Stickforce Resigns

21/7/4999

The next morning Jessica woke up at home and the only thing she said out loud all morning when she was getting ready and having breakfast was 4 words as she set out the door for the day.

"Strikeforce assemble at M.U.G." she had a stone cold expression on her face and was not going to take busy for an answer. It was time to get things sorted. Most of them already knew about the plan to meet but she had wanted to make sure.

Jessica wrapped up finalizing her plans in a building down the street from M.U.G. that she had purchased the materials for the night before and the group had used construction magic spells to fit the needs of its intended use. They had called in former construction magic spell users and used something called the puppet spell for them to take over. The entire thing only took an hour to build. Jessica had called the Q's to help make it bigger on the inside and add privacy protection spells she wanted in place. She finished the last of the paperwork. She pulled out her holopad and added the last check mark to list of things she needed to personally handle.

She then went back to M.U.G. to see that the strikeforce had indeed assembled, wish we had been called the Avenger's would have made people laugh when I said it, she thought.

Jessica knew that of the 100 at least 10 had reasons or obligations that kept them from joining the stickforce. Of those five were underage and only one had not been born into a Fae family were among them. Those were the only people who had not come into contact with her recently as she had distanced herself from the other Fae families after what she did to them. Her parents who she would have actual killed the entire committee for if they had even asked. They were already busy by the time it formed and had set up the apartment building for the children aged 13-18 whose older than an 18 family member had died in the fall of skywalks. They did allow a few of the younger children to stay with an older sibling but since most families lived at home together until marriage they wanted them to have help and supervision. The younger children who were not old enough to be able to be responsible for themselves were put in foster and adoptive placements. Alohra who is the last remaining High Priestess and can not be away from her people for any reason at this time (that and she has two children to raise). Finally, Dr Smith and Dr Mark who were the last two magic enabled doctors on Karth and had jobs to do. They were her family physicians and she had been seeing them at least once every 6 months from the time she phazed out of her mother. They did want to study her but they were more concerned with her families increasing infertility. She was the last of her line and no one could figure out what was causing it.

Jessica had been surprised to learn the night before that 4 magic users she thought were not on the strikeforce actually were. In the cycle before the Blackout she had tutored 4 kids for their K.N.E.A.D. and they had all passed not long after the Blackout. Making 13 now 15 cycle olds feel obligated to keep the telepads running was a low blow in Jessica's book. Most people on Karth enter into either a family run business or start their own hand at trying to launch one right after passing. She planned on fining the committee for hiding the fact from her. They had all been given days off whenever she was going to be near their assigned post for some reason. They were standing at the front of the group when she took the stage.

The 40 Fae stood ready to whatever Jessica Strongwell asked of them. Her OG ancestor had created a community to bring together all of the families that had found and adopted Fae when they appeared. It was the first community to have light elves, dark elves, dwarfs and humans living together. It was one of the many acts that made her family stand out from the beginning of Karth history.

The rest were her adventuring friends, 3 ex's from a failed attempt of fitting in to societal norms and entering a poly relationship (this includes Mary-Anne), her party members, her 4 other employees. The one she was happiest to see standing next to her party was Harmon's low priestess dark elf twin sister who had been sent to North pole to use her magic to try to connect with Karth's core and fix the issue.

While Jessica and the strikeforce gathered her parents and Alohra were at the manufacturing plant to add the parts of the machine that needed to be magically installed instead of mechanically. They are basically the same as P.A.I.L. in that Jessica knew with certainty they would never reveal how the machine worked or what spells were used in its creation. None of them had it in them to hurt her or Karth in that way and honestly no one would think to ask them unless they were drunk or high and curiosity got the better of them.

She was standing there looking at all of these people she love and thought what the actual fuck has been happening to all of my friends the past 2 cycles? I have been running around like feather brained goosemother who just figured out someone had snatched the golden eggs from its nest. (Something Jessica had done once on a dare from Arholo when she was 12.)

"Comrades and children, this is the first meeting of the strikeforce since it was established 1 week after the Blackout 2 cycles ago," she glanced at a calendar, "Actually today is the second anniversary of the Blackout so let us take a brief moment for silent remberece." She took a deep breath and stood still for a moment while everyone flashed back to that horrible day.

The Blackout

In the solar cycle 4997 on the 21rst day of the 7 month.

The male triplet Fae named the Q's were travelling by flight to a friendly get together with the female triplet Fae. They were wearing tuxedos as joke. Their appearance identical in every way from their short slicked hair down to their average japanese teenage male face and height. They were hovering in the air above a large valley filled with a forest and brimming with life. They were watching a fight for territory between a Sphinx and a Griffin. They were flying high enough away, as to not interfere and where watching because they had been passing by when one of them spotted the events begin to unfold. Just as the battle came to an end, the Sphinx had won retaining control of its nest and cave, the brother flying in the middle began to jerk around in unnatural motions similar to a computer pixelation problem but much more disturbing. When he stopped and became still again he suddenly through a large stream of blue fire at the defeated Griffon. His brothers were shocked and appalled.

"Why did you do that brother?" the Q on the left asked.

"The loser should die, battles should only be won only when the victory has brought death to its enemy," the Q in the middle replied.

The outer Q's looked to each other having no understanding of what had just happened. They tried to link with the middle ones mind but found themselves cut off from him. Fear washed over them, this was unlike anything that had ever been.

The middle brother then began to send another blast of fire at the now fleeing Griffon. The brother on the right put up a protection barrier around the creature while the brother on the left grab the one in the middle's arms pinning them behind his back forcing his wings to furl up. He then flew straight down and landed them in a clearing. The brother that was still where they had been before sent a healing spell to the creature quickly followed.

"Why did you do that," The odd Q screamed at them. He began to attack them and they traded spells for a few minutes actually inflicting small cut on each other that quickly healed. The odd Q grew increasingly frustrated with his inability to kill the enemies before him and began targeting the nearby wildlife. As he sent attack magics at creatures, he was flying low to the ground. His brothers flying after him defended the animals. They attempt to try to hit him with restraint and calming spells. They had reached the edge of the large valley and were coming up to one of the dark elves hibernation centers. The other two saw this knowing that it contained at least 25 thousand sleeping dark elves who would not be able to wake in time to properly defend themselves. The automatic defense system of the center sensed and targeted the approaching danger. When its lasers light appear on his chest the Odd Q blasted the firing cannon off the wall. This alerted the dark elves to the danger. They did wake and groggily began throwing up protection barriers. View screens inside the building playing live the events just outside it walls. They quickly gathered the young and placed them in the center of large groups of adults. Joining hands and raising bubbles of protection around the whole group and then a smaller denser one around the young who added their own magic to it.

The odd Q started making a beeline toward the wall. The other Q's amplified their voices with magic and called out to him.

"Your fight is with us brother," the other two Q said in perfect unison having linked with each other they combined their magic and sent a paralyzing attack spell at him. He was stunned and fell to the ground. He condensed and targeted a spell of forceful attack magic hitting the left brother in the shoulder it cut completely through him silver blood flowed out of the wound. The other 2 retaliated cutting off his lower right wing using the same technique. Grounded and outnumbered he started building up a blue ball of fire around himself infusing it with protection magic. The other two brother with their joined minds fearing for the safety of the nearby dark elves began to draw directly on the magical core of the planet itself. Blasting their brother with pure destruction magic. It took a full 5 minutes to cut through his barrier and destroy him.

As they were pulling out the cores magic. The planet began to destabilize at having nearly all of its power zapped out in such a short time span. Reflexively it began drawing in magic from every source it could access to stop itself from dying. The majority of which came from the lifeforms on its surface. It even reached those in orbit around it.

On the opposite side of the world as the show down to end all showdowns was playing out, Jessica was laughing with Peter when she saw a magic hover lamp fall down without being deactivated. She heard a loud creaking sound and looked to the newly installed skywalk pathways above her head. Acting on instinct and fear she dropped the ice cream he had handed her. She gripped him by his shoulders. She linked with Peter's mind, then using his mind linked with all of the Fae on Karth she said 3 words her intention being clear. " Skywalks, Net, Now," the 38 linked Fae who could help her did so without hesitation. They struggled fighting to keep their own magic within themselves quickly formed a global magically safety net under the skywalks of Karth. The magic holding the skywalks in place failed seconds later sending 10 thousand men women and children hurtling to the ground. 3 thousand died on impact falling through holes in the flickering magical net. Having just saved 7 thousand lives by breaking her personally choice to never use magic in public again. Jessica viewed the lives she failed to save as her own fault. Within an hour they had sedated her to a level beyond what the doctor was comfortable with to try to stop her constant wailing screams as the death notifications rolled in. The sleep powder they tossed at her had no effect. With no access to their spells they had used potions. The system saw how horrifying it was for the people to hear the constant death/injury notification beeps and silenced them for everyone. Every medical professional on Karth was slammed tending to the living, the system woke up the rest of the sleeping Dark Elves not just to get more hands on deck but because it knew that dark elves were skilled at dealing with the dead. Not knowing how or why any of this was happening the people of Karth could only view Jessica's actions as heroic. The system award her a new title achievement

Jessica Strongwell

Has been awarded the achievement title of:

HERO OF KARTH

Seeing this notification Jessica hacked into the system deleting it. The system fought back attempting to restore it and she changed the title to FAILURE. Weak and in pain the system just let her have her way and deleted the title. Jessica fell silent and then the people standing near her heard a loud tearing sound coming from with her body Jessica's sitting form slumped over. They could find nothing wrong with her other than she had lost consciousness. When she woke up 3 hours later she had a splitting headache and no memory of what her actions during the Blackout. She knew that they skywalks had fallen and 3 thousand people had died. She expressed her belief that something had fallen hitting her in the head landing her in the hospital. It was decided by the people of Karth that it was for the best that she be allowed to forget and let her. The sound of her cries of agony still ringing in their ears echoing the pain in their own hearts. The elves in her life need not tell her a truth she hid from herself.

It was quickly discovered that no one could use magic at the moment they could all still feel it being pulled from them. The drain stopped 5 hours later, when their magic still hadn't returned 12 hours after that doctors studied the problem.

Magic is processed in the human body by the appendix, every one they examined had black scar tissue infused with cursed trama magic. They had nothing on Karth that could cure it. The same was true for the elves and dwarfs organs that perform the same function. The Fae were already able to use some magic again.

Jessica's Father only said one thing publicly about the Blackout. "When the skywalk system was proposed and implemented I and my family were out voted by all of you. I told you that our ancestors made scientific backups for every piece of magic they could for a reason. I get that their reason was a little stupid (the reason had been the rule of plan A always fails based on cartoon logic) but until those, those fucking thing were built we had honored it. You tested the gods and were punished for your hubris. My daughter warned you that this exact thing could happen. You said she was being overly cautious and dismissed her. I suggest in the future you listen to most powerful person on Karth. I know we don't know what our levels are but honestly you have all seen the spells she has made."

The counter argument had been made by the Chairman that Karth's magic had been reliable for nearly 5k cycles and that they should just do it because science couldn't handle this one. "We need these skywalks to relieve the overcrowded sidewalks and streets. They also cut travel time down."

This was one of hundreds of reasons Jessica disliked the Chairman.

She rarely spoke out publicly of her own accord. She had struggled with herself during the meeting at the Eternal Chappel before she had put in the request to be allowed to speak. The vote quickly passed because of the weight her name carried. She was a little surprised that the vote had been so close and that it had gone through.

9 days after the Blackout the Chairman had come into her shop. He had a couple of Fae go into her backstore room and expand it making it bigger on the inside. She arrived at work that morning just as they finished what they were doing.

"Why are trespassing?," Jessica ask the Chairman. She smiled and waved to the Fae leaving her shop as quickly as they could. (They had been told she knew this was happening.)

"Your shop needs to get bigger much faster than expected," she saw dozens of delivery bots storing the everbags of the dead on the new shelves. So instead of asking me to break my patent and opensource my tech he just slammed me with the work.

"Send over the contract later," Jessica said getting ready to get started on the 30 cycles of work she had just gotten.

"There is one more thing," the Chairman had said a hint of intelligence in his otherwise boring eyes as he started a live broadcast, "Jessica Strongwell, do you still have magic?"

"What? I haven't cast a big spell in cycles," Jessica replied as the terrifying thought suddenly occurred to her. She shook her head facing the ground. She lifted her right hand opening it "Spark" a flame immediately took form. She squashed it, "Damn it." She looked at the Chairman.

"There you got your light show, now please leave I need an emergency counselling session," Jessica said the feeling of being a dancing monkey returning to her,"How dare you make me do that live. I was going to get checked next week. The appointment is in my calendar. If I did have magic I wanted someone other than me to take the hit and to be named," their phones dinged.

Jessica Strongwell

Achieves the title:

First Non Fae to Recover Magic

"First Non Fae to recover magic. You know how I feel about titles you bastard. I am not a dancing monkey. Get out of my store."

The Chairman did not comply. He just stood there with lynx cat that caught the dragonbird grin on his face. Jessica opened the front door of her shop with magic and for the first time ever she purposefully cursed another centenante being. This one with a banishment spell. (Doing this she was very close to the line of breaking the third law of Karth)

It was soon discovered that there were 100 magic users left on Karth. The 40 Fae, 20 humans, 20 dwarfs and 5 elves and 25 half and halfs. Only 5 of these had not recently come into contact with Jessica. Only one had never met her before. The rest were all people she had come into long physical contact with in the last cycle or so. This is not because of Jessica's own magic though. This was because when Jessica had stopped using magic it had become a common practice among the people of Karth to hit her with a protection spell of some kind whenever they saw her. She didn't like it but it did make her feel safer. Her body had started to basically sweat protection magic. It infused itself with people she was close to.

After a few moments Jessica raised her head and said, "One week later I signed my name agreeing to take on all quests I was able."

Looking over all these people who were so important to her 2 cycles prior she had hugged them so much the protection magic seeping from her pores had affected them as well, "Fuck, I have missed you guys." Everyone relaxed and mummers of agreement started up.

"What do we do next, Jessica?," One Q asked.

"Do we all get to resign now?," asked the second Q.

Jessica smiled and nodded, "I really had no idea you were all as unhappy and miserable as I have been. I figured that you had disliked it as much as I did you would have quit on your own, sooner. I underestimated how stubborn you bastards are. My belief that my taking on the most dangerous assignments was making it easier for you was unfounded. I am very sorry for not staying connected enough with you all to have had this conversation sooner." She bowed at a 45 degree angle facing the floor as she apologized. She is NOT the one who needs to apologize to me, was the thought that crossed all of their minds at that moment. They waited a moment for her to stand tall again, shifting in place embarrassed.

"So those of you who truly want to quit/resign I have hired a bus to take us the Committee building," She looked at her watched it was nearly 9 A.M. already so she point out the open front door to their right just a bus pulled up. The ad on the side of it changed from a potion for luxurious hair to:

-STRIKEFORCE-

For when tech just won't cut it!

They loaded onto the bus and for the next half hour as the drove to the committee building they swapped stories with the new arrivals and shared laughter and levity. When the bus stopped at the light near the committee building Arholo cleared his throat and everyone fell silent. They were at the crossroads of Patrick Stewart and 21rst. The streets running North to South in town were all named for the OG's favorite people on Earth and East to West starting the furthest East at 1 they just went up in number. You could just make out one block over on Betty White and 21rst a large wine shop that was run by the P.A.I.L. who look like the woman. The wine shop had been open for a while and she had been created for something else she spotted it she then flipped everyone off and took it over. The previous owners family is currently still in her employ.

No one made as sound as they exit the bus. They walked with Jessica in front in groups of 6 to 10 unsure of exactly what would happen next. Jessica who was lost in thought looked behind her seeing their discomfort she called out, "For the ADVENTURE!!" She let loose a battle cry and crashed through the glass doors of the committee building. Everyone just about died laughing.

"Ooops I thought it was open," Jessica said laughing brushing safety glass off herself.

"Clearly," Peter said reaching down to give her some help back to her feet.

She looked around at the mess she had made and waved her wand, "Repair." The piece began fitting themselves back together. She put it back again not even realizing she had taken it out.

"Hi, Jessica," Dorathia the committee building P.A.I.L. greeted her.

"Hi, we need to... uh," Jessica was unsure how to word what they were there for.

"You would like to meet with the committee and discuss the resignation of the entire strikeforce," A tall female of human said walking out of the restroom down the hall.

"Doc, it is so good to see you. Look I know I didn't come in for my last few blood draws," Jessica said a little embarrassed she hated canceling an appointment once it was made.

"Jessica, do not beat yourself up over it. I watch the highlights of the Jessica Show from last night. I have a very clear understanding of what has been going on," Dr. Pepper Smith M.M.D. (magic medical doctor) replied calmly.

"Oh then I am glad I left that shit up," Jessica said. Everyone had been talking amongst themselves watching the doors reform, " I do have those software updates for you back at M.U.G."

"Everyone," The Doctor said in a practiced authoritative tone. They all quieted down and looked at her, "Since you will all finally have some time on your hands when you are done here today, I am going to set up a check-up station at M.U.G. I don't want any whining. None of you have made it in to see me in two cycles except for Kolbot over there and he only came in so I could regrow his arm," she focused her gaze on him, "Have you regained full motor function yet?"

"Yeah, Doc, it feels great," he replied, raising his arm and opening and closing his fingers then wiggling them.

"That looks ok from here but I do want to run tests on it to make sure later today," Dr. Smith said making a note on a holo-pad, "As a thank you for your cooperation I will provide lunch today. Have any of you had a chance to try the new sandwich shop that just opened? What am I saying of course you haven't it just opened a week ago. I will email you all the menu pick out what you want before you meeting and I will set it up for when you arrive back at M.U.G. in 3 hours."

"Why are you setting a time? We don't know how long this is going to take?," One Jessica's friends asked as they all turned to look at her concern on their faces.

Jessica was turning a dark shade of almost apple red just staring at her feet.

"Because when Jessica has an appointment she can not stand to be late. The countdown has already started we should get a move on," Harmon said in a sing song voice. Everyone having heard the doctor and knew Jessica had already started making their way to the conference room at the end of the hall. The same one each had been called to when they literally signed up for this shit.

After half of them had entered the room Jessica slapped herself on the forehead and having seen the P.A.I.L. out front with the Jessica Show on a small holoscreen behind her desk, she faced a camera and said, "Hon, could you be a love?" The room changed shape and the table grew then chairs appeared, "Thank you, sweetheart." Jessica said smiling at the camera. Jessica was staring at the clock on the wall for 5 mins while they waited for the committee members to shuffle in and take their seats. Being friends they sat among this group and Jessica sat at the head of the table. Another 5 minutes passed and although everyone else was busy catching up and making merry Jessica could feel the seconds passing by and her leg started shaking. Three more minutes passed and she couldn't take it anymore, "Fuck it, if he can't be on time we will do this without him. Basically, we all quit. The idea behind the strikeforce was sound but its execution was too greatly flawed to continue. So basically the idea we came up with is desolve the strikeforce and we will take on quests when they strike our fancy, just like the old days."

She pulled out her wand and made twirlin motions in the air.

Gather up these wayward pages

One by one would take ages

Neatly stacked and gathering done

Into my hand so I have time for Fun

She just said the full spell out of habit from back in her school days. It was one of the oldest spells on Karth. The resignation letters gently floated up flew to her outstretched palm and she counted them and seeing they were all there she handed them to the first committee member she could find and shoved the wand away and started for the door. A chorus of voices sang out.

Calm yourself you still have time

The second tick as the loud clock tocks

More time you have do not worry

Crazy girl may the clock be blurry

A gentle sweet calm flowed through Jessica and she tried to glance at the clock but it was out of focus and her eyes would drift away from it. She then took her seat again. The spell would wear off 10 mins before she actually needed to leave to make her appointment. They had all used this spell on her at some point before and really didn't like it when people made appointments with Jessica. She was very driven to prove herself. She put pressure on herself to do things right and it translated into some recurring issues.

Her friends understood her. Where other people on Karth only saw the amazing things that she did. They didn't see the frustration that came to her from knowing how hard other people had to work to gain a unique title. How she seeing that, she compared it to her own, how little effort she felt she put in. They didn't see that this made her feel like a cheater somehow. This forces her to try in everything she does to do exactly perfectly right except with those close to her. They saw someone to admire but not the pain that growing up with everything she did just for a laugh, as naturally as breathing, putting her center sage for the whole world had brought her. As most of them watched her friends cast the spell on her things started to click for in a lot of minds all over Karth. She was the topic of a lot of conversations that she would have blushed and turned away from if she heard them. That explains so much was said by many people all over Karth.

The Chairman finally arrived a few more minutes later. He hadn't meant to be late but he was having trouble with the settings on his new holo-tech glasses. Seeing Jessica at the head of the table, his rightful seat, he was glad he had taken the time to make sure that they worked.

"Hello, strikeforce," he said greeted them all in a friendly tone. His light of truth burning brightly behind the tech. He had taken a store bought potion to combat the head ache and nausea.

"Hello, Assbitter," Jessica greeted him cheerfully. She didn't like him but she couldn't hold on to her anger towards him any longer.

"I take it you wanted to go over with me the details of the new arrangement you all came up with last night," he said keeping up the happy demeanor. A sharp pain hit him like a ton of bricks causing him to shift uncomfortable as he took a seat. It was only a small tick but Jessica noticed.

"We all came here to clarify with the entire committee what the next steps will be," Harmon clarified dimming his own and other elves light of truth that started up as they tried to hold back the need for the truth to be spoken. Jessica took note of this as well, it was a mild miswording but they had taken offense to it.

"We have already gathered up the documentation," the marine biologist said, placing her hand on a stack of papers.

"That is wonderful," the Chairman said slightly wincing. Jessica had watched him carefully as he spoke this time. Slamming her hands on the table standing up Jessica had a flame burning above her head. This startled a lot of the people in the room. Peter yawned.

"You know that tech was only meant for short term use so Harmon wouldn't spoil my dad's surprise party," Jessica stated. She put the flame out as Peter pulled a marshmallow like treat from his everbag and she noticed it. Harmon had reached into his own bag for a stick to hand Peter and they both looked a little disappointed when she managed to put it out.

"What tech do you mean?," the Chairman asked in a baffled tone his hand rising to touch them he caught himself and rested it over his heart.

"I have been friends with elves my entire life. I have a deep understanding of how the light of truth effects them and their behavior," Jessica staid staring him in the eye, "Did you honestly think you could use tech I developed to hide your light from me?"

Since all new holo tech was owned by the committee as so much was developed all at once in the beginning that keeping track of who patented what piece it was to much of a bother the OG's had decided that the Committee would use all holo-tech sales to cover what would have been covered by taxes back on Earth. This is how they could pay for things like quests and run the parks and games that were free to the public. It was also used to pay their hourly pay. He had in fact forgotten this particular piece of tech had come from Jessica.

"What the hellscape are you talking about?," The Chairman asked indignantly rising from his seat.

Jessica rolled her eyes, "I spelled you for a reason. This behavior confirms my worst fears about you." Her voice was soft and disappointed. She had lowered head and was staring at her fingers. A tear traveled down her cheek and she wiped it away. "Take them off," she said looking back up.

"I really don't know what you mean," the Chairman replied knowing no one else could touch or feel the thin glasses on his face.

"Damn you," Peter said to him as he saw Jessica's face turning red and more tears begining to fall, "How stupid do you have to be? We know how the tech works and can just spell it off." He stood and opened his mouth again to do just that.

"I don't need a spell," Jessica said just loud enough for him to hear she had spoken. He turned to look at her closing his mouth.

"What?," Peter asked.

"I said I don't need a spell," Jessica said trying to stop her tears of anger from flowing.

"Of course you don't," The Chairman said taking a small step back. Jessica sensed he was going to make a run for it.

"Ya idiot," Arholo said also standing but he was on the table walking to Jessica, "What good is running going to do fir ye now?"

Arholo stopped when Jessica put her hand up and slammed it back down on the table so hard the hologram shimmered before restabilizing. He jumped down next to Peter and Harmon and they stood at the ready for a command of some kind. Jessica did speak in an authoritative tone when she opened her mouth but not at them.

"Master and Creator override code, Jessica Strongwell hates lies and banana flavored milkworm cheese is delicious," Jessica said her face regaining its normal color.

This caused three things to happen in quick succession. The glasses fell from the Chairman's face in the conference room, The system changed the password to Jessica's back up and a little elf boy who wasn't ready to tell his crush he liked her yet had to confess when the glasses fell from his face. She said she liked him too and they hugged. The teacher who was playing this in the classroom because it was a good way to learn about the world government (or so she claimed) gave a small sigh of relief. His parents had told her about his choice to wear them and had asked that she keep an eye on him.

The room let out a breath as though the wind had been knocked out of them as it was revealed the bright white light of his light of truth was burning with an unnatural intensity.

"What the hellscape is wrong with him," an elvish member of the committee cried. He wasn't asking how the human had the light of truth. He was asking because the level of half truth and outright lie that would cause that much light was unheard of.

"I REALLY FUCKING HATE YOU JESSICA," the Chairman screamed at her and the light dimmed a bit.

"Finally a little truth from ya," Arholo said noting the change.

The Chairman ran from the room and no one tried to spell him to stay. They were in shock. They really had no words to express how new this experience was. Basically if Jessica had spelled anyone one else on Karth they would have had to clear up a few small secrets, like boy with the crush did but the light would go out quickly and rarely ever be an issue. You had to be holding something important that needed to be spoken in order to heal yourself in for it to activate. Harmon would not have told her dad about the party but would have said something to tip him off to have to keep his light out. The room sat in silence for a little while well they all tried to process what this could mean. After a few minutes Jessica had finally stopped crying and made a decision. Turn to face a holo-cam near her she said, "Special alert, please," she then noticed the only eyes not on her were the sleeping dark elves. "Wake the Dark Elves." When everyone was watching Jessica started. "Playback video only of what just happened here while I talk," she instructed the live feed broadcast P.A.I.L. She then began the new worst thing she ever had to do.

"It is with a heavy heart that say what I am about to say next. I ask the server to not give me a unique title for this even though it is something never before done on Karth. I, Jessica Jesse Janeway Strongwell the Third owner of M.U.G. and keeper of too many titles," She paused her swallowing a lump in her throat, " Do hereby call for a vote of no confidence in the current Chairman of the committee." She fell to her knees spent and tired.

The woman holding their letters quickly stood up and said, "I, Rachel, marine biologist and current sitting committee member second the motion."

The screens all over Karth now read, "A vote of no confidence in the Chairman has been called for are you please choose from these two options. I agree (I no longer have confidence) or I disagree (I still have confidence)."

The screens quickly changed to:

The measure has passed the previous Chairman has been removed would anyone like to volunteer or nominate someone for the open seat?

Gagging sounds were made by most of Karth at the thought. Some people were tempted to nominate Jessica but didn't want to hurt her like that. Jessica however had a choice in mind and laying on the floor breathing hard took a deep breath and spoke.

"I have a nominee in mind. Jacob from happy worm farms. I know him to be an honest, hard working, and loyal friend. I need someone in this post that I can work with and trust. Will you accept the nomination?"

"Jessica," Jacob could be heard, "I would really rather work with my milkworms. However, since it is you who asking. I will accept the nomination."

Jessica felt relieved. The screen changed again any other nominations, "NO" was heard by the system escaping the mouths of it citizens. The screen changed to Okay geez I have to ask. This caused some laughter. The screen then change to read your choices for the next Chairman of the committee are Jacob or Lottery. 75% of the vote was for Jacob while 25% felt it was unfair to vote for him because anyone who Jessica nominated would have accepted out of admiration alone and they didn't know how well they knew each other. The screens now read.

The Citizens of Karth

Have been awarded the title achievement of:

Political Voters

(for the first time electing a government official)

There was a description on the link of the events and brief audio clip of the two who had entered their names calling for the vote. Jacobs nomination and acceptance and subsiquiting vote. This day now had another reason to be taught in Karth history classes.

The dark elves went back to sleep again. Adjusting the alarm to wake them a little later this month. Having been woken for a reason other than bathrooms during a hibernation cycle was unusual.

Jessica's holophone badge beep and she pulled it out of her pocket. Jacob appeared in the room.

"Hey, I am gonna finish the deliveries that I have on me and head over. What are we going to do about the ceremony?," He asked the Jessica image that his badge showed him. She jumped back to her feet. He saw her get that Jessica gleam in her eye again, "Oh no what is that about?" He asked recognizing a fearing the look a little.

"When you get here it'll be a surprise," Jessica replied and ended the call.

"Hon, could you have M.A.V.I.S. give you the specks for my emergency holo tool kit?," she asked the committee building P.A.I.L. She picked up the glasses from the table and studied them carefully. She trusted that nothing like this would ever happen again, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," she said to herself as her tool box appeared she fiddled with the glasses for a while pulling some supplies from her bag. About an hour later Jacob showed up. The others greeted him and he joined in the conversations they were having, side-eying what Jessica was doing briefly. 10 mins later Jessica stood up and announced, "I AM AWESOME, FEAR ME!"

"What did you make?," the committee member who normally worked in holotech repair asked. Jessica looked at him like he just asked her why the sky was blue green or why the clouds on Karth had rainbow colors.

"Can't you guess?," She asked tongue in cheek. Smiling from ear to ear.

"Give me a second," He paused mulling it over, "Oh OOOOOHHHH," He said as it clicked in his head, "That is so fucking cool!"

"I know right?," Jessica responded. Minds all over Karth were clicking and nodding in agreement. She had never challenged them to guess what she did before and there was a bit of excitement about the whole thing. Jessica's eyes flashed their gleam again. She turned to the camera, "Before I say it enter you guess into the system. Those of you who guess right will enter a raffle for a, uh, I don't normally do this. Harmon?" She said his name like a question.

"Gimme a second I want to enter my guess to," He replied while typing on a holo-pad, "You didn't specify if it was open to all ages or not." He peeked down at Arholo's guess and the dwarf covered his screen and glared at him causing Peter to drop his pad from laughing. Jessica shook her head at the display. They had taken their seats while she worked but had risen as she shouted. They knew her and it took a second for them to realize she was joking when she said fear me because honestly on an instinctual survival level they did.

"Oh right, this is open to all ages, this is not a vote but a challenge for your minds," Jessica clarified to the delight of kids all over Karth who had entered but didn't know for sure they were allowed to, "Harmon, what should the prize be?" she tugged on his arm.

Harmon thought about it for a few seconds and then nodded to himself, "The winner will get to have lunch with Jessica one on one tomorrow."

Jessica's nose crinkled with delight. She then added, "I will give you a tour of M.U.G. and show you some of my spells and tech." Everyone had already entered the contest except the dark elves. Jessica typed to the system to play back the video for them when they woke up and let them know as an apology for waking them so much they were having their own lottery. Her brain still firing on all cylinders, "Oh right a lunch date wouldn't be a very good prize for a P.A.I.L would it? The contest wouldn't be very fair or fun for them since their population is so large. The P.A.I.L who enter will be have their own contest and the prize will be...uh, I'll let use the new magitech from yesterday for an hour," her eyes darted back and forth, "Oh I also have some unique software patches I finished and never put out you could be the first to test one. If you already work for me I will come up with something else." Nodding satisfied that she had made a fair contest she waited a few minutes for the system to tell her that all eligible people had entered. A lot of P.A.I.L. had assumed it was organics only until she mentioned them. She stood on the table and wagged the glasses back and forth in front of her.

"I made light of truth GIVING glasses!," Jessica announced with glee, "Jacob, come here a second."

Jacob got up a little disappointed he hadn't guessed right. He thought maybe the glasses would be for fun and used as party trick to make it look like you had the light of truth burning. He walked over and let her put the glasses on him. They lit up a little and he could hear a buzz near his ear. "I guessed wrong," he said the buzzing got a little quieter, "Jessica is amazing," The buzzing stopped and Jessica blushed. He felt a little freer having said things he would have normally hold back. The light disappeared from the glasses.

"Ta DAH," Jessica said pleased they worked like she had wanted, "These have a purpose. Since I can't go around forcing everyone to bear the light of truth I found a way that should you choose it you can. Being that this is holotech I will not control its distribution but since I did invent it I can make a few rules. Rule One: from this day forward when addressing the public members of the committee must wear them. Rule 2: you can not force any other citizens of Karth to wear them unless the have been arrested and are being questioned. Rule 3: I, Jessica Strongwell, reserve my right to deactivate and/or destroy this tech." Done making speeches she started glancing at then staring at the clock.

"Jacob, you might want to just say the Oath on your own broadcast quickly it looks like Jessica's calm is quickly fading," Harmon had seen her eyes land of the clock. I guess even with all of us the added stress of the Chairman's deception wore the magic out sooner that it was meant to. It had been almost 2 hours since the 3 hour appointment time had been given the spell should have lasted at least another 20 mins.

Jacob opened his own live video and a lot of people changed a second holoscreen to his channel as this was apart of the historical record of Karth.

"I, Jacob of Happy Worms Farm, delivery boy, do hereby accept my duty as one the selected person to take the post of government official. I will dedicate at least 10 hours a day for a least the next 6 months to helping the public aspects of Karth run smoothly. I promise to do more than the bare minimum and try to have fun at this the most boring job Karth has to offer.," He recited the ending oath of the ceremony with his hand on a holopad contract. As there was no one had been there to make a departing speech and poke fun of him because he had to do this now, the normally 20 minutes process of a new member taking office was cut down to just this. Jessica's eyes kept drifting to the clock. Jacob also knew how that particular spell worked as he had once made the mistake as him to meet him somewhere on a day at a set time and she had been there for 30 mins already when he showed up 15 mins early. Jessica didn't think it was odd to show up to a casual meetinging an hour early and Peter had explained to him after. Peter asked him in the future to not make set times for Jessica. Even with all that calming magic it ended this early because that stupid prick burned it all up. This is the least I can do for her, he thought. He was proud that Jessica had chosen him for something she felt he could do. It made him a little proud that she had faith in him.

With the oath finished Jessica had unknowingly started backing out of the room, glancing to the clock every few seconds. "Thanks Jacob, I will talk to you when I get a break," she glanced around the room, "Why are you all still sitting? We have a doctors appointment get up, lets gooooo." Annoyance entered her voice as she said lets go holding the o she turned around and half jogged out of the room while waving goodbye to the committee members and the P.A.I.L. Once out of the room everyone could see the completely fixed and sparkling clean doors that now featured purple heartbreak flowers in a pattern around Jessica's own line of sight. The P.A.I.L. still opened them as she saw Jessica coming, she sprinted out the open doors to the bus. Knowing that the spell wouldn't work on her again for the same appointment everyone else chased after her. They didn't want to miss the bus and knew she would try to leave without them if she couldn't see them.

On the way back to M.U.G. a half dark elf half dwarf sat next to her and asked her about the machine she had built the day before. One of her favorite things to do was to give details about her machines to people she could trust. She had once made the mistake of giving details to someone she didn't know very well and the result was that she had lost her arm trying to replicate and change it to her own will. Jessica had told her that the delicate nature of building with magitech meant deviation from her plans could be catastrophic. That was the first non family member Jessica had ever yelled and cursed at. She had laid into this woman who couldn't walk away as she trapped in the healing magic bubble that started the regrowth process. The arrogance in believing that because she was 150 and worked in the field for over a century meant she knew better than the 9 cycle old who had talked to her in detail and explained things she never understood before. After that incident she stuck mostly to telling people what things did and even in the Eternal Chappel which she had been called on many occasions to share the knowledge of hers that was new to Karth spells and tech she refused to go into details. "This piece of technology is something that if you can't figure it out for yourself, you shouldn't be messing with it," was entered into the record at the Eternal Chappel over 100 times. She had the system alert her anytime someone tried to replicate her tech and had stopped at least one man from causing his own brain to literally melt. Not being able to curse him with magic it built up within her and caused a volcano on an uninhabited island to reactivate after centuries of slumber and explode. The system knew it happened but Jessica did not she just felt the release at the same moment she slapped him.

"Then of course I couldn't lift the damn thing on my own because it weighs over 2,250 kilos. My lift limit is about half that. I still need to find a metal that is just as dense as the one I currently use for magitech but lighter," She laughed, " Still have noodle arms for a Karthling but on Earth I would be a freaking goddess." She said flecking her arms and smiling.

"Oh look Jessica, we are here," Her friend said. He had been fascinated if a little bored hearing the details. Honestly most of them went over his head keeping her mind focused on something other than time was the goal. He was relieved Jessica hadn't bitten her nails down or braided her hair into tiny tight braids this time. He watched the relief wash over Jessica as she looked at where she was and the time. Her body finally relaxing as she was where she needed to be