"This is a normal thing. For a larger clan to push out a smaller for one of the colonies."
"The first thing is this," I said, "I can't do that Mark alone. I have to go to Cerres to do that."
"Second, if I go to Cerres, you have to get me back here to face them when they come."
"Third, after this is done, you'll have to take the Cerres facility. This won't be a problem, because the one who holds it is mine. His clans are small and he's a relatively new Farrara'Ti. The world is mine now and I need it protected. It will also give you a single base of operations to work from."
He had nodded at all these statements.
"And fourth, are you goin to eat that last piece of chicken?"
As I walked back down off of the mountain range, my mind was still trying to come to grips with what was going on. Everything was spiraling into so much more than I wanted it to be. Before, this war had been pure black and white. It was beginning to turn grey in a lot of areas.
I didn't want to Mark any more people, Kresh or Human, but this may be the only way to end this war without genocide on our part or theirs.
We had talked some details after he handed me the bucket with a single piece of chicken left in it. We would meet again here in Montana in a week. I would either agree to go to another world or I would be turning him down on the offer.
Honestly, I couldn't see any way I could turn down the offer of nearly thirty million Kresh allies and a possible end to this war before humanity was completely destroyed. If we lost here, it would be just a matter of time before the rest would be exterminated so this couldn't happen again.
I knew we couldn't depend on this plan working but I feared what was coming. I love the battle and I love killing them, I'm a monster. But I can't be everywhere and people are going to die. A lot of people. The best we can do is prepare as much as we can, and do our best.
Now that Warren is started with the Source Weapons, maybe we can get enough out there to make a difference.
Perhaps we can hold our world long enough to let Kil'Sin'Deres get enough allies.
Perhaps we would push them back far enough to step through that gate in Kansas and take the war to them. With Kil'Sin'Deres on their backs and us on their front. And a new Soulguard built on Cerres hitting their flanks.
Everything boils down to the first step right in front of us.
I must go to another world and use the Shak'Tar as Gorvelis had done. I would have to put everything that all of my clans could do behind that Mark.
Then we would have to see if anything else would go our way.
Chapter 11
"What?!"
"You know," I answered Paige, "You say that a lot."
"Only when you bring this crazy shit to me," she said.
"I can't help it," I said, "I didn't do it."
"Somehow, I know it's your fault."
"It's not always my fault," I protested, "Its Kil'Sin'Deres' fault. He even admitted it."
"You were jealous as soon as we talked about sending someone to another world. I know you set this up, somehow."
"It just makes more sense to send me there than to try to channel that many of the Shak'Tar back here to do this thing."
"Yes, and send our most powerful weapon out where the rest of the Kresh can get to him," Gregor, who had remained silent so far.
"There are plenty of more powerful..."
"Don't give me that crap about the size of the Soulstream," she interrupted, "When you cut loose, you're probably the most destructive thing on the planet and you know it. We all know it. Yes there are stronger individuals but this is totally different."
"It's true, Colin," Gregor said, "But as I said in the last meeting, 'We need it'. We need allies. We need to face the fact that we may not be victorious here. Humanity needs a back-up plan in the event that we fall. So far we've held them off. But these are just little pushes, according to your contacts."
"That’s what I'm sayin', Greg," I said, "But, ultimately, this is a Soulguard decision as well as my own. If I go, I'll be taking the seeds to start the Academy on Cerres with me. We were prepared to send our men and women off to do this. How would it look if I refuse to take the same risks that we're asking them to take?"
A long sigh escaped Paige as she sat back in her chair.
"I can't argue that it needs to be done, but it leaves a sour taste in my mouth to trust one of them not to betray you."
"He's risking more on this than I am," I said, "I risk myself and perhaps ten or fifteen others. He is risking his whole clan of fourteen million. He has a great deal more to lose than we do."
"If he was telling the truth," she said.
"My lie detector works on them as well as us," I said, "He was tellin the truth."
"What's Lyrica saying about this?"
"She says she's going with me," I said, "I need you to convince her she needs to be here. She doesn't listen when I give the logical reasons why she shouldn't go with me. She might listen to you."
She looked at me for a long moment and with that sour look on her face said, "Asshole."
"What? I can't get her to listen..."
"And I get her to agree to this. Then, you don't make it back. She blames me for that and hates me forever."
"I'll make it back if I have to cut my way through their entire world," I said with some of the rage showing through, "Nothing is goin to stop me from getting back to her."
"That's what worries me," she said, "This whole thing needs done with finesse. Secrecy is your friend. I'm not sure you even know what the word means. You can't go over there blowing things up."
"I know," I said, "I'll try to curb my destructive nature long enough to get the mission done."
"I'll talk to her," she said, "but I can't guarantee anything."
"That's all I ask."
"And that's plenty," she said.
***
"Looks good, Warren," I said.
We were watching the assembly line in our factory in McMinnville, Tennessee. Everything had started up without trouble. Warren chose Tennessee because of some of the benefits to new companies that are offered there.
"It's coming along, nicely, Sir," he answered.
"I need to talk about some of the paperwork I asked you about."
He nodded and we headed toward on office that was always kept empty for him or me if we were here.
"I'm a little worried," he said as he shut the door, "You've never really worried about any of this before."
"I'm goin on a trip," I said, "We've been holding the details secret as much as possible. I am going through one of the Gates to sneak onto another world to establish a Soulguard Academy."
He sat back in his chair with an astounded look on his face.
"Really?"
"Yeah," I answered, "It's a scary prospect but a necessary one. I need the papers official in case anything happens to me. The whole mission is dangerous, to say the least."
"Sounds like it," he said, "The papers are all drawn up. All you have to do is sign them."
"Good, everything to Lyr, right?"
"Yes"
"Excellent," I said, "Did you put the other part I asked for?"
"Yes, sir, but you don't have to do that..."
"Yeah, I do," I said, "None of this would have happened at all without you. You're now a third owner of a weapons company, as is Lyrica. We're goin to be arms dealers to the world."
"That's not something a person gets to say very often in normal conversation," he said.
"True enough," I said with a laugh, "That's why I have to say it whenever I can."
"And the last thing I asked about?"
"Yes sir," he said with a grin, "There's a Checkers over in Murfreesboro, which is on the way back to Nashville where the plane is."
"Awesome!"
Chapter 12
As I entered the building where Paige's office was located, I could see Lyrica's Soul through the walls. She was up in Paige's office and her aura was full
of turmoil. I sat down in a chair outside to wait until the fireworks were over.
"I can't let him go alone," I heard Lyrica, "He'll do something stupid."
"I know what you're saying, Lyr," Paige answered, "But what happens if they come while he's over there? Can the world afford to have both of its primary weapons off world at the same time?
"I can't order you not to go. You've never officially joined the Soulguard and I understand why better than most. But this is bigger than you, it's bigger than me."
"And what if they get him?"
"Then you and I will walk through one of those damn gates and we'll rip their world in two."
"You promise that to me and I will risk it," Lyrica said fiercely, "Because, if he doesn’t make it back, I'm going after him and God help anyone or anything that gets in my way."
"And I'll be right there with you, Honey," Paige said, "I swear it to you right now."
As Lyrica exited Paige's office, I met her with an embrace.
"I love you, my Little Angel," I said softly, "There is nothing on this world or the next that could keep me from coming back to you."
"And I love you, my Angel," she said, "You better come back or they have to deal with me. You just blow shit up, I'll tear their world apart."
"Now I have to go to work," she said, "We'll talk later."
She walked out the front of the building, her aura still in turmoil. I hate that I'm the one who is causing the turmoil in her Soul. But we can't risk both of us and she can't do the Mark I need to do. So I have to be the one who goes.
If it was the other way around, I would feel the same as she does. I don't know if I could do as she is. It’s a stronger person who can take that high road and think of the world before themselves. She is doing that, I'm not sure if I could.
I walked into Paige's office and she was looking at me with distaste.
"I'm sorry," I said, "You're the only person she might have listened to."
"That may be true," she said, "It doesn't mean I have to like it."
"True enough."
***
I met the others who would be going across to Cerres to build the new academy in Montana. Kil'Sin'Deres would be meeting us the next day to escort us through the Gate and onto another world.
I was excited as I could be. I'd read science fiction all of my life and this was one of the dreams of any Sci-Fi fan. To actually walk on another planet.
"Sam," I said to the first team member I met, "Glad you decided to do this."
Sam Keller would be the head of the Soulguard forces that would be built on Cerres. He would head up any militant action taken by this Soulguard.
"It's goin to be interesting," he said, "to say the least."
"Darrel," I said to the next in the team, "I'm certainly glad you joined as well."
He nodded. I could see the fear of me roiling through his aura. Paige and Gregor had taken the effects of supporting my in stride, but Darrel had been traumatized by having his Soulstream ripped open and doubled in size.
Darrel would be the Dean of the Mage Academy on Cerres. It would be his job to find people with the Soulstreams large enough to Pull the Source. He would train them to use that power before it killed them. In the meantime, he would run the day to day part of keeping something like this going.
There were ten Mages of varied strengths going along with them and twenty Guards. I recognized most of them but there were several I hadn't met before.
"Any weapons," I said, "will need to be concealed. We are under the guise of a group of humans taken by Kil'Sin'Deres and his bunch. Everyone will be provided for after we get there so there's not much we'll need to take with us. Any personal effects need to be hidden as well. When Humans are captured they are stripped of these things. Jewelry, pictures, things like that. So keep em hidden."
"This group is the biggest we can risk sending at a time and there will be others slipped through over the next few months. The Soulguard thanks you, I thank you. So get ready and we'll set out tomorrow to make history."
***
The Quarters Lyrica shared at the Academy were much larger than the ones I had used when I was here before. I think they were the quarters of a Councilor.
Lyrica lounged in a huge bath tub.
"That was Khalib, down there," she said.
"Yeah," I said, "He's got more experience than most in infiltration. He's a good choice for the team."
"And his family is left behind," she said.
"Temporarily," I said, "He wouldn't take them until he's seen it's safe enough to move through the gates."
"I wish you didn't have to do this," she said, "It's not fair that you have to always be the one."
"Me too, honey," I said, "But the fact is, I'm the only one who can do this and we need allies. With this one move, we can change the whole course of the war to come.
"Before, all we had to look forward to was an endless supply of Kresh, coming through the Gates to kill us. I've shown you the memories from my Shak'Tar. You've seen them. They have the numbers to just roll over us if the right clan goes after us.
"But, this," I said, "This could actually win the war, given enough time."
"All true," she said, "But I still wish I could just have you to myself. I don't want to share you with the world. I damn sure don't want to share you with fourteen other worlds, too.
"Until tomorrow, though," she said, "You are all mine. So you better come join me."
"That I can do."
Chapter 13
I couldn't hide my excitement as our group approached the gate.
"I used to equate the feeling I get near one of these with evil," I said to the giant walking beside me, "It has the same sort of power source as the one that is connected to your Soulstream."
"Soulstream is not a new word to me," He said in his deep rumbling voice, "We never knew we were tethered to our own world until you closed a gate and killed a whole clan by cutting this Soulstream."
"You never went through a gate and shut it behind you?"
"We could not open one from this side," he said, "When we open a gate and walk through, it stays open until we come back. After the second attack, we knew the tether would move to another gate if one was open. So we can turn off the great gates when the horde has passed through it."
Our group was surrounded by Wraiths and Soldiers as we approached the open gate. I could see the nervousness of the others so I moved forward to the front of the group.
"All right," I said, "here goes."
Kil'Sin'Deres moved up beside me and I followed him into the vortex of power that made up the portal.
I expected something like what I had seen in movies as the lights would stretch but I guess the movies hadn't really gotten that right.
It was instant. My eyes saw the purple and black energy one second and, as they passed the edge of it, the sight changed to a raised platform in a large room.
"Holy shit!"
My whole body tingled and I felt the Source stutter and change. It was a subtle difference but I could sense much more power down inside the planet than I could feel inside earth.
I stepped onward so that the next in line wouldn't run into me.
"I will hide your mind glow, Rash'Tor'Ri," Kil'Sin'Deres said, "From here until we reach Cerres, you must not use any form of Lash. I cannot hide it if you are using it actively."
"Ok," I said, "I'm not really planning to use that particular skill except to do the Mark for you."
"You are an odd being, Rash'Tor'Ri," he said, "My race begins using the Lash the moment they evolve enough to use it. Why would you handicap yourself by only using half of your birthright?"
On some level, he was right. I had paid in blood for the skills that my birth had granted me. But the use of that Lash was just the opposite of the freedom I wanted to bring to the people of these other worlds.
It was too late to do anything about the people on Cerres except try to provide some sort of defense.
&n
bsp; "Yeah, I hear that a lot."
The giant chuckled.
I could feel the Kresh outside of the room. There were more than I had ever felt before. I knew the others would be feeling that same presence I could feel. It was a bit overwhelming. We waited until the whole group had stepped through the gate. Then the gate was gone.
"Guess there's no way to go but forward," Keller said with a grin.
"It would help if your people looked fearful, as most humans who come through these gates. They look like they are ready to invade and conquer."
"All right guys, put on your scared faces and get into position, in case everything goes to shit."
"Terry," Sam said to one of the Mages, "You and I are supports for the boss. Barnes get ready with a shield in case we need it. You're the strongest one here. Mages to the center, Guards around the outside."
"Now they really look like they want to invade," Kil'Sin'Deres said.
"Give it a minute," I said, "They'll get settled."
Once everyone was positioned, they stepped one step in different directions. The organization disappeared and we looked like a mob of humans again.
"If all goes right," I said, "We won't be needin to do any fightin. But we're ready if we do."
Kil'Sin'Deres nodded and we headed for the opposite end of the big room.
When the door opened and we stepped outside, the light seemed just a little off kilter.
"Different type of star," Darrel said softly, "Different light."
"Makes sense," I said.
I'd been in big cities a few times. New York and Chicago were large cities, but they had nothing on what I was looking at in front of us. The buildings were huge and stretched far into the sky.
The doors were lower than would be comfortably for the height of a Kresh. They were human-sized doors. That would mean they were made by the Makers. And that would mean they were thousands of years old.
The streets were packed with Kresh and Humans. Most of the Humans kept their eyes downcast. They wore various home-made garments. There were a few in jeans scattered amongst the crowds.
Bloodlord (Soulguard Book 3) Page 6