Virgo Tuus Part 1: Pewter Badge

Peli Vallus was determined more than ever to get her license to become a real bounty hunter. She planned on making it her life career ever since she first saw her own uncle's badge; every Royally-appointed bounty hunter received a shiny pewter badge that was polished to a shear luster that would almost blind someone temporarily just by looking at it under bright sunlight.

And Peli wanted that badge, that honor.

Ever since she was eight years young, she was enrolled in an academy that combined education with military schooling. Most Light children in fact enrolled in these academies, but Peli was by now a recent graduate of the Light Queen's preferred institution, Ygin-Hlon. Named after the Light God of Life and the Light God of War, she was only 13 when she graduated. One of the youngest in its history, and it was all a product of her ambition. She was not the top performer of her class in fact, but was ranked in the five. The only thing that made Peli stand out was her ability to be courteous to others. Now all of those years, patience, devotion, and hard work were about to pay off greatly.

This day would be the best day of her life as far as she knew it. She was about to be honored with that badge she long desired, the youngest person ever to be handed one. She was proud, and walked all day long with a strut that proclaimed victory. She had pressed her gray uniform and cleaned meticulously- not a loose seam or a single hair were stranded on the cloth. Her hair was as neat as it had ever been. Nothing could possibly go wrong for her this day either, as she was expected to be before her Queen at morning's end and dine with the royal family that night. Hardly nervous she was, as she knew the entire royal family well, at least she thought that she was not nervous, until she bowed once again before Ixora, the Queen of the Lights.

"Tell me, Vallus. What makes you so worthy of being one of my own skip tracers?" Asked Ixora.

"Em..." Peli muttered, thinking for a second.

The only thing that she had accomplished professionally, is turning her friend in. She had a deep sense of shame for it, and she preferred not to mention it. She had to though.

"I brought you Gala the Itgan, your majesty, and Kora Kutter, a traitor to our own kind." She barely managed to say.

Ixora did not smile, but instead she frowned. She was a telepath, and she saw the hesitation in Peli's mind. She disapproved, but she knew that Peli was loyal to her and her Kingdom.

"A scripted answer, child." Replied Ixora, making Peli's face red from embarrassment. "But, the right answer at least."

Peli felt a slight deal of relief with that answer, and it was only then did she realize that she had been holding her breath from anxiety.

"You did exactly as I told you, Vallus. As such, and as agreed to, I will bestow upon you the honor of bounty hunter, with my Royal Warrant." Said Ixora with a slight smile.

Peli let go, her breath escaped her and she nearly choked with total relief this time. She had worked so hard to earn this title, so coveted by Lights. She looked up to her Queen in remaining bowed. Ixora stood up from her throne and approached Peli. She held her hand to Peli- a symbolic gesture the monarch always makes to someone that they grant Royal Warrant to. Peli took her hand and stood back on her feet. In Ixora's other hand was the polished pewter badge that she longed for.

"With this badge also comes the rank of Royal Lieutenant in my Army. As a Royal Lieutenant, you are a senior to the other Lieutenants in the military, only superseded in authority by more senior officers. You only serve that role when I call upon you however, as it is not a full commission. You may wear the badge, or you may keep it with you at all times however way you choose to. You'll have plenty of space when you begin to blossom as a young woman soon enough." said Ixora. "And thank you for your service to the monarchy, Peli."

Ixora handed the badge to Peli and shook her hand.

"I... I will be the best that you have, my Queen. Mark my words." Replied Peli.

With all of her happiness, Peli was not feeling so well about her friend Gala. She worried about her, and what captivity was like for her. Peli had to see a doctor days before this about her worry of developing ulcers from her stress. She hadn't eaten since the morning before the day she earned her badge. She had to know how Gala was doing, she couldn't take it anymore, and refused to eat until then. She knew that Ixora would pick up on this, and she counted on it- Peli knew how to utilize telepathic talents of others.

"You worry about the Itgan, Peli." Ixora did finally say. "Fine, I will personally take you to see her after I put on my coat."

"Thank you, your majesty." Replied Peli.

Peli sensed a strong presence in the throne room when she heard the sound of military-grade boots step on the carpet. It could only have been one person as no person in the Light Kingdom commanded this sort of presence and sucked the energy out of a room like her own mentor. Opal Ysyper.

"Well done, little Peli. Or shall I call you... Royal Lieutenant?" She asked, clapping her hands slowly.

Peli turned around to face her mentor, whom stood only a foot from her, and nearly a foot taller than her. Opal Ysyper was a gigantic woman whom stood at 6'8". She was the Commander of the Xenon Unit, an elite group of Light soldier that only answered to the monarchy. She was one of the last living survivors of the abandoned "Sleeper" project which bred Light children into cold-blooded killing machines with few emotions and no regrets. Her eyes were a deep blue that illustrated her own cold-hearted hatred of Human beings- one of the only emotions that she knew. Her hair was silver, but frequently dyed green for whatever reason that she had. Lastly, she was known as the "Soldier of Steel" because of her iron-will and her body that was built like a steel killing machine. And now Peli was once again looking up at her.

"Uh... Thanks, Commander." Peli managed to say.

"Turns out, that I didn't even have to bring back the little white-haired brat and her traitorous friend myself. I see you've discovered your power to miniaturize others as well." Said Opal.

"Y-Yes sir." Replied Peli.

"My next order to you now is- kill the little Itgan and Miss Kutter if they so as try to escape! That's an order!" Commanded Opal.

"Commander, they still have yet to go before the Magistrates, we need them no matter what." Said Ixora.

"As you wish, your majesty." Opal gave a short bow, then turned to exit the throne room.

"Peli, I know she is hard to get along with, but she's a warrior. I have no plans to kill little Gala or Kora." Assured Ixora.

Peli threw her arms around Ixora in relief. Ixora pat her on the back.

"Please don't let any harm come to her, my Queen. Please." She begged.