Chapter 49: Lentani

ROTHRYN HOMEWORLD

CAPITAL OF LLON

SEPTEMBER 3^RD, 2575, 1100 HOURS

He had never been to the Praetor’s home in the nearly eight hundred years Dyack had held the position. The differences between the two men were too great. They had once been very good friends, but their ideology was different, and this eventually caused them to drift apart in words and actions. Dyack had many powerful friends who thought like he did, far more than he was able to muster against him. A new mindset had begun to creep into Rothryn society over the course of the last two to three hundred years and while he did not disapprove of this mentality, he was of the mind that things needed to move slower. He was a powerful man and exceptionally intelligent, but he was also very practical. He had done many things in the past that he had come to regret, but these were things that he had tried to make right through the years and they were mistakes that he learned from and never committed again. He did not hold a position of power within the government, he detested politics to the extreme, but he loved his people and what they had accomplished. His six foot two frame was solid and muscular and his dark brown hair was just beginning to gray on the edges, signifying his distinguished age of nearly five thousand two hundred years.

Dyack’s home was elegant, yet modest. He knew the man from decades ago when they were close friends and he knew that Dyack hated any kind of pomp. There were half a dozen Security personnel outside the main entrance as his Lifter car stopped and he began to get out. He waited while one of those Security officers came up to his vehicle.

“Lord Barnak.” He spoke.

“I do not like being summoned in the middle of the night.” Barnak spat. “I am not one of the Praetor’s lackeys!”

The security officer didn’t blink or show any emotion and he simply motioned with his hand to the entrance. “The Praetor waits for you in his office sir.” He spoke. “Please follow the Lieutenant.”

Barnak huffed in discord as he began marching towards the entrance and the Rothryn Lieutenant fell in just in front of him. Barnak did not know what to expect to be honest, only that two of Dyack’s personal guard appeared at his home and told him that the Praetor requested his presence. They had also told him this was not a request that was to be denied. Barnak had never know Dyack to be pushy towards others and this alone was a surprise. Over the last few months Barnak had been gathering information of Dyack’s supposedly secret dealings with the Eridiani OSG. He was very close to discovering what it is that Dyack was trying to accomplish by working with the OSG criminals, and he was going to use what influence he had to bring this information to light and call for an emergency election to replace him. The OSG were nothing more than slavers and scum as far as Barnak was concerned, and the Praetor of the Rothryn people should not have any dealings with them in the least.

As they entered the large home the first thing Barnak noted was the lack of security inside. The six security officers outside were a common fixture and had been for decades, but there were none within the home itself that he could see. As Barnak suspected, the interior was stylishly decorated but there were no extravagant items to be seen anywhere. Dyack was not one for pomp he saw, unlike what some of their news reporters suggested because he refused to allow them into his home. Barnak respected this for he was comparable when it came to his home. It was not for others to see, and while comfortably furnished, Barnak detested opulence in every form and his home was very similar in nature to what he was standing in now. While it did not appear so from outside, the activity within the home was very high given the hour at which it was right now. He glanced up and looked along the balcony that circled the main greeting hall and now he saw both military officers and security forces moving along the walkway. None were watching or making note of his arrival which told Barnak that something else was going on. The lieutenant led him down a side corridor lined with holo images of past events within Rothryn society. Most of them were of great historical importance to the Rothryn people and Barnak was surprised they were displayed so prominently along the walls. They passed through a large set of double doors and into an office area that was massive to say the least.

Dyack’s desk was situated on the far side of the room near a set of double glass doors that exited onto a patio of sorts. Along one entire wall was a library of written books and countless scrolls and data pads, some of which looked to be thousands of years old. The center of the room was taken up by a blazing fireplace built into the floor and surrounded by couches and chairs. The opposite side of the office room held a huge chart table where he saw four men he did not recognize discussing something and motioning to the images on the chart table. They ignored him after quick glances in his direction and then Barnak saw Dyack rise from the plush couch where he sat with Aleatia and his son Kelelm. His son Anroth was not present though Barnak didn’t question this. Anroth, like his own oldest son Denld, was reckless and more prone to violence in order to get what they wanted. Anroth and his son were very close and Barnak had spent many hours attempting to keep them out of trouble or trying to repair their mistakes. They were not the brightest of individuals and their actions usually resulted in more harm than good.

Barnak moved right up to the center of the room where Dyack moved around the second of three couches and looked at the Lieutenant. “That will be all Niac. Inform Major Tanif that we are not to be disturbed now.”

The Lieutenant nodded his head. “As you order Praetor.” He spoke before turning and heading back the way he had come.

Dyack looked at Barnak. “Thank you for coming. And welcome to my home.” He spoke calmly and evenly.

“I was not given much choice!” Barnak barked angrily. “I am not some person off the street that you can just summon on a whim Dyack! Why am I here? Give me an answer before I turn and leave your home!”

Dyack met his angry gaze. “You are welcome to leave.” He answered him. “In which case I will assume your guilt and have my men execute you before you make it to the front door.”

Barnak looked at him with wide eyes. “Guilt?” He exclaimed. “What are you talking about? I am guilty of nothing! What is this all about? It is you who are guilty Dyack! Of far more than normal people know! You conspire with known criminals and savages! You dare accuse me of such things when your own hands are covered in the blood of hundreds of Vanari and you are tainted by actions our people consider to be vile! The OSG and their cohorts are a stain of corruption and crime, yet you work with them casually!”

Dyack smiled slightly. “I see you have been talking to my son Anroth.” He stated.

“Your son told me of your secret dealings with the OSG!” Barnak spat. “Did you think this would not be discovered?”

“Anroth did exactly as I knew he would.” Dyack spoke. “I allowed him to overhear what he did Barnak, I allowed this because I knew he would bring it to you and you would try to use this information to attack me. It was part of my plan.”

Barnak blinked in surprise. “Plan?” He snapped. “What plan? What foolishness do you speak now? Once I reveal this information to the Rothryn Council they will call for your head! They will absolve your leadership and elect a new Praetor!”

Dyack nodded his head. “And I’m quite sure there are many on the Council who would jump at this chance! Including you.”

“I have no desire whatsoever to be Praetor but many of your policies have catapulted our people into the unknown!” Barnak snapped. “We are moving too fast and dismissing too many of our values for the sake of advancement! This is wrong Dyack and you know it!”

Dyack turned and looked at Aleatia for a long moment and then he turned back to look at Barnak. “In many cases you are right.” He stated calmly.

Barnak’s eyes grew wide at this admission and he stammered, unable to form a response for a few seconds. He shook his head quickly. “What trickery is this?” He demanded.

Dyack turned and retrieved the data pad that Aleatia held out to him. He looked at it briefly and then held it out to Barnak. “Many events have happened in the recent past that have altered my outlook on things Barnak. Things that you can’t begin to imagine. We were friends once Barnak, and it is because of that friendship that I brought you here now. I wish to know if you had anything to do with this...” Barnak snatched the data pad from his hand.

“What is this?” He spat.

“Your response to this...” Dyack told him. “It will determine whether you live through this night or not.”

“You dare threaten me!” Barnak barked.

“They tried to take my daughter!” Dyack roared as he stepped right up to Barnak and placed his face only inches from the man. The extreme emotion and anger swelling within him caused his wolf fangs to extend instantly, something that Dyack had not allowed in more centuries than he could remember. “Sehri! The youngest of my children! They tried to kidnap my daughter to murder and conduct their foul tests on! Tell me you were not part of this! Tell me you had no knowledge of this Barnak! For if you did I will take your life from you one limb at a time!”

Aleatia got quickly to her feet and moved up beside him taking his arm. “Dyack my love...” She gasped as she pulled gently on his arm.

Barnak’s eyes were equally as wide as the first taste of fear he had felt in decades filled his mouth and senses. He glanced down at the data pad and began to read, a sick feeling of dread filling his gut. His eyes grew even wider as he read, the scope of such an act hitting home for he had three daughters as well, two of whom he had been hiding for they too had begun to show much more talent within the Etheric realm than the Rothryn Science Academy allowed. The more he read, the more nauseated he became and the angrier he became. Everything he had been fighting for all of these years, all that Dyack had been fighting for these years, it suddenly dawned on Barnak that they had been enemies when they should have been friends. He looked up into Dyack’s face, his eyes changed and his fangs still extended, the anger surging through him a palpable thing in the air now.

“Dyack, as we were once friends, I swear to you on the life of my youngest daughters who are like Sehri, I had no idea of this!” Barnak finally spoke.

Aleatia’s eyes grew wide and she moved closer to him. “Chai and Ueri?” She gasped. “They have developed the same skills as Sehri?”

Barnak nodded his head, his heart and soul telling him that they were at a crossroads as a people now and what was needed at this time more than anything was truth and unity. “They began to show signs six years ago.” He answered. “I have been hiding them ever since. They are only a few years younger than Sehri and I...” He looked at Dyack. “On my own life Dyack, I had no part in this! No knowledge of this!”

“You allowed your son to torture Protectorate prisoners Barnak.” Dyack spoke. “They died because of this.”

“Denld did that on his own!” Barnak snapped softly. “I gave no such orders! I am not a monster! They were injured from their crash and I only wanted to give them treatment in order to question them about their skills. Denld tortured them without my knowledge! I had no choice but to declare they had died in the crash! I was ... I was only trying to protect our people by those actions. If the Protectorate had known what my son did they would have called for justice and whatever opportunity we as Rothryn may have had to learn of such things would have been lost forever! We have disagreed on how to bring our people into the future Dyack, I will freely admit this to you, but I have never, I would never sanction such actions! Against anyone!”

Dyack had calmed down somewhat for he had detected no lie coming from Barnak in his scent. Ever since Denali Leonidas had first come to Austrova and Dyack realized what he was, he had been working hard on relearning the skills their people had let fall to the side through the many centuries. This time also made Dyack come to realize that he too had been wrong.

“I should have listened to you old friend.” Dyack spoke softly.

Barnak gazed at him with wide eyes. “What?”

“I should have listened to you. I have ... I have pushed for change that our people were not ready for.” Dyack answered.

“Dyack, I am not against change!” Barnak declared. “It is a natural way of life and I embrace that, but you were...”

“Pushing us too fast and too soon.” Dyack finished the statement for him. “I have come to realize that Barnak. Much has happened in these last few months that you do not know and it has made me realize that I was wrong on many counts.”

“You have made us stronger as a people as well Dyack.” Barnak spoke. “I would be a fool to not acknowledge that.”

“But my actions have allowed the Science Academy to become much more powerful than I ever envisioned them to be. More powerful than they should be allowed. I allowed them to have that power and now they have twisted it to something evil that they use for their own corrupt purposes. Our people fear those monsters now when they should be looking to them for wisdom. How many of our people’s children have disappeared inside those walls to never be heard from again? Their deaths are on my hands.” Dyack spoke evenly.

Barnak shook his head. “No. Their deaths are on the heads of those monsters who walk the halls of power there!” He hissed. “You don’t think I see what they have become? Why do you think I hide my own daughters just as you and Aleatia have hidden Sehri from them for so long?”

Dyack stepped closer to him now, his eyes back to normal and his wolf fangs no longer exposed. “You know that Sehri has become the wife of Androcles Leonidas. The Crown Prince of the Lycavorian Union.” He said.

Barnak nodded his head slowly. “It has been the talk of the planet for days.” He said. “Many sons among the powerful families were not happy. They had hoped to court Sehri and take her as their mate. There have been calls for you to absolve this joining, you must know that.”

Dyack nodded his head. “I do.” He answered. “That is something that will never happen however. Barnak, my daughter Sehri, she can now shift her form.” Dyack spoke softly revealing something that only a handful of Rothryn now knew.

“What do you mean?” Barnak asked.

“She can become wolf, just as our people were able to do over a hundred thousand years ago. Androcles has given this gift back to her.” Dyack replied.

Barnak’s dark eyes went even wider at this information and he felt his heart leap into his throat. “You ... you are serious?” He gasped.

Aleatia nodded her head from beside Dyack. “Andro bit her Barnak. During their initial lovemaking when he claimed her after her fever had passed, he bit her. It is an ancient custom among the Lycavorians from the Alpha Quadrant. A custom that dates back to when our people were all together on the same world. It signifies to all that Sehri is mated and no male will approach her while she carries the scent of Androcles in her blood and scent. No male will ever do this to a mated female within the Union. It is considered a crime of the highest magnitude.”

“I don’t understand.” Barnak said.

“When Androcles bit her, he transferred part of his DNA to Sehri inside the virus within all of our bodies.” Aleatia replied softly. “He returned to her body the part of our DNA that the Ancients removed. The ability to shift our forms. She is beautiful in wolf form Barnak.”

Barnak looked away as he tried to absorb this information. This was not something that had ever crossed his mind, so concerned with gathering as much information on Etheric abilities as he could to push back against the Science Academy. “By the Gods Dyack, I never imagined that this could be so. Not even once.” He turned back to Dyack quickly. “The Lycavorians in the Protectorate could have done this?”

Dyack nodded his head. “Yes, but we pushed them away. We knew we were like them, but because we could not shift our forms we pushed them away. I am guilty of it as was my father before me. As are you.”

Barnak met his eyes. “The Ancients had no right to do that Dyack!” Barnak groused. “No right to change us to suit their purposes no matter the reason! Why do you think I have been trying to discover as much as I could about our Etheric abilities? To one day be able to stand against the Science Academy and free our people from their grip!”

Dyack nodded his head with a small smile. “I know you have.” He answered. “I had my ... I had my people break into your server and I have read many of your notes through the years.” He saw Barnak’s eyes go wide in disbelief. “It is why I am coming to you now old friend. And you would be very surprised to discover just who shares that very sentiment Barnak.” He stated.

Barnak did not care about his privacy any longer. If what Dyack was freely telling him was true there was so much more to be concerned about in the future. “Dyack we must explore this!” Barnak gasped. “We must discover more about this! If Sehri can now shift her form, think of what it could mean to our people!”

Dyack nodded his head. “And we will explore it and discover all there is to know.” He answered immediately. “The Lycavorian Union has men and women who make our doctors and scientists look like children in comparison Barnak. They are our brothers and sisters no matter where they come from. Androcles’ own sister Eliani, she is a Hadarian Healer, she has told Aleatia it would be a simple matter to make it so all Rothryn could have this skill given back to them.”

“Simple?” Barnak gasped.

Aleatia smiled. “You have not met Androcles’ sister.” She stated. “I do not think the word failure is even in their vocabulary.”

“Help me Barnak.” Dyack spoke now stepping even closer to him. “Help me to lead our people into the future.”

Barnak looked at him. “Dyack we do not...”

Dyack shook his head. “We do not agree on very much, I know.” He stated. “I dismissed this before but now I believe it is time I embraced it. The Union, the former Protectorate, even the Vanari; change is coming my old friend. Whether we want it to or not. Now I need someone who can help me to navigate that change for our people.”

“As what?” Barnak spoke. “An aide? An Advisor? I am none of these things Dyack! I am...”

“As Deputy Praetor.” Dyack spoke evenly.

Barnak looked at him in stunned shock. “Dyack, there has not been a Deputy Praetor since before your father! The Council voted to remove that position!”

Dyack nodded his head. “They did. One of the old ways that I now see we should have clung to. I am reinstating the position and I want you to take it. The Council will not fight me on it, not after what will take place soon. You and I, we have worked different paths of the same goal Barnak, but both of us with the future of our people in the forefront. I think in one way, you think in another. I think it is time we joined those divergent paths and take them into the future together.”

Barnak looked at him for a long moment. He could see the truth of what Dyack spoke in his eyes. “You are serious?” He finally asked unable to think of anything else.

“The paperwork issuing the order is already done.” Dyack spoke. “We can swear you in tonight if you like. I am not afraid to admit that I need help. I need a counter balance to me. You are that man.”

“What of your dealings with the OSG?” Barnak asked tentatively. “This knowledge has gotten around to many of the Council members but they are just too cowardly to question you on it.”

“That was a diversion in order to help Denali and Coren discover just how deep the corruption with the Vanari Board of Regents went.” Dyack answered. “I can give you all the particulars, tell you all of it, but I need you to agree first. I do not want someone to agree with me on everything Barnak, I want someone who will tell me something is a bad idea and not mince words. And then help me to find another solution. I can do it alone, but I would much rather have you at my side.”

Barnak was not a foolish man and he was a patriot to the core. He could detect the truth in Dyack’s words and he did not doubt them. Dyack may have been many things but he was also a patriot to the core and would do anything for his people. The two of them together could accomplish far more than either of them separately.

Barnak held out his hand after all of two seconds. “And you will have me.” He stated confidently.

Aleatia had been the one to convince him that this was the right course of action going forward. Barnak was just like Dyack but he was also different. He would bring a perspective that others would not. He could be a powerful ally and once more a treasured friend. Dyack reached out and grasped his forearm tightly, ushering in a new era and way of doing things for the Rothryn people.

“That pleases me more than you know.” Dyack spoke warmly as he smiled. “We let ... I let our friendship falter because of our differences. I will not make the same mistake again.”

“There is blame enough for both of us my friend.” Barnak spoke honestly. “I say we leave it where it belongs and move forward.”

Dyack nodded his head. “Indeed.”

“We must deal with the Rothryn Science Academy Dyack.” Barnak spoke as Dyack pulled him closer to the couches. “They cannot be allowed to persecute our people any longer. It must stop! And it must stop tonight!”

“I have already signed an Executive Decree abolishing the Science Academy.” Dyack spoke holding out the data pad to him. “It is my hope you will place your name beside my own in unity of this action.”

Barnak didn’t hesitate and jammed his thumb down on the pad, putting his name, his influence and all of his power beside Dyack’s. He looked at him. “How will we do this?” He asked. “The Science Academy has grown powerful Dyack. Too powerful. They will not simply lay over while we tear them down.”

Dyack smiled at this and squeezed Barnak’s arm. “Perhaps my friend, but they made a very powerful enemy with their actions concerning Sehri. After tonight they will not make this mistake with your daughters, or anyone among our people ever again.”

“How do you know this?” Barnak asked him. “Even our combined influence will not be enough to overcome whatever horrors they have within their walls. They have their own army who have become drunk with their power and will not give up so easily. We would need to launch a full assault against their facility and many lives would be lost. How... ?”

“You let me worry about them.” The deep voice spoke from the side.

Barnak’s head snapped to the left and he stumbled back as his eyes grew wide watching as the shadows unwrapped from around the tall, muscular young man and the dark haired young woman.

“By the Gods!” Barnak almost shouted.

“Barnak, allow me to introduce the Crown Prince of the Lycavorian Union, Androcles Leonidas and one of his wives and mates, Crown Princess Carisia Leonidas.” Dyack said as the shadows fully drifted away revealing Andro and Carisia standing there holding hands. Both of them wore their ArmorPly uniforms and weapons.

Andro leaned over and kissed Carisia gently, her hand coming up to caress his cheek before he stepped away from her and moved up to stand in front of Barnak. At six foot one, Andro was slightly taller than Barnak and considerably more muscled and defined. Barnak took notice of how bright his azure blue eyes were.

“The Rothryn Science Academy conspired with the OSG and other criminal elements to kidnap my wife and mate Sehri Leonidas.” Androcles stated calmly. “Based on the information we received from those who were to carry out this abduction, I know full well what their many intentions were going to be. They were going to ... they were going to experiment on her and eventually kill her so that they could dissect here.” Andro held out his hand to Barnak. “Tonight I will show them just how Spartans of the Lycavorian Union deal with such things. They will not be happy to say the least. Nor will any of them live through this night.”

SPARTA’S WRATH

ORBITING LENTANI UNDER SHROUD

SEPTEMBER 3^RD, 2575, 1730 HOURS

“ ... No one can see us?” Barnak asked the question to no one in particular as he stood beside Dyack on the bridge of SPARTA’S WRATH.

Dyack shook his head with a smile. “Amazing isn’t it?” He spoke. “Our sensor arrays are not sophisticated enough to detect this ship or the roughly three hundred others that are now in the area.”

Barnak looked at him with wide eyes. “Three hundred!” He gasped.

-Three hundred and nineteen to be exact- The somewhat mechanical voice spoke from behind them and Barnak whirled around quickly to see the towering seven foot tall Avatar occupying the area directly behind them. –Another forty-three of our ships are finishing their missions in securing the Vanari prisoners that we liberated. They will join with us when we depart-

Dyack smiled again at the look on Barnak’s weathered face as he stared at the Avatar in total wonderment. He had much the same reaction upon first seeing Armen, but he quickly grew accustomed to him. He may have been the most advanced machine Dyack had ever seen before in his life, but he had many qualities that were very Lycavorian in nature. Aleatia had told him that Armen was one of the Avatars that the Ancients, those they now knew were called Pralors, had used on their ships and that many of them took on the mannerisms of those they were meant to emulate. In Armen’s case, it was Androcles.

“Armen commands this ship Barnak.” Dyack said. “Armen, may I present Deputy Praetor Barnak.”

Armen bowed his head slightly. –Androcles told me you would be coming aboard-

Barnak looked at Dyack. “A machine commands this great ship?” He asked shocked.

Dyack nodded his head once more. “Armen is far more than just a machine Barnak. For all intents and purposes he is this ship as its Avatar. He could run this ship by himself with ease.”

-Ship functions operate at two point three percent better with my crew Praetor Dyack- Armen answered him. –I am more efficient with them-

Dyack was the one to look surprised now. “I didn’t know that.” He stated.

-With only two operational Avatars among the Union fleet this information is not widely known- Armen told him. –As we advance and grow this will undoubtedly change for the better as more Avatars are introduced-

“You are building more of you?” Dyack asked.

Armen shook his head. –Based on information provided to us by Androcles’ father, we have determined that twenty-nine percent of the Avatars among the Pralor people within the Echo quadrant are not in use. It is our hope that we can change that-

Barnak looked at him. “The Echo quadrant?” He stammered. “Dyack, they have ships and people in the Echo quadrant? It would take us decades to reach the Echo quadrant with our engines.”

-Thirty-nine point six years to be exact- Armen told him. He shrugged his massive shoulders. –Give or take a month or so-

“By the Gods.” Barnak muttered. He looked at Dyack. “Dyack, what we could do with such technology is...”

Dyack nodded his head. “Yes, it is boundless. I believe that you and I are of the same mind however, and that whatever we discover must be integrated into our society slowly. There is much out there among the stars that we do not yet understand. The Lycavorians from the Union have been exploring the stars for far longer than us my friend. I have made the mistake of moving us too fast into the future already. You are to be the counter balance to that.”

Barnak nodded his head. “You are correct but ... will they share what they know Dyack?” Barnak asked.

“You may call yourselves Rothryn...” The female voice came from behind them and they all turned to see Gorgo and Dasha move onto the bridge with graceful movements. “But you are still Lycavorian.”

Dyack smiled and motioned with his hand towards them. “Barnak, this is Lady Gorgo and Lady Dasha. They are Androcles’ grandmothers.”

Barnak bowed his head slightly to them. He did not agree with women being put in harm’s way when they were the bearers of whatever future their people had but he was also intelligent enough to know that this was changing even among Rothryn society.

“I am honored.” Barnak spoke. “You are mothers to the King And Queen Aricia. I have heard you spoken about on our News channels.”

Dasha waved her hand dismissively. “We are the ones who should be honored.” She spoke. “To meet you and your people, fellow Lycavorians, out here among the stars is a gift.”

“Indeed.” Gorgo agreed.

“We are Rothryn.” Barnak spoke looking at them. “We are not truly Lycavorian.”

Gorgo reached out and took his hand. “You are Rothryn, yes. You are still Lycavorian no matter that you cannot shift your physical forms sir. You call yourselves Rothryn and we will honor that, you should honor that, but we all can trace our heritage back to Lycavore, no matter what we call ourselves now.”