This set of posts builds upon the fanfic written by my good friend known only as Recurve. She has since passed and, as her editor, she asked me to continue the work and submit it for publication here. It is actually a continuation of the first 30 chapters beginning with Melinoe Ch. 1-6. It is imperative to read those posts first as you will be lost completely if you begin with these.
This fanfic is based, with permission from all parties, both Recurve and Tefler, on Tefler's great work Three Square Meals (TSM) here on lit.
Max Intel: Jooniper
Chapter 1 - Secrets
Agatha listened closely to the interaction between Tom and Captain Virt.
The Ornalith Captain held onto his bravado for a few minutes in front of his crew but, once out of their sight and within the confines of the interview room, he folded quickly.
Moments after the bulk freighter Ghusmik Urr had docked with Depot03 it was locked down and swept. There was virtually no resistance as Agatha had forwarded all of the codes for the ship to Depot03 Security.
The Terran metal merchant persona Agatha had adopted was an excellent excuse to forward the contraband and illegally obtained goods to the Bract Security Personnel as evidence.
Agatha looked the part, a diligent employee of a reputable transteller. She had obtained a nice collection of appropriately sturdy trappings to enforce her appearance in the role. A stiff Denim jacket, heavy linen trousers, steel toed reinforced woven boots.
Just a law-abiding merchant doing her due diligence.
Tom allowed her to remotely observe the interview as a professional courtesy. In Agatha's estimation, Tom could learn a lot from Staverka Police Inspector Yzix. However, considering how soft a nut to crack Captain Virt turned out to be, it worked out well enough. Agatha wrote a report on her observations and forwarded them to Mary and Bob.
Mary screened her immediately afterwards and they chatted together for nearly an hour.
Galleon03 was roughly ten hours out, Mary was filled with nervous anticipation. Agatha reassured her, reporting on the health and spirits of the rescued.
"Are you going to contact their governments concerning repatriation?" Mary inquired.
Agatha had not considered that... Technically, as First Secretary of the Terran Federation Special Envoy to the Minor Empires, it certainly fell within her purview. However, there were also Trankaran citizens among the refugees.
Agatha was not sure of the protocols involved there, after all, the Trankaran Republic had their very own Terran Federation Ambassador, Vice Admiral Benjamin Elliot but going through the Foreign Office at this time might not be exceedingly wise... Things were rather tense in the TFN just now.
0o0
Joon had climbed into Max's lap, she held her wife's face in her hands. Her eyes were glowing green stars, her passion had ignited her Influence ability and Max was literally helpless in her hands.
"There is nothing in this universe that will change the way I feel about you. I fell in love with you, I proposed to you, and I will be by your side as long as I draw breath. Do you understand?" Joon asked in a soft voice, tears streaming.
"Yes, my love, I apologize for my lapse..." Max paused with a swallow, "I will need your and everyone's help sorting this bit out."
Joon smiled softly, that iconic elven smile was actually her genuine expression. "You don't need to apologize, but don't you dare think I could ever give up on you."
Max returned the smile, "Yes, M'lady."
Then they locked lips, kissing long and deeply.
While they kissed their five wives looked on with pure adoration, Max and Joon were the paragon example of understanding, acceptance and love.
Agatha refreshed everyone's beverages and a plate of shortbread magically appeared.
Joon sat back from the kiss on the Captain's lap. "Can we talk about this?" she asked her first love.
Max nodded.
Joon watched her eyes, "It sounds like Uncle Ira knew your name for a while, judging by our primary mission."
Joon was of course referring to Operation: Melinoe.
Max nodded, her brow creased in consternation. "He discovered it when he performed my IntOps background investigation, along with 'some' of the circumstances surrounding my abduction." Max informed. Ira was able to look in places Deirdre couldn't, but even he couldn't discover everything... Not until recently."
"It took my Grandmothers incarceration to reveal that information." Max sighed, "There is still a plethora of unanswered questions."
Paula cleared her throat, her own emotions running high, "Not unlike Vika and I, you have direct ties to Felmutter... We have a vested interest to learn as much as we can about that organization."
Everyone looked at Agatha, who nodded immediately.
Joon dismounted Max's lap, not releasing her captured hand she sat in her seat at the mess table while Agatha waited until everyone was settled in.
"The information I have regarding Felmutter is a culmination of hundreds of sources and some of my own deductive reasoning."
Agatha tapped up another symbol on her datapad, a very old one. "In order to understand what Felmutter is, one must see the society that created and surrounds it."
The symbol was a circle divided into four equal parts by two bisecting crossed lines, the astronomical symbol for Terra. "The society known as Terra Familia has existed unofficially for well over a thousand years."
Paula's mouth became a thin line, but she did not interrupt, she just listened. Agatha continued, "This elite society, whose origins are rumored to be steeped in the occult, consists of hundreds of wealthy families from across the planet of Terra."
"At some point their political influence and material wealth met with extralegal organized resistance. In response they developed a militant branch, one capable of removing obstacles that impeded Terra Familia's power and prosperity."
Agatha glanced at Paula momentarily, the heterochromia eyed Witch nodded in affirmation of the Oneiran's summation. "This 'shadow-army' went unnamed for decades, then one moniker from an unknown witness managed to stick. Felmutter... a generous translation would be 'Hellspawn' a more literal one is 'Infernal Cunt'."
"Regardless of the descriptor, the organization had solidified a niche in the criminal underworld as a precision instrument in dealing with competition. As Humanity unified and then spread out into the stars, Terra Familia followed."
"The elite society made a comfortable home in the core worlds of the Federation, but did not venture much further. Investments into new worlds were plentiful, but loyal management began to thin, outsourcing became the new policy."
"This strategy allowed for other organizations to gain footholds in hundreds of small but growing populations. Felmutter's reputation began to fade into obscurity, Terra Familia no longer had the monopoly on shadowy influence."
Agatha paused then switched narrative gears.
"Twenty-four Kay also had it's root's in old earth as a regional triad. With the founding of the Federation and the vast expanse of humanity, 24K evolved into a different entity."
