Chapter 2

Some would say Decius had turned his back on his Home World, old friends, even part of his family. It depends on your point of view if this applies to this situation. Take a surgeon who removes an arm or a leg to save the life of one, who if nothing was done like they would surely die. In his case, in this scenario 100 plus thousands were given a fresh start.

Millions, perhaps billions could and probably would perish if nothing else was ever done to solve the problem. The comparison of a thief or beggar who wants what another has because they themselves have done nothing to better their lot in life may apply.

The command to proceed to the camp already in-place by the Southern troops sent by Xenon was not met with much entusiasm. The last line... ‘where you all may nurish there’ was well received however. Many captives would be drained but the vast majority would live and be able to sustain his clan for months. That was one primary reason for how many had been saved. He could not provide for millions.

Most of the clan were fairly young, young for their kind meant 400 years-old or less. His own family consisted of 5 wives, seven daughters and one son, all purebloods. Xenon was the Alpha of his children. She was his heir, his hope for the future and both knew that. One day, he would ... would ... arrange so that Xenon took a mate and would rule in his stead, while he ... he ... must prepare for that change.

Each Elder could open or close a portal, that was not the issue. Many could be saved that way. There were however mitigating issues. One was where to go to. Next the provisioning of enough ‘livestock’ to feed upon. Then the sustainability and provisioning for expansion and growth. Along with those was the long term viability of the move. It would be of little value if another dying planet would be selected or one where superior forces could overwhelm their new home. Decius had no illusions that his people were immortal and could not be destroyed. Under normal conditions they probably were compared to most races; most but not all.

He and Clotte had searched for over 100 years for an acceptable new home, one well suited to them but far from a perfect environment. There had been significant in-fighting on the Home World. That was something he did not want here. In this case the ‘Devil known’ was not preferred to the unknown.

It was hoped, perhaps dreamt was more applicable, that a new environment, new resources and what appeared to be a future wuld be enough; aftr all what are dreams made of if not for this?