Chapter 23

VEYERAI

HIGH COVEN SPACE

“ ... are certain of your findings Nalavi?” Yuri asked from her chair.

Nalavi looked at her from his chair and nodded his head. He was joined at the table by Lidene, Pa’cour, Nameia and Onera. This had become their small brain trust so to speak, and while Nalavi had never been involved in something like this before, he found it very interesting. Of course, having so many lives depending on their decisions was not something that sat well with him and at times he did not see how Yuri and Pa’cour did it.

“As certain as I can be with the equipment that we have.” He replied.

Pa’cour looked across the table at him. “With the equipment that we have?” He asked clearly surprised. “Was the Hadarian computer that Androcles gave to us not front line Nalavi?”

Nalavi leaned back in his chair. “No ... no ... it’s state of the art.” He answered. “The very best that they have if I do say so myself. If they have better medical computers, then they are one of the best kept secrets within the Union.”

Lidene nodded in agreement. “I tend to lean towards the fact they have much better.” He said.

“Then what is the problem?” Pa’cour asked. “Why can you not be certain?”

“Hadarian Medical Computers are strictly limited Pa’cour.” Nalavi said. “Their medical systems are more advanced than anything we have. Than anyone has really.” Nalavi looked at Yuri. “Except perhaps those who we talked of before Yuri.”

Yuri nodded. “Yes.”

“All of their computer systems are tightly controlled.” Nalavi continued turning back to Pa’cour. “They are also broken into several distinct categories. The Medical Computer Main System Core that they gave to us is an absolute treasure trove of medical knowledge. Almost anything I could ever want to look up or research pertaining to general medical knowledge is within the Core’s data banks. Every known vaccine, every known cure to every known disease. Even the research needed to produce many of the vaccines where none are available. It would also allow me to develop new treatments and extrapolate existing parameters to better improve any vaccine or serum. It really is amazing. I’m quite shocked Androcles Leonidas allowed us to have one.”

“So, if it does all this, why can’t you be certain in your examination of the data?” Pa’cour asked once more.

“It’s not a Genetics Main Computer Core.” Nalavi answered. “As I said ... the Hadarians break up their computer core systems into several different fields of study. Most of their senior researchers and medical personnel have access to the other systems on a very regular basis, but they are almost never combined into one single Medical Core Database System. I dare say that there are perhaps only five or six of these unique Combined Core Systems anywhere within Union space. Hadarians Healers who even have the access to such a Combined Core System would be miniscule. Queen Anja most certainly would, she is without question, the foremost medical mind within the Union and probably most of the known universe. She alone developed the formula for the cloned blood that we all use as well as countless treatments for diseases and afflictions that were incurable before she came to the Union. She is much like her father and mother. Since she has been Queen, the population of the Union has become healthier and more fit. She thinks in a very unorthodox manner and this has allowed her to cure and eradicate three diseases common to the Folcani and the Algolians as I said. Diseases that they have been trying to cure for centuries. She is like a Norbolian Bore Mite. When she sinks her wolf teeth into something she will not let go.”

Yuri chuckled softly. “I would not refer to her as a Norbolian Bore Mite in her presence Nalavi.” She said. “She might take offense.”

“You know what I mean.” He said with a smile. “As for others, most definitely her sister Sivana. From what I understand she is becoming the foremost expert on Mutagenic Compound Mixture. I would guess her daughter Eliani as well. Again ... if my information is accurate and their Netnews Channels are to be believed, she has very quickly become the finest Trauma Care Healer within the Union ranks. The Hadarian Divine One certainly. Very few would have any access beyond that though I think. The Hadarians specifically and the Union as a whole frown heavily on genetic manipulation in a very dark way. If you are caught using any sort of genetic alterations in your research you are arrested and tried very quickly. You all know of course what happened to the three men who we had placed in Queen Isabella’s company two decades ago.”

Yuri nodded. “They were tried and executed within three days.” She said.

Nalavi leaned forward at the table. “Justice is nothing if not swift in the Union.”

“And final.” Pa’cour said.

“Don’t the Kavalians now have access to these same medical systems and computers Nalavi?” Lidene asked.

Nalavi shook his head. “Doubtful. All of the Combined Core Systems were under the strict control of the military and Hadarian Senior Science Division. The Union military removed however many they had on Hadaria when the Kavalians came, and the members of the Senior Hadarian Science Division were all staunch supporters of Anja and they destroyed the two they had on the planet before evacuating with almost their entire staff to Apo Prime and Earth.”

“How do you know all this Nalavi?” Yuri asked him surprised at the information he was offering to them.

Nalavi chuckled. “I’m a doctor Yuri. Physicians the universe over, no matter their species or gender, will share information from time to time. I have a few contacts within the Hadarian establishment. I’ve only spoken to one since the Kavalians took over, she was able to make it to Earth with about two dozen others, but I did maintain contact with many of them through the years. Discretely of course. I didn’t want to be executed as a traitor you know.”

“Couldn’t they build more of these combined systems Nalavi?” Pa’cour asked.

Nalavi shook his head. “The construction of those systems was limited to one company on Apo Prime. Unless that fanatical bitch Buonau has one hidden away somewhere, which I doubt, then the only remaining Combined Core Systems are in Union hands. As are all the MSGC Systems for obvious reasons. So, I am limited in how accurate I am, or how detailed I can be after examining the data.”

“Isn’t what they ... what you did for me the same thing grandfather?” Onera asked from her chair beside Nameia. “Genetic modification?”

Nalavi looked at her and shook his head. She had taken to calling him grandfather and while Nalavi had tried to discourage this at first, it rapidly grew on him and made him closer to Onera in many ways. Finally, he determined that if he could not see his own grandchildren, then he could dote over Onera. Yuri and Pa’cour saw no issue with it and they even encouraged it.

“We did not alter your genetic structure child.” He replied. “All we did is accelerate your birth so that you arrived before your mother’s womb could no longer provide for you. Using her talents with this Etheric ability that everyone is now calling it, she was able to shield your mind and basically allow it to grow at the same rate as your body. She fed you hers and your father’s knowledge and wisdom through your link so that it corresponded to the age of your body at the time. There was no genetic tampering done.” He turned back to Pa’cour. “That is why I cannot be fully certain. I am also a general physician and not a genetic researcher as I said Pa’cour. Even if I had the right equipment I would still say what I do now. I am reasonably certain of my findings, but not one hundred percent.”

“I trust yours and Lidene’s guesses more than most people’s facts Nalavi.” Yuri stated. “I still don’t understand how she was able to hide this from me.”

“Something tells me she hid this from quite a few people.” Nalavi said. “Now, the better question is, what do we do about it?”

Yuri looked at Lidene. “Lidene ... were you able to decrypt any other information from my mother’s files? Anything that could help us?”

Lidene shook his head. “Aside from several various locations used for research on the clone project ... nothing so far Princess. There are still quite a few data files I have yet to try and access ... but so far nothing. I can work around the decryption and eventually break it ... but it will take time.”

“We can leave Lidene to his decrypting Yuri...” Pa’cour spoke. “But we need to decide what to do about what we already know.”

“We do not even know if these clones are living father.” Onera said. “And if they are ... we have no way of knowing if they are actually in place. Do we?”

Pa’cour met his daughter’s eyes and shook his head slowly. “No, we do not.” He replied. “Nalavi?”

“Everything I have seen points to the fact that these clones are as perfect as they come.” He told them. “And when I say perfect, I mean perfect. An exact duplicate in every way. For all intents and purposes, as I told you earlier, they are Lycavorian.”

“How?” Yuri said.

Nalavi leaned back in his chair. “From what I have been able to determine from the data, it seems all of the experiments on Leonidas’s mother paid off in a large way. She is a pureblood and by all accounts her blood is nearly as pure as her son. That also speaks to the overall purity of Leonidas’s blood as well as his children. Your father and mother must have known all this to go to the lengths that they did in order to have her captured and then keep that clone of her in place for so long so that they could conduct their experiments. It was no small feat to keep transferring scent glands from the real Gorgo to the clone so that no one caught on. If your mother knew at all what your father was doing that is.”

Yuri snorted in a very unladylike fashion. “My mother knew.” She hissed softly. “She knew exactly what my father was doing all of the time. She probably is the one who gave him most of his directives.”

“Yes ... well, these clones were not fast grown Yuri. According to the data it took six years to fully grow them and another three to insure their mental capabilities were in accordance with what your mother wanted.” Nalavi said.

“And what did she want?” Yuri asked.

“For lack of a better description, these three clones are essentially identical twins to the real persons they were cloned from.” Nalavi said. “The memory engrams were painstakingly allowed to grow from the moment of conception according to the data. Depending on when the actual cells were taken from the host and then nurtured, these clones would have all of the same memories of the original host up until that point.”

“Like the clone of Anja on Hadaria?” Yuri asked.

Nalavi nodded his head. “I believe she was the last stage of successful early clones based on the information obtained from Leonidas’s mother. Remember ... the Kavalians had her for several years before actually using her on Hadaria. And the facility they took her from is listed as an active one among your mother’s files. At least it was until it was completely destroyed by that volcano going active.”

Yuri chortled in humor. “That was no volcano.” She said. “I would bet you anything that it was Martin Leonidas’s people. It would explain in part how they were able to successfully play that he was dead. I would hazard a guess and say they had a failed clone of him that my mother tried to make and kept for some vile reason. More than likely that is how it was so believable in the beginning.”

“Well ... after looking at the data we have unlocked, I think the clone of Anja was the final link if you will. The final successful piece in the link anyway. Once she was completed they moved on to the final stage. That was the three we see in the report.” Nalavi said. “I understand that this clone of Anja is now considered a sister by the Queen and her twin Sivana?”

Yuri nodded her head. “Yes.” She said. “That was all over their Netnews for a few days. It’s not surprising, the Lycavorians as a whole are far more accepting of unorthodox situations. And no matter her temper and harsh nature at times, Anja is very compassionate.” Yuri looked around the table. “If the data is accurate ... my mother would have had to place them within the last three years.”

Lidene nodded. “If she was able to place them at all.” He said. “Princess ... these names ... I realize I have no relevant knowledge in such things, but these are not men and women that are unknown. Even I know that.”

Yuri nodded her head. “And while this may not be your area of expertise Lidene, you bring a unique perspective to all of this. Just as Nalavi does. One not tainted by the knowledge that Pa’cour and I have used to make such decisions in the past. We must think and act quite differently now.”

“So, you believe she was able to place them Yuri?” Nalavi asked.

Yuri shook her head. “I don’t know.” She answered softly. “It appears there are many things that my mother was involved in and did not include me. She and Moran wanted to be sure Xaxon could brain fuck me and not be disturbed.”

“Mother!” Onera gasped out but with a huge smile on her face. She rarely heard her mother swear and it was incredibly humorous to listen to.

Yuri smiled at her and sat forward in her chair. That she could now joke about it in a sense told Yuri she had come full circle. It told her that this new life she was leading had given her Pa’cour and their daughter and all the healing she would need. She glanced at Pa’cour who only gazed at her with loving eyes while remaining silent. “My apologies.” She told them.

“Don’t apologize!” Nalavi spoke. “I thought it was funny as all hell.”

This broke the ice among them and even Nameia found she was laughing softly. The last few days had been very interesting indeed to say the least. She had certainly never expected to be so drawn to Yuri. They had hardly been apart when she was not with Pa’cour or her daughter, and they talked of many things that Nameia had been surprised about Yuri being willing to share with her. She found Yuri to be extremely intelligent and very passionate about helping her sister from behind the scenes. She was dedicated to trying to make amends for all the sins she had committed through the years while under Xaxon’s influence. Some of those same decisions Nameia knew, they were decisions that Yuri would have made regardless, but there were many decisions that went against her nature completely and this is what made her very unpredictable in the eyes of those who followed her. Unpredictable and very dangerous. Now however, now Yuri was committed to her daughter, to her husband and to seeing that the High Coven climbed out of the darkness her parents had driven it to. She loved her younger sister Nameia knew, and she would insure that her sister succeeded. Yuri also longed for the day that she could try to make amends with her daughters. Lucia and Carisia no doubt hated her to the extreme, but even this knowledge did not deter her from one day trying to show them that she had indeed altered the path of her life.

Yuri shook her head with a slight smile. “The essential point is that we don’t know for sure.” She said. “And that is something that we need to discover. Before I take this information to Martin Leonidas.”

“Whoa!” Nalavi declared as he leaned forward. “Take it to Martin Leonidas? Yuri my girl ... have you lost all your wits? Martin Leonidas would just as soon skin you as meet with you. What are you thinking?”

“Given the names that are on this list what do you suggest I do?” Yuri said. “If I give this information to Androcles what do you think will happen after what he has done for the High Coven? He takes after his mother in that he is as equally unforgiving as he is compassionate. This would be a betrayal of the highest order in his eyes, even though Narice knows nothing of it.”

Nalavi and Pa’cour nodded in agreement after a long moment. “On that we tend to agree.” Nalavi said grudgingly. “You think Martin Leonidas will react any different?”

Yuri nodded. “Yes.” She answered. “Especially if it comes directly from me. He is much more methodic in his thinking. Less prone to emotional outbursts and reactions.”

“Seems like what he did on Enurrua was quite emotional.” Nalavi said.

“That the King is not as connected to the High Coven as Androcles is would be a better way to explain it Nalavi.” Pa’cour said calmly. “His son has intertwined our fates. He has done so because he has faith in what our people want and desire. Martin Leonidas has no such belief or faith.”

“And that is good?” Lidene asked.

Yuri nodded. “Yes ... because he will look at what I show him objectively and not feel like we have betrayed him. Not to mention...” Yuri paused for a moment and looked at Lidene. “I believe only Martin will have the fortitude to do what might be needed.”

“You mean kill them?” Nalavi said.

Yuri nodded. “Yes.” She answered softly.

“Is he capable of this Yuri?” Nalavi asked. “I mean ... he... ?”

Yuri nodded her head. “Yes.” She said confidently. “He will not tolerate any perceived threat to the Union Nalavi. From within or without. He may weep while giving the order, but make no mistake, he would not hesitate to give that order. That is what has separated him from my mother and father as a leader. He will regret his decision, he will agonize over his decision, but he will make that decision in the end. And he will do what they failed to do so many times in the past. He will learn from that decision and such a threat would no longer be a viable option for his enemies to use going into the future.”

“You speak as if you admire him mother.” Onera spoke.

Yuri nodded. “Not admire ... not in the sense that you suspect. I respect him daughter.” She answered. “Something that I can freely admit now. I respect him for who he is and what he has done against all the odds. He continues what his grandfather and father began, and he does so in a way that leaves no doubt as to his goals or intent. He does not mince words and he will treat you with the same respect or the same contempt as you treat him. He does not wish to force his will on others, but if you try to force yours on him he will hit back. Harder and faster than you think he can. Do not in any way let the outward appearance of an overbearing brute that he projects fool you Onera. That is the furthest thing from the truth and many have felt the pain of their misconceptions through the years. Martin is perhaps the single most cunning and vicious man I have ever known. As well as the finest military tactician that lives today ... anywhere. And his son ranks right behind him.”

Pa’cour nodded his head. “Your mother speaks wisely Onera.” He said. “It has already been shown by his son that the High Coven and the Lycavorian Union were never meant to be enemies. You have seen the reports of the High Coven News channels about the events of those days.” He spoke to her. “Androcles Leonidas showed the people of the High Coven and those of Akruxian blood what could have been thousands of years ago had not Veldruk and Aikiro been in command. This world would be very different now had the course of events been allowed to proceed naturally.”

Yuri looked at her Immortal husband and smiled at his grasp of history and his keen intelligence on the situation. She felt a flush of desire course through her because of this and she quickly pushed it down. She would surrender to those feelings later.

“All of that is very nice.” Nalavi said. “It still does not explain why it needs to be you that presents this to him Yuri. The man simply does not like you.”

Yuri nodded. “And that is precisely why it needs to be me.” She stated. “After all that has happened, if it is me that brings this to him, he will know that it is truthful and accurate.”

“He could very well just kill you Princess.” Lidene said.

Yuri shook her head this time. “No. That is not something he will do.” She told them. “All of you must understand, Androcles is the conduit to his father and he to Androcles. They think so much alike it is truly frightening at times. Martin will not infringe upon what his son has done. He may not have agreed with it, he may not have done it himself, but it is done. He will not do something that makes either of us weaker now.”

“Are you so sure that includes your well being?” Nalavi asked.

Yuri nodded her head once more. “Yes.”

“How can you be certain?” Lidene asked.

“Androcles trusts me.” Yuri said confidently. “I saw it in his eyes before we left his ship. He looked into my soul that day, beyond all the darkness that Xaxon had created in me. He looked and he saw me. Why do you think he has not moved against us here my friends? If he did not agree with us or he thought we were in any way hindering what Narice is doing, do you honestly believe he would allow us to exist?”

“He would stamp us from the universe in the amount of time it would take him to blink.” Pa’cour echoed. “Yuri is right. The father will not go against the son, and the son will not go against the father. They are too much alike. That is why Martin Leonidas will believe what Yuri shows him.”

Nalavi shook his head. “I’m not even going to try and debate your reasoning behind that.” He said. “I think it is totally insane ... but insane has gotten us to this point I suppose.”

“Is that why you are sending me to them mother?” Onera asked.

Yuri looked at her. “Onera my child, I am not sending you to them. We talked of this. I cannot teach you what you need to learn Onera. I certainly do not want to send you away from me. From your father. I have ... I have failed at being a mother before and I swore when I held you in my arms those first minutes that I would not do so again.”

“Yuri that...” Pa’cour began to speak.

“Is the truth my Blessed Husband.” Yuri said looking at him with love in her dark eyes. “I will not deny it ... nor does it affect me now. I have moved past that my love.”

Onera couldn’t meet her eyes and she looked down at the table shyly. “I’m sorry mother. I should not have said that.”

“Do not be sorry daughter.” Yuri said quickly. “You are so very beautiful Onera. And very different. The skills within you need to be harnessed and controlled or you could very well hurt yourself as well as others. That is not something I could ever overcome should it happen. Androcles and his father, his brothers and those like them, they can give you the balance and guidance to allow you to control and focus your skill. You do not have their expertise or their capabilities, but they are the only ones who have the knowledge that will help you to use your abilities. Once you have learned from them all that you can, I will no longer worry for you or what could happen.”

Onera met her eyes and smiled at her mother. “I will make you and father proud of me.” She said.

“We are already proud of you.” Yuri told her. “And we love you even more.”

“That we do.” Pa’cour said.

“You are contacting him in a few hours yes?” Nalavi asked.

Yuri nodded. “Yes.” She answered. “I will tell him then that I need to speak directly with his father.”

“And if he demands to know what about?” Lidene asked.

“He won’t.” Yuri said. “In the meantime, I need Lidene to keep his people working on our projects but I need you to focus on my mother’s files Lidene. We need to discover if she was able to place these clones. And if not ... then we need to know where they are hiding or being kept.”

Nalavi looked at her. “Why?” He asked.

Yuri met his gaze. “If they exist and have not been placed within the Union then I intend to find them and destroy them Nalavi. They cannot be allowed to continue to survive and turn into a potential bomb between the Union and High Coven.”

“Is that really necessary Yuri?” Nalavi asked.

Yuri nodded slowly. “Yes. I’m afraid so. There is really no other option that I can see.”

“This is something that we need to make Narice aware of.” Pa’cour stated. “Perhaps not all of the details ... but she needs to know.”

Yuri nodded again. “I know. I do not think she will even entertain the thought of seeing me let alone believe me husband. Not yet.”

“I could go.” Pa’cour said.

Nalavi shook his head. “That is almost the same as Yuri herself going.” He stated. “You will not be believed and they will think we have done this and not Yuri’s mother.”

“I can go.” Nameia said softly from her chair.

Yuri’s eyes cut to her instantly. “Nameia?” She asked.

“I can go.” Nameia said again. “I would be the last person they would suspect as bringing a message from you Yuri.”

“Nameia ... I cannot ask that of you.” Yuri said shaking her head.

“I would like to help.” She spoke quickly. “And this is something I can do.”

“Why?” Yuri asked her.

Nameia smiled. “You saved my life. Helping you is the least I can do.” She said.

“You don’t owe us anything for doing that Nameia.” Pa’cour stated.

“Perhaps not ... but I feel I do.” Nameia told him. She turned her eyes back to Yuri. “I have nothing to return to and I want to help. Assisting you in what you are trying to do is an honorable goal I believe.”

Nalavi nodded her head. “She does have a point Yuri.” He said.

“Admiral Riall’s fleets will have begun rotating into and around Uzu Ozeib 7 space my wife.” Pa’cour told her. “By now there would be hundreds of elves going to and from the planet. My people can put her in contact with Cha’talla’s men guarding Narice. They can get her in safely to see her.”

Yuri looked at Nameia. “Nameia are you certain?”

Nameia nodded her head quickly. “I have never seen your homeworld. And after being here among you I do not fear being among Immortals any longer.”

Yuri looked at her husband. “How soon can you get her in husband?” She asked.

Pa’cour shrugged his shoulders. “I can set it up within two days. Narice is returning from Earth in three days. The day after she gets back it can be arranged.”

Yuri nodded finally. She really did not want to put Nameia in harm’s way, it felt wrong somehow, but then no Kavalian ship would ever penetrate the combined Coven and Union defensive ring of her homeworld now. Riall and Pontal had secured Uzu Ozeib 7 nearly as well as Apo Prime and slowly but surely, they were doing the same to all the systems they had secured in the initial counterattack several weeks ago. Yuri looked at Nameia and saw her light blue eyes watching her carefully. She shuddered inwardly at the gaze of those eyes and nodded her head slowly. “Thank you Nameia.” She said softly.

“I owe my life and my sanity to you.” Nameia said softly, her eyes never leaving Yuri’s dark orbs. “It is the least I can do.”

Yuri looked at her husband. “We must find body armor that fits her from the stores here on the station husband. It must fit perfectly. And a sidearm that our Weapon’s Master can adjust and balance for her.”

Pa’cour nodded. “I will see to it.”

“Nalavi ... I will need you to put together a detailed report that will explain to Narice what is happening and what we are doing. Leaving out the names of the clones of course. She and Androcles are close now thanks to her marriage to Arrarn Leonidas and she would not keep that information from him if she knew.”

Nalavi nodded. “I can have it ready in a day. Very watered down so to speak.”

Yuri looked at Lidene. “Lidene ... you will continue with my mother’s files and once I speak to Androcles I will come to your lab and assist you as much as I can. We must decrypt as many of those files as we are able and do so quickly. We can not allow this to spiral out of our control.” She looked lastly at her daughter. “Onera ... you must prepare yourself to leave.”

“You seem so sure that he will accept me mother.” Onera said.

Yuri nodded. “However, it came to be, I have passed this Pralor gene to you Onera. It is in a dormant state within us, but even dormant it apparently allows us to do what we can. If he will allow it I will be tested when we meet with him just to be sure. It is the reason that Xaxon tried to control me, and why my mother allowed him to do it. It has to be.” She said. “When it is then combined with the dominant traits in your father’s blood child, you are far more than you know. The only way to insure you can master what this gene can allow you to do, even in its dormant state, is to learn how to master it from those who have it in an active state. If you have this gene as I believe, he will not turn you away. And you must go into this with an open mind Onera. No arrogance in what skills you already have daughter.”

“Your mother is correct again daughter. Androcles Leonidas is well known among his people for having an even fouler disposition towards those who think they are more than they are.” Pa’cour echoed Yuri’s words. “You are as deadly as any I have ever trained daughter, but you are still young and among Androcles and those like him, you will be but a child when it comes to skills. Take what they can teach you, master it, and always respect them. For they will respect you.”