Chapter 39

"The shield is dangerous but it does not go far into the ground. We were below the level of the shield while still trying to energise it."

I had to think on this too. The shield extended past the walls by a metre or so when it struck the ground. There may be no shield on the ground on the inside. If they were down far enough then it may well be safe.

"What have you found?"

"We have energised the shield seven times the way that Mokka did. We were below it and it did not harm us at all. At the moment we are altering our thinking so that the shield does not collapse. We have had minor success with the portal medallions but the effect does not last longer than a few seconds."

"Show me."

"Certainly, Master."

"By the way, where is your security?"

Both men looked sheepish. Stofan said, "We simply forgot them, Master. We were anxious to continue the experiments."

"I am giving you a direct order now."

Both looked worried and said, "Yes, Master."

"You will take security with you all the time, even when you go to the latrine."

Stofan said, "Yes, Master. We already do that."

"Good. Don't forget again. Now show me what you learned?"

Stofan closed his eyes and concentrated and a haze came over him. It lasted for about five seconds then collapsed. "That was the best I could do, Master."

"You did not use the medallion."

"We tried that. The small pain is distracting. We can get the same results without a medallion."

"Does the Church know this procedure?"

"I do not know, Master. I simply tired it and it worked. Currently it works better if I energise Osston's shield and he does mine. I think that's the way they were designed but I could be wrong. I don't believe the stigga energise their own shields. On the other hand, I think the shield was just a way of leaving a portal and having a short period of time to survey your environment without being killed."

I asked, "Have you tried this with your headbands?"

"No, Master. Would you like us to try?"

"Give it a try. I think the headband helps amplify your thoughts."

A portal was present that led back to Stofan's room. Security had come with me and now we returned with the larger group. Both men tried my idea back on the hill. I saw the shield form brightly and then dim but it was still there. After ten seconds the men smiled at me and I knew the shield had to be still in place. I used a stone on Osston's abdomen. He flinched but the stone bounced off.

"Close your eyes Osston."

"Yes, Master."

This time a much larger stone bounced further but Osston was gently pushed back. I felt all over the man. The shield only extended three centimetres from the skin. His voice and hearing did not seem to be a problem. I kept the experiment up for half of an hour. Neither man was showing the effects of using up the oxygen trapped in the suit so it had to be permeable to this gas as well as the carbon dioxide.

I had the men shut the shield down and then energise it again and they got faster the more they did it. It still took fifteen seconds or so but I knew this could be improved.

Security used their radio and I had half of section-M and most of the other students here to watch what was happening. They raced off and came back with their own equipment. Soon some of the students were able to engage the shield. The regular students had silver icons too but these did not succeed. Then again not all of section-M did either.

Osston said, "Master, may we try with the large shield this way?"

"Do you think you will be safe?"

"We were safe before, Master. We were below the level of the ground."

"Then try it."

The two ran up the hill and put the bands on the silver rods until they stopped at the crossbar near the top. The rest of us got far back. I saw the shield form and then collapse but it did so much quicker and it went out much further. There was also a lot of dust stirred up with the displacement.

Two heads showed above the level of the hole. Both were dirty but they both smiled. I should have only risked one in hindsight but often it took two to control some awkward device.

I waited an hour for the men. The shield was produced much more regularly but the effect was always the same. They stopped long enough to be congratulated on what they had done while I went to prepare for my trip. I was not immune to the lure of the smaller shield and I had to practice too. After only ten minutes mine appeared then disappeared even quicker. It was another twenty minutes before I had a shield up as long as I concentrated on it.

Security was watching me all the time so I threw them some spare headbands and medallions. The current head of the group, Moltatas said, "We cannot use these, my King. We do not have the gift."

"My mother and father used the headband to find the coins. Try this first. Think of how well you could do your job if you had the shield. Then think of how your children will more likely have a mother to come home to."

This was hitting below the belt. Orders were given and two tried this while the rest went onto heightened threat posture. I practised erecting the shield quickly.

The shield had to be tested and I already knew that the stigga could be killed by stone, wood and other odd weapons. The Anguy though could only be hurt with a fifty calibre armour piercing round. These only killed by the shock wave and not penetration.

The detail did not like it but they tried to hit me with the side of a stone knife and a stone spear and they succeeded. A regular knife failed. I worked with the medallion trying all sorts of weird arrangements until the stone did not touch me but now the steel did.

The family came in and they were already trying to erect their own shields after hearing the news. We worked mentally for only a half hour until we found what to do but we still continued other procedures. I was able to turn on the other medallions if I was close and they could turn on mine.

Camsa stumbled on one method that did not allow the shield to be de-energised. He was frantic for a while until we found out what he did and how he did it. Backtracking produced how to remove the shield. Camsa immediately tried it again and then removed it.

Jonna just gave him the stare and he defensively said, "I had to try it. We could be in a battle and I need to set this on a person that's unconscious."

I was the one that said, "Good idea, Camsa. We all have to try this."

There was a knock at our door and security answered it. When the door was opened, Loca was allowed in. He had a big smile for me and said, "My King, I have good news."

"Hello Loca. What do you have for me?"

"The large shield now works."

I had a big smile now too and said, "Tell me how the secret was found. Do not leave out your part."

The smile got even bigger. "We had all heard the instructions given to Stofan." There was now a pause so I had to prod him and this is what he wanted.

"Yes?"

I have studied your DVDs on hypnosis and I tried it on Osston. It worked fine. When he awoke I had tried it on Stofan. That was a few days ago. I read more about the process since then and had Stofan repeat everything he remembered that he saw the priests do when they made a shield."

Again there was a pause and I said, "What did you find?"

The priests touch the two bands together briefly before they do their mental exercise. They hide this and try to make it look casual or an accident."

"That's great. What happens?"

"Well the shield goes out twice as far and then collapses even faster."

I was shocked at this. "Was anybody hurt?"

"Only dust and dirt blown around. The trick I found is to keep the arms horizontal when calling on the forces within the bands. The shield forms and then the wristbands can be moved at will with no problem."

"Does it work consistently?"

"So far it has done very well. Nobody has stood up and tried it yet because of your orders."

"I want to go to Earth and this would be something to take with us. It would be even more useful here."

"We currently have four teams working on this. Only the older and more trained individuals are able to control the forces. The way your family works together I think the process will be well understood soon."

"That's good to hear Loca. I think this is the first time we have had to use our hands except to hold the icon."

"Maybe the gesture is just a way helping our minds think about what to do."

"That could be it. Another avenue to pursue is that the smaller shields can be made selective so that stone can penetrate to kill a stigga. It stands to reason that both shields have a great many more secrets in them. We need to find all of them and the disadvantages too. The priests have had centuries to do this kind of research and we have to fumble as we go along."

"I will continue the search for every facet of the devices, my King."

"You and the rest have done a remarkable job so far Loca."

He smiled again and said, "Thank you, my King. I will tell the rest."

"I would like to ask to borrow your portal that has a key. It's the only real test to see if those sites on Earth are functional or not."

The smile dropped but not quickly. Loca thought then said, "You may have them, my King. I have much more to work with now. I will give them to you."

Now it was my turn to be shocked. "Thank you Loca. I think that it is more important to give them to the school and I will borrow the articles from them."

"What is the difference, my King?"

"The school owns them and when I return then everybody gets to use them. Your gift is too big for one person."

This really pleased Loca and he even blushed. "Thank you for being so generous with your praise, my King."

When Loca left, Jonna said, "Have you decided whom you are going to bring with you?"

"That question is a hard one. I guess that I will have to bring all of the ones you suggested."

I had some of the girls running towards me and I just hugged them back. I wanted all of my family with me but realistically this could not happen. The older women smiled at the younger ones. I did not detect jealousy but I did find a bit of wistfulness.

I added, "Osston may be a good choice to take too. He can speak at least some English. He's young and strong. If he can use the shield. That is an important plus. Some of my security detail speak enough English to get along at least for a while."

"Well if you are going to be running off on us, I guess we better get some loving before you leave."

They did not quite have to pull me to bed because I went willingly. The younger members knew that I was not going to take care of them too. They watched but a few found some shotguns to make sure we were not rudely interrupted.

I went to Jonna first and she helped Tiffany to get ready first with a steamy kiss. The silent communications between the women had them working on Tiffany to get her ready first. When Jonna pulled away from her I saw Tiffany open her eyes. There was passion there and lots of it.

I stepped near and my ladies moved out of the way. When I sat on the bed I pulled Tiffany too me for a kiss and I felt her shiver even more than usual. She was very excited and even more than usual. Reading her mind or those of the others was difficult and I had to think on this.

It then hit me. "Are you fertile now?"

I got a worried look and still no mental communications. She did nod her head. I counted back and remembered that Lauren was now three months pregnant.

"Open your mind to me, Honey. I know now."

Her blocks came down slowly and I saw how worried she was. She wanted a child. She was not quite desperate but the maternal urge was strong. Foreplay was not required just because she was so ready. Not sexually ready but more than ready to begin a new life.

My own weapons then clothing was removed but the weapons were always near. I bent over and sucked one of her nipples into my mouth and her hands came to my head as a groan escaped her lips.

"Hugh, do that later. Fill me first. I want to start work on our child now."

There was no sense asking her questions because she told me everything I needed to know with her thoughts. I picked up her legs at the knees and had a taste. She did not fight me in this but I could feel her growing desperation.

Moving forward on the bed, I climbed over her. Tiffany's knees were up waiting for me. I looked into her eyes as I moved a bit further. There was no need for me to hold the one eyed snake because Jonna was there to help us. I pushed forward a bit then retreated some before pushing in further. Tiffany's eyes closed as I moved inward. Her arms came around me as if I would leave. Her hips came up to accept me faster. It was when she tried to lock her ankles around me that I knew she was very ready.

I worked back and forth a few times then moved further in. I was long enough to enter her womb and was always careful of this. When I was as far in as possible, I bent over and kissed Tiffany's lips. Her eyes flashed open and I said mentally, "I hope you know that I love you."