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Elvinos2003 · 02-17-2025, 12:18 AM,

Planet Crete / Heraklion / Extremity of the city

It had been a few days since she returned from Ciutadella Outpost. Spending several weeks out there with artificial gravity and no sky had worn her out. She was sitting on a stone near the entrance of Heraklion, kicking some dust with her right foot. ''I'm tired. This...'' She placed her right hand just above her heart. ''This anger... this impulsivity and this hatred... all of this consumes me. The Deterrence... I can't turn the damn page...'' She raised her right hand toward the sky, forming a fist. ''All because of the stupidity they caused... Even if... they outnumber The Brotherhood, I can't stop boiling whenever one of them talks to me. They lack many qualities that a Corsair should have.'' Nina stood up and walked toward the entrance of Heraklion while lifting her hood to cover her head.

While walking aimlessly and avoiding eye contact, her inner self was still boiling, which made Nina place her hand over her heart again. For four damn years, she had been carrying these destructive emotions. It was even more surprising that she hadn't simply died from exhaustion. She eventually found a corner to sit between two buildings of Heraklion, taking some deep breaths to calm the raging storm inside her. ''I need to calm down... I need to focus on something else... at this rate...'' She was suddenly panting, tired of holding all this in. As she showed some weakness, a figure approached her. A man in his late forties, with grey hair and a respectable shape for his age. This man was clearly an active veteran among the Corsairs, or so his aura suggested. ''You... you're certainly not doing well.'' His voice contained a certain warmth, or something similar, inviting perhaps. Her gaze turned to him, her eyes widened, and she felt ashamed to be seen this way. She stood up, almost weak, and leaned against the wall of the building behind her. ''I don't see what you're talking about.'' She replied, trying to act tough as best as she could. But that man clearly saw through her. To her surprise, he stepped closer to her. Again, with that voice, he simply replied: ''Oh, I certainly know what you're going through. You try to act tough despite your actual state. I've seen too many friends go through the same thing, and it killed them in the end.'' He placed himself before her, almost invading her space, just to lift her chin. His brown eyes locked with her crimson ones for a moment. He managed to glimpse Nina's hair despite the hood covering it. He realized who she was but still maintained this expression, a mix of sternness and warmth. With her chin lifted this way, despite her strong will to push him away, she couldn't move. She couldn't believe she was willing to stay still, and despite herself, her cheeks heated with embarrassment. She had never felt this before. A dominance far above her own. ''I know you. You're the one they call the 'Crimson Queen.' The youngest Corsair to reach the Elder title...'' Her cheeks flushed. She couldn't believe it again. This man had an effect on her despite their age difference. After her chin was released, she looked away, annoyed. ''What..? Are you going to say you saw me in such a pathetic state?'' He laughed heartily despite his stern demeanor. He then shook his head. ''No, far from it. Just tell me what's going on.'' He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, urging Nina to walk with him. He led the way to a tavern, taking the lead again, and they headed to a table. He sat in front of her, leaning in to listen. ''So?'' She sighed, annoyed, but she knew she wouldn't be able to get away without talking to this man.

''I... I have been living with this anger, impulsivity, and hatred for four years... I dislike the group The Deterrence with a passion. Their first executor, Ravenna Nagash, made foolish decisions! She dared more than once to discredit The Brotherhood. There was that proclamation she made. She said, and I quote, 'The so-called ''shield and sword'' of the Imperio is now nothing more than what appears to be a small group of simple ruffians interested only in their own benefit. With Pepe Ladron's disappearance, a man whom I've come to respect dearly, the Brotherhood seems to have forgotten any sense of duty or honor.' She is so damn wrong! If I could, I'd give her a solid punch right in the face. After that, there was another similar message. She even stated that the Council of Elders is just self-proclaimed! You surely saw this on the neural net. It was also another message sent to all Corsairs!'' She paused to take a breath before slamming her fist down. ''There was also this other broadcast made by a certain Mateo from The Deterrence, stating they were doing an operation to 'welcome the insurgency' into our damn empire! And those were known to sabotage The Brotherhood's transports. That's what Alberto told me. I just... I just can't start shooting them, can I? I just want... I just want things to be easier to live with... but it's impossible.'' The man listened to Nina's angry speech. He simply nodded in silence, letting the crimson Corsair vent until her lungs hurt. After Nina emptied her heart, he kept looking at her. ''Right... you clearly have a hatred toward them, which I understand. But know that it is totally normal for Corsairs to get frustrated with others. It’s also normal for it to end in a fight, physical or otherwise.'' He pointed at her. ''But you, it's a different story. You can't just punch someone like that because you're an Elder. All I can really suggest is that you channel this energy into battles out there—against Hessians, Outcasts, Nomads, and any other opponents you may face sooner or later. However...'' He paused for a moment, thinking of an idea. ''You could use the Aptera Arena and challenge some of their pilots. That way, you'd be totally within the 'legal' path to kick their butts.'' Listening to his words, Nina felt lighter, as if it were relieving to hear that she could 'legally' kick some of The Deterrence's pilots. She stood up from her seat. ''At least I can use my anger in this... I suppose you want me to thank you? To owe you one?'' He laughed as he stood up. ''Not at all. All I ask is that you apply what I've told you, and if you ever need help again, I'm here.''

Nina Rodriguez and the man parted ways. She was somehow glad she had met him, even though she didn’t know the name of this veteran. Her eyes were burning with something new, determination instead of hate.

Elvinos2003 · 02-19-2025, 12:29 AM,

Planet Crete / Heraklion / Fortaleza de Elysion

It was a windy day when she made her way to Fortaleza de Elysion, one of the headquarters of The Brotherhood. The wind lifted dust into the air, forming a thick, swirling cloud. Visibility was poor, making the walk all the more difficult. With only her hood for protection, she had to cover her nose and mouth with her right arm to prevent the dust from entering her lungs and throat.

She kept in mind what the veteran had told her about what she needed to do if she wanted to kick some pilots' rears in The Deterrence, but first, she had to handle something within The Brotherhood. Even though she had been away for a while, she remained attentive to what was happening through the neural net. And then there was that announcement from Canal-Uno. She had watched the preview of the so-called movie, and when she saw that they had cast someone else in her role, she found it not only ridiculous but also infuriating. Her title had been butchered.

She pushed the doors open with both hands, and a rusty creak echoed through the space—a sound that could alert anyone nearby. Several Corsairs turned their heads toward the entrance of the building. Murmurs and whispers spread before Nina raised her head—then silence. The door behind her closed with a heavy thud, and as she lifted her hood, the Corsairs standing there looked on, shocked and surprised to see her.

''Oh-ho...'' a man muttered. Another added: ''What are we going to do...? Will she yell at us..?''

Nina let out a quiet sigh and continued on her way, mostly ignoring the effect her presence had on her fellow Corsairs. Her walking pace was steady. Along the walls, she noticed portraits of past Elders and heroes of The Brotherhood. Her gaze locked onto the portrait of Senior Pepe Ladron.

''I wonder what happened to you... I suppose you retired for good. I can't even remember the last time I saw you...''

She then spotted portraits of Alberto Rodriguez, Cesar Gutierrez, and finally, one she had never seen before—Juanez Gonzalez Perez Aguilar Garcia De la Santa Maria Buonocore, better known as El Presidente.

There was something unsettling about looking at this portrait. Hate? Dislike? One thing was certain—she did not like the beard. It was too long and far too voluminous for her taste.

''I don’t know you, but—your face screams 'punch me'...''

She muttered to herself as she resumed walking, heading toward the room where the Elders usually gathered to handle paperwork. She pushed the door open and was met with a surprising sight—a new type of decor. It was most likely the work of Juanez Gonzalez Perez Aguilar Garcia De la Santa Maria Buonocore. Even the spot where she used to sit had been redecorated. The Crimson Queen approached her previous desk and, with little hesitation, swept aside the unnecessary trinkets cluttering what once belonged to Cesar Gutierrez.

''I swear... this is so unnecessary. All this decoration—for what? To make the room look 'pretty'? What a waste… I clearly need to put some order around here.''

Then, she remembered that Cesar had responded to her last message, something she had yet to address. She paused for a moment, lost in thought.

''I need to tell him I’m back… No… maybe something more extraordinary. Perhaps some news about what I intend to do... I don't know.'' Suddenly, she heard the door opening up behind which got her attention. She looked abover her right shoulder a moment before to turn on herself and face the door. She then crossed her arms under her chest, waiting to see who was the person.

Elvinos2003 · (This post was last modified: 02-21-2025, 02:44 PM by Elvinos2003.)

Planet Crete / Heraklion / Fortaleza de Elysion

The door opened, and the person who appeared was someone she had never seen before. A man in his thirties, well-dressed, with glasses mostly hiding his eyes. At first glance, he seemed like the stubborn type, but his behavior was clearly energetic. ''Buenos dias! I am the journalist tha-'' His sentence was cut short when his eyes met Nina's. He gulped loudly. ''Oh! It's Nina Rodriguez! The Crimson Queen! When I entered-..'' A sigh interrupted his sentence. Nina looked at him with burning eyes, yet she tried hard not to raise her tone. ''Journalist, okay? And why are you here?'' Her tone was cold. ''Ah, si! Sorry for that. I do tend to be in awe of everything." He cleared his throat. "So... yeah, I was supposed to meet up with uhm... Juanez Gonzalez Perez Aguilar Garcia De la Santa Maria Buonocore for his project. But judging by the empty room, he's out...'' Nina shrugged it off and then broke the silence, but just before she could think of what to say, the journalist spoke faster. ''Well! If he's not here, and since you are back—because yes, I heard some say you were gone and now you are back—do you mind if we do an interview? You know, the usual stuff.'' She sighed and sat behind the desk.

Comfortably seated on the chair with grace, she waved her hand, signaling that he could start. Seeing this, the journalist took a chair, placed it before the desk, and pulled out his PDA to record the moment. Once he started it, he spoke first. ''Alright, so I am Juan Esteban Sanchez, a new journalist for Canal Uno. I am with an incredible person whom you all may know—fierce and loyal to her attitude—Nina Rodriguez! Also known as The Crimson Queen.'' He paused for a second before continuing. On Nina’s side, she couldn't help but smirk slightly at how Juan introduced her, but she remained serious, listening. ''So... I am here to get some news from you and, at the same time, give our people an idea of who you are. So... how would you summarize your story from the beginning to now?'' The young Elder leaned back in the chair, looking up at the ceiling before speaking. ''To keep it simple, I was born into poverty. I had to hunt for food because my parents were not wealthy, and I doubt they are today. I always had to fight and struggle until I became of age. At twenty, I applied for The Brotherhood. I could have chosen for the Deterrence instead, but I never felt drawn to their ways. After I enrolled into the Brotherhood, my life got better. I never had to go hungry at the end of the day again. I ranked up quite fast. Being a Decurion and then a Centurion, I already had some tasks as a 'secretary,' which I did well.'' She paused for a few seconds, thinking about what to add. ''One day, when I was still a Centurion -was it four years ago?- some of my actions were viewed badly. I now regret my actions, and luckily I was forgiven because I was a good asset. back then I was angry because I got demoted but that did not last long because soon Elder Gutierrez granted me the title of Elder when Elder Alberto Rodriguez left his seat in the Council of Elders, giving me huge responsibilities. I became, and still am, the youngest Elder our empire has seen in its history. After a while, things took a turn for the worse... this time not because of anything I did, but because of certain actions taken by The Deterrence that infuriated me. The following years I lived in anger and hatred. Eventually, I retired to Cuitadella Outpost.''

''Quite the journey! From poverty to wealth, you overcame everything quite well. Could you tell us in detail what The Deterrence did to drive you mad? For a while, they have been the largest group and quite capable. Tell us more about this topic.'' Said Juan, listening with interest to Nina’s story. He was quite curious as well, but maintaining professionalism, it was best to ask good questions that would help people understand why Nina was so hot-headed and impatient. ''To make a long story short, their then Executor, Ravenna Nagash, made ludicrous accusations against the Corsair Brotherhood, and myself as a person.''
She paused again before continuing. ''So Ravenna Nagash discredited The Brotherhood and on top of that she also publicly denounced the Council of Elders, claiming it was just a façade. I quote her: 'It is evident that the self-proclaimed Council of Elders is nothing but a pretense for the Brotherhood to push their personal agenda and their own ends.'' Ofcourse that statement is completely false! If that were the case, we wouldn’t be here today! The Corsair Brotherhood holds just two seats within the Council of Elders, and though we closely collaborate with other familias and institutions, we are far from the only ones to influence high Elder Rivera's decisions."
Nina let out a sigh of annoyance. "I don’t care much about how Ravenna's successors faired, but one thing that I find particularly ridiculous is their 'cri de guerre': 'Ravenna's vult!' I mean, we are Corsairs! Not a cult of personalitym putting one individual above all others just because they have a bit of charisma. Pathetic. You can be charismatic, but if you lack glory or honor, you are nothing.

I wonder if Ravenna has even a shred of pride and honor, and I wonder what she would do if I called her out for a duel in the Aptera Arena. Of course, our weapon of choice would be the Titan. If she refuses or doesn’t even respond to my challenge, wouldn’t it be natural to assume she was just a honourless payaso who lacks bravery and only serves her own interests? In any case, the selfish decisions and disrespect Deterrence showed under Ravenna’s command left a scar I will never forget. Elder Gutierrez and Buonocore have incredible patience and choose to collaborate with them in the name of stability, but in my opinion they were let off the hook far too easily for what they did.''

Nina Rodriguez exhaled, and the journalist was quite shocked yet impressed by the courage Nina had just demonstrated. ''Incredible! You are certainly not one to hold back. While we’re at it, what exactly makes you lose your temper, just out of curiosity?'' She laughed loudly. ''Corsairs flying non Corsair ships! Our ships are built for battle because we are warriors. Isn’t it natural for a Corsair to fly the ship of their ancestors? It is tradition, it is how we wage war. Foreign ships look ridiculous and weak. There is one thing that can anger me even more... When someone tries to order me around, especially if this person is a nobody. When that happens I just want to kick their culo so hard that they will remember not to even dare to speak to me again''

Juan stopped the recording before standing up. ''I clearly did not expect you to say all this! But trust me, by next week, you'll see something on Canal Uno. It was a pleasure.'' After standing up, he bowed toward her and left the room. Nina let out a long sigh. ''That was exhausting... anyway, I am somewhat intrigued to see what he will share on the neural net. It will probably make Cesar shocked to hear this.''

Elvinos2003 · 02-24-2025, 06:33 PM,

Planet Crete / Heraklion / Fortaleza de Elysion

Seeing her face prominently displayed on Canal Uno made her wonder what kind of commotion it would cause. Regardless, she was back, and she was certain that Cesar would bother her sooner or later about it. Perhaps other members of The Brotherhood would as well, but... she did not care. She was proud to have spoken her mind. In fact, she had to. She sighed while sitting at her desk, comfortably settled into her chair, with her legs resting on the desk as if she didn’t care about dirtying it. ''I don't regret it. I feel so much better...'' she said to herself in the empty room. Cesar was probably busy with important matters, as was Buonocore.

She smiled slightly. Was she happy? She had met Alberto after so long. He had told her a bit more about 'El Presidente.' According to him, Buonocore was not the person she had initially thought. Apparently, he and Alberto were old friends—at least, that’s what she had gathered. Also, according to Alberto, Buonocore was the type of person who wanted control over everyone and everything. He had also warned her not to mention her daughter. She wasn't sure why, but she was not about to ask. Unless she suddenly became curious—but once before, her curiosity had cost her dearly, and it had turned against her. She briefly thought of Habermeyer before shaking her head to banish the thought into the void of her consciousness. ''Never again...'' she murmured before dropping her legs off the desk.

At the right corner of the desk, she noticed a pile of papers—some blank, others old documents. She took an empty sheet, grabbed a pen from her right side, and started writing a proposal.

Proposal Wrote:Elder Gutierrez and Elder Buonocore,

I clearly made a big fuss over the neural net with my speech. Know that I do not regret it in the slightest.
In fact, I would like to submit a proposal to both of you. I would like to express the following idea:

For too long, I kept everything bottled up inside. I don’t need to explain much—it’s all on Canal Uno.
If possible, I would like to propose that if someone is consumed by pure anger or hatred, as I was, we allow them to challenge others to duels. This would serve as an outlet for their emotions, rather than forcing them to suppress them and risk creating another spectacle like I did.

Obviously, not duels to the death, but at least something to express this anger that anyone would have.

Signed: Elder Nina Rodriguez.

After writing this, she placed the pen to the side and re-read what she had written. She stood up and walked around the room, thinking carefully about what she could do. Engage in piracy? Go on a raid somewhere? She wasn’t sure. Doing such things alone could be very rewarding, but also extremely dangerous. She remembered facing two Bundschuh vessels in the Sigma-15 system. Frustration surged through her as she slammed her right fist against the wall, recalling how she had been forced to flee—and how one of them had misgendered her. The thought angered her. ''My voice doesn’t sound like a man’s!'' She sighed, forcing the memory of that bad day out of her head. Yet, it served as a reminder that going out alone might not be the best idea, depending on where she decided to go.

Nina looked around a moment before returning on her chair. She then read again what she wrote. She believed that her proposal will be viewed under a good eye.

Madvillain · (This post was last modified: 02-24-2025, 11:56 PM by Madvillain.)

Villa Sephardi - Atlas Mountain Range - Planet Crete, Late at Night

Juanez kept tossing and turning. Something nagged at him, something he'd forgotten, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The day's demands had kept him occupied, the hard work and numerous responsibilities that came with being an Elder and a Proconsul of the Corsair Brotherhood weighing heavily on him. As he lay there, he mentally retraced his steps, hoping to uncover whatever it was that kept him up at night.

He'd woken up at eleven, had breakfast, then headed to the stables to check on the new horse he’d purchased: a fine black Andalusian, though still a bit jittery and prone to spooking. After that, he took the shuttle to the battleship Prox for the daily situational report meeting, led by Tribune Lucia Jaquez. In all but official title, she was already an Elder, Juanez mused. Always informed of the latest developments, effectively governing her own small republic in Leixões, and, perhaps most impressively, the only one who managed to dress better than him. Her Leixõese uniforms were always in pristine condition, fitting her like a glove.

As expected, Cesar Gutierrez was absent from the meeting. His latest obsession: seeking spiritual enlightenment through excessive sleep, was becoming increasingly concerning. A man his age sleeping away his days was not exactly an encouraging sign. But Juanez knew there was little he could do. Gutierrez was a grown man, free to make his own choices, even if those choices kept him in bed for sixteen hours straight. Thankfully, Juanez had brought Estebano Bandera along, who didn’t seem to mind taking notes. The young man showed promise, though his large, calloused hands, better suited for farm work than a touchpad, made the task somewhat comical. Regardless, this former farmhand turned pilot was no idiot and fully making a name for himself in the cockpit. Juanez figured that bringing him along as an assistant would bolster the man's reputation among the other soldatos when he returned to his barracks later, this hombre deserved to earn a bit of gravitas.

After the meeting, Juanez had taken the shuttle back to Crete, though not before a brief detour to Puerto del Sol. Tribune Bablo Ximanez, as always, had numbers to go over with him, just as he had the day before, and the day before that. In fact, Bablo always had numbers to discuss. No matter how much Juanez feigned disinterest or ignorance, nothing seemed to dampen the man’s enthusiasm. Day in, day out, Bablo lived for credits, percentages, commodities, calculations, and, most of all, profits.

It wasn’t that Juanez disliked him, but he was always relieved to leave Bablo’s office, his head spinning from the onslaught of figures. Back on Planet Crete, there was business to attend to in Nova Magerit, specifically at the Council of Elders. Elder Alberto Rodriguez had struck a young man during a dispute at the Evia Research Complex. Though the young man had shown disrespect, he also happened to be the son of Stergios Anthopoulos: an Elder aligned with the Custodi and a powerful figure in certain circles. Juanez had to mediate, though it quickly became apparent that Elder Anthopoulos was simply looking for a payout to settle the matter, reducing the whole affair to little more than a haggling session.

Following that, Juanez had made a quick stop at the intelligence offices at Villa Sephardi, where Fidel Ruiz was in the middle of interrogating a fresh batch of prisoners. He had something to complain about a data leak that hit the Brotherhood's database, but Juanez didn't really understand what the problem was, Ruiz always had -something- to complain about, Once that was done, the evening was his to spend as he pleased, most of which he had spent reading.

So what was it? What had he forgotten? The thing gnawing at the back of his mind...

As he rolled over in his bed once more, it suddenly came to him. His hand slid beneath one of the pillows near the edge of his bed, searching. No, not the pistol. Not the saber. Not even the half-eaten salami sandwich. He was looking for something else... yes! There it was.

A letter from Elder Nina Rodriguez. He was supposed to read it before going to sleep!

proposal

Right... the interview on Canal Uno... Juanez wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it. On one hand, it seemed like nothing more than a plea for attention. He had never quite understood how or why this young woman had been granted the title of Elder. Surrounded by seemingly much more stable individuals like the Tribunes he had spoken to earlier it remained a mystery to him. But since he hadn’t been in the empire at the time of her promotions, he supposed he had no right to judge.

"She does have a fire burning in her soul," Juanez admitted to himself. "At least she’s not spending sixteen hours in bed like Gutierrez. But... she reminds me of Eliza. And that’s never a good thing."

Still, why was Nina talking about dueling as if it were some groundbreaking concept? The Corsairs had been dueling since they first set foot on Crete. What exactly was she trying to change? Was there some hidden message between the lines that he could not understand?

"Not my circus, not my payasos," Juanez muttered under his breath. Gutierrez should deal with it. With that thought, he rolled over once more and, at last, drifted off to sleep.

Baila Morena | Toilet Trouble | Elder Presidente[TBH] | The Titan Combat Manual | Confession
♰ Join the Corsair Brotherhood ♰

Elvinos2003 · 02-26-2025, 12:04 AM,

Planet Crete / Heraklion / Fortaleza de Elysion

The next day, still spending most of her time at the headquarters of The Brotherhood, Fortaleza de Elysion, the young Elder was sparring with a soldato of The Brotherhood. On a field, as in space, she was quite beyond average. After all, she had just done that, sparring with Gutierrez, and today, she was an equal. She had not asked to spar with anyone that morning, but the soldato made the request. He wanted to challenge Nina Rodriguez because he thought he was lucky today. With a willing heart, she accepted his request, and by the end of the spar, the soldato gave up. He was unable to outmatch The Crimson Queen. Panting lightly to regain her breath and wiping her forehead with a hand towel, she realized how beneficial this was. She could unleash the anger she held inside through this activity. Curiously enough, she became more approachable afterward and perhaps even a little more joyful compared to her usual cold personality.

After a shower, just to be presentable, Nina left the headquarters building and walked into the yard. The flags of The Brotherhood danced in the breeze. Some members were patrolling, while others were chatting, and she—she was simply looking up at the sky. She inhaled deeply before closing her eyes and thinking. Her perception of time seemed to slow. For once, she had managed to find peace. Silence slowly settled around her. She was somehow disconnected from reality, lost within herself. ''I really need to work on myself... I need to change... but it is hard.'' She opened her eyes, returning to reality, and began walking through the yard again. Suddenly, a voice called out to her. ''Elder Rodriguez!'' She stopped walking and turned her head toward the origin of the voice. A Corsair—a woman, barely younger than Nina—ran toward her, panting slightly as she straightened her posture. ''Please! Be my mentor!''

The request shocked Nina. As she looked at the other woman, she saw the same determination she had once possessed before becoming a Centurion. That woman had the same fire inside her soul that Nina did. A few seconds passed before she relented. ''Fine... and who are you?'' Nina asked, looking the woman up and down. ''Soldato Katerina Agneli. I will be totally honest with you. Your combat skills, your name—they resonate within me... Almost like a revelation! And your speech on Canal Uno—you had real guts to say such things. And that courage you have, it’s what I value in someone... even if they are known to be... turbulent. BUT you! I want to be under your command! After a duel. If you are willing to satisfy this request of mine.'' She accepted Katerina's request, and they both made their way to the training arena.

The arena was empty, but a few spectators were present. Katerina held a shield and a single-handed sword. Her uniform did not belong to The Brotherhood, appearing more like a sub-design of the Custodi’s. Her brown hair was tied into a ponytail, and the armor she wore closely resembled that of the ancient Greeks from Sol. She had the look of a seasoned warrior. Her lightly tanned skin suggested Hispanic origins. She smiled at Nina, ready to spar. On the other side of the arena, Nina Rodriguez stood still, holding two swords. Her crimson hair danced in the breeze, and her iconic black coat with the hood down completed her striking presence. She wasn’t sure who was watching the spar, but she didn’t particularly care. There were only two rules for this duel: no killing, and victory was determined by forfeit or exhaustion. The bell rang once, signaling the start of the duel.

At the sound, Nina sprinted toward Katerina with speed. She was determined to win with ease, but she hadn’t expected her opponent to be so capable. Seeing Nina approach quickly, Katerina positioned herself to block any attacks. Her shield was perfectly placed to protect her upper body while remaining low enough to keep her opponent in view. With her sword in her other hand, she prepared to strike. In the blink of an eye, Nina changed her approach, rolling on the ground to pass Katerina—but she was met with a surprise. Katerina kicked her in the face. The impact made Nina grunt. She was slightly stunned, but she quickly regained her ability to move. She jumped backward before taking a defensive stance. Katerina then charged at Nina with her shield, but Nina dodged the attack and kicked Katerina’s leg, making her lose her balance. Seeing an opportunity, Nina brought her swords directly to the woman’s throat. With Nina’s blades threatening her, Katerina dropped her weapons. ''I surrender.'' After she surrendered, Nina helped her to stand up but when their eyes locked, Nina felt a connection. A semblance of sisterhood. Katarina broke the silence. ''You are incredible. You are quite agile and I think that's what made me unable to win, but I am sure, I will get better with you.'' This remark made Nina unable to remain cold. She had a light smile. ''We will see.'' On these words, they split.

When she left the arena, she saw Buonocore heading for the main building or maybe it was Cesar. But she decided to follow the man.

Elvinos2003 · 05-17-2025, 03:02 AM,

Planet Crete / Heraklion / Fortaleza de Elysion

The sound of blades were heard in the arena. Two fierce women were dueling with energy and rage. It has been some months that they were doing this. The crimson haired woman was not letting the other one resting. The duo were dueling for quite a moment already and then, the crimson haired woman disarmed the other one. The woman with brown hair was panting.

''You are so talented...''

''Phew..! I mean, you are not bad at all. We were doing this every day since we met, Katerina Agneli.''

''Perhaps, but still... you are unbeatable!''

Nina Rodriguez giggled with amusement. There was no doubt, her meeting with Katerina was benefic to her. Almost like a sister in arm. Nina offered her hand to the other woman to help her standing up. While they were both walking, Katerina broke the silence.

''Did you meet a future husband?''

''W-What?! No! And who would want someone like me?''

Katarina heartly laughed and she was amused by the flustered face of Nina.

''You see, you are a capable warrior. You are also not ugly so far as I know and on top of that, you are an Elder of The Brotherhood! Yes you can have some strong personality, but at least you know what you want.''

''Pff! I doubt I will ever find one of my taste. Whatever, I intent to be more often in space... you know, being visible.''

''Oh? Tired of this dusty planet? In any cases, if you have your own flag ship, take me with you.''

On those words, both split. Nina was standing there, looking at Katerina Agneli walking away. She felt something that she could not really point out. However, one thing was sure, if one day, she has her flag ship, Agneli would do a great addition. At peace, Nina finally walked away as well. However, the words of Katerina were spinning in Nina's head. The request made somehow softened her usual behavior. As she was thinking, Nina Rodriguez was thinking about Alberto's ships. Belicista was mainly the one that Nina remembered. It was a Murmillo, a Corsair battleship that Alberto used to command. The last time she saw it, Alberto was in command and he explained he was bringing it to Tripoli for maintenance, but it was quite a while ago and since, no news from him.

Heading back inside of Fortaleza de Elysion, Nina was heading to the archives of The Brotherhood and there, she saw some old historic of some ships. Memoria, less present and yet, it was the flagship of the group, a Legate. For hours, she read about the ship's history because of a sudden passion of the possibility of having her own flagship.

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