Chapter 32

LYCAVORIAN HOME GUARD FLEET GROUP ONE

ATTACK CRUISER LEONIDAS I

SEVEN OF THIRTEEN JUMPGATES COMPLETED

EIGHT HOURS UNTIL NEXT JUMPGATE

SIX DAYS FROM EARTH

"Do we have a firm location of this city Eden?" Riall asked.

"Yes Admiral," The young officer replied. "It is situated between these two mountains ranges in what they used to call Ut ... Utah. It is located on the North American continent." He used an infra red pointer to signify the position of the city on the charts they had. "Our charts of earth are five hundred years old, so we don't know exactly what terrain we will be moving into, but I doubt the King would put his back against a wall without a way out."

Riall nodded. "Well ... if we have seen anything of our new King, it is that he does not lack for courage or military strategy." He spoke. "Using the vampire's own communicator and an ancient radio wave signal was brilliant and he gave us the exact details of what he wants us to do." Riall got up and went to the holographic star chart along the wall. "I want our fastest ships pulled out of the fleet. Vistr you will transfer fifteen thousand of your Spartans onto these ships. Fill the blasted corridors if you have to, I don't care. We need to make up two days and do it quickly."

"Is that possible?" Vistr asked.

"We are re-distributing all the spare LSDs that we brought." Ceneu spoke leaning forward in his chair. "The only ships capable of keeping up with the LEONIDAS I are the newer NOVA-Class Attack cruisers, our AUTUMN MOON-Class Attack Frigates and our own version of the Vampire's ORIC-Class, the VANGUARD-Class Heavy Cruiser. We have nineteen of those, but so far they are untested in extended LSD jumps, not to mention combat itself. They are the newest class of ships we have, but we deployed before we could complete their shake downs. That makes seventy-three ships in all. With all the spare LSDs moved to these ships, yes it is possible."

"That's almost half the Fleet Group." Vistr spoke. "Is that wise to do?"

Riall nodded. "Xerxes was closer than we first thought if he is only four days from earth. Our intelligence had him putting down the rebellion on Pricot Four with his task force. He wouldn't leave the majority of his ground troops without support. Even he isn't that stupid."

"Even half his task force outnumbers what we would arrive on earth with if we left half the Fleet Group behind." Vistr spoke.

"We can not leave our King on Earth for two days without fighter and planetary weapons support!" Riall exclaimed. "Xerxes would simply obliterate the planet from orbit."

"Well ... he would not have the luxury of any extra LSD units." Ceneu said as he worked the options in his head. "The nearest Coven Support facility with LSDs is forty light years from earth. He has to be pressing his ships hard to get to Earth from Pricot Four if he will be there in four days. Not to mention he does not have the First Elf Engineering Corp."

"How many ships do you estimate will he need to leave behind due to some sort of LSD failure?" Riall asked.

"Coven engineers are not as skilled as our people. The added stress on the engine plants and power conduits would be extensive if he is pressing as hard as we think. We have burned out thirty-seven power transfer couplings ourselves and we were prepared for this type of movement." Ceneu said. "If I had to guess, I'd say he loses thirty to forty ships on the trip. As with us, only his cruisers and frigates can keep up with a REVERENCE-Class Dreadnought. The WING OF DEATH would be the only Dreadnought in the system, and we have the advantage in experience knocking out capital ships. And by the time those that remain with him get to Earth, their Light Speed Drives will be so taxed with overuse they wouldn't dare use them for any insystem jumps."

Riall nodded. "So the odds shrink to two, possibly three to one in his favor." He said looking at the star chart intently.

"Those are odds I'll take Riall." Ceneu said. "We'll be going in with fresh LSD cores and full stores of weapons and fighters. My Home Fleet One is the best we have, all of the Captains hand picked for their experience and skills. We can do this!" He got up and went to the chart, the holographic map of earth and its moon on it. "The moment we jump into the system we have two frigates wipe this moon base from existence. The weapons on this station will not hurt our capital ships but it might be dangerous to our fighters. We set up a standard defensive perimeter with our cruisers and begin shuttling down our troops with the remaining frigates. They are the only ships capable of atmospheric entry. I send one wing after Xerxes ship, and the rest we go toe to toe with. We can launch fighter and support craft from orbit and hit the Coven fleet with full missile barrages. We have proven our missiles hit harder."

Riall nodded. "The Coven ships will have the advantage in range however." He said.

Ceneu shook his head. "It won't matter this close to the planet."

"If we do this, how much time do we shave off the trip?" Riall asked.

Ceneu expanded the chart to encompass their current location. He pointed to the seven remaining Jump Gates. "If we make six LSD jumps between gates, replace the LSDs before we go through the gate..." Ceneu did some fast figuring in his head. "We can be to earth in eighty-six hours."

"It is a very large risk!" Vistr spoke from his chair. He held up his hand before Ceneu could reply. "Let me play devil's advocate for a moment my friend, but know that I do agree with you. What we have been doing with the multiple jumps and using the Gates so frequently is not something we have done before. Leaving half a Fleet Group behind and knowingly jumping into battle against a superior force would not be something any of us would do in a normal situation. These are things we need to consider. Is the life of one man worth so many, even that of our King? Would he approve of such a tactic just to save him?"

"May I answer that question Admiral Riall?" The voice spoke from the side of the room.

They all turned to see the Elfin Ambassador move gracefully into the bright lights of the conference room. He was tall for an elf, nearing six feet with long dark hair and an angular shaped face. His ears were slightly less pointed than many elves but that was because of the fighter pilot's helmet he had worn for so many decades.

"Ambassador Legsim," Riall spoke from beside the chart. "You are always welcome among us."

Ambassador Legsim was a legendary figure in the Lycavorian Union, a former fighter pilot with more Coven kills than any pilot alive. He was an elf that had fought in some of the most vicious battles of the war between the Lycavorian Union and Vampire Coven. He was almost four thousand years old; the lines on his face etched deeply the wisdom all his years had taught him. He had accepted the offer to become the Elf Ambassador only ten years ago, and had been re-elected to his office with nearly ninety five percent of the nine billion elf votes cast only two years previous.

"General Vistr ... you ask if one man is worth so many." Legsim spoke as he came fully into the room. "I have been pondering this question since we discovered the youngest son of Leonidas still lived. Normally I would say no, and I would hazard a guess and say our new King would most likely agree with me based on what we have seen so far. But if you will allow me to tell you what I have seen with my own eyes these last few days that changes my mind." He looked at each man in the room. "I have seen images among my people of the elf female he has taken as one of his Queens. She may have been created by the Guardian of the Line, but her beauty alone surpasses any elf female I have ever known. Add to that the history she has apparently put behind her, the things we discovered from our King's memories. Her images are turning up all over the fleet, in lockers, on desks and one young pilot even had her image burned into the side of his cockpit. I see the same among the Hadarians and Lycavorians with images of their new King and Queens. As I walk the corridors of these ships I feel something that I have never felt before, an energy that pulses through everyone, and it extends to how they are doing their duties. Have you not noticed the extra little effort by your crew in their jobs? I certainly have. My people have fought alongside yours since the very beginning Riall, and when our royal family was butchered by the Vampire Coven we turned to the Lycavorian King for leadership. He adopted my people without question, without remorse, for that is who he was. Admiral Ceneu ... I understand it was much the same among your people was it not?"

The Algolian Admiral nodded without hesitation. "My people turned to the one thing that gave us hope for our future; and that was King Resumar. He never questioned our appearance, or our reptilian nature, and he treated us with honor and respect."

Legsim nodded. "King Resumar and his Queen are still revered to this day among my people gentlemen." He spoke softly. "Some would say even more than our own lost King and Queen. We fought as a scattered remnant for centuries, until Resumar's son Leonidas became known to us. I do not need to tell you what his death did, as we were all there when King Leonidas's death galvanized us ... all of us, to unite as one and form the Union we now hold so dear. My friends ... King Leonidas's son is not just one man ... he is a symbol to us all. The very knowledge that he still lives ... after we had thought him lost so many years ago ... that has elevated him to the status of legend already and we have not even met him. His Queens have become symbols ... inspirations to thousands, millions of our people in just a few short weeks. Do we as leaders of our people ... do we let those symbols perhaps perish before they can galvanize the entire Union? We have an opportunity here to gather countless other worlds to our cause. Those that would not fight with us before will see that the son of Leonidas, the grandson of King Resumar ... that he lives on, and has been fighting his entire life for freedom and justice, not even knowing who he truly was. Now he knows who he is ... and not only does he continue to fight, he has embraced what he is with a passion we have not seen since King Resumar. No gentlemen ... Martin Leonidas is not just one man ... he and his Queens have become the symbols of freedom and hope for trillions of beings. By what right do we let that slip away? We should not be concerned with the lives that might possibly be lost over saving one man ... but the lives that possibly could be lost if that one man is not saved."

The room fell silent for a long moment as the men allowed what Legsim spoke to sink in. The Spartan General Vistr was the first to react and he came to his feet with a deep breath and pride swelling in his chest.

"I will begin shuttling my Spartans to the necessary ships." He spoke firmly. "And I will tell them what you have said this day Ambassador. After they hear your words I would turn them loose on the vampire home world and I believe they would win handily."

Ceneu nodded his head as well. "I'll insure we have enough LSDs for every ship that we take with us. I will instruct the remaining ships to continue on at a normal pace and to deploy in a defensive formation when they arrive in the system. We will have either won ... or we will be dead."

Riall waited for the room to empty before stepping up to Legsim. "I will never again question the wisdom of elves my friend, even in jokes. I will remember your words this day for the rest of my life."

Legsim smiled. "Can we do it Admiral?"

Riall met his gaze. "Before your speech I would have had doubts." He said honestly. "Now ... no doubts exist. We can do it, no matter what it takes."

CANADA

DROW CITY OF KELWOOD

Nayeca clutched Anuk's naked body to her as they crouched in the shadows, Anuk holding the Drow warrior firmly in her grasp, one powerful hand clamped over his throat, the other across his mouth. Nayeca's one hand held Anuk around her waist, while the other held the sidearm, her amber eyes searching the corridor they had just exited. They could still hear the sound of running feet and the clanging of several bells as the alert was raised that they had escaped.

They had found no clothes that fit them, and opted instead to escape out of the cell block they were in as quickly as they could. Nayeca held Anuk's hand tightly as she led them through the myriad of tunnels and labyrinths, always moving up toward where Anuk could smell Daniel. She knew the city and she trusted Anuk's sense of smell to guide them, so she kept them to the shadows and side tunnels avoiding people. It was common for her people to run these drills where the alarms would sound and unless you were a regular fighter, you secured yourself within your quarters. The corridors were mostly free of normal travel and made it easier for them to move.

Nayeca nodded when Anuk looked at her over her shoulder and she turned back to the Drow she was holding, her wolf eyes and fangs still very evident, "The man like me." Anuk hissed into the Drow's ear. "Where is he?"

The male Drow didn't hesitate and pointed to their left. That jived with where Daniel's scent was coming from, and she twisted the Drow's head viciously, hearing his neck snap with a dull crack. She lowered the body slowly and turned to shove him into a deep corner.

"He's not far." Anuk whispered as she pressed close to Nayeca in the shadows. Though their flesh was touching in all the intimate places, neither of them felt desire sweeping through them. They were both too concerned with getting out of here alive. Whatever their fate may have been before, they would surely be killed now.

Nayeca looked at Anuk's face for a long moment. "Whatever happens from now on Anuk ... know that..."

Anuk kissed her hard, savoring the feel of her lips and the sensuous touch of her ebony body against her. She drew back quickly and put a finger to Nayeca's lips. "You will not die on me Mistress." She said softly. "I have not had you nearly enough yet, and I do want to explore intimately what you have brought out in me."

"I did not wish ... when the time came I had wanted to seduce you Anuk. Not force myself on you." Nayeca spoke.

Anuk smiled. "Then I will look forward to that day Mistress." She replied.

"And ... and Daniel ... what will he do to me?" Nayeca asked softly.

Anuk's smile was full of sexual mischievousness, "Nothing that you don't want him too." She said in reply. "He will not react as you think Nayeca. Trust me, when we get to Daniel we will be in better shape and you will see for yourself."

Nayeca fought down the urge to take her right there, and gripped her hand tightly. "Come let us find Daniel and escape this place then."

They started moving once more, always keeping to the shadows, which was easy for Nayeca. As a Drow she lived in the shadows, and for Anuk, her wolf persona welcomed the darkness as an alley. They turned down the short corridor and saw it ended a hundred yards further ahead, but this was the other cell block where Daniel was being held. Daniel's nutmeg scent filled her senses now and Anuk felt pleasure, joy and relief sweep through her as they got closer to where her mate was.

They stopped when they heard the female Drow voice. "I will have you now!"

Anuk couldn't help but smile when she heard the deep booming voice of the man she loved. "It will take more than a nice pair of tits to get me interested bitch!" They heard a muffled scream and a deep thud like a fist hitting flesh. They rushed forward to the door where the noise was coming from and looked into the open frame, seeing a very naked Daniel body slamming the Drow female to the hard packed earth once more. "I told you to get off me bitch! Now where is my Anuk?"

"I am here Daniel?" Anuk spoke softly stepping into the room.

Nayeca gasped at the speed with which Anuk's hulking mate spun around, his arm coming up and his Shi Viska flaring into existence. His eyes had changed to yellow orbs and his fangs were extended in anger. The moment he saw her and detected her scent, his eyes returned to normal and the Shi Viska disappeared. Nayeca then saw his huge cock dangling limp between his legs and her eyes went even wider. Anuk had not been kidding her when she said he was huge.

"Anuk baby," Danny blurted crossing to her in three strides and scooping her into his arms. Nayeca watched them, their lips coming together in a blistering kiss of unrequited passion. Nayeca knew at that moment that she would never take Anuk from this man, no matter how hard she might have tried. Truth be told, Nayeca admitted to herself, the possibility of having them both as lovers thrilled her to an extent unlike anything she'd ever felt.

Anuk ran her hands over Danny's bald head and face lovingly as they parted from their kiss, their auras mingling together easily. She drank in his handsome face, her fingers caressing his eyebrows. "I have missed you husband." Anuk told him adoringly. "I see you did not like your company."

Danny grinned widely. "I much prefer a certain red head thanks very much." He told her, nuzzling her throat and hearing her hiss in contentment.

"We need to get out of here and find Aihola." Anuk said, fighting down the urge to have him take her right here.

Dan set her down slowly and turned as the Drow female on the ground moaned. He watched Nayeca step up to her quickly and kick her savagely in the head. His eyes grew a little wider when he smelled Anuk's cinnamon scent on Nayeca, and then he finally noticed the scent of sweet apples lingering on Anuk's face and lips. He looked at Anuk his eyes filled with questions. Nayeca turned back and noticed the look on his face as he turned to Anuk. Her belly clenched in fear at what he might do to her, and she stood there frozen in her spot, willing herself to accept whatever his actions were.

"Anuk ... what... ?" Danny asked reaching up to touch her lips.

Anuk smiled and took his hands quickly; her cerulean blue eyes now back to normal and flowing over him with love and adoration. "Our captors ... they thought to force us together my love. They did not know that the attraction for Nayeca was already inside me. It happen Daniel my love ... and it was most pleasant, and I wish it to happen again and again; in more agreeable surroundings of course."

Danny turned his head to look at Nayeca, his dark eyes unreadable. She stood her ground, holding her chin up and meeting his gaze. He stepped over to her and leaned over to inhale deeply next to her throat, causing Nayeca to shiver in desire and fear, her hands clenching into fists. He nuzzled her cheek and then her sensitive elf ear, causing Nayeca to shudder in delight, her eyes wide in astonishment at the feelings he was causing in her. Danny turned slowly back around to face to Anuk then.

"Why is it that we come thousands of miles; get captured by a dangerous enemy and you two are able to get it on, and I get beat up?" Dan asked. "How does that work out to be fair here?"

Anuk laughed softly and stepped up to him, folding her naked body against his and as she squeezed him tightly she hit him with her aura. "I will make it up to you Daniel." She said seductively.

"You promise?" Danny asked with a grin, her scent and aura pulsing through him.

Anuk kissed him softly. "Oh yes ... I guarantee it." She said.

Dan's expression changed and he grinned wider. "Ok ... let's beat feet out of here then and find our uniforms. Then we get Aihola and kiss this place goodbye."

Nayeca looked at him strangely. "Why ... why would I want to beat my feet?" She asked.

Aelulip held her bloody mouth as she lay on the floor beneath Aihola. She and the others had returned to the meeting chamber only to find Hwia and Aihola sitting with the heads of the families that had not gone out to meet Tarifa. The moment Aelulip had entered the room Aihola had set upon her, hitting her three times before Aelulip could even respond. Now she lay bruised and bloody as Aihola reached down and took her mother's medallion from around Aelulip's neck and held it up.

"This belongs to me." Aihola spoke sternly, replacing the medallion around her neck and sliding it under the body armor she wore.

"Why is she free?" Aelulip demanded as she scrambled away from her. She looked at Hwia. "She should be in chains!"

"She is our Queen Aelulip, and the sooner you recognize that the better things will be for all of us." Hwia spoke. "She has agreed to remain here willingly and speak with us about the future and what she desires for her people. I for one find much of what she already has said very appealing, as do the other family Matrons."

"You did this behind my back?" Aelulip snapped.

Hwia nodded. "Much as you went to meet the High Elf Queen without telling me. Not to mention taking the Queen's medallion from her, and leaving her naked like some common whore!" Hwia's voice rose in anger.

Aihola moved back to the chair she had been sitting in. "You have met with Tarifa?" She asked. "What did she say?"

"She told us lies!" Aelulip barked.

Thonsya pushed past Aelulip, her face stern. "She told us if we did not release you and the others within six hours she would destroy this city and kill all of us!" Thonsya uttered. "She has ... she has dozens of the natha zze'ill with her. They ... they are led by a young woman with strange blue eyes and raven black hair. She ... she said they would destroy the entire city above us before moving into the tunnels and they would not stop until we were all dead."

Aihola chuckled softly. "That does sounds like my love Tarifa. She does have quite a temper when pressed too far. And the woman you were referring to is Aricia. She is one of the High Queens and a Queen of Sparta."

"She said ... the High Elf Queen ... she told us you are her Mistress." Emyon spoke stepping forward.

Aihola looked at her and nodded casually. "In our bed Tarifa is my slave and she has been for over a year. It is a wonderfully pleasurable arrangement for both of us, and I would not change it for anything. I love her with all that I am, and I love my mate with equal passion. Out of our bed, Tarifa and I are equal in every way and we lead Eden together."

"That ... that is what she said, almost to the word." Emyon said stunned.

"That surprises you?" Aihola asked. "We love each other, and we share the same mate as well. We have been through much together Tarifa and I, and every morning I bless the day she came into my life."

"He ... he was there too." Thonsya spoke. "He ... he threatened to kill Elder Aelulip if their demands were not met."

Aihola smiled once more. "Do you see?" She said calmly. "They care not that I am Drow, nor do they care that my brother or any other Drow is among them. We have formed an Alliance of our own. Eden allows all elves and men to live free and in peace. Why is it so hard for you to let go of the hate you have and embrace the future."

"What future do you offer?" Aelulip snapped, "A future where we lose our identity to humans and other elves? What future is that?"

"I offer a future for our children!" Aihola snapped back at her. "A future for the children I will have! You will lose nothing, and only gain from this! Yes ... you will no longer be able to take females and force them into submissive slaves. You will no longer be able to raid other villages for supplies and food. You won't need too! What do you offer our people except hardship and having to hide within the walls and tunnels of this city? The High King has outlawed slavery, and once the Alliance is dealt with, you will no longer be able to hold others against their will! He will not allow it! I will not allow it!"

"We do not recognize this High King!" Aelulip spat. "He is human! And we do not recognize you!"

Aihola shook her head. "No ... the High King is not human. He is natha zze'ill. He is a Spartan, just as my mate is a Spartan. And he commands thousands of natha zze'ill, millions of them across the universe of stars!"

Aelulip laughed out loud. "What rubbish do you speak of?" She demanded. "You will contact this High Elf witch and tell her we will kill you if they attack us. That is what you will do. And you will keep silent and not poison the minds of our people with your fables!"

Aihola shook her head. "I will do no such thing." She spoke. "Why do you fear what you don't know Aelulip? Is it because you fear losing the power you now wield? Do you fear losing the hold you have on our people that keeps them down and under your thumb? Is that why you hate me so much? I bring freedom and you offer nothing but the same dogmatic view that nearly destroyed our people to begin with!"

"Be silent!" Aelulip shouted. "Guards ... if this wench speaks another word you will shoot her like the dog she is!"

Hwia held up her hand at the three Drow warriors in the room, keeping them in their spots even though none of them had made a move to respond to her order. "They will do no such thing." Hwia spoke. "They..."

Kawyona burst into the room then, her eyes wide. "They have escaped!" She gasped. "The traitor and the Wood Elf female have escaped. They freed the rogue male, and now eleven of my warriors are dead across the city!"

Aihola smiled cruelly. "You have two Spartans loose in your city?" She said. "I won't begin to explain to you what Daniel and Anuk have gone through to finally be together. I would truly hate to be you with the two of them and Nayeca running free."

Kawyona stepped towards her. "You will order them to surrender!"

Aihola shook her head. "Sorry ... can't help you." She said. "I could ... I can reach them with my thoughts. You see, the Spartans are all telepathic; they can speak to one another with their minds. Since my mate is also a Spartan, he has that ability as well. And Tarifa once saved my life by allowing me to feed on her blood, which allows us this same connection. So you see ... with one command I could stop whatever they have planned. With one command I could order Daniel and Anuk to come here. I will not give that command."

Kawyona stepped up to Aihola and lifted her sidearm, pointing it at her head. "You will give that order or I will kill you!" She growled.

Aihola blurred in motion, moving with her vampire speed. She stepped to the side of Kawyona and grabbed her wrist, twisting viciously, Kawyona's arm popping out of the socket as Aihola twisted her arm nearly all the way around. Her sidearm dropped from her hand and Aihola caught it easily. She tossed Kawyona aside like a ragdoll and held up the side arm. She ejected the full magazine and then cycled the chamber, ejecting the bullet that was in the chamber.

"I grow tired of being shot and having weapons pointed at me by the people I came here to help." She growled at the stunned men and women in the room. Aihola had taken down the senior Drow commander faster than even the red haired female had.

"I can not believe you are allowing this?" Aelulip demanded.

Hwia glowered at her. "I intend to allow a lot more as well." Hwia spoke. "I ask the heads of our Drow families if they wish to hear what our Queen has to say." She turned and looked at the men and women. "What say you?"

"We are the Elders!" Aelulip shouted. "We make the laws!"

"I wish to hear what the Queen has to say." Thonsya spoke.

"As do I," Emyon echoed.

"Aye," A man spoke.

It was quick and almost unanimous as sixteen of the Matrons and Patrons of the Drow families agreed with Hwia. The only three that did not agree were solidly aligned with Ael'main and Aelulip.

Hwia nodded. "It is decided." She spoke. "The family leaders have spoken and we will allow our Queen speak with us about what she envisions for the future."

"I would be happy too." Aihola spoke.

"All the while her friends kill more of our troops while they roam our city streets!" Ael'main nearly shouted.

Hwia looked at Aihola. "My Queen ... we have..."

"I have one condition for doing this." Aihola spoke. "You will allow Tarifa, our mate, my brother Tari and the Queen of Sparta into the city to help me show you. In return for this, I will order Daniel, Anuk and Nayeca to stand down and come here. We will surrender our weapons, with the understanding that should you in any way violate this truce, everything that Tarifa told you will happen and it will happen immediately. And it will not stop until you are all dead."

"You will die as well!" Ael'main snapped.

Aihola looked at him. "Perhaps ... but we will have a better chance of surviving than any Drow, of that I can guarantee you. None of you will live through this day if you betray me again."

Hwia saw the nods of the Drow family leaders and looked at her. "We will honor these terms." She said. "I do not wish anymore of our soldiers to die. Please ... call off these Spartans that you speak of."

"It is already done." Aihola said.

"How do we know this?" Aelulip asked harshly.

"Because you are still alive bitch," The male voice spoke in a snarling tone from behind her.