Chapter 14

DAY THIRTY-SIX

LEONIDAS I

Martin looked down on For'mya's sleeping face as she lay on the bed, the sheet covering her lower body, leaving her back and shoulders bare. Her golden colored blond hair was spread across the pillows, her soft lips open slightly. He stood next to the bed in full armor, his Nehtes secured to his right leg. The matte black body armor was new and clean, replacing the one he had been wearing for the last two days which had been torn open by a Coven Immortal and his sword. The wound had cut into the flesh of his back almost an inch, and extended for four inches along his side ending just below his armpit. He had refused to be evacuated at first, until Riall had told him in very plain language he would order the King forcibly returned to the ship if he did not get on the STRIKER For'mya was flying.

Staring at her body on the bed, the image became that of Aricia, her satiny black hair spread across his sheets, how it felt slipping through his fingers and against his skin, the wonderful length of it, falling to her firm ass. The wondrous curves of her body and the many times he would have been happy to just take up residence between her thighs and never come up for air. Martin inhaled deeply, and he thought for a moment he detected her sweet lavender coco scent, and his blood surged in response.

Then that image was gone and For'mya was there.

They had cracked the third garrison two days ago, split it open like a melon, the vacuum sealed tunnels sucking in all of the concentrated firepower from now double the ships they had started with. There was really nothing the High Coven defenders could do against such a precise and concentrated volley of fire, and none of them had figured out how the Union was doing this. The fires and explosions that had swept through the tunnel were devastating to watch, as gouts of flame and smoke erupted from the observation posts all around the third garrison perimeter. The awesome destructive power of the vacuum wave of fire and superheated gas and debris had killed or mortally wounded over three quarters of the garrison strength. Martin had led the charge on the breach with nearly forty thousand Spartans on his heels and they had swept through the tunnels and extensions like a wave of molten lava sweeping down from an erupting volcano. That was until the Immortal had hit him from behind. He still felt the twinge of pain in his lower back, but it would be gone in a day or so Kmyla had told him, her dark eyes looking at him in an accusatory way.

Martin couldn't blame her.

Andreus hadn't left his side unless he was in his quarters, even though Kmyla pleaded with him to not go to the surface on a number of occasions, worried over the safety of her mate and his reckless actions mirroring Martin's own.

Danny had been right. He was losing his control, taking larger risks, more dangerous risks, and if he continued, he would be responsible for the deaths of men and women who followed him out of loyalty and pride, even though all he wished for was to die. He hadn't come here for glory or fame ... he had picked the most secure Coven facility in range with the simple thought of fighting until someone killed him. He had left instructions to be passed on when he died, Dysea, Anja and Isabella to be named Queens immediately, For'mya to be released from her role as concubine.

The only problem was Martin couldn't even get himself killed the right way.

A dozen times High Coven Immortals or troops had the drop on him, could have killed him easily, and his instincts hadn't allowed it. He had called on the power that coursed through him instinctively, sending diamond shaped bolts of psychic power ripping into flesh and bone like it was second nature. It wasn't a conscious decision on his part, but like something was directing him to do it, and thereby saving his life in the process.

Not anymore though. Not after today.

Martin set the data pad on the table beside the bed and looked at For'mya once more. She had been an anchor for him, and in being that anchor she had realized just how strong she truly was. They had made love half a dozen times since that first morning, but For'mya knew there was no true feeling from him. She had tried everything she could think of in their bed to get him to respond to her with emotion, to attempt to show him what he had shown her. That he could feel once more, and though he had gripped her tightly to him last night in the aftermath, hearing her coo in contentment, he still felt hollow and empty. The ache would not go away, and he could not bring himself to open his shields and allow Dysea, Isabella and Anja to feel that, for it wasn't their pain to bear.

Martin reached up and took hold of the coral red pendant he had worn since the day his Soulmate had given it to him. He squeezed it tightly in his hand before tucking it back under his body armor and leaving the bed chambers, allowing For'mya to sleep. He moved across the large quarters and stepped into the corridor were Komirri and Riall waited.

"How far away are they?" Martin asked.

"Their present speed will put them here in six days." Komirri replied quickly as they began to walk.

"Numbers?"

"That is the strange thing sire." Riall spoke, "Twelve High Coven Fleet Groups. Even when we assaulted this planet in the past, Veldruk has never committed this many fleets to its defense. It's almost as if suddenly he can not afford to lose this retched planet."

"This isn't their only forward planet is it?" Martin asked.

"No sire. They have five others with more modern facilities. They are just as heavily fortified, though not as close to the border." Riall answered.

Martin shook his head. "That doesn't matter. We'll be gone in five days one way or the other." He spoke.

They looked at him, "My Lord?" Komirri and Riall echoed each other as Martin stepped into the lift elevator. "Riall I left orders for you with For'mya. She'll know what to do."

"Sire you..." The doors closed on Martin's body and he was gone. Riall looked at Komirri. "What is that suppose to mean?"

Komirri shook his head. "I know nothing of leaving until we win." He said.

"Get For'mya up to the bridge!" Riall spoke. "I don't like the sounds of this."

HADARIA

"She's not dead Seanna." Anja spoke looking at her as they lay in the bed together.

Seanna reached out and touched her face. "If that is what you believe Anja ... then that is what I believe." She said.

"I would feel it Seanna." Anja continued. "Aricia and I were as close as you and I have become. I would feel if she was dead."

Seanna stared into her Queen and new found lover's jade green eyes. She had not mentioned anything to Anja about her meeting with the Divine One, and she wouldn't until she knew something more concrete. They had shared each other more times than Seanna could count since their first night, and each time it was more pleasurable and more intense, and they grew closer and closer. Seanna knew without a doubt she had made the right choice.

Late this afternoon when the Net Channels had reported Aricia's death, Anja had fallen into a deep funk and canceled all of her training for the rest of the day. It wasn't until Seanna had crawled into bed with her now that she knew why.

"Anja ... you still love her." Seanna spoke softly. "You will always love her. There is nothing wrong with what you feel."

"She's not dead!" Anja snapped, throwing back the sheet and climbing from the bed angrily. She went to the chair and took the soft robe and pulled it on over her naked body.

Seanna sat up on the bed, holding the sheet across her own naked body. "Anja ... I am not ... I am not trying to replace her in your heart."

Anja looked at her, her eyes going wide and she moved quickly back to the bed. "No!" She gasped kissing her deeply, Seanna melting into her arms for the kiss as their naked flesh pressed tight to each other. Anja pulled away after the sizzling kiss and looked at her. "No! I know that Seanna! I love what we have found ... I do! And it grows stronger every moment we are together! It's ... it's hard to explain ... but I feel it inside me. I know she's not dead."

Seanna reached up and stroked her cheek, smiling. "Then let us find out a way to confirm that." She spoke.

"What do you mean?"

Seanna moved quickly, holding the sheet around her as she stood up. She fastened it above her breasts and took Anja's hand. "Let us call Deia." She said pulling her along towards the door.

"She won't tell us anything." Anja barked. "And I don't like her. She's a politician! I hate politicians!"

Seanna pulled her along as they left the bedroom and moved down the massive corridor toward the wide staircase. They both stopped when they saw Eurin entering the great foyer below them. Seanna's eyes went wide.

"Divine One!" She gasped, pulling Anja along behind her as they moved down the stairs. She bowed her head when they stopped in front of her at the base of the stairs. "Divine One I ... I have never heard of you leaving the island!"

Eurin looked at her and smiled. "It has been some time child. And my sealifter is so old it needed repair before I could depart." She turned to Anja. "My Queen it is very pleasant to see you again."

Anja nodded, "Eurin." She said still somewhat skeptical of the older woman. They had met shortly after Anja arrived, and though she found her to be polite and extremely intelligent, something did not sit right with her. "Why are you here at this hour?"

"You have heard then Divine One?" Seanna asked.

Eurin looked at her. "Heard what? I have been traveling all day."

"It is all over the Net Channels Divine One. It is being reported that Aricia was killed by predators native to Enurrua, killed by dragons." Seanna spoke.

Eurin's eyes narrowed, "Dragons!" She exclaimed. "Then there is not doubt." She said softly. "That is very interesting because Aricia is why I have come here so late." She spoke.

Anja perked up immediately, "About Aricia?" She asked moving closer. "What about Little Wolf?"

Eurin looked at her. "Seanna gave me a sample of Aricia's blood when she arrived here with you Lady Anja. The sample these Lycavorian men gave to Deia."

Anja stepped even closer, nodding her head. "They ... they said it would prove she made her choice freely."

Eurin nodded. "Yes I'm sure that's what they said." She spoke sternly. "It is simply another reason to detest men in every form. The fact of the matter is ... she did not make the choice freely. She was under the influence of an incredibly powerful compound that was filtering through her blood."

"What?" Anja almost yelled her eyes wide. "Deia's ... Deia said she had it tested and nothing came of that!"

Eurin nodded. "And Deia was right. However Deia's medical people do not have the knowledge my people do, and they would not have detected this substance. Is there someplace where we can talk my Queen?"

Anja motioned her to the side where there was a small sitting room. ATROPOS!

It took only ten seconds for the burly Spartan to come barreling from his adjoining room, clad only in pants and brandishing his Nehtes. Seanna and Eurin looked stunned at his almost feral expression and demeanor.

"My Queen!" Atropos exclaimed, his eyes searching for targets and threats.

Anja moved to him quickly and placed her hand on his arm, calming him. "There is no danger Atropos ... but you need to hear this as well." She told him.

"Hear what my Queen?"

"Come with us." Anja spoke as she led them into the sitting room.

It took only moments before all of them except Eurin were sitting in the room. Eurin plugged her scroll pad into the small monitor screen.

"Seanna brought this to me almost immediately after arriving My Queen." Eurin began. "It took my researchers some time but we first found this." The orange colored spots appeared on the screen and Anja got up and moved to the monitor.

"A contraceptive enzyme?" Anja spoke confused.

Eurin looked surprised. "You know what this is?"

Anja shook her head. "Not this particular one no, but most contraceptive enzymes are basically all formed the same way."

Eurin couldn't help but smile. "My Queen, as each day passes you give me more pause to thank the gods." She said. "You are correct ... it is a contraceptive. It is called Sirtin, a very old elven contraceptive my Queen, in Aricia's blood."

Anja shook her head. "Aricia and Martin ... they are Soulmates Eurin." Seeing her eyes go a little wider Anja continued. "Once they became Soulmates, she would never have willingly taken any form of contraceptive! None!"

Eurin nodded. "I see."

Seanna looked at Anja. "What does this mean Anja?"

Atropos stepped forward as he got to his feet, his stern face filled with questions. "Once they became Soulmates, neither of them would have taken another mate of pure Lycavorian blood. Not unless one or the other died by natural causes or in combat." He spoke sternly. "My ... my sister betrayed that sacred oath when she did what she did. And now you tell me this? My Queen ... Anja ... I serve you willingly and without question but I..."

"Your sister did no such thing Atropos of Sparta!" Eurin spoke quickly and firmly.

Anja's head snapped around to look at Eurin. "What are you talking about?"

"My Queen..." Eurin spoke. "Did you ever have chance to take a sample of Aricia's blood?"

Anja shook her head. "I never saw a reason to." She said. "Why? What is going on?"

"So you did not know that Aricia and the King have the purest samples of Lycavorian blood that have existed in nearly eight thousand years." Eurin said. "The King's blood is even stronger than his father's."

"No ... I did not know that." Anja spoke softly, her jade green eyes wide.

"We measure Mindvoice abilities based on the pureness of ones blood Anja." Eurin spoke. "After seeing this sample with the contraceptive and viewing the sample of Aricia's blood, it made me come to the conclusion that even in the midst of the Lunmai fever; Aricia would never have betrayed the King in that way. Her blood would not have allowed it. The purer the blood the deeper the attraction between Lycavorian males and females, and from what I have seen and heard, the connection between the King and Aricia could not have been stronger."

Anja nodded. "Yes." She said softly. She saw Atropos stopped by the door, now listening intently.

Eurin adjusted the screen once more and Anja looked at the sample, her eyes growing darker. She stepped up to the screen and touched her index finger to the dark red splotches against the dark blue. "What ... what are these?"

"These are what Deia's equipment and people would never have detected. They would never have detected them because they no longer exist." Eurin spoke. "They are the degrading molecules of what is called Urezoban. It is a potency enhancer, made from the inner shell of a dragon's egg." Eurin saw Anja's head come around and look at her. "It is the most powerful drug of its kind ever produced. It increases the effects of any natural occurring disease or condition by a factor of a hundred, and in this case, Aricia and the Lunmai ... the Coming of Age Fever. This drug administered directly into her blood stream by say, a pin prick or scratch, would have immediately increased the potency of the Lunmai phase she was currently experiencing by a hundred times. When she arrived on Apo Prime, if her blood sample is accurate, she was at the peak of the Lunmai. The very height of the fever it produces within her. Amazingly ... and this goes to her incredible Mindvoice abilities, she was fighting it off due to the pureness of her blood and her love for the King.

"Whoever gave her this drug; they knew exactly what they were doing. No one ... not even Aricia ... who has the Mindvoice potential second only to the King ... not even she could have kept it from overwhelming her, and making her surrender to the Lunmai." Eurin looked at Atropos who stood in the doorway, his dark eyes wide and unbelievably filling with tears. Eurin was stunned, as she had never seen a Spartan cry in her entire life. "Making her surrender to Chetak's son in the fashion she did. This was forced on your sister Atropos of Sparta. She did not do this by choice."

Who were these Lycavorians from Sparta that they would openly show emotion in front of others, when so many of their kind did not Eurin thought to herself.

Eurin turned her head and looked at Anja, her jade green eyes ablaze with a fury that Eurin had never seen before in any living being. The scream came from Atropos however, and it caused shivers of fear to course down Eurin's spine when she heard it, for it pierced her very soul. She watched Atropos extend his Nehtes in the blink of an eye and send it hurtling across the room, the eight foot long spear burying itself in the marble and steel of the wall over halfway in length due to the strength of the throw.

"BLOOD!" Atropos screamed, the tears coming freely now. "I will have someone's blood for this!"

Anja moved to Atropos quickly and grasped her Captain in her arms, the huge man falling to his knees, his face buried in the abdomen of his considerably smaller Queen. "I cursed her! I condemned my sister and she was innocent!"

Anja grasped his head tightly to her, tears flowing down her own cheeks now. "Does Martin know this?" She snapped.

Eurin was still in shock from Atropos's display. "I ... I only just discovered this, my Queen." She stammered. "He ... he can't know."

Atropos looked up quickly and scrambled to his feet. "We must tell him immediately!" He barked squeezing Anja's arms before wiping his eyes and moving to where his Nehtes was imbedded in the wall. "He must know now!"

Anja looked at him detecting the urgency in his voice. "Atropos what is wrong?"

Eurin gasped when Atropos wrenched his Nehtes free of the marble and turned. "They are Soulmates Anja." He spoke. "He will allow no one through his Mindvoice shields. Only ... only my sister could have penetrated them. If he sees this information ... what they have reported..."

"You mean that she is dead?" Seanna asked quickly.

Atropos nodded. "If he sees this ... he will do what any Soulmate partner would do if this happened to them in the fashion it has happened to the King and my sister, torn apart as they have been by false betrayal and the actions of others. He will blame himself for not believing in their love. If he discovers this ... what they did to her and that he did not go after her and she is now dead." Atropos shook his head. "As Soulmates ... this knowledge would send him over the edge and he will try to take his own life."

Anja shook her head, recognition over what her Captain was saying washing over her face, "Atropos no!"

Atropos nodded. "He will take his own life my Queen."

"By the gods no!" Eurin spoke.

"No!" Anja barked. "I won't allow it! I won't!" She moved to the com panel in the room and slammed her hand down on it.

"Planetary Communications Center!" The voice echoed immediately.

"I want to speak to the Admiral in charge of the Union Fleet Group in charge of the defense of Hadaria! I want to talk to him like yesterday!"

"Stand ... stand by ... Milady Anja!"

Anja turned to Seanna. "Seanna..."

Seanna shook her head. "I will pack our things!" She spoke quickly before heading out of the room. "I will be back in five minutes!"

Eurin stepped forward. "My Queen ... what do you intend to do?"

Anja looked at her. "I intend to keep the man I love from killing himself, and then I intend to go to this planet and get Aricia back! And I will kill whoever gets in my way!"

"Alone?" Eurin gasped.

Anja looked at Atropos. "I won't be alone." She said.

Atropos took a deep breath. "I will be ready in three minutes."

"My Queen ... Admiral Daglan here! My Queen ... what is wrong?"

"Admiral ... your fastest ship? What is it?"

"An AUTUMN MOON-Class Attack Frigate Milady." He answered immediately. "It is Coven Shroud generator equipped and the fastest ship we have in any of our fleets next to the LEONIDAS I."

"I want one here at the Hadarian spaceport as fast as it will get here!" Anja snapped.

"Nineteen minutes my Queen! I will order it there now!" Daglan answered.

"Admiral?"

"Yes My Queen?"

"I want it carrying every Spartan you are able to cram onto it. Is that understood?"

The Admiral allowed the toothy smile to split his lips. "I will see to it my Queen."

APO PRIME

"Dysea ... are you absolutely sure?" Deia asked still in shock over what she had just been told.

"Without question." Dysea replied from the holoimage transmission. "Jamerl led the raid here in Sparta himself five hours ago. We have arrested both of his daughters, Nessia and Narcissa, but they are not clones Deia. We have also uncovered some very sophisticated communications equipment in a sealed room within the floor of their house here. Nessia and Narcissa claim to have no knowledge of this room. Lander and Panos are currently going through every bit of data involving anything Dekton did or was involved in, even before Nauta Melme returned to earth."

Deia looked at L'tian and Olalla who sat with her in the office. "Dysea ... how ... how is this possible?"

"It appears the Coven was much further along in the cloning process than anyone knew. It did not begin on Earth as Yuri made us believe; they were merely using Earth as the last testing ground for the entire procedure." Dysea spoke. "His daughters Nessia and Narcissa are in fact half vampire, half Lycavorian, which would fit with their mother being a turned vampire as Dekton told Aihola and Tarifa."

Isabella leaned forward in the transmission. "You can see for yourself he insinuated himself into the Royal Guard to get near Martin ... yet when Martin made him bodyguard to Tarifa and Aihola ... we assume he was given instructions to maintain that cover and provide information on what they were building in Eden City. He had access to everything that Tarifa and Aihola were working on. We are almost sure he is the one that leaked information on their mission to the Drow city, and planted the bomb that almost killed Martin and Dysea."

"There was an uncharted flight from a STRIKER the night before the attack on us." Dysea picked it up again. "That same STRIKER returned to Eden City two hours later. Two hours after that, the Raptors with the personnel for the Drow mission took off. We have already questioned the pilot ... he assumed Dekton was doing something private for Tarifa or Aihola and thought nothing of it."

"So he was using your friends?" Olalla asked now from his chair.

Dysea nodded quickly, "In every possible way it seems." She answered. "Doctor Olyne has determined the body we exhumed here is one of three Dekton Clones. They all have the same preservation tissue compound. We can not even confirm if the real Dekton was even the real Dekton. The man working in your special projects division could very well be the real one Deia, or one of the two remaining clones."

Deia moved back to her chair. "Who else knows this?"

"Here in Sparta, myself, Bella, Jamerl, Dilios and four others." Dysea answered her immediately. "You, L'tian and Olalla on Apo Prime."

"Milady Dysea ... you know what this Talracian Ore could be used for?" L'tian asked now.

Dysea nodded. "A very specialized armor for the Union starships, yes. And if Tarifa and Selene had not sensed something ill about what these men were offering, we would have given it to them."

"If the Coven got their hands on this formula, it would give them an incredible military advantage over us." Olalla spoke. "More so then the slim one they have already."

"I understand this." Dysea spoke. "You know of course that Tarifa has been kidnapped?"

Deia nodded. "Yes ... as of yet we do not know by whom however."

"I do. It was the very same men who took Little Wolf from us Deia," Dysea told her without any hesitation in her voice.

"How do you know this?" Deia asked quickly.

"I gave the engine coil signature to our fleet officers here." Isabella answered. "Dysea sent a frigate to track it. That frigate is now eight hours from Enurrua. The trail leads directly there."

"Aihola was incensed when I contacted her about this." Dysea spoke. "She already had reason to hate these men for taking Tarifa. Now ... now she is beside herself. She and Tarifa ... they loved Dekton ... and to discover it was all a lie." Dysea shook her head.

"Then you haven't heard about Aricia?" Deia spoke.

Dysea met her gaze in the transmission. "If you are referring to the transmission by that fool Senator claiming she is dead, yes I heard that. And Little Wolf is no more dead than you or I." She spoke, "This Joric stronger than Nauta Melme? That is so laughable it isn't even funny. I am not a proper politician for a Queen Deia, I freely admit that. I was created to be more of a warrior than a Queen ... but I do know when someone is lying, and that man was lying through his teeth."

L'tian chuckled and shook his head looking at Deia. "I told you." He spoke. He turned back to Dysea. "Lady Dysea ... I wish to apologize once more for my actions when we first met. I can assure you right now, whatever you wish myself and the Elf Delegation to do, we will do, without hesitation. We have not had an elven Queen in many millennia, but I can tell you we will be proud to call you our Queen."

Dysea nodded her head to him in the transmission. "Deia ... we have not seen eye to eye on all that has happened recently, but we are moving out of the realm I have knowledge to understand or operate within. I am not a politician. Someone has been using us to tear each other apart and we have gladly done it for them at every turn. It needs to stop. Little Wolf did not..."

"Dysea ... I have Aricia's mother here on Apo Prime." Deia spoke. "I discovered some things on my own that have led me to the same conclusion. She is right now working with Gorgo researching the Lunmai and every ancient Lycavorian mating ritual known to exist."

Dysea was quiet for a moment. "I had thought she had gone into hiding out of shame." She said softly.

"We've been fighting amongst ourselves for so long; we have allowed Chetak and his followers to grab more power than they should be allowed. I intend to stop that ... but I need to do it politically as well as militarily." Deia spoke. "I must follow our laws or we are no better than the men who have perpetrated this."

Dysea nodded. "I know." She said softly. "I can not touch Nauta Melme Deia. His Mindvoice shields are more powerful than I could hope to penetrate. Only Little Wolf would have a chance to do that as she was almost as powerful as him. I know what he is doing right now, but we must contact him some way."

Deia shook her head quickly. "He has instituted a complete blackout of all incoming and outgoing fleet communications." She said. "And I no longer rate very high on his list or that of Riall or Ceneu. They will not answer me."

"We must pray he does not discover that these fools are reporting Aricia is dead." Dysea spoke. "There is no telling what he may do. And if he discovers they in some way forced her to do what she did, there is nothing in this universe that will keep him from annihilating anything in his path to get her back."

Deia nodded quickly. "If I have learned anything of our King ... it is that he will do what he says he will do." She looked at the holo image of the elven Queen she was rapidly gaining a great deal of respect for. "You said there were three clones. If one is here on Apo Prime, then the other is still out there. The attack on the Oracle took place while you were here. Have you been able to find any trace of the assassin?"

Isabella shook her head. "He has either left the planet or is very aware that we are now looking for him. No transmissions are allowed off world without Jamerl's or our permission, but so far we have detected nothing. The only ships that have left Earth are Union warships, the rest are commercial transports that still remain in orbit loading and unloading supplies and equipment to begin rebuilding this planet."

"If he knows that you are on to him, he will be very dangerous based on what we know he has done." Olalla spoke again.

"We have increased security on the Oracle. I believe she was attacked because they knew Nauta Melme would go to her in just this type of crisis. Helen and he became very close over the time we spent here in Sparta." Dysea spoke.

"Deia ... the High Coven wanted to exterminate the Oracles because of the influence they had over your people." L'tian spoke. "Is it possible ... because these clones are obviously produced by the Coven, that not only have they infiltrated our own government, but they are also targeting her as well?"