Chapter 60: Cols Fast Attack Frigate

MOON RUNNER

“Are you certain keto?” The image of the exquisitely exotic looking female gazed at Lazar from the monitor on his desk.

Lazar smiled at his mother’s question. If anything, since the attempt by his father Osrod on her life and the life of her Alpha mate all those years ago, she had become even more careful and security conscious than him in many respects. Lazar knew that his father had always hated the fact that after only ten years, he had to release his mother as his mate and give her back to her pack in order to keep the peace. Loras Athltin had been promised to another Alpha in the Ranev Mountain Pack when she came of age, a pact of honor that was held with the highest regard among the many Mountain Packs. The Athltin and Ranev packs were among the five largest of the introverted Mountain Packs and the only way for Osrod to keep a civil war against him from breaking out was to release her as his mate after only a decade. He may have been King, but even he had to follow long held traditions and culture or risk losing everything.

His mother Loras Athltin had returned to her pack and quickly became the mate of the Alpha who she had originally been promised to as a small girl. The Ranev Pack was one of the largest Mountain Packs and second in influence only to her father’s Athltin Pack. His mother had been overjoyed when the change came and Warim Ranev had taken her as his mate without doubt even though his father had taken her first. This did not matter to Warim Ranev, only that Loras was now his and would remain his for eternity. This arranged pairing had suited Loras just fine, for Warim had courted her in the time before her Coming of Age and they had gotten to know each other well. She had not been happy when Osrod had stepped in and claimed her for his own, but to save face and keep her pack safe, she had endured the decade of Osrod pawing and slobbering over her body. She had even given Osrod a son in Lazar, but Osrod had no idea where his son’s true loyalties lie.

Warim had continued the Mountain Pack’s tradition of allowing far more freedoms to female wolves than most packs in COLS after Loras had become his mate. The Mountain Pack females were treated much better as a whole and some had even risen to levels of importance that other Lycavorian females in the Coalition could only dream about. His mother Loras was such a female. He knew being the only mate to the Alpha of a Pack was what initially gave her this influence, but his mother quickly began to assert herself and make a following all her own. Warim had only encouraged her to do what she was doing and this made Loras love him even more. She had given him four strong children in the ensuing two plus centuries, three boys and a girl, and Lazar adored all of his half brothers and sisters and all of them looked up to him. Osrod was not aware of how often he talked to or even saw his mother, thinking that Lazar did not care for her in the least. He could not have been any more wrong. It was Warim who had secretly adopted Lazar more than a century ago, and it was Warim who had been more a father to him than his own, earning Lazar’s trust and loyalty to him and to the Ranev pack.

The assassination attempt on Warim and his mother a century ago had been well planned and thought out, made to look like an accident as it was, but it succeeded only in killing Warim. His mother had been seriously wounded but she survived and now the Ranev Pack leadership resided solely with his mother. Unknown to his mother, Warim had left instructions that Loras was to assume leadership should anything happen to him, and every Alpha within the pack agreed and pledged their loyalty to her when she had recovered. Since it was made to look like an accident, no retaliation could be taken against the King, and without hard evidence, no one could openly accuse him of ordering the assassination. Against the wishes of many senior pack members Loras had watched from a distance with six elder Alphas from the pack protecting her, as Osrod had gone to Warim’s Celebration Pyre acting as King of the Coalition. The Mountain Packs had to tolerate this blatant disrespect for they could not prove that Osrod had ordered the assassination, but in typical stoic Mountain Pack manner, no one spoke a word of discontent. It served his mother’s interests that Osrod thought her dead and he dealt mainly with the man who Osrod thought had assumed the role of Alpha after Warim had been killed. If only he knew how things really were and that Alpha answered only to his mother and was utterly devoted to her and the Ranev pack.

His mother had been the Alpha and Matriarch to the Ranev Pack for over eighty years now, and behind the scenes it was she who was the driving force behind the Mountain Packs continued rise and defiance of his father’s rule. With her own father and the Athltin Pack solidly behind her, not to mention the eight largest Mountain Packs, his mother had held them together and seen them grow and prosper over the last eighty-seven years. Now, some thirty-four Packs from across the planet’s many mountain ranges followed his mother without question. She was not someone you wanted to anger or trifle with, as she had taken out more than one Mountain Alpha who thought to usurp her role in those eighty plus years. His mother was not a very large woman, but she was definitely not one who you wanted to piss off, and when in wolf form she was nearly twice the size of most female wolves and could be devastating.

Lazar received his exotic and handsome good looks from his mother’s genes and this was obvious to any who saw him. Loras had long, shiny raven blue/black hair and intelligent dark brown eyes. Like him, her skin was deeply tanned to almost a burnt umber color which only enhanced her exotic appearance. He knew that many Alphas had approached her in the years following Warim’s death but she had rebuked them all. He did not know if it was because she still mourned for him or if she was waiting for something else to happen. Perhaps she just did not want to open her heart to another as she did Warim.

Lazar nodded his head in answer to her question. They had not spoken for several weeks, but this was information that he could not let slide by and advise her of when he returned to COLS space.

“I am certain medwaw.” He replied. “Nasso may be a brute but he is no fool. And Gomar is one of the finest sensor operators and engineers that we have within the Fleet.”

Loras nodded her head. “I have heard both their names in the past. Both are completely loyal to your father keto.”

Lazar lifted his hand and waved it back and forth. “More Nasso than Gomar mother.” He told her. “Gomar is dedicated to COLS as a whole, more so than directly to my father.”

“And they were certain it was not the Tri-Alliance?” Loras asked him.

Lazar nodded once more. “Gomar was certain medwaw. We have not had any contact with the Tri-Alliance in over a decade and the sensor net we built to detect their ships has only been online for six months. We detected one of their smaller transports a few days ago and Nasso decided to pursue it. That ship led us to these new Lycavorians. All Gomar had on their sensors at first was the one massive ship they thought was a transport. It turns out that the ship was in fact a colossal warship and it was powered by what Gomar described as some form of Quantum Power Matrix.” Lazar picked up the mug of strong coffee and sipped, holding back his grimace, and then he continued. “Nasso was his usual brutish self and he tried to intimidate the commander of this ship. The Commander of this ship, he referred to himself as a Crown Prince Medwaw. Apparently there is another Lycavorian King out there somewhere and Nasso tried to pick a fight with his son.”

“More unknown Lycavorians.” Loras said thoughtfully. “You have read our history keto. For millennia we have grown and prospered thinking we were the only Lycavorians in the universe. Now, in the space of roughly ten thousand years, twice we have come across others of our kind whose technology is far superior to our own.”

“I would not give father too much credit mother.’ Lazar spoke.

Loras looked at him. “His methods are vile, and he only does what he does to gain more power, but you cannot deny that our people have grown and prospered under his rule. As we did under his father’s rule.”

“You sound like you admire him medwaw?” Lazar told her. “Tell me this is not true.” Lazar spoke.

Loras snorted loudly in an unladylike fashion. “In order to remove his nor from his body when given the opportunity.” She stated harshly. “But I am also not so foolish as to dismiss what he has done as King. And neither should you.”

Lazar nodded his head. “You are right mother.”

“What else keto?” She asked.

Lazar nodded. “After Nasso’s threats, that is when this Crown Prince revealed their other ships. Over three hundred of them, and all of them with Stealth technology that far exceeds our own. This Crown Prince threatened to blow Nasso and his other ships into the dark ages, and told him it would take a millennium to find the pieces of his nio mida.” He watched his mother laugh softly at this.

“I like them already.” Loras said with a smile.

“The Tri-Alliance transport boarded the large ship.” Lazar told her. “This Crown Prince called the grandchildren of the Yowa Medwaw his family.”

Loras met his eyes. “Family?” She questioned. “Are you sure?”

Lazar nodded his head. “Yes. Why?”

“More Lycavorians?” Loras spoke softly. “With technology similar to the Tri-Alliance? They were Alphas keto?”

Lazar nodded his head. “Nasso was certain at least this boy Prince was an Alpha. This stands to reason because the Yowa Medwaw is an Alpha mother. If they are related as Nasso said. He said his name is Androcles Leonidas. An odd name for a Lycavorian mother, don’t you think?”

Loras leaned forward now her eyes growing a little wider. “Androcles you say?” Loras asked him looking at him intently.

Lazar nodded. “That is what Nasso and Gomar say he called himself, yes. Do you know this name somehow?”

Loras shook her head. “No.” She answered quickly making sure that her son did not detect her tone of voice or heightened tension. “What did your father do?” Loras asked.

“Naturally, his first thought was for what power he could acquire and expand if he gained control of these ships and other Lycavorians.” Lazar answered.

Loras shook her head. “And that will be his downfall one day.” She stated confidently.

“Well ... he ordered a ship to proceed to Ventori, where he believes these Lycavorians are. I convinced my father to send me instead of Juyno.” Lazar told her.

“Ventori?” Loras spoke softly. “That is the planet that the first King Aspion went to and brought the Ranev pack from. Most of the Mountain Packs to be honest.”

Lazar leaned forward in his chair. “What are you thinking mother?”

Loras shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now.” She said. “What did your father tell you to do?”

“Make contact and report back to him.” Lazar spoke looking at her keenly. “Something else is on your mind medwaw. What is it?”

“Nothing that I can put a finger on right now keto.” She told him. “It is a feeling I have, nothing more. Like an echo that I have seen somewhere in the past. It is not relevant to what is happening now however.”

“Are you so sure?” Lazar asked looking at her on the monitor.

Loras smiled at her son. “Nothing is ever certain keto.” She told him. “What will you do when you arrive there?”

“Exactly what I told him I would do. We should arrive in the Ventori system in another thirty-six hours.” He told her. “We are actually much further out than my father knows. He will not expect me to report for some time and it gives me more options to consider what to do when we arrive there.”

“Why do you push him Lazar?” Loras asked her son. “His tolerance is not infinite my son.”

“He would expect it of me.” Lazar answered. “This is how I have always been and he expects me to be like this mother. If I were to act in another way, he would become suspicious of my goals.”

“It also puts you at great risk more often than not.” Loras told him. “I am your mother and I do worry for you.”

Lazar smiled at her. “Medwaw I am more than capable of taking care of myself.” He told her. “Though I do appreciate the sentiment mother.”

“What if these new Lycavorians are not friendly to us Lazar?” Loras asked.

Lazar shook his head. “I do not think that is the case mother. If it was, they would have insured Nasso and Gomar died when they first encountered them.”

“Be careful Lazar.” Loras told him. “Something ... I feel something is happening and it will ... it will sweep us aside if we are not cautious.”

Lazar nodded his head as he looked at his mother intently. She had never been so affected by her intuition before, not that he had seen anyway, and it was telling to say the least. Loras Ranev had always been very good at reading how events would take shape through the years. Whether it was by some form of instinct or special gift, it was one of the main reasons that the Alphas in the Ranev Pack and others followed her so devoutly. No one questioned her word or direction for she had the best interests of their pack as her main goal. Lazar was not one to dismiss this from his mother when she so openly expressed herself to him in such a way. That would be very stupid...

“I will be cautious mother.” He told her.

Loras met his eyes in the transmission. “If those fool spies your father has on your ship do anything to jeopardize you my son, remove them from the equation. Quickly.” Lazar nodded his head. This was not advice his mother often gave out, but when she did advocate violence in any form, it was wise to take her at her word.

“Understood.” Lazar said. “I will try to reach you after I have made contact with these new Lycavorians mother.”

“The gods guide you my son.” Loras told him. “And return home safe, your brothers and sisters wish to see you.”

Lazar smiled at that. “Then I will make it a mission to do just that.” He told her.

“Pen enyla forn.” Loras told him warmly.

“And I love you mother.” He answered just as he reached out and deactivated the monitor and cut the transmission.

COALITION OF LYCAVORIAN STATES CLAIMED SPACE

Loras sat back in the comfortable chair in her home as she contemplated her conversation with her son. She reached down and picked up the mug of harsh tea and sipped from it, hoping that it helped her to wake more fully than she was. She never knew when Lazar was going to contact her and it was better for his security if she did not know. This made it difficult for her and his half brothers and sister, but it was something they were now used too and accepted. For Loras this meant being ready to take a transmission from him anytime of the day or night just like right now. Thankfully their main settlement, named in honor of her late Alpha husband and mate, was still for the most part just beginning to wake up.

The Warim Settlement was perhaps the largest and most modern of all the Mountain Pack settlements spread across three continents. Warim Settlement was a strange mix of very modern amenities and cultural history that would never be lost to time. The Mountain Packs were the only Packs within the Coalition that had not fully lost touch with their past history and cultural. This was attributed to the fact that the Mountain Packs descended from those Lycavorians taken from Ventori. They were also the only Lycavorians that had actually removed many of the ancient and often times distasteful practices of the past and opened their eyes to change. The treatment of their females being first and foremost among the differences. While it was true Alpha females who were mated already could often be courted by other Alphas during their Phase, only those where both male and female chose to allow this were courted. The unions among the Mountain Pack couples most often resulted in a union for life since neither the male nor female chose to look for another mate. Even those unions that were arranged by their parents most often lasted permanently for the parents on both sides were always careful to select the best match for their daughters and sons in the way of compatibility. The same could not be said for the rest of the Coalition, for most females were taken during the high point of their Phase and they really had no choice in who took them because of the burning of their blood.

Loras had had her share of Alpha suitors since Warim had passed into the next life, but she had denied them all. Loras had been ashamed when Warim had first claimed her because she had surrendered to Osrod because of the burning of her blood. Warim had quickly shown her that while he may have been King, Osrod did not compare to him in any way. Loras had cried out for hours in delight when Warim had claimed her and she never doubted that emotion again. She had loved Warim, enough to give him four beautiful children, but Loras did not believe she had loved him as completely as she was capable. She had held back even with him. She did not know what type of Alpha male she was seeking, but she had no doubt when she discovered that male, if she ever did, she would know instantly.

Loras looked up when the door to her private office slid open and the older, but still very beautiful woman came in dressed in only a thin robe around her full figure. Loras knew her to be nearing sixty thousand years old, but she looked barely a day past fifty years of age and her figure told everyone that very thing. Rylin may have been the Elder Priestess of their Pack, but she was not without her means. The day Warim had been assassinated she had shown up to care for Loras and she had remained to this day. Loras watched as Rylin took the couch opposite her spot in her chair.

“You look as if you have questions Matriarch.” The older woman asked.

“Knowledge is power as Garget says.” Loras spoke.

Rylin nodded her head. “It certainly is...” She said. “And that old fool has been saying that very thing for millennia.”

Loras laughed softly. “Yes, he has.”

“So what troubles you Matriarch?” Rylin asked her.

“You heard what Lazar told me?” Loras asked her.

Rylin nodded her head. “Your son with Osrod Aspion thankfully does not share his father’s quest for more power or his stupidity. He has too much of you in him and that is why Osrod does not trust him. He fears him Loras.”

“I know.” Loras spoke softly.

“Only a igord believes that we are the only Lycavorians out among the stars.” Rylin spoke. “Osrod’s amlian father discovered that painfully with the Tri-Alliance and ruined any chance that we may have had to improve our own people.” (Idiot)

Loras nodded her head. “I know.” She said. “But now he is putting my son into the same position. He undoubtedly has ulterior motives that he is not sharing with Lazar. I know him too well to not realize this.”

“Lazar is far smarter than his father Matriarch.” Rylin told her. “He will not do what his grandfather did.”

Loras looked at her. “But have I put him into a position where he must think and act like a person he is not Rylin?” She asked her. “In order to protect myself?”

Rylin gazed at her intently for a long moment. “You know that you have not, but that is not what concerns you is it? You have seen or heard this name he spoke before haven’t you. The name he told you. This Androcles?”

Loras met her eyes and nodded slowly. “In the Vomir’s Tomes.” She answered.

Rylin leaned forward. “Truly. And what did the Tomes say?” She asked.

“It was the Ninth Tome of Knowledge. Vin gente vinn’ tryn ardus mornar mero shylon un vada darsam.” Loras answered ever so softly, as if speaking a sacred oath. “Mornar jen sha tor Androcles.” (He came upon fiery wings and he brought death to the unjust. And his name was Androcles)

Rylin looked at her with suddenly very wide eyes. “You are certain of this Matriarch?” She asked.

Loras nodded her head. “I remember reading the passage several times in this particular Tome.” She spoke. “I thought it was odd because the Tome said he was an Alpha of the Highest Order and that his name came from a long dead race that had been reborn among the stars.”

“The Highest Order?” Rylin gasped. “That would ... that would mean that he descends from the Six original packs of Lycavore.”

Loras nodded her head slowly. “Our mythical homeworld, yes. We do not know that this Lycavore even exists.”

“Even I ... Even I believed this to only be legend.” Rylin stammered softly. “Son vada carians ... if this is true?”

Loras nodded her head. “Yes.”

“What else did the Tome say?” Rylin asked her.

Loras met her eyes. “It also said that he would be the first born son, the heir and one of three Heralds of Vada Fera Mard Revik.”

“The First True King.” Rylin whispered the words, her face bright with energy and new wisdom. “The Prophecy of our people from before the time of Conformity, a hundred thousand years ago.”

Loras nodded her head once more. “You see what vexes me Rylin? What if this ... what if this Androcles is ... what if the prophecy is true Rylin? I have ... part of me has never really believed it to be true.”

Rylin rose to her feet, setting her mug aside. “We must consult with Vada Vomir herself.” She spoke quickly.

Loras stood up as well at her words. “Rylin that is impossible.” She stated. “No one knows where the Vomir is. She went into hiding after Conformity because Osrod’s father put a price on her head.”

Rylin shook her head slowly. “I know where she is.” She stated.

Loras stepped closer to her. “How is that possible Rylin?”

The older woman smiled as she met Loras’s gaze. “Who do you think instructed me to remain close to you Loras Ranev? Vada Vomir is no fool. She knows who holds the values and prosperity of our people close to their hearts.” She squeezed Loras’s hand. “Change your clothes and meet me by the southern Tram. The trip to her will be quicker if we leave right away.”

PREMONITION

ENTERING ATMOSPHERE OF VENTORI

THIRTY SECONDS POST JUMP

The wind was whipping through the rear portion of the PREMONITION’s small cargo bay, the ramp fully locked into an open position and extending straight out into the warm, thin air of Ventori. They knelt just in front of the extended ramp, their arms extended around the shoulders of the those next to them. All of them wore the new Mark IV ArmorPly Body Armor, the black and crimson giving each of them a menacing like appearance in the glare of the sunlight pouring in the rear of the ship. Their helmets rested on the deck in front of each of them, the long multicolored plumes that signaled royalty of Androcles, Denali, Dorian and Deion rustling in the wind. Laren Ti’shara knelt between Andro and Dorian, Denali and Deion side by side with Jomann and Murano completing the small circle.

For Murano it was a glorious experience no matter that they were leaping out into battle in only seconds. He had not been among so many fellow Praetorians in more millennia than he cared to recall and to feel the Etheric power swirling within and around them filled him with a resolve he had not experienced since he had first stood beside Sumar in battle. This time it was different he knew, for he could feel the emotions coursing through each of them unchecked. This was what the Praetorians of his time had tried to avoid and what Sumar had discovered on Lycavore and then passed down to his descendants. Emotions were not a hindrance, emotions were a gift that provided power and purpose. Powerful emotions allowed Androcles and the others to do things that the Praetorians of his time would never have been able to accomplish and once he had seen the truth of this, Murano had embraced it completely and without doubt.

He had embraced these emotions where it concerned his love for Tobia and last night he had shown her just where she had stood in the center of his universe. Her cries of ecstasy had filled his quarters for four straight hours as he embraced his feelings and love for her and held nothing back. Murano did not doubt if not for this operation right now, he would still be loving the feel of her body beside his and hearing her words of devotion and love. Murano was a changed man forever now, and nothing would stand in the way of his love for Tobia or the love he held for Mari, the beautiful daughter they had created together. One day soon he would stand before his brother Delnash and embrace him and thank him for teaching and caring for Mari as his own for all of those years. Murano shook his head slightly and filtered everything else out as Androcles’ words once more filled his ears above the din of the wind whipping through the cargo bay.

“ ... Hold nothing back. This is our time now. This is where we see the rebirth of the legacy our grandfather left for us to embrace. The legacy of the power that flows within us.” Andro looked at Jomann across from him and then let his eyes move to Murano. “The legacy that will embrace and flow through others as well. Near and far.”

Jomann nodded his head with a knowing smile. “Avoi.” He spoke.

“Indeed.” Murano echoed Jomann’s word.

“Andro! Thirty seconds our love!” Sadi’s calm voice echoed through the internal Com system of the ship over the roar of the wind and they all felt Andro reach out to his father and tell him the same thing.

Andro grasped his helmet and lowered it over his head and face and watched the others do the same. “Jomann and Denali out first! Dorian, myself and Laren in the center, Deion and Murano right after.” He glanced out the rear of the ship and saw the terrain below them. “If we fail, father and Uncle Daniel fall. If we fail, our mothers fall. Our siblings already on the surface fall.” He turned and looked at them with blazing azure colored eyes. “Let’s not fail. Father will never let us live it down!”

“No he won’t!” Denali chimed in.

Andro turned back to where Elynth stood with Ryner, Ladur, Jeth, Aradace, Majeir and Marux. Caydren and Cinol book ended the line of dragons and family standing proudly. Lisisa, Arduri, Sehri, Lu’ria, Carisia, Sheva and Onera and Caliria all stood there as well watching them with adoration in their eyes. Dutkne looked stern faced and ready, falling easily into his role as Praetorian Mage and eager to get on the surface so that he could go about the business of claiming Zarah and Lucia.

“Do not be late sister.” Andro spoke.

Elynth snorted loudly as if offended by his statement. “I am never late.” She stated openly. “And I will not tarnish that record now my beautiful brother.”

“Andro! NOW!” Sadi’s voice erupted from the internal speakers once more.

“Into the hands of our grandfather’s spirits do we commend our souls.” Andro spoke loudly.

“May they guide our actions and thoughts and pick us up if we fall!” The bevy of voices echoed his.

“Deni! Now!” Andro shouted.

The was no hesitation in the least and Denali stepped off into nothing, followed quickly into the abyss by Jomann, Dorian, Androcles, Laren, Deion and Murano.

VENTORI

Martin saw it first, low on the horizon and approaching from the east over the mountains. He had never seen a ship like it before and knew instantly that it was the ship that Sadi and Ne’Veha had Ben and his miracle workers at Dreamland build for them. Martin narrowed his wolf vision and saw that the ship had a rear ramp, which was now down. His dark brown eyes grew wide then, for he felt his son reach for him and project to him what it was they were going to do. The ship came closer now, and dropped to perhaps a hundred meters off the ground.

Danny stepped up next to him, his own eyes focused on the ship now. “Fervon?” Martin looked at him. “Is he going to do what I think he is going to do?”

Martin glanced at the lines of advancing Svorag and then looked back to the ship as it was now upon them. He saw first one figure leap from the back of the ship as it moved across the terrain, followed quickly by six more figures.

“Holy fuck! Torma 21!“ Martin hissed loudly. He turned to the line of defenders without thinking as he grabbed Kasdan. “Shields and brace! Shields and brace!“ He screamed out the words as loud as his vocal cords could project them, his voice carrying to all of them and then some. He and Danny dropped to one knee right where they were, anchoring Kasdan between them and their Shi Viskas pointing towards the oncoming Svorag hoard, covering their bodies and that of Kasdan as well.

And then the world blew up.

Torma 21.

A simple name for a devastating maneuver that he and Torma had invented and perfected during their time together. It was similar in many ways to the maneuver that his grandfather had explained in the Praetorian Tomes he had left for his descendants. The difference here was that it was usually done from the back of a dragon and not from the back of a ship. Martin could feel each of his sons, Jomann, Murano and Laren. They were radiating within the Etheric realm as brightly as he had ever seen any of them, pulsing with power and determination and purpose. It started from his left, an Etheric explosion of power that blew outwards with unmatched force as his son Denali was the first to impact the ground.