• I turned to walk back to where the others were waiting for me when I heard the sound of a helicopter approaching in the distance. I stopped and, upon turning around, found a government helicopter flying toward the rubble that was the city. I watched a few moments as it landed and smiled as a man hopped out of the helicopter. He was a broad man, roughly six feet tall and dressed in an official military uniform. His annoyed expression upon seeing me revealed his distaste of my presence. The engine died slowly as he quickly made his way toward me.
    “General Matheson,” I greeted with a grin. “How nice to see you. I hope you are doing well.”
    “The hell I am,” he replied, red-faced and furious. “What are you doing here?”
    “Did you not hear?” I asked. “I was invited. I am the one who should be asking questions.”
    “What the government does is none of your concern,” Matheson replied. I placed a hand on my hip and waved a finger at him.
    “On the contrary, my good General,” I said. “This is my fight and when the government interferes without my consent, it becomes my concern. Not that I would ever complain, but your recklessness could have gotten you killed. You have no idea what that creature was and why it was here.”
    “Let me take a wild guess,” Matheson said. “He was here to kill you. Am I correct?”
    “How very keen of you,” I replied. "Someone should give you a cookie."
    “You need to take your fights elsewhere,” Matheson warned. “Better yet, you should get off this planet before you stir up any more trouble. The likes of you do not belong among our kind.”
    “You and every other idiot in your stupid, ineffectual government knows I cannot,” I protested coolly. “The President and I have already discussed this so I suggest you take a walk and mind your own damned business.”
    Dananian, Xavier, and Tallie approached from behind me.
    “Is there a problem, Princess?” Tallie asked, taking a half step in front of me and eying Matheson warily.
    “Yes,” Matheson replied. “I was just discussing with Miss Anandera that you and your little band of alien freaks need to go back to whatever planet you all came from. You have done enough damage here.”
    “You have no business telling us what we need to do,” Xavier replied. “The President himself granted amnesty on this planet until we can return to Sheshosha.”
    "What in God's name is a 'Sheshosha'?" Matheson asked, grimacing with distaste. "It sounds like some foreign bistro."
    "It is our home planet, you moron," I replied. "Call it a bistro again and I will cut your tongue out and shove it where the good gods have split you."
    "Some way to show gratitude. I suggest you don't threaten a government official," Matheson said, glaring at me. "Unless you want your amnesty revoked just as easily as it was given."
    I grinned with devilish satisfaction.
    "Oh? Is that what you think? That I should show gratitude to a government comprised of primitive ape-like cretins who would not know their own a** from their heads unless science told them?" I asked with a snide chuckle. "Hardly. Let me inform you of the circumstances in which I and mine were granted amnesty. Your government, if you even want to call the unstable mess a government, had the audacity to come to my home here and try to capture my family and me for experimentation. Experiments! It was as if they regarded us as less than humans, less than your weak and utterly powerless breed of inbred monkey scum. When they got a fistful of my power, they ran back home to their precious Mr. President like a terrified dog with its tail between its legs. Your 'fearless' government granted us amnesty out of fear, not kindness, because they knew that I only have to manipulate the gravitational field of your precious little ball of mud to send it flying into the sun. If it were not for the efforts of me and my ‘band of alien freaks,’ this planet would have been conquered or destroyed long ago, so any gratitude that is shown should be shown to me and my family, because I would surely die before I show gratitude to the likes of you, insolent pig!"
    "Me show you gratitude?" Matheson asked, his face turning red in his ferocity. "Hardly! I'd sooner jump off of a cliff than thank freaks like you!"
    "That can be arranged, my friend," I said, my eyes narrowing on him. "Quite easily. And I get the suspicion you would not be missed much either."
    We stared at one another in silence before he quickly turned his attention to Matthew.
    “Who is that?” Matheson asked, pointing at a very confused Matthew. Matthew stepped toward Matheson.
    “I’m Matthew Thompson,” he answered.
    “Come with me,” Matheson demanded as he started to walk back to the copter. Matthew started to follow Matheson, but I stopped him, bracing my arm against his chest to prevent him from walking forward.
    “He will do no such thing,” I said. Matheson turned and approached me again glaring.
    “I have told you before not to mettle in the affairs of the government,” he said.
    “Oh? Is that what you said?” I asked, grinning with amusement. “I am sorry. I heard you say something, but I was not really listening to you, so, you know. In one ear and out the other.”
    I shrugged nonchalantly. He raised his hand to backhand me, but I grabbed it just as it was about to connect with my cheek and squeezed it until I could hear his bones begin to crack. He cried out in pain as I pulled him down to my level so that I could look him in the eyes, my stare fierce and angry.
    “That is not a very smart move, Matheson,” I said coolly. “This man is my brother, my blood brother and the only prince in my family. He is part of my family and under my protection, so he will not be going with you government pigs. Good day, General Matheson.”
    I let go of his hand, pushing him back fiercely as I did so, and turned away from him. He stumbled backward, almost falling on his backside.
    “You're lucky you’re protected by the President, otherwise I’d kill…” Matheson began, clutching his hand. I turned and glared at him again, quieting his threats.
    “Watch your words, General,” Dananian warned.
    "Do not waste your breath, dearest," I said, looking at Dananian and smiling gently. "It would be a waste of our time to bother exterminating him over empty threats."
    "As you wish," Dananian said with a slight nod.
    Matheson half stumbled, half ran to the helicopter and climbed into it just as the engine started. Moments later it took off and flew away.