A SPARTAN'S WAR

ULU REAPER

ENTERING SOLMAR SYSTEM

TIME TO SOLMAR COLONY: THIRTY-SEVEN MINUTES

"…go over this one more time." Lisisa was speaking to the group in the landing bay of the REAPER. "The KADEN will carry the bulk of the Spartan company; the rest will be split up between two STRIKERs. I'm holding one in reserve and to act as an escort. Kelelm… you and your people will be on my STRIKER with Jeth and I and will go in with Eotharon and the other seven Durcunusaan that are accompanying us."

Kelelm nodded his head now dressed in the Mark V ArmorPly body armor and delighting in the ability to extend and retract the additional Dragon Armor. He hadn't stopped playing with it until just recently. "We will help Eotharon to secure a landing zone if it is determine it is needed."

Lisisa nodded. "If I know my brother, he probably has already established some sort of central point and has scouts out watching the Kavalians." She spoke looking at the chart of the planet. "The settlements for this colony were all centrally located within a hundred kilometers of this massive waterfall where they were getting most of their power from. The REAPER will remain out of the immediate planetary exclusion zone and we'll go in with our ships. We'll make contact with Andro and then move to his location."

"Why not just move right in?" Kelelm asked.

Lisisa looked at him with a small smile. "The last time a pilot tried to enter my brother's airspace without telling him first, they nearly got their asses blown out of the sky. When they landed he about chewed the poor girl up and spit her out."

Kelelm nodded. "I see." He stated. "I think I'm glad it wasn't me."

Lisisa chuckled. "It was our sister Normya so it wasn't that bad." She answered. "Jeth and I should have been able to contact him within Mindvoice by now… we can feel them but we can't penetrate their shields which tells me something is going on." Lisisa said.

"You would… you would be able to feel and speak with him even from this distance?" Harira asked with surprise in her eyes.

"Feel him yes. Speak with him no. Not unless he and Dorian lower their MV shields. No one but Sadi or one of his other mates would be able to penetrate his shields as high as they are now." Lisisa answered. "If we can sense him, then I know he feels us. He's not contacting us for a reason."

Aleatia looked at her from beside Sehri. "We have only just entered the planetary system Lisisa. We have… we have trouble reaching someone on the other side of our planet using our Etheric abilities and you would be able to speak with him now? That is amazing."

"Unfortunately it's not helping us right now." Lisisa snapped impatiently as she looked at the map on the table.

Sehri trembled just a little as the overwhelming Mindvoice resonance rushed through her and caused warmth to spread through her young body. She shivered in incredible delight as an aura more powerful than anything she had ever felt in her young life, far more powerful than even her own father, greeted her with sincere tenderness and… and desire as it skipped along her shields. The power and aura she sensed could have easily overwhelmed her shields yet it only swarmed around her mind letting her know it was seeking to communicate with her. Sehri didn't hesitate and lowered her shields enough to allow what the aura sought. She gasped softly as her body then reacted in a way it never had before, the nipples of her medium sized breasts becoming instantly hard and aroused, far more than she had ever been able to illicit by her own ministrations. It also caused her scent to spike very high which caused her mother to glance at her with wide eyes and some of the younger Durcunusaan troops to shift uncomfortably when they smelled her. The word had already come down however, and Sehri was off limits to any unmated male on the ship for she had already chosen who she would give herself to.

"Sehri?" Aleatia questioned.

"He… Andro says to stand by… stand by for a data burst." Sehri stammered as Lisisa's eyes grew wide and she looked at Sehri.

Lisisa moved away from the portable chart table. "He is… he's talking to you Sehri?" She gasped.

Harira looked at Sehri with wide eyes as well. "How is that possible?" She gasped.

Aleatia gripped Sehri's arms. "Sehri?"

"They are… they are going to mount an attack." Sehri continued her glaucous colored blue eyes wide and expressing sincere delight at what she felt within her. "He says… he says the situation on the surface has changed somewhat and he is sending you a data burst so that you know what he needs you to do." Sehri blinked at her. "He is also very angry Lisisa. I can feel his… his rage."

"At me?" Lisisa asked somewhat worried. She truly did not want to be on the receiving end of a verbal reprimand from her brother.

Sehri shook her head quickly. "No… something the Kavalians… something your enemies have done." Sehri blinked several times again. "He is only a little angry at you."

The internal COM system on the REAPER activated and Lunerr's voice filled the landing bay surprising them all.

"Princess… we are receiving a data burst from Prince Androcles's STRIKER on the surface." Lunerr's voice echoed. "We have updated Intel! Forwarding it to you now. They are preparing to attack a static Kavalian position and..."

Lisisa winced slightly at the sound of his voice. "Lunerr… route the data stream to the portable Chart Table and then standby!" She barked.

"Wait Lisisa!" Sehri gasped. "He is… he is moving away from the others with your brother and…"

Hello Lisi! Andro and Dorian's voices filled hers and Jeth's minds and this caused Jeth to move his massive bulk closer to her. Lisisa released a loud sigh of relief and gripped the edges of the table as she felt the connection expand to include all those capable of Mindvoicing at a Tier Six level and both her brother's auras embraced her warmly. She glanced quickly at Aleatia and Harira and saw their eyes wide in disbelief at the clarity of the connection and the incredible focus.

Andro. Dorian. You are… you are safe? Lisisa asked.

Ah… well if your definition of safe is being on a planet full of Kavalians wanting to kill us… sure. Andro answered her flippantly. We're cozy as hell. Did you bring the popcorn?

Midaeus! Lisisa spat. Andro what is going on?

Lisisa… what are you doing here? Andro asked her. You are supposed to be escorting the Rothryn delegation to Earth.

We intercepted Sa'sur's transmissions. Lisisa answered. You can yell at me later but for now I have another company of Spartans, Jeth and I. What's going on Andro? She asked him again.

To paraphrase father… things are Fubar arande. Andro told her. Link your P1 into whatever data disc Lunerr is downloading to. We are lifting off in a few minutes so check your P1 while you infiltrate. Send all of the Spartans with you to the Alpha site and have them begin prepping additional defensive sites and expanding the perimeter we have already established. Tell your pilots to stay below sensor level and under Shroud until you get there. You'll see where we are heading and I want you and Jeth above us once Dorian and I hit the camp. Burn anything that gets out of our circle Lisi. No prisoners. The civilians, roughly five hundred of them, have all been herded into the main auditorium building in the center of the settlement so friendly fire is not a concern.

Andro… Lisi began.

What I'm going to do will either work or it won't arande. If it doesn't… there will be time for one Op with our combined force to pull as many civilians off this colony as we can. The rest we will need to leave. Andro told her. Sa'sur and Vengal will not get here in time for us to save them. There are too many Kavalians on the planet and the Puma Bane Commander is a mean motherfucker.

And slightly pissed off that we took out ten of his precious Puma Bane troops! Dorian added. Though the word slightly might be a bit of an understatement.

Sibfla! Lisisa swore.

Have Lunerr maintain his current position. Andro continued. If this goes to hell, we'll come to him. And Lisi… they probably have T19s deployed so be mindful of your position above the settlement. Dorian and I will take out as many as we see… just watch your ass. Deni will kill me if you get hurt.

Yes… and I prefer to continue living since I have only been around a few months now and there is much I would like to experience. Dorian chimed in.

Lisi nodded with a smile at hearing Dorian and feeling how powerful he had become. If she was any judge, these last weeks with Andro and the training he had given him had brought Dorian on a level with her. Understood. We'll see you in less than thirty.

Eotharon didn't hesitate once Androcles ended the connection. He spun around and began barking orders at the top of his lungs throwing Durcunusaan and regular Spartans into action before the first order died away.

Lisi looked at Kelelm first. "This is not going to be pretty. It's much worse than I thought Colonel. You and your men can tag along to observe but no leaving the STRIKER unless we are on the ground and out of the shooting."

Kelelm moved closer. "Three of my men are excellent sharpshooters." He offered. "I know why your brother wishes for you to stop any from escaping his attack. Give us sniper rifles and we can help."

Lisisa shook her head. "This is not your war and I'm not going to involve you!" She hissed.

Kelelm shook his head. "We may call ourselves Rothryn but we are Lycavorian!" Kelelm shouted passionately drawing the attention of many Durcunusaan and regular Spartans who were close enough to hear him. "We carry the same blood as you within us! It does not matter to me that we can not shift… we are still Lycavorian! This is now as much our war as it is yours! You can't begin to imagine how long we have waited for this day to come Princess. I will not sit by while other Lycavorians risk their lives! Not when I can act!"

"Kelelm!" Harira barked at him.

Aleatia looked at Sehri quickly and then to Lisisa. "My son is correct Lisisa." She spoke softly. "I know what my mate would do in this instance. We have… we have waited far too long for this day to come to turn our heads the other way while our people die."

"Lady Aleatia… this… these are not our people!" Harira protested.

"Aren't they Harira?" Aleatia spoke. "We can not shift our forms as they can as my son has said, but that is the only difference between us! That is the only discernible difference! I know Dyack embraced the Prophecy when he saw the results of the DNA tests! This is what he would do without thinking! It is why he was so eager to help Denali and the Protectorate! We have discovered our future Harira!"

"This is not right!" Harira spat. "I can not allow you to do this! We are not warriors!"

"But we are Shaman Master." Kelelm answered looking at Lisisa evenly. "We are with you Princess!"

Aleatia took Sehri's arm. "Sehri… we must get out of their way."

"Mother… I want to go!" Sehri hissed.

"No! Are you crazy child?" Aleatia snapped quickly. "This is best left to those who know what battle is!"

"I know what…" Sehri began to protest. "He is…"

"No!" Aleatia snapped once more as she pulled Sehri out of the way of the troops. "Go with the gods Kelelm. We will see you soon."

Kelelm nodded to his mother. "And you mother."

"No!" Sehri protested. "I want to go!"

Kelelm turned to Lisisa. "Princess?"

Lisisa shook her head. "Sibfla… he's already going to chew my mida for bringing you." She snapped. "Eotharon! Get them four H40s. High velocity armor piercing rounds. We don't know what kind of armor the Kavalians will have! Better safe than sorry!"

Kelelm nodded. "Excellent choice!"

"Follow me." Eotharon said with a smile.