Chapter 62: Omen Three

SHADOWING THE SVORAG MOTHER SHIP

Yuriko Leonidas stared at Filrian’s face as they laid on the bed in their quarters. Given the nature of OMEN THREE’s mission, their quarters on the ship were the size of one room of their villa on Earth. And a small room at that. Yuriko was naked, her lush body firmly pressed up against her Hadarian husband’s side, her chin resting on his shoulder as she gazed at his handsome face. He was still asleep she could tell because of the even rise and fall of his chest, and it was these moments Yuriko and grown to cherish more than anything else in their years together.

Nearly five centuries this man had been at her side protecting her, following her, and healing her with never a harsh word at what she had done. During their search for Lisisa he had seen her act in many ways. He had seen her take life, spare life, and he had witnessed her bed far too many men in order to gain information that she needed. Her goal had been singular and she did what she needed to do in order to find where her adoptive sister was being held. Seeing these things had not dimmed Filrian’s love or devotion to her in all that time. Yuriko could barely remember how they first met or how he became part of her crew, to Yuriko he had always just been there. Once Lisisa had been found by their father, her life had become much easier, but it had taken a Lycavorian and Hadarian woman to show Yuriko that the love she sought then had been right in front of her all of that time. So dedicated to the cause of finding her sister that she was, Yuriko had never seen it. She probably would never have seen it without the help of two who she called mother now.

Their first night together Yuriko had surrendered all she was to this man, and he had loved her with such intensity it still took her breath away. Every relationship she had been in prior to Filrian had been washed away that first night in his arms and they became memories that drifted into oblivion over time. They had been married within a year of first being together, her father insisting that they wait that long, discover each other all over again and plan the perfect ceremony. And they had done just that.

She had turned Filrian their second year together at his request, his explanation that as a pureblood vampire she would live far longer than him and he did not want her to see him grow old. Hadarian lifespans, while greatly extended now, could still not match those of a vampire or Lycavorian. Her mother Anja’s grandfather was one of the few exceptions and he was now one of the oldest living Hadarians and still going strong with new technology and fitness programs that her mother had devised through the years. Filrian looked now as he would look for many centuries to come and Yuriko simply could not get enough of drinking him in at moments like these. She belonged completely to him and he to her. He knew her almost as well as she knew herself, and while that had frightened Yuriko in the beginning, now she relished in that fact. Once she had turned him, an Etheric connection had also been established and while she had never been a very powerful Etheric user before, constant classes with her father and the two women she was closest too in Aricia and Anja had quickly pushed her and Filrian both to well above Tier Six. Yuriko could not remember her real mother and father; Martin Leonidas had been all she had ever known as a father. Surprisingly, she was closest to Aricia and Anja more than she was Isabella, who was a pureblood like herself. This never bothered her or them, each of her adoptive mothers loved her as they loved all of their children. As the Leonidas family grew, Yuriko found that her siblings looked to her and Lisisa quite often. She was closest to Andro and Eliani she knew, but they were all family and this made them stronger.

Family.

It was something that Yuriko had never experienced until she had found Lisisa and then family became the focus of her life. Once Androcles joined this world, family became all there was. Filrian, her father and mothers and finally her siblings. Very few people knew Yuriko well outside of her family and that is just the way she liked it. As the years passed, her time spent with Andro and Eliani caused her to think and act like them in many ways, but it was the man who hadn’t hesitated for a second in calling her daughter that she idolized and adored. He had never turned his back on her, never doubted her and never once thought of her as anything but his daughter.

Filrian stirred and smacked his lips as he began to wake up and Yuriko smiled at this. He may have been vampire now, but he hadn’t changed a bit. She lifted her hand and laid it flat on his warm chest and drew her finger down his pectoral muscle. His build was lean and muscular and he was exquisitely defined in physical dimensions, right down to his deliciously above average sized manhood, which Yuriko unashamedly worshiped as often as she could. His dark brown eyes opened and Yuriko reached up to push aside some of his brown dreadlock style like hair.

“Good morning.” She spoke warmly.

Filrian lifted one hand and rubbed his face and the three-day old growth of hair on his cheeks. “We really need to find a replacement for this horrible thing they call a bed.” He spoke looking at her. “It has a higher probability of killing us than any enemy we may face.”

“I’ll make sure I pass that recommendation onto Admiral O’Connor the next time we are at Dreamland.” She answered with a smile.

Filrian chuckled. “Yeah, that will go over well.” He said looking at the ceiling.

Yuriko shifted her body under the thin sheet. They never wore clothes to bed and his warm skin against her own was heaven to her as she slid seductively onto his chest and settled on top of him. His hands dropped to her perfect ass cheeks and he stared at her with a devious glint in his eyes.

“Are you trying to excite me for a morning frolic Yuriko Leonidas?” He asked her with a smile

Yuriko grinned again. “Maybe I am Filrian Leonidas.” She answered. It hadn’t taken much convincing for Filrian to add Leonidas as his last name. Until recently the vast majority of Hadarians only had one name. With the return of her father to the throne of the Union and so many Lycavorians adopting second names as was the custom of old Earth, this practice had begun to spread to many different species, Hadarians included.

“It’s working you know.”

Yuriko settled onto his chest and brought her hands up to his face to stare into his eyes. “I have something I want to tell you.” She spoke even as her heart raced in excitement.

“I’m all ears.” Filrian answered. “Hit me with it.”

“I am pregnant.” Yuriko blurted the words she had wanted to speak for many years since they had married. They both wanted children, but given what they had done for so long, neither of them were ready. Five years ago they had decided to let nature take its course and now it had. Yuriko saw him blink several times as her words sank in and then his dark brown eyes lit up and turned to the cobalt blue of his vampiric nature. Yuriko yelped as he used his vampire speed to flip her over on the bed until he was resting on top of her, his arms encircling her waist.

“I ... you will have to repeat that.” Filrian spoke softly. “I’m not quite sure I heard you correctly.”

Yuriko chuckled and spoke the words once more. “I’m pregnant.”

With a yelp of happiness that Yuriko had never heard from her husband she watched him spring off the bed and right there in their quarters he began to dance naked on the cold floor. His dreadlock hair was whipping back and forth and she sat up laughing as she held the sheet over her breasts.

“What are you doing fool?!” She exclaimed as warmth and happiness at his reaction washed over her.

Filrian looked at her even as he was shaking his hips in a disgusting imitation of a dance. “I told your father and Androcles I would dance a jig the day you told me you were pregnant! I’m keeping my promise!”

“Well stop it!” Yuriko laughed. “It’s a terrible jig!”

Filrian blurred in motion, wrapped her in his arms and suddenly she found herself sitting in his lap on the edge of the bed. He kissed her passionately, Yuriko wrapping her arms around his shoulders tightly and returning his kiss with equal passion. His hands came up and brushed through her long black hair and finally took her face in their grasp as he looked at her, his fangs now openly showing and his eyes still changed. This caused Yuriko’s eyes to change and her own vampire fangs to extend.

“You ... you are certain?” Filrian asked her. “How long have you known? I need to do an exam. You need to...”

Yuriko laughed and kissed him once more, silencing his confusing sentences. She drew back from him and smiled, her eyes moist with tears because of the happiness she felt and his reaction to the news.

“You don’t need to do an exam my beautiful husband.” She told him. “Stop being ship’s doctor right now. I am certain and I had Moranna conduct an exam two days ago. I am perfectly healthy and ten weeks along.” Moranna was OMEN THREE’s assistant Medical Officer and she was also Hadarian. She had been part of their crew since Yuriko had taken command and was almost as reckless and brash as her beloved husband.

Filrian looked at her. “That is why your blood tasted sweeter.” He spoke.

Yuriko nodded her head. “Apparently it is a side effect of being pregnant that my mother Isabella never told me about.” Yuriko said with a smile. “Probably in the hopes of insuring that we would get pregnant.”

Filrian looked at her intently and gripped the sides of her face. “Yuriko...”

Yuriko shook her head. “No. We made a vow to each other all those years ago. A vow not to change who we were at our core, even when children came to be part of our lives. I do not want to change that husband. That is not who I am.”

Filrian shook his head. “No, it is not. And I have always kept that vow. But we also said when the day came that this ... that children became a reality for us that we would be conscious of our actions going forward.”

Yuriko nodded her head. “And I intend to.” She told him confidently. “I want this child Filrian.” She told him while holding his face in her own hands. “I want our child and so many more. Moranna has already put me on my mother’s dietary regime and I intend to stick to it faithfully.”

Filrian dropped his hands to her hips and pulled her closer to him. “And you want me to act like a husband instead of a doctor.”

“I don’t want this to change who we are my love.” Yuriko said.

Filrian was silent for a moment and then nodded his head. “You are right.” He said finally. “We have spoken of this often enough and now that ... now that the time is here, I will be who I said I would be.”

“Filrian my love, you know that...” Yuriko began.

“Does this mean no more sex until the baby is born?” Filrian asked suddenly and Yuriko looked at him with wide eyes and then burst out laughing. She wrapped her arms around his head and pulled his dreadlocks tightly to her chest as tears came forth fully now. They had sworn to each other that the day children became a part of their lives that they would remain true to the people they had both become and his question told Yuriko that he had every intention of sticking to that pledge.

Yuriko lowered her cheek to his head and sighed happily. “Gods I love you so much.” She whispered the words, feeling his strong arms pull her tighter. “And no ... this does not mean no sex.” She continued. “That would be unbearable.”

Filrian began to laugh as he lifted her into his arms and stood up to spin her around in their small quarters. Both of them heard the chipping of the COM panel and he stopped spinning her around and they both looked at the panel.

“Sibfla ... always at the most important moments.” Filrian swore and Yuriko laughed again as she leaned over still within his arms and touched the panel.

“Captain.” She stated. “Go.”

“Yuriko...” The voice of her First Officer Kyne filled their small quarters. He was a member of the Durcunusaan and because of his dual training as ship’s officer he had been Yuriko’s Durcunusaan Captain for more than a decade. Kyne and his elven mate were hers and Filrian’s closest friends since Kyne’s elven wife was the Chief Engineer of their ship. Kyne also never called her by her first name unless there was a problem. Yuriko and Filrian both came to instant alertness.

“Kyne ... what is wrong?” Yuriko asked as Filrian lowered her to the deck but still held her close to him.

“You and Filrian had better get up her to the bridge.” Kyne spoke. “We have an issue.”

“What issue?”

“The Svorag Mother Ship has slowed down Yuriko.” Kyne answered. “Almost to a complete stop.”

Yuriko looked at Filrian quickly. “We’ll be there in three minutes.” She stated.

VENTORI

DISCOVERY BASE

ADHOC COMMAND CENTER

“ ... derives from the Naami dialect of the Darastrixi language.” Sarlana spoke to them as they all looked at the large monitor behind her. “Just as I originally suspected.”

The number of them in the Command Center had grown now, all of them focused entirely on Sarlana and Dalis. The Command Center had become overcrowded so Danny and Martin to say the least given how many of the Leonidas family were on the surface so Martin and Danny had lowered one entire side of the Command Center. Only Dynina and Jezima watched this with delight in their eyes for it was only another sign to them that Sumar and Sateia were truly alive in their grandson. They clutched each other’s hands in Jezima’s lap and only beamed in happiness. Both Dynina and Jezima had seen Sumar and then Sumar and Sateia do this very thing to include family and close friends in whatever they were doing, however neither woman realized at the time that this sense of family would also extend to the dragons that now gathered around the Command Center building. Arzoal, Torma, Isheeni, Elynth, Ryner, Ladur and Aurith were resting on the ground close to one another and even Miath had joined them since Anja was with Atropos and the only one who Miath trusted enough outside of himself to protect his Bonded Sister was Atropos.

“The Naami dialect?” Kenroe was the first to speak. “Doraanar are you certain?” He asked the question causing Martin and a few others to look at him.

“You do not sound sure.” Aricia commented from her seat beside For’mya. Martin stood behind them both his hands resting on their shoulders.

Kenroe looked quickly at Aricia and then back to Sarlana. “Forgive me Doraanar.” He said humbly.

“We are all equal here Kenroe.” Sarlana spoke with a small smile. “Martin and his family demand this very thing.”

“Damn Skippy.” Martin quipped causing For’mya to reach up and slap his hand on her shoulder playfully. “Oops. Sorry.” He quickly added causing Gorgo and Dasha to shake their heads and Dynina and Jezima to chuckle openly.

“Forgive us.” Amena spoke now resting her hand on Kenroe’s arm where he sat at the table. “We have been among your kind for many thousands of years and many of us have become inseparable friends. Dynina has told us how Sumar and Sateia were, it is just hard to imagine that and yet we are seeing it right now. We just are not use to how ... you are a King ... so many follow you and would give their lives for you just as Dynina has told us it was with your grandparents. And yet you trust and give so easily and you do not act ... you do not act like a King.”

Martin stood up straighter and grinned. “What can I say, I’m charming.” He spoke with a large smile.

“Do not complement him too much Amena of the Darastrixi.” Gorgo spoke up now. “It will go to his head and he will become unbearable.”

“Ain’t that the truth!” Danny muttered under his breath from where he stood beside Martin.

“Hey!” Martin snapped looking at him.

“What?” Danny snapped back. “I didn’t say nothing!”

This exchange brought laughter from everyone gathered, even the dragons among them and finally Helen stood up from between Wayonn and Murano. “Let’s get back to why we are all here.” She said almost sternly. “Before this descends into another insulting match between Martin and Daniel.”

“I didn’t start it!” Martin protested.

Danny was about to reply when Helen’s voice stopped him. “Daniel Simpson if you utter another word I will have Anuk, Nayeca and Kesyla punish you.”

Danny looked at her from across the table knowing exactly what she meant. It was well known now that since General Simpson had taken Kesyla as his third wife and mate, the desire for each other had become overpowering between the four of them and they had been together nearly every night making each other scream to the stars before the Svorag attack. Helen’s eyes narrowed as Danny stared at her and he finally raised his hand in defeat.

“Ok. Ok.” He spoke with a grin.

“Burech.” Martin hissed at him. (Wimp)

“Midaeu!” Danny hissed right back. (Asshole)

Laren sat between Andro and Dorian on the opposite side of their mothers and she looked at Andro now. “Wen hnes innyne brey allon?” She asked in fluent Lycavorian loud enough for everyone to hear her. (Are they always like this)

Andro and Dorian were trying very hard not to break into hysterical laughter and Andro nodded his head slowly. “Jainn.” He answered.

“Enough!” Helen barked forcefully and everyone in the room sat up straighter and was silent. Sarlana was the one smiling now, for she knew there were very few in this room or on the planet for that matter that would not listen the First Oracle of their people. Helen waited for several moments and then looked at Sarlana. “My apologies for the children Sarlana.”

Sarlana kept herself from laughing and shook her head calmly. “As I was saying...” She continued. “To address Kenroe’s concern, I am certain of the dialect.”

“Why does he doubt this Sarlana?” Dynina asked now.

Sarlana looked at her. “The Naami dialect of the Darastrixi language died out nearly four million years ago.” She answered the question. “It was exclusive to one breed of the Darastrixi species. The Onkmet. The Winter Dragons they were called. They are the only ones who spoke using this dialect. They were a very reclusive breed of our species, avoiding contact with other breeds unless absolutely necessary. Very little is known about them for they never allowed any scholars to reside in their settlements to learn about them. They were not overtly unsociable but they were not very open either. The continent they occupied on our homeworld was destroyed in the eruption of a large volcano. When the volcano struck they did not call for assistance and by the time help did arrive, nearly half the continent had been wiped out, including their four settlements and all of their egg centers.” Sarlana looked at Androcles, Dorian and Laren now. “It was also Dadrien’s breed. He was the only survivor of the disaster ... and after that day it became the private language of the Dahakoan.”

“Private language?” Martin asked.

Sarlana nodded her head and met his eyes. “The last of the original Dahakoan died just over a million years ago. The Naami dialect was one they used to communicate with each other on the battlefield and in private when they wanted no one to understand what they were saying. When the last of the original Dahakoan passed on into the afterlife, all of the Darastrixi scholars thought the dialect had perished with them. It did not.”

“I don’t follow.” Martin said.

“One morning a Doraanar like myself awoke to a pounding on his door.” Sarlana said. “When he answered it, no one was there. However, at his feet were twelve scrolls. On these scrolls was the entire Naami dialect.”

“So the last of the original Dahakoan was able to transcribe the scrolls and give them to the Doraanar?” Dorian asked.

Sarlana shook her head. “No Dorian ... the Twelve Scrolls did not appear until nearly five hundred thousand years ago.” She told him. “More than half a million years after the last of the Dahakoan had passed on. They were enshrined in the Doraanar Temple after that, at least until the time the Elder Doraanar came to me on the day before I left with the Seed Mission to Elear. He placed them in my possession, with my solemn oath, my inglata in the Darastrixi tongue ... my promise to keep them safe.”

“You’ve had them all of this time?” Martin asked her.

“Yes.” Sarlana answered. “With the hope and dream that one day the Lorsvek ar Sepas would come true. And it did.”

“That is a good thing then correct?” Aricia asked. “You can translate the markings that Andro, Dorian and Laren wear then?”

Sarlana nodded her head. “I can.”

“I sense a but coming.” Martin spoke now.

Jezima looked at Dynina. “What does this mean? A but coming? Is this not how some of your people refer to their backsides? I have heard Martin use word this to describe Aricia, Anja and For’mya in some way.”

Dynina shook her head. “I have no idea.” She answered.

Martin lowered his head in embarrassment as others in the room once more did their best to not break out in laughter as Aricia and For’mya looked up at their beloved mate and shook their heads sternly. “That does not matter now staania.” Martin finally spoke. “Sarlana ... please...”

Sarlana smiled at him. “I do know the correct meaning of this phrase Martin, do not worry. And yes ... there is a but coming.”

Sarlana turned to the large monitor behind her and tapped on it several times. An image of the tattoos from Andro, Dorian and Laren appeared on the screen for everyone to see. Danny shook his head and slapped his hand against Martin’s shoulder.

“I’ll say it again fervon ... that’s some seriously superb artwork.” He told him.

Martin nodded his head as he looked back to the monitor. “Damn sure is. Better than Pablo for sure and he’s the best I’ve ever seen.”

“Agreed.” Danny echoed.

“So what is the issue Sarlana?” Martin asked her.

“I tried to begin to interpret the markings.” Sarlana told them once more. “Only to find out that they made no sense at all. There were added lines and symbols to the dialect that I had never seen before and these inscriptions ... they were not in the Scrolls that I had. Though all seven dialects of our language were merged into one several million years ago, our main language now, no single dialect of the Darastrixi language has ever had symbols in it.”

“That’s a bad thing I take it?” Martin asked.

“Well ... it kept me from translating the writings at first.” Sarlana said.

“At first?” Andro asked.

Sarlana nodded her head and motioned to Dalis now. “Dalis is actually the one who discovered what we have found.”

Dalis moved over to stand beside her and looked at Martin. “The tattoos as you call them are actually three different languages superimposed perfectly over each other.” He turned to the screen and typed several times and everyone watched as the monitor split into different sections and then divided. It took several moments and then the monitor was divided into three sections and filled with the writings that formed the complete tattoos on the backs of Androcles, Dorian and Laren. “Three very distinct languages.” He motioned to the monitor. “As you can see one is the Dahakoan language, one is...”

“Lycavorian.” Martin spoke softly moving forward and staring at the monitor.

Sarlana nodded her head. “Yes.”

Martin reached up and ran his fingers along the Lycavorian words slowly. “This is written in the old style.” He said finally. “Mother? Grandmother?” Martin spoke looking at Dynina and Gorgo.

Gorgo and Dynina both looked at him oddly and then moved up beside him. They looked at the monitor as well and both sets of their eyes grew slightly wider since they had been sitting on the side and did not fully see the entire monitor. “He’s right.” Gorgo said.

“I have not seen this in many thousands of years.” Dynina commented reaching up to do the same as Martin and run her fingers over the screen.

“What does this mean?” Sarlana asked. “Old style?”

“The writings...” Dynina answered her. “Our language was originally written in a very distinct style. Large, graceful lines and waves just like this.”

“This is significant?” Sarlana asked.

Gorgo nodded her head now. “It has not been used since the Black Day.” She answered. “The High Coven wanted to destroy every aspect of our society and the scholars and historians who used this style of writing were all gathered and killed through the thousands of years of our enslavement. Every one of them, until none survived. Much like the Oracles of our people.”

“Yet you know of it now? What it is?” Dalis asked her. “How?”

“We have Resumar and Eliani to thank for that.” Gorgo answered him. “It was said that they were able to safeguard several volumes from the library in our main city during the attack on Lycavore. He hid them when he and Eliani were captured, first on the ship they traveled on and finally on the planet where the High Coven had them detained. They were thought lost when Resumar and Eliani were killed during the exodus of the Ten Thousand and when he and Eliani were killed, it was said no one ever knew where.”

“Why would they do such a thing in the middle of fighting for their lives?” Dalis asked.

Gorgo shook her head. “I do not know.” She answered honestly. “The volumes appeared on the steps of the Apo Prime University one day and were brought to me by several students who had arrived early for class. I immediately took them to the Overseer of the University and they were locked away in the archive vaults for study. By this time our written language, while unaltered in meaning, had become simpler in style.”

“And these volumes just appeared at your University? And they were brought to you by these students?” Sarlana asked softly.

Gorgo nodded her head. “At that time I had become the Lead Professor of History. An investigation was conducted of course, but we were never able to determine how they just appeared on the steps that morning or who had safeguarded them for so long.”

“When was this?” Sarlana asked.

Gorgo thought for a moment and then she lifted her face to Sarlana and looked at her with wide eyes. “It was June; the second week of June to be exact. I remember now because it was in the middle of Tuya’s Festival of Orchids. The year was ... the year was 2036 as we relate time in Earth years now.”

Helen stood up from where she sat at the table now. “Gorgo ... are you certain of the year?” She asked softly.

Gorgo turned to face her. “Oh yes. I remember vividly for Riall and I attended a State Dinner that evening and we walked among the orchid fields after.” She replied.

Sarlana looked at Helen. “Feravomir?” She spoke. “What is it?”

Helen looked at her for a long moment. “The second week of June in 2036 is when the earthquake on Earth damaged Martin’s cryo chamber. It could not sustain him any longer and I had to remove him from the chamber. The second week of June in 2036 is the time that Martin truly joined this world.”

“Do you remember the day?” Sarlana asked excitedly now.

“I remember it brilliantly. The twelfth of June.” Helen answered.

Martin turned quickly to look at Aricia and For’mya at the table, both of them with wide eyes. Sarlana and Jezima took note of this first and Jezima came to her feet.

“The twelfth of June as you say, that is the day that we were informed Sumar had been lost on the Seed Mission.” Jezima stated.

“It is the day that we left Lycavore!” Dynina almost shouted.

“Beloved?” Aricia gasped.

Sarlana glanced between the two of them. “Martin, please share with us.” She asked him.

Martin turned back to look at her. “The twelfth of June is...”

“My birth day.” Androcles spoke in a whisper.

“Mine too.” Dorian echoed with wide eyes.

Laren looked at Sarlana with wide eyes as well. “That is ... that is the day I was born as well Doraanar.”

Sarlana looked at Martin as she took all of this information in. “Something tells me that if I checked Martin, the twelfth of June as you call it, this is also the day that the Scrolls of the Naami dialect were delivered to the Elder Doraanar.”

“Nubou lae.” Martin muttered.

“Martin?” Arzoal’s voice reached out to them and he turned to look at her. “Martin ... this day ... this twelfth of June. It is also the day that my Pralor body died and I became a dragon.”

Martin stepped back and pulled the chair out from the wall and sat down as everyone watched in silence. He lowered his head into his hands and did not speak as he began to rub his temples. No one moved. No one spoke. Murano made to move towards him but Wayonn took his arm and shook his head. The inside of the Command Center was like a tomb until the only man who could, stepped toward Martin.

Danny reached out and placed his hand on Martin’s shoulder. “Evell wen ineed fervon.” Danny spoke softly.