Chapter 7

GELLEN ASTEROID FIELD

Endith threw Spartan 01 into a gut wrenching turn around the mass of the asteroid in their path, the belly of the STRIKER DT barely a thousand meters from the surface of the moon sized chunk of rock.

"Still behind us!" For'mya called out.

"Shit ... who they got flying those crates!" Endith shouted yanking them into a rolling turn.

"Those are High Coven Interceptors! They must have come from the cruisers!" For'mya declared in a yell. "Five of them, bearing six four one nine mark three! Endith ... bank right ... now!"

Endith didn't hesitate and Spartan 01 responded as if it was reading her mind. Though much larger than the normal STRIKER AT ships, the DTs had been painstakingly designed to retain the superior maneuverability and speed of their sister ships, and this was possible with the advent of the Dragon Armor. Lighter and able to withstand a hundred times more punishment due to the new Dragon Armor, the DTs were able to carry a Bonded Pair and a full squad of Spartans if necessary. Spartan 01 was even larger to accommodate Torma and Isheeni at the same time, as well as being much more heavily armed and armored. Spartan 01 was also far from being the normal transport as these High Coven fighters were about to find out.

"Locking!" Tina shouted. "Got them! I got them!"

"Firing!" Endith didn't pause as she squeezed the thumb trigger on her control stick and ripple fired five anti-air missiles.

"Climb Endith! We must clear the debris zone! Full power climb!" For'mya shouted reaching forward and shoving the engine throttles to max power.

"Hold on!" Endith yanked back on her control stick without question once more, as her hand covered For'mya's on the throttle control of Spartan 01, pushing her powerful engines to maximum power.

Anja could only sit behind the two pilots and watch in awe at the teamwork they showed. For'mya was the brain of Spartan 01, Tina the engines and the eyes and Endith was the heart and the muscles. They operated in perfect unison regardless of the situation. There were no hurried words or excited moments; they knew exactly what they were doing at any given moment.

Five anti-air missiles collided with three Coven fighters, forming bright blossoms of light within the asteroid field and claiming the fourth ship in the massive explosion as it slammed into the smaller asteroid at full speed. The fifth continued on, chasing the ship it had been following for close to thirty minutes now.

They had blasted their way clear of Gellen Station and dove headlong and recklessly into the heart of the massive asteroid field. Six mercenary corvettes had followed, their multi-array plasma turrets blasting away smaller asteroids as they tried to hit the STRIKER DT to no avail. Even with the computers targeting the ship, not one mercenary corvette scored even a near miss. What they did get was twelve anti-ship missiles shoved back at them, missiles that obliterated one corvette and set the other one adrift in the asteroid field with massive structural damage. The four remaining corvettes had broke off at the orders from the three High Coven light cruisers that were following Spartan 01, eradicating any asteroids within range, and filling space with deadly shrapnel and debris. The commanders of these ships were taking a big chance in entering the field, as one learned when he could not dodge the moon sized rock in time and plowed bow first into the much larger piece of rock.

The asteroid field had lit up with the destruction of that cruiser, but now the last two were being more cautious, and sending fighters after them as they moved slower.

"One million kilometers to the edge of the field!" Tina yelled out.

For'mya and Endith eased back on the throttles of Spartan 01 and then For'mya dropped her head into the scopes in front of her. "Endith ... ease in close to the big one on the left."

Endith chuckled. "For'mya ... there are a lot of big ones on the left."

For'mya looked up and smiled as well. She pointed out their cockpit window. "That one. Hurry!"

Endith's hands were moving before the order finished leaving her lips and Spartan 01 dipped lower to the massive brown rock off their starboard side. "You thinking hide now?" Endith asked.

For'mya nodded. "They will be more cautious now as close to the edge of the border as we are. The field may end in one million kilometers, but the ULU border begins before that. There will be a marker on one of the asteroids. A beacon of sorts."

"Can we detect it?" Tina asked.

"I'm adjusting scanners for it now." For'mya spoke. "Get us real close Endith. Close enough to kiss the rock."

"We get any closer and we'll be the rock." Endith answered.

For'mya looked up and her dark brown eyes flared as she saw that she could probably reach out and touch the asteroid if she wanted. She grinned. "Oh this is cozy." She spoke turning to look at Anja. "I can feel Martin Anja."

Anja nodded her head. "He's waiting for us. He can't reveal himself though! We're still on the wrong side of the border and if he hasn't de-shrouded by now there is another reason."

For'mya's eyes widened. "More Coven ships?"

Anja nodded. "They are waiting for us on our side of the border, they have to be. Sneaky fuckers!" Anja declared. "They probably can't detect him, but he doesn't know how many of them there are. And he won't communicate with us because of what happened at Leptan Three; no matter how powerful he knows we both are."

For'mya nodded. They were in a similar situation back then, Martin and Aricia on the surface, Anja in orbit on the SPIRIT. The Coven had somehow moved an extremely powerful Mindvoicer into the area and when Martin began to issue orders to the ships from the surface, the Coven Mindvoicer blocked them. It had taken Martin, Aricia, Anja and For'mya as the four most powerful Mindvoice capable people present within the fleet almost three hours to discover what was wrong and then another two hours to hunt down and kill the vampire Mindvoicer. Using Torma, Isheeni and Miath as conduits and focusers, they were able to centralize his location and then all seven of them combined to shred his mind to nothing. It was the first time they had done something like that, and Helen had told them to continue to practice the skill, for it may play a part in the future.

To attempt it now however was too great a risk.

Sangria sat in the back of the DT with a smile on her face. It had been the wildest ride she had ever been on, and she had decided those female elf pilots didn't look like much, but they could sure fly this ship. She let her eyes glance at the others, Anuk and Nayeca sitting almost calmly on either side of her, while Daniel and Filrian sat calmly but with their eyes closed. The vampire witch Yuriko also had a small smile on her face, and Sangria decided she must be the pilot of the bunch. The Spartans were secured in their seats and her eyes fell on the Spartan named Belen. He had threatened to kill her in an instant over that small female who claimed she was her sister and Sangria had no doubts he probably would have. He had the same look as the black Spartan everyone called Danny. He had the look of a seasoned killer who would just as soon break you in half as talk to you. A man who had killed, a man who would kill again, and a man who was exceptionally good at it. Of course, Sangria thought to herself, if what she had seen in the last few hours was worth anything, the Lycavorian Spartans the Union was turning out now were decidedly more dangerous than the fools she had seen within the Wilds.

His dark eyes were focused on her like small beams of light, clear and bright and while Sangria knew she should feel fear at that gaze, she felt something entirely different. She felt desire. Her head snapped around when the lights went dark in the cockpit and in the rear where they were sitting. She tried to gaze forward and look into the cockpit, and her eyes grew wide when she saw how close they were sitting next to the asteroid. She may have been Hadarian, but she wasn't still alive by being slow. She had popped her straps and was moving for the cockpit before the movement registered to anyone else. As Belen scrambled to follow her, Sangria took the three steps up into the cockpit of Spartan 01 in a single bound.

"What are you doing?" Sangria gasped as Anja looked up surprised to see her.

"Get her out of here!" Tina snapped.

Sangria's eyes were wide as she looked at the cockpit of Spartan 01 like she had just entered a store with every piece of candy she had ever wanted. "Oh wow!" She gasped.

"Belen!" Anja hissed as she saw her Captain bounding up into the cockpit.

"No one move!" For'mya barked. "Freeze!"

Her words froze everyone in their spots as For'mya and Endith leaned towards the cockpit window looking at something only they could see. For'mya's left hand rested on the throttle control, her right hand on the launcher control for their countermeasures. Endith's right hand rested on top of For'mya's over the throttles, while her left hand caressed the control like a feather.

"They can see us!" Sangria barked. "You have us too close to the asteroid!"

"Shut up fool!" For'mya announced. "They are using a narrow motion sensor array to scan the rocks!"

"They'll see us!" Sangria popped.

"Not if you don't move!" For'mya growled. "Now shut up!"

"That's a Coven Light Cruiser!" Sangria almost shouted now. "You can't outrun it! You can't outfight it!"

Endith didn't turn her head as she watched the shadow grow closer. "You don't know us very well." She muttered. "We got a surprise waiting."

"Endith?" For'mya asked calmly.

"Stand by." Endith's voice was soft like a whisper. "Almost there!"

Sangria moved towards the back of Endith's seat. "You'll get us all killed!"

"Fuck! She blew us!" Endith swore. "They're tracking!"

"Go! Go!" For'mya barked as they slammed the throttles forward and she began smashing her finger down on the panel near her head.

Spartan 01 leaped from the surface of the asteroid directly under the High Coven light cruiser, rocketing away from the rock so fast that the Coven gunners couldn't track the ship. Anja and Belen moved at the same instant, Belen wrapping his arms around Sangria and Anja snatching a handful of her hair. Belen's movements threw them into the seat next to Anja, and they both rapidly made to secure the straps around him and Sangria both. The moment his arms had closed around her Sangria had rammed her head back against him. She didn't anticipate his height and the back of her head impacted his jaw harder than she had factored because of their sudden movement and blackness washed over her before Belen had even fallen to the seat.

He looked at Anja as he held her tightly to him. "Forgive me my Queen." He said quickly.

Anja looked at him with those bright jade green eyes and flashed him a smile. "Does she remind you of me?" She asked almost playfully.

Belen couldn't help but laugh at Anja's expression. His father had told him once that she was wild and reckless, at times more so than even Queen Aricia, but she was easily the most compassionate and precious individual he had ever served, and Anja never got angry with the men who so willingly laid down their lives for her.

"Yes she does my Queen." Belen answered. "Only without the refinement."

Anja smiled and turned to look at the back of Endith and For'mya. "Ladies ... I think Martin has had enough time! Would you be so kind as to tell him we are coming home with some unwelcome guests right on our asses!"

For'mya laughed at Endith. "Oh he won't like that!" She echoed loudly. "He hates it when others look at our asses."

Endith matched the laughter and yanked her control stick over hard. "We be coming home boss man!" She screamed.

The deep voice filled the internal COM.

"It's about nubous time you stopped playing with these fools!" Martin's voice spoke. "Bring it in Endy! I got something special planned!"

"Oh I love his special plans!" Tina spoke from her station. "They usually mean some really bad fucking things are going to happen to the bad guys!"

"Here we go!" Endith cranked Spartan 01 one over and headed right for the edge of the asteroid field with every ounce of speed she could coax out of Spartan 01's engines, which was considerable to say the least.

MJOLNIR'S HAND

"Weapons free!" Komirri shouted from his command chair, his reptilian features twisted into a vicious snarl. "Execute plan Leonidas four one!"

Martin stood on the bridge next to the command chair with a savage smile on his face as well. He had spent every moment he was able learning of ship combat with Komirri, Ceneu, and Riall which consisted of the deployment of fleets, maneuvering, pretty much everything that cadets learned in the academy. Martin would admit he would much rather be on the ground or fighting from Torma's back given a choice, but after seeing what his ships could do, standing on the bridge of MJOLNIR'S HAND now gave him a sense of power. Martin knew he was not experienced enough to command even the small detachment that traveled with his flagship, so whenever they were on the bridge together, Komirri gave the orders. The Algolian Captain had refused at first, more out of respect towards his King, but he quickly learned that Martin Leonidas wasn't afraid to admit he couldn't do something. He had told Komirri that he was Captain for a reason, and that was to command the flagship, not be careful of injuring his King's ego.

The display board on MJOLNIR'S HAND was the most advanced ever designed, and they watched as the holo picture filtered into view on the screen in front of them. They could see Spartan 01 jinxing back and forth, always narrowly dodging small and large asteroids, while avoiding the plasma beams that were lancing out from the two light cruisers that were smashing through the field behind them trying to destroy the small ship.

Komirri shook his head and looked at Martin. "I questioned the decision to put them together sire." Komirri spoke. "I thought their personalities would conflict so badly they wouldn't be able to fly with each other. I have to admit, I don't believe I have ever seen half the maneuvers they have managed to pull of together."

Martin grinned. "I'll let you look at my stomach next time I fly with them." He spoke. "It takes me and Torma hours to get our stomachs back into proper position."

Komirri began to laugh but was interrupted by the blaring alarm.

"Captain! High Coven BLOODLETTER-Class Medium Cruiser de-shrouding close to port! Six BLOODRUNNER-Class Heavy Frigates de-shrouding as well!"

Komirri looked at Martin. "Just as you suspected sire." He said.

Martin nodded. "They want her as much as we do. It stands to reason they wouldn't let something like a border stand in their way." He spoke. "Let's spring the surprise."

Komirri smiled and got to his feet. "Order the rest of the Wing to de-shroud! Execute Attack Plan Komirri Three Five! Enemy suppression barrage on the field! Leave the Coven ships for our escorts! Engage!"

The High Coven BLOODLETTER-Class cruiser was one of their finest ships and it was heavily armed and armored. As the BLOODLETTER turned to engage MJOLNIR'S HAND, the six Coven frigates were darting towards the asteroid field. They did not expect more than one ULU ship to appear, knowing the border treaties that the ULU were adamant about not breaking no matter the reason. They did not however, plan for a King who did not care for borders when it concerned his friends and two of the women he loved dearly.

MJOLNIR'S HAND's entire Wing of escort ships de-shrouded within seconds of each other and tore into the High Coven frigates like wolves in a feeding frenzy. Before many of the ships had even completely come out of Shroud, anti-ship missiles and plasma beam arrays were sending out greetings of death, filling the stars with destruction and chaos.

The LEONIDAS II-Class Strike Cruisers were the most advanced and powerful of any ULU ship, built for the expressed purpose of going toe-to-toe with the enormous High Coven REVERENCE-Class Dreadnoughts. The much smaller BLOODLETTER-Class Medium Cruiser barely stood a chance.

The Coven cruiser was able to fire first, the side of the ship lighting up with missile launches and beam weapons against the side of MJOLNIR'S HAND, and the distance should have guaranteed at least several hits to the side of the immense Strike Cruiser. As the captain of the BLOODLETTER watched in horror, the entire side of MJOLNIR'S HAND came alive with anti-missile turrets, the plasma based beams lancing out to first, obliterate all the missiles he had launched, but then they began slamming into his cruiser as well. His shields were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of plasma based turrets targeted on him, and he could only stand on his bridge as his ship came apart around him in little pieces.

The opposite side of MJOLNIR'S HAND was also alive with active turrets, but these were targeting the asteroid field, and the level of concentrated plasma fire from the Strike Cruiser was so thick it appeared as if you could walk on one beam to the next. The entire line of the Gellen Asteroid field came apart as if a great wave of energy had smashed through it. Asteroids from the size of a man to the size of star cruisers were targeted and blasted into oblivion. There was no hesitation, no missed shots, and through that massive wave of destruction, Spartan 01 squirted out and made directly for the docking bay in the belly of MJOLNIR'S HAND. The two Coven Light cruisers were not as lucky, as their shields were quickly overwhelmed by the enormous amount of shattered rock slamming against them. One of the cruisers began to turn and try to run back the way it had come, only to turn directly into the path of another moon sized asteroid that had just been blasted in half. The two pieces of rock slammed the turning ship between them, instantly crushing the hull of the ship and setting of internal explosions.

The second light cruiser was just reaching the end of the field, its captain angry and hurt but glad to be alive. Alarms were blaring all over his ship from multiply hits they had taken, but they were alive. Until he looked up at his monitor and saw the six huge missiles just fired directly at him from the bow of MJOLNIR'S HAND.

His last action was to curse the Vampire High Lord and thank whatever gods he prayed to that he no longer had to face Princess Yuri because he had failed.

Martin looked at Komirri. "Get us back across the border quickly Komirri." He ordered. "No sense in pissing off more people than we need to."

Komirri nodded. "Understood sire."

For'mya looked at Endith as she powered down the engines and Tina moved forward from her station to kneel between their seats. They both smiled and took each other's hand as Tina rested her own on top of theirs. They brought their helmeted heads together.

"I'narr en gothrim glinuva nuin I'anor." For'mya spoke softly in elven. (The bones of our foes will gleam under the sun.)

"Lye nuquernuva sen e dagor." Endith echoed. (We will defeat them in battle.)

"Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva." (Sweet water and light laughter until next we meet.) Tina spoke in fluent elven, finishing the ritual they had begun many months ago at the end of each time they flew. Endith and For'mya had schooled her hard, at her request, to learn their language, and Tina was now one of a few hundred humans within the Union who could actually communicate in the elven tongue with no difficulty in the least.

Anja was helping Belen to release the straps that held him in the seat with Sangria in his lap. She was conscious once more, her sea green eyes looking meekly at Anja. She knew she had almost gotten them killed, and she knew they were not happy with her. Anja didn't say anything at all, releasing the last clamp and then moving into the rear of the STRIKER DT. Sangria froze when she felt Belen lean forward, his arms tightening around her body and his hard chest pressing against her back. His lips moved up to her ear.

"Be thankful I am not my father." He spoke in barely a whisper. "He usually commands Anja's detail. For the danger you put her this day, he would have killed you already." Sangria listened intently, noting that there was no anger in his words now. "We have taken ... we have taken you from the world you knew, and you are angry at this. I understand your reactions. What you must now do is tread very carefully when you walk Sangria. Try to think before you speak, and try to keep that moon sized chip on your shoulder from overruling your brain. You have made no friends this day."

"I don't want any friends!" Sangria hissed back softly, turning her head slightly. "They are only friends as long as they get something from you!"

Belen prodded her to stand up and then he followed her motion, turning her around to look at him. "She is your sister." He spoke. "You may deny it all you like, but you will soon see the proof of this. She risked much coming after you. As did the King, and I guarantee you, the one person in the entire Union you do not want angry at you is the King."

"I'm not afraid of some man!" Sangria spat softly.

Belen smiled gently, which surprised her. "And that is why I have not already killed you." He spoke honestly. "You have a strength within you that is admirable; just remember that your strength is also your greatest weakness right now."

"I'm stronger than she will ever be!" Sangria snapped quietly. "I'm not afraid of you, or some fool King! She probably wears the pants in their relationship anyway! I can deal with any man! Including you."

Belen's eyes narrowed. "Confidence is one thing woman. Stupidity is quite another matter. She has not presumed to know the life you have led; I would suggest you do not presume to know what life she has led. You might find that yours pales in comparison." Belen made a show of looking her up and down. "As for handling me... ?" He chuckled. "Do not flatter yourself." He took her arm tightly. "Let us go now!"

For'mya waited until they had left the cockpit before looking at Endith as they began to climb from their seats.

"I have a feeling she is in for a big surprise." For'mya spoke.

Endith nodded as she stepped up to Tina, kissing her deeply, pressing her body up against Tina tightly. After a moment they pulled away and Endith looked at For'mya. "The question is ... will she be able to handle it?"

For'mya nodded. "Yes. That is the question."

Sangria walked down the ramp next to Belen into the cavernous landing bay that was larger than anything she had ever seen in her life. She could see TEMPTEST Interceptors and DEVASTATOR Heavy Fighters scattered about the bay, to include numerous STRIKER ATs. Hundreds of technicians and ground crew were moving back and forth among the ships and doing whatever it was they did. Her eyes sought out and found Anja embracing the raven haired young woman tightly, the enormous black dragon behind her, standing beside the azure blue dragon. Anja's green scaled monster walked up to the other two dragons and he butted heads with the black one while the smaller bluish dragon looked on. Belen pulled her towards the group and came up next to Seanna at the tail end of the conversation they were having.

" ... very upset with you for being so reckless." Aricia told Anja, still holding her hands tightly. "You and Seanna. And then you got Miath involved?"

Anja let out a small laugh and to Sangria's surprise kissed the raven haired woman full on the lips. A kiss the woman didn't draw away from, but actually seemed to relish. "It needed to be done! They had us pinned down." Anja said after pulling away slowly. "Marty would understand the tactic."

"Understand, yes!" The deep voice boomed. "Approve of, no!"

Anja's body suddenly shot upwards in the grip of some unseen force. Sangria's eyes darted back and forth for some attacker, her mind registering the fact that no one else was moving and they had smiles on their faces. She noticed the golden haired female elf step up next to the raven haired Lycavorian woman and she watched as they shared an even steamier kiss than Anja and the woman had.

"Marty put me down!" Anja's voice carried to her from above. "You know I hate when you do this just because you can!"

"Then you know I don't like you taking foolish risks!" The deep voice echoed.

"We needed a way to break out and Miath and I gave us one!" Anja snapped, crossing her arms over her ample chest, a stern look on her face as she was suspended ten meters in the air. "You would have done the same damn thing!"

Aricia laughed now. "She has a point Beloved." She said loudly.

Sangria blinked quickly three times as she watched the large Lycavorian male break from the group of technicians who had been surrounding him. His black hair was the color of night, and even from this distance she could see the yellow/gold eyes and the brightness of them. He looked like he had been sculpted from rock; his body muscled and ripped in a way Sangria had never seen. He walked up to the group and stopped only a meter from her, his yellow/gold eyes never leaving Anja's suspended figure above them. The dark gray and black uniform, with added body armor covering every exposed portion of his skin except for the joints, conformed to his body like a glove. He was over two meters tall, Sangria estimated, though not as tall as the black Spartan Danny. The crimson cape that the raven haired female also wore billowed behind him in the slight breeze from the air circulators.

Sangria watched as Anja lowered from above until she was directly in front of him. Her sea green eyes grew wide when she saw Anja's eyes change quickly, and wolf fangs burst from her gums and she glared at him. No one could help but smile at the situation.

Martin stepped right up to Anja and stared into her eyes unafraid and un-intimidated by her glare as he held her there.

Anja stared right back, but as always, she couldn't stare into those yellow/gold eyes for very long without feeling the love that pulsed from his aura for her, surrounding her with warmth and delicious sensations. Her eyes changed back first, and then her fangs receded until finally she was staring at him with love and desire in her jade green eyes.

"It's nice to know I'm so well thought of." She spoke finally.

Martin smiled as he released his TK hold on her, but not before pulling her body close to his. Anja's arms went around his neck as he pulled her close.

"That was damn impressive." He said softly.

Anja's eyes twinkled. "I thought you might like that." She said.

Sangria watched as the big Lycavorian male covered Anja's lips with his and they shared an incredibly passionate kiss right there on the flight deck with hundreds of men and women milling about. She had to admit to herself, whoever this Lycavorian was, he was surely impressive. She watched as he nuzzled Anja's throat after breaking their kiss, and her eyes practically rolled up into her head as she sighed heavily in delight, clutching tightly to his shoulders as he lowered her gently to the deck. She watched Anja take a couple of deep breaths and then open her eyes again.

"Are we backing across the border Martin?" She asked quickly.

Martin nodded. "Already done." He answered. "We're on course for Apo Prime and should get there in a couple of days."

"No one..."

Martin shook his head. "We made a clean getaway." He said. "Relax Firecracker, we're good. You did a heck of a job there. All of you did. Especially that big black bastard."

Sangria heard the laughter from behind them and turned to see the Spartan Danny standing with his two mates.

"Just make sure you remember that!" Dan spoke up, causing Anuk and Nayeca both to elbow him in the ribs.

Sangria watched as the raven haired female stepped up to the big Lycavorian, the elf pilot holding her waist. His eyes had returned to their normal dark brown now, his fangs gone, and those eyes settled on her.

Anja had her arm around his waist as Belen moved forward a few steps and then suddenly Sangria was right in front of him. "Martin ... this is Sivana." Anja spoke softly.

Martin stared at her for a long moment, so long that Sangria thought for sure he was undressing her right down to her soul. "So this is the lady we've been chasing for almost a year huh?"

"My name ... my name is Sangria." She stammered.

Martin tilted his head slightly as he looked at her. "Belen?"

"Milord King?"

"Sangria is to be afforded every comfort. There is a guest stateroom waiting for her on deck twelve." Martin spoke. "The ship's tailor can make her some new clothes if she prefers. Help her to get settled in and then bring her to the forward lounge for dinner tonight."