Chapter 21

MOON BASE EDEN

"How long?" William Wallace snapped.

"Twenty-nine minutes Admiral!" Wilson replied.

"Ideas people! I need ideas!" Wallace bellowed.

"We must evacuate the station!" Anari's voice echoed over the COM.

Anari squatted in the corridor of the main engineering section. Her fatigues were sweaty and blood stained her shoulder where she had taken a bullet through the meat of her upper arm. The wound was painful but not life threatening and the medic had simply slapped a bandage on it and given her a shot for pain.

The battle to retake EDEN had been more ferocious than any Anari had fought in throughout her hundred and twenty-six years of life. She had watched many under her command fall, and more still that battled by her side, never falling back and always pressing forward. Hetyon had remained with her throughout the fighting, protecting her with the possessiveness of any lover, but not letting her feelings rule her actions.

Anari looked down the corridor at the dozens of seriously wounded she had, as well as the walking wounded. Many of them were looking at her as she spoke into the implant. She was down to less than half her original strength, and from a military standpoint, her unit was now ineffective.

"We can't do that Anari!" Wallace's voice filled the station's COM channel. "We just got control back!"

"Admiral ... I am down to less than half my operational strength!" Anari spoke calmly. "I have many wounded ... several that are in serious condition and some that will not survive. I can not hold against a superior force such as what is coming Admiral Wallace, you know this."

"I will not retreat!" Wallace nearly yelled.

"Admiral Wallace ... this is not Sparta!" Anari snapped, her anger getting the best of her.

Frank looked at Wallace in the command center. "Sparta?" He asked. "What the hell is that about Admiral?"

"Anari..." Wallace started.

"Admiral ... I have fought beside Martin Hunter as have you." Anari spoke. "You longer than I. Would he wish us to remain here and die, as well as lose this station? Spartans you both may be ... but neither of you are fools."

Wallace stared at the sensor image of the approaching Raptors. The thought of retreat brought forth a vile taste in his mouth, but he knew the Drow spoke the truth. His King would never forfeit the lives of men and women, especially the injured. They may both be Spartans, and while they would never retreat or surrender if that was the only recourse, he knew their first priority was to their people. It may not have been the Spartan law his people had honored for centuries, but it was the law he had followed for decades. And it was the law his King would follow, as he had proven many times in the past.

"Anari ... start moving your people to the secondary landing pads!" Wallace barked out the order. "You know the path?"

"Yes Admiral."

"Then go." Wallace turned to Wilson. "Start broadcasting on all internal channels. All civilians that want off this station are to begin moving to the secondary platforms. Advise them if they are armed in any way they will be shot before they exit the air locks. No exceptions."

"Yes sir."

"Admiral ... the Senator is still alive!" One of the elf security officers said.

Wallace glanced back seeing Graham's body on the floor; three bullet holes center mass of his chest. He walked over to the man slowly, smelling the blood and urine that washed through the air. Bubbles were pouring from between his lips and Wallace knew he was hard hit, and probably lung shot. "I had orders to bring you back so that Tarifa could have your ass." William Wallace spoke looking at the dying man. "You ain't even man enough to live that long." He looked at the elf security officer "Fuck him. Let him reap what he sowed." Wallace spat. "Anari ... do you have any explosives left?"

There was a pause. "Yes Admiral ... roughly six of your anti-personnel mines and three blocks of explosives."

"Anari, set booby traps on everything that you can!" Wallace ordered. "Leave the mines active to create maximum kill fields, and do it as you pull your people back from the engineering sections. Understood?"

Anari's reply was filled with savageness, "Perfectly Admiral. We may be leaving the station, but that does not mean we have to just give it to the Alliance."

Wallace grinned savagely. He liked this Drow, even if she was half vampire. She understood how he thought as a Spartan. "No we do not." He said. Wallace looked at Wilson. "Frank ... how long?"

"Twenty-six minutes sir."

"Keep trying to burn through the jamming!" Wallace spoke. "I need to speak with Martin. And stand by to initiate a Broken Arrow. They want this station ... they'll earn it with blood."

MOUNTAIN CITY

"Make no mistake ... you may be my kind or not, but one more twitch and I will ventilate your brain cavity!" Dan growled.

His K12 was pressed squarely to Andreus's temple, his hand unwavering.

The moment Aihola had fallen into Tarifa's arms, the smell of her blood filling the air around them, the Spartans with Martin knew what she was. Her blood reeked of vampire genes, and by instinct alone their weapons had come up in defense of their King, who had thrown himself towards the fallen vampire. Danny, Kenny and Julie had brought their own weapons up in response to this movement with equal speed as the Centurions and now, twenty Spartans were staring down the barrels of nearly three dozen HKs held by elves; High elves and Drow alike. Theron stood wide eyed next to Andreus, Thr'won and Aricia on his opposite side. Danny and the others had moved just as fast as the trained Spartans.

"They ... they are vampires!" Theron gasped.

"They are my friends!" Martin shouted as he knelt next to Aihola, Tarifa clutching her upper body in her lap rocking back and forth softly, sobbing, the tears falling into Aihola's dirty cheeks.

My love. Aricia reached out to Martin as she stepped closer, none of the elves stopping her. She stepped slowly around Julie, Martin's scent all over her, and Julie and Kenny realizing this was the last of their leader's women.

They are only half vampire Little Wolf. Aricia could hear the pain in his voice. They are the product of Alliance torture and experiments. Not true Vampires. They have all the skills of vampires, Martin turned to look at Aricia, But none of the weaknesses. They can't turn someone with their bite. They eat normal food, they are warm blooded. They are my friends.

"Lower your weapons." Aricia spoke out loud, turning to look at her brother.

"Sister!" Andreus hissed.

"Do it!" Aricia snapped. "They are friends of our King brother."

"My ... My King?" Andreus's eyes went to where Martin was kneeling next to Aihola, his hands reaching for her face. Every instinct told him to begin shooting and not stop until everyone around their King was down.

"Lower your weapons Spartans!" Martin spoke, his voice carrying to all of them. "We are among friends here!"

Andreus did not hesitate, and his P190 dropped to his side, as did the others. If they could not trust their King, who could they trust. Andreus noticed the looks of astonishment from the gathered elves at Martin's words to them, and he looked at Daniel.

"Our mission is the same as yours Pureblood. We ... we are all Spartans." He spoke to Dan. "He is our King."

Danny nodded slowly as he lowered the K12. "And he's also the closest thing to a brother I have ever had. I won't let anyone hurt him."

"You are Daniel Simpson?" Andreus asked.

Danny nodded. "Yeah, so."

Andreus reached up and slowly removed the matte black helm he wore. "I am Andreus, the King's Captain."

Martin knelt next to Aihola, gently taking her head in his hands. Lynwe and Tari were huddled on the ground next to Tarifa, Lynwe's eyes flooded with tears, the liquid streaking the dust on her face as she gripped Tari's arms. Tari had taken two superficial wounds in the shoulder and lower neck, but his uniform was still soaked in blood as they had bled quite badly.

Aihola's chest was saturated with dark red blood, the four holes evident even through the dark uniform she wore. Two of them had punched into her chest just above her left nipple. Two more had torn into her abdomen. Bright red blood stained her cheeks and lips and Martin knew she had taken at least one bullet through the lungs. The medic looked at him and slowly shook her head. Tarifa cradled her in her arms, too shocked to do anything other than weep as she squeezed Aihola, hoping that her arms alone would keep her lover alive.

"Aihola open your eyes." Martin spoke softly, brushing her blood stained white hair from her cheeks.

Her amber eyes fluttered open and Martin could see the pain in them. "It ... it hurts." She gasped, blood leaking from her lips. Tarifa reached forward quickly, wiping the stains away from her lips.

Martin nodded slowly. "Yes Little One it does." He spoke. "Remember what you told me Aihola, before you left Eden."

Aihola squeezed her eyes shut in agony, the pain lancing through her, shaking her head. "My ... my love?"

"I'm here Nya Istel!" Tarifa sobbed. "I have you."

"I'm ... I'm sorry my love." Another wave of pain wracked Aihola's body and she groaned loudly. "I ... I wanted ... wanted to grow ... old with you."

Tarifa clutched her chest. "Don't leave me please Nya Istel! I ... I have just discovered you! Please ... please don't leave me. Not ... not like this."

"Are ... are you hurt?"

"You saved me Aihola." Tarifa spoke.

A bloody smile split her lips and Aihola nodded, "As ... as it should be." She croaked out.

"Aihola!" Martin snapped, drawing her amber eyes back to him. "I'm going to bend over Aihola. You know what you need to do."

Theron stepped forward a sinking feeling in his gut at what his King was suggesting. How could he be willing to do this? To allow her to...

Aihola shook her head. "No." Aihola gasped out, her breathing becoming more ragged and labored now. "It ... it is wrong."

Her words struck Theron. A vampire saying it was wrong? Who were these people?

"Who am I Aihola?" Martin asked her.

"You ... you are ... you are the High King." She wheezed. "My ... my King."

"Blood will heal your wounds Aihola." Martin told her, feeling the others look at him their eyes wide when he said that. "You told me this."

Aihola shook her head again, more vigorously this time. "It ... it is vile!" Blood splattered Tarifa's fatigues as she spoke.

"Martin..." Tari spoke, his eyes moist. "Many of us ... we have sworn never to do this, even if it saves our lives."

This drew attention from all of the Spartans, and their eyes grew a little bit wider as they looked at Tari. Aricia drew closer to Martin, kneeling down next to him, her hand going to his shoulder.

Martin nodded and looked back to Aihola. "I know that Little One. I need you to do this." He told her. "You have too."

"Wrong." Aihola sputtered, shaking her head.

Martin gripped her face, heedless of her blood spilling over his hands. "You know what I am Aihola." He spoke. "You know what we have begun here ... and in Eden. I need it to continue. You are part of that. A very important part, just as Tarifa is. She needs your strength, your love. You are stronger when you are together."

"It ... it is wrong my King." She said, gripping Tarifa's hands tightly as another wave of pain ripped through her.

"There are times female Drow ... when what is wrong ... is ultimately the right choice." Aricia spoke softly.

Aihola's pain filled eyes looked at Aricia. "You ... you are..."

Aricia nodded. "I am." Aricia answered the question before Aihola could finish. "If you are a friend of my King ... then you are a friend to me as well. You are not destined to die here this day she elf. Your King is attempting to make you see this. Listen to him."

Aihola heaved in a breath. "I ... I do not want ... want to die."

Martin lowered his head, his own eyes moist. "If ... if we are to succeed ... I need ... I need the elves ready, all elves Aihola, including the Drow."

"Tar ... Tari..." Aihola began.

Martin's head came back up and he glared at her. "Damn it Aihola, Tari is not their Queen!" He shouted. "You are!"

This pronouncement caused Tari and the other Drow in the area to look at Martin in stunned shock. Only Lynwe kept her eyes focused on Aihola, a smile spreading across her features.

Aihola shook her head. "No..."

"Martin..." Tari spoke moving closer. "There ... there hasn't been a Drow Queen since just before the Alliance wiped out our people. She was killed in a raid by the Alliance six months before they destroyed our last village. That is why many of us turned to becoming mercenaries; those that weren't taken by the Alliance for their experiments like our parents."

Martin didn't take his eyes from Aihola's face. "Your mother was Queen Tari." He spoke, staring into Aihola's amber eyes. "She didn't die as you believe. She went into hiding and only returned during the last attacks to die fighting with your father. They were both captured in the end. She gave birth to you while a prisoner of the Alliance as part of their experiments."

"The vampire witch turned our father into a vampire!" Tari yelled.

Martin nodded. "Yes she did. And they allowed him to rape your mother. And you were born first Tari. Exactly one minute before Aihola. But your mother was the Drow Queen."

"That ... that can't be," Tari spoke stunned. He moved forward slowly, his own amber eyes going from Aihola to Martin. "They ... they told us we were born a year apart."

"But it is true." Walter's voice broke into the silence. "And who would you believe more Tari ... the Alliance butchers or the voice of your High King?"

Many heads turned at the sound of his voice as he walked up the path. Theron's eyes went wide when he saw him, "Dymas!" He gasped, starting forward.

Walter held up his hand stopping him as he leaned over Martin's shoulder, his hand coming to rest on Aricia's shoulder. His uniform was covered in blood, and he had several slashes from what appeared to be a knife of some sort on his chest and arms. He winced when he saw Aihola's bloody face and her wounds.

"Do you trust your High King Aihola?" Walter asked her softly.

Aihola met Martin's eyes and nodded her head. "He ... he is my ... my King Holy One"

"Do you trust me child?" Walter asked, bending over to take her hand.

"You ... you are ... you are the Holy One." Aihola gasped, blood spilling over her lips again.

"Then trust us now." Walter spoke. "Martin is telling you the truth Aihola. It is I who told him this, for I was there when the Drow prisoners were revealed. And only you and Tari now know our secret. You are Queen of the Drow, and as your brother, Tari is their military commander."

Martin squeezed Aihola's head gently. "Now do you see?" He asked her. "The elves will need their Queens if we are to win this fight we have started today."

"I ... not from you," Aihola gasped, "I will not ... take blood ... not ... not from my King."

Tarifa leaned her tear streaked face close to Aihola's; placing her cheek to Aihola's heedless of the blood that stained her skin. "Then mine Nya Istel." She spoke softly without any hesitation. "Take it from someone who loves you more than her own life. I need you Nya Istel. I could not bear to lose you now."

"My ... my love ... no..." Aihola's eyes closed as she felt Tarifa's skin against hers.

Tareif pushed closer from where he squatted, drawing the High Elf knife from his belt as he settled next to his daughter. He held it out to Tarifa as he met Aihola's eyes. "You told me once, not so long ago Aihola of the Family Anatyla. You told me my King had given us orders. He has done so again child, this time to you."

Tarifa didn't hesitate and used the knife to cut a deep slice into her forearm. Blood immediately began to seep quickly from the wound and she held it out in front of Aihola. "Take it Nya Istel." She spoke. "If you love me Aihola ... take it."

Aihola's eyes met Martin and she saw him nod slowly. She reached up with bloody quivering hands and took Tarifa's forearm without resistance and opened her mouth slowly. Her vampire teeth were fully extended and she bit down over the wound Tarifa had cut into her flesh and began to feed.

Tarifa hissed softly, feeling the pain of Aihola's teeth, but also the unbelievable pleasure that surged through her veins, causing her body to become hot and sweat to break out on her skin. She closed her eyes and pulled Aihola's head tightly to her body, letting the sensations course through her.

Aihola's eyes opened wide as pain wracked her body once more, but this was the pain of healing. She could feel the wounds repairing themselves within her body, the torn flesh knitting back together, and the two broken ribs where the bullet had punched into her upper abdomen. The bullets were being rejected, pushed back out of her body, until they squeezed from the very holes they had entered and the flesh sealed behind them as they fell to the ground. Aihola had drunk blood only three other times in her life and it had been the most disgusting thing she had ever done. The blood tasted like rotting flesh smelled, vile and putrid. As the pain coursed through her from her healing wounds, she began to feel the pleasure seething through her as well. Tarifa's blood tasted so sweet and delicious, just like her skin and her juices. It was like the finest wine she had ever sipped, and she pulled her arm closer, relishing in the taste and the sweet pleasures that were shooting through her ravaged body. Tarifa did not deny her, she would never deny her, and she pulled Aihola's body closer, holding her even tighter, her free arm wrapping around Aihola's head and stroking her hair as pain and pleasure joined them as one.

Martin watched as Aihola finally loosened her grip on Tarifa's arm, her teeth retreating from her soft skin. The puncture holes in Tarifa's arm sealed almost immediately, and Aihola relaxed in the arms of her lover. She coughed once, a deep heaving cough, and then rolled over to vomit on the ground. Tarifa didn't flinch and she ripped off her fatigue top and pulled Aihola's head up to wipe her lips clean of the blood and vomit. She was exhausted from the loss of blood and slumped against Tarifa, totally spent.

Martin slid his arms under her body and lifted her easily into his arms, her amber eyes coming to meet his as Tareif helped his daughter to her feet. "Tari take your sister to the transport. The battle is over for both of you today." He let Tari take her from him and he looked at Tareif just when he heard the static in his implant.

"Eden Center to Raptor One! We've burned through the jamming and are receiving an urgent Priority Alpha message from Admiral Wallace!" The voice echoed.

Martin got to his feet. "Patch it through now!" He barked.

"Admiral I got Commander Hunter!" Wilson barked.

Wallace stepped to the panel. "Martin?"

"Admiral, what is your status?" Martin's voice filled the command center.

"Martin we have sixteen minutes until thirty-two Raptors land and begin unloading Alliance troops!" Wallace reported. "We have retaken the Station, but took heavy losses in the process. We're down to under a hundred effective fighters, with at least two thousand Alliance troops closing on us. I'm pulling all non-essential personnel out and sending them to you. Do you copy?"

Martin spun around and looked at Dan who had heard the transmission as well. "That's it." He spoke, his eyes wide. "The war between the elves was never her intent. That was only a means to an end. This entire time her whole objective was to seize control of EDEN."

"That's how they got the avionics to upgrade the Raptors." Dan said. "She must have had that information all these years."

"Admiral ... Broken Arrow!" Martin barked without hesitation. "I say again Broken Arrow."

"Martin ... I can hide in unused areas and..."

"Damn it man! I will not lose you or anyone else to that bitch. Broken Arrow!" Martin snapped. "Launch in the Mark Nine's and trail along the surface until you clear the Mare Basin. Once the Raptors are down shoot straight for the gap! By the time they realize you have gotten off the station it will be too late. They won't have the fuel to chase you."

"Sire..."

"I am giving you an order Spartan! As your King! You ... you will initiate a Broken Arrow! You are too important to throw your life away! There will be another time Admiral! I give you my word! We can retake the station at a later time! If you do not follow that order, I will personally fly a Raptor up there and I will fucking shoot you myself! Is that unclear in any way Admiral?"

There was a pause on the COM before Martin heard his voice. "I understand sire. I will initiate a full status Broken Arrow."

"Admiral..."

"No My Lord ... you are correct. Anari told me the same thing, and your voice has only confirmed that for me. My apologies! Our people come first! I will initiate a Full Status Broken Arrow in ten seconds." Wallace's voice spoke calmly, firmness returning to his words. "I will see you at the escape coordinates sire. We will have many wounded."

"We'll be waiting Admiral."

MOON BASE EDEN

Wilson looked at Wallace for a long moment. "Admiral ... what was all that about? You called Commander Hunter a King."

Wallace looked at him. "Yes I did. Do you believe in fate Frank?"

"Yes sir I do."

Wallace nodded. "Fate has just granted us a lease on life my friend." He spoke. "Initiate a Full Status Broken Arrow. We have twelve minutes to purge the data bases. Set the destruct charges on all computers once they are purged. No one is to remain behind Frank." Wallace turned to the door. "Anari ... do you copy?"

"Yes Admiral."

"We were able to burn through the interference and contact Martin on the surface. I have initiated a Broken Arrow emergency throughout the station. You are closest to the engineering sections. Disregard my previous instructions and set all your remaining explosives on the power generators and the core. Do you copy?"

"Understood Admiral." Anari spoke, "And the civilians?"

"If they are not already part of our group ... then they can reap the rewards for not siding with us when the Alliance gets here. Anyone who is not physically identified by a member of the resistance is to be shot on sight if they are not already in the secondary bay. Pass the word along."

"Yes sir."

"Anari you have twelve minutes to set the explosives and reach the secondary platforms. Do not make me come looking for you she elf." Wallace spoke.

"Trust me Admiral ... you won't have too."

"Anisa?" Wallace spoke.

"I am here Nya Cundu." Her voice answered almost immediately. Wallace smiled at the tone of her voice and the way it filled him.

"Anisa ... I need you to help Paul pull all the wounded to the secondary pads." William said. "I will send a security team to the infirmary to assist you, but you must pull all our people out of there now."

"I understand." Anisa replied. "William..."

"Have no worries Anisa ... I have no intention of leaving you for at least the next eight or nine centuries." Wallace spoke with a smile.

Anisa's musical voice chuckled. "And here I was hoping for just a few decades." She answered, "Though I much prefer your idea. I will see you soon Nya Cundu."

Wallace turned to Frank, seeing the look on his face. "Admiral ... is there something going on that I need to know about?"

"Frank old friend ... I believe it is time I shared some history with you, but right now let's get off this station shall we. I'll get the encoded computer relay chips, you set the timers. We are out of here in seven minutes Frank."

"Suits the shit out of me," Wilson spoke.

MOUNTAIN CITY

"It has been a long time my friend." Theron spoke as he embraced Walter near the edge of the platform.

"Far too long old friend." Walter said with a smile and equal feeling. "I was wondering when I could expect you. Once I realized that somehow they had touched Aricia I knew you would discover it soon enough."

"Why have you not contacted us sooner Dymas?" Theron asked as the female elf in Spartan uniform came up to them slowly. "Dymas this is Thr'won. She is the Chief Mage of Sparta."

Walter looked at Thr'won and saw her smile shyly. "I ... I always hoped that some of my elves would make their way to Sparta." He said.

"There are nearly five thousand of us in Sparta Holy One." Thr'won spoke still somewhat in awe. She had only heard of the Guardian of the Line, and read about him in the scrolls.

Walter chuckled softly. "Please my name is Dymas ... or Walter as I go by now." He told her, taking her hand and drawing her closer to them. "How old are you Thr'won?"

"My mate turned me when I was only twenty-five Dymas." Thr'won replied. "I was quite young and foolish at the time. My family and I were captured by the Alliance slavers and sent to Europe. I was able to escape once we arrived, and foolishly thought I could rescue my mother and sisters. I was wounded terribly, and left in the wild to die as punishment. My mate discovered me and turned me. It was quite the frightening experience Holy One."

"I imagine it was, yet you remained and are this Alpha's mate?" Walter spoke.

"He nursed me back to health, never leaving my side. And he was ... he was very handsome. He claimed me under the Centennial of the moon, and I have not looked back since." Thr'won spoke.

"That is indeed impressive. And you have taken the position of Chief Mage ... even more so for a non Pureblood." Walter spoke.

Theron smiled. "She is a powerful telepath Dymas, one of our strongest. It was Thr'won that discovered what was buried in your niece's mind."

Walter turned and saw Martin squatting with Andreus and Tareif, Danny and the others close around them. The beautiful young woman knelt very close to Martin as they all looked at the image on the data pad. "She looks like my sister."

Theron's face changed. "Dymas ... forgive me, my heart mourns for Androcles."

Walter looked at him. "Our King gave him a beautiful death, and that is all any Spartan desires."

"Dymas ... he..." Theron began.

"Yes I know old friend. He is the image of Leonidas himself, with the same aura and power." Walter spoke. "I was overwhelmed myself when he first returned to earth after the comet. Have you met his queens, Anja and Dysea?"

Thr'won nodded. "Oh yes. They had just finished killing three elf vampires, and frightened the fourth so much he chose to run and die under the shield of a Shi Viska rather then face them."

Walter grinned. "Yes ... that does sound like them." He shook his head. "They are the two most powerful non Purebloods I have ever felt, and both of them have been turned less than a month."

"They are true Alpha females." Thr'won spoke.

"Yes they are. And so much more than I believe even we understand, as is the King." Walter spoke. He looked at Theron. "My wife? My parents?"

"They are well." Theron answered quickly. "I visited your mother and father before we departed. They will greet us when we return to claim Androcles' body. And Dia ... well she was beside herself with joy, and it took all I knew to convince her not to sing to the moon in relief. It would have attracted too much attention."

Walter met his eyes. "Things have not changed I take it?"

Theron shook his head. "They have grown worse if anything." He answered. "That is why we must keep the King's existence secret for the first few weeks he and our Queens are in Sparta. They need time to study and train and adjust."

"That will be very difficult old friend." Walter spoke. "You have seen him in action. He is so much like Leonidas it scares me. He follows his heart first, his mind second. And blocking his aura ... well that will be a chore all by itself. He has never had to shield it before, and while he is getting better ... I fear the few things I have been able to pass to him are not enough."

"So I've noticed, however between you and I, we should be able to teach him enough to mask it to the point he only appears as a strong Alpha." Theron replied, "I take it the Drow half vampires are part of what his heart tells him to do?"

Walter nodded. "They are no threat to us Theron. If anything they are perhaps our strongest ally now. Every one of them was subjected to hideous experiments on the orders of the High Priestess Yuri. Aihola ... the one our King saved earlier ... she figured out who he was long before anyone else. They are close friends, and her brother and the others have been fighting beside the men and women of Eden for months now. It was they who gave us the information on the vampires we have faced the last two days, and the way to detect them. He will protect them Theron, at all costs."

"And so shall we." Theron spoke.