Story 1: To overthrow the Utopia (Part 1)

[rufusluciusivan]

Hello everyone. For a while now, I've been thinking about trying to write my own story. Today, I've decided to make the leap. I wanted to thank Tirepanted for their own excellently-written stories, that gave me the inspiration to try myself, so you can say that the following story is dedicated to their hard work.

Just two clarifications. First, the story takes place in a fictional country and a fictional universe, but its level of technology is similar to ours. (I just felt more comfortable using a fictional place from another (non USB-related) project of mine). Second, English is not my native language (hence the reason why I hesitated so long before writing the story), so I apologize in advance if their are mistakes. Don't hesitate to correct me in the comments or in a PM.

Introduction

Olympus. Hera. Ares. Okéanis. Smog. Naïad. Korê. Lakeland. Karst. Rift. Shield. Kachikuni. Artemise.

Two-hundred-and-seventy-four years ago, these were free countries.

Then, Constantin Basileus unified Olympus’ Twelve Factions under his banner and sent his armies to conquer his neighbours. His son and then his grandson continued his work. And then, after a hundred years of war, the last free remnants surrendered. The once free nations became ’’Provinces’’, under Olympian rule. The time of Olympus’ domination began.

The descendants of Constantin named their Empire ’’Utopia’’, as they believed that their Nation would become the greatest of the World.

Time passed.

Technology marched on.

The name of the country stayed the same, even after the Basileus dynasty was overthrown by its own governors, the Flamens, who then created a government in which they would collectively hold the power.

But the change of power didn’t help the Provinces. To keep their power, the Flamens decided that the Provinces needed to be… pacified.

Liberties were suppressed. Those who spoke against Olympus were arrested or eliminated. Entire villages were slaughtered for the actions of a few rebels. Leaving the country was forbidden.

Some chose to grovel, accepting the Olympians’ rule in order to share the scraps, sometimes even actively helping them.

But others… chose to fight.

**************

Aster carefully pruned the plant. It was one of her finest creations, with its long leaves and the color gradient of its flowers, from rose to white.
Totally worth the years of grafts necessary to reach the result.

Aster had proudly entered her thirties a few years ago. But no need to ask for her exact age, she wouldn't give the answer to you. And even then, a sane way of life – and a few plant-based products – helped her look younger that she was.

Aster had a physique typical of the people of the Province of Korê: tanned skin, brown eyes, and shoulder-long black hair.

In the eyes of the good society, Aster Demeter was a florist, as well as a model wife, married to the model owner of model Olympian-approved company Demeter & Sillo Associates, which owned fields in both Korê, Lakeland and Ares.

She worked a lot to create that image.

While she was admiring her new plant, she heard the door opening. Dimitri entered the room.

In theory, Dimitri and Aster were husband and wife. In reality, their marriage was a cover to hide their real activities. Dimitri and Aster were part of an influential resistance network fighting against the Olympian oppression. She saw their marriage more as a partnership, and he shared her sentiment. Dimitri was more comfortable around men anyway...

"Your friends are here." he announced.

"Great. Can you close the shop during a few days for me?"

"Looking for new plants?"

"Of course. Gotta make new grafts, now that this one succeeded"

He smiled knowingly.

"Good luck then."

"Thanks, honey."

**************

Looking for new plants for her shop was the excuse she and Dimitri used to explain her irregular movings. In reality, she was looking for an other type of things during those times. She was looking for informations.
People often think that the rebels were nothing more than a rowdy bunch of fighters, ambushing soldiers or Olympus sympathizers. What they didn't know was that most of the activities of the Rebellion were geared towards the collect of informations.

It was Aster's speciality, but she had her own peculiar method. That often involved disguise and infiltration. As well as getting uniforms from (often) unwilling donors.

Her three partners were already waiting for her in the back room Asteroften used to concoct her schemes.

"You're late." Mikani remarked.
She had a rather plain physique, with dark eyes and rave-black hair tied into a ponytail. Her skin was rather pale, giving her a fragile appearance. (Although Aster knew that, in her case, appearances were deceiving.) Mikani was from the Province of Smog, which was rather infamous for its numerous factories and its pollution.
She was a new recruit. This was Aster's first big mission with her.

"Fashionably late." Klenia added, with a little smile.
With her voluptuous figure, the young woman offered a great contrast with the plain-looking Mikani. Klenia also had beautiful hazel eyes, a soft almost perfect skin, and long lustrous dark brown hair, which she often braided after the fashion of Korê and Lakeland. She was the most enthusiastic about their missions. (Even a little too much sometimes...) Including (especially...) the parts revolving around... aquiring the disguises.
Aster already mounted several operations with her, so she was used to her quircks by now.

Both Klenia and Mikani were rather young, in their mid-to-late twenties. Like many others, they joined the Rebellion after Olympus took one of their loved ones.

The third member of Aster's team, Aaria, kept silent. She simply gave a nod to her leader.
Aaria was from Korê, just like Aster. With her short boyish brown hair and hardened features, she passed herself for a man quite a few times during missions. She was older that Aster, in her early forties at least, but life hadn't been kind to her and she looked older.
Aaria was the kind of woman that keeps everything for herself. She rarely spoke and, when she did, she was quick and concise. Usually, she was the one monitoring the missions, without taking an active part into the infiltrations themselves.

"So, what's the plan?" Klenia asked.

"Ladies, this time we are after a big one." Aster put an envelope on the table and pulled a picture out of it. "Let me introduce to you the Phocas Institute, one of the biggest laboratories in all Utopia. In three days, the Institute will hold a conference about a new software created by Olympian computer scientists. A software designed to protect the Government's websites and communication networks from our cyberattacks and cyber-espionage."

"So our mission is to gain informations about this new software, so that our hackers will be able to create a counter?" Mikani asked.

"Pretty much."

"How?"

"Students in computer physics from all Olympian-aproved Universities have been invited to assist to the event. Two of us will disguise themselves as female students, and attend to the conference." Aster looked at Klenia and Minaki. "I hope you're ready to take some notes..."

Klenia let out a groan.

"Boooooring..."

"Well, at least there is still the part where you have to acquire the student uniforms." Aster answered.

The thought made the young woman smile again.

"Explain."

"As you know, during official events, students have to wear the official uniform of their University. And the students invited are all in the last years of their cursus. Of their long cursus Therefore, they are about your age. Perhaps only a few years younger."

Klenia finished her sentence. "So we'll have to convince two of them to... donate their uniforms for the greater good..." Her smile widened. "Neat. When do we start ?"

Suddenly, Aaria spoke up. "You forget one thing. The Phocas Institute is in the Province of Ares."

Her declaration instantly dampened the younger woman's enthusiasm.

Ares was, along with Hera and Okéanis, a Province loyal to Olympus.

"That's right. We'll have to be careful about that." Aster agreed.

"How do you plan on replacing two students?" Aaria asked." You can't do it at the Institute itself. It will be well-guarded."

"No worries. Dimitri and I have been working on this plan ever since we've learned about the conference. Thalès has been on it for three weeks now."

"So, what did the weasel find?"

"The weasel found the list of Stormfist University's students attending to the event."

Stormfist was one of Ares' biggest town and, coincidentally, the Phocas Institute was situated in its periphery.

"Apparently, the University paid some transport companies to drive its students to the Institute."

"Bus?"

"Cars."

"Talk about a waste of money..." Mikani commented.

"Well... We are talking about a place run by Olympus, so that was a given..." Klenia answered.

"But it's an advantage for us." Aster said. "I know when and where each group of students is supposed to get picked up. Some of them are female-only. And some of them are groups of two. Mikania and Klenia will take the place of one of those, attend to the conference, and get all the knowledge we need about that new software."

"Fair enough." Aaria said. "I suppose I'm in charge of monitoring everything. But what about you?"

"Well, Mikani and Klenia will need a chauffeur. And we certainly can't keep the one sent by the transport company."

Aster gave her friends a knowing wink.

"Once at the Phocas Institute, I will have to wait for the conference to end... Which will probably allow me to... ''visit'' the place. I'm sure there are a lot more interesting things in it than the software."

"No fair!" Klenia exclaimed. "You'll get all the fun while Mikani and I do all the work."

Aster shrugged.

"Leader privilege." she said while smiling.

Klenia let out a noise of frustration.

Aster ignored her.

"Everything is clear?"

"Yes!" three voiced answered in unisson.

"Then get on the van, ladies. We hit the road!"

Author's note: Sorry this part hasn't had any interesting scene yet. I just wanted to introduce the characters and the setting first. The next part is already written and (hopefully) will be added soon, in the next few days at worst.

[esercito sconfitto]

come on come on where is part 2 where are the female students

[rufusluciusivan]

Well, after ending the introduction so abruptly, I decently couldn't keep you from reading the next part for too long... So here it is. And a big thank you to Esercito Sconfitto for giving me my own forum page!

Part 1

The underground parking was linked to the Student Residence of Stormfist's University. It was, for now, nearly empty. Employees were all at their works, and students in their classes.

Aster was satisfied. Their work would be easier without witnesses.

In a corner of the parking, a woman was waiting, sitting on the hood of her grey car. She was wearing a driver uniform: white shirt, black jacket, small tie, black pants and cap. Unbeknown to her, she was being watched.

"Are you sure it will work?" Mikani asked.

"Dimitri and I have planned this for three weeks. Thalès gave us all the information we needed." Aster answered.

She turned again her attention to the driver.

The woman was rather young, perhaps mid-to-late twenties. Probably a new recruit. She was rather pretty, with her black hair down to the shoulders and her olive skin. She was from Korê, like Aster.

"What if it's not the right car?" Mikani insisted.

"It's the right one. Don't worry. Now, prepare yourself. Aaria and Klenia will arrive with the van."

As soon as she finished her sentence, the sound of an engine resonated in the parking.

Speak of the devil...

It was a large white van. It used to belong to the Demeter & Sillo Associates, but Dimitri made sure that the licence plate was changed, and the car body, repainted.

The driver didn't pay attention to the van, even though it parked in one of the vacant parking spots in front of her position. She was watching the exit of the main stairs, from where her two customers were supposed to emerge. Two students of Stormfist's University, that were supposed to attend to a prestigious lecture at the Phocas Institute.

Aster decided that it was time to act.

She calmed the beats of her heart. She was always nervous when about to start a new operation.

But she also lived for the thrill that her missions gave to her...

"Mikani, it's up to us. Be quick. Thalès' man will hold back our two targets as long as he can, but we can't take any chance."

The operation was carefully timed. Thanks to Thalès' intel, Aster knew the exact time of rendez-vous between the driver and her customers. Professional drivers from Olympian-aproved companies usually arrived 10 to 15 minutes earlier. This was their window of opportunity. The time they had to replace and secure the driver. In case the two targets left their room too soon, one of Thalès' men was supposed to slow them down by provoking an argument.

"Put your mask on!"

Aster and Mikani took the masks they had hidden in their handbags. The two women had already attached and dyed their hair, but they didn't want to take any unnecessary risks of being recognized later.
Aster looked around her one last time, to make sure that the parking was still deserted. It was. Mikani and she put their masks on and quickly approached their unsuspecting prey.

Clearly bored, the driver was day-dreaming, and she saw the danger too late. Aster and Mikani were already on her. The woman's brown eyes widened.

"What the?" she exclaimed.

Aster handgagged her with one hand and, with the other, threatened her with the small flick knife she was hiding in the pocket of her jacket.

"Not a sound!" she ordered, sounding as intimidating as she could.

The driver let out a muffled shriek of fear when she saw the blade. At the same time, the doors of the van opened.

"Move!"

Mikani pushed the woman to the vehicle. The chauffeur didn't try to resist. She was too surprised, too afraid. Klenia was waiting there and grabbed the driver's shoulders. The unlucky woman was dragged behind and disappeared inside the van. Mikani stepped inside the back of the van and closed the door. The abduction only took them a minute. Aster quickly put back her mask in her bag and leaned on the vehicle.

The van rocked back and forth a few times and she heard a few grunts and muffled screams, as well as some punches. Then the silence. Someone knocked on the back door. Three knocks. The signal. Aster opened the doors and stepped inside the van. At the same time, Aaria stepped outside and took her place, leaning on the van to watch the area.

Inside the van, the driver was lying on the floor, out cold. Her black hair were somewhat messy now. With a syringe, Mikani was carefully injecting her a dose of Agent Moonlight – the drug would make her sleep a good chunk of hours –. Aster observed the unconscious woman, quickly estimating her corpulence. She was younger than Aster, but they were nearly the same size.

"Okay, girls. Strip her."

Klenia eagerly complied, with Mikani's help, while Aster took out her own clothes to later change in the driver's outfit. She then waited in her underwear for her two partners to finish.

Mikani and Klenia were fast and diligent. The jacket and shirt were removed, then the shoes and pants. Soon, the black-haired driver was down to her underwear, a white bra with matching white panties and white socks. Sleeping peacefully from the effects of the drug, she wasn't able to complain about her current state, lying on the floor in her most intimate garments.

While Aster was donning her new uniform, Mikani and Klenia started to bind the unconscious driver. They tied up her wrists behind her back with plastic cuffs. They used another plastic cuff to bind her ankles. Then they wrapped several lengths of tape around her wrists, ankles, elbows and upper thighs, just to be sure. Finally, as a gag, they filled her mouth with a cloth and sealed it with a few strips of tape. Another strip was used as a blindfold.

Aster was feeling a little guilty about assaulting a Province Sister. The woman was from Korê, like her. She had nothing against her personally. The driver was only doing her job. She was a collateral damage... At least she wouldn't be suspected of being an accomplice, given the number Mikani and Klenia did on her.

Aster put the driver cap, then smoothed her jacket and pants. Given the circumstances, the uniform was a rather nice fit. It was a little tight, especially around the chest. But the advantage with those standardized uniforms was that they were made with rather elastic fabric, conceived to adapt to several sizes under and below their official size. After all, the companies had to save some money somewhere...

Aaria didn't knock on the door of the van. So it meant that the coast was clear. Aster had to quickly leave the vehicle to take the driver's place. She briefly took the time to check that their unlucky victim was breathing correctly, which she was.

"Hide her in the van's secret compartment." she ordered to her partners.

Klenia nodded and grabbed the sleeping, bound-and-gagged and underwear-clad driver by her underarms. The latter was now going to take a forced break, hidden in the double bottom under the van's floor. However, Aster wasn't worried about her. That compartment had been made to hide people from Olympian soldiers. (Albeit, usually, they were willing people, hiding from the soldiers.) Their victim would have no trouble breathing in there. And Aster intended to get her out of it once the van would be hidden in an isolated area.

Aster exited the van. Outside, Aaria gave her an encouraging nod before returning on the driver's seat of the van. Aster quickly went to the spot that was occupied a few minutes earlier by the woman she replaced. She nonchalantly sat on the hood of the car. The set was ready. Now, all that was missing was their two tickets for the conference. She didn't need to wait for long.

**************

Two young women entered the underground parking. These two students were entering their last years of formation. Both were around twenty-five years old. They were wearing the official uniforms of Stormfist's University: black shoes, black pants, grey jackets over white shirts, small grey ties, and a red and white sash.

The first had jet-black hair, tied into a proper bun that gave her a serious look, and dark eyes under her small glasses. Aster recognized the somewhat pale skin of the inhabitants of the Province of Smog. The second had blue eyes and red hair, cut into a square cut that was almost reaching her shoulders. She was less pale and more athletic that her friend. Probably from the Province of Ares, even though she didn't have the typical hair colour of the place. The two young women looked upset and were closing their handbags.

"Can you believe it"! the redhead barked. "That jerk shoves us, knocks our bags over. And, then, he has nerves to act like it was our fault! What a piece of..."

"Please, calm down!" answered her friend.

Apparently, Thalès' man did his job correctly... Aster supressed a smile. Until now, the plan was working like clockwork.

"Hello, she said while getting in her character. Hana Izani and Macha Etaine, I presume? I'm your chauffeur."

The black-haired student gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry for being late... There was a guy who..."

"No problem. We're on schedule."

The black-haired student smiled and politely nodded.

"Thank you."

She looked like a nice enough girl, and Aster felt a pang of guilt about what was going to happen to her. Collateral damage... she thought.

The two students entered the car, in the back seats. Aster closed the door and sit behind the wheel. She turned the engine on and left the parking. She smiled when she saw, in the rear-view mirror, a white van that was leaving the parking right behind them.

**************

"Are you sure this is the right way?" asked the redheaded student.

"Of course it is."

"Looks like a bunch of fields to me..."

"Corn fields, yes."

The redhead's eyes shot daggers at her. "I know those are corn fields. What I meant is why are we driving in the middle of those fields?"

"It's a shortcut. The Institute is in the middle of nowhere. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Aster saw in the rear-view mirror that the redhead wasn't convinced, but her friend put a hand on her arm to prevent her from saying something rude, probably out of politeness.

"Please excuse us..." she answered in her place. "We're very afraid of arriving late."

Aster made a mental note to make sure that her team wouldn't be too rough with that one. After all, people nice and respectful towards the help were becoming so rare nowadays...

"No problem. I understand. Please be a little more patient."

She only needed to deceive them a few more minutes. They were almost there... Not at the Phocas Institute, of course. But at the place where they would make the exchange. She didn't choose that road at random. She knew that, in the middle of the fields, well-hidden by a bunch of trees, there was an old abandoned agricultural warehouse . Her husband found it after buying the nearby fields, and decided to leave it in its current state, as it was a good potential hideout. Today, Aster would use that potential.

"There is a van following us, I think..." the redhead suddenly declared.

"Probably one of the local farmers." Aster answered.

Subconsciously, the redhead was understanding that something fishy was going on. Aster was relieved that they would soon arrive at their destination. She probably wouldn't have been able to pull the wool over her eyes for very long...

The warehouse appeared before them. It was an abandoned, but still sturdy building.

"That's not the Institute!" said the red-haired student. This time, she sounded angry.

"That's because there has been a change of plans."

Aster's change of tone alerted the two young women. The black-haired student clearly recoiled in fear.

"What do you mean?" the redhead asked, now wary.

Aster stopped the car. Aaria's white van arrived and stopped right near her. Aster smiled.

"What I mean, is that you won't be able to attend to the lecture. You'll be a little too tied up for that." Aster never got tired ot that joke...

The two students exchanged a quick glance, then tried to exit the car. Mikani and Klenia were already waiting for them outside, faces hidden by their masks.

"Luckily, I'll be able to send two replacements..." concluded Aster.

**************

"I didn't hit her that hard..." Klenia protested while pouting. "You know the people of Ares. So hard-headed that if they head-butted a rock, the rock would break first. And she was being difficult..."

Which was true. But Klenia had none of it. She was currently donning the redhead's uniform. The black pants, white shirt, grey jacket and tie fit her well. But then again, so did any uniform she tried...

The unwilling donor was lying unconscious on the ground, clad in her purple bra and panties, thoroughly bound and gagged with tape and a few plastic cuffs. Black tape had been wrapped around her lower face, obscuring her mouth and effectively gagging her. Another strip blindfolded her.

Once fully clothed, Klenia took the student's ID.

"Hey, Mikani, I'm now called Macha Etaine. What's your name?"

"Hana Izani. And now, give it to Aaria so she can change the picture." the latter answered.

Mikani, also fully uniformed, was currently tying up the black-haired student's wrists. Hana Izani surrendered without a fight, so as a reward she wasn't knocked out like her friend. Blindfolded and gagged with a few strips of tape, she was silently crying, her cheeks red from the indignity of having her blue brassiere and boyshorts exposed for everyone to see.

Aster shook her head. Sorry I couldn't do more, girl... She turned her attention to Mikani.

"You alright?"

Her partner finished wrapping tape around her victim's wrists and hands, before doing the same to her ankles and legs.

"Of course. Why?"

"Well..."

You just assaulted someone from your own Province...

She didn't say the last sentence out loud. It would have been stupid to give a clue about their true identity. Instead, she eyed the unlucky student from Smog.

Mikani understood.

"I don't feel bad about assaulting her, if that's what you fear. In fact, if you didn't insist to ''play nice'', I would have done far worse. I may even have killed her."

The young woman let out a muffled sob, but Mikani ignored her. She finished binding her legs.

"All Provincials know, in their heart, that it's the greatest of crimes to support Olympus." she added.

Aster didn't answer. Mikani never told her the exact reason why she joined the Rebellion, but Aster easily guessed that it wasn't a happy one.

"Are we on schedule?" Aaria intervened.

"Barely. Let's hurry."

**************

Aaria stayed behind to monitor her three partners' infiltration from the van and to watch the three bound-and-gagged young women. Once the students were properly secured, they were also injected with a dose of Agent Moonlight, enough to make them sleep four to six hours. Aster took advantage of this delay to free the still-sleeping chauffeur from the van's secret double-bottom. (But not from her bonds, of course.) The three captives were then carried into the warehouse and laid on an old blanket, one against the other. Aster, Klenia and Mikani then returned to the car and drove away.

It had been five minutes now, but Aster could tell that something was wrong with Mikani.

"Is there a problem?" Aster asked.

The younger woman shifted on her seat and hesitated. Then she decided to talk. "Why do you care so much?" she asked.

"About what?"

"About avoiding casualties. We could have killed these two traitors and be done with it. You're the only one who does it that way. I heard that Emery..."

Aster couldn't held back a burst of anger. "Emery is the most cold-hearted b*tch to have ever roamed the Earth!"

Mikani was taken by surprise by her sudden harsh tone and Klenia jumped on her seat. Aster was usually better at keeping her composure.

"No need to talk to her like that, Aster!" Klenia exclaimed. "She doesn't know Emery as well as you do..."

Aster shot a quick apologetic look towards them.

"Sorry. I didn't want to get mad at you. It's just... Trust me, Emery is not a good role-model. There's something in her... Something broken. She has no empathy. If her boss asked her to plant a bomb in a kindergarten, she would do it without a hint of hesitation. The only good thing she ever did was to put her talents in the service of the Rebellion, instead of killing anyone who looks at her the wrong way."

Mikani nodded and accepted her apology. She wasn't the type to hold a grudge towards a friend. "I understand."

There was a small pause, then she added: "Though you didn't answer my question..."

"Dimitri would tell you it's for propaganda. That each civilian we kill would be used against us by Olympian media. That's one of the reasons."

"But there's something else..." Mikani understood.

Aster took the time to search her words, in order to properly explain how she felt. "I just want to be better than them, you know? I just want to prove that we be can be better than the Olympians... I don't think we need to exterminate anyone who's not on our side. That's precisely Olympus' method... We need to remember that, if we win, we will take Olympus' place. What will we do then? Will we kill all the Olympians and all their supporters? Will we exterminate their children, to be sure that no new generation will take their place? Will we exterminate the villages who chose to support Olympus because, if they didn't, the soldiers would round up everyone and kill one tenth at random? We have to be better than them. Or else, we don't deserve to win..."

Mikani didn't answer. She looked pensive. For once, Klenia didn't crack a joke. Aster continued to drive. They would soon arrive to the Phocas Institute.

Author's note: Well this part is over. I first thought to keep the scene with the students for another part. But then I thought: "No. That one is not to be done." . Normally, there will be one last part to finish the story, but it will take me a little longer to upload it, as it's not currently finished.

[tirepanted3]

Great story so far!

I like the interaction between the four leads - they're clearly professionals at uniform stealing and disguise, but they still show reluctance and bicker with one another. Already their differing personalities are shining through, making them feel human while still retaining a sense of humor. The takedown of the chauffeur was also quite engaging, and I love the little detail regarding the cost-effective elastic fabric.

I'm flattered that my work has inspired you. I love writing stories, although the lack of interest at the board has somewhat tempered my efforts lately. But I'm glad to hear they've helped motivate you.

[rufusluciusivan]

Thanks a lot for the feedback! What I've always liked about your stories were the long and detailed descriptions; as well as the fact that, even though the uniform stealing was the main focus, you took the time to develop a plot and you put emphasis on the interactions between the characters (as well as giving them good lines and contrasting personalities). I tried to focus on the same elements and it's nice to see that it worked.

[tirepanted3]

Yes, I like USB stories to be fun and for the characters to be memorable. I know some people like more serious stories, but I enjoy writing things that are lighter and more buoyant.

I think it's best when the uniform stealing is tangential to the main plot. You can develop the characters more if there's a larger story to connect them, and experiment more with a variety of scenes.

[rufusluciusivan]

And now, finally, the last part. It took me a little longer than expected, but I wanted to finish the story in one post. So, enjoy.

Part 2

The Phocas Institute was a big white rectangular building, surrounded by several smaller white rectangular buildings. There was also a parking, as well as a few trees and a lawn to make the place look a little less gloomy. Well, at least to try to make the place look a little less gloomy... It wasn't a rousing success, at least according to Aster. A fence protected the Institute from unwanted visitors. Some guards were patrolling.

Aster and her two partners arrived at the security checkpoint. The guard, clearly bored after watching hundreds of people pass in front of his eyes, only took a quick glance at their IDs and allowed them to enter. Aster parked the car.

"Okay. You ready?"

"Sitting on a seat and taking notes? Piece of cake!" Klenia answered.

"How much time will the conference last?" Mikani asked, remaining professional.

"Three to four hours. Plenty of time for me to wander around."

"Be careful, boss. Don't get caught."

"No need to worry. The informations about the software are our priority. If accessing to the forbidden areas of the Institute is too hard, I won't push my luck." Aster checked her watch. "We're just in time." she added. "You should go to the amphitheatre now."

"Any last advice?"

"Lay low and keep your distances from the other students wearing a red and white sash. They will be from Stormfist's University, just like the two generous donors of your uniforms, and they may recognize you as impostors."

"Got it."

Klenia and Mikani left the car to go inside the main building. Around them, other students were gathering too. Aster crossed her fingers and mentally wished good luck to her two teammates. She texted a quick message to Aaria. "We're in." And now, it's my turn to leap into action...

**************

The chauffeurs that didn't leave the Institute during the time of the lecture were allowed to relax in one of the Institute's break rooms. Aster remained in a corner of the room, apart from the other chauffeurs. She was sipping the drink she bought from the coffee machine. The others weren't paying attention to her. Most of them were from the Provinces of Hera, Ares or Okéanis. On principle, they looked down upon someone who was obviously a "yokel" from Korê.

Aster didn't complain, since it allowed her to leave the room without anyone noticing. She took her handbag with her. She would probably need the tools hidden inside. Before leaving the car, Aster had left her knife inside the vechicle, in case their would be a metal detector. Safely hidden behind some innocuous objects, she still had three plastic cuffs, a roll of tape, a platic syringe of Agent Moonlight and a bottle of chloroform with a few pads of cloth.

Aster had more or less three hours in front of her to search for something interesting. The corridors were empty. All the scientists and staff members were probably in the amphitheatre, attending to the lecture about the new software with the students. Aster couldn't help but smile when thinking that Olympus was basically giving a class to two Rebels about their new weapon against the Rebellion.

Gotta love the irony of the situation...

It took Aster ten minutes to realize that all the interesting places of the Institute were located behind doors that needed either keys or a swipe card. Of course... It would have been too easy otherwise... Aster checked on her wristwatch. Still enough time... She needed to find a pass. And probably another disguise as well... Aster went hunting.

It took her fifteen minutes of roaming before finally yielding results. But it was worth it.

The janitress was pushing her cleaning cart. She didn't notice the intruder, as she was listening to some music in her earphones and humming a song. Aster was surprised to see that the cleaning woman was rather young, in her late twenties. Probably doing this job to earn some money before finding something else... She was wearing a grey jumpsuit and white sneakers, as well as a keychain on her belt and a swipe card around her neck on a metal bead chain. Her hair were dyed. There were locks of purple in her ash blond hair tied into a long ponytail. An Olympian? Aster thought. Only people from Olympus dyed their hair. (Well, them and the people who wanted to disguise themselves...) Olympians used the colour to show from wich one of the Twelve Olympian Factions they were part of. Purple... The colour of the Barca Faction... I wonder how she ended up in this type of job... But, ultimately, it didn't matter. The woman was smaller, but Aster thought she could work it up. And, more importantly, the woman was wearing the keys and the swipe card she was covetting. Silently, Aster followed her prey.

Aster was good at following people without being noticed. However, this time, she didn't need to make much effort. The cleaning lady was so engrossed in her music that she wouldn't notice a stampede, even if it happened right behind her. Apparently, she was finishing her shift. Or taking a break. Or maybe taking advantage of the fact that everyone else was busy attending the lecture to laze around. Either way, she wasn't working.

Still humming, the janitress stopped at a walk-in closet and wheeled her cart in it. Aster followed her inside and closed the door. There was a "What the...?! Who are you?" Then a series of punches and grunts. The trashing didn't last long, and nobody was here to hear them anyway...

The walk-in closet was a rather big room, with several shelves and a few cupboards as well. Aster took the janitress' keys, searched for the one that locked the closet's door, found it and locked the door, to be sure she wouldn't be disturbed. Then she didn't waste time and stripped her unconscious victim as fast as she could. Once taken off, the jumpsuit revealed a plain set of underwear. Grey panties and a grey bra? Talk about gloomy... You can do better, girl... Aster rummaged through her handbag. And now, I'm starting to think like Klenia... Great...

Aster didn't want to use her three plastic cuffs yet. She wanted to save them for an emergency, just in case. Luckily, among the buckets, brooms and other cleaning products on the shelves, she located rolls of strong brown packing tape, as well as several rags and even a few strings (that were probably used by the gardeners). She tested the strings. Strong enough. Aster then quickly tied the woman's wrists and ankles. After that, just to be sure, she wrapped several layers of tape around the woman's legs, thighs and forearmes, then around her arms to pin them on her torso. A few rags were stuffed in her mouth, which was then sealed with several strips of tape.

Finally, Aster carefully took a plastic box from her handbag. Inside, there was a syringe filled with a colorless liquid. A small dose of Agent Moonlight. Given her corpulence, it would make her sleep three hours. Just enough for Aster. Although this was her last dose of drug. Aster would have to be careful if she needeed to undres someone else...Chloroform was useful, but the smell was an inconvenience. Aster carefully injected the drug to the ash-blond-haired janitress.Then, to be safe, she stashed the slumbering young woman into one of the large cupboards in the back of the room, after removing enough furnitures to make room for her. The unfortunate cleaning lady was sit inside the cupboard, her chin resting on her knees. She was breathing softly, blissfully asleep. Although she wouldn't fell very comfortable once she wakes up, given her position...

But well... She's from Olympus, so... Serves her right...

Aster wasn't murderous. But she wasn't above being petty from time to time...

She closed the door and broke the knob, then put the furnitures she had taken out on the different shelves to cover her tracks. Hopefully, if another member of the cleaning crew entered the closet, they wouldn't find immediately the replaced janitress.

Aster removed her chauffeur outfit, and carefully hid it in one of the shelves. She would need it later... Then, she changed into the grey jumpsuit and white sneaker. Before leaving, she put her handbad on the cart.

She unlocked the closet's door and, pushing her washing cart in front of her, she exited the room. Around two hours left... She gave herself one hour to try and find something interesting, then she would change back into her chauffeur uniform and wait for Klenia and Mikani.

**************

Once disguised, Aster took the time to search each room she came across. She also located one storage room near the cleaning closet and two public restrooms in two different parts of the building. Just in case... These places could be useful to acquire other disguises. One's never too cautious...

She had already searched several working rooms, taking pictures of the inventions she came across with a hidden camera. She didn't know what they could do, or even if they were important. But she knew several people who would know what to do with her informations... Once again, she blessed the conference that was taking place in the amphitheatre, as it allowed her to wander around without being disturbed. She crossed the path of a few scientists, but none of them paid any attention to the cleaning lady.

Half-an-hour had already passed.

Then, Aster found a computer still on, probably forgotten by a scientist in one of the deserted work rooms. She browsed the files a few minutes. Enough to know that she hit the jackpot. Informations about a new communication device, as well as the latest innovations in television broadcasting. It could be of use to the Rebellion when they would try to take control of the Government's TV channels... She took a USB flashdrive from her handbag and inserted it in the computer. She copied the files on her flashdrive.

Suddenly, Aster heard the door being pulled open. The woman cursed under her breath. Of course... she thought. It would have been too easy otherwise... The uploading of the files wasn't over, so she couldn't take the flashdrive yet.

Quickly, in order to not be seen sit in front of the desk and the computer, Aster jumped from the chair. When the new arrival entered the room, she was in front of the washing cart, picking up a broom and trying to look as natural as she could.

It was a woman, dressed in blue pants and an open white lab coat over a blue blouse. Her hair were closely cropped into a pixie cut. She had no dye, so she wasn't from Olympus. Tall, light blond hair, blue eyes, stuck-up attitude... Probably from the Province of Hera... Aster thought.

"What are you doing here?" the blond scientist asked. "Where is Cassandra?"

'Cassandra' was probably the unlucky janitress, currently sleeping in her underwear locked up in the cleaners' closet.

"I don't know, ma'am."

"That lazy good-for-nothing bum..."

The scientist stared at Aster.

" So you're her replacement ?" she asked. There was a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"Yes, ma'am. I've been hired two days ago. Don't you remember me, ma'am?" The key when you lied was to be confident, and to never hesitate.

"You will call me Professor." the blonde answered. "And no, I don't have the time to remember all of you."

Yep. Definitively from the Province of Hera...

"Where is this Nation going?" the woman muttered. "We already have a hard time stomaching the boors from Ares, and now they're hiring yokels as well?!"

Wow... Even by Hera's standards, she's incredibly stuck-up. She's even more clichéd than the most clichéd of clichés... She's making the brainless bimbos from the TV look subtle...

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you, professor." Aster said, faking a submission she was far from truly feeling.

"I specifically asked that no one should enter this room for the next three hours! I said I didn't want to be disturbed!"

"You mean that nobody is supposed to come here?"

"Yes! I have important work to do!"

I think that I'm going to enjoy the next part far more than I should... Aster thought to herself. After all, she couldn't let the scientist raise the alarm after seeing the USB flashdrive. And her outfit could be even better than the cleaning lady garb to sneak around... Time to be petty again...

The scientist headed for her computer. She saw the flashdrive, still copying the files. "And whose is this flashdrive?!" she exclaimed "I swear, if Jocaste is trying to steal my data again, I'm gonna..."

She was cut in the middle of her sentence by Aster, who applied a vicious sleeper-hold. She blocked both the left and right carotid arteries, resulting in a loss of consciousness a few seconds later. Letting her victim fall on the ground, Aster took her handbag and rummaged through it find her bottle of chloroform and a cloth pad. She applied a generous dose of chloroform on the pad and made it breath to the woman, insuring that she would stay unconscious for a while. Aster wanted to avoid chloroform as much as possible, because of its smell. But the scientist said that she ordered not to be disturbed, so normally it would be fine. Noboy would be there to smell it. Still, just to be safe, she took the time to lock the door with the janitress' keys.

Then Aster quickly undressed the scientist, leaving her in her plain white cotton underwear. She took her three remaining plastic cuffs, used to first two to bind the blonde's wrists and ankles, then used the third one to put her into a strict and uncomfortable hogtie. She applied a second dose of chloroform on the pad and used her roll of duct tape to hold it in place over her mouth and nose, ensuring that she would constantly breath the fumes. Aster had calculated a dose that would last at least three hours. Finally, she carried the scientist and hid her under the desk on which the computer was. That way, concealed behind the wooden frame, she was invisible from the door. So, even if someone opened the door, that person would have to actively search the room to find her.

The flashdrive had finished copying the files while she was busy securing her captive. With a smile, Aster pocketed it. She then took the scientist's lab coat, blouse and pants, and put them on her cleaning cart. She decided she would bring the cart back to the closet, to remove all evidence of her passage. She would change clothes there. She still had enough time. Then she would wander around a little more. Or maybe go attend to the end of the lecture at the amphitheatre, from afar of course, to regroup with Klenia and Mikani...

**************

The conference was boring.

The software was maybe a threat for the Rebellion's activities. The informations they were gathering were probably vital. (She heard that the higher ups were planning on hacking the television channels in order to diffuse messages to incitate people to rebel...) But after more than three hours of taking notes, Klenia couldn't bear no more. She quickly glanced at Mikani, who was still diligently writing on her pieces of paper. I think I'm a little jealous...

Her partner noticed her glance. "It's almost over." she whispered. "Keep focused."

They had sit in a corner of the amphitheatre, near one of its exits and as far away as possible from the other students of Stormfist's University. On the podium, Professor What's-His-Name was finishing his long and boring presentation. Klenia nearly jumped when everyone started clapping, then happily joined them, as it meant that it was finally over.

"How many sheets of paper did you fill ?" Klenia asked to her partner.

"Seventeen. And you?"

Klenia only filled eleven and a half sheets.

"Well... That's not very important. It's not a competition, you know..."

"So, less than me." Mikani simply said.

"Stop being sarcastic! The conference is over and everyone will soon leave the builing. We have to meet up with Aster in order to be among the first to depart from the Institute."

"Lead the way."

Klenia started to leave her seat when, suddenly, a scientist at the podium made an announcement:

"Please listen. After the break, the students from South Window, the students from Hestia, and the students from Stormfist must each join their respective headmaster. They will receive a few complementary documents, and instructions about the report they'll have to write about the lecture. The other students are free to go or to visit the public parts of the Institute."

Klenia and Mikani exchanged a glance.

"We can't do that... We can't meet up with their headmaster... They will immediately spot us..." Klenia said.

Mikani nodded. "Then what do we do ?"

Klenia felt a shiver down her spine, but not a pleasant one... She forced herself to remain calm. "We leave the amphitheatre now, before everyone start to do it, and we try to regroup with Aster. She knew the hour of the end of the conference, so she's probably waiting for us near the exits..." Klenia was maybe carefree when it came to some subjects, but she knew when to be serious. She hadn't been accepted in the Rebellion for nothing...

"Good plan." Mikani answered. "I'll follow you."

Suddenly, a scientist arrived behind them.

"I'm sorry ladies. But you'll have to come with me."

This time, Klenia jumped on her seat. They were discovered ! She turned around and saw...

"Aster! How dare you? I almost had a heart attack..." Still, Klenia was relieved to see her. "Did you hear what they just said?"

"Yes. I was in the back of the amphitheatre. I saw you from afar."

"So what do we do?" Mikani asked.

"We find a new plan."

**************

"Wow, Aster, you know the place pretty well..." Klenia whispered.

"I had three hours to visit..."

"And you got to change clothes once... Lucky you..."

"Actually I did it twice, but that's beside the point."

"So unfair..."

Klenia couldn't help but joke. It was her way of evacuating the tension...

The corridors were now a little more crowded, but most of the people weren't part of the Institute, and those who were part of the Institute were too busy to notice that Aster was an impostor. Nobody paid attention to the scientist leading two students. They just had to walk and act as if they knew what they were doing. Aster had learned long ago how much a simple disguise and the right attitude could fool almost everyone. To most people, the idea that the person in front of them could be not what they looked like, but a disguised impostor, seemed so outlandish that nobody would think it as a first guess. It was called refuge in audacity. As long as you didn't push your luck too much, it had good chances of working.

Aster led Mikani and Klenia to a door in an isolated corridor, not too far from the door leading to the cleaning closet.

"What's this place ?"

"A storage room. They use it to store unused computer equipments, tables and chairs. I found it while searching the place. I thought it could be useful."

"You thought right. So, do you have a plan?"

"You can't leave dressed as students of Stormfist, since they are supposed to be with their headmaster. But you can't go with the other students of Stormfist either. They would recognize you as impostors..."

"So we need to join another university..." Mikani understood.

"Precisely. One that's not from Stormfist, South Window or Hestia."

"I hope they won't mind the transfer of our student files..."

Klenia's joke fell flat.

Mikani ignored her. "How do we do it ?"

"Well, I still have the lab coat. It gives me some authority around here."

"Most of the students won't leave immediately..." added Klenia, now serious again. "They will want to drink something, go to the bathroom, perhaps visit the public parts of the place..."

"I'll lure two of them here. You'll handle the rest." Aster instructed.

"I still have duct tape in my bag". Klenia said.

"I knew you would... Stay here. I'll return as fast as I can."

**************

Time was of the essence now. Aster needed to find new disguises for her two teammates as quickly as possible. She made a detour by the cleaning closet to take her chauffeur uniform and squeezed it inside her handbag. In theory, they could wait until Stormfist's headmaster had finished what he wanted to do, but it was only increasing the chances that someone would find the replaced janitress or the replaced scientist.

Aster was thinking that, in hindsight, it would perhaps have been better if she stayed with the other chauffeurs... But the additional informations she got were worth it... No need to dwell on the past.

Their advantage was that the alarm hasn't been raised. Nobody knew yet that there were already infiltrators on the loose. The danger was only moderate for now. Aster had already faced worst odds...

She arrived in the now-crowded entrance hall. There were plenty of group of students, chatting with each other. She saw some students of Stormfist University. Good. It meant that they hadn't meet up with their headmaster yet. Aster circulated between the groups of students, looking for suitable donors. She was hatching a plan. A first group of two brown-haired women caught her attention, but she stopped when she saw their sashes. Green and blue. The colours of South Window. She ruled out several other groups. Some were too numerous, others had boys in them, others had students of Stormfist or South Window in them.

Aster left the main hall to go into a smaller, less crowded hall. Come on, lucky star... Don't fail me now... She wasn't afraid yet. The situation wasn't desperate. But she was started to be slightly worried. She passed seven other groups of students before seeing something that picked her interest. Thank you, lucky star...

The students were wearing a slightly different uniform than the unfortunate Macha and Hana: They had similar black shoes, but they were wearing black stockings and black skirts instead of pants. Their jackets were black as well, still over white shirts though, and instead of ties they were wearing a small red scarf. Their sashes were brown and black.

Stormfist had red and white, South Window had blue and green, Hestia had golden and white. Brown and black were the colours of the University of Crossroads, a town from the northern provinces of the country.

The students were three, but two of them were approximately of the right sizes for Klenia and Mikani. Close enough... Aster had no time to be picky. They would simply have to knock out one more student without taking her clothes. Klenia would be disappointed, but she would have to live with it.

Aster took a deep breath and approached the three students. Two of the young women had bright red hair, a colour more common in the north of the country than in the south. The third was a petite brunette. All three had their hair tied into a strict chignon.

Aster got in-character.

"Finally, I've found you!" she said in an authoritative tone.

The students turned around, surprised by her arrival.

"What do you mean, professor?" one of the redheads asked.

"What are your names?"

"Edea Dim."

"Agnès Arrior."

"Magnolia Geneolgia."

"Yes, you're the ones I'm looking for. I talked with your headmaster. I need you for a quick task. I will give you documents, that you will have to take with you to Crossroads and distribute to your fellow students."

The three young women, who seemed to be one or two years older than Macha and Hana, exchanged glances.

"But, professor, we will have to leave soon... Our bus departs in twenty minutes..."

"It will be quick. The change has been made right now. I know it's an inconvenience. But, if you do it, I will put a good word about you three to your University."

As said before, one of the biggest qualities needed in order to impersonate others was confidence. If you act like you're where you're supposed to be and doing what you're supposed to do, people will assume that you're who you pretend to be.

The three students looked at each other. Aster's lab coat was giving her an aura of authority and she had given them no reason to doubt her story, or to suspect that she wasn't who she was.

"We'll follow you, professor." the brunette said.

"Excellent."

**************

Aster didn't choose the storage room at random. She chose it because it was located in a corridor in which almost no one, except authorized personnel, would go. Currently, as all authozied personnel was either occupied by managing the end of the lecture or tied up, gagged and safely hidden, this part of the building was empty.

"There it is..." Aster said while indicating the storage room's door.

Again, the three students didn't question her. Aster's uniform gave her both the authority and the credibility she needed. They were trusting her.

Huge mistake.

But then again, who would think as a first guess that the authority figure giving you an order was in fact a disguised impostor trying to lure you to a secluded place to allow her two friends to mug you? Only silly people, of course... Luckily for Aster, she'd never met any of these silly people yet. She hoped she would never do.

Aster opened the door and the three students were about to enter when they noticed the storage room wasn't empty.

"So glad you decided to come join us!" Klenia happily exclaimed.

The brunette and one of her red-haired friends didn't even have the time to register what happened. Klenia and Mikani had already grabbed them and pulled them inside. The other redhead understood that she was in danger and tried to turn around and run. Aster was already on her and pushed her inside the storage room. In the same movement, she closed the door. The next few moments were dedicated to punch the lights out of the three students.

**************

After knocking them out, Aster and her two companions made each student breath a dose of chloroform to be sure that they would stay out of commission for a while.

The brown-haired student was too small for Mikani and Klenia, so Aster decided to not waste time stripping her and dragged her in a corner of the room. Klenia tried to complain, but Aster cut her by saying: "You already have one for yourself! We have twenty minutes before someone starts looking for these three, so don't waste time!"

Aster used her remaining tape to bind and gag the brunette, then removed her clothes to change into her chauffeur outfit. The uniform was now a little crumpled, but it didn't matter much.

Klenia worked faster than usual, and even ended up helping Mikani. The sashes, jackets, scarfs and shirts were removed first, revealing black full-cup bras. Then it was the turn of the shoes, stockings and skirts, showing matching black panties.

"Do you think their University gives them matching underwears along with their uniforms?" Klenia asked.

"No time for existential questions!" Mikani retorted. "Change quicly."

Once Klenia and Mikani were fully clothed in their new uniforms, the two underwear-clad red-haired students were bound and gagged with the roll of tape Klenia had the foresight of taking with her, their socks being used to pack their mouths. Then, they were sit on both sides of their brunette friend, their heads peacefully resting on the latter's shoulders.

"Aren't they cute like that, sleeping together?"

"We're leaving, Klenia. Hurry up."

**************

Exiting the building was a mere formality. Nobody paid any attention to a chauffeur and two students. Aster drove off the parking as fast as she could without raising suspicions. At the checkpoint, another guard was waiting. He looked just as bored as his colleague who let them a little less than four hours ago. He barely checked at them and let them out.

Aster waited until after the Institute had disappeared from her rearing mirrors before sighing in relief. The mission was a success...

Klenia let out a roar of triumph. "And another victory for team Aster!" She playfully elbowed Mikani. "So, how do you feel after your first victory?"

Mikani looked a little embarassed by her partner's expansiveness. "Good, I guess."

"That's the spirit!"

Aster smiled, then decided to be the voice of reason. "Let's wait until we're safe before celebrating."

"So, what happens now?" Klenia asked.

"We meet up with Aaria, leave with the van and the car, and we get rid of the car by throwing it into a river. Then we cross the border and catch up with Thalès in his hideout. We will give him all the informations we collected and he will transmit them to the Headquarter."

"And then, we'll have a well-deserved rest..." Klenia concluded.

"Yes. Once we're at a safe distance, I will also send an anonymous tip to the police, to allow them to locate the two students and the chauffeur we locked in the warehouse. »

Aster could see Mikani scowl in her rearing mirror, but the younger woman didn't make a comment.

Aster sighed.

Their car took a turn and disappeared in the middle of the corn fields, driving on a small route.

Aster was impatient to meet up with Thalès. They wouldn't be completely safe until they were in his hideout.

**************

[rufusluciusivan]

**************

Epilogue

"… Aaria was a little mad that I took so much risks by acquiring new disguises in the Institute instead of following her plan, but she calmed down when she saw what I found. Then we arrived at Thalès' turf and gave him the informations we collected. He will give them to the Headquarter. We stayed the night at his hideout, then we came back here..."

A glass of wine in her hand, Aster finished her story.

Dimitri toasted with his own glass, then calmly sipped his drink. "Well, it's a good thing that I'm perfectly secure... Or else I might feel a little jealous of your stunning success..."

Aster smiled. "We know you're better than that..."

"Of course... By the way, did you watch the news ? They talked about your success."

"In elogious terms, I hope..." she joked.

"Well, from a certain point of view... "Three women found bound and gagged and robbed of their clothes in an abandoned warehouse, including two innocent students. A savage mugging." "A maniac humiliates several students and staff members at the prestigious Phocas Institute by stripping them to their underwear." Olympus likes sensational titles, if I do say so myself..."

Aster let out a small sigh.

Dimitri immediately stopped joking. "Something wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"No... It's just, even after all the efforts we did, the girls and I, they still find a way to make us look like the bad guys..."

"Well, you did beat these women up and stole their clothes..."

" Be serious. You know what I mean, Dimitri."

"Yes, I know."

"A lesser person would have killed them. Emery would have done that."

"Yes, I know." He paused, then added. "And the people who really matter, the smart people, also know that. They also noticed that you didn't do it."

Aster started to feel a little better. "Thanks..."

Dimitri finished his drink. "Emery has her advantages, that I cannot deny... But there's something she will never be able to do." he added. "She will never be able to inspire others the way you do. You're proving that we can do it. You're proving that, if we succeed, we will do better than Olympus."

Aster smiled. Dimitri always knew the right words to help her when she was feeling a little blue.

"And you know what's even better?" he concluded. "Other Nations of the World are starting to feel the same way."

"You mean?"

"They don't want to support us officially, for now, but I heard that Cérès was in contact with some officials from the Great Nation of Triade. If we play our cards right, they may send us new equipments and weapons. It's a little thanks to you, you know. Because, thanks to you, they see us as a better alternative than Olympus."

"Dimitri, you're an incorrigible flatterer..."

"I sure am." He paused, then asked. "And how are your friends?"

"They're doing fine. Currently, they're resting. Klenia said she will take the week off, but I know her. Tomorrow, she'll already ask me when the next mission starts. Mikani said she wanted to continue working with us. I hope it will help us change her opinion a little. Aaria didn't say anything, as always. What about you?"

"Olympian authorities called me today. Apparently, I'm going to get some money from my insurance policy, as a "moral compensation", because three victims were found bound and gagged in one of my warehouses."

Aster couldn't contain herself. She burst into laughs.

Dimitri pretended to be offended. "Hey! I am a model Provincial." he playfully complained. "My company made it into the newspapers. Demeter and Sillo Associates is, and I quote, "a model company, very respectuous of Olympian laws, and that should be held as an example in all Provinces"..."

"Sorry... Sorry... It's just... It's just that we steal informations from Olympus, we make them look like completely incompetent fools, and then we receive money for that... Money from them even... I just appreciate the delicious, delicious irony..."

"Totally worth the years of lick-booting to gain that reputation..." Dimitri nodded.

"Yes. But I'm still waiting for the moment we'll be able to stop playing that comedy... The moment we will finally overthrow them... »

Aster was sure that, if she kept up that way, one day, she would live to see that day... She couldn't wait.

**************

END

Author's note: Had to put the epilogue in a separate post, because it would have been too long for the board otherwise. Anyway, this was a nice experience and I'm happy to have been able to finish it. I'll probably upload other stories with these characters, but I can't promise that I will be as quick as with this one...

A big thanks to everyone who read it. And an especially big thanks to Tirepanted for the nice comments!

[tirepanted3]

Great second half! Lots of uniform steals which all make sense in the context of the story. I love Aster's inner monologue when she's confronted by the scientist from Hera. She takes the insults in stride, and they help motivate her to take the woman down.

I tend to prefer stories set in our reality, but this was a great use of an alternate setting, complete with fun and enjoyable characters. Great job. I look forward to what you have in mind for a sequel.

[esercito sconfitto]

Huray there is another great writer here at the board!

I adore when the victims are personally 'innocent', but serving in an evil organisation ...

by the way , I expect to see this "Emery" acting like a female version of 'Inglorious basterds' by Tarantino... in a more 'military' scenario



PS I can't believe this was your first attempt in writing USB scenes

PPS next time give Klenia all the time she needs to strip a clothes donor... and more details about her; as character who enjoys what to do, Klenia is almost unprecedented here at this board library- maybe with the exception of the protagonist of a story by Tirepanted ( "the Greatest Actress of All" )


PPPS something that stunned meat first...and that is a fairly new feature... is the almost brutal and realistic way the uniforms donors are subdued...by punches! I figure that are required some; the students in the last scene will wake up with black eyes and broken noses