The Mohell. Twisting A Balance of Power

By Mr. David R. Dorrycott

A Republic of Earth Story

Part One

A battered planet lay far below, its surface shrouded in clouds of different colors. Colors caused by various weapons that had been used to subdue its inhabitants only five standard years ago. Unseen by any of ship or station in orbit the human ship R.S.S. Particle, a state of the art stealth light cruiser, drifted seven million standard miles from the local planets core. Of course Particle was state of the art only for the Republic of Earth, a group of stars over one hundred thousand light years and tens of lifetimes away. For even the powerful and highly aggressive Imperial civilization of the Lesser Magellanic Cloud, R.S.S. Particle’s technology was the stuff of science fiction dreams. Aboard the spy ship Captain Garth Fatner turned to a male feline standing beside his command chair.

“Your home planet Emell” he said softly. “Two hundred plus artificial orbiting bodies and not one is transmitting any of the IFF signals that you gave us.”

“It is then true” the tall feline admitted, his voice a deep rumble in his chest. “We are defeated. I had hoped human friend. That when we found the Kerr Belt research station still manned and functional that there was hope. I see now that there is none. Those snakes have truly crushed our brightest hopes.”

“Not all” Garth noted, checking the report in his hands. “There are still two stations transmitting, though one is barely functional. Short bursts, compressed data. Would you like to hear what they are saying to each other?”

“Delighted.”

With a word to the Particle’s communication officer sound filled the bridge. “Seven seven Page nineteen”came a alien voice in its native words. Words the humans crewing Particle could not yet understand. “Farthright calls Tony Two Claw. Solar Flare...” It went on, cryptic words that the Particle’s Intelligence Officers had no foundation to understand. Breaking the compression and code had been childs play. Breaking a completely alien races verbal code based upon ancient books was another matter.

Garth felt his alien visitor abruptly stiffen. “It is a call to suicide” Emell Corditor translated. “One base is falling, they will...” His voice stilled as a spot on the planet below suddenly shown as brightly as a suns surface, a visible shockwave moving out from that point. Abruptly the transmission ceased, static filling the now silent bridge. “They have gone to the Gods” Emell explained. “They were overrun. We do not surrender given a choice. Not to the Yakullkah. Never to the Yakullkah. For they are barbarians. They are cannibals. You will please send me to the surface?”

“Sir” Garth said politely, though in truth he over ranked the alien Marine Major at his side. “That is an invasion fleet out there. We need your help back at base, help preparing our own military answer to this. Your planet is dead, why go back?”

“Would you not Captain. To your world. In this situation? Though it is now silent, there is one transmitter left. Perhaps I may prove of some use to them. If nothing more than another set of paws to carry ammunition. That though Captain, is no invasion fleet. That is a colonization fleet. They intend to steal our home. Just as they have stolen so many others. Perhaps I may be able to dissuade them of this action. Or perhaps not.”

Captain Fatner made his decision. “Parker.”

“Sir” a rugged dark skinned individual answered.

“I need two volunteers, neither are you. One to pilot the stealth shuttle to that transmitter. Another to remain behind as an observer. I’ll pick him back up in eight months. Have them load a full assault pack, with surprises. No limit. Move.”

“Yes sir.” Parker turned and left the bridge. A man on a mission.

“I’ll send you down with weapons and a few toys Emell. Maybe you can find a use for them. Tell me though, what does an invasion fleet look like. I know we’ve only been dealing with scout groups back at Dorntell.”

“Ten times ten those number of ships Captain. Ten times ten. Now I say goodbye. I have much enjoyed that strange game you call chess.”

“Goodbye Major.” Watching his feline friend leave the human almost ordered him to stay. He could Fatner knew, and Emell would obey. But it would cost him a friendship, and what was any friendship worth if one used force to keep it? Leaning back in his chair he waited. There was no way short of ramming into them that even the best Yakullkah ship could hope to find Particle. Still there was Glitch to contend with, and Glitch was as always, an optimist. Later when the shuttle had returned, R.S.S. Particle turned away and left the system. Other than picking up the man they had left there was nothing more they could do here now. Not until the new Republic was strong enough. But one day, oh one day the Yakullkah would pay in full.

That was seven months ago, planet time.

Deep in the depths of a Yakullkah House fortress the family matriarch was watching Tri-Vee when a news report broke in. Easily amused she watched for a few minutes, then realized the importance of what she was seeing. “Dearest. This is important. Please, will you come watch" she called down the long, opulent hall.

Her husbands response came as a deep reptilian grumble. "I come” he answered, heaving his bulk from his chair. His movement caused his favorite slave to slide away, her movements that of water flowing across stone until she ended up kneeling before her master, her forehead touching the ground. “Leave. You will resume later” he ordered. His wife knew better than to bother him when he was with the Meth, unless it was very important. Knowing that he had answered her call immediately. No matter, the Meth would be waiting as always whenever he wanted her again. Walking quickly for one of his size he made his way to the media room while the winged reptile behind him vanished into the shadows.

Xress Meth watched in silence from behind thick drapes as First Lady Draco beckoned her husband. Almost never had the matriarch broken into her husbands pleasure time. Therefore whatever the problem was, it must be serious. As her master vanished Xress quickly returned to her normal duties for this time of day. For this time, it was to wander the fortress. Searching for weakness or lazy guards.

"It’s the new palace” Lady Draco exclaimed as her husband entered the room, his heavy tail held behind him for balance. “Those filthy animals are attacking the Prince himself.” She made way for her husband, allowing him to sit first before she joined him. “There must be ten claws of the vermin.”

“Ten claws, ten thousand claws” her husband remarked. “They could not stop our forces when they had all their power. What could a motley force of ten claws expect to do against Royal Marines? This is a last gasp, a last convulsion of those animals that could not accept that the stars are not for them.” He leaned back, preparing to call out for his favorite to return when the screen went white. For a long time nothing showed but background radiation, then a view from some spaceship filled their screen.

Before them, on the island that had been chosen as the Royal Residence for this system, nothing but a large cloud could be seen. A large cloud that grew, rising to the atmospheres very roof. “Hydrogen” Lord Draco gasped. “They had one Hydrogen left. Well the Emperor has many sons. This will matter little in the long run.” He started to relax then. If the fools had used their last Hydrogen to crush one single son of the Emperor then his House was safe. For the moment.

Abruptly Draco fortress shook as earth beneath it danced to some unseen force. Walls cracked, some screams were heard and over it all the low rumble of masonry falling. From the sounds of it, a rather large amount of masonry. Lord Draco managed to stand even in the worst of it, preparing to run for a doorway but the lands movement ended before he could. “Impossible” he gasped. “It is nine hundred leagues to that island. No portable Hydrogen has that power. None.”

Unknown to Lord Draco, or anyone who observed that explosion (and lived) it had not been a hydrogen bomb that had been used, but two ounces of antimatter allowed its freedom in a universe of matter. It would be months before the Empires scientists understood their data. Months more before any of them was brave enough to report this fact to their Emperor. For all the Empires advancement, anti-matter was still a laboratory pet. In all the Empire not more than twenty grams of the material existed at any one time, and here two full ounces had been used as a weapon. No race they had yet met had such a weapon, a weapon that these animals who had once called themselves the Mohell had just used. That they had saved such a weapon for now would only frighten simple warriors. Had they these weapons in abundance, then the invasions slaughter would have been to a different force. An Imperial force. Foolishly no one ever made any connection between this unexpected weapon and the fact that every scout force sent to a certain solar system had vanished without a trace.

Battle or not, Imperial death or not a House must continue. Even as Lord and Lady Draco were taking calls from other Houses, making alignments and preparing for perhaps another such attack household duties continued. Servants continued preparing dinner for their Draco owners in the fortress’s large kitchen for example. Unknown to them of the once mighty island that had been chosen for a Royal Keep, nothing now remained above the waves. Around the cavernous chamber buried underneath a fortress built of blood red granite, fires were the only things allowed for heat and light. For Lord Draco was an anarchist, a lover of a past that had never existed in his races history. Thus Lord Draco preferred his meals cooked the old fashioned way, over live fires. Not within radiosonic ovens or upon electric burners. It was a choice that cost many slaves serious burns or worse.

Xress was by now busy preparing a special salad for her master while others scurried about her in efforts to make everything proper, for everyone knew the price of displeasing House Draco. A price that usually caused the offender to return to the kitchens, as raw material. As the winged reptile worked a new woman, one called Hemi came up beside her. She was as always carrying a heavy cauldron on one hip. Hemi let it down with a thud, giving the reptile a smile as Xress looked up. "Did you hear" she asked.

"What" Xress asked the taller Mohell feline. Her project was the salad, still she could afford a little gossip time. Though she was the smallest intelligent creature in House Draco, Xress’s position as House Inquisitor and Assassin. Along with her natural abilities, made her a social outcast among almost all the slaves. Not that they hated her, for most pitied the Meths place. For it was Xress who felt Lord Draco’s wrath most often. So to be spoken to in a purely social manner was something rare for the Meth. Very rare.

"Our forces managed to destroy the Royal Island" Hemi explained. “Not just the forces, the entire island. Everything. Everyone is gone.” She looked around them, noting only one or two of the mixed aliens had even bothered to officially notice them. "Isn't it wonderful Xress? We are another step closer to our freedom."

Xress looked at the woman curiously. "Freedom?" she asked, bewildered. "What is Freedom? Is it holiday or game?"

Hemi could see the real puzzlement in the little aliens face. Xress honestly had no idea what she was talking about. Though it was a natural condition of one born into slavery to not understand freedom, never having experienced anything else. It was a completely alien concept to the middle aged feline that one would not at least understand the words meaning. "You must be mistaken" Xress continued. "The Emperor is immortal. Even Imperial children cannot be killed by mortal means. Certainly not with weapon created by this little world.” She looked up abruptly, having heard something the Mohell woman could not. “Must go now. Lord has signaled needs me."

Perhaps it frightened her. Abruptly realizing that if the Resistance failed that all following Mohell, as so many other races had found, would one day be as truly ignorant of the word freedom as this little winged woman. Or perhaps it was knowing that the woman before her was a true blood drinker, Lord Draco’s favorite assassin/torturer/toy. That at a word from her Master Xress would as easily kill her as a bug on the floor, and with just as little emotion or understanding. Still she could not understand what signal that fanged reptile used to catch Xress’s attention. Certainly it was nothing she could see or hear. Whatever it was, Hemi silently picked up her heavy bowl and walked away. She had been working on the Meth for months now. There were only pawfulls of hours more left to her she knew.

At the dinner gong servants moved to prepare the table. Yet most of their work went unused as barely half the family arrived to eat. Lord and Lady Draco arrived of course, almost nothing could pry the overweight lizards from their home. Yet even to the most ignorant of slaves it was obvious that all was not well with them. Lady Draco was pale about her eyes, a sign of both stress and fear. While Lord Draco was tight-fisted, his long jaw held uncharacteristically tightly closed. All the children arrived of course, but not one of the extended family. It was the last person to sit down that caught the slaves eyes. Young Lord Draco never came to meals, preferring to eat with his guardsmen. This evening though he settled down at his fathers right paw, appearing a mirror image of the elder. Though younger and much fitter. His Imperial Army uniform was worn with pride, each badge and award polished brightly. Of all the children only the youngest was in a normal mood. Then he was still to shortly from the egg to understand exactly what had occurred. Only that there was a sharp mood about him. One his young mind defined as dangerous too be to loud around. They sat together at the empty table in silence for some time, all the servants cowering along the sides of the room in fear of being noticed or singled out.

Unexpectedly the Lords' voice shattered the strained silence. "Dinner. Where is my DINNER?" he demanded. Like a paused clockwork abruptly set in motion servants began arriving with food.

"Mylord" Xress said softly, falling to her knees on the hard cold stone floor as she offered him his favorite fruit dish. "As always My Lord. Prepared by myself only."

Barely smiling Lord Draco took a fruit at random from the bowl, offering it to his pet. She unresistantly lifted her face, fully exposing her throat as she opened her mouth wide to accept the delicacy. Lord Draco now watched in silence, as did the whole family. All wondering if tonight was the night he would lose his favorite. Watched as the little Meth chewed carefully, her eyes held closed, her throat still fully exposed so Lord Draco could see her swallow. Or rip her throat out with his claws should it amuse him. He waited in silence until Xress either nodded or fell dead at his feet.

Finally she was certain, swallowing before nodding. There was no poison here. No sharp metallic taste, no numbing of her long tongue or her delicate lips. No pain within her chest. To her the fruit was sweet, delicious. Exactly as Lord Draco loved it. She smiled, knowing that she would live until the next meal, to again serve her Lord. Remaining kneeling she acted as nothing more than as stand for the fruit bowel. Her thin outfit barely covered her form at a distance, it fully exposed her body to her Lord at such a close proximity. For him she was nothing more than an rare, exotic, and sometimes useful playtoy who at this moment existed only to hold his plate within easy reach. Only he knew how important it was to own a Meth, for they were rare. Extremely rare outside the Royal lands.

From a distance the new slave Hemi watched with mixed emotions. For the woman she had picked to convert, perhaps the most useful slave among this families many slaves, had again proven without thinking just how much work the feline had ahead of her. She watched in disgust as half chewed discarded fruit landed upon the uncomplaining woman, shuddered at the smile upon that tiny winged woman’s face at having a purpose in life, even if that purpose was only to be spat upon. 'How could anyone allow themselves to be treated that way' she asked herself as she began to gather used dishes. Most were still heavy with untasted food. House Draco was renowned among the slave population as wasteful, yet tonight they appeared to be trying to set some kind of record. Other than the youngest males plate almost nothing had been touched. Even the fruit plate she had watched Xress work on for nearly an hour was mostly tossed aside. Obviously the resistence’s victory had finally struck home.
An abrupt outcry from the Lord brought Hemi back to reality. He was standing now, holding Xress up by her neck. "Is this the best you can do" he screamed into the Meths fear filled face. "It's all tasteless. What did you do to the fruit. BOIL THEM?" He held his large mouth open as though to bite the tiny woman’s head off, double rows of sharp teeth gleaming in the lamplight. It was a bluff, for in truth Lord Draco did much love his little slave. But it was a bluff easy made truth had he wished. For Xress’s delicate blue tinged head would easily fit between those rows of sharp teeth. Her neck would offer little resistance to those jaws. For her greatness was her speed, not her physical strength.

Xress whimpered in the much larger lizards grasp as her air was cut off, as her vision blurred because no blood was reaching her brain. She was unable to move, unable to speak. For the larger lizard well knew her necks pressure points. Then abruptly she was airborne, coming to an sudden stop as her body slammed into a stone wall. Pain shot through her folded wings as she slid down to fall face first to the ground, the delicate bowl she had been holding shattering into fragments beside her. "YOU!" the Lord screamed, pointing at Hemi. "Furbag. Drop what your doing and drag this filth out into the garden. Perhaps a night in the thorns will teach her some manners. Or you can join her."

Hemi took the man at his word as food covered dishes crashed to the floor, to be gathered up by other slaves as the Mohell hurried to Xress's side. "Yes Milord" Hemi replied, carefully lifting the small woman within her arms. She had missed one order since coming to Draco. It had cost her her tail and the name furball in punishment. It had taught her to always listen, never to daydream.

"Stay with her furball” Lord Draco ordered. “I don't want her missing one prick of the thorns understand? And THROW her, don't LAY her in the bushes. Or by the three claws of the Emperor I will have a new fur rug for my toilet tomorrow. Understand?"

Hemi nodded in real fear. "Yes Milord" she managed to say without shuddering. With Xress's bruised wings dragging on the stone floor she hurried to the servants stairs. It was several long flights up narrow winding stairs to the garden and she shivered in both fear and anticipation. It was going to be a long cold night, but she'd be alone with her prize. A long night to twist loyalties and the perfect conditions to do it in.

Yet when she reached the garden she hesitated. Guards were of course all around. All carefully watching her actions. Yet throwing her prize into the cruel thorns was something the feline almost couldn't do. Looking around she groaned in dismay. For in sight were Xress's private rooms, another indication of her favored status in House Draco. They were directly off the flower garden. Hemi remembered occasionally finding the deadly alien woman wandering the garden late at night, enjoying the scents. They would chat then, when neither were needed for work. They would chat and Hemi wold try to lay seeds of doubt into the Meth’s mind.

Lords Draco’s pointless cruelty was double-fold Hemi knew, for Xress could never enjoy as much any flowers scent again. Not after tonight. As Xress moaned, slowly waking from the blow, Hemi managed her task. Managed by closing her eyes and praying for forgiveness to her own Goddess. She listened in disgust as the limp, apparently frail body crashed into bushes half a century or more old. Xress's cry of pain cut like a knife into her own belly. Kneeling, Hemi slowly opened her eyes. To find Xress's own tear filled eyes staring at her.

"How long" Xress asked weakly, barely holding back another whimper of pain. She fully understood that this action. This cruel punishment had to have been ordered by her Lord. None other in the family would dare to harm her like this. She was his favorite, a matter of pride to the man.

"Until sunrise" Hemi answered. "I am so sorry."

"So long" the alien whispered, wincing as another thorn slowly dug it's way through an extended wing. "Why? Fruit was good. Best there was. I did nothing wrong. There no reason."

Even through the emotional pain Hemi smiled inside. Xress in her confused, stunned state should finally be totally open to her at this moment. If she played her cards right. If she move carefully then this little 'toy' might be turned to the resistance's side. From what she'd heard and seen this 'little toy' was a bigger prize than anyone else in the palace. She knew how to fly Imperial starships, knew the security codes, navigation maps... Goddess she'd flown a ship through during the invasions hottest combat. With her on their side, if it was possible, pushing back the Empire might really happen. There might actually be a chance to win this battle.

For that prize the Resistance could learn to live with this alien's faults, deadly as some were. For an instant Hemi shuddered, remembering a Jelseese woman who'd accidently torn a curtain when she fell and how, when ordered Xress had taken a very long time to drain her of every drop of blood. All the while telling the unfurred pale skinned woman how much she was loved by her Lord. How she could have been thrown alive to the dogs as their dinner. When the delicate red skinned alien had finally ceased breathing Hemi had been shocked to see tears fall from Xress’s face. Still this was more important than a single life, or even a hundred lives if she could succeed. Settling into a comfortable position Hemi began speaking softly to her captive audience.

"It wasn't your fault Xress" the feline explained, holding her voice low enough so that the guards, with their genetically enhanced ears could not hear above the gardens natural noise. "Lord Draco saw something today that upset him greatly." Her pause filled the cold night air with anticipation. "The Emperors second son is dead Xress. There will be an accounting, an Imperial accounting." Before now the words had little impact on the disbelieving alien. They had been dismissed as impossible. But now, with her Lords unnatural anger and the proof pricking her from all angles she had no choice but to believe.

"How. That impossible!" Xress exclaimed, her disbelief evident in voice and body language.

Hemi hushed her, glancing to the guards. If they caught the attention of their ears and eyes her efforts would be for nothing and she, if not the both of them would be killed without hesitation. Carefully the resistance agent continued softly. "No Xress, it's not. There are many things on this world that you don't know about, and things about the Empire that you don't know about either." Hemi sighed. How could she explain the horrors that the Yakullkah Empire wreaked over at least eleven races to this woman, one whose morals had been taught to her from birth by the very same empire. Xress, the feline knew, barely understood right from wrong. She had no real identity, no will other than the will of the State. How could she convey the evil that was the Empire to her? Still she had to try as she had been trained to do, as her mission orders demanded. So she continued. “Your Empire isn't the good and benevolent regime that you've been told Xress. Far from it." The little alien looked at her doubtfully, but continued to listen. "They are a ravager of worlds. This planet used to be almost as advanced as the Empire, and beautiful. Our people had ideals of equality and justice for everyone. There were no slaves, no Lords as you know them. Everyone was the same under our laws."

"But- that's why we here. To serve the Lords. What else we do?"

Hemi exhaled softly. So far to go, indeed so far. So horribly little time left. "Whatever we chose. As long as we stay within the laws of our society there are no limits. Isn't there anything you would like to do Xress? Wouldn't you like to be more than just a servant girl? Don't you want to please yourself too?"

Xress answered as if the words were inscribed into her mind. "My pleasure unimportant. I live serve the-"

Hemi cut her off with a sharp hush. "Forget him for now! If you could, wouldn't you want to please yourself? Wouldn't you want to your freedom?"

Xress shook her head, whimpering as a sharp barb dug itself in further into her delicate flesh. “What is supposed to mean? Freedom."

It was going to be a long night the feline realized. A very long night. Yet she had been chosen for this mission fifteen months ago because, beyond her natural ability to survive, she had been a very good psychiatrist before the invasion. Now it was time to put all that past experience to good use.

Morning came painfully slowly to the fortress garden. By that time Xress was wearing Hemi's shawl around her slight body in an effort to ward away some of the nuclear winter cold, while the feline was huddled up as close to the Meth as she could get. Hemi’s fur was fluffed out, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees as she fought to stay warm. As a watery sun crested the horizon Hemi shivered, moving slowly as she forced cold soaked limbs to move. "Let's get you out of there" she told the almost unconscious reptile, for cold was Xress’s greatest enemy Hemi had discovered. This last hour it had been a battle to keep her prize awake. For if Xress had fallen asleep it was very possible she would have died. Or at least gone into some kind of hibernation. Hemi was well aware that she knew almost nothing about the reptile’s physiology other than she drank blood not for pleasure, but to stay alive.

Carefully assisting the near frozen creature from her prison of thorns Hemi found herself holding a surprisingly light woman. For all her strength and wingspan Xress could not have weighed much more that forty pounds. Filing this information away for future use the resistance agent helped Xress to her tiny apartment. Watching guards were amused as they saw the two vanish. For today two very rare things had happened. Xress had allowed herself to be handled by someone other than her Lord, and for the first time ever someone other than the flying reptile had entered that tower room. Many coins traded paws, claws and hands that morning.

Hemi was stunned at the sparseness of Xress’s chambers, for there were only two small rooms, though the second held only a primitive toilet. Within the first room were only a very bare bed with a thin blanket, a small fireplace with banked coals still warm, a stand holding the exotic ceramic armor belonging to the reptile and a single small box. Laying Xress on her bed, then covering her with her threadbare blanket Hemi could not help but open that box. It held she discovered, only tools and parts to upkeep that armor. There was not one personal item within either room. Even Hemi, who lived in the slaves barracks, had a single flat photograph of her mother squirreled away. Though it was a fake of course. That this little creature, the Lords favorite, who was so important that she had been granted her own quarters, kept nothing personal was yet another shock to the Mohell agent. There was nothing to do now but clean up the bloodied Meth and hope that those seeds she had been able to plant would bear fruit in the little time left them.

Setting herself to her next task Hemi brushed away the ashes that had been used to bank Xress’s fire, then added a pawfull of coals. Her own fur had kept her warm through the near freezing night, but Xress had no fur. A true reptile her flesh, though smooth to the touch was bare. Her body was warm blooded, that Hemi had learned from the act of carrying her, but certainly not capable of combating the heat loss of a night outside naked. She turned at a rustling sound. Though still near unconscious Xress’s body was reacting to the fires warmth, one wing having opened like a flower to drink in the heat. Had she not been laying on her other wing Hemi was certain that it too would have opened, though Xress herself was still asleep. Moving aside to allow more heat to strike that wounded wing Hemi remembered something else as an unusual desire built slowly within her stomach. Meth could release a pheromone that caused their victim to accept them, so being in this room too long would be a major mistake. Becoming the reptiles next blood meal or worse, lover, was not in Hemi’s plans. Certain now that there was nothing else she could do here she left, heading for the kitchens.

Hemi’s return woke Xress, the reptile’s body temperature now closer to normal than not. With it came her hunger, a hunger that increased when the new slave entered her private place. “Lord Draco ordered you be given a hot meal at sunrise” Hemi explained as she sat her tray on the stone floor. “While you eat I will help you clean those wounds.”

While Xress ate Hemi did attend those wounds, nasty punctures that had bled ruby dark blood, leaving cakes of dried blood everywhere. She did not know just how close she had come to being Xress’s morning meal. Only her quick explanation that the Lord hard ordered this had saved her life. Even then only due to the reptile’s long trained control. By the time Xress’s wounds were tended to the guards breakfast bell had rung. Pushing Hemi away Xress stood, moving slowly to her armor. She would have to serve breakfast to the Lord soon both knew.

"Today I must guard Lord at meeting. I must wear armor” Xress explained as she knelt to begin the process of armoring her body. “My bleeding cause him disgust, so must cover anyway."

Hemi bowed her head in acceptance to what must be, as all slaves must. "I will help you with your armor then, and clean up before I leave" she agreed. Having a reason to remain behind would give her the perfect chance to send her triggering message. Whatever seeds she had planted within this little woman, there was no time left to nurture them. If the Lord was leaving today then this was their best chance to kill him. Him, and his family. For this was House Draco. One of the two cruelest Houses who had come to Mohell. To crush it would be to their advantage. If the resistance was lucky the Empire would chalk it up to in-House power plays. Such always occurred during a power vacuum. Other than the Emperor himself, no greater vacuum could have been created than the death of a Royal Son. All alliances made since then were now out the window. Pure chaos would rein until one House, or one Alliance proved itself strongest.

As she helped her target into her armor Hemi thought of what the head cook had told her. ‘This porridge will not ease her hunger. Only fill her belly. She needs blood. Until she has filled her belly with warm blood she is dangerous. More so each day. Do not think yourself off her menu simply because you help her. Tani discovered that years ago. I would not like to see you follow her.”

Taking the two steaming bowls Hemi had understood what the Jelseese male had meant. it was something she'd have to deal with later if she wanted to keep her prize. Xress needed blood to survive. Though Hemi knew that Xress could, and had gone as much as three weeks without blood it had made her nearly mindless. That she herself might end up feeling those deadly fangs was a fact that had to be accepted. Her mission, as the mission of dozens of others, was to find and turn the most important slave that she could. There was no slave more important in House Draco. Probably not in any House on this continent. She had decided to do whatever needed to be done to free her planet. Even if it meant the surrendering her own life to the Meths need. Buckling the last strap she stepped away. “Your helmet?”

“Will carry” Xress answered. “Lord never trusts anyone who come to him with face covered.” Picking up her helmet Xress walked to her door, her long thin tail made thicker by the articulated, yet almost impossibly light ceramic armor. “If asked. I order you clean room” she said before leaving.

It was the closest Hemi had ever heard on the Meth saying thank you. It was the feline knew, evidence she had broken through somewhere. But had it been the right somewhere? Gathering bloody rags she headed out. She needed to send that message, change into the right dress and yes, clean Xress’s tiny apartment. Time was running faster than she could afford, much much faster.

Some time later Xress entered the Lords bedroom, her ceramic boots making no sound on the thick rich carpet she now walked upon. "Good, your on time" Lord Draco said as he stepped out of bed. "After I eat, you may wash me. Tomorrow you will go to the kitchen. Prepare yourself for I have instructed the cook to remove your tail. I will have the cook bake it for me this time. It has been years since I last tasted you my favorite, and tomorrow we have important visitors to impress." He looked down at the little alien as she bowed before him, holding a plate of fresh food for his pleasure. “Yes, you will remain my favorite I think.” He reached for a random piece of food as Xress raised her open mouth to him.

To all outward appearances nothing had changed about the killer reptile, yet inside her mind spun, knocked off balance by Hemi’s professional attack. 'Lord lied to me. I'm not an animal' she told herself as she felt her Lord begin to eat. 'Lord lied....' Her thoughts continued in this circle even as she later bathed her Lord. She had been forced to remove her armor to do so, for it would not do to harm him and her sense of feel wasn't very good with the gloves on anyway. Eventually the larger reptile pulled his slave into the bath with him.

Almost two hours later as Xress carefully cleaned herself, at the same time fumbling to replace her armor over re-opened wounds when her Lord's communication beacon called. She couldn't hear half the conversation, but from what she did hear the Lord was angry. As she stepped out of the bath, letting the two cleaning slaves past her Lord Draco turned to her. "Forget the meeting, put your helmet on. Then get a weapon and meet me at the entrance hall. Hurry."

Xress ran, leaping into the air as she exited the Lords room. Her large wings opened from under their armored places, allowing her to glide through the fortress’s immense open spaces. Hurry meant NOW, not later. Anything was allowed her when NOW was ordered, even flight within the buildings. Long minutes later she skidded to a halt in the main entry hall. She had only been here once, back when they'd taken possession of the building after she had landed Dark Dragon just outside of what had been, until that moment, a historical building. The entry hall a huge chamber, larger than a thousand times her small rooms volume. Outside she could see that the Lords ground vehicle awaited, with her Lord standing just inside the doors of the building waiting for her. He studied his pet lover/killer as she landed. Her wings just folding into their protective armor places after coming to an abrupt halt.

"There are animals attacking our northern outpost. Your going to do a lot killing today Xress" he explained. "Make it painful but quick. We may still have that meeting to attend. You may drink all the blood your stomach can hold, but quickly. Understand?"

Xress nodded, her mouth salivating at the thought of hot fresh blood. Still, somehow she was reluctant to do as ordered. Her Lord had lied to her, something he had vowed to her that he would never do. Yet lifelong training overrode her doubts. For the moment. "Xress will do as ordered" she replied, dropping to one knee as she spoke.

"Good" the Lord answered, "Now let..." Outside the waiting vehicle vanished in a billowing fireball. Shock waves shattered every window facing that explosion. Armored windows designed to be shatterproof failed as though made of the cheapest glass. Lord Draco himself fell without a sound, his thick dark grey body cut in half even while the armored Xress was knocked off her feet. Crystal sharp blades of armor-glass reflected harmlessly off the suddenly masterless womans armor, shattering as they impacted materials made to deflect a small mass drivers projectile. Behind Xress, in the shadows, Hemi waited until the fragments had ceased flying. Her dress was blood red, a coded color that insured that she was safe from the Resistance's weapons. Assured that she would be known to be one of them. For House Draco had banned the color red for clothing. It interfered with the Lords enjoyment of Xress’s feeding.

As a slave Hemi would be ignored by the guards as long as she wasn't holding a weapon. Moving quickly the light furred feline moved to the stunned Xress, being careful to insure the Meth knew her before approaching too closely. It would not do her plans any good should her throat be ripped out by a confused Meth. After all her work, after so long a search she wasn't about to lose this prize.

Barely understanding that Hemi was a friend not an enemy, the stunned alien allowed herself to be picked up and carried to a safer position. "We've got to get out of here, Xress. It's not safe here anymore" Hemi warned. “You are in no condition to fight yet. We need time.”

Xress said nothing, for she was shocked by what she had just seen. Her Lord, the one who she had served so faithfully for almost her entire life had died right in front of her eyes. Xress was mentally stunned, for the moment unable to act. Her guidance, her anchor in life had been ripped from her as easily as one pulled a weed from a well tilled garden. Vaguely she realized that the slave Hemi was correct. They needed time, she had to recover. To follow her Lords last orders should he die unnaturally. There was still one service to give her Lord. That helped the reptile hold onto reality. One last service, then she would be sold or given to someone else.

It took some time to work their way down to the shared quarters where Hemi slept. A dark, badly lit chamber that had been turned into slaves quarters. About them slaves were running, trying to get away from the explosions and sounds of heavy calabur rounds slamming through glass or impacting stone. Once there Hemi led her charge to a bookshelf. In one movement she threw the shelves and their contents down. Hidden behind were two weapons, a handgun and a rifle. Both of designs Xress had never seen. Certainly none of the planets defenders had carried anything like these. She knew because she had killed several hundred herself. Still her native companion seemed comfortable with them, therefore they must have been something new.

Hemi shoved the handgun into Xress’s long hands. “Point, shoot. It carries two hundred rounds. Just never point it at me understand?” Hemi’s voice had changed. No longer servile, no longer soft. It was the voice of a warrior and its sound confused the concussed Meth even further.

Was Hemi then an agent of another House? This was the first question to come to Xress’s befuddled mind. Yet no, no natives had yet been deemed safe for such work. She stopped, braced herself and took a deep breath of the fetid air. “I am warrior” she announced, covering Hemi with the weapon. “You are what?”

Hemi glanced at the weapon, barely holding back a laugh. Xress hadn’t released its safety, yet. Maybe it was time to take the soft gloves off, in the least there was nothing else the feline could do. She swung her own weapon around to face Xress, making a point to release its safety. “I am Captain Hemi Resall, of the Mohell Resistance, Special Operations Branch. I Xress, am a native of this planet, a citizen of her surviving Government. Now you are either my Allie, or my prisoner. I suggest that you decided which now.”

Xress realized her mistake. Like a child she had forgotten that all firearms had safeties. It had been so long since she held one as the Empire used lasers and masers. Not projectile weapons. Mass drivers were mainly huge things, only mounted aboard their ships. But simple slug throwing firearms were beneath the Empires notice. Lowering her weapon she sat on the fallen bookshelf. Could that rifle penetrate her armor or could she defeat her enemy in claw to paw combat. “You are good” she admitted. “I never suspect. Let think, please.”

“You have one minute” Hemi agreed. “Then I shoot you where you sit. Please Xress. You are useful to me. I have need of you. Serious need. But I will kill you, just as my people killed your Lord.”

Xress closed her eyes the better to think. Her mind was clearing as the blast waves effects passed. There were laws she had been raised to follow and one was to never disobey a citizen. Only two affected her at the moment, being without an owner for the first time in her life. Xress brought the first law up to her conscious mind as best as she could remember it. To never disobey a citizen. She looked at the law in every way that she could. Never disobey a citizen, but the law made no mention of what kind of citizen. Imperial? Local? As uneducated as she was in law the little reptile could only decided that citizen applied to any citizen. Anyone who was not a slave, Imperial or not. Then there was the second law. That upon her masters death, if no other member of the family lived or wanted her then she was the property of the first citizen who did want her. Even should later an extended member of her original family desire her. So much had the Imperial law leaned into Hemi’s favor, for those who wrote it could never have imagined this situation.

That Hemi knew those laws would be a surprise to Xress. Most slaves were not taught any law but obey or die. That Hemi had spent over two long months researching those laws that would best serve her was something neither Xress or her master would have believed of a freshly subjugated race. Looking down at the hand weapon Xress sighed. “Law favor you Citizen of Mohell. I now your property, save one last command by Lord Draco.” She stood, looking about her. “I no longer House Draco favorite. I now Hemi slave. Your orders?”

Hemi sighed in relief. It had been a gamble placing the Meth in such a position. A deadly dangerous gamble. Yet when the survival of ones entire world might hinge upon the outcome of one turned card it was a gamble that had to be taken. “Your last orders” Hemi asked.

“Lord Draco say no Draco live after. Should death not be natural. That last order. Must follow.”

“Agreed. But only, and I stress this as strongly as I can. Only if the following of those orders does not put either of our lives at risk. I grant you until our escape to follow those orders. After sundown Draco is dead. Your final orders ended. You understand me slave?”

Xress lowered her head, no longer able to look into the eyes of one who was once beneath her. “Understand Mistress” she agreed. So fast does the universe change. She herself had seen much the same in her thirty some odd years, but that it would happen to her... That the reptile had never imagined.

“Then lead. We must escape this place. My life is now your responsibility slave, do not fail me as you failed your last master.” Before Hemi could move Xress slipped past her, releasing her weapons safety as she did so. ‘So fast’ Hemi thought. ‘Had she not been confused my drained body would be laying on this stone floor even now.’ The idea of owning an intelligent creature, no matter what race disgusted the feline. Yet her studies had proven to her that there was no other way. When she had taken her chance in the garden last night Hemi knew this. It was still disgusting to her. Yet no matter what anyone did, Xress could grow to old age and still never be truly free. Not in her heart. Following her new property Hemi moved out into the battle above.

Hemi and Xress exited the building through one of the smaller side entrances, only to find themselves in a battlefield. A single claw of House guards escorting the Lords favorite wife and his youngest son had found an excellent emplacement, one allowing them to fire down upon the attackers. As Hemi watched in awe Xress leapt up onto a shattered section of column, quickly taking out the seven Yakullkah armsmen before any could more than turn to see who was firing at them. Nor did the Meth assume that she had killed all seven, for she then leapt down among them, her wings opening just enough to balance her fall. What happened next sickened the Mohell agent. Yet it had been a week, blood was thick in the air and Xress did have to feed. And then there was the Lords last order.

With the defenders defeated Hemi’s waiting squad of men came up quickly, two almost making the mistake of firing upon the feeding Meth before Hemi could give them orders. “She’s on our side” the feline informed an impressive looking sergeant. “Its her biology. She can no longer survive without blood than you can without oxygen and its been over a week. Captain Resall, Special Operations. Report.”

“Yes Mam” the Sargent answered, now on comfortable ground. “Sargent Cotell. First Strike. That was the last organized resistance. Squads Yellow and Blue are mopping up inside. We think half an hour before any relief forces can arrive.”

“Two hours” Xress corrected as she walked up to stand beside her new owner. “Imperial forces expect House House battle. Not expect attack by natives. Will check Challenge list only when not hear from any House. Only when discover no Challenge filed will respond. House Draco consider strong enough hold that long.” She studied the weapons Cotell and his men were carrying. “Not see before. Hidden invention?”

“Not of your business snake” One of Cotell’s men snapped.

Cotell turned slowly to the man in question, noting the bandaged head and battered body armor. “Ferrel. I’ll take that as combat shock mouth. Now shut up or I’ll beat what’s left of your fangs in.”

“Sarge” the younger feline acceded, now aware that something was different about this alien, but not in the loop so not understanding what. He would of course complain later. At the barracks. If they made it back alive that was.

“Two hours is a lot of time Captain” Cotell continued after returning his attention to his superior. “That red dress is gonna pop up on every optical scope on the planet. Maybe you should change. Its three days hard humpin back to pickup.”

In answer Hemi tossed her weapon to the surprised Sargent, then reached up to a panel on her chest she ripped open the thin dress. Underneath she was wearing shorts and a thin shirt. Both camouflaged. But not camouflaged enough to hid the thinness of her own frame. Or the missing tail. Shoving the now useless dress into a pile of rubble Hemi accepted her weapon back. “Then we best be moving Sargent” she agreed. “I’ve got seriously good and bad news to report. Along with a few gigabytes of computer data. Only lets not move too quickly. Slaves aren’t fed well.” She glanced over at Xress who was boldly not staring at her, but scanning the landscape about them. “Even the House favorite. Now lets get back to the Major.”

Due to Hemi’s physical weakness it took a full four days of foot travel to reach their pickup point. Along the way they avoided dozens of Imperial patrols, though the further away they moved from House Draco’s ruins the less interested those patrols seemed to be in what was below them. Imperial arrogance the small force knew. But Imperial arrogance backed by enough firepower to turn them all into fresh ground furburgers without taking a deep breath first. Hemi had the most trouble, for nearly five months of less than sufficient nourishment had left her in a weakened state. Her night with Xress in the garden added to the adrenalin filled combat had burned off most of her reserves. Thus it was that the squad ended up carrying her on their backs the last three days of their journey. A journey that finally ended upon a very ragged coastline and a long conversation between the Captain and Sargent that last night.

While the group dug in Xress cared for Hemi, feeding her what food was available including her own small portion. During their three days of travel Hemi had used her knowledge of Imperial law to take further control of House Draco’s deadly assassin. So arrogant had the Empire become that they no longer believed their own laws could be used against them. Could never imagine that their own crushing training of a creature from birth would grant an enemy the ability to turn them. But Hemi was no fool, she knew that if she died Xress would revert, surrendering herself to the first ‘Citizen’ that she encountered. That she did not consider Hemi’s ‘forces’ legal owners was now certain. Sargent Cotell had once tried to order her about, only to find himself flattened by the much smaller creature. “I serve Mistress. As do you” the Meth had hissed. “You not order me. I not order you. Remember. Live.”

That event had lead to this near all night discussion between Hemi and Cotell, where the older, but less educated marine learned quite a few things about Imperial law. Including several object lessons Hemi had watched, and two that she had experience upon her own body that left the older male quite ill. Especially the event between Meth and the Jelseese. Death was one thing, something everyone now accepted as inevitable. But to express love for someone as you murdered them. That was, in their own laws, madness. Cotell agreed that if they were going to use the Meth to her fullest advantage, certain changes were going to have to be made regarding her.

“And what’ll you do with her when your done” Cotell had asked. They had been speaking a language of their worlds that both were certain Xress did not, as yet, understand. As it was Xress was barely able to converse in the most common Mohell language.

“That” Hemi admitted. “Will be up to the Major.”

“Oh? She’s your property Captain. Ah’m certain tha Major will gant you freedom of action with her.”

Hemi had leaned back, finding that yet again the Meth was using her own delicate body to act as a pillow for her. “I owe the Major my life Sargent” she explained. “More than once. We go back, all the way back to Academy. He was one of my favorite instructors. He asked me to go with him to Dorntell when it was discovered. Looking back I would have missed the destruction of our own world. I think that I owe him a gift.”

Cotell had looked to the Meth, who’s currently near naked body now existed only to grant Hemi some small comfort. He was an old hand at understanding people. Especially those who’s language he did not speak. Cotell had long ago expressed his disgust at the alien killers absolute subservience, then accepted Hemi’s explanation without further comment. “Her. To tha Major? Capatin. Since tha Major’s family was killed when tha Academy was vaporized. Well he don’t much get along with women anymore. Outta duties sense I mean.”

“Then after five years maybe its time he did” Hemi answered, stretching. She knew how her own body affected these men. Only her rank had kept her from being approached. Xress’s own alien form, a form that made her appear childlike to the larger Mohell adults had kept her safe, so far. A month of travel though. Well they were males and biology was biology. At least they would be back at the base very soon where all the males probably had their own companions. “You know what Cotell? I had the biggest crush on the Major as a cadet. I mean seriously want to start a family crush. If his wife would have agreed, which she didn’t, I would have happily turned my back on a career and spent my own life in his home as second. Seesel was a hell of a lot more intelligent than she let people know. ‘Fulfill your contract’ she told me over coffee. ‘Then return. We will speak of this again.’ You know, I was six days from completing my contract. Already had my ticket in paw when the first Imperial ships arrived.”

“Still love him huh?”

“Oh yeah. More than ever Sargent. But I’m more useful to him in my current position. Besides. The days of any female selecting her husband are over. At least for now.” She took Xress’s long tail in paw, running her warmer paw down its length. She missed her own tail, but it had been an easier loss than say her voice. Rubbing Xress’s tail was one of the few things that she had discovered brought pleasure to the Meth that did not result in an immediate invitation to bed. “Doesn’t mean I can’t give him a woman though. Besides. In all honestly Xress would be a danger to me. Slaves do not wander around with an Imperial Meth serving them. Not even a Meth who was released to sale for being defective. They are too damn rare and too damn valuable for such. For example, Xress is the only one of her kind in our entire solar system. She was the pride of House Draco. Proof that they were richer, more powerful than any other House here. Every House would gladly kill their first born son to own her. Certainly an apparent slave would mean nothing to them.”

“Interestin. But if I may be so bold Captain” Cotell asked. “Other than ah really cute pet. What good is she to us anyway?”

Hemi started to sit up, only to have the Meth complain in her sleep. She knew from observation that Xress rarely was so tired that she wouldn’t wake up almost instantly. Only the long trek and Xress feeding Hemi her own share of food had allowed her this deep an exhaustion. Settling back down the feline sighed. “Wish I still had a tail like her” she admitted. “Its cute on a woman and mine was really admired by a certain Major. Okay Sargent, why I’m putting you and your mens lives at risk. This little killer here is a starship pilot. Not just any starship, an FTL starship. We only had three FTL ships when the Empire arrived and they were at best only a third the speed of an Imperial ship. I think we only managed to build nine as warships before they wiped us from space. Empire FTL systems are a hundred years ahead of us. At least. Add to that she has the codes for Draco’s own starship. The very ship that helped crush our planetary defenses. Dark Dragon is currently in high orbit. Its been mothballed until needed. Then there is this Sargent. House Draco is known here mainly because of Xress. Anywhere she goes it means Draco is still alive, unless she says otherwise. Unless we can find a Draco survivor she’s our best chance of stealing that ship. Then there is more. She was Lord Draco’s absolute favorite. Above all but his oldest son, whom you happened to kill in that attack. She’s been trained in their military tactics. There’s more but you don’t need to know it. Not yet. Later yes, now no. Besides I need some sleep. When does the sub get here?”

“About nine minutes ago” Cotell answered. “So she’s that critical. Gotcha Captain. I’ll see you tah tha Major, then I’m puttin bets with mah men about what happens when yah give yer pet there to him.”

Hemi yawned, then sat up. This time she ignored Xress’s soft complaint. “I trust you will be out of the blast radius?”

“Oh certainly” Sargent Cotell admitted. “Best wake yer little killer. Subs stealth shuttle is gonna break surface soon.” He stood, nodding to the corporal who had been signaling him from behind Hemi. It was time to move out, and now. Another Imperial patrol was due very soon. So soon that they might be at risk. Though the Empire continued to miss the new stealth equipment, that didn’t mean they couldn’t discover it by pure accident. Gathering his own gear he watched as Xress donned her upper armor, having left the lower parts on even in sleep. ‘Damn she’s tough’ he decided. ‘Maybe too tough for her own good.’ Future events would prove him quite correct.

Mohell’s last military base was deep underwater. An old deep sea research base it was one of the few places that had escaped attack. Now though it was slowly being made uninhabitable as currents deposited radioactive material around it. Holding barely two hundred persons, and even then not in any comfort, the base had originally been designed to study the nine mile deep Kartog trench. As such it sat on a shelf nearly a mile below the surface. One mistake and there would be no further resistance on Mohell. Currently there were none aboard foolish enough to make a mistake. Not by now. Of the scientists that had once studied peaceful marine life and geology none remained, having been evacuated when the military arrived. That any still lived wasn’t possible. Their island had been bombed to radioactive slag. Slag that now slowly buried the base as it quickly eroded into the seas currents. Major Emell Corditor met his best Intelligence agent upon her arrival. Hemi he noted was very worse for wear. Still there was a smile of success on her face. “Lets go hear your report” he ordered as they turned to walk towards his private chambers. He didn’t say anything about the young woman’s missing tail. Not in public.

In her own place Hemi noted the ragged pelt of her commander. Fur lost due to stress, lack of sleep and poor food. Still there was nothing that she could do to help that, save somehow get him off this deathtrap that their home planet had become. “Xress. Follow” she ordered as they moved off. “All here are friends.” Xress made no sound in reply, she simply followed. In the Empire ‘friends’ meant only that at this moment they were on your side. That could change in an instant.

When they arrived at the Major’s quarters it was to enter a disaster. Everything in the room was dirty, unpacked or simply tossed to one side. Emell shoved some books off a chair, making room for Hemi to sit as he dropped upon the mess that was his bed. “Apologies, maid hasn’t been in lately.” He shrugged. “Gonna have to fire her I guess. Who’s the reptile?”

“Xress Meth. House Draco’s pet Assassin and Lord Draco’s favorite” Hemi reported. “Xress. Wait outside please?”“ As soon as the reptile, with some reservations, had left she went into detail. More detail than she had with Sargent Cortell. “And that is why I chose her sir. Almost all the other slaves, or servants as Draco liked to call them, were nothing more than barely educated workers. Even Haggar the House butler had no real education outside of his field.”

“An interesting plot Captain, one that would make a nice science fiction move in other times. You are absolutely certain that she is completely loyal to you now?”

“Sir. If she wasn’t I’d be dead. Not sitting here talking to you. By the way sir, she thinks we’re having sex. It would be what Lord Draco would do. And its about the only reason she would grant me privacy with you. As a bodyguard she’s really loyal. More-so than any hired bodyguard would be.”

“I see.” Emell stood, walking over to his work table which was, by some strange action of the universe neat and clean. Opening a drawer he pulled out a large book. An Atlas Hemi noted. “This place will be completely uninhabitable in little more than three months time” he explained as he opened the book, a design that once would have been called a coffee table book, to a marked page. “Somehow we have to move from where we are to somewhere here” he explained. “Come look.”

Hemi stood, walking over to see what the Major was talking about. Before her lay a map of the Harleen Highlands. Over twenty-one thousand square miles of mountains, desert, a few dozen rivers, one lake and just about nothing else. Sitting near the South pole it had once been an unimportant third world nation until the Yakullkah arrived. Now she knew that every listed city was a lake of boiling radioactive lava. Or at least had been shortly after their minimal space defense forces had been brushed aside like so many bothersome gnats. “And what is there now” she asked.

“Last official news report was two months after the invasion. Damn near nothing. Small villages and towns seemed to have been left alone” Emell admitted. “Anything with over two thousand people in it was nuked, gassed or simply shot to Hurel and back. One report slithered out last year somehow. It seems that a half dozen small Houses had settled in, splitting up territory but I’ve nothing rock solid to work with. Still this is our best choice. We can land at the more inhospitable coasts, hump our gear in fifty to a hundred miles and start all over.”

“An open target Major? If I remember my college history right the Kamma world heritage site is about here” she touched the left page with one extended claw. “That’s Marda, the underground city. Held what, twenty thousand citizens in six hundred. Even after so long, so many earthquakes there still ought to be good places to hide in.”

“True Captain. But that’s a well over six hundred miles inland from our closest safe landing site. At best that’s six or seven cold months humping gear, with no knowledge of what’s out there. If there is food, water or radioactive traps.”

Hemi stepped back, running her paws through her short cut hair while she thought. “How about we ask Xress” she finally decided.

“Your little pet?” Major Corditor shrugged, his ragged fur moving in different directions as he did so. “Why not. Call her in. I’ve a globe around here somewhere. Hemi. What happened to your tail?”

“Draco took it” she answered, feeling a twinge from something that was no longer there. “Lady Draco felt I was slow about deferring to her in a hallway. My tail brushed her dress. It was an object lesson. She claimed my meat was too stringy for her taste. I’ll get Xress.” After calling Xress back into the room Hemi explained their needs to the reptile. “What information have you got about this” she asked while Emell sat a small globe on the desk.

Xress looked to Hemi, then to the information before her. Using the globe to position herself on the planet she turned her attention to the atlas. “Houses Yellowstar, Ironwood, Garnet, Bloodwater, Copper and Three Claws set up this area” she explained. Looking to Hemi she picked up a stylus. “May mark?” she asked.

Hemi looked the Emell, who nodded yes. “Go ahead” she answered.

“Yellowstar here, claim I think this area. Ironwood take Northern shore area.” She continued, marking to the best of her ability the areas now claimed by those six house. None claimed any territory within three hundred miles of the ruins of Marda, most much further away than that. “If want attack, Three Claws weakest.”

“No. No attack” Hemi answered. “Not yet. We need to move everyone and every thing we can from this base to here.” Again she touched the place with one claw, waiting a moment to be certain that Xress understood her need.

“Can do. How many our people here” the reptile asked.

“Major?”

“Two hundred and thirteen at last count” the feline answered. “Some medical cases that need to be carried. About nine tons of supplies.”

“Nine ton? Local. That eight point three ton Imperial.” Xress studied the map. “Submarines carry?”

“We have five small functioning subs the Empire can’t seem to locate” Emell admitted. “They can carry maybe half of what’s here.”

“Dark Dragon carry full House foundation” Xress mused, crunching numbers in her innocent looking head. “That two hundred Imperial ton supply. Fifty crew. Maybe make ninety short jump. Scavenge Draco ruin. Maybe find few hundred ton supplies. Do not think other Houses make claim yet.” She missed or ignored the looks on her two hosts faces as she talked, her attention on the map. “What here” she asked, her longer, slightly thinner claw touching almost the exact spot Hemi’s had.

Major Corditor took the bait this time. “Ancient ruins. About nine thousand years old. An underground city once carved into the mountain itself. As far as we know, no one has lived there in over three thousand years. There just isn’t any water. At least not unless you drill nearly a thousand feet down.”

“Then drill thousand feet. Sounds good place start new House. If Mistress allow, we go look.” She paused, looking to Hemi. “What call new House” she asked.

“Why not keep the name Draco” the young woman asked.

“Can be done. Claim rebuild from attack. Need Yakullkah act as Draco. Maybe survivor at House ruins. If Goddess smile.”

“But you killed Lord Draco’s wife and son” Hemi reminded the little lizard.

“Lords last order. Kill all wives, all sons.” Xress grinned slightly. “Say nothing about daughters.”

“All right, if it can be done. Its our best choice.” Major Corditor gestured to Hemi. “Have your brand new slave remain here. I have something very important to show you. Something Xress, that I am afraid that you cannot be allowed to know. Not just yet.”

“Xress understand. Many things slave must not know. I wait.” She looked about her. “Mistress. May clean some. Please?”

“Major?” Hemi asked, fighting to suppress a grin.

“Just stay out of that desks drawers. We will be a hour or little more.” Shaking his head in disbelief he led his Intelligence officer out of his quarters, turned back the way that they had come and led her to a side room well off the beaten path. As the door shut behind them a Marine took his place outside to guard it, just as two others had positioned themselves outside the Majors quarters should Xress try to escape. Not that they had a chance in hell of stopping her, though they did not know that. Not yet. Taking one of the three seats Major Corditor indicated where Hemi should sit. “Captain. I know your wondering where all the new gear has been coming from. Especially since anyone in our military, what’s left of it, can easily see its not designed for our paws. I also know your wondering where the hell we found that bomb we used. Well now your going to find out.” He pressed a button on the table, waiting.

Behind him the rooms second hatch opened and a male figure stepped in. Yet this figure was of no known race, at least not any Hemi had ever heard of. “Captain Karl J. Underwood, Republic of Earth Intelligence” the sandy haired male announced in introduction. “Though the Republic doesn’t exist in your little galaxy yet. At least not more than in a few small places. Your Captain Resall I assume?”

He didn’t smile Hemi noted, and there seemed to be great fatigue around him. What was surprising was his complete lack of fur or scales. Of course the Jelseese had no fur or scales, but their skin was a dark red, not pale as paper. There was also the fact that the tallest she had ever seen wouldn’t come to this males shoulder. “You are Captain Undervood?”

“Wood. Underwood. Its not a name known on your planet Captain. At least not until those scalies are gone.” He sat, placing his hands on the table. “I’ve been acting as observer for the last near eight months. That, and teaching your people how our technology works. I understand you brought something called a Meth with you?”

“Major?” Hemi asked.

“What Captain Underwood doesn’t know doesn’t exist Captain” Emell explained. “And get used to him. Your going with him when he leaves as my link with the Republic. Who” he leaned back, flexing his claws a bit. “Have been killing every Imperial scout force that has tried to enter Dorntell space. You see, when we got there just before the war the Republic had been there nearly a year. Hadn’t any idea what the Empire was. Of course we only had refugee reports ourselves. Nothing solid. Not then. Please continue Captain.”

“Thank you Major.” The human returned his attention to the furry woman sitting across the table from him. “As I asked Captain. I’ve been told that you brought a Meth with you. I will be honest with you, until your report three months ago we had never heard of such a creature. So please. What can you tell me about this lifeform.”

“Sir I know little of the history of Meth, only what has been let slip by Xress herself and her now dead Lord Draco’s family. Meth evolved on a slightly larger Mohell style planet that orbited a gas giant. Their sun was a lot cooler than ours, giving out less light. Apparently it was only because of the addition of the gas giant’s own heat emissions, or more likely tidal forces that their world was even habitual. They never had space flight and never had a really technological civilization. Thus they were easy to conquer by the Empire. Apparently they are evolved from a fire breathing flying reptile. Now the Meth have a very elastic DNA, so elastic that the Empire has been playing with it for a very very long time. Xress herself was planned to be cross fertile with the Jelseese, but that didn’t work with her. So she was labeled a defect and sold to House Draco. A source of pride to Draco. They would never have let her go unless the last one of them was dead.”

She paused to take a breath. “An important thing to remember is this Captain. Xress and her kind are fast. I mean inmohellingly fast. I, and the rest of the slaves were forced to watch as she battled another House’s spy. He was very well trained, yet she had killed him before he could more than begin to move. When she wants you can’t stop her unless you kill her. In that armor of hers lasers and masers simply reflect off harmlessly. Bullets, I haven’t seen anything penetrate that stuff. Though one of these new mass driver rounds might. Anyway Captain. She kills by biting. Her fangs are not for show, her claws can hurt you but not much more than mine can. She’s a true blood drinker. Not because she wants too, but because her kind evolved on a very iron poor planet to start and evolution simply made them that way. If she bites you hope that she injects whatever is in her left fang. Its some kind of hallucinogenic. From the one slave that survived Xress’s attention, it was a reward not a punishment, he said that it was like living in the clouds. Nothing mattered, nothing at all. When Xress smiled at him it was as if all the love in the universe was shining upon him. Problem is that he always wanted to experience it again. Its apparently a near instant narcotic. The other fang though. It holds an anticoagulant. One so powerful that you will bleed to death from that one puncture even with a doctor beside you.”

“Interesting” the human observed. “And she belongs to you now?”

“For now” Hemi admitted. “But if I am to go with you I can’t take her with me. For one thing she’s too important to our cause here. For another, I really don’t want to become her lover and she is very insistent in granting me anything I need. Wither I want it or not.”

Major Corditor laughed at that. “And who Captain, do you intend to strap with this little anchor” he asked.

Hemi looked directly at her superior fur. “Sir. There is only one person alive on this planet I’d trust with her, and trust her with. That’s you sir. She has to be owned. Oh I think that there are ways to train her to manage alone. For short periods of time. But her entire life from egg to now has beaten into her that, except for two possibilities she is and always will be a slave. Ones if she dies. The other is if a citizen marries her. So don’t marry her unless you want something very different in your life sir.”

“I see. And if I refuse?”

Hemi shrugged. “I can’t stand slavery, so I’ll marry her then leave her behind. You sir will have little if any control over her. You’ll always have to have a voice message from me to get anything useful from her. Look at it this way sir. With her you have the perfect bodyguard. You also have all the information she has, without any reservation. And if she ever gets too much for you then just order her to kill herself. Either that or keep me here.”

“I need you with the Republic Hemi” Emell admitted. “Way too much. You’re the last field agent we have, everyone else is dead. I need an Ambassador to the Republic that knows what reality is. Karlak is still under the illusion that if we just talk with the Empire they will go away. I’d chunk him out a lock, but he has too big a power base still. And truthfully other than that one fantasy, he’s damned good at what he does.”

“He’s also the last living Academy training officer you have sir” Hemi added. “And he is old. White furred old.”

“That is the problem. Captain Underwood. What would you do in this case. Its your home planet and your being offered the booby prize. Complete with ball and chain.”

Underwood shrugged. “Major. If it were my planet and I could find a way to stomach it. Then yes I’d do it. Doesn’t mean I’d have to like it, but I’d do it.”

“Captain Underwood” Hemi asked, breaking in. “Just where is the Republic of Earth?”

“I’ll be taking you to our system in this galaxy Captain” the human answered. “But our mother Republic, its in what you call The Grand Cathedral. We call our home galaxy the Milky Way and to us this is the Lesser Magellanic Cloud. As to how we got here, it was an ancient artifact and an unexpected battle. But what exactly happened. Well, we are still working that out I am afraid. There is this though. It has become painfully obvious to us that there is no way back for us. You see, the artifact on this end is completely burned out. Its technology is as far above us as we are above a caveman. Or as you know them, savannah cat. So its rebuild here or die. Now that the Empire has entered itself into our play I’m afraid its fight or die. Captain, the Republic lost a lot of battles when we first started. Battles against a race a lot like the Empire. We won by biting the bullet and doing what had to be done, no matter the cost. I assure you that we will show this Empire the exact same face. And we will do whatever we can to support your battle. That though is limited at the moment. We have the greater technology, but there are less than two thousand of us and we only have one solar system. So its join forces with other races or be wiped out.”

“I see.” Hemi stood up, walking to the wall and studying it a while before saying anything else. Finally turning around she studied the human. “And we are just supposed to jump into your den just because you say so?”

Major Corditor’s remaining fur fluffed. “Captain. Sit down. And while you do, think on this. I am sending you to find out if we should join their hunting pride. Or should we go it alone. That Captain is your new mission. Now if you want me to take care of your little pet while your gone, I strongly suggest that you remember that you’re going to be an observer. Not a politician running for High Council.”

“I apologize Captain Underwood” Hemi almost whispered as she sat.

“No need to” the human answered. “If I were in your position I’d be thinking the exact same thing. Will you come? Will you be the eyes and ears of your race?”

Hemi blinked, looked down at her paws before she released a long breath. “Be a fool not to. How many are coming with us?”

“Just you” Corditor explained. “Your all I can spare Captain, and I wish that I couldn’t spare you. But someone has to go. You know more abut how a House runs than anyone. You studied the Empire more than anyone still living and you are a trained Intelligence officer. So we have a deal? You go while I take your pet as hostage?”

Hemi giggled. “Give Xress a week Major. A week. Then tell me who is whom’s hostage. Captain Underwood. When do we leave?”

“Tonight, if the Empire maintains its standard search patterns” Underwood said. “Around midnight local time. I suggest that you bring everything you need. We won’t be back for at least a standard year. Maybe two.”

Standing again Hemi indicated the closed hatch. “Then I best be getting started, and keeping my muzzle shut. Captain, Major.” She started for the hatch, only to have Major Corditor grab her wrist.

“Hemi... He stopped whatever he was going to say. “Well, come on. We best take care of your pet first. And get that slave collar off your neck. Captain Underwood, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

When they finally returned to the Major’s quarters Hemi entered first, Major Corditor waiting outside. It was like entering a different reality Hemi decided. Although still cluttered the bed was made, most of the floor was clear (showing more than a little rust Hemi noted) and a rather large pile of laundry was sitting next to the bath door. “Xress” Hemi called.

Xress’s head popped out of the bath. “Mistress!” she exclaimed in pure delight, leaping over the pile of clothing to land in front of Hemi, her head bowed as she stared at the felines boots. “This one apologize. Not finish room.”

“That Xress is not a problem” Hemi answered. “Major Corditor is sending me off planet for a year. Since I cannot take you with me and I owe him a great deal. Would it disturb you if I gave you to him as partial payment for my own debt?”

“Xress property of Mistress. Can do with as desire” the winged lizard answered, though her voice held sadness Hemi noted.

“Since my choices are to give you to the Major or kill you I would rather give you away Xress. I like you, an awful lot. I’d like to remain your friend at least. Major Corditor is a very good man Xress. Better than Lord Draco or even myself. Will you obey him, in every way?”

“I will obey” Xress agreed. Was that a tear Hemi asked herself as the winged woman stood. “Your final order?”

“Care for him Xress. His heart has been hurt badly. He’s a lonely man. And Xress. I love him but he’ll never return the feeling. So you will still be serving me by serving, and protecting him. This is a secret between you and I. You will keep it?”

“Xress keep final order” the Imperial slave agreed.

“Then you are now his slave. Honor me Xress, prove to him that you are the best thing that ever happened to him. That could ever happen to him.” She reached out, touching her Meths cheek. Xress turned her face, bringing her lips to Hemi’s finger she sucked it into her mouth as though it were a lollypop. For an instant Hemi felt fear, knowing what the Meth could do. But it was just a show of endearment. Pressing her face against the feline’s paw Xress released a soft sigh of regret.

“Xress like Hemi lot. Maybe next life.” Then she stood straight, awaiting her transfer to others paws.

Waiting outside his own quarters Major Emell Corditor had absolutely no idea what he was about to walk into.