Chapter 3

HIGH COVEN RUNNER

ONE LIGHT YEAR FROM NONUS IV

"I believe we have lost them." Yuriko spoke as she sat back in the pilot's chair of the Runner. The cockpit was one of the smallest spaces in the Runner, and one of the few that had not been refitted in any way for extended comfort. Yuriko was used to the controls and set up of the cockpit, so the only things that were changed were the computer data cores and having a food dispenser added to the cockpit.

"You engaged the Shroud?" Dan asked sitting back as well.

Yuriko nodded. "Yes ... but I did not expect them to be able to lock onto us as they did when we left orbit. Their ship tracked us almost immediately after lifting off, before we even engaged the Shroud."

Dan nodded, "Which tells me they knew she was onboard." He spoke.

Yuriko looked at him. "A transmitter or beacon of some sort?"

Dan nodded his head. "More than likely. And we need to find it and deep six it before we finish the jump. If it is still active it won't matter a wit that they can't see us. They'll just lock onto the transmitter." He said getting to his feet.

Yuriko got to her feet as well as she followed him. "None of the Coven touched her on the surface Daniel! How could they put a tracker on her?"

"Not the Coven. I'm betting it was her mercenary buddies." Dan said as they moved down the short corridor. "They want her dead bad ... and if this Cyngi guy was able to tag her from the beginning, all he had to do was give the information to the Coven. Or she brought something over from her ship and doesn't know it. Either way we need to find it and fast."

They entered the main area of the Runner to see Sangria sitting in one of the couches, holding the two bags she had managed to throw together from her ship. She got to her feet slowly as she saw the looks on the Spartan and vampire female's faces. And it wasn't friendly in the least.

Yuriko drew her hand blaster far faster than Sangria could have ever managed and the barrel was immediately pointed at her head. "Remove your clothes now!" She demanded.

"What! What the hell for!" Sangria demanded. "I came with you damn it! What more do you want?"

"You are either wearing a tracking beacon or one is in your body somewhere." Dan spoke. "We need to find it before we alter course in our jump. Do as she asks you, or I will force you!"

"There is no way..."

Danny's Shi Viska appeared in a flash of silver/white light and he lifted his arm to level it at her wide eyes. Sangria had heard of Shi Viskas before, seen them in action earlier with this very man and his elf mate. That was before he had it leveled at her head. His dark eyes and face told her he was in no mood for any arguments from her.

"I am in no mood for you to play word games with us lady." Dan growled softly. "It's been a long day, and having to fight bloodsuckers is not my favorite past time. Take off your clothes or I will have Anuk and Nayeca do it for you, and they won't be gentle."

Sangria glanced over to where the two elf females sat on the opposite couch and they both just looked at her with evil grins, Nayeca's chin resting on Anuk's shoulder.

"All of you are crazy!" She retorted. "I am not bugged!"

Yuriko stepped forward and snatched the bags from her hands tossing them to Filrian. "We shall see." She spoke tossing the bags to him. "Scan it all."

Filrian began emptying the bags onto the table while Sangria began to pull off her clothes. Her sea green eyes glared at Danny as she did. "Getting your thrills I see." She snarled at him as she striped off her jacket and then began unzipping the jumpsuit she wore.

Dan's dark eyes didn't change and he only shook his head. "Sister ... you don't begin to compare to what I have." He spoke coldly. "Don't flatter yourself." He reached forward and jerked the jacket from her hands and tossed it back to Filrian. "All of it!" He growled.

Sangria wore nothing under the jumpsuit and soon she was standing there naked, as Yuriko took the jumpsuit from her and holstered her hand blaster. She moved to the table as well and began inspecting the clothes by hand for any obvious transmitter while Filrian ran the portable hand scanner over the equipment she had stuffed into the two bags. Sangria brought her arms over her chest as Danny turned to the table and watched them. Anuk acted next, going to a locker and pulling out a thick blanket and carrying it over to her.

"We are not your enemy." Anuk spoke softly. "No matter what you may think."

Sangria took the blanket and quickly wrapped herself in it ignoring the comment as Anuk settled back onto the couch next to Nayeca. "Who are you people?" She demanded. "You aren't mercenaries! They couldn't afford to be in a High Coven Runner. And they wouldn't have this high tech equipment either. You aren't Coven if you killed those vampire troops back there, so you are either Lycavorian Union or some other free lance outfit!"

Filrian held the portable scanner up over the data pad in his hand. "Here is something." He spoke quickly. "It's sending out a low frequency tracking beam."

Yuriko tore the zipper from Sangria's jumpsuit and held it up. "Here is something else." She looked at Daniel. "I have seen this before. It is a standard Coven data tracker. It sees and hears everything."

"Nubou!" Dan swore in the ancient Lycavorian language. "That means whoever was receiving the signal heard everything we were talking about! That ain't good."

Yuriko nodded. "Undoubtedly." She looked at Sangria. "Where did you get this jumpsuit?"

"It was a present." Sangria answered.

"From who?"

"What does it matter?"

Yuriko shook her head. "Whoever gave this to you is working for the Coven directly or indirectly. Now who gave it to you?"

"Cyngi." Sangria replied her eyes wide.

Dan looked at her. "Your big dinosaur lizard looking pal?"

Sangria nodded. "Yeah. What's a dinosaur?"

"How long ago?" Yuriko asked.

"I don't know. A couple of years ago maybe." She answered. "Why?"

Yuriko looked at Daniel quickly. "Have you been close to where you took Lisisa since you got this?" She asked getting to her feet.

"What? Who is Lisisa? Will someone care to tell me what is going on?" Sangria asked. "Why are you after me? Why is the Coven after me? And why has the man who helped raise me suddenly put a contract on my head?"

"Answer my question!" Yuriko snapped.

Sangria shook her head. "No damn it! I haven't been anywhere near that place! It's not even in the Wilds!"

Filrian set the scanner aside and flipped the data pad over, picking up the tool. He began to unfasten the back of the data pad but froze when Danny touched his arm. Dan canted his head further, the extremely faint whining noise barely audible over the sound of the Runner's engines.

"Toss it now!" Danny said.

"What?"

"Something inside that pad just activated. Toss it now!" Dan almost shouted.

Filrian didn't hesitate and moved quickly to the side of the Runner, stuffing the data pad into the garbage disposal hatch. He slammed his hand down on the control panel and there was a hiss of air as the garbage in the tank was expelled into space. Five seconds later they felt the shock wave of the small explosion and Filrian turned to look at him.

"That was too close." He spoke softly.

"Toss it all!" Dan spoke. "We can't risk it!"

"No!" Sangria barked moving forward to the table and trying to put items back into her bags. "It's mine! It's all I have left!"

Filrian spotted something that looked familiar and he picked it up from the table. The small, flat crystal was dark green in color and no thicker than a tree leaf really. He held it in his fingers and looked at Sangria. "Where did you get this?" He asked her.

Sangria went to grab it out of his hand and he drew it away from her. "It's mine!" She barked at him.

"This is a Hadarian slave data card." Filrian spoke. "Why would you have a slave data card? You own no slaves!"

Sangria again attempted to grab it from him, but he stepped away from the table this time. "Give it to me or I will kill you!" She snarled at him.

"Where did you get it?" Filrian demanded once more, more forcefully.

"Why? It's mine! Give it to me?" Sangria shouted.

Yuriko looked at Filrian oddly, never having seen him so incited before. "Filrian what is wrong?"

He looked at her. "This is a Hadarian slave data card!" He barked. "This is what the owners of slaves carried over five centuries ago! The cards were colored by species. Green was for Hadarian!" He looked back to Sangria. "Now where did you get it?"

"It's mine you bastard!" She screamed. "Ok! It's mine! I was a slave! I..." Sangria's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed onto the deck of the Runner, her body beginning to go into convulsions.

"Filrian!" Yuriko shouted as she dropped to the deck next to her.

Filrian snatched the injector from the table and was next to her in four steps stabbing it into her neck once more and depressing the trigger. "The venom!" He gasped. "Forgive me I forgot."

Yuriko looked at him. "Is she?"

"She will be fine now." Filrian spoke shaking his head. "I suggest we go through her things thoroughly and discard anything that we can not even remotely decide its purpose. To include her clothes."

Yuriko nodded quickly. "You..."

Filrian nodded slowly. "She is of my people. I will care for her Yuriko."

Yuriko stood back up and looked at Daniel. "I know some maneuvers that will throw off any ships that might be following us. You and Anuk finish going through her things and discard everything we can't identify."

Dan nodded. "Done!" He spoke.

Yuriko looked at Nayeca. "Nayeca will you assist me? I need a good set of eyes for what I intend."

Nayeca was up and following her into the cockpit without a second's pause.

USU'OZEIB 7

" ... not sure how they made it off the planet Princess." The High Coven officer spoke within the transmission channel in Yuri's office. "We had our net spread pretty wide however, and she had at least two Spartans and a vampire female helping her."

"It was that wench Yuriko." She spoke in a low voice. "It has to be."

"I agree." Veldruk spoke from the chair he occupied across from her desk.

"The data miner and tracking beacon have been destroyed, but I'm having my agents go through the last three years of recorded conversations in regards to this Sangria. She has an extensive history and background, and I believe you will find this information very interesting." He could be seen working the controls on his console and the data pad on Yuri's desk beeped. "We don't have the equipment to make a final determination, but I thought it interesting enough to bring to your attention. Their jump course put them on a heading back towards Union space, and I have signaled the fleet you assigned to me to take up blocking positions along the entire front of the Runner's effective range."

"Assume the Runner has been highly modified with the best the Union capabilities allow Commander," Yuri spoke as she pulled the data pad from the desktop. "Engine power, shields, range, everything. Adjust your positioning and deploy the fleet accordingly."

"As you order Princess." The man spoke.

Yuri's dark eyes grew wider as she read the pad and after a long moment she looked up. "Is this accurate?" She demanded.

"Our transport is not equipped with more advanced medical facilities to determine that Princess. It was separate from where our men were killed. Several drops were on the bed and a larger stain on the pillows as if a face had been pushed into it." The officer replied. "I only thought it interesting enough to inform you."

Yuri handed the data pad to her father as she nodded. "Well done Commander." She spoke.

"My apologies for not detaining her when we had the opportunity Princess."

Yuri looked at the man and shook her head. "She had the help of two Spartans and a vampire. This information was not known and therefore you did the best with the intelligence you had. Do not make the same mistake again however. I will not be so forgiving next time."

The man nodded quickly. "I will not fail Princess."

"I want to be contacted the moment the Runner is sighted or tracked." Yuri spoke.

"It will be done."

Yuri ended the transmission and looked at her father as she went to table and poured them two long stemmed crystal glass of blood. She turned and held one out for her father and then moved to the chair not behind her desk, but next to him.

Veldruk looked at her and took the glass as she sat down. "I would have killed the man for his failure." He spoke.

Yuri smiled and nodded her head. "I know father but I have learned much being away from here so long. Robert is the one who taught me not to overreact to an initial failure, only warn against future ones. Fear of what I will do is a much better motivator. If he fails again then I will kill him, and if they know I will not kill them for a mistake, there will be less of them from stupidity."

Veldruk met her eyes. "Yes ... I've noticed that from the High Guard just in the last year since you have returned." He held up the data pad. "This is interesting and I will have our own scientists determine if it could be accurate, however after what happened last year I do not wish to do anything quickly. What he did to Chetak was not something I predicted he would do, however it could be something we could exploit in the future."

"You never told me the First Oracle was imprisoned on Ukwav father." Yuri spoke.

Veldruk shook his head. "I told no one." He answered. "Three times they tried to take that planet and three times we smashed them. And they had no idea what it held. It matters not now. Canth has passed on that knowledge to this Helen and she is now the First Oracle they have lacked for so long. Unless we have very clear and completely accurate data, we will try nothing against her Yuri. She would sense it immediately."

Yuri nodded. "I will make sure of it."

"What have we learned of these dragons Yuri?" Veldruk asked. "For me not to have sensed this potential says quite a bit of the potential."

"We sent in teams to scour Enurrua after Leonidas left." Yuri spoke. "He was true to his word. He left nothing standing. We found many traces of bones and old eggs and brought them back for examination, but nothing close to any live dragons. The scans we have done of the eggs and bones indicate many uses for dragons and dragon parts. He has moved the majority of them to Elear, the elfin home world. They reside now on an island approximately fifteen million kilometers in size near the southern continent. The ones that live off of Elear reside mainly on Apo Prime. They are this Mjolnir's Hand. Three hundred of them, not including Leonidas and his child queen."

Veldruk laughed at her expression. "You don't approve of his choices for Queens?"

Yuri snorted back at him. "She is barely over a hundred years old, while he is technically over three thousand years old. All of his Queens are young. Yet they wield a power that took me three thousand years to obtain and control. It angers me. Especially this Aricia."

"Well ... she has given him a son, and if the reports are correct, she and the elf pilot that he rescued are never far from his side. The elf and Hadarian Queens move about freely, albeit under heavy security, but this Aricia remains near him all the time." Veldruk spoke.

Yuri looked at him. "Do you think he doesn't trust her?"

"I believe it might be worth testing the limits of that relationship." Veldruk said. "At the very least it will cause friction between them."

"I'm not so sure." Yuri spoke. "Since Deia purged most of our deep agents from within their capital and many areas of their government, we have had to rely on smaller sources of intelligence. They have not indicated there is anything to signal a trust issue between them."

"Test it anyway." Veldruk spoke firmly. "She strayed once. Perhaps he will stray this time. We have many Lycavorian females who are considered beautiful in our employ. Use one."

Yuri nodded slowly. "I will make the arrangements. As for these dragons, it appears they are able to enhance the Mindvoice powers of whoever rides them. It is my understanding he intends to use them as a special unit of some sort."

Veldruk nodded. "Yes ... similar in fashion to our Silent Death Division. Interesting." He looked at her. "What are the possibilities of obtaining either a dragon itself or eggs from Elear?"

"Since they have been on Elear, the security there has doubled." Yuri answered. "Our contacts within the elf government are maintaining a low profile due to the incidents of a year ago, and the talk that there might be an uprising of some sort brewing."

"Really?" Veldruk said. "That is interesting indeed."

"I'm trying to learn more, but since the dragons arrived on Elear, we must tread very carefully in out attempts to gather intelligence." Yuri spoke. "Apparently he has given them a seat on the Union Senate due to their intelligence and sentient status."

"They are animals!" Veldruk popped. "What fool gives them sentient status?"

"Leonidas did." Yuri spoke.

"If it is possible ... find me one of these dragons. Alive if possible Yuri." Veldruk spoke. "I wish to see what they can do."

Yuri nodded. "I'll make inquires father, but no guarantees."

"The clones?" Veldruk asked nodding his head at her words.

Yuri smiled. "They are progressing amazingly well." She replied. "Our scientists here have augmented them even further in some respects, making them less dependant on blood on the battlefield, slightly stronger and faster, but the core is essentially the same."

"When can we field the first units?" Veldruk asked.

"Without the DNA of the abomination, I have been told two years for the first million." Yuri spoke. "If we were able to obtain her DNA, half that time. It is why I have been searching for her so diligently since my return."

Veldruk looked at her. "I will not apologize to you for making you carry that creature Yuri."

Yuri looked at him surprised. "I don't expect you too father. That is a decision we made together. I agreed with you did I not? We both determined carrying her to full term naturally was the best way to insure no mistakes or errors were made. I agreed with that decision remember."

"You want to kill this child don't you?" Veldruk asked.

Yuri nodded slowly. "Not only is she an abomination, but when she is dead, all ties that link me to that savage Leonidas will finally be severed. And when I kill him it will be that much sweeter."

Veldruk laughed as he got to his feet, setting his glass down untouched. Yuri noticed it and looked at him questioningly. "You did not touch your blood father." She spoke. "It has been aged perfectly, just as you always liked."

"Yes I noticed." He spoke.

Yuri met his eyes briefly before stepping over and picking up his glass, downing half of it before looking at him again. "Father ... I am not Xerxes. If I was going to attempt to assassinate you, do you honestly believe I would do it this way?"

Veldruk met her eyes for a long moment and then took the glass from her. He downed the remaining blood in one gulp. "Old habits daughter." He spoke.

"I have so much I still want to learn from you," She spoke softly. "And you did not raise me to be foolish father. Assassinating you would remove from Vonis and I the one source that will teach us everything. And I would not take you from the daughter you have only known for two months either."

"It is the way of our people Yuri." He spoke.

Yuri nodded. "Perhaps ... but it is not your way ... and it is not mine. I do not wish to kill you father. I never have. It is the reason I never held back anything from you while I was on Earth. It is also the reason you never killed Xerxes and you know you should have."

Veldruk nodded slowly. "You may be right. He was a fool ... but he was my son. But you ... I have forced you to marry a pureblood you hate." Veldruk spoke. "Demanded that you have his child to seal the bond between our families for political reasons. I have done this knowing that your heart belongs to someone else. You should hate me."

"And I have told you I will endure this for the good of us all." Yuri spoke. "Having a child with that fool seals their support for all time, but that does not mean I will ever desire his touch on me. He is vile and disgusting ... no different than Xerxes in my opinion. And he can't get it up more than half the time! You are right that my heart belongs to someone else, and Robert understands I must do this. I do not hate you father. I do not agree with what you wish at times, but assassinating you? We may be vampires father, but we are still family."

"Some would say that attitude is dangerous." Veldruk spoke. "But you are right."

Yuri smiled. "I did not endure all that I have to do something as stupid as trying to assassinate you. You taught me better. You have never done anything to hurt me. I will never do anything to hurt you. Not that I ever could."

"And this Moran?"

"He loves me. He will never do anything that harms me."

"Your consort continues to impress me Yuri." Veldruk said softly. "Yet you have asked nothing for him. Why?"

"He wants to show you he is capable without my help." Yuri said with a smile. "And he is father. You will see this in due time, and until you do, he will continue to impress you."

"We shall see." Veldruk spoke. "We shall see. I must return to the palace. I have a meeting with the Zaleisian Ambassador."

Yuri's eyes grew a little wider. "Really? Why?"

"He says he has a proposition for me that I won't be able to refuse." Veldruk spoke.

Yuri looked thoughtful. "To have them as an ally, so close to the Union border as they are?"

Veldruk nodded. "My thoughts exactly." He held up the data pad. "I will deliver this to our scientists and have them contact you directly if they believe it to be accurate."

"And if it is?"

"Then we will decide what to do with that information." Veldruk spoke. "You have meetings to attend as well?"

Yuri nodded. "Yes I do."

"Then I suggest we get to it." Veldruk said.

He squeezed her hand and then headed out of her office, Cha'talla appearing from the shadows and falling in behind him as he walked. Veldruk waited until he was out of ear shot and then glanced at Cha'talla.

"I value your opinion over most Cha'talla." Veldruk spoke as he walked. "Is this man ... this Moran ... is he worthy of my daughter even though he is not pureblood?"

"Give him a fleet and let him show you Milord. You want to know if he is capable Milord. Give him a fleet and send him to Pontal. Give him what he needs and he will defeat Pontal." Cha'talla answered. "Then you can make that determination for yourself."

"You speak highly of him." Veldruk said. "No High Coven Commander has ever defeated Pontal."

Cha'talla nodded. "I do Milord. And if you give Robert Moran what he needs to do the job, he will defeat Pontal."

Veldruk nodded. "Would you die beside him in battle Cha'talla?"

Cha'talla nodded quickly. "As I would die beside you Milord. Yes."

"Then I have my answer." He spoke. He looked at the Immortal. "Does she know?"

Cha'talla shook his head. "Unlikely Milord. If she did ... she would be different towards you."

Veldruk nodded. "Good. She must never discover that it was I who told Xerxes to rape her like he did. Now that the fool is dead, only you and I know this, and it must stay that way. She is a fine Commander and will make an excellent High Lord one day, but she must never discover that."

"And she never will discover it Milord." Cha'talla spoke.

HIGH COVEN RUNNER

Filrian left Sangria lying on the one medical bed they had and headed out into the main area of their ship. Daniel had carried her here after she had collapsed and he had run a detailed medical scan on her while she slept, as well as reviewing all of the data on the history card. He found Danny and Yuriko sitting with Nayeca as Anuk slept on the couch. He moved to the dispenser and took a mug of Hadarian tea to the small table. Yuriko watched him the entire time and she leaned forward when he sat down.

"You look like you have something to say." She spoke calmly. They had been together long enough for her to know that he wanted to speak. "Speak your mind Filrian."

"I gave our guest a complete medical scan while she was unconscious. Did some basic tests that I have perfected over the years. Some of the things I discovered ... well..." Filrian spoke. He held up the dark green slave card. "This card is indeed hers." He said. "She calls herself Sangria, but her real name ... her given name is Sivana, at least according to this card. Based on the samples I have taken, she's five hundred and twelve years old, in excellent physical condition, no abnormalities that I can find. The card's history begins when she is seven, and continues for roughly a hundred and twenty-five years."

"Jesus!" Danny muttered.

Nayeca placed her hand over the top of his. "Lisisa has been a slave for much longer Daniel." She said softly.

Dan nodded. "I know ... but I thought slavery ... I'm still not used to slavery being accepted." He stated. "It turns my stomach."

Yuriko nodded. "As it does many Daniel." She said. "What else have you discovered Filrian?"

"The exam revealed old injuries. Fractures. Scars. Lacerations. Some of it appears self inflicted." Filrian said. "Definite signs of sexual abuse in the past ... and what we would no doubt consider sexual abuse now I suppose, but there are no defensive wounds on her, so I can only assume she didn't fight it for whatever reason."

"Wait ... you mean she was with someone on Nonus IV?" Dan asked.

Filrian nodded. "Long enough to have sex with her a few times. Whoever it was, they weren't gentle. Fresh bite marks and scratches on the backs of her shoulders and her neck. Bruises on her buttocks. No more than twelve hours old, I'd say. I can't get a definitive time because her power has already started healing her."

"A slave and smuggler." Yuriko spoke softly shaking her head. "Not easy lives to lead in the best of circumstances." Yuriko looked at him. "Wait ... her power?" She said. "She is a smuggler, a former slave. How could her power be active if she has never returned to Hadaria and Ascended?"

Filrian shook his head. "I don't know. She appears to be drawing miniscule portions of life from all around her. It's very weak, but it is active, and it gives Sangria the uncanny ability to store and use the power when needed." He shook his head. "I tried to make an inquiry of the Hadarian Ministry in regards to this phenomenon, but they basically told me to go away. I ran a detailed scan of her blood and DNA, but without the proper comparisons, I can't be sure."

"Sure of what?" Yuriko looked at Daniel than backed to Filrian.

Filrian turned to Danny. "You must have sensed it even just a little. In her scent perhaps? Lycavorians can detect family relations among scents. You would be able to tell Daniel."

Danny met his eyes. "She's familiar somehow yes. A little detail in her scent, but more the way she carries herself. I've been racking my brains but I can't place it."

Filrian tapped the control panel on the table. "Maybe this will help." The screen below the center of the table changed to a Union database of pictures and profiles. It was speeding along computing faster than the eye could follow. "I uploaded her blood and DNA into the Union database and asked the computer to search for possible matches. I got a match it seems ... but this is what I get." The screen froze beneath them, blinking red and black letters...

ACCESS DENIED

RESTRICTED DATABASE FILE

SPARTAN LEVEL NINE CLEARANCE REQUIRED

"That is what I'm getting." Filrian spoke. "Daniel ... you are like a brother to the King. Do you have this Level Nine clearance it is asking for? Yuriko and I have been granted only Level Six. I did not know Level Nine even existed."

Yuriko looked at him. "Neither did I." She said softly.

Dan met his eyes for only a moment before Nayeca squeezed his hand and nodded her head. Dan leaned forward quickly and began typing a code into the computer terminal on the table.

ACCESS GRANTED

SIMPSON, STAR COLONEL DANIEL A.

ENTER VOICE AUTHORIZATION

"Simpson, Star Colonel Daniel A. Spartan Four One. Anuk activate all." Danny spoke evenly. "Nayeca Execute all."

FULL ACCESS GRANTED

THANK YOU COLONEL SIMPSON

The screen went blank for a few seconds and then the picture appeared, as well as several pages of information, but all any of them were interested in was the picture of the Persian red haired female.