Chapter 26

EDEN

Vengal sat in his office on the main Eden airfield. He had long grown accustom to the constant roar of the Raptors taking off and landing, and it filled him with pride at each surge of power the Raptor's represented. Tareif's office and command headquarters was on the far side of Eden so one attack did not kill them both. He had grown quite fond of the High Elf War Master, and over the last weeks he and Tareif had become fast friends, as had their wives. This was a non-training day for his troops, and the airfield was unusually quiet today. He looked out the window of his office while sipping the tea and plugged in the data pad to the desk monitor. He looked forward to these communications from Anuk each week, and he generally liked to listen to them alone at first. There were two this week, one from Anuk and the other from an unknown source Dekton did not know. He plugged in the one from the unknown source first and clicked on the monitor.

The face of the older ebony skinned woman came onto the screen and he sat forward in his chair. The background was similar to where Anuk usually sent her weekly messages from, but he had never seen this woman. Usually it was just Anuk, and sometimes Daniel would appear for a few moments to greet him in the message.

"Good day General, my name is Malaika, and I am Daniel's mother." Vengal's eyes grew very interested and he set his coffee aside. "First I would like to tell you there is nothing wrong with Anuk, and her message to you should have come with this one if I am correct. I ... I wanted to introduce myself, my family ... to you. My husband is a Spartan and messages like this bore him to no end." Vengal smiled at this news. "I wanted to thank you for the gift of your daughter to my son Vengal. There are many elves here in Sparta, but Anuk's beauty is second only to our three Queen's as far as I am concerned, but then again we would be bias would we not? She is a strong willed young woman, and she loves my son with all the fierceness of a pureblood wolf." Vengal thought he could detect the pride in the woman's voice.

"I understand you know what we are, and what Anuk now is due to Daniel's actions. That her blood burns for him so ... well ... it is an honor to all of my family. If you would allow me Vengal, I understand Anuk's birthing day is coming soon, the day you and your woman welcomed her into this world. It would be my honor if you and your mate would join us here in Sparta to celebrate this day ... Anuk's family is now our family, and I would hope you feel the same. The circumstances of your daughter coming into my son's life are not spoken of here. Spartans consider what happen to Anuk to be the vilest of crimes one can commit. I know you probably wished to give her hand away in a large celebration and that was denied you and your mate. I hope my son's actions gave back a small portion of what was taken from not only Anuk but from you and your wife. Daniel worships the ground she walks upon Vengal. My husband is not easily impressed Vengal, and when we are alone together, there are times when he can not stop talking about your daughter. She has been going through much of the training that our own Spartan women receive and also that of Spartan Centurions, and she has impressed many very old and cranky people with her skills. She has grown more beautiful with each passing day, and many of our friends and family have commented on the love that is so evident in her eyes for my son. I will not keep your attention for long, but please accept my invitation to this special day for your daughter. It would be a surprise for her, as I have not told her I am contacting you. Allow me ... my family to give you the day you had always hoped for Anuk. Dekton can relay your response back to me or our King at your convenience. Thank you and I hope to see you soon."

Vengal reached for the pad as a swell of pride coursed through him. What Daniel had done by saving Anuk's life and then taking her as his mate had been quite enough in Vengal's eyes and the eyes of his wife. They had never seen their daughter so animated and happy in their lives, and now to receive this message from Daniel Simpson's mother. These Spartans truly were amazing.

As Vengal prepared to respond to the message he looked up at the chime on his door. "Enter!" He barked rather gruffly, annoyed at the disturbance. That quickly went away when the door slid open to reveal Aihola and another Drow elf that he did not recognize, as well as three Dragoons elves handpicked by Dekton that escorted Aihola or Tarifa when they split apart to do separate things.

"Queen Aihola." Vengal spoke getting to his feet.

Aihola stepped into the office and held up her hand quickly. "Please Vengal ... do not get up. I believe you and Tari have grown far too close for such formality to extend to his younger sister. He thinks very highly of you."

Vengal smiled and moved around the desk, "And I of him. Please ... come in." He spoke moving some data pads from the chairs in his office so that they could sit down.

"We will remain out here Milady." The Dragoon spoke to Aihola.

"Thank you Covar, we shouldn't be too long." Aihola replied. She touched the panel and the door slid closed. Aihola turned back to Vengal and stepped up to him to embrace him, which he returned. She was right that he and Tari had developed a friendship since their mission with Daniel to save Tareif's sons, and they had maintained it over the weeks. He had received three transmissions from Tari explaining the training he was undergoing, and how some of the tactics might be well suited for the armies of Eden.

"What brings you here Aihola?" Vengal asked. "Would you like some tea?"

"That would be wonderful." Aihola spoke. "I'm sure by now you have heard of Telan's death."

Vengal moved to the small counter and nodded as he poured two mugs of tea. "I won't be crying over his demise." Vengal spoke. "I only wish I could shake the hand of the one who killed him."

Aihola laughed lightly and swept her hand to the second Drow that Vengal did not recognize. "General ... allow me to introduce Nayeca, Telan's killer."

Vengal looked at the female and his eyes went wide. He finished pouring the tea and moved over to them, handing one to Aihola as he looked at the Drow assassin. He held out his hand. "I'm proud to meet you Nayeca. That was an excellent piece of work with Telan, simply excellent!"

The Drow looked at him stunned by his informal speech with Aihola, and his complete acceptance of who she was. She took his hand slowly. "I ... thank you ... I think." Nayeca replied.

Aihola chuckled. "Nayeca has only been among us for two days now, and she is still trying to grow accustom to the acceptance our people receive from everyone."

Vengal nodded. "It is an acceptance long overdue in my opinion." Vengal spoke handing her the tea. "Please sit down. What brings you out here from the center of our city?"

Aihola took the chair directly across from Vengal and Nayeca took the second one after a nod from Aihola. "We have a dilemma, and Tarifa suggested I bring it to you."

Vengal perched on the side of his desk and looked at her. "Please ... go on."

"Nayeca has told me of the city she comes from." Aihola's voice was excited as she spoke, "A city of Drow; thousands of them."

Vengal's face and eyes showed his surprise. "This is true?" He asked looking at Nayeca.

Nayeca nodded slowly after looking at Aihola. "Not all of our people were butchered by the Alliance." She said. "Several hundred were able to escape and find a place of refuge. Since that time our city has grown to over six thousand."

Vengal looked at Aihola and smiled. "I'm sure that makes your heart sing Aihola." He said. "I know Tari will be overjoyed as well."

"It does." She told him with a smile. "That is actually why we are here."

"What can I do for you?" Vengal asked. "You are Tari's sister and the Drow Queen. I am at your service."

"Tarifa suggested that I come to you to develop a plan to bring the Drow here." Aihola told him. "The distance is great and we would have to cross Alliance territory undetected with six thousand people. What I need to know is if it can be done."

"Why not just send all of our transports?" Vengal spoke. "Surely they can be in and out before the Alliance even knows we were there."

Aihola shook her head. "No one knows of this city." Aihola told him. "It is well hidden in the mountains of what used to be Manitoba in the country of Canada. In order to reach it, we would have to cross Alliance territory, and we don't want to reveal the location unless we might need to return to it in the future. Nayeca says it is massive and easily defensible and it would make an ideal position to fall back too if we ever needed too."

Vengal looked at her. "May I ask why she did not suggest you talk with her father? Tareif is a brilliant military mind."

Aihola nodded. "Yes he is, but you are more experienced with small unit operations than he is. Tareif is used to commanding much larger size forces than the one we would need to go into this area with. Your Wood Elf Rangers have been to this area before have they not?"

Vengal nodded after a moment. "On hunting parties when our stores for food were low, yes. It is wild and untamed."

"We would need to keep one of you here in Eden, and Tareif is the logical one due to his experience with control of larger forces. I will be going with you, as will Nayeca and Dekton. He is already putting together a force of Dragoons to guard Tarifa while we are away. It was Tarifa who believes you would be better suited to this mission, as do I."

"What does the King say Aihola?" Vengal asked her. "A military mission of this sort; one that crosses Alliance territory will need to be approved by him. It is how the three of you decided to establish things if I'm not mistaken."

Aihola nodded. "Martin has already approved the mission. Tarifa told him she wanted you to plan and lead the operation and he didn't hesitate. You will be going to Sparta to celebrate Anuk's birthday soon will you not?"

Vengal looked at her surprised. "You know of that? I only received the invitation an hour ago from Daniel Simpson's mother."

"Danny's mother mentioned it to Martin." Aihola told him with a smile. "You forget Vengal, Tarifa and I are telepathic now, and if need be Martin can reach us even from Sparta."

Vengal's eyes went wide, "Truly? He has grown that powerful?"

Aihola nodded. "It really is amazing." She spoke softly. "Even with the training Dekton gives us, I feel ... I feel both Tarifa and I are still children in that regard."

"Well if your skill with that improves as well as the rest of your skills, I have no worries you will be an expert in no time." Vengal told her. He sat back in his chair and looked at Nayeca. "I will need Nayeca's help." He spoke.

"I will provide you as much information as I am able." Nayeca spoke quickly. "I've been away from our city for several months but nothing should have changed drastically."

Vengal looked at Aihola. "How many do we take?" He asked.

"To escort and provide security to that many men, women and children?" Aihola asked. "That is why I have come to you."

"Anuk's celebration is next week." He spoke thoughtfully, his eyes looking out the window briefly. "I ... we will put a plan together and bring it to Sparta with us to have Martin review it. His experience with small unit operations is far superior to mine, and I would like his input."

Aihola nodded and got to her feet. "Then with your permission, I will leave Nayeca in your capable hands. I have already made arrangements for her to have quarters here on the airfield, as she does not prefer the confines of the city center." She told him.

Nayeca stood as well and looked at her. "My ... My Queen ... you will not have me guarded?"

Aihola looked at her. "Do I need to?" She asked with a smile. "Nayeca ... you are exceptionally skilled child, but you have quite a way to go before being able to pose a challenge to me or Tarifa individually. I also wish you to see that Eden is not what you are used to, and you will find acceptance here, without question; as will all of our people."

Nayeca bowed her head slowly as Aihola turned and left the office. She turned back to Vengal. "I ... I did not picture her as arrogant." She spoke softly.

"You think what she just told you is arrogance?" Vengal asked with a smile.

"Isn't it?"

"She escaped from an Alliance prison and lived on the run as an Assassin and mercenary for the better part of two years Nayeca." Vengal told her as he got to his feet and went to the counter to freshen his mug of tea. He motioned her over and added more to her mug as well. "She survived on her skill and wits alone. You know what the Alliance did to her and those they held captive for so long?"

Nayeca nodded. "We heard stories of this when we went to trade among the other towns and villages in the mountains of Manitoba. They ... they turned them into these ... these creatures that drink blood."

Vengal shook his head. "That is not entirely true. You have no doubt discovered that these creatures, these vampires now exist?"

"I've heard her speaking of them with the High Elf Queen." Nayeca spoke. "And that ... that strange man that is always with them. He watches me like I am prey! He is ... he is a..."

"A Ngauro." Vengal said with a smile. "Yes I know, as is our King." He saw her eyes go wide.

"The intricacies of how this came to be are beyond me, and after what I have seen and experienced it does not matter to me. You know who I am yes?" Vengal asked.

"There are few who do not know who you are General." Nayeca spoke. "Even my people speak your name with respect and honor because of what you have accomplished and your fighting skill."

"Well ... I will tell you something now." Vengal said as he moved back to the chair and sat down. He watched as she joined him, intent on his words. "The High King could erase me from existence in less time it took for you to blink. His skills are far beyond what I have obtained in all my years, beyond Tareif's skills and beyond even those of Dekton, the man who guards your Queen. The Alliance tried to breed vampires in their infernal laboratories, and instead what they got were Aihola, her brother and the others of your race. They are half elf half vampire, with all their strengths and none of their weaknesses. Aihola doesn't drink blood, and her bite can not turn you. All of them find the prospect of tasting blood repulsive. I watched her refuse to do this, even though she was mortally wounded and it would have saved her life. It wasn't until the King told her who she was that she took the blood of the one person she loves more than life itself."

"You speak of the High Elf Queen Tarifa?" Nayeca asked.

Vengal nodded. "Your people's customs and traditions made you what you were as a people, and you should remember them and honor many of those customs. However Aihola and Tari knew that for the Drow to survive, to prosper, many of your customs had to be rethought. When she found love in the arms of another woman ... her decision was made."

Nayeca nodded. "Would it surprise you to know that that custom is not one we follow anymore?" She said. "We too have changed."

Vengal shook his head. "It wouldn't surprise me in the least. I always respected your people and what they accomplished." He smiled. "As I was saying ... your Queen and Tarifa have fought and trained by the King's side for nearly a year. She does not boast when she speaks. Her vampire genes combined with her own skills and those she has learned from Martin our King make both her and Tarifa exceptionally deadly individually and infinitely more so when together." Vengal smiled. "There is not an elf or human in the confines of this city that could defeat either Aihola or Tarifa in single combat. That is not a boast ... that is a fact." He spoke. "And for those fool enough to attack them in numbers, well ... they have someone trained to kill twenty times himself before he falls protecting them. And you yourself have heard the results of the attack against them recently?"

Nayeca nodded. "I ... I thought it only to be rumors and such started by others."

Vengal smiled as he got to his feet. "It is no rumor that much I assure you. There is not an arrogant bone in her body, or in Tarifa. They will deny it, but I would not hesitate to say they are the two deadliest fighters within our ranks. She is correct to say that against either her or Tarifa, you are but a child, even for all your skill. Do not take it as arrogance, or even as a criticism. She is a Drow just as you, and she knows what you are capable of. Take it as the compliment it was meant to be. Come with me child. The Command Center's security system caught all of it on video. You have a right to know what your Queen is capable of. Would you like to see her in action?"

Nayeca felt a smile split her face, "Very much so." She said.

Vengal went to the door and held out his arm for her to follow him. "Right this way." He spoke.

SPARTA

Martin stood along the wall of the landing bay bent over at the waist as he unloaded the last of his breakfast onto the pavement. He clutched the flight helmet in his hand, his skin prickly and two shades whiter than normal. Endith and Tina were walking over towards him with huge smiles plastered across their faces, Dysea and Aricia walking next to them with equally large smiles. They stopped a few feet away and Tina propped her helmet on her hip.

"I thought you were a big bad Navy SEAL Skipper." She drawled. "Can't you take a few loop da loops?"

Martin looked at her as he stood up straighter and wiped his mouth. "Loop da loops I can handle. The full nelson twist at ten Gs was a little much!"

Aricia stepped up to him and rubbed his stomach. "Do I need to tell Anja to prescribe a lighter breakfast my love?" She asked with a huge grin, barely able to contain her laughter.

Martin looked at her with a scowl. "C'mere ... let me lay a lip locker on you!" He spoke reaching out to grab her.

"No!" Aricia screamed scooting out of reach of his arms, but her laughter filling the landing bay.

Martin turned to Endith and Tina. "You learned to fly that in six weeks?" He asked stunned.

Endith's smile was brilliant. "That is a X1A-SPAT, a Spartan Attack Transport." She announced proudly. "And once I read the manual it was a simple matter of adjusting the control modulations for the two different configurations, and then taking it out."

Martin shook his head. "Could you say that in English please?"

Dysea laughed this time. "She means she altered the positions of the controls for the two different types of aircraft."

Martin looked at Dysea. "Ok ... sure. How do you know that?" He said shaking his head.

"I asked Nauta Melme," Dysea answered with a smile, "While you were throwing up."

"Ha Ha very funny," He spoke. He turned to look at Endith and Tina. "You named the damn thing?"

"Of course we named it!" Tina barked with a smile. "Ben says you should always name what you're flying. He would be very unhappy if we didn't."

"That's the smaller of the two ships." Endith explained excitedly. "There are nineteen of them, and three more of the larger ones that we arrived on. This baby can carry three times the troops of the Raptor, is faster, has a tighter turning radius and has six kinetic energy cannons linked to the pilot's helmet in the nose."

"Kinetic energy who," Martin asked.

Tina stepped up to him, her eyes looking around before turning back to him. "Skipper this thing is powered by a Cold Fusion Reactor Core."

"What is this Cold Fusion Core?" Aricia asked, suddenly very interested.

Tina looked at her. "It was an alternate power source that the US government was experimenting with in 2068." She answered. "To the best of my knowledge it hadn't even gotten off the blueprint paper when the comet came. I'm a better EO than a pilot Skipper, and I pride myself on knowing the latest technology ... but this thing's power source is well beyond what we were capable of back then, not to mention today. When we asked the other pilots and engineers, the only thing they could tell us was that the ships just appeared one day, and someone knew how to fly them."

Theron's words a few days ago came back to Martin when Tina said that. "You're sure that is what they said?" He asked.

Endith nodded. "We asked them at least three different times. We received the same answer every time." She replied.

"One more thing Skipper ... these babies are atmospheric ready." Tina said.

Martin looked at her. "Meaning they can fly in space too?"

Tina nodded, "Inertia Dampers, navigational shields and thrusters. They'll fly just as well if not better than the Raptors in space, and a whole hell of a lot faster."

"How much faster?" Martin asked.

Tina shrugged. "If I had to guess ... based on the design and specs and the fusion core power source ... a trip to the moon would take no more than an hour."

Martin's eyes widened. "One hour?" he gasped. "Is that even possible?"

Endith nodded. "It's not only possible, but likely."

"I've never seen of some of the stuff on these SPATs Skipper. They make our Raptors almost like toys in comparison." Tina spoke. "The only reason we haven't come to you sooner is the fact that none of the Spartan pilots do either. They learn almost as fast as Endith though, and even the transport pilots are cutting time in the SPATs. They think she is a god for learning in two weeks what it took them two years. You give us another three weeks, and we'll be able to light up the sky with these puppies."

"I'm more interested in finding out where they came from." Martin spoke softly. "Ships with this kind of technology don't just appear out of thin air."

"Well someone obviously built them." Tina said with a smile. "And I for one would like to meet them and see what other toys they got? Ben is going to love them."

"Could it be a different clan of humans somehow Nauta Melme?" Dysea asked looking at him. "A clan we haven't seen yet?"

Martin shook his head. "It's certainly possible. Aihola and Tarifa only just discovered that there is an entire city of Drow that survived the purge. But where would they hide this type of equipment. And why leave it with the Spartans?" Martin looked at Aricia. "Little Wolf have you heard of anything strange happening?"

Aricia shook her head. "I would not have heard of anything personally, but until you came into my life I was not privy to such information. I never heard Andreus speak of such things though, and he would always share things with me."

He turned back to Tina and Endith. "Keep this information under your hats." He told them. "I don't want stories of strange things moving about the city. And tell the other pilots that is an order."

Tina nodded. "No problem." She replied with a grin. "All Endith has to do is smile at them and they fall over each other. They all want to get into her pants."

Endith's face turned red as she blushed, the color of her cheeks nearly matching her hair. "Stop it Tina." She said embarrassed. "I only have eyes for you and Benjamin, you know that."

Tina smiled, wrapping her arm around Endith's waist. "I know that lover ... but they don't!" She laughed. "It's hysterical to see sometimes."

Martin laughed and shook his head. "I'm going to have a meeting of everyone from Eden in two days. Bring whatever you need to the villa at that time. You are the third person that has seen something odd while we've been here, and I'm beginning to think it ain't coincidence anymore."

Tina nodded. "Will do Skipper."

Martin tossed her the helmet. "Next time ... can we avoid the full nelson?" He asked.

"What ... and miss seeing you blowing chunks? No frigging way!" Tina spoke as she laughed and took Endith's hand.

Dysea and Aricia moved closer to him. "What are you thinking Nauta Melme?" Dysea asked.

Martin shrugged. "That's just it. I don't know what to think."

"Are these things ... are they dangerous?" Aricia asked.

Martin shook his head. "So far ... with the exception of what I saw ... it's been related to medicine and these aircraft. The way Theron spoke I'm guessing the thing in the Senate Building is some sort of power source."

"In the Senate building," Aricia asked, reaching out and probing his mind, quickly finding what he was talking about. Her face crinkled in confusion. "I have been in the Senate Building several times and I have never seen this."

Dysea saw too what Martin was referring to and shook her head. "I have never seen anything like it either."

"Me neither ... and after what we had on EDEN I thought I'd seen it all. We supposedly had the most advanced equipment anywhere in the world." Martin looked at them. "Theron told me this thing ... he told me it was my final test to become King. He also told me four others from the line of Leonidas have tried to activate it, and they all failed and were killed."

"You are joking?" Aricia stated in disbelief. "I have never heard of a descendant of the line of Leonidas in Sparta except you my love, certainly none that were killed."

"So Dymas has never been back to Sparta?" Martin asked.

"No ... he has been back, but he never brought anyone with him." Aricia answered.

"Strange don't you think?" Martin said.

"Very strange yes," Dysea spoke.

Martin took their hands and led them toward the exit where Andreus had just come through. "We'll figure it out." He spoke confidently. "Melda Min you have another tour with the Minister of Education, and Little Wolf and I are going into the market to grab some new clothes since my Queens do not approve of my wardrobe."

"What wardrobe?" Dysea teased him as they headed for the door. "If you aren't wearing a uniform, you are naked."

"And you don't like it when I'm naked?" Martin asked leaning over to kiss her.

Dysea smiled and pushed him away gently. "I love it when you are naked ... we all do. But we do occasionally have people over to our home Nauta Melme. You can't run around naked all the time."

"Spoil sport." He spoke.

"Little Wolf," Dysea said. "Will you do something with him? Get him something that makes him look presentable."

Aricia laughed. "Don't worry. I know exactly what you and I like on him, and Anja has already sent me images of what she thinks he would look good in." Aricia took his arm as they reached the door. "I will make certain he is properly clothed."

"Our contacts were correct." The man spoke to the older figure as they sat at the small table of the outdoor café. "He is here with her, across the street at the clothing store."

Autolycus turned slowly and let his eyes settle on Martin's tall frame as Aricia placed a shirt in front of him, holding it out across his broad shoulders and measuring it. He watched Martin make a face and then Aricia broke into laughter as she turned to another rack of clothes.

Autolycus was nearly two thousand years old and had been a member of the Spartan Senate for the last fifteen hundred years. He had been instrumental in shaping much of what Sparta now was, and he was very close to finally achieving what he sought most, and that was the abolishing of the law allowing only someone of the line of Leonidas to be King. Once he had that law changed, then he could push to have the Eurypontid line restored and his ascension to the Kingship of Sparta would be relatively simple. Many considered him to be pompous and arrogant, though he considered himself to be forward thinking. Having the people of Sparta waiting for a King that might never come was in his opinion foolish. The Alliance and their vampire hordes grew stronger and pressed in all around Sparta, while his people grew stagnant.

Autolycus knew that his son Midlan abused the power that his status gave him, often reverting to coercion and violence to get his way, and while Autolycus used these tactics as well, he was not open about it. While he tolerated it from his son, Autolycus had no intention of allowing Midlan to continue his antics once he was King. His obsession with Aricia was only the latest of his annoying temperaments, and Autolycus was becoming more and more frustrated with his son.

This was the young Shifter from North America that had been seen within the halls of the Senate building with Theron. There were many rumors floating through the city in regards to this young man. Autolycus himself had seen him several times, studying intently the scrolls in the ancient library, as well as coming from the Chief Mage's School.

"What information have you been able to obtain?" Autolycus asked as he watched them.

"The old Royal villa where he is staying is heavily guarded. The Centurions are not in regular uniforms, and they are staying right on the estate. The three females go no where without a Centurion in civilian clothes with them, to include Aricia." The man answered.

"What about the other two females?" Autolycus asked.