Chapter 38

MOON BASE EDEN

"They have begun their attack Admiral Wallace!" Anari spoke from where she sat at the single terminal. "Their ships ... the Lycavorian ships are attacking the vampire fleet."

Wallace moved over next to her and looked at the sensor screen she was monitoring. "What's Marcus doing?" He asked.

"They seem to be monitoring the events as we are." Anari replied. "But none of EDEN's weapons platforms have been charged."

"Is the laser grid fully energized?" Wallace asked.

Anari nodded. "It completed recharging five hours ago." She spoke. "It's in standby mode right now."

"How soon before we pass to the dark side of the moon?"

Anari turned and looked at one of the others in their team. All of them were sitting at a console monitoring all that was happening, "How long?" Anari asked.

"Three hours twelve minutes."

"You been recording the intercepts right?" Wallace asked.

Anari nodded. "I've condensed everything into one four second burst to Eden City Command."

Wallace's eyes narrowed as he looked at the screen. "What is this?" He asked.

"It is a flight of vampire fighters that have broken from their main engagement. They are moving south across the North American continent." Anari answered.

"They're moving straight to where Danny has his artillery laying into Moran's position." He spoke.

Anari nodded. "Their course will take them right over his position yes." She spoke. "I tried to get a secure message to him, but they did not respond. The vampire ships that have been destroyed in orbit are distorting the signal and it bounces back to me."

Wallace's mind raced. "He's top heavy with artillery." He spoke. "And it took four missiles to bring down the fighter that passed over them a while back. They can't have many more missiles. Shit!"

"The Lycavorian ships bringing troops to the surface are almost down Admiral." Anari spoke. "Daniel Simpson's artillery is the only thing keeping the vampires from responding in kind."

Wallace looked at her. "Anari ... we have to take control now." He spoke.

Anari nodded after only a moment's pause. "I agree. I can only hope that ship promised to us gets here quickly."

Wallace squeezed her shoulder. "We'll do what we can no matter what." He spoke. "Stand by to interrupt main power and shunt all station controls to our consoles!" Wallace moved to a lone console against the bulkhead and looked at the others. "As soon as we get control, bring the laser turret online and target those fighters heading for Simpson's location!"

"I'm already on it Admiral!" Mical spoke from his console.

Wallace's hands were flying over the console in front of him. "Circuits are powered! Backup conduits are energized. Get ready ... on my mark. Three ... two ... one ... Mark!"

Wallace pushed the dual yellow buttons on the console and the lights in their small room flickered briefly before coming back to full power.

"Yes!" Mical snapped. "We got control! Yeah baby!"

Anari smiled as she nodded. "All systems are responding Admiral; weapons, sensors, everything!"

Wallace went up next to her. "Mical ... target the fighters! Anari ... bring the laser turret online. We're only going to get one shot at this! And send the prearranged signal so they don't kill us as well!"

EDEN MOON BASE

COMMAND CENTER

"What do you mean we no longer have control?" Marcus screamed.

"All command controls have been diverted Colonel! We no longer have control of any part of the station!" A tech snapped.

"How is that possible?" Marcus barked. "Find out what is going on!"

"I'm tracing now Colonel!"

"Colonel Marcus ... the laser turret is powering!" Another tech yelled from his seat.

Marcus was beside him in six steps. "What? How? I thought we no longer had control!"

"It's not us Colonel! Someone else is controlling the weapons grid!" The man snapped, his hands trying to override the controls. "I'm locked out! I can't override the commands!"

"What's it doing?" Marcus screamed.

"The turret is targeting our fighters in high orbit Colonel! They appear to be moving south over North America!"

"Contact Commander Moran! Tell him we no longer have control of the station!" Marcus ordered.

"We're locked out of everything Colonel!" The tech barked out looking at his screen. "Communications are down! We ... Colonel ... I have airtight doors shutting in thirteen sections of the base!"

"Which sections?" Marcus screamed.

"Sections fourteen through twenty-seven, airtight doors are sealing those sections off from the rest of the station!" The tech replied.

"Why seal those sections?" Marcus mused. "Is this some sort of trap door program that we have triggered? Is this something left behind when they abandoned the station? Someone give me some answers!"

"Colonel ... all those sections have our people in them!" The tech snapped. "None of the backup codes are working! They are sealed in!"

Marcus stood up straight. "It has to be some sort of intrusion program!" He snapped. "Find out where the controls have been routed!" He turned to look at the group of four guards by the main door. "Get some torches and get down to those sealed sections. Get our people out of there!"

AUTUMN MOON-CLASS ATTACK FRIGATE

LU39 DESTINY'S BLADE

"Captain ... we are receiving the signal! Low band ... encrypted ... but it is the signal we have been waiting for!" The Lycavorian Lieutenant Commander spoke turning from his station.

The Elf male turned in his command chair and looked at the younger man. The light of the bridge accented his angular face and sharp features, making the long jagged scar running down the right side of his face from the top of his head to almost his shoulder blade that much more visible. His left elfin ear was almost four inches in length, his right only half that, due to the same piece of burning plasma shrapnel that had given him the scar. He was the senior and most experienced AUTUMN MOON-Class Commander in the Lycavorian Union, he and his ship having been part of the Home Guard Fleet for nearly two decades now.

"Confirm that!" He snapped his voice carrying over the sounds of the bridge crew.

The Lieutenant Commander nodded quickly. "It matches the signal we were told to stand ready for sir!"

The elf came to his feet. "Well ... it's about time. I was getting tired of laying in wait. Secure from Transphasic operation people! It's time to get into this war and do our part! Give me one half on the sublight drives! Bring torpedo launchers three through eight online and warm up their targeting sensors! Lock in the coordinates received from the King's people! There are two thousand vampires on this station people, and even more civilians. There is also a seven member unit led by the Spartan who used to command this station. I want perfection! I don't want the torpedoes to be off target by more than microfraction!"

"Captain ... the station's laser turret is powering up!" The Lieutenant Commander barked.

"We were told they would take back command controls before ordering us in." The captain spoke. "What's the turret targeting?"

"It ... it appears to be targeting a Coven fighter squadron in high atmospheric flight." The young man spoke.

"Then let them fire! If it switches to target us, we level the station!" The captain replied.

"Weapons board is green Captain! We're ready to fire!"

The captain grinned. He had the best people on his ship, hand picked by himself, and they were good at their jobs. "Then let's do this!"

The AUTUMN MOON-Class Attack Frigate appeared in the darkened crater on the moon as if by magic, shimmering back into shape as it lowered its stolen Coven Shroud Shield. The technology had been stolen within the last decade, and so far only the Attack Frigates had been equipped with the new CSS generators. The shield basically rendered the frigate invisible to the naked eye and all known Coven sensors.

Two hundred and sixty four meters in length with a wing span of one hundred and twenty meters, they were the smallest of the Unions combat ships, but they were also some of the deadliest. A crew of four hundred and thirty, and the capacity to carry 5000 metric tons of supplies and equipment or 800 fully armed troops as they were currently hauling, made them deadly ground support ships, while their speed and small size made them excellent long range escorts and fleet protectors. They were built to take a beating and stay in a fight regardless of their size.

Eleven seconds after engaging their sublight drives, the DESTINY"S BLADE was racing across the surface of the barren moon closing on EDEN Station faster than any Raptor ever had. The starboard wing of the Frigate flared four times and four bright Proton Plasma torpedoes sped ahead of the BLADE intent on destruction and death.

The Captain of the DESTINY'S BLADE had never left a Spartan behind, and he was not about to start now.

EDEN STATION

"Inbound!" Mical screamed, "Four ... somethings!"

"It is the ship!" Anari echoed. "Admiral ... Lycavorian ship coming in low over the surface! Range thirty kilometers! Coming in fast!"

Wallace looked at the screen, his eyes going wide. "I guess they don't believe in being subtle." He said.

"Right now ... I'll take speed over subtle any time!" Mical barked.

Anari nodded in agreement "I as well." She said, "Laser turret standing by! Targets locked in!"

Wallace nodded. "Then let us do our part my Drow companion! Fire!"

HIGH COVEN SQUADRON

16 SHIP FLIGHT

MOVING TO ENGAGE ENEMY ARTILLERY SIGHTING

"I have them!" The Squadron Commander heard the announcement in his helmet. "Enemy positions, twenty-three ground kilometers, bearing 195."

The High Coven Flight commander nodded his head. They had just come down to fifty thousand feet and leveled off when their sensors began chiming. "Affirmative ... all craft mark position and prepare for a high power descent! We'll use missiles first and then execute a high G climb out and return to strafe with Plasma guns! We..."

"Look out!" The voice screamed over the COM.

"We're under attack! High orbit! What is it! They..."

The Flight leader's head snapped around just in time to see the narrow blue beam slice through the port engine of the fighter to the rear of their formation. The engine immediately burst into flames and exploded, shrapnel ripping through the wing and starboard engine sending the ship cartwheeling out of control.

"Report!" He screamed. "What is that? Where did it..."

It happened quicker than his cobalt eyes could follow as more narrow blue beams reached for each of his craft in turn; slicing through the thin armor of their light fighters like it wasn't there. He could only watch in horror as his fighters exploded or were sent spinning out of control by the unknown attack coming from orbit. His pilots were all barely out of flight school, and none of them had seen combat before this day. He had read the reports of this planet and cursed his luck at being chosen to come here with Prince Xerxes.

The Flight leader screamed out his rage just as the narrow blue beam cut across the nose of his fighter, severing his entire forward section, including his plasma cannons. As his controls became unresponsive and his fighter began to bank over out of control, he did the only thing his training could recall. He grasped the escape pod release and fired the small thrusters. His entire armored cockpit blasted out of the body of his dying fighter and he spun madly toward the brown earth beneath him, hoping his chute would deploy.

The Flight Leader then did something he had never done before.

He prayed to his gods.

ALLIANCE GROUND COMMAND

Moran inched his head above the edge of the deep bunkered trench that had been dug only a few hours ago. What he saw made his cobalt blue eyes go wide.

He could see his artillery men staggering through the fog of black smoke from the burning rocket launchers, most of them grievously wounded and not having long left in this world. He could see the shattered remains of his gun crews and the self propelled artillery platforms, many of them now twisted blackened and burning hulks. The artillery barrage had come in four seconds after he and Cha'talla had dove into this trench. They huddled at the bottom of the trench swearing that it was deep enough as the barrage from the south tore into his unprotected gun crews like an avenging god.

He estimated at least six, if not more rocket launchers, probably those MLRS 300IIs that Leonidas had been using so effectively as counter battery fire; added to that had to be at least four batteries of self propelled artillery platforms. Towed artillery would never had made it through the timber south of them and get into position. He knew the moment he saw the smoke from the barrage that they were done. He had hoped that his artillery would provide the back breaker to Leonidas's forces, erasing the minefields and as many troops as possible before his super vampire clones had struck.

His plan had not worked out. He had not counted on the FAE devices Leonidas used to eliminate almost a third of his forces before they even got into position to begin their assault. He had not counted on Morelli being destroyed in the north by the traitor Nestor; or having him race east and take over New Chicago and then demand the surrender of the Alliance cities now that the majority of Vampire Ministers had evacuated. He had not counted on his northern Cloned Division plodding head long like idiots into the concentrated artillery fire directed by that High Elf fucker Tareif. Even now ... his human infantry divisions were engaging his forces, and Moran knew there was no way they would defeat elves and Spartans.

The shield around Eden City had proved harder to bring down that he had expected, and now it was back up, and powered by Lycavorian technology. The Lycavorian STRIKERs had destroyed half his force of Immortals before they even set down on earth, and now his armored divisions were stalled in an air laid minefield while his infantry plodded forward on foot.

Moran heard the low thunder again and his cobalt eyes darted to the south and saw the clouds of white smoke even from this distance. If Moran thought the scenes he saw of Morelli's division after Nestor's artillery had wiped them out was bad, that was a picnic compared to what they were receiving right now here on his position. He ducked back down to the bottom of the trench and looked at a wide eyed Cha'talla.

"We're fucked!" He stated before Danny's second bunch of mail began arriving.

EDEN MOON BASE

Marcus pulled himself to his feet from where the four massive explosions had tossed him like a doll. He watched as the others in the command center regained their chairs at their consoles. They may not have been in control of anything, but they certainly could view what was happening.

"There are outer hull breaches!" The tech barked. He turned to look at Marcus. "All of them in the sections that were sealed! Our ... our people are being sucked out into space!"

Marcus scrambled over to the man. "This was planned!" He screamed. "There is someone on this station directing the scum! Find them!"

"The trace is almost complete Colonel!" The tech spoke, wiping blood from his eyes from the gash in his skin. "It's ... there! It's it looks like some sort of secondary control station!"

"Where is it?" Marcus snapped.

"Section fifty-three, corridor Two Four," The tech replied. I'm ... six, no seven lifesigns!"

Marcus stood up. He had twenty-six soldiers in and around the command center, including the seven technicians. He grabbed his rifle from the shattered console. "All of you come with me!" He barked. "If we are going to die, then I intend to take this scum with us!"

TEN MILES SOUTH OF SPRINGFIELD MISSOURI

Filrian walked beside Ben as they moved through the caves casually. Ben had counted at least two hundred fighters as they moved through the intricate cave system, some carrying crates, others just moving with weapons. Ben was still extremely sore, but his wounds had healed completely, or so the doctor had told him. He looked at the man as they walked in silence. He sure looked human, there was nothing that would tell Ben he was anything other than a regular person, yet no human doctor could have done what he did in saving Ben's life.

"You are curious about something?" Filrian spoke as they exited a small tunnel that overlooked a deep pit where Ben saw dozens of black clad fighters and a myriad of equipment, some of it more advanced than anything he had ever seen before.

Ben turned to look at him. "I'm curious how you were able to save me." Ben asked. "Yuriko tells me I was pretty mangled."

"I am a Hadarian Major." Filrian spoke. "My people are healers."

"Healers?" Ben asked.

"Our planet is very close to what we call a Metaphysical Nebula." Filrian spoke. "This Nebula bombards our planet every six months with Metaphysical Radiation. It saturates our cells and generates a healing field. We learned thousands of years ago that we could use this as a means to heal injuries, and since that time you will not see many members of the Union without a Hadarian medic or doctor nearby. When the High Coven, who you call vampires, discovered this, they attempted to conquer our people in the hopes that they could use our healing gift. Our leaders at the time turned to King Resumar for guidance. He told us to be patient and appease the Coven until the time was right to break away. Our King and Queen listened to him, and for hundreds of years we did as he suggested. When Resumar began the rebellion, we eagerly joined, as did the elves. And like the elves, our royal family was slaughtered like animals. The surviving members escaped into hiding, aided by the Lycavorian Royal Guard of the time. They protected us for centuries, even after their King and Queen were assassinated. We learned later that before our King died he abdicated all leadership to the Lycavorian Royal family. Since no one was alive to contest this, and none of the surviving Royal family dare expose themselves, it was left this way. Now ... well I don't believe my people would want to be led by anything other than a Lycavorian King as entwined as our peoples have become. I imagine it is no less for the elves, as almost the same thing happened to them. That is why the last members of the Royal Family sent their daughter here, they knew the son of Leonidas was here, and they knew eventually they would discover each other. I don't think they realized she would end up as Queen of the Union, but I do believe my people will be very pleased."

"Wow ... that's some story." Ben spoke.

Filrian chuckled. "There is so much more out among the stars that the humans from this planet have yet to discover."

"Wait ... there are other humans out there, off earth?" Ben asked his eyes wide in stunned shock.

Filrian nodded. "Oh yes. Yours is not the only colony of humans to have survived. The Coven did not see your people as advanced enough to conquer, and that is why you were left alone here on earth and used only as a food source for them. That changed when King Leonidas was born." He answered. "I believe there are seven other human colonies, four that reside within the Union as members and are in fact very successful. Three remain isolated and independent, but they are not our enemies. The Union trades with them, and in some regards they have worked together in the past and I believe there is a mutual defense treaty with two of them. They obviously benefit from that more than the Union, but some of their trading goods, resources and exports are quite needed."

"Damn ... I need to get out more." Ben muttered. "So this radiation allowed you to heal my injuries then?"

Filrian nodded. "While severe for a human, your injuries were relatively easy to heal Major, though I do recommend you do not attempt to crash land any more of your aircraft for a few months." He spoke with a smile.

Ben chuckled. "That's the ninth bird I've lost while flying for Marty." Ben spoke. "He does tend to find trouble in bunches."

"So it would appear."

"Where are we going?" Ben asked.

Filrian motioned down a steep inclined tunnel. "Our people are splitting into groups and leaving." He replied. "The Lycavorian fleet has arrived in orbit, and all the reports we are receiving indicate that we are winning, albeit with heavy losses. Yuriko has told everyone to seek shelter and wait for it to be over before coming forward."

"She's sending them all home?" Ben asked.

"Yuriko has been driven by only two things in her life." Filrian spoke, "Waiting for King Leonidas to return to earth and finding her sister. This group ... we are together as a matter of necessity, nothing more. Yuriko was the defacto leader, but we have all known that once King Leonidas began this war as we knew he would, she would go to him. She has never allowed anyone close to her. I am as close to being her friend as anyone has every come, and I know practically nothing about her."

"She sure seems like a driven young woman." Ben spoke. "She was a cute kid."

Filrian looked at him as they walked. "Forgive me ... you do not react like other humans on this world when told someone is a vampire Major. Why is that?"

Ben chuckled. "I figured out what Marty really was two years after flying with him." He replied. "I witnessed him change into a wolf at the tail end of an operation. He saved my life that day ... and since then I have kept his secret. Though now that doesn't appear to matter anymore." Ben looked at him. "You could say working with Marty all these years has taught me not to fear the unknown."

Filrian smiled and nodded his head. "Then that makes you unique Major."

"Yeah well..."

"Major O'Connell it is good to see you up and walking around." Yuriko's voice spoke.

Ben turned and saw her standing in front of an aircraft he hadn't seen in decades. His eyes flew open as he gawked at the ship sitting in the large clearing. It was an ancient MH-60H Nighthawk helicopter. Painted all black, with the single enormous rotor on top and the ancient tail rotor in the rear. The aircraft had once been extensively used in Special Operations in the late 20th and early 21st centuries and had been retired the year after he enter the Marine Corps. "Oh man..." Ben gasped as he moved forward quickly. "Where did you find this baby ... a museum?"

Yuriko allowed a small smile to etch across her face, "Actually yes." She replied. "It is fully functional ... and we just finished topping off the fuel tanks. Do you think you can fly it?"

Ben looked at her as he ran his hand along the matt black skin of the old helicopter. "Fly it? Fly it where?"

"Eden City airfield," Yuriko told him. "I believe it is time for us to enter this battle on my adopted father's side. I have sent everyone else into hiding with instructions to either come forward after we are victorious, or continue with what we have been doing if we fail. Doctor Filrian and I will return with you."

"You realize that this baby was state of the art back then ... but compared to what's flying now ... it's a bucket of bolts." Ben spoke. "We may not make it to Eden City."

Yuriko stepped forward and looked at him. "I believe you have as much reason as I to return Major."

Ben immediately thought of Endith and Tina. "Damn straight I do." He replied.

"Then I suggest we waste no more time." Yuriko spoke.

LYCAVORIAN NOVA-CLASS ATTACK CRUISER

LIBERTY

"Port side batteries fire," Riall barked out the order from where he stood holding the arm of the command chair. "Starboard thrusters engage! Bring us to course six seven three two mark nine and prepare to launch LU70s!"

Riall hadn't been involved in a battle in almost a decade and he had forgotten the thrill of battle during that time. He had brought his section of the LU Home Guard Fleet barreling from around the back of the moon to slam into the High Coven fleet with every battery and missile launcher oriented directly at them. The combined assault from Ceneu's continued engagement and his new attack destroyed sixteen Coven ships, shattering the picket line, the intense battle degenerating into ship against ship, plasma cannons against plasma cannons, and missile launcher and torpedo against missile launcher and torpedo.

While the High Coven ships had the advantage in range of their armaments, this close in the heavy armor and shielding that the Lycavorian Union ships had proved the turning point. At point blank range the LU ships nine times out of ten came out on top in the engagement. Every successful hit on an LU ship, and the Coven ships were hit twice in return. The Lycon Corporation, the major ship building company within the Union, took great pride in building ships for their people that were tough and powerful, just like the Lycavorian people themselves. That toughness always paid off, and it helped that every Cruiser Commander was hand picked by Ceneu, and they were the most experienced, not to mention daring commanders in the entire Union space fleet.

Riall held tightly to the arm rest as the LIBERTY shuddered from multiply plasma hits. He turned slightly. "Target that cruiser, full spread on the Proton torpedoes!"

"Admiral we have structural damage on decks eleven through fourteen!" A voice yelled.

"Dispatch damage control teams! Insure force fields are in place and seal the bulkheads in those sections!" Riall snapped, "Torpedoes!"

"Armed and ready Admiral!"

"Lock target and fire!" Riall yelled turning to look at the image on the holo chart. He saw six points of light blossom from the front of the LIBERITY and speed toward the closest Coven ship. He snarled in glee as the Proton torpedoes slammed headlong into the side of the cruiser and internal explosions began to erupt inside, dotting the superstructure of the ship with bursts of yellow and orange.

"Direct hits, all Torps," The sensor operator shouted. "Look at that Coven ship burn! Die you nasty blood sucking vampire scum!"

Riall had to smile at the young officer's words and he turned at the next shout.

"Admiral Ceneu is hailing us!"

"Engage the holo imager!" Riall barked. He turned as the floor mounted imager flared to life and Ceneu's complete body appeared in the transmission. "Ceneu ... we have broken their picket my friend! It's been too easy!"

Ceneu nodded. "I agree Riall. I believe you may have been right." He spoke. "Reform Riall ... we'll chase the Coven bastards clear out of the system!"

"No!" Riall spoke. "The second section is not engaging us! Reform the fleet and hold position! Use this time to conduct whatever repairs we can and reload magazines! Legsim should be landing in a few moments! We will time our attack for just after he sets down!"

Ceneu nodded quickly, his reptilian eyes bright. "I know what you are thinking Riall!" He said. "Target the WING OF DEATH?"

"Recall the M4 DEVASTATORS!" Riall barked out. "Have them land and rearm as quickly as they can! We will reorient the fleet and drive straight for the WING OF DEATH!"

Ceneu nodded in the transmission. "It will be done." He spoke.

Riall turned as Ceneu's image faded from view. "Direct all power to forward shields and reload missile tubes! When we reorient ... I want to shove everything we have right down their throats!"

EDEN CITY

He needed her blood.

He dragged his leg along the ground slowly, the two large holes in his thigh still leaking red over the rocks and slabs of concrete he was crawling over. He had dragged himself from the treeline of the airfield where he had taken the rounds through his leg and two through his chest. He had laid there listening to the screams of his brother clones as they fell under the weapons of the Spartans and elves. Even as the battle raged he had begun to crawl away, hoping to find some way to get blood and heal his wounds.

He had spotted her on the edge of the city, huddling near the control tower for the shield that had reactivated over the top of Eden City. She was sitting next to the dead soldier who held the control box in his lifeless hands, and she was making no move to leave the area. He had seen the fighter strafe them, striking down everyone but her, and then he watched as the Drow elf had crawled over to the mortally wounded Spartan, finally lowering her head to drink the last of his blood before she too collapsed on top of his body.

He had dragged his body this far and now he would have her. Using the last of his fading strength he pulled his shattered leg underneath him and launched himself at her from the side where he had snuck within four meters of where she sat staring into the sky.

For'mya's elf reflexes nearly saved her as her head snapped around in time to see the vampire come sailing over the small concrete pile to her left. She was able to hit him in the jaw, rocking his head back, but she was sitting down and the blow carried no where near enough power to knock him away from her. For'mya screamed as she saw the flash of his gleaming white fangs as they plunged for her exposed neck.