Monica spat out a mouthful of blood as she knelt before Daniel.

Her face was a mask of bruises.

Her pantsuit had been ripped to shreds, and stained red from the brutal whipping she had just endured.

Blood still seeped from the gashes that had been gouged into her skin from Daniel's scourge whip.

She had taken the whipping in silence, knowing full well that screaming only made it worse.

"The only thing that is keeping you alive, is my familial affection. This mess you've made is going to cost us," said Daniel, his voice soft and dangerous, the spiked whip still dripping blood, and still firmly in his hands.

He turned to Elijah and the group of agents assembled in his war room.

"First order. Convene emergency elections, we're putting Mamba Waziri back in the White House. Second. Nobody, and I mean absolutely nobody, try anything against that vile alliance. Not yet. Give our NGO networks and servitors time to build enough internal dissent, that their treaty becomes unenforceable. Is everybody clear on this? We cannot afford a nuclear Holocaust. Are we on the same page on that?" he asked surveying the room.

"Y-yes sir," said Elijah.

"Why are you still here? Time is of the essence! Go!" thundered Daniel, and the people in the room scurried off to set the American Bureaucracy working.

"No, not you. I'm not done with you yet," growled Daniel, seizing Monica by her short-cropped black hair, and dragging her behind him towards his private quarters.

Once inside, he let loose with the lash again.

This time, Monica couldn't stay silent. Her screams of pain echoed around the walls as the whip sliced into her flesh, over and over.

"You've been a very naughty little girl! I told you not to interfere! Now thanks to your impatience, we have an alliance of nations leaving the world order we spent decades building!" said Daniel, as he lashed her mercilessly.

He finally stopped, and Monica collapsed, quivering in a pool of her own blood, snot and piss.

"Effective immediately, you're no longer a Senator. And I'm packing you off to Tel Aviv to learn temperance and discretion under Elijah's tutelage," said Daniel, as he signaled a team of paramedics to tend to Monica's wounds.

---

"Well, I suppose that's one way to do it," said Aaron, as he watched the news cycle play out.

The fact that Anne had been rescued by Saladin and the others was completely buried under the sensationalism and panic that the media was now farming over the Lunar Mining Alliance Treaty, particularly Article one, which gave the alliance a nuclear tripwire against sanctions.

Instead, Secretary of State Daniel Goldberg had convened an emergency session of both the Senate and Congress, and they had ratified emergency powers and installed Mamba Waziri as the President.

They had also issued an official condemnation against the Lunar Mining Alliance, and had called for an emergency UN meeting to discuss the threat to international security that the alliance presented.

"I'm surprised they managed to move so fast," chuckled Gordon.

"Well, I'm actually happy to be a private citizen again," said Anne, leaning on Gordon's arm.

"However, this means that we are now fully committed to this alliance. I for one, am not about to go begging to be let back into NATO and the UN," said Liesel.

"Of course, we are all committed. There is no walking back from this one," said Aaron.

Natasha entered the office.

"Master Zakhrov, we have a situation. Nearly a hundred thousand US Navy personnel are requesting asylum within the Sirius Zone," she said.

"Let them in, Natasha. We need to build up a military force anyway, so let's use them," said Aaron.

He turned to Gordon.

"General, can I entrust command of the Sirius Zone defense force to you?" he asked.

"Of course, Master Zakhrov," said Gordon, clicking his heels together and saluting.

"All right. Liesel, Alexander, let's go and stir up some trouble at the UN," said Saladin, and he left with Alexander and Liesel.

---

"Effective immediately, Libya is withdrawing permanently from the United Nations, and all its committees and agencies. I believe you all have a copy of the Lunar Alliance Treaty, so don't tempt us to invoke Article one," said Saladin.

"I echo Premier Saladin's sentiment. Despite Russia being a permanent United Nations Security Council Member, our right to veto sanctions has been treated as nothing but a minor inconvenience. Therefore, Russia is withdrawing permanently from the United Nations, and all its committees and agencies. Effective immediately," said Alexander.

"Germany has already been expelled from NATO and the European Union, therefore this is a natural consequence. The People of Germany have lost faith in this institution and therefore, Germany withdraws from the United Nations," said Liesel.

"Now hold on just a minute! If you can refuse to acknowledge the UN, then we are under no obligations to recognize the legitimacy of this so-called treaty!" shouted Kenji Mitsuharu.

"You may not recognize the treaty, but you will recognize our nuclear arsenals. And believe me Mr. Mitsuharu, nothing would please me more than wiping your pathetic country off the face of the earth if you dare to interfere with the Alliance," said Alexander, a predatory glint in his eye.

"Bold words! Your own ally, the Yamamoto Enclave is part of Japan. You can't touch us by that very fact!" said Kenji.

"It isn't 1945 any more Mr. Mitsuharu. The ability to level all of Japan except for the Yamamoto enclave is well within Russia's nuclear strike capabilities. Don't test that," said Alexander.

"This is the Lunar Mining Alliance's official declaration of intent. This body has seventy-two hours to evacuate all UN affiliated personnel and agencies from our sovereign territories, before we evict them by force. And don't for one second think that just because we are here, you can launch a preemptive strike," said Liesel.

With that, Saladin, Liesel and Alexander left the UN building.

---

"Admiral Artemis Winters, it is good to see you," said Gordon, as Artemis and her command crew disembarked from a lifeboat at the Sirius Zone pier.

"It is good to see you too, General," said Artemis, shaking his hand.

"How many of you were given the boot?" asked Gordon.

"Pretty much the entire Ford and Lincoln Strike Group crews," said Artemis.

"Well, I've been authorized to inform you that you are welcome to join the Sirius Zone Self-Defense Force, if you want to," said Gordon.

"I can't speak for the rest of my crew, but you know what Gordon? I'm up for it. Sign me up," said Artemis.

---

Artemis stood in her new quarters in the Sirius Zone's main naval port, surveying her reflection in the full length mirror.

The Sirius Zone Naval Self Defense Force uniform was, like all of Sirius Software's uniforms, constructed from sleek black leather.

The blazer had wide peaked lapels, and four shiny brass buttons in a single-breasted placket down the front.

It clung to her body with an aggressive nipped and darted waistline, helped by the titanium reinforced corset that she wore underneath it.

A sleek black pencil skirt came down to her mid-thighs, where a sliver of black pantyhose peeked out from under the hem and the tops of the black leather thigh-high boots, with gleaming 8 cm stiletto heels.

Rounding out the main uniform was a ceremonial sword at her left hip, and a single-tail black leather whip coiled at her right.

Sleek black leather gloves adorned her hands, and her soft brown hair was tied in a tight bun under a black peaked cap with a silver insignia.

"Why does this uniform look like a Hollywood villain's, and yet I feel so at home in it?" she chuckled, twirling in the mirror to get a better look at it from all angles.

She finally tore her eyes away from her reflection, and took a deep breath.

"OK, let's see what kind of ship I'm assigned to," she said, and left her bedroom, her heels clicking sharply on the floor.

---

"Looking good, Admiral," chuckled Captain Denzel Whittaker, as he saw Artemis emerge from the Naval residential quarters block.

"You're not looking so bad yourself, Captain," chuckled Artemis, surveying Denzel's own black leather uniform, that looked much the same as hers, except for the masculine cut, and the pants and ankle boots.

"Well, it is nice to be working together once again," said Denzel as he drove them towards the pier where the ship they had been assigned to was docked.

Artemis had been appointed Commander of the First Fleet of the Sirius Zone Naval Self Defense Force or SZNSDF. Which consisted of the SNS Kant, the SNS Plato, and the SNS Voltaire. Three of the newest Philosopher class nuclear-powered missile cruisers that had been built.

Captain Denzel Whittaker was in command of the SNS Kant, the fleet's lead ship. Most of the crew from the USS Gerald R. Ford had also been assigned to it, and they were already on deck, waiting in an honor guard.

"Captain on deck! Admiral on deck!" declared the First Officer, with a blast from the boatswain's whistle.

The crew snapped to attention.

"They look pretty intimidating, even though they're familiar," thought Artemis as she and Denzel walked down the honor guard and towards the podium to address the crew.

---

"I know, that this transition has not been easy. The actions we took fourteen days ago prevented a global conflict, but labeled us as traitors to the United States government. The Sirius Zone has presented us with a new opportunity. To serve and protect a region and a regime that while labeled as hostile and authoritarian by our erstwhile government, has treated us with far more respect and courtesy than we have ever been given. Therefore, I ask you all to bear no grudge against our former administration, but instead work to ensure the peace and safety of our new commander in chief. As of this moment, we are no longer members of the United States Navy, nor are we fugitives hiding in the dark. We are sailors, and officers of the Sirius Zone Naval Self Defense Force, and we hereby swear to defend it with our lives! Long live the Sirius Zone!" said Artemis, addressing the crew.

"Long live the Sirius Zone!" shouted the crew in response.

"This ship, the Sirius Naval Ship Kant, is to be made ready for shakedown. All hands, report to your stations. Dismissed!" declared Denzel, and the crew dispersed to their stations.