Chapter 72: Anlar Prime

NENAY PACK COMPOUND

Ranol Nenay was nearing five million years old, yet his outward appearance, as with most Lycavorians, did not show his true age. His dark hair had only a few spots of gray in it, but his full beard and mustache, while somewhat unkempt, was now almost completely gray in color. Gara kept telling him it made him look distinguished and proud. His six foot three frame was still powerful and lean, though he had put on a few pounds in the last ten years or so, which did not seem to bother Gara in the least since their passion in their bed was as intense as ever.

Ranol Nenay had assumed leadership of his Pack when his father and older brother had fallen against the Iais’Kai in the last thousand years of the war. He remembered vividly his father’s last words to him ... and this had shaped Ranol Nenay’s life ever since.

“It falls now to you, Ranol my son. Honor our Pack, our people and our True King. Mahanlo blood has led us from the abyss and with my dying breath, I can see the light ahead for us. Stay strong and follow the path our King lays for us. I will see you in Vada Wayn aur keto. Stay strong for our Pack and our people. Never lose faith, for Mahanlo blood will never fail us as a people.”

Ranol Nenay had honored his father’s words after that day. All but one time, and that time had almost destroyed his Pack. He had let his instincts as a father overrule all else, even the vow to his own father, and that had led to the most horrific time of his Pack since Vada zin Sarakoa Vyen Ils.

Vada Dremsa rie Saan.

The Night of Blood.

Ranol Nenay shook his head quickly, shaking those thoughts from his mind as he walked down the corridor holding the data pad in his hand. With his beloved Gara by his side, Ranol had snatched the honor of the Nenay Pack back from the dark abyss before all was lost and he reaffirmed his oath to his father’s last request. This had caused Yelma Arhtai to banish his Pack here to Anlar Prime, but it had allowed them to keep their faith and their honor. They had built three great cities here on Anlar Prime and more smaller settlements across the surface of the planet than he could remember. Yelma Arhtai kept most of the Onab technology that they were supposed to destroy, but this suited Ranol just fine. He did not want something that was cursed with the blood of thousands. His Pack were not fools, and what they had built here they had built by sweat, blood, tears hard work just as their King Daniho Mahanlo had taught them so long ago.

Yelma Arhtai thought she was smarter than everyone else, but she did not know of the bond that the Nenay Pack now had with the Kirek Pack, or the spies within her own Pack that had sworn allegiance to Ranol at great danger to themselves. Yelma Arhtai was still holding several of the Mahanlo bloodline and his children prisoner, having killed Kelia Mahanlo long ago, but she was stupidly unaware that Kesas Pengot had given him the means to hide and protect four members of the Mahanlo bloodline that still lived here on Anlar Prime. Three of Kelia and Lylor’s great granddaughters and one great grandson were mated to members of the Nenay Pack and had been for many hundreds of years now. Each of them were living full lives with children of their own, but they all held the wish that one day they would be able to free their staanio. They stayed in very close contact with Ranol and Gara through Ranol’s own son Radend, who was mated to Taraina Mahanlo and devoted to her as deeply as Ranol was to his Gara. Their physical features had been surgically altered, just like Doseb and Irani Mahanlo and Kesas had given him the means to hide their true bloodline using something given to him by the Onab long ago. Ranol and Gara knew of Doseb and Irani but had been unable to aid Kesas in that plan because of their close proximity to Koltar Four and the many spies that Yelma Arhtai had among the Nenay Pack. He did not know what had come of that mission, but the less he knew, the less he could give to Yelma Arhtai if she ever came for him or his Pack.

Ranol Nenay was no fool, and he knew that she would come for them one day.

Ranol spoke with Aryera Kirek several times a year to exchange information that they had gathered and to give whatever aid that they could in order to ensure the Kirek Pack was able to survive and grow even on Pakar Six. They had also established a very secret and very effective underground network with the Kirek Pack through the years that Yelma Arhtai and her ronnus mate Nyser would never discover.

He had failed his King’s bloodline once, but Ranol Nenay would ensure he never did so again. And he would die in order to preserve the Mahanlo bloodline, as sacred as it had become to him and his own Pack since the Vada Dremsa rie Saan.

Ranol turned as his oldest son Taion moved up beside his father as he walked along the upper level of the Nenay Compound. The courtyard below was already beginning to fill with the sounds of his grandchildren and great grandchildren as they began to gather with children of other Pack members for their day’s schooling. The main Nenay Compound was where all of the children in the city of Oldiny came for their classes until they were sixteen years of age. It was something that Gara insisted upon. Oldiny was their main city, and the largest in size, and the compound was full nearly every day with the voices and laughter of children. Gara Nenay ran nearly fifty classrooms within the main compound that taught their children the true history of their people well as the fine arts. Gara Nenay did not propagate the many lies that Yelma Arhtai preached from her lavish home on Koltar Four and most of the News channels from Koltar Four were now banned on Anlar Prime. Ranol did not keep his people from watching them, instead he allowed them to be broadcast so that his Pack could see the differences. It took only two hundred years before those News channels were publicly banned by referendum of the people. They were still watched of course, but no one believed the information coming from them anymore. The Nenay Main Family Compound was also the most heavily fortified and defended position in the city, and this is where the young and old would come were they ever to be attacked.

Taion Nenay was nearing three and a half million years of age, but he looked no more than fifty. He was almost an exact duplicate of his father in size and build, his green eyes bright and alert. Taion was his third oldest son, and the one Ranol relied upon most of all now. His two older sons had betrayed their Pack when they chose to side with the Arhtai Pack, and now they were no longer spoken of by name by anyone within their Pack. Taion and his wife and mate had thirteen beautiful children and Saymora remained at home caring for their fourteenth child. Tamore Nenay had joined them two months too early after a fall Saymora had suffered. He was still sickly even after two months, but Taion and Saymora were as devoted to him as they were to any of their children and they would see him grow proud and strong no matter what they had to do.

“Keto...” Ranol spoke. “You look puzzled.”

Taion looked at his father as they fell in beside one another. “I was reviewing the reports last night father. The activities and sensor logs from the Arhtai Command Monitoring Station in the North.” Taion spoke. “I came ... I came across something that I found very odd.”

Ranol met his eyes. There were many among the Arhtai Pack who had not agreed with Yelma Arhtai’s actions during the Night of Blood or the years after during the Purge. Ranol knew many of the Arhtai Pack were still loyal to the Mahanlo bloodline in every way and held them in great reverence. They were scattered all over the planet, some of them in positions of great responsibility. They held to their beliefs even while acting differently among those they knew they could not trust. To even mention the Mahanlo bloodline now was cause for instant arrest and interrogation. Many that had been taken through the centuries were never heard from again. Yelma and Nyser Arhtai held power close to themselves, their immediate family and those loyal to them. Only the most senior Alphas among the Arhtai Pack were afforded any kind of real power and influence while the rest were looked down upon even if they were Arhtai Pack blood.

“What is that?”

Taion held out the data pad to his father. “The Northern Command station is the one tasked with monitoring the stasis pods of Lylor Kirek and his children with him. Those on Pakar Six.”

Ranol nodded his head. “Yes.”

“All activity is normal, except for this.” Taion pointed to the single power reading on the small screen that was slightly different that the others.

“What is this?” Ranol asked now as his heart began to beat a little faster.

“A interruption of the secondary power coupling to Lylor Kirek’s stasis pod for sixth tenths of a second, roughly thirty-six hours ago.” Taion told him. “Everything else is showing normal, and his is the only pod that was affected by this fluctuation.”

Ranol looked at his son. “I’m not following Taion? Why is this significant?”

“Look at the power stream father.” Taion told him.

Ranol looked at the pad once more and adjusted the screen. His eyes narrowed slightly as he saw the very subtle differences in the power flow after the interruption. He looked at his son. “The power variances differ by point three.” He said.

Taion nodded his head. “Every since they placed him in stasis, the power variances have never changed on the Main or Secondary Power streams. Not once. Until now.”

“What are you suggesting?” Ranol asked him. “What could cause this?”

Taion shook his head. “Nothing normal father. I checked with sister this morning, before bringing this to you. You know the Onab designed each of the stasis pods to act independently and to switch to the Secondary Power core if the main ever failed, especially while we were in transient from Cerath?”

Ranol nodded his head. “Yes ... ok.”

“The power variance of the Secondary Core was never meant to change or fluctuate. It had to remain constant in order to activate should the Main Core ever cease.” Taion told him.

Ranol looked back to the pad. His daughter Liita was perhaps the most knowledgeable and experienced engineer within the Nenay Pack. She was brilliant to be honest, and one of only a handful that could actually labor on the Onab technology and keep it working even after so long. Yelma Arhtai needed her assistance in this and it was another reason why she did not move against the Nenay Pack, though the time was coming when they would no longer need Liita’s help as more and more of the Arhtai Pack became efficient in maintaining the old Onab technology.

“What exactly are you saying keto?” Ranol asked.

“Someone bypassed the main power core of Lylor Kirek’s stasis pod.” Taion told him. “They bypassed it in such a way as to make it so the main power core is no longer the one controlling the pod’s operation, but it still appears to be, to anyone monitoring the controls.”

Ranol looked at him. “And why do this?” He asked.

Taion took the pad from his father. “Liita and I agree that the only reason for doing this is if you intended to open the stasis pod without anyone who was monitoring it knowing it had occured. At least until a full systems check was done.” He answered. “Father ... Kesas Pengot or someone of the Kirek Pack has woken Lylor Kirek.”

Ranol Nenay’s heart began to race out of control now but he stayed outwardly calm and stoic. “You and Liita are certain?” Ranol asked him.

Taion nodded his head. “She conferred with her personal engineering team father. All of them agreed.

“How long ... how long before this is detected by Yelma Arhtai’s people Taion?” Ranol asked.

“A full systems check is the only way to determine this.” Taion spoke. “They only do full systems checks on Onab equipment every three months as you know. The Iaaldo engineers are limited and they refuse to train more and there is nothing Yelma Arhtai can do about that. Their next check is in four days.”

“And our next contact with Aryera Kirek?” Ranol asked him though he already knew the answer.

“Not for another three months and twelve days.” Taion replied.

Ranol shook his head. “Kesas Pengot would not risk this Taion! He would not risk those of Mahanlo blood that Yelma Arhtai stills holds! Or your siblings! He swore this to me!” Ranol said. “He knows that upaee would not hesitate to kill them if she discovered that he had woken Lylor or any of his children!”

“There is something else father.” Taion spoke. “The Blood Detectors she seeded on Pakar Six are the same ones she seeded all over Anlar Prime. Even we do not know where all of them are. None of them have gone into alarm mode.”

“They found a way to disrupt the Blood Detectors!” Ranol gasped.

Taion nodded his head. “We don’t know how or for how long, but it appears that way. Lylor Kirek was Lady Kelia’s mate and Anome. He would carry her blood within him because of this and outside of King Daniho, Lord Ashten and Lady Reva, there is no other blood as pure as Lylor Kirek. If the Blood Detectors have not gone off, then they have found a way to defeat them. At least temporarily.”

Ranol looked at his son his eyes wide. “Gather your mother and meet me in the Secure Communications Bunker Taion.” He spoke. “Kesas Pengot would not risk this unless something is happening! He has never broken a promise to anyone about anything. He swore to me he would do nothing without informing me first. Something has happened that causes him to do this and we must find out what it is.”

“You intend to contact her using the emergency frequency?” Taion asked.

Ranol nodded his head. “We have no choice now.” He spoke. “Quickly now! Retrieve your mother and meet me at the bunker!”

PAKAR SIX

COMMAND CENTER

“ ... Cannot wake Pauin, Lient or Amori.” Kesas spoke as they all sat in the Command Center once more.

When the transmission with Martin Mahanlo-Leonidas and his oldest son had ended, all of them needed time to compose themselves. The Etheric connection, as they now knew it to be called, this alone had taken its toll on all of them in its near four-hour length. Martin had told them the throbbing in their heads would subside quickly, but the connection with him and his son Androcles would still be active in the background now. It would also stimulate the Etheric abilities that they all naturally had to the point that all of them would begin to be able to talk freely with their minds on a much higher level than they ever had before. A level that would enable them to not worry about any Arhtai spies hearing their words. What had shaken them more than anything was Martin and his son. Even Kesas and Lylor, who were closest to the twin brothers on Cerath, even they could not believe how close in looks and mannerisms Martin and his son were to Daniho and Ashten Mahanlo.

The table was now packed with trays of food and drink that they had all taken part of since the Etheric connection drained energy from them that only food could replace. It would not be like this always, Martin had told them, but initially they would need to eat to keep their strength up.

“Why?” Lylor asked looked at Kesas now.

“We built only one Bypass Coupling fervon.” Aryera answered him. “Any more and the Arhtai sraaps who monitor their equipment would detect it right away. One of you we could hide for a time, all of you we could not. And the Mahanlo proteins from the blood of all four of you being awakened at the same time we would not have been able to hide at all. We used the last of the Onab Blood Masking Protein on those that Ranol, Gara and the Nenay Pack guard and protect.”

“Who?” Lylor asked.

“Taraina is the oldest. She is the wife and mate to Ranol’s own son Radend.” Aryera told him. “Shyira, and Aquei are the next oldest and then there is Kabis.”

Lylor looked at his sister. “They are all the children of Saui Kirek and our daughter Neca.” He said softly. “Neca had ... Neca and Saui had nineteen children! Taraina was their middle child! They had eight grandchildren! Are you saying ... none of them... ?”

Kesas shook his head slowly now. “No, my friend. They were ... they were among the first to fall.”

“Pauin’s wife and mate? Their children?” Lylor pressed. “Amori and her mate had seven children Kesas! Lient and his wife nine children and...” Lylor stopped and took a deep breath as Aryera reached out and took his hand. He squeezed her slim fingers, holding back the rage that threatened to overwhelm him whenever he thought about his and Kelia’s children and grandchildren not being among them. Their great grandchildren. So many that...

“We are coming, Tenne. And we will put our family back together. I swear this to you on the blood that flows within my veins.”

Martin’s voice echoed softly in his head almost like a whisper and Lylor drew strength from this. The blood that flowed within his veins. The blood of Daniho and Ashten Mahanlo. Lylor knew that the brothers had adored their younger sister almost to the point of perverse devotion and if their blood flowed within Martin, within his own children, then Lylor knew they would have justice for all that had been lost.

Lylor finally turned to his sister. “They are safe?” He asked.

Aryera nodded her head. “They escaped to Anlar Prime with us but chose to remain when Yelma exiled the Kirek Pack here for they had all taken mates.”

“And the Nenay Pack protects them?” Lylor asked.

Kesas leaned forward in his chair now. “Ranol and Gara have shielded them for millennia Lylor.” He said quickly. “They have suffered as well ... perhaps not as much as...”

Lylor held up his hand and shook his head just as quickly. “I trust in your word old friend. How could I not?” He said quickly. “And I cannot find fault with Ranol and Gara for being duped by Yelma Arhtai. She did it to all of us, even Kelia and I. And they have protected our blood all of this time.”

“I speak with them several times a year fervon.” Aryera told him. “They are happy and have many children between them. Yours and Kelia’s blood is not gone fervon, it is just ... it is scattered.”

“No others?” Lylor asked softly.

Kesas shook his head now as he lowered his eyes to the table. “None that we know of.” He answered softly. “Without the Blood Masking Protein, they would not have been able to survive this long.”

Lylor felt the pulling of his heart and the sorrow and rage that wanted to crush his spirit but he felt Aryera reach out to grasp his arm once more and squeeze tightly. Then he felt Marda and his nephew Tiag do the same thing to him and he took a deep breath and nodded his head.

“You know what they will do when they arrive here don’t you?” Rothan spoke now. “I could almost ... I could see it in their eyes.”

Kesas nodded his head as he sat back in his chair once more. “As did I Rothan. As did I. They are the combined blood of Daniho and Ashten Mahanlo.” He said softly. “There is no purer blood among our kind anywhere in the universe except for Kelia.”

“The eyes of ... their eyes frightened me.” Marda spoke as she settled in the chair beside her Uncle. “So, bright and focused. As if they have seen and experienced even more than you Lord Kesas. Una tor brey ulyees jehar Vada Wayn.” (It was like looking into The Beyond)

“They carry within them the wisdom and experiences of countless lifetimes because of their Lycavorian blood and now this Pralor blood in their veins.” Kesas said softly. Kesas shook his head slowly. “I have believed in the prophecy for so long, but this, I never expected this.”

“Eighteen children with six different Queens.” Rothan spoke shaking his head. “All of them with the blood of Daniho and Ashten within them. And his oldest son has six wives and mates and soon his Anome, this female Alpha Sadi of the Domara Pack, she will give birth to the reunification of our people. It is almost ... it is almost too much to have hoped for and yet...”

“It is upon us.” Aryera said softly. She looked at Kesas. “Have you ever heard of one of our kind being born like he ... like Androcles told us Kesas. Fully aware of everything around him even before he left his mother’s womb?”

Kesas shook his head. “Never in all my years. Perhaps it has something to do with this Pralor bloodline that is within them, it is the only thing I can think of.”

“Being bound to the Darastrixi as they say that they are is almost too much to believe as well.” Rothan spoke again.

“Daniho was the only one of our people to ever be so close to them.” Kesas spoke. “It was almost as if he and Dadrien knew what each other was thinking.”

“The power that they could wield is...” Aryera spoke softly.

“It is immeasurable.” Kesas finished her statement.

“Henes mien vada arwa rie vada Mard Revik for jen Tarivuos.” Aryera spoke. “No one who is not of pure Mahanlo blood and descended from Daniho himself could ever wear this armor. We all know that. That is all the proof I need.” (They wear the armor of the true king and his heralds.)

“Avoi.” Rothan whispered as he nodded his head.

“They are also not telling us everything.” Lylor spoke softly looking up at Kesas.

Aryera looked at her brother. “Fervon? What do you mean?”

“Henes intus nysilis draem bara.” Lylor spoke. “Protecting something that is far more precious to them than anything else.” (They were holding something back)

Kesas Pengot nodded his head in agreement, inwardly thrilled that Lylor Kirek had lost none of the intuition that made him such an inspired leader. “Indeed, they were Lylor.” He agreed.

“A threat?” Rothan ventured. “Do they consider us a threat?”

Lylor shook his head quickly and straightened up in his chair. “No, never. In this ... in this Etheric connection that we shared with them, I could feel the ... I could feel the happiness and joy within them. I could feel the power of Daniho’s blood within them. Of Ashten’s blood. It was like their ... it was like their very anos were crying out in bliss. Even then, they were holding something back though. Protecting something that their blood, something that their blood demanded of them. It was there ... I could almost feel it within me ... familiar somehow, but then it was gone. Their resonance blocked everything.”

“I felt it too.” Kesas spoke softly looking at Lylor. “It was like a seamless wall of utter blackness came down and it was gone.”

Lylor nodded his head in agreement. “I will have my beloved Kelia back within my arms soon.” He spoke. “And we will have justice for what the Arhtai Pack has done. I have ... I have waited for almost two million years. I can wait a few days more until those descended from her brothers come for her. And they will come, just as they have said. I could feel that within them as well. And the...”

“The rage.” Kesas said. “Rage at what they believe has taken place. Did you notice that neither of them asked how many... ?”

“Neither of them asked how many had fallen.” Aryera spoke now.

Kesas nodded his head. “They ... they fear the answer.” He said softly. “Lylor is correct. They are protecting something, but I could also, I could also sense something else. A sense of Pack and love for our people that I have not felt since the days that I stood beside Daniho and Ashten themselves. It is ... it is empowering.” He reached out and tapped one of the data pads that rested on the table. “While we gathered our wits after this Etheric connection that they established with us, I had Caylt and Yasha go over some of the information that Chiron sent to us while we talked with them.” Kesas turned to his son who had sat by his sister and so far, had kept silent. “Caylt?”

Caylt shifted in his chair and reached for the pad that his father was touching and picked it up. “Martin Mahanlo-Leonidas is the King of what they call the United Lycavorian Union.” Caylt spoke. “At last count for them, they had 900 different species, and over thirty-two trillion citizens, of which at least a full quarter are our people. Lycavorians. They are the descendants of the packs that left Cerath with King Daniho and Lord Ashten.”

“Carians.” Aryera gasped. “So many.”

“This United Lycavorian Union is vast and he leads what Chiron calls Spartans.” Caylt continued.

“Spartans?” Rothan asked now.

Caylt nodded his head quickly, obviously very excited about what he was speaking about. “They are named for a group of ancient warriors that the King’s father led while he lived some four thousand years ago. They are fierce, powerful warriors and they are feared for their skill and abilities. Chiron’s data said we would be getting much more detailed information once they arrived, but what he sent, while short on details, is astonishing to say the least.” Caylt spoke. “These Spartans, their training is severe and brutal, their ground forces are massive, as are their fleets of ships. Many of the species within their Union are involved in the military in some way, but only half a dozen or so species do the actual fighting when called upon, though all of them will defend what they have built if pressed to that point. Their logistic and support apparatus is unlike anything Chiron has ever seen before. It is more than triple what our people had at our height on Cerath.”

“Sibfla!” Rothan gasped now.

Caylt smiled at this comment. “That is what I said as well, sir.” He commented. “These Spartans ... according to Chiron, there are several different kinds of warriors among them, but most of those with the King now are what they call Durcunusaan.”

Lylor looked at him. “Wolves of the Blood.” He spoke.

Caylt nodded his head. “Not all of them are pure Lycavorians, there appear to be many who are only half Lycavorian, and even other species entirely, but each of them are trained and mentally prepared to eliminate at least twenty of the enemy before they fall. They are also fanatically loyal to the King and his family. Since discovering what they have in the last year, Chiron says they have begun using the name Mahanlo-Leonidas. Leonidas was the name of the King’s father and he is revered among their people much like King Daniho and Lord Ashten. Their people do not yet know all that they have discovered since leaving their homes, but they will soon. Their government is a Republic of sorts. He is the King but they have a Senate and civilian control of most aspects of their society.”

“Most?” Aryera asked.

Caylt nodded his head. “The King commands the military and while they are technically under the control of this Union Senate, they will not act without his word or order. The United Lycavorian Union is very wealthy and has active trading corridors with dozens of other species within the Alpha Quadrant where they are found. They have many allies that are not officially part of this Union, but they also have enemies. None of whom are able to face them in force and win.”

“Truly?” Rothan asked.

“I did not dig too deeply into what details Chiron sent because of time, but according to what I did read, they have had many conflicts in their history. Large and small. None of which they started.”

“But?” Rothan pressed him.

Caylt met his eyes. “They have lost battles, but they have never lost a war. Ever.” He said with an almost perverse glee in his voice that everyone detected. “The King’s oldest son, the one with him in the connection, Androcles, he is considered an almost exact duplicate of his father in every way. It was he who ended their longest war, some fourteen thousand years long given the information in Chiron’s report. He ended it in a single day, before coming out here to join with his father.”

“A day!?” Rothan gasped. “How do you end a war of that length in a day?!”

Caylt shook his head. “I do not know.”

It was Lylor who chuckled softly. “I smell the blood of Daniho.” He said.

“No doubt this is all information that Martin told Chiron to give to us while they spoke to us.” Kesas said. “He wants us to know who is coming here. He wants us to know who is he.”

“He is the staaniketo of Daniho and Ashten Mahanlo!” Lylor spoke firmly. “I do not care how many generations separate us! He is the blood of our one true King; the King chosen by all of our people! He is my beloved Kelia’s blood! The blood of her beloved brothers! He is the blood of Reva Mahanlo! Matriarch to us all!” Lylor spoke forcefully, his words filled with emotion. “That is all I need to know! They were the hope and saviors of our people once before. And they will be again. The Kirek Pack has always been beside them, and that is where we will be again!”

Aryera reached out and squeezed her brother’s hand tightly. “Avoi.” She spoke.

“For sy una rayd tur.” Rothan agreed nodding his head. (And so it shall be.)

“Niob for innyne.” Kesas spoke with a nod. (Now and always)

Caylt’s head turned when the COM panel in the center began to chirp loudly and he rose to go over to the large console. He adjusted the controls and his eyes grew wider. He turned quickly to look at his father.