Honey : The Empire's Treasure 57 Clean Up

Lyra stood in front of an unknown shuttlecraft. She had waited inside the cave for hours until she was sure no one else would be coming. When she reaches the outside of the cave, Lyra saw a two-seater shuttle.

This must be their craft. Going back into the cave, she dug into both men's pockets. Searching for the remote to open the craft's doors.

Running back to the shuttle, and opening its door. Moving quickly she entered the shuttle, looking through the memory logs; she erased all its history and all traces of the cave's coordinate in the system.

Turning around to exit, Lyra spotted a backpack. Prying open the bag, Lyra found a journal. This bag must be the slender man's. For it contains nothing but notes, clues and messages from the imperial family to him on his research.

Lyra snapped the book close in dismay. 'How many search parties did the king send out. Was this the only one? Where did they find these clues?'

Lyra threw the journal into her pocket for later look. Right now she didn't have much time left to get rid of these bodies and evidence.

Running back out and into the cave, Lyra dragged both bodies in the shuttlecraft. Running back in once more she carried all her items in the shuttlecraft.

Seeing the blood and drag marks in the ground, Lyra quick said a cleaning chant. To wash away all evidence of them being here.

Closing its door, she sat in the pilot's seat, catching her breath Lyra calmed her nerves to operated the shuttle into the air. Lifted off the ground, Lyra steady the craft to face the entrance of the cave. Shooting two plasma blast from the shuttle's weaponry, she collapsed the entire entrance of the cave.

To make it seem like a crumbling rock structure Lyra shot a couple more times at the surrounding enclosure. The entire rock wall looked as if there was never a cave there in the first place.

Peering around to make sure no traces were left, Lyra guided the shuttle to meet up with her's. There she transferred all her items to its c.o.c.kpit. Programming its autopilot, two shuttles followed behind one another at low alt.i.tudes. Lyra's in the back on autopilot and the two men's in the front, piloted by Lyra.

She led both shuttles to a canyon a way out from the vicinity of the cave. Landing both shuttles she swiped clean her presence from the men's craft. Taking one last look to make sure she didn't forget anything, she set the self-destruction sequence.

Running for into her craft. Lyra switches controls to manual and lifted the shuttle straight up and away right as the other shuttle to explode.

Drifting in the sky, Lyra watched as the self-destructed shuttle turned into a ball of fire.

Taking a long way home, just in case someone saw her, Lyra erased all memory logs and coordinates in her shuttle.

Thinking back on her great-great grandmother's temple, she knew she would be able to visit it for a while. Glancing at the raw honey she was able to get for Mika, Lyra thought to herself, maybe it a good thing Mika will be in the Steppes for a while. If anything happens to her, Mika will not be bought down with her.

"Was this how her mother felt when she sent her away...."

_____

"Ugh!" Kaze had received a blow to his knee. That caused him to lose his balance. That's the third time, Mika has. .h.i.t that knee in the same spot. It was starting the become sore.

The weight he could usually put on it has lessened quite a bit.

Mika smirked as she saw Kaze trying to regain his balance. They have been sparing for hours now. Both were sweaty and exhausted, but neither wanted to concede to the other.

Saavi had long ago left to prepare dinner and bath for their aching bodies.

"It seems old age is catching up with my personal guard." Mika breathing was labored as she stressed to get those words out.

"And it seems young miss is still too young to play with the adults." Kaze wobbled on his feet. His knee was begging for rest.

A peal of strained laughter left both of their mouths as they wished the other to fall.

Mika's body was screaming for a nice soak, but how could she let that smirk stay on his face after he asked for this beating. No, someway somehow she needed to end this sparring match with a win in her favor.

Peeking around, Mika saw Saavi making her way back towards them. A glint s.h.i.+ned in her eyes as a plan started to form.

Standing up straight Mika looked at Kaze.

"Ready?"

"Ready."