Chapter 70: Jetania

SPARTAN’S SOUL

“Jaban!” Danny barked as he came to his feet. He could feel his brother within him, feel the rage and hate within him and Androcles. Anuk, Kesyla and Nayeca watched him with wide, worried eyes as he spun around and faced the Lycavorian Captain who had commanded his ship since its commissioning. “Something is going down on the surface! Report!”

“The ARIZONA just launched six squadrons!” Jaban exclaimed in return. “I am ordering our fighters to launch as well! First Echelon is moving into position and Second Echelon is spreading out to cover our flanks! Armen had just ordered the Durcunusaan Ready Detachment to deploy under Spartan Crimson Protocols!”

Anuk stepped closer to her husband and reached up to touch his arm. She could sense his unease and concern for Daniel never held back from her or Nayeca. “Daniel what is it?” She asked softly.

Danny turned to face her, his ebony skin tense and Anuk reached for his face as Nayeca and Kesyla moved closer as well and put their hands on his arm. “I don’t know.” He answered her instantly. “Something is happening on the surface and whatever it is, Andro and Martin both just went ballistic.”

Anuk and Nayeca knew their husband as well as they knew themselves and his love for Martin was absolute. Kesyla was discovering this as well now, as Anuk and Nayeca often spoke of what the two men had done in the years before. Daniel had blood brothers from his parents that he loved, sisters too, and Martin had half siblings from Gorgo and Riall, but Martin had been and always would be Daniel’s one true brother. Their bond had been forged through the fire of combat and so much more that others would never understand, and now that bond of brotherhood would never be torn asunder. Both Daniel’s and Martin’s brothers and sisters accepted this and relished in it, for they had had many times through the last years just sitting with Daniel and Martin and listening to them tell stories of their adventures together.

“Trust in your fervon Daniel.” Anuk told him. “Do what we came here to do, just as you and Martin discussed. He is not alone Daniel our love. He is never alone.”

Danny met her cerulean blue eyes and calmed instantly as both Anuk and Nayeca pulsed him with their female wolf auras. Kesyla was still learning how to use her wolf aura but she added her own developing aura to theirs and he looked lovingly first at Nayeca’s amber colored eyes and then at Kesyla’s dark eyes and he nodded his head.

“Jaban?” Daniel spoke turning to look at him.

“General?” The man answered.

“Let’s stick with the plan!” Danny said confidently. “Martin can’t talk to the douche bag on the station, so we’ll talk to him instead. Open a channel and get me whoever is in charge over there.”

“What do we tell them?” Jaban asked with a crooked smile.

“Tell them if they do not stand down in the next twenty seconds, I’m going to blow that station and every ship in this system right straight to nubous oblivion.” Danny spoke.

Jaban’s smile grew ever larger. “COM Officer!” He shouted. “Find the channel they are on and let’s say hello!”

COALITION MILITARY COMMAND STATION

“Coya ... talk to me!” Ristan barked aloud.

“Multiple contacts sir!” She cried out from her station. “Sensors are detecting over two hundred ships Colonel!” Her hands were moving across her sensor consoles with speed and efficiency, but her heart was racing out of control to be sure. “Sibfla! Some of them are huge! Four thousand meters at least! Unknown power signatures, but definitely Quantum based!”

“Colonel! We are also picking up dozens of smaller contacts leaving one of the larger ships!” Benic barked from where he stood beside Coya’s sensor station. “Fast moving sir! One man fighter ships of some kind!”

“Fighters?!” Ristan gasped. “Impossible!”

“Station defenses can’t track them, sir!” Benic announced just as loudly. “They are too fast and they are spreading out among the Home Defense Fleet!”

“The other ships are deploying as well!” Coya shouted. “Some sort of attack formation maybe!”

“What about that big fucker?” Ristan barked. “Tell me about that big bastard! What is it doing?”

Coya shook her head. “Nothing sir!” She answered. “Strange power emissions but it is remaining in stationary orbit. Sensors cannot penetrate the outer hull sir! Of any of the ships! It’s made from some sort of metal I have never seen before! Its current orbital position puts it directly over the Mountain Pack settlement of Warim.”

“Colonel! HDF Captains are screaming for orders!” Benic shouted. “Do they attack!”

Ristan’s eyes went wide. “Attack!? Attack what!? Fuck no!” He screamed. “Do they see what is around us?!” Ristan whirled around. “Get me King Osrod! Contact Ground Command! Do it now!” He barked at the COM officer.

“Colonel!” Coya shouted. “Colonel I am detecting two smaller ships maneuvering in the atmosphere above Warim! Some kind of transports I think!”

“Nubou!” Ristan snarled. “They have already landed troops! Activate all planetary units! Bring defenses online! We...”

All of them heard the pop on the internal speakers within the command center and they looked up as the deep, male voice echoed all around them. “I would not do that if I was you.” The voice spoke. “Not if you want to be alive thirty seconds from now!”

“Colonel they have tapped our COMs!” The COM officer rasped out the words. “All of our secure channels are compromised!”

Ristan’s eyes were wide. “How is that possible?” He gasped.

Everyone nearly jumped out of their chairs when the intense flash of white light erupted in the center of their command center and then they were staring at the image of the tall, ebony skinned Lycavorian. His short black hair was neatly cut, the thin beard and mustache neatly trimmed and groomed. He was easily six and a half feet tall from what Ristan could determine and he was without a doubt an Alpha wolf. His dark eyes were bright though and his long wolf fangs were fully extended and exposed for all to see.

“What ... what is this?” Benic gasped in shock.

“It’s ... it’s some sort of holo transmission!” Coya gasped in reply to his question. “But the power needed to...”

“Colonel Ristan!” Another voice yelled now. “Destroyer Four One Three is powering its weapons and preparing to fire on... !”

“No!” Ristan screamed out the word.

It was too late however as they saw the COLS ship alter its course slightly and unleash a full barrage of its missiles and beam weapons upon the SPARTAN’S SOUL. The man in the holo transmission staggered only slightly in the transmission, obviously onboard the ship they had just fired upon and his face took on an immediate expression of anger and disbelief.

“Wen forn nubous neshy lae?!” The man snarled viciously. (Are you fucking kidding me)

“No! Wait! We... !” Ristan began to shout the words but it was already too late as they watched the large Lycavorian turn in the transmission.

“Target that pathetic bucket of floating fucking bolts and blow it out of the stars!” Danny growled.

The Command Crew of the MCS could only watch and listen in horror as voices in the background of this new ship responded instantly.

“Main starboard batteries six through fourteen!” The voice out of their view barked out the order. “Target the enemy ship and fire!”

Ristan and the others on the MCS could only watch in stunned shock as one of the largest ships outside of the behemoth in orbit above their planet, fired nine beams of intense white light that crossed the distance from them to the COLS Destroyer in the blink of an eye. All nine of the MK9C Type 1 Alpha Series Batteries, as well as those remaining on the ship, had been upgraded to fire Quantum Particle Beams much like those weapons that armed SPARTA’S WRATH. The SPARTAN’S SOUL was part of the first stage of a massive refit going on back home that Martin and Ben had approved several months ago, and which would eventually see every ship within the Union military armed with such weapons as long as they were powered by the newer Hypermatter Fusion Drives. The Hypermatter Fusion Drives were a step down from the Quantum Resonance Reactors that powered the new ARIZONA-Class ships, but they vastly improved the ships being refitted. While they were no where near as powerful and devastating as the pure Quantum Beam Arrays on SPARTA’S WRATH, or the arrays on the ARIZONA class ships, but they were certainly much more powerful than anything that COLS possessed.

By roughly a hundred-fold.

The six-hundred-meter-long COLS Destroyer that had stupidly fired on SPARTAN’S SOUL really had no chance at all. The QPBs, as they had affectionately been nicknamed by the crews of the refitted ships, punched right through the lightly shielded COLS Destroyer and blew huge, gaping chunks out of the COLS Destroyer’s hull as if it was made from glass. Massive internal explosions could be seen even with the naked eye from the MCS and Ristan and the Command Crew could only gawk in terrified response as one of their newest and most modern fleet ships was erased from existence in the single blink of an eye.

“Son vada carians!” Coya muttered softly, but loud enough that her voice unintentionally carried across most of the Command Center.

Ristan was staring at the figure of the Lycavorian in the transmission and his eyes went wide when he spoke next.

“Admiral Lorian are you monitoring?” Danny spoke.

“Affirmative General.” Manda’s voice replied instantly.

As far as anyone within the Union military was concerned, Daniel Simpson was the third most powerful man alive when it came to giving orders, behind only Martin and Fleet Admiral Riall. His orders were acted upon without hesitation or question no matter where he went, and while like his mard fervon, Daniel hated such unflinching loyalty, he knew exactly how to use it when it was needed.

“Manda, prepare to clean out this system.” Danny spoke angrily. “On my order, you and your ships will begin exterminating every one of these ugly ass ships until none remain. Is that order clear?”

“Crystal.” Miranda answered from the bridge of the ARIZONA. “Establishing all primary and secondary targeting solutions as we speak!”

“Wait!” Ristan screamed as he stepped towards the transmission. “Wait!”

Danny’s eyes turned to look at him. “You got something to say midaeus?” He growled.

“We did not ... I did not order that!” Ristan pleaded. “The ship’s ... the ship’s captain acted on his own!”

“So, you don’t have control of your own ships?” Danny snapped. “A better reason to kill them all and then we won’t have to worry about them doing something stupid!”

“No!” Ristan screamed out the words. “We ... we surrender! We surrender!” His words caused most of his Command crew to turn and stare at him in shock.

“I don’t want your surrender!” Danny snarled now. “We didn’t come here to conquer or invade igord!”

Ristan’s eyes were wide. “What ... what do you want?!” He gasped.

“I’ll give you ten minutes!” Danny snapped. “Order every one of your puny little ships to power down their weapons and engines! Nothing but life support active! If you don’t, then in ten minutes and one second, we are going to kill them all! Including that fugly station you are standing on right now!”

Ristan looked at him with wide eyes. “I have ... there are almost ten thousand men and women on this station!” He gasped.

“And their blood will be on your hands! Just like those fools on that ship!” Danny barked loudly.

“I must contact my ... my King!” Ristan declared. “He is on the surface and...”

“Don’t push me asshole! My patience is really thin right now because your fool people have already attacked my fervon and his family on the surface of your stinking planet! Your people have attacked our King and three of his Queens! Our family! That means every one of my people up here right now wants to rip you and your silly toy ships a new asshole the size of Mount motherfucking Rushmore! Ten minutes! That is how long you have to decide if you live or die!”

The transmission ended and the holoimage disappeared from the open area in the MCS leaving the entire Command crew stunned in to silence.

Ristan turned quickly. “Get me Ground Command!” He screamed. “Get me King Osrod! Now!”

SPARTAN’S SOUL

Danny turned from the now ended transmission and looked at Jaban. “That convincing enough?” He questioned.

“Sibfla General!” Jaban answered. “It scared the piss out of me.”

Danny cursed under his breath. “How many on that ship?” He asked after a moment.

Jaban sobered quickly and his smile vanished. “Sensors indicated eighty-seven General.” He replied. “Daniel ... you did the only thing you could do.”

Danny met his gaze and slowly nodded his head. Captain Jaban Velat had turned down four promotions in order to remain in command of SPARTAN’S SOUL in the nearly thirty years since it was brought into service. Command of the Flagship for Daniel Simpson was status enough for any older Lycavorian such as himself. He was happy, his wife and mate was happy, and they had built a family on this ship that included not only their own children, but every one of the crew. Through the years Jaban had become one of a handful of men and women within the Union who would dare call Danny by his given name. It was something that Danny all but demanded of the much older man and they had grown close through the years. Jaban did not normally refer to Danny by his name in front of the crew, but now it seemed like a good idea, and it had the desired effect even though Daniel’s wives and mates were also on the bridge.

Danny took a deep breath and nodded his head. “Talk to me.” He finally spoke.

“Armen began transmitting the moment we entered the system.” Jaban replied. “We have been getting all of the information that he was able to scan since they arrived. Public channels. Military channels. Defenses. Everything.”

“Threat?” Danny asked.

Jaban shook his head. “Minimal.” He answered. “Their weapons didn’t even scratch our shields. Hopefully they’ll take that into account.”

Danny moved to his Command chair which rested right beside Jaban’s chair in the center of the bridge. He tapped a button on the armrest and instantly a holoimage of Miranda came alive a few feet to his left. All Command Ships of the fleet were linked in such a way so that the commanders could instantly talk to one another. He turned to face Miranda’s image fully. She was also sitting in her command chair on the bridge of the ARIZONA while activity was high all around her.

“Manda?” He spoke.

“I’ve deployed my Wing into Attack Formation Gamma.” She answered him instantly meeting his gaze in the transmission. “Steven is now airborne with six full squadrons keeping them honest. For the most part none of their ships are moving. Long range sensors are showing an additional nineteen COLS ships that have turned around and are heading back this way.”

“How soon before they get here?” Danny asked.

Miranda shook her head. “Not soon enough to change the outcome Daniel.” She told him. “Nineteen hours even at their best speed, and that is factoring in how often they can jump.”

Kesyla Simpson was still a new wolf and was still learning different things. Her love for Daniel, Anuk and Nayeca was beyond question, and she simply adored being able to shift her form and see and sense the world from her wolf persona, but she was still half Pralor and the benevolence of her people caused her to step forward before Anuk or Nayeca could stop her. She had not yet fully come to understand the mentality or the Spartan nature of the Lycavorian people she was now living among. No one faulted her for this for she was learning fast with so many helping her.

“Daniel, you cannot...” Kesyla began as she stepped up to him. “They cannot stand against us. Destroying their...”

Daniel met her dark eyes and smiled at her warmly while Anuk and Nayeca stepped up to her on either side and attempted to interrupt her. Daniel reached up and caressed her flawless cheek and pulsed her with a fraction of his male aura. He saw Kesyla’s eyes close briefly in bliss and she reached up to put her hand on top of his where his skin touched her cheek as her eyes opened again. Daniel stepped close to her, towering over her five foot six body, and he leaned over to kiss her ever so softly on the lips.

“You worry too much.” He said softly.

Kesyla looked instantly embarrassed by what she had said, but this quickly passed as Anuk and then Nayeca wrapped their arms around her waist and drew her tightly to them. Kesyla should have known better and the look on her face said as much. Warriors without equal they may have been, but these men and women were not butchers.

“Carians. Forgive me.” Kesyla said softly.

Danny shook his head. “For what?” He said softly. He leaned over once more and kissed her again softly, a kiss that she returned and he let his fingers drag along her jawline as he had discovered she liked so much. Daniel smiled at her lovingly once more and then turned back to the image of Miranda. “Manda, you got your targets?”

Miranda nodded her head. “Each of their ships has a central power distribution core in roughly the same location. A low power laser will cut right through their hulls and destroy it. Main power on all the ships will be kaput and their backups will kick in. The only thing they’ll be able to power is life support and sensors. Zaala says their back-up generators can’t handle anything else.”

Daniel nodded his head. “Casualties?” He asked.

“Unless they are standing right next to the power core when the laser hits it, low grade electrical burns, if that.” Miranda answered him. “It’s about as non-lethal as we can get Daniel. It will take us three minutes to retune our main batteries.”

“Do it!” Danny ordered. “Jaban?”

“Already on it.” Jaban echoed.

“Good. Now, someone get me a report from the surface!” Danny snapped. “And please tell me that our family and friends are ok. If not ... all bets are fucking off.”

JETANIA

CAPITAL OF DRINDA

COLS MILITARY COMMAND CENTER

“Talk to me!” Osrod Aspion roared as he entered the MCC. He was not in a very good mood at all and everyone in the MCC Operations Center knew it.

The Duty Officer had interrupted his time with Nitona and right now he was not a happy person. Secha kept his other Queens so busy at times that Osrod finally determined that she was doing it on purpose. Secha could be a colossal upaee when she wanted to be, more so towards Nitona than the others. Nitona was half Mountain Pack female. Her father was a Plains Pack Alpha who had claimed Nitona’s mother long ago. Her mother’s Mountain Pack had refused to acknowledge the union, but against their wishes, Nitona’s mother had escaped with her father for she was truly in love with him. Nothing could really be done about this since she had gone willingly, and they soon began their life on the outskirts of Drinda. Nitona’s father was a well-respected Alpha who held a good amount of influence among his Pack. He treated Nitona’s mother like a precious gem and as time passed, their love for each other grew even stronger. Nitona’s mother also clung to her Mountain Pack upbringing, which did not make her any new friends at first, but over time this attitude and her commitment had earned her equal respect and influence and soon her status had grown within Kochar Plains Pack to the point that she was now considered sacrosanct among the Kochar Pack. Over the many years, the Kochar Pack had become more and more aligned with the ways of the Mountain Packs and while they did not follow all of their traditions, the Kochar Pack was as close as you could get. Nitona had seven older brothers and three older sisters, making her their youngest child, but certainly the most rooted to the Mountain Pack way of life like her mother. All of her siblings adhered to many of the Mountain Pack ways and their father encouraged this without question.

The day Osrod had seen her in the Drinda markets he knew he had to have her. Her surreal beauty was nearly equal to that of Loras Ranev with her flowing red hair and enticing blue eyes and her sweet scent was nearly too much for him to be around. Nitona quickly caused him to forget all about Loras and even though she was his youngest Queen in terms of years, Osrod favored her over Secha and the others by far. Her body was lithe and muscular in a lean way and she kept herself in superb condition. He hated having to sneak around his own home in order to be with her for any length of time, but Nitona certainly made it worth it. She was not docile by any means, always demanding his attention when they were together in bed and very willing herself to return that attention to him. Even her fear of Secha discovering them did not keep her from seeing him whenever they could manage it. Osrod knew Secha could be a very vindictive bitch, and he always took extra security precautions when meeting Nitona in order to keep her safe from Secha’s wrath. Osrod Aspion did not know how to explain it to himself let alone anyone else, but he was a different person when in Nitona’s arms, and this made him feel good about himself.

Osrod did not care very much for the mother of seven of his children. Secha was arrogant and rigid in her ways, and she treated him like he was beneath her. Secha however, she was incredibly smart, and she knew things that others did not, and Osrod normally let her advise him in many different matters. Osrod’s father had arranged the marriage and union between them without ever really telling him why it was so important, but Osrod did not care at the time. She was a beautiful wolf with a slightly odd scent, but she was definitely a trophy wife and mate, and at that time that was all he cared about. Secha took care of herself physically and her beauty had not faded over time, but even in the beginning Osrod knew there was something different about her that put him off.

Secha Aspion was not the most inventive female in their bed, in fact she was downright boring, nothing like Nitona, but she was dutiful. Osrod also knew that she could be very cruel to those she saw as a threat to her, and he had heard rumors of her wrath towards young females or even others who had gone against her will. Even his other Queens, Risi and Braaha had suffered her anger at different times.

Nitona he shielded as best as he was able however, and she remained docile to Secha as the senior Alpha female, though it was hard for her. Today had been planned by the two of them for weeks. Secha would be at the main Research Facility all day, for she was in charge of most of the scientific research done by their people. Risi and Braaha were going to be out of the city for a few days visiting their families, which left Nitona in the palace alone. They had fallen into each other’s arms happily, eagerly anticipating their hours together, but it wasn’t to be. After only a few passionate moments, their time together had been shattered and the Duty Officer came calling. Nitona had soothed his anger at the interruption with her touch and warm voice, promising even greater pleasures in the future. Today he needed to be King, she had told him before he had left her.

The MCC’s Commander, a man with the same rank and status as Ristan stepped forward. “My Lord, just over four minutes ago, two hundred and sixty-nine unknown warships jumped directly into our Planetary Defense Grid without any warning!” The man spoke calmly. He was much like Ristan in that he was older and had seen many battles. Not much rattled him now and he was loyal to his people and his Pack. “We never saw them coming sire. At the exact same time that they appeared, the ship Captain Nasso reported encountering on patrol also appeared, already in orbit and directly over the Mountain Pack Settlement of Warim! The remaining ships match the configuration that Captain Nasso put in his report!”

Osrod looked at him with wide eyes. “What?” He gasped. “How is that possible? How did they get inside our defense grid?”

“We don’t know My Lord.” The Colonel answered him. Teech Rilton knew his King and how he thought. Osrod Aspion wanted facts and he wanted them up front, with no rensibfla. He sometimes did not make the best decisions with those facts, often times taking Queen Secha’s advice over his military advisors, but as far as he was concerned Osrod was a decent leader and he knew they could do far worse. “Their Stealth technology is apparently far more advanced than we first thought.”

Osrod moved to the main plot board and his eyes grew wide as he saw the number of red colored ships now, in and around his planet. And some of them were massive, easily dwarfing even their largest and most powerful cruisers. No foreign ships had ever gotten this close to Jetania in as long as he could remember. They were always seen coming and met before they ever got close to the Coalition’s home world.

“They initiated contact with Colonel Ristan on the MCS my Lord, but...” Teech began but Osrod looked at him when he stopped.

“What?!” Osrod demanded.

“One of our Destroyers sire.” Teech spoke. “Most of the crew was on shore leave and the Captain of the ship was meeting with other senior officers here on the surface. His First Officer was in command and he fired upon one of the unknown ships.”

“He fired on them!” Osrod almost screamed. “Is he stupid! I want him arrested and...”

“He is dead sire.” Teech told him shaking his head. “The ship he fired upon unleashed one volley King Osrod. And it was not even a full attack from what our sensors could see. Nine of their main batteries, out of the nearly one hundred that we think they could have used. The ship was obliterated completely. No survivors.”

“Carians!” Osrod exclaimed.

“They spoke directly with Colonel Ristan my Lord.” Teech told him. “He is standing by.”

Osrod nodded his head instantly. “Put him up!”

Osrod turned to the massive main monitor in the room and watched as the picture of the man he knew and had appointed to command the MCS came onto the screen, fluttered and then cleared. Osrod knew something was wrong right away when he saw the harried expression on Ristan and the look of concern in his eyes. Osrod knew instinctively now was not the time to play hard ass King.

“Ristan ... talk to me.” Osrod spoke with more calm than he actually felt.

“They appeared out of nowhere my Lord.” Ristan answered. “They jumped right into our Planetary Defense Grid with no warning and exacting precision. They appeared between and all around our ships in orbit as if it was the most natural thing in the world.” Ristan reported to him quickly. “They have nearly a hundred smaller craft, fighters I believe, swarming all around our ships and my station.

“Fighters!” Teech exclaimed. “That is what they are? We thought they were drones of some kind!”

Ristan shook his head quickly. “They are definitely fighters! And whoever is flying them is very well trained. They are extremely fast and maneuverable and our guns cannot track them. We’ve detected at least two, possibly more, transport sized ships moving within the atmosphere above the Mountain Pack settlement of Warim as well.”

“Warim! Are you certain?!” The female voice echoed now and all of them turned to see Secha strode into the center as if the world revolved around her. Osrod cursed under his breath but turned back to Ristan.

“Yes, my Queen.” Ristan answered. “It appears they already have forces on the ground there. We don’t know how many or what their purpose is.”

“They are Lycavorian Ristan?” Osrod asked next.

Ristan nodded his head quickly. “Yes, my Lord. Alphas. At least the one who spoke to us was an Alpha. We saw other species on the bridge of his ship, some unlike anything I have ever seen before, but most were mainly Lycavorians.” He answered. “He was ... he was a matus brutu ronnus. And after our ship fired on him he was rezza.” (Big black bastard)

“Osrod ... you must find out what is happening in Warim.” Secha spoke now.

Secha Aspion was a beautiful female Alpha, with long dark blond hair, bright dark eyes and a figure that still turned the heads of many male wolves within COLS. She was of medium height, with large, firm breasts and long legs. Most who were around her on a regular basis, especially those within the military branch of COLS, hated the woman. She was arrogant and looked down on all of them as if they were insects.

“Why?” Osrod demanded.

“Something happened at the Research Facility as I was leaving.” Secha told him, moving closer. “A boom of some sort and then a massive rush of air. Like a ship was leaving the area very quickly. It knocked many of us on the ground about strongly, and it was heading in the direction of Warim.”

“You saw nothing my Queen?” Teech asked.

Secha shook her head. “No, but you have said yourself that their Stealth technology is far better than our own. It had to be some sort of ship that low to the ground.” She told him. “What else could it be?”