In the Arms of the Dragon Princes

by Jessica Miller

  "I was just on my way there," James told them exuberantly. "Me and my groupies are going on a bit of an adventure."

  "We've had one of those," Mallory said. "I would highly recommend it."

  "Good!" James said. "I'm happy to hear you two figured out a way to get out of this whole mess."

  Elric smiled. "Me, too." Mallory’s heart was soaring. They were leaving. They were together. They were alive. Life was great!

  "Here's an anti-tracking chip," James said, as he handed it to Elric.

  They were interrupted by the sound of the Chancellor’s voice. "Oh, thank god!" she said as she walked up to James. "I need to get off of here. Off this awful place."

  "Hmm, no I don't think I'll be doing that favor for you," he said.

  The Chancellor stared in disbelief. "What?"

  "Remember last year when you killed my friends? Human friends?"

  The Chancellor looked aghast. James sighed and put his lip to the side, then said, "Ah, fine. You can come, too. But you better pay for what you've done."

  Her skin had paled. Her lips were pressed together tightly. She nodded vigorously. "I will, I will."

  "Little does she know," James said when she was out of ear shot, "is that I'm putting her butt back on Earth."

  "Where will you go on Earth?" Elric asked him.

  "I'm thinking Miami, oh yeah!"

  "We're going to..." Elric trailed off, then asked Mallory, "Where are we going?"

  "Maui," she said decisively. "It's time to finish that vacation we both started.

  He smiled and kissed her forehead. Then looked in her dark green eyes and said, "I love you, Mallory."

  Mallory’s eyes brimmed with tears. She smiled back at him and Elric’s piercing blue eyes brightened. "I love you, too, Elric."

  THE END

  Bonus Story 4/40

  Alien Affair

  “Are you ready to make history Melissa?” the tall, beautiful ambassador asked.

  “Of course Ambassador Rosanna. Everything is as you requested, it is time,” Melissa responded. She was actually quite nervous. There had never been an Earth Federation ambassador to the Ilona worlds before and it was quite the controversy for some.

  “Then let us proceed,” she said.

  Melissa nodded and gestured to the guards who immediately lowered the ramp on the ship.

  The music started playing and they began their walk down to the parade grounds. It was laid out between the new federation buildings and the entrance to the Ilona capital city of Papier. The red carpet was lined with the human dignitaries in attendance and led to the Ilona dignitaries on the other side of the field. There were garlands of roses on the human side with a brighter garland of Ilona flowers that were a vibrant purple with white veins sparkling throughout. Melissa had noticed that everything about the Ilona were bright and very festive appearing in comparison to her people. In contrast it was a slow, stately pace that the ambassador set. She wanted to give everyone a chance to look them over. It was an important moment, and Melissa could only be proud of her beautiful boss.

  Rosanna was over six feet tall and athletically built with a regal bearing that suited her position. She was dressed in the traditional flowing red silk robes that were cut in a way to give glimpses of the standard white under suit all government staff wore. Her brown hair was up in braids that wrapped her head and ended in a bun at the nape of her neck. In comparison, Melissa was dressed in the drabber style of an ambassadorial assistant.

  Of course her five foot four height seemed to match her importance. She wore a waist length green velvet blouse that held snuggly at the top of her hips with baggy green silk pants that were a low waist cut. Due to her lower rank her hair was left to flow freely, with a red headband to keep it out of her eyes. Only important officials and dignitaries were allowed to wear their hair up in a show of status. Her own figure was more voluptuous, but growing up in the government compounds it was considered the less desirable figure when compared to the preferred build of the ambassador. Melissa was a well-trained assistant and accepted her position and the honor it bestowed on herself and her name.

  They met King Remole of Ilona in the middle of the field. Then the procession began moving towards the Ilona Arches of Entry. Passing through those would mark the first time any humans had gone to stay in an Ilona community. Melissa felt her breath quicken with the solemnity of the moment, but the moment was ruined by a popping sound. Then she heard a hum followed by an explosion that rocked the parade grounds, and she staggered forward tackling her boss to the ground. Weapons fire broke out over their heads and she heard the hum of blasters and recognized the popping she had initially heard as old style projectile weapons. Screams filled the air as Melissa pushed herself up to get a look at what was happening around her.

  The ambassador’s bodyguards were ringing them, and quickly tried to get them up and moving.

  “Let’s go, were sitting ducks out here, move!” shouted Captain Lancer. Melissa helped Rosanna struggle to her feet.

  “Come on boss, let’s go!”

  The ambassador seemed stunned that such an attack was taking place.

  “This is the quickest route, come on, the Ilona Arches are the closest cover!” the captain shouted getting everyone on their feet. The Ilona king and his people were being herded around them towards the safety of the Arch. Over her shoulder Melissa could see flames rising from the buildings around them and bodies lying unmoving on the ground. She forced herself to stay focused and ignore the scream of fear she felt building inside as Rosanna leaned against her, running with the bodyguards. As the shadow of the giant marble arches covered them there was a bright flash of light and an explosion. Melissa screamed as the light blinded her and a pain shot through her left arm and hip as she fell. A sudden shock shot through her head and she knew no more.

  *****

  “I have to go. I have to see the ambassador, please,” Melissa told the woman.

  “The ambassador was more damaged than you were in the attack. The prognosis is good, but she is in a restorative sleep field and you cannot see her at this moment. This time is for you to get better,” she was told for the second time. Melissa grimaced in frustration. She was not feeling too badly all things considered.

  Her left arm was wrapped in a stiff fabric of some kind. It had been fractured and was painful to move. Her head ached lightly, and reaching up she could feel the hair above her ear had been shaved and a bandage was covering the wound. Her left hip was sore, but other than that she was feeling fine.

  “Then can you fill me in on what happened? I need to report back to my people,” she tried, pushing herself into a more upright position on the bed. The woman helped her get settled and stacked pillows behind her. She studied her as she worked. The Ilona race was different from humans in many ways. One was that the women were more noticeable for their brightly colored hair and eyes.

  Nurse Kolly was a beautiful woman with amazingly purple hair that fell down her back and ended in pink streaks. Melissa knew it was a natural color and her bright, cotton candy pink eyes were equally startling. The Ilona people were also more permissive than humans in many ways and her clothes were evidence of that. Kolly wore a snug white top that barely covered her large breasts with matching snug shorts. Suspenders went up over her shoulders and had an emblem that, based on Melissa’s studies, denoted healing. Kolly smiled at her and offered her some water.

  “Your guards are in constant communication with your government so you should not worry about that. The master healer will be in shortly and he will be releasing you to good health. Trust me Assistant Mac, you will be allowed to see the ambassador as soon as it is possible to do so. We believe in stress free healing, so trust me when I say all your wants will be seen to in an effort to promote your rejuvenation,” the woman said.

  Melissa sighed and sipped the water. It was fresh and clear and exactly what she needed. Looking herself over she decided she would also need to get some clothes. She had a r
eputation to uphold and she looked horrible. Her blouse and pants had been removed so she was just in the standard white body suit. It was dirt stained and the sleeve and leg had been cut off of her so they could work on her injuries. Melissa turned her head so she could see her reflection on the side of the medical equipment, and grimaced. Her hair was a tangled mess and her usual bright green eyes were dull with fatigue and stress. She was about to take another shot at information when the door on the other side of the room opened and she stiffened, trying to finger comb her hair. The king of Ilona strode up to her bedside. The nurse bowed in surprise and backed away.

  The king was generally a jolly looking Ilona, typical of his race. He had flaming amber hair in a long ponytail. His face was round and his eyes were a bright blue. He wore a red vest and what she thought of as a skirt, or kilt, representative of his royal line. He was not smiling now however, and had a concerned expression on his face.

  “Your Majesty, you honor me with your visit,” she said lowering her head per protocol.

  “Thank you Melissa Mac, but it is Ilona that was honored when you and your ambassador came to us in trust. It is our shame that such a thing could happen on Ilona soil. We are doing everything we can to take care of the situation. How are you feeling my dear? Have your needs been seen to?” he asked.

  Melissa nodded, “Excellently Your Grace. I could not ask for better care. I am just concerned for my people and what happened.”

  He nodded in understanding. Melissa then noticed the captain of the ambassadorial guard was standing just inside the door. He met her eyes and nodded. He had a wrap on his arm and his leg as well.

  “I am here to inform you of what happened and reassure you of all we are doing. When we are through you will be free to go to the home we have arranged for you and yours. It is equipped with communication gear for your use in speaking with your government. We also have assigned liaisons to your person so anything you need that may have been overlooked will be quickly taken care of. As for what happened…” he hesitated. It appeared like he was trying to decide how to tell her.

  “Separatists, Your Grace?” Melissa asked softly. He looked grieved.

  “Yes, somehow the separatist group calling themselves Earth Only managed to get through the security. It is doubly sad that an Ilona group, Ilona First, struck at the same time. Our shame is double because of this and I wish you to know we will spare no expense or effort in finding the culprits and bringing them to justice. Your Captain Lancer has assured me your government is taking the same stand,” he gestured back to Lancer and he came forward. He was limping and looked exhausted.

  “Yes, it is a shame for us as well and we wish to redress the hurts done and begin our relationship with your people again,” he said formally.

  Captain Lancer was a tough looking man. He was a career soldier and Melissa knew he was agonizing over this as much as she ever could. It was his people who had been attacked.

  “How many did we lose Captain?” she asked. It was the question she had not wanted to think about. He grimaced a brief second and then his face went blank.

  “Half of our troops were killed in the attack. Half of those remaining are in serious condition Assistant Mac,” he answered and Melissa closed her eyes and fought back the urge to cry out. Melissa had not known the men and woman well; they had always just been around. Now she was feeling the loss and her own shame that she had never bothered to get to know those people. The people who put their lives on the line for her. She took a deep breath to steady herself and opened her eyes.

  “And your people, King Remole?” she asked.

  His dusky skin paled slightly.

  “A similar number was lost and injured. It is unheard of in the history of my people. We are grieving and restoring ourselves for the tasks ahead. Your government has been amazing in their concern and their strength. They honor us. They have told me they wish to keep the Embassy opened and not to give into separatist pressure. It is a brave and important step. We wish you to know we agree and will do our best for the alliance. They understand the situation here and are awaiting your call once you are settled. I will leave you now and Captain Lancer can escort you to your new home. Be well, Assistant Melissa Mac,” he told her with a bow, and turning quickly he exited before she could frame an appropriate response. Melissa saw the nurse leave after him. The formal expression on Lancer’s face dropped to one of anger and concern.

  “The king was correct. The Earth Federation wants us to continue our mission so we are to go to the new residence as soon as you are ready. I have our security on alert as do the Ilona. I will be working with them in the investigation and they truly are being completely open and willing to allow us to take part in the hunt for the separatists. Theirs and ours,” he said grimly.

  Things were moving way too fast for Melissa, but she knew it was not time for her to grieve, not yet. So she swung her legs off the bed and the captain helped her stand. She was surprised she had the energy to do so and was actually feeling better just moving around.

  “I brought some clothes earlier while you were out. I knew you would want them,” he told her and gestured to a familiar suitcase behind her bed. She had not noticed it before.

  “Thank you Captain. The king did not say when I can see the ambassador,” she said absently as she began going through her case. She found some clothes and Lancer turned his back to give her privacy to dress.

  “No he didn’t. I have seen her through a glass wall. She is in a chamber and no one can go in. The air and energy used, they say, cannot be contaminated. The home office doctors assured me it is standard Ilona treatment and were enthusiastic about how well the healing techniques work. I am not concerned. They say she should be whole and hearty in about three days. When you speak to the federation they are more than likely going to advise you to make sure everything is ready for Ambassador Torrance and to begin whatever your duties would normally be. Since my people will be on alert, however, I will keep you informed of any changes in the investigation,” Lancer finished.

  Melissa nodded as she stripped quickly and then dressed just as quick. She pulled on a casual white sleeveless and legless bodysuit, and some red leggings. Just moving around was making her soreness and pain fade. She then put on a button up green dress that fell to her knees. She tied a red sash around her waist and put her messy hair back in a ponytail.

  “Have you seen the accommodations Captain?” she asked him, putting her damaged clothes back in the bag.

  “Yes. They are luxurious. Not the same ones we initially were allotted. While you were unconscious they moved all of us out of the city to, what can only be described as, a country villa. It was done in complete secrecy for our safety. No one but us and the local village actually know where we are. Once we round up the separatists we will, in all likelihood, be moved back to the official embassy residence.”

  Melissa was glad for the safety precautions and let the captain know she was ready and sympathized with his position.

  “I understand Captain, you must be eager to see me settled so that you can get on the investigation,” she stood straight and tried to be formal. “I grieve with you, for the loss of your men…our men and woman. Anything you may need from me, if I can do it, I will,” she told him. Her voice became a little shaky and her eyes moistened. His chiseled features softened briefly in acknowledgement of her concern.

  “Thank you Melissa, be assured I will not hesitate,” he answered softly. They stood staring at each other for a moment of silence. Then he coughed.

  “Ok then, let’s get you settled so you can reassure yourself with a call to the Home Office,” he said. He had guessed her primary concern. If she could not see the ambassador she very much wanted the support of the office. She allowed him to escort her out.

  She saw the master healer on the way out and he proclaimed her healed and ‘released’ her to good health and fortune. Melissa thought it was a quaint way to see a patient off. She walked down the stairs with Capta
in Lancer and there was a sled like vehicle at the bottom of the steps. Two men were standing next to it and there were several of the captain’s guards around the perimeter of the area. As she approached she was greeted.

  “Hello Assistant Melissa Mac. I am Fonte and this is my fellow liaison Cardel. We are assigned to you and yours to make sure the cultural education your embassy requested goes through smoothly and well. We also would like to extend our regrets and grief at the loss of your people. We hope nothing like it will occur ever again,” he said formally. They were handsome specimens of the Ilona race. Easily six feet tall, well-muscled and healthy. Fonte’s hair was an emerald green and Cardel’s hair was a deep red. Other than hair color they looked like they could be related. Both of them had a startling light blue eyes. Then Melissa remembered that the way the Ilona bred might make physical appearance immaterial in that respect.

  “Thank you for your kindness, you honor us. Are you our escort to the residence?” she asked politely. She glanced at the captain and he gave her a hand signal indicating it had been cleared.

  “Yes. We also will be staying at the residence in case any urgent need you may have becomes apparent. We also have a full household staff willing to see to your needs as well. Please, have a seat and we will take you home,” Cardel said. His voice, like Fonte’s, was a deep, yet smooth baritone that was soothing.

  “Thank you, we would be delighted,” she said. Melissa felt better even than when she had walked out. The air was fragrant with a perfume like smell and the bright colors perked her up considerably. She sat where indicated with the captain next to her and the two Ilona in front of them. The soldiers had their own vehicle and followed behind.

  The vehicle made no sound and seemed to hover as they traveled down a woodland path. Melissa was further distracted from her worries by the amazing flora they traveled through. Flowers towered over them brightly at eight to ten feet. Tiny bushes of light blue and green were as noticeable as the flowers. The path was covered in the greenest grass she had ever seen and she could not help marveling at the new surroundings she found herself in. There were people along the side of the path as well, equally as noticeable and bright to her eager eyes. Part of her wondered if she was trying to forget the horror of the attack.