Moon or Plumeria… or in a battle at sea… "A smuggler could get such an engine into any port, leave the ship and have it blow up, wrecking the entire harbour. We need to spread the word about this!"

"Go and signal to Alcy and the others to start taking the soldiers back!"

"Aye aye!"

Seacat dashed to the top of the tower. The Horde would… there! Signal flags!

She checked with her telescope that the signal ensign on the other shore was watching, then started signalling to transmit Adora's orders. It still took two tries - the ensign must be shaken by the bombs. She should've had Alcy do this part, but then things would've fallen apart as soon as the woman left with the rafts.

Then she peered down at the end of the tunnel. The last soldiers seemed to have left. Mermista, Sea Hawk and Perfuma, were looking into it, then hurriedly moved to the side.

A moment later, water shot out of the tunnel and almost reached the top of the riverbank. Seacat could also see some perturbance in the river - the tunnel must have collapsed and was now being torn apart by the current.

So much for the tunnel lasting long enough to reach the exit even after Mermista stopped - or failed - to control the water.

Seacat could also see that Mermista and Perfuma were close to collapsing as well - Sea Hawk was all but carrying Mermista to the gate, and Perfuma was propped up by Brain Boy. Damn.

She looked at the rest of the fortress. Someone had set the gunboat on the slip in the yard on fire. Probably another Horde scum trying to deny them their prize. Not that it mattered much - right now, the skiffs were far more important. They needed to get screening forces out. And that looked good - she could see Alliance soldiers in the skiff park, going over the dozen vehicles there. And the Horde banner on top of the citadel was getting torn down - the fortress had fallen.

She climbed down into the main room of the tower again, just in time to see the rest arrive.

"This is horrible… so many dead," Perfuma muttered as she all but collapsed in a seat.

Mermista held up better, though she was clenching her teeth when Sea Hawk helped her sit down. "We're buggered, aren't we?" she spat.

Despite the situation, Seacat almost laughed at the profanity - of course the Princess of Salineas would have picked up cursing from her sailors.

"I wouldn't say that," Adora replied, all tense and serious. "We're sending out screening forces so we have advance warning once the remaining Horde forces move toward us. But we need to move the soldiers - most of them - back over the river so they'll be safe for the time being. Any concentration of force in range of the Horde catapults will be inviting one of the enhanced bombs."

"We need to take out their catapults," the shrimp cut in. "They can't bomb us without them."

"How mobile are they?" Brain Boy asked.

"Oh." Entrapta blinked. "The one in the fortress isn't very mobile. They are too big to be moved easily - since they need to launch frigate-sized engines. Engines sized for frigates."

"They can't use smaller engines?" Adora asked, staring at the princess.

"Welllll…" Entrapta pouted. "I haven't personally checked, but… if they had been able to use smaller engines to induce an enhanced explosion, they probably would've used the gunboat-rated engines in the yards." She perked up, even smiled at them. "So… they need a big catapult, which will be structurally unsound to move quickly or far. Probably has to be moved disassembled and reassembled in place - that's how siege catapults were used before siege guns were developed, you know?"

"Some good news, at least," the shrimp muttered.

"More like: not quite as bad as it could've been," Seacat corrected her. "They managed to build the catapults in time to attack our decoy landings, so they must have been able to put them up quite quickly."

Mermista shook her head, then groaned. "No. We weren't pushing the landings in order to draw more Horde forces. They would've had enough time."

"More not so bad news, then." Adora nodded. "That means we're safe enough for now - but we need to verify this."

"And we need to plan for suicide attacks with such a bomb on a ship," Seacat added. "It's too heavy for a skiff, at least."

Everyone winced at that thought. Then Entrapta nodded. "Oh, yes. I could build an enhanced bomb that is small enough to be carried with a skiff - actually, I have such a prototype at the fortress - but the Horde probably isn't there yet."

'Yet'. Seacat muttered a curse.

"We still need to evacuate the bulk of our army and hold the fortress - but be ready to destroy it," Adora said. "And we need to make contact with the decoy forces and find out what happened - and how many survived."

"We'll be sending boats upriver and downriver," Sea Hawk said. "The surviving soldiers should also be sending couriers to us already - though they'll be heading to the camp across the river, I suppose."

"Alright. Let's comb the yards for holdouts and start securing the engines and whatever else we can use," the shrimp said. "And get ready to take out the catapults. If they are not very mobile, taking them out will be easier."

"The Horde probably has an enhanced bomb ready to be detonated as soon as we break through to the catapult," Brain Boy pointed out.

"Or as soon as you're sighted, depending on the blast radius," Seacat added.

The shrimp didn't like that. "But we need to take the catapults out."

"Then we need a plan," Adora said. "But first, we need more information. And rest," she added with a glance at Perfuma and Mermista.

*****​

Word from the Salineans arrived at the same time Alcy started moving soldiers back across the river - Seacat saw the longboat approach the fortress from the east while she was overseeing the collection of the gunboat engines.

"Pack them up and lash them down on the raft," she yelled at the soldiers working at the pier. "And don't mess up! If those engines end up in the water, I'll send you after them, and you'll get them back or drown!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the sergeant in charge of the squad told her.

She glared at them for a moment, just to impress the importance of this, then went to see Adora and the others.

The mood of the soldiers in the fortress was pretty bad, she noted as she walked to the citadel, where the shrimp had relocated the command room to. None of the bragging and cheering soldiers would do after a victory, even or especially if it had been a bloody affair. They weren't even looting as much as they could.

She couldn't blame them, of course. Not after the shock of seeing those explosions.

The guards at the citadel were alert, at least, glaring at everyone and everything as Seacat entered. Adora and the others would be in the main building, but Entrapta was studying the catapult in the courtyard, so she took a slight detour. "Hey!"

The princess looked up, then smiled. "Oh, hi! Did you load up the engines?"

"They were tying them down on the rafts when I left. Courier arrived," she replied. Nodding at the catapult, she added: "Did you find anything?"

"It's a standard siege catapult with a counterweight," she told Seacat. "According to a captured soldier who helped build it, they used old blueprints. For the mobile ones, too." She smiled. "That means we know the capabilities of the catapults as soon as we get those blueprints!"

That was good news. Seacat smiled back at the princess.

"Although the range is a little bit longer than I expected given the weight of the engines," Entrapta added.

And that wasn't good news. "Bigger than a standard Horde field gun?"

"Almost but not quite. But the arc's much better."

Field guns could set up faster than a catapult. That meant if you saw the horde coming, you could shell them before they were ready. As long as the Horde guns didn't shell you first. But since the catapult threw its load in a higher arc, they could hide behind field fortifications and weather a bombardment. "We'll need bigger guns," she said.

Entrapta tensed. "I can modify the engines we recovered."

"But they would be too big for your gun project?"

"Yes."

"We'll have to discuss this with the others." Seacat nodded towards the main building. "Let's go."

"Alright!"

*****​

"...and the frigate was… sunk in the explosion. The blast destroyed or capsized all the barges on the river, too. Many drowned." The courier's voice wavered a little as she gave her report.

Seacat pressed her lips together. She could imagine it. The blast's shockwave knocking people out, the waves tossing barges around, people ending in the river, hurt or unconscious, panicking marines struggling for anything that was afloat…

Mermista looked even worse. "How many survived?"

"One in ten," the courier said, "from the forces on the river."

Seacat closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. She had expected that, but she had hoped...

Mermista looked like her face was made of stone. "And the forces on the shore? How many are left in total?"

"About two in ten," the man replied.

"I see." Mermista didn't show any emotion, but when Sea Hawk wrapped his arm around her shoulders, she didn't push him away or frown at that breach of decorum or something in a planning session.

And that made Seacat want to go over and hug her as well.

"Any word from the western forces?" Adora asked.

The shrimp shook her head. "They might not have a raft ready to travel downstream," she said. "We're sending a skiff upriver as soon as we can spare one."

Which wouldn't be any time soon, Seacat knew.

But the princess took a deep breath and went on: "This is a heavy blow, but we've weathered worse. We still have the bulk of our forces, and in a few hours, they'll be safe from another such attack."

"But this is a threat to all our bases - and harbours," Seacat pointed out. "One small ship carrying such a bomb is enough to wipe out a port."

"I'm aware of that," the princess retorted. "Defensive measures will be taken. However, we'll need enhanced bombs of our own. Direly." She looked at Entrapta.

"I can modify the engines we took here in a day or so," the princess replied. "But I'll have to head back to Fortress Freedom to make more - and to work on a delivery system."

"What about a catapult?" Brain Boy asked.

"That's slow to set up," Adora said. "They could swarm it with skiffs and guns."

"Exactly! We need a gun that shoots enhanced engine bombs!" Entrapta nodded. "Or, we need an alternative propelling system that is faster to set up than a catapult. And I have something in mind!"

"An alternative propelling system?" Seacat asked.

"Yes! Guns put too much stress on an enhanced engine bomb - the pressure from the propellant is too big, the acceleration too much for the mechanism. Catapults do better - no pressure - but they, too, have trouble with the acceleration, if not as much as a cannon. Both limit the range of such bombs. So, I'm thinking: rockets!" Entrapta beamed at them.

"Rockets?" Adora asked.

"Yes! Steady acceleration - more or less, actually - and controlled flight. The ideal propulsion system for enhanced engine bombs."

"And how long will it take you to develop and build such a rocket?" Brain Boy asked. "And how many can you build?"

"Uh…" Entrapta bit her lower lip. "Maybe… Err… It depends on how many resources I have. If working in the fortress, probably… a month? And I think I can build… Uh… about one per day, once I have bots set up, though that will take a while as well, and I also would need to build the bombs..."

"In a month, the Horde will be in Bright Moon," Mermista said.

"Bright Moon is protected by a magical barrier!" the shrimp replied.

"Against enhanced engine bombs?" Mermista snorted. "They can lob a lot of them at the barrier. Salinas' Sea Gate was almost destroyed, remember?"

"But it had decayed - Bright Moon's protections are constantly maintained," the shrimp retorted.

"If they attempt to set up catapults near Bright Moon - or anywhere - we can hit them before they're ready," Adora said. "As long as we can detect them soon enough."

"Which would be a problem on the sea," Mermista said. "They can set up a catapult on a ship and have it ready to bombard a port - they don't need to be very precise with such bombs."

"But they still need to get in range," Sea Hawk pointed out. "And it's far more difficult to hide a ship at sea than a force on land."

"Unless they have some fishpeople tow the bomb underwater," Seacat said. "Or they attack at night."

No one said anything for a few seconds, though the shrimp muttered some curses under her breath.

"We'll need to extend the patrol routes of our own fishfolk," Sea Hawk said.

"Perhaps we'll have to abandon some of the lesser-used ports," Mermista added. "But even so… they can simply detonate such a bomb near the port, wipe out the patrols, possible damage the port already, and come back later…"

"I can build a detection system for the bombs," Entrapta said. "Like mine, here." She held up her device.

"That'll have to be your priority," Adora said. "We need a way to detect such bombs from as far away as possible."

"But we also need bombs of our own to strike back," the shrimp cut in. "We can't face their armies in the field until we do."

"Even after we have such bombs, any army is a target," Brain Boy pointed out. "And every princess," he added with a grim expression.

Everyone in the room tensed.

"We need to ensure that the Horde can't make more of those bombs," Seacat said. "Guard the crystal mines at any cost - and be ready to destroy them." That would hamper their navy, but there was no other way.

"Yes." Adora nodded. "How many such bombs can they make? And how fast?"

"That depends on how much fuel crystals and other materials they had stockpiled," Entrapta replied.

"We've taken a lot of their resources, and we secured more in the yards here," Brain Boy said. "But the fact that they left the gunboat engines here means the Horde wasn't too pressed for more bomb material."

"Or they messed up," Adora said. "The Horde's logistics aren't perfect."

"I'd rather not assume they made a mistake," Seacat said. "But we control the fuel crystals at least."

"Yes." The Shrimp nodded, then growled slightly through clenched teeth. "We need to withdraw and disperse our troops until we've got those detectors. We can't risk losing more people to those bombs."

"If we withdraw the soldiers, the Horde will go after villages and towns," Adora countered. "And we can't let the Horde forces trapped in the north escape."

"We might not have a choice," Sea Hawk pointed out. "Until we know how many bombs the Horde has, any concentration of force is at risk."

"If we can't face them at all, we lose the war," Adora told him.

"Alright, then let's find out if the two Horde forces to the east and west have more bombs - and how many," Seacat said. "Entrapta? I'm going to need your detector."

"Oh. I'll have to teach you how to use it, then."

"You want to spy on them?" Adora said. "They'll blow you up!"

"Only if they spot me," Seacat replied. "And I'm no princess; I doubt that they would waste a bomb on me." She smiled at Adora to take the sting out of her next words. "And unlike everyone else here, I'm not a leader needed to keep the army together."

Adora glared at her.

*****​

"Alright," Seacat said as the skiff approached the forest ahead of them. "Drop me off there, then continue the patrol."

"Shouldn't we wait to pick you up?" the Bright Moon soldier manning the swivel gun on the skiff asked.

She almost groaned at the question. "No, that would tell the Horde that I'm in the forest." And she hadn't spent the entire trip hiding in a fake ammunition crate only to have the soldiers tip off the Horde by not continuing their patrol.

"Ah." At least the soldier had the grace to sound embarrassed. "Sorry."

"No worry. Drive close to the forest's edge. I'll drop off there." She peered through the slits in the crate. She couldn't see much - she had to trust that the soldiers' ability to spot hidden Horde scouts was better than their ability to think things through - but she could see the trees growing larger.

Then they reached the edge of the forest. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and flipped the latch on the side.

A moment later, the crate's side fell open, and she rolled off the skiff, twisting in mid-air to land on her feet in a crouch and dash into the closest bush. If anyone had spotted her…

She held her breath and listened as the engine noise of the skiff started to fade. Nothing. Then again, no scout worth their salt - and the Headhunters would have such scouts - would reveal their presence by moving around if they knew that an enemy was nearby. Or they'd move too silently even for her ears to pick up.

Which she needed to do. She couldn't just stay here and wait. She crawled forward, peeking through the foliage, checking the area around her. It looked clear. But this was an obvious place for the Horde to place scouts. So, where would they be? At the corners where they would have the best field of view? No, that was too obvious, and the patrols flew too close. They would be further inside the forest - and above ground. She should've waited until nightfall - she could see in the dark, and most Horde soldiers couldn't. Then again, they would use those who could as scouts and guards at night.

She crawled further ahead, looking around - and up - as she moved. Still no sign of a Horde lookout. But there had to be one. Perhaps she should get up in a tree herself. The big one ahead seemed to… Oh. She looked up. Squinted. The foliage was moving, but only in a certain spot. Not the wind. Perhaps an animal.

But she wouldn't bet on that.

Grinning, she crawled through the underbrush until she reached the tree in question, where she listened again, holding her breath.

The creaking of wood. Some scratching noise. And a muttered curse.

There they were! She grinned, baring her fangs, as she peered up the tree. If the Horde scout was on that branch, then they wouldn't be able to see the back of the trunk right… there!

Seacat quickly crawled around the tree, checked for anyone nearby, then scaled up the trunk. Halfway to her goal, she heard cursing - the Horde soldier must have heard her claws ripping into the tree's bark. Snarling, she sped up, climbing around the tree trunk, then pushing off as soon as she caught a glimpse of a Horde uniform.

A crossbow bolt slammed into the tree a moment later, missing her by inches. "You're done for!" she snapped as she grabbed the branch with both hands, claws out, swung around it and landed on top of it.

The Horde soldier dropped his crossbow, but he wasn't quick enough to draw his short sword before she was on him. She raked one set of her claws across his sword arm and drove her other into his belly, below his chest plate - and twisted.

He stared at her with his open, then started choking, blood running from his lips. She ripped his throat out before his sword hit the bottom, then grabbed his twitching body and jumped down. Once more, she twisted in mid-air, landing with both feet on his chest as they hit the ground.

He was dead before he could say or do anything.

She dragged him under a dense bush nearby - nothing to be done about the blood - and continued westwards, upriver, towards the Horde forces that had wrecked the Bright Moon's decoy forces - when their courier had finally arrived, the numbers had been better than feared, but still gruesome. All the rafts were destroyed and most of the force gone.

She pushed the thought away as she reached the edge of the forest. She hadn't spotted any more Horde scouts, but there had to be… Oh.

This wasn't a force on the move - they were fortifying their camp. She could see a huge catapult - not as big as the one in the yards, but bigger than expected. Couldn't be very mobile. Now where were the bombs? She pulled Entrapta's 'scanner' out of her backpack and pushed the button to activate it.

The thing blinked and she saw the symbols of a bomb light up. Only one - but that was still more than enough to wreck an attack. And it meant that the Horde had some reserves.

Damn.

She pulled out her telescope and studied the Horde camp - or growing base. Where was the bomb? It would have to be close to the catapult, to be used at a moment's notice. There were several tents nearby, but only one was guarded. And surrounded by earthen walls. Those wouldn't stop an enhanced engine bomb, of course, but that was standard procedure for Horde powder magazines in the field. And Seacat would bet that the Horde would store their enhanced bombs the same.

So… she had accomplished her mission and confirmed the likely location of a bomb. She could already withdraw, but if she was here, she might as well gather more information. The camp was quite large and quite well-organised. She quickly counted the troop tents, then the officer tents. Then she made a quick calculation. The number she came up with would fit, mostly, with what they knew about the Horde strength in the area. Not quite up to Alliance numbers, even after the losses they had taken. But with a single bomb, that could change.

Her eyes widened. Indeed, a single bomb could change the equations - both ways. If they sneaked into the camp and set the bomb off… or teleported into the magazine, set a timer and ported out… She slowly smirked. Hoisted by their own petard, as the Captain would say.

On the other hand… the Headhunters would expect that. They knew about the shrimp's powers - Lonnie had told them about the Horde training. Only an idiot would miss the obvious threat of the princess teleporting into a camp and setting off an enhanced engine bomb. So, this was a trap. Damn. If only the shrimp could teleport a bomb… Although… Seacat cocked her head and looked at the camp, then up. Well, that might be a way to deal with it.

She studied the defences, especially the guards and patrols, then stashed her detector and telescope and started to crawl back into the forest until she was out of sight.

Then she stood and quickly made her way to the riverbank. The Horde would have posted another guard here to give advance warning should the Alliance push upriver. Now where… there!

A silent crawl, a quick jump and another Horde soldier bled out from a slashed throat. Seacat dragged the body to the shore, then dropped it and pulled out the snorkel Entrapta had built for her. Insisted to build it, actually - Seacat could've fabricated one herself, if not quite as elegant.

But whatever worked. She bit down on the mouthpiece, tasting rubber, then grabbed the dead guard and slid into the water. The river's current would drag her back to the yards more safely than making the trip on foot would be. Faster too, overall.

And the Horde wouldn't find the body as quickly as the other guard's.

*****​

"So… this is likely a trap." Adora nodded, looking at the map Seacat had drawn. "You think that they'll be ready for us to try and grab the bomb."

Seacat shrugged. "It's the obvious thing to do - for them and for us."

"Exactly! Blowing the Horde up with their own weapons would be poetic justice! Hoisted by their own petard! Or Petards," Sea Hawk exclaimed.

"Which is why the Horde is ready for such an attack," Mermista said with a snort - she was looking better after her rest, Seacat noticed.

"And they are digging in," Brain Boy added. "The other camp is the same - one bomb left, and they're fortifying like crazy."

Well, he would know - the boy had scouted the eastern force.

"Quite. And we can't let them. We need to take them out - or, at least, drive them off," the shrimp said. "They can't be allowed to threaten the crystal mines."

"And how do we do that?" Mermista asked.

"I've got a plan," Seacat told them. Adora wouldn't like it, of course.

*****​

"I don't like this plan," Adora said a little later, after the group had taken a break to grab something to eat.

"I know," Seacat told her, grabbing a second grilled fish. And ignoring the frowns from the soldiers at the chow line. She hadn't had decent fish in a while. And, she added after taking a bite on the way back to the command tent, she wouldn't have any today. Damn. How could you mess up grilled fish?

"It's dangerous." Adora, of course, hadn't taken a bite from her own food - she was far too fussy about things. And rules.

"More dangerous than charging the camp?" Seacat asked. "Or staying near Horde forces with enhanced engine bombs?" She smirked at the glare Adora aimed at her. That was Adora's own fault - who would think about trying to bait the Horde into using their remaining bomb by showing herself, and hoping the shrimp could get them away after the bomb was launched? The Horde had taken their best gunners for this; they wouldn't use a bomb if they thought the princesses could escape. Not when they could send Headhunters after them.

But then Adora looked down at the ground, crestfallen, and Seacat felt guilt filling her. "Sorry…" She whispered.

"It's not your fault. It's the Horde's."

And wasn't that the truth?

*****​

"Alright. Everybody knows the plan?" Adora asked.

"Yes," Seacat replied, nodding emphatically. It was her plan, after all.

Adora narrowed her eyes at her. Maybe Seacat had overdone it a little. But this was the third time her lover had asked the same question.

"Yes," the shrimp replied. She looked determined and firm - though Seacat could tell that she was a little nervous since she was fidgeting a little when she thought no one was looking. And glancing to Brain Boy.

Brain Boy himself nodded as well. He didn't look happy, but he wouldn't say anything. The boy was smart, after all. Though it probably helped that he was part of the plan as well. Unlike Adora, who would have to watch from the rear.

"Good." Adora nodded. She took a deep breath, then looked south-east, towards the location of the Horde camp across the river. "And be careful," she added in a low voice.

Seacat nodded. She knew as well as her lover that this was dangerous. She would've preferred to do it at night, but the princess couldn't see in the dark - not as well as Seacat could. Not even with the moonlight helping. So, it had to be daylight. Or close to.

She turned her head. The sun was starting to rise. Just a little longer...

She crossed her arms and leaned against the skiff that had brought the four of them here. A few yards away, the shrimp was looking over Brain Boy's shoulders as he fiddled with their cargo. "Just hold and kiss him," she muttered, shaking her head. Stupid princesses!

Adora walked over and joined her with a sigh. "I still don't like the plan," she said.

"I know. But we don't have a better one," Seacat replied. "Besides - this way, we don't risk the troops."

She could see Adora clenching her teeth - her jaw muscles twitched - just so she wouldn't say that she'd rather risk troops than Seacat. And yet, the idiot would happily risk herself rather than anyone else. "Turnabout is fair play," she said.

"Fairness has no place in war," Adora replied with a quote from one of their old instructors - Seacat couldn't actually remember who,

"I don't think they meant our situation," she told Adora.

Adora huffed, and Seacat pushed off the skiff's hull and moved to hug her. And kiss her.

*****​

Once the sun was almost up, they moved to the shore. Adora handled the cargo by herself and set it down at the riverbank. While Seacat and the shrimp stripped to their underwear and Adora looked for enemies - though this far upriver, the Horde didn't have any sentries - Brain Boy conducted a last inspection.

"It's fine," he said after a minute.

"Good. Let's get going," the shrimp said, then stepped into the water. And shivered at the cold.

Seacat joined her a moment later, carrying the small raft they had constructed. She held it steady while Adora and Brain Boy lowered the bomb into the hole in the middle of it, then pushed it a little to check that it wouldn't move too much. "Alright."

"Alright."

She looked at Adora, then turned and grabbed the handles mounted on one side, together with the shrimp. Together, they started pushing the raft towards the middle of the river while the current dragged them eastward. Towards the Horde camp.

For the first minute, neither of them said anything as they kicked their legs to propel the raft - styled to look like a piece of driftwood from one side - onward.

"I really hope this works," the shrimp whispered when they were dragged around the last turn of the river before the Horde camp.

"It will." Seacat didn't tell her that it all rested on her magic. The princess was under enough pressure already. Well, so was Seacat - she had no doubt that Queen Angella wouldn't be pleased at all if Seacat's plan got her daughter hurt or killed. Well, any wounds, Adora could heal, but still…

"What if I miss?"

"You won't."

They were now almost at the camp - or, rather, at the part of the shore closest to the camp; the camp hadn't been built directly at the river, but so far away that the Horde soldiers would be able to use an enhanced bomb without endangering themselves.

"Alright," Seacat said. "Ready?"

"Yes." The shrimp took a deep breath and pulled herself on to the raft, on top of the bomb. A moment later, she and the bomb vanished in a sparkling cloud.

Seacat immediately looked up in the sky. The princess should appear… there! She caught the flash of sparkles and saw a figure appear in mid-air, starting to fall - and disappear a moment later, to reappear nearby.

Then she saw the figure split - and half of it vanish again while the other half kept falling.

She whirled, scanning the river. Where…

A splash sounded to her right. She caught the water sprout collapsing - the shrimp had landed in the river, as planned. Now they just had to…

Behind her, the bomb went off. Seacat turned to look in the direction of the camp. That hadn't been…

Then she heard another, louder explosion, and a cloud of smoke appeared above the riverbank, followed by more explosions.

The princess had dropped the bomb on the Horde's powder magazine. As planned. "Great work!" she muttered, turning to look for the shrimp. If the impact had knocked her out...

Just in time for the princess to resurface, spluttering and gasping, about twenty yards off. Seacat grinned, relieved, and started to pull the now empty raft towards the princess.

"This was…" The princess shook her head as she managed to grab the handles of the raft again.

"...great?" Seacat asked.

"Terrifying!" The princess took a deep breath. "I had to adjust my position, and I was falling the whole time…"

"But you did it," Seacat told her as the river dragged them around another bend. "The Horde's camp is wrecked."

"Yes." Glimmer smiled, showing her teeth. "And now we can mop up the remains."

Seacat grinned in return. "One down, one to go."

*****​
 
Chapter 42: The Counter-Attack
Chapter 42: The Counter-Attack

By the time the Alliance's vanguard arrived at the camp Glimmer had bombed, the Horde had barely managed to get organised enough to sift through the rubble and shredded tents the explosions had left. And Seacat and Glimmer had barely managed to get out of the river at the rally spot where Adora and Brain Boy were waiting with the skiff.

"We should be on the other side," Adora said. "Leading the charge."

"Well, then someone else would've had to drive us upriver," Seacat told her. She grinned at the glare Adora sent her way.

"So that was your plan!" Adora pouted.

She shrugged. "It was obvious, wasn't it?" Skiffs couldn't go over water. Well, not water deeper than a puddle or some shallow creek, at least. Basically, anything deep enough to sink a skiff would stop it. "I thought you'd have realised it."

Adora scowled, but Glimmer and Brain Boy giggled.

"Adora was far too concerned about you to think about attacking the Horde afterwards," Brain Boy said. "Besides, they don't need us. Netossa and Spinnerella are veterans; they'll deal with any organised resistance."

"But there are still Headhunters in the camp…" Adora clenched her teeth.

"And they'll handle them," Seacat said as she pulled her clothes on. If two princesses backed by troops of their own didn't manage to handle a disoriented bunch of Horde soldiers woken up by their camp blowing up, then that would be their own fault.

"I can teleport us over," Glimmer said.

"No. We need you with as much magic left for emergencies as possible," Seacat told her. "We can take the raft back to the yards." She cocked her head. "I don't hear guns, anyway." Which meant the Horde wouldn't have been able to deploy their guns. And the catapult wouldn't have survived the explosions intact.

"Alright." Adora's tone told Seacat that it wasn't alright, but there was nothing she could do about it. By the time they would reach the shore opposite the former Horde yards, where their raft was waiting for them, the battle would be over.

*****​

Seacat had been right. The Horde troops hadn't been able to put up much resistance in the wake of the explosions ripping through their camp.

"...and then I ripped the gate off, Netossa took out the two guns with her nets, and we stormed in. Organised resistance ceased right afterwards," Spinnerella said.

"Their leader had died in the explosions," Netossa added.

"Their leader? The leader of the Headhunters?" Adora asked.

Netossa shook her head. "No. That one is in the eastern camp."

"Too bad. We should've hit that one first," Spinnerella said.

"This one's closer to the crystal mines," Netossa reminded her wife. "We had to take out this force first."

The Horde could circumvent the yards, fall back towards the south, then move up north to the river - and the mines - but they would have to supply their soldiers overland, and after the loss of the yards and now the western camp, that would strain their logistics. But the Alliance still had Horde forces to the east. And with at least one working enhanced engine bomb, they couldn't use the Salinean fleet to secure the river.

"So, we do the same to the eastern camp?" Glimmer asked, looking eager.

Adora, though, winced. "Repeating the same tactic isn't a good idea," she said. "They will be prepared for that."

"How would they know what we did?" Brain Boy asked. "I doubt there were any witnesses."

"They will know that there were explosions, and then the camp was stormed," Seacat said. "Their screening forces will have escaped."

"Yes, but they won't know how we did it," Glimmer said. "I can just teleport above them, as before, and - boom!"

Netossa shook her head. "They will expect us to have either sneaked in saboteurs or launched a bomb with a hidden catapult or mortar. That means they'll reinforce their powder magazines enough to withstand a shell."

And that meant the magazines would withstand the sort of bomb Glimmer could teleport as well.

"I can still destroy the catapult," Glimmer said.

"Yes, you can. But that would leave them with an enhanced engine bomb in the camp - ready to be used should we storm it," Seacat pointed out. Glimmer could scowl almost as well as Adora, she noted.

"And they would use it," Brain Boy said.

"Yes," Lonnie spoke up. "They're ready to sacrifice themselves to get us. And even if there aren't any princesses around - if they're about to lose the camp and the bomb anyway…?" She shrugged.

"Well, we do need to find a way to deal with the camp," Adora said. "We can't leave them - and their bomb - to threaten our lines."

"Well…" Entrapta spoke up with a slight grimace. "I could probably construct a firebomb. If their magazines are burning, then they can't use them, can they?"

"That might block their use of the enhanced engine bomb," Seacat said. "But won't they put the fire out before we can reach them?" And Glimmer would have to hit the exact spot.

"Well, if I use a concoction I discovered looking for alternative fuel for engines, they won't be able to put it out unless they can smother it - and that would take some time given the heat of the burning fuel." Entrapta still looked queasy. "But it would be, well… it would burn everything. And everyone. And it's kinda dangerous when exposed to air."

"Ah." If Entrapta was hesitant - and called something 'dangerous' - then Seacat was sure that the thing was too dangerous to be used at all. Perhaps…

A courier entering the command room interrupted them. "Commander!" She saluted Glimmer. "We've got word from our patrols. The Horde force to the east is moving!"

"Moving?" Adora asked.

"They're packing up their tents and supplies," the courier replied.

"And the catapult?" Entrapta asked.

"That, too," the courier told her.

"Oh. So if we time it, we can judge how mobile they are - sort of," Entrapta said. "We would still need to check how quickly they can set up a catapult, but it would be a start and give us an estimate."

"Where are they going?" Seacat asked

"We don't know yet - they've sent scouting forces everywhere," the courier told her. "Except for across the river, of course."

"They won't be moving towards us," Mermista said. "And they can't cross the river. It's either south or east."

"Linking up with the forces in the forest south of Fortress Freedom, or heading south and possibly west to threaten the crystal mines." Adora shook her head. "Hard to say."

"If they try to go around us, we can shadow them all the way," Brain Boy said. "They might as well retreat into the Fright Zone to replenish and push from there. The force across the river's mouth would still block us from moving south from Fortress Freedom."

"The bombs would do that," Adora said. "If they hide a bomb in a choke point or a mountain pass…" She shook her head. "We'll need your detectors for every scout," she told Entrapta.

"Uh… I'll have to get back to the fortress for that - I don't have enough tools or materials here. Sorry." Entrapta shrugged, but she looked rather dejected.

"We have to move to the fortress anyway," Seacat said. "With the threat from the Horde, we can't use the river as a supply route until they've been pushed back to the Fright Zone."

"I can keep us supplied," Perfuma pointed out. "At least with produce."

"Yes," Adora chimed in. "But we need a larger force at the crystal mines - and they need supplies as well. And we need to crush the pocket of Horde forces to the North of us."

"And for that, we have to strike from the fortress. It's the anchor point of our control of the coast." Mermista nodded. "We also must keep up our picket lines and blockade. If they manage to slip out some enhanced bombs… All the inspections at sea we'll have to do will add delays to our supply lines as well."

Seacat nodded. You couldn't inspect the cargo as it was unloaded - you had to do it at sea. And that meant you had to check the entire hold for anything big enough to hide an engine. That would take some time - almost as long as unloading a ship took. They would have delays of up to a week or so for the bigger ships.

And all without the Horde even trying to slip a bomb past the Salinean lines… The threat of the bombs was almost as dangerous and effective as the bombs themselves. She muttered a curse under her breath.

"Alright. Let's send out our screening forces - part of them - to shadow the Horde so we know where they're moving to," Adora said. "And we'll split our troops here - half march back to the crystal mines, half to the fortress. We'll leave a garrison, half here half across the river in a permanent camp, with the yards rigged to blow."

"And we'll need patrols along the whole river to know if the Horde tries to cross it," Seacat added.

"Yes." Glimmer nodded. "And I'll have to go back to Bright Moon to recharge - and talk to Mom."

Seacat noticed Adora glancing at her. Ah. They'd have to split up, then - Adora would have to go back with Glimmer and Brain Boy. Mermista and the captain were needed at the coast, but Adora was needed at Bright Moon. Especially if the Horde threatened the city as well.

"You'll have to go back as well." She nodded at her lover, who winced in return.

"And we'll need Netossa and Spinnerella with Perfuma at the crystal mine," Glimmer added.

The three princesses nodded in agreement, though a little reluctantly, or so Seacat thought. Well, tough for them - the crystal mines were essential; now more than ever. Without them, the Horde would eventually run out of bombs. Probably.

"I'll send Colonel Kilian up here to take command of the yards," Mermista said.

Adora nodded. So did Seacat - the Colonel was a marine; he would understand best how to cover the river.

"So… I think we've settled everything," Adora said. "For now."

"Yes, I…"

Once more, they were interrupted by a courier rushing into the room. But this man looked frightened. "Ma'am! Sir! The Horde destroyed Fortress Freedom!"

*****​

The fortress hadn't been completely destroyed. The citadel was still standing, Seacat saw as they approached on their skiff. And the earthen fortifications looked more or less intact - at least from this side. Perhaps the report had been exaggerated. Sent in the heat of the moment, without waiting for a proper assessment of the damage.

But when they passed through the northern gate of the fortress, it was instantly obvious that the reports hadn't been exaggerated. The harbour was gone. Moles and piers and walls were so much rubble - or missing entirely. The waterfront was gone as well. Warehouses and alehouses swept away or caved in. And the smell… The explosion must have sent a wave through most of the fortress, leaving puddles and flooded cellars.

And, Seacat added to herself after another sniff, corpses that were starting to stink.

"All the supplies in the port are gone," Adora said.

"As are most of the ships which were in port," Mermista added, looking grim. "That's the main mast of the 'Salinean Pride' there.

Which had been the flagship of the squadron stationed in the fortress. Now all that was left of it was the top of the mast visible above the water, still flying her colours. Seacat could see the remains of two cargo ships, Kingdom of Snows cogs, spread over the waterfront. And a courier ship that had been thrown into a gun emplacement. She could see two frigates and two cutters cruising about a mile out and quickly ran through the list of the other ships stationed at the port in her head.

"So the Shark's Tooth and Pride of the Gate survived," the Captain beat her to the point.

"Enough to stop any attempt to cross the river - unless they have another bomb ready," Mermista said.

'Unless they have a bomb' would be added to a lot of sentences from now on.

"If they had the means to cross the river, they would've done so," Adora pointed out. "This would've been the perfect opportunity - blast the port, then land before the soldiers can recover."

Seacat glanced around as they walked up towards the citadel. Judging by the looks of the soldiers digging through rubble and other debris, most of the soldiers hadn't recovered yet. They looked either still shocked or dejected. "They could've built rafts in the forest," she said. "The shore isn't ideal for a landing operation, but they could've tried." And probably succeeded.

"They would've lost a lot of troops, though," Adora retorted. "As long as any Salienan ship would've been in range."

"They don't need to take the fortress," Mermista replied. "With all the supplies here gone, we only have the citadel's stocks left. That won't be enough for our forces in the area. We need to either pull the troops out and move them to another port or rush more supplies in."

And the only way to rush in supplies would be to call on Perfuma. Who was needed at the crystal mines. Or to create a fleet of rafts and ship supplies downriver, which would take a lot of soldiers, and make them vulnerable to raids.

Damn. "How did they manage it, anyway?" Seacat exclaimed. "It looks like the bomb exploded right inside the port."

"They must have smuggled it inside underwater," Mermista replied. "I gave strict orders to inspect every cargo ship."

Damn fishpeople.

"My workshop is gone." Entrapta spoke for the first time since they had entered the city. "All my prototypes. My materials. My bots…" She sniffed.

Seacat reached over and wrapped the princess in a hug. "We'll rebuild." Probably not here, though, but somewhere safer. "And Emily survived." Because the bot had been with Entrapta.

Entrapta nodded with a weak smile. "Yes." Then she sighed again. "But my other workshops are in Dryl or Salineas - that's quite far away."

That would make them safer. Probably; Salinas was a priority target for the Horde since it controlled the sea lanes on this coast. And every frigate defending Salineas wasn't blockading Horde ports. And Dryl was far in the mountains. But they needed Entrapta's bombs quickly; the shorter the route to the front, the better.

They reached the citadel. Colonel Kilian met them there. The man had a bandage wrapped around his head, covering one eye, and his uniform looked dusty and had some fresh tears, but otherwise, he looked as usual. "Princess!" He saluted.

"Colonel." Mermista returned the greeting. "What's the situation?"

"Bad," the man snapped as they entered the courtyard. "We've lost the harbour and most of the troops outside the citadel. The stockpiled rations will last for two months, at best - with the current troop strength in the fortress." He looked at Mermista.

"We planned to send the landing forces back from the yard," the princess told him. "But given the new situation…"

"We do need more troops to hold the fortress. And to repair the most crucial fortifications and docks."

"Yes," Adora chimed in. "We can't abandon the fortress - that would give the Horde access to the forces trapped in the northern area and control of the river."

"Can we afford to rebuild an entire fortress?" Seacat asked. Silently, she added: And can we keep it safe from more bombs?"

"We have to. We lose all our gains if we lose it." Glimmer looked all grim and determined.

But it was good that she understood how important the fortress was.

*****​

"How are things?"

Adora! Seacat turned away from the piece of rubble she had been inspecting in the remains of the waterfront and smiled at her lover. "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

"Bad news first," Adora said.

Seacat snorted - she had expected that. Adora was always the sort of girl to pick work before pleasure. "The supplies are an almost total loss. The food's rotting as we speak - it was covered in seawater. From the port." And every sailor knew how filthy that water was. "Some barrels with pickled vegetables and cured meat might still be useful, but most of them were broken when the shockwave hit." The rats were having a feast, too - and that wouldn't be pretty once they bred. Seacat shuddered at the thought. "We're still finding bodies, too." Some of them gnawed-upon as well. Filthy vermin!

"And the good news?"

"Mermista can recover the guns of the sunken frigate. Which means we can rebuild the fortifications and convert the rest to field guns. Or put them on merchantmen."

"Ah." Adora nodded but didn't look very happy about the good news. Well, they weren't really good news. Just… not as bad as they could've been.

"What about the citadel?" Seacat asked.

"It's in good shape. But…"

"We need more than a citadel. We need a port to supply the troops here and up the coast," Seacat said.

"That, too," Adora agreed. She looked around - they were alone for the moment - and sat down on a broken column of the warehouse that had been standing here before. "Entrapta's working on a new workshop in the citadel."

"That's good." Seacat smiled - the princess wasn't happy unless she could work on her inventions.

"It is, but…" Adora sighed again. "She can't do everything. And we need so much from her…"

"Oh." Right. Entrapta was the Alliance's only source of engines and enhanced engine bombs. And bots and other inventions. Like the rockets she was planning to make. Seacat muttered a curse. "It's like with Perfuma. If we lose her, we lose the war."

"Yes. But even if nothing happens to her - and nothing will happen to her! - it might not be enough." Adora looked grim. "She just can't build everything we need. And she can't teach others. Not quickly enough to have them take over."

Damn. Seacat should've seen this. Unlike Perfuma, Entrapta couldn't just use magic and make things grow - she had to make everything by hand. And by hair. "And she lost most of her bots. Those helped her."

"Yes. She can repair and rebuild them, but that will take time as well," Adora told her.

"Time we don't have," Seacat said. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. Damn. This was worse than she had feared. "And if we fall back, abandon our gains, we won't be facing the old Horde, but a Horde with enhanced engine bombs." And Headhunters.

"Yes. Advancing against them will be much harder than it was before."

And much more dangerous. Headhunters would adapt to the bombs very quickly. And strike at the Princesses. "We need a new plan, then," Seacat said.

"Yes." Adora looked at her. "Do you have any ideas?"

Her lover looked so hopeful, despite the situation… Seacat closed her eyes again. "I've got an idea. But it's very, very dangerous," she said, glancing at her friend.

Adora nodded with a determined expression.

*****​

"A decapitation strike?" Mermista sounded, well… not as angry as Seacat had feared. But the princess wasn't happy. "Into the heart of the Fright Zone?"

"Yes." Seacat stood a little straighter.

"That's a suicide mission." Mermista crossed her arms over her chest. "You've managed once, but they'll be ready for another attempt - they won't be fooled again. They'll have shored up their weaknesses and changed procedures."

"And it was a rescue mission," Brain Boy added. "Not an attempt to take out Hordak."

"And Shadow Weaver," Seacat said.

"Shadow Weaver isn't a priority. She doesn't build the bombs and engines," Adora said.

Seacat clenched her teeth. Adora was correct. But still… Seacat wanted that witch dead. "She's his second in command. If we take her out as well, the Horde will collapse. We don't have to hunt for her, but if the opportunity presents itself..."

Mermista looked, if anything, even more dubious, but Sea Hawk nodded. "Indeed - a daring strike into the heart of the enemy! That's the spirit! They think we will retreat, they think they have us on the ropes, but we will turn the tables on them!"

"It's a suicide mission," Mermista repeated herself.

"It's not," Glimmer said. "If we plan it right, prepare and with a little luck…"

"That's not exactly encouraging," Mermista commented as the other princess trailed off.

"It's not as if we have a choice," Seacat said.

"The Horde can't make unlimited numbers of bombs. Not as long as we hold the crystal mines," Brain Boy pointed out.

"They don't need to make many bombs. Just the threat of them being used is crippling us," Seacat retorted. "They can pick their targets - we need to treat every attack as a lethal threat."

"Yes," Adora agreed. "We need to strike at them now. And finish this, once and for all."

Seacat nodded. One way or the other.

It was do or die, as the Captain would say. "So, we do need to… kill Hordak." Seacat didn't like her slight hesitation there, but she didn't want to mince words. Even if Entrapta winced a little. "He's not just the leader of the Horde; he's also responsible for their technology."

"So, he's like my counterpart," Entrapta said with a frown.

"If you were a homicidal monster, yes," Mermista told her. "Did you ever feel the urge to crush and enslave your neighbours? Or your own people?"

Entrapta blinked and wrinkled her nose. "I don't think so, no."

Seacat glared at Mermista - the princess should've known that Entrpata didn't deal well with rhetorical questions. At least Mermista looked like she regretted her quip. "So, you're not his counterpart any more than Scorpia is Adora's counterpart just because she's a Force Captain and one of the Horde's best fighters," Seacat told Entrapta.

"And a princess," Entrapta pointed out.

"Technically a princess," Mermista retorted. "They only claimed that to meddle with our alliance at the Princess Prom," she added with a scowl.

"Indeed. They abused the terms and customs of the event," Sea Hawk said, nodding several times. "Instead of celebrating and partying, they pursued their own plans."

"That's actually what the Princess Prom evolved from," Brain Boy told them. "It was originally a meeting of royalty to discuss politics and settle disputes. The ball was added some time afterwards. It only started to be known as the Princess Prom when most kingdoms started to use the occasion to debut their heirs."

"Fascinating!" Entrapta piped up. "The social dynamics that would lead to the ball part usurping the original function must be very interesting."

Mermista pressed her lips together. "Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. But we were talking assassinations, not ballroom dancing."

"That can be the same thing," Glimmer said.

"Really?" Entrapta leaned forward. "I wasn't aware of that."

"Well, you could hide quite a number of weapons under a ballgown…" Adora started to say.

Seacat cleared her throat. Loudly. "I don't think Hordak will be found dancing any time soon. Can we focus on assassinating him and Shadow Weaver?"

"Of course!" Sea Hawk replied. He coughed into his fist. "As was pointed out before, the Horde will surely have changed procedures and plugged the holes in their perimeter that we exploited during our last foray into the Fright Zone. But given the sheer length of their borders, I have no doubt that we can slip through the enemy lines without being detected."

"That's the enemy lines. But the core areas of the Fright Zone?" Adora shook her head. "They'll have them locked down tightly since they can't afford to lose the factories."

"And Hordak himself will be even better protected in his throne room," Mermista said.

"Uh. He's usually in his, uh, laboratory?" Adora said. "He doesn't really do the throne room thing much. Only for some ceremonies, like my promotion to, ah, Force Captain." She looked away, and Seacat reached up to pat her shoulder.

"So, you could make whoever is his assistant get him out of his workshop and into the throne room?" Entrapta asked.

Seacat was sure that Entrapta was projecting, but it was a valid suggestion - if you weren't aware of how the Horde leadership worked. "That would be Shadow Weaver," she said.

"Oh."

"But we're putting the cart before the horse," Glimmer cut in. "First, we need a way to infiltrate the core of the Fright Zone. And we'll have to be able to study the area before we can strike - we can't just drop in and fight our way through."

"We can't be seen," Seacat added. "If Hordak or Shadow Weaver realise most of the princesses fighting the Horde are in the Fright Zone, they might blow the entire area up to get them." She would at least consider it, in their place - kill the princesses, even just the ones present here, and the alliance would fall apart. Without Mermista, the admirals would try to rule Salineas, and she didn't trust them to rule their own ships, much less a kingdom. Bright Moon might keep fighting if Glimmer were killed, but they wouldn't be doing any better than they had done before Adora became She-Ra. And without Adora… well, not that anything would matter any more if Adora were dead.

"Great," Mermista said, scoffing. "We can't even be seen. And we have to be seen at the frontlines, or nearby, or they'll suspect something is up."

"And we need to keep up the Alliance's morale," Glimmer said.

"So, we'll need disguises," Seacat said. "We need to pass as Horde soldiers."

"That won't work for long - they'll notice we're not with a unit there," Adora told her.

"Did they tighten security? Used to be, you could pass almost anywhere if you claimed to have orders," Seacat replied. "So, we could slip some fake orders into the administration offices."

"There are ways to spot that, but… would they expect that?" Glimmer said.

"Not if we replace an existing force," Seacat, grinning. "We'll have to take out some soldiers on the way back and take their place."

"Passing as Horde soldiers?" Brain Boy still looked sceptical. "We don't know their regulations and customs…" He trailed off.

Adora smiled. "Don't worry! I can teach you! And train you! When we're done, you'll be able to pass as Horde soldiers anywhere!"

Seacat grimaced. Adora was her best friend. Her lover. Her partner. But she had a thing about training. And regulations. A very unreasonable thing.

Damn.

"We still need to plan our insertion," Seacat said. "And how we kill Hordak." And Shadow Weaver.

Adora raised her sword. "This should work. It can cut anything."

"I didn't mean that," Seacat explained. "And Entrapta's blades can cut anything as well. I meant, how do we keep them, him, from fleeing as soon as we get close."

"Indeed. Such a fiend will have escape plans - multiple ones. At the very least, he'll have an escape tunnel or two. And a fast vehicle ready to take him away," Sea Hawk added.

"And body doubles," Mermista said. "He must know that he's the key to the Horde's survival and success, so he'll have decoys."

"Shadow Weaver is his second in command," Seacat agreed. "Of course he'll have body doubles, if only so she won't kill him to take his place."

"Shadow Weaver wouldn't do that," Adora protested. "Or she would have done it already," she added before Seacat could chew her out. "He must have safeguards, too, to control her."

Seacat nodded. "She was willing to murder me and any witnesses just to get rid of a… 'distraction'," she spat. "She'd have killed him if she thought she could get away with it."

"That just means we'll need to study the situation very carefully before we strike," Glimmer said. Brain Boy, unsurprisingly, nodded in agreement.

"But we can't spend too much time, or the Horde will realise that the princesses aren't at the frontlines," Seacat objected. "And body doubles won't cut it for most of you. We need a cover story or something." You couldn't fake magic, after all.

"I know!" Adora piped up with a wide smile. "We're searching for a super-weapon to win the war in… uh…" She chewed her lower lip. "...the Whispering woods?"

"Too close to the frontlines," Glimmer said, shaking her head.

"And if the Horde wanted to, and didn't care about casualties, they could push into the forest," Brain Boy pointed out.

"The Crimson Waste!" Sea Hawk said. "A vast, mysterious desert full of rumours and myths! The Horde's entire army could search for us there and wouldn't be able to find us in a year or more!"

"And how do we lure the Horde into the desert?" Glimmer asked. "And keep them from launching an offensive at us while they think we're away?"

Seacat winced. That was a very good point - if the Horde thought most of the princesses were gone for weeks, they would launch an offensive. And despite the losses the Horde took, they still outnumbered the Alliance. "We need to keep them guessing," she said. "Make them think it might be a ruse to lure them into overextending themselves or attacking before they are ready or something."

"That would work. Neither Hordak nor Shadow Weaver likes to attack without intel." Adora nodded.

"But they have spies in our ranks," Brain Boy said. "They could quickly find out the truth if we're unlucky."

"Then we fool our own people as well," Seacat retorted. "Tell some that we're looking for a super-weapon, others we tell to be ready to ambush the Horde attacks…"

"That would be a good thing anyway," Glimmer said. "They need to be ready to receive attacks."

"But then that might not help us convince the Horde that we aren't actually in the Crimson Waste." Mermista shook her head.

Seacat clenched her teeth. She hated such mind games. Unless she was winning, of course.

"We have to take the risk," Adora said. She looked firm and determined. "Even if the Horde attacks our troops while we're away, even if they advance and take more territory - it's worth it if we can take out Hordak."

"And Shadow Weaver," Seacat added.

Adora didn't react. "If we don't stop Hordak, we'll be beaten by his bombs - and by the threat of his bombs. We can't outlast him like that."

"I can build bombs," Entrapta said. "A lot of bombs."

"You can - but then you couldn't do anything else. Hordak has factories and manufactories," Adora told the princess.

"But we were winning before the bombs," Entrapta protested.

"Yes. But the bombs changed everything," Seacat told her. "We can't risk more bomb attacks. That means we need more people securing ports. More scouts. Moving troops to safety. Spreading out. Better perimeters. And we need to secure the passes and more. Before, if a dozen Horde soldiers sneaked into Bright Moon territory, they couldn't do much. Now?" She clenched her teeth and shook her head.

"Yes," Adora went on. "Before, we had the advantage that a few of us could do a lot of damage, which meant the Horde had to deploy lots of troops to react to us and put up guards. Now, we're in the same situation - but we don't have enough troops to cover everything and attack them."

"We might not have enough troops to cover everything, period," Glimmer said. She sighed. "Mom will hate it - for a variety of reasons - but this is the best chance we have."

"Then let's make sure we have the best chance for success." Seacat grinned.

*****​

"Alright, you maggots! Another lap! And run as if your life depended on it! The last to arrive will serve as target dummy for your close quarter combat training! Run! And no cheating!"

Adora was channelling their old instructors perfectly, in Seacat's opinion. Then again, her lover had had four years more experience with them, so Adora was bound to remember them better.

She didn't run as fast as she could, of course. That got you singled out. And the only one she knew about who hadn't been hurt for getting singled out by the instructors was Adora because Adora had been the perfect cadet. And Shadow Weaver's pet cadet.

"Faster! I'll have your guts or breakfast if you don't run faster! I'll drag you behind a skiff!"

"This… Adora's really overdoing it!" Glimmer huffed as she tried to keep pace.

"She's not overdoing it," Seacat corrected her. "She hasn't even used a shock rod to motivate us."

"What?" Glimmer stumbled as she turned her head to stare at Seacat.

"On the lowest setting, of course," Seacat added. You couldn't run faster if your muscles locked up, after all.

"That's… that's…"

"No talking! If you can talk, you're not running fast enough!" Adora bellowed.

Damn. Seacat had forgotten about that bit. She urged herself to run a little faster. Mostly to keep Glimmer running fast enough. Brain Boy was sprinting ahead - he should've known better. No, he wouldn't have known better. The boy had never gone through basic training, hadn't he?

"No cheating, Entrapta! Use your legs, not your hair!"

"But I'm faster using my hair!"

"I don't care, you maggot! Run!"

"But that's inefficient!"

"I'll give you inefficient if you use your hair for another step!"

"That doesn't make any sense…"

Perhaps Adora was getting a little too much into her role…

*****​

"If... every… Horde… soldier… gets… through... this…" Glimmer managed to say between gulping down air. She hadn't even bothered to move from where she had collapsed after Adora had finally called the exercise.

"Every cadet does," Seacat told her.

"It's inefficient," Entrapta complained. "And illogical. People should train according to an exercise regime tailored for their state of health."

Seacat looked at the princess. She didn't seem to be as out of breath as the others. Then again, she had been arguing with Adora for quite some time while running. Mermista, though, was pretty much asleep in Sea Hawk's arms. "Well, that's not how the Horde does it. One size fits all," she told Entrapta.

"But that doesn't make any sense!"

Seacat suppressed a sigh. "But that's what they do."

"They don't want to get the most out of every soldier - they want troops that act, think and fight the same," Adora said. "It's about control."

"Oh."

Seacat glanced at Adora. Was that what she had learned as a cadet or realised after deserting? Judging by the reactions of the rest of the group, who were listening to their talk, this was news to them as well. "Yes. If you weren't a good little soldier, you got punished - even if you got results."

Adora winced at that but nodded. "Yes. The Horde's entire strategy is based upon that. They need soldiers who follow orders without thinking."

"But you can't win a war like that," Brain Boy protested. "You need to be able to adapt and change plans - exploit opportunities and counter enemy actions."

"That's the duty of the officers," Adora said.

"And they're trained differently?" Glimmer asked, sitting up and leaning against Brain Boy.

"They receive additional training after basic training," Adora told them. "But everyone goes through basic training."

"And that explains why the Horde is so bad at reacting to surprises," Seacat said with a grin. "Most of the officers never really unlearn their training."

"Enough of them do," Adora corrected her. "And the Headhunters are proof that the Horde's changing as well."

"Wait…" Glimmer narrowed her eyes at them. "You mean we could skip this torture and pass for Headhunters?"

"We want to pass as harmless rear echelon troops," Adora reminded the princess. "Headhunters draw attention. No one wonders what regular troops are doing."

"Great…" Glimmer closed her eyes. "I can already feel my brain shrinking."

"Good!" Adora beamed at her. "That means we can now start on standing at attention and saluting properly, Horde-stye."

Seacat joined the others in groaning. She didn't need flashbacks to that part of her training.

*****​
 
Chapter 43: The Whispering Woods
Chapter 43: The Whispering Woods

Lying on her stomach, hiding in the bushes at the edge of the Whispering Woods, Seacat studied the hills across the creek through her telescope. "I don't see any Horde lookouts," she said.

"Neither do I," Brain Boy, lying on the ground at her side, replied.

"Don't they have the entire Whispering Woods picketed?" Seacat asked. That was what they had been told, after all. And it made good sense - the Whispering Woods were the easiest route for Alliance forces to raid the Fright Zone. They allowed small groups to sneak up onto enemy territory undetected and offered a quick retreat.

"They usually have," Brain Boy confirmed. "But the Horde has been shifting troops around lately."

So she had heard as well. "But to abandon the entire frontline here…" That felt wrong.

"It's not exactly a frontline," Brain Boy said. "They only have a few bases covering this part."

"Which rely on scouts and lookouts to allow them to counter any intrusions." She scoffed. There should be a skiff or two patrolling the area. Or some hidden lookout. "Let's take a look at their closest base once night has fallen."

Brain Boy made an agreeing noise.

They crawled back deeper into the woods, until they were out of sight of any hidden watcher, then made their way back to their camp. It wasn't long - ten minutes later, they stepped into their camp, hidden beneath the hanging branches of a Willow.

Adora beamed at them as soon as she saw them, then coughed and schooled her features. "Report?"

Seacat shrugged. "We didn't spot the Horde lookouts."

"They might've been withdrawn," Brain Boy added. "I don't know where they could be hidden unless they dug into the hills. We wouldn't be able to spot them from here, not at that distance."

Or any distance, Seacat silently added.

"Our scouts didn't report any such activity," Glimmer said. "And you can't dig tunnels without having to dump all the excavated earth."

"We can't underestimate them," Seacat told them. "If they worked at night…"

"They couldn't have done this quickly enough to avoid being noticed - our scouts routinely cross the frontlines," Glimmer retorted.

"And we know the Horde is shifting troops around for an offensive up north - or against the crystal mines," Adora said.

"But this is their most vulnerable flank," Seacat insisted. "They can't afford to leave it open." It felt like a trap.

"And we can't afford to focus so many princesses for a decapitation raid," Adora shot back. "But we're taking the risk."

She was right, damn it. But assuming the enemy was making a mistake generally wasn't a good way to plan an attack. Wishful thinking didn't win battles, as the Captain had taught her.

"While we shouldn't underestimate the enemy, neither can we afford to waste time worrying about potential dangers," Sea Hawk spoke up as if prompted while Mermista scowled for some reason. "We have to find a suitable unit moving towards the Fright Zone heartlands to intercept and replace."

"Then we move into the Fright Zone at night, when the Horde guards won't see us from afar," Adora said. "We check out the closest base, then follow their supply lines southwards."

"You still planning to have us shuttle any prisoners back?" Lonnie asked from where she was sitting with Kyle and Rogelio. "We know the Fright Zone best of us all."

"Yes." Adora nodded.

"That's why you'll be seen by enemy spies," Seacat added. "The Horde won't expect us to infiltrate their heartlands without you along."

"Sounds a bit too complicated to me," Lonnie shot back with a frown.

Well, that was why Lonnie had never been considered as officer material. That and the fact that for all their guts, none of the three recent deserters was particularly powerful in battle. They weren't princesses, for one. Rogelio was strong - but his claws couldn't cut through armour, and he wasn't particularly quick, either. Lonnie was tough and skilled, but not exceptionally so, nor was she as smart as the Captain. And Kyle was… Kyle. Taking them into the heart of the Fright Zone was as good as sending them to their deaths. Of course, Lonnie knew that and still asked to come along, which said a lot about her.

"That's settled, then," Adora said.

Seacat snorted. It had been settled days ago when they had finished planning the mission on the way to Bright Moon.

Adora glanced at her with a slight frown, then went on: "So… while we wait, I'll go check if there's more information to be had from a local."

Seacat stiffened and pressed her lips together so she wouldn't curse. She knew what Adora meant. "I'll come with you."

Adora looked at her, then nodded after a moment's hesitation.

Seacat grinned. She wouldn't let her lover visit that damn broken bot by herself.

Then Entrapta piped up with a wide smile. "Oh! Can I come as well?"

*****​

"So… this is, like, a relic from the First Ones. A stationary bot with an interface that allows it to talk to you. Wow!" Entrapta shook her head. Which, since she was travelling by hair through the woods, made her body jerk around a little.

"Yes." Adora looked a little strained. That wasn't surprising since Entrapta had peppered her with questions for the whole trip - and this was about the third time Adora repeated herself.

"It's so exciting!" Entrapta squeed. "The First Ones were far more advanced than we are, technologically, at least! I don't know if they were as advanced where magic is concerned - the records I managed to examine were spotty - but their technology! They were supposed to have been able to fly! True flight, not hovering using the Earth magic effect, like skiffs do."

"Earth magic effect?" Adora asked. "Like… the soil? That's what Perfuma uses?"

"No, no, she uses a Runestone, the Heart-Blossom, which gives her powers over plant life. Earth Magic is magic related to the earth part of the planet, conceptually. It's like a big field, and sorcerers tap into it to work magic. And princesses without a runestone, which I think are actually only specialised sorcerers. That's my hypothesis, at least - I'm not a sorceress, you know. But I've read some books about it. I wanted to visit Mystacor, but, well, I never got around to it. Always something coming up - new find, new experiment, rebuilding the lab, and the war happened."

"And I tap into the Earth magic… field… as well?" Adora asked.

"I don't know." Entrapta shrugged. "You have a runestone fragment in your sword, right?"

"So Glimmer and Queen Angella told me," Adora said.

"Well, it's not big enough for a proper Runestone. Those are BIG." Entrapta spread her hands as far as her arms would reach.

"I've seen Bright Moon's Runestone, Plumeria's and Salineas's." Adora looked at her sword with a weird expression.

"So, there are two classes of princesses?" Seacat asked.

"Probably? I don't know." Entrapta shrugged. "Does their magic define them? I'm a princess, but I don't do magic."

"Except for your hair," Seacat reminded her.

"Right! That's true!" The princess smiled at her. "Though I don't think it's really important. She-Ra only has shards of a Runestone, and she's the most powerful princess in Etheria."

"So… how many Runestones exist?" Seacat asked.

"Five. The Moonstone, the Heart-Blossom, the Pearl, the Fractal Flake - and that's a really cool name! - and the Black Garnet." That's Bright Moon, Plumeria, Kingdom of Snows and the Fright Zone."

"The Horde has a Runestone?" Seacat asked.

"I guess so," Entrapta replied. "They also might have destroyed it when they conquered the Kingdom that was where the Fright Zone is now."

"It's not destroyed," Adora told them. "Shadow Weaver uses it."

"Oh." Entrapta perked up. "Did she bond to it?"

"I don't know."

"How does she use it?"

"I don't know." Adora was clenching her teeth.

"Have you ever tried to use it?"

"No."

"Do you know if anyone else tried to use it?"

"No." And now Adora's forehead showed a throbbing vein. She was getting annoyed.

"So, what about the First Ones? Didn't they make Adora's sword?" Seacat asked.

"Right! That's what we - well, Adora - was told, wasn't it? Although we don't know if that's true and whether or not they did more than just using the runestone parts as fuel or catalyst. Which wouldn't be magic, but technology. On the other hand, if you use it to transform, it would mean it's magic. Not just power." Entrapta rubbed her chin. "So I guess the First Ones used magic as well. Probably." She turned to Adora. "I could verify it if you let me run a few experiments with the sword!"

Adora all but cradled the sword in her arms and turned away. Seacat smirked at the sight. "No! I need it to battle the Horde and protect Etheria!"

"So, does that mean I can examine it once we have beaten the Horde?"

"N… maybe," Adora told her.

"Is that a real maybe, or just another word for no?" Entrapta asked. "People use it for both, you know, and it's kind of hard to tell. Which, I think, is the idea, but makes it hard to plan ahead."

"It's a maybe - we don't know how things will be once we've beaten the Horde," Adora told her with a smile.

"Ah, ok!" Entrapta beamed at her. "So, can I examine Light Hope?"

"Uh…"

"You said she was damaged - I could try to repair her! 'I've repaired bots before!"

"Err…"

"And if I find out how she was made, I could make bots that can talk! And I could upgrade Emily so she can talk! Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Ah…" Adora looked at Seacat with a helpless expression.

Seacat was torn about it herself. Repairing the broken bot? Who knew what it would do once it was repaired. On the other hand, if there was something wrong with it, and Entrapta found it… "I don't think taking a look will do us harm."

"Yay!"

*****​

Light Hope's place hadn't changed since her last visit. At least as far as Seacat could tell. Still some half-overgrown ruin with a tall door leading into a bunker. "I don't like this," she muttered.

"Fascinating!" Entrapta, of course, was gushing and looking every which way, her head turning back and forth so fast, Seacat almost feared it would break off.

"Light Hope? I'm bringing guests! Friends! Not intruders."

"Oh! Does she have anti-intruder protocols? How does she identify intruders? That was always a sticky point for me. It's easy to program the Horde uniforms as foes - or friends; that's what the Horde does and why they all wear the same uniforms - but that can be fooled easily by changing clothes. And it would be bad if you lose your clothes. Or have an idea that can't wait and rush to your workshop right from your shower!"

Seacat wondered if the princess was speaking from experience. But she wouldn't ask here. Not where the bot would overhear.

They entered the big chamber where they had met the bot before. The transparent image floated there. "Hello, She-Ra," it said in its weird, cold voice.

"Oh! You look great!" Entrapta squealed.

"Who are you?" the bot asked.

"Light Hope? Entrapta. Entrapta? Light Hope. You already know Seacat."

"Hi!" Entrapta waved.

Seacat nodded - and kept an eye on the room. She wouldn't be surprised by another attempt to kill her.

"What are they doing here?"

"They're my friends!" Adora told it.

"They're a distraction from your training. You need to balance Etheria, as is She-Ra's duty."

Seacat clenched her teeth. Stupid bot!

"Balance Etheria? What do you mean?" Entrapta asked, looking up from where she was examining the walls of the room and the weird devices there.

"The planet is out of balance. She-Ra needs to restore its balance to gain enough power to protect it."

"Oh? Power? Do you mean the planetary Runestone network?" Entrapta asked. "She-Ra's a part of it? Even though she only has that small Runestone in her sword? Oh… fascinating!"

"She-Ra's sword is the key to winning the war," Light Hope said. "Once the balance is restored, you can use the power of the whole planet through your sword."

Adora blinked, staring at her sword. "You mean… I could… end the war."

"Yes, She-Ra." The bot smiled, but it was cold and fake.

"And how can she do this?" Entrapta asked. "Because, you know, if it's just blasting stuff, we already could do it - in theory. We just need enough enhanced bombs and - boom!"

"She will have the power to end the war," the bot repeated itself.

"But what kind of power? Power is only useful if you can apply it. And control it. What kind of power will she have? Will her magic just be stronger?" The princess wasn't letting this go, Seacat noted. And the bot didn't seem to have an answer.

"Is your memory still damaged?" Adora asked.

"My data banks are in need of maintenance, but I am functional. No essential data is missing."

"But how could you tell that nothing essential is missing if you don't have access to your memory? You wouldn't know if you're missing something! Well, some missing memory you might be able to detect, but not everything." Entrapta shook her head. "This is not logical."

"Entrapta can repair you," Adora said. "She's good with bots and technology. Even First One technology."

"This is unlikely. My technology was secret. No one but my creators would've known about it." Did the bot look… off?

"The First Ones, right! I studied their technology!" Entrapta beamed at the bot. "I don't know everything, but I can repair some of the First One's technology! Can I take a look at your core?"

"Only She-Ra can access my core, and only if it's necessary."

"But you're damaged! It's necessary!" Adora protested.

"I am functional. As long as you can balance Etheria, I will be able to support you adequately."

"Only adequately? We can do better than that!" Entrapta nodded eagerly.

"What exactly do you want Adora to do? How does she restore balance or whatever?" Seacat asked.

"The Horde has disconnected a Runestone from the others. It isn't attuned to its wielder," the bot explained after a moment. "Once this has been fixed, the balance will be restored, and you will have the power to end the war."

Seacat felt her fur bristle. She didn't know what the bot was hiding, but she was certain that they couldn't trust it.

"We need to attune to the Runestone? The missing Runestone? The Black Garnet? Wait. No, they're keyed to their princesses. We need to find the princess and have her attune to the Runestone?" Entrapta asked.

"We know the princess. It's Scorpia," Adora said.

Seacat hissed. That was the Force Captain who almost killed her in the Fright Zone! "We can't let her attune to the Runestone!" she snapped. "She'll use it against us!"

"Etheria must be balanced," the stupid bot retorted, like a broken… well, bot. If bots could talk.

"That isn't an answer to our question," Entrapta said. "Do we need to let Scorpia attune to the Runestone?"

"That will be a little difficult," Adora added. "She's the enemy, after all."

"She's a Force Captain. If she gains magic powers from the Runestone, that would only help the Horde against us," Seacat pointed out. Then she frowned. "And why hasn't she attuned to the Runestone already?"

"Hordak mustn't trust her," Adora said. "He let Shadow Weaver have the Runestone, after all."

"Or Shadow Weaver doesn't want to share or lose the Runestone," Seacat poined out.

"That's selfish!" Entrapta chimed in. "Imagine all the data you could get from observing how a princess attunes to a Runestone!"

"That's not exactly the point," Seacat told her.

"It is the point! We need data to make informed decisions!" Entrapta retorted.

"But letting the Horde Princess attune to the Runestone to decide whether or not we should let her attune to it is kind of pointless." Seacat cocked her head.

Entrapta blinked. "Oh…. right. That would defeat the purpose of gathering that data. Hm." She looked at the flickering image of the bot again. "We need access to your data banks."

"My data banks cannot be shared with outsiders. Only She-Ra has access to them."

"I'm She-Ra, and I need access to them." Adora nodded firmly.

"They're currently inaccessible due to lack of maintenance."

"I can repair that! Them!" Entrapta blurted out.

"You aren't permitted access to my data storage."

"I'll grant her access!" Adora said. "I'll, uh… formally allow her to repair you."

"Negative. You do not have the clearance to do so."

"But I'm She-Ra!"

The damn bot was more broken than Seacat had suspected. But she wasn't sure any more if having Entrapta repair it would be a good idea. The thing had tried to kill her, after all. And this sounded… well, if the bot were a sailor, Seacat wouldn't let it on her ship. On the other hand… "Perhaps just let Entrapta take a look at the data banks without doing anything?"

"Oh! I can do that!" The princess beamed at Seacat before looking at Adora. "Can I?"

"Uh…"

"You aren't permitted access to my memories. That would be a breach of security and secrecy and endanger my mission."

"What is your mission?" Entrapta asked.

"To support She-Ra in balancing Etheria and gaining the power to end the war."

"Wait…" Adora raised a hand. Seacat looked at her and noticed that her lover was pensive. Thinking something through. "Who gave you that mission?"

"The First Ones - my creators."

"But that was long before the war against the Horde. Which war should I end?"

That was a very good question, Seacat thought.

"There is only one war."

Entrapta frowned. "That doesn't make sense."

"Well," Seacat said. "I think it's clear that we can't just follow those orders without more, ah, data." She looked at Adora.

Her friend hesitated a moment, then nodded. "We have a plan to end the war. If it works, we won't need to have Scorpia attune to the Runestone."

"That is the only way to gain the power to end the war," the bot protested.

But Adora shook her head. "You're damaged. We'll have to repair you."

"Yes!" Entrapta cheered.

Adora frowned at her. "After we've ended the war."

"Oh."

Seacat nodded. But she couldn't help feeling that it would be best to destroy the bot instead.

*****​

"I don't trust the bot," Seacat said as soon as they had left the bunker. "It's hiding something."

"Yes, her data," Entrapta agreed. "She told us that."

Well, that was correct. But not what Seacat wanted to say. "I mean, it's hiding something important. It wants Adora to 'balance Etheria', but it's really vague about the goal of that."

"She wants me to gain more power," Adora said. "Light Hope was clear about that."

"But it didn't want to explain anything," Seacat retorted. "That's suspicious."

"Her data banks are damaged," Entrapta said. "She might not know anything more than that."

"I think it knows more than it is willing to tell us. Come on - those were cheap excuses. First, the data banks are damaged, and once Entrapta offers to repair them, the data banks are restricted? Yeah, right!" Seacat shook her head. "That's not how honest people talk."

"If she can lie, then that would mean she's even more advanced than I thought!" Entrapta beamed. "Her architecture must be so advanced!"

"I don't think Light Hope is lying," Adora said. Seacat scowled at her, and she shrugged. "She might be under orders not to reveal anything to anyone except She-Ra."

"Or not even to She-Ra," Seacat said.

"Well…"

"Mara dearie!"

Seacat whirled and gasped. How had the old woman managed to sneak up on them? Seacat hadn't heard even a footstep!

"Who's Mara?" Entrapta asked.

"That was my predecessor as She-Ra," Adora replied. "Madame Razz is…"

"What are you doing here?" the old woman asked.

"Looking for mushrooms," Seacat told the obviously senile old woman - before Adora could reveal secret information that couldn't be blapped to anyone. She glared at her lover behind the old woman's back and made shushing gestures until Adora nodded.

"Oh! Making mushroom pies? I love mushroom pies! Although I love berry pies more. My Mara loves them as well, she does!"

"Well, we haven't found any mushrooms, so we probably should…"

"Oh, I know all about the best mushroom spots! Come with me!" The old woman grabbed Adora's hand and started pulling.

Seacat saw her lover grimace at her before she was pulled away - hah! As if Adora couldn't easily resist anyone, least of all an old senile woman - around the next bush. Seacat sighed, shook her head and followed the two. "Can't leave her alone for a moment…" she muttered.

"Well, you didn't so far, did you?" Entrapta asked as she fell into step next to Seacat.

"And I'm not planning to, either," Seacat told her.

"How will you do that when you're going back to sea after the war?"

Seacat clenched her teeth, then ford herself to smile. "We're working on that."

"Ah!" Entrapta nodded several times, but Seacat didn't ask what the princess had thought of.

"So, where are you planning to bake the pie?" the old woman asked when Seacat and Entrapta caught up with her and Adora.

"Uh… at the camp?" Adora said.

"You have an oven there? That's a great camp!"

"Ah… no?" Adora shook her head, her smile now looking frozen.

"No? Then you need to use my oven! Come, come!"

And they changed direction.

"Where are we going? I thought we were gathering mushrooms!" Entrapta asked.

"To my house. The oven's there."

And a few steps later, they were in front of a house. Or, rather, a hut. Seacat looked around, wondering how they had missed the clearing on the way to Light Hope.

"Here's the oven!"

And it was a big oven - much bigger than Seacat would have expected.

"I'm making pie for you, Mara. You need it, I think."

"Ah…" Adora trailed off - apparently at a loss for words.

"Have you been visiting the ghost?" the old woman asked as she puttered with a plate of what looked like cookies.

"'The ghost'?" Seacat asked.

Adora frowned at her, then smiled at the woman. "Light Hope isn't a ghost."

"She looks like a ghost, and she's mean. She hurt you so much, Mara dearie!"

"She hurt Mara?" Adora looked surprised, so this was news to her.

Seacat leaned forward, ears twitching, and even Entrapta had stopped examining the oven. "How did she hurt Mara?" If the bot tried doing the same to Adora…

"She had a plan for her… a plan my dear Mara didn't know. Couldn't know. Until she did. Oh - hand me the berries, will you?"

A plan? Seacat glanced at the others. Adora had the expression she always had when she didn't want to accept something. And Entrapta… was frowning.

"What kind of plan?" Seacat asked.

"What plan? You don't need a plan to bake; you need a recipe, my dear."

"No, I mean: what plan does the ghost have?" Seacat pressed her lips together. Patience - as much as she wanted to shake the truth out of the woman, that wouldn't be a good idea. Probably.

"The ghost?"

"Mara's ghost," Seacat replied.

"Oh. She was mean. Mara didn't know."

"How was she mean?" Adora blurted out.

"You didn't know, Mara dearie. It wasn't your fault. And you saved everyone. Oh, flour! We need flour!"

"This doesn't sound good," Seacat muttered.

"Her data is very confusing and unorganised. I'm not sure if it can be trusted," Entrapta added.

"But…" Adora trailed off, then took a deep breath. "Can Light Hope be trusted?"

The old woman stopped pouring flour into a bowl and turned to look at Adora. "Can you trust her again, Mara dearie?" She walked to Adora and reached up to caress her cheek, leaving a smear of flour on Adora's skin. "You were so brave, saving everyone even after you found out."

"Found out what?" Adora all but spat as she brushed flour from her cheek, missing a trace next to her ear.

"The plan."

"What plan?"

Seacat blinked - she had asked at the same time as everyone else.

"It's a recipe, Mara dearie!"

"But…"

They didn't get anything else out of the confused old woman. The pie was delicious, at least.

*****​

"So… the old woman thinks you're your predecessor," Seacat said a little later, glancing over her shoulder to check that the hut they had left wasn't visible any more - she didn't trust the woods here. Or the woman.

"Yes." Adora sounded rather curt.

"She's nice," Entrapta said. "Much nicer than the bot."

"But as confused," Seacat said, stretching her arms over her head. "Although she seems honest in her confusion." Unlike the bot. Seacat was sure that the bot was lying.

"And she thinks Light Hope is planning to hurt you," Entrapta added.

"Yes." Adora apparently wasn't feeling very chatty right now.

Well, Seacat wouldn't shut up. This was important. "So, what do you plan to do?"

"I'm planning to kill Hordak. And take out Shadow Weaver," Adora replied.

"And what about the Runestone?" Entrapta asked. The princess was walking backwards with her hair in front of Adora, peering at her. "Light Hope is very insistent that this will end the war, and Madame Razz seems sure that this will hurt you."

Oh, for Ocean's sake! "You're not going to sacrifice yourself for this, you hear me?" Seacat told her. She caught Adora twitching - her lover was planning to do exactly that! "No, you aren't!" she hissed.

"I said I'm going to kill Hordak and end the war," Adora raised her chin.

"And what if ending the war takes some time? The Horde will splinter, and mopping up all of them won't be quick or easy." At least some soldiers would turn to banditry or piracy.

Adora hesitated a moment.

Seacat didn't. "It won't be a war, though. More like hunting down bandits," she told her. "That's not worth hurting yourself over."

"I'm not planning to hurt myself!" Adora insisted.

"That doesn't mean you won't do it if you think you have to," Seacat replied. "You don't plan everything." And some of Adora's bad ideas weren't planned at all - just spur of the moment decisions.

Adora frowned at her. "I'm not going to sacrifice others."

"Well, it would be fascinating to see the Runestone network restored," Entrapta said. "Though I would prefer to calculate the effects beforehand. It doesn't always avoid explosions, but it helps."

Adora blinked, as did Seacat. "Explosions?" they asked at the same time.

"Well… the Runestone network has been 'out of balance' for at least twenty years; since the Horde took over the Runestone, actually, I'd say - I lack exact data," Entrapta, still walking backwards on her hair, explained. "But the magic didn't simply vanish - energy doesn't do that. And you can't shut down Runestones like machines. So… that energy is either being siphoned off or accumulating. And if it's the latter, then reconnecting it to the network could overload the network."

"And that would mean…" Adora trailed off.

Entrapta nodded. "Boom!" she said, spreading her hands.

"But what if Shadow Weaver is using that power?" Adora said.

"Well… even so… suddenly connecting another power source to a network can have disastrous consequences. Overloading capacitors, melting powerlines, starting fires…" Entrapta shrugged. "It could blow up as well. I'm not a sorceress, and magic might not act like power, but… you can use magic in place of power pretty well, so I think there are some parallels."

"Light Hope mentioned that Adora would have the power of Etheria. The planet," Seacat pointed out.

"Yes. If that's meant literally - or if she meant the power of all five Runestones - then that would be a big explosion." The princess nodded with a smile. Then she blinked. "And that would kinda be bad, I guess. For the planet."

"A big underwater explosion could cause a huge wave," Seacat said.

"And underground, it could cause earthquakes," Entrapta added. "Although I can't calculate how bad those would be without more data."

Adora looked stricken. "But… You said you don't know. It could just work out, couldn't it?"

"And hurt you anyway?" Seacat glared at her.

"Well, there's always the chance that the First Ones implemented ways to compensate for that," Entrapta said.

"Light Hope is damaged. I don't think we can trust in the First One's craftsmanship," Seacat commented. "I'd rather not risk such wide-spread destruction just for a chance to stop the war a little sooner."

"That's a good thought," Entrapta agreed. "Even though the data would be fascinating!"

Adora gritted her teeth. "Alright. We're not going to let Scorpia attune to the Runestone unless we're sure it won't cause a catastrophe."

"Or hurt you," Seacat added with a glare.

Adora sighed. "Or hurt me badly - if we still need it."

They glared at each other. Seacat huffed. "But we all decide whether or not it's needed. Not you alone."

Adora opened her mouth, but Seacat leaned in. "Or I'll follow you and hurt myself as well."

Adora closed her mouth. Then she sighed again. "Fine."

Seacat hugged her. No need to rub her victory in - she would smile widely at Adora's back.

*****​

"We should've had Swiftwind drop us down behind the enemy lines one by one," Mermista complained when they were approaching the small river separating the Whispering Woods from the Horde-controlled - loosely, but still - plains bordering it to the south.

"Swiftwind isn't just a convenient transport," Adora objected.

"And he's vital as a courier," Glimmer added. "He's been keeping the Alliance leadership connected all over the continent." At Adora's frown, she pouted. "He volunteered. And we haven't been sending him over the sea or Horde territory."

"The Horde's been expecting such airdrops," Lonnie cut in. "We've been ordered to keep a lookout for the horse - and for suspicious lights at night."

Lights which would be needed to let the horse know where the rest of the group to be transported was. And where they would be dropped off. Seacat nodded.

"He's not a transport device," Adora said with a scowl. "And horses are far too fragile to be used in war! Did you know that they die if they break a leg? Or when they drink too much cold water?"

This probably wasn't a good time to remind Adora that she could heal such wounds - and worse wounds, actually. Besides, the real challenge wasn't getting through the Horde lines but to ambush a troop going to the Fright Zone's heartlands and replace them. And the horse wouldn't be able to help them with that. Although… "He could drop bombs on the enemy."

"He can't carry much," Adora replied, turning her frown on Seacat. "And if he carries one rider, he can't carry much of a bomb."

"I could rig a harness he could operate with his mouth, carrying two bombs… we could get some decent blasts out of, say… two half-human-sized bombs?" Entrapta suggested.

"His value is greater as a courier - and a diversion. With a blonde soldier from Mom's guard, we can have the Horde chase 'She-Ra on her flying horse' wherever we want," Glimmer pointed out.

"He helps us out of his free will, and we shouldn't abuse that," Adora protested. "He's my friend, not some… bot!"

"My bots are my friends as well!" Entrapta told her, pouting as well.

It was Seacat's turn to frown at her friend, and Adora grimaced. "That's not what I meant - I meant the Horde's bot; those which they use without care."

"But all bots have the potential to be like Emily - if you use sufficiently sophisticated technology!"

"Which they don't have right now," Glimmer cut in. "For which we are all very grateful."

"Yes, yes - can we hug and then get on with this?" Mermista said, rolling her eyes. "The night won't last forever."

"Unless the Horde wins this war. Then, the night will truly last forever - or until the flame of freedom and heroism once more extinguishes the darkness!" the Captain declared.

Seacat snorted, then noticed that Lonnie, Rogelio and Kyle looked almost shocked. Grinning, she wandered over to them and whispered: "Yes, that's normal for the Alliance."

"How the hell did you manage to beat the Horde?" Kyle asked, but it was clear the others were thinking it as well.

"We're just that good," Seacat told them before snorting. "No. Talking like that lets us find flaws in plans before we're committed. Sometimes, at least."

"We're pretty committed right now - we're very close to the border," Lonnie pointed out.

Seacat shrugged. "If we find a flaw so late, we can always improvise." She flashed her fangs at the trio. "Another thing the Horde isn't really good at."

"Hey! We've been trying to, ah, improvise," Kyle said. "We don't have to react according to standard procedure if another procedure would be better."

So the Horde was adapting. It wasn't true freedom, but being able to pick a tactic from a selection of approved ones was quite important. And if soldiers were drilled in all of them, sometimes more effective in the heat of combat than an original plan. Especially with the average Horde soldiers having to carry out the plan.

Well, they were on this risky mission because it was their best shot, so the long-term consequences of this change shouldn't be too bad. Or so Seacat hoped.

"Quiet now," Brain Boy spoke up. "We're too close."

And that shut up the discussion.

They approached the edge of the forest very carefully - the Horde didn't like entering the Whispering Woods, but any commander worth their salt would want to have scouts in it anyway. But Seacat couldn't spot any scout around them - and her eyes were good in the dark. And Brain Boy didn't find any trace of Horde scouts either. Which, of course, didn't mean there wasn't anyone watching, but they couldn't exactly search the entire front.

"Alright," Brain Boy whispered. "Over the stream, through the ravine, and then all ahead until the ravine ends. We gather there to pick the next leg of our trip."

"Just follow us," Seacat added with a grin.

"You can't ever expect not to lose a soldier on a night march," Adora said.

Seacat snorted. Not even Kyle could get lost following a ravine. She blinked. "Lonnie, put Kyle in the middle!"

"Of course," the woman replied, and Seacat could hear the annoyance in her voice. Well, better safe than sorry - after all, the trio had been Horde soldiers until a short time ago, so you couldn't always trust them to do the right thing without orders.

Adora sighed, then shook her head. "Let's go."

Seacat nodded, then dropped on her stomach and started crawling towards the shallow stream ahead of them. It didn't take her very long - though Brain Boy managed to beat her there somehow. Damn landlubber was in his element!

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the others were close. Good. She slid into the water and quickly crossed it, then slipped into the ravine. This time, she beat Brain Boy but had to wait for the others. Well, not for Memista, who slid through the water like a fish. And arrived perfectly dry.

Seacat acted as if she didn't see the smug smirk on her friend's face. They would be mainly working on land, so Mermista's magic would be hampered. Though she would be quite useful once they were in the Fright Zone's centre, where the plants needed a very robust sewer system for their cooling water - or so Entrapta claimed.

Kyle arrived, shivering already - and covered in mud somehow. Adora arrived last. She was wet but otherwise fine. "Alright," she whispered. "Get a move on. We need to find cover before day breaks."

And then they had to find a suitable force to ambush and replace.

And all that was the easy part of their mission.

*****​
 
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Chapter 44: The Fright Zone
Chapter 44: The Fright Zone

"There they are!" Adora's excited whisper carried through the small cave in which the group was hiding.

Seacat got up from the blanket on which she had been napping and joined her lover at the cave exit. If this was a trap… Brain Boy had told them that there were no tracks or any other signs that anyone else had been using the cave, but it was too conveniently placed for her taste. Sure, it wasn't too close to the Whispering Woods, and it was facing the wrong way to watch the front, and there was no reason that the Horde would be using a cave with a base relatively close by, but…

She peered through her telescope. Yes, there was a Horde convoy coming their way. One skiff, as escort, and two heavy wagons pulled by lizards. Three soldiers in the skiff, two each on the wagons. Seven. Same number as their group. "Almost too perfect," she whispered.

"We were bound to have a bit of good luck," Adora replied, whispering as well, "after all the bad luck we got. And I can't see any ambushing force."

"Let's check for a catapult in range, anyway. And for bombs in the wagons," Seacat said. She turned her head. "Entrapta?"

"Yes?"

"Can you scan for bombs?"

"Sure!" The princess almost bounded out of the cave before she managed to stop and crouch down next to them, brandishing her device. "Let's see…" She pushed a few buttons and twisted a knob. "Nope! No enhanced engine bombs in the area - which is bigger than the range of the catapults. Unless the Horde has learned how to shield the bombs from my instruments or how to build rockets, we should be safe!"

Seacat hoped that the Horde wouldn't figure out either before it was too late for them. Even so, they would be as safe as they could be attacking a Horde convoy. Granted, even if all seven soldiers coming their way were Headhunters, Seacat wouldn't give them many chances to hurt her friends. Hell, even if they were traitor princesses, Seacat would bet on Adora.

But those were regular Horde scum. The ones on the skiff were in decent shape, but the ones with the wagons… Glimmer would be able to fit twice into the uniform of the apparent leader.

"Let's get into position," Adora whispered. "Everyone! Move!"

Brain Boy had already packed up what gear they had laid out, and Lonnie and the others were rolling up their remaining blankets. They waited until the convoy vanished behind a rock before dashing out of the cave, into the light woods below. To the ambush location they had determined.

Adora dashed across the road - if you could call a dirt strip that - and into the dense bushes there. Seacat followed her. As did Glimmer and Brain Boy. And not too soon - Seacat could already hear the engine noise of the skiff. And the chatter from the Horde scum.

They had to get the skiff. Without wasting Glimmer's magic on teleporting on it - they would need every little bit of that in the Fright Zone. Which meant… she grinned as she looked up. Yes, that would do nicely.

The skiff turned the corner, entering the passage leading through the forest, the wagons close behind it. Perhaps too close. Not that it mattered - the wagons wouldn't escape either way.

"Ready?" Adora whispered.

"Yes," Glimmer replied.

"I'm going high," Seacat said.

"High? What…? Oh."

Then the skiff was almost upon them, and Seacat jumped up and at the tree trunk. Her claws dug into the bark, and she launched herself further up, onto the thick branch overhead. The Horde scum had noticed and looked up, one of them shouting in alarm, but she was too fast for them. She jumped onto the steering sail, then vaulted over it and dropped down next to the skiff's pilot. He tried to draw a shock rod, but she grabbed his helmet and buried her knee in his stomach.

She heard him vomit into his helmet - that wouldn't be the one she would be wearing afterwards - and hit his unarmoured neck with a chop.

A glance over her shoulder showed that the others were already on the skiff's deck. Adora simply grabbed the two remaining Horde soldiers and smashed their heads together.

"Huzzah! Onward!"

And Sea Hawk was at the wagons, followed by Mermista and Lonnie's crew. The fat leader tried to run, but a net-arrow from Brain Boy stopped him. The rest quickly surrendered.

Perfect.

"Now strip!" Adora ordered.

"What?" one of the scum who was still conscious asked.

"I said strip! Get naked!"

"No!"

"What? Not that! We need your clothes!"

Seacat couldn't help it - she snickered. Adora pouted at her, of course, but it really was funny.

And it might be the last time she got to laugh on this mission.

*****​

"This uniform stinks!" Glimmer complained as soon as they made camp for the evening.

Well, doh - that was on the scum who had worn it. Couldn't do anything about it except for washing it, and they had done that. It wasn't Seacat's fault that Glimmer hadn't washed her new uniform enough.

"This uniform chafes." Mermista, who had washed her uniform enough, commented.

"Yeah, they all do," Adora said. "Except for the officer's uniform. We used to use some powder to prevent that, but..." She grimaced. "I kind of forgot about that? It's been a long time since I wore the standard uniform."

Seacat added: "I never wore it - I was a cadet before I, well…" She shrugged.

Mermista huffed.

"This uniform doesn't fit my manly physique!" Sea Hawk pouted. "How can I look dashing and heroic wearing this?"

Seacat rolled her eyes. That comment didn't deserve a response.

"We can adjust them! I can craft some tools to cut and sew!" Entrapta gave one anyway.

"Great!" Brain Boy smiled as well. "Can you adjust mine as well?"

Seacat frowned and narrowed her eyes. The boy's uniform fit almost perfectly. So why would he...? Oh. "You're not going to walk around with your midriff bare," she snapped. "That would attract attention we can't afford!" Both kinds.

"But it feels so wrong!"

She scoffed. "Tough shit. Deal with it."

"This is great! I've got so many ideas about modifying the fabric and the armour!" Entrapta had hers almost dismantled.

Oh, for…! "You can't modify it like that," Seacat told her. "Any uniform that's not standard will stick out."

"Well, in the Fright Zone, at least," Adora added. "At the front, it's a little different."

"We should attack Hordak at the front, then!"

"He almost never visits the front, and we wouldn't be able to predict where he would visit," Seacat pointed out.

"Oh, right." Entrapta nodded. "I guess I'll have to stick to modifying the weapons."

"As long as they look like ordinary Horde weapons."

"That will make it more difficult to improve them." Entrapta pouted as she wrinkled her nose.

"And easier to hide." Seacat looked at Adora and grimaced.

Her lover smiled back at her. Typical.

"Alright." Seacat leaned against the skiff and briefly wished that she'd gone back with Lonnie's squad and the prisoners. "We know from the prisoners that the Horde has been withdrawing troops from this front. And we have 'our' orders. We'll deliver the goods, then vanish - we'll have to meddle with the records, but that shouldn't be a problem."

"We can fake the perfect orders for us!" Adora nodded.

"As long as they aren't perfect," Seacat told her with a grin. "Paperwork usually has mistakes in it. Except for Adora's, of course."

She was rewarded with a cute pout from her lover. Good.

"So, act like the usual rear-echelon scum: Be happy that you're back in the safe Fright Zone and boast about your duty at the front," Seacat went on.

"I've never heard them boast," Adora said.

"You never mingled with them off-duty," Seacat told her. And that was why Adora had rarely if ever eaten anything but rations except for when Catra split her haul with her.

Adora huffed and mumbled something about slackers.

"Anyway - keep your head down and be ready to cite orders - our fake orders - whenever someone asks what you are doing. We'll have the orders ready in the files. That will be our priority." Seacat nodded.

"And the Horde's paperwork will be their undoing!" Sea Hawk raised his fist. "What fitting fate for our foes!"

Seacat hoped the Captain wasn't already composing a shanty. "Also, don't mess with the Headhunters. Even if they push or order you around. Rear-echelon supply troops don't stand up to them. And if they suddenly disappear, the Horde will investigate, so don't think of killing them in secret."

"We can handle some bullying," Glimmer said. "Unless they go too far."

"Yes." Adora nodded. "Though that shouldn't be a problem - in the Fright Zone, regulations are enforced much more than at the front."

Which would restrain the scum. Hordak was an evil leader, but he enforced discipline. And Shadow Weaver would consider rule-breaking as a challenge of her authority. Either way, the Headhunters should mostly behave.

And if they didn't… Well, a disappearance would cause problems, but an accident? People got hurt or killed in accidents every day in the Fright Zone. The plants weren't too safe, and the scum working there or driving the big wagons often didn't pay as much attention to bystanders as they should.

Something the group was counting on, of course.

*****​

"Welcome to the Fright Zone," Seacat muttered as they approached the last checkpoint - or the first, depending on how you counted. "Home sweet home." She wrinkled her nose - the stench was growing worse and worse. All those plants burning… stuff. And bodies."

Mermista, sitting next to her, snorted. "I can't imagine living here. So far from the sea."

"It's not as if anyone is living here out of their free will," Seacat said. "Well, except for Hordak, I guess." At least he could've moved to a better place.

"He won't be living here much longer," Mermista replied. "Or living, period."

Seacat made a noncommittal sound. She wasn't quite as optimistic as the others - this was the Fright Zone. The heartlands of the Horde. So to speak. Hordak ran a tight ship here - and Shadow Weaver had her eyes everywhere; she had caught Catra so often…

"Halt!" A lizardman manning the checkpoint raised his hand. The two men at the cannon next to him straightened, but they didn't aim the gun.

"Supply convoy from the Northwest," Seacat told him as she brought the skiff to a stop near the lizardman. "Adriana there is in command." She pointed at Adora, who was sitting on the first wagon.

"Right. Wait here." The officer walked towards Adora. No parade ground step, and he was slouching slightly.

"It seems standards slipped since I left," she whispered.

"Really?" Mermista looked around. "Could just be this checkpoint."

"It's the gate to the heartlands," Seacat corrected her friend. "Most visitors will pass through here, so this is the first impression they get." And 'slacker' wasn't the impression she thought Hordak would want them to have.

"If this is the checkpoint, where's the rest of the traffic? Bright Moon has more traffic than this," Mermista commented in a low voice.

That was a good question. "We'll have to find out," Seacat replied.

The lizardman walked back, giving the lone mothman at the barrier a lazy wave. "Let them through." He didn't even look at them before he sat down behind a desk in a small shelter.

They slowly drove past the checkpoint, and past three soldiers lying in the grass. There was another shelter which would be the quarters of the troops stationed here, but it didn't look like it was bursting at the seams. Not much laundry drying in the air, either. Of course, any laundry drying here would stink like the Fright Zone. On the other hand, the Horde scum here must be used to it.

"I think they're understaffed," she said once they were past the checkpoint. "But I'll have to ask Adora if she had the same impression." Things could've changed since she was a cadet, after all.

Mermista didn't answer for a moment - she was studying the first plant that came into view. "No wall. I imagined there would be a giant wall here."

"It wouldn't stop a princess - or not many princesses - and would cost a lot to build and maintain," Seacat said. "And unlike skiffs and bots, you can't move a wall to attack someone or guard another spot."

"And until recently, the Horde was always attacking instead of defending." Mermista nodded. "Then we turned the tables, and the Horde had to scramble to adjust.

"Yes." Seacat grinned. And wasn't that a pity for Hordak?

She slowed the skiff down and guided it to the side, letting Adora catch up. "Where to, commander?" she called out.

"Uh…" Her lover looked around. "It's been a while since I was here. I think we should go… that way!" She pointed ahead.

Seacat hoped that Adora was merely acting. Fortunately, the road did lead to the supply depot, where they could unload their cargo. Unfortunately, they had to unload the cargo all by themselves - it didn't seem that the warehouse nearby had much staff.

After putting down a particularly heavy crate, she wiped her forehead with her sleeve and muttered a curse; even pirate ports were better organised than this. The Horde must be really hurting for soldiers right now.

On the other hand, it meant that it should be easier to sneak into the administration centre and manipulate orders. But first, they had to finish unloading. And hope that Glimmer or Mermista didn't complain too loudly - and that Entrapta didn't dismantle the door controls she had been eyeing for a minute now. Or forgot that she couldn't use her hair here.

Seacat sighed and went over to her friend. She had better keep an eye on the princess so their mission wouldn't be over before it had really started.

*****​

"That's the administrative centre," Adora announced in a whisper, pointing at the big, ugly building ahead of them.

It looked as if it had been a plant before - Seacat could see lots of pipes and vents covering its walls and probably roof. "I remember it differently," she said.

"That was the training administration. This is supply," Adora explained.

"Oh."

"It looks nice!" Entrapta said. "Do they use the pipes to send messages to other buildings? You could use pressurized air to propel small containers with paper and crystals!"

"Uh… I don't know?" Adora shrugged. "I wasn't often in there, and I never worked for the centre. I mostly dropped off paperwork."

"That's not very helpful. We need to know where the files are," Mermista commented.

"I know that! The files archive, I mean," Adora retorted. "I, uh…." She blushed a little. "I looked up Ca-Seacat's file."

"I was a cadet," Seacat pointed out.

"But you were in the field when you, ah, went missing, so your records were filed with those of the other soldiers," her lover replied. "Anyway, I know where the files are stored. Both, uh, active and passive."

"Oh! They keep an archive?" Entrapta beamed at them. "That is a treasure trove of data! Imagine what we could learn about the Horde if we have access to their entire data!"

"We're here to destroy them, not study them," Mermista said.

"But the more we study them, the better we can plan! Think of the data - we could probably find guard schedules, too!" Entrapta's helmet was twitching - her hair was probably moving again. Seacat didn't want to know how the princess had managed to stuff her hair inside her helmet, even though she was wearing an oversized piece meant for a lizardman.

"But the longer we stay inside the centre, the higher the chances that we'll get detected," Adora cut in. "We need to get in, file out orders, and get out. That is, only a few of us need to get in." She eyed the pipes. "And we can get in through the vents."

"So, you and me?" Seacat asked. They were the ones raised in the Horde, after all. And Seacat was the best climber and the most limber - she could fit through any vent.

"Yes." Adora smiled. "We'll best go in through the roof."

Seacat nodded and looked at the building again. Yes, that would be easy to climb. She sighed - climbing Horde buildings. Just like before…

"Don't you want to wait until it's night?" Glimmer asked.

"They're actually more active at night," Adora explained. "Most officers file their reports in the evening, and Hordak expects the results in the morning."

"Oh. So, they have to work all night?"

"Yeah," Seacat agreed. "That's the Horde for you." They didn't care about the soldiers as long as the orders were obeyed and the objectives achieved. "Let's go."

"Yes."

Seacat led the way - to the adjacent building. That was a warehouse, which made it far easier to climb without people watching. She quickly scaled the side, then looked down. Adora was slightly struggling - she didn't have claws, nor Seacat's balance - but smiling when their eyes met.

"Come on, slow-poke," Seacat whispered, offering Adora a hand when she reached the top. "We don't have all day."

Adora snorted. "Right behind you."

Right. A large pipe connected the two buildings - some shared cooling system, maybe? The metal felt cold under Seacat's feet - and it was wide enough to shield them from view from anyone on the ground.

Seacat dashed across it, then hid behind a water tank on the roof of the administrative centre. Adora followed a little more slowly. Not quite as agile as Seacat was, nor as at home in such heights, Seacat noted. Which was as it should be, of course

They moved to the biggest air vent, and Seacat's ears twitched as she listened.

"You think there's something inside the vents?" Adora asked.

"You never know when they send someone into the ducts to fix a leak," Seacat replied. "But I don't hear anyone. Or anything." Other than the usual sounds of the Fright Zone, of course. "Let's go in!"

She grabbed the edge of the vent, pulled herself up in a smooth motion, and started to slowly slide down the vent.

"Don't wreck it with your claws!" Adora cautioned her - as if Seacat still were seven years old! Catra hadn't made such a mistake since that day, anyway.

Scoffing softly, she dropped onto the bottom part of the duct, then cocked her head. Still nothing moving through the ducts - other than air. "Where are the files?" she asked as soon as Adora joined her.

"Uh…" Adora looked back and forth between the two vents.

"North is this way," Seacat told her.

"Thanks! This way, then!"

Seacat took the lead again. They crawled through a narrower pipe - still large enough so neither of them would get stuck - and finally reached a large room filled with shelves. Seacat peered through the narrow grating closing off the vent and saw several Horde soldiers moving around.

Damn.

Then she felt Adora trying to crawl past her - then over her. Seacat hissed in displeasure.

"Sorry," Adora whispered but kept crawling forward, ending up lying on top of Seacat, her chest pressing into Seacat's back, and rested her chin on Seacat's shoulder. "Yes, that's our objective!" she whispered into Seacat's ear.

"I've guessed so as well," Seacat replied in a whisper, then suppressed a snicker at Adora's silent huff. "Now, let's see how we can sneak into the room."

"We'll just act as if we belong here," Adora said. "As long as we can get down on the floor without being seen, we're OK."

"What?" Seacat hissed.

"They only check at the door, not inside the building."

That was… well, good for the Alliance, but… Such a lax regime went against everything a good sailor did. No wonder the Horde fleet was, except for a few good crews, so bad.

"Don't growl."

"I'm not growling!"

"Yes, you are." Adora rubbed the top of Seacat's head.

She huffed. "So, let's get down here and fix our orders and records. Be quiet so I can listen!"

She felt Adora tense up - even holding her breath. As usual, she was overdoing it. But Seacat couldn't hear anyone else. "It's clear, let's go," she whispered.

"Need to deal with the grating here," Adora replied. Seacat could hear her fumbling around.

"Let me do it," she hissed - she knew how to handle the vents. Her claws were perfect for it. A few scratches and they could push the grating out, then slip out as well. And poised on Adora's shoulder, she could easily push the grating back into its proper place. "Done!"

"Good." Adora took a deep breath and straightened. Seacat could almost feel the change as Adora gripped her papers more tightly and started walking towards the middle section of the room they had entered. "Come on, we don't have all day!"

"Yes, ma'am." Seacat rolled her eyes. Just as the hapless soldier under the command of a tight-ass officer would have - behind their back, of course. Adora was a little too good at playing the Horde officer.

But it worked - the paper-pusher they encountered on the way gave them a wide berth without looking at them. Just another pair of soldiers handling paperwork.

Adora led them to a huge shelf crammed full of sheets and folders. "Now, where are those records?" she mumbled, loud enough for the soldier not quite working at the desk nearby to suddenly feel the urge to make herself scarce before Adora found a task for her.

As soon as the layabout was gone, they started sifting through the supply troop orders. Fortunately, they knew when they had been expected, so it only took them ten minutes to find the files. And five minutes to replace the 'send back for more supplies' order with 'assigned to reactivated warehouse in preparation of new supplies'.

"Don't be too perfect," Seacat told Adora at the end. "You've seen how many mistakes were in the original."

"Yes." Adora sounded annoyed, though, and she hesitated before adding a spelling mistake.

Seacat shook her head. "Let's go."

"Alright. We can…"

Seacat turned. When Adora trailed off like that, it was usually a bad thing. And it was. Her lover was looking at another stuffed shelf.

"That's new."

"Judging by the amount of paperwork the Horde generates, it's no surprise that they expand their archives," Seacat retorted.

"We're not in the archives; this is the active data centre," Adora replied. "And that's… that's a huge shelf. They lost territory, and we know they've got problems replacing losses, so what is behind this new mountain of data?"

Adora had obviously been hanging out with Entrapta. Perhaps a little too much. But she was right. "Let's check it out, then," Seacat said, walking towards it.

"Wait!" Adora hissed.

But Seacat didn't stop. They were already long enough in here - they needed to get done and get gone. She reached the suspicious shelf and pulled a sheet out of a stack at random.

"What are you doing?" Adora hissed. "We need to put it back as it was!"

"Why?" Seacat whispered back. "The more confusion, the better!"

"Uh… Right!" Adora looked around, then grabbed two stacks and started redistributing them.

Seacat snorted and read her sheet. And then drew a hissing breath. "It's a new project," she whispered. "A huge construction project, or so it seems. Project Omega."

And didn't that sound ominous?

"What? I've never heard of that."

"You've been out of the Horde for a long time," Seacat told her, sifting through more forms. "Nothing about what the project is about," she muttered.

"There was an entire power plant built for it." Adora held up a stack of reports.

"And look at those supply reports," Seacat held up hers. "They must have half an army assigned to the project."

"We didn't see any new construction on that scale", Adora said. She frowned, then quickly sifted through several transport reports. "So much earth being moved… They're underground."

"What?" Why would anyone build anything underground? Why would the Horde? This had started before Glimmer's bombing attack, anyway. This… Seacat pressed her lips together. Barges on transport reports. "The Horde must be building something huge there."

"And we need to find out what it is," Adora said.

Seacat agreed - whatever project the Horde was using so much manpower on would be important. Especially when they were hurting for soldiers and supplies. But on the other hand… "We're here to kill Hordak," she whispered.

"He might be involved in the project," Adora retorted.

Seacat clenched her teeth. "We can't discuss this here," she shot back, looking around. "Let's go back to the others."

"But…" Adora looked at the shelf. "There must be more information there!"

"We can return later," Seacat told her. "Let's go back."

"But…"

"Or the others will start to worry about us." And who knew what Glimmer would do if she thought they had been captured. Or Sea Hawk and Mermista.

Adora sighed. "Alright."

They returned to the corner with the vent leading into the air ducts.

"We could just walk out," Adora said. "They don't check people who walk out."

"Safer this way," Seacat said. "Lift me up."

Adora glanced around, then held out her hand. Seacat climbed up and put a foot on it, then let her lover lift her up. Adora was so strong when she was She-Ra - she didn't show any strain at all lifting her up one-handed.

Seacat shook her head. She could dwell on that later. She had a vent to open.

Which didn't take much time. Seacat climbed into the vent, then was about to turn around with some contortions to help Adora up - but her lover had already jumped up and was pulling herself up.

Seacat still had to squeeze past her to put the grate back on the vent, though.

*****​

"They have a new, secret project?" Entrapta sounded as if they had told her that they had found a First One library or something. She was also not very quiet. They were in the warehouse, in makeshift quarters, but still… you never knew.

"Yes. And a huge number of workers - soldiers - are assigned to it. It generates more paperwork than the rest of this area together," Adora explained.

"That's very suspicious," Glimmer said. "Could that be where the Horde is making their enhanced engine bombs?"

"Well…" Entrapta chewed her lower lip. "That would mean they're making many more than I thought."

"We'll have to find out what they are doing," Adora said. "If this is where they build their bombs, then we have to take it out as well."

"Yes," Mermista agreed. "Otherwise, the Horde will still continue to fight - whoever controls so many bombs will be in charge."

"And too dangerous," Glimmer added.

"That will complicate our mission," Brain Boy pointed out.

"Unless we use this to kill Hordak," Seacat said. She ignored Adora's triumphant expression; this wasn't the time to be petty. "I doubt he'd survive one of those bombs going off."

"I doubt we would survive it, either," Mermista said. "Especially if a bunch of them go off at once."

"Oh, that shouldn't happen," Entrapta said. "Unless the bombs are kept so close that the initial impulse sets off the crystals in the others. Then there would be a chain reaction." She blinked. "I would need to study the bombs to determine the safe distance at which the bombs would be destroyed without being set off."

Seacat had a sudden vision of a massive crater where the Fright Zone used to be.

"And what if that destroyed the Runestone?" Adora asked.

"Oh." Entrapta blinked again, then cocked her head to the side. "I don't know, actually. Runestones are supposed to be very hard to destroy, but the shards we've found prove it's possible to destroy them, but those probably weren't tied to Etheria like the five linked Runestones. On the other hand, the Black garnet isn't attuned to the network, so it might be easier to destroy - although an enhanced engine bomb might be enough to destroy it anyway."

"And what would happen to Etheria if that happened?" Brain Boy asked.

"I don't know." Entrapta sounded far too cheerful about it. "We'll have to find out!"

"Without blowing up the Runestone," Adora said.

"Right." Entrapta nodded. "Though that will be harder."

"But also safer," Seacat said.

"We don't know that, actually," Mermista pointed out. "If this secret project is so important, the Horde will guard it with everything they have. Did you find the records for the guards assigned to it?"

Adora shook her head. "No. We didn't stay long enough to search the records."

"Probably wise," Glimmer said. "You might've been detected otherwise. But we need to know what they are doing there - and how to stop it." She stood from where she had been sitting on one of the beds they had requisitioned. "We need to observe it and find a way inside!" She put her hands on her hips and raised her chin. "This is crucial for the Alliance!"

"We need to find out first where it is," Brain Boy said, and she deflated a little.

"And we need to find out how to get into Hordak's laboratory and quarters," Seacat reminded them.

"And Shadow Weaver's," Adora added.

"I know how to get into her quarters," Seacat said.

"She will have changed her security after my defection. Certainly after you escaped her," Adora retorted.

Her lover had a point, Seacat had to admit. She nodded. "So… who scouts which area?"

"We shouldn't split up too much," Adora said. "If one of us gets caught and we aren't close to save them…"

"Yes!" Sea Hawk stood up as well. "We need to fight side by side. A last stand is only advisable when we have accomplished our mission, to cover our retreat - not when we are still working on reaching our target." He shook his head. "That would be a sad shanty indeed."

Seacat narrowed her eyes at him, as did Mermista. She wouldn't let the captain sacrifice himself for them.

Then she glanced at Adora, who nodded a little too readily. And neither would she let her lover sacrifice herself.

*****​

"I think we've found the project," Brain Boy whispered.

"We've found a possible entrance," Seacat corrected him. "And you don't have to whisper," she added. "We're on the roof of a factory; no one can hear us over the noise from the machines." If not for her ears, she'd have trouble hearing the boy herself.

"Sorry."

She made a noncommittal noise. The boy was just too… nice, probably. Always apologising, even though he was rarely at fault. Well, perhaps that's what you were like, growing up with a princess. Would Seacat have turned out like him if she had grown up with an Adora who had been raised as a princess from birth? Something to ponder another time, she reminded herself. They were on a mission.

"Although the number of supplies carried down that entrance seems pretty indicative that the secret project is there. Beneath us."

"Yes." That was a lot of supplies. "The river must be crammed full of barges." They needed to take control of the river running through the fright zone as well. But they couldn't do it with the threat of bombs.

"That should open it for sabotage," Brain Boy said. "Sink a few of them at narrow spots of the river…"

Seacat grinned. "I like that idea." A few saboteurs wouldn't risk getting a bomb thrown at them - and wouldn't be as easy to spot as a frigate or gunboat. "But we need to confirm that this is the project, first. And not a - what did Entrapta call it? A feeder?"

"A feeder plant, yes," he said, nodding. "Though those would be part of the project as well. And I think the material transported through the entrance here is too varied for a feeder plant."

Well, he was the 'Techmaster'. Seacat shrugged. "Whatever it is, we need to get in there." If only to find out if Hordak visited the place regularly. Hordak's laboratory was a little too well-protected - at least that had been their first impression upon scouting its perimeter. "But not today. Let's go back to the others."

Perhaps Adora and the others had found a weakness that let them get into Hordak's laboratory or his personal quarters while they were taking a second look today.

Seacat could hope, at least.

*****​

"Whoever placed the guards and set their rotation knew what they were doing," Adora told them. "Entrapta, Glimmer and I did a full tour around the entire area - it's locked down tightly."

"Yes! And not just with soldiers, but also with bots!" Entrapta chimed in. "Double-double patrols - two bots and two soldiers. Though I think that the bots are ordered around by the soldiers, so that's one weakness, unless they have backup orders or there were significant improvements to their control systems. Still, we can handle bots since we look like Horde soldiers, and if there are crystals that are attuned to the bots to indicate who is allowed in, we can take those from guards and fool the bots. Probably. Unless they improved the pattern recognition matrix and made all bots remember all guards. Which is possible, but they would be quite hard to maintain. One mistake and - boom! You lose one of your guards!"

"Great," Glimmer commented. "We'd have to worry about being shot at by bots who don't recognise us."

"A novel experience, I'll say," Sea Hawk added with a grin.

Mermista growled and glared at him.

"Well, we don't know if the bots are so… advanced?" Adora looked at Entrapta.

"No, we don't. Unless we observe some of the bots attacking Horde soldiers. Or…" She beamed at them. "We take a bot and examine its controls!"

"I think the Horde would notice a missing bot," Seacat pointed out.

"Not if we pick one that's being sent away for maintenance or repairs!" Entrapta countered.

Seacat blinked. "Oh. I think we just found a weakness. A possible weakness. If the bots on guard aren't maintained inside the guarded area…"

"...then we can sabotage them outside the area!" Adora and Seacat exchanged a smile.

"At the very least, the bots going after the soldiers would be a distraction. But if they patrol inside the area, close to where Hordak is working, then we could use one as a bomb carrier," Brain Boy said.

Seacat nodded with a wide smile. That would mean none of them would have to risk fighting Hordak in his laboratory. "We'd need an enhanced engine bomb, though," she cautioned.

"I could, if I had the materials, make a bomb," Entrapta offered.

"I'm sure the materials are heavily guarded," Adora said. "After we cut off their fuel crystal supplies."

"Oh. Then I can't make a bomb." Entrapta hung her head, and her hair drooped for a moment.

"Well, they might have assigned the materials to the secret project," Brain Boy suggested.

"Or they'll have their bombs there - then we just needed to grab one," Mermista said.

"That wouldn't work," Entrapta told her. "The standard Horde bomb is too big to fit into, or be carried by, a Horde bot. I would have to build an adapted bomb variant to fit into a bot as it is - and I would have to take out most of the gun. The space is just too limited. The bots are a pretty mature design - not much wasted space, if any at all. Impressive, for the short time - relatively - that they've been around. Although now that I've met Light Hope, I think bots have been around far longer than we thought. Hordak could've been using First One technology for his bots."

That was a likely explanation, in Seacat's admittedly inexperienced opinion - it wasn't as if Catra had ever cared much about where the Horde technology came from.

"So… next task: We need to find out where the bots are maintained. And we need to find out where the materials for an enhanced engine bomb are stored," Adora said.

"Or where they are used," Glimmer added. "Also, if we don't find a weakness, I can teleport us inside." She flexed her arm. "I've got enough magic to get us in and around."

"Let's save that as an alternative," Adora said.

Seacat nodded. Glimmer was their best shot at escaping, after all. "And we have to find out what this secret project is about."

She had a feeling this was more important than finding out how to get into Hordak's laboratory.

*****​
 
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Chapter 45: The Secret Project
Chapter 45: The Secret Project

"I still say we should've just faked orders that send us down there."

Seacat rolled her eyes. Couldn't Brain Boy shut up for a change? "Too much of a risk - we wouldn't have a clue what awaited us, and that might catch attention. If this is the Horde's top-secret project, then security will be very tight there," she whispered as she, once more, studied the entrance below them.

"That's not exactly reassuring, you know. We are planning to sneak in, after all."

Perhaps she should've taken Entrapta with her. Or rather, should have asked the others to allow Entrapta to come with her. The princess would've been all fired up about sneaking in. Which, to be fair, was why she hadn't been allowed to come - despite her experiences sneaking through air ducts in her own castle. But Brain Boy was a little too cautious. Sometimes, you had to roll the dice and trust your luck. And your wits and claws, if your luck wasn't enough.

"And we will sneak in. We just have to find out their procedures," she told him. Guards always had a routine. Even though they weren't supposed to have one, sooner or later, they developed habits. Good officers were supposed to prevent that - but breaking up shifts and changing orders tended to slow things down. And Seacat was sure that when guarding such an important project, few officers would risk slowing the work down by doing things by the book. Not in the heart of the Fright Zone. Well, Adora would've, of course.

But Seacat's lover wasn't down there. The officer commanding the entrance guards was a snot-faced mothwoman. A good choice for the night shift, of course - she would see well in the dark. Unfortunately, or fortunately for Seacat and Brain Boy, few Horde soldiers could see in the dark, and so the guard post was lit up brightly. Seacat snorted - the mothwoman was probably lucky if she wasn't blinded all the time by all the lights.

"And how long will that take?"

"An hour or two," she told him. "Patience!" she added, baring her fangs at him.

He sighed. "I'm just…"

"You're worried about the others, I know." She suppressed a sigh herself. "But worrying about them won't help them - or us. And they're not trying to sneak into Hordak's laboratory," she reminded him. "They should be worrying about us." She blinked. "I mean, not that there is anything to worry about. We'll be doing this, easily."

Judging by the glance he sent her, perfectly visible since she could see in the dark as well, he wasn't quite convinced. Rats.

Ah, well… "Look, see how the guards never really leave the light? And how they sit down or lean against the wall, instead of waiting in the guardhouse?"

"Yes?"

"That's because they're too lazy to keep going back and forth whenever a supply transport arrives," she explained. "Give them another hour or so, and they won't notice anything but the transport."

"And then we… sneak past them?"

She grinned. "No. We'll sneak in above them."

*****​

"...and then I told her: 'I don't think you've fooled your mother.'"

Seacat snorted. "How old were you?"

"Ten."

When Seacat had been ten years old, she'd also been sneaking out of her room at night to fetch food. But not to get the second serving of dessert she hadn't been allowed to have, but to get something to eat for her and Adora when her friend had split her ration with Catra after Shadow Weaver's punishment.

And there went her good mood.

"Sorry."

She gritted her teeth. "Don't say sorry. It's not your fault."

"Well…"

"Do you even know what isn't your fault?"

"Uh." He coughed, then rallied. "I made you sad."

"No. You didn't make me sad. I did that by remembering what Shadow Weaver did."

"But that's not your fault, either!"

She grinned at him. "See? Now you get it!"

He blinked, his mouth half-open, then pouted while she snorted again.

"And now you've restored my good mood at the cost of your… dignity?" she went on.

He sighed. "A small price to pay."

"I was joking," she told him. "Though… was that how it was, growing up with a princess as your best friend?"

"Actually, no," he said. "Glimmer was always the one who, well, got punished for what we did."

"Oh."

"Yes. She said she was taking responsibility since she was the princess. Noblesse oblige."

"Noblesse?"

"It means that as a princess - or anyone of high rank or power - you're supposed to be more responsible and more honourable than others."

She scoffed. "Well, no one taught Shadow Weaver that." Adora hadn't been taught that, either - but she still lived it. Lived it a little too much, at times.

"Well, that's the Horde - they're evil for a reason."

She nodded. "And we're about to put an end to that." She looked down. "About an hour before the shift changes. Let's go!"

"Alright." Brain Boy pulled his bow out.

"Don't miss!" she told him.

He narrowed his eyes and glared at her for a moment, and she grinned. So, he had a spine. She just had to find the right things to poke him about.

He grabbed one of his trick arrows, took a deep breath, and drew the bow. She refrained from telling him again where to aim - he knew it.

A moment later, he released the arrow. Seacat held her breath while it flew across the road, towards the massive building on the other side. It flew true, as the archers would say, and hit the arc above the gate. It stuck there, and the line it had been trailing went taut.

Brain Boy flashed her a smile.

She nodded in return. His trick arrows were very versatile. That arrow could be used to hit enemies with glue, too. "Tie it up here! Let's go!"

He quickly tied the line to the wall behind them, then pulled out two triangles. "Friction brakes," he explained. "Hook them over the line, and you can slow your descent by squeezing the handles here."

Ah. Clever. Sea Hawk would complain about such an invention removing all the pleasure from swashbuckling entrances, but Seacat was glad they wouldn't hit the other building hard. Not that it would hurt her, but the impact might be noticed by the guards below.

She still went first, of course - she was strong enough, and quick enough, to stop Brain Boy, should something go wrong with the gimmick.

But it worked as advertised, allowing her to control her speed as she sailed over the heads of the scum below and touched down on top of the gate's arc, light as a feather. Yes.

Brain Boy followed her, not quite as graceful but easily good enough to avoid being overheard by the Horde scum. And he withdrew the line with another gimmick - some mechanical spinning disc that would be very useful if it were twenty times the size and able to weigh anchors.

Once both were crouched on the ledge here, shielded from view from below, she slowly peered over the edge. The guards were, as expected, acting as if they were already done with their task, barely paying attention to anything but the most obvious tasks. Even the officer looked like she was half-asleep - another sign that Hodak was pushing his soldiers harder than before.

And there was the next transport. Right on time!

"Get ready!" she hissed.

"Ready," he replied.

Seacat wet her lips as the wagon approached the gate below them, and the soldiers started to check the cargo - without the zeal and care they had displayed hours ago. Any moment… Yes! The soldiers withdrew, and the officer gave the signal to open the gate.

As the massive gate started to open, Seacat grabbed the edge and dropped down, swimming around and latching upon the right side of the gate as it slowly slid to the side. She rode it for a moment, approaching the wall, then jumped and gripped a pipe on the wall.

She pulled herself up on top of it in a second, then looked to the other side. Brain Boy was just pulling himself up - with the help of a line.

Cheater, she thought with a grin, then waited until he made eye contact and pointed at a huge air vent in front of them.

Brain Boy nodded at her, and they quickly crawled and climbed to the great vent. It was big enough to almost fit a skiff inside - and she could feel the vibrations from the air being sucked down through it. This wasn't a feeder plant.

"Should we go through the air vents?" Brain Boy asked. "They're big, but…"

"...the air flow's strong there. Better not. We'll travel with them, though," she replied.

Whatever the Horde was doing here, the air vent would lead straight to it, Seacat was sure.

But it led straight down, first. Fortunately, Brain Boy could use his line again, and so Seacat didn't have to cut hand- and footholds into the metal vent as they descended alongside it. They had to squeeze through the narrow free space between the pipe and the shaft it was run through for a dozen yards until they finally reached the lower level - the basement.

And Seacat gaped. The basement was huge. Large enough to fit the biggest ship in the Salinean fleet into it twice - without cutting down the masts. And it was half-full with the Project Omega. Dozens, hundreds of people were all working here. All working on...

"What are they building?" Brain Boy asked. "This can't be a ship, can it?"

Seacat stared. There was a hull, and the size… twice the length of a frigate. But it was wrong - even the Horde frigates had better hulls. This hull wouldn't really cut well through water. And the lower gunports were much too low - they were far too close to the keel… She pulled her telescope out and took a closer look.

Damn.

"It's a ship, yes. But not one meant for water," she muttered.

"What? Where else would you… No!"

She looked up. The ceiling was higher than she had expected as well - and were those hinges? She took a closer look with the telescope. Yes. Massive, huge, giant hinges. And that was a closed gap, not a painted line going from one end of the ceiling to the other. "Look at the ceiling," she whispered.

He did. And cursed. "This… A flying ship?"

"Yes. Look at the gunports - the lower line is set so they can fire down," she pointed out.

"But… how could it fly?" Brain Boy shook his head. "The power needed to lift anything… the magic…"

"Perhaps some variant of the skiff's magic?" Seacat speculated. "Though those can't fly in the sky, and this ship looks like she's meant to fly high above us." And drop bombs on them.

"I've studied that. Earth Magic doesn't work that way," he replied.

She wasn't a scholar, much less a sorceress, but she was willing to take his word for it. But… "Earth Magic doesn't. But what about another kind of magic?"

"The Black Garnet? That's lightning magic, last I knew."

She shrugged. "If it's powerful enough? And lightning comes from the sky."

"Actually, lightning is…" He sighed. "No, it might work. Magic works as often with themes as with technology. And if the Horde manages to tap into Etheria's magic network, they probably have enough power to do anything they want."

She scoffed. "They don't need much more than enough power to let this ship fly. Once they are aloft, they can drop bombs on us wherever they please, and we can't do a thing against them." Neither Glimmer nor Swift Wind would be able to carry enough bombs to scratch that ship - and the horse would be blown out of the sky by those broadsides, anyway, before it reached the ship. Unless the Horde scum was only packing shells and solid shot. But they wouldn't be so stupid.

"We have to stop it. Even if we take Hordak out - with this, the Horde could still win the war. If they can maintain the ship."

"Well, they're building it," Seacat told him. "I think they can keep it flying for some time even if Hordak keeps the details to himself."

"Right. Let's gather as much information we can before we have to leave," he whispered.

"Yes." She took her telescope and studied the hull and guns again.

Fairly standard, once you took the placement into account. Though the gun mountings would have to be modified to be able to shoot down at a steep angle. The hull was, apart from the weird-ish shape, standard. Full steel, not too thick, though. "Weight must be a limitation," she said.

"Yes. And I wonder how they are planning to move it - no sails."

"No mast, anyway," she replied. "Nor any base to mount one in." Well, if a ship could fly, they could simply fly higher to see farther - if they even needed to, in the air. "The bridge would likely be where the lookouts are." Close to the captain - that would make reacting easier. Less chance of information being delayed or lost in the middle of a battle. On the other hand, if you hit the bridge…

Brain Boy interrupted her with a hand on her shoulder. "There! See that round chamber in the part close to the stern?"

She looked over. Yes, there was a gap in the deck, and she saw a round chamber underneath. "Yes."

"That must be where the Black Garnet will be placed. All the power lines lead to this room, and it's empty so far."

"What about the engines?" she asked.

"They're in the middle. See those openings? Air intakes."

"Ah." That made sense. "Are the engines already installed?"

"Yes. The ship seems almost finished."

Seacat cursed. "But if it's so close to being finished… Hordak must be visiting often, then." Shortly before setting out for their shakedown cruise, things were the most hectic - the Captain had bought enough new ships with her assisting him to know this. "I bet he has a special office here!"

"If he does, I'm not seeing it," Brain Boy replied.

"It would have to be high up, so he can look down on everyone and observe the progress with a single glance," she said, looking around, then up. "There. On the other side, at the bow of the ship."

Brain Boy looked up. "An observation bubble."

"Probably armoured," Seacat said. "But I think we've found his office."

"His office when he visits - it doesn't look like anyone's in there right now," Brain Boy said.

"Yes," Seacat agreed. "The soldiers probably would be working harder if Hordak was present." And the guards would be more attentive. Like sailors when the Captain was on deck. "Do you see any entrance to the office?" she asked.

"One of the doors at the bottom should lead to a stair," he replied. "But I don't see any guards in front of any door."

"That could be by design," she said. "Keep the guards hidden so spies don't know which door's the important one." Although the Horde usually wasn't so sneaky. Shadow Weaver, on the other hand…

"Perhaps. He might also have a separate entrance from above," Brain Boy said.

That would fit. But would the Horde be slacking like they did if they couldn't know when Hordak was watching and when he wasn't? Or were they exhausted? She took a closer look at the workers. They seemed to be rather tired. She saw one minotaur almost dropping a plate of steel when his grip slipped, and he took several tries to readjust his hands. And a woman painting part of the hull was doing so while sitting - even though it would take her longer to move that way. "He's running them ragged," she said.

"Well, we already suspected that there was a manpower shortage in the Horde," Brain Boy said. "If they're throwing everything at this - and Project Omega sounds like they are - then it would make sense that the soldiers are overworked. But overworked people make mistakes. They might spend more time fixing problems than they gain by hurrying the work."

"That's the Horde for you. Hurry up and wait." She snorted. "But we can't hope that they make so many mistakes that the ship will fall from the sky."

"Technically, we can hope - but we shouldn't depend on it."

"Smartass," she told him, flashing her fangs at him.

He grinned back at her but quickly grew serious again. "A few bombs would damage the entire ship. Enough to keep anyone from using it after Hordak's out of the picture."

"Or one enhanced bomb," she pointed out. "But they aren't making the bombs here. At least I can't see anyone working on bombs."

"It would be very dangerous to work on bombs so close to the ship, wouldn't it?"

"Yes." Not that that stopped the Horde before. "They might've a separate workshop for the bombs nearby. But I think they don't - that would be guarded."

"We should've taken Entrapta's detector with us," he said.

"Yes. But she might need it looking for other ways to get to Hordak."

"True. We'll have to return here, then."

"Definitely," she agreed. "And we need to find out where the Runestone is."

That was the key to the ship, after all. And to the bot's plan.

*****​

"A flying ship?" The Captain looked both horrified and intrigued as he lounged on the crate serving as a chair in the warehouse they had taken over.

"The size of two Horde frigates," Seacat confirmed. Not something he could sail by himself.

"A flying ship… that would dominate Etheria." Mermista shook her head. "We can't let the Horde finish this!"

"We won't," Adora said. "But we can't abandon our primary objective for this. We need to kill Hordak. Once he's dead, the ensuing chaos should allow us to strike at the ship as well."

"If we're lucky, we can strike at Hordak and the… airship… at the same time," Brain Boy said. "He's got an office in the yard. At least, we assume that it's his office since it has the best view of the entire yard and isn't being used as far as we could tell."

"That sounds like a logical deduction," Entrapta said. "Even though it's not logical not to use such a good office when Hordak isn't around."

"That's the Horde for you," Glimmer said. "It's all about Hordak's ego." She shook her head. "But we can't count on getting both the ship and Hordak at the same time. And Hordak takes priority. He's behind all this new technology."

"We assume that," Adora said. "But he certainly is the uncontested leader of the Horde. And he's holed up in his laboratory. Our only way in seems to be using the bots that guard him."

"We've found the maintenance section for the bots!" Entrapta chimed in. "It's all new and shiny!"

"New? The Horde's been using bots for years," Seacat said.

"Yes." Adora nodded to her. "But we've found out that they recently moved the maintenance sections together - including the one in Hordak's laboratory."

"That might be a simple way to make maintenance more efficient. Consolidate and centralise it," Brain Boy said.

"Or it was needed to make room for something else in his laboratory," Adora retorted.

Seacat nodded. That sounded like a valid theory. She certainly didn't think Hordak would move the maintenance of his bodyguard bots outside his laboratory to merely make it more efficient.

"Alright. Let's get Hordak first. Before the ship is ready to fly," Mermista said.

"We need proper reconnaissance of the laboratory," Adora pointed out. "Entrapta, you can place a device into a bot that lets us see their memory?"

"Well, more like copy their data, which we can then display. But it works out the same," Entrpata confirmed.

"We can't wait too long - every day we stay here, we risk being discovered. Or our ruse at the front being exposed," Mermista said. "We need to hurry."

Well, she wasn't wrong. Time would run out sooner rather than later.

*****​

"There!"

"Yes." Seacat, crouching behind a cooling unit on the roof of a factory, nodded. "Just as you said." There was the bot maintenance building.

"Right. So, they send the bots that can walk through this door, and they walk out through that door there," Entrapta explained.

"How many soldiers inside?"

"About two dozen at any time," Adora said. "And half a dozen guards."

"Guards?" Why would they have guards inside the building?

"In case the bot in question acts up." Entrapta shrugged. "If you change their control unit or their sensors and make a mistake, they can go, uh…"

"Out of control?" Seacat suggested.

"Kind of," Entrapta nodded. "Although they're still in control, kind of - they just don't listen any more. At least that's what happened to mine."

And wasn't that worrying!

"We've never seen them lose control like that in the field," Glimmer added.

"Well, they usually don't do maintenance in the field, I believe. Or not when fighting, at least." Entrapta's hair spread out. "And it's almost impossible to damage the control unit of a bot just so that it still works but loses its friend/foe programming. Usually, they just stop working if their control unit is damaged." She perked up. "Though if you repair it and forget to disconnect it, they can regain control in a second - isn't that fascinating? It's like returning from death."

"Fascinating, yes," Glimmer mumbled. Seacat saw Brain Boy frown at her.

"Anyway, we'll have to avoid all of them," Adora said. "That will require precise planning and execution. We need to time our distraction perfectly so Entrapta and Bow can sneak inside and manipulate a guard bot's control unit. And we have to make a distraction that won't raise suspicion and cause the Horde to investigate."

"Make a bot go out of control outside?" Seacat suggested.

"That is, as I just explained, quite difficult," Entrapta objected.

"Poison their rations so they get the runs?" Glimmer cocked her head.

"Do we have such poison?" Adora shot back.

"I could make poison, but it would be quite lethal," Entrapta said.

"And that would certainly be investigated," Seacat said. "Not to mention it would be hard to poison any rations - those things are as durable as a brick."

"What's your plan?" Glimmer asked Adora.

"Have Mermista cause a leak in a water pipe. While everyone is trying to find it and plug it, we drop Entrapta and Bow from the ceiling and have them sabotage the guard bot," Adora answered.

"Drop us?" Brain Boy asked.

"Lower you down with a line," Seacat told him. "But what if they notice the changes when they return? We'd have to target a finished bot."

"And those walk out on their own as soon as they are finished," Entrapta added.

"That's why the timing is critical: We need to have the water leak when they are about to close and secure the bot's cover before they reactivate them, so you can open them up again and replace the thingie without anyone noticing," Adora retorted.

"The control unit," Entrapta corrected her.

"Yes." Adora nodded with a slight frown. "That's also why we need Mermista - she can control the water, so it is seen by the Horde at the exact moment we want."

"That sounds a little like Operation Locker Room," Seacat said.

Adora blushed as everyone else looked at them.

"Operation Locker room?" Glimmer asked.

"Adora's plan to get back at a rival squad who had taken our locker room," Seacat told them.

"We were ten, and it's really not important right now," Adora said.

"But it relied on precise timing as well. And failed," Seacat reminded her.

"Right. But this is different. We couldn't control when the shower would go off." Adora shook her head. "Totally different."

"Should we really plan this on the roof of a Horde factory?" Brain Boy asked.

"It's one of the safest spots." Seacat shrugged. "The noise from the machines means no one will hear us, and the steam from the pipes hides us from casual view from the air. And if anyone comes looking, we're just taking a break."

"Anyway, the timing shouldn't be an issue as long as we can maintain contact with each other," Adora said. "Which shouldn't be a problem since Mermistra can use her powers from the rafters as well."

"And you'll lower us down?" Brain Boy seemed a little concerned with that. As if Adora would drop him.

"Yes." Adora nodded. "Well, you'll descend by yourself. But I'll pull you up again."

"If I could build a stronger auto-retriever, I could ascend by myself," the boy said.

"Oh, yes!" Entrapta perked up. "We could build a remote-controlled harness, too!"

"We don't have the time," Glimmer cut in. "We need to do this now. Well, soon."

Great. But Glimmer wasn't wrong - and Adora could lift Entrapta and Brain Boy at the same time without breaking sweat. They didn't need all the gimmicks the two wanted to build. "Let's hit them an hour after midnight," Seacat said. Shift change would be too late - it would early morning by then. And for this, she preferred the cover of darkness.

"Let's get Mermista." And the Captain, of course - he wouldn't leave her side.

*****​

"I can do that, yes - the pipes aren't the newest, nor are they built well," Mermista said a few hours later. "They're already leaking in places."

"Perfect," Adora said. "Then we can move into position."

They climbed down to the ground, dashed across the road when no one was looking and were soon climbing the mix of pipes and nooks and crannies forming the back wall of the maintenance building. It was easy for Seacat, of course. Adora didn't have any trouble either - they used to race each other years ago in the Fright Zone - and Mermista and Seahawk were used to climbing the rigging of a ship. Entrapta's hair had her up the wall faster than a monkey would have managed, but Brain Boy had to lend Glimmer a helping hand. Probably too used to teleport.

In any case, they all made it up on the roof without the Horde sounding the alarm. And Brain Boy managed to open a skylight without breaking it - or alerting anyone.

"Can you control the water from here?" Adora asked in a whisper.

"Yes," Mermista replied. "It would be better if I could see the pipes, though."

"No problem." Adora dropped down on the rafters, then waved at the princess.

Seacat saw Mermista wince for a moment before setting her jaw and following Adora. Sea Hawk was right behind her, of course, then the rest of the group climbed through the open window as well.

Seacat brought up the rear - after a quick sweep to ensure there was no one watching - and pulled the skylight close.

"Alright. We're in position. We'll prepare the harnesses and the ropes, then we're ready. After we move directly above the end of the maintenance line." Adora was, once again, talking too much, but it couldn't hurt - the noise from below was too loud to let anyone overhear them; it was so loud, Seacat's ears were actually hurting a little.

They made their way through the rafters, glancing down. "Are those Hordak's guard bots?" Adora whispered.

"Different markings," Brain replied.

"Yes. Those are regular bots but of a later series," Entrapta added. "But those there, at the entrance, are the guard bots we're looking for - see the numbers on the armour plating?"

Seacat did, even without her telescope, but the numbers didn't tell her anything.

"Those indicate the series and model number, and they are quite distinct. The big "I", for example, indicates the first special mark. And the number afterwards means..."

Adora cleared her throat. "Yes, yes. But important is: Once that bot is ready to be closed up, we'll need the water to make a big splash… I mean draw attention."

Seacat grinned while Adora blushed. Then she helped Brain Boy and Entrapta to put on their harnesses and checked the lines. Twice. A fall from this height would be worse than dropping from the mainmast of a Courier even if the floor weren't covered with metal tools, spare parts and bots.

"Everything's ready," she reported.

"More or less," Brain Boy added. "Don't let us fall!"

"I could build a device to soften our impact - if I had a bit more time. And a workshop," Entrapta said.

"I won't let you fall," Adora told them, smiling earnestly at them.

"Good." Entrapta seemed reassured. Brain Boy… well, he didn't complain.

Then they had to wait while the workers below went over every bot. Seacat sighed and hoped she didn't fall asleep with boredom.

"...Oh. That's a new tool. It allows them to access and alter the memory at once. Oh! I need that! It would make upgrading bots so much faster."

At least Entrapta wasn't bored. The princess was studying the workers below and taking notes on her device. Not that Seacat understood anything of it.

Brain Boy would, but he was talking in whispers to Glimmer, and Seacat tied not to overhear what they were talking about.

Same for Mermista and Sea Hawk - Seacat knew all too well what they were talking about; a ship's cabins had thin walls, after all.

She glanced at Adora, who was trying to keep an eye on the entire hall at once. Just as Seacat had known she would. Smiling, she moved at Adora's side, sitting down on the beam so their legs touched.

Adora gave her a glance, which Seacat met with a wider smile, then went back to keeping an eye on the Horde.

But she wasn't as tense as she had been any more.

Then the guard bot they had spotted moved to the line, and everyone got ready.

Seacat watched as the Horde soldiers - Horde workers - below opened the armoured hull of the bot, then used a crane to lift it up. "Not exactly friendly for repairs in the field," she commented in a low voice.

"I know, yes!" Entrapta replied. "I've got plans for a field repair bot for that! Based on the standard bot chassis, they could travel everywhere bots could, keeping up and providing repairs. Well, assistance for repairing the bots - I haven't yet found a way to make bots that can actually repair bots."

And wasn't that a scary thought? "Don't let the Horde hear about your plans," she said.

Entrapta blinked. "Well, I wasn't planning to, but they would probably notice once we deploy them… Oh. Is this about our lack of bots in the Alliance?"

"Yes." The Horde would copy such an idea and benefit far more from it than the Alliance, where only Entrapta used bots - and a handful at most of them.

"Oh."

"Cheer up," Seacat mumbled as the Horde scum below started plugging some tools into the exposed innards of the bot. "Once we have the Horde beaten, you can build whatever bot you want."

"Yay! And I'll have so many resources!"

Seacat blinked, then shook her head. She had to focus on the task at hand. This was essential for taking out Hordak.

Below them, the workers finished doing whatever they did to the bot and moved it further ahead in the line, to the crane where they'd lower the armour plate over the bot's body. Almost. The crane was moving now, the Horde soldier controlling it doing some adjusting… and the plate slid in place.

"Mermista, now!" Adora hissed.

"Alright."

For a second, nothing seemed to happen. Then a siren sounded - and the workers below jerked or froze. And a stream of water appeared in the back of the hall, quickly forming a growing pool on the ground.

Someone - probably a non-commissioned officer - screaming their lungs off got the workers moving, some scrambling to grab tools, others rushing towards the water.

"Direct some to the furnace there," Adora ordered. "We need the cover of the steam."

"Good thinking!" Sea Hawk said. Mermista grunted - but steam started filling the hall, causing more confusion.

"Bow, Entrapta - go!" Adora barked. "I've got you!"

At least Brain Boy looked a little sceptical, but both nodded and dropped their lines, then started descending. Seacat clenched her teeth. She'd prefer Brain Boy in the rafters, covering them with his bow, but he was the second-best tech expert they had. And they needed all of them for this.

Entrapta was the first to reach the abandoned bot, and her hair quickly reached for the crane control levers. Shortly afterwards, the armour plate was rising again. Without hesitation, Brain Boy stuck his head and shoulders through the gap, followed by Entrapta.

Seacat held her breath, splitting her attention between the Horde scum frantically trying to stem the tide, or as much as she could see of their efforts through the steam cloud, and her two friends working below her. And tried not to think of the fact they were working underneath an armour plate heavy enough to crush either, should the crane fail.

Damn. It just took one Horde scum going back for some tools to wreck this. Who had approved of this plan, anyway? This had been a stupid idea.

But none came through the steam cloud. And no alert sounded. Other than the one still going on about the water.

Yet Entrapta and Brain Boy were still working. What was taking them so long? The longer they took, the higher the chance that someone would sound an alert if only to kick the mess up the chain of command so they wouldn't be blamed for this.

And Mermista couldn't keep it up forever, either, or it would become apparent that this was not a normal accident. Once the Horde managed to shut down the water lines, this would be over one way or the other.

Still no Horde soldier walking through the steam cloud - well, the steam was hot, which would keep them wary. But it wasn't hot enough to actually boil anyone.

What was taking the two so long? Couldn't they…?

As if they had read her mind, they finally pulled back out. Entrapta's visor was covered in oil, Seacat noted - and waved.

Adora immediately started pulling them up. Seacat moved to help them. Almost...

"They've shut down the water," Mermista snapped.

Time was running out. Seacat gritted her teeth and heaved harder than if she were setting sails to escape a coming storm. Grip, pull, grip, pull, grip…

Entapta's hair reached the beam first, and Adora almost lost her balance when the princess suddenly swung up by herself. Brain Boy was close behind her - he had climbed a fair part of the line himself.

Still no alert. Now all that was left was pulling up the remaining lines, getting out on the roof - and finding a way off the roof while everyone was busy repairing the pipes.

Easy.

*****​

They made it back to the warehouse shortly before the sunrise - after all the additional Horde soldiers ordered to assist the maintenance building had finally finished getting into each other's way and were sent back to their posts. Or barracks.

"Next time we need a distraction, we need to find something that won't attract half the Horde," Mermista muttered.

"Unless, of course, we want to attract half of the Horde!" the Captain said. "We now know how important coolant lines are for the Fright Zone, too - they should be a primary target for sabotage from now on! And, my dear Mermista, you're perfect for exploiting this glaring weakness!"

That cheered her up. It cheered up Seacat as well. All in all, this mission had gone decently well - they had planted their device in the guard bot and got away clean. And apparently did a lot of damage to the Horde war machine.

Seacat grinned and stretched her arms over her head as she entered the warehouse. "I'm going to sleep past noon," she announced, "All this waiting tired…" She trailed off and blinked. This scent… this trace of… she knew it! This was… She hissed, her claws unsheathing, as a tall figure stepped out of the shadows near the stairs in the warehouse.

"Shadow Weaver."

*****​
 
Chapter 46: The Traitor
Chapter 46: The Traitor

Shadow Weaver! Seacat hissed and unsheathed her claws. There was the witch, standing barely out of the shadows, looking at them! Seacat could see her eyes behind the mask, but nothing else of her face. As always, her body seemed to fray at the bottom, floating and turning to shadows. An illusion, Seacat thought. Or hoped.

"Ambush!" Mermista snapped, water shooting up from the ground and forming a whirlwind around her.

Ambush? Seacat gasped. This was a trap! They must be surrounded!

Brain Boy raised his bow, arrow notched, and the Captain drew his sword, igniting it. Entrapta was fiddling with her device.

"No. Shadow Weaver wouldn't be here if this were a trap," Adora said, raising her free hand. "That's not your style," she added, facing the witch.

The witch inclined her head in return. "Very perceptive, Adora," she said in a voice so low, it was barely above a whisper, yet carried through the hall. "As was to be expected, of course, of my star pupil."

"Why are you here?" Adora replied. She hadn't lowered or sheathed her sword, Seacat noted.

Shadow Weaver tilted her head slightly to the side. "There aren't any bots outside," Entrapta announced. "And the scanners I've placed show no movement, either."

"Yeah, well - she obviously got past them," Mermista commented.

"Yes. How did you manage that?" Entrapta asked. "My security scanners should have detected you. How did you bypass them? Did you freeze their sensors?" She beamed at the witch!

Who, Seacat noticed, actually seemed surprised. "Do you honestly expect me to reveal this?" she asked.

"Yes, of course!" Entrapta nodded, her hair swinging back and forth. "You're here to talk to us, right? This would be a good subject!"

"It would certainly help with any claim that you're not here to trap us," Seacat added, baring her teeth at the witch.

Shadow Weaver chuckled, once, in that infuriating manner of hers that made Seacat want to rip her throat out. "I'm here because our interests overlap," she said. "And the fact that I didn't call the Horde guards down on you as soon as I noticed you sneaking over the border - or sabotaging the bot maintenance building - should be proof enough of my intentions."

Seacat clenched her teeth and claws. The witch was lying, but she couldn't yet tell what she was lying about. She knew their plans - which meant either there was a traitor amongst them, or the witch's magic had let her discover this. She was betting on the latter - none of her friends with them was a traitor; Seacat would bet her life on it. Was betting her life on it, actually.

"What do you want?" Adora took a step forward.

"The same thing you want - Hordak's death. At least I assume you're not merely sabotaging his bot guards to sneak into his laboratory to copy his plans, or anything similarly ridiculous," Shadow Weaver replied. Seacat could almost smell the arrogance dripping from her words.

"You want to stab your leader in the back?" Glimmer sounded very doubtful. "Typical Horde behaviour, I guess."

"I prefer to think of it as defending myself against his betrayal," the witch replied.

"'His betrayal'?" Adora looked confused for a moment.

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Mermista added. "If he wanted to betray you, he could just order you arrested - and executed."

Wait. There was something… "Your gem. It's gone," Seacat blurted out.

And the witch froze for a moment, glaring at her.

Seacat grinned in response. Flashing her fangs. "He took the gem away, didn't he?"

"Oh, right. The gem in your mask," Adora belatedly said. "What did it do?"

"It kept me alive," Shadow Weaver told her. "Years ago, before your birth, a failed magical experiment left me… cursed. Slowly dying, I managed to find a way to stave off my demise using a magical gem. But Hordak decreed that he needed it for his experiments, and I was forced to hand it over. He told me that I would get it back once he was done, before the renewed curse would kill me - but I don't trust him to keep his word."

"With good reason," Glimmer agreed.

"Nor do we trust you," Seacat spat. The witch had to be lying. Besides, dying from a curse would be a fitting fate for her.

"So, unless you get this gem back, you'll die." Adora sounded… Seacat glanced at her lover and suppressed a hiss. Adora sounded as if he believed the witch!

"Painfully, yes." Shadow Weaver nodded. "So, you see - we both have a very urgent interest in killing Hordak. You want to stop him before he completes his airship and starts raining death on your lands. I want my gem back before I die."

"We want to end the war!" Glimmer butted in. "Not just to kill Hordak."

"Killing him will end the war. I don't have any interest in waging war - I only worked for Hordak so I could stay alive thanks to his help and find a way to remove the curse on me. I have no interest in leading the Horde."

Yeah, right. Seacat hissed under her breath.

But Adora was nodding.

Seacat shook her head and scoffed. "As if! You're already planning to stab us in the back!"

The witch turned her head towards her, tilting it a little. As she used to when scolding Catra. Which was always followed by a punishment. "Do you have so little trust in your… allies?" Shadow Weaver scoffed, but so silently, only Seacat heard it as the witch took a step forward. "Four princesses. Two accomplished warriors of renown. And you." She made that almost laughing sound. "You fear such a formidable group wouldn't be able to foil whatever plan I might come up with? And you think me as stupid as to risk my life on such a throw of the dice?"

Seacat clenched her teeth. "You're already risking your life. And you don't have much to lose, do you? This isn't just about survival - it's about power. You never liked even the slightest challenge of your authority!" she spat.

"Not from those beneath me," Shadow Weaver replied. "But I'm not facing a mouthy cadet who couldn't understand discipline and obedience - I'm talking to the leaders of the Princess Alliance."

"Technically, you're only talking to a few members of the Alliance," Entrapta pointed out with a wide smile. "Only two sovereigns are present. That would be Mermista and I. Glimmer's the commander of the forces, and Adora is She-Ra, but Queen Angella outranks both. I think, at least - Glimmer was promoted by the queen, so that's clear, but I actually don't know who promoted She-Ra."

Seacat grinned as the witch seemed to be confused by Entrapta's explanation.

"That doesn't matter right now. We need to decide what we do now." Adora, unfortunately, stepped in.

"Indeed." Shadow Weaver was smiling under her mask; Seacat knew it. "As perceptive and decisive as ever, Adora," the witch went on.

"We can't trust her," Seacat snapped, looking at Adora. Her lover had to see it!

"You don't have to trust my word - but you should trust my intelligence," Shadow Weaver said, looking at Adora. "You don't honestly expect me to have come to meet you like this - alone - without having taken certain precautions, do you?"

"What did you do?" Adora asked.

Seacat hissed. "She left a note with a subordinate."

"Indeed." The witch tilted her head to the side as if she were surprised.

"A classic move!" Sea Hawk blurted out, pounding his palm.

"And one that means we can't just kill her and make the body disappear." Mermista, as expected, didn't trust the witch either.

But Adora… Seacat's lover shook her head. "So we either work together, or we all die."

Shadow Weaver nodded. "And with my help, your chances of successfully killing Hordak and ending the war have just increased significantly."

As did their chances to be stabbed in the back afterwards. But as much as she hated to admit it, Seacat knew that if Shadow Weaver had left a note, then Hordak would have them hunted down in short order.

Damn it.

"We're in agreement then." The witch held out her hand to Adora.

After a moment's hesitation, Adora shook it.

"I'll return this evening with more information," Shadow Weaver announced.

"Why not share your information now?" Glimmer asked with a deep frown.

"I didn't take the plans with me, of course." Shadow Weaver shook her head. "I wanted to avoid tempting you to kill me, take the plans and rush your plans."

Seacat scoffed through clenched teeth. That damn smug tone!

The witch nodded at Adora, looked at the others, and stepped back into the shadows. Seacat lost sight of her a moment later, and another moment later, she could hear the witch breathing or moving any more.

She stepped forward, closer to the shadows - but they were empty.

"She's gone." Seacat glared at Adora.

Her lover had the grace to blush - but still frowned. "What did you expect me to do? She had it all planned out so we had no choice but to accept working with her."

But Adora didn't have to shake the witch's hand!

"Whatever," Mermista cut in. "We now have to decide what we're doing."

"And we have to assume that she can observe us - listen to us - with her magic," Glimmer pointed out.

Right. Shadow Weaver had revealed that she had been tracking them. Damn the witch and her magic!

"Can you block her… whatever she uses?" Adora asked.

Brain Boy shook his head. "I don't even know how she'd do this. Perhaps a scrying spell?" He shrugged.

"She didn't have any sensors placed here," Entrapta announced. "But my detector doesn't work on pure magic. I'm working on another version, but it has been harder than expected to calibrate the device since magic isn't as logical as it should be."

"Let's assume she's looking over our shoulder," Seacat said.

And wasn't that creepy?

"So, we need a way to communicate securely?" Entrapta beamed. "Give me a few minutes! And those pipes over there! And the tarps there! And some… Oh, I got it."

Seacat watched as the princess grabbed the material - she practically ripped the pipes out of Adora's hands with her hair - and bent down, pulling tools and some concoctions from her belt.

"What's she doing?" Adora asked after stepping closer to Seacat.

"No idea," she replied. "But it's bound to be good."

"Ah."

Brain Boy looked confused, but after a few minutes, he perked up and started nodding. Obviously, he had realised what the princess was building. Seacat hadn't, not yet, but she wasn't about to ask him.

Glimmer showed no such restraint - Seacat could hear her ask in a low voice: "What's she doing, Bow?"

"She's making speech tubes," Brain Bow replied.

Speech tubes? Ah. That meant the pipes would be used as...

"What did Bow say?" Adora asked in a whisper, interrupting Seacat's thoughts.

"She's making speech tubes," Seacat replied.

"What?" Mermista was there as well.

"Speech tubes," Seacat muttered.

"Speech tubes? How clever!" Sea Hawk exclaimed.

"Right?" Entrapta beamed at them. "I use them to order tiny food at my castle. And I think I can rig up a network so we can communicate safely!"

And she did. In about half an hour. The end result looked a lot like… well, some of those masks people wore to protect their noses and mouths against sand in the Crimson Wastes. If they also wore a mask over one ear. And all of the masks were connected to a central… thing.

"Everyone, grab one mouth and one ear part!" Entrapta announced. "Only one each - I didn't have enough material for two ear parts. And, I guess, that means we'd hear anyone coming or something."

Seacat reached for one mask, but a strand of hair swiped it away. "Not you, Seacat! Your ears are different, so I had to improvise!"

Seacat looked up and stared at the thing another strand of hair was holding out to her. "That's… a bowl?"

Entrapta nodded. "Your ears are very expressive, so you can put the bowl over your head, and we can still see your ears move! That should help with understanding you!"

Seacat blinked. Adora giggled, and Seacat really wanted to kick her in the shin, but Entrapta was watching with that wide smile of hers that made you feel like the worst Horde scum if you made it disappear. "Thank you," she said, taking the transparent bowl in her hands.

"No problem! It was a nice engineering challenge! And my notes on social interaction came in very handy, or I wouldn't have realised that you used your ears so much to convey meanings."

Seacat hadn't been aware of that, either. Well, she certainly used the ears to fool people when gambling, but she hadn't realised that her friends had picked up on it as well. And speaking of friends… As soon as the princess turned away, Seacat did kick the still giggling Adora. Then she put the bowl over her head. It smelt like leather and some chemical that made her nose itch.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Yes!"

"It seems to work."

"So neat!"

"Ingenious!"

"Your ears are twitching, Ca-Seacat."

And it worked. Maybe a little too well - the noise from the Fright Zone was gone, so the voices felt a little louder than normal. As long as no one screamed, it should work. "Alright," she said, her voice echoing a little. "How do we keep Shadow Weaver from stabbing us in the back?"

"I'll stick with her," Adora said at once. "If she betrays us, I'll put her down." The tubes attached to her masks bobbed a little when she nodded.

"We'll stick with her," Seacat corrected her. Adora meant well, but she might hesitate a little too long to strike Shadow Weaver. "But we need more than that." The witch was far too clever, after all. "And we need something she won't see coming." Literally see, in this case.

"I think I have an idea," Brain Boy said. "It depends on Entrapta."

"Yay!"

Seacat winced - that cry had hurt her ears a little. But that was a small price to pay for foiling Shadow Weaver's plan.

And, she thought as Brain Boy explained his idea, the boy had a very nice idea indeed. Seacat almost wished that Shadow Weaver tried to betray them.

"So… I'll need more materials for this!" Entrapta declared. "The stuff here will do for some, but I need more bot maintenance supplies!" She gestured to the scrapheap in the corner of the warehouse.

"No, what we all need," Seacat cut her off, "is rest. We've been up the whole night."

"Technically, we didn't do much for most of the night," the princess objected. "We waited, which counts as resting time, last I checked."

"Not when you're hiding from the Horde and aren't actually resting," Adora said. She yawned. "We really need to rest."

"One has to keep watch, though!" Entrapta said. "I can do that!"

"And work on your devices?" Brain Boy asked.

"Yes!"

"No," Seacat said. "You need to rest. I'll take the first watch." She didn't yawn. "And once we've rested, we can get the materials for you."

"Oh… alright."

Seacat knew she'd have to watch the princess as much as she had to watch their surroundings.

*****​

Eight hours later, Entrapta was tinkering with scraps from the warehouse - and from a few 'rediverted' supply crates. And Seacat stretched out on her cot. She'd slept a few hours already, but a little more never went amiss.

"Ca-Seacat?"

Adora was standing at the foot of her cot. Seacat sighed. "Yes?"

"We have to work with Shadow Weaver."

"I know." She didn't look at her lover - she looked at the ceiling.

"But you're still angry with me."

Seacat pressed her lips together. Yes, she was. It was stupid, but she couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry," Adora said.

"It's not your fault." Seacat sighed again and turned her head to look at her. "I just…"

"You hate it." Adora sat down on the cot, then had to quickly jump up when her weight came close to toppling it. "Sorry!"

Seacat snorted, even though she had to grab the edges of the cot to keep from getting thrown off. "You're too heavy."

"Hey!"

"We're not kids any more - we don't fit on one cot any more." She grinned. Adora pouted in return, and Seacat reached out to pat her thigh. And her butt.

"We really don't have a choice," Adora repeated herself.

"I know. And I hate it."

"I don't like it either," Adora said. She was eyeing the cot, Seacat noticed.

"Come on, sit down," Seacat told her, sitting up and swinging her legs to the side.

Adora sat down next to her, and Seacat wrapped her arm around her shoulder. The cot creaked a little but held. "I'm sorry."

Seacat rolled her eyes and used her free arm to reach over and flick the idiot's nose. "It's not your fault."

"That doesn't mean I'm not sorry."

"You shouldn't be."

"Well, I am."

"Then stop being sorry." Really, it was simple.

"I can't. Not when you're so…"

Ah. "I'll get over it. I'm almost over it already." Leaning into Adora's shoulder helped with that. Though… She slid into Adora's lap and rested her cheek against her chest. Better. Much better, she thought when she felt Adora shifting beneath her and one arm wrap around her waist.

"I know she's got a plan. I'm not dumb," Adora said. She would be pouting, Seacat knew.

"I don't think you're dumb. Just an idiot at times."

"Hey!"

"And we shouldn't talk like this." Seacat glanced at the ceiling. "She could be watching us."

"I can get the masks for us."

"No." Seacat grinned and tilted her head back so she could look at Adora's face. She touched her lover's nose with a finger, then ran it down and over her lips. "We don't have to talk about this. Not right now."

"Oh." Seacat felt Adora's arm tighten around her waist and saw her lick her lips, then swallow while she blushed a little and glanced around them. "But the cot won't, uh…" Her blush grew stronger.

"We don't need a cot," Seacat whispered. "Just a few blankets."

"And privacy! We, uh, wouldn't want to distract anyone from their work. Their important work!"

Seacat giggled. "We can move behind the crate there. I'll hang up a sign so we won't be disturbed."

"But… they'll hear us!" Adora sounded scandalised. But she was intrigued, Seacat could tell. And feel.

She smiled and licked her own lips, slowly. "You'll have to be quiet, then."

"Oh. But..."

"I'll help you with that." Seacat shifted, reaching up, and kissed her. That did silence Adora for a while.

Then she grabbed the blankets and led her lover behind the crate in the corner.

*****​

The witch returned in the evening. Hidden on the roof, Seacat spotted her approaching the warehouse. Although that didn't mean anything - Shadow Weaver wouldn't show off if she had a way to approach them unseen. And Seacat assumed that the witch had seen them take up a guard position on the roof.

That was the thing she really hated: She had to assume the worst just so they wouldn't be surprised. Shadow Weaver wasn't perfect. She made mistakes - Catra was the best example of that - but they couldn't plan for that.

But even so, with Shadow Weaver approaching, it was time to swap. Seacat was one of two people in their group who knew Shadow Weaver; she needed to be down in the warehouse when the witch started talking, not up on the roof.

So while the witch crossed the road below, she moved back to the trapdoor in the ceiling and whistled.

Half a minute later, she heard someone climbing through the opening. "Seacat."

"Captain." She smiled wearily at him.

He beamed at her in return. "Take heart! We'll see this through to victory!"

She nodded, and he clapped her on the shoulder as she passed him on the way down.

The witch was already in the warehouse when Seacat slid down the ladder they had installed, landing on the floor in a crouch. She didn't greet Shadow Weaver, and the witch didn't acknowledge her either.

Another mistake, in Seacat's opinion. Adora might have mixed feelings towards Shadow Weaver, but not to the extent that she'd forget that the witch had tried to get Catra killed. Trying to ignore Seacat wouldn't help there, either.

She moved next to Adora, her tail briefly rubbing against her lover's calves and thighs, and grinned when she heard Adora inhale sharply in response. And she hoped that Shadow Weaver was frowning behind her mask.

"Have you recovered your… spying device?" the witch asked.

"No. The bot hasn't been sent to maintenance yet," Entrapta replied. "Another day, I think, if they keep the same intervals."

"Project Omega approaches completion. The longer you wait, the greater the chance that Hordak will be out of your reach - literally," Shadow Weaver told them.

"One more day shouldn't hurt," Seacat said.

"One more day of waiting, followed by how much time spent planning?" The witch sniffed. "By my estimate, the airship will be able to launch, operational, yet not completed, in a week at most. Perhaps earlier.

Ah. She was trying to hurry them along. To make them depend on Shadow Weaver's information - and plans. Typical. "That's plenty of time to make sound plans," Seacat said.

"You would think so," the witch replied.

"Yes, I would," Seacat hissed. She felt Adora's hand on her shoulder just as she realised that she had taken a step forward.

"One more day won't hurt," Adora said.

The witch stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "As you wish. I will return tomorrow evening, then."

"Why don't you stay?" Glimmer asked. "We can start making plans and adjust them once we know more."

"I cannot stay here for too long without drawing suspicion. I will not risk discovery for a mere pre-planning session. I will return when you're ready to finalise our plans." The witch turned and walked into the shadows.

Seacat cocked her head, but she couldn't hear Shadow Weaver's steps. She might be gliding over the floor. After a bit, Seacat sighed. "Well, that was to be expected."

"She has a point - if she's under surveillance, she can't just disappear repeatedly," Brain Boy said. Seacat glared at him, and he raised his hands. "I'm not saying she's right - just saying she has a point."

That was the same! Seacat hissed under her breath. "She just wants us to depend on her."

Adora nodded. "She wants to lead."

"That's probably part of the reason she is willing to stab Hordak in the back," Glimmer said. The princess looked at the tarp under which Entrapata's 'communication network' rested. "We shouldn't discuss this in the open, though."

"Right." Seacat went and grabbed her bowl. At least she wouldn't have to wonder who else had worn it before since it was unique. Her friends, though, spent a little time sniffing and swapping. She grinned when Glimmer took Brain Boy's mask, thinking it was hers.

She didn't grin when Adora was about to pick Entrapta's helmet, and vice versa. "That's yours," she said, grabbing the mask before the princess could take it.

"Thank you!"

Of course, since the others saw it, she had to identify the masks for everyone. At least Entrapta marked them afterwards.

*****​

"Hey!"

Seacat slowly raised her head at the guard's call. "Yes?" She was just a grumpy, lazy Horde scumbag.

"What are you doing here? We don't expect a delivery?" The sergeant in charge of the Bot Maintenance's gate had come over.

She shrugged. "Administration is missing some paperwork, and I have to check the inventory here." She presented her fake orders. And ignored the urge to pull off the helmet that was squishing her sensitive ears flat.

"What?"

"Someone misfiled the latest requisition forms, and now we need to redo them."

"We haven't used any requisition forms in weeks! Everything's set!" the sergeant exclaimed.

She nodded. "That's why I said - but the officer wasn't listening. You know how it goes. 'I want everything checked! No magazine left un-inventoried!'," she added in a fake squeaky voice.

The guard chuckled, but the sergeant merely grinned. "You need to do an inventory?"

"Yes. So I can tell my dear superior that no, there aren't any forms missing from this branch." Seacat nodded with a sigh.

"Not your first inventory today, right?"

She shook her head. "Third."

This time, both Horde soldiers winced. "Well, we won't delay you. Just tell us when you're done."

"Will do," she said and stepped inside the hall. She walked - not quickly, shuffling, like a soldier who had spent the day doing stupid jobs for stupid scum - past the line of bots waiting there, tapping on their legs. The bots from Hordak's laboratory area weren't amongst them. Not yet. Plenty of time for her mission.

She had to present her orders to another scumbag waiting at the office area in the hall before she could start her supposed task. But afterwards, it was smooth sailing. She could wander around everywhere in the hall without anyone bothering her. Other than her tail, stuck wrapped around her waist. The things she suffered for the Alliance…

She shoved the thought away. Until the guard bots arrived, she had to kill time. Fortunately, killing time was something any Horde soldier learned quickly - you had to look busy at all times, or some officer would give you more work. So she faked counting the bots, the bot legs, the bot cannons, and then the bots again until she saw the first of the special guard bots arrive, quickly followed by the rest of them.

Then it was time to act her part. She pulled the special sheet of paper Entrapta had given her out from where she had had it stuck between forms and clipped it to her board as she wandered over to the start of the line. Once she was close enough, she faked having to fix her boots and knelt down, putting the board - paper side up - down next to her. Even squished, her ears picked up the sound of the bot's top moving in response.

Then all hell broke loose when the symbol on the paper triggered the changes Entrapta had placed in the bot. It froze for a moment, then started shooting wildly.

"Bot gone crazy! Watch out!"

"Run!"

The maintenance soldiers scattered like a school of fish when a shark attacked, some running screaming outside. Seacat resisted the urge to run as well. Entrapta had assured you that the bot's 'no shooting Horde uniforms' rule was still in effect. And she trusted the princess.

She still clenched her teeth when a shell hit the ground close to her and held her breath when she dashed towards the bot. But she reached its legs without being shot at, and a few quick jumps had her on top of it.

While the bot continued its rampage, she pulled out Entrapta's recording device and stuck it in the… where was the 'port' Entrapta called it? Ah, there!

The shaky movement almost threw her off the bot, but she managed to keep her balance and stuck the device into the opening, then pushed the button Entrapata had told her to push. And held on to the bot as the hall filled with smoke and fire. Finally, the device lit up. She pushed the other button, then grabbed it and jumped off the bot.

And ran as fast as she could towards the exit.

She had barely made it out when the bot exploded behind her.

The area was full of panting, screaming soldiers and officers, none of them aware of what was going on. And it was already night time. Seacat had no trouble at all to tell the sergeant she was done for the night, and the officer could send someone else tomorrow, then slip away before anyone could stop her and return with Brain Boy, who had been watching from the closest roof, to the warehouse where the others waited.

And where Entrapta would check the bot's memories on her device.

*****​

"So?" Seacat asked.

"Just a second!" Entrapta replied without looking up. "I'm sorting through the memories."

She'd been sorting through the memories for some time now.

"This won't take the entire night?" Brain Boy asked. "I mean, the bot recorded for almost a day…"

"Oh, no, I can compress the replay, no worry. Oh! That's fascinating!"

"Yes?" Adora leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever Entrapta was looking at on her device.

"The bots have standard patterns, switching through them based on mathematical formulas!" Entrapta looked up and beamed at them. "It's so elegant!" She blinked. "Predictable, but still elegant!"

Adora looked puzzled for a moment, then nodded. "So we could anticipate their positions based on the formula?"

"I guess so. It's mostly elegant." And she was back to looking at her device.

Seacat shook her head and sighed - silently.

"We shouldn't have used a bot going out of control. They'll look into the incident," Mermista complained.

"The charge should have destroyed all traces," Seacat retorted.

"And it also destroyed most of the maintenance building!" Sea Hawk added.

"Which means we'll have to find the new one - and find a way in if we want to use the bots again," Mermista said.

"Well, we shouldn't use the same trick again." Sea Hawk grinned. "We'll find a new trick!"

"You mean we'll listen to the witch and trust her plan?" Mermista was grumpier than usual, Seacat noted. With good reason, of course - Shadow Weaver had pretty much ruined their plans. Even if they found a way to get to Hordak thanks to the bot's memories, they would have to account for the witch's meddling.

"Oh! That's how they get inside!"

"Yes?" Adora looked like she wanted to rip the device out of Entrpata's hair.

"There's a side gate for bots."

"Can we use it? What are the codes?"

"Uh… they just walk up, and the door opens. I think. There's no memory of the bot giving a sign or code." Entrapta shrugged. "It's probably safer that way."

"If we find out who is on guard there…"

"Could be another bot. Or an automated system. Which, kinda, is a bot, of course," Entrapta explained. "Hordak doesn't seem to have many non-bot guards, does he?"

"He doesn't trust his soldiers very far," Adora said.

"Oh. He must be lonely."

The leader of the Horde, lonely? And mostly talking to Shadow Weaver? Seacat snorted. "Don't pity him - he's responsible for the war."

"Right!" Entrapta nodded. "Anyway, now here are the records of his lab. "Oh! That's gorgeous! Such power!" She held up the device. "Look at that power plant! It uses crystals! His lab must be completely self-sufficient!"

Seacat suppressed a sigh. "Could we blow that plant up? Like an enhanced engine?"

The princess blinked. "Uh… in theory. But I can't tell from this memory how exactly it works, so modifying would take some time."

Damn. Time was in short supply.

"Oh! Here are the enhanced engine bombs!"

What?

"He's got bombs there?" Adora said. "Where?"

"Well, they're built here… let me check the map and compare it to the log of the inertial guidance system…" Entrapta trailed off and started muttering under her breath.

Seacat didn't bother following her words - she barely understood the princess when she got into technical details. Unless it was about ships, of course.

Entrapta pointed at a section of their crude map. "Here! That's where he builds or has built the enhanced engine bombs. Now let's see if I can get any details…" She went back to staring at a panel of her device. "Oh! He has bots building them! Or he might be controlling the pincers remotely. But I think they're automated."

"He's got bots manufacturing enhanced engine bombs?" Mermista asked. "Then he could have them build engines, too, couldn't he?"

"Yes," Entrapta replied without looking up. "They seem to be standard bots, just modified. I wonder why - my bots are all customised. Most of them. Does using standard bots add greater flexibility? Although… he still has to modify them for their individual tasks. On the other hand, it might improve their morale if they know they won't be discarded if they become outdated - not that I would discard my bots, ever!"

Mermista looked grim. "If he can automate this, then he can scale up production easily once he has enough raw materials."

"We already knew that we had to take him out," Seacat said. "This changes nothing."

"But others could use those bots," Mermista objected.

"We'll destroy them as well, then!" Sea Hawk said.

Between Hordak, his laboratory, this new manufactory and the airship, they would have to destroy quite a lot of the heart of the Fright Zone, Seacat thought. Not to mention that she was sure that they would have to deal with Shadow Weaver as well…

"So… that's a very interesting setup. Efficient, too! I think I'll build my next workshop like this," Entrapta said.

"You found his workshop?" Adora asked.

"What? No. I just studied the assembly line there. But you're right - Hordak's actual workshop, where he does his research and builds his prototypes, must be even more impressive! Let's hope B-Five took a stroll through it as well!"

"B-Five?" Brain Boy asked.

"That's the bot's name," Entrapta replied.

"Was its name," Mermista added.

"Oh, no - I got its memory saved in my recorder, too!" Entrapta beamed at them. "So, once we're done here, I can give it a new body!"

Seacat winced. Give a new body to one of Hordak's guard bots? She had seen first hand what such a bot could do if they went out of control - even worse, the bot hadn't really gone out of control. It seemed Entrapta was a little too impressed with all this Horde tech…

"But not without, ah, changing its allegiance, right?" Adora asked.

"Oh, that's unnecessary," Entrapta explained. "The bots don't really have an allegiance - they just have parameters according to which they act. I just need to edit out all the 'shoot this' orders."

"Is that the same with your bots?" Seacat asked.

"Oh, no! My bots are learning - they have an improving control and guidance centre. The bots here have the same, but they regularly get their memory wiped, so they can't exactly grow and improve. It's really wasteful and cruel. Well, it would be cruel, but the bots can't develop much, if at all, in a few days doing the same things. But it's wasteful - if they were allowed to learn, they could do so much more!"

"I doubt Hordak wants more underlings that can think for themselves," Seacat commented. Especially if he mostly talked to Shadow Weaver.

"Why? He must be really lonely," Entrapta said. "Bots are great, but they're not good at talking."

"Because he doesn't trust anyone," Adora said. "But it's good that he's lonely - so we won't hurt anyone else when we take him out."

"Except for his guards and guard bots," Memista pointed out.

"Yes, except for them." Adora frowned a little.

"Oh, there's Hordak!"

Now Seacat wanted to take a look herself. But the device was too small. "What's he doing? And where is he?"

Without tearing her eyes off the device, Entrapta grabbed a pen with her hair and marked a door close to the centre of the restricted area. "Here. Oh, there's a glimpse into his lab… but not enough to see what he's working on. But that's great armour he's wearing. Very sleek, and… Oh. He turned and the back… it's technological armour! Look at the pipes and pistons!"

"Can you sketch his armour?" Brain Boy asked.

"Oh, good idea! I could try to reverse engineer it!"

"Or we can look for vulnerabilities," Brain Boy said in a dry voice.

"That too, I guess. I wouldn't want to build a flawed armour. Fascinating!"

Entrapta was halfway through a complicated sketch when Glimmer's voice sounded from above, where she was standing guard on the roof:

"Shadow Weaver's coming."

Great. Seacat clenched her teeth as Sea Hawk scaled the ladder to relieve Glimmer.

*****​
 
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Chapter 47: The Horde Leader Part 1
Chapter 47: The Horde Leader Part 1

Shadow Weaver entered the warehouse with as much arrogance as before. Or even more. The others might not realise it, what with the mask covering the witch's face, but Seacat knew her well enough to tell from the way Shadow Weaver held herself as she glided over the floor.

"Adora." A brief nod. "Princess Glimmer. Princess Mermista. Princess Entrapta."

So, she had decided to be a little more diplomatic? Seacat snorted, which caused the witch to briefly tilt her head towards her. Seacat grinned in return. As before, the show of greeting the princesses wouldn't fool anyone who knew her. And both Adora and Seacat did.

"Shadow Weaver." Adora's answering nod was barely noticeable.

"I trust you've finished your 'scouting' efforts," the witch said. "At least I assume the bot rampage was an attempt to obfuscate what you did."

Seacat clenched her teeth. Yes, arrogant even though she wanted their help.

And Glimmer was bristling. "We did get good intel about Hordak."

"Oh, yes! Fascinating insight into his technology!" Entrapta nodded several times.

"We know that he's building pretty much all of the Horde technology," Brain Boy added. "And that he has tech armour."

Seacat didn't quite roll her eyes, but she wanted to. 'Tech armour' was Brain Boy's invention. The word, not the armour.

"Tech armour?" Shadow Weaver scoffed. "It's what's keeping him alive."

"Oh?" Entrapta perked up. "It has healing properties? It keeps him alive when wounded? He must have found a way to harness magic for that!"

"No. It's not healing him - it's keeping him alive despite his crippling wounds," the witch corrected the princess. "The state of his health is so bad, he cannot live without his armour. I assume he can barely move without his armour. Destroy it, and he's doomed."

"Yeah." Adora frowned. "But how good can he fight and move with his armour?"

Shadow Weaver inclined her head, just as she had done whenever Adora had asked a good question as a cadet. "Formidably. He's a terrifying opponent. At least he was when he still took the field - but I doubt he has let the capabilities of his armour atrophy. However, I am certain he cannot stand up to you all - provided you face him together."

"And take casualties doing so." Mermista scoffed.

"This is war - the final battle of the war. Hordak must die. If you shy away from doing what needs to be done because you fear the price it may cost you, you will pay a much higher price later. You and your lands."

"Our people," Glimmer corrected the witch.

"I'm She-Ra; I can take him," Adora said.

Seacat wanted to kick her shin. No, this wasn't her fight. Not just her fight, at least. They were all in this together.

"You might be able to - but your power might not be enough to defeat Hordak before he can rally his guards and other reinforcements. Your friends would be in danger either way - but the outcome you need, Hordak's death, would be much less secure." Shadow Weaver shook her head. "No matter the risk, all of you need to attack him - and overwhelm him quickly."

"Some of us are more suited to other tasks than fighting," Brain Boy pointed out. "Especially in a research lab."

"And an assembly line!" Entrapta added.

"You're a master archer," Shadow Weaver said. "And your trick arrows offer ways to severely hamper Hordak. What do you think you could accomplish in his laboratory that would compare to that?"

"You might not be aware of it, seeing as you never fought at the side of friends, but if you try to attack one man with too many people, they'll only get into each other's way," Seacat told her.

"That might be - but in the end, the goal is achieved. Hordak will be dead."

Yeah, that was just how the Horde worked. Drown your enemy in blood as long as it works.

"We're not the Horde," Adora said. "We'll fight Hordak, but we'll do on our terms. But we could use your help to get to him - it would make things easier."

Seacat wanted to protest, but her friend was right. Probably. They would have a much easier time entering Hordak's personal laboratory if Shadow Weaver opened the doors. "Not that we need your help," she said anyway, sneering at the witch.

Shadow Weaver sniffed, then turned to Adora. "As you wish. But I hope you will remember my counsel before it is too late - all our lives are in danger, after all."

"Yes." Adora nodded with a firm expression.

"We know what we're doing," Glimmer added. "We've been fighting the Horde for years."

"Fighting and defeating them," Mermista added.

"And yet, for all your bravado, it's all coming down to a covert strike against Hordak himself." Shadow Weaver scoffed. "A strike that would've failed already if not for me covering up your entrance. Please try to remember this before you ruin everything for your pride."

Seacat really wanted to hurt the witch.

"This isn't about pride," Glimmer protested.

"It isn't? What about power? We both know that if your group defeats Hordak without my help, it will boost your reputation and influence amongst the Alliance much more than if you needed my support. A group of princesses bravely attacking the enemy leader is much more appealing than winning through treachery, isn't it?"

"That doesn't matter to us!" The princess shook her head. "All that counts is defeating Hordak!"

"Then it shouldn't be a problem for you at all to accept my help."

"There's the matter of trust," Seacat cut in. "Mainly our lack of trust in you."

"If I wanted to lure you into a trap, I could have done so easily already," the witch replied.

"You need us - until Hordak is dead," Adora pointed out.

"And what would I gain by betraying you afterwards? Control of the Horde? It would collapse without Hordak's technology. He took care to ensure that he was irreplaceable." Shadow Weaver shook her head.

"If he hadn't, you'd have made a move against him long ago," Seacat spat.

The witch tilted her head at her, and Seacat could see the condescension in her eyes. "You would think so, of course. But I was well-aware of my means and my chances to succeed him."

"But even without Hordak, you'd have his bombs and the airship!" Glimmer narrowed her eyes. "Even if you would run out of them and lose the airship to maintenance, you could do a lot of harm before that happens."

"You're planning to destroy the airship, aren't you?"

"Yes. That still leaves the bombs," Glimmer said.

"And they don't need much maintenance, at least not for the next several months," Entrapta added.

"But they require an army to use. The Horde is already teetering on the brink of disaster. If Hordak falls - and the airship is destroyed - morale will plummet. Horde soldiers will desert in droves - doubly so since the heartlands of the Fright Zone were attacked. You are aware of just how fragile the Horde is at the moment, aren't you?"

"The Horde's drilled to obey. As long as you can step in and give orders, most of them will continue the war," Seacat pointed out.

"I will be too busy restoring my failing health," the witch replied. "What would I gain if I kept the Horde running but died in the process?"

"You, too weak to do both?" Seacat scoffed. This was the witch's plan: Have them kill Hordak and then kill them before taking over the Horde to lead them against the Alliance, which would be reeling from the losses.

"You are too ignorant and naive to understand." The witch turned her head. "Adora. Do you believe the Horde would survive the loss of Hordak?"

Adora took a deep breath - she didn't look like she wanted to be put on the spot like this. "If the chain of command is still intact, then… I believe it's possible to keep the Horde running."

"Even without the airship? Project Omega, which was touted as the Horde's ultimate weapon?" Shadow Weaver shook her head. "You overestimate your enemy."

"That's called being cautious," Mermista snapped.

"If you overestimate your enemy, you'll risk losing a war to a beaten foe because you are too afraid to fight."

"We're here, in the heart of the Fright Zone. We can see how hard everyone's working," Glimmer said.

"As long as Hordak is alive. My own standing isn't high enough to engineer the same kind of loyalty."

"Well, then we need to dispose of the bombs and the airship!" Entrapta said. "Without either, the Horde can't fight on. Well, not with a significant chance of winning the war."

"Or we use the bombs to destroy the airship," Seacat said. And a big part of the Fright Zone.

"That would be possible, but…" Entrapta bit her lower lip. "We would have to get the bombs into the yard."

"The more people you divert to this, the lower your chance to kill Hordak becomes," Shadow Weaver said.

Seacat scoffed again. The witch was showing her cards.

"We can take both. All three," Adora said, nodding firmly - and meeting Shadow Weaver's eyes with a stern expression. Unwavering.

Seacat sighed softly at the sight.

The witch held Adora's gaze for a long moment, then nodded. "So be it. I hope you're right, Adora. For all our sakes."

"So do we," Brain Boy added.

The witch seemed to ignore him. "I can slip in Hordak's sanctum tomorrow evening - I will ask for an audience with him. As long as you follow me without being seen, you'll be able to attack him by surprise and overwhelm him."

"We need the route in advance, so we won't get lost if we lose sight of you," Adora said.

"I'll mark it on your… map." The witch nodded at their sketch on the crate serving as a table. "But smuggling a bomb out of the laboratory and into the hangar… I can't help you there."

"You don't need to," Entrapta told her. "We can handle it!"

"And can you avoid Hordak's spies on your own?" the witch asked.

"His spies?" Adora frowned.

Shadow Weaver cocked her head. "He has spies in the Fright Zone. I have managed to avoid them to meet with you thanks to my long experience, but I dare say that trying to steal an enhanced bomb would run afoul of them - Hordak is aware that such a bomb represents a grave threat to him."

Of course the witch would say this to keep them following her plan! On the other hand, it made a lot of sense that Hordak wouldn't leave such bombs unguarded. "I assume you will tell us to get the bombs after we kill Hordak, right?" Seacat said.

Shadow Weaver glanced at her. "That would be the obvious solution. Once Hordak's dead, his spies will be useless. They might find other masters, but since they have exclusively reported to Hordak, Horde officers wouldn't trust them. Hordak's death would provide you with a window of opportunity to further wreck the Horde."

"And you with an opportunity to betray us!" Glimmer retorted.

"I will be busy saving my life," the witch replied. "I've explained that before. I would not risk my life for the dubious privilege of controlling a doomed army."

"Unless you think you could save them," Adora said, hands on her hips.

"Even if I thought so, do you honestly think I would take such a risk? You should know me better than that, Adora."

Seacat gritted her teeth. The witch was manipulating Adora. "We know that you're a liar," she spat.

Adora nodded.

"I've lied before, yes. But I'm not lying now." Shadow Weaver tilted her head again. "All I want is to cure the curse on me. What happens to the Horde afterwards is of no concern to me any more."

"Was it ever a concern?" Adora asked. "Or was the Horde just a means to an end?"

"It was a means to save my life," the witch replied after a moment. "That doesn't mean every member of the Horde was merely a means to an end." She looked at Adora.

Seacat scoffed. "We know you! You treat everyone as a tool!"

"Not everyone. I've cared for Adora since she was a baby."

And she hadn't cared for Catra. "And you've tried to murder me," Seacat spat.

"A mistake, in hindsight."

Seacat wanted to hurt the witch. Kill her. She could just pounce on her. Shred her with her claws before she could react. At this distance, she wouldn't be able to use her magic. And if she truly was dying, she might be weakened enough to…

Seacat drew a deep breath. No. She couldn't kill Shadow Weaver. Not now, when they were so close to defeating the Horde.

"Enough!" Mermista spoke up. "We don't trust you. Tell us how those spies operate, and we'll find a way to deal with them. Get us to Hordak, and we'll kill him. But if you try to betray us, you'll regret it."

Shadow Weaver looked at the princess, then nodded. "Very well."

Seacat didn't relax or sheathed her claws until the witch had left the warehouse. "She's... "

Adora put her hand on her shoulder, then pulled her in for a hug. "I know."

She didn't know, though. But she tried her best. Seacat closed her eyes and hugged her lover.

"So…" Entrapta held up the speaking tubes again. "Planning session?"

*****​

Hordak's laboratory wasn't visible from the roof of the warehouse - a wall of big furnaces blocked the view - but Seacat still looked towards it. Today was the day. Today Hordak would die. And the war would end.

And Shadow Weaver would betray them. Seacat was certain. The witch was too focused on them killing Hordak and ignoring everything else. She had to have a plan to stab them in the back as soon as Hordak fell.

Well, they had a plan for that as well. They weren't as naive as the witch thought.

She bared her teeth. Oh, yes - Shadow Weaver would rue this day!

"Don't stab her before we kill Hordak."

Seacat turned. Adora had climbed up on the roof as well. "If you tried to surprise me, then you failed. I heard you on the ladder."

"I wasn't trying to surprise you!" Adora protested as she walked up to Seacat. "I just wanted to…"

"I'm fine," Seacat said at once.

Adora didn't say anything, just watched her.

"I don't like waiting," Seacat said.

Adora still didn't say anything.

Seacat sighed. "I'm not going to stab her. Not until she betrays us."

"You think she will betray us."

Seacat tilted her head at her. "You think she won't?"

"I don't know," Adora said. "I don't know what she's planning. She says she doesn't want the Horde, and…"

"You believe her?" Seacat snapped.

"I do believe her that she doesn't want the Horde just to rule the Horde. She's not the type. But she wants something, and if commanding the Horde will help her get it, she'll try to take over the Horde."

Seacat nodded. "And she'll betray us for it."

"If we get into her way. Or she thinks we'll stop her," Adora said.

Seacat looked at her with a frown. "Whatever she's planning, it can't be good."

Her lover sighed. "I know. But… part of me hopes that she is telling the truth and only wants to cure herself." She looked down at the ground - well, the roof. "We'll be hard-pressed enough with Hordak and then the Horde."

Seacat waited a moment, then spoke up: "I hope she tries to betray us." She clenched her fists. "I want to kill her." The witch had tried to kill her. Had wiped out an entire village and her own troops for it. And she was trying to manipulate Adora. "She's fixated on you. Even if we let her go, she'll return and try something."

"I know!" Adora replied. "But we made a deal. Breaking it…" Seacat could see her jaw muscles moving as Adora clenched her teeth. "It wouldn't be right."

Adora would be worried about that, Seacat knew. She'd been a stickler for rules and regulations. Not that there was anything wrong with having a code - as long as it was flexible enough.

"If I, if we break our word and stab her in the back - what does that mean for us? How can people trust us if we do that?" Adora asked.

Seacat pressed her lips together. The Captain had taught her that a sailor's reputation was, well, their livelihood, if not their life. Even pirates knew that if they had a reputation for breaking their word, they would have to fight harder to capture a ship since no one would surrender. And she wasn't a pirate.

And the enemies and rivals of Seacat's friends would use this against them. Mermista would have more trouble with the admirals. And her relationship with the Captain would be more difficult - Seacat knew the officers would blame him for this. The other princesses would probably be affected as well. Glimmer had the queen to cover for her, but Entrapta? She scoffed. "I hate it."

"I know."

Seacat closed her eyes and leaned against her. "The moment she turns against us, I'll finish her."

"We'll finish her."

*****​

The message arrived while they were eating dinner. Horde rations, so it wasn't a big loss - Seacat tossed hers as soon as the shadows in the corner started to move and formed letters. A word.

Come

She took a deep breath and stood. This was it. Shadow Weaver would be waiting at the side entrance to let them in and guide them to Hordak.

"Alright! Does everyone know the plan?" Adora asked.

"Yes." Mermista rolled her eyes.

"Yes!" Entrapta nodded several times.

"Yes." Glimmer looked ready and determined.

"Yes." Brain Boy nodded.

"Huzzah!"

Seacat grinned. It was finally time. "Let's go!"

They left the warehouse. It was dark outside already - Seacat wasn't sure if that was a good thing. It meant fewer Horde scum on the roads to stumble into them or ask questions about their orders, but it also meant it would be easier for Horde troops to hide or move unseen, if this was a trap. Of course, if this was a trap, the warehouse would've been surrounded already, but…

She shook her head and focused on watching their surroundings as they marched, disguised as a troop of guards, towards Hordak's laboratory.

They passed a patrol of regular bots without issue - other than Entrapta looking a little too long at the slight limp one bot had developed, but Seacat didn't have to drag her with them - and reached the side entrance in question.

It was supposed to open automatically if you approached and were expected, so they kept going. Seacat held her breath. If this was a trap, then this would be the perfect moment to attack them - caught in the open, with a massive wall blocking their path.

But no troops rushed in to surround them, and when the entrance slid open, Shadow Weaver stood there.

And the witch wasn't happy. "Hordak's not in his laboratory," she announced before anyone could say anything. "He's in the airship yard."

Seacat hissed. That… complicated things.

"Are you still meeting him?" Adora asked.

"Yes. But you'll have to find your own way in," the witch said. "And quickly. Before he grows suspicious - and notices that his spies have been dealt with already."

Great. "What about the laboratory's guards?" Seacat asked.

"What about them?"

"We need to sabotage the bombs," Seacat explained. That was the agreed-upon plan!

"Disabling the security to the bomb storage would alert Hordak. We can't risk that until we have faced him," Shadow Weaver replied.

Seacat clenched her teeth. She hated it, but the witch was right. But…

"Then we'll sneak in without alerting the guards!" Sea Hawk announced. "Well, some of us."

"That's too dangerous!" Shadow Weaver hissed.

"It's a risk we have to take," Adora spoke. "We trust our friends."

"Huzzah!"

That meant Adora, Seacat, Glimmer, Mermista and Sea Hawk would attack Hordak, with Brain Boy and Entrapta going after the bombs. More or less like they planned to split up anyway - but they wouldn't be close enough to support and reinforce each other now.

And Shadow Weaver was angry. "I won't take responsibility if this leads to a disaster."

As if the witch ever did! Seacat snorted as she bared her fangs to her.

"Alright. This doesn't really change much," Adora said. "We talked about this before, so we'll stick with our plan."

"But…" Entrapta started to protest.

Adra shook her head. "We stick to our plan. I trust you."

The princess nodded, though reluctantly. "Alright then. I guess."

Adora turned to Shadow Weaver. "Go. We'll sneak into the yard ourselves and get to his office."

"Or wherever he's at the moment," Glimmer added. "As long as we can see him, we can reach him."

Seacat nodded. This was why Glimmer hadn't been using any magic so far during the mission. She could get them into the airship yard and into Hordak's office without trouble.

"I see." Shadow Weaver nodded, then turned and started to leave. "Don't start until I'm inside," she said over her shoulder.

Seacat bit her lower lip to keep from snapping at the witch. Shadow Weaver wasn't in command.

"Alright," Adora said as soon as they were alone. "Bow, Entrapta - go and get the bombs and do your thing."

Seacat snorted again - Adora had such a way with words sometimes.

"Everyone else - come!"

Seacat smiled at Entrapta, then followed Adora.

"Alright." Adora walked quickly. "Glimmer can teleport us inside past the guards - once she catches a glimpse of the inside."

"The air ducts up on top; if she drops us there, we'll be fine," Seacat said. She made a quick mental calculation. "But that might be a little hard to spot - unless you're at the gate."

"Then I do two teleports," Glimmer said. "One into the air, then on the duct. Then I can fetch the rest of you."

That would be an additional two teleports. Nothing too difficult, but… "If the gate's open when we arrive. We might have to wait for a delivery," Seacat said. "Can't do anything about that," she added. "We could take out the guards easily, but that wouldn't let us open the gate."

"Let's hope that there's a delivery," Adora said. "Soon."

Seacat nodded. She hated depending on others like this. First Shadow Weaver, and now they had to hope some Horde supply sergeant was going to do their job when they arrived.

She suppressed a sigh. Perhaps they should've asked Shadow Weaver to take them with them… No. Hordak would've been suspicious if he saw them arrive together. They'd have to improvise if needed.

She grinned. Hell, if everything failed, Adora could probably cut a hole in the gate. Or push them open.

They reached the shipyard. Airship yard, Seacat reminded herself. And wasn't that something? How long until ships would be replaced by airships? Or would airships be too costly to produce in large numbers and remain limited to the military?

She scoffed silently at herself and focused on the building ahead of them. This wasn't the time to wonder about the future. They had a Horde leader to kill.

Two of them.

The gate was closed, and the guards were alert - much more alert than before, she noted. So, it was true that Hordak was in the yard. But there was no wagon approaching with supplies.

And no sign of Shadow Weaver.

"So, how do we do this? Tell them we're expected by Shadow Weaver?" Mermista asked.

"Charge the gate and blow it up?" Sea Hawk suggested. "We would be inside before they could recover and gather enough troops to stop us."

"But we would alert them before we strike at Hordak, who might use the opportunity to escape," Seacat pointed out.

"Do we have an alternative?" Adora asked. "Glimmer can't teleport if she can't see the destination."

"Welll…"

Seacat looked at the princess. That wasn't the face of someone agreeing with Adora.

"Glimmer?"

"I can teleport without knowing or seeing the destination," she said. "But it's taking more out of me. And… I can miss."

"Miss?" Adora asked.

"I could land somewhere else."

"Like next to a guard? Or in another building?"

"Yes."

"Let's shelf that for now," Adora said.

Seacat agreed.

"The water pipes!" Mermista broke the sudden silence. "We can enter through them!"

"The pipes?" Adora asked.

"They've got cooling lines. We can enter through them - and then we cut the line and break out. Cause a disruption and distraction," Mermista explained. "I can feel the pipes from here."

Seacat bit her lower lip. That sounded good. Dangerous but doable.

And they wouldn't have to depend on anyone else.

"But we need to cut the pipes, right? To get into them," Adora asked.

"I like that," Glimmer said. "I don't fancy drowning."

"The valves are inside the building - or farther away," Mermista said. "It would delay us if we headed there, and we might have to deal with guards."

"And we might trigger an alert. Which would screw up the whole plan." Adora sighed.

"And we would have to hold our breath while we get pushed through a pipe full of water, hoping that we don't miss our exit - which we will have to make by cutting our way out anyway," Glimmer said. "I can't believe anyone would suggest that."

Adora pouted, "I was just trying to find a way to preserve our surprise."

"Well, it doesn't seem like it would work - but if we cut the pipes, it might serve as a distraction," Seacat said. "Cause the area to flood."

"Indeed!" Sea Hawk smiled. "The sea shall be our ally even this far inland!"

"You mean the river water they are using," Mermista said.

"Which shall create a new sea here. Small, and not very deep, but… it's the thought that counts. Huzzah!"

"Whatever. Let's go!"

They hurried over to the back of the building, where the cooling pipes entered. And where the ground was flat - and hid the giant trapdoor underneath through which the airship would fly out. If Seacat hadn't known the underground layout, she wouldn't have suspected a thing, but now… It did look suspicious to have such a vast area without anything built on it. And while the Horde was apparently using it for drills, it was too far from the actual infantry and cadet barracks to be practical.

Someone had been sloppy, she thought. A new barrack nearby would have helped - and allowed the Horde to train the ship's crew as well. Then again, that might have attracted attention as well.

"Alright! Everyone ready?" Adora's question interrupted Seacat's thoughts. Her lover was standing at the biggest pipe, sword ready.

"Yes."

Seacat hurried to Mermista. "Yes."

Adora took a deep breath, raised her sword with both hands and struck. The magic blade cut through the metal with ease, and the whole pipe came apart, water shooting out of the gap - and curving away from Adora.

"Thanks, Mermista!" Adora smiled over her shoulder at the princess.

"Let's hurry - this is a lot of pressure."

Seacat dashed forward and jumped into the pipe, her bare feet landing in a puddle on the bottom. The whole pipe smelt like the river, too - not the cleanest water. But not as muddy as the river proper.

"Onward!"

The rest climbed into the pipe, Sea Hawk carrying Mermista despite her protests, and they hurried towards the yard.

Seacat could already hear alarmed shouts outside. She hoped that the Horde scum wouldn't hear them running inside the pipe - the water at the bottom did dampen the sound of their steps a little, but to Seacat's ears, it still rang rather loud.

She took the lead then glanced over her shoulder - they were still outside the building. She kept running. A few more yards, and they were inside the building. "Almost," Adora said next to her.

Then they reached the part of the pipe that went straight down - to the actual slip on which the airship was being built. Seacat stared down. About ten yards, maybe a bit more. Too much to jump - there was no water left below. In fact, steam was rising through the pipe.

Right, this pipe was used to transport cooling water. Without water, things would get hot. But to descend into that…

"Alright!" Adora said and raised her sword again.

"What are you…" Seacat started to say, but her lover drove the sword into the wall ahead of them, then leaned into it - and jumped.

Seacat stared as Adora slid down the pipe, cutting it open lengthwise, until she landed on the bottom. "Jump! I'll catch you!"

Seacat snorted, then grinned and jumped herself, descending with a series of quick jumps from one side to the other until she reached the bottom.

Adora frowned at her, then grinned herself. Had she expected anything else from Seacat?

Sea Hawk jumped as well, landing harder than Seacat but not too hard. Mermista slid down on a pillar of water - which caused more steam to rise - and Glimmer actually let herself be caught by Adora.

But the metal under Seacat's feet was growing hotter by the second. And the air was turning to steam. "We need to get out!" she snapped.

"Yes!" Adora swung her sword - and cut the pipe wide open. As the slab of metal fell down, Seacat looked into the huge hall, at the airship under construction - and at the window across the hall.

Hordak's office.

"Glimmer!" she snapped, pointing at it.

Glimmer whipped her head around and stared at the window, narrowing her eyes. "Got it!" She grabbed Adora's and Seacat's hands as the first shouts of alarm rang through the hall - the Horde scum had seen them.

Then everything went sparkly for a moment, and they appeared in a large room with a desk and lots of weird devices. And Hordak. Glaring at them.

"Get the others!" Adora yelled, already charging the Horde leader.

Seacat dashed to the side, jumping over a chair. If she flanked Hordak…

"You dare!" Hordak raised his right arm, and something launched from it, hitting Adora and blasting her back. Seacat gasped as her lover hit the window, then fell down, leaving cracks in the thick glass.

"You dare to attack me in my home?"

For a moment, Seacat was frozen. If Adora was… But her lover groaned and got up. Seacat hissed and charged the scum who had hurt her. As soon as he turned to face her, she dived to the side, and his next blast wave thing missed her and wrecked the chair behind her.

She jumped on his desk while he was still turning to shoot at her again, then lashed out with her foot in a spinning kick.

He blocked it with his armoured bracer, and her eyes widened as she felt her claws slide off. What kind of armour did he have?

She quickly flipped back, off the table, avoiding the next blast, but mistimed the landing and rolled over her shoulder, coming up in a crouch and staring down the cannon mounted on Hordak's bracer. That was…

"No!" Adora slammed into the Horde leader, and his shot went wide, blowing a hole into the ceiling as she rammed him into the wall behind him. Seacat moved to help, but before she could reach them, Hordak managed to swing his arm around, and Adora was blown back again, but this time, she managed to keep standing. Mostly.

Seacat ducked behind the desk when the Horde leader turned. Where was Shadow Weaver? And where was Glimmer?

Sirens started blaring. Something moved at the back of the wall, stepping out of the shadows - Shadow Weaver! The witch raised her hand, and lighting leapt towards Hordak, crackling all over his armour.

"Traitor!" he turned and fired at her. Her magical shield stopped the blast, but she was pushed back anyway. "This is how you repay me for saving your worthless life?"

"You betrayed me!" the witch snarled. She sent more lighting towards the Horde leader, but it didn't seem to affect him.

"Rah!" Adora jumped and brought her sword down on Hordak with both hands. The Horde leader dodged to the side, though - moving far faster than he had any right to! - and the sword carved a deep gap into the floor.

Hordak turned and fired at Adora. She took the blast on her sword, deflecting it into the ceiling. Splinters flew, and dust and smoke covered Adora as Hordak fired again - and Seacat pounced, coming at him from behind. Her blade struck his chest plate - and slid off. She let go of it and jumped on his back, claws scrambling for purchase, as she reached for his uncovered head. Close quarters were her strength. He whirled, almost throwing her off, and instead of tearing his throat out, she tore half an ear off.

He screamed, and she bit his neck, raising one arm to slice his throat…

...and her whole body went stiff with pain as lightning ran over her.

"Stupid child!" she heard Shadow Weaver curse before Hordak rammed his back - and Seacat - into the wall behind him.

The impact drove the breath out of her chest, and she fell down, head reeling from the blow.

"You pest!"

Hordak turned. He would shoot her. She had to move! But her body wasn't responding. Her legs were shaking and twitching, not pushing. This was…

"Leave her alone!"

Hordak screamed. And something hit Seacat. Liquid. Warm liquid. Blood, her nose told her.

She blinked.

Hordak's blood.

He was screaming still, wildly firing at Adora, who was driven back, as more lighting leapt over his armour without doing anything.

And he was bleeding from his side. Adora's magic sword could cut through his armour - at least the weaker parts.

Unfair, Seacat thought as she got up, still on trembling legs. But if her claws didn't work… She grabbed part of the wrecked desk and struck at the Horde leader's legs from behind.

He fell to the ground, unbalanced by the blow. "You!"

Seacat was already moving, running towards the other side of the room, dodging behind the wrecked desk. A blast missed her - and hit the window in front, shattering it and blowing the pieces out, to fall down to main hall of the yard. She jumped and rolled - clumsily, she almost stepped on her own tail - over the floor, keeping low. More screaming filled her ears. And more sirens. Familiar sirens.

Adora was attacking again, swinging her blade, though Hordak somehow managed to fend her off, using his bracers to parry. He kept firing as well, but Adora struck his hand away before he could line up a shot.

Seacat grinned and started towards the fighting, still keeping low. The wild blasts struck the ceiling and walls, filling the room with smoke and dust.

Lots of smoke.

Seacat was about to flank Hordak again - at least the stupid witch had stopped throwing lightning around, though whatever she was doing wasn't doing anything to Hordak either - when she realised why the sirens sounded so familiar.

"Fire!" she spat. That was the fire alarm of the Horde. She glanced to the hall and saw it was filling with smoke as well.

The yard was burning.

"You stupid useless creature!" Shadow Weaver spat. "Did you set fire to the entire building?"

"No!" Seacat blinked. "The cooling pipes!" They had cut the cooling water - the plants would be overheating. And if no one turned them off…

And Shadow Weaver was gone. Glimmer hadn't returned - something must have happened. That left…

Adora flew back, crashing into the wall with a grunt of pain, then slid down, crumpled.

"Hah!" Hordak stepped out of the smoke cloud. Grinning. He swayed, still bleeding - but his arm cannon rose.

Seacat rushed him. Hordak snarled, and his arm swung around.

Seacat dropped to the floor and felt the heat of the shot was over her as the scum fired a moment later. The wall behind her exploded, but she didn't care - she hit Hordak's legs, sending him sprawling, then grabbed his cannon arm, biting and clawing at the softer parts of his armour. She had to disarm him. No matter how.

Before he…

Something hit her head, and she saw stars.

*****​
 
Chapter 48: The Horde Leader Part 2
Chapter 48: The Horde Leader Part 2

Her head ringing, Seacat clung to Hordak's arm, trying to fend off the next blow with her free arm. If she let go, she was dead - he'd blow her to pieces with his cannon.

He hit her arm, and she hissed at the pain. But it also allowed her to focus. She deflected his next blow, jerking at the shock when he fired his gun in an attempt to shake her off. In response, she clenched her legs around the barrel despite the heat and bit down harder, chewing at the fabric between the armour plates and the gun mount.

He had hurt Adora. She'd kill him!

His next blow hit her shoulder, and she yelped - but didn't let go. Her claws found a spot at his elbow, and she dug in, wriggling her fingers, slicing into his sleeve, then into his flesh.

He grunted. "You pest!"

And he shamed her into the wall. But he had no leverage - she could weather those blows. Warm blood was running over her hand, now. And her fangs finally pierced his suit. His blood tasted awful. But she kept biting. And clawing.

Hordak would die!

He grabbed her flailing arm instead of trying to hit her. And started pulling. She screeched and tried to resist - but he was too strong. A little more, and he'd pull her arm out of its socket!

No choice. She let go - and used the momentum as he overbalanced to swing around and rake the claws on her feet across his face before he managed to fling her off.

He tumbled back, howling with pain, as more blood ran down his face. "You…. I'll kill you!"

Holding one hand to his ruined face, he moved the cannon to point at her.

She dodged to the side, rolled over her shoulder and charged him again, jumping right when he lined up the barrel, and twisted her body in the air.

But he didn't shoot - he pulled his arm back instead!

Her eyes widened, and she lashed out with her foot, connecting with the cannon and kicking it up right before it fired.

It missed her, blasting another hole in the ceiling.

Then the pain hit her, right when she was about to hit him. Her foot… the blast must have burned it.

Instead of clawing his face off, she smashed into his chest plate, driving the breath out of her lungs, and slid down.

Despite the pain, she moved forward, between his legs, as his cannon swung around again.

And she punched up, slicing the inside of his thighs and smashing into his groin.

Blood splattered over her, and he howled again even though her claws slid off the groin protection. She tried to cut his tendons, but the armoured boots stopped her.

Then he kicked her, in her wounded leg, and she was pushed to the side, rolling over the torn floor until she hit the remains of the window in the front.

Hordak was reeling, his bleeding legs wobbling - but he was aiming at her. Seacat rolled to the side, into the thickening cloud of smoke entering through the smashed window. The next blast missed her, tearing out more of the front wall.

She scrambled away on all fours - on her hands and knees, trying to hold her burned foot in the air. Where was Glimmer? What had happened? Adora was… No!

Snarling, she changed direction, moving towards Hordak again. She had to keep him distracted, or he would…

She left the smoke and gasped - Hordak was gone. Coughing, she whipped her head around. Adora! Her lover was still lying where she had fallen.

Seacat crawled towards her as smoke filled most of the office. "A..." She coughed again, "Adora!"

She reached her. And reached out for her face. Her throat. Adora was breathing. But… they couldn't stay in the office. Not with smoke filling it. They'd suffocate. Damn.

"Wake up, Adora!" she yelled, then coughed some more.

But Adora didn't stir. Blinking through her tears, Seacat grabbed her lover's arms and started pulling her towards the door. They had to get out. Get away. Before the smoke killed them.

Her wounded foot hit something, and she screamed. Oh. Adora's sword. For a moment, Seacat hesitated. Then she grabbed it, bit down on the grip and continued pulling Adora towards the door.

Everything hurt. And Adora was heavy. But Seacat wouldn't give up. Not now. Not ever.

She just had to reach the door. And close it. To keep the smoke out. Then she could rest. A little. Until…

There was the door. She pulled Adora through, pushing her the last yard, then pulled the door closed behind her.

And collapsed over her lover.

*****​

"Catra! Seacat! Wake up! Oh, no! Please!"

Seacat opened her eyes and blinked. Everything was… blurry. And hazy. But her foot didn't hurt any more. And breathing didn't hurt any more, either. "Wha…?" she started to say, then coughed.

"Ca-Seacat!"

And someone crushed her ribs. Someone? "Adora!"

"Oh, I was so worried!"

"Can't… breathe…" Seacat managed to say.

"Oh, no! Did I mess up the healing? Wait!"

Before Seacat could protest, Adora released her, and a beam of light hit her.

"Are you feeling better?"

"You were crushing me," she explained. Though she did feel better - her lungs didn't hurt any more. But the smoke would quickly change that. And… "Hordak! He ran!" Seacat jumped up. "We need to catch him!"

"Wait!"

But Seacat wasn't waiting. "Come!" She took a few steps towards the stairs, then stopped and turned. Adora looked… well, she looked hurt. "Oh, no!"

As Seacat should've expected, Adora frowned, then raised her chin. "I'm fine. Let's go!" She dashed past Seacat.

"You were knocked out when I dragged you out of the office!" Seacat yelled as she went after her lover.

"And you were knocked out when I woke up."

"But you healed me!"

"I'm She-Ra; I heal fast."

"But…" Seacat jumped over the handrail and landed next to Adora on the lower stairs. "Not that fast!"

"We can't let him escape! Run!"

Was she deliberately misunderstanding her? Seacat couldn't tell. But she chased after Adora. They couldn't get split up. Not more than they already were. Damn! "Something must have happened to Glimmer! She never returned!"

Adora didn't answer - but she ran faster.

Seacat cursed and started jumping over the handrails rather than trying to keep up running. That way, she could even pass Adora, and…

She gasped as she almost jumped straight into a gaping hole where the next flight of stairs should've been but managed to keep her grip on the handrails.

"Catra!"

"I'm fine," she replied, pulling herself up. "But Hordak must have blown up the stairs."

"We aren't too high up any more," Adora said. "We can make the jump."

"And what if that's a trap?" Seacat told her. That would be like the Horde scum!

"Let's check!" Adora raised her sword and pointed it at the platform below them. A beam shot out of it and hit the concrete.

And the whole flight blew up. Seacat dived to the floor, then was almost crushed as Adora threw herself on top of her. Smoke filled the staircase when they got up.

"How did he have time to place a trap?" Adora asked.

"Probably already in place," Seacat replied. She looked at the platform, but smoke blocked her view. "We'll have to jump blindly," she said. "Or…" She eyed the walls of the staircase, covered with dents and cracks from the bomb. "Yes." She moved over the broken remains of the stairs to the wall, then drove her claws into it. "I'll climb down and you follow me once I clear the way."

"Wait!"

Seacat wasn't waiting. And she wasn't going to let Adora sacrifice herself.

She held her breath as long as she managed as she made her way through the smoke, driving her claws into the wall to keep from falling down.

Twice her foot, trying to touch the floor, only hit air before she finally reached the remains of the platform. Yes!

"I'm down!" she yelled as she went prone. "But half the platform is gone. You'll have to jump all the way to the back!"

"Coming!"

A moment later, a white blur parted the smoke, and Seact dived to the side as Adora shot across the concrete and smashed into the door at the back.

"Ow!"

"Oh for…" Seacat rushed to her lover's side.

"You told me to jump all the way! And I'm fine!"

Seacat suppressed the curses she wanted to spit and nodded. Curtly. "Let's open the door."

A slash from Adora's magic blade later, the door fell open, cut in two.

And the two stared at the main floor of the airship yard. And at the burning ship. Smoke billowed up from the hull as a few dozen Horde soldiers were trying to fight the flames with what looked like water pumps.

"Where's Glimmer? And the others?" Adora yelled over the roar of the flames and the yelling from the soldiers.

"Must be at the other end," Seacat yelled back. The end hidden in more smoke and fire. And where was Hordak? And Shadow Weaver?

As if someone had read her mind, a whole section of the wall to their left blew apart. Through the thin smoke there, Seacat could see lightning arc through the air. "Shadow Weaver!" she spat. And she would be fighting Hordak, based on that blast.

But their friends… She glanced at Adora.

Her lover looked grim. "That's Hordak."

Seacat nodded. The main objective of the entire mission.

"We have to kill him," Adora went on.

"And the traitor." Seacat nodded again.

Even though she felt like a traitor herself for abandoning her friends.

But they had to end this war. And that meant dealing with Hordak. And Shadow Weaver.

Before everything went up in flames.

Seacat moved forward to the gap in the wall. The smoke wasn't as thick there as it had seemed, and she could make out two figures inside, but they were moving rapidly. She heard more lightning crackle in the middle of it.

Another blast hit the wall next to her, and she ducked as cracks appeared in it.

"Watch out!" Adora snapped, hefting her sword. "I'm going in."

Before Seacat could protest, Adora had jumped through the breach and into the smoke.

Cursing under her breath, Seacat followed her lover.

She bent over as she entered the smoke cloud herself - the air should be better at the bottom. The room, as far as she could tell, was much larger than she had expected. Not as large as the actual slip, but it was close to a warehouse's size. And filled with a lot of machinery and what looked like crystals and… water tanks? Some liquid, at least. Not quite a labyrinth, but they looked sturdy enough to block quite a few shots from Hordak.

Before she realised it, she had left the smoke cloud and found herself next to Adora, staring at a floating black rock or crystal bigger than herself. Dozens of cables and lines connected it to huge fuel crystals and other devices nearby. And it was surrounded by lightning - countless sparks lit up around it.

"That… that's the Black Garnet!" Adora stated the obvious.

"It's certainly not the white diamond," Seacat replied. "But where are…?"

One of the crystals blew apart in a shower of sparks and shards, and Seacat ducked behind the closest device to avoid getting clipped by splinters. Another blast followed as she peered around its corner, revealing Hordak's position. The Horde leader was running past two broken furnaces or something, firing his arm cannon at…

...a floating, lightning-hurling Shadow Weaver.

As Seacat watched, Hordak fired at the witch, but the blast was stopped by a huge spark.

"I've reconnected to the garnet. Your toys cannot hurt me any more!" the witch gloated, striking back with two lightning bolts.

But as before, they washed over Hordak without doing much. "All that power, and you are throwing useless lightning? That is why you will fail!"

"You cannot stop me!"

But they could. Probably. Though Hordak was first. Probably.

Adora wasn't showing any doubts or hesitation - she was charging at the Horde leader, sword held high.

The scumbag noticed her before she reached him, though, and a blast from his cannon flew towards her. She swatted it away with her sword and pressed the attack. "You won't hurt anyone any more!" she yelled, swinging her blade.

Hordak dived to the side, but the sword cut into his shoulder, causing him to cry out as he tumbled to the ground. Adora whirled to strike at him again, but lightning hit Hordak - or, rather, his armour - and Adora had to retreat.

"Stop hitting him with lightning!" Seacat yelled. Couldn't Shadow Weaver see that it wasn't doing anything?

Then the floating, sparkling witch turned into her direction, and Seacat felt a cold shudder run down her spine.

There were sparks crackling behind Shadow Weaver's mask. What had the witch done? Reconnected to the garnet? Was she tapping into Etheria's magic or something?

"You!" Shadow Weaver spat out the word, showing more emotions than she'd ever displayed before, as far as Catra remembered.

"Yes, me! Don't get into Adora's way!" Seacat spat as she moved to flank the Horde leader - who was quickly retreating behind the closest piece of machinery.

Adora charged straight at him, though, cutting the machine apart with one blow. But as the pieces fell to the side, Hordak fired through the gap. Seacat gasped when Adora barely managed to deflect the blast into one of the fuel crystals.

And more lightning arced towards Hordak, only to slide off his armour and hit the broken machine next to him.

"Are you deaf? Leave him to us if you can't cast anything but lightning!" Seacat yelled, then had to dive behind a console or something as Hordak took a shot at her.

"You've failed!"

Seacat peered around the corner - and stared straight at Hordak's cannon. She threw herself back, but a moment later, the entire corner was blown up, and several pieces hit her. She rolled with the blast, over her shoulder, and… cried at the pain that caused. Panting, she tore the splinter from her upper arm and clenched her teeth.

Adora charged at the Horde leader again, but he disappeared in the smoke cloud between two crystals before she reached him.

"Incompetence! I was a fool to trust you!" the witch ranted.

More lightning filled the smoke cloud, and Seacat, holding one hand against her bleeding arm, fell back from it.

"Shadow Weaver!" Adora yelled. "Stop throwing lightning around. It doesn't hurt Hordak! But it hinders us!"

The witch laughed in return. More and more sparks were surrounding her, Seacat noticed. It looked as if she was wrapped in lightning. What had happened? Something was very, very wrong.

A fuel crystal suddenly detonated nearby, and Seacat threw herself to the ground as more splinters filled the air.

She was lucky this time and quickly got up again. "Adora!"

But her lover had already entered the smoke, looking for Hordak. And Shadow Weaver…

The witch was floating above them all, lightning gathering in her outstretched hand. Seacat glanced at the Black Garnet. It was crackling with lightning as well. Shadow Weaver definitely was connected to it.

But she wasn't handling it very well. As Seacat watched, the witch threw the ball of lightning at a corner of the room, blasting the smoke there. Two machines were revealed a moment before they exploded, but neither Hordak nor Adora was there.

A blast slid off the bubble of lightning that surrounded Shadow Weaver, exploding against the wall. Another followed as the witch turned. "You cannot hurt me!"

But neither could she hurt the Horde leader. Not when his armour protected him against lightning. So, why were those two still fighting each other? Seacat bandaged her arm before she lost more blood and ducked behind a broken crystal.

It made no sense. Shadow Weaver was obviously affected by the garnet and not thinking clearly any more. But Hordak… why wasn't he running? He had run from his office, hadn't he? This was… He must have a plan. A plan for which he needed something in this room, or he would've left already.

That meant the garnet. And something else. Something that the Horde leader thought offered him better chances than simply running and rallying his troops.

She slowly rose and peered around. The smoke made it harder to see much, but she was close to the centre of the room, where the garnet rested in its cradle made of lines and…

Seacat followed the lines. Most led to fuel crystals arranged around the runestone. Most. But one led to a particular… thingie… in the back. Where Shadow Weaver was floating. Six red crystals, arranged in a circle, set in a metal plate and topped with a metal grid.

If only Entrapta were here!

More blasts tore through the room, one blowing up a machine and another shattering wreckage. But the machines near the red circle were all undamaged. Hordak was shooting at Shadow Weaver in the air but didn't fire at the ground there?

Whatever the thing was, it must be the key to his plans! Now how to wreck it and his plans?

She caught a glimpse of Adora jumping in the smoke, swinging her sword, and gasped. She wanted to help her lover. Adora couldn't keep this up forever. Not with Shadow Weaver throwing lighting around like that and Hordak blasting away.

So, Hordak or his machine?

Seacat clenched her teeth. Hordak needed to die. But Adora was on that. She had to trust her. And this whole Black Garnet thing made her fur rise - and not from the electricity.

She glanced around, ducking her head when another blast tore through the smoke and hit the closest machine - but came not even close to the garnet, or the other corner. That did it.

She got up, ignored the pain in her arm and dashed towards the biggest machine between her and the garnet. That would block a blast or three.

No blast hit her - though she heard two strike the walls or ceiling - until she reached the machine. And then it was only a short dash to the Black Garnet itself. Relatively short. She bit her lower lip, took a deep breath, and ran as fast as she could across the open space.

She reached the huge runestone, sliding to a stop at its base, and smiled - she'd made it. Now she just had to check that thick powerline…

"Get away from there!"

And dodge Shadow Weaver. Damn.

Before Seacat could say anything, the witch went on. "Go kill Hordak! Don't hide here, you coward!"

She hissed under her breath. Coward? She had to bite her tongue to keep from lashing out at the witch. Who, she noticed, was now covered with sparks racing up and down her body. And her eyes… all Seacat could see behind the mask was a shining, glaring light.

"Get away!" the witch shrieked. "I know what you're planning!"

Then she raised her arm towards Seacat.

Seacat jumped up and threw herself behind the closest machine a moment before lightning struck the base of the garnet.

"IT'S MINE!"

Another lighting ball flew at her, but Seacat was already running. The ball slammed into the machine next to her. She kept running. More lighting rained down on her, shattering fuel crystals and devices. She turned, circling the garnet. If the witch was so bent on killing her… She slid under the large powerline, jumped up and…

...screamed with pain when every part of her body felt as if it was on fire, and she couldn't move at all.

When she could move again, she was on the ground, bleeding. And still screaming. Everything hurt.

She tried to get up, but her legs didn't work - she fell down again. Spitting blood - she'd bitten her lips and tongue - she dug her claws into the pedestal of the Black Garnet and pulled herself up on shaking legs. Shadow Weaver. The witch had tried to kill her again.

Seacat managed to turn her head and saw the witch floating towards her, hands extended, holding glowing balls of lightning. And Seacat was too weak to run. Adora…

No. Adora was fighting Hordak. Seacat drew a shuddering breath, which hurt even more, and looked around. No cover nearby. Only a few power lines stuck to the garnet. Which wouldn't stop the lightning.

She blinked. Oh. Then she hissed and unsheathed her claws, turning to the largest powerline. She slid her claws beneath and through the ropes tying the line to the stone. They snapped at once, and the line started to slide off. As did other, smaller ones.

Seacat ignored them and grabbed the big line, then swung it around as hard as she could manage, towards the floating witch. Shadow Weaver launched the lightning at her, but hit the line first - and the lightning raced along the line. Away from Seacat. Into the crystal circle.

A moment later, it blew up. Seacat dropped to the floor as splinters cut through the air. She heard someone - Shadow Weaver - cry out and grinned despite the pain. Then she started to get up. She still had to…

"You! This is ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Seacat raised her head. The witch was floating above her. Screeching Covered in sparks, shining so brightly, Seacat had to squint to be able to see anything.

So this was it. Nowhere to run. No way to hide. No powerline left.

She hissed at the witch as Shadow Weaver raised her arms, sparks forming an arc between her hands.

"DIE!"

Seacat closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. She would…

Screaming. Seacat opened her eyes. Shadow Weaver was screaming. Flailing. Sparks flew from her to the closest crystals and machinery. But she was glowing. Brighter and brighter. And the arc between her hands… was now between her hands and the top of the Black Garnet. And shining bright enough to hurt. So much power…

Oh. Seacat started to run. To limp away. Towards the big machine. She didn't know what exactly was happening, but it wouldn't be good. Shadow Weaver had tied herself to the runestone, and without the lines, the crystals and machines weren't absorbing power any more.

And Shadow Weaver couldn't handle it. If she had ever been able to.

Seacat stumbled behind the machine as Shadow Weaver's screams grew hoarse and the blinding light grew even stronger.

Then everything went white. Seacat bent down, covered her head with her arms, and squeezed her eyes shut.

A crack, louder than a bomb, followed. Her ears were ringing. Hurting. She rolled on her back and squinted. The crystals nearby had shattered. The machine she was next to was smoking. As were others she could see. And Shadow Weaver…

She didn't see the witch. Not in the air. Not on the ground. No.

There was something. Something that looked…

Seacat coughed, blood drops splattering the ground, and forced herself to get on her knees, then started to crawl towards the… towards the…

It was the witch's mask. Cracked, but clearly hers. And blackened on the inside. Covered with burned… Seacat felt like retching. The stench of burned flesh filled her nose. She shook her head, then looked around. There was something burning on the ground, near the runestone. Blackening robes covering…

Ah.

Her lips twisted into a smile. "Failed to kill me again, huh?" She coughed and spat out a bit more blood - her tongue hurt - before looking around. The smoke was worse, now. And where was Adora? She couldn't hear any blasts any more, but her ears were ringing anyway.

"A...Adora?" she croaked more than she yelled.

"Adora!"

Her throat hurt, and she coughed again.

"ADORA!"

Steps. Something. Someone. Someone was walking towards her, out of the thick smoke cloud hiding half the room.

Seacat started to smile. Then she recognised the figure.

Hordak.

He was hurt and bleeding - his left arm was hanging at his side, swinging back and forth with each step. He was hunched over, blood running down his battered armour from several cuts. But he still had his cannon mounted on his bracer. And he was walking. Towards Seacat.

She couldn't run. Her legs were still not working properly. But she wouldn't die like this. She started to force herself up. Both hands on the ground, she pulled her shaking knees underneath her. Panting, she tried to lift one leg, put one foot on the floor, but failed. No. She hissed - not on her knees. Not like this.

And there was Hordak. Five yards away. Staring at her.

No, she realised. Staring at the runestone. At the Black Garnet.

He wheezed, and she saw his bloodied head slowly turn. Towards the remains of the red crystals. "No…" he whispered, so low, she almost missed it with her ringing ears and the sounds of fire and breaking machinery. And screams in the distance.

"No," he said again. Then he sobbed, shaking his head. "No."

Seacat stared at him. What was wrong with him?

"No." Hordak kept shaking his head, his whole body shuddering.

Then he slowly sank to his knees, both arms hanging at his sides, the muzzle of the cannon striking the floor with a metallic sound.

And he started to laugh.

He craned his neck, lifting his face towards the ceiling.

Laughing like a madman.

Seacat blinked. He was bleeding - he was kneeling in a growing pool of his blood. And he was laughing.

He must have gone mad, she realised.

And he kept laughing, his chest shaking, until a cough interrupted him.

"All for nothing," he mumbled. "All for nothing."

A few chuckles followed.

Then a sob. And another.

"Brother…" he whispered, tears and blood running down his face as he cried.

Until he took a shuddering, wheezing breath and stopped.

Seacat waited a few seconds. If this was… But he wasn't moving. Not at all. She couldn't see his chest moving, not with the broken chestplate covering him, but she couldn't hear him breathing either.

Slowly, she leaned forward, crawling towards the Horde leader on hand and knees. He didn't move. She reached him, crawling through his blood until she could touch him. Check his throat for a pulse.

And saw his back, which had been torn open from shoulder to hip, covered in blood.

He was dead. Only his armour was holding him up.

Adora had killed him.

But Seacat's smile vanished. Adora! She was… No!

She crawled towards the smoke cloud, following the blood trail Hordak had left. Halfway to the cloud, she had to sop, coughing and gasping for air - the smoke was getting worse, even when crawling.

Not that she could run, anyway. Or walk.

But she had to get to Adora. Save her friend. No matter what.

She pushed on, putting one hand before the other, breathing hot air and smoke. There was the smoke cloud - moving towards her. She couldn't see anything in it. Couldn't hear much, not with her ringing ears and the fire roaring in the main hall.

But she could see the blood on the ground and followed it. Adora would have landed the lethal blow. She had to… she couldn't…

Seacat sobbed, felt tears run down her cheeks. She didn't care. Didn't stop to wipe her eyes. She kept crawling forward, towards Adora.

After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the remains of a crystal. Broken. Covered in blood. But where was…

She looked around. "Adora!"

Her voice cracked, wheezed. All the smoke… "Adora!"

She took a deep breath, felt her lungs hurt. Coughed. "ADORAAAAA!"

Shuddering, she fell forward, catching herself with her hands on the floor.

"Adora…"

"..."

She blinked. "Adora?" She had heard something! She turned her head, ears twitching.

"..."

To her left. She crawled, uncaring about the crystal shards that cut into her palms and knees. After several yards, she saw a figure in the smoke. Adora!

She forced herself on, as fast as she could. "Adora!"

A weak groan was her answer.

Then she saw her friend. Her lover. Her Adora. On the ground. In front of a crumpled machine. But she was breathing. Moving, or trying to.

"Ca-catra?" She was lifting her head.

"Adora!"

She reached her, bloodied hands grabbing Adora's shoulders, checking her back for wounds.

"Catra."

"Adora. Are you hurt?" A cough wracked her just after her stupid question.

"I'm…"

"Don't talk!" Seacat tried to turn her on her back, to check her front for wounds.

"Hordak…"

"He's dead. You killed him." She heaved, wincing at the pain this caused, but Adora turned on her back.

"Oof."

She had been hit in the chest - there was a huge scorched stain. The magic armour must have protected her, but if she had internal wounds… "Where's your sword?" She could heal herself with it, couldn't she? Seacat couldn't remember.

"Thataway."

Adora's right arm rose then flopped to her side, pointing towards the right.

"I'll be right back," Seacat whispered, then crawled off.

"Catra…"

She bit her lips until they bled. Adora needed her sword. But where was it? Where was the stupid sword?

There! Stuck in a crystal! She reached it, but it was stuck. Seacat snarled and put her bleeding, hurting feet against the crystal, then pulled, yelling with pain and need.

The sword slid out, the crystal crumbled, and Seacat fell to the ground. She ignored the pain, rolled on her stomach and grabbed the sword. And started to crawl back to Adora. Who needed her magic sword.

It took her longer than she thought. "Adora?"

"Ca-Catra?"

"Your sword!" She pulled it forward, then pushed the hilt into Adora's hand. "Your sword."

"Good…"

"Now heal yourself!"

Adora laughed, ending in a cough. But she raised her sword - and, still lying on the ground, pointed it at Seacat.

"NO!"

But it was too late - the magic energy hit her. And Adora collapsed.

"ADORA!" She rushed forward. The stupid idiot was smiling. She shook her, but Adora didn't react.

She put her head on her chest, then sighed when she heard her breathing. Still alive.

"You idiot!" she spat, shaking her head and sending tears flying. "You should've healed yourself!"

Wiping her eyes, she forced herself to stop shaking. She had to get Adora out of the building. Yard. Whatever.

Groaning, she knelt, then grabbed Adora's arm and shoulder, draping it over her own shoulders. She picked up her sword with her free hand, then strained and stood. On shaking legs, but she stood. Adora was heavy as She-Ra. But Seacat would die before dropping her.

They had to get out. Through the smoke. In… that direction.

She started walking, putting one foot before the other, trying to breathe shallowly as she stumbled through the smoke.

And tried not to remember how Hordak had stumbled.

But she managed to leave the smoke cloud and reorient herself. There, behind this smoke, was the entrance. Exit. Whatever.

She walked on, dragging Adora along. "Stupid fool," she muttered. "Should've healed yourself."

"Never," she heard a whisper next to her ear.

"Adora!"

A faint chuckle followed, but no answer.

"Adora!" She turned her head, but her lover's eyes were closed, and she was hanging limp on her.

But she was still breathing - Seacat could feel her.

And there was the entrance - the breach in the wall. Seacat managed to climb the broken bits of the wall cluttering the area before the breach proper and then slid down the other side, with Adora in her lap.

But the yard… The airship was burning from bow to stern. And so were most of the cranes and other machines. And the pits below, where the workers had been installing the lower rows of guns, were filled with flames. No wonder smoke was everywhere.

She couldn't see any Horde soldiers fighting the fires any more. And the exit was on the other side of the hall. With flames in the way…

No matter. Adora needed her. Needed her to save her. Even if she had to walk through fire.

She clenched her teeth and walked on. Would there be just the one exit? That would be safer to keep spies out, but… would Hordak have built this without at least another exit? For emergencies?

She stopped. He wouldn't. He had been far too paranoid for that. There had to be another exit. And near his office. But she hadn't seen any sign of it.

Walk through the fire in the hope that she could survive to reach the stairs with Adora or abandon that and bet on finding the second exit before the smoke and heat killed them?

She took a look at the burning airship. She couldn't see through the flames, nor through the smoke, and the stairs on the other side would be full of smoke.

Seacat turned and started walking towards the stairs leading to Hordak's office. The second exit would be there, somewhere. She just had to find it.

She turned around a broken counterweight from a burning crane, ignored the limbs sticking out from underneath the stones, and dragged Adora on, towards the door she could see there. Just a little more…

"Come on! We're almost out… well, almost… don't give up! Come on! Don't die on me!"

Seacat froze. She knew that voice. That was…

Before she could react, a huge figure walked out of the smoke to her right. "See? There's the bow, and…"

The Horde princess froze as soon as she noticed Seacat. She was carrying two Horde soldiers under her arms, Seacat saw. A third was dangling from her stinger. All of them were unconscious. And her uniform was scorched.

They stared at each other for several seconds without doing anything. Seacat could take the princess. Probably. If the magic sword could cut through the bug armour, definitely. But she couldn't take her and protect Adora at the same time. And she probably couldn't take her quickly enough to escape.

Seacat scoffed and motioned to the door with her head. "Looking for the second exit?"

The princess blinked. "Second exit?"

Seacat suppressed a groan. Horde soldiers! "Hordak wouldn't have had an office here if he didn't have a second way to come and go."

"Oh, right!" The princess smiled for a moment. "That would explain how he kept surprising us with his inspections!" Then she frowned at her.

Seacat's opinion of the princess's brain took another dive. "Let's get out of here before we suffocate or burn."

"You set fire to the yard!" She took a step towards Seacat, raising her pincers, then had to quickly grab her unconscious charges again before they fell to the ground.

She was technically correct. But Seacat didn't think admitting that would be smart. "The fire broke out when the plants overheated."

"You were spying on us! Attacking us!"

"Shadow Weaver betrayed Hordak," Seacat retorted. "They fought each other over the runestone. Both are dead - the witch was killed by the stone."

The princess gaped at her. "Hordak is dead? Shadow Weaver is dead as well?"

"And we'll die here if we don't get out at once," Seacat told her. "So, you want to save your friends?"

The princess blinked. For a moment, Seacat wasn't sure if the Horde scum would see reason. But then the huge woman slumped. "With both dead…" She shook her head.

"Come!" Seacat snapped. "We need to find the exit!" She turned and walked towards the door.

"I thought you knew where it was!"

Seacat glanced over her shoulder. "I know where it should be. That'll be enough to find it."

"And where is it?"

"Near Hordak's office."

"That makes sense."

Of course it did!

Seacat kicked the door's remains away and entered the smaller room behind it.

The princess followed her. "So, where… Oh, no!"

She was staring at the remains of the stairs ahead of them.

Seacat clenched her teeth. This would complicate things a little.

*****​
 
Chapter 49: The Horde Leader Part 3
Chapter 49: The Horde Leader Part 3

They had to find the second exit. Or second entrance. Whatever. Hordak would have placed it close to his office so he could flee in an emergency. And for convenience. But would it have been in his office? The Horde leader had trapped the stairs after fleeing his office, blowing the entire lower floor away. Would he have done that if his secret exit was in the office? Would he have cut off his own escape route?

Seacat didn't think so. On the other hand, he had been focused on whatever had been going on with the runestone.

"Is the second exit upstairs?" the Horde princess asked.

"Was this area usually under guard?" Seacat asked instead of answering.

"Uh… there were always two guards outside the room. In the hall."

"That means Hordak could've slipped in here and reached his office without being noticed by guards," Seacat thought out loud. She looked around.

A loud crash made her jerk. She turned her head, but the princess was closer to the remains of the door. "The bow of the airship collapsed. The fire's spreading."

Well, Seacat had known they didn't have much time. But where would the exit be? Hordak had charges prepared here. Would he have done that if he had an emergency exit here? It would've led to him being stuck in the office.

She couldn't tell. "Knock on the walls, see if anything rings hollow."

"You don't know?"

Seacat hissed: "Just do it! If it's not here, we'll have to climb up to the office."

The princess looked at the two Horde soldiers she carried, then put them down and started knocking on the walls. Seacat turned her head to listen, but she didn't catch any different sound.

And the fire was now almost to the room. Damn. That left the staircase or the office. The staircase…

She went to the stairs and looked at the hole left by the explosion. It didn't look like there was anything below - no hidden tunnel. That left…

"We'll have to climb."

"With the wounded?" The princess sounded shocked.

"I'll get up. You hand me the wounded," Seacat said. She hesitated a moment, then lowered Adora on the ground. This was their only chance to escape. If the princess tried to stab them in the back, they'd all die anyway.

She pressed a kiss on Adora's forehead, grabbed her sword, then jumped. Her claws sank into the back of the staircase, and she quickly scaled the wall to the undamaged portion of the staircase.

"Alright. Throw me the wounded."

"My guys first!"

Seacat rolled her eyes. "Yes."

"Catch!"

She caught the first wounded and put him down on the floor. "Next!"

The two others followed. She resisted the urge to stack them.

Then the princess lifted Adora. And groaned. "She's heavier than I expected!"

"Not too heavy for you," Seacat spat. "Throw her."

The princess threw Adora. Seacat caught her with both arms, then stumbled back a few steps to compensate without dropping her. "Oof!"

A moment later, two pincers latched on the edge of the stairs - and the concrete started crumbling under the pressure.

Seacat froze for a moment. If she let the Horde princess drop… But she was already moving, cursing herself.

Despite the princess's frantic efforts, her pincers couldn't get a grip - they crushed the concrete to powder instead, and she started to fall.

Seacat jumped, reaching for the pincers, but missed.

Then she saw the tail whip by. And her hand shot out, the other going for the remains of the handrail.

She screamed as the full mass of the princess threatened to pull her arm out of its socket, and the railing groaned under their combined weight, but she managed to hold on to the Horde scum.

"Ah… Oh. Thanks."

"Don't talk!" Seacat spat. "Climb!"

"I'm trying! I'm a hugger, not a climber!"

"I don't care. Get your fat ass up here!" Seacat clenched her teeth and tried to find purchase with her feet to pull the idiot up. She scrambled, her claws piercing but wrecking the concrete until she finally got a grip on it and could use her leg muscles to help pulling.

Groaning, she heaved and pushed and pulled until the princess could grab onto the handrail.

Then it was over in a second - the dolt was far too strong and easily pulled herself and Seacat up on the stairs with a smooth movement. "Thanks, Cat! I thought I was a goner."

Seacat wheezed in response. Before she could give the princess a piece of her mind, she heard another crash from below, and a moment later, flames shot into the room they had just left.

Damn. "Grab your soldiers and follow me!" she yelled, already lifting up Adora.

If the secret exit wasn't in Hordak's office, all of them would die.

But the staircase was filling with smoke - they didn't have much time. Unless… No. Even trying to seal off the stairs wouldn't work. Not with the office's windows smashed and broken.

She hurried up the stairs, banging on the walls as she passed them. Solid. Solid. Solid. Solid.

On the top of the stairs, she whirled and knocked on the walls there. If there was an exit… No, Nothing here either.

"So, where's the exit?" The Horde princess sounded anxious.

"Has to be in the office. Hordak would've liked appearing in there without anyone noticing." Seacat entered the office and looked around - as much as she could, with smoke filling half of it.

Half?

"I have to say, I don't see any entrance or exit here - and wow! Who wrecked this?"

"Quiet!" Seacat hissed.

"What?"

Seacat growled and looked around. The smoke should've filled the entire office by now. So, it had to escape somehow. But where?

She walked around, checking the ceiling. There! There was a gap through which the smoke went out. Air ducts, at the least. Hidden ones. And how better to hide an exit than to build it together with air ducts? "Here!" she yelled before coughing. "Smash the ceiling here!"

"The ceiling?"

"Just do it!" Another cough made her double over.

"Are you alright?"

She glared at the moron. Why wasn't the princess affected by the smoke? Some bug thing? "Smash. The. Ceiling. Here!"

"Alright, alright!"

The princess put the soldiers down and smashed her pincers into the ceiling. Concrete dust fell down, and pieces of the ceiling flew every which way.

And the gap turned into a hole that attracted even more smoke.

Without being told to, the princess widened the hole, then stepped back when a steel platform fell down, missing her by inches. "Ow."

That must have been the mechanism Hordak used to come and go.

"We could've used that."

"It probably broke in the battle." Seacat jumped, dug her claws into the concrete and pulled herself up. Yes, there was a tunnel. Which was filling with smoke now that it was open. "Hand me the others. Hurry!" She coughed again. Damn.

And the princess took her sweet time handing her the wounded - Adora was last. Seacat muttered a curse under her breath and turned before the princess climbed up after her. "Hurry!"

And she was off, running down the tunnel. After twenty yards, she reached a door. Locked. She slashed her claws against the lock. Open. "Come on!" She waved the princess through, then pulled the door closed. That should stop the smoke. A little.

The stairs led up. And up. The yard hadn't been that deep below the surface - they had to be in a building. At least the air was better. But hauling Adora that high up… Seacat's legs were tiring. Her body was tiring.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to keep running. The air was getting worse with each step. Even the princess was now coughing.

There! The top of the stairs! And another door. Seacat didn't bother with testing the lock - she slashed the door to pieces and kicked the remains away. "Finally!"

They were in another corridor. Empty. But if Hordak arrived through this, there would be… ah. More stairs. Leading up to the roof and down to the ground. Seacat went down. The air would be better there. The princess followed her.

"Where are we?"

Seacat rolled her eyes instead of answering. This was Horde territory.

"Oh, I know! This is the spare warehouse! In case the yard couldn't store all supplies!"

Seacat clenched her teeth. Who cared any more? Another flight of stairs - she stumbled and almost lost Adora but managed to keep her balance.

"Careful!"

What was with the Horde princess? They were enemies, damn it! Not that Seacat would complain about not having to fight the bug princess. Once had been enough.

She huffed and took a few deep breaths after reaching the ground floor. "We've made it."

"I guess so. Now, where was the infirmary?"

"Barracks," she told the princess.

"Thank you! So I…" She trailed off. "Ah."

Seacat glared at her. "The Horde's finished. Hordak is dead. Shadow Weaver is dead. Your airship is destroyed. You don't have enough enhanced engine bombs left and can't make new ones."

The princess stared at her. "But…"

"How long do you think you'll last if you keep this up? And who's going to lead the Horde now?"

"Uh… the most senior Force Captain, I think. That would be… no, he's dead. Or… no, she's been demoted. And… no, deserted. That leaves…" She blinked again. "Me? In this area?"

"Are you asking me?"

"No, no. I guess it is me." The princess looked, well, almost shocked.

"And you want to fight on? Lose more people?" Seacat scoffed.

"No, but…"

"What 'but'?"

"I only have your word that Hordak and Shadow Weaver are dead!"

Great.

"Well, then best start looking for them. After you got your friends to the infirmary, I think."

"Uh…"

Seacat turned and opened the door to the road outside. She had to head to their warehouse - that was the first rally spot. The most obvious. On the other hand, the last location she had seen the others was the airship yard. Which also was the last location the others had seen Adora and herself.

And she was sure they wouldn't leave without them. But Adora was helpless. And she could see a lot of Horde soldiers gathered around the spot. And her friends would've sent someone back to the warehouse. That was just common sense.

Clenching her teeth, she started walking towards their former base.

"The infirmary is the other way."

She rolled her eyes at the comment and turned to stare at the Horde princess. "That's the Horde infirmary."

"There's another one? I mean, yes. And you aren't Horde… Right."

Seacat nodded sharply and started walking again.

"Uh…"

"What?"

"How many of you are here?"

She gritted her teeth. "Why should I tell you?"

"Good question. I was just curious."

Yeah, right. "Goodbye."

Seacat kept walking this time. The air was bad, though not as bad as inside the yard. And it wasn't as if the Fright Zone had good, clean air, anyway. She ran into a troop of Horde soldiers but they didn't pay her any mind - just another Horde soldier dragging a wounded away.

She still held her breath until the scum had turned the corner. It wasn't too far to the warehouse - but it wasn't a short trip, either. And she was already tired. Maybe she should take a break...

No! Adora needed help - she was breathing evenly, but she was still hurting. Seacat could bear this. For as long as she needed to!

She kept going, ignoring the roaring fire behind her or the screams that occasionally reached her. All that counted was Adora. And reaching the warehouse.

Which she did. She kicked the door open and entered. "Hello?"

"Seacat?"

That was Entrapta! "Yes?"

The princess appeared on the catwalk above her, then lowered herself down with her hair. "And Adora! We were so worried!"

Seacat found herself picked up in a hair-hug. "Uh…" And squeezed. "Ack."

"Oh, sorry! But I was worried as well. The others told me you had vanished in a fire. I was here, working on modifying my speaker bots into search bots." She blinked as she set Seacat down. "Should I reverse that? We still need to counter orders Shadow Weaver could give, right? If she betrays us, I mean."

"Shadow Weaver and Hordak are dead," Seacat told her.

"Oh."

Seacat gently laid Adora down and checked her wounds. Still the same. But she was breathing and not bleeding out. Or otherwise… "Where are the others? At the yard?"

"Looking for you. But the fire was too dangerous, so they couldn't enter the yard. Oh, and Glimmer was hurt! She's here!"

"Hurt?" Seacat clenched her teeth. Hurt was better than dead, but… what kind of wound would keep Glimmer from coming for Adora? Seacat was quite sure that the princess would teleport into fire for her friends.

"She caught a blow to the head," Entrapta explained. "Nothing broken, but she's sleeping."

Or unconscious. "Alright. Take care of Adora. I'll fetch the others," Seacat said.

"I could use the speaker bots!" Entrapta said. "Instead of broadcasting Shadow Weaver's talk with us about killing Hordak, I could just tell the others that they can return!"

And alert everyone to their presence? But the Horde princess was already aware of them. And finding anyone, especially their friends in disguise, in this chaos… Seacat smiled. "Yes. But we'll be sneaky."

"Sneaky?" Entrapta stared at her.

"Sneaky." Seacat nodded. "We'll have to make the bots say something only our friends will understand."

"Oh!" The princess smiled then frowned. "And what would that be? We didn't agree on a code phrase or encryption."

Seacat wasn't quite sure what encryption meant, but she understood the gist of it. "I know," she said. "But we can be creative. Where can we record a message?"

"Oh! Bert! Come here!"

One of Entrapta's new bots waddled over. It looked like a barrel on legs, about as tall as Entrapta.

"Just talk into the opening here," Entrapta explained. "I can handle the rest."

Seacat nodded. "Alright." She took a deep breath. "Team Archer and Team Marine, relocate to the assigned warehouse to handle the bots and the wounded. We have new orders to deploy."

"And they'll understand that?" Entrapta frowned. "Oh. Team Archer is Bow. And Marine is Mermista!"

"Yes." Seacat nodded.

As the bot waddled outside, on its way to the closest roof, Seacat hoped that their friends were listening.

Then all she could do was wait. And stare at two unconscious friends.

"They're alright, I think. Just need to rest. At least my prototype scanner doesn't show anything serious, though it's a prototype, and I haven't gotten nearly enough data to properly calibrate it."

And listen to Entrapta explain her technology.

"Though I've got the basics down - I think so, at least. When you get down to the basics, people are just like animals or machines; just different sorts of mechanics."

Seacat frowned. "But both have magic." Hell, Adora was magic when she was She-Ra. Or should be.

"Right. That might complicate matters." Entrapta nodded. Then her eyes widened. "Which means they could actually be hurt!"

Damn. "They look OK," Seacat quickly said. "Adora healed me, but that exhausted her." Not that the various wounds and bruises would have helped with that…

"But Glimmer took a blow to the head before she could exhaust herself!" Entrapta's hair started poking and prodding the unconscious princess. "Glimmer?"

The princess groaned and turned her head away.

"She did that before," Entrapta said.

Seacat couldn't tell if that was a good or bad sign. But it made her worry all the same. She didn't know anything about magic powers and injuries. Though Mermista and Brian Boy should know about that, having grown up with magic and Glimmer, respectively.

They wouldn't have left Glimmer with Entrapta if she was in real danger, would they?

Seacat clenched her teeth. Of course they would have done that if they thought they had to save Adora and Seacat.

She stood. "I'm going to take a look. See if I can find them."

"Oh." Entrapta looked at her. "You think they need help. Help we can't give them."

Yes. Seacat would have said so, if Entrapta didn't look like she blamed herself for this. "I just want to get out of the Fright Zone as soon as we can. I ran into the Horde princess on the way out of the yard."

"Oh? Did you kill her?"

"We didn't fight. But we're surrounded by Horde troops. Sooner or later, she'll tell someone, and they'll start looking for us."

"Oh. Do we need better disguises?"

Seacat shrugged. "Our disguises should be fine. But I'd prefer to leave while everyone is still distracted by the burning yard."

Entrapta nodded. "That's a good idea. Do we take the bombs with us?"

Seacat froze on the way to the door. "The bombs?"

"The bombs Bow and I took from Hordak's workshop," Entrapta explained. "We put them on the cart there."

Seacat hadn't paid much attention to the cart covered with a tarp. Obviously, that had been a mistake. "How many bombs did you take?"

"Just two - we couldn't handle more with one cart." Entrapta beamed at her. "But we took the two most advanced!"

Most advanced? "How powerful are those bombs?"

"We took them because one of them should've been enough to destroy the shipyard. We didn't know you'd set it on fire."

"And you have two of them."

"I wanted to study the other. The advancements Hordak made are fascinating!"

Seacat felt the fur on her neck bristle. Right. Another reason to get the rest of their group and get the hell out of the Fright Zone.

Preferably without any bomb.

"Alright," she said. "I'll go look for the others."

Of course, that was the moment the door was opened, and Brain Boy entered, followed by the Captain and Mermista.

"Seacat! What happened?" The captain blurted out as he rushed towards her.

"Hordak and Shadow Weaver are dead. But Adora got hurt and exhausted herself healing me," Seacat reported, as professionally as she could. "And the Horde princess is aware that we're in the Fright Zone. We should leave at once. Before they rally."

"Yes," Mermista agreed while she looked Seacat over.

"I'm fine," Seacat told her. "Adora healed me." She winced at the frown that appeared on Mermista's face. "It wasn't too bad," she added, but it was clear neither the Captain nor Mermista believed her.

Brain Boy was already checking Adora. Seacat bit her lower lip. She had checked her lover already. Several times. But she wasn't a trained Healer. Neither was Brain Boy, though he should have some training with magic, as Glimmer's childhood friend.

"Looks like exhaustion," he said. "The rest seem to be non-life-threatening wounds and bruises."

"And what about Glimmer?"

He looked grimmer for a moment. "Concussion. I hoped Adora would be able to heal her, but…"

"She needs to recover first," Seacat finished for him. None of them mentioned that being unconscious from a blow to the head wasn't a good thing.

"And Glimmer's responsive. Sort of," Entrapta said with a smile. "She groans if you poke her."

"Good." Brain Boy nodded, but anyone except for Entrapta would've been able to tell that he wasn't entirely honest.

"We need to leave," Seacat said. "Before the Horde gets their act together. And I've got a distraction in mind already."

"Oh?" Brain Boy looked at her.

"But we might need to sacrifice some of your loot for it."

She saw his eyes widen when he got what she was planning.

*****​

"This is the Princess Alliance speaking," Mermista's voice rang out over the Fright Zone again as the cart carrying Seacat and her friends approached the gate leading out of the core area. "Hordak and Shadow Weaver are dead. We've taken control of the enhanced engine bombs and will be detonating them in an hour!"

"Ugh." Mermista herself scowled. "I sound like an idiot."

"You sound marvellous, my love," Sea Hawk told her. "Magnificent! Determined! Impressive!"

"I sound like an idiot because we're giving the Horde advance warning. We could've just set the bombs to blow up the laboratory and most of the plants."

"But then we wouldn't have had this distraction." Brain Boy pointed at the road ahead - filled with Horde soldiers fleeing the area. "The guards would've tried to stop us."

"We would've killed more Horde soldiers, though," Mermista retorted. "And we wouldn't have almost got stuck behind some wagon with a broken axle."

Well, they had cleared that obstacle quickly enough, but if there had been a serious blockade… That was the trouble with timed explosions: Once you set the timer, you better hope that you can get clear in time.

"But aren't the Horde soldiers beaten already?" Entrapta asked.

"This is the Princess Alliance speaking. Hordak and Shadow Weaver are dead. We've taken control of the enhanced engine bombs and will be detonating them in an hour!"

"As an army, probably. But they'll turn to banditry and piracy," Mermista said. "We'll have a lot of trouble keeping them out of our lands."

"The Fright Zone might turn into another lawless land like the Crimson Waste," Brain Boy said. "Though it's better than an organised army trying to conquer everything."

They had reached the gate now. The guards there had fled already, or so it seemed. Or they had gone looting whatever they could while every Horde scum was trying to flee. There was always an idiot who tried to get into the hold of a sinking ship, thinking they'd get out in time with some treasure.

"Make way for the wounded! Get out of the way! Don't make me push you out of the way!"

Damn. That was a familiar voice Seacat could've done without hearing again for a great long while. "That's the Horde princess!" she hissed. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see the massive woman clearing a path for what looked like a giant covered wagon.

"Get out of the way!"

"We're kinda in the way," Brain Boy commented.

"But we're carrying wounded as well," Entrapta pointed out.

"I doubt she'll care," Seacat said. "We're the enemy, after all."

"Let's get out of the way, then," Brain Boy said, guiding the cart to the side.

"And hide your faces!" Seacat added in a hiss. "We don't want her to recognise us!"

The last thing they needed was a fight in the middle of the fleeing Horde.

But the big woman parted the crowd and led the large wagon - the sides sported the badge of the Horde Infirmary - through.

Seacat relaxed. One volley dodged.

"Hey!"

Or not. She clenched her teeth as the Horde princess left the wagon and turned back towards them.

"You've got wounded on your cart? Do you need help? Are there others who need to be evacuated?"

Before anyone could reply, the Horde woman was at their cart, peering at Adora and Glimmer. "I can help you…" She trailed off, staring at the two, then at the rest of the group.

"Hi?" Entrapta said, waving at her.

"You!" The princess stared at Seacat.

"Me, yes," Seacat replied. "We're evacuating the wounded."

"You did this! You're trying to kill us all!"

Oh, no! "If we wanted to kill you, would we have given you a warning?" Seacat retorted, looking around if anyone was paying attention. Fortunately, it seemed as if the Horde scum were too busy trying to escape.

"This is the Princess Alliance speaking. Hordak and Shadow Weaver are dead. We've taken control of the enhanced engine bombs and will be detonating them in an hour!"

Entrapta's bots had remarkably bad timing, Seacat realised, as the Horde princess's scowl grew even deeper.

"We wouldn't have warned you if we wanted to kill you all," Brain boy quickly said. "And we didn't plant bombs in your infirmaries. Or your barracks. Just the plants and Hordak's laboratory."

They'd had to prioritise, of course. And they didn't have unlimited bombs, either. But that wasn't something the Horde princess needed to know.

"That will still destroy the Horde!"

Seacat wasn't the only one staring at the bug princess.

"That's, uh, kind of the point," Brain Boy said. "We want to ensure that whoever is replacing Hordak can't keep waging war on the Alliance."

"Oh. I guess you would."

Seacat revised her estimate of the princess's intelligence a little further downwards, even accounting for the fact that she was currently very stressed. "So… do you want to start a fight here?" She cocked her head. "In the middle of the road, with all the wounded around? Against princesses?"

That earned her a glare from the Horde scum. "Are you threatening to hurt the wounded?"

Seacat held her ground. "We're not the ones who blow up their own soldiers to hurt the enemy."

"No, you're blowing up my home!"

"Only parts of it," Brain Boy said. "And we warned you."

"And you tried to blow up our homes," Mermista added with a deep scowl.

Seacat glanced around. A few soldiers were watching them, but the vast majority of the Horde scum were still streaming past, fleeing the area.

The Horde princess stared at them. Seacat stared back.

But after a few more seconds, the princess backed down and stepped to the side.

Brain Boy sighed audibly and urged their wagon on.

Seacat didn't relax until they had gained enough distance to lose sight of the bug princess.

*****​

They were still on the road filled with Horde scum when the enhanced engine bombs went off. Even from so far away, they could hear the explosions and see the smoke clouds, illuminated by the fire below, rise over the Fright Zone like a giant mushroom.

Seacat hissed through her teeth at the sight. That was… she had seen enhanced engine bomb explosions before, but nothing like this.

"So, my theories were correct," Entrapta said. "The bombs were advanced models, so the force of the blast was much bigger than a normal enhanced engine bomb detonating. The shape of the smoke cloud is distinctive - I think."

Seacat glanced around, but no one was paying attention to them. Everyone was staring at the cloud.

"This is fascinating. I wish we had taken one of the bombs with us!"

"This is horrible," Brai Boy said. "That blast must have destroyed most of the zone there."

"Yes? Wasn't that the point?" Entrapta looked confused.

"Imagine someone using such a bomb in a town!"

"Well, it would destroy the town - the average town is much smaller than the urban areas of the Fright Zone," Entrapta said. Then she blinked. "Oh. You mean without warning the population."

"Yes."

Seacat padded the shoulder of the princess. "We're not going to do that. No one is going to do that." She hoped she wasn't lying.

"We'll have to control fuel crystals very, very tightly," Mermista said. "If someone else manages to build such a bomb…"

Seacat shuddered at the thought.

*****​

Adora started to stir about an hour later, when they were on a smaller road leading north, without Horde scum nearby. Seacat heard her groan softly. She immediately left Sea Hawk to steer the cart and scrambled to Adora's side. "Adora!"

"Ngh?" Her lover was blinking, her mouth half-open.

"Adora!"

Her eyes focused on Seacat. "Ca-Seacat?"

"Yes." Seacat beamed at her. She was awake. Back. Alive.

"What… where are we?"

"We've left the Fright Zone's core lands and we're on the way back to Alliance lands," Seacat told her.

"Did… did we win?"

"Hordak and Shadow Weaver are dead."

"Oh." More blinking.

"And we blew up Hordak's laboratory, his plants, and most of the Fright Zone's buildings," Seacat told her.

"We did?"

"We warned the Horde beforehand, so they evacuated," Bow added.

"Ah." Adora looked relieved. A little bit. "Is everyone alright?"

Seacat pressed her lips together. "Ah…"

"Glimmer got hurt. She's stable, but…" Bow said.

"Oh, no!" Adora sat up. "Glimmer! Where is my sword?"

"Adora, wait!"

But Seacat's lover had grabbed her magic sword already - who had left it at her side? - and pointed it at Glimmer. A moment later, magic energy shot out of the tip and hit the princess.

And Adora collapsed. Seacat barely managed to grab her before she hit her head on the cart and glared at her unconscious lover.

"You bloody idiot!" she screeched.

"Huh? What happened? Bow!"

And Glimmer jumped up in the cart, looking around like a cornered seal for a moment.

"It's alright, Glimmer!" Bow blurted out. "We're out of the Fright Zone. Hordak and Shadow Weaver are dead. And the airship's been destroyed."

"With most of the Fright Zone," Mermista added.

"We won?" Glimmer started to smile. Then she saw Adora. "Adora!"

"Don't bother," Seacat told her. "The idiot woke up and exhausted herself straight away healing you. She won't wake up for hours now."

And then Seacat would kill her! So Adora wouldn't do something so incredibly stupid again! Really! To wake up, just to knock herself out again!

"Oh." Glimmer still looked confused. Then she frowned. "I missed the whole fight?"

"All of us missed it except for Adora and Seacat," Bow said. "You got knocked out before you could teleport the rest of us, so we couldn't join them in Hordak's office - and we had to fight our way out when the airship started burning."

"Burning?" Glimmer gasped.

"The whole yard went up in flames while we fought," Seacat explained. "Shadow Weaver left us with Hordak, and Hordak fled as well. We found them at the runestone, fighting each other. Adora killed Hordak but got knocked out herself, and Shadow Weaver…" She hesitated.

"Did you kill her?" Glimmer asked.

"She killed herself when she linked herself to the Black Garnet. The magic was too much - the lightning turned her to ash," Seacat said.

"Ah." Glimmer and Bow exchanged glances.

As did Seacat and Mermista, who had joined Sea Hawk at the front of the cart.

"Did she ground herself?" Entrapta asked.

"I don't think so," Seacat replied. "It looked like magical lightning."

"Oh. That's different."

"Hordak's armour was immune to it," Seacat added, trying to change the topic. "No matter what she threw at him, it didn't hurt him."

"Oh! Lightning-proof armour?" Entrapta cheered up. "I'll have to look into that!"

Well, it was safer than creating more powerful bombs.

Seacat sighed as she cradled Adora's head in her lap and leaned back, ignoring Glimmer and Bow all but crawling into each other's lap and how they whispered.

At least it was over.

Mostly.

*****​

"Seacat?"

Seacat blinked and looked around as she sat up. That was… "Adora!"

"Good morning," her stupid lover said, smiling at her from where she was sitting on her blanket.

"Morning?" Seacat looked up. It was barely noon.

"Technically. I think," Adora said. "So, we made camp?"

Seacat rolled her eyes. That much should've been obvious. "What clued you in? The tents we pitched?" Her lover pouted, and Seacat scoffed. "We're on the way to the Whispering Woods."

"As planned."

"Yes. And speaking of planned…" Seacat gathered her thoughts to give her lover a piece of her mind about reckless healing. But then, Adora stretched, and Seacat kind of got distracted. That was… "...unfair," she muttered.

"Hm?" Adora smiled innocently, but she wasn't good enough to fool Seacat.

"I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work," she whispered.

"Oh?"

"You're trying to distract me so I won't yell at you."

"Most of the others are sleeping," Adora pointed out. "Yelling at me would wake them up."

"Then they can also yell at you."

Adora flinched. "I'm sorry for… worrying you."

"For exhausting yourself while you're wounded?" Seacat crossed her arms over her chest.

"That, too." Adora shook her head. "But I couldn't let Glimmer keep suffering!"

"You could've waited a moment, at least," Seacat pointed out. "We might've needed you being able to walk." If the bug princess had attacked them or ordered Horde troops to attack… well, the troops on the road hadn't looked as if they would attack anyone, least of all a group of princesses.

"Sorry."

Seacat sighed. "Just don't do it again."

"Healing?"

"Recklessly endangering yourself without checking what's going on, first," Seacat corrected her.

"Ah." Adora bit her lower lip. "I think I can do that."

"Of course you can!" It wasn't a question of ability!

"I'll try, then."

That was probably the best Seacat could get. At least now. She didn't like it, though. Sighing again, she reached out and hugged her lover. "You really worried me," she whispered.

"So did you," Adora told her.

Seacat ignored that. They hadn't had any choice. Unlike Adora's latest stunt.

"So, how's Glimmer?"

"She's fine. And with Bow."

"Oh, right." Adora smiled. "So… we've won."

"Pretty much, yes." Seacat shrugged. The war wasn't over, but the Horde was done for. The Horde wouldn't last much longer, not after losing their leaders, their bombs and their airship. The Horde scum, though? Dealing with them might take longer. Many of them would become pirates and bandits.

"So…" Adora bit her lower lip again. "What are you planning to do now?"

Oh, that question. Seacat blinked. "The war's not over," she said. "There's still the Horde armies to deal with. And the Horde ships."

"Ah." Adora nodded. "So, that'll take a while."

"Yes."

Her lover nodded again.

Damn, this was awkward. Seacat was supposed to scold Adora, not… avoid talking to her about their future.

But this probably wasn't the time nor the place to discuss this.

Seacat sighed and hugged Adora again, then slid in her lap. Her lover was back. Everything else could wait.

*****​

"News of Hordak's death must have travelled fast," Bow commented as they looked at the deserted remains of a Horde checkpoint they had passed on their way to the Fright Zone. Back then, it had been manned by a squad. Now...

Now, it was not just deserted but looted to the bedrock. So to speak - everything that had been portable had disappeared, and the rest had been set on fire. That wasn't a good sign.

"Something wrong?" Entrapta asked. "Isn't it a good thing that the Horde soldiers stationed here deserted?"

"Where did they go?" Seacat asked. "And why did they burn down the post?"

"That's standard Horde tactics," Adora explained. "You aren't supposed to leave anything useful to the enemy."

"Scorched earth," Bow added. "The Alliance did the same in some campaigns."

Seacat frowned. "In any case, if they continue such habits, then there'll be a huge problem with bandits and raiders. And pirates, but those can be dealt with more easily."

"The Salinean Navy will sweep them from the seas!" Sea Hawk announced. "Huzzah!"

"And hang them," Mermista added.

"Won't that drive them to fight to the death?" Entrapta asked. "That's why we take prisoners, isn't it?"

"Pirates aren't soldiers; they're criminal scum," Mermista said.

"As opposed to Horde scum," Seacat added. "But rooting out the bandits - bandits with military training, experience and supplies - will be harder." Though not impossible.

"We'll manage," Glimmer said. "We still have an army. If we can beat the Horde, we can beat its remnants."

"But the Alliance might dissolve, with the Horde gone," Bow retorted.

"Salineas will stay in the Alliance," Mermista announced. "No matter what the other kingdoms might decide."

Though they would be busy hunting down pirates, Seacat knew. That couldn't be helped.

"I don't think Perfuma will quit, either," Adora said.

"She was pretty isolationist before the Horde attacked Plumeria," Glimmer pointed out.

"But now she knows what is at stake," Adora retorted. "And she's a friend."

"I'll stay as well!" Entrapta announced. "And my bots! If they want to."

That would help a lot with patrolling some areas. But Etheria would still be quite a lot more dangerous for the next few years. Especially the areas near the Crimson Waste.

Then Seacat realised that Adora hadn't said anything about fighting on herself. And was staring at her.

Oh.

They probably needed to have that talk sooner than Seacat had expected.

But not right now.

"Let's go on." She pointed north. "Let's go home."

*****​
 
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Chapter 50: The Negotiations
Chapter 50: The Negotiations

Fireworks lit up the night sky, bright flashes and sparks going off above, the faint explosions drowned out by the reaction of the crowd below - the courtyard of Bright Moon's palace had been filled to capacity, or so it seemed, by everyone in the country who wasn't serving at the frontlines.

Leaning against the railing of the balcony, Seacat sighed and took another sip from the fruity drink she'd pilfered from the banquet.

"Is something wrong?"

Seacat turned. Adora stood in the doorway leading to the main ballroom of the palace, two glasses in one hand and a plate with snacks - dessert - in the other. "I noticed you had sneaked out," she said with a shy smile.

"I told you I was getting some fresh air." Seacat snorted, emptied her glass and put it on the stone railing.

"When I was talking to Queen Angella and couldn't follow you."

She shrugged. "I'm not much for royalty."

It was Adora's turn to snort as she joined Seacat at the railing, the white dress she wore billowing out a little - Seacat's lover had never learned to, or didn't bother with, walking more demurely. It wouldn't fit her, anyway - even untransformed, Adora was She-Ra. Grace, power and strength. And beauty. So much…

"Seacat?"

She blinked.

"You were, uh, kind of…"

"You distracted me," Seacat cut her off with a grin, emptied her fruity drink and grabbed a glass from Adora.

"I distracted you?"

"You and your dress," Seacat replied.

Adora blushed. "Oh. Glimmer picked it out."

"I know. You wanted to attend in uniform." Seacat shook her head. A Horde uniform, merely slightly altered, too!

"It is a victory celebration, not an… uh, another kind of celebration," Adora defended herself.

A premature celebration, in Seacat's opinion. The Horde hadn't surrendered. Not officially, at least. The army trapped north of Fortress Freedom had surrendered, at last, and the forces facing Bright Moon and Plumeria had disintegrated, but whoever was in charge of the remnants in the Fright Zone hadn't replied to the demand for parley the Alliance had sent. If they had received the demand in the first place.

"And you're in uniform!" Adora went on with a pout.

"I'm a dashing naval officer," Seacat replied, pointing at her chest. "But this isn't a uniform."

Adora blinked. "Of course it is! It has all the buttons, the epaulettes, even the golden cord!"

Seacat's grin widened. "Oh, it looks like a uniform, but it isn't a uniform of any navy known to Etheria." She'd had it custom made, after all.

"It looks like one of the Salinean uniforms, just in dark red," Adora protested.

"It's similar to them, but no Salinean would mistake it for one of theirs." Seacat ran a hand down her chest, drawing attention to the generous amount of cleavage shown.

Adora's blush grew stronger. "That's because you didn't close it!"

"It's not meant to be closed," Seacat explained. She pulled on the jacket to emphasise her point. And her bust.

"Oh." Adora slowly nodded. "So, Sea Hawk's uniform is the same, then?

She shook her head. "No. Sea Hawk's wearing the uniform of an admiral in the Salinean Navy."

"What?"

"Well, he is an admiral, and there aren't actually any rules about the colours of the uniform at his rank, other than the epaulettes and stripes, so…" Seacat shrugged with a sly grin. "Besides, Mermista didn't object, so that makes it official." She grabbed a small cake from Adora's plate while her lover gaped.

"Oh, you!" Adora pouted at her. "You just made that up!"

"No, I didn't. That's how it works." She ate the cake in two bites. "Oh, that's good!"

"Really?"

"Yes. Try one!"

Adora rolled her eyes. "I meant about the uniforms."

"The Alliance isn't the Horde." Seacat stole another of the cakes.

"And soon, the Horde will be gone."

"Yes. As soon as the bug princess finally remembers that she's in charge and surrenders."

"We don't actually know if she's in charge," Adora pointed out.

"Who else would be? She's a princess. With Hordak and Shadow Weaver gone, whoever is left will turn to her." Seacat shrugged again.

"Remember what we were taught about princesses?"

"Of course." She frowned a little. That had been years ago, after all. In another life. "But those who bought into this will have deserted already, I think."

"Or banded together to resist to the end." Adora sighed. "Angella said we need more information."

"Just invade, crush whoever is resisting, and finish the war for good." Seacat finished her drink.

"It's not quite as simple." Adora leaned against the railing, and Seacat was once again briefly distracted by the way her lover's dress clung to her figure. "And there's another thing."

"Yes?" Seacat looked up at Adora's face.

"Light Hope."

"Oh." Seacat needed another drink for that. "You didn't go visit her, did you?" She didn't think so; Adora had been way too busy with all the briefings, planning sessions and celebrations - many of which Seacat had had to attend as well - but it wasn't as if the broken bot's bunker was too far away.

"What? No. But I need to. We need to." Adora said with a firm expression. "We need to find out if she knows what Shadow Weaver did to the runestone and what it might have done to Etheria's magic."

Seacat owned her mouth to protest that they didn't need to talk to the broken bot but closed it again and scowled instead. Adora was right - if Shadow Weaver could kill herself like she had done, then they needed to find out if something was wrong with the Horde's runestone. And if that could happen to others. "I guess so."

Adora nodded. "This is important. It's what Mara was doing. Before…" She trailed off.

Seacat clenched her teeth. Adora's predecessor had died trying to 'bring back balance to Etheria' or whatever the bot called it. And now Adora wanted to do the same? "I don't trust the bot." It had tried to kill her, no matter what it claimed.

"I know. And I understand. But… she's the only one who knows about She-Ra's duties."

"And she's broken. And doesn't want us to fix her."

"Yes. Though I think I can convince her to let Entrapta repair her damaged memories."

Seacat snorted. "If her memory is actually damaged."

"What? She wouldn't lie to me!"

"Really?" Seacat shook her head.

"She's… she's a friend."

"And she's been lying to you. She is supposed to help and obey you, but when you told her to let Entrapta repair her, she changed her lines, remember?"

Adora's expression showed that she did. "I know. But…" She slumped a little.

Seacat sighed and moved to hug her lover. "I know." Adora thought the bot was a friend. And she'd do anything for a friend. Even if they hurt her.

Seacat would have to make sure this wouldn't happen.

*****​

"We need to send someone to make contact with Princess Scorpia," the queen said, leaning over the table in the planning room of Bright Moon.

She was really tall, Seacat thought, not for the first time. It was weird that Glimmer was so short - her father must have been quite short as well. Or it was just the way magic worked.

"She hasn't answered our first request for parley," Mermista pointed out.

"To be fair, we blew up the Fright Zone's core," Bow said. "And it's not clear whether she's in charge of the Horde's remnants or not."

"Or whether the message was even received by her," Seacat said.

Glimmer frowned. "Our courier handed it over to the officer in charge of the Horde troops."

"Of some Horde troops," Seacat told her. "The princess might not be in charge of them."

"We could wait until they settle their differences, and we have a leader to talk to," Entrapta suggested.

"I would rather deal with Princess Scorpia," Angella said. "Of all the Horde leaders we know of, she seems to be one of the least aggressive."

Seacat snorted. The bug princess had been very aggressive when she had tried to stop Seacat from escaping the Fright Zone's prison.

The queen looked at her. "Twice you've talked to her without a fight."

"Yes." Seacat pressed her lips together. She didn't like the sound of this.

"Would you volunteer to meet her a third time? You seem to have developed a rapport."

And Catra had been a Horde cadet. Angella didn't mention that, but everyone knew it.

"It's our best chance to end the war without further bloodshed," the queen went on.

Seacat slowly drew a deep breath. Angella was right. But… "It'll take some time going back to the Fright Zone," she said. "The frontlines are disintegrating, but Horde troops and Horde deserters will still be present in the area."

"I can ask Swift Wind to fly us to the Fright Zone to meet with her," Adora said, smiling. "And return quickly."

"Just the two of you?" Glimmer asked.

"Swift Wind can't carry more than us two over such a distance. And even then only if I'm not She-Ra," Adora explained.

"I was thinking of sending a delegation with an escort," Angella said. "But time is of the essence."

"And I can keep us safe," Adora added. "Safer than an escort - unless we're all going."

"You're not going, Glimmer," Angella said. "The commander is needed here."

Glimmer closed her mouth. She glared at her mother but didn't protest.

Seacat snorted. "Well, riding the horsey is probably safer than travelling overland." At least with the airship destroyed.

"Great!" Adora beamed at her.

"Good. Now, next point: We took a lot of prisoners when the Horde forces trapped between Fortress Freedom and Seaworthy surrendered," Angella went on. "They need to be supplied for the foreseeable future."

"I can help there!" Perfuma said.

"You're also needed to supply our own forces in the field," Angella told her.

"Move the prisoners to the coast, and we can ship the supplies from Perfuma to them," Mermista said.

"Do we have the shipping?" Glimmer asked. "After the losses we took?"

"We should - we've been building more transport ships," Mermista explained.

"Good. Next point: Deserters…"

*****​

"Oh, what a great day! Boon companions, we're on our way to end the war of wars! A crucial mission, entrusted to us by everyone! As we soar in shining wings through the sky, the hopes of Etheria rest upon us - a burden we are glad to bear!"

Seacat resisted the urge to stick her claws into Swift Wind's flank and scratch for all she was worth. If they weren't flying far too high in the sky, she might have done it. If they were on a ship, she certainly would've thrown the horse overboard. After tying his wings together so he couldn't fly off. Or at least gagged him - as a horse, he couldn't remove a gag, could he? Seacat was no stranger to bombastic speeches - the Captain was very fond of them, and of shanties - but everyone had a limit, and she had reached hers.

Too bad Adora hadn't reached hers. "That's the Fright Zone ahead!" She moved her arm to point downwards.

"Finally!" Seacat blurted out.

"The heart of darkness! The core of the evil Horde! We shall pierce it like a sword from heaven!"

"We shall land there and look for the Horde princess," Seacat corrected the horse.

"Yes. This is a diplomatic mission," Adora agreed.

"War is but the consequences of diplomacy failing, and we should be prepared for such an outcome," the horse retorted.

That sounded like a quote. "Did you read the entire library of Bright Moon?" Seacat asked. And how would the horse have managed to turn the pages?

"I've had many books read to me," Swift Wind replied.

"You have?" Adora asked.

"Well, between courier missions," Swift Wind said. "I requested stable boys who knew their letters and had them read books to me while they groomed me. We both profited from the arrangement."

"Ah."

That was smart. Seacat had to admit. But if she ever met whoever had introduced the horse to that particular manner of speech…

"I think they've seen us," Adora said. "The soldiers at the checkpoint there are signalling."

Seacat leaned around her lover to take a look with her telescope. "They're signalling the Fright Zone's core area. Whoever is in command there will know about us approaching."

"Good." Adora nodded. "Then they will be prepared."

"And that's good?" Swift Wind asked.

"It means that when we don't rush in but approach openly - under a flag of truce - they'll be unlikely to mistake this for an attack," Adora explained.

And the Horde scum would have an easier time to ambush them. "We should wait until we see the princess," Seacat said. "She shouldn't attack us on sight." Unless she had taken the destruction of most of the core area of the Fright Zone personally.

"She did seem reasonable last time we met her," Adora said.

"She's still a Horde leader," Swift Wind pointed out.

"So was I," Adora retorted.

"For all of… half a day?" Seacat asked.

"It still counts!" Adora was blushing a little. "We'll have common ground, at least."

"We still should be ready to take off at once. And you should transform before we land," Seacat told her.

"Swift Wind can't carry both of us when I'm She-Ra!"

"I only need to land; I'll manage."

But he wouldn't be able to take off with them. Which meant that Adora would need to transform back if they had to flee. And that would be… tricky. Seacat leaned forward, resting her chin on Adora's shoulder. And whispered: "Don't even think of staying She-Ra to cover our retreat or something. I've told you before: I won't mount Swift Wind unless it's with you."

Adora gasped. "That wasn't what you meant!"

"But you know I mean it now," Seacat replied. She knew Adora, after all.

"But…"

"No buts."

Adora tensed, then sighed. "Alright," she said, pouting.

Seacat smiled as she withdrew a little. One potential problem taken care of. One of many, alas.

*****​

A little later, they were circling above the heart of the Fright Zone. What was left of it, anyway, next to two huge, overlapping craters.

"I didn't think it would be that bad," Adora mumbled.

"I don't think anyone expected this," Seacat replied. "Except for Entrapta. Maybe." She whistled. "Hordak's laboratory is completely gone."

"Yes. And so are the main bot and weapon plants." Adora nodded. "And the shipyard's just ashes and rubble any more. Do you think that the runestone was destroyed as well?"

"I don't think so." Seacat wasn't an expert, but she doubted that mere fire could destroy a runestone. They would have to ask Entrapta once they returned to Bright Moon. "Do you see the bug princess anywhere?" She started looking over the area with her telescope.

"No, just a few guns and… troops scattering."

They were out of range of any gun in the Horde arsenal. Not that Seacat thought they would manage to elevate the barrel that high, anyway. Or hit Swift Wind.

She still gave the guns a look. You could tell a lot about an army by checking their artillery. And… "There is the princess!"

Below them, the Horde princess was hefting a gun all by herself, pointing it at them.

"If she fires that piece, the recoil will paste her," Seacat muttered.

"She won't," Adora said, but Seacat's lover sounded unsure.

"Well, let's find out how dumb she is," Seacat said. "Take us down."

"If I fly down, they can shoot their cannons at me," Swift Wind replied.

"Just land somewhere near, but not too close. We have a flag of truce," Adora told him.

"Alright." The flying horse started their descent.

And Seacat really hoped that she was right about the princess. There were about a hundred Horde scum down there - half of them manning the five guns they were setting up, the other half aiming crossbows.

But they weren't firing. And the princess dropped the gun once they touched the ground.

Adora dismounted and grabbed the flag. Seacat slid down herself, restraining from drawing her sword. She put a hand on the hilt, though.

"Alright, fly up and circle above us," Adora said.

"If anything happens, I'll come save you!"

"Only after we've disabled the guns," Seacat told him. "You can't save us if you're shredded by canister shot."

"That's barbaric!"

"But effective."

With a huff, the horse took to the air again. And Adora and Seacat started walking towards the princess. And tried to ignore how they aimed their guns and crossbows at them. Seacat still looked for cover - but the open field they had landed in didn't provide much if any cover.

"We should've landed in the crater," she mumbled. "Plenty of cover there. And you should've transformed."

"That would've made it look like an attack," Adora retorted.

"Well… aiming cannons and crossbows at us also looks like an attack is about to happen."

"They're just cautious," Adora said.

Seacat snorted.

But once they closed to about a hundred yards, the bug princess raised her arm, and the crossbows were lowered. Then the princess climbed over the small wall that covered the central gun and started walking towards them.

Adora stopped walking as well. Smart, in Seacat's opinion - if things took a turn for the worse, they could run out of range before the princess made it back to her troops - or moved out of the line of fire. Probably.

Though standing still and waiting felt even worse than walking. Seacat wanted to fidget with something, but pulling her sword would provoke an attack for sure. Hell, even taking out her telescope would probably be mistaken for an attack if the trembling Horde scum on the left part of the Horde line was any indication.

But the princess reached them, stopping five yards away, without the guns firing. "So…" The princess cleared her throat. "Flag of truce?"

"Yes. Are you the new Horde leader?" Adora asked.

"Yes. You already knew that," the princess said, frowning at Seacat.

"We suspected. We didn't know," Seacat corrected her.

"And we're here to negotiate an end to the war," Adora said.

"Who are you?" the princess asked. "I know her" - she nodded at Seacat - "but I don't know… wait! I've seen you before - at the Princess Prom! You're She-Ra!" She took a step back.

"Yes." Adora nodded.

"Ah." The princess grimaced but didn't say anything else.

"As I said, we're here to negotiate an end to the war. I represent the Princess Alliance," Adora said with a nod. "And you represent the Horde."

"You want… First, you murder our leaders, then you blow up our plants and supplies, and now you want to end the war?" The princess scowled at them. "You know what you did to us!"

"Ending the war was the point of doing all of this," Seacat told her. "Without Hordak and Shadow Weaver and with your airship gone, you've got no chance to win this war any more."

"So, we've come to end the war without further bloodshed," Adora added, with a glance at Seacat.

Seacat glared at her for a moment. She was just telling it like it was!

"We've still got an army and a navy," the princess replied. "And we can rebuild."

Seacat made a point of looking at the craters, or at least into the direction where they would be, mostly hidden behind some intact warehouses.

Adora shook her head. "Even if you had the time to rebuild, you won't be able to build enhanced engine bombs. And you were losing the war before you built them."

"Your navy was just clogging up the ports you still controlled," Seacat added. "And your army is deserting."

Judging by the scowl on the princess's face, she was aware of that but didn't want to admit it. "We can still put up a fight!"

"Yes, you could," Adora said, smiling slightly. "But why would you? You can't win."

"We can die on our feet instead of on our knees."

Was that pride or just a front? Or desperation?

"You don't need to die at all," Adora said.

Seacat pressed her lips together. She could think of a few Horde scumbags that needed to die. The ones who blew up their own troops, for starters.

"We offer terms," Adora went on.

"What terms?"

Adora reached into her uniform and pulled out a sealed letter. "Here's the proposal."

The princess took it, opened it - which was impressive for someone with pincers for hands - and started to read it.

"You want us to surrender!" she said after she finished reading.

Seacat rolled her eyes. Anyone with half a brain could see that the Horde had lost the war.

"Surrender, but not unconditionally." Adora smiled. "You can keep your core lands - as you're the heir to the kingdom, whether you restore your kingdom or keep the Horde going in the Fright Zone is your business, as long as you don't attack others."

"And as long as you don't raise children to turn them into soldiers," Seacat added, baring her fangs.

"What?" The princess looked at the letter again. "You want us to abandon orphans?"

Seacat felt her claws slide out and clenched her teeth. What was this…

A hand on her shoulder stopped her. "No," Adora said. "We want you to stop taking orphans and turning them into soldiers. No more cadets - your soldiers will have to start training as adults."

"Oh."

"And you'll return all orphans taken from other countries," Seacat spat.

"As long as they want to return," Adora added. "We're aware that some might not."

Thanks to having been brainwashed, Seacat thought. But taking in hardened Horde soldiers wouldn't be smart - that would only cause more trouble. She cursed Hordak and Shadow Weaver again for doing this.

"The Horde's our home," the princess replied.

"The soldiers deserting from the frontlines might disagree," Seacat told her. When the huge woman glared at her, she flashed her a toothy smile. The idiot probably needed a reminder that they were losing the war.

"We still have an army," the princess repeated herself.

"And you won't have it for long if you keep fighting," Seacat retorted.

"We're here to avoid further fighting. That's why the Alliance offers you these terms," Adora said. "You can make a counteroffer, if you like."

"That will take time." The princess looked at the offer once more.

"Take your time. We'll start rolling up the front," Seacat told her.

"What? We don't have a truce while we negotiate?"

"That would only benefit you," Adora said, glancing at Seacat. "We won't launch an all-out offensive or strike at your homeland, but we won't let you reinforce and reorganise the front, either."

"Or let your frigates roam the sea. Those you have left, anyway," Seacat added. "Besides, what do you have to offer? We're not going to let you keep the conquered territory."

"This offer seems to benefit mostly myself," the princess said after a moment.

"You're the princess of the Fright Zone. It's yours by birthright," Adora said.

"I'm the leader of the Horde. Well, the leader of the remains," the princess said. "This makes it look as if I'm selling the rest out."

Adora shook her head. "You're their leader. They're your responsibility. And you have to decide whether they are better off fighting to death or surrendering."

Which was why many Horde soldiers were voting with their feet. Or their ships.

"They didn't cover that in Force Captain orientation." The bug princess sighed. "The closest would be the stuff about preserving your troops."

Adora nodded. "Hordak wanted obedient tools. Force Captains who were more loyal to their soldiers than to him were unacceptable. But you're a leader now. You have to make decisions."

Seacat nodded. That was how it worked.

"I… I have to think about this." The princess glanced over her shoulder.

"How long will you need?" Adora asked.

"I don't know…" The huge woman sighed. "A day?"

"A day it is." Adora nodded. "We'll…"

"We'll meet you tomorrow, on the plains between the Fright Zone and the Whispering Woods," Seacat interrupted her, ignoring her frown.

"Alright. Until tomorrow, then." The princess nodded.

Adora nodded in return.

Seacat stretched her arms over her head. "Good. Let's go then."

"Right." The princess nodded again, then turned away and started to walk back to her troops.

"What was that about?" Adora whispered.

"We aren't going to meet them here," Seacat told her. "If the Horde scum decides to fight to the death, they could easily blast us to shreds here as soon as we land. Taking out She-Ra would be a coup for them - and they won't have anything to lose. But such an ambush won't be possible on the plains."

"Unless they bury explosives at the meeting spot."

"We'll land a little away and have her come to us," Seacat replied. "I doubt that they have enough powder left to mine the entire area." And on the pains, scouts could keep an eye on the Horde until the meeting.

"Do you really think Scorpia would do that?"

Seacat shrugged. "Better safe than sorry."

Adora sighed, then waved at Swift Wind to come pick them up.

*****​

"...and then we left and flew back to Bright Moon," Adora finished her report, then sat down at the planning table.

Seacat patted her thigh under the table - her lover had worried a little too much about this, even though everyone knew she'd deliver a perfect report. Which she had done.

"Thank you, Adora." Queen Angella smiled at her - and at Seacat. "Do you think the Horde will accept our terms?"

"Ah…" Adora nibbled on her lower lip. "I don't know? It's the rational choice, but… Princess Scorpia seemed concerned with the, ah, appearances of it."

"'Appearances'?" Now the queen was frowning.

"She said it would look like she was selling out the Horde to take over," Seacat explained.

"But she is the leader of the Horde, isn't she?" Glimmer asked. "She's in charge."

"Yes." Seacat nodded.

"So we assume," Adora added. "We haven't seen any sign that would contradict our assumption."

Seacat rolled her eyes. "The princess is about as subtle as a frigate's broadside. If she wasn't in charge, she would have let it slip."

"That was my impression at the Princess Prom as well," Bow said.

Queen Angella nodded. "We will assume that it's true, then."

"So, why would she think she's selling her troops out?" Glimmer asked.

"Horde propaganda," Seacat replied. "They demonise princesses." Catra remembered the lessons about princesses in the Horde.

"It's a little more complicated than that," Adora said. "The Horde taught us - the older cadets - that everyone could become a Force Captain if they worked hard enough. And that was contrasted against the Alliance, where your birth decided your position."

"That's not true!" Glimmer protested. "Look at Bow! Or Sea Hawk! Or Seacat!"

"They aren't princesses," Queen Angella explained. "In order to bond with a runestone, you do have to be a member of the right family. This talent is hereditary."

"Most princesses don't bond with runestones, though," Entrapta cut in. Of course, they don't have runestones in the first place. "I don't, for example. And neither do Spinerella and Nettossa. There are actually only five such runestones - six if you count She-Ra's sword. And I can't say yet if it should count. It's far smaller than the five other runestones, but it's connected to them."

Seacat frowned. That seemed… Well, she wasn't a sorceress, but it seemed weird. Suspicious, too. Five huge runestones, and then one tiny runestone set in a sword? All connected?

"There are a lot more princesses who don't have ties to a runestone than five - or six," Nettossa pointed out. "All of them have magical talents, though."

"As opposed to a talent for magic," Entrapta said, nodding. "I don't think there's ever been a princess that was also a sorceress, but I didn't check with Mystacore's archives." She frowned. "I should, actually. That's an interesting question about hereditary talents."

"Can we focus on the Horde's claims for now?" Glimmer asked. "It's not as if the Horde was set up any differently than most kingdoms. Hordak and Shadow Weaver ran it, and the rest could've reached at most the rank of Force Captain."

"Exactly like Salineas," Sea Hawk said, nodding. "Any sailor can reach the rank of admiral - under my love!"

"We don't raise soldiers from childbirth like the Horde does!" Mermista protested with a glare. "And we don't invade our neighbours."

"So," Seacat summed up, "the Horde lied about the Alliance. As usual."

"They did," Adora agreed. "But lies or not, what is important is what the Horde soldiers believe. And if they think Scorpia received our offer because she's the rightful princess of the Fright Zone, they might not follow her."

Glimmer sighed and slumped. "And I thought it was a good thing that the highest-ranking Horde scum was also a princess! Now it's making things more difficult?"

Bow patted her back.

"Princess Scorpia is the leader of the remaining Horde forces - at least of the biggest and most organised part of the Horde that's left," Queen Angella said. "That is what matters. If she cannot secure the loyalty and obedience of her troops, then any agreement with the Horde wouldn't have worked anyway."

"Well," Adora said, "she was promoted to Force Captain - she's the senior Force Captain, actually. So, she should have lots of experience leading the Horde."

Unless the idiot had only been promoted because she was a princess. Then again, Seacat knew first-hand how dangerous and powerful the bug princess was. "If that fails, then I think she's got good chances to beat everyone into obeying her orders," Seacat said with a chuckle.

"What we need is an agreement to end the war on our terms that will last," Queen Angella reminded them. "If Princess Scorpia needs some minor concessions to ensure that, then we will grant them. If she cannot provide this, we shall look for someone who can do it while we advance towards the Fright Zone." She frowned. "One way or the other, this war will end."

Seacat agreed with that. Very much.

She was a sailor, not a soldier.

*****​

The next day, they were on Swift Wind's back again, circling above the plains separating the Fright Zone from the Whispering Woods.

"We should've been more specific about the meeting spot," Adora complained.

She was correct, but that didn't mean Seacat had to admit it. "I thought it was clear that it would be near the entrance to the Fright Zone. Well, let's follow the road towards the frontlines," she said, leaning to the side to peer through her telescope.

"Well, apparently, it wasn't clear," Adora said.

"Or the Horde Princess isn't smart enough to realise what should be obvious," Seacat shot back.

"I could've followed the road on our way in. We would've spotted them that way." The stupid horse had to add their own unwanted comment.

"They probably expected that," she told them. "And we're still at war, so we can't do the expected thing if we can help it."

"But we want to end the war!" Adora complained again.

"Yes. we want it to end, but it hasn't ended yet," Seacat said. "Oh! There they are!" The hulking figure of the bug princess was unmistakable. "There, about two miles ahead."

"Alright. Here we go!" Swift Wind started to descend in a glide.

Seacat pressed her lips together. The moment of truth, as Sea Hawk would call it, was upon them. "Land a little away and to the east of them."

"Not to the north? Closer to the Whispering Woods?" Adora asked.

Seacat grinned. "They would expect that."

"Oh, you!"

Seacat was still chuckling when they landed and she slid off the horse. In front of them, the Horde delegation - about fifty soldiers, though they hadn't brought any guns this time - had turned to face them. "Hah! Caught them on the wrong foot!"

"I'm sure that this will make them more likely to accept our terms," Adora commented.

Seacat snorted. "They'll have made their decision already. This is just…"

"Posturing?" Adora asked.

"...being cautious." Seacat turned to Swift Wind. "And, speaking of being cautious…"

The horse sighed. "Wave if you need me." He took off again.

Seacat watched him go, then turned to look at the princess approaching them. She was in the company of another Horde scum this time. "Anyone you know?" Seacat asked in a low voice.

Adora shook her head. "No. At least we know she isn't the leader of the Headhunters."

"Right." That didn't mean much, of course.

Like yesterday, the princess stopped about five yards away. "Princess She-Ra. Seacat."

While the princess nodded at them, Seacat studied the other woman. Average size. Fit, but not obviously armed. Green hair. About thirty years old. Not a sailor - the skin was too pale for that. And the uniform didn't match the Horde navy. But… she was wearing a Force Captain badge.

"Force Captain Scorpia." Adora returned the greeting, then looked pointedly at the other officer.

"This is Force Captain Emeralda. She's the ranking Healer of the Horde."

Oh? A Healer? Seacat wondered why the woman was present while she nodded at the Horde scum. Perhaps she was the only other Force Captain left with the princess?

"Pleased to meet you," Adora said with a smile.

"The pleasure's all yours, I assure you," Emeralda said with a thin smile.

Oh, one of those. Seacat flashed her fangs at her but refrained from commenting about sore losers.

"So…" The princess cleared her throat. "I… we've discussed the proposal you brought to us."

"And you've got a counterproposal." Adora nodded again.

"Yes." The princess cleared her throat again. The Healer's expression didn't change - she kept smiling politely. "As they are, the terms are unacceptable."

"What?" Seacat glared at the princess. "They're very generous! We could crush you!"

"But it would cost you!" the princess shot back. "If you didn't care about your casualties, you wouldn't have proposed terms in the first place!"

The scum was right, of course. But Seacat was sure that in a pinch, the Alliance would gladly crush the Horde, casualties be damned. The war had been going on for over two decades, after all.

"And what is your counterproposal?" Adora asked with her own polite smile.

"Here." The princess reached into her uniform and pulled out a sheet. She held it out to Adora.

Seacat tensed up, glancing at the stinger looming above them as Adora stepped forward to take the proposal. If the thing so much as twitched...

But it didn't, and Adora returned to her side before unfolding the sheet. Seacat wanted to read it with her, but someone had to keep an eye on the Horde.

"Ah." Adora handed the proposal over to her.

"You'll want to discuss it with the Alliance leadership, I guess," the princess said.

"That won't be necessary," Adora replied.

And now both Horde officers tensed up.

Seacat glanced at the sheet and skimmed it. Same terms as the Alliance offered. Same territory. Pretty much the same, so… Ah. She blinked. "You're demanding supplies for ten years?" she blurted out. What were they thinking?

"If we don't get them, we'll starve," Emeralda replied. "The Fright Zone cannot sustain our current population. Not for years - most of our agricultural lands were repurposed. We depend on the outer territories for food."

"Half your troops have already defected," Seacat shot back.

"I didn't count them in our current population," the officer retorted.

"So, yeah," the princess cut in. "If we don't get supplies, then we'll fight on. Even if we get killed, it's better than starving to death."

She looked serious, Seacat noted. Too serious to be an act for the dumb princess. But that didn't mean they should feed the Hode for years. "Don't you have rations for years stockpiled?"

"We did have rations stockpiled, yes," the princess replied. "Enough to last for years in case of a siege. But someone blew them up."

Oh. Seacat hadn't been aware of that. Who placed food storage houses next to weapon manufactories, anyway? The Horde, of course.

"Yes." Adora nodded. "We accept your proposal."

Seacat blinked. So did the princess and the Healer.

"You do?" The princess sounded surprised. "Just like that?"

Seacat wanted to ask the same question. Supplies for ten years for an entire kingdom wasn't a minor concession.

"Yes." Adora smiled. "Princess Perfuma will be able to supply you with produce. She might even help with converting your land back to fields."

Oh.

"And you can speak for her?" the healer asked.

Adora smiled. "I know her. She won't let anyone starve if she can help them."

"We've invaded her kingdom," the princess pointed out.

"Yes. But she won't let you starve," Adora reassured them.

Seacat nodded. Yes, she couldn't see the plant princess watch and do nothing while people starved in the neighbourhood. And the other members of the Alliance might not be unhappy if Perfuma was busy helping the Fright Zone instead of driving all other farms out of business.

"So, let's sign it?" Adora asked, beaming at the other two.

"Err, right." The Horde princess nodded. "Right now?"

"Yes."

Seacat watched as a soldier fetched a folding table and both Adora and the princess signed the agreement.

The war was over. At least officially.

It felt weird to see it end like this, with the stroke of a pen, not a blow of a sword. Or a captain surrendering at sword point.

But Seacat wouldn't complain. She was sick of the war.

*****​
 
Chapter 51: The Mission
Chapter 51: The Mission

"Of course I'll help them!" Princess Perfuma nodded enthusiasticall, then shook her head. "We should've anticipated this - in hindsight, it's obvious that the original Horde territory cannot sustain their numbers! I will contact Princess Scorpia at once to ensure that this will be handled!"

Seacat smiled - Adora had been right; Perfuma was willing to help the Horde. Although not everyone shared the princess's enthusiasm, as a quick glance at the others seated around the planning table in Bright Moon showed.

Glimmer was scowling, even though she didn't say anything aloud. But Seacat's ears did pick up the "Horde scum" comment she muttered under her breath. As did Bow, who frowned at the princess. Mermista scoffed and rolled her eyes, clearly showing her opinion. The Captain didn't comment, only nodding at Perfuma's words. Netossa was scowling, Spinnerella shaking her head - tough at her wife, not at Perfuma or Adora. Entrapta...well, she was checking something on her recording device. Princess Frosta tried not to show any reaction, but Seacat didn't miss how she took her cues from Adora and Queen Angella.

And the queen… was showing her usual serious face. "Good," she said. "The bandit problem will be bad enough with all the deserters without adding more to their numbers."

"Exactly, your majesty," Adora said. "If we can keep the Horde remnants fed and contained in the Fright Zone, dealing with the bandits should be much easier. Especially if Scorpia can keep control over the weapon supplies."

Seacat nodded. Bandits with cannon to protect their camps or attack towns with would be harder to root out - or drive into the Crimson Waste, which was more likely.

"That won't affect their fleet," Mermista said. "We need to take control over all remaining Horde ships before they turn to piracy. Many of them already have done so in all but name."

"Won't they surrender on Scorpia's orders?" Perfuma asked. "As soon as they hear of the end of the war, that is."

"They're already striking at our transport ships whenever they can," Seacat explained.

"Which, fortunately, isn't often thanks to our convoys," Sea Hawk cut in.

Seacat nodded. "But with their home ports blockaded, they will resort to 'neutral' and pirate ports anyway. And since they've been doing this for some time, I doubt they want to return to the Fright Zone and hire on with a transport."

"They won't," Memrista said. "The Horde sailors are the dregs of the service. Those who survived until now are the exceptions, and they're basically pirates in uniform already. They will continue to prey on our merchantmen until we can hunt them down and sink them all."

"Well, without the Horde, they won't be able to keep their engines going," Entrapta pointed out. "That should limit them."

"Pirates don't need engines to attack transports," Mermista retorted. "But it means they will have a more difficult time escaping from one of our own frigates," she conceded. "Still, we'll probably have to keep convoys going for a while."

Frosta nodded. "That's what my naval officers tell me as well."

Seacat sighed. There would be enough independent merchants who would rather risk a pirate attack than wait for a convoy to be assembled. The lure of the profits if you could beat the competition to port was just too great. "Well, that will be sorted out sooner or later," she said. "There were pirates around before the war as well."

"Indeed there were - and some still operate to this day!" Sea Hawk exclaimed. "And compared to the likes of Admiral Scurvy, whom I know well, the Horde sailors shouldn't prove much of a challenge!"

"That's not exactly reassuring," Adora commented with a glance at Seacat.

Seacat shrugged. "It won't be very different compared to the war. We had to deal with pirates and Horde vessels anyway."

"But…" Adora trailed off.

Queen Angella cleared her throat. "I think this point has been addressed. The increase in banditry is a more pressing concern since the war kept that under control. Few of the denizens of the Crimson Waste dared to venture into the neighbouring lands when they would risk facing our soldiers or the Horde's."

"So keep the soldiers in the field, at least in that area," Mermista said.

"Many of our allies will want to withdraw their soldiers now that the threat of the Horde has vanished," Queen Angella replied. "We cannot expect our allies to make the same efforts to deal with bandits threatening our borders as they made to deal with an existential threat to all our countries. Especially if they have problems of their own to deal with."

"Well, we should!" Glimmer protested. "This is a consequence of the war."

The queen glanced at her daughter with a slight frown. "It is, but it is limited to our borders, and those of the Fright Zone, mostly."

And the bandits would know that the Fright Zone didn't have much to raid.

"It'll be costly, though," Bow pointed out.

"Without a doubt, but it's a cost we can bear. Our soldiers will serve a little longer than planned - but not as long as we feared but a while ago, when we were facing the full might of the Horde."

Seacat glanced at Adora. This sounded like a mission up her alley, so to speak. Hunting down criminals to protect the innocent. But her lover hadn't spoken up so far.

Something was up.

*****​

Wearing a large shirt and not much else and sprawled on the bed in their quarters - well, Adora's room, technically - in Bright Moon's palace, Seacat listened to the cheers and other sounds of celebration outside. The festivities, as Queen Angella called it, hadn't been officially sanctioned - the official celebration of the peace treaty had been set for a week after the signing of the terms. But the queen hadn't forbidden her people from partying, either.

Seacat snorted. The queen knew better than to give an order that wouldn't be obeyed. After decades of war, everyone wanted to celebrate however they could. Hell, most of the princesses present for the formalities of the peace treaty had been celebrating outside earlier. Sea Hawk and Mermista would still be celebrating. Seacat was sure of that.

The only reason Seacat and Adora weren't out there carousing was that they had a different celebration in mind.

And, Seacat added silently with a frown, she also needed to talk with Adora in private. And without being drunk. Hearing Adora take a shower in the bathroom, humming to herself, Seacat felt a little guilty for the deception. But this needed to be done.

The door to the bathroom swung open, and Adora stepped into the room. Wearing only a very thin, very transparent and very short night shift. Seacat swallowed and felt much more guilty at the sight. She hadn't known Adora owned something like this. And she was tempted - very tempted - to skip the talk and go straight to the 'ravishing', as Adora called it thanks to those lurid novels she had read. Very, very tempted.

"So… do you need to take a shower too?" Adora asked with a teasing smile as she walked towards Seacat.

When had she learned to sway her hips like that? Seacat swallowed again. "Ah… I'm good. I already took one, remember?"

Adora hummed. "I do." She licked her lips and leaned forward, putting both her hands on the bed and. "So…"

Seacat licked her lips and swallowed. Well, she could always talk to Adora afterwards. Planning to talk instead of celebrating had been a stupid idea, anyway.

*****​

Seacat sighed and stared at the ceiling. Well, the canopy above their bed. She was sweaty and exhausted, and she had lost another shirt, but she didn't regret anything. Still… She turned so she was on her belly, on top of her lover, looking at her face. "Hey, Adora."

"Huh?" Adora shifted underneath her and blinked. "Yes?"

"Why didn't you volunteer to hunt down bandits?" Seacat asked.

"Oh."

"Unlike the others, you don't have a realm to rule. And securing the borders against raiders… That sounds like a mission for She-Ra," Seacat went on.

"I guess so?" Adora tried to shrug, which didn't work well since she was lying on her back.

Seacat rolled her eyes. "Protecting Etheria, remember?"

"Well, Bandits aren't the only problem left after the Horde," Adora said. She looked to the side. "There are also pirates, aren't there?"

Seacat raised her eyebrows. "You want to go pirate hunting?"

"Well…" Adora but her lower lip. "It seems a pressing problem, what with all the ships we need to, uh, ship stuff around."

Seacat cocked her head to the side and frowned. That didn't sound like the Adora she knew. She would've expected her lover to have plans ready, with charts and maps. Like she had done for the Princess Prom. So, what was she hiding? "You know, you'll need a ship to hunt pirates," she pointed out.

"I know!" Adora pouted, but she was looking at Seacat again. "I, uh, thought, kind of, that, you know, you'd get a ship."

Oh. Seacat's eyes widened. OH! She couldn't help smiling. "You want to hunt pirates with me?"

"Well, if you're hunting pirates…" Adora looked away. "I mean, it's just an idea."

"And what if I don't want to hunt pirates? If I just want to sail the seas?" Seacat kept looking at Adora and saw her starting to blush.

"Well… that sounds… I haven't just sailed the seas myself. It sounds… interesting." Adora was still looking away.

Seacat shifted a little and reached out, cupping her lover's chin. She felt Adora tense at the touch, then gently turned her lover's head back until their eyes met again. "Sailing the seas, together? With me?"

Adora swallowed, and her blush grew stronger. "If you want. I mean, you're Sea Hawk's first mate, and you have a crew, but…" She bit her lip again. "If there's a spot free on board…"

Seacat smiled. "There will be. Though I might not be the first mate."

Adora blinked. "You might not…? But Sea Hawk said you were the best first mate he knew. How could he pick someone else?" She started to scowl. "I will have words with him!"

Seacat laughed. "It's not that. I was thinking of getting my own ship."

"Your own ship?"

Seacat nodded. "I don't think Sea Hawk will return to sail the seas like he did before we got involved in the war."

"Oh. You think he'll stay with Mermista?"

"He has been staying with her for a long time by now."

"Right." Adora nodded.

"But would you like to leave Glimmer and Bow?" Seacat asked.

"Well, it wouldn't be forever. We'd visit, wouldn't we?"

"Of course," Seacat told her.

"And they… well, they've been together for a while. And, well, Glimmer's the princess. She's supposed to have kids."

"Ah." Seacat didn't ask if Adora felt like the fifth wheel with her best friends becoming a couple. She didn't care for the reasons as long as Adora was with her. Would be with her.

*****​

"This is great!" Entrapta gushed as they walked through the Whispering Woods. "I'm going to investigate two sites with First One's tech! And with the war ending, I have the time to do research instead of building bombs!"

"Two sites?" Seacat asked, looking around just in case the route wasn't as safe as they thought. Adora had said she had cleared the worst monsters a while ago, and they would take time to get replaced, and Bow was scouting ahead, but better safe than sorry.

"Light Hope's bunker, then the Fright Zone!" Entrapta was almost skipping over the forest floor.

"We're going to Light Hope to fix her," Adora said, looking concerned. "Not to, uh, dismantle her."

"Usually, to fix a bot, you have to dismantle them - at least partially," Entrapta retorted. "But don't worry! I can put everything back together. Usually. Sometimes, things are too broken for that."

"Uh…"

"But since Light Hope can communicate and all, I doubt that. The worst that could happen is that she loses some memory banks. Though, in a way, she already lost them, so that's not really making things worse."

Seacat snorted. The bot claimed that it had lost parts of its memories.

"And I've learned a lot from Hordak's special bots, too!" Entrapta went on. "It's not First One's tech, but pretty good. So, I'm positive that we can fix your friend."

Seacat suppressed a scowl. The bot wasn't really Adora's friend - not if it was manipulating her.

"You know, I haven't actually thought about what I'll be doing once the war's over," Glimmer said after a moment.

"You didn't?" Adora asked.

"Not really. I grew up with the war. It wasn't as… intense… as it was during the last few years, but it was always present, you know? Ever since Dad…" Glimmer trailed off, and Seacat could see how she set her jaw. "Anyway, there was always some skirmishing going on, at least. Or raids. People got wounded or killed. And now… It's over."

"But for the bandits," Seacat pointed out.

Glimmer scoffed. "That's not the same. Bandits aren't an army."

"We've heard that many Headhunters refuse to surrender," Adora said.

"Yes. But without support and supplies, they're not a great threat. The people who maintained their skiffs and supplied them with powder, shells and food seem to be sticking with Princess Scorpia for the most part," Glimmer retorted.

"They'll raid for supplies," Adora said.

"That doesn't work well," Seacat countered. "Unless you leave a lot of shells and powder only lightly guarded, they'll start to lose more than they gain if they attack soldiers." And unlike merchantmen and transport ships, trade caravans didn't carry cannons and ammunition.

"They'll raid farms and towns for food, though."

"The border to the Crimson Waste is used to such raids," Glimmer said. "We'll keep a stronger presence there for a year or two, hunt down the worst of the bandits…" She turned and started walking backwards, facing Adora, Seacat and Entrapta. "If we work together, we can take out any bandit group, even former Headhunters. They won't be willing to kill themselves to get us, not any more."

"Ah…" Adora grimaced. "I, ah, wasn't… I was planning to, ah, hunt pirates. kinda."

"Oh." Glimmer blinked. "Ah." To Seacat's surprise, she smiled. "I see."

"You do?" Adora asked. "And you don't mind? I mean…"

Glimmer made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "No, no. It's OK. As long as you visit regularly."

"Ah. Of course!" Adora smiled.

Seacat didn't think that Glimmer was completely fine with Adora's decision - her smile felt a little forced, and she was too cheery - but as long as Glimmer wouldn't say anything, Seacat wouldn't bring it up, either.

"Besides, you won't leave right away, right? There's still Light Hope to fix, probably a trip into the Fright Zone to check how the disarming goes - you're our best expert for the Horde - and Seacat doesn't have a ship yet." Glimmer smiled and turned to walk normally, hands behind her head. "It'll be a while until you're off to hunt pirates."

Adora nodded. "Yes. There's still lots to do!"

Seacat forced herself to keep smiling. Glimmer was correct, after all. They had to ensure that the Horde wasn't trying to stab them in the back. And Adora - and Seacat - were the most familiar with the Horde. Not counting Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio. The trio knew the Horde as well, but they weren't She-Ra - if any disgruntled Horde scum took a stab at them, they wouldn't be able to stomp the attacker into the ground as easily as Adora could. Or Seacat.

And if the bug princess tried anything, Adora and Seacat had better chances to escape if they didn't have to drag the trio with them.

*****​

"Unauthorised intruders detected."

Seacat tensed and looked at the various entrances into the room as she heard the voice of the bot. If it sent those spider-things in again… She gripped her sword - she really should ask Entrapta for an enhanced one, but it felt like exploiting the princess.

"They're my friend, and I authorise their presence!" Adora retorted.

Light Hope's projection appeared before them. "This facility was made for the exclusive use of She-Ra."

"That means I own it, right? And I say I want my friends here!" Adora huffed.

"They are distractions and potential dangers."

Seacat shook her head. The bot should've known better. Would've known better, if it knew Adora at all - Seacat's lover was too loyal to take such accusations well.

"They are my friends! And they aren't a danger - they were crucial for defeating the Horde!" Adora protested, as expected.

"Yes!" Glimmer chimed in. "I'm Princess Glimmer of Bright Moon! This is our best friend, Bow! And Princess Entrapta of Dryl! We're all members of the Princess Alliance!"

"Irrelevant."

"Irrelevant? You… you…" Glimmer sputtered.

"I think your memory banks are not working properly. And not just because your memory is missing. Are you getting new data?" Entrapta asked.

"My memory is working sufficiently."

"But you aren't reacting to new data," Entrapta protested. "You cannot make any decisions without sufficient data. And how can you gain sufficient data if you aren't accumulating new data?"

"I have sufficient data."

"No, you haven't. You didn't even know that the war is over."

"Irrelevant. Etheria remains unbalanced. She-Ra's duty hasn't been fulfilled yet."

"The Horde is defeated," Adora said. "The war is over. What remains to do? Do you want me to hunt down the bandits and pirates left?"

After a moment, the bot replied: "You need to restore Etheria's balance. Reconnect the last runestone to re-establish the runestone network to grant you the power of the Heart of Etheria. With that power, you will be able to fulfil your duty and end the war."

That was new. And Seacat didn't like it.

"The Heart of Etheria?" Apparently, Adora hadn't heard that yet, either. "And what war do you mean? We defeated the Horde!"

"Without the power of the Heart of Etheria, you cannot defeat the Horde."

"But we have defeated them!" Adora blurted out.

"Incorrect. You lack the power to defeat the Horde. That means the war isn't over."

"You aren't listening!" Adra shook her head.

"She's broken," Glimmer added with a scowl.

Seacat nodded. And a broken bot couldn't be trusted. If the bot sent more of its bugs after her…

"We need to fix her. And we need to find out what the Heart of Etheria is," Entrapta said. "And what it is supposed to do."

"And what this war Light Hope is talking about is," Bow chimed in. "This bunker is far older than the Horde. At least a thousand years since its First Ones' tech."

"Preferably before the Horde Princess digs out the Black Garnet and connects to it," Seacat said.

"We need to secure the runestone!" Glimmer said. "We should've written that into the treaty!"

Seacat shrugged. "What can they do if we go and take it?"

"We would be going back on our word," Adora pointed out.

Glimmer sighed. "And the diplomatic consequences wouldn't be pretty. Some of the smaller kingdoms already claim Bright Moon wants to rule them."

Politics! Seacat shook her head.

"Then we need to access Light Hope's memory banks!" Entrapta said, nodding several times. "We need that data to make an informed decision!"

"My memory banks are classified," Light Hope spoke up. "Such a breach of security would endanger my and She-Ra's mission."

"And what is your mission?" Adora tried again.

"To restore balance to Etheria."

Seacat put her hand on Adora's arm. "The bot's useless. Let's go and check its memories."

Adora bit her lower lip. "But… those are her memories. It feels… wrong to just take them."

"We won't take them - we'll copy them!" Entrapta wasn't helping.

"I cannot allow you to threaten my mission by accessing classified information."

"Light Hope! We're trying to help you!" Adora exclaimed.

"You can't accomplish your mission if you lack the data to make any informed decision," Entrapta chimed in. "You might not even know your actual mission if your memories are incomplete. That's logical!"

"Irrelevant. My systems are classified."

"But I'm She-Ra! I have a right to know about my mission."

"You do not have the authorisation to access my memories."

"Well, guess we'll have to do this the hard way," Seacat said.

"Unauthorised intruders detected."

"They're authorised!" Adora repeated herself. "They're with me."

"Authorisation overridden by security protocols. Present beings classified as threats to the mission. Counter-measures initiated."

"We're trying to help you!" Adora pleaded.

But the hidden entrances were already opening, and the first of the bot's spider-guards or whatever they were started to charge in.

"She doesn't want the help - or us around. Or alive!" Seacat spat, drawing her sword.

"Oh, great," Bow muttered as he let loose one of his trick arrows that exploded in a splash of glue, sticking three of the attackers in place.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Glimmer spat, brandishing her staff and moving to cover Bow's side.

"Oh, those bots are new!"

Seacat muttered a curse of her own and rushed to cover Entrapta. She cut the legs off of the spider-bot charging at Bow, making it fall to the side. Before it hit the ground she used it as a springboard to jump over two more and land on the bot about to swipe at Entrapta with her sword planted in the bot's brain.

"Light Hope! Stop this!" Adora yelled - but she was wielding her sword, taking out several of the bots with each swing. "This is wrong!"

"The mission has to be protected at all costs."

"What mission?"

Seacat snarled as she stabbed another bot, then grabbed Entrapta's arm. "We need to move to the wall - we can't let them encircle and swarm us!"

"They're already swarming us!" Bow retorted as he fell back towards Seacat and Entrapta, freezing three bots with an ice arrow.

"Die! Die! Die, you bastards!"

Glimmer was smashing bots with her staff - which had to be magic. No normal staff would do so much damage to the armoured bots.

"Glimmer!" Bow yelled.

"I'll be right with you!" she yelled back. "I'll hold them back!"

Seacat had reached the closest wall and pushed Entrapta behind her, brandishing her blade at the half a dozen bots about to attack them.

Here they came! She met the first with a stab through its eye-things, causing it to spark and collapse, then pulled her blade back, turning with the movement, and slashed at the second bot trying to get past her at Entrapta. She swung at its forelimbs, then cut off its head on the backswing as it pulled its legs back. She kept turning, sliding to the side, and stuck her blade into the side of the third bot.

As it screeched to a halt, she twisted the blade, then jumped, dragging the blade up and over the bot, cutting it apart before she landed on another bot, straddling its body. A straight downward cut later, the bot's head was split in two.

Two bots were climbing over the destroyed ones' bodies, though, reaching for Entrapta, who was fending them off with blows from a wrench wielded by her hair while…

"What are you doing?" Seacat yelled as she cut down the first and then the second bot. Entrapta wasn't even looking at the bots - she was staring at her recorder thing.

"I'm trying to find the frequency that Light Hope uses to command the bots. She isn't using verbal commands, so it has to be a signal of sorts."

Seacat didn't quite know what that meant, but she got the gist of it. "You think you can shut them down?"

"Possibly, yes!"

"Do it!" Seacat spat and faced the next wave of bots. She kicked the leading bot back, split the next trying to reach Entrapta… She gasped. "They want to get Entrapta because she can stop them!" she yelled.

Glimmer appeared at her side, staff smashing into another bot, and a net tangled up two more. "Bow!"

"Coming!" Bow hit a bot in the head with his bow, then slid under it - all the way to Glimmer and Seacat.

How the… Oh! He had used one of his ice arrows on the ground. Clever.

But dozens of bots were now swarming them - and… Seacat looked up and cursed again. "They're climbing the walls and ceiling!" This was bad. Very bad. "Entrapta?"

"I'm working, I'm working. This is First One tech, no doubt!"

The first bot dropped from the ceiling, Glimmer swatting it away with a two-handed swing from her staff, but more and more climbed into position.

And Seacat was busy cutting down the ones attacking on the ground while more were circling around them climbing the walls.

Then a lance of light or magic smashed into the bots in front of them, sending them into the wall to Seacat's left and shattering their bodies and limbs.

Another lance swept across the ceiling, cutting through the bots there, and Seacat ducked, hunching over Entrapta, as parts and pieces fell down.

"Almost!" the princess said, her hair forming a shield over them.

"Glimmer!"

"I'm OK!"

"No, you aren't!"

Seacat whirled, stabbing another bot as Bow pulled a bleeding Glimmer back to the wall, before she kicked half of a bot into the way of another. The bot stumbled, and she dispatched it with a cut across the 'eyes'.

"STOP THIS!" And there came Adora, literally cutting her way through the swarm, smashing the bots left and right. "Stop this!"

A moment later, the bots froze, then collapsed.

"Light Hope?" Adora asked, a smile starting to appear on her face.

"Alright!" Entrapta chirped. "I've blocked the signal!"

Seeing Adora's face all as she realised that Light Hope hadn't stopped attacking them but had been stopped made Seacat hate the broken bot even more.

"Alright. I think I disabled all defence options," Entrapta announced as she stood and slid her goggles back up so they rested on her forehead. "Now we can examine Light Hope's memory banks!"

"Good." Adora nodded, though she still looked hurt. And not in the physical sense.

Seacat reached out and squeezed Adora's hand. In return, she saw her lover smile for a moment. Good.

"So… where are the memory banks?" Entrapta looked around.

"I don't…" Adora started to say, but the princess took off before she could finish.

"I think they have to be in this direction - the power lines in the walls are all wrong for another room!" Entrapta announced. "Let's see…" She flipped her visor down and connected her recorder to it.

"What are you doing?" Bow asked after he finished bandaging Glimmer's side.

"Scanning the walls. I linked my detector to my mask, see?" She pulled it off and held it out to Bow.

All Seacat saw from her position were a few glowing crystals around the slit, but Bow nodded, whistling under his breath. So, it must be impressive - if you were a princess or Bow.

Though since Adora and Glimmer looked more lost than impressed, it was probably just Bow who found it impressive.

Entrapta pulled the visor on again, then started pointing her device at the walls and the consoles in the room. "Oh." She moved around a little, then bent down next to the wreck of a guard bot thing and touched it with her device. "It seems that the residual power - or some alloy used in the construction of the guard bots - affects my detector. First One Tech is great! She beamed, then frowned. "Although it's not so great for finding the memory banks…"

"Don't worry!" Adora said. "I'll have the room cleared in a moment!"

She proceeded to push, kick and carry the bots' remains into the chamber from which they had come.

"Should we help?" Glimmer asked.

"She's much stronger than both of us together," Seacat replied. And Glimmer was wounded, damn it! She should be resting! "And doing something makes waiting easier for her." And would keep her mind off the fact that the bot had betrayed her. Speaking of… "Where's Light Hope?" She hadn't seen the bot's projection since the guard bots had swarmed them.

"Did you turn her off?" Adora asked.

"What?" Entrapta turned towards them. "No. She must have switched off the projection display. Although she's still here - well, here somewhere." She turned around, gesturing at everything. "Probably not there, though," she added, pointing at the hallway stuffed full of broken bots.

Seacat clenched her teeth. She would've expected the bot to try its best to talk Adora around, not… disappear like this. "Are there more of those guards around?" she asked.

"Not according to my detector, but I didn't notice the other guards until they activated," the princess replied, already focusing on her device again.

That wasn't very reassuring, and Seacat wasn't the only one looking over her shoulder as she walked over to Entrapta.

"I don't like this," Glimmer mumbled.

"We've got it under control," Bow told her. "Light Hope lost her bots. If she had more, she would've sent them against us."

"But she might have traps left," Seacat reminded him.

"First One traps!" Entrapta sounded as if she would love walking into one.

Seacat exchanged a glance with Adora, and both moved to Entrapta's side. Just in case.

"I think Light Hope's core is behind this wall," Entrapta said, pointing ahead. "But I don't know yet how to get to her. The First Ones could build excellent secret passages. Much better than the secret passages in my home."

Seacat scowled. Life would probably be much easier if the First Ones hadn't been so good at building stuff. Or everything. Though if they hadn't been, then Adora would probably not be She-Ra. And that meant she probably wouldn't… Seacat shook her head. No! Adora would've left the Horde, She-Ra or not She-Ra.

She nodded firmly and ignored the glance from Adora. "So… we can either look for a secret passage… or we can make a door."

"Good idea!" Glimmer, predictably, was all in favour of the quick solution.

Adora nodded as well, drawing her sword. "I should be able to cut through the wall."

"Uh, guys?" Bow shook his head. "We don't want to blindly cut a hole in the wall. What if Light Hope's memory banks and control units are right at the wall?

Adora gasped. "You're right! We can't just cut a hole!"

"Yes, we totally can!" Entrapta disagreed. "We just need to check beforehand!"

"And how do we do that?" Adora asked?

"We drill a hole in the wall at the ceiling!" Entrapta replied. "That should be safe. At worst, we'll hit some cooling pipe or something. But the First Ones didn't really use such a system - they were too advanced for that!"

"And their bot still broke down," Seacat said.

"After a thousand years! Although she could've been turned off to save power for most of the time and only activated when Adora entered." Entrapta pouted. "It's hard to say without examining the control unit. But the First Ones definitely had the sturdiness to last so long!"

Adora cleared her throat. "Uh, so what about checking for Light Hope's memories?"

"Right! Let me get my special drill!" Entrapa pulled another device out of her tool belt, then looked up. "Hm. I need a lift…"

"Hop on my shoulders," Adora offered at once.

"Alright!"

Seacat frowned - just a little - as she watched Entrapta climb on Adora's shoulders and have her hair hold the drill to the wall.

And she winced, holding her hands over her ears when the drill started turning and a horrible noise filled the room. "What the…?"

"My ears!" Glimmer followed her example, though her ears were easier to cover.

Adora was clenching her teeth but didn't move her hands from Entrpata's legs, holding the princess stable on her shoulders. And Bow…

...was digging some clay out of his pocket?

"Use that for your ears!" he said, offering some to Glimmer.

"Good idea!" Glimmer smiled and stuffed some in her ears. Bow moved towards Seacat, but she glared at him. Putting clay into her ears? "First, you don't have enough clay. Second, you know what this does to fur?"

Bow winced and went to help Adora out.

Entrapta had some gimmick protecting her ears, as it turned out. Or she was deaf to the noise.

After a few very, very nasty minutes, the noise finally ended, and Entrapta used some mirrors to check the hole, then some more mirrors and her hair to check the room on the other side. "Alright! It looks clear about… two and one-third yards to my left!"

Bow moved to the wall. "Here?"

"One step to the right… yes!" Entrapta retracted her mirrors and jumped off Adora's shoulders, her hair cushioning her landing. "Let's cut our way into Light Hope's control room!"

Adora drew her sword again and eyed the wall, which Bow had marked. "OK… I can do this!"

With a yell, she slashed at the wall, quickly cutting a hole into it, which she then widened with her sword.

In the light from Entrapta's lamps, they could see a room full of consoles and what looked like shelves full of crystals. No, dividers made of crystals. And lots of lines.

Entrapta tried to rush in, but Seacat held her back, and Adora entered first. Seacat clenched her teeth. If there was a trap, she would personally wreck Light Hope's control unit with a hammer. Or her claws.

But there was no trap.

"Looks safe," Adora said, using her sword to shine more light on the room's interior.

Then a new light appeared in the middle, forming Light Hope's projection. "Adora! Stop! You're endangering the mission! You're endangering me! This room is off-limits to everyone except for certified workers!"

"I can repair you! Don't worry!" Entrapta exclaimed as she wriggled out of Seacat's grip and entered. "You'll be as good as new in no time! Oh! Look at the crystal matrices!"

"Adora! Please, don't do this! Mara died for this!"

Seacat scoffed as she followed Entrapta and joined Adora. "You don't even remember."

"I remember. I remember that this will endanger your mission. Please, Adora!"

Adora clenched her teeth, Seacat noticed. The damn bot was getting to her. She hugged her lover. "She's talking like this because she's broken. Let Entrapta fix her."

Adora nodded - although slowly. And she was still tense.

Seacat sighed. This was all Light Hope's fault.

"Oh, look, Bow! These must be the memory banks!"

"How do you know this?"

"Look at the array here!"

"Oh, yes. That would be…"

"...linked to the sensors in every room."

"Adora! Please! Stop them!"

"Shut up, Light Hope!" Glimmer blurted out. "You had your chance to let us do this peacefully and with your cooperation."

"Adora, please!"

"It's for your own good," Adora said, turning away.

Seacat glared at the bot, then followed Adora.

*****​

"It'll be OK," Seacat, sitting in Adora' lap, said in the main room, where, apparently, a stray shot or blow had wrecked Light Hope's projector earlier.

"I know," Adora replied - but she was still tense.

Glimmer grunted - she was lying on a console, apparently trying to take a nap. Well, she was wounded!

That was actually a good idea, in Seacat's opinion. Bow and Entrapta were still working in the control room or whatever it was called. And it had been hours! A nap in Adora's lap sounded great.

But just as she was moving to a more comfortable position, Entrapta appeared in the hole in the wall.

"So… I have good news and bad news."

Entrapta looked… nervous. Concerned. She was biting her lower lip and not looking at them. Seacat hadn't seen her like this since… She'd never seen her like this. The princess was looking almost… desperate. And guilty.

"What is the good news?" Adora said, jumping up with Seacat in her arms.

"Hey!" Seacat protested as she wriggled out of her lover's arms and jumped down to the floor.

"The good news is that I managed to decrypt the memory system!" Entrapta announced. "We now have full access to Light Hope's memories!"

"And… and the bad news?" Adora asked.

Entrapta grimaced. "We looked at the memories to test our access. And how to search them. And…" She trailed off and took a deep breath. "And, apparently, your duty is to destroy Etheria."

Adora froze.

"What?"

*****​
 
Chapter 52: The Horde’s Remains
Chapter 52: The Horde's Remains

"My duty is… to destroy Etheria?" Standing before the hole leading to Light Hope's control unit room, Adora sounded shocked. No, she was shocked, Seacat knew. "But… She-Ra's duty is to protect the planet. Protect, not destroy!" Adora shook her head slowly, her lips moving without making a sound for a second. "This makes no sense!"

"Uh, well… that's what the memory says," Bow said, glancing at Entrapta before focusing on Adora. "But that only means that this is what Light Hope thinks, not that it is, ah, true."

"But Light Hope taught me everything about being She-Ra!" Adora protested. "This can't be true! Someone must have manipulated her!"

Seacat pressed her lips together. The bot was the one manipulating Adora. But saying that right now… Adora wouldn't take it well.

"Well, I can check if the memories were manipulated… I think," Entrapta said. Adora stared at her. "And I'm going to get right on it! Come on, Bow!" Her hair grabbed the yelping Bow, and the two disappeared into the control unit room again.

"Wait…" Glimmer blinked, then looked at Adora. "Adora?"

"This can't be true!" Adora said. "She-Ra is the protector of Etheria!"

"Yes, she is," Seacat told her, reaching out to grab her hand. "And we'll find out the truth, trust me." She smiled, even though she feared that the truth wouldn't be… comforting.

"If She-Ra's duty was to destroy Ehteria, why hasn't it happened already?" Glimmer said.

"Mara died," Adora said. "My predecessor. A thousand years ago. She died before she could fulfil her duty." She blinked. "That's what… Light Hope told me…"

"That was your predecessor," Glimmer said. "But there were She-Ras before her. Seacat looked at her with a frown, and she went on: "I read up on the legends. The details vary, but there were at least a dozen She-Ra's we know of. If She-Ra's duty was to destroy Etheria, why didn't they do it?"

"And how are you supposed to destroy Etheria, anyway?" Seacat asked. "You're powerful, but you could cut the ground all day and you wouldn't make much headway."

"The runestones," Adora said. "Light Hope said she wanted me to restore the balance. That would give me the power to end the war. It has to be the runestone network."

"Or this Heart of Etheria," Seacat added.

Bow reappeared in the hole in the wall, shaking off a tendril of Entrapta's hair. "Yes, that's it!" he said.

More tendrils reached for him. "Bow! Adora said to look for signs of manipulation!"

"We haven't even told her everything that we've found out yet!" Bow protested. "That's how She-Ra is supposed to destroy the planet: By harnessing the magic of Etheria through the runestone network. It would destroy the planet, but it would grant her immense power - a whole planet's magic's worth."

Seacat gasped. That was… insane! "But what could she do with all the power if it destroys the planet?"

"Ah… that, we haven't yet found out," Bow said.

"Adora said to look for signs of manipulation," Entrapta said. "So, we're doing that."

"Uh… I think I was a little hasty," Adora admitted. "Best find out what exactly the plan… this plan… is." She shook her head.

"Yes. We need all the information we can get," Seacat said. "And we need to make sure that the Horde princess doesn't connect to the Black Garnet." If this runestone network was restored before they knew what it could do and how it worked… The whole planet could be destroyed! "And I thought enhanced engine bombs were bad," she muttered.

"Someone has to travel to the Fright Zone. To secure the runestone," Glimmer said. "And make sure that Princess Scorpia doesn't connect to it."

Seacat nodded. It sounded harsh, but if the whole planet was at stake…

"Uh… do you mean… killing her?" Entrapta asked. "She seemed nice. Kind of."

"No, not killing," Glimmer said. "Not unless there's no other way. But we can bring her here. Show her the memories." She looked around. "And we need to call my aunt, Castaspella. She's a sorceress from Mystacor. She can help us analyse this… this whole thing."

"Right!" Adora nodded. "Swift Wind can fly me to the Fright Zone. I'll take Scorpia back with me."

"No," Seacat said, shaking her head. "You are the only one Light Hope listens to - partially, at least. And you can handle the guard bots here. What if you leave, and Light Hope sends more of those after Entrapta and Bow?"

"But…" Adora deflated. "Right."

"Exactly," Glimmer agreed. "You, Entrapta and Bow stay here. I go and get my aunt. And you…" She looked at Seacat.

"I'll go and get the princess," Seacat said.

Even though she hadn't any idea how she'd manage that.

*****​

"And yet again, we swoop down onto the Fright Zone, on a mission of utmost importance! Hold on tightly!"

Seacat clenched her teeth and grabbed Swift Wind's mane. She definitely felt less safe than when riding with Adora - though knowing that Adora probably held onto the horse with just her legs might make her reevaluate that.

But that could wait.

They glided in, over the guard post at the entrance to the heart of the Fright Zone, over the… craters filled with plants?

Seacat blinked. Plants didn't grow that… Oh. "Perfuma must have arrived already," she said.

"Really? I didn't fly her down here," Swift Wind replied.

"If she left right after the meeting, she could've made it easily." Seacat frowned. She should've heard about this. Or was that the first sign of the Alliance growing apart?

Someone below them was waving. And pointing at them. "Land near the officer there," she told Swift Wind.

"Alright! Remember: Just call for me, and I shall come for you! Swift as the Wind!"

"Yes," Seacat managed to say while she grimaced. The horse grew worse with every trip.

But they set down next to the Horde officer - no, a sergeant; up close Seacat made out the rank tabs - and she dismounted.

"Halt! What do you want here?"

"I'm Seacat, here to speak to Force Commander Scorpia. It's urgent," she told the goatman, ignoring his squad, which started to fan out.

"I wasn't informed of this," he replied.

"That's because it's urgent," she told him. "I'm here on a mission for She-Ra and Bright Moon."

"But…" He trailed off as one of his soldiers, a mothwoman, whispered into his ear. Seacat couldn't quite make out what the woman said, but the sergeant straightened. "I'll inform the Force Captain."

He turned away and started walking. Seacat sighed and looked around for a decent spot to sit down. "Really missing a decent waiting room here," she muttered.

Fortunately, it didn't take the bug princess long to arrive - after ten minutes, Seacat could hear her talk. To Perfuma.

A minute later, they rounded the corner, and Seacat stood to greet them. "Force Captain. Perfuma."

"Seacat! How nice to see you!" Perfuma hugged her before Seacat could decide whether or not she wanted to get hugged.

"Seacat." The Horde princess's greeting was much more... curt.

"We've been turning the craters into fields. The plants there will be protected from the wind. Drainage is an issue - or would be, if this weren't a dry region, although more plants could change that, so we had some preliminary work planned. I hoped for some irrigation canals, but that's for the future. Of course, we still need more produce to secure the food supply, but it's a very good start!" Perfuma positively gushed.

"Good, good," Seacat managed to say. A glance at the bug princess told her that she was, apparently, the only one weirded out by this enthusiasm; the Horde leader was beaming. "But I'm here on an important mission - and I think we should best discuss it in private."

"Oh! Should I leave?" Perfuma asked.

Seacat shook her head. "It concerns you as well." The end of the world concerned everyone, of course, but as a princess connected to a runestone, Perfuma was more directly involved.

"Oh? Is it because I went ahead and travelled to the Fright Zone? We're at peace now, and I couldn't stand the thought of people trusting us going hungry. I did leave enough produce to cover the Alliance's needs, didn't I?"

Seacat didn't know if that was true but nodded anyway. "It's not about, no. We've unearthed a matter of…" She grimaced. "Utmost importance."

"We can talk here. I don't keep secrets from my troops," the bug princess told her.

Seacat pressed her lips together for a moment. "But I do," she told the princess. "And this is about others' secrets as well. So, can we talk without others listening in?"

The bug princess glared at her, but Perfuma nodded. "If it's not our secret to share, then of course. Right?" She smiled at the hulking horde woman.

After a moment, the princess sighed. "I guess so. Let's talk in the field then."

That was fine by Seacat - less chance of an ambush, and Swift Wind could reach her more easily that way. Just in case.

Though she didn't think that was why the bug princess had picked the location. Perhaps the Horde was doing worse than expected, and their meeting rooms were used for quarters?

At least Perfuma was happy - she was caressing the leaves of the plants near the path they walked, and the foliage seemed to double as they passed.

After a short time, the bug princess stopped and turned towards Seacat. "That's far enough. Talk."

"Alright," Seacat said. "We've found out a thing about the runestones." Best tell it straight - neither Perfuma nor the bug princess would appreciate talking around the bush. And she really needed to stop making plant puns in her head. "The runestones form a network that can be used to destroy Etheria if it's completed."

"What?" The bug princess was staring at her while Perfuma gasped.

"If you connect with the Black Garnet, it could mean the end of the world," Seacat explained. "The runestones are connected but incomplete, missing your runestone. But if you complete the network, the gathered power can rip the planet apart." Or so Entrapta claimed, and Seacat trusted her friend - if anything, Entrapta had a tendency to underestimate explosions.

"That's impossible!" Perfuma exclaimed. "The runestones are the source of our magic! They aren't destructive - only what we do with the magic can be destructive!"

"Well, yeah, and it seems that She-Ra can use the entire network," Seacat retorted. "Or should. But she has no idea how - or how to prevent this from happening. We're still looking into this. Entrapta and Bow," she added.

"Oh." Perfuma blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Entrapta's sure that the power gathered is enough to wipe out the planet."

"Oh."

"How convenient for you that I'm the only princess who can't connect to her runestone, huh? Everyone else can use their magic."

Seacat suppressed a wince. The hulking princess was glaring at her. Seacat could take her, even with a normal sword, but it would be a close fight and probably take long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Unless Perfuma intervened. "I know how it looks. But it wasn't as if you were using the magic, anyway, right? And it's not as if it's going to be of any use rebuilding the kingdom, is it?"

The princess's glare grew worse. Damn. "Do you even know what the runestone grants me?"

"You can throw around lightning bolts, big deal." Seacat had read up on that, And she had faced Shadow Weaver when the sorceress had been connected to the Black Garnet. "What were you going to do, shock plants into growing faster?" Not her best effort at diplomacy. But the Horde princess had almost killed her once.

"Of course you'd think that," the princess spat. "But lightning is power - I could replace several of the power plants you destroyed myself!"

"Until they are rebuilt," Perfuma added. "You can't really allow yourself to become stuck as a power plant."

The princess glanced at Perfuma, nodding slowly. "Yes, of course."

Seacat frowned. Time to switch tactics before this got worse. Adora and the others were counting on her. "Perfuma," she spoke up. "You know us - you know Adora, Glimmer, Bow and Entrapta. They wouldn't lie about this." She shook her head. "This isn't a trick; the danger is real. Until we've solved this, we can't risk Scorpia connecting to the runestone."

Perfuma nodded, although a little slowly. But she turned to the bug princess. "Seacat's right, Scorpia. They wouldn't lie about this."

The bug princess's expression softened, but when she glanced at Seacat, the scowl returned in force. "It still sounds very convenient to me that I'm the one who isn't allowed to connect to my runestone."

"That's because you're the only princess who wasn't connected to the network. You're the missing link here," Seacat told her. "If Frosta hadn't connected to her runestone, we would be talking to her."

"Please," Perfuma added. "It's not as if you can connect to it right now anyway, isn't it?"

"We were about to start digging it out," the princess replied.

"Well, have the soldiers dig somewhere else," Seacat muttered, earning her another glare. "There's plenty to do."

"Thanks to you!"

"We were at war!" Seacat shot back.

"But now we're at peace, and we need to trust and work together," Perfuma cut in.

"And how long will this take? Months? Years?" the Horde princess asked with a suspicious expression.

"We're working on it," Seacat replied. "And we'll do everything to solve this - no one wants that hanging over our head." Except for Light Hope, apparently.

The princess stared at her, then glanced at the smiling Perfuma. After a long moment, she scoffed. "Alright - but I want to see proof of this danger. I'm not going to do this on the word of a deserter."

Deserter? Seacat snarled. "Shadow Weaver tried to have me killed!"

"Adora was a Force Captain and deserted."

Oh. Seacat scowled at the bug princess. "And with good reasons!"

"Please!" Perfuma stepped between them, hands out. "We need to work together!"

The Horde princess hesitated a moment, then nodded - with obvious reluctance.

As did Seacat. What did the Horde scum think she was to attack Adora like that?

*****​

"You want me to carry you back to Bright Moon?" Swift Wind, for the first time Seacat had met him, sounded less than confident.

"Yes," Seacat nodded.

"I can't carry you all." The horse nodded towards the bug princess, who was staring at him as if she had never seen a talking, flying horse before. "I'd struggle to carry her alone!"

"Don't be mean," Perfuma scolded him.

"I'm not mean - I'm telling it like it is," Swift Wind retorted. "I can only carry so much weight, and she looks like she weighs as much as I do. Or more."

The bug princess chuckled, scratching the back of her head with one pincer. "I'm a bit on the large side, but that's normal for my family."

"Yes," Perfuma agreed. "And it's all muscle."

"And armour." The princess banged her two pincers together.

Very durable armour, as Seacat knew from experience. "But can you carry at least her?" she asked to get things back on track. The fate of Etheria might depend on this, after all.

Swift Wind eyed the princess. "Probably."

"Probably?" both the bug princess and Perfuma asked.

"If he can't, he won't be able to take off," Seacat told them. "Scorpia here needs to talk to Entrapta and Adora, so she doesn't blow up the planet."

"What?" Swift Wind blurted out.

"Hey! This isn't my fault! Don't blame me for this!"

"I'm just reminding you what's at stake," Seacat told them. "And if you can carry her then we can defuse this quickly." And taking the bug princess out of the Fright Zone would keep her away from the runestone as well.

But the bug princess eyed the horse with obvious doubts. "And what if you drop me?"

"I haven't dropped anyone, ever!" Swift Wind frowned. Or at least it looked like that - horses had weird expressions.

"There's always a first time."

Was the princess afraid of heights?

"Can you fly closer to the ground?" Perfuma asked.

Swift Wind hesitated. "Uh. I could. Probably." There was that word again. "But without using thermals, I'll have to fly all the way on my own."

"So, you will be too tired to come fetch us, them," Seacat said.

"Yes."

"That's no problem. I won't leave anyway," Perfuma said. "It would look like we kidnapped you, otherwise!"

The bug princess chuckled. "Ah, didn't think of that, but you're right. Wait - then you'd look like a hostage!"

Perfuma frowned. "I guess so? But that's OK. I have a lot to do here, anyway."

"I don't like people thinking you're a hostage."

Seacat rolled her eyes. "And I don't like Etheria blowing up. Can we get a move on?"

"I need to tell Emeralda about this," the princess replied. "So she knows what's going on."

"Don't tell her about the runestone," Seacat said. "Just say we had news about Shadow Weaver, and you want to check in person."

"I don't keep secrets from my people," the princess said with a deep scowl.

"Well, start doing it, then," Seacat retorted. "This is too dangerous to spread."

"Please, Scorpia?" Perfuma laid her hands on the princess's pincer. "Some secrets have to be kept for everyone's sake."

After a moment, the huge woman slowly nodded. "I don't like it, but you're right."

Seacat rolled her eyes again. She'd been saying that all along!

*****​

Fortunately, it didn't take the Horde princess long to settle things with her subordinate Force Captain, and less than half an hour later, Seacat watched Swift Wind fly away with the princess on his back. The horse had even stopped complaining about the weight once Perfuma had asked him to.

But seeing the horse struggle to fly, Seacat had a feeling that Swift Wind might walk part of the way to Bright Moon. Or to Adora.

Well, everyone had to make some sacrifices. She hadn't been on a decent ship in far too long.

"If this is a trap…" Emeralda said next to her.

"It's no trap!" Perfuma blurted out.

"So you say."

Seacat sighed. "If we wanted to kidnap Scorpia, we wouldn't need a trap. We could just take her." Really, that should be obvious.

"But we won't since we're no longer at war!" Perfuma frowned at both Seacat and the Horde scum.

"Yes, since we won the war," Seacat agreed. That earned her a scowl from the princess and a scoff from the scum. She shrugged in response. "Just telling it how it is. So, can we stop with the threats now?"

The Force Captain scoffed again and walked off.

"She's really nice if you get to know her," Perfuma said after a moment.

"Who? The Healer or the princess?" Seacat asked.

"Emeralda. But Scorpia is nice too, of course," Perfuma replied. "I've met a number of nice Horde members. It's a tragedy that we were forced to fight a war against them."

Seacat snorted. "A war they started."

"Hordak did that!" Perfuma was frowning again. "His soldiers just did what they were told."

"Some liked doing what they were told," Seacat corrected her. "And others enthusiastically went beyond that." Catra had known that, too.

Perfuma looked taken aback. "That's... " She shook her head. "What matters is that we're not at war any more. And that means we need to build trust and friendships to live together."

Seacat shrugged. As long as the Horde scum didn't bother her, she would be OK. She didn't have to visit the Fright Zone. Well, she wouldn't have to any more once this was settled.

She looked around. Even after the explosions that left huge craters, the scenery still felt familiar. In some warped way. The cadet quarters - barracks - had survived. She could see them from here. Well, the top of the building next to them. Adora and Catra used to climb up there to watch the Fright Zone.

"What are you doing now?" the Horde scum asked.

"Waiting," Seacat said. Dumb question, really.

"I'm going to be working on converting more fields," Perfuma said. "They won't grow by themselves - well, not until we've planted the seeds, and a little magic will do them good."

"More fields? Here?" Seacat asked. That sounded a little… "Are you going to raze more buildings?"

"What?" The Force Captain scoffed. "Of course not. We lack amenities as it is."

"How so? Half your troops have deserted, and you've got tons of buildings left here," Seacat pointed out.

"Half our troops will be moving back to the Fright Zone, and even before you blew up our headquarters, we didn't have enough barracks for all of them. We weren't supposed to house so many troops here - they were meant to be stationed in the outer territories.

What a shame! Seacat suppressed a snigger - they wouldn't have that problem if they hadn't tried to conquer the world and hadn't raised so many troops to begin with. They caused their own problems.

"That's horrible!" Apparently, Perfuma disagreed. "How can we help you? Convert warehouses?"

"We can put up tents in a pinch. It's mostly the food and sanitation that's the problem."

"I can help with the food, at least."

"Only if you can grow pre-cooked produce." The Force Captain snorted.

"Oh. I didn't think of that."

"Your troops can't cook?" Seacat asked.

"We don't have the facilities for so many people. And you don't want the soldiers doing their own cooking - there would be uncontrolled fires everywhere, and the hygiene situation would be terrible. That's why we used so many rations - they were easy to store, distribute and could be eaten without the need to cook anything. But with our stocks almost completely gone..."

"Oh, no!"

"You had us eat those damn rations because you skimped on kitchens?" Seacat blurted out.

The Force Captain stared at her. "Of course. We would never have managed to feed the army through traditional means."

"This is…" Seacat shook her head. "The Alliance manages just fine."

"The Alliance has magic," the Horde scum shot back. "We don't."

Well, not since Shadow Weaver had killed herself trying to hijack the runestone. But Seacat didn't think the witch would have helped anyone with her magic except herself. The mere thought of Shadow Weaver using magic to feed people….

"So, you need more fruits, then. Those can be eaten raw." Perfuma nodded. "I can do that. But I need more space."

"We can convert two of the drill fields," the Horde scum said. "It won't be enough, but it'll help."

"What about storage?" Perfuma asked. "And harvesting?"

"We've got that handled. We have more than enough idle hands."

Seacat shook her head again. "You've got most of your supply troops here. What are they doing if you're still just scraping by?"

"Their organisation was gutted," the Force Captain replied. "They're still rebuilding."

"Bet they are focusing on recreating all the forms:" This time, Seacat chuckled.

But the Horde scum didn't like her joke. "They're working as hard as they can."

Seacat shrugged. "Good for them:"

"Seacat." Perfuma put a hand on her arm. "I know it's hard to forgive, but we must if we want to have a lasting peace."

Seacat snorted in response. That was her business. But Perfuma looked so earnest… She sighed. "Too many memories here."

Perfuma gasped. "Oh, of course! I should've thought of that! I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Seacat told her. "You didn't kidnap me and tried to turn me into a Horde soldier."

"We didn't kidnap children," the Force Captain protested with a glare. "We took in orphans. Mostly. Should we have left them to die?"

"Children orphaned in a war you started!" Seacat shot back. "And you could've sent them to the Alliance."

"As if they cared for foreign children."

"We would've cared for them!" Perfuma pointed out.

"Well, you would've," the Horde scum admitted. "But the others?"

"Don't tell me you did it out of the goodness of your hearts. You needed as many troops as possible," Seacat cut in. "And we paid the price." She sneered. "I was a cadet here for a decade - I know how we were raised."

"We all suffered due to the war. But we need to leave it behind. Not forgotten, never - but we can't live shackled to our past," Perfuma said.

Seacat pressed her lips together. "I'll go take a look around the area," she said and turned away.

*****​

Even after two enhanced engine bombs had gone off and turned a big part of the core area into craters, which Perfuma then turned into lush fields of green somethings, and after the war had ended, the Fright Zone hadn't changed that much. At least Seacat thought so after a brief walk.

It still felt the same. The buildings, the lighting, the Horde uniforms. The air smelt better, but the stench from the plants and manufactories still lingered. The stench of the Horde that Catra remembered.

Even the landmarks were the same. Mostly. She recognised most of the buildings Catra used to scale. Both the ones she had climbed with Adora and the ones that had been exclusively Catra's - spaces she had used to get away from everything, even from Adora. That ledge, barely wide enough for a nap, with that perfect view of the canyon. The sunsets had looked...

Seacat scoffed. This wasn't… She wasn't Catra any more. She wasn't a Horde cadet any more. Hadn't been for years. And her time in the Horde hadn't been a happy time. Except for spending time with Adora, of course, things had sucked. Or worse. Shadow Weaver…

She hissed under her breath. Shadow Weaver was dead. And Seacat had seen her die. Killed by her own greed. The Horde was defeated. The war was over. Seacat was free.

She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, then coughed. She was Seacat, the best first mate on all the seas. And she would be the best damn captain on all the seas, soon enough.

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

She looked around. So far, the Horde scum had ignored her. But now… a burly… deerman? In Horde uniform - an officer - was glaring at her.

She sneered. "I'm walking around. Duh."

He didn't take that well. He marched towards her. "Who are you? And how did you get here?"

Seacat rolled her eyes. "The name's Seacat. I'm an envoy from the Alliance."

He stopped, taken aback - but only for a moment. "Anyone could claim that!"

She shrugged. "Feel free to ask Force Captain Emeralda."

"I'm not going to bother the Force Captain for every vagabond strolling around!"

"Well, you should," she told him with a smirk. "If I'm not an envoy, then I managed to walk past all your guards, and that's a serious security issue."

"Or you're a deserter!"

Seacat rolled her eyes in return. "Please. If I were a deserter, I wouldn't have changed out of my uniform until I was far away. That's pretty much common sense." Not that common sense was common amongst junior officers like that one.

"That sounds like you did it before!"

Oh for… "When I left the Horde, years ago, it was after Shadow Weaver massacred my entire company." And she only shed her uniform after it had gotten soaked in the sea. Probably - Seacat still didn't remember that very well.

"What?" Once more, the deerman looked confused but rallied. "So, you are a deserter!"

"Technically, yes." She snorted. "And I'm also an envoy from the Alliance. Are you going to try to do something about it?" She grinned at him. If the idiot tried something, she'd… well, she would tear his uniform to shreds and send him off in his underwear. And scratch him up a bit, as a reminder not to bother her.

She glanced around. They had attracted the attention of a gaggle of Horde scum, but the soldiers didn't look eager to intervene. Or risk their necks.

"You're a suspicious… a spy!"

"Attacking an envoy from the Alliance? You really want to die, do you?" She shook her head. "If I don't kill you, your Force Captain will. Or Scorpia." She took a step forward. "But it won't come to that." She flashed her fangs. "I've fought Scorpia barehanded and won. Do you really think you've got a chance?" Well, she had gotten away, which was a victory. And barehanded was a little stretch, but who cared?

"Sir! I recognise her!" one of the troopers suddenly yelled.

"What?" the deerman whirled, and Seacat sighed. Turning your back to an enemy? Just how green was this officer? Had he been a cadet until yesterday?

"I saw her tear through my unit," the man said. "She's a princess!"

What? "What?" Seacat glared at the Horde scum. "I'm no princess! I'm a sailor!"

But the soldiers had already started to move away - some outright fled. She turned to the deerman, but the officer was also backing away.

Great.

The Horde scum thought she was a princess.

Seacat shook her head and started to go back to the craters, where Perfuma was probably still growing food for the scum.

*****​

"You're back!" Perfuma put down the plant she had been holding and beamed.

Seacat snorted. "I never left; I just took a tour."

"Ah." The princess bit her lower lip. "Did you…" She swallowed. "Did you meet people you knew?"

Seacat shook her head. "It's been years since I… left. And I didn't really know many except for Adora, Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio." And all of them had left the Horde.

"Oh. You didn't know anyone else?"

Seacat didn't roll her eyes; Perfuma meant well. "We didn't meet many other cadets long enough to form friendships. We were Shadow Weaver's pet squad, too - and that didn't make us popular." Not that she'd tell Adora that - her lover would feel guilty.

"Oh." Perfuma wasn't smiling any more. "That sounds lonely."

Seacat shrugged as carelessly as she managed. "We all survived." And that was more, much more, than most other Horde soldiers could say about their training squad.

"But…"

Seacat sighed and put her hand on Perfuma's hand. "It's in the past." She wasn't Catra; she was Seacat. She was past this… past all of this.

Perfuma nodded, but Seacat had the impression that she wasn't convinced. Well, that was her problem. Not Seacat's. Seacat was doing fine. Well, she would be doing fine once they had dealt with this threat to the planet. And speaking of… "Did you hear anything about when Scorpia would be back?"

"Oh, no, I didn't. Swift Wind didn't visit, though he must be tired after carrying Scorpia so far. She's a great person, but she's a little heavy."

"Just a little," Seacat agreed with a cynical smile. The Horde princess was a brute. She could probably throw longboats around as others could throw chairs. Although she'd be great in a bar fight - provided she wouldn't pound everyone into thin paste. The city guards or watch generally didn't like that. "You know," she said. "I would've expected her to serve in the Headhunters." Or lead them - she was a princess, after all.

"Oh, Scorpia wouldn't have fit in," Perfuma said, waving her hand. "She cares too much about others."

Seacat snorted. The bug princess cared so much, she had almost killed Seacat.

"Really! She was shocked when I told her about the bombings of their own troops!" Perfuma insisted.

"Well, that might be true." The bug princess never struck Seacat as very cunning or a good liar. But it would mean she was very naive. Not a good quality for a leader. Perfuma was similar, but she wasn't trying to lead the Horde remnants.

"It is true!" Perfuma blurted out, then looked surprised at her own reaction. "I mean, I've been working with her. And talking with her."

For all of two days or so. But Seacat didn't say that out loud. She would have to ask Glimmer about this, though - if Scorpia turned Perfuma, that would have consequences for the Alliance. It might even break up if the other princesses reacted badly. Or tried to push Perfuma into abandoning the Fright Zone. Seacat wasn't very close to Perfuma, but she knew that the princess was more stubborn than she seemed at first glance. She might be naive, but she wasn't a pushover. "But that means some of her subordinates might try to exploit that."

Perfuma stared at her. Yes, definitely naive.

Seacat shook her head. "I grew up here. I know how many of the Horde think."

"But Adora would never do that! And Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio seem nice."

"Yes." Seacat nodded. "And all of them defected to us, didn't they?"

"Oh. But Emeralda is also nice."

Or a good actress. Seacat grunted in response.

"She wouldn't betray Scorpia!"

"No, she wouldn't," Seacat agreed. "She would lose you as well if she did."

"But…"

"You don't get promoted to Force Captain for being nice," Seacat explained. "Scorpia's a princess. Even without a connection to the Black Garnet, she can fight very, very well." And she would never have betrayed Hordak. "Adora's…" Seacat smiled. "Well, you know her."

"She's nice!"

"And she's also the best damn officer the Horde ever had." Even if she had deserted before her first mission after stumbling upon Glimmer and Bow while doing reconnaissance herself.

Perfuma sighed. "The war's over. We shouldn't have to deal with this kind of…" She shook her head.

Seacat shrugged. "It's still better than being at war. By far."

The princess perked up. "That is true!"

"Also, did you know the Horde thinks I'm a princess?" Seacat said, grinning.

"Really?"

"Yes." She chuckled.

"Well… I can understand how they came to that conclusion," Perfuma said. "You are very…"

"Effective?" Seacat snorted. "Sea Hawk is as good." Or better, depending on the enemy.

"Do they think he's a princess as well?"

Seacat blinked. "I didn't ask. Maybe I should."

Perfuma nodded.

*****​

"And so they've been calling me a princess, but not Sea Hawk or Bow?" Seacat stared at Emeralda.

"They obviously aren't princesses," the Force Captain replied. "And they don't have magic powers."

"I don't have magic powers, either," Seacat pointed out.

"Are you sure?" Emeralda narrowed her eyes. "According to what we know, you've survived where anyone else would've been killed. And you escaped from our special prison."

"Yes, I'm sure," Seacat told her. Really, as if she needed magic to defeat the Horde! All she needed was a trusty blade and a ship. Preferably both made by Entrapta.

"And what do they call them?" Perfuma asked. "Bow and Sea Hawk, I mean."

"We don't have a special category for them," Emeralda replied. "Why would we?"

"What about princes?" Perfuma suggested.

"We've never had any trouble with princes," Emeralda told her.

Seacat shook her head. "What about sorcerers?"

"That was Shadow Weaver's area of expertise. But Mystacor didn't intervene in the war."

Perfuma nodded. "They preferred to avoid it."

"Bloody cowards," Seacat said. "If we had their support early on…"

"You won anyway," Emeralda told her with a scoff.

"We lost a lot of people," Seacat told her.

"So did we." The woman shrugged. "It's over now. Beating yourself up over what could've been won't help anyone."

Perfuma nodded. "Exactly. We have to build trust and understanding to preserve the peace."

"But we can't just blindly trust everyone," Seacat retorted. She certainly wouldn't trust any sorcerer easily.

"Someone has to start trusting the other." Perfuma looked firm.

As long as it wasn't her, Seacat could accept that. "I guess so. Anyway - unless Swiftwind broke a wing carrying Scorpia, he should be back with a message soon."

"Or with Scorpia," Emeralda said.

Seacat doubted that the princess would be easily or quickly convinced. Adora was honest to a fault but not the smoothest talker. Glimmer was a little too forceful and stubborn. Bow was too gentle. And Entrapta… She shook her head. No, this would take a while. Probably… She narrowed her eyes, then pulled her telescope out.

"Did you see something?"

Seacat gazed through it, then nodded. "It's Swift Wind. With Scorpia."

"Oh."

They waited in silence as the horse approached. He was visibly straining by the time he touched the ground, Seacat noted. Not collapsing, but… his fur was shiny with sweat.

"Can I get some water?" he asked. "And some oats?"

"Of course!" Perfuma gestured, and a plant grew out of the soil, opening up and presenting water to the horse, followed by a small tree dropping oats.

Seacat was staring at Scorpia, though. The princess looked grim.

"Emeralda. We need guards around the location of the Black Garnet. No one is allowed to touch it until we can move it to the Whispering Forest."

Oh. Apparently, she had underestimated her friends. And the Horde princess.

*****​
 
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Chapter 53: The First Ones
Chapter 53: The First Ones

"Ca-Seacat!"

"Hey, Adora."

Seacat slid from Swift Wind's back before the horse had touched the ground, jumping a yard down to face her lover.

"You're back!"

And she found herself lifted off her feet and hugged tightly. She-Ra tightly, even though Adora hadn't transformed. Not tight enough so she had trouble breathing, but… "Missed me?"

Her only answer was a deep breath as Adora buried her face in Seacat's mane, which had been freed from her usual ponytail during the flight.

"Bad day?" Seacat whispered.

"The worst. Kind of. No one died, but…" Another sigh.

Damn. Seacat closed her eyes and held on to her lover.

"And I'm back as well. Me, Swift Wind!"

"Welcome back, Swift Wind."

That was Glimmer, standing in the entrance to Light Hope's bunker.

Adora put Seacat down and smiled at Swift Wind. "Thank you. I know we've asked a lot of you…"

"We have a special bond, Adora! I'd do anything for you!"

"And you did. You carried Scorpia from the Fright Zone and back!"

"I would carry the weight of the world for you! Although the princess was quite heavy."

The horse looked… well, if he were a normal horse in the Horde, the quartermasters would size him up for dinner.

"Oh, no!" Adora drew her sword, then hesitated for a moment. Seacat saw her clench her teeth before her lover pointed the sword at Swift Wind, and healing magic shot out of the blade's tip.

"Thank you!" Swift Wind pranced a little.

"We've got some oats Bow gathered," Glimmer said, raising a small bucket.

"Oh, you shouldn't have!" Swift Wind claimed - but he was already sticking his mouth into the bucket even before Glimmer managed to set it down.

Seacat shook her head. "So, what's got you so shaken?"

Adora's faint smile faded. "Light Hope's memories."

"Oh?" Were they so bad? Worse than Seacat had thought?

"Yes," Glimmer replied. "We've looked at more of them, and they were…" She shrugged.

"I saw Mara's death," Adora said, brushing a hand over her eyes.

Mara had been the She-Ra before Adora. Seacat cocked her head, silently waiting for her lover to continue.

"She… she sacrificed herself to save Etheria."

"Ah." That didn't sound good. Not at all. That sounded like… Seacat tried to ignore the lump of ice in her stomach and glared at Adora. "I won't let you do that."

"What?" Adora looked confused.

"I won't let you sacrifice yourself." Seacat scowled at her.

"Oh, for…! Adora doesn't have to sacrifice herself!" Glimmer blurted out.

"She doesn't? Good." Seacat smiled, relieved.

"As long as we keep Scorpia from connecting to the runestone, we should be safe," Glimmer explained.

"She's sending the runestone to you - well, to here," Seacat told them.

"We know. We showed her the memories," Adora said. "It was…" She bit her lower lip. "It was bad."

Seacat hugged her again.

"The First Ones wanted to sacrifice Etheria to win a war against the Horde."

"The Horde? But wasn't that a thousand years ago?" Seacat remembered that part.

"Yes. Not our Horde. Well, in a way, it was. They all looked like Hordak - those we saw, at least. In the memories," Adora went on.

"I've never heard of such a Horde," Seacat said.

"It was on another world. Worlds," Adora told her. "The First Ones and the Horde's. They had wrecked their worlds in the war but still fought on. The destruction wrought…" She shook her head. "Anyway, the First Ones were losing. They made their last stand on Eternia."

"Eternia?"

"A world like Etheria," Glimmer said.

"But the Horde was pressing them. That was when the First Ones apparently discovered Etheria. And the runestone network. And She-Ra." Adora pressed her lips together. "And decided to use all that to defeat the Horde. Even if they had to destroy Etheria to do it."

"They sound worse than the Horde," Seacat commented. To be willing to murder so many people, destroy a world…

Adora flinched, and Glimmer glared at Seacat.

"What?" Seacat asked. They wouldn't disagree, would they?

"They were desperate," Glimmer said. "And…"

"I'm a First One!" Adora blurted out. "I'm from Eternia, not Etheria."

Oh! Seacat felt like a scumbag. "I'm…"

"Mara sacrificed herself to stop the First Ones, and she was a First One herself," Glimmer said, interrupting Seacat with a scowl.

"Yes." Adora nodded. "But this…" She raised her sword. "This is a tool of the First Ones. It's the key to controlling the Heart of Etheria. With this, you can destroy the world. I wasn't chosen to save Etheria - I was chosen to destroy it. To win a thousand-years-old war."

Damn. Adora looked like… well, she looked like she had some stupid idea she thought was all noble and necessary. "So?" Seacat shrugged.

Adora blinked. "What, 'so'? I was chosen to destroy Etheria! I'm a danger to the world!"

"As you were chosen to command the Horde and conquer Etheria for Hordak?" Seacat retorted.

Adora frowned. "That's… that's not the same!"

Seacat stepped forward until she was standing right in front of her lover, staring at her. "It's exactly the same!" she said, crossing her arms. "Someone telling you to do something doesn't mean you have to do it!"

"But…" Adora started to say something dumb, so Seacat cut her off.

"No buts! You didn't obey Shadow Weaver, so why should you obey those First Ones?" She scoffed. "You didn't even know about this, so it's not your fault, either!"

"I've been telling her that," Glimmer said, scowling as well. "She doesn't listen to me."

"She's stubborn," Seacat said, nodding.

"Hey!" Adora frowned at both of them.

"Very stubborn," Glimmer agreed with a sigh. "I hope you can knock some sense into her."

"I'll try my best."

"Hey!"

Seacat shook her head. "It's not your fault! And do you think that the First Ones can force you to do anything? They haven't been seen in a thousand years!"

"I'm a First One! I was summoned here!"

Right. She'd said that. "So?" Seacat repeated herself. "Mara was a First One, too, wasn't she?"

"Yes!"

"And she didn't obey the First Ones, either, right?" Seacat smiled.

"She sacrificed herself to stop them," Adora said, looking grim.

Seacat winced and tried to ignore how Glimmer glared at her. "Right. And she stopped it. And the runestone network is broken. So, even if you wanted to, you couldn't destroy Etheria."

"But I'm a constant danger! All it takes is one princess connecting to the Black Garnet, and I'm destroying the planet!"

"And that's why Scorpia agreed that we'll seal off her runestone so that no one, ever, can connect to it again," Glimmer cut in. "You're safe, Adora," she added in a softer tone.

Seacat nodded in agreement.

Adora shook her head. "I'm not safe. As long as I have the sword, I'm a danger."

Seacat resisted the urge to hit her. Her lover was being really stupid. "We're all a danger," she said. "Entrapta could probably blow up every town on Etheria if she wanted to and had some time to construct her enhanced engine bombs shooting cannon."

"Rockets," Glimmer told them. "She said rockets were a better method for delivering bombs, remember?"

Seacat glared at her. So not the point! She turned back to Adora, reaching out to cup her cheek. "Please… it's not your fault. You're no danger. You're safe. We'll solve this."

"I don't feel safe," Adora replied. But Seacat could feel her leaning into her hand. A little.

"That's why Castapella is here. We'll work this out," Glimmer said. "Together."

Seacat nodded, even though she didn't think she could help with all the magic. But someone had to keep Adora from doing something stupid. "Yes."

And the way Adora smiled, all watery, but still, Seacat felt that she was helping. A little, at least.

"Let's go inside," Glimmer said.

"Is it safe?" Seacat asked. She should've asked that earlier, actually, now that she thought of it.

"Ah… we've, kind of, taken Light Hope apart," Glimmer said.

And Adora looked guilty again. Why would…

"It's not your fault," Seacat told her for the third or fourth time. "The First Ones built her."

"But she was… is a friend. She taught me so much, and now I hear it was all a lie…"

Seacat wondered, briefly, if she could accidentally step on some of Light Hope's parts. "Maybe Entrapta can fix her," she said, forcing herself to smile convincingly.

Adora nodded with another sad smile, though Glimmer rolled her eyes at Seacat behind Adora's back. Couldn't fool them all.

"So, Mystacore finally decided to help us save Etheria?" Seacat asked.

"My aunt came as soon as I asked her for help," Glimmer replied with a frown.

Seacat wanted to ask why Glimmer hadn't asked sooner for help, say at the start of the war, but they had bigger problems than Mystacore's cowardice to solve. "And she can help fix the runestones?"

"She's one of the most skilled sorceresses," Glimmer said. "At least for the magic part, she'll be a big help."

"But this is First One technology," Adora said. "And not even Entrapta understands it very well."

And they were dealing with a magic bomb powerful enough to destroy the planet.

Great.

They reached the main room of the bunker. "There you are! We were starting to worry." A woman in robes with a very faint resemblance to Glimmer greeted them.

"We had to set Adora straight," Glimmer said. "She was being stupid again."

"Hey!" Adora protested, but everyone ignored her.

"Castaspella - this is Seacat. Seacat - this is Castaspella, my aunt."

"The sorceress," Seacat said, nodding at her.

"The sailor," the woman replied with a grin.

"You've heard of me?" Seacat cocked her head to the side.

"Adora told us a lot about you," Castaspella said.

"Ah." Seacat nodded.

"She was worried about you."

Adora looked down. "You were alone in Horde territory."

"With Perfuma," Seacat corrected her.

"I didn't mean like…" Adora bit her lower lip. "I mean, I wasn't worried about some betrayal." Glimmer coughed, and Adora added: "Not much."

Why would she…? Ah! "I was fine," Seacat told her. "Not many dared to bother me."

"'Not many'? Who bothered you?" Adora asked at once.

"Some fresh officer without experience thought I was a deserter or spy. He ran with his tail between his legs when he was told who I am. Did you know they think I'm a princess?" Seacat snorted.

"A princess? You?" Glimmer blinked. "How could they think that?"

Seacat felt a little irked at the obvious surprise. "I impressed them in the war."

"Oh! Of course they would think you're a princess!" Adora said, nodding. "You're a dangerous woman."

"Exactly," Seacat agreed.

"But… you aren't a princess. You don't have magic powers or a country," Glimmer protested.

"The Horde apparently doesn't care about that, only about how many of them you can kill," Seacat explained with a shrug.

"That's actually how the first princesses came to be." Bow stood in the opening to the control room. "Hi, Seacat."

"Hi, Bow." Seacat greeted him. "What was that?"

"Bow!" Glimmer pouted.

He smiled at her but then looked at Seacat. "My dads told me. That's how princesses got started: They had magic powers and could fight better than anyone else. So, they emerged as leaders, collecting followers. And since such powers were hereditary, they established dynasties. This was in the Archaic Period of Etheria."

"Not every princess gathered followers like that," Glimmer objected. "Some built cities for their people. And She-Ra didn't attract followers."

"Why not?" Adora asked.

"She was a roaming princess, righting wrongs and protecting everyone," Glimmer told her.

"And her magic wasn't hereditary," Bow added. "After her death, someone else was chosen by her power as She-Ra. So, she couldn't found a dynasty."

That made sense. Not many would blindly follow a princess just because she had the same power as her predecessor. Although… Seacat blinked. "Wait. When was that?"

"The first tales of princesses date back to about… five thousand years ago," Bow said. "Back in the Archaic Period.

"Were the First Ones around already?"

"No, they came later. At the end of the Age of Starlight." Bow smiled.

"The mythical Age of Starlight." Seacat snorted. "Back when you supposedly could navigate at night as well as you could during the day since the sky was lit by countless small lights." Well, before they figured out the moons' rotations.

"It's a well-established fact." Bow sounded a little vexed. "All the old documents that survived agree that it was real."

"And then someone… extinguished the light?" Seacat was more than a little sceptical.

"Well…" Bow hesitated, then glanced at Adora. Why would he…? Oh, no. "The Age of Starlight ended at the same time, approximately, that Mara died," Bow said. "We're still looking for more information in Light Hope's memory."

"It's fascinating to find first-hand knowledge like this about a period shrouded in myth and mystery." Castaspella smiled. "We might have to rewrite history after this."

"My dads will be both annoyed and ecstatic," Bow smiled as well. "They're historians and have a great collection of First One artefacts."

"They have? Why didn't you mention them before? Hi, Seacat!" Entrapta appeared in the hole in the wall. "We might need their knowledge and collection!"

"It's just murals, broken stuff, and such," Bow said.

"Those could still hold power," Entrpata retorted. "First Ones built things to last!"

"Or they could be magical," Castaspella added. "Many powerful items look harmless or even useless.

"Well, I can see what I can do," Bow said. He was looking quite… not shifty, but uncomfortable.

"Bow? Is something wrong with your family?" Glimmer asked.

"What? No, nothing's wrong," Bow replied. "My dads just have different views of a few things."

"'Different views'?" Adora looked interested.

"Nothing important right now," Bow deflected, "We need to focus on Light Hope and the Heart of Etheria."

"Yes," Castaspella agreed. "This takes priority."

*****​

"So… these are Light Hope's memories?" Seacat asked, looking at a shelf full of crystals in the control room.

"Yes!" Entrapta nodded several times. "Well, they are recordings - which are sort of memories, only we can copy them and watch them, which we can't with memories. A few are damaged, actually - I haven't figured out yet how, they don't seem to have suffered physical damage, but these crystals are different from the ones I am used to, so… perhaps they decay with age, and Light Hope had no backups, or those decayed as well." She shrugged. "We've got so many things to research!"

Seacat grimaced. "Like the Heart of Etheria threatening to blow up the planet?"

"Yes, that too." Entrapta smiled. "Once we have the Black Garnet here, we'll be able to compare it to runestones with a working connection. That should give us more data!"

"Uh…" Seacat bit her lower lip - lightly. "Shouldn't we bury the Black Garnet as deep as possible so no one will be able to find it and bond with it?" At least that seemed obvious to her.

"Wellllll…." Entrapta pouted. "I guess we could do that, but we wouldn't be able to examine it in that case. And we can't solve a problem without the right data. And we can't get data without doing research - examining things. Like the runestone."

"I offered to seal off my sword," Adora cut in. "But Entrapta and Castaspella said that that wouldn't help."

"Don't you need it to transform?" Seacat asked.

"The war's over. It wouldn't be a big loss." Adora shrugged, but Seacat could tell that she was faking it.

"And people will still get hurt in peacetime," Seacat pointed out.

"I can still fight," Adora said. "Like you, I don't need magic to fight."

Seacat nodded. Adora didn't have claws, though she was a little stronger even when she wasn't a head taller than Seacat. "But magic helps. And you can heal with the sword."

Adora pressed her lips together. "Yes." She looked away.

Seacat cocked her head to the side. "What's wrong?"

"It feels wrong to use the sword."

"Oh?" Entrapta moved to Adora's side, peering at the sword's scabbard on her back. "How so? Does the magic feel different? Do you feel nauseous? Or is the magic harder to control?"

Adora took a step back. "No! I mean… it works like before. I just…" She sighed. "Knowing that this was meant to control a weapon that will destroy Etheria… It feels bad."

"Oh." Entrapta nodded. Then she closed her mouth and shook her head. "I don't get it!"

"What?" Adora looked confused. Seacat felt confused as well.

"The sword is just a tool," Entrapta told them. "Like a wrench. Or my recorder. Sure, I could hit someone on the head with my wrench, but that's on me."

"But a wrench wasn't made to kill people," Seacat pointed out.

"No. A sword was, though - and you can use a sword to cut trees, as you told me!" Entrapta beamed at her. "Actually, that's a great example. The sword I made for you was made to kill, and could even explode if you pushed the right buttons, but you could use it to cut wood and repair things!" She nodded enthusiastically at Adora. "Like your sword can be used to blow up the planet, stab people - or heal them! See?"

Adora blinked. "Oh. I didn't think of it like that." She smiled. "Thank you, Entrapta!"

"No problem!" The princess beamed. "Now we just need to figure out whether or not the sword has a failsafe mechanism that will detonate the planet if it's not countered."

Adora froze.

"What?"

*****​

Seacat found her outside, sitting on a rock, chin resting on one knee. "Hey, Adora."

Her lover sighed and looked over her shoulder. "Ca-Seacat."

She walked over. "I didn't think I would be of much use in there," Seacat explained. "I'm not a Techmaster." Or a princess, like Glimmer.

"Me neither," Adora said, sighing again.

"Scoot over," Seacat told her. "I want to sit down as well."

Adora glanced at her. "But… the rock's barely big enough for me!"

"So?"

Her lover blinked, then suddenly grinned and reached out to Seacat. A moment later, she was sitting in Adora's lap.

Seacat snorted as she shifted around to get more comfortable. "Feeling better?"

Adora hesitated. Which told Seacat enough. "It's not your fault. And you won't destroy Etheria."

"I know!" Adora replied. "But I could. If Scorpia connected to her runestone, at least." She shook her head. "And I don't know if I could stop it. They're still examining the whole thing."

"Well, we stopped the whole plan," Seacat said. "With the garnet secure, Scorpia can't connect to it."

"We think we stopped it. We don't know anything about the network."

"We'll find out. Entrapta is good at that stuff."

"Yes." Adora closed her eyes. "I still feel bad."

"Don't."

"I can't help it."

Seacat clenched her teeth for a moment, then forced herself to relax. "Well, I can do something about that."

"What?" Adora looked down at her. Perfect.

Seacat grabbed her head and pulled her in for a kiss.

*****​

"Did you have to throw my undershirt away?" Adora complained a little later.

"It was in the way," Seacat told her as she was putting her own shirt back on. "Be glad I didn't just rip it off." Which she would've done if they had been in their quarters, where getting a replacement shirt was easy, instead of outside of Light Hope's bunker.

Adora huffed but kept looking for her top. Which, Seacat knew, had landed on a branch. But her lover didn't seem to think of looking up. Smirking, she asked: "You forgot all about jungle and forest patrol training, did you?"

Adora stopped and turned towards her. "Patrol training? Oh!" She pouted, then looked up. "Why did you throw it so high?"

"I wasn't really looking or caring," Seacat replied as she pulled her leggings on.

Adora sighed, then looked up again. "Can you get it down?"

"It's your top," Seacat said.

"You put it up there!"

"Which means you should get it down," Seacat told her. Adora pouted in response, and she snorted. "Alright, I'll get it."

Scaling the tree wasn't a big deal. Or any deal at all. Her claws easily carried her up, and she grabbed the top and jumped down, landing lightly next to her lover. "Here!" she held it out to Adora. "Though I think I like how you look with just your jacket on."

That had Adora blushing nicely. "Well, I…"

"Mara dearie?"

"Madame Razz?"

There was the old woman, smiling at them. No, at Adora. "Mara dearie! Did you visit the ghost?"

"The ghost?" Adora didn't seem to know what Razz was talking about.

"The mean ghost," the old woman said.

"Light Hope? The bot?" Seacat cocked her head.

"The ghost, yes. She's mean, Mara dearie."

"She's currently… asleep," Seacat said. Cut off from power, Entrapta had explained, but she would be back if anyone reconnected the power.

"Ghosts don't sleep. They wait."

"Well, she can't talk right now. She's… Her memories were damaged, and we're fixing her. My friends, that is," Adora explained.

"Why would you repair her? You broke her," the woman told them.

"I did?" Adora blinked.

"Yes, Mara. Did you forget? You broke her before you left."

"Not you, Mara," Seacat whispered.

"Mara broke Light Hope?"

"You did, yes. When you found out about the magic." The old woman nodded, her head almost hitting the shaft of her broom.

"The magic?"

"Of course the magic! Everything is magic, Mara dearie. I told you that the magic's in you, didn't I?"

"What magic?"

"Etheria's magic. I told you when I found you; don't you remember?"

"Uh…"

"Mara dearie, are you confused?"

If anyone was confused, then it was the old woman, in Seacat's opinion.

"I'll bake you a pie. You will remember." The woman walked past them. "I just need berries…" She walked around a tree.

"Madame Razz!" Adora went after her, then stopped. "Madame Razz?"

Seacat joined her. The old woman had disappeared. No trace of her.

She cursed under her breath. "Did you understand any of that?"

"Uh…."

Seacat snorted. "That's what I thought."

"Hey! Did you understand her?"

"She's your friend, not mine," Seacat told her.

"But…" Adora trailed off and sighed. "Let's go tell the others."

"Tell them what?"

"That my predecessor broke Light Hope before she left."

"And that's important how?" Seacat asked.

*****​

"The damage was done deliberately? By She-Ra? Fascinating!" Entrapta smiled at them.

"That's what the old woman said," Seacat told her. "We don't know if it's true. She isn't fully… you know."

"She isn't fully what?" Entrapta asked.

Seacat bit her lower lip. "She is often confused about Mara and Adora."

"Oh. So, her memory is faulty, too?"

"I don't think it's faulty," Adora retorted. "It's more like… She mixes up the time. Times."

"And you think she actually met Mara a thousand years ago?" Glimmer didn't try to hide that she doubted that claim.

"Madame Razz is one of the oldest people of Etheria," Castaspella told her. "Though she is…"

"Yes," Seacat said, nodding.

"Well, it would fit with what we found out - the control unit was sabotaged," Entrapta said. "That affected her memory banks. But there are signs of repair attempts. Light Hope had limited self-repair capacity, but she couldn't quite repair the damage. And she was cannibalising herself to get the parts."

"Cannibalising?" Adora looked a little sick.

"She used parts of her other parts to repair her core parts," Entrapta explained. "There probably is a priority list, what can be sacrificed to keep the unit able to pursue her prime objective."

"Which is Etheria's destruction," Seacat reminded the others.

"They actually want to destroy another planet; Etheria's destruction is mostly a side effect," Entrapta corrected her. "Oh! We also found out more about the Heart of Etheria. It's the central node for the network."

"It has long been speculated that there is another runestone, lost or hidden. It seems this isn't the case," Castaspella added. "But there is something in this place."

"And we're going to find it!" Entrapta cheered.

*****​

A little later, Entrapta, Bow and Castaspella were back trying to make sense of the bot's parts, and Glimmer had teleported back to Bright Moon to inform Queen Angella of the recent developments. Hopefully before she heard the news about the latest agreement with the Horde from someone else.

Well, that was Glimmer's problem, not Seacat's. Her problem was Adora, who was standing next to her, leaning against the wall and staring at the others. And probably feeling guilty that she wasn't some tech expert who could help them.

"So… Mara foiled the First One's plot," Seacat said, glancing at Adora.

"Yes." Adora nodded without taking her eyes off Entrapta.

Seacat pressed her lips together for a moment. Sometimes, Adora really was an idiot. "So, she wasn't a tool of the First Ones."

"But…" Adora trailed off and pouted at her.

Seacat grinned in return. "It wasn't her destiny. She deserted - like you did from the Horde."

"And she died," Adora retorted.

Damn. "We don't know how she died," Seacat pointed out. Not yet, at least. "But we already have Light Hope dismantled. And we have the runestone network… missing a runestone."

Adora snorted but at once grew serious again. "We don't know if that's enough."

"Nothing happened for a thousand years," Seacat said.

"There was no She-Ra for a thousand years." Adora glanced at the heft of her sword. "The sword wasn't… being used."

"But the runestone network was together," Seacat countered.

"Was it?"

"Hordak arrived what, twenty years ago? I don't think Scorpia's family left the Black Garnet untouched since Mara." Although, now that she thought of it, maybe they should've asked the bug princess about that.

"They didn't," Adora confirmed. So, they had talked about it. "But…" She shook her head. "We can't rely on assumptions. This is too dangerous."

"That's why we're going through everything in Light Hope's memory," Seacat reminded her. After a moment, she sighed. "And none expects you to help with that."

"I should've studied more."

She suppressed another sigh. "Do you really think the Horde or Shadow Weaver would've let you study First One technology? You were on the command track."

"I could've insisted. Or studied in my free time."

Seacat blinked. Then scowled and reached over to hit Adora on the back of her head.

"Ouch! Hey!"

"Stop being an idiot!" Seacat spat. "Not everything is your fault - or your duty! No one expects you to do everything and know everything. Other than you, you idiot, and you don't count since you're an idiot."

"Hey!"

"Do you see me feeling guilty that I'm the best sailor around and can't make heads or tails of a bot? No! Because that's fine - others can do it. Much better than I could. Or you."

"I'm fluent in the First One language," Adora told her.

"Then you can translate when needed. Perfect!"

"But I should…"

"No!" Seacat shook her head and stepped into Adora's face. "You shouldn't - you just want to do more."

"Etheria's at stake!"

Were those tears in her eyes? Seacat suppressed the sudden guilt she felt. "Yes. And that's why we're letting the experts work on it. You're an officer! Didn't you learn that in a storm, you have to command, not do everything on deck?"

"Yes, but… I'm also She-Ra."

"She-Ra, who fights better than anyone else and can heal wounds that would kill people."

"Yes!"

Seacat inclined her head and waited.

"I mean… Yes, She-Ra can do that, but that doesn't mean it's all I can do. I learned how to command, after all, before I became She-Ra."

"Yes, you did. And how long did it take you?" Seacat shook her head again.

"That depends on what you consider the first lesson - but I wasn't working full-time on it. We also had basic training and all sorts of other lessons!" Adora protested.

"And you want to spend all your time on this now?" Seacat glared at her, and Adora tried to take a step back but hit the wall.

"Ah… I mean… not all my time!"

That wasn't good enough. "So you say. And what if someone needs healing? Or someone makes a mistake, and bandits escape?" Seacat took a half-step forward, looking at Adora while their chests touched. "What about me?"

"Of course I'd heal you!"

Seacat closed her eyes. "Not the point. You can't sacrifice your entire life serving others. You deserve to live your life, too. You deserve to be happy without feeling guilty for not working every damn day as She-Ra!"

Adora stared at her with her mouth half-open. "But…"

"No buts or I drag you out on a voyage without stopping until we've rounded Westcape!" Seacat put her hands on her hips. "You're a free woman, Adora, not a slave. You deserve to be Adora, not just She-Ra!" Why couldn't she see that?

"I know!" Adora protested. "But…"

"I said 'no buts'!" She glared at her lover. "You deserve to love and be loved - no matter if you're She-Ra or Adora or an idiot."

"Hey!"

Seacat lowered her head and glared at her.

Adora fidgeted. "I just… it feels… I don't know."

"Well, I know. And since you don't know, listen to someone who does!"

They stared at each other for a moment. Then Seacat reached out, grabbed Adora's head with both hands and kissed her. Hard. "You deserve this," she whispered. "And I'll keep repeating it until you accept it."

*****​

Glimmer appeared in a shower of sparkles in the middle of the main room. Seacat didn't startle. But she glared at the princess barging in like that.

"Oh, stop it!" Glimmer told her. "You should've known better than to do things in the forest next to the bunker!"

"That's not the point," Seacat retorted. And the forest had been perfectly fine for that - Seacat could've heard anyone approaching before they stumbled upon them. Unless, of course, they teleported in.

"Glimmer?" Adora appeared in the hole leading to the control room. "You're back!"

"Yes. And I've got news. Scorpia's arriving with the runestone."

"Already?" Adora cocked her head sideways. "It's only been three days."

"Well, if the entire world is in danger, people, even Horde scum, tend to move fast," Glimmer told her.

Seacat nodded. "It's still impressive for overland travel of such a huge cargo - digging it out would have taken a while, too."

"They rigged together a sort of platform on two skiffs," Glimmer explained.

Seacat blinked. "That worked?"

"Apparently, barely." Glimmer shrugged. "Didn't look like they could manage to carry anything else other than the pilot, though."

"Still impressive," Seacat said. Entrapta might be interested in improving the idea.

"So, how are things going here?" Glimmer asked.

"I've just finished translating a document," Adora said. "But it was a bust. Unless the Heart of Etheria is related to cooking recipes. Bow liked them, though."

*Cooking recipes?" Glimmer blinked.

"Apparently, Light Hope also served as some sort of… archive." Adora shrugged. "There's lots of stuff there that's perfectly normal. Clothes, music."

"Why would they do that?" Seacat asked.

"Perhaps Mara felt homesick?" Glimmer suggested.

"Bow thinks it might've been an attempt to preserve their culture, should everything else fail," Adora said. "Before they realised Etheria had the power to destroy their enemy."

She didn't seem to care much about it, Seacat realised.

"That's great!" Glimmer said, beaming at her. "You can learn all about your home!"

Adora frowned instead of being pleased, though. "I don't want to! The First Ones wanted to destroy Etheria!"

Seacat pressed lips together. It wasn't as if it mattered - she was Seacat, and she was happy - but Adora shouldn't dismiss the opportunity to learn about her home like that. Seacat knew what wondering about our past felt like. Though she also knew what finding out that you were raised in the Horde felt like. "Well, recipes won't be making anyone destroy the world," she said.

"Yes," Glimmer agreed. "They could be great."

Adora still looked unconvinced. "We might not even have the ingredients - I can read the names, but I don't know what they mean."

"Oh." Glimmer actually looked disappointed.

Seacat shook her head. "Anyway, where do we store the Black Garnet?"

"In Bright Moon," Glimmer replied. "It's safer there than here."

And no matter how dismantled Light Hope was, Seacat didn't want the runestone near it. Nor did she want more people to know about this bunker. And they would have to tell more people if they had to transport the runestone here.

"Entrapta and Castaspella might need to examine it," Adora pointed out.

"I can teleport them back and forth as needed," Glimmer replied. "And we can always move the runestone here if we have to." She frowned. "Though the political implications are… divided."

"Oh?" Seacat raised her eyebrows at the princess.

"Some - Frosta and Mermista, for example - like that we took the runestone from the Horde," Glimmer explained. "Others are a little concerned about what seems to be, in their eyes, at least, a grab for more power by Bright Moon."

"Really?" Adora shook her head.

"Well, we can't tell them the real reason we need the runestone secured," Glimmer told her. "Imagine the panic!"

Adora winced, and Seacat nodded. People would go crazy.

"So, we have to ride this out. Mom's on it, anyway."

"And we can work in peace," Adora said.

Seacat nodded in agreement.

*****​

"So… we have good news and bad news," Entrapta said.

"Oh?" Seacat looked up from yet another picture of First One architecture. Too bad they hadn't found ship designs so far - she had seen more pictures of food and clothes and buildings than she liked over the last few days. Then she frowned. Entrapta looked… like she had to announce that her calculations had been wrong. And Bow and Castaspella were with her, both looking serious.

"Yes." Entrapta nodded. "So, the good news first: We are pretty sure that we've found a way to disarm the Heart of Etheria."

"You have?" Adora gasped.

"Yes. And without destroying the sword. I think. Not sure about that, but I don't see a reason to destroy the trigger if we can disarm the chamber, so to speak." Entrapta shrugged.

Seacat could see a reason - when your entire world was in danger, you better be thorough in dismantling the threat. Then again, sacrificing the sword might do more harm than good.

"Anyway, that's the good news. The bad news is that, uh, we might not have as much time to do this as we thought," Entrapta went on.

Castaspella nodded. "We've analysed the runestone network. The magic has been building up over hundreds of years, and unless it's safely discharged under controlled conditions, it might overload the network. With catastrophic results."

"Boom!" Entrapta mimed an explosion while Bow nodded.

Seacat stared at them. This was… this was…

"How much time do we have?" Adora asked in a clipped tone.

"Oh… we don't know exactly," Entrapta said. "It's hard to estimate since our data is incomplete, and magic is kinda fuzzy."

"We merely lack the arcane theories to precisely judge the build-up." Castaspella frowned at Entrapta. "Magic isn't fuzzy."

"Compared to technology, it is!"

"Can we focus on the fact that we're about to be blown up?" Glimmer asked. "Instead of magical theories?"

"How do we stop this?" Adora stood. "We can stop it, you said."

"Yes. That's the good and maybe not so good news," Entrapta replied. "We kind of need to reach the Heart of Etheria directly."

"I thought it's in the middle of the planet," Seacat said.

"It is - but the First Ones built a control station to access it."

"Access it?" Adora stared at the princess. "You mean we have to climb down a stairway?"

"No. Well, perhaps there are stairs, but it's not a physical access to the planet's core - the control unit for the Heart of Etheria is in that station," Entrapta explained.

"Why isn't it here?" Adora asked. "Light Hope is here."

"I don't know. Security?" Entrapta shrugged. "But the control unit is there. Probably guarded by another bot. Unless Mara managed to destroy those before she died."

"That's where Mara died?" Seacat asked, glancing at Adora.

"As far as we know," Bow said.

And Adora was straightening. No doubt, she was imagining a noble sacrifice. "I'm going with you all the way," Seacat whispered. "Wherever that is."

Adora gaped at her, but before her lover could say anything, Entrapta went on: "So… we have the location of the access point. But it doesn't match anything on our maps."

"Where is it?" Seacat asked.

"In the middle of the Southern Sea," Entrapta told her. "It's supposed to be an island, but there's no island on the map."

The middle of the Southern Sea? Seacat blinked. That sounded like… but that was just a sailor's tale, wasn't it?

Adora shook her head. "That has to be... Beast Island."

*****​
 
Chapter 54: Fitting Out
Chapter 54: Fitting Out

"Beast Island?" Seacat shook her head at Adora. "Beast Island is a myth! A scary story told to Horde cadets so they won't break the rules!" She would know - Catra had lived in fear of being banished to Beast Island by Shadow Weaver for years!

"It's not!" Adora protested.

"I've been sailing the seas for years; I've never heard of anyone discovering the island," Seacat retorted. And she had asked around after Sea Hawk had taken her in.

"But I've heard about it! And Entrapta showed us that there is an island in the Southern Sea!"

"That doesn't mean that it is Beast Island!"

"Excuse me?" Glimmer stepped between them with a frown on her face and her hands on her hips. "What is Beast Island?"

"It's an imaginary island where the worst Horde criminals are sent to die," Seacat told her. "It's populated by giant beasts which will eat them alive - or so the story goes."

"It's real," Adora insisted. "I've seen the records."

"Why would the Horde send anyone to an island to get eaten? They could just kill them! Hang the bodies from a wall as an example!" Seacat shook her head. "That makes no sense."

"You've never heard of an island in the Southern Sea?" Bow asked. "Did anyone explore it fully?"

"There's a part full of reefs and currents strong enough to smash ships on said reefs," Seacat told him. "Ships which venture there don't return."

"Or they don't return because they end up on Beast Island," Adora said with a frown. "And the crews get eaten."

"If the island would cause every ship to get wrecked or sunk, how would the Horde transports return?" Seacat countered.

"Because they know the secret route through the reefs?" Adora tilted her head. "That would allow them to travel to and from the island safely, wouldn't it?"

Her lover was correct, Seacat had to admit. But she was wrong as well. The Horde sailors weren't good enough to find such a route. If they were, Salinas would've fallen long ago. "And how did they know the safe route?"

"Probably from Fright Zone sailors before the Horde took over," Castaspella said.

Seacat clenched her teeth. "But why didn't any sailor know about this island?" She shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense; if there was a safe path and a hidden island, sailors would've known. Stories travel."

"Unless it was a state secret of the Fright Zone," Glimmer pointed out. "If the kingdom kept it a secret, then no one but a few, probably the royal family, would've known. After Hordak's takeover, he could've just kept it a secret and nothing would've changed."

Seacat narrowed her eyes. "That sounds as if you're talking from experience."

Glimmer met her eyes. "You don't expect me to tell you if Bright Moon had a similar secret, do you?"

Seacat glanced at Bow; she wouldn't expect the princess to tell her, but to Bow? Yet, the man looked surprised - and pensive. So Seacat shook her head. "No, I don't."

"That doesn't mean that there is a secret," Glimmer was quick to add.

Adora nodded with a stern expression. "Yes. Need to know. The Horde did the same."

The way Glimmer's lips twisted, she didn't like what Adora had just said no matter that Adora had tried to be supportive.

"So… we need to ask Scorpia about the route to this island. After we verify if the island is our destination," Entrapta spoke up.

"And if it isn't the same? If they don't know about an island there?" Seacat asked.

"Uh…" Entrapta pursed her lips. "Then we'll need to find a way through those reefs!"

"That's going to be very dangerous," Seacat reminded her.

"Even with an improved engine? How strong are the currents?" Entrapta asked.

That was a good argument. The engines were brand new - the ships which had been lost had been sailing ships. They couldn't manoeuvre as well as a ship with an engine. Seacat nodded. "I think that might work."

"And if it doesn't work?" Bow asked.

"Then we need a way to survive a sinking," Seacat said.

"Oh, that shouldn't be hard! I've got an idea!" Entrapta beamed at them.

Seacat had a bad feeling about this. But with the planet at stake, they had no choice - they had to reach this… island. No matter what. "Then we need to go and question Scorpia," she said.

"We'll ask her," Glimmer corrected her. "I doubt that she'll refuse us - this affects us all."

Seacat hoped that Glimmer was correct. The Horde princess had handed over her runestone far more easily than Seacat had expected, even though she hadn't been connected to it, so she hadn't been using it, anyway. But state secrets? Some people got very weird about secrets. Depending on the secret, of course.

*****​

"Beast Island?" The bug princess asked with a big frown on her face.

"Yes," Adora said.

"No," Seacat said at the same time. She ignored the eye-rolling from Glimmer. "What we need to know is if you have records about an island hidden in the Southern Sea, amongst reefs and currents."

"Yes, Beast Island." The Horde Princess nodded.

Seacat ignored the gloating looks from Glimmer and Adora. "And you know the route there?"

"I think there are records, yes. We didn't cover that in-depth during Force Captain orientation."

Ah. Seacat turned her head to look at Adora, whose gloating smile had been replaced by a pout.

"I didn't go to Force Captain orientation," she said. "I defected on my first day."

"Well, you didn't miss much." The bug princess shrugged. "It's supposed to be a secret base, but we lost contact with it long ago. A few ships were sent there to check up on the island, but they were attacked by monsters. Hordak decided it wasn't worth the troops to retake the island and wrote it off."

"He wrote off a secret base?" Adora shook her head.

"A secret port in the middle of the Southern Sea!" Seacat shared her lover's surprise. That could've changed the outcome of the naval war - well, not the outcome, but it would've probably prolonged the conflict. And if pirates had secured the island… "Who knew the safe route? Are they accounted for?"

"I think so? I didn't really care about it; I'm shock infantry, not navy," the bug princess said, touching her pincers together. "And when I got promoted to leader, the whole war was all but over."

"And we're all happy about that," Glimmer cut in. "But abandoning an entire base…"

"It's not as if there was anything important on it. The island was mainly used as a prison by the Horde. At least that's what I heard."

"You had special prisons in the Fright Zone," Seacat pointed out. She had been held in one, after all.

"Those were built afterwards, I think."

"Can we go back to talk about the monsters?" Adora asked. "What kind of monsters would drive a Horde garrison from an island? And repel attempts to retake it?"

"Large ones with armour. Sounded like some of the monsters Mom told me about that used to roam the Fright Zone." The Horde princess frowned. "They kept the borders secure, or so I heard."

"Great. We're gonna have to fight guard beasts that beat the Horde," Seacat commented.

"That's why it's called Beast Island," Adora said, a little smugly.

"But the Horde never sent prisoners there to be eaten," Seacat countered.

"No. Unless you count the ones sent there before the monsters overran the island," the bug princess just had to point out.

"Fascinating. Where do you think those beasts came from? Sea monsters?" Entrapta asked. "Perhaps attracted to the island by experiments with the prisoners?"

"There were no experiments on the island," the bug princess replied. "Not with prisoners or otherwise. Hordak did all the experimenting himself in the Fright Zone."

"That also means we have no idea what awaits us. Unless we find a survivor from the Horde expeditions," Seacat said. "Preferably one who can take us through the reefs and currents." A ship with an engine shouldn't have too much trouble with the currents - this wasn't the Maelstrom - but a safe route would be better.

"Well, I'll ask around. And look in the archives - those that survived you - before we set sail."

Seacat stared at the Horde princess. "'We'?"

"It's part of the Fright Zone - my kingdom." The princess smiled at her. "Of course I'm going to check."

Seacat was just finding the words to tell the brute off when Adora nodded. "That's a good idea. And it was your family's island."

"A prison island," Seacat muttered.

"Beast Island," Glimmer said.

"The location of the First One's control station!" Entrapta beamed at them. "This will be great!"

"We'll need a ship, though," Seacat pointed out. "A real ship, none of the Horde boats left."

"With a great engine!" Entrapta agreed.

"So… Fright Zone, then Salineas for a new ship?" Adora asked.

"Bright Moon first," Glimmer cut in. "Mom needs to know. And the other princesses or they'll wonder what we're up to."

"Of course we'd go first to Bright Moon," Adora was quick to agree.

"Wow, you don't trust your allies?" the bug princess shook her head. "That's a problem the Horde never had."

"Because you didn't have any allies," Glimmer retorted.

"And the Horde lost because Shadow Weave and Hordak fought each other," Seacat added.

She smiled at the Horde woman's frown.

*****​

Back again in the Fright Zone. Seacat sighed as she looked around. Nothing had changed since her last visit. Well, except for the whole area being much greener than she remembered. And not the kind of green used to paint steel and concrete - there were plants everywhere between the buildings.

"Things changed," Adora commented next to her.

"Yes," Seacat agreed.

"Scorpia!" And there came the culprit. Of sorts.

"Perfuma! Is this your work?" The bug princess jumped off the skiff and landed in front of the other princess.

"Yes. Do you like it? I thought it would be a good idea to add more plants, not just crops. They should help cool the area as well, and clean the air! Although if you think it's a bad thing, then I can make them wither…"

"No, no - it looks nice. And a cooler summer would be nice as well. I can stand the heat, but we have a lot of soldiers who can't." The bug princess beamed at Perfuma.

Seacat rolled her eyes.

"Oh! Adora! Seacat! Glimmer! Bow! Entrapta! I'm so sorry I didn't notice you - I didn't expect you."

"It's OK!" Entrapta told her. "You can't greet everyone at once!" Nodding, she jumped off the skiff as well, her hair cushioning her landing. "It looks neat! And those plants filter the air?"

Seacat swallowed the sarcastic remark she had been about to make to Perfuma about priorities.

"And the ground - the soil isn't the best; a lot has been contaminated," Perfuma explained.

"Oh! Oil? And metal?"

"Yes. You're familiar with that?"

"Oh, yes. I had the same problem at home when I tried some outdoor experiments."

"I could give you some saplings which should grow in your country," Perfuma suggested.

"Oh, I had the whole area sealed off so it wouldn't leach into the water supply - I would have to remove that, first, and I can't take the time since we need to get to Beast Island first, to save the planet!"

Seacat pressed her lips together. So much for secrecy. At least none of the Horde soldiers was around, and Perfuma was cleared for this…

"Beast Island?"

"It's a secret Island with creatures so dangerous, they defeated the Horde and ate everyone present - and a First One installation that will allow us to access the runestone network!"

"The beasts didn't defeat us - we just didn't think the island was worth the casualties we'd take," the bug princess cut in.

"And you're going to visit the island?" Perfuma sounded shocked.

"Yes!" Entrapta didn't.

"Once we find out if there are records left in the Horde archives," Seacat told them. "Which is why we're here."

"Oh." Perfuma looked at them with her mouth half-open, then nodded firmly. "Then I'm coming with you!"

"A-Alright!" the bug princess replied before anyone else could say anything.

"Aren't you needed here?" Glimmer asked.

"The fields are planted and growing. I could make them grow faster, but that would not help the soil. Though I could spread more plants over the country, that's not as important as saving the planet, is it?"

Well, if she put it like that… Seacat certainly wouldn't mind her coming with them. Control over plants might save their lives if those monsters were as bad as they seemed. And Perfuma might also help her keep Adora from doing something stupid.

"To the archives, then!" Entrapta pointed ahead, towards the larger buildings visible.

"Uh, the archives are this way," the bug princess corrected her, pointing towards a collection of smaller, shabbier buildings.

"To the archives there, then!"

*****​

"So… we've got a chart for the island, but it's missing half the information we need because you thought keeping the other half separate was a good idea. And then lost that half." Seacat sighed.

"Hey! It was Hordak's order," the Horde princess tried to defend herself. "And you burned down that part of the archives."

"You could've stopped the fire," Seacat retorted.

"Half the country was on fire after your bombs," the princess shot back. "Protecting the archives wasn't as important as protecting the barracks."

"Or so it seemed. In hindsight, protecting the archives would've been more important." Entrapta looked up from the blueprints she was studying.

"You couldn't have known," Perfuma said, putting her hand on the bug princess's arm. "And prioritising people over paper is never wrong."

Except for when it was. But Seacat didn't say that out loud. "In any case, we need to find out if a sailor from the expeditions survived."

"Those records were in that half of the archives as well."

Well, damn.

"We can ask around?" Perfuma suggested.

"That would reveal our destination," Adora objected. "And a group of princesses travelling together to an island will draw a lot of attention. We don't exactly want everyone to be aware of the island's importance."

"No, we don't," Glimmer agreed. "We need a permanent garrison there to protect the First One's installation."

"If the monsters are gone, then the Fright Zone will take over the island, as before," the bug princess said.

"Yeah, right," Glimmer blurted out.

As the two princesses glared at each other, Bow spoke up: "Uh… it seems to be too important for any single country."

Perfuma nodded. "And too dangerous."

After a moment, the bug princess sighed. "We lost the war, didn't we?" She shook her head.

Seacat didn't comment. But it was hard not to.

*****​

"Salineas ahead!"

Finally! Seacat had to restrain herself from scaling the rigging of the courier that they had commandeered to take them to Salineas. She was only a passenger on this ship, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time. She had to let the crew work. Even though she could do so much better.

Sighing, she leaned against the railing. If the lookout spotted the island, it would soon appear on the horizon.

"You know, it could've been worse," Adora, next to her, said.

Seacat frowned at her lover. "How?"

"We could've taken a Horde ship, as Scorpia had offered."

Seacat glared at her. Sailing on a Horde ship? And one they hadn't taken as a prize? With Horde sailors as crew? "I'd swim before accepting that," she growled.

Adora laughed, reached over and pulled her into a hug. "We know. I don't think anyone in the Fright Zone doesn't know."

Seacat huffed. The Horde princess hadn't been amused, but that was her own fault. Everyone knew the Horde sailors were the dregs of the service. And really, showing up in a Horde ship in Salineas? They would've been escorted anyway, so why bother travelling on a Horde ship? The courier was much faster, anyway.

Adora ruffled her hair, which made Seacat frown even more. "Hey!"

"Sorry."

Adora didn't sound sorry. Nor did she look sorry. But that was a good thing - she had been so sad for most of the trip, despite everything Seacat had tried. She'd let her lover ruffle her hair anytime if it cheered Adora up. "It'll be good to see Sea Hawk and Mermista again," she said, leaning into Adora's side.

"Yes."

And there was the island, a speck on the horizon, quickly growing as the courier raced atop the waves, a favourable wind pushing them on.

*****​

"Seacat!" Sea Hawk spread his arms and beamed at her.

"Captain." Seacat managed to nod before she was swept up in a hug and twirled around as if she were still fourteen years old. But it felt good.

Even if Mermista was shaking her head. Well, she was smiling as well before she turned to address the others. "Welcome to Salineas. I assume you didn't just decide to visit us to enjoy the sea," she said, with a pointed look at the bug princess.

"Ah… no." Adora winced. "We kinda have a problem. A big problem. Urgent, too. And secret." She looked around as Sea Hawk set Seacat down.

Mermista frowned, looking at her guards, then back at the others. "Ugh, fine. Guards, leave us!"

The guards filed out of the throne room. "So, what's the latest crisis?" Mermista stared at the bug princess.

"Well…" Adora trailed off.

"We need to stop an old First One device from using the runestone network to blow up Etheria," Entrapta announced.

"What?" Mermista gaped. As did Sea Hawk.

"Yes. And that's why we need a new courier ship with an improved engine so we can travel to Beast Island and stop the whole thing," Seacat added. She flashed Mermista a grin when the princess turned towards her with a scowl.

"I believe I need a bit more of an explanation," the princess said.

"Right!" Entrapta nodded enthusiastically. "It all started a thousand years ago when the First Ones created She-Ra's sword for Mara, the She-Ra of the time - and a First One. Because they were fighting a war at the time against the Horde. Only, not our Horde, but a Horde made up of many people like Hordak, and…"

*****​

"...and that's why we're here now. Can we get a ship?" Entrapta beamed as she finished her explanation.

Mermista blinked. "So… You plan to use half of a chart to navigate the Southern Sea's reefs to find a safe route to Beast Island, then disable a First One's device to save the planet."

"Yes!" Entrapta said. Seacat nodded, as did the others.

"It's not the best plan," Seacat said, "but our options are kind of limited. We didn't find any survivors from the Horde expeditions. And the other half of the chart was lost."

"When you burned down our archives," the Horde princess added.

"In retaliation to your aggression," Mermista retorted.

"Please!" Perfuma stepped up. "Blaming each other won't help anyone - we need to work together to save the world!"

"Blaming the Horde certainly makes me feel better," Seacat heard Mermista mumble under her breath, but the princess nodded - with obvious reluctance.

"Indeed! A gallant expedition into the jaws of danger to save the world!" Sea Hawk jumped on the table and raised his fist towards the ceiling. "Huzzah!"

Seacat nodded, then realised the others were staring. "Did you really expect the Captain to stay back?" she asked.

"We're both coming," Mermista declared with a scowl that made sure that disagreement wouldn't be tolerated.

Well, Seacat had expected that as well - she knew the couple, after all. And they would need them - Seacat was a good sailor, one of the best, but the Captain was the best, period. And Mermista… well, she controlled water. That could save their lives and their ship if the current turned out to be too strong. Though, as far as Seacat knew, the Southern Seas didn't have a Maelstrom.

"Good," Glimmer said. "But no burning down the ship!"

"Unless it's needed to save the world!" Sea Hawk retorted.

Well, there wasn't much anyone could say against that.

"Could we take a frigate?" Adora asked. "You have enough of them, don't you?"

"I doubt that a frigate can safely travel through the reefs," Seacat pointed out. "The chart is incomplete, but even so, I can see that the draft of a frigate would be too deep. Back when the island was first occupied, ships were smaller in general."

"Indeed! What we consider a courier these days would've been a flagship for the fleets of the Ancient Age!" Sea Hawk added. "And our current frigates will, no doubt, one day be outclassed by ships of even greater size!"

"Or airships," the bug princess added. "If someone hadn't wrecked our airship, we could easily travel to the island."

"If you had your airship, you'd be threatening to bomb our lands," Glimmer countered.

"Please!" Perfuma held her hands up again. "I know that the threat of Etheria being destroyed by the runestone network makes us all anxious, but we have to work together. Accusing each other won't help anyone!"

Seacat swallowed her retort - the princess was right, after all. But it was the Horde princess's fault, being a sore loser. "Yeah, yeah," she said. "Let's focus on getting this expedition going. Do you have a fast courier Entrapta could add a new engine to?"

"We actually have a ship being built that would be perfect for this," Mermista said with a grin.

*****​

She was a beauty. Slim, sleek lines, a mast that was the highest Seacat had seen for that class of ships… everything about her screamed 'speed'. And she was elegant - Seacat had to take a second look to see the intakes for the engine. They hadn't been tacked on, like with so many other ships, but designed to be part of the ship from the start. And the bridge… the steering wheel was smaller than she was used to but moved the rudder easily, and there were controls for the engine built into a small pedestal next to it - you could run the entire ship by yourself if you had to

"Look, Captain!" she exclaimed, showing the foldable sun covers. "No more sunburn!"

"You get sunburn?" Adora asked, looking up from where she had studied the stairs leading to the main deck.

"Me? Rarely. But the Captain doesn't have fur covering his skin," Seacat told her. Neither did Adora, of course.

"Oh." Adora looked at her arm. "I could heal that, I think."

Of course she could. Still… "This is a great ship!"

"The latest design." Mermista sounded smug.

"It's perfect! Well, mostly!" Entrapta stuck her head through the opening leading to the hold. "It still needs an engine, but I can fit my latest mark in there. I think."

"We designed the hold with room for expansion," Mermista explained.

"Indeed!" Sea Hawk beamed at them. "This is a ship built to last - to grow with her captain!"

Seacat nodded. She shouldn't have expected any less from the Salineans, of course - they did build the best ships in Etheria. Although she couldn't help wondering - privately, of course - how long Sea Hawk would take to sink the ship.

"Does that even matter?" Glimmer asked. "How long do your ships generally last?"

"Oh, they last as long as they need," Sea Hawk told her. "But why do you ask? This isn't my ship."

"No?"

"It isn't?" Then a new courier ship for the Navy? Some Salinean captain would be disappointed for losing their ship before it even was finished, she guessed.

"No, she's Seacat's," Mermista said.

Seacat blinked. That… this… "Mine?" This ship was for her? She was to be her captain?

"Oh, that's great!" Adora cheered and grabbed Seacat, lifting her up. "Just the kind of ship you wanted, right?"

Seacat nodded, almost absentmindedly. Her own ship. She had expected to get one, of course, but so soon? And such a ship? She had to have cost a fortune, an all-new design, not even counting the new engine…

"You deserve it," Mermista said with a wide smile. "Consider it compensation for stealing your captain."

Oh. She had expected that as well, but she hadn't expected it so soon - or in this manner. To have it confirmed - and with such a beauty! - was… Seacat nodded as Adora set her down. Then she swallowed. "Thank you. Thank you!"

She had a ship. She'd be captain of her own ship!

*****​

"So, should I be jealous?"

Seacat looked up from where she had been pouring over the charts in the captain's locker. Adora was smiling at her, but she seemed a little on edge, too. "What?" Seacat asked.

"Well…" Adora laughed, rubbing the back of her head. "Just wondering if I'm being replaced by a ship."

Seacat blinked. "What? No!" She chuckled. "How could you think that?"

"Well, you've been busy with the ship for hours now."

She had, hadn't she? "There's a lot of things to be done before we can sail," she said.

"Entrapta is still working on the new engine," Adora pointed out.

"Yes. But the fitting out isn't done yet, anyway - it wouldn't do to set sail and then discover halfway that we're missing an anchor or spare sails and lines."

"Ah." Adora sat down on the bunk. "I didn't realise ships took so much… work."

Seacat snorted. "Landlubbers rarely do. But don't worry, we'll make a sailor out of you yet."

Adora nodded, her smile widening a little.

Seacat frowned. "Was that what you were concerned about?"

"No!" Adora blinked. "Well, a little…" She sighed and ran her hand over the sheets. "I just… I don't get half the stuff you're doing, and it all sounds so important."

"It is important," Seacat told her. "But no one learns everything in a day or two. It takes time to learn how to run a ship. That's why the Horde had so much trouble on the sea - they rushed things."

"You mean it takes years?"

"To become a captain or first mate? Yes." Seacat smiled. "It took me three years until Sea Hawk promoted me."

"Oh." Adora hunched over a little.

"But it doesn't take as long to become a decent sailor," Seacat pointed out. "And it's fun to learn - you're doing it while you're at sea. Not on a field or in the training hall."

"Hey! The exercises were fun. Kinda," Adora protested.

"Sometimes," Seacat said. "But I could've done without all the tests and forms." And without the 'debriefings' by Shadow Weaver.

"Paperwork moves an army," Adora quoted one of their instructors

Seacat didn't remember who had said it. "Or slows it down." She shrugged. "Anyway, the Salineans know how to build and outfit ships. I'm mostly checking that everything's in order." She wouldn't allow the first ship of her own to be anything but perfect when setting sails. The embarrassment in front of the Captain would be too much!

"And is it?"

She snorted. "We're working on it. The charts seem up to date and in order, though we're still missing the cannons."

"Cannons?"

"Two swivel guns. One at the bow, one aft." Double the guns of an average courier vessel. Not enough to threaten a sloop, much less a frigate, but they would come in handy if they encountered anything smaller. And they could outrun any sloop or frigate.

"Oh."

"Then there's the food to be stored, spare lines, spare parts - both for the ship and the engine - and hammocks for the crew and passengers…"

"We're sleeping in hammocks?"

"Most sailors do," Seacat said. Adora should know that.

Adora pointedly looked at the bunk upon which she was sitting.

Seacat laughed. "Well, that's for the captain - and her lover."

Adora blushed in return. "So, no hammock for me?"

"Nope!"

"Glimmer will be jealous."

"We can probably rig some makeshift cabins in the hold," Seacat said. "Unless they want to sleep on deck - which many sailors do when sailing the Southern Seas."

"Oh?"

"It's going to be hot," Seacat explained. "So, most want fresh air and a breeze instead of sticking to the hold."

"Most?" Adora raised her eyebrows.

"Some prefer the privacy the hold might offer."

And the blush grew worse. Seacat grinned.

"Uh… we'll be crowded, won't we be? You, me, Glimmer, Bow, Entrapta, Scorpia, Perfuma, Mermista and Sea Hawk…" Adora ticked off finger after finger.

"And Alcy, Licy and Horas. My crew," Seacat added.

"Right. Eleven people." Adora frowned. "We'll be really crowded!"

Seacat laughed again. "A frigate is worse. Much worse. Hundreds of people on a single ship." Sure, a frigate was larger, but not that much larger. "And in a pinch, we'll be glad about having so many people with us."

They were sailing for Beast Island, after all.

"Ah. Still…" Adora knocked on the cabin's wall. "The walls aren't too thick."

Seacat laughed once more. "Oh, you learn to ignore that, at sea." She stepped over to Adora. "Besides, the walls are thicker than a tent's, aren't they?"

Adora's blush returned, even stronger, as she was reminded of that trip. "Uh…"

Seacat slid into her lap, then pushed her down on the bunk, straddling her while Adora ended up on her back, staring up at her.

"Ah. Aren't you busy preparing the ship?" Adora asked, though her tongue was wetting her lips.

"I'm about to test if the captain's bunk is adequately constructed," Seacat said. "And I need your help with that important task."

Adora was, as expected, good at that task. Very good.

*****​

"Licy! Alcy! Horas!" Seacat beamed at the crew - her crew! - when they approached the ship and came onboard.

"Seacat! I mean, Captain!" Licy saluted - a little sloppily, but it was an earnest attempt; Seacat could tell.

"Captain." Alcy nodded at her.

Horas grumbled something that passed for a greeting.

"So you've heard the news," Seacat said.

"That Mermista gave you a ship as a reward for your services during the war? Yes," Alcy said.

"And as a wedding gift for you and Adora!" Licy added with a wide smile.

Alcy rolled her eyes at that. "That's a silly rumour. We would've heard about a royal wedding being prepared. Sea Hawk wouldn't have been able to keep it a secret."

"It's still a nice rumour," Licy retorted, looking around. "Where is she, by the way?"

"She's fetching some supplies. Putting that great strength of hers to use," Seacat said with a grin. Though privately, she wondered - a wedding? Adora and her? That was… She hadn't considered that. She hadn't even considered whether Sea Hawk and Mermista would marry. The Captain had never talked about marriage. But wouldn't they have to marry, so the children would be legitimate? Or would the magic powers prove that?

She pushed the thoughts away; there was no need to worry about that when the world's fate was in danger. "She's not a wedding gift," she told them. "But she would be a worthy gift. Look around - isn't she a beauty!"

Licy nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes! I bet she's the fastest ship on all the seas."

"She will be - once Entrapta delivers and installs the engine," Seacat replied.

"Oh! Is it true that all the princesses came here to attend the ship's maiden voyage?" Licy asked.

Seacat pressed her lips together and looked around. No yard worker was around. "In a manner of speaking," she told them.

Alcy sighed. "I guess this isn't a shakedown cruise with royal guests."

Seacat shook her head. "Not exactly. Don't tell anyone, but we're on a mission to save Etheria."

"Etheria? I thought the war was over! Isn't the Horde princess now an ally?" Licy blurted out.

"She's an ally of sorts, yes," Seacat confirmed. "The threat to Etheria isn't the Horde's fault." Well, not directly. "It dates back to the First Ones. And their magic experiments."

Alcy looked even grimmer. "I take it that 'saving Etheria' isn't hyperbole.

Seacat shook her head. "No. We're literally going on a mission to save the entire world from blowing up."

Alcy cursed under her breath, Horas growled, and Licy gaped at her, her mouth opening and closing without making a sound.

Perhaps Seacat should've said this a little less bluntly.

*****​

"Say, Ca-Seacat," Adora said as the sun was setting and a stevedore delivered another bag of powder for the still missing swivel guns.

"Yes?" Seacat replied, leaning with her back against the railing and watching Alcy, Licy and Horas check the mainsail.

"What are you going to name her?"

Oh. Seacat smiled. "Victory's Daughter!" It was the perfect name!

"Oh. That's… a nice name."

But Adora didn't sound very enthusiastic. "What's wrong with it?" Seacat asked with a frown. It honoured both the Captain and the outcome of the war.

"Well… it reminds me of the Dragon's Daughter," Adora said, fidgeting with her hands.

"That's the point," Seacat told her.

"But isn't that unlucky?" Adora cocked her head sideways. "I've been reading those sailor stories again…"

"You have?" Seacat grinned, showing her teeth, as Adora blushed.

"Yes. And they said picking names of sunken ships was unlucky. Well, one of the characters said that."

Seacat scoffed. "Those books were written by landlubbers. Would Sea Hawk have named his ships Dragon's Daughter if that was attracting bad luck?"

Adora winced. "Well, they all sank…"

Seacat frowned at her. "They were sunk, which is a difference. Victory's Daughter won't sink!" She wouldn't let her. And she wouldn't let the Captain sink her.

Unless, a voice whispered in the back of her mind, it was needed to save the world. Or Adora.

"Are you sure?" Adora asked.

"Yes." Seacat nodded firmly. "She won't sink."

"And she won't burn down, blow up, get stuck on a reef?"

She narrowed her eyes at her lover. "Just how many of those stories did you read?"

"Uh…" Adora bit her lower lip in that cute manner of hers and twirled her fingers. "All of them? I mean, all of them that I could find? I wanted to learn more about sailing!"

"Didn't we get you real sailing books?" Seacat asked.

Adora hunched her shoulders a little. "I also was… well…" She blushed again.

Seacat smiled as she shook her head. Her lover was too cute like that.

She hesitated a moment, then took a step and leaned into Adora's side with a contented sigh. "Did you know that there's a rumour that she's a wedding gift for us?"

"What?" Adora pulled away. "A wedding gift? For us?" she blurted out.

Seacat nodded. "That's what some people say. It's a good cover, I think, for our mission."

"Really? But…" Adora swallowed. "A wedding?"

"A wedding gift." Seacat snorted. "Don't worry, we don't have to marry for our cover."

"Oh."

Did Adora sound disappointed? It seemed so. At least to Seacat. She licked her lips, then added in a lower voice: "If we marry, it won't be for a mission or because others say we have to. It'll be for us."

Adora made a strange sound, and Seacat found herself lifted up and hugged.

It was entirely unfitting for a captain on board her own ship.

Seacat didn't mind.

*****​

"Give it another try!" Entrapta's voice sounded up through the small pipe leading from the bridge down to the hold - a speaking tube, she called it. "I think I've worked out all the problems now!"

Seacat took a deep breath. She trusted the princess, she really did, but… hearing about things like 'this should prevent the engine from tearing up the ship, now' wasn't really comforting. And yet… No. Entrapta knew what was at stake. She pushed the lever next to the steering wheel forward.

And she heard the engine in the hold starting to hum as the ship - Victory's Daughter - began to move.

Licy cheered. As did Adora.

"Working nicely!" Entrapta reported through the speaking tube. "Push her further!"

They had to leave the port first, so they wouldn't ram the mole or another ship - Salinas was the busiest port in all the Seas, especially now with the war over. But that was easily accomplished with a few turns.

And then they were on the open sea, and Seacat was pushing the lever as far ahead as she could.

And Victory's Daughter, her ship, raced on the waves.

*****​
 
Chapter 55: The Voyage South
Chapter 55: The Voyage South

"Full speed ahead!" Seacat yelled into the speaking tube.

"Copy, full speed ahead!" Entrapta's tinny voice sounded through the tube - and through the open hatch leading down to the hold.

A moment later, the Victory's Daughter seemed to jump forward as the engine propelled it through the waves at ever-increasing speed. Seacat bared her teeth in a wide grin at the wind hitting her face - this was great! Perfect!

"Shouldn't we save some fuel?" Adora asked.

"We aren't going to sprint the whole trip," Seacat told her. "But we need to put her through her paces to test the engine."

"Are you talking about Entrapta or the ship?"

Seacat frowned at her lover. Adora's humour was sometimes lacking. "The ship."

"Ah." Adora nodded with a serious expression. "And why did you use the speaky-tube instead of the controls here?" She pointed at the levers next to the steering wheel.

"To test them," Seacat told her. "I'll test the controls later."

"Ah. Didn't we test the ship yesterday?"

"We did. But this is her maiden voyage. We have to test her endurance now." You never caught everything that needed fixing when fitting out. Entrapta would have to teach the crew about running the engine, too, Seacat reminded herself. Well, running it wasn't really difficult - Seacat could do it already. Unless the new engine was markedly more complex than the others Entrapta had made. The princess hadn't said so, though. But repairing it? Learning that would be difficult. And finding someone who knew more about engines wouldn't be easy, either. Fortunately, they had sails if they ever lost the engine on a voyage.

And for this, they had the best person for the job with them. Entrapta could probably whip up a new engine out of some scraps and some spare parts from Emily. Not that the princess would ever do that to Emily, though, Seacat added to herself as she looked at the bot standing in the middle of the deck, just before the swivel gun in the bow.

"So…"

Seacat looked at Adora. "What?"

"How long will we run at full speed?"

"An hour, I'd say. Enough to test it thoroughly." Seacat looked behind - Salineas was already growing smaller. How fast the ship was! Her ship. Faster than anything she had ever sailed.

"Huzzah!" The Captain seemed to share her impression. "This is like riding the lightning!" He grabbed a line and jumped, swinging around the mast and landing in the rigging.

"He didn't actually ride the lightning, did he?" Adora asked.

Seacat glanced at her. She should know better than to ask such a silly question. Then again, it was the Captain… "No. But he'd do it if he ever had the opportunity."

Her lover laughed at that.

"We're burning a lot of crystals." Mermista had climbed the stairs to the bridge.

"We need to put her through her paces," Seacat repeated herself.

"Yes. I'm just wondering about the availability of crystals," Mermista said, leaning against the railing. "With all frigates getting engines installed, and couriers as well… It's not going to be cheap to keep them supplied. And mines run out. Eventually."

Right. Seacat hadn't considered that. Transports could just sail, but warships and couriers needed engines once everyone else had them. "Did anyone check how large the crystal supply is?" she asked.

"I've sent Admiral Barton to investigate," Mermista said.

Seacat frowned - the name didn't ring a bell.

"She was recently promoted for her actions during the war," the princess explained. "She's good at administration and logistics."

A good choice, then. "Well, if the crystals run out, we'll have to see if we find alternatives. Wasn't Entrapta looking into engines using wood?"

"She was, yes. But they are very inefficient," Mermista replied. "I don't have the exact numbers, but we would need a lot of wood to fuel an engine for a frigate. We would have to sacrifice firepower - or restrict the engine to combat and emergencies. And wood takes time to grow. We can't sacrifice our forests for fuel; we need them for building ships."

"Perfuma might be able to help out," Adora said with a smile. "I bet she can grow wood with a thought."

"Yes." Mermista didn't sound very happy about it.

Even Adora noticed it. "What's the problem?"

"We would depend entirely on her. That's not a good idea," the princess explained. "And what if she retires? Or dies?"

"Oh." Adora blinked. "I didn't think about that.

Seacat nodded. "The Horde didn't really train long-term planning."

"No, they didn't." Adora frowned. "Hey!"

Seacat chuckled. But she was a little concerned about their future. Although that was a problem they could - and had to - tackle after saving Etheria. How to fuel your fleet wasn't really important if everyone died when the planet blew up.

*****​

Later that day, they were running under sail, with the engine turned off, and everyone was on deck, relaxing in the warm afternoon sun.

Well, Entrapta was going through a stack of notes double her height, but that was relaxing for her. Seacat wasn't quite sure that Bow, who was helping her, felt the same, but he was a grown man; he could decide for himself whether or not he'd take a break. And Perfuma and the Horde princess were making plans about 'revitalising' more of the Fright Zone. Castaspella, who had made it to Salienas after her detour to Mystacore in time to join them, was leaning over the railing and puking her guts out.

But everyone else except for Horas, who was manning the bridge, was relaxing. Seacat was leaning against Adora's legs on the main deck. Well away from Emily, in case a wave hit the ship and made the bot slide around despite the lines lashing it to the deck. And watching Glimmer trying to avoid showing how unhappy she was that Bow was busy.

Seacat hid her grin when the princess turned towards them. "So! How much longer until we reach the island?"

"About a week or a little longer, depending on the wind," Seacat told her. "That hasn't changed since we've left port."

Glimmer frowned for a moment. "Can't we go faster with the engine?"

"We might run out of fuel if we do that," Seacat replied.

"Don't we have a hold full of fuel crystals? There's barely room for everyone to hang a hammock."

"If we run into trouble, we might need all that," Mermista cut in - probably annoyed at the implied criticism of the supplies provided by the Salinean Navy.

"Trouble?" Glimmer snorted. "In a pinch, I can drop bombs on a ship. Or She-Ra," she added with a grin.

Seacat frowned, but Adora laughed. "Oh, yes! Drop me on an enemy ship, and I start slicing and dicing!" After a moment, she added: "Well, they wouldn't blow themselves up, would they?"

"I haven't heard of any Headhunters deserting with a ship," Mermista said. "Hey, Princess Scorpia! Do you know of any Headhunters in your navy?"

"What?"

"We're wondering if we might encounter people who are willing to blow up their ship to get us," Adora explained.

"Who would do that?" the Horde princess gasped.

"Your Headhunters?" Seacat replied with a frown.

"Who wouldn't?" Sea Hawk spoke up. "It's a tried and true way to sink an enemy ship! I've done it myself; I can vouch for its efficacy!"

"No, I don't know of any such people," the bug princess said. "Most Headhunters who deserted went into the Crimson Waste.

"We're not going to blow up my ship," Seacat said with a slight growl. She'd gut anyone suggesting that! Unless it was absolutely necessary. "We can outrun anything big enough to threaten us. Provided we have enough fuel."She flashed her fangs at Glimmer. Just a little.

Glimmer pouted. "Well, what other threats are out there? Sea Monsters?"

"I can deal with them!" Adora said at once.

"We know," Seacat commented, remembering that particular trip. Her first voyage with Adora. So long ago… She sighed at the memories.

"Something wrong?" Adora asked.

"No. Just remembering how you jumped into the water to kill a sea monster," Seacat told her.

"Oh." Adora chuckled, though it sounded a little forced." Well, that wasn't my finest moment. I so wanted to show off."

"Well, you did - and it was impressive," Seacat said, turning her head to smile at her.

"Thanks."

They stared at each other. Seacat licked her lips. If she shifted a little - well, a lot - she could…

"You're so sweet!" Licy blurted out.

Alcy's sigh was heard across the entire deck. "Licy!"

"What? It's true!"

"You just interrupted them!"

"Oh! Sorry! Please continue! Just ignore me, Captain!"

Seacat stared at the other sailor. Licy was beaming at her as if this was normal. She glanced at Sea Hawk, who was openly smirking. Great.

That part of being a captain she could've done without.

Then Adora pulled her into her lap.

"Hey!" Seacat squirmed, but Adora held her tightly. And trying to force the issue would make her look even more ridiculous than sitting in her lover's lap already did. So she sighed and leaned back. "Any trouble with the ship?" she asked.

"No. Everything's shipshape!" Licy replied.

"We've adjusted the rigging a little, but that was it," Alcy added.

"My yards do good work," Mermista stated with a grin.

"Still, this is a new design…" Seacat lightly bit her lower lip.

"But I've built it upon tested designs!" Entrapta announced. "And I ran the calculations three times! So far, everything's coming out correctly!"

"Let's hope it stays that way," Seacat said, leaning into Adora. Just a nice, peaceful trip, and then they could deal with the First One's mess.

*****​

A few days later, they were deep in the Southern Sea, and the temperature told. Seacat, standing on the bridge, shook her head at the sight of Glimmer, who was lying spread-eagled on the main deck under a sunscreen. The princess hadn't stopped complaining about the heat for the last hour. Which was kind of impressive, actually.

Entrapta was in the hold, working on some 'fan-system' that should help with the temperature. Or so she claimed - she'd been down there since the morning. Seacat hoped that Horas, who was sleeping after his watch on the bridge at night, wouldn't be disturbed by whatever the princess was building.

She didn't think, really didn't think, about Sea Hawk and Mermista 'resting' in the captain's cabin. As if Mermista truly had felt faint! And she ignored Castaspella, who still hadn't gotten over her sea sickness. Or over the railing.

"Ah! This feels nice!"

Seacat turned her head to look at the Horde princess stomping over the deck. The big woman spread her arms. "It's almost like home!"

"A little too warm," Perfuma, who seemed to be glued to the Horde princess's side for the trip, said.

"Oh. I forgot you grew up in colder forests. I'm sorry."

"No, no! It's OK. I can handle it. You shouldn't feel sorry for being happy about the weather."

"But if you're suffering…"

"I'm not suffering! I'm merely… unused to the temperature," Perfuma retorted.

"Still, perhaps we should get into the shade. I've seen soldiers collapse in the heat."

"I'm no soldier."

"That doesn't mean you can't catch a sunburn. Or a heatstroke." The big woman picked the princess up and carried her to the sunscreen.

Seacat shook her head at their antics. It wasn't that hot. And the heat had some good parts, too.

She looked behind her, where Adora and Bow were working on the swivel gun, and smiled. Her lover was wearing the sailor's outfit Seacat had picked for her - which almost matched her own - and it showed off her body much better than her usual uniform.

"We're ready for gunnery practice!" Licy yelled from the bow.

Right. Gunnery practice. Horas better had slept enough. "Fetch a target!" Seacat yelled. "And call Horas to throw it."

"No need!" Licy yelled back. "There's a driftwood ahead!"

Driftwood? In the middle of the sea? Not unheard of, of course - driftwood could travel far in the currents of the sea - but… "Belay that! Let's first take a look at the wood!" she called out.

"Do you think it might be a floating bomb?" Adora asked.

"Here? No." And if it was, it would probably be inert anyway; after so much time in the water, the seals would have failed, and the powder would've been ruined. At least Seacat hoped so. There had been incidents with transport ships encountering floating bombs near the coast, even after the war had officially ended.

"So, why are we taking a look at it?"

Seacat grinned. "So we know where it's from. You can find out a lot from driftwood."

"Ah." Adora nodded. "Another thing I need to learn." She nibbled on her lower lip, which made her look very cute but also showed that she wasn't feeling completely happy about this.

"It's not that important," Seacat assured her. "And most of it is common sense. Hey, Perfuma might be able to tell us much more about the wood thanks to her own knowledge about plants."

"Right." Adora smiled.

Seacat turned the ship a little - the wind's direction hadn't changed, so it was easy to sail closer to the piece of wood - and they approached it. Cautiously, of course - driftwood didn't need to contain a bomb to damage a ship's hull.

Adora all but jumped into the sea, so eager was she to recover the piece of wood. She speared it with a harpoon, then pulled it out of the water with the ship's crane. "Doesn't look like a bomb," she said.

Seacat frowned. It really didn't look like a bomb - it looked like a piece of a ship's hull. "Pull it in!" she ordered.

As soon as the wood was on the deck, she took a closer look. "That's a piece of a plank," she said. She sniffed the edge. "Tar."

"Quite thick for a plank," Adora commented.

"Frigate's hull," Alcy told them.

"There aren't any Salinean frigates in this area," Seacat said. Mermista would've told them. "Which means this is a Horde frigate."

"Are you sure? It could have drifted down from the coast, couldn't it?" Adora asked.

"Yes." Seacat pointed at the edge. "This is too fresh to have spent weeks in the sea."

She didn't know what worried her more: That there might be a slightly damaged Horde frigate in the area or that something might be in the area that had sunk a Horde frigate.

*****​

They didn't find any more parts of the mysterious frigate as they continued their voyage towards Beast Island. That didn't mean anything, of course - the ocean's currents could've dispersed a frigate's worth of parts all over the Southern Sea - but Seacat didn't like it anyway.

And she kept an eye out on the sea even when she took their position shortly before sundown. Still no drifting wreck.

"What do we do if there's a Horde frigate out there? Here, I mean," Adora asked from behind her.

Without taking her eyes off the sextant - she had to check their position before sundown - she replied: "We can outsail any frigate." No Horde hulk would ever catch the Victory's Daughter!

"But what if they're blocking our way to Beast Island?"

She finished her task first before answering. They were on course. Then she turned to face Adora. "Then Glimmer drops you in the middle of the frigate's deck or on bridge, and you sink it."

"And what if they surrender?"

Then they'd have a prize. Wait - they didn't have the numbers for a prize crew. Seacat clenched her teeth. "Then we drop their guns in the sea and send them on their way. Unless they're pirates, in which case we sink the ship with them on it."

"Really?" Adora looked shocked. "But…"

"Pirates are the scum of the Seas," Seacat told her. "If we took them to Salineas, they'd hang anyway. And as the ruler of Salineas, Mermista can judge them." The pirates would even have a fair trial!

Adora still looked queasy. "And how do we know that they're pirates?"

"If they hoist the black flag," Seacat replied. "Or if they refuse to answer to Scorpia." The Horde princess could order Horde ships around, Seacat reminded herself. Although if they hadn't heard about the end of the war, even legitimate Horde ships might be suspicious of a Horde leader travelling with the leadership of the Alliance. On the other hand, Scorpia didn't know about any frigate dispatched to this area.

"They could just be deserters," Adora argued.

"And what would they be doing here, in the Southern Seas?"

"Looking for a place to live?" Adora smiled weakly.

Seacat snorted. "On Beast Island?" She blinked. "They might be trying to reach Beast Island, actually."

Adora frowned as she thought this over. "To hide?"

"Or to loot whatever is hidden on the island," Seacat said. "Or to use it as a base for piracy."

"Wouldn't it be too far away from the coast and shipping lanes for that?"

Seacat shook her head. "No. The farther away, the better - the Salineans would find a base close to the coast easily." Well, unless led by inept officers. But Mermista had been good about weeding out those during the latter parts of the war. She shook her head as she noted their position in the log.

Adora leaned against the railing and looked at the darkening sky. "I hope we don't meet the frigate."

"Then we will meet whoever or whatever sank it," Seacat said. "There's only one thing of interest in this area of the ocean, and that's Beast Island."

"I hoped this would be over, you know."

"'This'?" Seacat stowed the sextant and the log in the small chest she carried and looked at her lover.

"Killing the Horde."

Oh. "Technically, we'd be killing pirates, not the Horde. Scorpia commands the Horde, and she can order Horde ships away," she pointed out.

"It's still killing," Adora retorted. "I was just…"

"I know," Seacat said. "But pirates are a fact of life on the sea. As are bandits on land," she added - in case Adora had serious second thoughts about sailing with her.

"I know." Adora huffed. "Just… I'm tired. After this is done, can we just sail for a while? Without killing anyone?"

That depended on the pirates being smart enough not to attack them. Or bother them. But Seacat nodded, touching Adora's arm and squeezed. "We will." She cocked her head, the chest under her left arm. "And what about monsters?"

"They don't count!"

"Alright." Seacat grinned. "Let me stow this, then we can join the others for dinner." Once Alcy and Licy were done eating and could relieve them on the bridge. Technically, it only needed one person, but if they had so many people on board, two were better.

"What's for dinner?"

"Look for yourself," Seacat told her.

"You smelt it already, didn't you?"

Seacat had, but why spoil the surprise? "Perfuma's cooking."

"That doesn't narrow it down."

That was true - the princess had a very wide range of dishes. And she could grow fresh fruit and vegetables on the ship! "Just be a little patient!" Seacat replied, grinning.

"Oh, you!"

They laughed as Adora mock-chased her to their cabin.

*****​

"Ship ahead!"

Seacat jerked at Adora's call and looked up at the crow's nest. "What kind of ship!" she yelled. She couldn't just scale the rigging and take a look herself - that would make it look like she didn't trust Adora.

"Uh…" She saw Adora fiddle with the telescope. "It looks like… Horde!"

The Horde frigate! Just as she had feared. Seacat gritted her teeth. "Course?"

"North? Their sails aren't… they don't look right."

Seacat moved to the bow. She couldn't spot the enemy ship yet. "Stay the course!" she yelled at Alcy, who was at the helm of Victory's Daughter. "Get ready to start the engine in case we need to run!"

"Run?" Glimmer was at her side. "We can take a frigate!"

"Not in a gun duel. I'd rather have my ship safely out of range of their guns while Adora goes through their crew," Seacat replied. "Just in case they're not as inept at gunnery as most Horde ships."

"There shouldn't be any Horde ships here." The bug princess had joined her.

"Well, there is." Seacat trusted Adora's eyes more than the Horde's records. And… was that a speck on the horizon? She used her own telescope. Yes! That was the sail - the sails of a Horde frigate.

But they looked tattered. And they weren't… they weren't properly secured. Not even a Horde crew would be so sloppy! Had they run into a storm and had had their sails torn to shreds before they could reef? She could see the hull now - it looked intact. At least as far as she could tell.

She couldn't see any movement on board the frigate, though. No sailor on deck, none in the rigging, none on the bridge.

Seacat clenched her teeth as she felt the fur on her neck bristle. This wasn't good. "Take us closer!"

"What?" Glimmer asked.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Seacat told her.

"And so we're going to close with the frigate?" The bug princess sounded surprised. "What if it's an ambush?"

"That would be good, actually," Seacat replied. She flashed her fangs at the Horde princess. "We can deal with ambushes." The enemy wouldn't expect Adora. Or Glimmer. Or Mermista.

"What do you think it is, then?"

"I don't know," Seacat told her. "But I've got a feeling that it's bad."

As they closed with the frigate - but not too close; they wouldn't enter gun range - more details became visible.

"The ship's drifting," Seacat said. "No one's at the helm."

"And the rudder doesn't look as if it is stuck," Sea Hawk added, looking through his telescope. "The ship wasn't set adrift, then."

"No, she wasn't. And she's got an engine," Seacat said. She could see the air intakes.

"Why would the crew abandon the ship?" Entrapta asked.

Seacat could think of a few reasons, none of them good. "She doesn't look too damaged. The sails are torn, but the hull looks to be in decent shape. For a Horde frigate," she amended - they weren't built well, after all. Or designed. "So, it wasn't a fire that forced them off the ship."

"Plague?" Mermista speculated. "They should've set her on fire in that case, but…" She shrugged. "Horde sailors."

The bug princess muttered a curse under her breath at that. Seacat grinned at her. "You can't deny that your sailors are the dregs of your army."

"Not all of them are bad," the princess retorted with a scowl.

"That's not exactly a good defence," Bow pointed out.

The Horde princess grumbled some more.

"If they caught the plague while they were at sea," Seacat cut in, "they could've all died before reaching land. We can't board the ship if this is the case." She wouldn't risk Adora. Even though her lover could heal with magic.

"We can't just ignore it," Glimmer retorted.

"We won't ignore it," Seacat told her. "Best set them on fire. If we don't see any sign that she's still got crew. Licy!"

"Yes?"

"Shoot the cannon. Let's see if that gets us a reaction," Seacat said.

"Aye aye, Captain!"

Licy started to aim the cannon in the bow, and Seacat protected her ears. A moment later, the swivel gun bellowed.

Seacat watched through her telescope again. No reaction. Perhaps the frigate was… Wait! "There's someone on the deck!" she yelled. More than one - she could see sailors, Horde sailors, appearing on the deck. A lot of them.

And then the frigate started to turn towards them - someone had reached the helm.

And they were clearing the guns, Seacat saw.

Damn. "It must have been a trap."

"A trap?" Glimmer asked.

"Alcy! Turn about!" They had to keep away from those broadsides. As the Victory's Daughter turned into the wind, Seacat replied to Glimmer: "They probably tried to lure us in by making it look as if the ship was deserted."

"Who would fall for that?" Glimmer asked.

"Most captains wouldn't just ignore or sink a drifting frigate," Seacat said. "We didn't, did we?"

"But that's…" Glimmer pouted.

Seacat snorted and studied the frigate again through her telescope. "They're not using their engine," she commented. "They're trying to sail with those scraps…" She shook her head. "Keep on course!" she told Alcy as she reached the bridge.

Entrapta stuck her head out of the hold. "Do you want the engine?"

"No, not yet," Seacat told her. "We can outsail a frigate easily."

"Unless that's the trap," Glimmer said. "They want us to think that - and then when we're running under sails, they start their engine and whoosh - they jump us."

"That's not how it works," Seacat told her. "You'd have to be a Horde sailor to fall for that."

"Hey!" Ah, the Horde princess had overheard her.

Seacat grinned but ignored her and studied the enemy ship again. "They're not flying the Horde flag. Or any flag," she said. The flag could've been torn away by whatever storm had torn up the sails - and wasn't that typical for Horde sailors?

"You think they're deserters?" The Horde Princess asked.

"You didn't send a frigate down here. And no Alliance transports are going through this sea," Seacat told her. "So, they can't be a frigate that managed to break out of their blockaded port and started raiding."

"Yeah, I guess so." The Horde princess frowned as she stared at the ship behind them. "So, I guess me telling them that the war's over won't help?"

"Worth a try," Seacat said. "But the only way to get you close enough so they can hear you without getting into range of their guns would be Glimmer teleporting you onto their deck."

"Alright then." The Horde Princess nodded. "You ready, Glimmer?"

"Ah… I can only teleport you - you're a bit too big to carry both you and Adora."

The princess was braver than Seacat had expected. And a little dumber as well. "If they're deserters, they'll probably attack you. At the very least, they'll try to take you hostage," she pointed out.

The Horde princess grinned and slammed her pincers together. "They can try. I'm pretty good in a brawl."

Seacat looked at Glimmer. "That won't exhaust you? We can sail a little closer."

"Naw, that distance won't make much of a difference." Glimmer smiled.

"Alright."

"Wait!" Perfuma raised her hand.

"What?" Glimmer cocked her head at the other princess.

But Perfuma stepped up to the Horde princess. "Be careful!"

"Don't worry! They're just sailors - nothing I can't handle!"

Seacat rolled her eyes. "Just Horde sailors, you mean. I remember one sailor you couldn't handle."

But the Horde princess didn't take the bait - she kept smiling at Perfuma. Really!

Glimmer cleared her throat. "Alright. Ready?"

After a moment, the Horde princess nodded. "Ready."

Glimmer grabbed her hand, and both disappeared.

"Hey!"

Seacat looked up.

"Scorpia just appeared on the frigate's deck!" Adora yelled. "And Glimmer! Wait - Glimmer disappeared again!" Adora reported. "Wait! I thought I was the one we'd drop on the enemy deck!"

Seacat chuckled. "Scorpia's trying to order them to surrender."

"Oh. Well, she's trying to beat them into surrender, as far as I can tell," Adora replied.

Ah. Seacat checked with her telescope. Yes, there went two Horde scumbags into the sea. And another. "It seems she's doing well."

"She needs help!" Adora protested. "For the Honour of Grayskull! Glimmer! Take me over to the frigate!"

And Glimmer did. Without waiting for Seacat's permission.

Seacat clenched her teeth as she watched Adora appear on the enemy frigate and tear through the Horde scum. Well, at least there was no way the Horde could hurt Adora. Still, to teleport without permission...

Well, technically, Seacat was the Captain of the Victory's Daughter, but she wasn't in command of the whole mission. On the other hand, they were in a naval engagement, which put the entire battle under Seacat's command. Although Sea Hawk was an Admiral, and while Seacat's ship wasn't, officially or unofficially, part of the Salinean Navy, this was at least an official Alliance mission, so he could order her around. And Glimmer was the Alliance commander, so, technically, she could order everyone around.

Seacat shook her head. They had to clear that up, but that could wait until the battle was over. Which, she noted, it was - the Horde sailors still standing were just standing there, and the ship started to turn into the wind to come to a stop. And the Horde Princess and Adora were on the frigate's bridge.

"Alcy, take us closer - but don't approach from the broadsides!" Seacat ordered.

"Aye aye, Captain!"

Seacat smiled at the reply - she wouldn't ever tire of hearing this! "Let's find out what the Horde frigate was doing here!"

*****​

By the time they reached the frigate's stern, Adora had torn the guns facing aft from their carriages and was standing next to the helm. They were pretty much safe.

Seacat was still the first to climb over the Victory's Daughter's bow onto the frigate's bridge. "Hey, Adora!"

"Ca-Seacat! I mean, Captain!" She saluted with a beaming smile. "We've taken the ship!"

"And they were deserters," the Horde Princess added, carrying a man under her arm. "That's their captain, or so they claim." She dropped him onto the deck.

Seacat looked at the man. He didn't seem to be hurt, but he looked weak. Bedraggled. She crouched down. And his lips were… chapped, Dry. And, glancing around, she saw that the rest of the Horde deserters looked the same. Most couldn't even stand properly. "Did you run out of water?" she asked. That would've been stupid even for the Horde.

"Yes." The man groaned. "The water was cont...contaminated."

"What? Where did you refill?" If there were contaminated water sources, Seacat had to know. She knew how bad it was to lose your water.

"We didn't." The Horde sailor coughed. "We wanted to refill on the island, but… reefs damaged the hull - our charts were wrong."

So they had been trying to land on Beast Island. "And you wrecked your sails?"

"Thunderstorm."

"Ah." Seacat tilted her head to the side. "And how did your water get contaminated?"

"I don't know. It just went bad. We only noticed when the people started dying."

Now that was… disturbing. If it was true. It could be sabotage - she remembered Svetana, the Horde spy who had almost made them die from thirst on the Dragon's Daughter V when they beached the ship for repairs. But who would do that to the Horde and not reveal themselves now? "Is anyone missing from the crew?" she asked.

The Horde captain looked at the broken railing next to him.

Seacat rolled her eyes. "I meant before She-Ra and Princess Scorpia boarded you."

"What? No. Everyone was accounted for."

So the saboteur would have been still on the ship. Why hadn't they come forward now that the Horde ship had been taken? Could they have been killed in the fighting? It was possible, of course, but… unless the bug princess was even dumber than Seacat thought, she would have opened with the fact that the war was over, which should have given any Alliance spy pause, at least. And once Adora joined the princess, it should've been clear; everyone knew She-Ra.

Seacat looked at the main deck. Unless the spy had been flattened by Adora's arrival. Or killed before they could say anything. That was possible, at least.

"Alright. So, we have a mysterious saboteur," she said.

"Or the barrels were defective," Mermista - who had joined them with Sea Hawk - pointed out. "If they had some defect that poisoned the water, like the early cans with their soldering…" She trailed off with a grim expression.

Seacat shuddered at the reminder. Sea Hawk had told her about ships' crews slowly poisoning themselves by eating canned food before everyone had realised that they couldn't use lead to seal the cans. Sailors had thought they could finally avoid getting scurvy for good but had made things far worse instead. Fortunately, that had been far before her time. "We'll have to inspect them, then. Examine them." And, of course, send someone to guard their own water supplies. Just in case there was a saboteur around who hated both the Horde and the Alliance. Like a pirate would.

"And… do you have some water to spare?" The Horde captain looked at her with a pitiful expression.

Seacat blinked. Spare water for close to two hundred sailors? And that was taking a lot of losses and casualties into account.

Damn. She hadn't considered that. And the Horde scum were prisoners.

*****​

"We don't need to waste water on them," Mermista said a little later, back on the Victory's Daughter. "They are deserters turned pirates."

"We still can't let them die of thirst!" Adora protested.

"Well, I guess we can hang them before that," Mermista admitted.

Bow looked queasy at that comment. As did Glimmer, though the princess tried to hide it and nodded.

"What?" Perfuma, though, didn't hide her reaction. "We can't just… We can't!"

"Piracy is a capital crime," Sea Hawk explained. "The Law of the Sea is clear on that."

"But…" Adora looked surprised. "We've had former pirates in the Alliance!"

Like Licy and Alcy, of course.

"Pardoned pirates," Mermista said. "We captured those pirates in the act." She crossed her arms. "And I don't see them volunteering to fight the Horde."

"They probably would, if we asked them, given the alternative," Bow said.

"And did they even do any piracy?" Adora asked. "They deserted after the war ended and fled to this area. Before that, they were raiding, but that was OK, wasn't it?"

Seacat frowned. Her lover was correct. Technically, the deserters hadn't yet boarded any ships. They had been ready to attack the Victory's Daughter, though. On the other hand, they had been dying of thirst...

"And they were desperate," Perfuma argued. "We can't just… kill them like this!"

"But can we save them?" Glimmer looked around. "We don't have enough water for hundreds of people. Even if we gave them all our water, they wouldn't make it back to a port or an island with water, would they?"

They wouldn't. Seacat knew that. Without water, not even the Victory's Daughter running under full sails and with the engine at maximum speed could reach land before they died from thirst. The former Horde tub? No chance at all. Hanging the scum would be a mercy. Hell, throwing them into the sea or sinking the ship with them tied to the rigging would be a mercy!

"Can you magic up some water?" Bow asked Mermista.

"I can't turn saltwater to freshwater," she replied.

"Don't ask me," Castaspella, still green in the face - the sorceress had the worst sealegs Seacat had ever seen - spoke up. "I don't know any spell that would create water."

"We just need salt removed from the seawater?" Entrapta asked.

"Yes?" Seacat cocked her head at the princess.

"I can do that!" Entrapta beamed at them. "Give me an hour, and I'll whip up a machine to desalinate the water!"

"Enough water to save the Horde crew?" Adora checked.

"Yes! I might need to dismantle the Horde engine for parts, but it's an easy principle. You just need to turn the seawater into steam and then condense it into liquid again. Easy!" Entrpata nodded enthusiastically.

That was easy? If this worked, it would revolutionise sailing as much as the engines did! Entrapta really was a genius. "Alright," Seacat said, nodding. This was her decision as the captain. "Do that. We can figure out what to do with the prisoners once they aren't dying of thirst any more."

"Alright!"

Seacat looked at Adora.

"I'll ensure no one bothers her," Adora said.

"Good." With the Horde crew crazy from thirst, they might get desperate. More desperate. "And we'll take a look at the water barrels."

*****​

"The barrels look OK," Mermista said later. "I can't find any source for the contamination."

"Nor can I," Sea Hawk added.

Seacat couldn't find any problem either. "So… poison?"

"Probably," Mermista said. "But who would have carried poison with them on the frigate. They didn't encounter any other ships on their trip down here."

"It's definitely poison," Castaspella stated. She looked better on the bigger ship - less movement from the waves, Seacat noted. "And it was done by magic," the sorceress went on. "The aura is unmistakable."

Magic? Seacat clenched her teeth. They had a magical saboteur on board?

*****​
 
Chapter 56: The Reef
Chapter 56: The Reef

"Magic?" Seacat clenched her teeth as she looked at Castaspella. She gestured at the barrels in the Horde frigate's hold. "You mean the water here has been poisoned by magic?"

The other woman nodded. "By a spell, as far as I can tell. A recent casting - I could make out some lingering magical residue."

"A spell." Seacat nodded.

"Which means we're dealing with a sorcerer, not a princess," Castaspella added.

"I'm aware of that," Seacat told her. She had spent a lot of time with princesses, after all.

"Many aren't aware of the differences between the two," Castaspella replied. "They just think all magic is the same."

Seacat tilted her head at the sorceress. "I'm quite familiar with the differences. We have been discussing runestones a lot, remember?" That came out a little sharper than she had wanted, but the sorceress's attitude grated on her. "I'm more concerned with what this means. Do we have a sorceress hidden amongst the crew? And can they poison our water supplies? From how far away? And how noticeable is such a spell?"

"Those are very good questions." Castaspella smiled as if she were in a lesson. "Unfortunately, I haven't identified the spell, so I cannot answer them. Neither can I tell if the poison was created by magic, or merely transported by magic. It's been too long since it was cast."

Great.

Mermista groaned and rolled her eyes but, fortunately, didn't comment on that.

"So, our water supply could be poisoned already." Seacat shook her head. "You need to test for magic regularly. And we'll need one of those water-makers for the Victory's Daughter."

Castaspella nodded - to Seacat's surprise without adding anything.

She huffed. "And now we need to find a way to deal with a ship full of Horde prisoners. We'll discuss this on our ship."

"Indeed!" Sea Hawk agreed.

She climbed up the ladder to the main deck. The bug princess was talking to the assembled prisoners - well, most of them. Two were dripping wet, so they were probably amongst those who had been thrown overboard during the fighting and had managed to stay afloat long enough to get rescued.

"...and the Fright Zone has changed! It's full of fields and plants now - and cooler than before. Not by much, it's still warm, but it's not the same as you have known!" the princess said, gesticulating with her massive pincers. "And we're at peace! You don't have to worry about war any more!"

"How is that possible?" one Horde sailor asked. A few more muttered various curses about the princess lying, though Seacat didn't think anyone except for her could hear those.

"That's my work," Perfuma said, smiling at them. "I'm Princess Perfuma of Plumeria."

The front rank of the prisoners backed away a little at Perfuma's declaration. Obviously, her reputation had preceded her - if they had known her, they wouldn't be afraid, in Seacat's opinion. Even though they probably should be afraid; Seacat could imagine what an angry Perfuma could do.

But here and now, Perfuma wasn't angry. She beamed at the scum and held up her hand. "I can make plants grow," she said. "Look!"

From the seed in her hand, a sapling grew in seconds, turning into a small plant - a small tree - and bearing fruits. Everyone stared, and the curses turned into exclamations of surprise.

"Tiny fruits!" A purple strand of hair shot towards the small apple tree and grabbed a fruit. A moment later, Entrapta was munching on the apple. "Oh, delicious!"

The Horde scum had retreated some more. Apparently, magical hair tentacles were scarier than magically growing plants. At least to those who didn't know better.

"Entrapta? Did you finish the water-maker?"

"Yes! I told you it would be easy, didn't I?" Entrapta laughed. "It's already working in the hold." She frowned. "But I might need more barrels. I only had a bucket, and the water might start to overflow. Actually, it might be overflowing already - it was a small bucket."

Seacat resisted the urge to slap her forehead. "Alright. Castaspella, can you clean the water barrels so they can hold freshwater?"

"I should be able to, yes."

"Do so. Entrapta, please help her set up the barrels."

"Water!"

"They're making water!"

"Water!"

"Water!"

Anyone with ears could hear those mutterings. Seacat grimaced. "Scorpia, please ensure that the barrels are brought up as soon as they are full. And keep the prisoners from accidentally wrecking the machine."

"Uh… right." The bug princess nodded, smashed her pincers together and smiled - with teeth - at the Horde sailors. "You heard her! Water's coming! Behave until then, you hear?" her stinger twitched above her head.

Once more, the sailors tried to back off - but they were already pressing into the railing, so they only pushed into each other. At least they seemed cowed enough not to make trouble. As long as the water came quickly, at least.

Entrapta's head appeared in the open hatch. "Uh… can someone run the pumps? I kind of underestimated my machine's efficiency…" She smiled widely and forcedly.

Seacat closed her eyes. Right. She should've expected that.

*****​

"They're pirates. They should hang." Mermista didn't quite sneer, but she came close, Seacat saw - even in the dimmer light of the hold of the Victoria's Daughter. If only the captain's cabin were big enough to fit everyone but Alcy, Lucy, Horas and Entrapta, who were over on the frigate!

"But they haven't done any pirating yet!" Adora protested.

"The important word is 'yet'," Mermista retorted. "They deserted to become pirates."

"But they didn't do any pirating," the bug princess cut in with a deep frown.

"They tried to take over Beast Island," Glimmer pointed out.

"They didn't succeed," Adora said.

"So? If they had tried to board us and failed, wouldn't it count as piracy either?" Mermista sniffed. "In fact, they did try to fight us."

"After we fired a warning shot. And they were mad with thirst," Perfuma said. "We can't blame them for overreacting in those circumstances."

Of course they could, in Seacat's opinion. They were Horde scum and pirates. Still...

"Beast Island is ours - mine - so I should be able to decide whether or not that counts, shouldn't I?" the bug princess asked. "And, ah, I say it doesn't count. So there!" She crossed her arms and huffed.

"Beast Island isn't yours! You lost it years ago when you abandoned it to whatever had taken over," Glimmer said.

"What? That was a temporary setback. And it wasn't my decision!" the bug princess protested. "You didn't think the territory we conquered was ours, either, did you?"

"We beat you," Glimmer told her. "That's not the same."

"Uh… It's not about the island," Bow said. "It's about what we're going to do with the prisoners."

"According to the law of the sea, we took their ship in battle, and so she's ours. We can send her back to Salineas with a prize crew," the Captain said.

"We can't actually spare a prize crew," Seacat pointed out. "We need everyone for the mission. And even if we could spare a crew, we couldn't spare enough to keep the prisoners in line and crew the ship."

Sea Hawk coughed into his fist. "Well, yes, but that's just the reality of our circumstances, not the law."

"And the law also says that pirates hang," Mermista added.

"They haven't actually done any piracy," Adora tried again.

"Only because they didn't have the opportunity," Mermista said.

"They might have abandoned their plans anyway once they heard about the changes to the Fright Zone," the bug princess retorted.

Unsurprisingly, Perfuma agreed. "Yes! We can't just assume the worst and kill people for something they might or might not have done!"

"And what are our alternatives?" Glimmer asked. "We can't just set them free and hope they won't turn to piracy anyway; that would make us responsible for everyone they kill."

"And for every ship they sink," Mermista added.

"We can't just kill them without a trial," Bow retorted, frowning at Glimmer. "They surrendered, and we accepted their surrender."

"We're not at war any more, anyway," Adora said.

"But we're at sea, and we fought them." Seacat shook her head. "That's different from fighting bandits. I think."

"It's actually not very different," Glimmer said. "We just have fewer rules for looting their stuff."

"We're not talking about loot," Bow spoke up again. "We are discussing what to do with two hundred Horde sailors!"

"Former Horde sailors." Mermista scoffed.

"I can take them all back into service - I think I said something about that," the Horde princess said.

Perfuma nodded twice. "You did at least imply that there was a place for them in the new Fright Zone. It would be unjust to turn around and kill them for something they didn't do."

"At least without a trial," Bow repeated himself.

"We can hold a trial," Mermista said. "Try them for piracy. Attempted piracy."

"We would need a defender for them," Bow countered. "And the defender would need time to prepare the case."

"Yes. The trial has to be fair," Sea Hawk said, then cringed at Mermista's glare. "It's the law of the sea."

"So, we can't hold a trial here. And we can't keep them prisoners." Adora nodded. "Which means we have to let them go."

"We can't keep their ship? It's much nicer than ours," Castaspella said.

"What?" Seacat glared at her. "It's a tub! A swimming hulk! The Victory's Daughter beats her on all counts!"

"I get much less sick over there," the sorceress replied. She did look a little green in the face, Seacat noted.

"Anyway - no, we don't have room for the Horde crew. We can't keep the ship. And we can't count on being able to drop them off at Beast Island," Seacat said.

"And we can't kill them without trial," Bow repeated himself again.

"We can't expect them to show up for a trial, though. If we set them free, they'll get away," Mermista said.

"So?" Adora replied. "They didn't actually do anything yet. And we can dump their guns in the ocean so they can't attack another ship."

That seemed to be a decent compromise. They couldn't waste too much time on this, anyway - not with Etheria still in danger.

Seacat nodded. "Who's in favour of disarming the ship and sending them to the Fright Zone?"

Adora raised her hand, as did the bug princess, Perfuma and Bow. After a moment, Seacat raised her hand as well. And that sealed it.

*****​

Adora was quite enthusiastic about throwing the guns overboard. Seacat, standing on the bridge of the Victory's Daughter, shook her head with a smile as she watched her lover on the Horde frigate heave and launch a carronade over the railing. The splash the gun made as it hit the water almost reached the deck. Thanks to her strength, the Horde ship would be disarmed in no time - before all of the Horde sailors had gotten their first drink of fresh water, Seacat guessed. Not that it mattered - the Horde sailors hadn't any fight left in them. Certainly not after that demonstration. And if they had, they wouldn't have any weapons - the bug princess and Perfuma were throwing the crossbows and swords overboard.

"That was a good decision."

She turned. Sea Hawk had joined her on the bridge and he was smiling brightly at her. She couldn't see Mermista.

"My dear Mermista is resting," Sea Hawk said.

That probably meant sulking in the cabin - Seacat's cabin. Mermista hadn't taken the decision to let the Horde sailors go gracefully. Seacat glanced down to the door leading belowdecks.

The Captain leaned against the railing next to her. "She's not mad. Well, not really."

Seacat snorted.

"She just needs a little time to come around," Sea Hawk insisted. "You know her - she likes to have her way, but she won't hold it against you."

"You think it was a good decision?" Seacat asked. He hadn't voted for it, after all. Then again, Mermista might have taken that badly. If Seacat had voted against Adora… No, Adora would've understood. Eventually.

"Yes." Sea Hawk blinked. "Well, it was good to see you make the decision, I mean. You've come a long way from the little girl I found so long ago. Well, not so long ago, actually."

She snorted at his comment so she wouldn't sniffle. "It's been a few years."

"And you've become a great sailor - and now a captain." He nodded at her. "It's a big step, becoming captain of your own ship. I remember my first ship and my first crew. I was older than you were but much less prepared. I think. And I think my crew would agree."

"You taught me well," Seacat said.

"As well as I could, at least, though one always wonders what one could've done better." He sighed. "But you handled the decisions well. You know your ship and the sea. You have your crew in hand. And your heart's in the right place. A sailor can't ask for more from a captain."

Seacat nodded, pressing her lips together for a moment so she wouldn't blurt out something embarrassing or stupid. "You'll still be my captain." She clenched her teeth right afterwards. So much for not saying something stupid.

He laughed, though. "That's normal. I still remember my first captain - well, the first I liked. My actual first captain wasn't… Anyway, I'm proud of you. Very proud. And I wanted to let you know. I know you'll be a great captain. The greatest."

"After you," Seacat replied.

"Greater." He twirled his moustache. "A child is supposed to eclipse their parents, after all."

She stiffened. That was… well, they hadn't really talked about that. And she wasn't sure if she wanted to touch that. It was a little much to handle. Not that she had ever doubted that he loved her. Not after she had gotten to know him. But to hear it like that… "Does that make Mermista my mother?" she asked, forcing herself to grin.

"In a sense, yes," he replied at once. "She certainly feels protective of you. Always has, actually, even if she tried to hide it."

"Don't let her hear that," Seacat told him. "She'll think you called her old."

He laughed at that. "Probably. But she'll know what I mean." He looked at the sea. "She's a formidable woman. But so are you. I'm proud of you both."

"I'm proud of you," Seacat replied. She sniffled. Once. "You taught me all I know."

"Oh, hardly. I tried my best, but some things you have to find out for yourself." He laughed again, though it sounded a little forced. Was he feeling embarrassed as well? He rarely was and never showed it, in her experience.

She nodded. Ahead of them, another gun hit the ocean.

"Anyway." He reached out and grabbed her shoulder. "You'll do fine. I just wanted to let you know."

Before they continued to Beast Island. To save the world. "Thank you." She hesitated a moment, then turned to hug him. She didn't let go of him for a while. And ignored his sniffles like he ignored hers.

*****​

"Reef ahead!" Licy, who was serving as lookout, called from above.

"Just where it's supposed to be," Seacat commented after a glance at the charts, which they had updated with the charts taken from the Horde ship, before sending the scum on their way. At least their water hadn't been poisoned, so the odds of the sorcerer hiding amongst the Horde crew were low.

"Island ahead!"

"That, too," Seacat said. "Stay the course but slow down," she told Horas, who was at the helm. "Alcy, go to the bow, check for underwater reefs."

"Aye aye, Captain!" The woman saluted, which earned her a snort from Seacat.

Horas merely grunted, which was good enough - they weren't in the Navy.

Seacat moved to the railing overlooking the main deck, then vaulted over it, landing on the deck. Another jump and she was in the rigging, scaling up to the crow's nest.

She wanted to see the island with her own eyes.

"It's straight ahead," Licy said.

"I see it," Seacat replied, wrapped her arm around the rigging's lines and pulled out her telescope.

Beast Island looked like any other jungle island to her. At least at first glance. Some beaches, then the jungle, covering the entire island including the central hill. Big enough to have its own water source - they knew that from the Horde records. But…

"I see no buildings. Or ruins," she said. "There should be a small harbour with a pier." She quickly ran a calculation through her head. Yes, they were on a course that should show the harbour. "No ships or their remains, either. Wait!"

She focused on the beaches. There - that stone formation was too even. Too straight. And in the water… "There was a port there," she said. "But it's gone except for the foundations."

Someone must have razed it.

*****​

"The harbour is gone?" Mermista looked taken aback. "Who would've done such a thing?"

"Someone who wants to discourage visitors?" Adora suggested. "No harbour, no ships?"

"You don't need a harbour to make landfall," Seacat pointed out. "Razing the port facilities makes the island less attractive, but since it's the only island in the area, it's still the only option for a base. Or to get freshwater."

"Yes." Sea Hawk nodded. "Though it also makes it less obvious that the island is or was inhabited."

"Which makes it easier to surprise an unsuspecting crew." Seacat nodded.

"You mean it's a trap?" Glimmer asked.

Seacat shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first island or peninsula that serves as a trap for ships. Though usually, they lure them into reefs with fake lighthouses, then plunder the cargo." And kill any survivors. She'd heard tales of such bottom feeders. Entire villages working together… Worse than pirates.

"Do you think that whoever is behind this was behind the poisoning of the Horde frigate's water?" Bow asked. "But they let them go, didn't they?"

"They would need a ship to collect a drifting frigate," Mermista said, "though she wouldn't have to be a large one. A boat would suffice to carry enough crew to take the ship to the island."

"But where would they take the ship?" Adora asked. "If there's no port."

"Good question." Seacat smiled at her. "We don't know anything concrete - this is just speculation."

"Yes." Bow nodded. "The island could've been razed by someone who left already."

"I doubt that," Castaspella spoke up. She shook her head, then grimaced and closed her eyes. "Sorry."

Seacat made an agreeing noise. The woman really had no sea legs at all.

"This is the location of the First One's base," Castaspella went on. "If they razed the Horde facilities, then that was likely done to make the island look uninhabited - to hide the actual base."

"We didn't know about the First One's base, so it was already hidden," the bug princess pointed out.

"Someone wanted to hide it better?" Adora shrugged. "No people on the island means no chance the base can be found."

"Other than the people who did the razing," Seacat said. "We have to assume that they are still there."

"Scavengers. Looters. Tomb raiders." Mermista scowled. "And well-organised ones, if they could raze a port."

"We might be dealing with a kingdom," Glimmer said. "They would have the resources for such an expedition. But which kingdom? Few have the ships for this."

"They can find ships with experienced crews for hire," Sea Hawk told them. "But where would the ship be?"

"So… we might have to deal with a princess?" Adora asked.

"It's a possibility," Glimmer said. "Unless this is the work of the Horde."

Seacat nodded. Shadow Weaver would've loved plundering a First One's base. And she might have sent a secret expedition behind Hordak's back. "Right. We have to be prepared for anything. And we need to find a way through the reefs." Before they could find out who was on the island, they needed to reach the island first.

"How do we do that?" Adora asked. "Go diving?"

"No," Seacat told her. "We'll use the longboat. Mermista can keep the currents from smashing it against a reef, and we can find the safe channel like that."

"It'll be tiring, but I can't think of a better way," Mermista agreed.

While underwater reefs would slice open the hull of any ship, even a small courier like the Victory's Daughter, a longboat would be able to pass safely over all but the most shallow ones. But the visible reefs...

"Fret not! We shall find the safe passage in no time!" Sea Hawk announced. "My dear Mermista rules the oceans as their queen! No depths hold any secrets from her, nor does any current resist her command! Other than the Maelstrom, of course."

"And the rest of us wait on the ship?" Glimmer asked, apparently ignoring the Captain's declaration.

"Yes," Seacat told her. "Most of you wouldn't be able to help." Well, Entrapta might be able to whip up a device, but she would probably have to use the engine for parts.

Both Glimmer and Adora frowned. "And you're going too?" Adora asked.

"Yes."

"No. As the captain of the Victory's Daughter, your place is here!" Sea Hawk contradicted her.

Seacat opened her mouth to set him straight - if she was the captain, then her word was law, and the longboat belonged to her ship - but closed it again. He was right, damn it!

"Good!" Adora nodded. Rather sharply, Seacat noted. "And we'll be ready to come to your aid, should anything happen. Glimmer can fetch you in the blink of an eye."

"Excellent! Let's go!" Sea Hawk raised his fist to the sky. "We shall brave the reefs and pave the way for the island! Adventure!"

Mermista shook her head and dragged him towards the longboat before he could say anything more.

*****​

"They'll be alright," Seacat said as the longboat pulled away from the Victory's Daughter. Sea Hawk was standing in the bow, ready with the sounding line to measure the depth of the water, and Mermista was using her magic to guide the boat through the waves.

"Of course they'll be," Glimmer said. "I'm keeping an eye on them."

"It's an awfully strong current, though," Adora pointed out. "We have to run the engine just to stay in place."

"You should see the Maelstrom one of those days," Seacat told her with a grin. "It makes this current look like a gentle wave on the beach."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's suicide to enter it, but we can safely sail close to it," she explained. "Any sailor should've seen the Maelstrom at least once to understand how mighty the ocean is." That's what the Captain had taught her, and he was correct.

"I should be able to build an engine stronger than that!" Entrapta piped up.

"And a hull that can withstand it as well, without getting crushed?" Seacat asked.

"It's just applied physics," Entrapta replied. "Measure the force that you need to be able to withstand, then build a ship that can do so!"

"It's not so simple," Horas, standing at the helm, retorted. "The Maelstrom is more than just a current."

Seacat nodded in agreement with him. Adora and Glimmer seemed surprised that Horas had spoken up - the big minotaur rarely said many words.

Entrapta, of course, looked intrigued. "Really? We need to go there, then! And explore it!"

"Maybe after we save Etheria?" Seacat suggested. "We're not exactly ready for an expedition to the Maelstrom, either." And she didn't want to head there without a lot more preparation. Showing Adora the Maelstrom was easy. Keeping Entrapta from getting herself and everyone else killed in her enthusiasm? That would be harder.

"Right. Beast Island first, then the Maelstrom!" Entrapta nodded.

Seacat returned the nod, then looked at the longboat. Sea Hawk and Mermista were already changing course, leaving a small buoy to mark a reef. "This might take a while," she said. At least they knew the direction from which to approach, or this would take even longer.

Adora didn't reply right away, so Seacat glanced at her. Her lover was staring at the island, dimly visible in what seemed to be mist. "Adora?"

"What?" Adora blinked, then shook her head. "Sorry. Got lost in thoughts."

"What about?" Seacat asked.

"Nothing. Just… stuff. The First Ones, and their plans, you know?

Seacat narrowed her eyes at her but slowly nodded. Adora was still hung up on the revelation that she was a First One, and that the First Ones had been planning to destroy Etheria to defeat their enemies.

She had to do something about that. This wasn't Adora's fault. Not at all.

It was that stupid bot's fault.

*****​

Waiting was the worst duty as a captain. Seacat paced the bridge, resisting the urge to keep her eyes peeled on the longboat in the middle of the reefs. She wanted to do something - anything! Not wait for others to finish their task - and stop putting themselves in danger while Seacat stayed safely behind.

"They're OK," Adora told her.

"For now," Seacat replied before she could help herself.

"What?" Adora frowned.

Sighing, Seacat explained. "The only thing that keeps the current from wrecking the longboat on the overwater reefs is Mermista's power. If she stopped, they'd be shipwrecked at once. And without Glimmer, we couldn't save them - the current's too strong for swimmers. Even fishpeople would have trouble, I think."

"Oh. But we do have Glimmer."

"Yes." But that didn't really help much. "And the island is called 'Beast Island'. What if there are sea monsters lurking in the reef?" Adora perked up, and Seacat glared at her. "Don't you dare! I just said the currents were too strong even for fishpeople!"

"But…"

"No!" Seacat shook her head so wildly, her ponytail whipped her into the face. She ignored it. "You'd be battered against underwater reefs and dragged around and underwater until you're dead. You won't jump into the sea here!"

"What if I stay on the sea monster?"

Oh for… Seacat growled and grabbed Adora's shoulders. "No!" she hissed, her nose almost touching Adora's. "Stay out of the water! Got it?""

Adora nodded with a grimace.

Seacat released her with a scoff and resumed pacing. She trusted the Captain and Mermista, but they were in the middle of a reef that had broken ships since ancient times if the Fright Zone's records were correct. And they were trying to find a path to an island overrun with monsters where an ancient base was hidden that threatened the world.

And she had to stay back and wait until they were done.

She hated that part of being a Captain.

Waiting.

Scoffing again, she went down the hold. "How are we doing on crystals?" she asked.

"Oh, enough to keep this up for a week!" Entrapta replied. "We don't need much power. Though we could save the crystals entirely if we pulled back a little more, I think."

"No," Seacat told her. "The seabed's too deep for an anchor, and if we lower the anchor closer to the reef, in the shallow water, the currents will drive us against the reef anyway."

"Oh. Perhaps we could build a better anchor?" Entrapta cocked her head.

"It's the length and weight of the anchor chain that's the issue," Seacat explained. "And the anchor needs to hold and yet be able to be weighed."

"Oh! Perhaps a retractable claw? Controlled by a line that's run parallel to the chain?" Entrapta beamed at her.

"As long as a fish pulling on it can't release the anchor?" Sent drifting by such an event wouldn't be a good thing - especially at night.

"Oh. That might be tricky. Though if I construct a lock that only opens after a specific sequence of tugs, with some delay and resetting mechanism… although that would struggle with the pressure from the depths…"

Well, it seemed Entrapta would be busy for a while. And the rest of the hold was in perfect order. Nothing amiss, nothing in need of being tended to.

Sighing, she climbed back on deck. Castaspella was resting on a chair near the railing, under a sunscreen. She still looked sickly, of course, but it didn't look as if Adora would have to heal her a few times so she could eat. Progress, of sorts.

"Anything happen?" she asked, walking up to Glimmer.

"No. They're doing the same thing they've done since they left." The princess sounded bored.

"But they haven't left the area as quickly as the others," Adora added. "They've gone deeper into the reef, too."

That meant they were following a possible passage. Or a trap. Well, they'd find out soon - the longboat was closer to the shore than ever before if Seacat wasn't mistaken. And headed straight to the harbour. Perhaps…

The boat stopped. Seacat grabbed her telescope. Sea Hawk had turned in the bow to talk to Mermista. He still held the sounding line, though. And he… looked excited.

Then he turned away and the boat… continued. Into the harbour. Yes!

Seacat balled a hand into a fist. Sea Hawk and Mermista had found the passage to the island! Now they just had to return, and they could sail Victory's Daughter straight to the shore!

She studied the passage the two had marked with buoys. It wasn't straight - of course not - and twisted and narrow enough so any ship larger than a courier wouldn't make it without running aground - and tear her hull open on the reefs on both sides.

That would make using the island as a base for a squadron more difficult. No safe harbour for frigates, and any supplies would have to be shuttled back and forth with smaller ships. Well, that wasn't Seacat's problem. All she had to do was help save the world.

She snorted at her own joke, drawing frowns from Glimmer and Adora, which she ignored. Sea Hawk and Mermista were on the way back. That was all that counted.

Though Seacat wouldn't be able to relax until both were safe aboard the Victory's Daughter again.

She really didn't like this part of being a captain.

*****​

"So, in hindsight, the passage should've been easier to find," Mermista explained. "If I had studied the currents instead of the reefs. The safe passage wouldn't be safe if the currents could drive you on a reef when you try to pass through."

"It was an easy mistake to make," Sea Hawk added. "I made the same mistake, after all!" He beamed at her. "And one has to note that the tides make the difference - we wouldn't have noticed the passage by checking the current if the tides weren't right."

Seacat nodded. That made sense. Without an engine, the ships would've had to use sails, and that would've required the winds to blow just right - you couldn't tack in the narrow passage Mermista and Sea Hawk had marked. And if you had a longboat pull your ship out to the open sea with rowers, well… they wouldn't beat even a weak current. Indeed, it should've been obvious. The half of the chart they had hadn't covered the tides. Sloppy to overlook that. And having grown used to an engine that allowed you to ignore tides when leaving a port wasn't an excuse, either. Seacat should've known better.

"So, we can now land?" Adora asked, beaming at them. She couldn't have known better, of course, being a landlubber.

"We'll have to wait for high tide," Mermista told her. "Another hour."

"Ah."

"Yes. But I think a little rest will do you good," Seacat told the Captain and Mermista. "Actual rest," she added - both of them looked weary indeed.

"Ah, but I can hardly rest with our goal so close!" Sea Hawk said, raising his fist. "I can hear it calling out to me! It says…"

"It says: Come to bed for a while," Mermista interrupted him by grabbing his arm and dragging him off to the captain's cabin.

Seacat hoped they would actually sleep for an hour.

"So," she turned to address the rest. "Get ready for landfall. I want the guns loaded with standard shells and ready to fire on anything that threatens us. And everything tied down, in case we need to leave quickly."

"Aye aye, Captain!" Licy saluted.

"Well, I'm ready!" Adora announced.

"As are we," Glimmer added.

"I'll check the engine!"

Castaspella didn't say anything. She was still breathing very carefully.

"I'm ready to punch and sting anything that threatens us," the bug princess said, once more smashing her pincers together. Seacat briefly wondered if she would accidentally crack them one day.

"I'll make sure there's no growth on the ship's hull," Perfuma said. "No plants, at least."

It wouldn't matter too much, not with a new ship, but every little bit of drag might count in a chase.

Seacat looked around. Everything was either being prepared or ready. Which meant more waiting. Great.

She sighed and leaned against the railing, looking at the island.

Adora joined her. "So… what do you think we'll discover on the island?" she asked after a moment.

"Monsters, of course."

"We already know that they are there," Adora retorted.

"That's why I expect them," Seacat said.

Adora huffed. "Apart from monsters?"

"Someone who used magic to poison the Horde frigate's water," Seacat replied. "Someone's on that island."

"But who?"

"I don't know. An expedition from another kingdom? Perhaps from the west?" Seacat shrugged. "We'll find out." And if whoever was on the island got in the way of saving the world, they would smash them.

"I guess so."

Adora seemed a little… concerned. "What's bothering you?" Seacat cocked her head as she looked at her lover, her ears twitching.

"I don't know. Beating up monsters is one thing. Dealing with magic poison?"

"They used magic to poison the water. It doesn't have to be magic poison," Seacat pointed out. Castaspella had said so, and she was the expert.

"Right, right. Semantics." Adora clenched her teeth for a moment - Seacat could tell from the way her jaw muscles tensed. "I just… I can't do much against magic."

"Other than healing?" Seacat grinned.

"Right. But that doesn't stop them from trying again."

"Beating them up does, though."

"Yes. But… I haven't exactly fought against a princess or a sorceress," Adora admitted.

"You were trained to do so, though," Seacat replied - and bit her lower lip. Reminding Adora of her time as a Horde cadet was… Seacat didn't like to be reminded of Catra's training, either.

"Yes, but not as She-Ra." Adora turned around, showing her back to the island and resting her elbows on the railing. "It's just…"

"You're nervous," Seacat told her.

"I'm not… I guess I am?" Adora admitted with a sheepish expression.

"Everyone is," Seacat said. "They just hide it better than you do." She nodded at Glimmer and Bow, who were on the main deck, standing very close together but not hugging. "See?"

"Right." Adora nodded. She should know - she knew the couple better than Seacat.

And the bug princess and Perfuma were talking as well, in the bow. Seacat saw how the stinger of the Horde princess twitched - which showed how nervous she was. Probably. She might also be ready to stab someone, but that was unlikely.

"The engine's running perfectly!" Entrapta suddenly announced, popping up from the ship's hold. Her hair tendrils propelled her on deck a moment later.

"Well, she's not nervous," Seacat commented.

"Why not?"

"She's looking forward to exploring the island," Seacat explained. The princess didn't really see the dangers the island posed like everyone else did. "We'll have to keep her safe."

"Of course we will!" Adora said. "I'll keep everyone safe."

"And I'll keep you safe. Whether you like it or not." Seacat narrowed her eyes at Adora for a moment, then smiled. At least, she'd try her best.

Adora nodded.

Neither of them mentioned what they would do if Adora couldn't keep herself safe and everyone else. Seacat knew that Adora would pick everyone else over herself. And she wouldn't let Adora do that alone.

Which, Seacat was sure, Adora knew as well. And she didn't like it.

But they didn't talk about that. Instead, they wrapped their arms around each other and watched the island together. And enjoyed each other's closeness for a little while longer.

And Seacat found that waiting wasn't so bad any more. Not with Adora at her side.

*****​
 
Chapter 57: The Swarm
Chapter 57: The Swarm

The tide had finally come in, and they were on the way to Beast Island's port. What was left of it, anyway. Victory's Daughter cut through the waves as Seacat turned the ship just a little more towards the north to align it perfectly with the buoys marking the passage. She licked her lips and took a deep breath - it wouldn't do to make a stupid mistake so close to their goal.

But the courier ship, propelled by Entrapta's new engine, slowly slid through the treacherous waters without coming too close to the deadly reefs on either side. It was a tighter fit than Seacat liked, but not an impossible one. A frigate would've wrecked herself on those jagged rocks already, though.

Whoever had settled this island had been crazy. Or desperate.

Sea Hawk was in the bow, sounding the water's depth. And Mermista was ready to use her magic to push the ship back if the engine wasn't strong enough. But they wouldn't need either. Seacat wouldn't make a mistake.

There came the first bend. It wasn't a tight curve, but still a little tricky. Seacat turned the wheel slowly and carefully, watching as the ship turned her bow. Almost… almost… now!

She steadied the course, and the Victory's Daughter sailed on towards the second bend. That one, too, she took with a careful turn. And then it was mostly straight sailing towards the harbour.

Seacat still didn't relax until her ship was safely past the reefs and they dropped anchor in the harbour.

Then she closed her eyes and sighed with relief. This had been… taxing.

"You know, I think we could use bombs to blow a safer passage through the reefs," Entrapta suddenly said. "An enhanced engine bomb could probably clear a passage for a frigate!"

Seacat looked at her. "That would probably change the currents with all the underwater reefs being destroyed."

"Yes?"

"That might lead to more silt being swept into the harbour, and the need to dredge it up regularly," she explained. "And the currents might grow even stronger."

"Nothing a better engine couldn't handle! And I could build a bot to dredge the harbour!" Entrapta beamed at her.

"But then, everyone could reach the island," Seacat retorted. "That might not be a good idea, depending on what we find here."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that. Although I could build bots that protect the harbour and the rest of the island!" Entrapta nodded. "We probably should do that anyway - even if we don't clear the passage, someone else might do it."

And wasn't that a frightening prospect? Others with enhanced engine bombs? "Only the Horde and the Alliance have those bombs," Seacat pointed out. "And the Horde lost the knowledge of how to build them with Hordak."

"Yes, but it's science! Now that people know it's possible, they'll find ways to duplicate it! That's how science works!" Entrapta smiled, then frowned. "Which is usually a good thing but miiiight not be a good thing in this case. I think."

Seacat nodded. More people with enhanced engine bombs… Well, perhaps the Alliance would hold in this case. And they would need closer ties to the Horde - the Fright Zone. Their soldiers would have some headstart for building such bombs thanks to their prior knowledge. At least Perfuma seemed to be getting along well with the Horde princess. "Well, that's a problem we can solve once we have solved this problem." She pointed at the island's shore, about a hundred yards away.

She wasn't going to tie her ship to the pier. Not with monsters around. And they still didn't know who or what had razed the port's buildings. "Prepare the longboat!" she yelled. "We're going to the shore!"

"Oh, yes!" Entrapta jumped over the railing and landed on her hair on the deck below. "Finally!"

Seacat would've preferred to keep her safe on board, but they would need her should they encounter First One's tech. And Castaspella… well, the sorceress looked as if not even a giant monster would keep her from finally stepping on dry land again. Seacat wouldn't even try to make her stay on the ship.

Sea Hawk and Mermista, on the other hand, were still tired from sounding out the passage. And if things turned bad, they could save the ship with Alcy, Licy and Horas.

Which meant the longboat was still a little crowded but not too much when they finally cast off and headed to the shore. After a quick detour to let Adora and the Horde princess figure out how to row together.

Then they quickly sailed towards the sandy part of the shore. Seacat jumped off the bow and into the surf, sword drawn, and looked around. It looked, smelt and felt like any other tropical island she had seen, and yet… She felt the fur on her neck rise.

Beast Island.

"Something's out there," she whispered.

"Huh? What?" Adora joined her, her head turning as she looked around as well. "I don't see anything."

"I know," Seacat replied. "But I know it's there."

"Ah."

"Well, we suspect that whoever poisoned the frigate's water is on this island," Bow said.

"Finally, land!" Castaspella sighed with obvious relief as she climbed out of the boat, which the Horde princess had driven up on the beach.

"The plants…" Perfuma trailed off.

"What about them?" Seacat asked.

"They feel… different." The princess knelt down in the sand and touched it with her hands. A sapling appeared, growing quickly as usual - but it grew crooked. Warped. And the fruits it bore…

Seacat grimaced and held her nose.

"Tiny frui…ew!" Entrapta let the fruits she had grabbed drop into the sand.

Seacat stared at them. They were rotten.

"This isn't natural," Perfuma shook her head. "I would have to use my power to keep the plans from growing… wrong."

"The jungle looks normal, though," Bow commented.

"Yes," she agreed. "Which means this might be a new development that is limited, so far, to new seeds."

"A new development?" Seacat clenched her teeth. "How new?"

"I can't say. A few weeks? A few months? I don't know what would be natural growth rates on this island. No longer than two or three months, though."

"About the time we killed Hordak?" Adora asked.

"More or less," Seacat agreed. "And about the time Shadow Weaver tapped into the Black Garnet."

"Great." Glimmer scoffed. "As if she hadn't done enough vile things!"

"It's just a hypothesis, though," Entrapta said. "We need more data to verify or falsify it! So… can you identify what's causing the changes in the plants? Is it a curse? Is it a princess's power?"

Seacat really hoped that they weren't facing another princess who could manipulate plants.

"It's a sort of magic spell," Castaspella said. "Not a power. But I can't identify the spell."

That was a relief. Seacat turned towards her. "Is it too old?" Like she hadn't been able to identify the spell that poisoned the water?

"No. I've never encountered such a spell - it seems to cover the entire area," the sorceress replied.

"Oh! Interesting!" Entrapta beamed. "That must be related to the First One's base!"

"Or it's related to something after the base," Seacat said.

"Either way, it's interesting! Something we haven't encountered before!"

"Well, let's stay out of the jungle for now and examine the ruins of the port."

"Yes!" The Horde princess nodded sharply. "Someone destroyed our outpost."

Glimmer glared at the princess's back but held her tongue for a change, and they walked down the beach towards the remains of the Horde waterfront. The stone remains had already been overgrown with plants.

"More signs of this… corruption," Perfuma said after touching a few leaves. "This was recently grown. Same time period as the curse."

"Great. Something triggered evil plants," Glimmer said.

"And something definitely not plant-based razed the port," Entrapta chimed in. "Look at this!" she pointed at some stonework half-buried in the sand. "That was done by explosives!"

"And someone must have moved all the rubble. Either they carried it away, or they pushed it into the sea," Adora said.

Seacat took a look at the water. "It's down here. The seabed should be far deeper here. They ruined the port." If she had steered the Victory's Daughter towards the pier, they'd have run aground - well, not really, since Sea Hawk would've been sounding out the harbour, but still…. Someone really didn't want visitors. "Port razed, harbour filled with rubble… I don't think this was done by someone visiting the island to take it over," she said.

"They wouldn't have tried to wreck the port," Glimmer agreed. "They either wanted to keep anyone else from using it as a base… or they are on the island and don't want anyone else coming by."

Seacat knew on what possibility she would bet.

"Well, we're here anyway," Adora said. "And we won't leave! Not until we've done what we came for!"

"So… jungle expedition? The base is supposed to be located inside the crater in the middle of the island," Bow asked.

"Let's check the rest of the ruins here, first," Seacat replied. "We might get some more clues."

"Yes," Adora agreed.

They started to walk down the waterfront's remains, Perfuma clearing the plants with her power.

"Found one!" Entrapta announced after a few minutes. "Oh! It's a bot part!" She was looking into the harbour's water.

Seacat walked to her and looked at where the princess was pointing. Indeed, a segmented leg was poking out from under a heap of rubble, half-buried in the water.

It looked a little familiar. As if… Seacat frowned and tilted her head sideways. From this angle… The water wasn't deep, not with all the rubble on the bottom, but there was a danger of getting stuck in the loose debris.

"Let me get it!" Adora jumped into the water.

"Adora!" Seacat yelled.

But her friend was already underwater, grabbing the leg. If she got stuck…

She didn't. Adora ripped the leg out, then resurfaced. "Look!"

Seacat looked. And recognised it.

It was the same sort of leg that...

"Oh! Those are the same parts Light Hope's bots use!" Entrapta said what Seacat was thinking. "I wasn't sure. Let me check something…" She pulled her device out and ran it over the leg as soon as Adora climbed back on the pier. "Oh! It's as old as Light Hope's. Same generation."

"So, that means the port was razed by First One's guard bots?" Bow asked.

"It's possible," Entrapta replied. "Though they could also have been defending it against the attackers and gotten caught in the rubble."

"It was supposed to be deserted. If they lost a bot razing empty buildings, then they can't be too dangerous," Glimmer commented.

"I wouldn't go that far," Seacat cautioned her. "Accidents do happen."

"Yes!" Entrapta nodded several times. "Especially when experimenting with bots. Like, say, giving them new orders to do something they haven't done before."

"Like razing buildings instead of killing people," Seacat agreed.

Adora looked pensive. "If those are the same bots Light Hope uses… does that mean there's another, ah, Light Hope here?"

"Oh! That would be great! More memory banks!" Entrapta beamed.

"I think that depends on the purpose of this base. Light Hope was meant to support She-Ra, wasn't she? Train and help her," Bow said.

Seacat scoffed. Manipulate Adora, more likely. And try to kill Adora's friends.

"So," Bow went on, "it depends on whether or not they wanted another such bot for this base."

"Like for controlling the whole weapon," Entrapta said. "Just tell her what to do, and she does it. That makes sense. Automated targeting and firing. Like my bots, but with a much larger weapon."

"A weapon that will destroy Etheria if used," Seacat reminded her.

"Right. That would be bad. But it's a great idea, anyway. Imagine self-aiming cannons! Or rockets!" Entrapta beamed. "It's a logical step from using bots - even a step backwards since they wouldn't have to be mobile."

A ship crewed by bots… Seacat didn't know if she should laugh at the idea or fear it. "In any case," she said, "we must prepare to face such bots. Hordes of them."

"Hey!" The Horde princess frowned at her.

Seacat ignored her.

"And we won't be able to hit the bot controlling them, not when we haven't found the base yet," Glimmer said.

"Too bad we didn't find the control box of the bot," Entrapta said. "I might have been able to find the path it took to arrive here in its memory. Or the path back. Unless they use a homing signal, of course."

"*I can go down and look for the rest of it," Adora offered.

"It's too dangerous to just go diving," Seacat objected. "If a bot got stuck in the rubble, so can you."

"Glimmer can teleport me back," Adora pointed out.

Seacat pressed her lips together. Her lover was right. She still hated the idea. But it might save them a lot of time combing the jungle for a stupid base. So she sighed and nodded.

And Adora stripped down to go diving.

*****​

It took Adora almost an hour to sift through the rubble until she found the crushed remains of the bot the leg had belonged to. An hour of diving, moving some debris, coming back and waiting for the mud she had stirred to settle, and diving down again. She was obviously tired by the time she lifted the bot's body out of the water but she was still smiling widely.

"There!"

"Great!" Entrapta beamed at her. "Let's hope the memory banks survived the water. And the crushing."

"Oh." Adora looked disappointed.

"But this is First One's tech," Entrapta assured her. "It's built to last! I should be able to find something…" Her hair tendrils flexed, and the broken shell was torn off. "Oh, the communication crystal's busted. But the control box is OK!"

Bow knelt down next to her, and Seacat took a step back, offering a towel to Adora. "Good work," she said.

"Thank you," Adora replied, drying herself off. With a little bit of help from Seacat. "I liked doing it, you know?"

"I know."

"Using She-Ra's strength not for fighting, but…" She trailed off.

"...for moving rubble?" Seacat grinned.

Adora pouted. "You know what I mean."

"I know." Seacat stepped up to her, rose on the tips of her toes and kissed her. Adora was dried off now but hadn't dressed yet, and this was a great opportunity...

"Oh, here it is! I found it!"

Seacat sighed as Adora pulled back and started to dress again. Entrapta was a great friend and a genius, but her timing sometimes needed a little help.

She ignored the snickers from Glimmer as she walked back to the broken bot.

*****​

"Alright! The home base of the bot is in the centre of the island - in the middle of the caldera. Well, the entrance is. It's almost the exact centre, too. I wonder if the First Ones liked the precision - or, maybe, they created the island in the first place? It's theoretically possible to create an island if you can control, say, a volcano. How long did your kingdom have control of the island?" Entrapta turned around and started walking backwards while talking.

"Uh… A few hundred years?" the Horde princess replied. "I would need to check the detailed records."

"So, less than a thousand years. This could be the work of the First Ones!"

Making an island? In the middle of the ocean? That sounded… Well, the First Ones could destroy an entire planet, so creating an island might not be too impressive in comparison. "If they made the island, does that mean they could've created the reefs as well?"

"In theory, yes." Entrapta nodded. "Although we might need to take samples from the reefs to determine their origin. A volcanic origin might support my theory."

"Does whether or not we're on an artificial island affect our mission?" Glimmer asked.

"Well…" Entrapta scrunched her nose. "Not really? They could've tunnelled under the entire island either way."

"Then we should focus on finding the base," Glimmer said. "Priorities."

"Yes," Castaspella agreed, looking around. "I don't like this jungle. It's steeped in strange magic."

Seacat wouldn't have liked the jungle even without knowing that. Too many plants to hide behind, too many ambushes. Too many sounds from animals to mask an enemy's approach.

"Well, it's not enough to stop us!" Adora was at the head of their group, literally cutting a path through the jungle.

"But the bots could," Bow pointed out. "And whoever poisoned the water. They must be aware of our presence."

Seacat nodded. They couldn't exactly hide the Victory's Daughter.

"They are hiding. Or gathering their forces," Adora said. "Probably both."

Seacat clenched her teeth. They were one hour into the jungle, halfway up to the caldera, and hadn't encountered anything larger or more dangerous than a dog. What was the enemy doing? Why didn't they try to stop them?

"Or waiting in ambush," Entrapa added. "If they have created tunnels, they could wait until we're surrounded."

And wasn't that a lovely picture?

"So, stay alert!" Adora said. "Be ready for anything!"

Seacat wiped some sweat from her face and suppressed the urge to reply with something snarky.

"I'm ready for anything!" the Horde princess boasted.

A moment later, she yelped when the earth suddenly rose around her, then crashed down on her.

"Ambush!" Adora yelled, jumping back and landing in a crouch, sword ready.

"Scorpia!" Perfuma shouted, running towards the giant molehill that was all that was left of the Horde Princess. She knelt down and stuck her hand into the hill. A moment later, plants shot out of it, breaking it up - and revealing a coughing Horde princess covered with dirt.

"OK, I wasn't prepared for the earth to swallow me," she said, coughing and spitting out dirt.

"Are you hurt?" Perfuma asked.

If the Horde princess could joke, then she wasn't seriously hurt. Seacat, blade drawn, looked for whoever had done this.

"That was… a spell," Castaspella said. "They must be close!"

"No shit, Auntie," Glimmer snapped.

"No follow-up attack." Adora looked around, "Hit and run tactics. They'll try to pick us off one by one or tire us out for the main attack."

Smart. And annoying. Seacat hissed under her breath. Why couldn't they face some dumb bots?

"Hello? We're not here to fight! We're not the Horde. We're the Princess Alliance, here to save the planet!" Perfuma called out.

"Yes!" Entrapta yelled. "We're here to fix the First One's base! Can you show us the way?"

Right. If whoever was hiding here had driven off the Horde, then they might be allies. They didn't have to fight them. Seacat nodded. "We can…"

A huge tree fell towards her, cutting off her words as she jumped to the side. "Hey!"

But more trees were already falling, some tearing other trees with them as they crashed to the ground, forcing the group to split up to avoid being crushed. And it left the ground covered with crisscrossing tree trunks and a dense tangle of branches and foliage. They were split up and isolated.

And the footing was worse than a deck covered in fallen and torn rigging. Seacat scoffed as she jumped on the biggest tree trunk near her. "Rally!" she yelled. "We need to stick together!" This was almost the perfect setup for…

...a swarming attack, she finished her thought when her ears picked up the sound of hundreds of legs hitting the ground. "Incoming bot swarm!" she yelled, as loud as she could. "Get ready!"

Before she could say anything else, the trunk below her blew up.

The force of the explosion threw her through the air, and she barely managed to flip in time to avoid crashing head-first into a still-standing tree. As it was, the claws on her feet deeply dug into the bark as she absorbed the impact.

And she hissed as the pain from a few splinters in her legs and side registered - she was hurt. But not out of the fight. She quickly swung up on a branch, then looked for the others. Adora was standing in a small clearing of her own making. No, she was moving towards the explosion.

"I'm fine!" Seacat yelled.

"Cat-Seacat!" Adora whipped her head around, and their eyes met.

"Watch out! Swarming bots!" Seacat screamed - by now, everyone had to hear the sounds of moving bots.

She saw Adora's eyes widen, then her lover gritted her teeth and nodded with that firm expression Seacat liked so much. "Bow, get up on a tree and start shooting as soon as you see them. Perfuma, clear the space and make some barriers! Everyone else, rally around me!"

Seacat pulled the largest splinter out of her leg, then jumped down. She hissed again when her leg hurt more than she expected but didn't let that stop her from rushing towards Adora.

Just in time to see the wave of bots flood through the jungle and towards them.

Plants rose to deflect and entrap them, but there were too many. For every bot caught or stopped, two more swarmed over their bodies and continued towards the group.

"I can't control the plants quickly enough!" Perfuma cried out. "Something is blocking me!" She stretched her hands out, more vines shooting from the ground, but that didn't stop the onrushing bots, either.

Seacat was about to jump over Perfuma's head to cover her - if they lost the princess, they'd die in the jungle - but the Horde princess was there already, in front of Perfuma, her pincers grabbing the first two bots. "Take that!" she roared, throwing the two machines back and into the next bot. All three exploded, taking two more with them.

A yellow bolt flew towards her from somewhere in front of them, but it ricocheted off the pincer she threw up to deflect it. Someone was shooting at them. But he was behind a wave of bots. No way to get them. Unless…

"Bow! Take out the sorcerer!" Seacat yelled.

"Hyah!" Adora swung her sword, and the first two ranks of the bots charging at her were sliced in half, exploding as well.

Seacat looked at the others. Castaspella had created a sort of glowing shield for herself and Glimmer, who was using it to smash the bots trying to get through it with her staff. Entrapta was behind them, fiddling with her device.

"It's… I can't find the frequency they're using! It keeps changing!" Entrapta exclaimed. "Fascinating!"

Seacat blinked, shook her head, and went to back up Glimmer and Castaspella. They weren't as tough as the bug princess or Adora, and if the shield broke…

Arrows flew past, towards the jungle in front of them. Seacat couldn't tell if they hit anything. A few yellow bolts came back, so Bow had probably missed.

Seacat leapt - or limped - forward and cut down a few stragglers trying to sneak up behind them, then started on the flank of the bots still trying to get at Glimmer and Castaspella. Her sword easily cut through their shells - they seemed weaker than Light Hope's bots. But there were so many of them…

Still, between Adora and the bug princess, they had the raw power to handle them, as long as they could hold off the swarm.

"Seacat! You're hurt!" Adora blurted out.

"I'm fine!" she yelled back. "It's just a few scratches!"

"I can see your blood!"

Oh. Seacat looked down. Her leggings were covered in blood. Damn. She cut down another bot, then scrambled back behind Castaspella's shield. Perhaps she needed to bandage that before Adora got even more distracted.

She hadn't even taken out some bandages before a wave of magic hit her. Healing her. Adora!

She turned, glaring at her lover, who was smiling as she lowered her sword - and was promptly buried under a wave of bots.

"Adora!" Seacat cursed and rushed the monsters. "You idiot!"

She cleaved one apart, cut the legs off the next, then stuck her blade through the head of a third, but a dozen more were on top of Adora, legs and pincers striking…

With a guttural scream, Adora rose, throwing the bots off her, then grabbed her sword and swung it in a wide arc, cutting more of them apart.

"You're hurt!" Seacat yelled as she joined her, stabbing at two twitching bots on the ground trying to get up.

"I'm fine!" Adora replied.

Seacat almost hit her for that. "Don't take your eyes off the enemy!" she snapped instead as she cut another bot in half. Above her, arrows and spells flew past each other - it seemed their enemy was focusing on Bow.

"Don't let yourself bleed out!" Adora snapped back, smashing three with one sweep.

"I wasn't!"

"You were covered with blood!"

"You were covered with bots!"

"I'm not any more!"

"I know how bleeding out feels, and I wasn't!" Seacat insisted. Another bot took a swing at her, and she ducked beneath it, then stabbed its underbelly. It collapsed with lightning crackling over its shell.

"You were seriously hurt!"

"And you were seriously in danger!" What if the bots had been bombs?

"I'm not any more!"

"Save the lover's quarrel for later!" Glimmer spat. "Focus on fighting!"

She could fight and quarrel at the same time, but Glimmer was right.

More arrows flew above them, disappearing in the jungle. Bow still hadn't nailed the enemy sorceress. But he was still drawing their attention - yellow bolts of magic shot out of the jungle in rapid succession, blowing up the trees behind them.

"Bow!" Glimmer yelled.

"I'm OK!" Bow yelled back. "But that enemy is good."

Well, that was obvious. Seacat wanted to go hunt the bastard down herself, but there were too many bots still attacking them - and they couldn't close ranks or they would get blown up by a single spell. Like…

"Watch out!" she yelled, throwing herself to the ground as another spell hit the ground near them.

Instead of exploding, though, or rising to bury them under a wave of dirt and rocks, the whole area started to glow instead. And Adora was closest. "Move!" Seacat screamed. "Move, Adora!"

Adora turned, but a bot jumped at her, and she had to duck to avoid it. And before she could recover, the area behind her started to collapse as if the earth itself were vanishing.

No, Seacat realised with sudden horror, it was as if someone was compressing the entire area in the centre; she saw a bot getting caught up in it get dragged towards the centre and squeezed like a lemon. "Adora!"

Adora's leg was caught in the area. She was tugging against it, but she was getting dragged back. She stabbed the sword into the ground to stop it, but Seacat could see how she was straining.

And then Castaspella stepped up, hands flashing - literally - and the area suddenly stopped collapsing. The sorceress was panting. "This was… whoever is doing this is very skilled. I haven't seen such spells before."

"And he's very slippery!" Bow added, landing next to them with a roll. "I keep missing him."

Which was very rare, Seacat knew - Bow was a master archer.

"Then we need to take the fight to them!" Glimmer announced. "Auntie, cover us with a shield while we advance. Adora, Scorpia - keep the bots off us. Perfuma, keep the plants at bay. And pave us a way. Bow, Seacat - as soon as you spot the bastard, go and get him!"

It was a better plan than just staying here. And Seacat liked the thought of cutting down the enemy who had almost killed Adora. So she stuck with Bow as they gathered under Castaspella's magical shield and advanced towards the other edge of the jungle, bots and spells smashing against the shield.

Adora and the Horde princess lunged, stabbing and crushing the bots who scrambled against the shield, but they couldn't do anything against the spells hitting the shield - and Castaspella already looked exhausted. Sweat was running down her face, and her feet trembled while she moved forward.

But they were close to the enemy's position now. Judging by the locations from which the spells were cast, they were jumping back and forth from tree to tree.

Well, Seacat could copy that! "I'm coming for you, you scumbag!" she yelled, dashing forward.

"Cat-Seacat!"

But she was already passing through the magic shield - which made her fur stand up - and launching herself at the closest tree. A green bolt of energy flew at her, and she twisted her body, making it miss by inches. Then she was at the tree, claws ripping into the trunk, and scaled it in seconds.

"To your right!" Bow yelled.

She turned her head, still scrambling up the tree, and saw an arrow hit foliage two trees away. Snarling, she pushed off, jumping towards the next branch. She grabbed it and swung up, landing on her feet on top of the branch. Where was the enemy? There! Something moved behind that tree.

She dashed forward, on top of the branch, then jumped off again, claws digging into the next tree. Almost…

Something appeared in front of her, and she gasped, throwing herself back a moment before a bolt of fire passed through the space she'd been in.

Bow moved up, sending two arrows at the bastard, but one missed, and the other broke against a shield.

And then the entire tree Bow was perched on suddenly fell. He tried to jump off, firing a grapple arrow at the next tree, but another bolt struck him. Screaming, he fell and crashed into the ground.

Seacat cursed and moved towards his dazed form, but she knew she couldn't reach him in time - the tip of a staff sticking out from between the leaves was already glowing. No! She couldn't...

And Glimmer appeared between Bow and the enemy.

"Glimmer!" Seacat yelled as the princess reached for Bow. The stupid princess! She was too slow - the enemy was… Seacat blinked. No Spell. No crying. No death.

A moment later, Glimmer and Bow disappeared in a burst of sparkles. The enemy hadn't sent a spell at her back.

Seacat gritted her teeth and kept running towards the enemy's hiding spot. She jumped from branch to branch, cleaving through some foliage in her way. There was the enemy!

Only they weren't there. Seacat whirled, jumping around the trunk, looking and listening. The chittering of the bots, Adora scolding Glimmer, with Castaspella chiming in, but… no sign of the enemy sorceress. Or sorcerer - she had never caught a clear glimpse of them, only some dark figure hidden by leaves and branches.

Cursing under her breath, she jumped off the branch, returning to the ground with a few leaps.

She reached the others just as the bug princess wrecked the last bot, and Adora healed Bow. "They got away," she told them.

"They fled?" Adora asked.

Seacat shrugged. "Perhaps their magic ran out or something. They had Glimmer and Bow at their mercy."

"Magic doesn't 'run out'," Castaspella told her. "The caster might become exhausted, but that's not the same." The sorceress certainly looked exhausted.

Seacat shrugged. "It works out the same. And Glimmer runs out of magic."

"She's a princess; that's different."

She also ran out of lives, but Seacat didn't say that. She knew better than anyone that Glimmer wouldn't have let Bow die.

"So… we won?" Perfuma asked.

"The enemy withdrew," Adora corrected her. "That can be a victory, but could also mean that the enemy completed their objective."

"They tried to kill us, and we drove them away," the bug princess said. "But this might have just been a probing attack to gauge our strength."

If they could get such a number of bots for a scouting attack, Seacat wasn't looking forward to facing a real attack.

"But as they know how we fight, we know how they fight." Glimmer had stopped trying to crush Bow's chest through hugging and stood up. "Next time, we will get them."

"Unless they change tactics," Seacat pointed out. "They were pushing us hard."

"They are good," Bow said, getting up as well. "I never got a clear shot at them. Almost never. And they have magic shields, like you." He nodded at Castaspella.

"They used spells I knew, but also spells I never saw before," the sorceress added.

"And the tactics?" Seacat asked.

Castaspella shook her head. "Nothing special, just common sense when facing superior numbers. They'll probably focus on taking out Bow and myself next time. To remove Bow as a threat and me as our protection."

She sounded rather matter of factly about the whole thing. Bow grimaced, and Glimmer grabbed his hand and whispered something in his ear, but the sorceress just laid out things. Perhaps she was too tired to care.

"Well, then we need a plan to counter them!" Adora stated with a grim expression. "I'm not going to let them kill any of us!"

"And what do we do?" the bug princess asked. "This feels like fighting in that weird wood of yours - monsters in every bush, magic working against you, and some shadowy enemies peppering you with arrows without ever facing you in open combat."

"And you never found a counter?" Seacat asked.

The princess shook her head. "Flooding the forest with soldiers didn't work because of all the magic. There were talks about cutting down the whole forest, but they never amounted to anything - too much of an effort, and without magic of our own probably impossible anyway. Wouldn't have surprised me if the trees regrew faster than we could cut them down," she added with a grin at Perfuma.

The other princess blushed a little. "We'd have done what we could."

"Well, we do have magic of our own," Glimmer said. "Plenty of it."

"But so does the enemy," Perfuma pointed out. "It was all I could do to keep the plants in check. So much bad magic…"

Then things had been even more dangerous than Seacat had realised. "That means we need to stick together," she said. "No chasing after obvious bait," she added with a brown at Adora.

"Hey!" her lover protested, then pouted. "If we bunch up, we'll be vulnerable to attacks with magic. Like that crushing air thing." She shuddered, and Seacat reached out to grip and squeeze her shoulder.

"That was, as far as I can tell, gravity manipulation. A very complex magic - at least at Mystacore," Castaspella replied. "I wouldn't have thought it was possible to create such a strong gravitational draw, though."

"That's because they use First One's technology and magic together!" Entrapta piped up.

Seacat looked at the princess - she was kneeling in front of a gutted bot, one hand still stuck in its head. "See? The control crystals are First One, but the runes carved on it, and the smaller crystals… that's the work of a sorceress."

Castaspella quickly joined her. "You are right. That's Etherian rune magic."

"That's why I couldn't control their network: They're using magic for it!" Entrapta sounded happy about that. "They might even be powered by the magic in the jungle! No need to return to refill their crystal reserves that way. The bots could patrol the forest forever! This is so fascinating!"

And very, very dangerous. Seacat pressed her lips together. Entrapta meant well and was a good friend. "Is there a way to use this against them?"

"Only if we manage to combine First One Technology with magic as well." Entrapta beamed at Castaspella. "And since we're here to do that anyway, since that's probably needed to deal with the runestone network buildup, we might as well start early!"

And hope that the enemy didn't attack them in the meantime. Great.

"We should move to a safer location for that, though," Adora said.

"But we've got all the bots here!" Entrapta pointed out. "Enough parts to build dozens of them!"

"And we're surrounded by magic trees that might crush us if the magic controlling them isn't kept in check," Seacat told her. "Just grab a few and let's return to the ship. I'm getting thirsty, and I don't trust the water in the jungle. Or the water we had on us. The enemy had plenty of time to poison it."

"Ew." The bug princess looked at her bottle. "That's something we didn't have to deal with in your wood."

Seacat nodded. But it was something they had to take into account here. Well, no one had claimed that saving the world would be easy.

*****​
 
Chapter 58: The Sorcerer
Chapter 58: The Sorcerer

"Are you sure the water's safe?" Glimmer asked, wiping sweat from her brows.

"I didn't detect any magic on the bottle," Castaspella replied.

The princess eyed her water bottle, then frowned. "I can manage until we reach the ship."

"I assure you, it's safe."

"I'm just…" Glimmer shook her head. "What if the enemy sorceress cast a spell on my bottle that no one noticed? They had a clear shot at me and didn't take it."

Seacat shook her head. "If we can't trust your own aunt, then we'll have trouble reaching the First One base without water to drink."

"I could build a machine that extracts water from the air!" Entrapta piped up. "With those bots, I should have enough parts."

Seacat shifted the bot head she was carrying from one shoulder to another. "And how heavy would that machine be?"

"Uh…" Entrapta briefly nibbled on her lower lip, then smiled. "I can build a bot to carry it! A water bot!"

"Wouldn't that be the first target in an ambush?" Adora asked. She hadn't any trouble carrying a complete bot. Well, complete except for the split head.

Seacat gritted her teeth and took a deep breath before continuing her walk. The faster they were out of this jungle, the better.

Even though she knew they would have to return to it as soon as Entrapta had analysed the bots and found a way to stop them or control them.

"So… should I build a water-bot?" Entrapta asked.

"I can't hurt," Glimmer replied. "And even if it draws fire, better a bot than one of us."

Well, you couldn't argue with that. And Seacat would be lying if she claimed that she wasn't concerned about their drinking water getting poisoned by magic. She had once almost died from thirst; she didn't want to repeat the experience. "Yes, but do it after you analyse the bots," she told the princess.

"Great! And if I have parts left, I can build a carrier-bot!"

"A carrier-bot?" Seacat asked before she could help herself.

"A bot to carry cargo and supplies. If we had one, we could've taken a lot more parts with us!"

Oh. That sounded… actually like a good idea. "And we could use it to transport any wounded."

"Oh, right." Entrapta scrunched her nose and hummed something. "I might need armour, then, to protect the wounded. That means the overall carrying capacity would be less than planned unless I upgrade the legs and engine…"

Seacat sighed and prodded the princess to keep her on the path Adora was cutting - they weren't taking the same path back to the ship to avoid another ambush. If this continued, they'd have their own bot army. Well, not with the number of parts they were carrying.

*****​

A little later, back on her ship, Seacat finally allowed herself to relax. The water hadn't been poisoned. But it could've been. If someone could poison the water supplies of a frigate outside the reef, they certainly could do the same to a courier anchored right off the island's beach.

She tuned out the sounds of Entrapta and Bow working on the bot parts strewn across the hold and stared at the island off the Victory's Daughter's bow. The crater - the caldera - was so close. Two hours, tops, on foot. Three if you had to drag Castaspella with you - the woman wasn't fit enough to keep pace with the rest.

"So…" Adora joined her at the railing, rolling her neck and stretching her arms over her head. "What do you think?"

"Huh?" Seacat blinked. Adora's stretching had had interesting effects on her chest and shirt. "About?"

"The enemy."

"Oh. You mean, why did they withdraw?" Seacat tilted her head.

"Yes."

"Perhaps they ran out of power?" Seacat shrugged. "If they needed some First One crystal to power themselves…"

"Wouldn't they have retreated earlier? Withdrawing when you're out of supplies is a recipe for disaster."

"Force Captain orientation?" Seacat asked.

"You know I never had that," Adora replied, pouting. "No, officer school."

"Perhaps they weren't trained like you were?" Seacat suggested.

"They had good tactics, though."

"Right." Seacat shrugged again. "Then I'm out of ideas."

"Me too," Adora said. "And I don't like it. I hate it when I can't figure out the enemy."

"Well, you had an advantage before, having had Horde training," Seacat told her with a grin. "Welcome to how everyone else has to deal with enemies."

Adora laughed at that. But both knew this wasn't a good thing. It would be much, much easier if they were fighting Horde deserters instead of whoever was facing them.

*****​

"Alright! We've finished analysing the bot network!" Entrapta announced the next morning as she climbed out of the hold. "And I think we found - with Castaspella's help - a way to disrupt the network." She beamed. "We can test that next time we go into the jungle."

"I'd rather test it before our next trip into the jungle," Mermista commented.

"But then the enemy could adapt to our plan," Glimmer retorted. "We'd lose the advantage of surprise."

"And if it doesn't work?" Mermista asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Then we're no worse off - better, actually, since we won't count on it working," Glimmer explained. "We need to reach the First One's base."

Seacat nodded. The fate of Etheria depended on it. And, she added with a glance at her lover, Adora's fate. Seacat knew Adora blamed herself for this. If they couldn't solve this… "So," she spoke up, "how long until we're ready for the next expedition?"

"Uh… I think Castaspella and Bow need to rest," Entrapta said.

Come to think, the two hadn't left the hold yet. Seacat took a step ahead and peered through the hatch. Bow was slumped over some bot, snoring, and Castaspella was sprawled on a mattress, asleep despite the slight motions from the waves. "Yes," Seacat said in a dry tone, "I think they need to rest. Did you work through the night?"

"Yes? It was important, wasn't it?" Entrapta looked bewildered.

"It was," Seacat assured her. "But… aren't you tired as well?"

"I was, but my enhanced tiny tea solved that!" The princess beamed at her.

Seacat knew she shouldn't ask, but she had to know. "'Enhanced tiny tea'?"

"I distilled a whole pot of tea into a tiny pot of tea! Several times!"

"Ah." Seacat forced herself to smile. They'd have to wait until Entrapta fell asleep and then woke up again before they could start their next attempt to reach the caldera. Well, there wasn't much they could do about that.

"So, I'll start on the water-bot now!"

Not much except for keeping an eye on Entrapta and hoping she wouldn't break the ship or herself when she collapsed.

*****​

Seacat sighed as she looked at the dark night sky. Entrapta had finally collapsed in the afternoon, falling asleep while trying to dismantle another bot. Just about the time Castaspella and Bow woke up. But without Entrapta being rested, they couldn't go to the caldera. And Seacat preferred to reach the First Ones' base with daylight to spare, anyway.

But it meant another night standing watch on deck. And with more people than normal, too - so close to the island, anything else would be too dangerous. She looked at the bow, where Alcy was checking the hull on her round. And at Emily - the bot was covering the entire main deck with her turret. Seacat grimaced at the thought of what a shot would do to the deck or rigging, but as long as the bot used canister shot, it shouldn't sink the ship. A few small holes were a small price to pay to catch an intruder, anyway.

The carrier-bot and the water-bot Entrapta had managed to build before she collapsed were still in the hold - Seacat didn't trust them to behave on deck. Not without seeing them in the field.

She turned to watch the shore again. Even in the dim light, she could clearly see the sand and rocks. But that didn't mean she would be able to spot an enemy sorceress or sorcerer - not when they were using spells Castaspella had never encountered. And had been able to poison the water of a Horde frigate. At least they should be out of the range of most spells. But she had no doubt that they were being watched. A smart enemy would keep their eyes on the Victory's Daughter - and their unknown enemy was smart. Too smart for Seacat's taste.

Ah well. Another hour, then Sea Hawk would relieve her, and she could return to her bunk and sleep on top of Adora. Just… She froze. That series of splashes… it could've been a school of fish jumping out of the water, but...

She quickly scanned the sea. All was calm… no. The waves were different - there were ripples in the water. Fading quickly while the waves kept on, but she could see them. And the line they formed from shore to the ship. As if someone had skipped a stone on a lake…

Cursing, she jumped down on the main deck, then sped to the hatch leading down to the hold. "Alcy! Check the hull!" If that had been an attack on the hull…

She reached the hatch and stared down. Nothing… wait! Something was moving there in the shadows. Someone! She jumped down the hatch, drawing her blade a moment before she landed in a crouch. "Alarm! Boarders!" she yelled as she charged a figure dressed in a ragged cloak.

The figure whirled, and a light flashed. Seacat dived to the side, but she wasn't quick enough. Something hit her shoulder, and she was thrown back by the blast.

She kept her grip on her sword, though, and rolled with the punch, her claws digging into the deck to stop her before she hit the ladder leading up on deck. And the others were waking up.

The man - she saw a beard poke out from underneath their hood - moved his staff, and Seacat rolled to the side, evading another spell that blew up a barrel behind her. She rolled over her shoulder, tucked her legs in, then pushed off and launched herself forward, blade flashing.

Her sword stuck a glowing barrier, sliding off, and she barely managed to raise her left arm to keep from crashing head-first into it. Even so, the impact hurt her already struck shoulder, and she screamed with pain as she fell down, her blade skidding over the deck.

Once more, the man moved his staff. Too close to dodge. She saw his eyes flash and glow as the barrier faded. Seacat clenched her teeth and rolled forward, hitting the man's legs and making him stumble. She lashed out with her claws, but he jumped back, and she only ripped a strip off his cloak.

"Captain!" Alcy was there, jumping down into the hold as well.

"Watch out!" Seacat snapped - but Alcy was already dodging to the side as the man sent another spell at her.

"Seacat!"

"Ca-Seacat!"

"Captain!"

The others were coming! Seacat flashed her fangs. They had the bastard cornered now! She dashed forward, trying to ignore her hurting shoulder, but another barrier stopped her.

Then Glimmer, Bow and Castaspella appeared in a cloud of sparkles in the middle of the hold, and the man seemed to freeze. His lips moved, but Seacat couldn't hear any words - she couldn't hear him at all, she realised. He didn't make any sound. But she saw glowing symbols on his exposed skin.

Castaspella waved her hands, and red spells splashed against the man's barrier. In return, the intruder slammed his staff on the deck, and smoke filled the hold. "Watch out!" Seacat yelled, rolling to the side. She had to get around those barriers!

She heard Castaspella mutter a word, and the hold cleared at once - just in time for Seacat to see the cloaked boarder fade through the hull. She gasped, turned - and raced up the ladder to the main deck.

"What's going on?" Sea Hawk asked as she dashed past him to the railing.

"There!" Another line of ripples showed the man's flight back to the shore. Seacat whirled. If she was quick enough… But by the time she reached the swivel gun, the man had already disappeared into the jungle.

She muttered a curse under her breath.

"Seacat! Are you alright?"

"What?" Seacat turned to face Adora. Why would she…? Oh. Seacat's shirt was torn. And she was bleeding. She hadn't even realised that.

"You're hurt!"

"Yes," she agreed.

Adora was already pointing her sword at her. A moment later, magic washed over Seacat's body, and the pain vanished. The shirt was still ruined, though.

"Check our water supply!" she bellowed. "The bastard managed to sneak on board by going through the hull, like a ghost!"

"A ghost?" Licy, standing there in her underwear and with a sword in hand, gasped.

"Like a ghost," Seacat repeated herself. "Some spell."

"It's not teleportation," Castaspella said. "The intruder must have found a way to render themselves intangible."

"Himself. I saw his beard," Seacat said.

"You did?"

She grinned, pointing at her eyes. "I can see better than you, remember?"

But not well enough to spot the boarder before he got into the ship.

"Well, I guess we know now how he managed to reach the frigate," Adora said. "At least he can't turn himself invisible."

"He might be able to do that as well," Castaspella said. "There are several illusions which allow such a feat, though most limit your movement."

Seacat frowned. More bad news. "What about the water?"

The sorceress frowned. "I'll go check."

Seacat turned to Alcy and Licy. "Check the hull! If the boarder sabotaged us, we need to know. Entrapta, check the engine." She looked at Horas. "Stand guard. Keep an eye on the water - the bastard leaves ripples when he skids over the water." Oh. "Mermista! Can you feel if someone skips over the water?"

The princess, also in her underwear, like Sea Hawk, frowned. "It's harder with the waves, but I can do it. It'll tire me out, though."

Seacat thought for a moment. "Do it. We are vulnerable. We can relieve you once we know the ship's OK. We need to know what the bastard wanted on the ship. And whether or not he managed it."

But even if they had prevented him from doing whatever he wanted, the sorcerer had already managed to ruin their sleep. Entrapta's use of enhanced tiny tea had let everyone rest during the day while they waited for her to catch up, but it would still affect them.

Seacat really hated smart enemies.

*****​

In the morning, Seacat felt better. The water hadn't been poisoned - she must have caught the intruder before he managed to do whatever he did to the Horde frigate's water. The hull hadn't been damaged, either - not even where the bastard had faded through it; Castaspella and Entrapta had thoroughly examined the entire area. According to both, the 'structural integrity' of the ship wasn't affected. They were back on track - so to speak - for the expedition. And they did have a carrier-bot and a water-bot.

But the bastard was waiting for them in the jungle. Seacat knew it - she felt it in her guts. Somewhere in that corrupted forest, he was waiting for them with his spells and bots.

She gripped the railing harder and bared her fangs as she looked at the treeline at the shore, then at the upper edge of the caldera. He wouldn't stop them. They could counter his bots, and Castaspella could counter his spells. Otherwise, the bastard wouldn't have retreated when he was caught in the Victory's Daughter's hold.

"This will work, Seacat."

Seacat turned. Sea Hawk joined her at the railing. "Of course it will," she said.

"I mean it. You've driven off the enemy twice, and third time's the charm, isn't it?" He beamed at her.

"And what if that means the third time he'll win?" Seacat raised her eyebrows at him.

"Oh." The Captain blinked, then laughed. "I think you're too skilled for that to happen. He ran from you."

"He ran from all of us," Seacat retorted.

"Well, we could all go on this expedition…"

"No." That would leave the ship - her ship! - unguarded. "We've got a plan, and we'll stick to it. We just have to reach the caldera and find the base." She snorted. "And if we have to wreck more bots, we'll let Entrapta build more bots from it until we outnumber them."

Sea Hawk grabbed her shoulders and laughed. "That's the spirit!" In a lower voice, he added: "But be careful. Please"

"Of course. Who was the voice of reason amongst our crew, huh?" Seacat cocked her head to the side as she smiled at him. And blinked twice.

"Good." Sea Hawk nodded and released her.

She nodded in return, then bellowed: "Alright! Get the longboat into the water!" they would have to take two trips with all the bots to ferry to the shore. And they were wasting daylight already.

*****​

"We could've taken the same path we took the first time," Glimmer commented half an hour later, halfway to the ridge of the caldera.

"The enemy would've expected that," Seacat retorted.

"They would've expected us to pick a new route, so picking the same route would've fooled them," Glimmer objected.

"They would've covered the old route anyway," Adora cut in without looking back from where she was cutting down the underbrush. "They have enough bots. And they'll wait closer to the top, so they have more time to react to our movements."

"We haven't spotted any bot so far," Bow pointed out - the man was standing close to Adora, keeping an eye on the jungle ahead.

"That doesn't mean that there weren't any," Adora pointed out.

"Actually," Entrapta commented from behind them, where she sat on top of Emily, "my detector hasn't pinged on any networked bot yet. So… they could've sent some non-networked bot to scout us, but that would mean they had to walk back to report, which would make their reports late and leave tracks. So…. they might not have spotted us."

That was encouraging. Seacat smiled and wiped some sweat from her face.

"Unless, of course, they are watching from above us," Entrapta went on. "They could be tracking us through vibrations, too, as we walk - and seismic detectors would likely be common in any base inside an old volcano. Or use magic, I guess."

"I haven't detected any spells so far," Castaspella, who was 'resting' on the carrier-bot, said. "But if they know spells that I don't know…"

"The forest will be telling them where we are," Perfuma pointed out. "The plants can sense us and relay that."

"I guess there's no need to try and sneak up on them, then." Seacat forced herself to smile. She had been expecting that - this was the enemy's home base, after all. They had had months to prepare. And anyone who'd raze a port would do worse to drive off intruders from their island.

"Good. I'm not good at sneaking, anyway," Adora said. She briefly turned to Seacat and smiled. "And we know we can beat them in an open fight."

They expected to beat the enemy, at least. And they would soon find out if they were right.

Only, no attack came as they climbed the slopes of the old volcano. Soon, the jungle grew less dense. Less suitable for an ambush. And then they saw the ridge above them, a few hundred yards away, with only scraggly bushes and some thin trees covering the steep slopes.

"Yes!" Adora exclaimed and stepped forward, sheathing her sword. "Look, guys! We've made it! Just a little..."

"Uh-oh," Entrapta interrupted her, "I just got a ping on the network."

Seacat clenched her teeth. "Where?" she snapped.

"Uh… lemme check… ahead of us. Lots of messages - commands. But… climbing? They're just saying 'Up!', nothing more."

'Up!'? "Are they on the other side of the ridge?" That would keep them out of sight. But wouldn't they hear them approach? Bots weren't exactly stealthy when they moved. Especially in large numbers. Seacat's ears twitched. There was something…

"Let's charge up the ridge!" Glimmer said. "Get the high ground before them!"

"Wait!" Seacat held up a hand. "I hear something!"

But it wasn't the sound of countless legs striking the ground. This was… more a grinding sound. Like…

Her eyes widened. "They're burrowing! They're in the ground!"

"What?"

Seacat dropped to the ground and pressed her ear against it, clenching her teeth at the sensation of wet earth. Yes. "They're beneath us!"

"And around us!" Perfuma added. "They are ripping through the roots!"

A moment later, bots were appearing all around them, shaking off dirt and small rocks as they broke the ground from below. Roots followed them, trying to grab and restrain the bots, but they were too slow to catch most of the bots.

"I'm going to start the override!" Entrapta announced, perched on Emily.

"Protect Entrapta!" Seacat yelled and rushed towards the closest bot. "And keep an eye out for the enemy sorcerer!" she added as she dodged a swipe from the bot's legs and cut its head off. Rolling over her shoulder, she jumped up, tucking her legs in to avoid another bot, and landed between three of them.

Whirling, her blade flashed, cutting legs all around her, but one connected with the back of her thigh before she could jump away. Hissing at the pain, she threw herself forward, below another bot that was climbing over a crippled one. She rolled to the side and stabbed up, her sword piercing the underbelly of the bot, then rolled on, just managing to get away before the collapsing bot fell on her.

Jumping up, she stumbled - her leg was hurt worse than she'd thought. A quick check with her free hand confirmed that she was bleeding pretty badly. Adora wouldn't be happy.

She snorted at her thought and slashed at two more bots, then glanced around. Plants had tied up a dozen bots, and between the Horde princess and Adora, the bots attacking them from the front were being dealt with.

But the ones hidden in the jungle… She clenched her teeth and moved to intercept a pair of them trying to cut Emily's legs. The large bot was firing its gun, blowing apart another bot, but it couldn't be everywhere. At least Castaspella was shielding the carrier-bot, but the water-bot… well, Entrapta would have to fix it after this.

Another bot charged Seacat and ended with steel through its ugly head for its attempt. Two more tried to flank her, but she slashed at one with her claws while she parried the attack from the other with her sword, then whirled to finish it.

And more were coming! Where was Bow? She couldn't see him. She slashed at two bots, driving them back, and looked up. Ah, he was in the canopy, looking for the sorcerer. Good. The two bots were joined by a third and attacked again. She beheaded the first and fell back. Her leg was slowing her down now - and was she leaving a trail of blood? She needed to bandage that leg. But she couldn't. Not with the bots attacking her.

She cut the forelegs off the next, but the second caught her blade, and she had to let it go before she was trampled. Hissing, she swiped her claws at it, cutting through legs, pincers and then its shell with her claws until it collapsed.

She bent to retrieve her sword and almost fell. This was… Really not good. She had to fall back. Have Emily guard her back.

She glanced over her shoulder. She was further away than she had thought - or had Emily moved? No matter.

She started running. Limping. A jump turned into a stumble, and she got almost gored by a bot attacking her from the side. She managed to twist away, but its pincers still left a bloody line on her side.

In return, she stuck her blade through the thing's head, then pushed off and dropped into a roll that carried her to the legs of Emily. Almost…

She pulled the rest of her shirt off and wrapped it around her leg while she hid beneath Emily. That helped. She wouldn't bleed out now. Not before this battle was over one way or the other, anyway.

"We need some help in the back!" she yelled.

"I'm on it!" Glimmer replied, jumping down on a bot nearby and smashing its head with her staff. "You're hurt!" the princess blurted out when she saw Seacat.

"I'm fine," Seacat replied, forcing herself to walk normally towards the next wave of bots. They must be coming from further away - the enemy couldn't have buried so many close by. They were still more than she had expected. Who had built all of them?

"Got it!" Entrapta yelled. "And… Done!"

A moment later, all the bots suddenly stopped moving.

"Turned them off!" the princess cheered. "And now I can command them!"

"Seacat's wounded!" Glimmer snapped. "Adora!"

"What? Coming!" Adora rushed towards them.

"Look, I'm…" Seacat started to say, but her lover didn't listen - she was already waving her sword at her.

A moment later, the pain in her thigh faded.

"See, that's…" Adora trailed off.

"What?"

"Your shirt!"

Oh. Seacat grinned. "Well, I had to…"

"Oh, no!" Entrapta interrupted her. "There's one bot not listening!"

"What?" Seacat whirled. They could take one bot. "Where?"

"Straight ahead!" Entrapta replied. "It's headed to the ridge! From the other side!"

Seacat turned. And froze for a moment.

The bot's head cresting the ridge was as big as Emily's entire body!

"Oh! That's a new model!" Entrapta said. "I wonder…"

Then the entire ridge crumbled under the bot's weight and started to slide down - towards their position.

"No!"

"Watch it!"

"Everyone, rally!"

Seacat cursed as she watched the avalanche of dirt and rocks race towards them, uprooting and smashing the trees in the way. This was…

Castaspella screamed a word Seacat didn't understand, and a yellow shield appeared in front of them. "Everyone behind it!" she yelled.

Except for Bow and the Horde princess, everyone was already behind the shield. And Bow was just jumping down from the tree he had been hiding in. The Horde princess, on the other hand, had been caught out in the open, too far from the shield. She was running, but there was no way she would make it. Seacat saw the woman's face - she knew it as well.

Next to her, Perfuma screamed: "Scorpia!"

Then Glimmer appeared next to the Horde princess, almost getting trampled, and a moment later, both disappeared in a flash of sparks - moments before the mass of dirt and rocks arrived where they had been.

The two princesses reappeared in a tangle of limbs in the middle of the group. "Ow!"

"Thanks, Glimmer!"

"Scorpia!"

"Everyone, get close to the shield! We need to stay together!" Castaspella snapped.

Racing towards the avalanche felt wrong, but the sorceress was right - if they were too far back, they would still be swept away and crushed. Seacat reached the shield and hunkered down, staring at the approaching wave of dirt, rocks and mud. If the shield broke…

Strong arms encircled her. Adora.

Seacat turned, grabbed her lover's head and kissed her a second before the avalanche hit the shield.

The wave of earth and stone smashed into it, then broke, flowing around it - and over it.

"Brace yourself!"

"Emily!"

"Stay down!"

Clumps of mud and dirt rained down on them, and everything went dark. Seacat held onto Adora even as her lover pushed her down and shielded her with her own body. She felt mud covering her leg, something hard hitting her foot, and a rock digging in her side as the avalanche swept over them, only the magic shield keeping them from being crushed and swept away.

But they were still buried. Someone had a light - Entrapta! She was using her device. Seacat panted as she looked around. At the shield, there was a small, a very small space that hadn't been filled by the mud and rocks, barely enough for everyone - Seacat wasn't the only one half-buried in the avalanche. But the air would run out soon.

Someone sobbed. Seacat couldn't tell who. Her ears were still ringing from the terrifying sound the avalanche had made.

"We need to get out!" Adora yelled.

"Just let me…"

Perfuma cut Glimmer off. "I'll handle it!"

And plants started to shoot out of the earth, pushing against the dirt and rocks above and around them. Forming webs and digging into the mass that had buried them.

"Hurry!" Castaspella said. "I don't know how much longer I can keep the shield!"

"I am hurrying," Perfuma replied with a tense expression. "We aren't buried deeply!"

And they weren't - the first rays of light started to appear as the plants burrowed through the ceiling. More dirt fell down on them, but Seacat didn't mind. They were saved. They wouldn't die buried alive.

Adora rose, pushing away the last parts of the shell of earth and mud that had tried to kill them, and raised her sword. "Yes!"

Seacat followed her, pulling her leg free - getting the mud out of her fur would be murder - and looked around. "No!"

The huge bot was coming at them, climbing down the ridge.

"Damn it!" Adora yelled. "Incoming!"

She was already charging the bot. Seacat cursed and followed her. They had to buy time for the others to rally.

The bot's head swung around to face them, and it opened its maw. Something glowed inside. Seacat's eyes widened. "Dodge!" she screamed, jumping to the side.

A lance of red light reached out, and the ground near her exploded. What the hell was that?

She rolled over the smashed ground, scrambled up and dashed forward again.

"Over here, you dumb bot!" she heard Adora yell. Her lover was waving her sword at the bot as she charged towards it, drawing its attention.

Seacat cursed under her breath. That idiot! She jumped over a jagged rock, landed on a slippery patch of dirt that almost sent her sprawling, and reached the bot's huge foreleg. She swung her sword, but the blade barely cut the thing's armoured shell.

Adora, on the other side, had more luck - but not much more. The leg showed a gap with sparks covering the edges, but it was still working.

"We need to strike at its vulnerable spots!" Adora yelled.

"Tell me something I don't know!" Seacat yelled back.

An arrow hit the thing's shell, splashing green ooze over it. Acid, Seacat realised - Bow's trick arrows. But the shell held.

"Rahhhh!" The Horde princess smashed into the thing's leg, pincers sliding off the metal. She tried to grab it but was swept away.

And the thing shot more red light at them, blowing up the ground and showering everyone with dirt and fragments of rocks. It was focusing on Adora - and missing so far.

It wouldn't miss forever, though. Seacat snarled and jumped, digging her claws into the bot's shell.

And she started to climb.

The armour of the giant bot was hard, much harder than usual Horde stuff. And much thicker than the armour on the smaller bots. But her claws still cut it, and all that the thicker armour meant was that climbing was easier. Not easy, though - the thing tried to shake her, then scrape her off with another leg, and Seacat had to jump and scramble around the leg to avoid getting squished.

"Seacat!"

"I'm OK!" she yelled back.

"What are you doing?"

"Killing a damn bot!"

She hissed as she reached the body of the bot, jumping off the twitching leg joint and landing on the bot's side. More explosions followed - she saw smoke and dust get thrown up from below, but none reached her. On the bot's back, she was pretty much out of its reach.

Kind of sloppy, actually, to design it like that. "I guess the First Ones weren't perfect," she mumbled as she approached the bot's head. All she had to do was open up the armour and then start cutting and slicing the stuff inside. Like a brainworm from the stories sailors spun to scare each other.

She was about to start cutting the head armour when she heard something behind her. Whirling, she saw two smaller bots charge her - and more coming up behind through an opening in the bot's back.

Cursing her own overconfidence, she cut the first apart with her claws, then kicked the second off the giant bot's back. That left… half a dozen coming at her.

No problem. She grinned and charged them, the claws on her feet ripping into the armour beneath her. The next bot lunged at her, and she moved to the side, letting it skid past her and off the shell as she sliced her claws through the head of the one behind it.

A kick sent another bot off to join the rest on the ground but left her encircled by three. She dropped down, flattening herself against the armoured shell to avoid their first attacks, and kicked out, breaking legs - and sending herself sliding off the giant bot's back. Pushing her claws into the armour stopped her descent but left her pinned down - and another bot jumped at her!

She gasped and pulled her claws out, letting her slide, then fall down the shell, and the bot missed, bounced off and fell past her before she drove her claws into the armour again to catch her fall.

"Seacat!"

Oh. Adora must have caught that. "I'm OK!" she yelled as she started her climb back up.

The last bot was coming at her - and it was climbing over the shell. Its legs clung to the armour like a real spider's.

Seacat's eyes widened. That meant… she glanced to her side. Yes. The bots she had kicked off were climbing up the giant legs. Damn!

She pushed herself, scrambling up the slope, towards the charging bot. She had to time this perfectly.

Clenching her teeth and hissing, she tensed, then, a second before the bot reached her, she threw herself to the side, raking her claws over the smaller bot's sides as it went past her.

Her claws caught on something, and for a second, she was pulled along before she managed to rip them out and catch herself. This bot, at least, was done for - she saw it explode as it hit the bottom.

That left… two that she could see. She hurried to reach the top of the bot's back before them. One of them almost beat her to it, but she was faster and dug her claws in before raking its head. It froze, sparks covering the tears her claws had left, then tumbled down, blowing up before it hit the ground.

One left! She hissed, her ears flattening, as she faced off with the last bot. Easy!

The thing charged her - they never learned - and she crouched to block and then claw it.

Then she was flying through the air. What…? She looked back - a cloud of smoke, like from an explosion, covered the part of the bot's back she had been standing on. How…?

Pain filled her. She had been blasted off the thing's back, she realised - the sorcerer! And she was falling.

"Ca-Seacat!"

She was trying to twist her body. Land on her feet. But her body wasn't cooperating. Damn, this would…

"Gotcha, wildcat!"

Arms closed around her, catching her. Not Adora's - hard ones. Pincers.

As they hit the ground, Seacat cradled in the bug princess's arms, she gasped.

She had been saved by the Horde princess!

Damn!

"She needs help!" the woman yelled.

"Ca-Seacat!"

"Someone get the sorcerer!" Seacat screamed. She could deal with the pain, but if that bastard struck again…

"He's on top of the ridge!" Bow yelled. At least one of them was on the job!

"Hold still!" Adora snapped, kneeling down next to her. When had the bug princess dropped her to the ground?

Then the now far too familiar feeling of magical healing filled her.

"There!" Adora beamed at her.

A moment later, Seacat's dumb lover was flung away by a giant leg.

"Adora!" Seacat screamed as she whirled. The giant bot was facing her, mouth cannon already glowing.

She dived to the side, rolling over her shoulder, and was showered with dirt as the ground blew up again behind her. Something struck her back, right into her kidneys, and she screamed with pain - but kept going. Caught between the sorcerer and the giant bot, they had to beat both or die.

"Glimmer!" she yelled. "Get me up to the bot's back!"

"What?"

There was the princess, ducking behind tree trunks. Seacat ran towards her, weaving to make herself a harder target. Another explosion, to the side. She flinched as she entered a dust cloud, almost stumbling on the uneven ground.

There! Glimmer was in front of her. "Teleport! Now!" Seacat blurted out. Behind her, the bot was already aiming again.

Glimmer grabbed her hand, and they disappeared.

And reappeared on the bot's back just as it shot at the ground where they had been before. Snarling, Seacat rammed her claws into the back of the bot's head, slicing through the armour.

"What do I do?" Glimmer asked.

"Keep the sorcerer from hitting me!" Seacat snapped back as she tore a fist-sized piece of armour out. She needed more to reach the bot's control unit.

"But… I can't stop a spell!"

"Be ready to get us out of the way, then!" Seacat replied, widening the hoe. She could already see the first crystals shining inside.

Any moment, the sorcerer would attack. She had to hurry - they couldn't last much longer. Even with Bow and Castaspella keeping the enemy busy. And Adora…

Seacat clenched her teeth. Adora was fine. She had taken worse than a kick. She killed sea monsters for fun.

Snarling, she stuck her arm through the hole and started shredding the crystals she could reach. The bot faltered but didn't fall. Not enough.

She pulled back and ripped into the armour again until she had torn a hole big enough to slip through.

"Let me!" Glimmer said, pushing against her side.

"What?"

But the princess had already stuck the tip of her shaft through the hole, baring her teeth.

A moment later, something blew up inside, and smoke started to escape through the hole.

And the giant bot stopped moving. For a second. Then it started to topple over.

Glimmer screamed, struggling with the staff, but Seacat grabbed her and jumped off the bot before it crashed to the ground.

One down. One to go. She dropped Glimmer to the ground and whirled, looking at the sorcerer.

The man was fighting both Bow and Castaspella, who looked exhausted. And Bow's arrows kept hitting magic shields. But now, with Scorpia no longer having to distract the bot from attacking Entrapta and Perfuma, they could focus on the sorcerer.

"Rahhh!"

And there was Adora, charging up the slope. Yes!

The sorcerer turned, stumbled for a moment - and an arrow slipped past his shield, hitting him.

No, ripping his cowl off - the man seemed unhurt. So close!

Then Castaspella gasped and sank to her knees. "Micah?"

"Micah?" Glimmer echoed, gasping as well.

Seacat knew she was missing something.

*****​
 
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Chapter 59: The Missing King
Chapter 59: The Missing King

"Micah? Who's Micah?" Seacat blurted as she stared at the sorcerer on top of the ridge. He seemed to have frozen in the act of casting a spell with his staff or something. She was sure she hadn't seen him before - she would remember such a pale face and those jagged black tattoos covering his skin.

"Micah's…" Glimmer trailed off.

"My brother," Castaspella said.

"Dad," Glimmer added.

What? Seacat blinked. Wasn't Glimmer's father dead?

"Rahhh!" Adora yelled as she raced up the last few yards to the top of the ridge.

The sorcerer - Micah - jerked, looked at Adora, then vanished down the other side of the ridge.

"Adora! No!" Glimmer yelled - more than a little belatedly.

And Adora stopped, sword held high, right on top of the ridge, glancing over her shoulder. "What?"

"Don't kill him!" Glimmer yelled, starting to run up the slope as well.

"What?" Adora turned, then turned back. "He's gone! What's going on?" she yelled after a moment.

That was a good question, Seacat thought. A very good question. "Let's get up the ridge and secure it before the enemies return!" she snapped.

"No! We need to recover Emily!" Entrapta objected. "She was carried away in the landslide! As were Water-Bot and Carrier-Bot!"

Seacat blinked. Right. The bots.

"We don't have…" Castaspella started to say.

Seacat interrupted her with a raised hand. "Alright. "Scorpia, Perfuma, can you help Entrapta? We'll secure the ridge." Those two should be enough to keep her safe and help dig out whatever remained of the three bots.

"Alright," Perfuma said, smiling at Entrapta. "Don't worry, we'll find them!"

Scorpia nodded, though she glanced back at the ridge.

"We won't leave without you," Seacat told her.

"I don't think you would," she replied. "But something's..."

"We'll find out what's going on," Seacat said as she started to climb the slope herself. After taking her shirt off her thigh and wrapping it around her chest. Then she had to wait and help Castaspella, who was too exhausted to easily make the climb. But they made it without Seacat having to carry her.

"So…" she asked as soon as she reached the ridge. "What's going on?"

"I don't know!" Glimmer said, sniffling.

"We were fighting Glimmer's dad," Adora said.

"I thought he was dead," Seacat said.

"So did I!" Glimmer replied, shaking her head.

"Why would your dad fight us? He had to realise that we're from the Alliance!" Adora shook her head.

"Did we tell him?" Bow asked.

"Yes, we did," Seacat told her. "Perfuma shouted it out in the first battle."

"But…" Bow started to object.

"He must be possessed," Castaspella said. She wasn't looking at them, Seacat noted - she was staring down the slope, into the crater, which was covered in jungle, with a lake in the middle. "Or cursed. The pale skin, the black lines… That's not normal!"

"Uh…" Adora grimaced. "Are you sure that's him? And not some… monster that looks like him?"

"He looks like Micah," Castaspella said. "Just with different skin. And some of his spells… Micah used them when we sparred."

"Yes," Glimmer quickly agreed. "And he didn't attack me when he saw me!"

Seacat frowned. That was true - the sorcerer had shown some hesitation, at least at directly attacking Glimmer. But he had also sent hordes of bots against them.

"He still attacked us, though," Bow said. "And with an army of bots. And that monster." He pointed at the wreck of the giant bot below them.

"He must be magically controlled," Glimmer said.

Castaspella was still not looking at them. "Or he's…" She trailed off, biting her lower lip.

"What?" Glimmer scowled and walked up to her aunt, almost slipping on a loose patch of earth. "What do you think happened?"

"I've seen those sorts of marks before," Castaspella said.

"What? Where?" Glimmer

"When Light Spinner became Shadow Weaver," Castaspella said.

Seacat gasped. Shadow Weaver? That monster? But…

"She did have dark marks on her skin," Adora said in a small voice. "I saw them once when I entered her room and surprised her. But they didn't quite look like those, I think."

"Really?" Glimmer turned. "So, it's not the same!"

"Shadow Weaver fought differently, too," Adora added.

"Because she was changed. But she was Micah's teacher," Castaspella told them. "Before she was turned into… what she was."

"No!" Glimmer shook her head. "Dad's not like Shadow Weaver!"

"But why is he attacking us, then?" Seacat asked.

"He's under a spell! We just have to break that spell!" Glimmer replied.

Seacat looked at Castaspella. She was glancing at Glimmer, but the sorceress didn't look as confident - or desperate - as the princess.

"You can break the spell, Auntie!" Glimmer told her, gripping her hands.

"I'll try," Castaspella said. "But…"

"No 'but'! We'll save Dad!" Glimmer clenched her teeth. "We'll save him, and then we kill whatever Horde scum did this to him!"

"If they're still alive," Seacat pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Glimmer turned to her.

"He was captured by the Horde and sent here instead of having been killed," Seacat explained. "That probably was done on the orders or with the knowledge of Shadow Weaver."

"Do you think she did this to him?" Glimmer gasped.

Seacat shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past her."

"Uh… I think it's possible," Adora added unprompted. "She did try to kill Ca-Seacat, after all."

"But if she used the same spell she tried on Micah…" Castaspella said.

"What?" Glimmer asked. "Tell us!"

The sorceress took a deep breath. "If she did… then there might be no way to save him."

"No!" Glimmer screamed. "We can save him! Adora can heal him!"

"Uh… I don't know if I can heal… possession?" Adora grimaced.

Glimmer turned and glared at her. "Yes. You. Can."

"Uh… right!" Adora's smile wouldn't have fooled a drunk, blind sailor, but Glimmer nodded. "We need to capture him."

Well, Seacat could get behind that. Whatever was up with Glimmer's dad, he was trying to keep them from reaching the First One's base here.

"And how do we do that?" Bow asked. "He can fade through solid material with his magic. And I have trouble hitting him with my trick arrows."

"I knock him out?" Adora suggested.

"As long as you don't accidentally kill him…" Seacat said. Though she couldn't help wondering - privately - if the sorcerer might have died already, and something was animating his corpse. He was so pale, and those lines on his body… She knew those tales about ghost ships and walking corpses she knew were just scary stories sailors told in taverns, but she also knew magic could do the impossible. A dead body, possessed by magic… She suppressed a shudder.

"Yes. Don't kill dad," Glimmer said.

Bow wrapped his arms around her shoulders - he must have noticed as well that she was pressing her lips together and standing far too straight to be OK - and she took a few shivering breaths when she turned to hug him.

Everyone else looked away. Seacat checked on Entrapta and the others down the slope. They were digging out… She narrowed her eyes. Ah, that looked like Emily. Emily after having been keelhauled a few dozen times. But there didn't seem to be any danger around - Perfuma's plants had already pushed the bot's remains to the surface.

When she turned back to the others, Glimmer had recovered her composure. And Adora looked as determined as ever. "I could just blast him with magic healing," she said, raising her sword.

"He might dodge it," Bow pointed out. "He dodged most of our attacks."

"It's not an attack," Adora objected.

"It looks like one - you point the sword at him, energy shoots out of it…" Seacat shrugged. "If you don't know better, it looks pretty much like an attack,"

"But… it's not!" Adora pouted.

"We know that, but he doesn't," Bow told her.

"Yes. Healing magic is very rare - the kind of healing magic that works as fast as yours," Castaspella said. "And speaking of healing…"

Adora gasped, pressing a hand in front of her mouth. "Oh, no! I totally forgot!"

A moment later, Castaspella was bathed in the magic and sighed with relief. "Ah… thank you."

"So, you can recharge her?" Glimmer asked Adora.

"She can relieve my physical exhaustion," Castaspella corrected her. "It's not replenishing magic - that's not how a sorceress's magic works."

"Ah." Glimmer nodded. "Didn't Dad see you heal Seacat in the battle?"

"I'm not sure if he paid attention to that," Adora replied.

"Well, he kept an eye on all of us - I tried making him split his attention and focus on me, but he still was able to avoid you," Bow said.

"Micah was one of the brightest, most talented students at Mystacore," Castaspella said with a sigh and a wry smile. "That's why Shadow Weaver set her eyes on him."

"Ew!" Glimmer grimaced.

"Not like that. She tutored him - in order to exploit his talents for her own plans. She used him to cast a very dangerous restricted spell." The sorceress shook her head. "It changed her when it backfired, but Micah escaped unscathed. Or so we thought."

"You think this might be the result of the spell?" Glimmer asked.

"I wouldn't exclude the possibility," her aunt replied. "But we won't be able to find out for certain before we can capture Micah."

Or his body, Seacat silently added. Out loud, she said: "Well, keep an eye on the jungle below us. I'll go check up on Entrapta. And use the mirror to signal to the Victory's Daughter that we're delayed."

Adora frowned before nodding. She understood that she needed to protect the others.

And Seacat needed to check up on Entrapta. If Emily was destroyed…

*****

"And her control unit and memory banks are OK!" Entrapta announced with a tired but wide smile. "Emily's OK. Well, she will be, once I fix her legs, and her cannon, and her power supply…"

"How long will that take?" Seacat asked, looking at the broken shell of the bot. A few lights were blinking, but nothing else seemed to be working - the avalanche had smashed the bot like an empty bottle.

"Uh… a few hours - I've got lots of spare parts here!" Entrapta nodded while her hair kept meddling with the bot's innards.

A few hours? That was a little too long, Seacat knew. On the other hand, she couldn't ask Entrapta to leave Emily behind. And they had no way to take the bot with them. Looking at the princess's smiling face - she could still see tracks of tears - there was only one answer. "Alright, I'll tell the others." She nodded at Scorpia and Perfuma. "We'll be working on ways to capture King Micah without killing him."

"I only need to sting him once, and he'll be out like a light," Scorpia reminded her - her tail wriggled above the princess's head.

Seacat smiled. "Then we just need Glimmer to teleport you next to him once he shows up."

"Exactly!"

*****​

"How much longer will this take?" Glimmer asked. Not for the first time. "We need to press on!"

Seacat sighed as she looked at the princess. Glimmer was staring at the jungle below them, in the caldera. Where her father had vanished. "We can't abandon Emily," Seacat told her.

"Yes, we…" Glimmer pressed her lips together, glancing over her shoulder down the slope, where Entrapta was still working on the big bot.

"We're not leaving anyone behind," Adora said.

"Of course not," Glimmer quickly agreed.

Though Seacat had a feeling that if Glimmer didn't know that leaving the bot behind would mean leaving Entrapta behind, she probably would urge them to move on. Well, Seacat understood the feeling. If someone had cursed Sea Hawk like that, and he was hiding in the jungle somewhere… She pushed the thought away. They wouldn't leave Entrapta behind. Certainly not in this jungle, where bots could swarm you. And possessed or cursed sorcerers could blast you from ambush.

Seacat didn't think Micah would hesitate to attack anyone except for Glimmer and Castaspella. If he would hesitate at all. He might have done so - or they might have misinterpreted his actions. Or he had done so, but not because they were his family and he wanted to spare them. Perhaps he was looking for more victims for whatever had taken control of him? And Castaspella would fit the bill. And Glimmer had a staff, like Micah.

"Hey!"

Seacat looked up. Adora was sitting down next to her, stretching her legs. How had she missed that? "Hey," she replied to cover up her reaction.

"Are you OK?" Adora asked in a low voice.

"Me? I'm fine. You healed me, remember?" Seacat smiled and elbowed her.

"I didn't mean that," Adora replied. "I mean… you looked pretty, uh, pensive."

"Just thinking about our mission," Seacat replied.

"Ah. The Heart of Etheria, or Micah?"

"Micah," Seacat replied, glancing at Glimmer. The princess was busy talking to Bow. Probably planning their descent into the crater - again.

"Ah." Adora swallowed. "Well, if I can heal him… Do you think I can?"

"I don't know," Seacat told her. "I'm not a sorceress."

"But do you think I could?"

"I hope so," Seacat replied.

"Oh."

Seacat clenched her teeth. Now Adora looked sad. That wasn't what she had meant to do. "The important thing is to capture him. We can sort out how to cure him once we've saved the world."

"Right. We're here to save the world." Adora nodded firmly, then slumped a little. "From me."

Seacat hissed and slapped her lover on the back of her head. "No, you idiot! We're here to save the world from some thousand-years-old plot by people long dead. Not from you."

"But…"

"No buts!" Seacat moved over, into Adora's lap, facing her, then leaned in until Adora leaned back. "You're not responsible for this. Mara stopped it, anyway."

"But I'm a First One!"

"So? We both were Horde. And we left!" Seacat huffed.

"But…"

"No 'but'!" Seacat leaned in further until Adora was on her back, and she was straddling the taller woman. "You're not to blame for this. Not for the First Ones, nor for Micah - whatever happened to him. Probably Shadow Weaver."

"Yeah," Adora agreed. "That would fit her."

And she was sad again. Damn it! "And that wasn't your fault, either!" Seacat hissed.

"But…"

Seacat kissed her. That, at last, shut her up.

"No 'but'!" she said once they broke the kiss.

"Uh, alright…" Adora trailed off, biting her lower lip. "I'll try."

"Good. We're here to save the world. And blaming yourself isn't helping!"

"OK." Adora licked her lips, then blinked. "Uh… your shirt."

And Seacat noticed that her battered shirt, which was still sporting some blood stains from when she had used it as a makeshift bandage, had somehow fallen off during their kiss. "Oh." She blinked, then grinned. "What did you do?"

"What? I didn't do anything!"

"Really? You didn't want to strip me?"

"No! I mean… I didn't do it!"

"But you wanted to."

"Well…" Adora looked away. And froze. Seacat frowned and glanced to the side. And froze as well.

Glimmer, Bow and the others were staring at them. Or glaring.

Oops.

*****​

"Come on, Emily! I know you can do it! That's it! One step after the other! Yes!"

Seacat clenched her teeth as she watched the repaired bot slowly make its way up the slope while Entrapta cheered it on. It was now noon - the sun was shining straight down on them - and the remains of the avalanche had dried out, so every step Emily took threw up a small dust cloud. But the bot, despite looking like a steel bucket someone took a few hammers to, ignored that and kept steadily advancing towards them. Entrapta had done it.

A few minutes later, the bit reached the ridge and settled down on all four legs. And Entrapta patted its battered shell. "Perfect! Well done!"

Emily beeped and blinked something in return which cheered up the princess even more.

"Great!" Entrapta turned towards them. "Emily's fixed. Now I just have to fix Water-Bot and Carrier-Bot."

Seacat winced. "How long will that take?"

"Uh…" Entrapta fidgetted. "They weren't as durable as Emily since they weren't meant for combat, so… Their memory banks are intact!"

But the rest probably not. Seacat shook her head. "Let's take their memory banks and repair them later when we've done what we came here for."

"But…" Entrapta sighed. "I guess that's for the best. I'm not sure I have all the parts for both. We have lots of broken bots, but a few specialised parts I took from my stash on the ship."

Good. Seacat really didn't want to wait any longer. And Glimmer wouldn't wait any longer, she was certain.

They had to reach the Heart of Etheria today.

"Let's go!" she said.

"Yes!" Glimmer jumped up so quickly, Seacat almost thought she had teleported. "Let's save Dad!"

"And the world," Seacat reminded her.

"Yes, that too."

"So..." Adora cleared her throat. "Is the plan still that Scorpia stings him?"

"Unless we find a better plan, yes," Bow said. "We need to keep him from escaping once we spot him - I have a few trick arrows left that might do the job. But the problem will be holding him once we have him. If he can fade through solid wood and metal, he can probably fade through what rope we could use to tie him up."

"Or through the hands we hold him with," Seacat pointed out.

"I'll keep him sedated," Castaspella said. "But it means I won't be able to do much else - keeping someone as strong as my brother asleep will take most of my attention. Unless you can sting him again without endangering his health," she added, looking at Scorpia.

"Uh…" The big woman scratched the back of her head. "I haven't actually done that. One sting generally takes out anyone, and, ah - we had prisons for that."

Prisons designed by Shadow Weaver. Seacat clenched her teeth. Well, the witch was dead. And they didn't know if the poison in Scorpia's stinger would work in the first place - whatever controlled him might make him immune to such an attack. But they had gone over that before. "Let's go!" Seacat repeated herself and started climbing down the slope into the caldera.

Adora overtook her at once, as she had expected. As did Glimmer, which meant Bow did as well. Seacat would've preferred keeping the princess in the back, but Glimmer would never agree to that. And if Micah really hesitated to hurt her, she would be pretty safe up front. Hopefully, at least.

The giant bot had left huge tracks in this part of the slope, which made climbing a little harder than it would've been, she noticed.

"Eeep!"

Seacat whirled and froze. Emily was stumbling, legs failing to find purchase in the softer earth! If the bot lost its balance, it would roll down the slope. And Entrapta was balanced on top of it - if she didn't get thrown clear, she'd be crushed!

Seacat started towards them, but vines erupted from the earth, wrapping themselves around the bot's legs and stopping it from falling over.

"Thanks, Perfuma!" Entrapta cheered. "Emily's ground pressure is a little too high for this terrain, I think. I need to make climbing claws for her!"

Seacat had a brief vision of a bot with claws on its legs. It wasn't a nice image. Not at all. "Can you ease Emily down the slope?" she asked.

"Yes," Perfuma said. "It'll be slow, though."

"That's no problem," Seacat assured her. Anything was better than risking another landslide here.

She turned and saw that Adora, Glimmer and Bow hadn't stopped - they were almost at the treeline already. Frowning, she set out to follow them. They could've waited for her, at least!

But they stopped at the jungle, and she caught up with them shortly afterwards. "Did you see anything?"

"No," Adora replied. "But anything could be hiding in there."

Seacat agreed - the underbrush was denser than in the jungle on the other side of the ridge. And their enemy, Micah or whoever had done it, had already proven that they could hide an army of bots in the jungle.

"So, we agreed to wait for Entrapta and Perfuma," Bow went on.

Seacat glanced at Glimmer. Judging by the way the princess was scowling, she had disagreed with that decision. But as long as she went along with it, that was fine.

Seacat cocked her head, her ears twitching. "I don't hear anything suspicious," she told the other. Then she blinked. "And that is suspicious."

"What?" Adora asked.

"I don't hear any animals. Not even birds," Seacat explained. "Either they are all in hiding and staying silent because something scared them, or… there aren't any animals in the jungle."

Bow winced. "Either explanation is bad." He looked at the jungle with narrowed eyes.

Seacat nodded. "Yes." She listened again, but she could only hear a few insects buzzing nearby. No sound of anything larger.

She really hoped that the animals had been scared away - she didn't want to enter a jungle where animals disappeared.

"Whee!" Entrapta arrived on Emily, which slid the last few yards to them, and the princess jumped off, letting her hair catch her fall. "That was fun!"

The bot beeped, and the princess frowned. "You were perfectly safe!"

Seacat wondered - privately - if bots could get scared. After surviving - sort of - a landslide, Emily might not be too keen on risking another. Seacat certainly wasn't.

Then Castaspella, Scorpia and Perfuma arrived. Perfuma looked a little tired - same as Castaspella.

"Something's wrong with the jungle," Bow told them. "Seacat can't hear any animals."

"Oh! Let me check my scanner!" Entrapta said.

Perfuma bent down and touched the ground, plants growing under her hand. After a while, she frowned.

"I don't detect any higher animals near us!" Entrapta announced.

"And I don't detect the usual signs of animals eating plants, other than insects," Perfuma added.

"So… something is keeping animals out of this jungle," Bow said.

"Or wipes them out if they enter," Seacat pointed out. "What could it be?"

"Something is controlling the plants, but that was the same on the other side," Perfuma said. "So, that can't be it."

Seacat tilted her head. Still, only the buzzing of insects. A lot of buzzing, actually.

Oh, no! She gasped. "Bugs!" she blurted out. "There're lots of bugs coming!"

"Bugs?" Adora asked.

"A huge swarm!" Seacat explained, looking around. They couldn't... They had to… How did you fight a swarm of bugs? With fire! "We need fire!"

"What?" Glimmer asked.

"Uh-oh!" Bow paled. "Do you hear this?"

"Yes," Seacat snapped. "We need to prepare fire to keep them away."

"Bugs? A swarm of them?" Entrapta asked.

And there they came - Seacat could hear the swarm fly towards them. And crawl.

Then she saw them. A cloud of flying insects and a wave made up of crawling bugs coming at them. They swept through the underbrush like a freak wave.

Emily's gun bellowed. A second later, a bush blew up in the middle of the swarm. It didn't seem to affect them at all - they kept coming.

Castaspella raised her hands, and a shining yellow shield appeared - just in time to have the swarm crash into it.

Seacat hissed as she saw the bugs cover it, blotting out the sun as they tried to find a way through it. And those were just the flying bugs. More were on the way. And the noise they made - it hurt her ears!

"I can't keep this up forever - their weight is adding up!" the sorceress snapped.

"We need fire!" Seacat repeated herself, yelling loudly. "Something to burn them. Oil!"

"I've got one flask, but I need it to lubricate Emily!" Entrapta said.

"You can repair her!" Glimmer turned towards the princess. "We can't be repaired if we get buried under bugs. "Dad!" she yelled. "Call them back!"

"I don't think he's hearing us over all the noise from the bugs," Bow yelled.

"This is bad," Scorpia said, loud enough to be heard. "I know those bugs. Flying Stone Wasps! They paralyse their prey. A swarm can even take down a minotaur!"

"I can construct a zapper!" Entrapta said. "Just give me an hour or two!"

Damn. Seacat growled. "We need to burn them!" But a flask of oil wouldn't be enough.

"Wait!" Perfuma held her hands out. Vines shot up from the earth, winding themselves around the magic shield. Forming a wall. But…

"That won't stop the bugs!" Glimmer yelled.

"Not yet!" Perfuma shot back. "But… Once the walls are ready, set them on fire!"

"What?"

"Set them on fire!" the princess repeated herself.

Adora looked at her for confirmation. Seacat nodded. They didn't have a better plan, anyway.

Adora grabbed the flask from Entrapta, Soaked a rag with it, then wrapped the rag around a stone. "So… how do I get it through the shield?"

"Drop it, then set the vines on fire and redo the shield!" Perfuma replied. "Hurry!"

That sounded like suicide. But they had no choice now - the rest of the bugs had arrived. "Do it!" Seacat snapped, taking a deep breath

A moment later, the shield disappeared. And a burning rag flew towards the closest vine.

And a new shield appeared around them - a fairly smaller one. And one that hadn't kept all bugs out. Seacat swiped at the bugs trying to sting her while she heard shrieks and grunts from the others. "Keep them off of Castaspella!" she snapped, standing next to the sorceress. If Castaspella's concentration broke...

Adora was there, swinging her sword - broadside - and splattering bugs around. But it wouldn't be enough once the shield broke.

Seacat glanced at the burning vines. The fire was spreading all along the vines. And so was thick, dark smoke. Smoke… She narrowed her eyes. The bugs were… dropping in the smoke. And the scent… "What are you burning?" she yelled.

"The vines have aromatic oils in them. People use them to deal with bees to get the honey from bee hives!" Perfuma explained. "I thought of them after my first visit to Scorpia."

"Oh." Seacat smiled. "Good thinking! This will…" She coughed. The smoke was inside the shield, now.

"Uh… They usually wear masks," Perfuma said before she coughed as well.

Damn, that smoke was nasty! Seacat had another coughing fit.

"Cover your noses with a piece of cloth! Soak it in water!" Adora yelled.

By the time they had managed to soak their rags, Seacat was constantly coughing and could barely see anything inside the shield.

But the bugs were dropping like flies. Or something.

"I don't… feel… so good!" Entrapta managed to say between coughing,

"Get to the ground!" Perfuma yelled, then coughed, "The.. air… is better here."

Seacat was already crouching and simply dropped down. The air was better, if not by much, but it helped.

And slowly, the buzzing noise disappeared, followed by the chittering noise of the ground-bound swarm. After a few minutes and more coughing, Seacat spoke up in the sudden silence: "I think you can drop the shield now."

Castaspella didn't say anything, but a gust of wind hit Seacat's face, and the smoke started to clear.

Damn. She turned on her back and drew deep, coughing breaths. That had been close. Too damn close.

"We really need to capture Micah," she said.

If he had worse tricks of his sleeve, they might not survive.

"We have to find him first," she heard Adora whisper.

Well, that was the problem, wasn't it? Although… "I have an idea!" Seacat said, grinning.

Adora would hate it, but it was their best chance.

"We need you to play bait," she told Glimmer. "Lure him out so we can capture him."

"What?" "What?" "No!" Glimmer, Bow and Castaspella blurted out.

"It's too dangerous!" Adora protested.

"We know Micah hesitated to attack you," Seacat explained. "We don't know why, but he attacked others like Bow. So you've got the best chance here to avoid a fight."

"Yes. He attacked me quite stubbornly," Bow said. "But we don't know if he'd spare Glimmer - if he can spare her."

"Yes. And he also hesitated to attack me," Castaspella added. "I should play bait!"

"No!" Glimmer shook her head. "You're the only one who can deal with whatever spells he can cast. And I can teleport to safety if something goes wrong. And he didn't attack me."

"He sent his bots against you," Adora said. "I should play bait. You can teleport Scorpia to him and strike him as soon as you see him!"

"We didn't see him most of the time when we fought him before," Seacat pointed out. "That's why we need a bait who can make him hesitate."

"Like I did before," Glimmer said. She slowly nodded with a firm expression. "I need to do this. For Dad!"

"No, you don't!" her aunt objected. "I can do it as well. And I can stand up to him, giving you more time to catch him. I've countered his attacks before. And we need you to teleport to him."

"And we need you to deal with magic," Seacat told Castaspella. "He might not hesitate to attack you."

"Glimmer's not expendable." Bow frowned.

"If anyone is risking their life as bait, it should be me. I can withstand most attacks," Adora insisted.

Seacat rolled her eyes. "And we need you to heal anyone hurt in the fighting."

Adora frowned at her. "But I'm She-Ra. It's my duty to protect you!"

"And that means not sacrificing yourself pointlessly," Seacat shot back.

"What? You think this is going to be a sacrifice?" Bow looked shocked.

"No!" Seacat trend to face him. "There is a risk, but Glimmer can teleport. And Adora can heal her - if she's not trying to sacrifice herself."

"I'm not!" Adora claimed. "But I am the toughest. I will be fine."

Glimmer rolled her eyes. "And Dad won't hesitate to attack you. He doesn't know you. You can't be bait. It has to be me."

Seacat nodded in agreement. "And we have to be ready to capture him."

"And how do we do that if he's too far away and Glimmer is the only one who can reach him?" Adora asked.

"Simple," Glimmer replied. "I teleport to Scorpia, then to him."

That was probably their best shot. It might be better to have Adora play bait, but they hadn't been often able to spot Micah in the fights so far, and Glimmer couldn't teleport blindly. She had to lure the sorcerer out. Even though that would also be much more dangerous for Glimmer. Not that Seacat would think that Glimmer would let that stop her.

She glanced at Adora, who was frowning as well. So, her lover probably shared her take on this.

"Glimmer…" Bow started, stepping towards her.

"Bow! I have to do this! I have to save Dad!" Glimmer shook her head.

"But… you don't have to do it like that!"

"I'm the best choice for this." She gripped his hand. "Please."

Bow pressed his lips together, then took a deep breath. "I hate it."

"But…?" Glimmer faintly smiled, and her eyes looked a little wet.

Another sigh. "I don't see a better alternative. I really don't."

That pretty much summed it up. The two embraced, and Seacat sighed as well.

"Alright," she said after a while when none of the two seemed to be ready to break their embrace any time soon. "Let's get this organised. Before we have to fight even more bugs."

"Oh, I think I've cracked that," Entrapta spoke up.

"What?" Seacat turned to face her. As did everyone else.

"They had to control the bugs somehow, didn't they?" Entrapta asked.

"Magic," Castaspella replied at once.

"Well, that was one possibility. But I noticed some weird readings - there was a sound too low to hear by anyone of us. And it was directed at us. I think that was how Micah controlled the bugs. Or whoever controlled them," Entrapta explained.

"A sound we can't hear? Huh?" Adora asked. "How would that work?"

"We can't hear it, but bugs can sense it," Entrapta told her.

"Ah."

"Like a whistle that only some people can hear," Scorpia said. "We - the Horde - experimented with that a while ago, or so I'd heard. It was never fielded because concentrating so many people in the same unit, so they could listen to commands no one else heard, was not worth the effort or something."

"Whatever," Adora said. "You can stop another such attack?"

"Emily can! Once I modify her audio and speaker system!"

The bot beeped.

That sounded reassuring, in Seacat's opinion. "Do that. And we'll be looking for a good spot to ambush a king," she told the princess.

"We can't just walk around in the jungle with Glimmer in the lead," Adora protested.

"Why not?" Glimmer asked.

"Micah would be suspicious of such a change in our usual tactics," Adora explained.

"If he's fully in control of himself," Bow pointed out. "He's been on the island for over a decade, at the least," he said.

"We don't know that," Castaspella disagreed. "Shadow Weaver might not have sent him to the island right after he got captured."

Seacat winced. She had been held by Shadow Weaver; she knew what that meant. And if Shadow Weaver had experimented on Micah or was responsible for his situation… "He might not be stable at all," she said.

"He didn't attack me," Glimmer retorted.

"He did attack us," Bow told her.

"He doesn't know you. He knows me. And Auntie."

"Anyway," Adora cut in, "if he expects me and Bow to take point, we should do that. For a while, at least. Then we take a rest, and Glimmer plays bait. Close by."

"How do we know when he notices her?" Bow asked. "If Glimmer yells, then he'll realise we'll attack him."

Another good question.

"If we rest, I can surround us with a network of plants that detect footsteps," Perfuma said. "I can't do it while we walk, but give me some time, and I should be able to sense him near us."

"What if he travels in the canopies?" Bow asked.

"That's trickier. Trees don't sense people climbing on them. And if I cover them with vines which could sense someone touching them, he might notice," the princess replied.

"I can cover the canopies," Bow said.

"But can you spot him in time for us to react?" Adora asked. "I mean, for us to send out Glimmer?"

Bow frowned. "I have to try."

"Oh, we could plant sensors around us!" Entrapta said. Apparently, she had finished working on Emily. "I can use some of the sensors from the bots we destroyed. If you place them around our campsite, we'll have ample warning of his approach. I think. Unless there's magic that fools sensors."

"There are ways to hide your presence," Castaspella said. "But they mostly fool sight, not sound. There are spells to mask the sound of you as well."

"And ground- and tree-based vibrations?" Entrapta asked.

"I…" Castaspella frowned. "I don't believe so?"

"Great! Seismic detectors, it is! This will be fun!"

"Yes, fun," Seacat muttered. "Well, then we rest here while Entrapta works on her sensors and Perfuma grows some plants." And Seacat would try not to worry too much over the time they were losing - or the possibility of this ambush being turned into a counter-ambush.

*****​

Seacat sighed. Entrapta was happily dismantling more bot parts. Perfuma had her hand on the soil again, eyes closed. Listening to plants. While she sat in Scorpia's lap. "I missed that," she said.

"Huh?" Adora stopped looking at the jungle around them, hand twitching over the hilt of her sword, and turned to face her. "What did you miss?"

"That they are a couple," she explained.

"They?"

Seacat nodded at the two princesses.

"Oh! You didn't notice?" Adora smiled.

Seacat narrowed her eyes at her lover. "And when did you?"

"Uh…" Adora blushed. "When Scorpia asked me for advice about courting. On the ship."

Seacat blinked. "She asked you for advice?"

"Hey!" Adora frowned. And pouted. "I courted you, didn't I?"

"I seduced you," Seacat countered.

"I started it!"

Seacat chuckled. "Well, you weren't very good at it, but I'll grant you that."

"Hey!" More pouting.

Seacat grinned, leaned over and kissed her. "And it was cute!"

"Mh." Adora sighed. "Anyway, I just told her to be honest and ask. And it worked!"

Well, Seacat couldn't argue with that.

"So, I do give good advice about love!"

Seacat snorted. "Are you trying to claim you helped Glimmer and Bow out as well?"

"Well…" Adora twirled her fingers. "I did nudge them. A little."

Seacat shook her head. "Adora the matchmaker. Who would've thought?"

"Hey!"

More pouting and more kissing. Perhaps, Seacat thought as Adora held her in her arms, they could look for a little more privacy…

"And I'm done with the first batch!"

And there was Entrapta, beaming at them while she held up half a dozen metal boxes with red lights in them. "Here are the first sensors! They'll detect people moving in a radius of ten yards, so think of that while placing them!"

"Thank you." Seacat smiled at her as she took a step back from Adora, then looked up at the jungle's canopy above them and did a quick calculation.

They were going to need a lot more sensors if this was supposed to work.

*****​
 
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Chapter 60: The Crater Fight
Chapter 60: The Crater Fight

"And here are a few more!"

"Thank you." Seacat smiled at Entrapta. And felt guilty about having the princess work so hard on creating sensors when the rest of them weren't doing anything in particular. Except for keeping their eyes open for Micah. On the other hand, Entrapta was having fun making sensors.

She walked over to the trunk of a particularly large tree under which Glimmer was sitting and waiting.

As soon as the princess saw her approach, she asked: "More sensors for Bow?"

Seacat nodded and dropped the metal cubes into Glimmers's lap.

"Thanks."

"No problem." Carrying the sensors from Entrpata's 'open-air workshop' to Glimmer wasn't really much, but it was better than doing nothing.

Seacat turned to walk away. Perhaps she'd do another perimeter check - she clenched her teeth at Catra's training resurfacing. Or she would…

"Seacat?"

Seacat stopped and turned back, cocking her head at Glimmer. "Yes?"

Glimmer wet her lips. "Shouldn't… shouldn't Dad have… found us by now? It's been what, one hour?"

Seacat shrugged. "Your dad probably needs more time to come up with his next attack." After a moment, she added: "And it might be an attack like the swarm or the landslide. An attack that doesn't care about individual targets."

"I know," Glimmer replied. "But he tried that twice. He might try something else this time. And I have to try and stop him."

Seacat nodded. She didn't entirely agree, but there was no stopping Glimmer. She didn't know what she would do if Sea Hawk were possessed or something, but she wouldn't let anyone stop her either. No matter the risks. "We'll get him," she said.

"Yes."

Seacat didn't let her smile slip until she was walking away with her back to Glimmer. With every minute that passed, Micah would have more time to prepare. All the sensors of the world wouldn't help if he just set the jungle on fire or something. Not that a fire would be a great threat - they could outrun any fire thanks to Glimmer, and Adora could probably mow down half the forest to stop it from spreading.

As usual, it wasn't the things you could think of that you had to worry about. It was the things you didn't think of. And you couldn't really prepare for those. So, they'd faced swarms of bots, swarms of bots hidden under the ground, a landslide, a giant bot, and a swarm - two swarms - of killer bugs. And an attempt to poison their drinking water.

What else could a possessed sorcerer and a First One's bot come up with?

"Ca-Seacat!"

Seacat turned. Adora was walking towards her. "Yes?"

"I've finished a patrol. No sign of the enemy." Adora nodded, though Seacat had half-expected her to salute.

"We've been putting up more sensors," Seacat replied.

"I've met Bow on the way." Adora sighed. "I don't like waiting."

"We can't do much else," Seacat said.

"What if he's holed up in the First One's base?" Adora asked. "Waiting for us to enter his kill zone?"

"We'll send in bots first," Seacat told her.

"I mean…" Adora looked around. "How long do we wait here for Micah to attack us?"

"Even after losing Carrier-Bot, we've got enough supplies left to spend a day or two here," Seacat told her. A few dents didn't mean a can couldn't be used any more, after all.

"And what if those two days are what we would've needed to stop the whole thing?"

Telling her that that would be bad luck wouldn't cut it. "I doubt that that's the case," Seacat said instead.

Adora stared at her for a moment, then sighed and slumped a little. "I hate waiting."

"Who doesn't?" Seacat asked. "But it's either waiting or just pressing on and force our way to the base. I'd rather fight Micah on our terms." That would make capturing him easier. She looked around. "But yes, we can't wait forever."

"No, we can't."

"But Micah's been attacking us pretty regularly," Seacat pointed out. "I don't think he'll wait too long, either. I think he's just building up his forces."

"Maybe literally," Adora agreed. "He has to replace his bots."

"How long does that take?"

"Light Hope never told me," Adora said. "But I never asked, either. I should've."

"We don't know if this base has the same, worse or better resources as Light Hope had," Seacat told her.

"I think it has more resources." Adora shook her head. "Light Hope was just… one bunker for She-Ra. This is a base controlling the Heart of Etheria. They have to protect it better."

"But She-Ra's controlling the network. Or supposed to," Seacat objected. "She needs protection as well."

Adora frowned at her. "She-Ra is a protector."

"Everyone needs protection sometimes," Seacat frowned at her. "Even you." Especially Adora.

"But…" Adora's frown turned into a pout as she trailed off, and Seacat grinned.

"No one is invincible," she told her lover.

"But some are harder to hurt than others," Adora retorted.

Seacat shrugged. "That may be true, but…"

"I've got a signal!" Entrapta yelled.

Damn.

Seacat turned. "Where?"

"Uh… west by southwest, forty-five yards," Entrapta replied. Then her hair moved, pointing. "That way!"

Glimmer was already moving. As was Scorpia. And Adora, of course - she was rushing forward.

"The plants…" Perfuma gasped.

"What?" Seacat turned to the princess.

"They're dying! They're… withering! All of them!"

What? "Stop!" Seacat screamed. "Fall back!"

Scorpia stopped, Adora almost crashing into her. "What?"

"Fall back!" Seacat repeated herself. "Something's killing the plants!"

A moment later, a loud crash sounded from the jungle, Followed by another. And another.

"The trees are toppling!" Bow yelled, scrambling down from the canopy.

"How?" Perfuma asked. "How is this happening? I can't help them!"

Scorpia picked her up and carried her with her as she fell back.

"Up the slope!" Adora yelled. "There aren't any plants there! Everyone, up the slope!"

"Go, Emily! Go!"

Seacat clenched her teeth. Everyone was following Adora, except for...

"I don't see Dad!" Glimmer yelled.

"Glimmer!" Bow grabbed her hand. "Come!"

"Run!" Seacat yelled at them. She was running herself, now. Along the path that Adora had hacked through the jungle before.

Behind her, more trees fell. She pushed on, claws digging into the soil as she jumped over roots and rushed forward towards the slope.

In front of her, Emily was struggling with some denser underbrush. Seacat slashed with her claws, cutting branches as fast as she could until the bot could barrel through the remaining foliage and continue. But that had cost her - she glanced over her shoulder as she dashed past the bot and saw a tree behind her topple - and turning grey as it fell. As did the entire jungle.

What the hell was happening?

"Something's… disintegrating the plants!" Entrapta gasped. "Down to the molecular bonds!"

Seacat didn't know what that meant, but she knew that it wasn't a good thing. And that letting whatever did it catch up with her wouldn't be good either.

But the thing was spreading quickly - and the edge of the jungle was still a while away.

And Emily's legs had trouble with the soft soil.

Seacat shook her head. This wouldn't do.

She sped up, then jumped, landing on top of the bot. "Entrapta!"

"What?"

"Hold on!" Seacat grabbed the princess, then jumped off again.

"Wait!"

Seacat didn't listen - she kept running. Even with Entrapta's weight, she was faster than the bot.

"Emily! Run!"

Seacat didn't look back. There was the edge of the forest!

"Emily!"

"Seacat! Entrapta!"

They crossed the treeline, and Adora was there, grabbing them both - and turning around, scrambling up the slope.

Seacat struggled for a moment - she could scale the slope faster than that - but relented halfway up the slope. Glimmer and Bow were there - they must have teleported - next to the others. And behind them…

Seacat drew a hissing breath. A whole section of the jungle had turned into a grey wasteland, all the trees and bushes gone. Even the grass had withered.

"Emily!"

The bot appeared at the edge of the trees, but too late - the trees next to it crumbled, and Emily vanished in a cloud of dust as they disintegrated.

"Emily!" Entrapta wailed.

Then the bot broke out of the dust cloud and kept going. Apparently none the worse for wear.

"Oh!" Entrapta fumbled with her device. "Stop, Emily!"

The bot stopped halfway up the slope.

"What happened?"

"Oh. It's organic matter that's affected," Entrapta explained. "Doesn't affect inorganic matter." She looked at them. "Like stone, metal - or bots. Which are made of metal and crystals."

"Ah." Seacat nodded.

"But what did this? And how?" Adora asked.

"Magic," Castaspella whispered. "It's a life-draining spell. But the scale of it…"

The jungle looked as if someone had burned a swath of it down to the ground. A gap leading straight to the lake in the centre of the crater.

The sorceress sank to her knees. "The power to do that… And the power it would grant someone…"

"Someone?" Adora asked.

"Like a sorcerer?" Seacat added, narrowing her eyes.

"If Micah cast this…"

Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the lake. Underwater. And it rapidly grew stronger.

"Look!" Bow snapped.

Something rose through the water, breaking the surface. A platform, shining bright enough to make Seacat's eyes hurt a little even at this distance.

No, the platform wasn't shining - that was the man standing on it.

"Micah…" Castaspella gasped.

"Dad!"

Seacat had trouble making out anything - the man was shining so brightly, it looked as if he was on fire. Blazing. She could see the staff, though, as it moved. Rose.

Pointed towards them.

"Take cover!" she yelled as the staff started to glow brighter as well.

"Emily! Run!" Entrapta managed to yell before Seacat grabbed her and dragged her over the ridge. They rolled down the other side, followed by the rest of the group.

A moment later, the top of the ridge vanished in a blaze of light, and more mud splattered over Seacat's fur.

She rolled over and got up just in time to see a cloud of dust rolling down the slope. "Cover your noses!"

The dust cloud engulfed them, and Seacat tried to breathe shallowly until it settled.

Then she looked up. The ridge… whatever spell Micah had used had carved a crescent out of it. Whatever had been there was gone.

If they had been just a little slower…

Seacat shivered.

"How can we fight that?" Scorpia blurted out as she got up, pulling Perfuma with her.

"We…" Glimmer shook her head. She was pale but raised her chin and clenched her teeth. "It's still Dad. I'll face him!"

"He just tried to vaporise all of us!" Bow protested.

Glimmer turned to stare at him, blinking away some tears. "What else can we do? He'll blast the entire crater apart! We have to try it, or we'll die anyway!"

Seacat cursed under her breath. The princess wasn't wrong. So much firepower… "He can't hide that glow. Once you see him, teleport Scorpia and Adora to him."

Glimmer nodded. Good. That was their best shot.

"Entrapta, Perfuma - fall back and hide! Not in the jungle!" Seacat told her. "Castaspella, you and Bow need to be ready to take your shot if you get an opportunity. Go find a good spot on the ridge."

"And what will you be doing?" Adora asked.

"I'll serve as a distraction," Seacat told her.

"No!" Adora shook her head. "You can't teleport!"

"I'm the fastest runner," Seacat retorted. "And we don't have time to discuss this." She turned to Entrapta. "I need some signal rockets."

"Uh… let me check… I have some with me. I think."

"Ca-Seacat!" Adora shook her head again.

"We don't have a choice," Seacat told her while she grabbed the half a dozen rockets Entrapta handed over. "Glimmer can't teleport more than you and Scorpia - and you two have the best chance to capture Micah." Or kill him, but she wouldn't say that out loud.

Adora stared at her for a moment, lips trembling, without saying anything. Then she hugged Seacat. Hard. Seacat closed her eyes and hugged her back.

Then she pulled back and started running up the slope to their right. Castaspella and Bow went up to their left.

And Glimmer, Adora and Scorpia waited below the edge of destruction.

Seacat reached the top of the ridge, crouching to peek over it. Micah was still in the centre, glowing like the sun. But another path had been cut through the jungle - the gap was now double its width. Why would he…? Her eyes widened. Castaspella had called it a life-draining spell. Was that where the power for the giant blast came from?

If so, then they had an opportunity. If they could make him fire another blast, they could attack before he could recharge.

Seacat swallowed, then wet her lips. She glanced down to where Adora and the others were. They couldn't do this. And letting Glimmer play bait was too dangerous now.

Time to roll the dice.

She quickly laid out the rockets, roughly aiming at Micah. Then she lit them, one after another.

And ran like hell down the slope.

She was barely down the slope when the first rocket went off. Halfway when the fourth fired.

Then the entire slope trembled, and she was thrown down moments before everything disappeared in a cloud of dust. Coughing and sputtering, she tumbled down the slope, rocks and roots hitting her before she came to a stop at the trunk of a tree.

Panting, she got up and stared - half the ridge had disappeared. Again. If she had lingered a little longer… Shaking her head, and cursing the dirt on her fur, she scrambled back up the slope. Glimmer had already teleported with the others. Seacat had no way to reach the centre of the crater before the fight would be over. She should just take cover and wait.

She knew that, yet she ran up the slope. At the very least, she wanted to see Adora fight. See how…

She reached the remains of the ridge and gasped.

Micah, glowing a little dimmer, was flying towards her! And behind him, more jungle turned to dust. Where was Adora? She saw something move in the lake in the centre. Adora! But where was Glimmer? And Scorpia?

And what was Micah doing? He was flying over the ridge! And he was pointing his staff at… Seacat's ship! No!

"Hey! Bastard!" Seacat screamed, waving her sword at him. When he looked down at her, she threw the blade at him, wishing she had a bomb blade.

Her blade met a glowing shield and fell down again - but a yellow spell hit Micah from behind a moment later - Castaspella's work! And as Micah turned, a net arrow exploded in his face. Yes!

Seacat scrambled up the slope again. If she could climb high enough… no, Micah was too far away for a jump.

And he shredded the net with a wave from his staff before firing smaller blasts at Castaspella and Bow. The explosions were still large enough to cover that part of the ridge in smoke and dust. And Seacat was stuck here, unable to do anything! She grabbed a rock and threw it, but Micah didn't even bother moving away. Didn't even notice, she bet - he was focused on bombarding the ridge on the other side of the gap. And neither spells nor arrows flew back at him.

Seacat cursed again. She couldn't stop Micah from killing her friends! "Fight me, you Maelstrom-cursed bastard!" she screamed.

And Micah turned towards her. So close, and with the light around him having dimmed, Seacat could finally see his face. He didn't look angry. He didn't look smug, either - his unnaturally pale face covered with jagged dark lines didn't show any expression as he pointed his staff at her.

She tensed, preparing to leap to the side. If she could dodge behind the rock there, she might evade his first blast. The next, though...

The tip of his staff lit up, glowing brighter and brighter. This was it. Seacat started to move.

And a cloud of sparkles appeared above the bastard.

"NOOO!" Adora screamed as she dropped down on Micah, her sword slashing at his staff.

Seacat saw the staff being cut into two pieces, saw the light suddenly shine so bright, it almost blinded her. The next moment, both Micah and Adora vanished in an explosion.

Seacat threw herself to the side, behind the rock, then rolled over her shoulder, jumping up. Above her, Micah and Adora were falling. As were two more bodies - Glimmer and Scorpia!

"Adora!" Seacat yelled, dashing across the rubble and torn earth.

Adora hit the ground, bounced, and started to roll down the slope. Seacat jumped, sliding and scrambling down the slope. "Adora!"

She reached her a few seconds later. "Adora!"

Adora groaned. "What…?"

She was alive! Seacat hugged her. "You dummy!"

Adora tried to laugh. "You're OK…"

"Of course I am!" Seacat hadn't been the one who blew herself up by slashing at a sorcerer's staff!

"Good." Adora smiled, then groaned.

"You're hurt!" Her leg was bent the wrong way. And she was bleeding from several cuts.

And yet, the idiot tried to get up. "Have to… stop Micah!"

Right. "Stay here! I'll fight him!" Seacat yelled, standing to look for the king.

"No!"

"Stay here!" Seacat snapped. Where was the bastard? There was Scorpia, slowly getting up - and trying to dig herself out from the crater she had formed in the soft ground. Glimmer… Seacat couldn't see Glimmer. And Micah….

She spotted a glow above her, close to what was now the top of the ridge. Seacat scoffed and started to run - on all fours, hands and feet digging into the soil as she raced up the steep slope. The bastard would pay for what he had done to Adora!

"Ca-Seacat!"

She ignored Adora's shout. They had to stop Micah. A large rock blocked her way, but she jumped, legs propelling her over the rock.

And there was the bastard! Standing in a small round crater. His clothes were torn, but Seacat couldn't spot any wounds - or any sign that getting blown out of the sky had hurt the sorcerer in any way.

But he had lost his staff! Seacat bared her teeth and pounced on him, claws out.

He didn't even turn to face her - he moved his hand, and she crashed into a glowing shield, hard enough to hurt. Seacat lashed out with her claws, but they couldn't dent the thing, and she slid down, landing on the ground.

She rolled over her shoulder, jumping up - then had to throw herself to the side to avoid the spell shooting from Micah's hand.

Behind her, part of the jungle blew up, but Seacat circled around Micah, her claws digging into the soil, and launched herself at him again.

Once more, a shield stopped her, but she was prepared this time - and jumped up and over it, pushing off and lashing out with her claws.

She raked his outstretched arms, feeling her claws slice through flesh - but Micah didn't cry. Instead of staggering back and holding his bleeding limbs, he stood his ground - and light flared up between his hands.

Seacat twisted away, but she was too close. Not fast enough. The spell missed her but struck the ground next to her, and she was sent flying in a cloud of mud and rocks, then slammed into the slope above the two before she could recover.

Her breath knocked out of her, she rolled on her belly, fingers digging into the earth to get up.

Micah was turning towards her now - slower than before, but she was too far to… She hissed, closed her hands around the soft earth, ripped and let loose.

The mud hit Micah in the face, and this time, he staggered back. Seacat rolled to the side, avoiding the next blast, then got up and charged him again. If she could reach him before he recovered…

And one of those damned shields stopped her again. She changed direction, circling Micah, but he was readying another of his blasts - she could tell from the glow around his hands, and the next piece of cover was...

Before the sorcerer could finish his spell, though, a hulking figure appeared behind him, pincers raised, and struck. Scorpia smashed Micah into the ground, foiling the spell. While Seacat stopped, sliding a little in the soft soil, the princess's stinger stabbed down, piercing the man's skin in his back. "Hah! Got you!"

Micah stopped moving.

Seacat gasped. They had… had they done it? "Let's tie him up!"

"Uh… do you have any rope?"

No, Seacat didn't have any. But they could break the bastard's arms until they could fetch some. That would… She saw Micah's arm move. "Scorpia! Watch ou…"

Too late. A yellow spell blasted the princess in the face and away from Micah. As Scorpia flew through the air to land on a patch of rubble, Seacat pounced on Micah, slashing at his arm. Once more, her claws cut into the man's flesh and foiled his aim. A second spell flew over her head, and a third narrowly missed her when she threw herself off Micah. But despite his wounds, Micah seemed none the worse for wear as he rolled to his side, then got up, a few more blasts forcing Seacat to dodge rather than close with him.

Then an arrow struck the sorcerer in the side, exploding into a big glop of glue. Seacat hissed and darted forward, then had to jump to the side when Micah managed to free his left arm - which was healing - and sent another spell at her.

Red chains appeared over his head and fell down, wrapping themselves around his upper body, pinning his arms to his side.

For the first time, his expression changed - he showed his teeth while he grunted and strained his arms.

Seacat was already jumping at him, but just before she reached him, the magic chains were shattered, and she had to shield herself with crossed arms to avoid getting brained by the fragments. Even so, her stomach, arms and legs got hit, and she missed Micah, hitting the ground instead and rolling down the slope before she could stop.

She got up and charged upwards again, angling her approach to strike from Micah's back while he was busy sending a barrage of spells at Bow and Castaspella. If she could hit him in his blind spot…

He didn't turn, but his arm moved right before she reached him, and a yellow blast clipped her shoulder, sending her flying and spinning around herself.

She hit a rock when she crashed to the ground and heard her lower arm crack before the pain hit her. Panting, she rolled over on her stomach, then dug her claws in to get up. Before Micah could focus on her.

As she rose, she saw he wasn't focusing on her at all - he was busy bombarding the ridge above him, where Bow and Castaspella had been. Seacat started up the slope, but she was too slow. She knew it.

Micah turned and raised his right arm when roots shot out from the ground and wrapped themselves around him. Seacat bared her teeth and pressed on, sprinting over torn earth and rubble.

But before she was halfway to the sorcerer, the vines withered and died - and Micah started to glow again. As did the jagged black runes on his skin. A shield appeared, catching canister shot from below - Emily was firing.

Almost lazily, he turned and shot a spell back.

Seacat didn't see if he hit anything - she was focused on Micah. She was almost upon him, too. Just a few more yards.

Her foot slipped on a softer patch, and she stumbled - and Micah turned to face her. His hand glowed, and Seacat knew this time, she wouldn't be able to dodge. Vines rose in front of her at the last moment, and the spell hit them. Seacat was pelted with shredded vines and thrown back again from the blast wave. She barely managed to cradle her broken arm before she hit the ground.

A solid shot from Emily was deflected by Micah's shields. An arrow bounced off them as well. Scorpia charged from the side but ate another blast into the face, sending her tumbling down the slope. And more explosions followed on the other side.

How could they defeat that monster? Seacat shook her head, tried to ignore the pain, and started to scramble up the slope - at an angle. If she got to the higher ground, she might cause a landslide to bury the bastard.

But he had spotted her again. She started to weave back and forth as she ran, trying to present a harder target. One spell missed her, blowing up a rock behind her. But she was still in the middle of the slope, and there was no cover left. She could see him take aim with his next spell.

Then Glimmer and Adora appeared in front of him, and Micah faltered. Seacat saw his mouth open and his eyes widen as he stared at the princess, seemingly frozen for a moment.

Before he could recover, Adora moved her sword and hit him… with healing magic?

And Micah began to scream as the magic hit him. All the marks on his skin glowed while he jerked.

Seacat slowed down, blinking at the man. Instead of glowing, he was now covered in smoke that… that flowed out of the marks. Thick, black smoke.

And Adora kept it up, kept the sword pointed at him, kept the magic pouring at him. Into him.

Until Micah toppled over, ending up face-down on the ground.

Seacat felt like collapsing herself. She accidentally moved her broken arm, wincing at the pain, as she changed direction and started walking directly towards the fallen sorcerer. And Adora and Glimmer.

"Dad!"

"Watch out, Glimmer!" Adora snapped.

But the princess didn't listen - she rushed forward and knelt down next to her father. "Dad!"

Adora joined her, limping, and they turned Micah over. "Watch out!" Seacat yelled. "He faked it once before!"

But this time, the sorcerer didn't send a spell at either of the two - he didn't move at all. He actually looked dead to Seacat. Pale and stiff.

"Dad! No!"

And to Glimmer, apparently.

But Adora bent down and touched the man's throat. "He's breathing."

"Dad! Wake up!" Glimmer gripped his shoulder and started shaking him.

"Glimmer!" Adora grabbed her hand. "I don't know what is wrong with him!"

Seacat finally reached them. "Watch out!" she repeated herself. "If he wakes up he can blast us all away!"

"He won't! He didn't attack us when I teleported next to him!" Gimmer protested.

"He blasted Scorpia across the slope," Seacat retorted.

"Ca-Seacat! You're hurt!"

"I'm…" Seacat broke off. A broken arm wasn't fine. "Others might need more help," she said. "Your leg. Bow and Castaspella…" She looked at the cratered remains of the other side of the gap.

"Bow!" Glimmer gasped. "Auntie!" She started to get up, then hesitated.

"I'll look for them," Adora told her, standing up. "My leg's healed enough. You two stay here with him."

Seacat looked around. Down near the jungle, she could see someone moving - more than one. She narrowed her eyes, wishing she still had her telescope. But... those would be Perfuma and Entrapta.

"Ow."

And there came Scorpia, limping up the slope from the other side. The princess looked battered, but if she could walk without leaving a tail of blood, she probably was OK. Sort of.

"Glimmer!" And there were Bow and Castaspella. They looked singed and Castaspella was limping, Bow dragging her more than carrying her, but they were alive.

Adora limped to them, then grabbed them both and started helping them walk... back to Glimmer and Seacat?

Well, given the powers Micah had demonstrated, it was probably as safe here as in the jungle.

"Bow!" Glimmer left Micah's side as Adora lowered first Bow then Castaspella to the ground. "Are you hurt?"

"Banged up a bit," he replied. "Castaspella is worse off."

"I…" The sorceress groaned. "I got caught by a blast at the end. Micah's aim is better than I remember."

"How did we ever capture that guy?" Scorpia blurted out as she sat down in the rubble near them. "He could've wiped out the Horde by himself!"

"He couldn't do this!" Castaspella said. "This power… no sorcerer could do this."

"It wasn't something Shadow Weaver did, either," Seacat pointed out. "If she could've done this, she'd have done it to herself. And wiped out the Alliance and Hordak."

Castaspella nodded. "Draining so much life… and turning it into such powerful spells…" She trailed off.

"But who did this to Dad?" Glimmer asked. "All those marks on his skin…"

Seacat squinted. The marks had faded, but they were still visible. And they looked a little like…"

"That's First Ones' writing," Adora said. "I can't read those symbols, strangely, but I know that much."

"First Ones runes!" Castaspella nodded. "That would fit with the bots he controlled."

"And that he was inside the First Ones base," Bow added. "The question is: Did he control the base - or did the base control him?"

"What?" Adora stared at them. "Do you think… that the base turned him into this?"

Seacat clenched her teeth. She didn't want to say it, but… "If they had a bot like Light Hope, but one connected to the runestone network? Is that possible?"

"In theory… perhaps?"

"Is what possible?" Entrapta asked as she arrived with Perfuma. "He destroyed Emily's shell - I saved her command and memory module, but the shell's gone."

"Could the First Ones' base have taken control of Micah and gave him his power? This power," Seacat explained.

"Oh. Well… we can't say it's impossible," Entrapta replied.

"The power to drain life itself?" Perfuma shuddered. "I felt the forest die - all the plants withered and died. This is unnatural!"

"It is," Castaspella agreed. "It's why such spells are forbidden at Mystacore. Shadow Weaver broke that law, and she got cursed."

"Dad's cursed?" Glimmer, arm around Bow, blurted out.

"I fear so," Castaspella said. "And I have no idea how to cure him."

"My healing magic did help him," Adora said. "The runes faded."

"It also knocked him out," Seacat told her. "And he hasn't woken up yet. We need to secure him before he wakes up."

"Did you find the pieces of his staff? I think that was how he controlled the power he had," Entrapta said. "Kind of like Adora's sword."

Adora stared at her sword as it was about to cut her.

"Not exactly like your sword," Seacat said, frowning.

"Right." Adora nodded but she didn't seem to be convinced.

And, given what Micah had been able to do, Seacat wasn't sure her lover was wrong. Not when the First Ones had picked her sword to control the Heart of Etheria.

"Let me heal you now," Adora said.

"No!" Seacat shook her head. Adora looked like she was about to fall over if she used more magic. "Rest first."

"But you're wounded!"

"I can wait," Seacat retorted. "We can't exactly push on to the base like this."

"But the bots might recover!" Adora protested.

"We need you there, as we need Entrapta and Castaspella," Seacat told her. "If you're out, what can we do?" Adora was She-Ra, and she was a First One. If anyone had a chance to take over the First Ones' base, it was her.

"But…"

"And we need to get Dad to the ship," Glimmer spoke up. "And heal him."

That, too, of course. And that would take time.

"And I need to repair Emily. And Water-Bot and Carrier-Bot!"

"We all need to rest," Bow said. "You can heal us in the evening. After you heal your leg."

Adora glanced up at the ridge, pressing her lips together. Seacat refrained from pushing her further. Her lover was stubborn and a dummy when it came to her own health, but she wasn't a complete idiot.

"Ok." Adora sighed. "Let's get the staff - the two pieces - and then go back to the ship and rest so I can heal you."

*****​

It was dark when Seacat woke up. She must have slept for far longer than she had planned, she realised - when they had reached the Victory's Daughter, she had told the others to wake her up after an hour.

She sat up, wincing at the pain from her broken and splinted arm, and looked around. At least they hadn't moved her from the spot on deck to her cabin.

"You needed the rest."

She turned her head to scowl at Sea Hawk. He smiled at her, leaning against the railing.

"I'm the Captain," she spat. "I can't sleep at a time like this."

"Your ship's doing fine. And you're hurt," Sea Hawk tilted his head and twisted his moustache. "And you can't help treat the king, can you? So, it was best to let you sleep."

She scoffed. Her crew was busy on the other side of the ship. They hadn't woken her up as ordered, but if Sea Hawk had given her that order, she probably wouldn't have followed it either.

Sighing, she leaned back. "How're things, then?"

"The king's still unconscious. Castaspella and Glimmer are watching him."

"Adora?"

"Still sleeping." Sea Hawk shook his head. "She must have exhausted herself."

"Yes," Seacat agreed. And didn't that tell them a lot about how bad Micah's condition was? She-Ra's magic had been enough to repair the Seagate, and trying to fix Micah had exhausted Adora?

"Everyone else is resting. Well, Entrapta is building a new bot shell for Emily, but she took another tiny teacup of tiny tea, so she wouldn't be able to rest anyway," Sea Hawk went on. "And my dear Mermista is keeping an eye on the sea."

Seacat got up. "Good. Let's check up on Micah, then."

"After you." Sea Hawk stepped aside and walked beside her.

She entered her cabin and suppressed a wince. They had put Micah into her bed. "So, what can we do about him?" she asked.

"I'm still working on that," Castaspella said. "She-Ra's magic did a lot, but he's still affected by whatever changed him. This is unnatural." She pointed at the markings on Micah's pale skin.

"I don't suppose cutting them off would help?" Seacat asked.

Glimmer and Castaspella gasped.

"NO!"

"How can you even suggest that?"

Seacat shrugged. "I'm no expert." And you cut off rotting body parts to save someone, didn't you?

"This is a curse. And while it's focused on him, it's not anchored on him," Castaspella said. "I think it's linked to a sort of collector. Which would explain how he could use so much power without killing himself."

Like Shadow Weaver did when she connected to the Black Garnet. "And that would be in the base."

"Yes. Entrapta said the same after examining the remains of his staff." Glimmer nodded.

"Great." So, they had to enter the base and hope that Micah wouldn't wake up and lay waste to the ship while they were away. If he hurt or even killed the rest of their group…

"So far, there haven't been any sightings of bots or anything else," Sea Hawk said.

"That probably just means they are gathering in the base," Seacat pointed out. Perhaps they should've pressed on. Letting your enemy recover wasn't a good idea. Then again, it was also stupid to press on when you were exhausted.

"If they are, we shall cut a path through them!" Sea Hawk declared.

"You need to stay on the ship," she told him. "With Mermista."

He frowned at her. "Isn't the base underwater?"

Damn. Seacat could only handle so many stubborn people who were too brave for their own good. "I'm sure it has an entrance that's not underwater."

"Ca-Seacat! Let me heal you now!"

Case in point. Seacat turned in time to see the sword levelled at her and the point of it starting to glow.

*****​
 
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