Chapter 12

UKWAV

DAY THIRTY-ONE

"How did he do this Vistr?" Riall asked in awe.

It was his first time down to the surface of this planet, after twice being above it and firing every weapon on the ships he had commanded to no avail. They stood in the gaping maw of where the observation post had once stood. Hundreds of metric tons of equipment were spread out before them, STRIKER ATs at rest in the distance, Spartans by the thousands moving back and forth.

"Amazing isn't it?" Vistr spoke.

"Three full blown attacks Vistr! Hundreds of ships in orbit blasting away with everything we had. You do this in days. How Vistr?" Riall spoke turning to look at him.

Vistr grinned. "One of his Drow vampire scouts." He answered calmly.

Riall looked at him as if he was crazy. "What?"

Vistr nodded, that grin still locked on his face. "We have always known the tunnels were vacuum sealed Riall. We always tried to punch a hole in the tunnels randomly. What we were never able to do is get anyone close enough to one of these observations posts to observe when they opened the tunnel. He parked one of his invisible Drow vampire scouts on every one of these posts for three days until they had down exactly the schedule for opening and closing the doors. When one of these fools finally chose to open the door to the tunnel below and the King decided it was time to attack ... we did." Vistr explained. "As soon as that scout reported this, Komirri unleashed every weapon we had, targeted on this bunker. Komirri let them have it with every missile, every torpedo, everything on this one point! The door was unlocking and swinging open when our weapons hit! The vacuum did the rest. It sucked all the debris and concussive force from the weapons' explosions right down the nubous tunnel and did three quarters of our work for us!" Vistr laughed. "For'mya could explain it better to you old friend. She has done nothing but ramble on about the tactic for days now."

"And you did the same with the second garrison?" Riall asked.

Vistr nodded quickly. "We are finishing that as we speak. Casualties are somewhat higher, but far below what we predicted Riall. What I told you and Deia from the LEONIDAS I was true my friend. I can't keep the wounded on the ships to be treated Riall. Many are refusing even to return to the ships. I'm forced to have the Hadarian Healers come here to them. When they are healed ... back they go!"

"Deia was not happy Vistr." Riall spoke. "Fully one third of the entire fleet and ground forces answered your call for more men and ships. I had to order the rest to remain in place or face summary court martial."

"He didn't know about that Riall." Vistr spoke softly. "I got emotional. It's the first time I have done that in twenty four centuries Riall."

Riall chuckled. "Yes old friend you certainly did. And that is why I am here now."

"What?" Vistr spoke. "Why?"

Riall met Vistr's eyes. "Because my friend, I feel as you do." He spoke softly. "You were right Vistr, and as you spoke the words it all became so very clear to me. It is the reason I fell in love with my mate. Gorgo was the mate to King Leonidas, she was a Spartan, and all of our people who lived on Earth as Spartans; they were ... they are so much closer to our past than we are, and they didn't even know it. Yes they have had an Oracle with them all of these years, but they have remained true to many of the instincts of our people and not tried to bury those instincts as we have done. That is why he favors Earth so. The Spartans ... the people there ... they are more like us then we are. The more I thought about it on the way here, the more I knew this was right. King Resumar pulled us out of our dark history Vistr ... showing us we could be more, that we could be better than what our wolf and animal instincts told us. He set on us this path, but I don't believe he intended for us to forget completely who we are as a people. He died before he could fully show us what we could become, and to honor his memory we have done nothing but push our instincts, our very nature, we have done nothing but push that back. To show that we were better than the animals we can become."

"Martin Leonidas is changing that Riall." Vistr spoke.

Riall nodded slowly. "Yes he is. He is showing us that we can be close to our instincts, to our nature, and still be better. He showed us that the entire way here Vistr and we never took notice. That day in the conference room with L'tian, his wolf instincts screamed for him to rip the Ambassador's face off for insulting his Queen in such a way. I could see it in his eyes ... and he held himself in check. He showed us this in the way he treats his Queens ... constantly nuzzling them, prodding them for affection in the old way, showing them affection in the old way. How often have you nuzzled your mate in such a way Vistr?"

Vistr shook his head. "Not often enough."

Riall nodded. "Gorgo has done this with me since we became mated, and I returned the affection without hesitation, but until your words I never understood why. I never even thought about it when I returned the attention to Gorgo, didn't realize it until I told her goodbye before leaving to come here."

"What do you mean?" Vistr asked.

"We have been mated for over two thousand years Vistr, and it wasn't until six days ago, when I said good bye to her that I noticed it. She has known all of these years and tried to get me to see it, but aulved that I am, I never noticed it. Not once. Gorgo is all instinct and passion behind her calm demeanor my friend ... it is her nature. When she reaches for that part of herself, in a simple nuzzle or in our bed ... her scent spikes Vistr. It becomes sweeter and pure. It's like ... when we allow ourselves to let our instincts come forth ... the purpose is suddenly there for us just to reach out and take. The love is not gone ... the control does not disappear ... but the clarity shines through like a sun."

Vistr nodded slowly. "That is what we have discovered here on this stinking planet my friend." Vistr spoke. "We are re-discovering ourselves Riall ... and that is why no one wants to leave. He is showing us the way back to what we have lost. His pain ... his despair ... it is showing our people the way back to what we have lost!"

"No ... not lost Vistr." Riall spoke softly, looking at his friend. "Not lost ... but what we have forgotten. How is he Vistr? How is he really?"

Vistr's face became serious and somber. "He leads rushes blindly and without regard. He saves lives by the dozen with his actions. He and his Captain are never apart and they have over three hundred kills between the two of them alone. The bravery is astounding ... never have I seen such actions. It is inspiring the men to be the same way. I have done it ... foolish old ronnus that I am. I almost got my mida and my nor handed to me at once."

Riall smiled. "The King did not bring this out in you old friend. You were always like that."

Vistr looked at him. "Riall ... he fights malda. Like he has no cares ... as if he doesn't care whether he lives or dies." Vistr spoke. "He speaks with only his Captain and For'mya now, very few others. And they speak only within Mindvoice."

"For'mya?" Riall asked surprised. "I did not realize she had this skill."

Vistr nodded. "I do not know the entire story, but she has spoken of a woman I guess, Arzoal was the name. This woman established a Mindvoice connection with her while she was a prisoner. She bestowed the gift of Mindvoice to her and spoke with her during her captivity, telling For'mya not to give up, that the King was coming for her. That is the story she tells. Once he did find her, she has not been far from his side. She stays with him in his quarters on the LEONIDAS I. She trains with him, eats with him. I had one of our stronger mindvoicers do a probe into her head just before we began our attack here. Riall ... her Mindvoice skills are beyond anything I have ever seen in an elf. She slammed shields up on my people stronger than Deia's." He saw Riall's eyes go wide at this and Vistr nodded. "Anyway ... For'mya and Andreus are the only two he will speak with now, at least more than to give instructions or orders as I said. Andreus is like speaking to a wall. I believe he feels ashamed for what his sister has done. He would follow the King into the very pit of jorbhe if he thought it would bring him forgiveness for her actions. As for Commander For'mya, she is a different person since her capture and rescue." (hell)

"I thought For'mya taking the position of concubine was only a political move on his part." Riall spoke thoughtfully, "A shrewd one no doubt ... but a political move nonetheless."

Vistr shook his head. "No ... there is much more there than any of us will ever know. Personally I believe he has grasped onto her to keep from losing his sanity completely Riall. He is using her as an anchor until he can somehow burn through the pain he feels inside him. I've never seen emotion burn so deep for one woman as the King's burned for this Aricia. What she did ... it hurt him far more than he will ever tell anyone. However it is that pain that has given him focus and clarity in battle Riall, unlike any I have seen in my life. For'mya as I said, is never far from him now, only leaving to fly STRIKERs back to the ship if I am on them."

Riall shook his head. "We should have never let that nubous ronnus Chetak take her!" He said. "At least not until the fever had passed so that we would know for sure it was truly her choice."

Vistr shook his head. "It would not have mattered Riall, you know that. Once she called out for him to take her, make her his mate, it was over. No politician or Enforcer of the Law would make any effort to fight his claim to her."

Riall nodded. "I know ... but perhaps that is part of our problem Vistr. Perhaps if we actually listened to our instincts and not suppressed them we would not be in this position."

"We can worry about that later my friend." Vistr spoke taking his arm. "Right now we have a battle to win!"

The four Immortals cringed as the thick door of their room burst open under the force of six pounds of explosives, sending the metal hatch whistling through the room, slamming into the Immortal standing on the other side of the door and crushing his body to pulp as it smashed into against the far wall. The remaining three whirled around just as the room filled with three burly Spartans, their P190s at chest level and holding back the triggers. Three long gouts of flame preceded the Spartans into the room, the caseless projectiles searching for flesh to destroy.

Martin continued into the room as he held back the trigger on the P190, his face set in a mask of rage, sending round after round of the pulverizing caseless ammunition into the chest of the Immortal that appeared through the smoke, his body dancing backwards from side to side, blood erupting wildly out of the dozens of wounds. Martin stopped when he was close enough to step into the butt stroke, bringing up the solid steel butt of the P190 into the jaw of the dead on his feet vampire and hearing the crunch of bone as he lifted the body up into the air before watching it fall onto its back. He spun around at the soft wheezing sound and saw the Immortal trying to crawl out from beneath the rubble reaching for his weapon. Martin's right hand snapped up, a diamond shaped surge of psychic energy forming instantly at his fingertips. The psychic diamond turned once and then he thrust his hand out and it sizzled across the space between him and the Immortal. It struck just below the base of the large grayish skull of the Immortal and punched out the front of his forehead between his eyes, leaving a fist sized bloodless hole through his entire skull. His body twitched twice and then was still.

"Done!" He barked his eyes sweeping the large room.

"Clear!" Andreus called out.

"Good!" Daniel's voice spoke.

Martin lowered the P190 and took a deep breath, his eyes returning to normal and his fangs slowly disappearing. He looked around the room through the smoke, seeing that it was much larger than they had first thought. The door was now imbedded into the wall forty meters away, the crushed Immortal's arm still twitching from under the three meter thick door.

"Anse ... we should go easy on the explosives next time." Martin spoke softly as more Spartans began to pour into the room.

Danny stepped up to him, his eyes on where Martin was looking. "It didn't improve his looks any." Dan spoke as he slammed a fresh magazine into the P190, his eyes sweeping the room. "What the hell is this place?"

"It is a power control room Daniel Simpson." The Spartan officer who had appointed himself in pseudo command of the King's personnel detachment on the surface spoke now, as he walked along the bank of ceiling high power generators and computer consoles.

"I didn't see one of these in the first garrison." Martin spoke as he stepped up to the control panel.

"It was there sire; the lowest level in the northern quadrant." The Spartan Lieutenant replied, his fingers running down the power level bars and conduit blue prints.

"Does it control the garrison here?" Martin asked.

The Lieutenant shook his head slowly. "No sire ... it appears to power some sort of grid beneath us."

Martin looked at him, "Beneath us?" He spoke. "I thought this was the lowest level."

"As did I," The Lieutenant replied. "However the conduit map in the first control room was burned beyond recognition due to our rather excited attempt at taking the room. This one is intact however. And it is showing a large grid beneath us."

"How far beneath us?" Andreus asked walking over. "We have seen no lifts or stairwells going down."

"If this map is correct, one hundred and fifty meters deeper than what we are now." The Lieutenant spoke. "It is very odd sire. It appears as if each garrison supplies power to this grid below us."

"Did you shut down the first one?" Martin asked.

The Lieutenant nodded. "Yes Milord. We thought it might be powering weapons systems in the other garrisons."

Martin nodded. "Well shut this one down too." He spoke. "Have the engineers conducted a sweep of the entire garrison?"

"They were waiting until we cleared out the last level here sire."

"Have them get down here and see if they can find a way down to this level." Martin spoke. "And blanket them with security from all sides I don't want some lucky ronnus we skipped to get lucky."

You have come to me son of Leonidas!

Martin spun around quickly his eyes flaring, searching for the source of the sentence in his head. "What?"

Daniel and the others looked at him oddly. "Skipper ... you ok?" Dan asked.

Come to me Martin Leonidas!

Martin looked at Danny. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what Marty?" Dan spoke. "You ok?"

Martin shook his head quickly. "I thought ... I thought I heard something." He said after a moment.

"Skipper ... why don't you and Andreus head back to the command post we set up in the first garrison." Danny spoke. "We got this covered boss ... you and Andreus have been going at it now for thirteen straight hours. Let us take it from here."

Martin looked at him. "Dan..."

Daniel stepped up to the man he had called brother for so many years, pushing his shoulder into Martin's, stepping closer then most would ever dare. "Marty ... I know why you are doing this man!" Dan spoke in a hushed whisper so that only he could hear. "I do Martin ... I really do. I don't know how you have lasted this long with what you must be feeling. I know how much she meant to you. This is your way of dealing with it boss ... I didn't ... I didn't understand at first ... but I do now. We have been like brothers all these years Marty ... have we ever lied to each other?"

Martin met his eyes and shook his head immediately. "No."

"Then damn it Martin, listen to me now. You have to take a break! You're running on pure adrenalin, all of us can smell it." Dan spoke. "What we have done up to now is incredible, but if you continue at this pace ... you'll start getting people killed for no reason."

"Danny..."

"No! I mean it. I don't know what I would do if I lost Anuk in the way Aricia was taken from you." Dan spoke softly. "When are you going to start to go on again Martin? You can't do this forever?"

"Danny ... I don't ... I don't know if I can." Martin said softly. "I don't know if I want too."

Dan reached up with his hand and grasped the back of Martin's helmet, pulling him close to him until their helmets clanked together. "You have too!" Dan spoke. "This is what you were born for man!"

Martin laughed harshly. "You have no idea how much I have come to hate that nubous phrase Dan."

"Maybe so," Danny spoke, "But damned if it ain't the fucking truth Skipper!" He spoke.

"Head back to the CP Marty, better yet go back to the ship. Take a few hours off ... get between the sheets with that fine female elf that looks at you like she wants to lick you all over."

"For'mya ... it's not like that with her." Martin spoke.

"Whatever Skipper," Dan spoke. "I'll follow you anywhere boss ... you know that. All of us would ... we've been through too much to turn our backs on you. Anuk wouldn't let me, and Nayeca would cut my balls off if I did. But seriously Martin ... you are starting to scare the shit out of me. Go back to the ship for some down time. Vistr and I can get things settled here." Martin looked into his eyes for a long silent moment and Dan thought he was going to tell him no, but finally Martin nodded slowly. Dan felt a wave of relief flood through him and he pounded Martin on the shoulder. "Get topside man ... I'll radio ahead and have..."

"I'm on it." He said. "Sweep everything Danny ... even the toilets."

"You got it boss."

[Mindvoice Shielded] For'mya?

Martin Leonidas?

Meet me at the second breach point For'mya. We're going to head back to the LEONIDAS I for a few hours.

Martin could almost hear the sigh of relief in her voice. I will be there in ten minutes Martin.

I'll be waiting.

Martin lowered his psychic shields. General Vistr?

Yes Milord.

We have secured the last level of the second garrison. Once we have established a secure perimeter, stand them down General. Twelve hours of rest and food. Full security levels, no exceptions, but stand them down General.

Martin didn't see Vistr's eyes close and his head nod slowly. I will make it so sire.

And have Admiral Riall join me on the LEONIDAS I when he is done down here.

Yes Milord.

Dan watched his friend and brother leave the room, his face as stoic and unreadable as it had been for the last three weeks. He had done what he wanted though. He had spoken with Anuk and Nayeca the night before, and they both told him he needed to get him to stop, if only for a few hours. No one else would be able to do it Anuk had told him. They had seen it over the past weeks, the reckless behavior far beyond what he had done in past years, but now it was becoming dangerous, and needed to be curbed. Only Danny could do that.

HADARIA

SOUTHERN POLE ISLAND

Seanna had never been to the Divine One's home on the Southern Pole Island. She had trained here as a child, but never had the opportunity to see her home. It was the only island within three hundred kilometers of the southern continent and was called Pole Island due to the enormous mountain tower that reached into the clouds behind the very large and exceptionally well maintained cathedral like buildings below them. Seanna remembered them well. They were smaller than the palace itself in the capital, as if used by a much smaller number of people, but she could see the men and women training in the courtyards of the grounds as well as the two men who were guiding their Ocean Lifter into the appropriate position in the small harbored section of the island.

Seanna had fought with her questions and worry the entire trip. The Prefect had not said anything to her other than to summon her via the palace's internal communications grid. Her worry that she and Anja had been discovered increased as the minutes wove by. It was strictly forbidden for a Hadarian Mage to ever have a husband, forbidden for men to even touch them really. Their Order was founded to protect the Royal Line ... not to marry and have normal lives. Seanna knew the moment she saw her Queen she had wanted her in that way. Something inside her had stirred awake and their hours together last night had only proven to her it was meant to be. Immediately after hearing Zaniai's summon Seanna had panicked, thinking they had been discovered somehow. Anja had simply pulled her tighter against her naked flesh, refusing to let her go and told Seanna that she was hers now, and that nothing would part them.

Those words now coursed through her, and Seanna was determined not to fear whatever they might do to her. She had found something with her Queen, something that was beyond pleasure, beyond commitment, and something that promised even more of all those things, and Seanna was not about to lose the opportunity to explore that.

Zaniai didn't speak as they climbed into the small hoverlift car and were whisked through the training grounds to the large white marble building at the end of the island. The stones looked ancient and she could only gasp in awe as she followed the prefect into the main foyer of the home. The ceiling rose nearly a hundred meters inside, with a winding staircase on either side of the main hall. Seanna was not paying attention to her forward motion, awestruck by the beauty and serenity of the home and she slammed into Zaniai's back when he came to an abrupt halt. He turned quickly and glared at her for an instant before turning and watching as the smiling old woman walked towards them.

Seanna's eyes grew wide when she saw her, the shimmering bright red hair, and the incredibly deep, dark green eyes very similar in color to her own. The ivory dress she wore wrapped around her frail looking body, but the woman moved with grace and elegance. Seanna immediately dropped to one knee next to Zaniai, who was bowed at the waist.

"Divine One!" Zaniai gasped. "You do not normally greet visitors in this way." He spoke.

The woman stopped in front of Seanna, looking down at her with those stunning green eyes. "How are you Seanna?" She asked softly.

"It ... it is an honor Divine One." Seanna replied without looking up.

"Stand up child. Let me see you." Seanna got to her feet quickly, keeping her eyes averted however and she heard the woman laugh softly. "I am not a god child, as much as others like to think so. Look at me, let me see your eyes."

Seanna lifted her face slowly until she was looking directly at her. "Divine One ... I..."

"Hush Seanna, and be still." The woman spoke staring at her intently. "Exceptionally skilled ... extremely intelligent ... one of the most powerful Mage Warriors we have, if the report I have received recently from your Spartan training officer is accurate. You are all of these things and stunningly beautiful as well. I have a position open here within these walls Seanna ... a researcher of sorts, working for me. Would you like it?"

"Divine One ... I ... I have not even finished my training." Seanna gasped.

Zaniai leaned forward. "Divine One there is something you should know." He began to speak.

The woman nodded. "Not now Zaniai." She spoke quickly, "Seanna ... the position? I will only offer it once."

Seanna's mind raced with the incredible opportunity it would be to return here and study with the Divine One herself. It was a gift that only a handful of her people had ever received. Yet Anja filled her thoughts immediately, and accepting the position here would rob her of ever exploring what she now shared with her. What she wanted to share with her.

Seanna looked into the woman's eyes, the decision coming easier than she expected. "Divine One ... I can not."

Zaniai looked like his eyes were going to roll across the floor and he looked at her as if she was mad. "Seanna ... this is the opportunity of a lifetime! No one has ever been offered this at your age!"

Seanna nodded slowly. "I know. I ... it would be an honor above all else Divine One. I ... I can not accept."

The woman smiled and reached up to place her hands on Seanna's shoulders. "That is the answer I expected, and it makes me very happy." She spoke softly. She turned to Zaniai. "Seanna is to be named the Queen's permanent handmaiden. She is not to be removed from her service for any reason other than death Zaniai."

"Divine One ... you must know that..."

The woman smiled. "I already know what you are about to speak of Zaniai." She spoke. "And you will not reveal this to anyone unless it is their decision to do so, is that clear?"

"Divine One ... I don't understand."

"I'm sure you don't Zaniai." She answered looking at Seanna's wide green eyes. "Know that Seanna and our Queen now share a special relationship and that connection is for no law or rule to break." She looked at Zaniai, "Unless you would prefer to face the wrath of our very headstrong young wolf Queen? I know I certainly would not, as I understand she has quite the temper. Destiny has brought Anja back to us Zaniai; destiny has chosen her to be part wolf, tying us to our Lycavorian brothers and allies for all time. It is time our people began to change with the shape of destiny."

Zaniai's eyes went back and forth between the two quickly before he nodded his head slowly. "Perhaps it is as Fuleos said Divine One."

"Yes it is." The woman spoke. "And enough of this Divine One nonsense Zaniai, I have told you to use my name when within my home. Please do so."

Zaniai stood up straight and nodded, "As you wish Eurin." He replied. "May I ask why you summoned us? I assume it was in relation to the blood sample I sent for review."

Seanna's eyes grew wider. "You found something?" She gasped.

"You said this sample was obtained from Prime Minister Deia's possession?" Eurin asked.

Seanna blushed deeply against her dark tan. "I removed it Divine One." She spoke. "The Lycavorian medical people are very skilled, but I thought perhaps the Oldest Ones could possibly discover something they might have missed."

"Where did Deia obtain it?" Eurin asked.

"It is a blood sample of the Lycavorian female who the King had chosen as his mate." Zaniai spoke. "When she arrived on Apo Prime she was apparently in the grips of what is called the Lunmai ... a..."

"The Second Coming of Age for Lycavorian females, yes I know of this." Eurin spoke. "Walk with me both of you please." She said turning to move down the corridor. "It is an extremely rare condition, almost non-existent in Lycavorians today. The last recorded case was with Queen Eliani over ten thousand years ago. Are you sure it was the Lunmai?"

Seanna nodded. "I detected the signs when we saw her Divine One. They did not present themselves fully until after we arrived on Apo Prime and I was not sure until then." She replied. "Fever, heightened instinctual tendencies, drops of sweat pooling above the lips, and the need ... the need to..."

"The need to mate." Eurin finished. "Yes ... the overpowering need to mate. And this Aricia was suffering from the Lunmai?"

"I remembered the symptoms from my study of Lycavorian physiology." Seanna spoke. "There was no mistaking it. I did not realize it until it was too late however."

"I gather then that this has something to do with why the young King of the Lycavorian Union is currently shattering the defenses on Ukwav in the grips of a blind rage I have not seen the likes of in all my years." Eurin spoke.

"Ukwav?" Seanna gasped her eyes wide in apprehension and shock. "The King ... the King is there?"

Eurin nodded slowly. "He is not only there ... he is taking the planet by brute force, quite spectacularly too if all the reports are accurate. They are attempting to keep it very low key ... but information is beginning to leak out. He and his Spartans have already taken two of the four garrisons, and done so in quite the brutal fashion. They are taking no prisoners. He is acting in rage as I said and I assume this female Aricia is why?"

Seanna nodded as they walked towards the elevator lifts. "There is a sect of Lycavorians Divine One. They called themselves the Lycavorian People's Republic. They follow the ways of their people before King Resumar brought them forward if my understanding is correct. The King and Aricia were mates ... but these men ... they used the Lunmai as a means to take her from him. At the peak of the fever one of them took her ... took her as she cried out for him to claim her as his mate, then they showed this to the King."

Eurin looked at her those dark green eyes showing her repulsion at such an act. "They did that?"