The trio of Otaku made their way through Castle Anthrax headed for Special Ops. All of them we absorbed in their own thoughts, prepping themselves for the battle to come. Celly walked blindly onward, mentally categorizing and sorting everything she needed to know. This would be a hard one. One wrong move and... Celly shook her head. It was too late now. Too late to turn back. They could only go forward now. She muttered a quick prayer to whatever Creators and gods there were to forgive her for her actions to come.

The doors slid open in front of them and Bob immediately stopped them. "Mistress Celeste, Remy-sama, Mercy-sama, I think you three would be interested in this." He gave a nod to the Unnamed Otaku at Imaging and the viewscreen shimmered into a view of HammerSpace.

A lone, trenchcoated figure was heading towards Castle Anthrax. Celly brightened and smiled. "Nyx-chan! She *did* make it after all. Allow her entrance, Bob."

Remy and Mercy both stared at the image on the viewscreen skeptically. Remy frowned as she remembered Nakago no Otaku pulling out a gun on her. Mercy unhappily recalled being shot... multiple times... by the Otaku.

"Where do you think she's been?" Mercy asked. "She said ‘a bar,' but what was wrong with the Mori?"

Remy nodded and added. "Well, I just don't trust her period. I don't really know her all that well myself. The only real time I spent with her was when we were taking care of you, Celly."

Celly frowned. "What are you two talking about? Nyx is the first ally I had here, and she's helped me since practically the beginning. Moreover, Nyx is my *friend* and I *trust* my friends. You two are just being paranoid because of what's about to happen."

"Yo, Celly!"

All three turned towards the doors of Special Ops as Nyx entered. She strode confidently forward and appraised Remy and Mercy. "What's with these two? You guys having fun without me?"

"Almost, Nyx. Almost. You arrived just in time."

"Huh? Just in time for what?"

"Celly! How can Nyx take part in this?" Remy asked. "She hasn't been acclimated yet. It's bad enough that Mercy is doing it after one shot, but Nyx doesn't even know what's going on."

"I can take care of myself, chica," Nyx replied. "I've been through more than you and I'll be through a lot more. I can take whatever they throw at me."

Celly pondered a moment. She didn't like this twist of events. "It's too late," she finally answered. "Nyx is going to have to tough it out if she can. And, Nyx? I already know that you can take anything *they* can throw at you... the question is: can you take anything *I* throw at you?"

Nyx opened her mouth to reply when blue lights started flashing all over the Castle, accompanied by a siren. "What the hell...?" she managed out. Remy and Mercy shared a look and a smirk. From a side entrance, Mamoru, Dionysus and Orion entered looking confused. Celly grinned and sat down in her chair, tapping a few buttons on her console.

"Attention all occupants of Castle Anthrax. Watashi wa Endymion no Otaku desu. All forces move to battle stations. Prepare for the commencement of Lambda Project. I repeat, all forces move to battle stations. Prepare for the commencement of Lambda Project."

TBC...