“You may ask, and I will answer if I can,” Bahta told her.
“Is it true you were Asala's mother?” Trish asked.
Bahta hesitated. “That is a subject that still causes me great pain. Yes, she was my daughter,” Bahta said.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any distress,” Trish said.
“Asala has been gone a long time but I can still feel bits and pieces of her from Sebastian and Chelsea. Whenever they die is the hardest,” Bahta said.
“Would you like to talk about it? For humans, talking about things that hurt us often helps. I don't know if it's the same for dragons but if you need to talk, I'm here. What was she like?” Trish asked her.
“She was an astounding whelp. From the time she hatched, she was extraordinary. She learned faster than most others and by the time she was of age, her skill in magic was amazing like her father but that wasn't her true strength. She had the talent of a warrior and was apprenticed to Doga. He taught her well and after him, she was our best defender.”
“When Absillion decided to create the Vanguard, Doga and Asala were chosen to select those to fill their ranks. She trained them herself and was peculiar among our people in that she saw them as more than just students. She saw them as friends. Baldric and Malka, Sebastian and Chelsea as you know them, became her closest friends, closer even than her own kind.”
“When the drebs attacked, Absillion gave the order to destroy the island. Even with his vast power, he couldn't do it alone so the Elders and the strongest of our kind joined him. We went inside the dormant volcano and awoke the lava below. We sped up the natural time of an eruption with cataclysmic results. Asala though, she refused. Instead, she chose to sacrifice herself. She gave her life and all her grandeur for them. Her last words to any of us were to tell her father and I that she loved us.”
“We are not like humans and most of our people consider your species young and reckless, but she did not. She found great potential in your people and felt we should more actively cultivate it. Had she lived, had the drebs not attacked, her influence may have eventually won over her father and the world would likely be a very different place. She thought we should teach fey all magic and let them choose their path instead of hiding some of it from them,” Bahta told her.
“All magic? What are we missing?” Trish replied.
“I am forbidden to discuss that,” Bahta told her. “I have already said too much.”
“Your husband forbids you to discuss it?” Trish asked.
“Husband? Absillion is not my husband,” Bahta told her.
“Oh. I just assumed because you were both the parents of Asala that you were mates,” Trish said.
“We mated but we are not mates. Dragons do not marry. As females, we are capable of laying eggs rarely compared to your species and as a result, our species is very slow to reproduce. When that time occurs, we choose a suitable mate and that is the end of the relationship. Other than matters involving our offspring, we have no formal ties. He has fathered all of my clutches and we are friends but unlike your species, we do not form bonds beyond that with mates,” Bahta told her.
“It must be boring,” she said.
“What must be boring?” Bahta asked.
“Having no sex life. I don't know about dragons but for humans, it's very enjoyable,” she replied.
“That is something we never understood about the fey. Most of the fey engaged in sexual behavior for pleasure and rarely for procreation. For us, it is not an act of pleasure, simply a necessity of nature,” Bahta replied.
“It's fun. Physical contact is very pleasing with the right person,” Trish said.
“Physical contact for us is barely noticeable. Perhaps it is the difference in our biology. There is not much sensation when you're covered in heavy scales,” Bahta told her.
“That might be it. You're human for now. You should try it sometime,” Trish said.
“I should?” Bahta asked.
“Oh, yea. When you have a partner, you want to be with, it's ecstatic,” Trish told her.
“Do you recommend anyone? Your body temperature rises around Xavier. Are you two mates? He appears to be what your females would consider attractive if I understand your preferences correctly,” Bahta asked.
“Xavier? No, we're not mates. I mean, we've had sex more than a few times but it's just a casual thing. I wouldn't use the term mate. Romantically, I'm involved with Boudicca. Xavier is just someone I've had fun with on occasion. We're best friends and would never hurt that by becoming romantically engaged. And to answer your question, yea, most women would find him attractive,” Trish said.
“Your rituals are confusing. As much as we observe you and study you, we have not been able to understand your sexual behaviors,” Bahta told her. “I will make overtures to Xavier.”
“Don't worry, we often don't understand it either,” Trish said with a laugh.
“As far as Xavier, well that's a tough call. I can tell you he's a great man and wonderful friend. He's good, too. Really good if you know what I mean. But whether you should do that with him, that's a personal call. If it were my choice, I don't think you could go wrong with him.”
“I don't know what you mean,” Bahta said.
Trish laughed. “It's a polite way of saying he is very good at sex.”
Their conversation was interrupted.
“This is Lord Marshall Bruce. I need all Marshalls in the C&C immediately,” came Bruce's voice over the speaker.
Trish opened a private comm to Bruce. “Bruce, I'm with Bahta. Is she cleared to attend?”
“No. I need you in the C&C immediately,” Bruce said.
“I have to go. Will you be all right until we are done?” Trish asked.
“I will be fine. Thank you for you being considerate and humoring my clumsy attempts at socialization,” Bahta told her.
“Clumsy? Not at all. You're doing fine. Just remember to use a spoon and fork. While I'm in the meeting, explore the grounds. This is a fascinating place,” Trish told her.
“I will. Thank you again,” Bahta asked.
Trish walked into the C&C as the rest of the Vanguard command was assembled. Bruce and Xavier were finishing a conversation. Bruce looked agitated and Xavier looked annoyed.
“In the middle of the city. What gall,” Bruce said.
“We'll handle them. We have a chance to wipe them out, let's make it final,” Xavier replied.
“As soon as everyone gets here, we'll start,” Bruce said as he sat down and started reading over something on a handheld.
He continued to read while everyone trickled in. Ra and Nefertiti were the last to arrive. Ra was walking but only with the help of leg braces.
Xavier opened a comm to the medical bay. “Hi, Dr. Fox. I need a status update on Boudicca.”
“She can leave tomorrow,” was the reply.
“Can she leave today? We need her,” Xavier replied.
“She's still under my care for twenty-four more hours,” the doctor replied.
“What we need her for won't happen for a few days, but we need her in the C&C for a meeting. Can she leave for a short while? Should be less than an hour. We can't do this over comm and we need everyone here,” Xavier asked him.
“Okay but in an hour, I’m coming for her,” the doctor replied.
A few minutes later Boudicca walked in. She was still in a hospital gown but seemed perfectly fine.
“He's worse than a doting mother. All of his tests were starting to annoy me,” Boudicca told them as she took a seat at the table.
“Thank you all for coming. Let's get started,” Bruce said. He opened a comm to the medical bay. “I'll get right to it.”
“The Blackbirds cracked the ALF's last code. The military has everything. Safehouses, names, every connection. Thanks largely to the work of Sam and Bethany, we have them. Simultaneous strikes on every location they have are going to occur. Arrests are going to be made all the way up to the Senate. They
've been like a hydra up to this point, so every head is going to be cut at once. In four days, the Senate is going to be in session. Before a session, the Senators arrive and go over the agenda in their private offices. That's when the strike happens.”
“The reason we are here is one of the locations is more our domain than the military,” Bruce said as he brought up a map on the main vid screen.
“I think most of you know this city. It's Paris for those of you knew to the century. In the north of the city, just on the edge of one of the craters from WWIV is a warehouse district. It's mainly just a goods distribution point for the manufacturing district. One of those warehouses is a fortified stronghold for the terrorists. They're using the city's transport infrastructure to move weapons.”
“The reason we're involved is not just because of the possibility of civilian casualties ruling out a heavy military assault but also because it's guarded by mages and fey. We don't have complete numbers so this is a risky mission and will be volunteer only. GloCom is asking us to go on a kill mission of extreme prejudice. This is the ALF. They deserve no quarter and no mercy. If you're not inclined to join this mission, please leave now and maintain strict confidentiality about this discussion. Understand, this is a no survivors mission and it is going to be bloody.”
Bruce waited a moment, and no one left.
“I thought as much. We don't have a lot of info. We know where the warehouse is, and we know what its external defenses look like. Inside, however, that's an unknown. The exterior forces are going to be handled by a GloCom assault while we go in through the roof. Our entry will be determined by how well the ground assault goes. If it's clean and the ALF has nothing that can hit the air, we land on the roof. If not, we'll use PEMES and drop in. Either way, we blast through the roof and kill anyone who isn't us.”
“Good,” Trish said. “These assholes have been hurting people for too long. It's time we ended them.”
“I can't agree more,” said Samantha. “This kind of thing makes me wish I had taken up field work instead of stayed in the science division.”
“Anna, since the death of Merlin, Alexander tells me the amulet is dead. Do you feel any residual problems from it?” Bruce asked.
“None. I felt his death and it was like a weight being lifted. Whatever that spell was doing to me it's gone,” Anna told him.
“Good. I want you on board if you feel up to it,” Bruce told her.
“I'm up to it. I hate the ALF as much as anyone in this room. I'm ready for action,” she told him.
“Boudicca, Dr. Fox's reports indicate you're back to normal and he said you're clear to leave his care as of tomorrow. He wants you to get one more good night's rest. Are you ready?” Bruce asked her.
“I am,” she said.
“Good,” Bruce replied.
“Ra, I'm sorry you have to sit this one out. Dr. Fox says you still need time but at the rate your muscles are gaining strength, you should be ready soon,” Bruce told the large man.
“I will be. I have been idle too long. I have never been to Greece and it will be good to see a new place,” he said.
“I would like to provide you with upgrades to some of your weapons,” Alexander told them.
“Can you be more specific?” asked Bruce.
“Your hybrid pistols are one thing you need to replace. You use dual capacity laser emitter and projectile weapons. My security forces use a triple capacity that also incorporates plasma. It doesn't have as long a blast time as the lasers but recharges quickly and in an emergency, can be connected to an external power supply like that on a PEMES for additional shots,” Alexander told them.
“We also have a different version of PEMES. Ours have a more powerful battery supply and external electrical charges that can be activated. Basically, you're a walking stun gun,” Alexander said with a smile.
“The last thing is your blades. Thanks to Morgana's association with the dragons, we secured a small amount of dragon's ore. It was not a lot, but it was enough to make blades in the style of the Wardens. It's more effective than your current versions. I will warn you, don't cut yourself on them. Humans are fey, and it will hurt you as bad as it will other species,” Alexander told them.
“Understood. How long before everything can be ready? Will it be ready for Greece?” asked Bruce.
“My friend, it is ready now. I had my engineers start working on the armor and weapons once Sebastian and Chelsea agreed to train. I'll have it here by nightfall,” Alexander told them.
“Thank you. I don't know the value of your gear, but we'll do whatever our budget allows to repay you,” Bruce said.
“Money is not a concern for me. Winning is,” Alexander told them. “I don't think you really know how wealthy MM has made me. The military pays exorbitantly for their contracts.”
“Anna, your prosthetic is also ready. The clone arm will still need a week or so to finish growing according to my biolab,” Alexander told her.
Anna smiled. “I can't wait. Thank you again.”
“Okay, we've taken enough time so let's get to planning before Fox comes to get Boudicca. Here's what we have on the defenses,” Bruce said as he brought up a schematic of the warehouse.
They spent a few minutes going over their plan which was essentially drop in on the roof, eliminate any roof guards, blow a hole in the roof and kill anything that moves.
“Our GloCom and Warden contingents will be joining us. Each of us will be commanding a group. Based on current strengths, we'll have two Wardens and half a dozen GloCom assigned to each Marshall.
“Michael, you're progressing quickly. I want you to focus on nothing but training until we launch. I want you ready to lead your own group. I want everyone here participating in that training.”
“I want everyone reviewing Warden and GloCom personnel as well. I want the team selected based first on loyalty. We do not suspect anyone on these grounds to be associated with the ALF but that's not true for all our facilities. There are going to be Wardens and GloCom arrested during this purge. Let's make sure that anyone who has our backs actually has our backs.”
“This should go without saying but I'm going to say it anyway. This is classified. There is to be absolutely no discussion of this outside of this room. The element of surprise is paramount. As you're picking teams, tell them it's for a classified, high-risk mission but you can't tell them any more than that.”
“We'll have one more planning session before we launch. Have a good night everyone,” Bruce said.
#
Malka's knees buckled as she pushed up against the massive scaled foot that was pressing down on her. Her entire body strained as she poured every ounce of magic she could into her strength. She managed to laboriously push the foot upwards until her legs were straight.
Asala laughed at the struggling woman, blue flame trickling from her nose and mouth as she did.
“You know that smells like brimstone, right?” Malka asked as Asala withdrew her foot and spun around slapping the much smaller creature with her long tail and sending the princess up into the air with a solid thud when the tail made an impact.
“With all of the strange odors humans emit how can you even distinguish one more?” Asala asked her.
Malka gained control of her momentum and landed on her feet, jumping through the air like a spear into Asala's head. She grabbed the great wyrm by a horn and perched on top of the dragon's head. She slammed her fist down, into the top of Asala's head, channeling magic into the punch as she did so. Asala stumbled and shook her head, throwing the small woman off her and onto the ground.
A spear flew to Malka's hand and she ran forward, ducking and rolling to get under the dragon. As she did so, Asala brought a large clawed foot down on top of the woman, much faster than Malka predicted the dragon could move, and pinned her face down on the hard stone.
“I'm going to have a headache all day now from that punch,” Asala told her.
“If I had a head like that and it did
n't hurt, I would see a healer,” Malka told her friend then teleported as she laughed.
“Where did you go, little human?” Asala asked.
“Where you least expect,” was the reply coming from in front of the dragon as she appeared a few dozen feet away.
“You would teleport willingly into the path of a dragon's greatest weapon? You need to gain better control of your teleportation. That mistake will cost you,” Asala said as a torrent of blue flame poured forth at Malka.
“And for you to assume it was an accident will cost you,” Malka replied as the flames went around an invisible barrier and Malka started sending waves of force at Asala. The dragon resisted at first but was slowly driven back until she flipped head over heels away from Malka.
“I see Baldric's influence in your magic,” Asala said as she landed. “That is enough for today. I have to meet with my father soon.”
“He did teach me that. Baldric is strong. I learn all I can from him and you and Doga,” Malka replied.
“That is good but don't simply seek to emulate others. Forge your own path. A good wizard can use any strategy. A great one creates their own. Remember that. Until next time,” Asala said as she flew off.
Baldric teleported to Malka's side as Asala flew off. “She's right. The only thing holding you back is you. When you find yourself, embrace your own inner self and stop looking to others to emulate and then you'll be ready for the final tests. Not everything can be taught. Some things you must discover for yourself.”
“Yes, Archmage Baldric Reagent-to-be,” she said. “As you order it, Commander.” She bowed a deep curtsy and stood up.
“Now you're just mocking me,” he said.
“Of course, I am. I'm your wife, it's my job,” she said laughing and stuck her tongue out at him.
“The world could crumble to dust and the universe die and I will never tire of your laughter,” he told her.
“Nor I of yours,” she said with a devilish grin and put her arms around his neck.
“Oh, would I wish that we have time for more pleasant things, but I have sworn duties I must uphold, and your training is one of them,” he said as he swept her feet out from under her and a wave of energy hit the ground near her, cracking the stone as she rolled away.
The Vanguard Page 42
