Chapter 6

SCIMITAR

ELEVEN HOURS FROM SOLMAR SYSTEM

FEBRUARY 4^TH, 1840 HRS EST

“ ... lost your minds?” Ben O’Connor’s voice sprang from the holo transmission in front of Sadi and Ne’Veha.

Sadi glanced at Ne’Veha quickly where she sat next to her and smiled, Carisia and Lu’ria bookending them on the couch in their quarters on the SCIMITAR, also with small grins on their faces. She turned back to the life size figure of Admiral O’Connor who was pacing back and forth in his office at Dreamland.

“I assure you Admiral ... we are quite in command of all our cognizant abilities.” Sadi answered him with a smile.

Ben stopped pacing and looked at them. “I’m not so sure.” He hissed. “He’s beginning to take after his father you know! Now their nut job mentality has rubbed off on you just like it did Anja and the others! Andro’s boneheaded move just revealed to half the Kavalian Command Structure where he is and...”

“You know the reason he did that Admiral.” Lu’ria spoke up quickly.

Ben nodded. “I know why he did it.” He stated. “I’m just trying to determine how much of a blow he took to the head in order to actually do it!”

“We trust him.” Sadi spoke confidently. “And I have already ordered Admiral Ceneu to deploy forces in order to counter any reinforcements the Kavalians may send. Whatever forces they have there already will be all they are getting.”

Ben lifted the data pad. “Now you send me this?”

“You received our schematics then?” Ne’Veha asked.

“I got them Ne’Veha. How long did it take you and Sadi to put this together?” Ben asked her.

Ne’Veha glanced at Sadi. “Seven hours.” She answered almost embarrassed, turning back to the image of the most famous human/vampire hybrid in the entire Lycavorian Union. A man who made the impossible seem mundane. Admiral Benjamin O’Connor was one of Martin Leonidas’s oldest and most cherished friends. A man who had been with him long before he had ever become King of the Union and a man that the King listened too exclusively when he spoke. A man that Andro secretly suspected of being an Eridiani Sadi knew. It would account for his amazing longevity even before becoming a vampire as well as his supreme intelligence.

“Seven hours!” Ben almost shouted. “Seven hours to take the frame of one of the Pralor corvettes, twist it and turn it to suit your needs and turn it into one of the most advanced ships in the fleet!”

Sadi nodded her head. “Umm ... essentially yes.” She said also somewhat embarrassed.

“Why ain’t you two working for me instead of traipsing all over the galaxy after that malda man you are mated too!” Ben barked.

“It wouldn’t be anywhere near as fun.” Carisia spoke now.

Ben snorted loudly. “Fun!” He bellowed. “Are you saying I’m not fun young lady?”

Carisia’s face narrowed in worry and she shook her head quickly. “No ... no sir.” She stammered.

“Admiral ... we consulted with both Avi and 341 and they...” Sadi began.

Ben held up his hand. “No wife to Androcles Leonidas calls me Admiral ... is that clear?” He stated. “I forbid it.”

“Ben...” Sadi said softly. “There is a reason for this.” She spoke. “With Ne’Veha and I now bonded to dragons, even the new STRIKER is not large enough for all of us. We needed a ship that could match the speed and abilities of the STRIKER and still carry all of us. You know Jomann and Eli will never be apart from Andro. They are too close as Prince and Captain and brother and sister. Eli would never let him go anywhere far from her. She feels her purpose is to keep him in one piece and that purpose now extends to us as well it seems.”

“Good luck to her with that.” Ben said with a smile. “She’s been trying to do that since she was a little girl and he always manages to get the shit kicked out of him every so often. She might have better luck with you five, but I doubt it.”

All of them laughed softly at that. “How true.” Lu’ria said softly.

“With all of us combined we are talking about seven dragons. Possibly one or two more in the future. We are not sure about that yet. “ Sadi said. “We used Shiria’s ship as a foundation base and it just turned out to be a perfect fit.”

“Sadi ... considering the size and power this ship would have ... you’re talking about an entirely new class.” Ben spoke. “A Heavy Corvette for lack of a better term. Not to mention it will be our first attempt at building a purely Pralor ship.” He typed on the pad. “What kind of crew are we talking?”

“We want to keep the flight crew at three.” Sadi answered. “Myself, SirsanGai and a Flight Engineer. Preferably one who is an excellent pilot so that we can cross deck to one another. Andro and Jomann are well versed enough in weapons and tactics and Eliani added her designs for a small Med Bay. Dutkne has become Andro’s ... his Oracle for lack of a better term. If all goes as Shiria and Deia have worked out then Jomann will have a counter to him as a Paladin. Aside from the eleven of us and our dragons, perhaps a dozen more permanent crew. More than likely cross trained Durcunusaan that Jomann will pick.”

Ben looked at her in the transmission. “You do realize that putting one of SPARTA’S WRATH’s spare Quantum Fusion Resonance Reactors in this puppy will make it seriously overpowered for the size you are talking.”

Sadi smiled. “That’s what we like.” She said.

“We’re going to have to reinforce every brace and strut with a solid coating of inch thick Dragon Armor and Lyrium Durcorsis seams.” Ben spoke almost to himself. “The outer hull shell will have to be made up of our Dragon Armor laced with the Pralor Lyrium Weave Durcorsis to keep it as light as you want but not lose any structural integrity or the ability to take a pounding.” He looked up and them. “We can’t duplicate the bio-mechanical properties of true Pralor vessels, I’ve already confirmed that with Avi. We don’t have the minerals needed for full osmosis into the hull.”

Sadi nodded her head. “Avi told us their Lyrium Weave Durcorsis and Dragon Armor will make a superior combination almost equal in endurance.”

“Sadi ... this will be the first ship that we build that will be based solely on advanced Pralor technology right down to the brackets. It will just look like one of ours.” Ben told them. “After a fashion anyway. Most of the tech will come from SPARTA’S WRATH since CS4’s main drive is inert.”

Sadi nodded. “It will also serve as a test bed for future enhancements of the ARIZONA’s and other ships.” She smiled. “Miranda and Zaala were with 341 when we contacted him and Avi. They actually already had the design ideas for the power conduits and the engine core chamber. They are taking a very interested stance. If these designs work on this ship, Miranda will request to have similar ones installed on the newer ARIZONA’s. I’m betting they will want to help build it since it needs to fit into the SCIMITAR’s landing bay.”

“Figures they’d have their two cents in on this.” Ben spoke. “They are the best people I got on Pralor tech outside of Avi and 341. And those two have been like winning the lottery to me. And no bet with Manda and Zaala or their back channel intentions.” He said with a grin. “I’d lose anyway. I got nearly a thousand of those worker drones scurrying all over the fucking place tweaking this and that and working with my engineers. They are helping us to kick out ships at four times the rate. I love it!”

“Given the design parameters and the worker drones you have Ben ... how soon do you think before you can have it?” Sadi asked.

Ben looked at her. “Jeez girl ... you don’t beat around the bush do you?” He hissed. “This is going to take time! We’re building it from the frame up!”

Sadi met his gaze. “I’ll give you three weeks.” She stated firmly. “We know Andro ... and we can give it whatever shake down tests it may need. We want...”

Ben held up his hand. “Give me four weeks.” He told her. “I’ll have it for you before you go to the Beta Quadrant.”

Sadi blinked and looked at Lu’ria quickly before turning back to him. “What makes you think we are going to the Beta Quadrant any time soon?” She asked.

Ben chuckled gently now. “Ah ... Sadi. Don’t forget ... I’ve known Androcles a lot longer than you. I know how that boy thinks ... cause he thinks just like his father. And his father is one evil and devious sonofabitch when he wants to be.”

Carisia leaned forward now. “What ... what do you mean Ben?” She asked softly.

Ben smiled. “Ask him what he has planned when you link up with him. He’ll tell you.” He answered. He held up the data pad. “I’ll put together a team to start building this. 341 will be giving you updates. Avi is heading out on one of the Pralor corvettes tomorrow.”

“Heading where?” Sadi asked.

“Andro contacted me a couple days ago and said he wanted Avi put on one of the Pralor corvettes and sent to link up with Marty and the others.” Ben said with a shrug. “He didn’t offer a reason and I didn’t ask. We’re packing the ship with some extra goodies for Marty and the gang and it will return with messages for families and Intel. It’s the first of a series of supply meets that we have arranged. Having the corvettes makes it relatively smooth.” A chime of some kind echoed in the background and caused him to look up. “Ok ... got to go. I’ll have 341 keep you in the loop and contact you if he has any questions.”

“Thank you Ben.” Sadi said quickly.

Ben nodded. “Tell Andro to keep his hard head down.”

“We will.” Sadi answered just before the transmission ended and Ben’s life size image disappeared. She leaned back on the couch and looked at Ne’Veha thoughtfully. “He took that better than I thought.” She said.

“He couldn’t have known...” Lu’ria said. “You and SirsanGai only just finished the details a few hours ago.”

Sadi looked at her. “Perhaps ... but it just seems he has been expecting such a request.”

“The 1^st Elven Engineer Division considers him the most brilliant mind in the entire Union when it comes to engineering.” Ne’Veha spoke. “That is as big a praise as you will get from the commander of that unit.”

Sadi nodded. “Yes it is.”

Carisia moved closer to Ne’Veha on the couch. “We should speak of Sehri while we are here together.” She stated softly watching as they all turned to her. “I’m a pureblood vampire and even I could sense within Mindvoice that her Coming of Age fever is upon her. And quite strongly.”

Sadi nodded again. “From what we now know, the Rothryn people are Lycavorians who simply cannot shift their forms. They are identical to us in every other way. And that means they still have the same physical reactions.”

“And since she would be considered a pureblood...” Lu’ria began. “Her fever will be very strong.”

“She is suppressing it rather well.” Ne’Veha commented. “At least to others.”

“It’s still battering her shields terribly.” Sadi agreed with a nod. “And she has doubts about something that is keeping her from embracing what she feels entirely.”

“We will need to strengthen our connection with her as we draw closer Sadi.” Lu’ria spoke. “I am only recently turned ... just like SirsanGai. Because of how we are connected within Mindvoice, the effects of her fever are more pronounced on us physically and with Enylarcopri it within Mindvoice. We can’t let that distract us.”

“There is no doubt in Andro’s mind.” Ne’Veha spoke with a small smile. “No hesitation in the least when he thinks of her or any of us.”

Sadi nodded and smiled. “I know. He has accepted it fully now. After what happen with Caliria he will no longer doubt his instincts. We belong to him.”

“What do you mean?” Carisia asked.

“He feels responsible for what happen with Caliria.” Sadi said. “All of you feel that. He won’t speak of it to us because it shames him but his emotions are torn about what to do.” Sadi shook her head. “That will work itself out.” She spoke. “We must concentrate on the here and now.”

“And you still will not allow me to visit Ulana and explain things to her?” Lu’ria asked with lethal humor.

All of them laughed and Sadi leaned over to grab Lu’ria’s soft, pink lips in a kiss as Ne’Veha and Carisia grinned while looking on. “Oh Mistress ... that would not be entirely fair.” Sadi spoke.

“Who said anything about being fair?” Lu’ria hissed. “Andro is ours!”

Sadi nuzzled Lu’ria’s throat and ran her tongue between the deep valley of ebony skin between her Drow Mistress’s large breasts. “Have no fear Mistress. That will become painfully clear to Ulana in the days ahead ... and we won’t have to do a thing. Given what we are all feeling from Andro ... I’m thinking he will set Ulana in her place.”

SOLMAR

REMAINS OF THE NORTHERN SETTLEMENT

FEBRUARY 4^TH, 1915 HRS, EST

Azlenr squatted among the smoking remains of the settlement, his dark eyes focused on the rows of bodies stretched out before him. He wanted to feel anger for this action but he was unable to. These were Puma Bane troops and not his or Byka’s men. As far as he was concerned these men got what they deserved for their actions, though he would never say that aloud. The bodies had been dumped unceremoniously in rows of thirty or so. No care was taken in this action and it was obvious to Azlenr the message that Prince Androcles was sending, though he knew it would be lost on Marsin in a fit of rage. The bodies had been collected near the south and north entrances to the settlement, and they were the first thing anyone saw upon entering the walls. The stench of dead flesh was beginning to grow more pronounced as his head shifted and he saw Byka and Kameka moving towards his location. Dozens of his men were moving through the wreckage of the settlement, looking for additional bodies and any clues as to how this battle had unfolded. Azlenr rose to his feet as Byka came up to him and Makali began moving towards him from across the rows of bodies. He had not seen Marsin since they had landed close to twenty minutes ago and Azlenr didn’t know if that was good or bad.

Azlenr met the eyes of his cherished friend as he came up beside him. “Survivors Byka?” He asked softly although he was relatively sure of the answer.

Byka shook his head slowly. “No. The entire contingent was wiped out.” He answered. “No one survived.” He looked at his daughter and motioned with his head. “Tell him what you told me Meka?”

Kameka glanced at her father and then looked at Azlenr. “At least two dragons took part in the assault General.” She spoke. “There are prints from a third one, a much larger third one, but nothing that indicate that particular dragon was on the ground during the assault.”

“Three?” Azlenr gasped. “You are certain?”

Kameka nodded. “The prints are very clear and very different sir. They were used to sweep up the interior of the settlement along the retaining wall. I found ... I found the remains of several dozen bodies.”

“Remains?” Azlenr asked.

“They were burned to ash for the most part sir.” Kameka answered. “There is not much that can stand against three thousand degree heat when directed with such intensity.”

Azlenr nodded. “You are correct in that.” He said. Azlenr looked at Makali as he came up. “Makali?”

The Kavalian Colonel took a deep breath. “I suspect no more than a hundred and fifty Union soldiers hit this settlement General. There are both boot prints and paw prints outside either entrance. I suspect they got close to the walls in their wolf forms and then shifted just as they launched their attack.”

“Ground sensors would not pick up the shapes of wolves as they approached.” Byka spoke looking at Azlenr. “Their silhouette is too small.”

Makali nodded. “I estimate sixty to seventy hit the settlement from either end while their dragons took out the men with T19 missiles.” He continued. “I doubt they even knew what was happening before they were killed. Intelligence reports from the Evolli indicate these dragons can strike with blinding speed. Even out of the sky.”

Azlenr looked around. “Three dragons and a hundred and fifty men took out a five hundred member strong Puma Bane detachment.” He said softly.

“They took casualties General.” Makali spoke. “There are signs where their men went down.”

Azlenr turned back and looked at him. “That they even attempted this to begin with shows me some measure of what they are capable of Makali.”

“Yes sir.”

“Has anyone seen Marsin?” Azlenr asked.

Byka motioned to the west of their location with his head. “He was looking for the body of the detachment commander near the western wall.” He answered. “The ... the death toll did not seem to concern him.”

“As if this is any news to us.” Makali said with some contempt.

“I saw the scorch marks of at least two short range ships General. And one larger one. If I had to guess I’d say it was one of their KADEN transports. The crashed ship was definitely a STRIKER, though it has been gutted and destroyed with Thermite core charges. They burned everything so we could not recover it.”

“Not even pieces of their Dragon Armor?” Azlenr asked. “Don’t their STRIKERS all carry that?”

Kameka nodded. “Yes sir ... but these thermite core charges were designed to melt even their Dragon Armor and render the stable chemicals involved in the forging inert and unusable.” She stated. “We will get nothing from the wreckage.”

“Lots of tracks leading north of the settlement towards the coast. A few hundred at least.” Byka said. “We should send a gunship to investigate Azlenr. They might be able to catch them as they are moving.”

Azlenr shook his head. “Which is exactly what he would suspect I would do.” He said. “No ... I will not lose one of our gunships to a surprise missile attack from the ground. The ground column was more than I expected to lose in so little time on this planet. The terrain becomes less friendly the closer to the coast that you move does it not?”

Byka nodded. “According to the thermal scans yes.”

“Darkness is coming and any gunships we send would be sitting ducks flying at tree top level looking for civilians in the jungles below.” Azlenr spoke. “I will not chase him. That is what he wants. The Puma Bane troops may be trained to go after them in the deep timber and jungles but our men are not. I will not risk them against the kind of experience he undoubtedly has with him. They would be slaughtered. He cannot have more than a few hundred men with him or our teams would have detected them by now.”

“If they have transport our ships may be able to pick them up from orbit.” Makali said.

Byka shook his head. “Not through their Shrouds.” He stated calmly. “Remember their KADEN transports and their STRIKERS are interstellar ships and both are equipped with those damnable Shrouds. They have the range to be anywhere on the planet by now.”

Azlenr turned to look north. “They called him Soul Slayer.” Azlenr said softly.

“Sir?” Makali asked.

Azlenr turned back. “The Evolli. They called him Soul Slayer. He and his dragon are said to have killed more Evolli soldiers during their war than five others combined. Even more than his father.”

“He is a boy General.” Makali spoke.

“And he is considered to be one of the foremost tactical minds within the Union behind only his father an one or two others. And he is even more brutal than his father when it comes to his enemies. You know what he did to the Icalro Alliance. And that was over a female he considered his wife!” Azlenr said.

Kameka looked at him for a moment and then turned to her father. This was something she had not heard. “Father?” She asked.

Byka met her eyes. Azlenr had stood beside him and Meka throughout the entire affair with Marsin and he knew his friend treated his own daughters with much more respect and emotion than normally allowed by Kavalian standards. “The Icalro Alliance apparently was involved with a criminal organization that kidnapped a female who this Prince considered his wife and mate. He went to rescue her and in the process he utterly destroyed the Icalro Alliance Fleet and their capital city. All of their leaders were killed and the Icalro Alliance is now nothing but a memory.”

Meka’s eyes grew a little wider but she kept her council to herself. What would it be like to be loved by a man in such a way? A man who would destroy entire governments for her. A man who worshiped the ground upon which she walked. That was what Meka yearned for ... but it was something she knew she would never have.

“Young he may be Makali ... but this Lycavorian Spartan Prince knows what he is about quite well.” He looked at Byka. “I want gunships up first thing in the morning Byka. Move them in pairs to cover each other. Sweep the entire area to the north. Put down as many troops as you need to cover all the way to the coast. I will move another company of our light armor to this location before nightfall so they can support you.”

Byka nodded. “We should be able to follow their trail easily enough.” He said. “It will be almost impossible to hide that many civilians trampling through the jungle and timber. They can not hide from us.”

Azlenr nodded. “Make it happen Byka.” He spoke. “I need to find Marsin and insure he does not exact retribution for this.”

“You believe he will do as he says General?” Makali asked.

Azlenr met his eyes. “I believe he will do exactly as he says.” Azlenr spoke. “He has the skill and the personnel to dance around and cut us in so many spots we could not respond to them all. And he will adhere to his promise. I have no wish to lose our men to Marsin’s anger and stupidity.”

Marsin tossed down the remains of the message satchel and looked around the area. The half cooked body of his detachment commander lay before his feet, his upper body looking as if it had been held over an intense fire for hours, while his lower body rested a meter away.

“Empty. Fuck!” He hissed softly. He turned to two of the three men that accompanied him. “Search the immediate area!” He ordered. “Look for data pads or message cubes! Quickly! Before Azlenr’s men move into this area.”

Marsin’s second in command moved up beside him as the two others moved off. “He had nothing tying us to the plan Major.” He spoke.

“No Dico’Noers.” Marsin answered. “What he did have however, would undoubtedly cause Azlenr to become suspicious of our motives in being here and he would start asking questions.”

“The Prefect will not be happy sir.” Dico spoke.

“The Prefect will not find out.” Marsin spoke. “If these Spartan dogs are the ones who took the files as I believe, they will not tell Azlenr. To them ... our orders would be a benefit.”

“True.” Dico said.

Marsin looked at him. “We must act accordingly.” He spoke. “I will demand several gunships to search for these animals. Azlenr will no doubt send Byka after them. And since he likes to take chances, it makes our job easier. He will fly with his bitch daughter and I can have her one last time before I give her to you and the others. When we are done they will be dead.”

“Is she as good as you claim sir?” Dico asked with a smile.

Marsin grinned. “Tightest pussy I ever had my friend.” He stated. “And it is much more fun when she fights. It will be gratifying to hear her howling in misery once more.” He looked at him and tapped his arm. “One more sweep of the area in case we may have missed where the messages might have been tossed. Then we find Azlenr.”

SOLMAR

NORTHERN JUNGLE PLAINS

FEBRUARY 5^TH, 0435 HRS EST

Kelelm watched as Sehri leaned slightly across the front of Andro’s body holding his shoulder while he inspected her wound once more. All around them civilian men, women and children rested quietly under the canopy of the temperate jungle. The mild humidity was nothing new to them since they had been here for many months and sometimes years. Most of them were simply thrilled to be alive and all of it was due to the male and female Spartans all around them, led by their Crown Prince. Kelelm had been slightly surprised at the lack of complaining by the civilians. The Bontawillian were on odd looking people who did not appear used to such physical labor. Not a single one of them stopped or demanded to rest as they made their way through the undergrowth. They moved as quickly as they were able in very simple groups that stuck together and helped one another, all the while putting their trust in the Union Spartans. Kelelm saw many of these soldiers carrying small Bontawillian children and sharing what rations they had with the many civilians. The civilians were not in the least bit frightened of the soldiers as most Rothryn would be of the military. They actually seemed to look up to them in many ways.

Kelelm moved his eyes back to where Andro and his brother were, Daio sitting only a few feet from his prince next to Dorian. The two massive dragon beasts sat stretched out behind Andro and Dorian, their heads resting on wickedly curved talon equipped feet, but their eyes taking everything in. Andro’s fingers gently probed the skin along Sehri’s side in a manner that the vast majority of Rothryn women would consider inappropriate from a man they were not mated to and hardly knew. This did not seem to faze his sister Sehri in the least, and while his touch was only to check her for further injuries, Kelelm knew from the look on her face that there was much more to it and Sehri was already well aware of what she felt.

“The pain is gone?” Andro asked her.

Sehri nodded quickly. “Not even a throbbing in my side anymore.” She answered. “My leg however...”

Andro nodded his head with a small smile as he lowered his fatigue top that she wore and then reattached her body armor. “You’ve been using it that’s why.” He stated. “I’m pretty sure I recommended you didn’t.”

Kelelm watched his sister stick her tongue out at him as he refastened her upper armor and then settle to the ground. Sehri quickly scooted over between his legs, her hands grasping his left arm as it draped over her shoulder in an almost possessive manner. Kelelm had read as much as he was able to obtain on these Lycavorian people after his father told him he would be coming here. Denali and Lisisa both supplied him with as much material as he wanted to read. Kelelm was now convinced, like his father, mother and Sehri, that the Rothryn people were simply an offshoot of the Lycavorian people as a whole. An offshoot that could not shift their forms, but were identical in every other way. The instinctual nature of these Lycavorians was written about extensively in what Kelelm had read, and it seemed that Sehri was embracing it far faster than anyone else realized. Kelelm was happy for her really. Sehri was the youngest of his sisters and because she was a member of the Circle of Shamans she was very different from Osbela and Ibani. She was far stronger in her Etheric abilities than her older sisters and in many ways they hated that about her. They also teased her mercilessly about having never been with a man and how she would not know what to do if ever the situation came up. Kelelm had to smile to himself because Osbela and Ibani had been thinking that they would be the ones to vie for Androcles’s attention. They would be very angry with Sehri when they discovered Androcles Leonidas had eyes only for Sehri if what Kelelm could tell was any indication.

“We are much further away from the settlement than I thought we would achieve given all of the civilians.” Kelelm stated as he shook his mind clear of those thoughts. He watched Androcles hand Sehri a brown ration bar after taking a bite out of it and beginning to chew. His sister didn’t hesitate and began to gnaw on the ration bar.

Andro nodded his head towards him. “You will find that most of the citizens of the Union are in excellent physical condition Kelelm, regardless of how frail they look outwardly.” Andro answered. “My mother and others have seen to their well being for decades and they have made sure everyone is as healthy as they can be.”

“Your ... your Hadarian mother?” Kelelm asked hesitantly.

Dorian chuckled softly. “Have no fear Kelelm ... it will take some time to get used to the fact that we draw no distinction between any of our mothers. They all speak with the same stern voice regardless of which one gave life to us. It is sometimes confusing when we speak of them because some don’t know to which one we are referring.”

“How true.” Andro spoke with a grin. “And yes ... I was referring to our Hadarian mother Colonel.”

Kelelm looked at Dorian. “You ... you call all of them mother?”

“All of them have had a hand in raising us.” Andro answered. “Well ... except for Cirith, but from what I understand she is making up for that with Fedor and Eirene.”

Kelelm looked at Dorian. “You are Dorian ... brother to Androcles. A Prince of the Union as well?” He asked. “I must say ... your skills are impressive.”