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THE FATHER DRAKE

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A BOOK BY William Morris/Cyberhorn This story is copyrighted. By all available laws so don't go getting any silly ideas

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This story will be a...strange one, something brought on by my DESIRE to be a father and the unfortunate fact that males cant do/be more to/for there children than just father. If you start to read this keep at it you have to follow the path to reach the ridge to see the lands beyond it

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The Journey is all of it

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"But that's not a dragon of human legend" "no but she loved the ring... and said to me I was her Cyberhorn I was her unicorn. The white stallion that came to show her love and peace, Pain changed the unicorn my friend. The rage of seeing my friends and crew engulfed in flames then finding out the light in my life had been killed." Closing his eyes tightly "A rage an anger welled up inside it burned away the gentleness and purity, leaving the dragon of pain and sorrow" his eyes showed the cold inside his soul and the Droggin now knew why this human would never truly lose anything

He had already died

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Prologue

Two shadowy figures slipped through the spring grain giggling and laughing softly in the moonlight meant for young lovers heading for the woods on the edge of the farm The farm one of many the colony had around the main spaceport and city it was an old farm handed down through the generations

William looked into Amy's eyes as they defied the traditions of hand fasting for young adults, which hadn't made much sense in their case as they had been best friends for all their lives and he had recently returned home to marry her after being sent a message by their fathers that they had decided it was time. For him it had been a welcome message and gladly returned home from the second home he had known where he had learned to be a fighter, a warrior.

They had been formerly introduced while elders of both families watched (some with more than a lot of trepidation) they were hand fasted and then separated she had through a sister sent him a note of hope and promise that he should meet her in the north field in two days

There he met her and they kissed joyously finally able to openly show the love they had held for each other. Though sometimes separated for many years while he went to the academy and worked jobs for fleet, it hadn't diminished

With a silent question she asked him to follow and he did willingly eager to show her how much he truly loved her. They finally reached the woods and fell laughing into the grasses and softly glowing night flowers

She looked down at him the moons light shadowing her face "so my lover, father says you have taken the position at the fleet base. Good pay and medical? for our future needs"

He nodded looking up into her eyes she smiled then she got a questioning look as it continued on for several long moments

"What?"

"Just looking"

She smiled and giggled, "looking at what?"

"Into the eyes of a gorgeous angel who has fallen from heaven into the arms of this dragon, for only your angelic light which radiates from inside your eyes can tame me"

"No my love you are a unicorn, my white night, the hero who has come to save me from the boring dreary life of a farmers wife"

They both laughed knowing that is exactly what they wanted anyhow

They slowly moved closer to finally seal the future thus completely breaking the rules but this was meant for them.

Both yelped in surprise covering their eyes as a pair of bright spotlights shone down from hover trucks and Williams father shouted out as did Amy's' she sighed and smiled hugging him close

"I don't mind now my Cyberhorn, you came and were willing, I know you love me with all your heart I know we will be together for all our lives even unto death" with that she let go of him and went to her fathers truck

Williams father called him again but not with much force, he knew why his son had come to this meeting and could agree with it only in his heart as he himself disliked the old ways..

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As man made his way into space he made friends and his (her) share of enemies but for once it was an accident not mans itchy trigger finger that brought the earth and her allies into a conflict with the droggin a semi reptilian race

In June 2243 AD, an earth fleet just finished with a routing of a pirate band in a friends sector of space, the 22nd light cruiser fleet. Was about to head home for leave when a large group of signals bounced back and forth across the system the admiral noting immediately that the ten fighting five re-supply ship fleet in his command was totally surrounded.

He did the most prudent thing a fleet commander could do, He retreated from this unknown threat until he could get some kind of idea as to what was going on.

He immediately called for flank speed away and down through the elliptic plane of the system signaling to the planet what was going on and that he was heading through what was the only clear area to open space. The supply ships fell behind their gun cover and immediately turned to the nearest asteroids to gain protection from the rocks.

The destroyer escorts, six in number, started getting conflicting signals from directly ahead two altered course also heading for cover.

The admiral was furious, barking orders at the ships to rejoin the formation they got collision alarms he turned to face the main screen and saw a huge mass bigger than twenty battle ships in tonnage then he disappeared into a white hot flare as his ship collided with it.

As did all but one of the cruisers with his, it turned enough to just slide Grinding sparks along the huge hull that had appeared directly in front of them.

The cruisers main power died backups came online but only able to give him rudimentary systems the commander was trying desperately to get some idea as to this huge mass getting information about engines and gun emplacements along its hull he stood there stunned.

"Your telling me it's a ship! Good god almighty it's the size of a moon"

He turned to his second in command to issue an order while crew rushed to get fires and explosions under control the ship was gone an instant later vaporized by a single blast from a cannon along the hull of the massive ship they had hit.

The destroyers who had so prudently turned away now were stunned as this huge moon sized ship moved on into the system, and how it had vaporized the stricken cruiser with one volley from a side main cannon but it was limping clearly dying.

It was losing to the pull of the systems sun far distant in the systems interior. The huge amount of damage the cruisers had inflicted, running into it at flank speed was clearly fatal already smaller ships were leaving Her abandoning it for the safety of other ships just now coming into scan range.

Fires were bursting from her hull and the massive engines died going cold clearly the impacts had started some kind of immense chain reaction in her systems as huge balls of plasma and fire raged along the surface the incredible guns along its surface bursting from their mounts flying off into space.

One destroyer captain decided this was an excellent time to get away while the unknown ships were busy with the rescue efforts going on with the moon ship.

The moment his ship moved from cover of an asteroid, an escort of the dying moon launched what could have been best described as space based torpedoes. They closed the gap as he tried every maneuver at full power to shake them.

His crew fighting desperately to keep the weapons away from their ship all guns firing behind them to try and hit the cylinders determined on their end, they were avoiding the fire and countermeasures that any other similar weapon would have fallen to.

The captain yelled for another change in direction and the crew shifted in their harnesses and seats shouting as the torpedoes shifted behind them closing the distance even more

She got mad as she heard the distance lessen even more and then another voice called out that two more were approaching from another direction ahead of them "if we cant run from them then were going to take it to them! Change course to collide with the nearest enemy ship! I want ramming speed!"

They died trying to lead them back to the nearest ship as the torpedoes gained on them exploding the ship into a huge ball of plasma and glowing metals.

The last destroyer captain took this as a hint to power down and wait and watch.

The huge moon ship drifted and burned, this new fleet numbered in the thousands but only the one ship was so huge, now large chunks of its structure were breaking lose burning gasses dieing out in the cold vacuum of space as it was drifting towards the systems star.

His main tactical showed the supply ships being slaughtered by some kind of fighters now streaming out from the larger carriers and he was getting calls from ships and stations in orbit of the planet now under attack by several dozen

He needed information! Launching his four onboard interceptors from the indications they could beat these new fighters in total speed and maneuverability even perhaps avoid the torpedoes long enough to get that information and get the hell out of here.

"Lieutenant you and your wing run in get all the data you can and run like hell we will be soon as you stir them up"

"Yes sir...good luck"

"You too lieutenant were all going to need it with this"

They made a full power launch and screamed through the fleets formation of ships fired their guns. But could not track them for the speed at full power, the torpedoes soon followed.

The new fighters came up, and came into pursuit the lieutenant nodded to his wing and they all split off dividing the enemy further.

He watched as one by one his wing was killed, the fighters were doing something new the torpedoes were not the problem.

He looked back and went wide eyed as one was ON his ships tail rearing back huge claws readying to rip through the engine cowling.

"Shit!"

Already wearing a space helmet thinking fast he blew the canopy and it smashed into the creatures face ripping it from the ship it tumbled away behind him buying him the time to transmit his data.

"Captain! They look as if they're using some kind of exoskeleton based ship very fast very advanced and dam ugly ...oh god"

The signal died...

The captain sighed seeing they were not in any better situation; torpedoes hit the rocks around them rocking the ship hard the hull taking debris hits from the rock spewing from the explosions

"Fire all guns full spread"

He watched as the data was loaded into an escape pod, and launched as they took hits from all around the pod disappeared into a ball of plasma. He snarled and ordered full volley fire on what looked like a small carrier.

They flew out of the rocks full speed all guns opening fire on the ship ahead, guns all around fired killing the ships' power and they disappeared in the next instant ...

The conflict escalated instantly spreading far and wide into human space.

Earth ships were being slaughtered. Bases left for rubble and stations twisted hulks of junk to be consumed by the raw plasma spewing from the reactors.

When Washington base on the planet of Galgaron got word from the 12th fleet that an enemy landing group was heading for them and they were under heavy fighter attack pulling out for the rendezvous with the 8th and 3rd fleets near epsilon, they would be unable to provide orbital cover fire for the colony and the base.

The base commander immediately moved his main weapons. The hover tanks and artillery to huge mining operations to the north of the base and to hold the high ground. Planet based ion cannons were retracted to cover them for only they could reach orbit no use to lose them in the initial attack.

The civilians were loaded in shuttles; to be evacuated during the battle, all of this was to hopefully buy them time to get clear of the planet.

All while the equipment was being moved the city and base were a flurry of activity. The population of nearby towns and farming outposts were moving to evacuation areas.

He was in an armored transport. Following the 20th division he was running late because of the fact no one had packed the heavy lifting equipment for the tanks.

They had to ride behind the transporter. Looking at his various helpers, all young all scared and so was he.

He heard the sound before most, standing up into the gunners turret he rotated it around seeing their own fighter cover and various air to ground craft go screaming off over head to the north.

"Dam bastards supposed to fly cover over the column"

His communicator earpiece clicked on

"Sergeant"

"Sir?"

"They were, but the commander told them to go to ground we've got indications that their Landers are in final approach. Get a repair area setup ASAP"

"Yes sir" damn, he thought, I forgot this thing was on voice activate

"Just hold the tanks together bill we can do the rest"

"Yes sir. Were not known as the 20th bull heads for nothing."

He was soon pointing various troops to setting up equipment inside a tunnel. He had evicted the artillery crews that had taken refuge inside for their lunch break to a side service shaft.

He walked out and got his glasses straight looking though a long-range scope, looking down from the north shielding mountains.

He could see the dust out on the Darval plains to the southwest of the city and the base watching as another Lander eased down into the dust.

His comm. clicked "Sgt. Morris"

"Sergeant report"

"Repair base is set up sir just don't go sending me half the division all at once the tunnel will fit only one across"

"Good. You had a look yet?"

"Small one... were letting them get the Landers down?"

"67th tried to stop the Landers incoming to get their air cover slaughtered."

He nodded they'd lost contact with the 67th after five days of furious fighting that system and colony fell with no further word from them.

"Umm sergeant did you do what I told you not to"

"What would that be sir? Oh the 'don't leave massive amounts of explosives attached to the repair bays and the engine pits'? Umm No sir..."

He smiled innocently then an evil grin came as he looked off and down towards the command tent

"William" his commander looked up at him from that tent

"Sir?"

"Remind me to bust your chops later" gesturing with a fist towards his direction

"Yes sir!"

He grinned, and watched as the last of the artillery moved into position guns panning round to fix the Landers and the equipment far distant.

The tanks were ready there massive triple main gun turrets and missile launchers at the ready. All were sitting on there 'feet' which were used to protect the skirts of the hover tanks from being crushed.

"Ladies and gents were ready to party."

He looked back at his crew "I want hull repair last, gun and triple A priority."

They all nodded and ran to get it ready he changed to the tank Commanders frequency

"This is the bubble gum bunch. Were ready for you reckless drunk driving tankers to come in with bent and flared skirts; we've got the spit and bailing wire out for this one"

He heard the laughter and got confirmations from various squad commanders

His lieutenant was evacuated from the base hospital still sick with chicken pox not that she made much difference couldn't lead if someone pushed her the right way but the commander knew him from before they had done things together for fleet, things he sometimes regretted, but the commander knew he didn't need the lieutenant.

William sighted in on the dust again seeing his first glimpse of the enemy it wasn't much through the clouds of dust blown up by the ships and tanks as they moved out.

He adjusted his range finder and checked their height

'Some a little over nine foot tall, dam wish I could get a clear look... oh jeez'.

Blinking as one of their tanks came out of the dust, his first thought was of the comparison between the German tiger II and the Sherman from the out set the Sherman was out gunned, and out classed so were they. The only reason the allies won was due to sheer numbers of Sherman's to toss at the tigers

'God I hope we don't have toss people into a meat grinder to win this' he thought

He kept looking as the tanks moved out with infantry along side deep in the dust then he got to see one of their infantry in the clear a squad commander of some kind pointing for various others to move to the left side of a tank several of which knelt down taking fire ready positions.

"Dragons, of all the forms life could take... They look like medieval dragons bipedal. Some with wings some without but... dragons none the less" he shook his head this would indeed be a problem men feared big predators

The order came and the tanks warmed up their cannons this would of course alert the enemy to their presence.

The base started firing it's ion cannons right through the covers, which melted away but they soon would be useless anyhow so the damage would be a moot point, they took out the landing forces orbital support supply ships.

The huge ships devoid of power and so close into the atmosphere they dropped exploding into flames like meteors and came crashing down to the surface in the far distant Hora'chell desert.

One volley of orbital return fire soon robbed the base of that advantage, the ion cannons detonating inside their housings taking the main repair facilities and supply depots with them in a chain reaction which had been planed

but the ion cannons had crippled the landing now they could receive no more support from supplies in space where the humans had taken all they could carry from the base and now gave them no options.

The artillery and tanks opened up and laid them low, enemy tanks detonated as lucky hits scored on power sources and then their air cover came, screaming from the sky straight for the ridgeline and the human defenders.

He dove for the tunnel falling short watched as a dragon flew right in, its wings folding as it slid to a stop claws digging into the plastcrete strafing his men and destroying the equipment. The flames engulfing some, their screams chilled the air

He ran for the nearest tank, which were all firing there anti air guns at other flyers.

Popping a panel open he took manual control of the main turret on the right side and swallowed hard as the dragon walked out of the flames looking right at him raising its weapon to bear on him.

Fear for a moment reared its huge head and there something broke inside him an anger, a pure madness that infects those who fight for their very lives and he roared out at the dragon

"Damn you dragon! Burn in hell!"

Firing the gun at point blank range the tunnel wall behind the dragons huge bulk exploded as the shot shredded through the dragon as a result the concussive blast from the shot hit him and tossed him out over the roadway railing and sent him tumbling down the cliff face.

William awoke to the smell of scrubbed sterilized space ship air and antiseptics, sitting up a little flinching in pain then relaxing back feeling the bruises a nurse came up.

"Well sergeant decided to join the living again did we?" she smiled checking his bandages then making notes on his vitals

"Guess so...how bad?"

"Not to much a piece of dragon armor into the shoulder and a long fall right into a command tent." She grinned gently patting his arm and turned away

He sighed he knew who's command tent it was too...he was in for a serious shit fest

"We won if your wondering sergeant its all through fleet and the colonies" he blinked as she walked away

"We won? Holy blessed tank mainframes".

His commander came by that evening his demeanor was not of a commander who had just won the first engagement against a foe who had been steadily slaughtering the human race system by system or even of a commander who'd had his tent and tables smashed flat by a falling sergeant, but one he'd seen before.

"Hey bill, listen... I was never very good at this..." putting his hand gently on bills arm a small stack of disks in the yellow of death notices in the other

"Master Sergeant William Morris. Of the 15th armored Calvary known as the Rock 'n' a hard place I do here by present you with the medal of valor for self less-ness in the face of a greater foe also your fourth purple heart".

Fleet Admiral Richardson pinned the medals on his chest smoothing out the ribbon, bill saluted waiting for a reply

The admiral looked into his eyes and bill saw a tear there. He shook bills hand then saluted him this was a very public ceremony media everywhere watching for dozens of worlds.

All for fleet and human moral nothing like The Cyberhorn getting a medal, to send to the dragons to give-um something else to worry about. The newest fighter was giving their white shadowy interceptor dragons a serious ass kicking too.

The admiral, bill's one time commander over ten years ago now it had been his duty to tell bill all his family, and his wife to be were killed. As the dragons destroyed their shuttle as it tried to leave orbit.

Bill smiled at him but his old friend turned and walked away. Thus he sighed and looked for the booze time to test it for quality

He was soon smiling slipping a very nice icy cold bottle of ale into his arm sling and it got a huge hand on the same shoulder.

"That little bottle isn't for medicinal purposes is it sergeant" a big burly brute of a lieutenant spoke softly to his ear, his current lieutenant in fact.

"Why yes it is sir, it's nice and cold and feels so good on a swollen arm" smiling innocently at his lieutenant commander and thorn in his side. It was actually helping the pain from the accelerated healing drugs caused on his bone

"Make sure it ends up back into the ice or empty in the trash... not saved for later" walking away he was clearly already drunk and unsteady on his feet bill could only hope he would dump a drink on an admiral while puking his guts out

"Yes Sir-r-r-r-r... shit fer' system resources" he mumbled as he took another and gulped it down quickly enjoying the pure brews one of which was from his home. Well, he thought, former home world he'd sold the remains of the farm as he couldn't tend to its needs and fight too.

Sighing deeply he felt Jim coming a big clue was from the airflow resulting from the salutes as he approached his position.

"Sir!" saluting the admiral politely and crisply.

"Bill, enough of the crap... will you please let me move you to headquarters" setting his empty plate down and glaring at him

William sighed this was the twentieth time this a year, Jim seems to think he owes me some safe spot in this war, he shifted a bit, perhaps he did but it wasn't what he wanted

"Sir I'm"

"And DON'T CALL ME SIR! GOD DAMNIT YOU HARD HEADED" growling as he snatched a drink from a passing tray. He went back to glaring at bill a stare that normally withered captains and vice admirals to jelly

"Last of the 20th division, only survivor of the 44th" the admiral started rant

Bill reflexively put his hand on the shoulder and all the patches that he remembered there.

"Hell the only one of the 11th to escape titan base before... it..."

"Sir, Jim I cant I tried that kind of job. I nearly got court-martialed for insubordination because the captain couldn't be flexible with the supplies" shrugging in futility to the admiral

he sighed and got another ale knowing Jim would be on this tack for a bit

"I'm more valuable to fleet and you... yes you, near the front line who found the weaknesses of the great reds the biggest tanks brought against us till they came up with the black kings." Popping the top open on the reddish ocher highlands ale

"You did" gulping his drink down and snatching a like ale from the ice tossing the glass over his shoulder to smack a captain in the shoulder and fall with a tinkle of glass to the floor the ales lid went popping off into the people with a whiz

"Who started trade relations with a few raiders and free roaming dragons? Mostly for dragon technology we've already put to better use than they thought possible" bill ticked that off on his good hand while his ale was held by the one in the sling.

".... You did". Nodding as he gulped the ale still glaring but it was breaking down

"Who enjoys your wife's fruit cakes so you don't have to eat them." Grinning like a nut with a flourish of a hand to his chest

The admiral broke and guffawed.

"YOU DO you dam insane tanker" slapping bill on the good shoulder

"And? Once the tank is in the blood Jim?" looking at him hopefully

"Tanker you always be ".

Nodding he resigned defeat raising his ale bottle to bill

"To the best admiral in the fleet and the dragon"

"the name they have for me now and forever I guess" Jim nodded and saw the hidden bottle.

"Put it back bill" pointing to the ice

"Aww come on Jim" giving him his best innocent look

Jim tapped the side of his nose with a conspirators look.

"I know it helps on those sleepless nights alone bill honest I do... you've never forgotten her have you" his hardened face broke and the deep concern that had fueled this entire conversation came up showing the admiral was many years younger than he looked.

William sighed and a tear welled up and fell on to the sling

"Please Jim...don't I'm fine honest"

The admiral moved over then he patted his shoulder gripping it, they went off to get drunk

He awoke to the rumble of ships drives in his ears sitting up he groaned holding the contents of his head in as they felt like jell-o that wasn't set firm yet

"Where am I?" blinking he had to get his eyes to clear finally straightening his glasses the bay came into focus

There was some laughter as he looked down from the top of a tank turret the banner above him proclaimed the black cats 13th division

"Not another shanghai transfer...damnit Jim you son-of-a bitch" growling as he got up unsteadily and climbing down the empty ale and scotch bottles rolled clear as he moved

After a lengthy visit to the head and showering, he put the arm back into its sling it was nearly healed, and headed to the commanders quarters trying to remember which fleet the 13th were attached too.

He soon found the door and had his transfer orders from the admiral in hand which had been stuffed into his pocket, his things and tools and a couple cases of his favorite ale were in his room

Knocking he waited

"Come in"

He blinked female Voice? Opening the door, she was sitting behind a desk working on various screens. Slowly looking up at him,

"Ahh sergeant I was starting to wonder if id have to perform a séance to get you here" she smiled politely

He smiled and held out his orders

"Just getting cleaned up sir, master sergeant William Morris reporting for duty"

"The admiral said he'd have to Shanghai you into this one. Nice cozy training group your of course in charge of the mechanics I lost my master sergeant to an unexploded mine. Jim owed me a favor I needed one of the best to get these kids trained so I called in the debt your it"

He sighed nodding he'd expected something along these lines

"And don't think I wont put your can into the brig or ditch digging if you go and pull some of those stunts you've done to get transferred from other units where the lieutenants were asinine, I know all your tricks Cyberhorn I've been studying your files your here for the duration".

"Yes sir" he sighed inwardly the forewarned ones were such a pain to deal with

She smiled and gave him his identity cards, list of troops and such on disk then shook his hand.

"It's a pleasure having you in my command bill, Jim told me once you warm up to the assignment these kids will be the best tankers and mechanics under fire"

"I really must have a talk with him about his wild fantasies" grinning an evil smile

She laughed at his face and dismissed him with a wave going back to her work

He went back to his quarters and unpacked looking out the port hole he could see the mares head nebula.

"Heading for Taurus I'll bet, we just won that world the kids get to see a fresh battlefield" and several will die due to carelessness, thinking as he hung his best uniform up which during his drunk he'd changed out of it had a note stuck into the pocket

"Aww Jim I wish you would go get.... What's it say here... bill yada-yada..." he blinked partly in shock and reread it all.

'Bill listen I'm sorry but had to get you out of the 15th. The commander was gearing up for your court-martial and supposedly had proof of the fact you were a traitor.

I DON'T BELIEVE ONE FUCKING WORD THAT ASS SAYS BUT I had a talk with him, this transfer and his to the second air squad fixes this. I looked at his evidence it's solid but I know you, that one free dragon names Fal'gateor I believe he's kin to one of their fleet advisors. He made a trip to the home world right after meeting with you I know why, that dragon wine you got me for my birthday. Spy core thinks he told them about the status of the 15th and why a week later they hammered a backwater mud ball like Ter-12 and the 15th so to get you gone, and him silent your now with the black cats stay put for a while OKAY! ...Damn heard headed mechanic listen to your friend for once go play wit the kids for a few...Jim

Sighing 'damn people sometimes can't leave things alone, damn ' sighing as he put the rest of his things away

He went out the next morning very early checking the tanks, which were in sorry shape to say the least. Making notes on each unit and its problems

He found one old girl from the remains of the 20th, she'd seen so much action he was surprised to see it still run under its own power

Sighing out a growl as 6 am came and still no troops or there squad leaders much less the corporals and Sergeants! He tapped his comm.

"Ship communications connect me to ship fire control systems" he heard the com clicking over

"Yes sergeant?"

"this is master sergeant William Morris Id like a full test run of the fire alarms and flame suppression systems in oh where am I? bays 2 through 8 and all personnel bunks in that area if you would please."

"This is the! Cyberhorn?" yelled the over eager youth

he sighed thinking no discipline any more...

"Master Sergeant William Morris of the 13th. Thank you, the alarms please or patch me through to the captain so I can lodge a formal request"

"Y-yes sergeant! Activating in 4 seconds"

Bill slipped his cap on to cover his thinning front hair line and stood stone still. As the bays in front of him went wild with lights and bells fire retarding foam filling the bunk areas pouring out with the troopers yelling and near panic.

"fire systems control, cancel the test"

"Yes sir" it clicked off

The lights and foam stopped he climbed up onto a tanks skirt tapping his com to public address in the bay areas the ships crew more than humored but moving away knowing if they laughed it'd get them a taste of the same

. "Well good morning everyone I hope that the dragons enjoyed that easy victory CAUSE I HATE LOSING!" He let that ring in the ears for a second

"All sergeants will report to me in ten minutes squad commanders will get this place cleaned up in thirty all tanks will be ready for an inspection reactors ONLINE I don't do cold tanks, in one hour! Now get to it on the double!!" leaping down from the tank he strode off in a fine mood he hated these kinds of mornings

He sat alone quietly thinking in his office this would make the other sergeants either hate him or support him.

They soon came in and took seats, as he was looking out the port he turned and saw a few their hair still damp from showering.

"I drink dragon kaval I've found it doesn't aggravate my nerves and tastes pleasantly like rich hot chocolate if you'd like coffee it's in the pot please help your selves."

They did clinking spoons and rustling printouts overwhelming the sound of silence.

"Ladies gents I'm not here to undermine your positions nor interfere with how you run your troops but I am here to make those kids into fire blooded danger eating tankers and what I saw this morning was pitiful. Even you have to admit to being flat caught out by the fact that if we were forced to do an emergency drop all them kids and you were toast."

They all nodded softly completely guilty of the very fact they too had relaxed totally

"Contrary to the popular fact that were SUPPOSED TO BE in our controlled sector of the line I have seen single gold wing heavy cruiser and her escorts rip through nice easy troop fleets like this with all the glee of cats finding a box of mice. It's how the 11th armored support unit was destroyed along with the 220th re-supply fleet because they were asleep so soundly when the first trouble hit they slept through it. The hull puncture took them to their final sleep before the rest of the fleet could even respond to the general distress call and abandon ship from the troop ships and carriers"

Sitting down to look at them now paying attention as that one had clearly been forgotten over the past years.

"I have seen more of the replacements that came in die simply because they weren't awake when the time came to move. While with the 29th I saw an entire squad of recruits die under a fire blast from a single lone dragon. Who decided to torch the tents I watched them die people because they didn't know to run like all of hell was on their heals and scatter when people start shouting dragons!".

He took a drink of the highly fragrant dragon coffee, letting out a long sigh reburying the memories to the depths

"Basically we have till we land to get them used to the fact that when shit hits the fan they better be already wearing their helmets before it gets to um".

One held his hand out

"They do get that started in basic"

"Bill is fine people, and that's just it. Basic training is just basic! We have to get them up to graduation quick and alive. First thing I want is the tanks full rebuilds. I even saw one from the 20th my original unit" checking his notes for a moment

"She's junk now hull plates far to heavy for the frame and her reactor is one of the early three series which were under powered to begin with, and only one at that. How'd you get that thing loaded? Pushing it?"

A few grinned then looked away

"Ok then she's spares we'll get another from the field to replace her as for all of them not one has the reflector system what's going through those maniacs in fleet? These tanks could have to fight tomorrow and no reflector shields?"

He made a note to check for reactor upgrades once on planet side.

"Bill there isn't much we can do with them till we land though"

"Wrong, one thing I've learned over the years is the fact that you do fixing while you have um cold and lined up, the ship has very nice machine shops and forges for hull repairs. You'll find a few good greased hands a few bottles of well-placed ale and we'll have full use of the shops at night, and we can get some serious problems fixed ASAP. Possibly some improvements here's a list of the worst units and the repairs needed." Holding out a stack of printouts to the first to his right

"I'm off to see if I can get one of my Sources to rush over with some of the rarer things, and to grease those hands. If any of you have special sources please give me a list of what they can deliver and cost. We may have to do some bargaining to all sides, but when these tanks are unloaded for the move out they'll do it like new ones."

He left them to do the cleaning and went to work in his office

"Communications control"

"Sir?"

"I need a class two unsecured transmission"

"I'll have to get the captains approval sir"

"Understandable." Tapping his fingers on the desk the channel popped open keying in a series of codes he waited.

An image formed of a dragon in the shadows of an already dark room a few flickers of light betraying other holographic monitors active near the face

"Name?" it said with a rolling of syllables a characteristic of Droggin's who did not use English regularly

"Cyberhorn the drake...silver tongued devil you" smiling

A grin formed on the face "hello bill, need something special? Yet again?"

"Of course, new unit no parts" leaning back in his chair

The drake wrinkled his nose in disgust knowing what was coming "much parts and short timing"

"And what were you saying the last time? Little human."

"I wont do this again...yes, but things have changed" he said with mild distaste

"Really? And here I thought I was going to have a protracted bargaining session with you" sitting up

"What is on your list my friend?" saying it with eagerness bill had never seen out of the dragon

"Umm alright sending it now" scanning it for transmit he was more concerned for the fact the dragon was actually eager

He reached down and looked it over tapping with a claw on various places ticking tiny holes in the plastic "yes...yes."

"So you got all that?"

"Yes or I can in a day, it is my price which you may not like" setting the printout aside looking at bill eyes clearly showing concern

Bill leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin "so how bad is my bill drake. I've got a case of ale and six cases of 1999 California Chardonnay"

"No, no my friend. Ale and wine are not going to be the cost. As much as the wine has many lovers on Droggin and I could easily sell them for many credits."

Bill sighed, now he didn't like this conversation

"Information is required, I am sorry I am forced to ask for this by others. Nothing else can I take as payment"

Bill looked at him over his glasses "you know that isn't a good thing to ask for I can't give you that"

"This information you can...information about you...not unit not strengths just, you.... Bad price I tell her. Not force me to ask for this but they, want to know"

Bill knew then someone had put the clamps on his sister and shed put them on him her being a Droggin fleet commander "what kind of information about me..." he needed those parts or this unit was going to be in trouble

The drake blinked being caught off guard "you will give the information?"

"Maybe, you have a list of questions id say" leaning on the arm of his chair with an elbow "it depends on what information they want" emphasis on the they

"Yes a...long one" waiting to see if that would turn him away

Bill figured he knew they wanted to know more about Cyberhorn, his fighting persona the one he terrorized them with..."Ok ol'friend, I'll answer the questions, but only because they have you in a tight spot. If at any time I see the question is not about me I will refuse to answer it is that agreeable?"

The droggin smiled "it will have to satisfy them. You know that it's about you fighting us."

"Thought as much" Bill changed the pitch and tone of his voice to Cyberhorns. "They believe that if they know the only true dragon they can defeat him...they are mistaken".

His friend-shivered scales rising and clicking as he shook "p-please bill, umm "

He smiled and relaxed back to his normal voice "sorry bout that. Special ops have been flooding your peoples Comm. channels with it again I gather?"

"Yes ...far as the Droggin home world it's self"

Bill sighed last thing he had wanted was children terrorized too. However, it was too late now in his best Droggin which was only the common form, not the formal which was incredibly difficult for him to master.

"I give my sadness to you my true friend, my voice is for those who face me on the field of battle. Not friends or children, and was never intended for more. I wish it had never become. Wish it was gone soon from my life" bowing his head to the Droggin

The droggin bowed his head to him "I accept your sadness and understand it. I too do not enjoy war."

Looking up at him "I wish you to know I am recording this for those who wish it, do you answer my questions freely?"

"Yes, I will do so in droggin as much as possible so my answers are clear and understandable to those who wish to know me."

Fal'gateor lifted up a glowing note pad "why do you fight?"

"Duty, to my world, my race and to win" with a gentle nod to the Droggin's image

"What drives you to be so ruthless against droggin?" looking up at him from the pad

"A droggin destroyer your classification is a Faltara class, at the battle of Galgaron. Destroyed an unarmed shuttle filled with noncombatants trying to leave orbit. All of those with my blood, those of the female to be my mate and her, all died, all gone they were given no chance...no mercy the dragon who killed my first unit and nearly me at the battle they had no weapons, But he/she? Killed them any ways I found a weapon, a tank turret I fired on the dragon at point blank range. It was how I got my first Purple Heart."

His voice slipped into Cyberhorns even colder and hateful than before "I give all droggin the chance to run. To turn tail and flee before I have to fight them, it is the fools who stay and fight. They are dragons that wish to challenge this true drake for life. They have not won and will find it harder each time to challenge me thus they die and I live. For that which does not kill you makes you stronger"

His friend shook off the chill and continued, "If given the chance, would you seek peace?"

Bill looked down for a moment the pain and grief screamed in his soul. "Yes, then I could put the souls umm the haatar of my blood and mate to rest and mine could finally"

The droggin blinked now truly understanding. "Do you hate droggin?"

"No" he did not look at the screen

"Can you be friends?"

"Well yes, you and I are good friends. It is the warriors that fight me they must run or die." He smiled at Fal'gateor

"What is your favorite color? It is a question that some believe indicates your souls life, umm it's past"

"I understand, blue green a color of a stone on earth called turquoise. I have a ring it was a gift from her to me" he turned his hand to the image so that the droggin could see it

"Ah yes I've seen this stone. It is not clear?"

"No its not but its not meant to be"

"Thus some will think a cloudy soul, but colorful." He referred to the pad again "I would say, you would want a mate one day?"

"Maybe" after a moment of reflection "perhaps one day."

"If you were captured would you be willing to help droggin find peace with humans?"

"It is my duty to escape, cause the enemy as much problems possible. So, as to limit their resources available to send to the front lines I need to make every effort to escape. But I would like to learn more about droggin and its people. You've shown me some very impressive things my friend"

"So yes?"

"Yes, but given the first chance id escape. Its my duty"

"Could you love a droggin?" he looked at the pad as if he'd read it wrong then looked up at bill.

"Now that's an odd question, why would anyone want to know that?"

"I wonder the same my self. But it is a question they ask"

"Knowing you my friend, I could in time get to be very close to droggin you're a good people. I only wish we knew why this war started why droggin went wild on humans".

"No one has ever told me my friend, not even my sister will say"

"Then how can humans seek peace when we don't know what's wrong. What did this to our races." They sat silent for a moment the silence was like the silence that had tied that secret mystery to the darkness of space, words had to be spoken to break the bonds and then the knowledge would come

"What's next?" breaking the spell he sat up a little

"Umm ahh do you like droggin foods?"

"Yes love the ale, but ooh god what it does to my head." They both smiled

"Why did you choose to call your self Cyberhorn?"

"A favorite picture of my loves was one of a cybernetic unicorn. We saw it at an exposition on robotics it walked around all day. Do to its programming sought out human virgins. Base scans gave it data on the females there if one was unmated it went over to her and gave her a gift. A silver ring with a unicorn etched into the metal. A unicorn has a single horn rising from its head. So a cyber-horn or cybernetic unicorn a Cyberhorn"

"But that's not a dragon of human legend." Fal'gateor looked at him perplexed

"No but she loved the ring, and said to me I was her Cyberhorn I was her unicorn, the white stallion who came to show her love and peace. Pain changed the unicorn my friend, the rage of seeing my friends and crew engulfed in flames. Then finding out the light in my life had been killed." Closing his eyes tightly "A rage, an anger welled up inside me it burned away the gentleness and purity. Leaving the dragon of pain and sorrow" his eyes showed the cold inside his soul and the droggin now knew why this human would never truly lose he had already died.

"I can feel that cold chill each time you use that voice."

Bill nodded and sighed "more?"

"Just one more actually"

"Good this has dredged up some Pains id rather left alone." Shifting slightly in his chair

"If you had children could you care for them alone?"

"I don't know honestly, I wanted to have children. We'd talked about it, but she's gone I haven't given it a thought since." Thinking to himself for a moment 'lying to your self now too ehh you old dragon you think about it each time the day comes

The droggin watched as a few tears slipped down the cheeks he sighed, looking up at the image. The wound the pain all to clear

"I offer my sadness to you my true friend for this has hurt you worse than any weapon my people have tried to use against you, Please forgive me"

"It's alright gateor. I was just thinking how much she really wanted to have a lot of kids. Couldn't wait 'til our wedding night"

The droggin smiled "I think you will make a fine father one day"

"Maybe, one day." Wiping his eye as he turned away for a moment

"I will need a meeting place to deliver"

"Have it already, you do have the F-O-F transponder I gave you"

"Yes, umm could I perhaps get a little help with a, problem? I will bring you a case of kaval in payment."

"Your just full of problems for me today 'smiling as he leaned back' what broke?"

"The reflector generator."

"Your engineer Kickarta trying to play with the settings and it popped the safety again?" chuckling softly

"Yes"

He chuckled softly again "easy fix she needs to keep her fingers out of that case".

He smiled "I believe she likes you and enjoys your teasing"

Bill laughed "it figures, here's the spot I'll have a long range scout escort you into the fleet. Keep them guns of yours in or they'll give ya a few new holes to patch" sending the location

"I will, do not worry, we have done this before".

"A friend reminds so he does not regret. So I do" gesturing to his heart

The droggin smiled and bowed his head to him "then I accept the reminder as concern from my true friend" and he clicked the channel off.

He soon found the quartermaster was an old friend. Who owed him and they soon had total access to the supplies needed to fix the tanks.

After a day or so His watch beeped a special tone and he turned away from the work and disappeared. The lieutenant was soon looking for him finally finding him in his room out cold from drinking.

"Damnit bill this isn't the time, the admiral and commanding general are walking around"

Shaking him an oval locket clinked to the floor. She stopped and looked at it, inside were the pictures of his parents, and a tall brunet. She looked at the date and sighed "eleven years ago today, damn. I still need you on deck" standing up straight she cleared her throat "SERGEANT! ATTENTION ON DECK!"

His eyes popped open and he fell onto his feet saluting swaying instantly "SIR! Master sergeant William Morris SIR!"

She smiled "I'm sorry to have to do this to you bill but we've got heavy brass on deck and I need you on the tanks. Get a quick splash of water and hurry out. I'll stall them in the trainers"

"Y-yes sir" he made his way out in a haze, staggering a little he walked up on the crew dismantling the old 20th unit. He took the clipboard from the corporal checking off items.

Bill heard the brass approaching the lieutenant trying to slow them down; he smiled as they rounded the side of the tank skirt. He knew the general from previous experience

"There you are sergeant" came from the general he smiled

"Officer on the deck!" one of the others popped off they all saluted as the general and fleet admiral walked up with numerous assistants. The lieutenant and the unit captain smiled both nodded to him.

The general walked over and saluted bill then shook his hand firmly "well sergeant you've had your lieutenant trying desperately to slow us down. How are you bill?"

"Fine sir" with an honest smile

"You still terrifying the droggin with Cyberhorn?"

bill just nodded without a word but a tiny grin did show itself

"I'll take that as a yes." Turning to the others he put his arm around bills shoulder

"This tanker flew one of our most advanced interceptors without armament or deflectors through a blockade screen of white shadows, to get me out of titan station as it was about to fall. I was badly injured and so was he. I owe this trooper my life and each time I've served with him. We've had some of our greatest victories and costliest losses in the same battles usually leaving the droggin running for home terrified of Cyberhorn the dragon." Patting his shoulder firmly which gave bill a jarring he didn't need

"Lieutenant one thing about your getting this trooper; you have to give him a free lead or he fights you, and not the dragons. He's the best support mechanic earth has, trained some of our best designers. He can scare the droggin just by being there, take care of him and he will make ya a regimental commander before he gets moved again"

That night after dinner with the brass, his lieutenant left a message calling him to her quarters.

Bill knocked and entered she was looking out a port at the nebula falling behind the fleet.

"Reporting as ordered lieutenant" he had a sinking feeling that he knew why she'd called him here it was the same with many of his former commanding officers

She took a breath "bill was it wise for me to transfer you to this unit?"

He sighed she needed to know about Jim's motives for helping her get him so with a deep breath he decided to tell her

"The admiral had ulterior reasons besides your request" pausing for a moment to gather his line of thought "Another lieutenant was preparing a court-martial for treason on evidence which though solid and seemingly damning is not true"

Sighing audibly he took another slow moment before continuing "but with the current mental attitude humans have towards droggin even the misunderstood evidence he was going to use would have got me hanged"

She turned and looked stunned and surprised at him

"I have sources and friends that could be construed as fraternizing with the enemy. In fact the main source I have is a droggin I've known for many years. He's the one who's bringing the parts we need" sighing with a slump to his shoulders

"But treason!" planting her hands on her hips

"He didn't like the fact I wouldn't help him be a glory hound at the cost of others lives. So, he made life hard. I in turn did only what was necessary to his unit fixed but not improved..." sighing as he shifted a little

"He was a terrible leader and worse tanker...the unit came under heavy bombardment fire from a droggin support cruiser in orbit around a mud ball backwater planet. He panicked and called for an en-mass retreat. I countermanded him" standing proud for it had been an important moment for him

"As he ran away I told the tanks to hold their ground and cover the ground troops escape to the transports, from a division of big red type enemy tanks. They simply wiped out the 15th and left not pursuing the transports they didn't go without some serious damage though. He considered that and my surviving proof that I was giving them information."

She shook her head clearly thinking

"I have never given information and have told them if they ask for it I will never call on them again. I called my droggin trader for one thing that time. A single bottle of 100 yr. old dragon flame wine as a birthday gift for Jim, after all these years I owed him something special and the flame wine is special as they get"

She nodded knowing their closeness

He sighed, "he and I started in basic together so it was also a thank you for years of friendship"

"Yes but he's."

"He was in command of the unit that finally won an engagement with the droggin. He's won numerous battles with pirates. Used my skills as a spy and scout to his best advantage over the early years we were together, we found the quazarian home base and destroyed the planetary rail gun they were using to execute our carriers and battle ships. Well before we could even get any chance of firing"

She nodded and gestured to the chair as she took hers

he smiled and took it thankfully as dinner had been huge and dress shoes were a pain for him to wear

"Only a year after enlisting, I gave him the credit for it in the reports. It was his idea, but he broke his ankle in the drop I had to go it alone"

"But it's not, in the records. Ah you were special ops weren't you" now she could see where all his hidden skills and abilities came from as he gave her a nod

He smiled and sighed gently "was I got tired of being tossed into the fire feet first. But I still retain my training"

She nodded now understanding much more "you also quit to get married, didn't you."

"Yes-yes I did" his voice cooled and he guarded himself from the pain

She sighed and nodded "bill I'm sorry about..."

"Your pardon lieutenant. But you did what you thought best for the troops under your command. Given the same circumstances id done the same thing, but as with calling in orbital support, sometimes. There is more to pay later" he smiled at her with that but it had come out colder than he'd wanted

"Do I have good credit with you bill?" she asked now concerned she'd gone to far

He smiled again "ehh yer creds aint ana' good wit me missy, just yer smile is enough".

She laughed at his fake accent and in relief as he nodded and then walked out to go digest his dinner

It was exactly 14 hours later when he was called up to the bridge by the ships captain.

Bill walked out to a huge star field ahead and knew it was Taurus they were going to from various readouts on guidance systems.

"Master Sergeant Morris reporting as ordered sir"

"Aww cut the crap bill come over here already".

"Umm okay bob." smiling at the one time balding captain "I see the cream worked bob"

"Damn right it did. Umm can you ask gator if I could get some more, I'll get him"

Bill held his hand up "gotcha covered boss no worries okay"

"No Bill" he scowled "no way"

"I got ya covered sir, no worries seriously"

"I am not! Owing you again sergeant took me years to get it paid off"

bill chuckled unable to help it "Your not going to owe me, I need him to dock. Off loading some serious items"

"Hmm, that'll slow us down to 1/6 Th. flank speed. Alright it'll give my repair boys some time to do needed repairs outside"

"Thought you might need some time." Smiling as the captain turned to fix him with a gaze "bob we both know what else that cream is good for don't go getting all huffy. I'll cover ya on this one he's bringing enough things to do all my tanks"

"Ok you conniving son-of-a-dragon. Only thing that fits you damn cold hearted reptile" slapping his arm

"Thank you complements will get ya one back. Patrol have him already?"

"Yeah his F-O-F (friend or foe) transponder is set to the old Yorktown's number two sloop an interesting event since she's a droggin light destroyer."

"Not really I know the code to it since she lost the shuttle to launch bay size requirements for the banshee. I know I'm the one who found her rotting dirt side"

"So you did go into the reclaim yards that day...damn you bill"

He just smiled and looked back out at the approaching star field. The good captain had been in charge of the reclaim yard security when bill had been caught near by tangled in some razor wire leftover from an old fence but he'd been outside the fence when caught a careless mistake in the darkness.

"Report on the bird coming in?" bob called out across the bridge

"She's 2 minutes out and closing sir! "Came from a pretty blonde just below there seats

"I suppose you told him to keep it slow?"

"Oh absolutely, and to keep them guns hid. We don't want your gunners getting any practice on his ship and my parts" he said with sarcasm and got a punch to the shoulder for it from the captain

"Keep it up. I'll have you waxing the main window Eva got me" pointing a finger at the blue eyed young man "had I known you'd broke in"

"but you didn't and its kinda late now to try and prove it, I needed parts and items and the quartermasters were being assholes so I cut out the middle men baldly bobby" he grinned evilly as the captain leaped to his feet and took a swing which bill dodged. Snapping out a finger plinking him on the nose "beep! Getting slower bob?"

bill watched as the guards and crew on deck wondered what was going on

Bob calmed seeing bill was clearly playing "okay, so I'm out of practice show a little respect for the captain huh"

"That's why your still alive bob, you know me. I can't resist a quick jab or poke" grinning evily

"Yeah, I know I know oh by the way he'll be docking to port 13 sorry bout that" grinning evilly at bill as he took his seat again

"The farthest from the sensitive parts of the carrier. Closest to the engines and their armoring to screw up any scanning attempts. No problem bob, would 'a done it my self too I'll bring your playtime cream. Err hair cream, later" chuckling as he expected to duck another swing but it didn't come

Bob simply pointed out off his bridge scowling clearly not happy

Bill chuckled quietly saluting bob and went out the doors

"A simple Sergeant. He should have been a fleet commander or admiral by now..." he laughed to himself and sighed "I want all Eva repairs started immediately helm! Slow to 1/6th flank speed, communications! inform the escorts and long range scouts to adjust for it, people prepare for ship to ship docking"

Bill smiled seeing the old droggin destroyer come along side and dock with a minimum of time. It was a 6th the size of the carrier but even at this speed it could simply by moving too quickly inflict major damage to the carrier or to itself, a clearly excellent pilot performed the docking, as it was aligned and done in just a minutes time.

The marines were there quickly in their mechanical assault suits, huge guns, and detonation grenades ready.

"Between you 'n' the door guys I'm okay with this, but him. It's not very polite so at ease and be polite".

A pa speaker popped on "sir order 34 directive"

"I don't care if it's 34 sub paragraph 4. I quote standing order 72, which supercedes it; all visiting ships of all nationalities will be accorded the proper fleet respect. Unless said ship has shown undue distress or unusual behavior. It's an old class 2-droggin destroyer converted to merchant marine. Now do I need to call the captain gents?"

They looked to each other then stood up at attention, Guns at the ready but not aimed at the airlock. Which a shrill bell called out indicating that a hard seal had been made and pressure was up to full across the linking collar.

The lock seals pulled into the door and it opened pulling into the ship, then sliding sideways along the hull. Inside on the droggin side was another assault team also at the ready to defend but at a relaxed state.

Ahh the military mind at work, both races so much alike bill thought

Bill walked across the fifty or so feet to the droggin side as he got closer the smells of droggin musk's and atmospheric systems blended with the carriers.

He smiled seeing familiar droggin still alive and healthy. "Permission to come aboard with a peaceful heart and good wishes for those who I know from memories I treasure"

One big black male with highly adorned robes of reds and deep crimsons with gold embroidery accents pushed through gently to stand towering over him and in a deep hiss and grin he spoke.

"Ah old friend welcome you are and always shall be friend to this honored droggin"

Bill bowed his head with a smile "you old drake. Looking like life is treating you well. A few pounds heavier but only noticeable from my height"

The droggin smiled and nodded gesturing for bill to follow him He walked with painful slowness so as not to out pace bill, who was keeping up quite a clip to keep beside him without running.

They walked into the heart of the ship where gator had huge couches for relaxing. 'Holo' projectors streaming all kinds of data, not one inch of floor was exposed this was his formal greeting place, where visitors were true guests to the captain of a ship of the line.

He gestured and bill hopped up onto the pillows. This immediately perfumed the air with droggin spices. Reaching out he took bills boots and set them aside, from the shadows he produced a cup of drinking temp kaval sitting down across the holos' from bill.

He waited for bill to try the coffee which as he brought it to his nose he caught the sent of halmrmor a truly rare sweetener produced like honey from a native droggin insect only for the feeding of the new born queens

"Halm? You pay me more honor than I'm due old friend"

He swished his hand in dismissal of this and a cup appeared in his fingers from the shadows. "Nothing I do honors you any less than you truly deserve my human friend. A greater service you could not have done for me than answering those questions. Freed me and my crew from a troubling fate so I owe you greatly."

Bill readied his pallet for a true gift he had halm once, twice in a life was unheard of much less than the fact he was human and that was even rarer. He took a sip and had a slow warming of the soul as the rich coffee combined with the halm to produce a drink that simply had no way of being described.

"Ooh Gator twice in my life I've had halm and it just keeps getting more enjoyable".

"I will see if I can get you a small supply. Very hard to come by on droggin now"

"Well then my friend I'll just have to see if I can get you that book you were looking for. 20,000 leagues under the sea I believe"

The droggin eyes lit up like searchlights "is it possible."

"Maybe, I'll have to pull a few old favors id been saving to save my butt. But a leather bound real paper print book, isn't impossible to get"

He bowed his head to bill "the value of such a manuscript to some droggin ...is very high indeed but halm is not so valuable"

Bill smiled and relaxed back into the pillows and pads knowing he'd be awhile...

The marines were getting sore feet watching as one load of crates and containers after another were off loaded from the droggin ship

Droggin were busily loading and checking lists on the far side of the umbilicus

[Sir this is mighty strange, not firing on a dragon?]

[This is one of cyberhorn's suppliers free traders. hell they bring in shit I don't even know went in a tank...]

[We just supposed to trust them.]

[Yes, so shut your trap and keep watch]

Bill walked out feeling nearly giddy he'd gotten bobs cream and a new reactor for his battle suit in addition to the parts.

Gator smiled "all worth the cost my friend. My true friend for you just do not know how badly I needed those answers"

"I'm beginning to believe they had you dirt-buried and forgotten"

The droggin thought about that "yes, yes very much so"

Bill shook his head. "You're for--"

The droggin gave him sad eyes that told him to stop before he dishonored his host.

"Umm you for got! To tell me if anything was said about the fleets attempts to contact and make peace."

The droggin smiled catching his rescue attempt of the situation. "Nothing as usual, but words that I speak rarely find ears to hear them" he patted bill gently on the butt towards the lock.

Bill laughed walked over to the airlock

A tail curling around his waist suddenly stopped him. "Did you think to leave and not say words to kickarta?"

He laughed as she picked him up she licked softly with a slow motion around his neck giving his groin a caress with the tip of her tail. Not one word she spoke but much was said just the same, a tear fell onto his cheek, which was highly unusual, as droggin females didn't cry.

"Let our friend go kickarta he has duties to attend to as do you"

She let her nose slide through his hair inhaling deeply as she whisked away, disappearing into the ships shadows before anything could have been said

He was left speechless but smiled at Gator and found his voice again. "She's quite a conversationalist Gator"

That got several snickers from the gathered crew who were also going back into the ships corridors.

"As I said, she likes you, my friend. Would you honor me again by accepting this as a mark of our friendship" pulling an ornate chain of reddish metal out of his cloaks a glint of a stone caught bill's eye

"Is that a light stone?" knowing the incredible value they had with droggin

The droggin smiled brighter than anyone else could have "yes it is, the test of true friends, would you accept it as a gift from me"

"I'll accept as your friend Gator, not as a gift." With that, he put his hand over the stone and Gator's the stone lit up like a star, flares of light blasting out into the eyes of those remaining in the area from between their hands. Bill smiled at Gator

"I think that truly confirms what I told you my friend. I can be a friend a true to the blood and tears of a friend, true friend."

Gently taking the pendant slipping it over his head "I the true friend of this droggin wish him all health and happiness in his journeys far from me. I hope I can be the first he would call when his life needs the help a true friend can give he honors me today as guest, trader and true friend."

He bowed to them nodding to Gator and noticing he was still somewhat shocked. Nevertheless, bill had custom to observe, he had to remove himself from the ship within moments of receiving the stone it was a parting gift so they had to part

The airlock disengaged and the human fleet moved away at an ever increasing speed the landing support carrier pulling into line her escorts moving to fill gaps in the coverage

A last long range fighter scout skated by at near light speed under full thrust

Gator was still staring into his palm and the white star formed there. His heart heavy now for the dishonor, the price, he was about to pay

Kickarta walked in and looked into the hand resting on the arm of the captain's chair

"Did not expect this part did you Fal'gateor. He is true to you and yet you betray him"

"ENOUGH! Do you not think that I can't see this, the great binding star in the name of friends? He would give his life for mine"

"You can help him! You can stop this" she implored to her captain

"I can not, to do so would mean all our deaths. One human one specific human they wanted for our lives and freedom" looking at his palm again,

"One of the most deadly ever born to the world of sol. I gave them his weaknesses, I gave him to their hunters and I have betrayed the star"

as if it heard this admission of guilt the star turned black and gator leaned over howling in pain as he betrayed a true friend the star punished him for betraying just as it would have rewarded for helping.

The comm. channel came up and his sisters' face filled the bridge "so is it done Fal'gateor?"

he growled wrapping his hand in his fine cloak "Yes with all the vengeance Salsara can spit on your scales, it is done."

"Good Fal'gateor. I told them you could do it, what is wrong brother? You and your pirate crew are free to do as you please again" smiling sweetly at him "you, care for that human? Really brother he's just"

"A true friend! Sister, something I doubt you have ever found and ever will" holding his palm up to her the star black. Seeping blood now

"I have betrayed a true friend for my own life I gave him to your hunters. I hope he makes them all dead for you to sit awake at night and speak to their spirits, murderess" spitting and hissing at her image

"You have no idea what his fate will be brother even I do not know, do not curse me so. Simply accept your life and run away. You seem to do that quite well"

Her image disappeared he roared and tossed his cloak aside wings spreading to there full size his horns rose and scales took on a jagged appearance

"All stations find the earth fleet! I must repair this. I must undo this dishonor to my life! I must warn the dragon!"

"Captain the earth fleet has taken a tangent turn a standard tactical move to prevent any following sir. It is impossible to find or follow them now" several cringed as he hissed and then went silent.

Fal'gateor let his head fall wings slowly sagging to the deck

Kickarta sighed too. She would have liked the chance to see if humans were as rumors said quite the passionate lovers

Bill smiled seeing the white star glowing in his palm it made him feel good that in this huge universe. He had one true friend someone he could turn too "gettin all wispy there boy better get them kids ta work" nodding to himself as he slipped the pendant into his shirt.

Within hours, he had the parts being retrofitted and his electronics specialists fixing the droggin shield bubble generators to work with human power sources.

One thing the droggin hadn't figured out was why they stopped working after each fight bill found the reason and improved them.

He smiled at the progress, at this rate they'd have a good nights sleep before being dropped and he was right as the last one was tested and the crews went to bed. He stood there over the now dully painted and christened black cats; the fronts of each had an old tactic from World War II from the flying tigers he'd borrowed the bared teeth and eyes of a golden eyed black wildcat to intimidate and cause fear in the droggin Adding in a little futuristic add-ons like light enhancements to the eyes for an other worldly glow and ultra polishing to the hulls which, added to the reflective ability of the bubble shield, his thoughts were on how well he did at such fear full things for others laughing to himself he'd always wanted to build a haunted house to scare the local kids

The lieutenant walked up seeing him standing a few tanks away nodding silently. She'd been having bad feelings about this mission, she watched as he checked the tank support crew's battle suits; his own quite different from the others. Heavily armed but smaller tool kits and such packed securely away he stepped into it and clicked a few systems on nodding again to himself then clicking them off she decided to not bother him and left him to his pre-drop routine.

Bill smiled as he relaxed into bed for the first time in days. Dreams came. The ones which always meant Cyberhorn was awakening when the dragon awoke, the world he came to needed to be wary for it was time for death, it was time for the dragon to rule this new world.

Come the morning he was silent save for issuing orders, tanks were loaded the support units next. He closed his mech suits canopy and felt the new reactor and it's tenfold power increase over his older one come online.

Clicking switches with his tongue and adjusting a series of them inside a panel on his arm he got onto the correct comm. channel. The lieutenant came up on a tiny HUD

"Cyberhorn? Status"

"Five by five panthress ready to deploy"

She smiled and looked down at her chest a big black gold'n'green eyed panther was there teeth bared claws bloody clearly a gift from Cyberhorn who's front resembled a blue green dragon it's eyes fixed in a stare meant for killing

He walked in slowly and locked the feet of his mech into clamps the tanks eased down and clamps locked them into place on the floor of the Landers

"All tanks this is Cyberhorn...when I tell you and only when I tell you lift free of the locks I will have the ass of the first tanker who pops lock early!" he closed his eyes feeling the cold heat rising cyber was coming he at times feared the dragon for it could and would hurt anyone but that was another war that only he could fight and win.

"All tanks this is panthress, this is a live mission. We are dropping on an un-swept planet there will be surviving droggin! Mines, booby traps anti tank hunter killers. You listen and follow Cyberhorns lead he will bring you home alive. Fail and I'm gona kick your mother in the ass for producing such a waste of time"

The doors closed and the world fell away his stomach lurched he listened in as the lieutenant got additional last moment orders and the main com channel filled with static

"Eagle command? Eagle command!" her voice had a tinge of panic and fear color it

"Were in the ionosphere panthress. Save your breath if it's this bad now might be hard to comm. when we really need it dragons been known to stir up the ionosphere just to interfere with our communications"

She sighed, knowing he was totally right

"We all forget it occasionally dear lady. Nothin big to be worrying bout"

"Thanks cyber."

The Lander pilot came on [All units primary landing site 2 minutes be prepared to dust soon as we hit. area is hot repeat area is hot]

"Okay all tanks hold your reactors to 40 % wait for the order!"

He felt him, the dragon, now rising up inside he snarled quietly looking at the babies he'd been put with

You have to keep um alive cyber you know that

Damn why couldn't they have just dropped um onto a nice colony world. Humph! It came like a bulls snort from the dragons mind

They could have, but this one is test of fire. They have to be tempered. Or they'll break in the real frontline

Yeah-yeah babies' younglings to be coddled now this dragon is some kind of nursemaid Be quiet now you, I am here now. His voice changed deeper colder "all tanks be ready for it"

The drop ship thumped the dirt hard, the side dropped open he leaped out and away sliding to a stop crouched down guns ready the lieutenant called it as he leaped she did also. The tanks roared out and quickly dispersed turrets turning ready to fire the drop ships launched hard blowing dust all over obscuring the area heading for space.

All went silent support units fanned out ready to cover in a tanks blind spot he smiled.

They'd done well for kids thought the dragon "were clear panthress all units down and safe"

"Confirmed Cyberhorn. Move out.116"

"Copy 2 by 2 column form it and move out!" he smiled and leaped up onto the lead tank and they moved out he watched as they lined up not to tight plenty of room to scatter if needed.

After several hours he took a moment to look around, long range showed loads of heavy metal concentrations tanks or ships left behind. He tuned in directly forward thus getting even longer range.

He spotted a V formation of metal that only human tanks would use it was just off their planed route

"Panthress, look at my scan feed please"

"What's that?"

"Battle line formation if I'm right the bottom of the V will be an atlas"

"An atlas? Left to rot?"

"Not unheard of this system has changed hands 20 times in the past couple years Taurus is ours for now but it could be different tomorrow recovery crews haven't had a chance to get out from the fire bases"

"You want to check them out?"

"You better believe it, nothing like an atlas in the line we don't have a heavy, I need something fast to go with me"

"The 93rd artillery unit has two wasps"

"I'll take-um"

"Consider um yours" she changed the comm. and listened to the 93rd riding in their dust "lieutenant Hodges. We need those two wasps out in front Cyberhorns going to go check out some tanks in the distance"

"THE Cyberhorn needs our help?"

Bill popped up on her HUD "panthress if Hodges gives ya grief remind him he owes me two thousand creds id like to get paid before he gets his artillery toting butt toasted"

" I will indeed Cyberhorn. Hold on" she clicked over "Hodges without another word I want the wasps heading up here and if you don't want formal charges brought up id recommend you pay Cyberhorn his creds"

He blinked and saluted turning to someone else in the truck "get wasps one n two going up to the tankers!" he saluted "he'll have his money tonight sir"

"Thank you be prepared to deploy for carpet fire soon as cyber reaches the tanks"

"Yes sir!" she cut the channel and smiled seeing the wasps speed by

Bill watched as the ultra fast light tanks came speeding up to the front he leaped and locked his boot magnets onto the hull

"Wasp one here sir"

"Alright turn to a 117 and go to full power be ready to stop hard if I call it"

"I copy! Sir "

The two tanks veered off slightly and pulled away from the column he soon enough had them stop.

Bounding up to the ridge being wary of mines and traps he sighted smoke

"Panthress, spotted smoke getting the range now"

Magnifying the image he could see the tanks some blown completely to junk but the prized atlas appeared to be intact

"The big lady seems intact, looks like she took a hit in the main reactor cooling controller. A lucky hit"

"I'm holding the line Cyberhorn. Any others usable?"

"Possibly, but cant tell at this range I'll have to go down and check them out, several are headed for the scrap piles totally blown to bits"

"What? You're going in to look?"

"Booby traps panthress, B-R-B" he leaped jump jets activating he popped a kangaroo jump sliding down the hill into the valley.

sliding to a stop he went into a crouching waiting listening pose nothing came to his audio receivers so he repeated the roo jump until he was nearly there.

He scanned gently nothing powerful, immediately spotting dozens of tripwires.

He smiled 'clever dragons, just not clever enough' within minutes he was next to the atlas.

"Cyberhorn report"

"Send that heavy recovery truck panthress I've got a path cleared through the trip line mess to the atlas she's good as ours. Have to check inside but want some support covering me"

"Support in four Cyberhorn. Hold on"

He scowled hav' ta tell the lieutenant not to be charging into dangerous spots. She's here to listen learn and act on the information she's the commanding officer

he sighed, kids they just do things

Bill watched as they approached and he guided the tracked truck into tow the atlas clear to be repaired gesturing for them to stop and hold. He tapped his comm.

"Panthress keep an eye on those spots in the scan" she looked at him strangely as he climbed out of his mech he rolled his hand as if to say continue on

"You got it cyber. I have them" he nodded smiling

She did back as the others were still confused looking at each other he gently climbed up the skirt of the huge hover tank listening, opening an access panel not the normal top hatch he sighed and shook his head gently.

They'd booby trapped her, on voice only he coughed to get her attention "panthress this'll take me a few if anything happens. Leave me I mean that"

She nodded once

He climbed in through the maintenance hatch past the main reactor cooling system seeing the main hatch above rigged and a movement sensor.

'Damn dragons always comin up wit shit ta piss me off over' he thought

he checked the reactor and in the main control system was a control package it was attached to the triggering system the cooling system was reading total fault 'they have her rigged to blow her own reactors. Nice not original, but cute nonetheless.

He clipped the connections and double-checked not finding what would have expected. He checked less obvious places and found a couple set in place anti personnel mines.

He had to smile as he tossed them and the trigger out she blinked he spoke in the open "droggin are too big to fit into our tanks so any booby traps will have to be easy to place as they use there tail like a third hand"

"But cant see what there doing!" she said with a smile

He bowed with a flourish and a huge grin "Exactly, the atlas is ours m'lady"

They all whooped and hollered they were soon towing her away

He stood in the empty place in her old battle line looking out over an open plane and things struck him wrong. It all felt wrong

He scanned with full power, checking the entire area, seeing nothing but geologic interference.

He snarled something wasn't right about this place...

"Cyberhorn?" the wasps pilot called to him, he nodded and leaped onto the wasp watching behind as they made for the group

That night as the lieutenant showed him the route tomorrow and the objective

"This canyon system into the valley is a trap ready for us to fall in"

"I agree but fleet says it'll." she stopped as he was looking at her with his eye brows raised in question of her actions and thoughts

"Fleet isn't here and I'm in charge of this battle group?" she looked at him and he smiled nodding

"And they aren't here to kick in the butt if we get caught with our pants down" he nodded smiling again

"O-o-okay then Mr. dragon" gesturing with a sweep of her hand to the map "lead us to the firebase"

He smiled and showed her the various options to get to the firebase, as they were to support and reinforce a group of fleet rangers who'd taken the base a few days before.

Bill smiled as he went to get some chow sentries were wide awake as they had seen a lone droggin flyer and it's damaged power unit trying to evade them, it got away but bill didn't let them really try to chase it as that wasn't the mission, and lone flyers like that were sometimes bait for bigger groups.

The eating was good for once but it didn't sit well tonight the strangeness of that battle line his mind milling it over and over just wouldn't stop.

He leaped to his feet and to his suit; panthress was on the comm. within a few moments of his leaping out of camp.

"Cyberhorn! Return to base!" she was greeted by silence then as she was about to suit up a faint message came through

"Panthress, will rendezvous with you on the cliff side. Do not follow me, there's something I have to check out alone---As the dragon shall do when he hunts so shall they all weep for Cyberhorn has come for them"

She shivered as the cold voice passed through her bones

"you better be there Cyberhorn"

"5 by 5 panthress Cyberhorn, out..." a growl closed the channel she shivered yet again

Relaxing back into the rocks on a far hillside where he had a view of the battle line and the valley. He made sure all systems were off his aiming scope and passive listening devices all aimed for the line

he could hear the metal still pinging from the afternoon sun as it cooled, somewhere a surviving native insect buzzed and went silent that was a key then.

Nothing had come round for the blood, what little there was in such a violent rapid battle it'd been so quick and decisive that not one droggin tank or flyer had been hit so the lack of casualties, bodies blood, enemy or human is what had made this strange

all there was, was human tanks set out like bait or perhaps as a disguise for something more well he was here to find out if the droggin were being a bit more clever than normal

He shifted his aim out onto the planes studying the native grasses

Huge patches were burned swathes miles long when Taurus had been colonized they found the native grasses to be suitable for earth animals but humans enjoyed their trees so black walnuts and pines had gone wild in some areas they too had been blasted into charcoal

Aiming for something

But not knowing where exactly to fire so, they laid down a carpet of fire. These things his eyes had seen and mental warnings came...

Cyberhorn knew the dragons, and how clever they were he knew if he waited patently a reward would come, ohh yes they would come

he re-aimed at a charred tree near the battle line then back out onto the flat land below the line where they had been wheeling around as a battle group to face their enemy who slaughtered them far to quickly...

He snarled softly as a creaking, the sound of dirt shifting came loudly into his headset then he grinned 'come out come out ali-ali oxen free no one here but us rocks to see you dragons'

The lookout scanned with a short range low power scanner then again at slightly higher power satisfied there was no one there to see them it pushed the cover off and tapped its com headset

"Clear...open doors prepare to pursue" he could just hear a mumbled confirmation from the headset

She hissed and smiled as the huge doors eased up into the night air four of them from the flat lands below the battle line and the deafening drone of droggin heavy tanks the big reds, lighter tanks, the whine of flyer boosters came next

Oh! He smiled, clever very clever but not clever enough not when Cyberhorn was there to hunt.

He noted the coordinates and was about to call it into eagle command when he stopped and listened to their chatter

"Gara! We have the signal!"

The leader who had first come out into the night air turned to another running up

"W-WHAT HERE? Now!"

"Yes confirmed the target is local!! It is on the short range of the scan" they both looked around them troopers responded to this by crouching down and scanning the area weapons at the ready tank commanders swung their turrets around in long slow panning to be ready to aim

The technician turned and scanned the area "the target is stationary. Getting range now!"

He did not like this at ALL!

"Commander Gara!"

"Yes Massta?"

"We shall retrieve the target Gara!"

"Alive! The target must remain alive!"

"As you say Gara." The flyers commander was clearly disappointed

He stealthily moved to another location setting up again so to get a better vantage point over this mess

"The target has relocated! Gara!"

"New position quickly!" pointing at the technician who was working with her equipment franticly

Thinking to himself 'damn! They must have a scan lock on my suit, must have left a power connection unshielded or something best make tracks'

"Cyberhorn" came over his comm. And audibly in pure droggin and he froze they knew...

He turned slowly looking down into the valley right at the forming battle group which had gone silent, totally still all eyes scanning for any movement which might reveal his position

"We know you are here, somewhere spying on us, hunting as you have many others. We have you now for the first time give up now, it would be better for you in the end."

He snarled audibly letting echoes off the ravines add to it hide its location

"Then lady you do not know Cyberhorn... I decide who lives here, I am the hunter I am the dragon!"

She giggled! "You wont scare my hunters Cyberhorn... they know you now they do not fear, just a man"

He readied his sniper rifle and aimed at her head it seemed she was smiling right at him

"We have target lock Gara!" the tech called out Gara smiled even bigger

he recognized this one she had a green striping of her ears mixed with gold "As do I main commander Gara... of the Falstara moon line. The black matarigles I was there too Gara. You live because you ran"

She hissed and gestured the flyers held their positions "I know you too Cyberhorn. William Morris, human male. Just a single man! Not some evil un-killable monster JUST ANOTHER MAN!"

"A man who thinks your ear is too long"

He popped off a quick one clipping her ear. Quickly moving as shots came back in response chunking the rocks where he had been

Looking as they were doctoring her now holed ear

"Target lock reestablished Gara" the tech called out again Gara gestured to the flyers to be ready

"That is enough of that thank you" putting a shot through the equipment she was at, it exploded into sparks it all went silent again the technician saying the equipment was destroyed but backups were being brought out

He sat with his back to the rocks the droggin behind and below

"Cyberhorn! You will surrender or I'll pursue your, children... those young baby warriors still learning how to fight"

"Those children are fine fighters Gara... I think they'd give ya a run"

"Flyers! Find him" she hissed softly he heard them get air born then sweep by in the darkness above he smiled with his dark paint it was near impossible to see him

"Well?" she called out with a snarl

"His suit is difficult to pick out of this rock and shadows Gara!"

He laughed loudly it echoed making it even more frustrating for her and she hissed in anger

"Well Gara I guess id better say this now. Let you get on with your plans..." his voice changed and Cyberhorn awakened fully

Standing up he let the dragons eyes shine out there blue light over the huge battle force

"I AM CYBERHORN I AM THE DRAGON OF LEGEND, I AM DEATH TO ALL THOSE WHO WISH TO TRY AND PROVE THEY ARE WORTHY OF LIFE.COME TO MY TABLE, FOR YOU WHO WILL NOT LEAVE WHO DON'T RUN NOW, YOUR LIVES ARE MINE!"

Shots whizzed by and pinged off his shield bubble "THEN SO BE IT YOU HAVE MADE YOUR CHOICE AS HAVE OTHERS BEFORE SO YOU TOO SHALL KNOW THE FURY OF THE DRAGON"

Crouching down he opened up with his main guns and swept the area punching hundreds of holes through dozens of droggin vehicles tanks smaller equipment exploded. Support vehicles raced away in all directions trying to get out of his range troopers and technicians dove for any cover they could find.

He roared out over the valley as his 'fire' proved his point he stopped and kangaroo bounded away quickly knowing his ammo was almost out now. Nevertheless, he'd done what was needed damaged and crippled they wouldn't be pursuing immediately.

Extending his main antenna with a flick of his tongue on a switch he got a mass of droggin traffic on his comm. activating his main systems all his scans filled with droggin units converging on his area!

"Holy frozen piss balls I gota get eagle command this place is still under droggin control" clicking on his transmitter

"Eagle one this is dragon one I repeat this is dragon one! Do you copy!"

"This is eagle nest dragon one confirm" it was bob!

"Hill Billy be bob by three" his personal voice identity code

"We have you, five minutes till orbital position contact dragon one. Can I take your order?"

"Support blanket! I've got a cold! And a big one!" that would have all the support escorts and the carrier blanket the area from orbit

He scanned again seeing flyers coming from the crippled group and more from all sides still converging on his location

"Cyberhorn!" it came hissing with malice from the group he'd just hit from Gara

"Ahh Gara still alive huh aww now you gone and done ruined the surprise!"

"Dragon one, I can only gather your in need of some help there. From the tone of voice that droggin has she's not happy with you"

"That eagle one is an understatement!" cranking up on his running speed he whipped around some trees and set off a couple mines but they exploded well after he had gone by

"If your expecting to help Cyberhorn eagle one then who will save YOU!" came from another droggin voice in broken English the com channel echoed the voices of orders to fire all guns

Bill looked up at the sky and could see the converging droggin ships on the transport carrier and her escorts. Torpedoes exploding on both sides of eagle one rang explosions through his headset as it went silent

"Eagle command! Bob! Oh shit" he came to a sliding stop still looking up

There were several huge flares of light. More explosions throughout the sky as eagle one and her support units were hit until they either exploded or were so badly damaged they could no longer fight

He kicked a rock in pure fury "DAMN!"

"Now then Cyberhorn... eagle one is still in orbit, though they have no power and are busy fighting fires I believe you have leader Gara who wishes to speak to you". Came the attacking droggins voice now speaking droggin to him

"Yes I do... now you see Cyberhorn... no orbital support fire. Your own guns depleted or very low. I believe, you need to surrender"

He took a deep breath looking out over the various directions. Seeing in the dawning light the dust rising from the tanks and the black shapes that were closing in as the flyers

"Cyberhorn? I await your reply" came from Gara with no small amount of arrogance at her already assumed victory

"C-cy-Cyberhorn this is panthress e-t-a 3 minutes!"

He stiffened "panthress! This is too deep! Turn away. I repeat turn away! Will be at the meeting place, too many droggin!"

"Bull! You're going to need help!"

"Listen to me damnit they've got some kind of lock on me. I've got at least sixteen tanks divisions and twice that in flyers all converging on me!"

He turned as tanks came up from the south; smoke billowing from several, the dust getting heavier from the other groups converging.

"I speak human very well panthress, give us Cyberhorn and we will let your division live. He is all that is wanted" she switched to speaking droggin "and it's eighteen divisions... you haven't any chance Cyberhorn"

"Bill just run for it! Hellfire rain is incoming!"

"Oh SHIT! She's launched the damn cruse missiles!" he leaped and ran fast as his legs could. Boosting the power to the suit he passed over a hundred mph as the first missile flashed by as the hellfire rain blossomed, tinier incendiary missiles flashed out racing for the various groups of tanks and vehicles in a huge field of fire.

He cursed and dove into a canyon system still running as flyers came in after him

"Very clever panthress, But we have the shield bubbles. You have wasted the only weapon you had to strike us at range it has only purchased Cyberhorn a slim margin of time"

"Screw you droggin!" came from panthress end of the comm.

He could hear the scream of the supersonic artillery shells coming from long range carpeting the region a whistle came from behind and he ducked just in time as a flyer tried to blast him in the back. He leaped and tackled her from the air.

They crashed to the ground, tangled as one he slammed her head back and ran as others came round the bend, running now was his only option and hope to evade the flyers

He had to get to the meeting place. And hope that the firebase was still there's or there'd be hell to pay

The canyon walls were a blur as he raced through leaping and bounding flying along a wall the rock started exploding just to either side of his feet he had only a few other weapons and a flick of a tongue switch a popper mine fell out of a hip compartment.

It hit and flash flared sending hundreds of tinier explosives spraying over the walls of stone a pair flyers hit it full on and went smoking for the canyon floor

"Your flyers Gara are a little to eager to catch this ol'dragon. They got their noses burnt!"

"By all the curses I've got... your going to push my orders to far and I will kill you Cyberhorn!" Gara spat in a hiss

"Many have tried, and failed Gara. You wont be the first who's bitten off more than her mouth could handle that is why Cyberhorn lives to see another day and all others are just to be the dust I leave behind! Why do droggin want to capture me Gara... I'm far to much for you to handle!" thinking if I'm gona run for my life might as well know why! This time is so different!

"I have my commands Cyberhorn, if I have to all humans on this world are to die! Save one, you. Surrender NOW OR THEY ALL SHALL PAY FOR YOUR FREEDOM!"

"Then so they shall Gara...as it has from the beginning...and they too shall be avenged with the dragons who wish to challenge me for the right to live!" he turned as a shadow covered him

A flyer tackled him "I have him Gara!"

He flipped her over into a cleft in the rock slamming his hand onto her throat she gagged "who has who dear?" the cleft made for a quick hiding place and he hid as others raced by.

He hissed into her ear "how are they tracking me speak or I will rip your wing off" pulling on the joint it creaked she swallowed wincing in pain

"The pendant, under the stone" she gasped for air as his hand tightened crunching her armor then he let go

He held her at bay with a gun and opened his suit she blinked at this a moment of surprise came across her face he was indeed just a man

He looked at the star in his palm then to her as he gently draped the pendant over her nose showing her the star her eyes softened at the sight.

"A true friend lady...if we were only at peace, but for now I give you your life use it wisely" he rushed off and left her racked with sobbing.

He raced out of the canyons an hour later doing nearly two hundred miles per hour reactor at redline ready to over heat, flyers hot on his tail. Sliding on the gravel coming to a stop on the next hilltop, he turned slowly to face them with a smile.

"He turns!" one shouted to the others

"Cyberhorn have you finally seen the fact we will pursue you forever?"

"Gara! He has stopped running we have him now!"

"Oh! No ladies I stopped wanting to see your faces as evil luck overwhelms you" folding his arms over his chest

"Evil luck? HA!" they swooped in to get him, the thirteenth flowed over the ridge and started firing!

"Silly droggin! If you cross a black cats path, it brings evil luck!" he laughed as one took a hit sending her flailing back towards the canyon

Panthress walked up seeing the damage to his suit and his exhaustion. The support units and tanks AAA guns sent the flyers running

"You okay bill?" she looked from her suit and the concern was all to evident on her face

He nodded winded "we have to get to the fire base it's our only chance"

"Then were already moving"

He smiled, as she gave the various commands

Bill climbed into the back of the support unit's truck. Climbing out he slid down the leg until he was on his knees, tears came he dug at the star with his fingernails until it bled. Cursing the very idea he should care about anything

One of his assistants came in; he got up and buried his head in to the suit.

"Sergeant?"

"Get this thing reloaded and fix the back plate I'm going to get some food" he snapped

"Yes sergeant!"

He ate staring out the back of the truck as it sped along with the tanks panthress hopped in and slid to a stop she dismounted and wiped sweat he glanced at her then turned away

"kinda close to be playing with droggin isn't it cyber?"

"They had me bugged...had to wait till I could get one to find out how and what was bugged"

"And?"

"They must have forced him to do it"

"Gator?" he nodded and she sighed.

"We've lost eagle one and any possible evac...they let us think we captured this planet" punching his fist into his palm

"Sounds like they've been planning to get you for awhile" rubbing her chin

"But how did they know id be coming here?" holding his hands out in question

"You're assigned to the 13th, follow them" he turned to her "that bastard the one who was going to have me court marshaled..."

"Perfect setup...he gets you assigned to a group which has no experience no supplies so forces you to call Fal'gateor who has the tracker, dam this is big"

With a deep sigh "And they know my only weakness..."

=============================================

"What do you mean you care?" with a small amount of anger in the tone

"I care about my teams...thus to get me they get there hands on which I care about"

She nodded slowly drinking coffee, eating a packaged meal block as she clearly thought about this "they've been playing this like pro's... it's starting to make sense some of the odd things I 'heard' about you. It was someone trying to get me to be readily open to abandoning you to them for the others"

He nodded now not surprised at anything that could be going on to this one end. He sighed and looked behind them at the dust cloud rising in the distance "they're coming hot and fast" looking out to either side at the dust there too

"The fire base is only half an hour away" taking a glancing look at his displays in his suit

"We need to send scouts out to check it no use getting into range of her guns if it's been taken" he agreed and went to get suited up

"No cyber"

"Bull! It's my job. Whether or not I'm a target"

She had to concede he was right and waved him on, turning away and looking out the rear of the transporter at the dust clouds.

He was soon flying along on the wasps hull towards the fire base he called them to a halt he used his rifle to check it out there were men standing at various windows...but not moving then he spotted a droggin flyer zip out of the interior area heading out and away.

"Damn! Damn! DAMN!" flicking his antenna out "panthress this is Cyberhorn respond!"

"Here Cyberhorn" the static was thick and she was hard to make out clearly

"The fire base is compromised. Turn away"

"I copy Cyberhorn" again the interference was heavy

Then it came out clear "Cyberhorn rendezvous at the base"

That wasn't her! "Panthress we need to go to map reference G-45 we can get secondary assistance there"

"Understood Cyberhorn. Proceed to firebase"

He snarled the tankers cringing "damnit! We have to warn the group they have our com"

The wasps screamed across the planet surface heading for the group. Now he could see how subtle the droggin battle groups were herding them towards the firebase, and inevitable doom under her guns.

He kept trying to transmit over the fire base's power but couldn't get through they reached the group as the first of the fire base's ranging shots came wailing from the sky thudding and sending tremors through the ground

The group had taken up a defensive ring the artillery in the center and tanks providing the armored walls. They flew over one of the few gaps and slid to a stop

"cyberhorn!" the lieutenant gestured to get his attention

He ran over to her "it's been taken!"

"We can tell! What now? We can't go in any direction. The fire base cant get the range but were stuck here they have us surrounded"

"We hold panthress... we hold and hope that with no check in report they come looking for us"

Night fell as they waited, watching on scanners as the droggin gathered flyers glided by un-powered shadows in the darkness. Eyes glowing as shadows they slid by in the sky a few troopers took shots but couldn't hit them or if they did couldn't tell they did

He sighed and took a hot cup of kaval out to his mech-suit clicking on his scanners he watched as the battle line formed around them from three sides

panthress walked over looking in at his displays "wow now there's some mech"

Without looking at her he smiled "this is Cathren she's been mine since the day her pilot abandoned her stuck in a snare ring on Jessitus"

"Home of the Droggin's former allies the spiddusits?"

"Yep, I was part of an expedition to eliminate the assistance they were providing the droggin through exclusive use of the relativity gate. A path between two black holes it was the only safe un-mined path into this sector of space"

Looking out at her for a moment "they had hundreds of planet based ion cannons which were knocking out any fleet ship that got close to the gate of course the droggin came and went with ease" he waved with a flourish of his hand back and forth

"Of course...that was your third purple heart wasn't it?"

He looked down into her eyes and she chilled seeing Cyberhorn for the first time "yes it was...he ran and got sucked into a man eating plant I got a vine thorn through the thigh, damn thing even tried to germinate it's seed inside me. I had to fry it with a red hot rod of metal in through the thorn hole...this ol'girl saved my life. It's auto medical system kept me alive and fighting. Six others and me of two hundred dropped on the planet, met up and caused a chain reaction in the guns. It ripped that planet to hell...although my main mission was to recover some data not blow the planet" he smiled at her

"Spec opps gave ya a call huh?" she said now leaning on the mech's leg

He laughed. A strange sound, it seemed not to be a part of him "yeah, you can say that...seems fleet wanted some special data from a droggin heavy cruiser who'd crashed on the planet severely damaged.

She'd come clear to earth with out being spotted. Only because she hit a lowly old fashoned magnetic mine round moon base 1 orbit did earth command even know she was there"

panthress was speech less. This was news to her

===========================================

He smiled "I got the data crystals they use for memory storage...they gained nothing for all the technology they lost in that ship, we gained...you know the banshee...it was a direct result of my finding the skipping drive in that ship"

He looked away back at the displays changing one for a different scan of the same area

"You lost me bill, skipping drive?" though she had heard rumors that the banshee was due to technology found from a droggin ship never had she any idea how it had come around

Smiling as he sat down on the mechs' foot looking up at her.

"The banshee skips in and out of reality, she bounces in and out of hyper space and does it so well that she doesn't need a lot of armor. The true stealth is she really isn't there. Till she is and by that time your dead ...but costly to make, most pilots cant take more than twenty missions and they go bonkers. Something about the skipping in and out of reality effecting the mind at the conscious level the banshee is one of the weapons that have gotten the tide to turn and we have them to thank for it"

He sighed and looked down "panthress if I'm captured with all that I know"

"You wont be, I know you you'll survive. But that's not possible this time is it Cyberhorn?"

He shook his head slowly "cant let them kill all these kids... this is one battle that Cyberhorn isn't going to win unless we get some miracle"

"Like a squadron of banshees to come ripping through the area?"

"That would do nicely...so would bob calling down saying he's okay and support fire is incoming...dam I hate losing, but losing like this has got me pissed" thumping his hand hard against the mechs' leg "this is just damn strange! Why do they want me! So badly?"

She sighed and watched as he climbed back in and closed the mech's hatch she watched him gulp the kaval and walk away "only one way to go out now...fighting" she ran for her mech and called it out

Bill looked at her and smiled she found the three spots bill had marked on her displays as weak points in the battle line "this one here cyber...good run area"

"I agree one thing is we need to have the artillery carpet this area over here to lead them off this spot" "okay can do...but"

"You saw that spots only problem huh...five black king drakes holding the anchor side of the line. Not even an atlas's guns could punch through their armor. One good shot from any of them could put our little run out of this to a quick halt"

She only now thought about it for a moment and the risk to them all

"Cyberhorn this is commander Gara...we know your scans we know your impetuousness has influenced this female lieutenants thinking if you run...they will die ...they will all die! Solve this easily...surrender now and these young ones will go free on my honor as a warrior of the elite clan...our orders are to do whatever is necessary to effect your capture your to be treated with honor as a warrior of the highest rank but you will be captured. Do you hear me Cyberhorn? Respond" the com went silent not even tank to tank chatter they all were waiting to see what he was going to do

He looked at panthress then sighed a visible change came over him, in his best coldest Cyberhorn he snarled

"No Gara surrender is not an option for me, for these children as you call them are warriors, they have trained hard and fought well this day they have come here to be tested, to be hardened in the flames of battle against the droggin. Who attacked the human race without warning, without any reason save one that we have learned. We exist and thus we shouldn't for all attempts at communication have been for naught. So! Commander Gara, if it is Cyberhorn the Dragon you wish to take. HE IS TEACHING THESE YOUNG WARRIORS TO BE THE DRAGONS! WHO WILL FIGHT YOU TO THE VERY LAST TO TAKE AS MANY OF YOU WITH THEM TO DEATH'S OPEN DOOR"

==================================================

Panthress gestured and the artillery opened up sweeping the battle line the tanks added their power to the barrage

He climbed up onto the atlas aiming one of her guns for supporting infantry hiding behind the distant tanks the shields taking the beating. But he knew once this first salvo was off and gone there systems would be weakened and the shields would fail they would rush he gestured to panthress and the artillery loaded up some of the biggest high explosive rounds and let um go setting the guns to self destruct the artillery units were too slow for this kind of run

They piled into the tanks and faster vehicles as they wheeled about and headed for the kings on the distant droggin line

Gara reacted instantly to the movement sending flyers to support the weakened end of her line where they were heading but they fast as they were they would never reach it in time.

Gara realized the forces at that end held no fear in these humans' hearts, something she'd told many in her reports about humans and how they fight how when put into situations like this they nearly always chose death to capture.

"Fall'ga prayers to you Cyberhorn...my life will be void if you die this day...I have no choice then" turning away from the battle

She tapped her comm." Wasta! You and the other taagath hold fire I repeat hold your fire...let them run."

"What? We are all ready to fire Gara, the atlas and the wasp tanks are nearly in range! We can absolutely stop them here and now!"

"I said to hold!" sighing deeply "Cyberhorn will be taken this day...but not now...we must let them run a little longer tire them a little more this is to capture a warrior Wasta...not destroy the 13th" that alone boiled the bile in her belly and knew wasta was the same.

"By your word Gara...all taagath hold fire! Let them run" she clearly cursed as the com cut off.

They reached the kings range and no huge blasts of plasma came the flyers were hot behind as the artillery detonated farther back

"Cyber, why aren't they firing?" panthress called out to him

"I don't know panthress, I'm not waiting to find out!" he had the atlas change course away from the kings as planed and sped through the droggins' weak point in their line racing away at top speed their troopers firing on the them from their cover after the shelling the droggin flyers close behind them

All night they were harried by the flyers, they picked at the trucks and open hatched tanks AAA guns were soon depleted of ammo. The support units took over for them to give the remaining column air cover

Panthress watched as bill winged another sending it headlong for the ground only to get up and stager away its power units ruined droggin could fly without the armor but that was risky to say the least

She decided to ask why "Cyberhorn go to Com 6"

He clicked over "yes panthress?"

"Why the wounding shots..."

"The wounded put a strain on there speed ...they also effect morale"

"Why the wounding shots bill"

The tank clipping a pile of dirt jostled him

"Bill?"

"They let us go...that was a suicide run and they knew it. Why-why! Would they want me so bad? As to actually let an entire battalion of tanks and support go free. I'm ...thanking them in a way ...letting these flyers live I don't know panthress"

He looked over at her mech and could just see her nod. He looked at the maps for the nearest units or firebase that they should hold

"Panthress. I recommend turning to the south for the 669th infantry they have support air and heavy artillery "

"Hmmm yes they're also guarding a support base landing area a possible evac site...I agree"

=======================================================

The orders issued they changed course he watched on his scans as the pursuing droggin turned rapidly trying to close the gap

"Cyberhorn...the support base is gone. The force that came from your one time right side they were there, waiting for the infantry and their air cover. You're running and going no where"

"Gara, you waist your breath, you know that we don't believe you"

"If that is what you wish to do then...we shall let you have this time to run for the safety of a memory."

They reached the base and it was indeed totally destroyed, he sighed and looked at the fighters shredded in their hangers. Tanks of many kinds blown apart, smoking wrecks. A support lander still in flames on the landing field, the artillery stomped flat panthress walked over seeing he was seething with fury

"Cyber, we have to get moving."

Bill turned seeing the droggin waiting on the far ridge, waiting for them to give up. He snarled fingering his triggers, wanting to open up on the dragons. But remembered the stories his father had told him of the Indians' and the old west on earth. Thinking Custer's last stand this isn't. All they want is me he thought

"Panthress"

"Don't even think it, these kids are scared but are looking to you. They see you as the way to salvation. You give up now they'll never try to fight"

He nodded

"Now lets go your on the atlas I'm on the wasp"

"Right panthress"

"Were heading for fire base alpha. I know they haven't taken it there's no way in hell"

"Long trip panthress"

"Then we'd better get going hadn't we."

The droggin flyers started their harassment soon as they were in motion, which went on for most of the day. He was getting tired and called for a relief, when he spotted a heavy flyer coming in low to the ground. He aimed and had another flash by above him it's laser fire blinding him, an explosion right in his chest tossed him off the atlas, he slammed into the dirt and slid to a stop.

The tanks ground to a halt he couldn't see, people were yelling, systems started shorting out spraying sparks and electrical arcing across his torso. He popped the hatch diving clear as panthress ran up. Cathren the mech. sputtered and popped, he cursed seeing the acid eating at her she exploded internals flying out with the smoke that heralded her death.

That was too much all of this was A support unit hosed him off before the acid could hurt him. The droggin cried out a cheer far and wide every com channel was filled with them relaying the news

Infuriated beyond any anger he'd ever had he tried to lift his rifle the weight was far too much. For a man without assist

"Damn-damn.... damn!" his Comm. clicked on

"Now Cyberhorn, your armored scales have had the shine stripped from them. The mighty dragons eyes have gone dark, why continue this fight?"

Wild eyed he roared and heaved the rifle up; panthress went wide-eyed as he leveled it along the hip. Firing and hitting a pair of flyers they went down in the distance.

"Because it wasn't the mech. that made Cyberhorn the dragon! Gara! It is the man who piloted her! That mech. was a friend! She saved my life! And now she's gone destroyed"

"That is why we are here Cyberhorn...you are next, surrender now before more is done before others die"

"COME AND GET ME YOU DAMN FLAPPING SCUM FROM TWO DISHONORABLE MENTAL CRIPPLES WHO MATED BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO EAT EACH OTHER!"

He could hear her laughing and finally she went silent.

"Very colorful Cyberhorn, you might just be right. It wont change the fact you are the target and you will be captured watch and see."

"This is Panthress Gara...you just come and try it there's the entire 13th watching over Cyberhorn were waiting for you to come give it a try"

"And you female, are a fool for this will be your folly he is not worth your life or those of your command but if you all must die to take him prisoner then so it will be" it went dead

Sullenly as he climbed into the turret of the atlas taking control of the smaller nearly depleted support guns he watched them place a charge on cathren's hull to completely destroy it so the droggin couldn't salvage anything from her...

They sped away the explosive thump behind them heralded more than a single tear from his eyes

==================================================

Panthress smiled as they got within comm. range of fire base alpha two days of torment later

"Alpha this is 13 I repeat this is 13 do you copy?"

"This is alpha 13, we've been monitoring your situation. We can give you air cover in 20 minutes, fire support in 10. You tell Cyberhorn eagle one was evac'd and bob said to say he'd better keep his head down. They want it far to much"

She smiled and whooped out in joy "will do alpha! This hasn't been a fun trip"

"ain't fun here either 13 but them droggin know better than to play with a fully functioning fire base. They give us a wide birth"

gara came on the com with triumphant pride "you will not reach the fire bases' safety Panthress look ahead of you"

She checked her scans and could see a line of droggin appear as if from the very air between them and the firebase but just outside its guns range.

"Fire base alpha if you check your south side you will see I have ten squadrons of flyers ready to attack. In addition, three divisions of, as you call them black kings ready to advance. We want only one thing we want Cyberhorn"

They'd come to a halt beyond the fire range of the droggin but within sight of the base. He spit and snarled kicking rocks in pure furry seeing the mass of droggin brought to bear down on this over 200 various tanks not counting their support. Hundreds of flyers waiting for the order to attack, and worst of all was the mass of black kings more than he'd ever seen in all his battles since the beginning added together.45 of the black hulled bastards waiting ahead some behind, five coming round each side they were totally encircled.

She walked up a cup of kaval in each hand he thanked her and nodded "no coffee this time?"

"Bastards hit the coffee maker, this is really good though"

He laughed sitting on a tanks skirt she smiled as that laugh came from him it fit the man not the legend

"Were going to have to make another run for it" looking in the cup at the redish color gently swirling with creamer, he hated creamer gulping it down

"I know I've already passed the word to warm up"

"They'll fire this time, cant let us get into the fire base"

"Cant let you get in. but if I have to drag you in on my own back I will see to it they don't get what they want"

"Well if you insist" grinning at her his brave bravado clearly strained

"I do infact, your on a wasp don't talk to them say nothing to gara"

He nodded getting an infantry rifle standing in the turret the 13th's unit flag fluttering high above on her antenna the black cats eyes flag with it's gold 13 over them

The tanks suddenly all rushed forward in a wide battle line. The wasps paired in the center the atlas opened up and actually hammered a king with a lucky hit to her turret it started to smoke.

A blast came from above flyers diving in from behind a wasp fell to an explosion on her skirt she slid to a stop falling behind. The atlas took two and shrugged them off as all the other tanks opened up on the line ahead.

Gara shouted out to all that they were on the run for the base

Panthress was shooting flyers; she turned to see one with two escorts coming in at an extreme angle heading right for Bill "all units cover the wasp! There after Cyberhorn!"

He turned and held the trigger, one he brought down her shield bubble failed finally, the world went dark suddenly, a shape loomed up from behind and huge hands ripped the rifle from his hands

"Your mine now! Cyberhorn!"

He spun around to look "Gara!"

She leaped into the air crushing him to her chest. Panthress aimed and could see Gara using him as a shield "hold your fire! You'll hit Cyberhorn"

"All forces! The day is ours! I have Cyberhorn!"

All of the droggin just stopped turned and pulled away tanks flyers disappearing melting into the very land again a few firing off a few parting shots.

The 13th had come to a stop and support coming from the base started calling. Panthress had watched Gara toss him into a large case in a mid air maneuver only a dragon could have pulled off. The case held by two others with several more flying as escort the firebase's fighters raced by to try and find them.

===============================================

Several days later she was called into a fleet meeting aboard the carrier San Francisco admiral Jim Richards flagship the droggin had completely abandoned Taurus. They had evacuated it totally within hours of Cyberhorns capture.

She could see eagle command out one of the portholes as she went it was a sorry sight, nearly all her orbital support guns were totaled and the racks where the landers were held completely gone fuming plasma fires were still raging in the aft engine areas but fleet repair crews were already working on her

An aid waved her in. she nearly wished shed died in battle when seeing Admiral Richards and ten others of the highest ranks sitting behind a table of inquiry "lieutenant have a seat. I want a full explanation...."

"Yes sir" sitting down knowing her career in fleet was now a memory she'd lost one of fleets hero's and come back alive

Hours later Jim sat there looking at bill's things angry that he'd been played like this...the commander in question was now being apprehended for being a traitor.

But Jim hearing how well this had been planed and how determined the droggin had been from the lieutenants report but not just here with bill, but some of the best they had in all battle fields everywhere.

They were taking prisoners and wounded. Taking only the men, leaving the women when they evacuated a planet; bill they had targeted, because he was Cyberhorn the dragon

Looking at the picture book Bill had filled with unit patches and photos of the units each dead trooper had a tiny line through them in each Bill had circled himself

Jim closed it and set it into a box closing it the lid a box was marked captured sobbing as he leaned over, head in his hands ..........

Bill awoke to darkness and restraints feeling the star drives of a ship he started pulling with all his strength on the straps they only creaked and held fast "damnit"

In the darkness came a pair of eyes. "Ahh so you've finally awakened have you"

"Gara, so you got me now what?"

"I turn you over to a special group, who by the grand counsel ordered your capture at all cost." She hissed in anger clearly not the thing she wanted to do. She inhaled deeply and kicked him hard cracking a rib at least "that was for dishonoring me in front of my warriors human"

He gritted his teeth to hold the pain in hearing several voices muffled in angry droggin she struggled with someone and was led off. Another set of eyes came down and checked his side where shed kicked him

"Just like her to forget the fact I left her alive" trying to move again pain stabbed his chest

"You are restrained for your safety human do not struggle"

He looked at the eyes "some safety she broke my ribs."

"She has been escorted to her ship the transfer is nearly done"

"And then?" feeling angry at the fact he'd been taken so easy

She lifted a tag that was attached to his arm then looked at him "you will know soon enough" she gave him something for the pain and it made the world fade away

===================================================

He woke and stayed perfectly still hearing droggin talking "he is unstable. He is Cyberhorn a killer"

One started speaking in very rich and clearly first taught formal droggin the tone was neutral, but clearly either in charge or powerful

One of the high clans here but why ,why me? He thought, I'm just a trooper, hell there are more famous pilots than I will ever be what in the hell are they up to?

"Yes as you wish lady but" the formal snapped something back he caught I will and something like be seeing. Thinking again seeing what and why? Damn these restraints!

It went quiet and he felt warmth near his face the sliding of cloth over his body, as it was clear he was now nude from the cool air on his skin.

The formal said something as it touched his bandaged ribs

"Commander Gara. Called Raltack on him for his, dishonoring her on"

She suddenly moved turning to the other voices "she did what! You will inform commander Gara she will be cleaning the streets of the capital when her current assignment is complete, best for her not to return to droggin ever again"

"As you wish lady" in a far more respectful tone

He thought who ever this is she's high up clan or, counsel why would they be interested in me?

He felt her turn back to him "he is an honorable warrior lady, and Fal'gateors true friend"

He felt his hand be moved to see the star there

"As expected lady the humans have launched the andromida attack. We have the mass drivers in place through out the asteroid belt when they bring in the banshees they will simply cease to exist" a clawed finger slowly, softly caressed his cheek

"No"

A collective gasp came from quite a few, he nearly did as well thinking they had found away to stop the banshees?

"But lady? If they attack andromida we will lose"

"I said no, pull back the drivers and pre-pair to hold" she sighed and he felt her nose gently touch his neck her hand slipped onto his

"His tests aren't quite complete lady. But he is in the top 2 percent of the available subjects as per the results so far"

"His intelligence files are available to you of" she laid her head on his chest "course umm"

She sighed deeply "how long will he be sedated?"

"He should be awakening any time lady" she sat back up still holding his hand

He couldn't help himself he gently slid his finger over hers. She jumped up and he tried to see but it was still dark as pitch

"Lady?" came from one of them she said something in formal and they all went quiet.

"You are awake William" she said with a small amount of ire in the tone

"With so many people talking how is any one supposed to sleep?"

"You were spying on us" one of the subordinates spoke out

"Ladies I'm a prisoner of war, it's my job so if I do somehow escape I can help my fellow humans"

"What did you hear?" it was the lady

"The beating of your heart lady" he smiled casually

She moved further away as they whispered for a moment.

"If you will tell us how much you heard, we will let you free of the straps"

He guffawed "sorry but I don't believe you and I'm not saying anything sorry."

"Then you will remain strapped till everything is ready William" the lady turned, he felt her tail slide along his leg and she walked away. But not everyone went with her

"I am a doctor of many fields Cyberhorn, I'm very pleased they were able to finally bring you down to size."

"Size is relative doctor many animals which are highly deadly are quite small"

"Yes, but your only human"

Cyber came up "so sure droggin? Even humans can be used as vehicles for something even more deadly"

She'd moved back a little but now laughed at him "you will behave your self Cyberhorn or William will be the one to hurt for you"

He was a little perturbed by that reaction

"Now then we will be doing some testing on you"

"Experiments?" thinking oh great I'm gona be a lab rat

"Oh no most certainly not, this is a proven procedure"

"So what are you going to do to me?"

She clicked on a light and shone it up at her face it actually gave him a chill her grin was quite evil.

"Something no human would ever think to do or think possible..." she looked down at him and clicked the light off.

==================================================

He awoke after some time feeling the sedation and real gravity. Rolling his head to see other men on both sides hunger chewed at his back bone, he could see real light from somewhere beyond a wall casting its glow across the roof.

The lighting units and ventilation covers all secured from any attempt to be used as a path out.

He tried to sit up even a little but straps over his neck chest and legs kept that from happening.

The doctor walked up into his view "welcome to droggin William"

He smiled "thank you, so do you think perhaps I could get a tour or something"

She just smiled "perhaps later"

"You mad at me personally doctor? Or you just hate humans in general"

She glared silently

"Me? Why?"

"My sisters and mother, all died at the battle of Tolga moon you were there"

He thought the casualties were nearly zero on both sides that day the human fleet had caught the droggin force with its preverbal pants down. His support unit had snuck in, planted explosives on the main engines of a stationary fleet. Crippled they surrendered without a fight.

"Tell you what, they will be cutting my access to the net soon, my access code is WBH via laser communications relay, ask for prisoners of war files. Nothing else and you can see all the captured droggin, and the deaths. At that battle."

"You killed all of our fleet"

"I did my job doctor and did it well, your people are alive but prisoners." she turned and walked off

"Check soon! Before they cut off my access code!"

He finally fell asleep after asking for water a dozen times, but getting nothing from the various droggin walking past checking tags and doing regular checks.

His neighbors both woke up finally the one on his left was so terrorized he couldn't talk or move but he did look at bill.

The one on his right introduced himself as lieutenant Jim Bruner eagle eye pilot for the carrier San Francisco

"Eye in the sky huh"

"Better believe it so who are you?"

"Sergeant William Morris of the 13th black cats, better known as Cyberhorn"

The lieutenants eyes went wide "your the Cyberhorn, oh god how"

"Used the equivalent of an invasion force to bring me down"

He nodded "dam so any idea where we are?"

"The Droggin home world"

He paled "oh god"

"Were here because we fit some kind of profile, they want us for this program of there's"

"Experimentation?"

"Not according to them, it works quite well".

"But why us?"

"Why indeed jim why indeed, that's the twenty billion credit question and id be a sure win if I had any idea at all".

It was dark and he'd finally fallen back to sleep when a touch on his arm roused him back to reality it was the doctor by the color of her eyes in the darkness

"Ah doctor, so more tests?"

"No, no more tests. You're results place you in the first percentile the lady chose well"

"The lady?" thinking common tell me something!

"She asked to participate in the program, as she has funded it, and believes in it."

"Oh so, she chose me?" what program! For crying out loud

"From the data base available. She wanted more information, it was satisfactory for her to decide on you"

"For what?" nearly at his limit of calm

She said nothing for a moment, then a hand gently stroked his cheek "I should have believed in the star. It lights the way, you spoke true William Morris. I saw and spoke to my family they are alive. The system allowed me to communicate to them. Your people are kind and concerned with their prisoners they have been well cared for"

Smiling "I'm glad they're alright doctor. Um could I get some water please"

She sighed, "I cant do that William, it would interfere with the process. You must be dehydrated it makes it easier"

"Thus why I have to wait till everything is ready huh?"

"Yes."

He sighed for all that she's told me she's said nothing at all

"Do not be sad William, it is a good thing we do. For droggin, it is the lady she is, unsure of herself" with that she got up and walked away.

Thinking as he heard muffled sounds from elsewhere unsure of her self? What of! To eat me alive? Put me out on display what! In the hell is going on here? Aggghh if I could punch the wall I would out of pure frustration.

====================================================

The next day droggin set up portable cloth like walls between him and his neighbors shortly there after he could hear the kid on his left have a visitor, a lady droggin

He could hear cloth being moved and could just see through under the edge of the wall as she touched his cheek in droggin she spoke to him

"We share in this, I'm so frightened but I need your help for this" she did things to arouse him; his body responded

She smiled and affectionately licked around his neck and chest. Swinging her leg over, she shifted a little and eased down shuddering.

Rolling her eyes in pleasure rocking her hips on him he could hear muffled grunts, straining.

Bill could just see a gag of some kind in his mouth. He squirmed for a moment clearly in pain

She leaned back wings spreading ripping the wall apart as she panted tongue now hanging out sweat running in rivulets down her scales bill was wide eyed now as he had a ring side seat!

She inhaled deeply, slowly relaxed down onto her arms head dripping sweat over his face she panted slowly and kissed him licking his tears and her sweat off "I'm sorry it hurts, please forgive me."

Others came in, helping her up and quickly fixing the wall. The doctor looked at him and tried to smile while pulling the cloth back into place

"You will tell him wont you William? When he wakes?" it was the lady droggin who had tried to talk to the boy, she looked in his 'room' from a stretcher gurney clearly exhausted from what seemed to be very little exertion "please tell him what I said...please" in a very desperate voice

"I will lady I swear"

The doctor helped her lay back onto the gurney, looked at him and closed the cloth door. He waited till the kid woke much later he moaned and finally spoke

"What happened to me?"

"The lady left a message for you kid"

"Y-you can understand them?"

"Only common droggin. Not the formal type, she wanted to let you know she was sorry it hurt and she was scared as you and needed your help to do it. She hoped you'd forgive her"

"No please" his voice trembled in terror as bill heard the cloth move with the kid

"It's alright were just moving you to a better room where you can get something to eat and rest easy"

The doctor looked in on him "thank you William, she's resting better because she knows you would tell him. You might want to try and rest your self" closing the panel

"Now I'm nervous"

He couldn't sleep and the lieutenant had to be given a sedative because he was shouting and struggling trying to break free. So bill was effectively alone occasionally he could hear the sounds of a lady droggin enjoying a human friend.

He just couldn't believe they'd gone to all this trouble to get him so some lady could have a good time while he was strapped down it just didn't add up.

It was late when he heard voices walking up outside all in formal the doctors he recognized as with the lady's.

'So it is time for the fun huh well she is going to have to work for it. I'm not aroused so easily' thinking of all his training to disconnect himself in case of attempts to convince him to speak if captured when he was with fleet ops

The doctor walked in with something in her hand.

"The gag is not needed with William" she looked back at the lady, who walked in and let her outfit slip from her body.

"But my lady..." the doctor blinked clearly at a loss

She dismissed the doctor with a gentle wave of her hand

"Yes my lady as you wish" the doctor behind her back gave him a pained look and closed the curtain.

===================================================

She knelt down he could feel the heat radiate from her body much hotter than any droggin he had been near. He went to speak but she placed her finger on his lips it was wet

"Lick" she said with a husky sensual voice

He just raised his eyebrow; she sighed and reached down to his leg gently sliding her claws up the inside of his thigh

"It will make this easier if you enjoy it, lick please. I have heard how you have helped not only the doctor but another lady even as a prisoner ...please lick"

He still didn't move

"I am not accustomed to...asking more than once" her face changed pain now coloring it which also colored her voice

"Must I beg you?" a tear gleamed from her right eye

He gently pushed up on her finger with the little his head was allowed to move" let me speak please"

She moved it back a little

"No lady you don't have to beg' she smiled brightly 'but I expect you to explain what is this all about in detail"

"If I swear to later, will you lick? There is a matter of time" she was sincere so be it pained and the look in her eyes melted his resistance it was Amy's eyes when she'd asked him to run off and break tradition in the field that night, go and enjoy there love in the woods together with the moonlight. They had been caught before getting the chance, but it did not matter to her he had agreed to it.

He lifted his head instead of licking; he slipped her finger into his mouth and sucked greedily as he did so.

Her eyes went wide and a huge grin came across her face. Her very short claws indicated she never fought clearly high clan or counsel he thought the flavor wasn't unpleasant at all

His body got flushed as she slipped her finger from his lips his heart rate shot sky high Leaning over she licked around his neck it made his spine go completely electric, every nerve became overly sensitive just her breath was giving him chills of pleasure and waves of goose pimples over the areas as the air moved

She touched him on the groin and it was as if every single nerve was ten foot wide he leaned his head back as there was no denying an arousal way to much stimulation. He felt her breath roll over his belly and then warmth wrapped around his arousal, he looked as she slid her tongue off gently.

His climax was building so fast it was like his first time! She licked up his stomach and around his neck again, her tongue rolling around his ear sliding along the edge. Her eyes looked deeply into his

"God almighty what's your name? Great lady" panting with her.

She smiled and licked his lips and another finger of moistness came he licked and she nibbled his skin near to fire hot now

"A'tara...the lady A'tara...lover"

She slipped over him so gently, he felt her tail as it slid over, and then slipping into pure liquid fire; she leaned back arching her body she settled down onto him. She Started to pant even more he could feel the droplets of sweat mingling with his but she hadn't moved an inch! Then he felt something hard and firm moving out along his arousal from inside her!

It touched his pelvis nearly to his belly above his arousal with a sharp jab he went to say something, but she leaned forward as her wings opened and it rammed through!

He went to yell out in pain but she came down and pressed her mouth onto his, his body responded climaxing but flames of pain burning with it. Her body suddenly squeezed him with a contraction of muscles, the firmness moving with a rolling of contractions swelled slipping up further inside him and pressure pushed up inside.

She sat back up and rolled her pelvis, he was in agony seeing a milky white organ swelling and shrinking as it moved inside him his belly swelling. He felt his insides shifting to accommodate, if he'd had anything in his bowels it would have poured out from the building fluid pressure

She bulged out in ecstasy, leaning over sweat pouring from her the salt burning around the wound as she stayed still for a moment then disengaged slowly. The organ which had invaded his belly slipped out, his arousal slipped free of her.

She melted and licked his neck unable to stand or move "now you know why she was begging his forgiveness, this does not hurt male droggin."

she looked into his eyes as tears came he hurt so much.

She licked them away "now I can explain before the doctor comes to move me away to rest. We just mated William; they chose you for you are a warrior, with great honor a hero. I chose you for your eyes and heart. Inside you our babies will settle in, the pain will fade your about to become droggin and father of our children..." The pain took his world away finally.

He awoke to warm sunlight pouring in a window lying on a pillow. He eased up stomach aching he looked at the puncture wound, which had scabbed over thickly "dam that hurt"

"She waited a little to long to mate William, she did not mean to be so rough." the doctor walked in with a huge container of water and a cup

She knelt down to her knees wings held up relaxed poured him a full cup holding it out to him with a smile

He just looked at her emotions and thoughts running wild inside him and not exactly sure what to say

"Your still in pain? The fluids haven't fully absorbed into your system then, give it a little longer she as I said was a little too rough on you"

Finally the pain made the decision "a little too ROUGH ON ME? She jammed some-kinda thing into me and-and."

"It is called the umburta, it fills the male with mating liquid to not only cleanse but relax and deaden pain, then once he has climaxed puts the fertilized eggs into him. You and the lady are now a mated pair."

"But-but that's"

She gently put the cup into his hand and moved it to his lips, the water was cold and he found himself gulping it down. Taking a deep breath as he looked up from the empty cup into her eyes

"She loves you William has from the moment she watched video's of you, battle footage spy photos"

"I-I I'm."

"Pregnant? Yes, soon as your a little more relaxed the fluids will help that I'll let her come see you"

"But HOW IN THE HELL?"

Smiling as she relaxed back on her heals "a pirate ship took a human skimmer craft and the crew had been out for a long time, you see William most of Droggin's males are sterile that leads females to look elsewhere for pleasure"

The thought came out as a whisper "kickarta..."

"Hmm?" looking at him with a smile of curiosity

"A friends engineer, she's always being very affectionate to me"

"Well if she had been in her cycle she'd done the same thing to you A'tara did. The female pirate captain took one of the human males to bed a couple times, and fell into her cycle she mated with him. That's how we found out some humans can fertilize droggin. The male human became a droggin due to the babies needs for a father who can tend to their needs."

"How?" still stunned as he blinked staring at her

"Were still studying it but apparently they sample the blood, see it does not match droggin and start a series of genetic alterations reversing the formation of bone from cartilage. Changing organs and such, all while they grow in his belly by the time they are near to term the male will be droggin, we have noticed the more embryos in a male the faster he will change thus the easier it is on him. You have 7 all very large and incredibly healthy..."

=================================================

He held out the cup for more that she poured smiling at him

"Problems?"

"One or two but nothing serious just a matter of time. Unlike most females A'tara wants to share with you in this"

He nodded numbly

"A lot to take in. but it is all done now all there is now to do is wait. All the males who were human are incredibly fertile, the babies too. This will save the droggin race from certain doom"

He nodded again looking out the window at the largest city he had seen since New York! But so green, vines and trees growing dozens of stories into the air a big purple flower fell fluttering down past his window.

"Been ages since I've seen a flower" smiling a little

She set the container aside "this is your area William you're free to explore the males areas five floors above and below you, lots of room and things to do. A tone will ring for meals, please eat I do not like having to force-feed"

He nodded a tiny smile flickered across his face.

She walked into a monitor room and found A'tara staring at him a smile glowing on her face "he took it so well"

"What are you doing out of bed A'tara?"

"I'm fine"

"And if you die because the umburta hasn't relaxed fully pierces the main vessel? You hemorrhage to death in the greatest pleasure you will ever know."

"I needed to know he was alright"

"He's fine shocked, stunned but very normal for this. Now you agreed lady till I say, you stay in bed" she got up slowly as her assistants helped and the doctor moved over and knelt down. Moving her clothes to look

She glared up at her. "Just relaxed enough to bed with you lady, I swear you can visit him later."

"My thanks for this Sisara, now the trouble will start and he will be at risk but he is Cyberhorn the fearless warrior"

Slipping a little she was helped up "take her to bed she needs more rest, I will be in to check her shortly" she turned and watched him for a moment realizing just how much trouble A'tara meant.

"Indeed keep an eye on William make sure he gets water if the container goes dry and sleeps later"

Her assistant smiled "he will be quite a male 4 more babies than any other"

"Look at who the mother is it any wonder?" sighing as she went out.

He watched the city and its goings back and forth, drinking water when he needed watching the sun set on a world he'd always wanted to visit trying to sit very-very still as his belly twinged pain occasionally, but even that was slowly fading.

Gently feeling his firm belly his one time overhang from being over weight now gone, the lights dimmed and finally only a path of dim walkway lights out side his room could be seen.

The rooms were positioned so that unless you actually walked in you couldn't see completely inside. He looked out at the starlight, watching the vehicles as they zipped by he fully expected the windows to darken so the lights of a metropolis like this wouldn't bother them and as he thought it they did turn opaque.

Lying down to sleep on the actually very comfortable pillow, his belly shifted sloshing a little that made his bladder go mad with pain. Getting up in a hurry he moved out to the wide hall and its soft pathway lights "bathroom gota pee bad"

Someone must have heard him as a path of lights under his feet moved over to a wall on the inside of the walkway

"Thank you". Rushing over he went through a large door, found a human urinal and some intermediate sizes to a full sized droggin toilet with its tail support.

He stood there emptying for a good minute finally he felt better; in the warm yellow lights his skin was pale.

Finding a mirror and looking closely at himself he had to agree with his first examination he was sick looking.

He went out to meet a big male droggin who was huge in the belly "ah so you're my new neighbor huh"

The droggin spoke in perfect English!

"Umm William Morris" holding his hand out the droggin smiled and gently shook his hand "Charlie McClain, scuse me please" slipping past into the toilet Bill blinked

"In freaking credible" shaking his head wishing he could have an ale to help this all go down in his head...

===========================================

Going back to bed he found sleep, none of the dreams or nightmares he'd suffered from; just blissful sleep.

He woke to a smell; musk of some kind, his groin responded as he sniffed it again it was unlinke anything else he'd smelled but he had somewhere.

Getting up looking around the corner of his room the doctor and A'tara! Were walking towards him with several others following.

The smell brought up a powerful urge to smile as he felt love well up from deep inside, smiling at them made a few halt in their tracks, A'tara walked right up to him.

"You are well lady?"

She smiled at his flawed formal but still a very good attempt "I am rested and recovering my mate"

His eyes glimmered at that

"You are comfortable I hope?" she asked with a genuine smile

"I'm doing alright a little shocked still but recovering"

The doctor gestured to them both to go into his room. She had him lay back and produced a scanner, checking his belly and groin. The embryos were settled in; already blood vessels were forming to them. A'Tara smiled and gently squeezed his hand

"One problem not one I gather doctor?"

She smiled "indeed occasionally the embryos do not trigger the formation of blood vessels to them and soon start to die, but yours are doing quite well"

"So lady care now to talk to me explain some of this to me?"

She moved over rather stiffly and relaxed looking down at him

"What is you wish to know my mate?"

"Why is there a war? Can you explain this to me? Humans have tried repeatedly to try and talk, to find some way to end this".

She sighed and looked at the doctor who bowed and moved out

"My mate that is a lengthy answer you ask of me" but she knew it had to be told, and she could see it in his eyes he needed to hear it.

He related what he knew of the seventh fleets demise but not how and why. It had been totally wiped out, not one ship fighter or data log buoy had been left intact only the remains of the human ships and a massive burning behemoth that was falling into the systems star. The firestorm that raged inside its structure was so intense the surface had gone molten and yet it still burned.

She sighed, "It was called Parrsal"

He quickly translated to "Peace?"

She smiled caressing his cheek, "it was Droggin's greatest shipbuilding effort, and the greatest most devastating weapon ever created its surface should have withstood the attack of thousands of smaller vessels. Its firepower dwarfed the potential of some small stars; it was the flagship of our fleet. My mother and fathers pride and hopes"

His face went slack, still listening to her as she placed her hand on his chest

"Her holds were filled with treasures from a dozen droggin worlds foods and medicines, rare and priceless gifts for the whole of the earth every human would have gotten something. Even the parrsal was to be given to the earth as a gesture of peace and friendship." She sighed and tears came

"But your seventh fleet ran head long into her causing a chain reaction in her systems and reactors; the fires broke out, I and my sister were tossed into the arms of a relative, as my father tried to get mother to abandon the ship".

Her head fell to her chest as tears slipped down her cheeks

"She refused to let the one chance we had for relations with earth go. The flames ripped though the flooring I never saw them again. I heard orders go through to fire the main guns at the surviving earth ships, a single volley was fired; but the systems were to far gone and that only accelerated the parrsal's end. I watched as she burned explosions ripping through the once proud ship." Looking at him her sorrow all to evident

"The days after were filled with cries of maakar, blood feud. Whole clans of Droggin went out and started killing humans some of those died, more cries of blood oaths came."

"And so an accident has escalated into a war that will go on till one race finally wins"

"No my mate, Droggin will not cease to fight even to the last"

"And humans would do even worse, if defeat is all that is left, humans will through themselves onto the guns of there attackers and die taking Droggin with them at any cost."

She sighed and sobbed he sat up and though not big as her. He pulled her head to his shoulder and held her trying to comfort.

"It is a single chance I have to bring this to a stop. To bring peace to my world I heard of how a human had become droggin and I started immediate research into it"

"Thus now your a participant in this program, but humans wont like this. What about these men they have families children now they are droggin. Two wrongs do not make a right A'tara"

"I know" Looking into his eyes "but there is a requirement of an heir to the crown. I must have a male who is honored by his clan, he must be pregnant with my children and he must be strong for I may need his support".

He said nothing but put his hand on hers, it was her scent it had his skin tingling again he could only think of her and nothing more.

"Only then with the full passing of the counsel, can I become queen; I can call a halt to the blood feud! The clans will not question the queen of droggin. Till then I am only the lady A'tara heir to the crown".

"And having a large group of allies who because of the fact they now have children due to your help"

She smiled a little "yes"

"Gives you some power to act while 'only' an heir"

She gently hugged him close "I knew you would grasp what is happening quickly but there is one more complication".

"Your sister, I would guess"

"Yes, she has been the one fanning the Droggin need for revenge".

He understood quite well, this made him a big target to keep her from the crown.

"I see you are already thinking about how this effects you"

"I'm the easiest target for your sisters wishes to keep you from the crown. If she happens to get it what will happen?"

"She will call for tal-maakar total death to the blood, Extermination of the human race."

He sighed, "That is not good"

================================================

He held her closer and felt her hand gently touch his nearly hidden arousal inside his folded legs, her eyes showed her reaction and a smile showed her thoughts.

"I could smell your musk lady never in my life have I reacted like that to a female"

"Arousal from my scent? I must confess I too feel my urge returning. Can you not feel the warmth my mate, I need you your love once more. I must have waited far too long my body it calls to you for help"

He lifted her chin kissing, as he would have Amy, she relaxed and continued to gently fondle him. Finally pushing him back to the pillow

"You do this willingly with me? There is risk"

He gestured and she came closer he whispered "I do and if you don't do it soon, they will stop you wont they? And it makes you think of me"

She smiled "I do already, but I understand".

She slipped her leg over him and eased forward "must be gentle. I might hurt them or you"

He reached up and slid his hands along her legs up to her groin where she melted. Slipping over him, she shivered and went to lean over.

Bill stopped her continuing to caress her groin; his fingers came away with the fluid she'd insisted he try.

"My scent, my mate"

"Much more lovely lady a mating stimulant, at least it was for me"

"And other humans as well"

"I really don't need it to love you"

He moved gently she responded, it took a few moments longer than before but was immensely more enjoyable. The pain was gone far more quickly; she was far more relaxed in doing it she smiled seeing his belly filled out even more. Relaxing she covered him, kissing quite passionately her tail swishing happily knocked the water pitcher over and it went sliding out into the hall. The doctor and others saw this and looked at each other

"They have been quite awhile He wouldn't hurt her?"

"No! Never but he is Cyberhorn".

They all moved nearly as one, rushing around to find her with her head laid on his chest him sleeping. His arms around her neck, her legs holding her body off his, the umburta clearly still engorged with blood. The doctor sighed and got a very vexed look, some of A'taras' friends just grinned and turned away.

The doctor moved over and scanned his belly which was now very full and rounded her eyes went wide and she sighed tapping her wrist "Aalie I need a stretcher for the lady, she and William mated again".

"They did what!"

The same look came from those around them

"SHE AND WILLIAM HAVE MATED A SECOND TIME do I need to raise my voice again?"

"No Ssarta the stretcher is on the way" she looked at her and him

"Cancel the stretcher, but send a pillow and blankets please"

"On the way Ssarta as you command".

The others were clearly confused "he is Cyberhorn is he not, he can and will protect her. She has captured the one thing no one could but her, she captured his heart friends, she will rest easier here and perhaps the bastarga will bond them even closer."

"Do think they are bastarga?" a young helper spoke up

"Look at them asleep after mating for a second time, his belly full now with 15 babies. If they are not bastarga then they are both insane"

That brought smiles from her friends they helped to lay her to one side next to him, her nose gently placed at his neck and they left them to sleep.

Her eye opened as did his her hand settled onto his belly "you clever male, how did you know?"

"The way they cart off ladies when they've mated, to rest as it will soon render them unable to move."

She smiled and shifted closer; he felt the sharp point of the umburta slip along his leg, as she got comfortable.

"Can we once I'm not pregnant enjoy just making love?"

"Yes I look forward to that. It is customary that a mating pair, enjoy loving with each other first, then they mate. We did not have that option"

"15 jezz I'm gona pop"

She giggled softly, her hand gently sliding over his near numb belly

"No but you will be busy for a while, you are tamburg, umm pregnant twice over now".

He turned his head to look into her eyes "in other words when I give birth, I'm already pregnant again?"

She kissed his neck, licking the salt away gently. "Yes"

"Okay I need to kick Fal'gateor in the tail, he never mentioned any of this to me in all our talks".

She sighed and he smiled, she had a momentary look of concern but seeing his smile she realized he was playing.

====================================================

Admiral Richards got a hold of bill's private communications files. Knowing how bill worked, he found several routing codes scribbled on corners of paper and receipts finally getting them in sequence. The screen went black and a decidedly droggin voice came over the line.

He looked at the translator who shrugged "he's asking for an identity"

A droggin claw reached to disconnect the line.

Richards reacted quickly before losing him. "Wait please, Fal'gateor, I'm Bill's oldest friend, let me speak to you".

A Droggin's face appeared in the screen. "Speak then. What is Cyberhorns worst pain?"

"The loss of his betrothed, I was in command that day; I was the one who told him she died. I know all to well how much it hurt him."

The face softened "speak then, Admiral Richards. Know this. I am Cyberhorns betrayer. I gave him to the hunters. I betrayed the star." Fal'gateor Held his bleeding palm up, the star within blackened and raw.

Richards cleared his throat

"He accepted the light stone as a true friend of droggin and I did this to save myself and crew from death. So speak Richards"

"Do you know why they took him?"

"No but I have heard that there is great trouble on the home world, many humans have been shipped there from prisoner camps I do not know why"

"Fal'gateor they are capturing the very best the human fleet has. Intentionally capturing any ideas why?"

"No. But the questions I was forced to ask of him and the gift. I would say that some on droggin prime took special interest in him, again I do not know why"

Richards took a deep breath "fal'gator id like to pay you to do something for me"

"I trade for services admiral what is it you are offering and I will see if I can provide service"

"Bill told me droggin have a liking to human alcoholic drinks"

"They do indeed"

"First I tell you what I want"

"Alright"

"I want you to return to droggin prime"

"No"

"If bill is there Fal'gateor. He will need help I know bill he will be able to get free of whatever they have him in and be looking for help out. It'd be away to make amends for betraying him..."

Gators eyes narrowed "I see he has not let you go uneducated on droggin honor"

"He can be quite the talker. I catch snippets occasionally... all right? Ready for the payment?"

The droggin nodded once

"Fifty cases of two hundred year old scotch"

The Droggin's eyes gleamed for a moment

"The same scotch I gave bill a bottle of several years ago and I know he shared it with you. From what he said you were falling down drunk in a matter of minutes"

"I was indeed"

"Then I can say you know the quality of what I'm offering. Will you go home for a while? Be an honest trader perhaps looking for cargo, scanning the planet for a certain metallic element which I will provide the details on?"

"Cyberhorn has a tracker?"

"He does, but not from what you think it was a piece of seed case which is lodged in his hip bone the metal is an unknown alloy which gives off a reading of one hundred percent pure gold but its not gold or anything like it he killed the seed but the hook which imbedded into the bone grew and laced itself into the area becoming dangerous to remove it has become a part of him he doesn't know about it the doctors didn't think anything of it it's virtually harmless"

Fal'gateor looked at kickarta and several others who were listening from the shadows of the bridge

"Alright Richards I will transmit the quardinates to place the payment. it is an old battle field we will be there long before you, so one ship is to place the. Goods into the airlock of the abandoned earth cruiser Thomas hill I will contact you from droggin when I can"

"Deal, you know of course if you take it and run."

"I have no fear that the phoenix will sear the flesh from my bones. Yes Richards I know of you all to well. The burner of ten evacuation ships from droggin held worlds"

"Then it is good doing business with you Fal'gateor"

The droggin bowed his head to Richards and it went dead

"And now we wait to see if bill's good as I know he is. Or their security is better"

"prepare the 9th fleet sir?"

"The nine? Hell boy get the entire fleet and the reserves ready. If this goes down right we will finally know where droggin prime is and take this fight right to their door step"

====================================

Bill had been examined five times in the past seven days and was now being herded into another one his belly distended and sore the doctor walked in smiling

"Ahh William"

"Not one more step doc. now either you start explaining to me what's going on or I walk. And if you think Cyberhorn can't escape from this place"

She sighed and set a file card down "William. We have never had a human male do what you did. There is a great deal changing inside you and at an incredible rate"

He smiled slightly sarcastically and pulled his gown like shirt up showing a tail "like this?!"

She smiled brightly "tiny but growing."

"Tiny she says. Listen I've been puking my guts out"

"Normal even for human females at this stage"

He blinked "and this!" showing his belly to her a series of bluish green scales coated it his normal hairs were still poking out from under them "how again are the babies doing this to me!?"

"Simply they are rewriting your genetic code to one like theirs they produce fetal cells along with various chemicals to cause corrections thus to replace yours they want father to be able to support and protect them the same way babies help one another to be genetically healthy they keep each others codes correct while in side the father. This is why we can not understand why our males are not fertile"

He nodded at that, and submitted to the exam which showed the formation of muscles inside his belly around them and all over his body they had a decidedly droggin genetic code and could be detected in scans.

His heart was being slowly replaced by a huge mass of droggin muscle, which had a main artery running to the forming uterine area and a major vein which would pass through the forming kidneys one of his own had already stopped and was being dissolved

His liver was gaining size storing up blood reserves several smaller hearts had formed on the new arteries.

He was told that each male had gotten so tired at one point because of the changes that his heart couldn't keep up with the circulation requirements. They fell into a hibernation like state finally waking nearly done changing this was as she said the most critical time if the secondary hearts were not formed fully or not big enough the male would require support and that was the risk if his body did not help its self quickly the male would be stuck on a support machine, of the several hundred who had been changed only one had this problem but it was a risk

He nearly ran into his next door neighbor who was walking out of the dining area bill planted his hands on the distended droggin belly to stop not only himself but the lumbering mass of droggin

"Whoops! Sorry bout that" patting the huge belly

"Its ok bill" he looked up into Charlie's eyes they stared for a moment at each other

"Um you just get done with the doc?" the big droggin smiled

"Yup and I actually have an appetite for once"

Charlie smiled "I really didn't feel like eating. Mind if I sit with you? I might get hungry"

"Sure common" he got a tray of droggin foods and sat down

Charlie sitting down on a pad in front of him

Bill ate some of the warm meat and waited for a moment "yeah its gona stay put this time"

"I had the heaves for quite awhile"

"So Charlie how many?"

"Four an you?"

"Fifteen" eating another piece

Charlie's jaw dropped open as bill ate another bite of fruit "good god. Your gona burst!"

"Not according to the doc. but I am pregnant twice over, and its speeding my change up to the point I can feel the changes and see them happening"

He ate and talked with Charlie finding himself quite at ease with him. Charlie also started to take more time with him even falling asleep with bill near by he made a point of asking the doc at the next exam

"Doc, what's with charlie? He's gotten to be like a shadow"

She smiled knowingly at him standing straight "he and you are becoming falta it is an ancient term for birthing brothers"

She smiled making a note in the file "I had a feeling he would chose you and it is why I put you both near each other he had not chosen a falta, males who do not have difficulties becoming very irritable and difficult to help during birth as the flight fight response is incredibly over sensitive"

Bill nodded to this; even he'd begun to feel somewhat paranoid at times more so than normal he thought with a laugh

"He feels at ease with you near him he knows instinctively he has a protector in you so as he labors he does not have to fear and can relax do what is needed and rest.."

Nodding again well that explained Charlie "And, can I speak to A'tara?"

"She is coming today to visit you. I told her of the falta and she wants to meet him"

"Ah alright" smiling as he found his heart beat faster at the thought of a'tara near by and rather enjoyed the thoughts and what they did to his once cold and empty soul

====================================================

He smiled as he told Charlie what was going on

Charlie grinned "no wonder I've felt so much better around you. Um that kinda leads me to ask"

"Yes you can move in here so long as you don't snore me to death"

Charlie laughed and patted bill on the shoulder

"Ouch!"

"Oh I'm sorry bill." Clearly concerned

Bill took his shirt off and could see bone shifting under the stretched skin

"I've seen that before bill. Those are wings forming"

"Damn! That's sore to boot" gently touching a thin spot seeing the bone wrapped in a webbing of blood vessels

Charlie stood and loomed over bill " a ground pounder gets wings. Now that's funny" walking out to his room

"Ha-ha yeah funny, bet I could out fly you with both tied behind my back "

Charlie laughed from inside his room as bill stood outside his thumbing his nose at the big battle droggin

His nerves tingled and a warm breath rolled over his shoulder

"That would be quite painful my mate"

He turned and smiled at A'tara who as usual had her escort and friends with her she saw the scales over his belly and gently slid her finger over them

"Such a color. I like this" smiling quite lovingly her finger stroking slowly and lower by the moment

"He has a unique shade of that type lady and as you can see. He will be a flyer"

Stopping her caress she gently turned him to feel the shifting bones and cartilage under the skin of his back and shoulders.

He turned and bowed to her and in formal he spoke

"My lady I am very happy to see you again" knowing he'd ruined the again with slurring

He bowed again his back hurting like hell she lifted his chin with her finger and kissed him passionately

"You need not bow to me mate I am yours as you are mine"

He returned the kiss "alright then A'tara, I have a favor to ask of you"

She sat down there in front of him on the floor her friends clearly disturbed by this un-princess like behavior

"Ask I will see if I can provide what you wish"

"Access to computers for all the males so they can start learning. They are or are becoming droggin. Would be only appropriate they receive instruction on what it is to be droggin and such"

She turned to the doctor who smiled

"It was a security risk my lady. We did not wish to take it, but if the lady believes it would be an acceptable risk"

"I do, these males need the education and then they will understand why we do this. Allow them to have video also, why keep them isolated? They are in large part Droggin's future"

"Also I need to have a com line.. I have to A'tara Jim is more than likely going nuts and will be already putting the pieces together, figuring out your doing something strange with fleets best troopers. He'll find droggin prime and bring the entire fleet down on this place"

She blinked looking at the seriousness in his gaze. One of the others said something then another spoke louder in common droggin

"Jim William?"

He looked at A'tara "Admiral James Richards, better known as the phoenix"

They all shifted at that even A'tara he knew that name carried more fear than his ever would

"He and I trained together we were in special ops. Yes ladies you caught Cyberhorn the spy, assassin a fleet specialist even the phoenix cant match. But his being an Admiral he can do much more damage publicly than I ever could the phoenix will bring death to droggin if he finds this world as he has to several worlds held by Droggin's"

"Indeed. And he is your friend?" one of her aides asked

Smiling at them all "I saved his life once our first mission out. I gave him credit for it I didn't enjoy killing for glory. Jim does, he believes in the saying an eye for an eye just as the droggin believe in blood feud. I have to call him let him know not to try any kind of attack"

"Will he listen to you my mate?" A'tara asked with concern clearly effecting her

"Yes, yes he will, I'm certain of it"

She gestured to the others one brought up a case, which she opened "you use"

"Ah a type nine very nice ... pardon me maam" taking it from her and setting it on the floor in front of him

They all watched as his fingers clicked with furious abandon on the keys adjusting several circuits via diagnostics

Charlie came up looking over his shoulder "hey your into the fleets com net"

"Yep looking for jim ...ah ha there he is ...dam I knew jim wouldn't lose any time he's on the carrier San Francisco which is his flagship... ok jim you better be... ah good its lunch time he'll be having coffee with a shot of scotch with more than likely ham on wheat and mayo no mustard"

The ladies were all looking at this as he clicked and screens flickered and closed a'tara smiled and kissed his neck he paused for a moment

"Thank you ...um this is Charlie by the way Charlie this is princess a'tara"

"Princess I'm honored to meet you" bowing his head to her

She spoke in rough English "no Charlie you are my mates falta I am honored to meet you"

She reached out touching his cheek and bowed her head to him

"Got it" the line scrolled code for a moment and a warning screen came up advising he was hacking into a fleet secure line "yada-yada ok this should do it" taping an enable key with a huge grin

Jim sighed from his work sipping the coffee fal'gator had picked up the beacon and the scotch as planed and was heading for droggin prime his com chimed "I said no calls"

"Yeah and would you like me to tell yer wife who eats those fruitcakes she makes for the sole purpose of killing you for your life insurance?"

Jim spun and went wide eyed "bill you wouldn't...bill?" slapping his hands flat on the desk as he gaped open mouthed

"Hey jim... You should know by now fleet has never fixed that dam code bug"

He smiled near to burst out then stopped going serious "your shit still stinks"

"But at least my mom didn't wipe it into dads bowl for breakfast"

Jim whooped spinning in his chair tossing printouts all over

"Bill god almighty I knew they couldn't hold you!! Listen were on the way"

"Jim ...No"

"WHAT!?! You've gone nuts?"

"Jim, no you will only escalate things, and cost earth several dozen fine ships and their crews. Listen to this old dragon... They are taking the best for a good reason... One they have no choice in and I can help more from here so cool yer reactors I'll holler if I need the cavalry okay"

"Answer me this then, why? Why take our finest and only males"

Bill looked to a'tara who like the others had worried looks but clearly they trusted his judgment in this

"They are a race in trouble Jim, I'll explain later suffice to say I'm now closer to gaining peace for both than we have been since the beginning. I can do more here..."

"Okay why you?"

"I'm Cyberhorn Jim... I'm the dragon... An umm admirer wanted me here next to her, when I call again Jim I will explain more"

He stopped to think for a second "remember the words you told me the day after the battle...that id find love again? She was still out there in the universe"

"Yes"

"She found me... I will give my knick name as a code word next time I call only you and four others knew it"

Jim clearly thought for a second then smiled "gotcha... you be careful, oh and fal'gator will be there in orbit to look for you in case you needed help"

"And thus is bringing you unwittingly"

Jim smiled innocently as a cat could with a mouth full of yellow canary feathers could "who me nahh"

"Thought so... good though I can tell him he can help out when the time comes. Later Jim"

"You don't go dying on me drake."

"No choice in that now.. I have other lives to think about now Jim." clicking it off

====================================================

He clicked again for a moment "I'm bouncing it off several com sats in orbit so it can't be traced so no need to worry ladies"

Typing more he looked up as the screen came up it was dark

"Identity"

"Cyberhorn the drake you silver tongued devil you"

"William!" gators face came into view immediately "your alive as Richards said you would be!"

"Yes gator' he looked on with a pause then had to ask' your star has gone black hasn't it my friend"

The droggin lowered his head

"If you would have told me we could have thought of something is that not part of the promise the star holds?"

"Yes it does"

"All is forgiven my friend I do not blame nor should you let your star heal"

The droggin smiled and sighed looking at his palm it had turned white again " thank you my friend... How can I help you now?"

"You in orbit yet?"

"No several days away still"

"Good take your time Richards bugged your ship somehow and your leading him to droggin prime"

"What! No"

"Listen to me gator.. Lead him here but slowly I'm in no danger as of yet but I have the feeling that may change soon... and why didn't you tell me males carried the babies?"

He shrunk a little "I forgot?"

"HA! You conveniently forgot.. You were afraid to tell me because you think in human eyes male droggin especially the leader of a ship would become weak in the eyes of a customer.. Because he is the one who cares for children" bill folded his arms not willing to let him dodge this

Gator nodded and sighed

"Good you owe me two cases of whatever Richard gave you as payment"

Gators eyes went wide "bu-bu-but"

"I'm teasing you gator... but as friends I expect your help when I ask for it"

"You have it"

"Good when you get into orbit call this line let a'tara know you've arrived she'll let me know"

The droggins eyes went wide "the a'tara!? Of the royal blood?!"

Bill grinned as a'tara moved around behind him and gently kissed his neck and set her chin on his shoulder

"it is a pleasure to meet you fal'gator thank you for getting the questions I needed to decide on William"

After numerous minutes of gator bowing and begging forgiveness bill finally got him up to look at bill who stood up lifting his shirt the droggin was stunned "guess who's going to be a father gator"

"You?"

Bill turned to show the profile "ohh and heavy too"

a'tara smiled pride fully "we are bastarga fal'gator... we have mated twice ..William is with fifteen"

Gator sighed and shook his head "I knew you wanted children William... but that..."

Bill smiled as a'tara wrapped her wings around him pulling him into her lap to sit "be ready gator when your here we may need to hustle out of orbit on a moments notice"

"My sister may threaten Williams life fal'gator.. if William needs to be evacuated he trusts you, then so do I"

"Then great lady ...it would be an honor to serve"

"Ehh cut out the royalty stuff gator... just be ready we may have to run like all the stars in the region just went nova"

"We will be ready my friend when I arrive I will bring you a com link... then if you need me I will be but a touch away"

"Great idea gator"

He looked up into her eyes and smiled "so you like what you see so far?"

She just smiled and kissed him passionately gator smiled and sat up with pride watching them kickarta disappeared back into the shadows a silver jewel of a tear sparkled as it his the floor

They ate dinner with everyone bill told all the ' human ' droggin of what was going on and told them the good news about the computer access one shouted over the murmurs

"What about my wife and kids on earth!?"

"When this is all over guys... we will still be droggin yes this is not something id wished for but we do get the chance to help a race that is dieing... I realize that many had family back home but for them your gone you are now a droggin. Do you think your wife would still sleep with you?"

Silence as they looked at each other

"And here I'm sure that if a'tara gets into a position of power she will stop this war.. In effect guys you gave your humanity for the earth for peace as you expected to give out on the battlefield. . You carry in your bellies a races future no its not what we want, but we are fleets best and a chosen few of those...we can give life unlike any one else from our home... think on it guys. They need you and want, desire your help."

=======================================================

Soon as they had the terminals available he started researching customs and ideals , how a male droggin did things labor feeding and such

What bothered him was the fact they had to wait for the grand council to see a'tara and listen to her petition for them to judge her for the crown then they would give her sister a chance to speak, to prove any counter claims on the crown but it all had to be done before the religious holiday coming up

They only crowned the queen of droggin on that day which came with a conjunction of droggins moons the three moons aligned in a stack causing an eclipse which according to droggin lore if the light shone from one of the penumbra halos on the queen to be... she would be one of the greatest in the history of droggin

Looking at an old lithograph of the last one well over a hundred generations ago it was a flare of light that came from a crater on the closest moon where its shadow over lapped the next in its orbit. it was the time factor.. if they missed this one coming it'd be fifteen years till the next available conjunction.

He knew that neither race had fifteen years to wait much less five

Looking at his notes as he walked back to his room a sudden pain in his chest made him stop

Tears came with sharp stabbing pain in his left arm and chest

Easing down to a knee deeper pain slid out into his left arm leaving it limp his notes fell from his paralyzed hand

Charlie came thundering up his footfalls shaking the floor "bill?!"

Bill tried to speak but only a squeak came out and that was a supreme effort in it's self

"Oh god your heart easy bill easy"

Laying him back gently bill tried to gasp for breath but only looked like a fish out of water the doctor rushed up with others Charlie snarled, "Leave him alone!"

"Easy now falta"

Bill could see Charles huge claws extend.

Charlie had become one of the massive ground based hell dragons or battle dragons he personally had seen only two in his life but they were pure nightmares on the battle field totally fearless and once they got going little stopped them

They did all the assaults on hard targets their armor scales thick enough to withstand quite a pounding the claws could rip through concrete

"falta be calm we are here to help him"

Bill knew he had to calm Charlie or else, putting his hand on Charlie's tail which was thrashing side to side the battle dragon turned and looked at bill

"S-s'ok c-Charlie"

He backed away then knelt down to hold bill's hand the doctor scanned his chest keeping a wary eye on Charlie

"Your droggin heart has had a growth surge it is now partially beating your human heart is compressed against it and your ribs thus your discomfort I need you in a bed for monitoring"

Hours later the pain had finally faded Charlie was sitting by him bill could feel the droggin heart thump hard in his chest the bone vibrating

Charlie smiled "you know you can see your body change.. Must hurt like hell"

"Not really till that hit me" his voice was soft and put him out of breath

"The doc says the change is happening so fast to you...you'll be droggin before I'm due" smiling at bill "you rest if you argue with me I'll tell a'tara"

"jezz just go right to the top of the command chain" that didn't help and left him feeling faint

"See now stop it. Go back to sleep" he smiled as Charlie did and let the world fade

============================================

fal'gator pulled into a parking orbit he'd received from a'tara the code clearance for one of her allies allotment

kickarta came up in her armor holding out the com to him "sir"

He looked at her "your mad he is hers now aren't you?"

She snarled and turned stalking off several others smiled "yes she's definitely upset about this"

They went into the shuttle and went to the location given landing on the roof landing pad

Security met them on the pad and then escorted them into the building. The doctor smiled as they were led into the room

"Ahh fal'gator! Good William has been worried about you" she gestured and they followed her into a lift which soon stopped and opened to a medical center several beds were empty but one had a huge droggin sitting at vigil

She held them back for a moment "Charlie? Friends of William's are here" he looked and his armored neck spines stood up in threat

"fal'ta they are here to help"

fal'gator looked to the doctor then to Charlie

"I'm honored fal'ta I am fal'gator. An old friend of Williams" Charlie sighed and nodded turning back to his vigil

Gator had expected to see William's smile as he rounded Charlie's shoulder but he was clearly not in any condition to do that his skin was thin criss crossed with fibrous blood vessels a full rounded belly something popped softly inside William

"n'other bone just broke doc"

"We've got the suspension tank ready Charlie... when ever your ready to carry him to it we can make him more comfortable"

He looked at gator "he's changing so fast he's fallen into hibernation before you could get here gator"

Gently slipping his arms under bill Charlie lifted him effortlessly

fal'gator turned to her "will he be alright healer?"

"Yes but the change is progressing so fast it has us frightened for his life"

They followed as Charlie walked into another room and helped the attendants to secure William to soft support webbing and then lowered him into a tank of liquids attendants hooking up sensors and breathing tubes climbing out as the tank filled slowly covering him bubbling soon blurred any outline of his body

fal'gator stood with Charlie for a few moments glancing back at kickarta she was pale still staring at the tank

"fal'ta, I was bringing William a com so if needed he can reach me at any time. I think it will be best if I give it to you since he is unable".

Charlie accepted it looking at kickarta

"You the engineer who keeps sticking her fingers where they shouldn't be?"

They both laughed; she smiled totally caught of guard

"Yes fal'ta I am"

"He said to tell you that now he can give you a swat to the rump for all the repairs he's had to do".

she smiled "he is mate to the lady A'tara, if he wished he could order me put to death for the inconvenience"

"I think he is sorry that he missed the chance to enjoy some time with you kickarta and was saying it to make you smile even though he wouldn't be able to say it to you when you arrived" turning he sat down to watch over his falta.

fal'gator was soon back on his ship feeling rather ill the smells of so many pregnant male droggin made his stomach do odd things his scales itched and felt strange.

Sitting down he called Richards as per agreement

"Ah hello fal'gator"

"As agreed Richards I am in orbit I have spoken to William and he has spoken to you already"

"Ahh umm yes"

Gator grinned as only a droggin could "William speak to you of why he stayed?"

"He made mention of it"

"He fairs well, the change has progressed"

Richards reaction instantly revealed he knew nothing of this as gator had suspected

"you know nothing of this do you Richards"

The human sighed "no I don't gator what is going on?"

"It is indeed a strange yet wondrous thing, a future for droggin, he will tell you more but know this Richards he has become the favored of A'tara the royal, she will be highly displeased with you if it comes about that you are responsible for any harm that may befall him" with that he disconnected the communications channel.

====================================================

Jim leaned back in his chair thinking for a moment his aids looking on one hands full of reports and data cards.

He leaned forward again and tapped keys on his terminal

"Dick go tell the SO lutenant what's his name? I want him in here pronto" "yes sir!"

He looked at the file fleet had on a droggin named A'tara it wasn't much. But the usual files were notoriously incomplete as anyone could get into them.

He looked up at his other aide who was holding the reports

"Set those aside for now and take a break"

"Yes sir". Walking out the door closed behind him

After just a few minutes a nondescript young officer walked in carrying a folder

"Sir?"

"That it?" knowing full well how special ops worked they monitored every com channel they had A'taras file and cybers making connection notes in them before fal'gator had even reached to disconnect the com

"Sir"

"Give and scoot" holding his hand out for the file

He raised an eye brow at this "it's my call sir"

"If cyber's gotten in good with this one, he may well be in the prime place for anything we need"

Jim gestured to him to give it. He set the file down turned and walked out

Jim opened the thick folder

Setting a large picture of her aside taken at some public ceremony on droggin thinking she was rather good looking for a droggin.

Thinking she's one of twin sisters born to the king and queen of droggin she has been staunch supporter for talks with earth, allies with thirty of droggins' major clans.

Recently supporting a top-secret project code named one plus one special ops had tried in vain to find out more about it but had hit a wall of incredibly tight security.

She'd been seen several times visiting the sealed high security building in droggins' capital city of gal'lor other droggin identified entering and leaving this building, high to mid clan leaders of all allied clans many high rank battle veterans from those clans also many in the genetic and reproductive fields of the medical community.

Special ops believed there was something going on in the building involving the droggin trying to breed a super warrior but this was only conjecture.

Jim read over her movements, did some inquiring on droggin terms and just came to realize as he looked at the opening paragraphs again

"If this is right bill is the lover of one of the two princess of droggin? Holy Christ on-a stick!"

He smiled knowing now exactly what bill could do in that position! Relaxing back for a moment he thought on it then stopped and looked at the file

"The twin sister"

Looking through the file he wasn't surprised to find her's there as well and what he read made him stand up, his hair and nerves started tingling

"Dick!"

His aide burst in "sir?"

"Get fleet command on the line and I want the entire fleet put on alert I mean every thing!"

"Yes sir!" rushing out

Jim stood up looking out the port at the stars beyond realizing that this was indeed the biggest chance and possibly the last one

====================================================

Bill had over time some odd to strange dreams as he'd lived and fought the droggin at first always the tunnel the flames and his crew calling to him for help the droggin the dragon, marching for him eyes flames in a skeletal head.

But they had changed over time the dragon inside had taunted him demanding to set free, even on other humans!

That was but one of cyber's sides. The fully evil draconic side, the side that took pleasure in pain done to others, and glee when another suffered that pain.

Even cyber who now for the first time was confused and looked it.

They both stood in a white featureless place

Cyberhorn as the classic massive dragon of old

William just a man.

cyber finally turned and loomed over him

"Now what is it you have done to us? More drugs? More therapy?" scoffing and grinning with a leer

"Me? You dummy I'm here with you, you think if id finally found something to be rid of you in my dreams that id stuck my self in it too? Your more nuts than I am!"

The dragon growled menacingly

"Ohh go stuff it in yer ear drake. Last thing I remember is being taken prisoner, a lady droggin"

"She mated with us"

"Yeah that's it. But why?"

"Perhaps my good looks lured her to us" the dragon grinned lecherously again tongue wagging

"Yeah like any droggin is that blind, Sure cyber"

He snarled and roared as William smiled

"Oh huff and puff. Um Cyber, what is that?"

They both looked at a dark mass sweeping over the light in the featureless sky towards them,

Thunder rumbled

"Storm" the dragon proclaimed

"Nothing like any I've seen before"

"It lives"

He looked at the dragon that turned an eye to him

"It is a living storm... Inside of us we will not survive this I think"

It rushed at them and darkness fell a fog flowed in it was cold and chilling to the bone glowing softly from around their feet

he felt as if he was suffocating in it cyber too was having trouble.

Lower gray storm clouds swept over flickering flashing above and around them

He felt light headed different, he reached out and touched cyber hoping for solid support, found his hand held fast being bonded with the dragon being sucked into his scaly hide but saw cyber too was in a panic held fast by some unseen force his body compressing shrinking and changing

The last he saw as his face was pulled into the dragons body, was what looked like, children's shadows in the fog watching waiting.

---

William awoke and couldn't breathe or swallow.

His eyes wouldn't open!

He could feel his arms and legs but they seemed impossibly long and they wouldn't, couldn't move.

It felt as if he was trying to swim but was tangled in the grasses held fast tangled and clearly drowning

The water suddenly fell away and his body immediately hurt tangled tied up

Air wouldn't come he couldn't breathe panic struck he tried to hold it but nothing was working right.

Hands touched and he reacted thinking god yes HELP FINALY!

The fluid finally gurgled out of his ears and voices came quite loud in some strange tongue then the sound of thudding foot falls came and a voice, which caused instant calm

"William! It's Charlie calm down your alright your safe"

He felt the panic subside and tried to move "no! Don't move your all tangled in the support webbing. The doctor and her helpers are trying to get you out of it so just relax okay"

He nodded

"Good it's alright just be calm".

He felt a hand settle on his chest "William relax your left leg please"

That voice, he knew it, the doctor!

He tried to move his mouth but it was stuck too

He felt straps untwist and pain stopped from various parts of his body that seemed to be far too distant for the relation to where he should be feeling it.

"falta would you carry him to the bed please"

"Sure doc, is he gona be alright?"

"Yes Charlie we gave him something to sleep so we can remove these"

"Okay, I'll be right here bill don't you worry"

Bill gave him thumbs up and found sleep.

Charlie looked on as the doctor and assistants slipped tubes and wires from under the blueish-green scales, which the chest and groin area were a lighter shade.

She looked up at him as she removed the breathing tube from bill's throat his chest expanded as he took a first very deep breath.

"Fal'ta he will be alright I think he needed more air and when he couldn't take a deep breath became startled"

The massive battle dragon known now as Fal'ta Charlie only sighed and nodded

"I've never seen his type before doctor, is this some other kind which doesn't fight humans?"

She and her assistants looked at the prone form then each other,

"No Charlie, but I too have not seen this form. There are several race of droggin who have been lost to time. This clearly is one of those, the lady must have had an ancestor from one of these blood lines and the babies thought this was the best choice for their father"

They brought Charlie food and left him alone with his fal'ta.

She watched from the control room as Charlie ate then waited

"Are you running Williams' type for match?"

"Yes ssarta, so far there has been none"

"Also let A'tara know he is out of the suspension tank and she can come see her mate"

Smiling she knew how much the lady would be pleased he was indeed a royal consort big strong and a flyer. But the fact that he had become one of the rare forms troubled her.

She had seen his form somewhere but where she thought, walking to her office she realized when she looked at an antique given to her by the princess her self!

A figurine of a seductive male droggin William had become one of the Lumar!

The king males! They had done all they could to destroy the matriarchal clan rule long ago told now as legends

In the end massive civil war, which had claimed thousands of lives, the kings left droggin never to be seen again thousands of cycles ago.

The doctor took a scan of the princesses genetics and ran the known profile of the Lumar it found only two tags and those were not related to form but reproduction.

Thinking to herself this is why the royal have always had several more children at one time than any other form of droggin

Tapping her stylus on the desk looking at the holograms she tapped a key on the pad accidentally, which changed her displays

In shock as she watched them change "oh now." The holograms scrolled up genetic keys all highlighted and blinking to show it was tagged as related to Lumar genetics there were dozens of them.

It was only then she looked at whose file it had scanned

It was Williams prior to his change. She looked over the results realizing only a descendant of a Lumar could have this many keys. All of them in the test were repressed not active but definitely there.

A thought came to check his current tests and those same keys were now totally active

Thinking of course the babies will have his genetics and they will want their father to be the strongest possible to be all he can be. I have brought the Lumar back to droggin, and placed them at the foot of the very place they wished to see destroyed for power.

A chill passed over the doctor as she let this sink in and then becoming more professional thinking he is William he is Cyberhorn the warrior; is all that from his having Lumar genetics also?

She quickly ran the scan over a random selection of the males at the facility. They all had Lumar keys in varying amounts; William's being the highest of them all

Noting all the others who made exceptional males with high numbers of babies were also the ones with the most Lumar keys in their genetics; they too were the exceptional warriors or leaders, collected from various earth fleet forces.

This was her proof then the Lumar had traveled to other worlds and there they found the same fact that some humans were able to reproduce with droggin

Thinking about it further legends stated that the Lumar had many females who refused to stay with out them but there were far more males. She did not have a single human female available but she did have some of the genetic profiles

Taking one of the fertile droggin born males keys she placed them together the computers gave her a time to do the calculations and percentile odds of a fertile union.

She sat back watching the computer work, her com chimed. "Yes?"

"We have a problem forming at the main entrance Ssarta" thinking that was her head of security

" And that is?"

"The lady's sister Mu'tara is here demanding entrance as one of the royal she has an escort that is fully armed with her"

Ssarta sighed and shut off her displays "tell the lady I will be there in a moment I am attending to a-a-patient yes I'm with a patient"

"As you say Ssarta. If needed do I defend the building?"

She stopped at the door looking back at her desk with its system, knowing the data there

"Yes but only if there is no other way, she is of the royal though she would rather see us all die needlessly in her madness"

Ssarta walked over to Williams' prone form

Fal'ta Charlie had fallen asleep next to him. She looked at his new droggin form and could see much of the Lumar in his face and form now.

Built for battle and yet fine and smooth of body it was indeed an attractive droggin that lied asleep there.

"Charlie"

He roused looking at her "doctor?"

"There may be trouble, I need you to be ready to carry William to safety if needed"

William stirred and yawned opening a mouth lined with teeth and a forked tongue he reached up in a huge stretch tail swishing then coiling wings opening fully in the stretch he groaned, clearly it felt very good

Then he looked at her for the first time with his droggin eyes, deep blue green eyes and smiled silently, sitting up slowly his nostrils flared and he blinked softly

"Ah William how do you feel?"

He looked at Charlie who smiled "you look incredible there cyber"

He turned back to the doctor and in a deep cool voice he spoke "I'm doing quite well doctor, your quite nervous for someone who is in charge" sniffing again softly

"The lady Mu'tara, A'tara's sister is at the entrance. She's demanding entrance to the facility"

"Then you'd better let her in immediately, the quicker the better, the longer she waits the more she will question what your doing here if she doesn't already know"

The doctor nodded this was true. She taped her com and told her security chief to escort the lady to the medical area.

Then looked at William who stretched again his muscle structure rippled under his scales

She shook her head and sniffed the smell was clearly coming from William it was as attracting as it was disarming.

"Something wrong doctor?" he asked innocently

She had a feeling he knew exactly what he was doing

Charlie looked at William "what's going on cyber?"

"Fal'ta Charlie I believe William has found a new ability and even now is calculating exactly how useful it is"

The blue-green Cyberhorn narrowed his eyes and grinned quite evilly

"It has the results I expected doctor, it works for me".

"How did you realize you could effect a female with scent?" she shifted her stance to move her attention from his seductive form and its effects on her

"Don't know really, but since smell is a form communication for droggin I surmised it would work"

She nodded to this "well Mu'tara is coming, you're the fighter and the lady A'taras mate William what do you need of me?"

He eased off the bed, and stood up slowly. Charlie reaching out to help which he used the offered hand for steadying support.

Standing up straight he loomed up taller than the doctor and slightly more so than Charlie.

His wings mantled, the edge scales gleamed colors, his face was built along a large scale, not thin and narrow as most flyers but larger,

His wings were quite immense for the added weight load of his mass she noted for her notes in his file.

He walked a few steps around the bed and folded his arms looking down just a bit at the doctor who was exuding smells of sexual attraction, fear, and anticipation by the gallon.

The doors opened to a colophony of voices in formal and normal droggin but one above them all was very clear it was not happy

"Doctor Ssarta! I demand to know what it is your - do-ing here" Mu'tara came to a slow halt looking right at William her jaw open just a bit several of her escort went from anger scents to sexual in a flash

William smiled very politely and bowed his head to the twin to A'tara.

The fuming Mu'tara came to a slow rolling boil again, a couple of her escort started immediately whispering to each other about him.

Bill's tail nudged the doctor's ankle gently

She blinked and quickly gathered her thoughts "Lady! Mu'tara!" she moved over to the lady and shifted one of the friends out of the way with a gentle nudge she guided Mu'tara closer to William

"I with your sisters help, have been trying to find the reasons for our males being sterile, but in the process, have found perhaps a better use for human males than the labor camps and ore mining operations" gesturing to William and Charlie with a gentle flourish of her hand

Mu'tara snapped around to look at the doctor "these, are humans?"

"They were, my lady - - were, they are now fully droggin and both are quite fertile as this one here is quite tamburg. This is his first time standing after the change has been completed"

Mu'taras eyes narrowed and she moved closer for a good look but clearly wary of him.

"William is a good one my lady he has accepted his options, and has been very calm. He wont hurt you"

She then smiled and reached out feeling his side. Now William gently and seductively slid the tip of his tail along the side of hers this garnered her moving around to look into his eyes rather quickly.

"Hmm, such color Ssarta"

"He was born with blue eyes my lady the color is carried to the droggin and...enhanced to the enjoyment of many a lady".

"Who was the fortunate female who got to mate with him!" turning quickly to the doctor Mu'tara smiled quite clearly eager to know

Bill winked to the doctor who caught the blink and sighed dramatically

"She was a warrior my lady, she, she died in battle recently we match female to male via their genetic compatibility. Your sister was keeping the project a secret for many reasons"

"One of course is that if the average droggin were to find out their would be a major outcry for human males but its not feasible with every human male. It is only a select genetic group and it is a time consuming process".

"I do believe also that, well my lady she submitted both her blood sample and yours so both of you could possibly find, mates"

Mu'tara smiled finally showing her true nature "that was honorable of my dear sister, but we both know Ssarta that she has already mated with one of these males, what I now want to know is, which one?"

Ssarta didn't hesitate in her reply "she did my lady, but he did not survive the changing process I have not been able to gather the courage to tell her of this" the doctor clearly could act and took on a very sad expression

She looked rather surprised at Ssarta who continued "I feared the loss of her support for the project my lady, so I have been avoiding telling her the male which had been hand chosen for her, died"

Mu'tara then grinned.

William cleared his throat all turned to look at him in a fake accent from earth English he spoke "I understand some droggin ladies. Your talking bout Doug arn't you? Doc ? He died didn't he? I mean that there princess. Who um well looks a lot like ya'll ma'am. The one who's been in here wanting to see him n all?"

Mu'tara turned and stood quite proudly glaring at him speaking in quite good English "yes human he has died, that is my sister the Lady! A'tara you speak of, do so respectably!"

She swept her hand back and smacked him firmly across the head he cringed as Charlie stood looming up his spines stood out and he growled

Ssarta moved between them "Falta Charlie! Don't just remain calm! William keep silent as I told you do not speak unless spoken too!"

He nodded and gently pulled Charlie back a little.

Mu'tara just grinned and enjoyed the spectacle as the doctor turned back to her

"The big one has spirit Ssarta but not exactly the most handsome is he. Well I wish to see more of this and perhaps see about adding my own funding to the facility. For priority selection of a suitable male of course"

Ssarta smiled eagerly, fully knowing William had guided this entire event to this conclusion

"Of course my lady! Please come to the examination area and I can get a fresh sample for testing and show you some of the babies. The males may not be all incredibly handsome but the babies of course are completely wonderful"

They all moved out Ssarta leading the lady out arm in arm the ladies escort following along some taking notes.

He smiled evilly, slowly turning to Charlie who then grinned "your very, very cold there cyber"

"If you cant impress them with looks, ya dazel um with bullshit, now we have to be very careful as Mu'tara will be coming here regularly now wanting progress on her male we may even have to find her one"

"Yuck who'd want to even step in her guts? She's the reason so many have died"

Bill nodded and stretched again unfolding his wings moving them in and out then a joint popped "ah that was the ache"

It was later that the doctor came back to the medical area, clearly relived things had gone as she'd hoped, she came in to find William exercising working his joints and muscles.

Charlie was just watching in interest from the bed as William performed several hand-to-hand combat maneuvers very slow at first then faster and faster

Then as if born to the body the tail and wing claws came into play.

It was entrancing watching him work his body, the flexibility was astounding for his size much less the fact he was pregnant. And she found her body responding to all of the movements he made.

She decided she needed to advise him about over working when he noted her presence and roared out a battle cry! He charged at her full speed. She screamed and dropped to the floor to avoid the impact when nothing came but the feeling of great warmth.

Opening an eye, his nose was right next to her face his claws were at her throat and his wings an embracing cage that would trap her in his deadly embrace.

He smiled slowly "so Ssarta"

He blinked slowly exhaling softly at her neck "things went well with the dear princess?" standing up he pulled her to her feet.

She swallowed hard and cleared her throat "yes y-yes they did"

"Sorry about that doctor, but I couldn't resist showing you how humans see droggin"

Only now did Charlie chuckle softly

"shoud'a seen yer face doc, you turned white as an interceptor dragon"

He walked over and patted her shoulder gently "cyber could'a killed you as a human couple dozen times, he likes you"

Walking out the door his voice came back to them "I'm starved Cyber been waiting fer ya to get up lets go get some food huh"

He bowed politely to her and ever so gently nuzzled her nose with his

"Coming Charlie I'm starved myself feel like I'm feeding 16" tromping out behind the bigger battle dragon tail sweeping around wildly

She could hear them both laughing as Charlie slapped his fal'tas shoulder. Her first thought was what have I done to droggin. Then wondered how much William did like her, she laughed and went to call A'tara.

====================================================

Jim Richards, never in his many years in fleet had he seen the entire fleet available. The reserves including every single ship that could be commandeered for any singe assault. The fleet numbered into the hundred thousands and filled the local light year with electrical signals at least.

If any droggin scout were nearby they would see the huge fleet and run like all hell's beasts were on its tail to report back to droggin prime and they would never be able to catch it they would be at a disadvantage from the beginning.

Total blackout of the com and more scouts than you could shake a stick at were needed to keep this a secret

He turned from the view and his thoughts to his commanders "current status?"

"All banshees are out admiral even the raw trained pilots every single fighter an destroyer are on escort patrol to catch any droggin scouts that might approach the fleet cordon"

He nodded they all knew his thoughts in this they were sitting waiting for Cyberhorn.

Waiting for a man who could either stop the war or this would be the final major battle of it. They were ready to destroy droggin prime and all indications were that Droggin's entire fleet was heading for the planet, pulling away from all battle lines only a few were guarding key planets and colonies.

He looked at the tactical statistics as a destroyer eased by the main view scanning for any intruders inside the fleet cordon and possibly magnetically locked to a ships hull. The destroyers huge search lights scanning the hull as it glided along in its sweep

"Sir, I realize Cyberhorn is one of the best fighters fleet has had for a long time but"

He spun on the commander who'd spoke "commander if your up for questioning my motives and faith in bill you best hope to god I don't take it as cowardice or mutiny" realizing that was a bit harsh he calmed for a moment

Pointing out the view screen "Cyberhorn is alive and is currently at the right hand of a princess of droggin. From what I've found out if she can become queen of Droggin they're may be a disagreement between factions one supporting Cyberhorns' A'tara and those loyal to her sister Mu'tara. If she can survive to become queen, she can call this entire war to a dead halt As no droggin would question the word of their queen".

He turned back to the view of space "we have to be ready to back her forces at just the right moment to totally crush those who support Mu'tara, hell bill is more than likely discussing tactics with A'tara right now"

He wondered, knowing bill as he did, he was more than sure bill was quite busy with A'tara.

Bill smiled as she did kissing, they had finally got a moment to enjoy being together from the moment she'd walked into the building after hearing that Mu'tara had been there and seen him. She'd been in a state of near pure fury if Mu'tara had harmed him.

He had just smiled and looked invitingly at her as he welcomed her with a passionate kiss her escort clearly stunned by his appearance. Her closest friends whispering and giggling they talked for a few moments then she asked if they could have some time alone which they used it well.

He could feel her breathe and the subtitle textures of each scale along her side along a hip out along her leg softly then back up where her tail coiled around his wrist holding his hand still she turned her head to him eyes alight with pure joy

"I knew the moment I saw your image, you could be so much more to me" she kissed him rolling over into his arms "I think you should go to fal'gators ship and be ready to leave my mate"

"No" he said with conviction that it brought her up short the tone was firm yet caring

"You need me here and if your sister were to come here and wonder where I had gotten to now that she thinks I have a dead mate. It would not be good for anyone." He tilted her head up to look directly into her eyes

"How long is it till the conjunction and your notifying the council my mate?"

"About ten days my mate I have already filed my claim to them apparently it's one of the reasons why my sister was here this morning. To find my mate and eliminate him"

He nodded to this "so will the clans be attending the conjunction?"

"Yes it's the grand conjunction. If all goes well all droggin will be intendance here and watching on all our colonies in the hopes a queen will be crowned"

She sighed softly looking deep in his eyes Ssarta had told her about his being somehow of Lumar blood and when she saw him in person the resemblance was uncanny to many of the ancient statuary that were known as fertility idols to the point they were nearly everywhere.

If her people went on looks alone they would see his likeness everywhere then and see him as incredible omen of good fortune for every droggin alive they would eagerly stop the war at her request it would never come to an order of the queen.

She got up gently pulling from his embrace as he reclined on a large sleeping pad as he smiled love and sexual encouragement flooded her nostrils, which in turn warmed her thoughts. But she wanted to look at him like this

His tail laid relaxed over his leg his chest and neck were lighter colored nearly a different shade of blue-green his eyes narrowed as he smiled seductively holding a hand out to her in clear invitation to come back to his embrace. Reluctantly she turned and walked over to her clothes.

"I must go, if Mu'tara finds you my mate all we hope for will be lost"

He was far to silent she turned and he was gone! "William?" she turned around looking over the entire room for him

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind, his very scent disarmed her surprise and she melted into his embrace. Now she understood why he was known as the ghost and been un-killable by Droggins' best

"I will be fine my lady. It is you I fear for as you have to remain public and open to attack I can disappear and reappear as the banshees do"

She looked at him ready to tell him about the generators that could rob a banshee of the advantage it had when he put his cheek on hers.

"I know you have found away to rob them of the skipping drive my lady, that will not help droggin if they attack each of the banshee pilots are deadly without the skipping drive. All it does is keeps your torpedoes from hitting them as they set up for an attack run"

He stood up now tall as she was but he held more mass "I must contact Jim. So he can know the timetable"

"Why this conjunction is for Droggins alone" slipping her top on he helped to fasten the clips along the back for her "yes it will bring an end to the war if I become queen"

"In this one time A'tara you are very wrong. If you are made queen then the Earth and Droggin will be at peace. If Mu'tara by some reason is made queen or neither of you is made queen then it would be the final battle as humans now know where droggin is, they will come here to end the war one way or another."

She had to agree to his logic.

Continuing as he helped her with her hair she found the attention quite enjoyable

"If I tell Jim when it all happens; he can either be here as a show of support for you and a peace treaty in hand or possibly catch Mu'taras forces asleep at the helm and force peace"

Looping the tidied locks into a rolled bun atop her head he pulled a few bangs out and smiled "At worst deal her a deadly blow and then retreat to cover Earth and Sol's solar system preparing for her to come and try to exterminate the human race."

She looked at him and in a very human way she nodded "yes contact admiral Richards tell him if all goes well he will be the first outsider to witness a Droggin being crowned queen"

With that they walked out to her friends and advisors William got the vid-phone and started his typing again

Charlie came up and smiled at A'tara "you two were really made for each other you know that don't you?"

She smiled and affectionately kissed him on the neck "Fal'ta Charlie you are indeed a true friend"

William gestured for them to be quiet as the connection was made and the bridge of the carrier San Francisco came up filled with fleet brass.

===================================

"Comm. signal coming in admiral it has Cyberhorns' identity code on it!"

"Put it through main viewer"

"Sir!"

The main screen filled with the interior of a building, several Droggin were standing in view, admiral Richards bowed his head to the princess A'tara who was at the front of the group

"Lady A'tara it is a pleasure to be able to speak to one of Droggin's leaders once again"

She said nothing but did nod in acknowledgement of his effort in normal Droggin

A blue green flyer unlike any droggin he or anyone had seen stepped forward to be centered in the image with a crisp salute it imitated a human fleet officer it then spoke

"Master sergeant William Morris also known as Cyberhorn the dragon reporting admiral Richards"

Jim smirked and then nearly laughed holding it in so not to offend A'tara "funny one bill now come on out where I can see ya"

The flyer grinned and sat down on the floor cross legged "I thought as much with you Jim, your wife's name is Sara your sons are twins born what is it now ten years ago?"

Jim held his hand up to stop him "what's is the point of this? Your not William Morris"

The flyer sighed "on the quazarian home world you broke your ankle running from the enemy fell down a service access cover where I found you in pain about ready to shoot anything that moved near you I left you there to finish the mission alone which I then gave you full credit for"

Jim was stunned for a second then got incredibly angry "you broke him didn't you!"

Bill sighed "we had a code name for each other on the mission. The other two operatives who died and us were the only ones to know the nick names we had"

He moved closer to the screen his image filled the viewer "you were the gods Kazoo and mine was one that I had carried for many years through the ops classes and training missions I was the animal"

Jim blinked as bill continued "I got the nick name from how we played football I roared at the opposing players when I smashed them to the turf. You should know you used to shout"

"Kill them animal--- fetch the--- ball," he said softly as the flyer smiled in response

"You had a pony when we were kids" the admiral said quickly

"Mugzey gray brown and white spots loved my orange soda drank it right from the container"

He leaned forward on the console "how? How did this? This? My god bill how!"

He smiled "you said love was waiting till I was ready for it to try again, and she would be there waiting. The droggin race is in trouble Jim they have millions of females, but only a few fertile males each generation that number has gone down till now they have virtually none"

Jim nodded at this point "and they experimented on you?"

"No A'tara and I mated, we made love"

Jim had to laugh and shook his head "okay I know that there is a huge amount I'm not getting yet but lets say this okay, human male droggin female why does the male become droggin?"

"Because my old friend the female droggin doesn't carry the babies, the male does" with that he stood up and turned slightly to show his belly in profile and the rounded mass distending the surface out.

Jim stood there for a moment dead silent looking like he'd just had a wet fish slap him across the face "your?"

"A proud papa to be Jim" as he smiled proudly A'tara moved up beside him and held him close

"Admiral Richards, William and I mated willingly it was as your people say destined to happen. I saw his image, heard his voice, read repeated accounts of his courage and skill. When it was found out that a female droggin had in her time of most fertility, impregnated a human male and they were his children. Research was started by my people, but it has been recently been found my mother and father had already discovered this fact and it is why they were trying to contact the human race many years ago"

"It's a very stupid mistake Jim it cost the lives of the king and queen of droggin and tossed the human race into a fight that has now come to a final conflict for everything"

"Speaking of which cyber, were ready to literally drop into orbit to end this now" Jim stood up straight

A'tara was the one who looked concerned bill smiled and hugged her close with his arm and tail around her legs "I figured you would be after getting Gateor to carry a tracker here unknowingly. Under the premise of rescuing me or me needing an escape route"

Jim smiled and held his hands out with a look of would I do that?

"Yes you would and did Jim, hold off Jim"

"I cant not now"

"Hold off ten days Jim, in ten days the conjunction comes and they can crown a new Queen your invited for the event as the first outsider to see this."

"Yes and the entire droggin fleet will be in orbit at that time"

"Who then would have the advantage, the earth fleet as it would be free of Droggin's gravity influences for faster maneuvering. Jim you can wait ten days I know you have every ship in fleet you can get with you maybe even a few you shouldn't have. Wait please till A'tara can be crowned, she has sworn to end this war Jim I cant give you any further assurances to that effect I'm afraid"

A'tara stepped forward "no my mate but I can give Admiral Richards something that we have held highly secret, you think your banshee fighter-bombers are invincible due to the skipping drive. They are not, we have found a way to force them into reality where they can be destroyed they are no longer the weapon they once were"

Several of her escort and friends gasped then murmured to this exposure of a military advantage

Jim blinked and looked quickly to his aides they all shrugged to this revelation "can you explain this way of getting the banshee out of skip?"

"It uses high energy magnetic waves to cause the drive to cease functioning due to the fact the drive is sensitive to powerful magnetic fluxuations"

She smiled "I have told you one of Droggin's greatest secrets which as of yet has not been used against earth ships by my choice. I wanted the chance to stop this war and bring peace instead of killing more"

Jim nodded and clearly came to a decision "alright Cyber A'tara you have ten days no more no less."

"Thanks Jim." He smiled and took her back into his arm

She bowed her head politely to Jim "Admiral try to be here before the conjunction I wish you to see the event as our guest"

"Princess I wouldn't miss getting the chance to see Cyberhorn pregnant. Much less your coronation take care both of you, Richards out."

=======================================================

A couple days later Fal'gateor came down with Kickarta as escort, upon A'taras' request to try and convince William to move out of Mu'taras reach.

She had received word that A'tara had petitioned the council for the rights to the crown. They with a witness's testimony affirmed A'tara had a mate and he was most certainly pregnant thus she was within her rights.

Mu'tara went mad with hate and was on her way to the research facility to find the male.

The two walked into the main eating area to find a room packed wall to wall with droggin males, humans in various states of change and fathers with their babies in arm and pouch. All listening to one standing at the far end on a table Fal'gateor looked at Kickarta who was clearly staring at the speaking male a smile slowly spreading across her face

"Kickarta? What is it?"

"Can you not smell it gator? The smell of fertile males" she rumbled with pure pleasure "this room reeks of it to the point I find my self quite warm from it" taking a deep breath again still grinning

Though he wouldn't ever admit it to her, the smell had during the earlier visit caused him strange bodily effects, as this was even now "were here to get William to safety not stop to--smell the flowers so to speak"

She sighed clearly wishing to just stand and enjoy "as you command gator"

They moved to the front, her grin was in no way lessened though as they got deeper into the gathering. Gator finally reached the speakers side and realized it was William, the massive battle dragon, Falta Charlie, was just behind him. William smiled at them and Kickarta stopped in her tracks.

"Well hello there Fal'gateor, Kickarta, good day to you both I will just bet that Mu'tara is on her way and you've been asked to escort me to safety" leaning gently on Charlie's shoulder. Crossing his foot lazily over the other his tail gently sweeping side to side

Gator just smiled and bowed his head, then held out his hand to William

"No gator, my place is here with everyone else. So far Mu'tara doesn't know which of us is the male thus my safest place is in with other males.

"This may be true with humans my friend, but with Mu'tara she will simply eliminate all these males"

"No gator she won't. She's out of her mind insane with hate for humans but to kill her peoples future she's not that stupid."

He gestured to a young human male "you see gator this corporal was found to be her perfect genetic match and he's volunteered to distract her, even to mate with her to make sure this war stops."

Gator looked at the young man then sighing loudly slowly shook his head in defeat at these humans turned droggin "your all completely insane"

Cyberhorn hopped down his belly clearly getting bigger by the day he walked over and put his hand into gators the stars touched " I told you friend I could be friend to droggin I swore in that moment to help droggin even if it meant losing my life for a friends. I wanted you to be the first to see this" he turned to the gathered males.

"Show him"

They all slowly raised their right hand and there glowed a white star of true friendship even Kickarta was shocked from her bliss by this

"We all know the risks gator we all know that there is no way back to being human so we decided to make the best of this, Mu'tara will get her mate, but A'tara will become queen this war stops here."

"I - I don't know what to say William, but I will stand by and await your orders so if you need me to evacuate you all I can"

"Its all I ask old friend just stand ready as we could at any time need to shift location depending on Mu'tara and her temperament, but I think the prospect and opportunity to mate and have children will lead her into trouble were ready for that as well"

Fal'gateor now knew what Cyberhorn had planned! "You're going to let her mate and while unable to resist because of the umburta being distended. You're going to capture a member of the royal!"

Cyberhorn and the others just grinned "she will be treated with all respect gator I assure you, but if she ceases to act like a lady and hits me again I will bust her butt and teach her proper manners" he stood straight and Kickarta grinned even more her body giving off sexual readiness like a neon bulbs strobe effect.

"I have the comm. Gator if I need you I will call never fear that. Us with few weapons and numerous babies, a protracted fight in this building Is not an option. I'll want the young and near birth males moved first so please make the appropriate plans."

He bowed his head and got a very sick feeling stumbling a little Charlie caught his arm and held him up William moved over and pulled gator up straight

"You don't look to good gator, Kickarta" he turned to her and she had that look of a female who needed to mate desperately, the heat she was starting to radiate was incredible

He gestured to Charlie who took gator in his arm they laid him down in a nearby room and Kickarta shoved past them to quickly place herself on top of him Fal'gateor groaned and leaned his head back as she spread her wings and bugled out in blissful pleasure.

Charlie looked to William who was quite intent on what had just occurred to his two friends

William reached up and tapped the comm. In his ear "Tafta on the comm. Fal'gateor and Kickarta have, become unavoidably detained, this is Cyberhorn I will need you ready to evacuate the young and ready to birth males at a few moments notice"

A female voice came to his ear "I will prepare the ship then Cyberhorn. What has detained gator an karta?"

"They just mated. Now hurry to be ready dear"

"They did? Oh my!" it clicked off

He turned to Ssarta who was already scanning them both as kickarta was laid to gators side to rest "6 and they are doing fine so far William she was very ripe and his body was so ready it made him dizzy and ready to collapse"

"A normal way for a female to find a male who was ready? He'd get weak in the knees when she approached?"

She looked up at him and smiled "yes dear, or at least it was like that once long ago"

William nodded and walked out whispering to Charlie for a moment, who then nodded and followed him; Walking away talking further with other males.

When she came out William had sent the males back to their places in the building.

She thought on this sudden reaction of Fal'gateor and Kickarta's, this was a highly unusual event Fal'gateor showed no signs of being fertile and her records would have showed him to be fertile, but here was a long time infertile male, now pregnant with six babies!

The young male human who had volunteered to be Mu'taras mate walked up to her.

"Doctor, Cyberhorn asked me to tell you that I need to be ready for Mu'tara when she arrives and you should eagerly escort her to me "

She sighed, "Alright do you wish a sedative? I know you've been denied water enough so you should be ready"

"He said though it hurts like all hell. Mu'tara will want me awake for this"

She sighed that was indeed Mu'taras personality trait, like her sister in many ways "alright Kenneth lets go to the private rooms then"

"Cyber wants it to be the last room in the hall way doctor " he turned and walked towards the elevators ahead of her.

Ssarta now believed William had a plan and was indeed drawing on the Lumar in his blood to work this out

It was only a short while later when Mu'tara arrived fuming her escort trying to keep up with her mad rush to the lifts, which left half to wait for the next lift.

Cyber looked to the right at the building controls and the lady there he nodded and the lifts stopped working save the one Mu'tara was in he then looked to the left at the security officer who nodded and those waiting for a lift in the entrance area were suddenly surrounded and disarmed without a fight by heavily armed building security

He smiled and watched Mu'taras progress via the security system.

"She's predictable Charlie"

"Yep she's pissed too"

"Well she's losing the crown to her sister, she knows it and is just getting madder each second cause she's been out flanked"

Charlie nodded to that "everyone is ready bill"

He nodded and watched the lift doors open

Ssarta had been told to greet Mu'tara at the lift and smiled brightly as she surged out into the hallway heading right for her

"Ssarta! Now you will tell me everything including which one is my sisters mate or I will see to it that all your research is destroyed and these males are all sentenced to death for being spy's!"

Ssarta knew William was watching and had no fear of her threats "My lady, are you sure you want to do that? We have found your perfect match"

Mu'tara blinked and snarled, "You are desperate to keep this place a secret Ssarta and would tell me a lie. You would lie to one of the royal you have already lied repeatedly to me, I should have expected this"

"My lady!" Ssarta said firmly to pull Mu'taras attention to her "This is not the case he awaits you. I was about to contact you. Are you not in your cycle my lady?"

Ssarta produced a scanner and scanned her quickly before she could back away. Several of the facilities guards slipped in behind Mu'taras guards

"My lady you're nearly in perfect timing. A small injection and you will be able to go enjoy being with your male"

Mu'taras anger started to die down "your serious Ssarta?"

"Yes my lady, and yes I lied about your sisters mate, but not in the way you think he is alive but the babies are not going to survive" she sighed and gave Mu'tara a look of sadness. Mu'tara broke a slowly widening grin

"How has A'tara taken it? Ahh-so this is where you have lied to the royal. You know that alone can get you into the mines much less the fact you have been doing this inside the city with humans"

"Yes my lady but I know the queen" pausing for the meaning to sink in "In her wisdom would see the imminence value of this project to the droggin people and all our futures"

"Yes-yes, the injection Ssarta. I must have my mate for this project to survive"

"As you command my lady!"

Ssarta soon had guided Mu'tara to the end of the hallway and most of her entourage jammed into the end of the hall with them "his name is Kenneth my lady he has not been sedated or given any drugs to keep him calm. You and your sister are alike in that way"

Mu'tara smiled a predatory grin "yes well we are sisters of the same mother"

She let Ssarta open the door and grinned exposing her teeth to the young human who was sitting there nude Ssarta looked away as she closed the door Mu'tara snarled and leaped at him he yelped and pleaded with her to be gentle.

William watched as she took him like an animal pinning him to the floor then she calmed and they mated he nodded to the security chief the hall way was a sudden flurry of motion as human now droggin males dropped ceiling panels and aimed guns at them her security forces held the guards at gunpoint they surrendered silently

The hall cleared Ssarta opened the door and checked on them both ken had a few cuts and scrapes but was alright Mu'tara was so blissful she was nearly unconscious with the note of checking her umburta which was highly distended and engorged it would take nearly a day for her to 'calm' down

Ssarta nodded once looking up at the security video feed location

Mu'tara sighed deeply "oh Ssarta you just do not realize how good that felt to finally mate with a fertile one"

"No but I'm sure many droggin will find it a blessing after so much fighting to finally be able to rebuild their lives Mu'tara" William grinned from his place in doorway his smile was one of cold calculating pleasure

She turned quickly and the umburta threatened to do its damage she relaxed slowly laying back down "so it was you" realizing as she spoke that she'd been taken prisoner

"Yes Mu'tara but you see your sister chose me while I was still human, she knew I would be able to take care of my self and help her as well" smiling again as he sat on his heals in the doorway

"You will be treated as a lady royal Mu'tara so long as you behave yourself"

"Who are you to hold me prisoner human I am"

"You are the princess! Mu'tara. Not the queen lady, and I am your sisters mate known to most of droggin as Cyberhorn the dragon, I have become mate to the future queen of droggin and can take very good care of myself and her"

Mu'taras eyes reflected her fear and understanding of who had her prisoner "the people of droggin will not let Cyberhorn! Become mate to the queen of droggin"

He sighed and nodded "I know that all to well lady, I have already thought of all the things that will effect your sister in her becoming queen and stopping this war" standing up he turned away "I have found Mu'tara that I love A'tara enough that if needed I will leave droggin except when she needs me here just so she can rule without the shadow of Cyberhorn over her efforts to repair your home, I wear the star of friendship Mu'tara does the star lie? Can it?"

"The spirit of the one it brands with its unique mark shows true even if they are the very best in deception" holding his palm open back still to her he let her see it then closing it he sighed "deep is the troubled heart Mu'tara your sister calms the spirit in me and I can cure the pains I have"

Looking back at her his eyes glowed from deep inside "I guarantee your safety so long as you behave lady, ken is doing well by the way, Ssarta says you're to be a mother so the line of the royal wont end even if something were to happen to either one of you"

Walking out onto the roof the night air blew firmly at his wings chilling his soul as instincts bubbled to the surface, to fly! Mans' dream to fly without aid or machine. He felt others as the wind brushed through the hairs along his body to believe finally that he could live life to finally know any happiness.

He heard Ssarta open the door and walk out "William? You shouldn't be out on the roof security patrols will see you" she said looking to where he should have been but he was gone

He smiled from behind her on the access hatch he'd leaped into the air the instant he'd heard her and had taken up a slow glide to set down behind her crouching he mantled his wings licking a lip "and how are they to catch that which they cant truly capture" growling a deep blood curdling growl.

She spun eyes wide fear surged to her skin her breath deepened "gods William"

He slipped down smiling at her "I needed to know what my body would do in the open air Ssarta. I dislike my body springing surprises on me"

She smiled at that "and what have you learned other than the fact that your incredibly agile?" and dripping sexual attractiveness like water in a rain storm she thought knowing that too was a part of the lumar traits

He smiled and gestured to the open doorway "ladies first" she walked in and he followed her to the lifts.

"How is Ken Ssarta?" wanting to turn her attention to something else

She blinked at his evasion but didn't press the subject "he is doing fine better than id expected, Mu'tara will be the mother of four. She has shown some improvement in her mood after id told her of this and allowed Kenneth to visit her" William nodded clearly thinking

"And those visitors who were looking for her?"

"Turned away at the door"

"They will be back, they are Mu'taras supporters" he stepped into the lift as she did. His tail coiled around his leg and the tip tapped each of his toes in turn

She watched him carefully his eye gleamed as he turned it her way. She realized that even when he wasn't looking right at her she knew he was watching

"You fear you've created a monster don't you Ssarta?" his eyes looked back at the lift doors "as well you should from what I've been able to find on the lumar they were quite important clan of droggin that decided to try and take over' looking at her with those deep blue eyes 'but that was as a human once said long ago. The history books and stories are made by the victorious never by the losers"

The lift stopped he stepped out and held the door for her "I found some records which weren't altered or flat out falsified detailing the truth of what happened with the lumar and why they rebelled. I think you should see what I've found in the past six days of my research hacking into some of this worlds most secured systems to find the truths and secrets I need to know, to aid and protect A'tara"

She smiled "what was hidden?" walking with him into his office and bed room combined she'd moved him and Charlie here as William had books and computers stacked up everywhere outside his old room this had them both with sleeping areas and the rest of the room looked like a warehouse

She sighed seeing the state of the room he smiled "knowledge is power lady I gather it around me close at hand so I can gain the needed power over those who will try and stop A'tara"

She blinked sitting down on the chair he offered her "but Mu'tara is here under our control"

"She is indeed, but there are others, you see with the clues I got from A'tara and Mu'tara the facts that their mother and father had information that you got rather, interestingly and various other information has not held up to close inspection"

"Wait now, what information? What are you talking about?" sitting forward in the seat looking at him closely

"Ssarta did you or did you not find out about the human connection from someone else?"

"Yes, an actual incident I met the lady in question and the male"

"Alright who told you about them?' tapping a couple keystrokes on the terminal as she thought

"Umm a trader she came to me.."

"Why?" looking up from his typing

"To tell me about the lady of course"

"Why you Ssarta? Why not some other genetic scientist, or even as any trader should have SOLD the information to you, not simply told you, like the time of the day it was because of your long time involvement with A'tara" sitting back " now you see why I've been sitting here so much and working late"

"But the information was correct"

"Yes and all the more reason to look into the why's and who's, taping again on the keys he turned the screen to her "this the lady Ssarta?"

She could tell it was a private security file detailing everything on the exact lady droggin! "Yes that is her"

"She's quite mature now isn't she, bet she was younger eager to help back when this all started' he said more to himself as he taped another key "and would you say this is also her Ssarta?"

She looked closely it was a picture of the queen and king at an important meeting with various clan leaders just before the building of the parsal! And there just behind the queen was the lady in question with the same male!

"That's!" now she realized stopping to think

"That's the same male isn't it Ssarta, I thought as much, interesting isn't it Ssarta. The king and queen told of this remarkable fact that a certain human genetic profile can reproduce with droggins, so desperate for help to save their people the queen appeals to the council and the clans for all the help they can give to build a gift, to build a peace offering"

He stood and walked around to be behind her his belly bulge pressed on her neck and head "to ask another race of people for help in saving theirs by asking for volunteers from that race to become mates for their females to keep the race alive" he placed his hands on her shoulders "that was the parsalls mission to earth"

He stepped away and stood with his back to her for a moment then sighed in weariness "it took days to find out details of the parsall how she'd been built an incredible undertaking and done so quickly so small mistakes, small changes done as she was built to alter her weren't realized"

"William what are you saying? That the parsall was sabotaged?" the shock was clearer in her voice than she'd wanted but now wasn't the time to hold back

"No, much worse, she was changed to make sure that the royal line of droggin who stood at her helm were to die so that there would be an opening for council to elect some fine lady into being queen. I would say that is premeditated murder which has led to ten years of war, all for what?"

He walked back over and sat down looking not at her or anything but off into the distance

She blinked taking it all in

"William telling you all about the reasons for the horrible mess healer?" they both looked at fal'gator who had taken up a side of the door frame with a smile

"Hey gator" William waved him in and started typing again

He walked in and stood around by bill's shoulder "he's told me doctor and I personally can believe it all as truth"

"But what is it all for why war? Why this deception to me and the princesses?"

Bill looked up from his screen shifted his jaw and sighed "one of the most primitive responses known, simple revenge"

"Revenge? Who's?" bill sighed she realized how foolish that sounded.

Gator looked down at her "they who would gain most from the loss of the royal blood line from droggin, they who were wronged by a jealous crazed queen who in her madness demanded they give her what she wished which was a harem of males who would simply bear her children with out regard for love or caring, have you not shown her William?" putting his hand on bills shoulder

"I was just about to when you walked in gator"

"Ahh William is quite the thief of information he has found the true reasons why the lumar were exiled"

Bill gestured to the display and leaned back "this is official records made at the counsel chambers just before the Lumar rebellion then after it at the public trial it is quite old, several hundred years I believe"

The display flickered as an image of a chamber came up, from the angle it was up high but afforded a clear view of the droggin there the queen came in and all bowed, their noses to the floor wings on those who had them held flat.

The consort was clearly tired and heavily pregnant he sat behind her throne she mantled her wings into the chairs padded rests for them her eyes glowed a baleful yellow she sighed dramatically to the counsel about her they all stood quite still.

"Farutara do you have no influence with the Lumar? I really must mate again soon, I feel my body warming so hot these days my clothes must surly be close to exploding in to flame from my body"

"My queen the Lumar" the doors opened with a bang interrupting her. Six males of the majority of male types walked in each carrying the banner of a single blue moon with a silhouette of a Droggin's head.

The queen sat up infuriated, her eyes gleaming with maliciousness "what is the meaning of this!"

A grayish blue droggin walked in with his wings mantled shimmering jewels cascaded from his hair and wings even his tail had gems sparkling from gold ringlets around it at various places. He came to a stop and bowed slightly contempt coloring his face

"My queen, you call a counsel meeting without the Lumar?" gesturing to those gathered

"One would think that the ladies were wanting to surprise those who they love with some great wondrous gift" pausing a moment he cast his eyes around many could not or would not look into those eyes

"But no, I am mistaken perhaps? Ahh I know! You have gathered to finally in act the laws that will make males equal!" He bowed to the queen clearly she was not amused "but you would not gift us that much even in death, would you my queen."

She grinned with false sweetness "you have come to say you have brought me the males I desire, yes? Then perhaps we will' pausing to lean forward her wings spreading in threat' discuss the options available to you and the lumar"

He stood tall and proud stone coldness firmly set on his face "no, and there shall be no more males for your bed oh queen, three have passed into your hands and Hursata looks as if his spirit is all that keeps him alive from your attentions since it is clear that you intend to do harm to the balance. I will leave and advise the others"

He turned as if to leave but she hissed and he stopped dead in response. "What is it you intend my queen? Attack the leader of the Lumar? Attack his backside when the Lumar have always been behind you, to guard yours?"

He glanced around his shoulder at her then started walking away she trembled with pure rage and leaped without any warning, she had his neck and a they tumbled, a room silencing crack came from the pile of wings and limbs, she slowly extricated her self from his limp limbs shaking off the tumble

Snarling she pointed to the escorts as they wavered between running or staying "take them now!" several of the ladies rushed them and held them but many did nothing "and now I know who of you will prosper with me and' looking at those who cringed at her glare 'those who wont"

The scene changed a note to one side explaining the time reference as a few months later the view then cleared to the chamber row upon row of males bound hand and foot knelt before the counsel, several females were there as well, one seat was empty and as the queen walked in she moved over and tossed it out from the raised dais to the floor where it shattered and bounced to the males line of prisoners.

She sat down at her place on the dais the gathered bowed, the prisoners were forced to comply with custom "you the leaders of the rebellious Lumar have been found guilty of high treason to the royal and the counsel. From this day there will be no Lumar on counsel ever again all queens shall remove your king as they appear forever"

One of the males said a name then another said it then they all did the queen stood up and snarled at then to be silent they did but one stood the others helped him by blocking the guards she sat back down contempt on her face

"One true of the royal would not have murdered one of the Lumar! Betrayed we took away the only thing we had that we give to those of you who are loyal to her our bodies!! In time this wrong will curse you lady, the very ladies who now will profit from loyalty to you and not their hearts will curse your very memory! So as we suffer so shall all of droggin! Till the day this wrong is avenged!"

"No male they will not as all record of this will be blocked and no one shall speak of it, males will keep there place and females shall always rule above them in time no one will remember that there was a Lumar much less that they were the best males of our world"

She stood and gestured to them all "you and all those to be found as Lumar or loyal to them shall be exiled to the barrier islands off the north continent for the rest of your lives as I doubt you will ever swear loyalty to any queen that follows me I will forever wipe your existence from the minds of droggin, you no longer exist"

The remaining images were records wiping the existence of the Lumar from droggin and in time another queen had trouble with them and exiled them to a dead colony world where they were left to exist alone. Finally a clan ship several hundred years later, which had been exploring found the world and no Lumar remaining.

Thus the last of the Lumar was believed to have died off

She blinked in shock bill tapped a couple keys "the crew of the ship died when their engines overloaded as any who they spoke to died within days of their report of various reasons"

He turned to her "the Lumar have great claims on revenge Ssarta they are already here on droggin prime they work all around you in this city"

She was stunned "but why-why did she want another male?"

"Records say that she tended to 'pacify' her males before mating it helped her to have more per mating" gator guffawed

"She beat them into submission then forced them to mate more than they wished or physically could" he moved away clearly disturbed by the facts

"Is there evidence of that?" she stood up looking at the screen knowing all to well the exact same thing had happened with both of the sisters.

Bill nodded and brought up the medical records of the 6 males she'd killed before she had been poisoned by one who then took his own life. Ssarta read over them and sighed sitting back down

"Thing is Ssarta this evidence, it's all been given to me."

"Given? By who?" looking into his eyes

"The Lumar, they want me to be sympathetic to their cause. You see Ssarta you have several on your staff with access to the medical records of the males here and you have your personal notes in each file. They know I'm about as Lumar as a human male could be and "

"And! You're A'tara's mate, oh no" Gator caught her as she slumped and set her into the chair

"Little too much at one time ehh lady?" patting her gently on a shoulder

"Gator be nice get her some scotch" he blinked looking slowly at bill he looked to gator who hadn't moved "well oh play and no fun get going she could use a good shot of the spirits"

He sighed and walked out murmuring about his profits and killing a king to be

Bill sighed and tapped a few more keys "you see Ssarta I wanted to see if they or someone else was watching the systems of the world for flagged information and I found the flags, so I tripped them I wanted to see what they gave me."

Leaning forward "and with that they showed themselves to me, I found more after that. Information that had been hidden in the royal records to archives that were so bad that it took me most of a day to find what I wanted"

"In the end Ssarta it is true the Lumar resisted sending more males into her hands and she did exile them but they too did very bad things, those who were mates to the ladies who supported her, they aborted their babies leaving them for the mothers to find or they took their own lives as well. Males who stayed with their ladies found their lives terrorized children killed"

He sighed "it was a war of a sort, it was very, very bad for the children. They lost mothers and fathers they lost brothers and sisters all because the ladies wouldn't give males a choice any more. Records show the decline of male children started about the same time, and after the exile to space the birth rate went into the hole even faster"

Gator returned with a glass of the amber colored liquid and she took it in one gulp it burned but produced a dam breaker of thought

"Could the Lumar have something to do with the infertility of males?" she asked her voice finally returning from wherever it had gone the incredible amount of information he had shown her would take weeks for her to fully sort out but that one question came it was the most important of all.

"Id lay my life on it, they know what's going on and have been keeping to a slow total destruction of the royal family. What better way than to slowly erode the peoples' confidence in the royal bloodline. Then they find a fluke genetic factor in humans and tell the king and queen of it so to get them off droggin and away from full protection, accidents happen all the time in space Ssarta"

"What better way to shift all blame of the royals death to another race. They're chosen leaders ready to stand up to be chosen for queen once queen, no one would question her. But the twins survived because their father loved them enough to trust any droggin to take them to safety as he pleaded with his mate"

"It is that reason that they have been supporting both, I've found records detailing the even support given to both they had a contingency plan"

"My work" she covered her face and came near crying she'd been used so much and not known

"They wanted someone to sympathize with them, to help them by not caring about the fact that he was mate to a queen of droggin he was human his humanity stolen, they will of course point it out publicly when it is advantageous to their plans to disrupt the coronation most likely it's why I sent word to A'tara about all of this and asked her to keep on the look out"

"So then what do we do?" looking at him

Charlie slipped in and growled at them all "umm as for now you two scoot Charlie is upset," he groaned and fluids poured out from under him

"Charlie is in labor William, fal'gator out! Come with me. Now"

Bill went over and helped Charlie to the beds he moaned, "I'm sorry bill but I couldn't hold it any more, you were busy with the doc"

"You big goof, here lay back relax best ya can. This is more important than my history lessons to the doctor" the smell made bills nose twitch an tingle, his mind felt the urge to guard, hunt. To provide for Charlie now! Not later

He snarled as someone got near the door leaping across the room he covered the opening his wings and tail ready to fight to protect Charlie, as he couldn't himself

Ssarta backed away "it's alright falta William, this is for Charlie" she set a tray of meats down and eased back away from him

He sniffed it smelling female on it he roared she cringed to the floor and held still, he snarled again

In the silence for a moment more she wondered but the looked up seeing his eyes glowing from the shadows the control room had turned the lights off

"Caught me off guard the urges did" hissing softly "thank you doctor Ssarta"

She said nothing only backed away making sure he had no chance to attack her with out warning then when out of sight she met the guards who were taking up watch to keep others out of the area

"He's quite the falta doctor?" one of them inquired

Yes he is...The most ferocious of all we've had he still retains some of his mind and all the falta gives as well, William is indeed lumar to the very bone"

She hurried to the control room and they had the room watched low light didn't effect the monitoring equipment they had and they could see Charlie was panting William watching the doorway and trying to help Charlie drink water

"Readings on Charlie?"

"He is in the last of the first phase his body is showing signs of dehydration and the birth canal is dilating rapidly"

"His heart rate ?"

"Steadied the moment the lights went low and William returned to his side"

"Good, good let them be notify me the moment he goes into the birth phase"

"From the readings doctor that wont be long"

"That is also a reason I put them together as falta, it helps ease the birthing as well "

She went to her office and called A'tara who upon the news of Charlie's' impending birth was joyous news Ssarta had a question that only one of the royal could answer and decided this had to be the time

"My lady, may I ask you something it is personal and impertinent but I need it answered"

"Ask my long time friend I am not like my ancestors much less my own mother"

"William has shown you of the lumar?"

"Yes he has and much, much more.. Why?"

"Were they wrong to want equal treatment? When they are in so many ways much better than us?" what she had just said any other time in the history of her world would have been a sentence to prison or worse

"I believe Ssarta it is time for us all to look upon the ways we all live and ask is that how I would want to be treated? Yes William and I have talked about this as well he believes the current generation will have to die off before any real change can be made as the ways of lady droggins are ingrained."

A'tara relaxed back in her seat

"I don't agree with him on this I know my people they want change now, they wish to live and be at peace, war has brought out the pain and now everyone has had their fill of it they want to sit down lick their wounds and those of family and rebuild our lives"

"But were they wrong?"

"At the time, yes. They went about it all the wrong way now with all that has happened due to their behind the scenes dealings even William is not very charitable towards the lumar, but if the lumar will come forward at the coronation and pledge loyalty to the queen once again I will forgive them of all crimes and once things have settled down they will have representation on counsel as well as freedom of choice"

Ssarta realized that was being said for others ears as well as hers!

"But the other things? They wanted?"

"William is right in one thing about lady droggin, the ladies of droggin will not simply change so much over night they will have to be patient"

Ssarta agreed, "He is getting quite big my lady"

A'tara grinned and softened "he works to much but nothing you or I could say would influence him to rest any more than he does"

"Yes but they force him to rest if he weakens himself to far I have seen it "

"Ahh so my babies do have the last word with their father do they, my-my" laughing softly "tell him when you can I will be seeing him shortly we have to have him fitted for the coronation robes and I want to see Charlie's babies"

"I will indeed my lady" her com chimed she smiled " that will be the message that Charlie has entered the birth phase my lady I must go"

A'tara nodded and smiled clicking the channel off turning to her advisors all of whom were smiling "mu'taras allies have settled down to wait and let you take the crown we have them fixed in place my lady"

She nodded a decidedly human gesture then smiled William was already a huge influence on her "yes tell our forces in orbit to be expecting the entire human space fleet they are coming to attend the coronation at Williams invitation there is to be peace so no one is to fire for any reason do I make myself clear"

They all agreed and she waved them off they immediately started to call the ships in orbit she looked at an image of William that Ssarta had provided it was him in his natural element, exercising with all the other males him leading them in slow deliberate movements in the short film of him the slow movements were sensual exiting and relaxing all the same.

Her thoughts moved to all the troubles that were coming so many at once that she wondered if they all could be addressed so quickly as to forestall a civil war among droggin a note appeared on he computer from William

'My mate, Charlie is in labor so I must be quick you must begin the changes to the laws regarding males now not after the coronation I have had a chance to think on this and you must put the ideas into the counsel members minds I now believe the lumar indeed have every thing to do with the lack of children.'

'If my suspicions are true, males having the option to chose for themselves and their children are absolutely important this will also strip the lumar of any loyalty the males of droggin might harbor for them or any supposed false hope of them fixing all the problems, I love you my queen'

she nodded as she read the note and still had doubts of the lumar and their power but William had a point the counsel needed to have these things in mind when she became queen and bent to the added task immediately

Bill watched as Charlie brought his four babies into the world each with a small cry of need that punctuated the arrival of each to the world of individual life Charlie simply without conscious thought licked each clean and let them find their way into the pouch which had a deep sweet musky smell as they rooted around for nipples soon silence save for soft grunts and chirps came from the battle dragons belly

He watched with emotionless attention as Charlie cleaned himself up and disposed of the afterbirth in a few moments time, drifting off into a deep satisfied sleep seeing William was on guard trusting in genetic strength for a faltas dedication to his partners safety.

As Charlie slept bill looked down at his belly and wondered about all of this and sighed knowing he had little choice now the deed done twice over he smiled with inner pride knowing he would be quite the demonic dragon when birth time came

Thinking out loud "and here I never said I was a nice dragon either ahh well"

After Charlie's medical exam the next day and pronouncement that his 3 boys and one girl were in incredible health A'tara brought him a wonderful gift of droggin sweets and love for William

Which his belly and kicking babies made it more play for A'tara than pleasure for him, wanting the latter more he had to relent and wait as A'tara was fixated on his belly as they tried for pleasure the kicks and pushes from inside him made her so ecstatically happy to play with the babies by holding her hand on them

"You simply do not know the happiness this brings to me my mate"

He smiled and lifted her chin so to look into her eyes there he lost his voice in their depths for a moment "I know my love it is why I let you play when I wanted to enjoy being with you again this to is apart of why I love you "

She smiled and placed her ear to his belly getting a huge kick for the trouble she laughed and hugged him

It was early the next day when A'tara came dressed for the coronation Mu'tara came in with ken and several-armed escort they were also dressed for the event

"So sister you have won, I applaud your choice of humans for a mate, he brings to your union a cleverness you never could possibly had" sneering at them both their robes gleamed and shimmered with light, made in a bright silver cloth mu'taras were a more somber dark gray

Bill smiled "well since I was trying to out think you Mu'tara I really didn't have to work very hard to win this for A'tara" she snarled and one of the guards gently poked her hip with a gun

A'tara sighed "please both of you this is to be a joyous day for all droggin no more fighting today" bill bowed his head and smiled genuinely at Mu'tara she remained aloof

Bill had arranged that every male who wasn't full droggin was whisked to safety aboard Fal'gators ship, the rest were armed and dressed as royal guard their babies with them under the armor and robes

Bill had asked them to go also but they had told him where to get off as they had a vested interest in this day as well especially their children so they were to be there as well to see the future come or the end depending on how things went so he had Ssarta arrange for the armor and A'tara had gotten them the proper identification.

The flight via shuttle with six others in escort was informative as well as enjoyable to him. Watching the continental landmasses go by, the cities aglow on the dark side and they crossed into the terminator the land of shadow and light

The moons were already casting their shadows of eclipse across the world below there was one place on this world that had centuries ago been located as the place where the shadows of the moons overlapped exactly a small forested continent left undeveloped untouched save for the top of the single mountain there, it had by droggin legend been blasted flat in a battle of families the top melted fused stone in which the future was made

The war had destroyed nearly all of them save a single mated pair on all sides they stood off on the sides of this mountain top ready to die to the very last but then the eclipse occurred they all were dazzled by the sudden burst of light from the moons cleft the greatest of them stood up and looked into the light and her body took on a glow she suddenly spoke with such power as the others all ceased fighting and bowed their heads to her

Bill had found several facts that led him to believe the one place on all of droggin, which could tell the truth of the past, and had also been altered by the queen who started all the problems but he had to wait till he was on site.

Charlie came up next to him "hey cyber" bill looked up from the view port "Mu'tara is getting rude with the boys ya want I should smash her foot?"

"No Charlie tell ken to tighten down on his lady he's gona have to keep her in line I'm going to need you by my side"

Charlie smiled "feeling the time coming already?" patting bill on the shoulder

"No Charlie not yet but I'm gona need the blockbuster demon dragon you've become to move things"

"You got it boss dragon" walking off down the ship hallway

Bill looked over at A'tara and her friends who were talking with many of counsel who also had touched his belly looking over the scans Ssarta had brought for them to ogle over the babies shifted a bit as he relaxed back to see the parking orbits above droggin A'tara had opened a huge space above the island for not only her fleet but those of the earth fleet

They landed on a smoothed area of crushed stone below the actual peak of the mountain and walked up to the top where the surface resembled polished obsidian. Many stopped and watched as he walked out examining the engravings and there meanings each was a marked place for a member of counsel and the queen, her mate was to be far off to one side

A'tara smiled indulging her mates examinations then under the gentle insistence of the counsel she had to say something "um William"

He looked up from the engravings of the queen's place on the dais "yes? Oh well I guess id better fix this hadn't I" gesturing to the three biggest males

The counsel turned to A'tara as these male intruders marched out onto the surface she embarrassingly grinned in response "umm he wants to fix things?"

Bill walked over and stood tall he looked down on many of the counsel and using the lumar body he spoke "ladies centuries ago a queen changed your world and not for the better least not for its long term lifespan at the time and to this day the ladies have benefited from her...manipulations but it is that very problem which is the reason for your problems now, short sighted thinking"

Smiling as he coyly batted his eyes at them "on earth there is a children's fable called the golden goose the female avian was magic and laid solid gold eggs, the farmer greedy and hungry for more gold being short sighted cut open the goose to get to the gold eggs inside her body, this of course killed her and then there were no more golden eggs"

He turned and using his claws dug the soil away from the side of the stone edge and smiled standing up "okay Charlie hit it!" the massive battle dragon raised his foot high and slammed it down with a thundering boom the other two unslung massive hammers

The counsel screamed, as did A'tara for them to stop

Bill spread his wings and the males all around growled deeply "stop ladies this surface you have seen now for centuries is a false surface the etchings are nearly modern droggin they can not possibly date back to the first queen. Now if you look here you will see this ... alteration to the platform" gesturing to the trough he'd dug in the soil

Standing back they walked over and a couple knelt down to look one was the scientific advisor to counsel and she went slack in the face as she looked " there is a false surface here! Added on to the original!!"

Bill smiled and nodded to the males who all three hit the same area simultaneously a loud crack shook them all out of their stupor and the surface crazed with cracks bill lifted on the nearest edge and a chunk the side of a tanks skirt came up he grunted and tossed it away revealing gold and silver inlayed scrollwork under the false surface

It took a short while and dirtied dress robes but the true ceremonial surface was exposed and cleaned bill walked out with A'tara and the counsel the placements on the surface put the counsel side by side arrayed behind the queen to be and at her side was her mate, behind and to the left was any relatives of the queen.

It was this new placement that many had to remark on bill looked out over the valley below it was filling with droggin this hadn't gone unnoticed by his friends and they had taken up defensive placement he smiled at them retaining their training

In the sky above he could see the gathering artificial stars the ships in orbit. Air craft in hover mode from the media to show the entire droggin nation the moment which would mark their new queens rise to power. And bill stood there more troubled by what wasn't there.

His comm. Chimed with a special signal that only Jim knew which meant the fleet was here in hiding behind the far moon and outside the system defense screen

He tapped it and looked up though this was useless as shouting "Fal'gator you ready?"

"As always my lord dragon" bill laughed out loud A'tara looked on in curiosity "I'll tell you later my mate" she smiled

The sky turned dark and they all turned to face the sea and the sun seeing the first of the three moons start its eclipse another shadow appeared out over the sea rapidly approaching them

"It is time my mate" A'taras call came he nodded and tapped his comm. Line open to Jim and gator.

Walking over he stood on his spot as did A'tara, Mu'tara and ken were side by side in the area marked for them and the counsel lined up but one spot was vacant they all looked to it then to William

"That spot ladies is for the representative of the lumar to counsel...for now it must remain empty"

There were no few murmurs and whispers about that from them all then the sky going black silence fell.

Bill looked up not to the place where the eclipse would occur but space and the finality of this, the binding bond that would chain his freedom forever the dragon howled inside in protest as did the warrior but the droggin he had become in the change stood proud and watched as total darkness fell

All eyes turned when the cleft appeared and the shaft of seemingly solid light cut through the gloom to strike not only A'tara but William in a separate brilliant halo of light the shimmering rainbows of color blinded but not painfully

He looked at A'tara and saw the beauty she radiated in the glow and she smiled seeing him droggin below them in the valley all bowed and knelt down then so did the counsel

"Yo cyber you have incoming ships" he blinked and spun looking up behind them seeing the massive droggin landing craft on approach! He snarled

"Everyone! The lumar are on approach! Protect the queen! And counsel!!"

The males in attendance rushed in and moved a'tara from the fading halo and got the counsel up and moving Charlie was at bills side as they ran to get to a better area the shuttles were blasted on the landing area

Bill covered his head as they all looked back to see three space only cruisers come down and crush into the hillsides their guns now limited by atmosphere and near collapsing under their own weight turned and fired eliminating any aircraft in the sky around the Landers coming down

The cruisers became a disgorging point for hundreds of droggin troops tanks and mechs pouring from the Landers they took up a classic wide formation and leveled their guns on the small group of defenders

Over their coms came a smooth male voice "now that one of the two daughters of chalissa has become queen she will now turn over control of droggin to the lumar or we will take her mate and children...far, far away"

Bill stood firm "I think I would have something to say about that do you realize who I am droggin"

"You are the infamous Cyberhorn the dragon, mate to the queen of droggin a simple male" all the defenders started to laugh! The troops who had their guns on them looked on as if they had all gone nuts

"Then droggin you know nothing of me of the power I can call upon, I CALL UPON THE PHEONIX OF EARTH LEGEND TO MY AID"

Suddenly the sky filled with banshees simply blinking into existence other fighters cracking the sonic barriers as they raced by, support bases fired ranging shots into the seas all around the island continent

And earth Landers flooded the skies mechs leaping from them to aid in protecting the counsel and queen

Scouts blurring by with rooster tails of dirt a group of tanks came up to lock guns with the lumars he smiled seeing the black cats! The lieutenant smiled seeing him he bowed his head to her "good to see ya alive Cyberhorn!"

"lumar this is earth fleet admiral James Richards also known as the Phoenix I am here to support the rightful ruler of droggin and her mate to insure a peaceful transition of power I NOW DEMAND YOU STAND DOWN AND LOWER YOUR WEPONS"

There was a deep silence as many of the troops who now were facing forces all around them and above their courage wavered

" We do not recognize your authority phoenix, for we hold the queen in our guns sights you will withdraw or find yourselves encapsulated and destroyed you have come to droggin to die humans "

" You got guts droggin to be saying that with a thousand banshees over you with torpedoes aimed at yer noses, tell ya what droggin lets ask the queen what she wants to do"

"Oh and I see the great gold battleships your bringing up from the first moons orbit they will find the fleet battleships Atlanta, new york and valley forge more than ready to go toe to toe with them you see droggin this is an all or nothing action for us as well so queen A'tara of the royal? How say you to this day?"

All eyes turned to her in the midst of protecting troops and droggin males one-time humans

"This day has been marred by your actions Lumar I should have listened to my mate who indeed has proven to be far wiser than I, once I would have told you if you were to stand down I would welcome you back...but this total disregard for loyalty for the queen for our very customs. I say now put your weapons down and surrender or you will not see tomorrow"

"I say this then oh queen of droggin it is a good day to die and die free! Than to be slaves to female whims forever more"

Bill turned and saw the laser sight before anyone else he leaped into the air as the shooting started and reached A'tara just as the shot hit her centered on the chest.

Counsel screamed and took cover Charlie formed a huge wall firing his rifle at the lumar covering bill and A'tara. Troopers tried to pull them away from the front line his comm. was going nuts with voices for support fire and units hit

Bill looked into her eyes the light fading from their depths

"Oh A'tara I'm... this wasn't supposed to end this way, I didn't think they would prefer death to anything else"

"Shhh I know, they need you now...lead them"

"But your"

She nodded and tears came from his eyes "truly I did capture one of the greatest warriors the only way he could have been taken..."

Charlie shook bills shoulder and yelled at him to run get her to safety and the medics he lifted the body and leaped into the air a rallying cry came from the lumar that the queen had fallen and the human droggin turned as one and roared over them long live Cyberhorn the king!

Bill flew to safety carrying her down to the flat plains below where a familiar shuttle from gators ship came down and scooped him up into an airlock it took a hit and had to land with a huge thud

kickarta looked on as he knelt down beside A'tara she had gone, his body trembled with suppressed sorrow and pure fury warring inside him

"My lord Fal'gator has the other shuttle in route we can have you to safety in a few moments"

"Thank you kickarta but I'm needed here" standing up he turned eyes ablaze "Fal'gator on the comm."

"Shuttle is in route my lord"

"I know, I want the wounded taken away and evacuated to the cities. Jim! This is Cyberhorn I want fighter cover for shuttles ferrying wounded any droggin fleet drop ship that is monitoring this I want you at my location immediately"

Walking out an explosion rocked the mountain shredding trees all around the drives of the shuttle caught fire "kickarta! Your engine is afire, droggin fleet command this is Cyberhorn I want orbital suppression fire if the earth fleet can not provide it"

The counsel came running down the mountain under escort they all were near tears Mu'tara was ashen and pale he glared at her "now are you happy Mu'tara shes gone go on go look over your sister I have a war to end NOW!"

The fleet Lander came down as did several shuttles the air cover gliding to a hovering stop one firing into the trees at lumar trying to move around the defenders right side

A'taras fleet commanders came out of the lander as he walked past "my lord we..."

"Where are the armor suits held?"

One of the warriors guided him over to the racks in a side area and a few moments later he came out looking like a true droggin warrior armed and ready to fight

Mu'tara came running in "William!"

He snarled and shoved her away "commander prepare your forces we attack now!" leaping into the air several dozen air units followed him black kings came up from another lander and they followed him back up to the mountain top area

The battle had made a massive area of death and destruction across the mountain one of the space only cruisers had exploded and was in flames their tanks were dug in and the troops were firing from any hole or cover they could find

He gestured and yelled for everyone to attack any whom lay down their weapons were to be taken prisoner but any who resisted were to be shot on sight

He landed in their midst uncaring of life or love anymore, nothing would stop him this time from extracting his revenge, as they had so many times before when Amy had died they had kept him watched drugged imprisoned with his grief finally to be left alone to suffer.

Not this time no one could keep him from walking with the dragon and extracting his due! His claws ripped through arms and bellies his guns overheated as he pressed on became clubs they once threatened to overwhelm him and the pile of bodies mounted but somewhere he heard her call to him

It was in that moment he heard too the tears of the children inside they knew he wanted no less than to join her to end it all and had forgotten them and their rights to live

Suddenly he roared wings held high above him all the pain and sorrow he had held in for years came, it was finally time to end this. The lumar stopped fighting and started dropping their weapons kneeling down before the troops and the grieving dragon

The fighting came to a total stop a few moments later as the ships, which had been exchanging fire, also stood down

He stood there tears pouring washing the blood away that had smeared his cheeks again the dragon inside roared revenge was not his

The lumar prisoners bowing to their knees as they passed him standing limp and silent not knowing the danger of being so close

"William" came a voice from somewhere

She seemed so faint, unlike Amy's voice for so many years much less his mothers and fathers. It was finally over they all could rest now and so could the dragon be put down he would follow soon after.

"Cyberhorn respond please"

"Here" throat tight and dry made him sound deep and contemplative

"Its Jim, the planet and its system are secure all droggin aggressive units have been disabled and taken into tow" there was a pause bill knew he'd heard as well "we ...await your next call Lord William"

"Jim"

"Yeah bill?"

"Why is it always the ones who care the most?"

"Why my mate are you dieing?" came her voice over the comm.

He dropped his guns and felt as his jaw went slack the entire world became dizzied for him "a-a-a'tara?"

"Cyberhorn this is kickarta she's badly wounded but alive, I think you should accompany her to the medical trauma unit we are in route to you now"

He heard Jim whoop out in joy and the cheers of troops from two worlds as the shuttle came in overhead and kickarta waved him up to the approaching airlock

He leaped up feeling pain in his back and wing but didn't care as he grabbed for the door he was helped in and got tisks and sighs from counsel as his back was all torn up through the shredded armor

kickarta smiled "a little lower and it would have taken her heart the secondary hearts are helping to keep her alive as it is she's going to be in surgery for quite awhile...and looking at your back so are you"

"I -I have to see her"

She smiled and gestured him to an alcove where he found her with a mass of bandages over her chest, eyes weak but there she smiled and gripped his hand

"I heard your pain and grief my mate you held it all in all this time and seeing me dieing? Set it free"

He nodded tears again flowing "I thought you were dead so the dragon went wild but is finally gone sated on blood and war the warrior now finished with revenge"

"Then so am I my mate, then so am I"

Several days later they were both laying there nursing painful wounds him hanging up from trusses wing bone broken and back a huge patch of bandages hanging face down A'tara laying with her head near his so they could talk and be affectionate

Charlie cleared his throat as several of the guard escorted the leader of the lumar into the room Jim and several of earth's commanders were also there watching fal'gator and kickarta relaxing in the background

The lumar walked up under guard and without prompting knelt down and dropped his nose to the floor but remained silent

Bill looked at A'tara who looked to him and nodded in such away that said this is yours my mate so he turned and stretched out his tail lacing his fingers together "well now I see you survived the battle"

Bill sighed, "you know that by droggin law your immediate sentence is death"

He said nothing and didn't move

"Pulling the silent martyr act will get you nowhere you're guilty as guilty can be"

A'tara smiled looking at the male "you will find William to be far more willing to negotiate than I will be your clan made sure my mother and father died attempted to kill me and my sister and are responsible for millions of deaths in a war that did only one good thing it brought humans and droggin together in ties that no one thought possible"

"I would have expected death immediately" looking up a little to see them both

"You will find lumar that we would prefer you to help fix the damage done" A'tara said and turned away letting bill take over again

"lumar you have a chance to help your people, and no you don't have anything to negotiate with to help the birth rate as I know what you've done to cause it to fall"

Everyone looked at bill hanging ridiculously from the cables as he stared at the lumar they both looked near the same in form only color was the major difference the lumar had a smug grin slowly spreading.

"You know nothing of it Cyberhorn"

"Don't I? When I felt physical reaction to a smell which was a'taras scent, watch fal'gator and kickarta literally fall over them selves to mate and he is infertile...or was, some research into the history of customs and practices shows only one related only to male droggin created a short while after the traitorous queen"

He gestured to Charlie and fal'gator to come over they did and then turned around at his gesture

"fal'gator here was born on droggin he has one difference compared to Charlie and the difference is right here" pointing to their rumps bill looked at Jim who with Ssarta walked over to look the lumar had lost his smug look knowing that bill was right on target

Ssarta looked and shook her head "I'm afraid I'm at a loss William"

Jim shrugged "I don't know half of what is going on here bill so I'm lost as well"

A'tara smiled and sighed rubbing her cheek on bills "they need it explained"

He smiled "tell ya what lumar you just sit there and listen to what Cyberhorn the dragon can do when given the chance"

"Thousands of years ago the droggin who were mostly nomadic solitary creatures needed a way to communicate their intentions without being close enough to kill and eat each other"

"A highly developed sense of smell evolved to detect such things as encouragement, anger, fear, love...but one needed a check system the need or readiness to mate. Now for a race highly developed in scent communication the droggin don't know much about it"

He smiled reaching the point that was the key to this "except one group who became the stewards of the droggin mating rituals, the lumar. Now if a male is of age and can mate he produces what is known as a fertile smell the female makes a need to mate scent'

"Now the males scent causes the female to ovulate then she then would approach the male who as her scent changes to one of readiness the male would either embrace her or if afraid confused his body would simply relax for her, yes gator you did the latter collapsing weak kneed to the floor' bill smiled at him

"Or in your case my mate you wanted more from me" A'tara shot him a beaming smile

Bill coughed and smiled to several snickers around him "well, as I was saying droggin are a scent based race, your manipulations encouraged a change in cultural beliefs that a male child should have for their own betterment have a set of glands removed right after birth... so that as they grow they don't have cleanliness problems from them"

Bill leaned closer to the lumar "am I right on the target lumar? Hmm? Well removal of the glands has the effect of disconnecting the safety lock on the droggin mating system thus they effectively are sterile, they do not produce the I'm available smell for the ladies to react to, so to make the good I'm ready to mate smell which completes the circuit and they can mate"

He sighed "it is this elective surgery that they encouraged the ladies to have done to their sons in the belief that they were improving their sons chances for rich powerful mates cause they didn't smell all musky"

Ssarta looked at Charlie's rump and them gators then turned to bill "those two scent glands! Those are the key to this?!"

Bill nodded smiling "the lumar said that females who supported the queen would rule the day their greed won over their good sense, thus it was greed that produced a vanity based belief that males would be more desirable if they were surgically altered. If you look through your records Ssarta you will find all your recorded fertile males did not have that surgery or they may have missed all the gland when it was removed"

He smiled seeing the lumar was now broken his only trump card called out "you will be kept In a special facility that will allow you and your fellows some semblance of freedom your children will be free as any other male the counsel has voted and agreed with A'taras petition to give males equal rights and the choice to mate or not...once the crisis is over"

"The lumar will have representation on counsel but only when your sons are of age you will not have the freedom your sons will due to your crimes far above and beyond the call of racial equality and freedom. You nearly killed the droggin race and the human one for that there is no innocence...but your children will be free even the ones you have in your imprisonment of course you have the choice not to mate or if you wish to be sterile, your choice"

Bill gestured for him to stand "so lumar that is what your to take to your friends life imprisonment for the freedom of your children and their equality with all other droggin, you go willingly and stay peacefully till the end of your days the crown will hold up its side of the agreement as I am not only consort of the queen but as it was long ago I am king we rule equally"

The lumar looked at everyone else there sighed and agreed "it is a wise decision lord William, many did not want to go as far with the revenge but they did not do enough to dissuade those who did, for that we are all guilty and the judgment is fair and generous to the children."

"It is the children in the end who you were doing this for, but in war no one wins especially the children who have lost much more than you or I could make right"

With a brace holding his wing he walked with A'tara along the ocean watching the sun set Mu'tara yelped from a few dozen paces behind them as ken smacked her rump hard "behave lady or else" Mu'tara purred chuckling

A'tara giggled softly leaning into him "they fit so well together"

"Yup and so do we "

"So my dragon warrior, Admiral Richards has taken the peace treaty to earth our people return home in the hopes that they can become parents with the cure that Ssarta has created from your discovery."

He scoffed and drug a claw tip through the powdery sand "the lumar weren't hiding anything Ssarta couldn't have found in time"

She stopped them both and put her arms over his shoulders "my king it is by your discovery that they will benefit. It is your courage that stopped the Lumar you stopped the human fleet from destroying our home thus it is you will be seen as my love and the father drake.