“And her hair is starting to grow, but why is it blonde?” his spoke as soft as he was able, but the baritone was unable to do so completely. Renee felt the vibrations of his voice resonate through her and she loved it.
“It’s natural. It’ll darken to auburn soon enough. Seems our baby isn’t too different from humans in this regard. Olly?”
“Hmmm?” he hummed, dropping a chin on her shoulder.
“Forewarning you, Isabella has changed me. As soon as we tie up the loose ends with Chandler and you get the final piece, I’m going to drop a littler of hellions. I love being a mother. I think I’ll drop about six or eight eggs.”
“You’re trying to really kill me aren’t you?” he chuckled. “Sure, why not. It’ll just permit me to make more love.”
“Well there is that, but really I want to make sure our line doesn’t die out. Since you can’t give me a son, he can’t screw around sewing his oats with every willing woman wanting strong children. Our daughters could drop a lot, but we need options because once I feel our hellions are safe from extinction I won’t be having many.”
This was a surprise. “Why is that?”
“Why did Reten have only four thousand with Mantiv and they were together for millions of years?” she countered.
His mind followed that train of thought. “The danger of too much power unable to be held in check.” He leaned back at the realization. “Our daughters will be unmatched except by us. Humans won’t stand a chance if we don’t raise them right. They’ll be too strong and if they ever decided to raise an army they could birth babies by the hundreds every three months. In a century even Isabella could birth a million plus children. Even if they will be half human since they can’t mate with a male since I’m the last.”
“Precisely. Responsibility lies with us. We need to be careful our children don’t become tyrants since it is just us. We’ll be doing a lot of attitude adjustments and reddening a lot of ass cheeks. We need to find a balance, but we can’t have too many children because too much can go wrong.”
“Agreed.”
They sat there quietly for a time, staring out the seemingly unblocked view of space and part of the planet of ice. Photons made a barrier to keep atmosphere in and space out.
Eventually a nearby elevator opened and out came Jake Dorgen followed by Breena, Stone, Satellite, Steven and Visor. The pirate king said “Morning, Lads. Up early I see.”
“Izzy’s ass woke us, Papa.” Renee grunted as her stiff legs gathered to help her stand.
“She’s not as bad as ye were. That is beyond question.”
“Papa!” Renee stomped her foot, cheeks reddening.
The overlarge Scotsman wrapped his child and grandchild in a paternal hug and kissed the top of Renee’s head. “I’m glad ye are up.”
“Why?” she asked after finding Oliver still with his back turned. With Isabella in a room with adults, his instincts were to keep everyone except the mother away by painful means. “It’s okay, Idiot.” He relaxed and turned back to find everyone a respectable distance away.
Calmly Jake stroked his long braided beard. “Just got word from Jessica that our long range scans on the fire planet next on the list just got preliminary life signs and report the fourth largest Keptl hive on record growing on the volcanic surface. And worse is millions of X Rank beasts making a home there.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Aye, Lass. We can’t go there to the floating geode without being noticed by Keptl who clearly are evolving on a volcanic planet so ye can be assured they will be tougher than average.”
“One fucking problem after another!” she threw her hands up in defeat.
“What else are you neglecting to tell us?” Oliver’s gut was telling him the captain withheld a worsening piece of information.
“Perceptive. Seems the hive is readying to move or start another fight. Currently there are eighty nine Goliaths filling up on the overrun planet.”
Not eight seconds after that revelation there was a blinding flash in the docking bay and a familiar friend arrived. Golden armor covered a bluish grey body that was rather thin. Three long fingers and a thumb all had curved fingernails shaped and sharpened into claws. Held on the left arm denoting rank of the Zeelin warrior was a shield. The highest rank being Beyleez. Glowing eyes smoked much like Oliver’s and Renee’s. “Forgive the intrusion.”
“Netul? What is happening?” Oliver asked, clothing himself and willing on boots.
“I am here on behalf of the Archivers’ of Jaffablin, My Friend.” Netul grasped the forearm of Oliver’s as it was outstretched. “For saving our home, we will save yours and presumably other worlds before the Goliaths start another invasion. We’ve been lax and haven’t watched over the five worlds in this galaxy as we should have. For a hive so large to have made a home where it ought not stains our honor. Do not leave for the world for five months. Our forces are already mobilizing and we do not wish you to get caught in the crossfire. This battle will be fierce and glorious.”
“Then why are you here in person? You could have contacted me through an Observer.”
Netul stepped back and nodded. “Because this human you call Chandler is accelerating the growth of the clones. We’ve been watching him ever since the battle yesterday and confirmed the core’s findings. Our observers have gotten close enough to peer inside windows so we know this to be truth. He knows he is in danger and is preparing for an offensive move. I’m authorized to assist you and the human Hunters if in event the abominations reach maturity and be incapable of resisting them. Part of it is transportation in a timely manner and offering you any resources you require.”
“Lad, now I know ye are hiding something from me too. Creelin don’t offer full access and aid to anybody. And I mean anybody.”
Without turning to the captain he shrugged. “Renee and I saved his colony world Jaffablin last week from a Keptl invasion. Netul, you said ‘my home’ does that mean Mantiv was of fire?”
“No. Though not by choice. He preferred Fire, but Reten was the Flame of Adunn and was firmly a Terra warrior. You are drawn to it naturally because you are not him. So do I have your word you will remain here while our golden armadas remove the filth?”
“Captain? Your call.” Oliver looked and found the dangerous vein in Jake’s forehead pulsing.
He was controlled enough to say “We’ll have a chat about putting me daughter and grandchild in harm’s way later, Lad.” Sparky’s long green neck came out of his room, four wings tucked along his side and clawed arms walked over. Rose followed. “Beyleez Netul right?” the Creelin inclined his large sloped head. “If ye can let us continue discovering about Solarians we’ll remain here as long as yer fleet doesn’t harm the city.”
“We could not harm it even if we tried. Those of Fire had the greatest weapons and defenses and this city in particular was a younger creation compared to other castles and had the latest technology to keep their inventions safe. It is why the Keptl dare not near it. When we attack, it shall be safe. If it were set to destroy the filth, it alone could do so whereas we need our armada.”
“Thank ye. I’ll extend some trust since me daughter told me about prison and how ye are a good guy.”
“So what next?” Breena asked after a long pause.
“If Chandler is readying his forces, we can’t waste too much time.” Renee asserted herself. “Since he has teleport capability I think we should bring Davan Took. This is his area and the Emperor will want that ability thoroughly intact and having him will be an aid. You’ve said so yourself, Papa, that his research was stolen. I’d bet half your treasury Chandler was the mastermind behind that conspiracy too since no human has achieved instantaneous travel through hyperspace. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“That would be a safe bet.” Jake agreed, stroking the beard again.
“Netul, could I ask you teleport us, the Hunters, two humans, the Prides, our Gravity Forge and the new fighter and our own personal f
ighters straight to Zerika?”
Netul closed his eyes and after a few moments nodded. Approval of that magnitude was beyond his standing orders and required a superior’s authorization. An Archiver’s pinnacle rank. “Permission is approved for that request. It will not advance humans in any forbidden way.”
“One more thing before we get ahead of ourselves. Netul, the teleportation the dreadnought utilizes, if I throw out a jamming field like the Goliaths did, will it disrupt yours in event of an emergency?” Oliver asked. “I need to know because if we get hit by something new and you need to get away, I don’t wish to prevent such.”
“The stolen technology this Chandler has procured is rudimentary to ours at best. They use a single frequency that is easily disabled within an isolated area. You’ve gotten the concept already though I am not an expert in this field. That creation you are mentally making will not interfere with our form of instant travel.” Creelin may sound stuffy and overly courteous, but they were powerful allies who’s entire culture revolved around honor. Their high standards aside, battling shoulder to shoulder will make them friends forever.
Trust is their most valued resource and treasure.
“Glad to hear it. Since there is no time like the present. I’ll go grab Davan. He will be eager for a little revenge.” Oliver said.
“I’ll go with ye. We have a discussion to do, Lad.” Jake added and they walked away together.
The Hunters moved over to lounge as they normally did as Renee came over to hug Netul. “How’s Callier and your son?”
His eyes brightened with a deep blue at the question. Happiness. “Both do well. Thank you for asking.”
“What of Jaffablin?”
Glowing eye color dimmed with brown. Sad and angry. “Reconstruction is underway. It will take roughly three years to rejuvenate the planet after the battle. New sprouts are being planted and soon fauna will be delivered from other colonies to replenish the wounded ecosystem. At least we are able to do that.”
She lowered her voice and threw up a shield to cancel sound. “Between us, why did you chose to show up just as Papa told us about the Goliaths?”
“Honestly I did not know. The Archivers sent me. I was readying another Mothership for the routing when they must have thought it prudent I step in to limit any excess danger. We wanted to attack before you found out and needed to worry. Your aunt’s systems were more advanced than we estimated for a long range bio-scan of the planet from here. If you decided to go to surprise the hive and Goliaths you would have been in danger of us beginning the assault in thirty hours. Your unpredictable patterns made it necessary we step in since you didn’t know our intention.”
“Good to hear I’m unpredictable.” She giggled.
Knuckles rasped loudly on the door to the private science lab. After a few moments it opened to show a man of average height holding a steaming cup of coffee. A white lab coat contrasted to his skin that was entirely royal blue. He was bald and had two vertical black lines going across his head, crossing the eyes and cheeks. He immediately saw a wall and looked up into the misting amber eyes of Oliver Void. “Come to help out again?” his whole morning brightened right up. “I hit another snag on the osculation matrix again. Can you point me in the right direction. The cycles keep bre…”
Oliver held up a hand as Jake came around to say “We’re not here for that, Laddie. Ye hear about the Hunter assault yet?”
“The crew talked about it at supper. Why, Captain?”
“Because Renee thought you might want to get your hands on a working teleporter you most likely helped design.” Oliver teased and Davan Took went still. Even for a foremost human genius he didn’t know what to do. “Since you are likely partly its inventor, you might want it for study and to see if the parties involved were privy to the massacre they orchestrated and used you as the scapegoat.”
“Enough said. What do I need to do to get retribution for my family?” he sat the steaming cup down on a nearby table, giving undivided attention.
“Come with me.” Oliver simply said.
“Lad, ye remember what I warned. Not a hair harmed. I’ve got to go deal with the crew and let them know. One hair and yer arse is mine.”
“Aye aye.” Oliver said and Davan was about to follow eagerly. “Oh, you may need to pack a bag. Clothes and tools. We’ll be landing on Zerika soil in a few minutes.”
“Good thing I got the heavy gravity splice a decade ago. My heart would give out otherwise.” Davan mumbled and rushed to get supplies before eventually riding the elevator back to the docking bay and gasp “A Creelin! Whoa and a Beyleez at that!”
“Netul, meet Davan Took. Foremost human I know of researching instant travel.” Oliver introduced the men who shook hands. Davan was completely speechless and all the things he wanted to ask failed to come out. Oliver slapped him on the back with a laugh. “Breathe now, Buddy.” He did.
“I’m sorry, I rarely get too meet your people and never a Zeelin above Zant rank.”
“The pleasure is mine, Davan Took.”
“Davan, please. Coming from you it sounds like I stole something important.” The scientist said humbly.
“Awe, Davan’s got a bromance going!” Renee joked and black eyes widened in embarrassment and it made her smirk grow.
“I’m heterosexual I’ll have you know. Just haven’t found the right woman after my last separation.” He informed to clear up the misunderstanding.
“Well your EQ certainly can’t take a joke.”
“EQ?” telepathy inquired.
Evergreen misting orbs turned to the Creelin. “Emotional Quotient. His IQ is one ninety nine and it effects overly intelligent people. Like Papa, they have a hard time making friends. Too smart, just like my personal Idiot who’s IQ is off the charts. It’s why he’s so calm and doesn’t react to high stress situations. They get angry, but you can’t expect them to cope like normal humans. There is a correlation with IQ and EQ. Higher the one, lower the other.”
“My own people share a similar trait. Our top scientists find it difficult to socialize like the bulk of our people.”
“So even some of your people have the emotional range of a stump like my Olly?”
“For a certain.” Netul confirmed her assessment.
“Stump? That isn’t nice.”
“Spank me later.” She winked as Oliver turned on her.
“You asked for me?” Came the voice of Jessica Menann, maiden last name being Dorgen. Jessica and Stephanie were married, but she was Renee’s biological aunt. Jessica is now a hundred and fourteen, but barely looks twenty, has bright auburn hair and hazel-green eyes. Just like her niece she was cutely freckled, but was less prominent. “Oh, wow. Let me guess, the famous Netul?” his ridged forehead dipped forward slightly. “Seems I need to chew my brother out for not informing me we have such an important guest aboard.”
“Good, everyone’s all here.” Renee jumped a little.
“Here for what? What is going on? You weren’t to leave for Zerika for at least six more hours.” Jessica tossed her curly hair back over slim shoulders and clearly expressed confusion.
“Oh, well, I thought it prudent you come to show off your Gravity Forge to Emperor Coleson in person. What better person to show what it can do than the head honcho we’ll meet in a few days.” The nonchalant way she spoke made her aunt sputter before collapsing in faint. “Stars! I never get tired of that.” Renee walked over, giggling, to gently slap her loving aunt back to reality.
Eventually Jessica promised “I’m going to strangle the life out of you one of these days you whore.”
“Bite me bitch… Ow! You bit me!” Renee clutched the offended hand that just got assaulted by perfectly straight teeth.
“You told me to. It’s your own fault for putting your hand so close to my mouth.” Jessica shook her head clear as she got up off the ground. “Are you serious?”
“About what?” Renee currently glared at the depressed tooth marks.
“Showing off Oliver, Stephs and my invention to the Emperor personally? What else would I be asking about, Nitwit!”
“Got a decent chance since he wants to see my Idiot so badly though I can’t figure out why. Besides, Stone has been itching to put the heavy ass fighter to the test since Olly finished it two days ago. It’ll be a huge income boost since the emperor will want a million Forges easily. And to make a near indestructible ship from your Gravity Forge idea will have him salivating. And when he go back to Earth… well you know how it’ll effect the economy once Earth spreads the word. The credits will never cease filling your account.”
“Money I can handle… the Emperor… well, I may need a shot of adrenaline so I don’t faint in front of the man.”
“Got you covered.” The bracelet Valek was brandished. “Okay, Netul, send us away.”
“Close your eyes everyone.” He warned as he did the same and looked up. Then came a brilliant bluish flash.
Silence aboard the large interstellar sailboat instantly changed to noisy insects that were an explosion considering where they just left. Cool air altered into hot and humid darkness.
Sparky’s long neck snaked the head closer to his rider and was literally glowing from snout to tail near instantly when a screech came from above.
Ligers reacted first and one of the smaller females used another like a stepping stool to launch herself into the air and snatched a large Beast that dive-bombed from the forest’s canopy. The maw of the Liger clamped down on the prey and between sharp fang and crushing jaws, its screech was silenced. A head thrash doubly made sure it wouldn’t get up before she spat the feathered prey to the ground for her cubs.
Stone said “A Razor Beak. Nasty piece of work. D-Rank, but their namesake is deadly. We must be near their nesting grounds and the light must have startled it. Sparky, turn your glow down.”
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