A SPARTAN'S WAR

FEBRUARY 4TH, 2575, 0430 HRS EST

"…miss you Lisi." Denali spoke from within the holographic communication. "I'm kicking myself for having you go with them."

Lisisa was inside the secure COM center, the REAPER equipped with the newest and most advanced Quantum based Holo Communications Projectors. Similar to what was standard on all of the ARIZONA-Class warships and the SCIMITAR. The images were not as clear as they could be because of the distance involved, but unknown to all but a few, the new QHCP arrays allowed for direct communication over distances previously thought impossible. The Quantum based technology sent the signals through mini worm holes formed and detectable only with special sensors. These sensors were equipped only on a handful of ships at the moment as Ben and the others at Dreamland worked out the details of mass production and installation within the thousands of Union warships. Only the Block One and Block Two ARIZONA-Class Ships, the new VANGUARD MK III INTERDICTION Cruisers and the newer MOONLANCER-B-Class Battle Cruisers were equipped with the QHCP. Outside of those ships, only the LEONIDAS IIAs assigned to the Royal Family were equipped with them. Namely the ARCHDEMON and the REAPER.

Lisisa Leonidas smiled at Deni's words for she could feel the emotion in them. Lisisa knew how Denali felt for her as his wife and mate and how she felt for him. They would never be the same without each other, especially with Arduri now sharing their lives and their future. Something that both of them relished.

"You have Duri to sate your desires Denali." Lisisa sent the jab at him.

Denali rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean." He hissed. "And Arduri isn't too happy with me that I sent you away either."

Lisisa smiled at his image. "I miss you both terribly. We… we have never been this far apart from each other you know." She said.

Deni nodded. "And we won't ever be again once you return." He stated confidently. "Lisisa I want…"

"This was the right decision Deni and you know it." Lisisa said. "Having me here with the Rothryn Delegation will speed their transition once we get to Earth and get them to see Andro that much more quickly. I know that my love. I figure at least three days of suitable body worshiping of me and Arduri when I return should make up for it."

"Say a week and you have a deal." Denali told her and Lisisa laughed.

"I'll hold you to that." She exclaimed with delight. Just seeing his face and hearing his voice was enough for now to chase away the loneliness she felt. Something he had been able to do from their very first moment together. Their love making the last few weeks had been incredibly intense and passionate. Denali almost never seemed to tire of her or Arduri for that matter. She had a sense of why this was and it filled her with even more love for the much younger man who was now her husband and mate. There had been times at the very beginning of their relationship when Lisisa fought within her mind at what they were doing. They were related and he was so much younger than her. Nearly five hundred years younger. Lisisa was no stranger to men, but Denali could do to her what no man ever could. His aura was so powerful and controlled he could make the wolf blood within her quiver with a simple caress of his aura on her. No Lycavorian who she had bedded since returning from Lycavore had ever been able to elicit those kinds of emotions and feelings. Denali didn't just make love to her, her possessed her very being. And it certainly helped that his body could have been chiseled from granite and he was incredibly gifted within the cock department, not to mention that he tasted delicious.

It took several days for Lisisa to realize that Denali, like Andro, had been imprinted with the memories of their father and mother. Though he outwardly did not show it very often and it was not as profound an imprint on him as it was on Andro, Denali was far wiser and intelligent than he let on. When Lisisa finally allowed herself to recognize all of these things about the man who had so swept her up into his embrace, that was when the true blissful pleasure and feelings of devotion came rippling forth. She had not looked back since.

"Where is Duri?" She asked finally.

"She is with Coren and Caliria at her apartment finalizing the details of Dyack's plan with him." Denali answered. "Hopefully it will be sufficient to bring about the results we want for when Andro arrives. You should be almost to Earth yes?"

Lisisa nodded. "We made our last HMFC jump seven hours ago. We'll be crossing the border into Union space in forty minutes or so. Once there we can use the Gates and be to Earth by morning."

"Lisisa… make sure to remind Andro to bring Zarah and Lucia with him when he comes." Denali said. "Having to listen to Dutkne bellyache much more will send me into a fit of anger."

Lisisa laughed. "He's gotten worse I know." She said.

"He never stops asking me questions about them." Deni told her. "What do they like to eat? To drink? Their favorite flower? Argh… it drives me insane!"

"Deni… he knows what…" Lisisa began to ask.

Denali nodded. "Yes. He doesn't care. He told me he would wait for thousands of years until she was ready. And he would remain at her side regardless if she did not."

Lisisa was impressed. "He is… he is that taken with them?"

Denali nodded. "He said he felt it long before he ever came here but he could never explain it. Then seeing them together on Earth, what they could do together as they were searching for Janae? It is more than just being taken with them Lisi… in his own way it is what I feel for you and now Arduri. What Andro feels for Sadi and the others? It is powerful and will never go away."

Lisisa nodded. "Good." She said softly. "Perhaps seeing this will allow our sister to be able to one day have what she so desires."

Deni nodded "Avoi." He said.

Lisisa's head lifted as a voice intruded upon their communication. "Princess Lisisa please report to the bridge immediately! Princess Lisisa to the bridge immediately!" The internal ship COM sang out.

"Deni… I must go my love." Lisisa said getting to her feet.

"Contact me from Dragon Mountain after you are settled." He told her. "The QHCP emitters there will make our connection much clearer."

"I love you Denali Leonidas my husband and mate." Lisisa told him.

Deni smiled. "And I love you Lisisa Leonidas… my beautiful wife and mate."

"I will see you soon." Lisisa said before reaching down to the holographic table and touching the solid panel. The QHCP communication ended then and she was within the much smaller room on the REAPER. She turned quickly and headed for the bridge.

Lisisa strode onto the bridge confidently and watched the REAPER'S Captain rise from his command chair. The door to the opposite side of the bridge also opened and she watched as Aleatia, Harira, Kelelm and Sehri entered with two Durcunusaan officers. She glanced at them for a brief moment and then looked at the Elven Captain of the REAPER.

"Lunerr?" She asked as she came up next to him.

"I sent for them Princess." He said as the Durcunusaan brought them up to where they stood.

"Why?" Lisisa asked.

"Their presence among us might affect your decision." Lunerr told her.

"My decision on what?" Lisisa asked.

Lunerr motioned with his hand. "You should probably see this." He spoke as he led all of them over the plot table and touched several portions of the holographic control panel. "I tapped into the SUCOM arrays when we arrived back in the Alpha Quadrant. This came over the secure Durcunusaan channel seven and a half hours ago. I just discovered it."

Lisisa watched as Sa'sur's face appeared.

"…ULU SCIMITAR. I am declaring a Crimson Storm Protocol Two Five. Prince Androcles Leonidas is groundside on the Bontawillian Colony of Solmar with Prince Dorian. Kavalian ground and air forces are now in control of the planet. I am ordering an immediate deployment of the SCIMITAR's Strike Wing to my current location. This is a Level Nine Command Authority deployment. I am ordering activation of the primary Durcunusaan Ready Division and preparation of Union forces for immediate covert deployment to the region. Verify confirmation of deployment on this channel."

"Captain Sa'sur this is Durcunusaan command." The male voice broke in. "Confirm with Command Codes your last."

"SCIMITAR, Gamma Alpha One four seven nine." Sa'sur answered.

"Codes confirmed Captain." The voice answered. "Initiating activation per your orders! Your status?"

"SCIMITAR has withdrawn at Androcles's order to Bontawillian space. Coordinates seven three nine one two point six. Primary mission went to sibfla nine hours in. Unknown at this time mission status. Kavalian forces have occupied all settlements on Solmar and taken down the main power grid. Confirmed thirty-seven Kavalian ships entering the system as we departed. Spartan company has been deployed with our remaining STRIKERs and KADENs to Andro's position on the surface. They appear to be attempting to set up a forward staging area. Large number of Kavalian ground forces were entering system as we departed and they will be landing by now. I estimate two divisions at least by the number of DAGGER-Class Troop ships. Are you getting this?"

"Affirmative Captain Sa'sur." The voice answered. "Priority alert has already gone out to General Vengal and the DRF. He received your preliminary alert three hours ago and the deployment has already begun."

"This cannot hit the open airwaves!" Sa'sur spoke. "If the Kavalians find out Andro is on the surface they will commit everything to taking him out! I need the Durcunusaan Ready Force moving within hours. Covert deployment. General Vengal will know the drill."

Lunerr looked at Lisisa. "By now the DRF will have begun moving to their staging areas on Earth for deployment Princess. And whatever other assets the General believes he can get off the planet without alerting the Netnews to an unscheduled deployment."

"Sa'sur's position is just inside the Bontawillian border." Lisisa stated looking at the star chart. "How soon before the additional forces reach her location?"

"It is 2200 hours on Earth now. If they are able to begin moving by morning… thirty-six hours." He answered. "Then another twelve back to Solmar. There are no Gates they can use to get them there faster and only the SCIMITAR's Strike Wing has HMFC engines."

"Nubou!" Lisisa swore turning away for a moment as her mind shuffled through dozens of scenarios.

"Princess… we are only nine hours from Solmar." Lunerr told her watching Lisisa turn to look at him. "We have three hundred Spartans we can put groundside along with yourself and Jeth. That would be four hundred and fifty Spartans and three dragons." He looked at where Aleatia and the others stood. "There is a slight problem however."

Kelelm knew immediately what he meant and he looked at his mother who still appeared somewhat confused at what was happening. "Us." He told her.

"Us?" Aleatia asked.

"You are a Political Delegation Lady Aleatia." Lunerr told her. "The Lycavorian Union Chapter specifically states that endangering the welfare of a Political Delegation is punishable with severe consequences."

Sehri looked at her. "Mother… we have to help!" She declared.

Harira stepped forward. "That would not be advisable." She stated. "With the exception of Kelelm and his detachment, none of us have seen combat. Even if we remained on this ship we would still be in danger."

"The Kavalians would never be able to detect us with our Shrouds." Lunerr spoke. "We could remain at a safe distance from the planet itself and simply act as a relay Princess."

Harira looked at Lunerr. "That woman said there were upwards of two divisions on the planet. I am not completely unknowledgeable in military affairs Captain. What is the number of a… what do you call them… Kavalians. How many in one of their divisions?"

Lunerr shrugged. "Between twenty and thirty thousand depending on composition of the division." He replied.

Harira's eyes grew wide. "Thirty thousand!" She gasped. "Against four hundred? That is suicide!"

"Actually it would be closer to sixty thousand if there are two divisions." Lunerr told her.

"How many civilians on Solmar?" Lisisa asked.

"The settlement has a population of nearly twenty thousand." Lunerr answered. "Mostly Bontawillian, elven and human engineers and teraformers. According to colony logs… they were planning to begin expansion onto the southern continent next month."

Lisisa looked at him. "The only reason Andro and Dorian would have remained is to try and help the civilians." She stated.

"Help them do what?" Harira stammered.

"Move as many of them to a central point for evacuation." Lunerr answered her. "Make no mistake Lady Harira… when Sa'sur returns with Union forces… there will be a battle. We will not leave civilians to the mercies of the Kavalians for any reason. Not if there is a chance to get them out. Once the Union task force arrives, the evacuation of civilians will be their main priority."

Sehri looked at her mother once more. "Mother… it is Andro!" She exclaimed. "We have to…"

"Sehri child… you are not thinking rationally." Harira spoke.

Sehri's head snapped around. "I'm thinking completely rationally!" She barked at the Shaman Master. Harira's eyes grew a little wider at the obvious emotion and anger within her response.

Lisisa looked at Lunerr. "Do we have enough ships to load out our Spartans and you can continue to Earth with Lady Aleatia and the others?"

Lunerr shook his head. "No. We have only three STRIKERs and one KADEN on board Princess. You wouldn't be able to take more than two hundred and all of their gear."

"Then I'll take what I can." Lisisa answered. "You will continue on with the Rothryn Delegation to Earth."

"No." Aleatia spoke finally as she looked at Lisisa.

"I can't risk your safety." Lisisa told her. "It would not be right… this is not your war. And my Tenna Deia would have my ass if I did. Andro too probably."

Aleatia took a deep breath. "I believe I know what my husband and mate would do." Aleatia spoke. "We came with you to meet your brother Androcles and discover all we could about not only our past but our future as well. If Androcles… if your brother dies on this planet then our mission will have failed in every way. I am not willing to allow that and I don't believe Dyack would be either."

"Lady Aleatia this is crazy!" Harira said. "His father still lives! Our mission will not have failed!"

Aleatia looked at her. "Androcles Leonidas is the one who began this odyssey for us by allowing us to compare our DNA with his and his brother Denali. He made the first overture with little knowledge of us or our people Harira. I'd say that is an incredible leap of faith."

Harira nodded. "Yes it is."

Aleatia turned to Lisisa. "Your brother… he obviously believes deeply in faith does he not Princess Lisisa?"

Lisisa nodded. "He doesn't show it at times but yes… he does. Very much so." She answered honestly.

Aleatia nodded. "Then we will do no less." She spoke. "Something tells me when he discovers we are among you…" Aleatia looked at Sehri. "He will insure our safety as well as the civilians he is trying to save. And my son and his men are not without experience in this kind of situation either." She turned back to Lisisa. "We will accompany you and the Rothryn people will not hold you responsible for anything that might happen Princess."

Lisisa didn't hesitate and she turned to Lunerr. "Plot the course and get us there as quickly as you can Lunerr."

The elven Captain nodded. "Consider it done." He said.

Lisisa turned to the Durcunusaan soldier closest to them. "Enomotarch… you will take…"

Kelelm looked at her. "I am a Colonel within our military Princess." He stated.

"You will take Colonel Kelelm and his detachment and outfit them with our equipment and primary weapons." Lisisa said. "Have Eotharon alter ship board access for Lady Aleatia and her daughters to allow them to be on the bridge once we arrive."

"As you order Princess." The man said.

Lisisa looked at her. "If events begin to spiral out of our control Lady Aleatia… Captain Lunerr will leave the system and bring you to Earth."

Aleatia nodded. "I understand." She said.