Chapter 16

SODRAG

Andro stood on the tarmac as the STRIKER DT's engine noise began to recede and the ramp began to lower. Elynth stood next to him; her powerful legs draw up underneath her body, both of them agitated and filled with anxiety from what they felt within Mindvoice coming from Sparta. As the ramp lowered they saw the massive figure of Arzoal begin to take shape waiting to move down the ramp. Her giant head was turned downward as if she was speaking with someone. As the ramp came fully down, that turned out to indeed be the case as they both spied Helen standing beside the largest of all the living dragons. Torma was only half a meter shy of Arzoal's length, and much more muscular, but the Elder Mother had thousands of years of experience on Elynth's father. When Arzoal spoke, everyone took notice of what she said.

Andro and Elynth started forward as the two females of two radically different species began moving down the ramp of the STRIKER into the coming dawn sky. Recognized without question as two of the wisest individuals in the Lycavorian Union, they were venerated by all no matter the species or member. They met about a hundred feet from the rear of the STRIKER and Arzoal lowered her head to run her snout along the back of Elynth's neck in affection. The most powerful and reserved of her grandchildren, Elynth held a special place in Arzoal's heart, for of all Isheeni's children Elynth reminded Arzoal most of herself.

Grandmother. Elynth spoke softly even as her wings fluttered gently in joy from Arzoal's loving touch.

You are looking beautiful as always Elynth. Arzoal answered.

They both turned their large heads to see Andro embrace Helen tightly and then hold her much smaller frame at arm's length.

"What is happening Feravomir?" Andro asked. "We can feel them even here."

Helen squeezed his arms and looked at Arzoal quickly before turning back to him. "Truth is happening my boy." Helen said. "A truth many of us, myself included, have tried to deny these last years. It appears we can no longer do that now, and what makes it worse is the dreadful hour we are arriving here! Tell me Androcles ... are the jungle insects even awake yet?"

"Most of them never sleep. Now ... what truth?" Andro asked with a smile. "What is going on? Even my mother has blocked me. My mother never blocks my probes Feravomir."

"I will tell you when we get out of this infernal heat." Helen spoke with a gentle smile. "I will leave it for you to tell your brothers and sisters. You need to send Lisisa and Denali back to Sparta on our ship however. Your father will be calling for her soon enough. Better that she already be on her way back."

Andro's eyes went wide. "Father ... father found out?" He gasped.

Helen shook her head quickly. "No ... it's not that. Though I fear we will need to address that sooner than we had hoped." She said. "I have spoken with your grandmother Gorgo in regards to that and we were going to approach your mothers next week. I don't think we will have that time now."

"Feravomir ... what is going on?" Andro asked once more.

Helen patted his arms. "Things are beginning to happen that will shape our future young Androcles ... and you must be prepared to make difficult decisions. Decisions that will not be popular with your father and some of your siblings. Can you do that?"

"Me?" Andro asked turning to look at Elynth and then back to Helen. "What decisions?"

Feravomir ... now you are beginning to frighten us. Elynth spoke.

Helen smiled and looked at her before shaking her head. "Now is not the time for fear." She said. "That will come I assure you. Now ... now we must conduct ourselves as we have planned." She turned back to Andro. "They are all gathered in one area?"

Andro nodded slowly even more questions filling his eyes. "Yes."

Helen nodded. "Arzoal and I could feel them once we crossed the void." She said. "They are committed and strong. They are beginning to come out from under the fog that Aikiro and the others have created. More so than we first thought. Raw I believe is a word your father would use. And you have done this in only three ... four days."

We both agree however that Yuri and Vollenth will pose a problem. Arzoal spoke now. Her children less so ... but still. We have a plan to address that if you will allow me to explain it to Elynth and then she can discuss it with you.

Elder Mother ... are you and the others plotting? Andro asked with a grin.

Dragon Elders do not plot young Androcles Leonidas. Arzoal barked out with smug humor. We plan wisely.

Yes ... it seems I have heard that before. Andro said with a smile. Elynth and I have one voice ... you know this. Of course.

Good. I think you both will like it. Arzoal said.

"You know of course that they failed the obstacle course miserably." Andro said.

Arzoal chuckled within Mindvoice. Something I believe you and Elynth failed yourselves once Carina had finished it. Twice if I am not mistaken.

Elynth brought her tail around and tapped Andro in the shoulder gently. Something I reminded my bonded one of as we flew back. She said.

She devised something that is a marvel of engineering your sister did. Arzoal spoke. Most of Mjolnir's Hand failed it the first or second time.

Helen chuckled and began pulling him towards the Lifter. "We have much to do, and Arzoal needs to inspect the dragons. Our STRIKER will wait for Lisisa and Deni ... but they need to go back."

"If father doesn't know ... why send Denali back?" Andro asked turning back to look at her. "Won't that just make more questions?"

Helen looked at him. "Lisisa will need him." Helen said as they walked. "I will tell you what is happening Androcles ... do not worry. You need to know what is happening, for it will help you in the decisions you make in the future."

"I truly hate it when you speak to me like the First Oracle of our people." Andro said. "It always makes my gut twist up in fear."

Mine as well. Elynth said.

Helen laughed. "Arzoal ... are you listening to this. The most powerful Bonded Pair in the Union behind only your fathers and you are frightened of little old me?"

Then our fathers are too proud and have not told you that you scare them as well. Elynth said. Andro and I do not have that problem.

Helen squeezed Andro's arm as they reached the Lifter. "Do not worry. As long as you remain true to each other ... you can face anything. Now go Elynth! Take Arzoal to meet these dragons and I will speak with Andro. He will fill you in when you are together again." Helen leaned forward and sniffed Andro lightly. She looked up at him and her eyes narrowed. "And you young man ... you need to leave your young bride alone for a few days or you will wear her out! What is it with you and your father that makes it so you can't keep your hands off your mates for more than a few hours? Is it some defect in your genes?"

Elynth laughed within Mindvoice as she turned with Arzoal. I have been telling him that for a week Feravomir. She said just before she lifted into the air with her grandmother right beside her.

Andro grinned sheepishly and looked at Helen. "I can't help it." He said.

"Bah ... a typical Alpha response!" Helen spoke as she moved around and began getting into the Lifter. "Only you and your father. You are trying to repopulate our species all by yourselves!"

Andro glanced upward as he saw Elynth and Arzoal heading east. [I will talk with you later Elynth my sister.] He said.

[And I with you Andro my brother.] Her voice came back to him.

Andro ducked his head and got into the Lifter. Helen was looking at him oddly as he settled next to her.

"You and Elynth are still keeping secrets from everyone I see." She said with a sly grin. "I thought I told you about secrets."

Andro smiled. "You did Feravomir. You are the one who taught us how to keep them." He turned forward and looked at the Durcunusaan driver. "The Rec Center." He said. "And contact Bren and have him tell Lisi and Deni they need to return to Sparta immediately. There is a STRIKER waiting for them here on Pad Four."

"Yes Milord." The man spoke before turning around and charging the Lifters engines.

Andro turned back to Helen. "Now Feravomir. Tell me what has happened."

" ... did this happen?" Gorgo exclaimed. "Martin is what that boy says true?"

The dinner had ended abruptly after Karun's demand with Martin rising to his feet and marching out of the room. Aricia and the others followed him without question and now they all sat in main room of the villa. Karun and the Kavalians had been escorted out politely but very quickly. Martin had spoken briefly with Colonel Fache who only nodded and went to do his King's bidding.

Martin stood facing the patio doors now, allowing the breeze to blow over his face as the moon crept higher. He wanted to run. He wanted to shift and run until all of this went away. He knew that was not going to happen however and he turned as Aricia stepped up to him and pressed against his side.

[We knew this day would come Beloved.] She said softly.

[I was hoping maybe not.] He answered with a nod.

[Our children are probing us Martin. Especially Andro. We have to tell them something. They can all feel our anxiety and worry.] Anja spoke from the couch where she sat between For'mya and Dysea.

[Helen just arrived in SODRAG.] Isabella spoke moving closer to Martin. [She will tell Andro and he will tell the others. Coming from her will be as if one of us told him.]

[Bella is right Martin Leonidas.] For'mya said. [We need to address this issue now and let Helen tell Andro. She is the First Oracle to our people yes ... but she is also a surrogate mother to them as well.]

[This is no mistake.] Dysea said now. [Your brother knew exactly what he was doing when he sent this Karun boy here.]

"Martin Leonidas!" Gorgo snapped loudly causing him to turn to face him. "You and the others stop doing that right now! We may not be strong enough to know what you are saying, but everyone in this room can feel the tremors within Mindvoice. Tell us what is going on!"

Martin turned to face all of them. "Listen to me ... we..."

"The truth Martin!" Gorgo barked.

Martin's eyes flared as he looked at his mother. "The truth!" He snapped. "The truth is that Lisisa is my daughter! Perhaps not by blood..." He saw Gorgo's eyes go wide. " ... but I have loved her! I have done what my nubous brother should have done and I don't regret one single minute of that! Do not bark at me about the truth mother!"

Deia stepped forward and placed her hands on Gorgo's arms. "Mandri ... we are all confused and upset ... we..."

Gorgo brushed Deia's hands from her arms and stepped right up to her son and embraced him tightly tears coming to her eyes. "What is going on Martin?" She asked softly.

Martin sighed heavily, placing his cheek against the top of her head and rubbing her long hair. His mother's scent filled him and instantly calmed in. He hugged her tightly before pulling his face back. "Sit down ... all of you." He said softly. He released Gorgo and turned to look at Resumar who had so far remained quiet against the wall. "Resumar?"

Resumar pushed off the wall and moved to the couch next to his mother without question. He looked at his father, his dark eyes steady. "She is my sister." He said firmly. "She has been my sister all of these years and nothing will change that father. Nothing! I don't care what this Karun says or who her real father is or may be. Even if it is true ... for twenty-five years it has been this way. None of us will stop thinking like that."

Martin nodded. "For me either son. For any of us." He said.

Resumar settled next to Dysea and she took his hand in hers. Martin pulled one of the table chairs over and dropped it in front of them.

"I discovered it when Anja had to remove that thing Yuri had fused to her rib." Martin said. "On the Mindvoice ship as we were returning from Lycavore to Apo Prime. I smelled it in her blood. It was then I suspected that Pleistarchus might still be alive."

Gorgo gasped. "You ... you knew then?"

"Martin ... your sense of smell is that keen?" Riall asked in shock. "I knew it was very sensitive ... but to detect that in Lisisa's blood after so long? How?"

Martin shrugged. "I felt something within me recognize it. Deep in the back of my head really. Some subconscious part of my brain told me what I smelled was somehow familiar. I dismissed it at first ... but it wouldn't go away."

"How did you discover for sure?" Deia asked.

"I ran a Fractal DNA Splicing Sequencer Scan." Anja answered.

Deia shook her head. "A What?"

Anja smiled gently. "It's essentially a scan that breaks down DNA strands right down to their core sequencers and what made them form. A normal DNA scan would not detect it because Martin's blood is so pure and dominant, it normally overrides anything else. When I saw and felt his reaction I knew something was wrong so I ran the scan. Martin and Pleistarchus may be many years apart in age, but because their father's blood was so pure, their blood is almost identical."

Martin nodded slowly. "Anja confirmed it even more a little later as she said. I didn't want to believe it ... not after all we had been through to get her back. And then finding you mother ... I didn't want to believe it. I did the only thing I could think of, the only thing I knew would get me the truth. I had Armetus dig through all the pads and files we had in the archives here in Sparta and those we took from the Coven's base. And then he went through anything left that Tarifa and Aihola had gathered from the base's we knew Yuri was at just before the comet came." Martin took a deep breath. "We discovered that Pleistarchus had been to earth six weeks prior to the comet arriving. He and his Kavalian pals were doing another recon mission for a hit on Yuri. She had apparently been meeting with Robert Moran the whole time she was supposedly with me. Every time she came back to Earth they would get together. She must have turned him at some point during that period but it was also during one of these times when Pleistarchus got to her. He thought it would be fun I guess, rape the woman you are here to whack before you kill her. He wore a SEAL Team Twelve uniform and while a bunch of others from the Air Force security team held her down, he raped Yuri for several hours."

"Wait ... how do you know all this Martin?" Panos asked.

"Armetus discovered security tapes that weren't destroyed. They were grainy and barely useable because of their age but leave it to Armetus to find a way to restore them. They showed Pleistarchus entering the secure floor of the hospital Yuri and Moran were supposed to meet at. She thinks she got a message from me to meet her there ... but it was really from my brother. He set her up." Martin replied. "November 12^th 2068. Eight weeks before the comet came. Eight weeks before Walter told her she was pregnant. In her twisted mind this only confirmed to her that it was me, because only a pureblood Lycavorian could have gotten her pregnant at the time. She had no idea that Pleistarchus was still alive."

"But Moran is ... he has fathered three children with her." For'mya said.

Isabella nodded. "As with those who are turned among Lycavorians ... it takes time for the change to fully complete itself down to the molecular level." She spoke softly. "That is why Tina and Ben did not have any children for two years once I turned them. The changes weren't complete inside either of them."

"Let's not go there." Martin spoke looking at her.

"It was their decision m'ranndii." Bella spoke softly. You know Endith would have far outlived them and the love they have for each other is just as powerful as ours. It would have killed Endith to lose them in such a way. Slowly ... as they aged."

Martin nodded. "I know ... I just wish you would have told me first."

"And that is why she has hated you so much all these years?" Deia asked now. "She believes..."

Martin nodded turning to look at her. "She thinks I am the one who raped her. When I made such a big stink about finding Lisisa afterwards, it only cemented in her twisted mind that it was me."

"Pleistarchus knew?" Gorgo asked.

Martin shrugged. "He knew about Lisisa when he came here that day. He wanted her back ... or so he said." He replied shaking his head. "I don't know exactly how long he knew before that and I don't care. I was not going to allow that to happen."

"Martin ... you knew all this." Riall asked softly. "You knew all this even when he came here and yet you never told anyone? Why?"

"Anja knew. Not everything about it ... all the details ... but she knew Lisisa was not my daughter. I kept it from Aricia and the others until they discovered it on their own four years later." He said evenly. "They weren't happy with me to say the least."

Gorgo and Deia turned to Aricia and the others who by now all sat together on the large couch. "That ... that is what happened during those six weeks isn't it? When you all just up and disappeared? You were angry with him for not telling you?" Deia asked.

For'mya nodded slowly. "It was foolish of us we know that now. We didn't realize that at the time however, not until after we left Earth so abruptly. But by then we had already called him some very bad names." She looked at Martin. "Names we could not take back. We wrongly assumed ... quite stupidly mind you ... that if he hid this from us ... what else was he hiding? We were ashamed of ourselves because none of us thought of Lisisa and what she had come to mean to all of us. We thought only of our own pride as Martin's mates."

Martin grinned at them from his chair as they looked on embarrassed. "Well ... they were very creative names Kinsoaurgai." He said.

Gorgo looked at him aghast. "Martin how ... how can you joke at a time like this?" She stammered. "What are we going to do?"

Martin turned his head and met her eyes. "What do you want me to do mother?" He asked. "Would you rather I throw myself from Torma's back at twenty thousand feet and allow myself to smash into the earth? Shit ... with the way my luck is going lately I'd probably survive that."

"I am being serious!" She snapped.

Martin got to his feet. "So am I mother. The moment Yuriko told me that Lisisa existed ... she became my daughter. The instant I set foot on Lycavore she became my daughter! I was meant to find her that day! I was meant to find her ... because she was part of the ones Canth told me I needed to find. And in finding her ... she led me to you! For twenty-five years I have considered her nothing but my daughter! She is a Leonidas! Period! She is just as much my daughter as Eliani or Carina or Normya or Zarah, Retta or Nara. You ... you did not sense the happiness in her when I found her mother. You did not feel the freedom that bonding to Jeth granted her. I could feel it. The sense of peace and utter completeness after almost five hundred years of running and slavery and being treated like she was something lower than dirt! I had no intention of taking that from her. None! My dear brother Pleistarchus and Yuri can go right straight to hell if they think I'm going to let it happen now!"

"Aovi." Aricia muttered softly.

"Spoken like a true Spartan father!" Panos muttered softly with pride in his eyes.

"Well it is obvious Pleistarchus's own mate did not know this." Deia spoke. "Not with her reaction and the look on her face when Karun revealed this to us."

"But why do this now? In the middle of their trade talks and desires for an embassy?" Riall asked. "What purpose does it serve?"

"Well ... if we needed any more proof that they are not here for peace, I believe we got it tonight." Deia said. "Whether it was intentional or not, they revealed to us that they are far more concerned as to why the Coven is here and what we have. Things that we won't give them."

"Sibfla!" Anja spat. "We already knew that. I can't begin to imagine what they would do to several hundred of my Healers if they went into Kavalian space. It turns my blood cold just to think about it."

"I think it also showed that this Jalersi ... that she is not the one pulling the strings." Panos spoke. "Her father may have put her in charge of this delegation, but those other two ... Jiss and Matuarr ... they are getting their instructions from someone else."

"Yes ... the question remains from whom?" Deia said. "This Keleru is shrewd ... we have seen that in how he dealt with the remnants of their old empire, not to mention the deals he has brokered with the Simian people as well as how he dealt with the Zaleisians."

"Do not forget his Mutual Protection Treaty with The Icalro Alliance and The U'zolot Consortium." Dysea spoke up.

"As if we want anything from those fools. Privateers and Warlords is what they are." Riall snapped turning to look at Martin. He stood behind Gorgo, his hand on her shoulder affectionately. "I wouldn't be surprised if this Commander Qurot character is getting his instructions from someone else as well Martin." Riall said.

"We refuse them the embassy then." Isabella said now.

Deia shook her head. "We can't. Martin has already told them it we be ratified by the end of the week. If we back out now they will scream to the heavens."

"Let them scream!" Resumar snapped.

"If only we could Res." Dysea said squeezing his hand. "If we go back on the deal now ... they will only take it to the public forum. They will draw in our allies and those governments that support us but are not part of the Union and demand to know why. We can't tell them we are refusing them because of Lisisa. And we most certainly can not tell them we are training the Coven's dragons."

"We'll catch some backlash with this Martin. They'll hold it over our heads. Try to get more concessions out of us." Deia spoke.

Aricia leaned forward. "Let them try." She said. "Lisisa and Eliani are almost as loved as their brother Andro among our people. Across the entire Union. Lisisa has forged her reputation on her own merits with her own actions. Hers and Jeth's. She and Jeth are widely recognized as the strongest Bonded Pair behind Martin and Torma and Andro and Elynth, even among those of Mjolnir's Hand."

"Aricia is right." For'mya spoke. "Our people accepted her without question as Martin's daughter. They saw what he went through to get her back safely. They know she is half vampire as two others of our children are. They do not care about this. As Lisisa has so often said ... her life did not begin until she came to be with us. That is how our people see her. Nothing this Karun or his fool father attempt to do will ever change that perception of her."

"But even when they discover she is Pleistarchus's daughter and not Martin's?" Riall asked.

"They will see a Lycavorian Union and Spartan King who acted on the information that she was his daughter." For'mya continued. "And when he discovered that she was in fact the daughter of his brother, who we all thought dead and who is a traitor to his people as well as a bad father, they will see Martin took it upon himself to step in as the father she never had ... and do this without question. They will see that Martin was the one to show Lisisa her true path. They certainly will not hold it against her. She had no say in whom her parents were, and she is most certainly not to blame for one of them trying to kill her for nearly five hundred years of her life. They will not see Lisisa acting as her real father has done. They will see her acting as the man she now calls father, as a true Spartan warrior and woman. And they will see who we call daughter without indecision or misgiving."

"Are you going to let him see her Martin?" Riall asked now. The question that all of them dreaded. "For all we know this could just be a ploy to get intelligence. As Aricia just said ... if they know this about her and Jeth, their status among Mjolnir's Hand, perhaps it is a way for them to learn to defeat the fear of dragons so ingrained in their people."

Martin met his eyes. "That is not my decision to make. We agreed a long time ago to never impress our will on our children. I don't intend to start now. This will be strictly Lisisa's decision, but she would never put Jeth, our people or the dragons at risk. She should be on her way back here as we speak on Helen's STRIKER."

"Who is going to tell her Martin?" Gorgo asked now in a much softer tone of voice.

"I will tell her." He said softly. "It should be me. I'll give her the rest of the night once she arrives and tell her in the morning."

"And ... and what if she decides she wants to meet him?" Gorgo spoke. "What if she wants to meet this Karun?"

"I can't stop her mother." Martin spoke.

"And what if she decides she wants to meet her real father? What if she wants to meet Pleistarchus Martin? Not that I believe she will ... but what if she does? What will you do then my son?"

Martin met his mother's eyes. "I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it now won't we mother." He answered.

Gorgo gazed at him for a long moment. "I truly hate it when you say that." She spoke finally.

Martin nodded. "Yeah ... me too."

"You are sure of the results Imaoi?" Sivana asked.

The face of the blond woman in the transmission nodded quickly. "I ran the test three times Sivana." She answered confidently. "The results were the same; within point two spatial sets of the metaphase chromatin."

"The others Imaoi?" Sivana asked. Like her sister Anja, Princess Sivana insisted that her staff and research teams refer to her by name. They worked together nearly every day, spending hours upon hours with each other, and it was silly to stand on such formality. This one thing, more than anything, endeared the twin sisters to those close to them like nothing else.

"All of them at point seven or higher."

Sivana leaned back in her chair. "And can you determine how long this has been taking place?"

"I can't be precisely accurate ... but it appears based on cell regeneration and epigenetic mechanics I'd say at least twenty years. Probably closer to twenty-five." Imaoi answered.

"And her levels have held at point two spatial sets?" Sivana said softly.

Imaoi nodded. "Yes ... and her Tryptophan levels are nearly off the charts and this is what allowed the reversal of the biogenic compounds they were using. That and..."

Sivana looked at her. "What?"

"We know they were using a combination of spliced DNA Sivana. Anja and the Divine one discovered it was mainly from Elves and Lycavorian hosts. That is what Queen Dysea found was happening on Elear." Imaoi spoke.

"Yes." Sivana said.

"It was done in very small amounts mind you, but over the years those L-stereoisomer strands, which we all know Lycavorian blood is flooded with, that L-stereoisomer bonded at the molecular level with her core DNA strands. It essentially created a minutely smaller reaction in her core cells."

Sivana nodded thoughtfully. "Almost as if she had been bitten and her blood flooded with the actual Lycavorian virus itself?"

Imaoi nodded. "Yes. That L-stereoisomer allowed her Tryptophan levels to rise well above normal for Kavalians. Five times normal to be precise. It is also probably why she stopped taking the follow on treatments that the others seem to rely on to keep their Tryptophan levels so low. They were making her sick."

"And once the treatments stopped, her tail regenerated and the levels remained at such a high point stage they prevented further degradation." Sivana spoke. "That is why she has not reverted back to her natural state."

Imaoi nodded once more. "Yes. It's unlikely the Kavalians have the equipment or the advanced genetic knowledge that we do to even detect this. Even if they did ... it would be impossible to reverse it now."

Sivana looked at her. "Not if they reduced the L-stereoisomer amino acid once more. That would lower her Tryptophan levels down again."

Imaoi nodded her head. "That would have been the case a few days ago yes. But not now, not anymore."

"Why?"

"There has been a massive influx of L-stereoisomer and Tryptophan levels into her blood within the last seventy-two hours." Imaoi said.

"How massive?"

"Point two three." Imaoi replied. "Elven core DNA strands were detected as well. They are already beginning to assert themselves into her core DNA molecules. Whatever she looks like now Sivana ... she will look like for the rest of her life."