Xaia walked into her workspace, and she blushed. “Please pardon the mess. I had to leave in a hurry.”

The other six pilots and the Otta elder were following her, so she moved some of her smaller projects from her station, and she went to the drawing board.

“Please let me know if you have any ideas for weapons, and Elder Lameera, if you could let me know if we want them alive or not?” Xaia winced as she asked the last question.

The question had to be asked.

Elder Lameera cocked her head and said, “We will attempt to banish them and send them back to orbit if you can find a way to manage it.”

Xaia paused. “Okay. That might not be possible, but I am just going to start bringing out a list of approved and forbidden inventions. If anyone sees anything that they feel they can work with, sing out.”

The other women looked bemused, so Xaia started to bring up her creations and those of other women in the repair and design department.

* * * *

Duel looked at the lists of weaponry and a chair that offered backrubs, and she glanced around the table.

“I would like to make a suggestion.”

Xaia looked hopeful. “Did you find something?”

“No, I mean maybe. If I could just ask everyone here...” She drew in a deep breath. “I think we should send the message.”

Lameera cocked her head. “What message?”

“The members of the Nine wanted a message sent to their people. They still want that message sent. We should send it.” She looked around the group.

Corbyn said, “What if they attack?”

Duel wrinkled her nose and waved at the table. “I hate to say it, but I think we will be ready for them.”

Lameera said, “Let me think about it.”

“No.”

Everyone stared in surprise.