James Somers - The rise of Lucin

Ramah listened to the engines as the whole ship trembled with the force of them. It was like being cradled in a strong father's arms as far as she was concerned. Ramah's exhaustion quickly caught up to her and for the first time in many months, she felt like she might actually be able to sleep soundly.

LUCIN requested again for the computer to lower the temperature in the cabin. It was already registering fifty six degrees and his breath had begun to hang in the air. He had not been able to pinpoint the cause of his temperature increase, but his host body was definitely changing and becoming stronger.

Lucin also felt his spiritual power returning in part. He posed in front of the mirror, observing his own movements. He struck at the air with several lightning fast flurries-his movements barely perceptible as blurs. Was it their approach to the planet Draconis? He couldn't be sure yet. But he knew it as the keeping place for his fallen brethren.

He and they were more powerful together than apart, but not quite powerful enough to overturn the council of The Eternal One. No measure of power could ever compare to the infinite, but there were other ways of fighting-smaller victories could be gained apart from the war itself. There were many places under Mithrium that might be his to control.

Lucin called with his mind and a weapon leapt from the table nearby to his waiting hand. His power had definitely increased. Lucin pulled the weapon from its sheath, watching the reflection of the metal as the light played upon its surface. The surges in power he felt were quite real and very deadly. The Barudii he hunted would not survive their next encounter. The king among these men would be struck down as a dog before him.

The thought occurred to him just then, that perhaps with his own power growing and the entire host of fallen Mithri residing on Draconis, he had a greater army than this human one waiting for him to arrive and lead them. But would the Mithri receive him in this man's body. If they will not, he thought, then I will battle my Mithri brethren until every last human under my will has fallen…but cunning is a far better weapon.

If he could merge these great armies of fallen Mithri and men, then nothing would stand in his way of total domination. Lucin tapped the intercom panel on the wall next to him. "Commander, how long until we reach Draconis orbit?"

"Two hours, sir."

"Have all squads prep for a full offensive upon our arrival. We will deploy outside of Sector City," commanded Lucin.

"Yes, sir, preparations will be made."

Lucin tapped the switch again and looked out the view port toward the stars beyond and said, "You have made your throne in Mithrium, but I will yet establish my own."

They came to an underground hangar of some sort, ancient in construction, but very recent in use. Tiet liked the air quality better in here. A breeze circulated through a network of vent tunnels in the walls and ceiling of the cavern.

"Jayce, where are they?" Tiet asked.

"It looks like they've gone on a raid."

"Raiding what?" Wynn asked.

"Agonotti outposts-we rescue slaves."

Emil looked puzzled. "Slaves?"

"Many people are forced to work the fields. The Agonotti use men like cattle," explained Jayce. "Alec-that's the leader here-he says those devils are breeding their own food supply."

The group looked solemnly at one another. "That would go along with the deal the Guardians had with them," Kale said as he tapped on his forearm computer display. He scanned the integrity of the huge underground chamber.

"But they can't just feed without replenishing their resources," Wynn said. "They're breeding men like cattle for the slaughter."

"That wall over there," Emil said as he walked past them glancing down at his own computer display. "There's a very strong reading of temporal displacement throughout this entire side of the cavern."

"These readings look just like the kind of residuals a transgate leaves behind," Kale said as he joined his friend in his survey.

"There's a whole network. That's how they get from one base to another and make their strikes," Jayce explained.

"How extensive is this network, Jayce?" Tiet asked.

"We have a number of bases all over the continent."

"Sooner or later, the Agonotti will figure out a way to infiltrate your network and once they gain use of your transgates then you will have no place to hide," Wynn said.

"How many rebels are there?" Tiet asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe ten thousand. Plus, there are the people we've been able to rescue, but many of them are women and some of them are with child," Jayce said.

"And where are those women?" asked Mirah. "Do they have any medical care?"

"I'm not sure Ma'am. I don't see them very often, but I think they're hidden away together somewhere. I've heard Alec talking about them a little."

Tiet glanced at his wife just behind him. She remained ready to care for the hurting. She could never be relegated to a mere female. In the most difficult situations, she always stood to the task as a physician first-her confidence always unwavering and he loved her more for it.

"This is going to be difficult," said Tiet. "I'd say they already outnumber us, just by the Agonotti we saw when we fled the planet a few months ago."

"With the right strategy, sometimes numbers don't always mean victory," said Wynn, scratching his short white beard.

"-and in this situation?"

Wynn looked right at the king and said, "I have no idea how we can overcome what we are facing."

"Pajet-"

The rest of the group turned to Kale. He looked over the cavern wall next to Emil, still tapping on his display. Kale looked up wondering at the sudden silence. "The Pajet-we have committed ourselves to Elithias and he will guide our steps," he said matter-of-factly as though it should have been obvious to all of them.

Wynn smiled and looked at Tiet. He knew Kale was right and they should have known that fact already. Kale returned to his computations. He really is unconcerned. Tiet marveled at the faith of his son and realized at that moment that Kale was much stronger than he had ever been. When leadership had been needed against the Baruk he had resisted. When forgiveness had been asked by his brother, he had withheld it until the man's dying moment. Even when Elithias had revealed himself through Aija's preaching, he had hesitated.

But Kale was not that way. He remained steadfast and sure, not only in his own ability, but in his unshakeable faith in Elithias. That was the key. Kale would be a much greater king than he had ever been, because he believed beyond the present circumstances in The Eternal One who holds all things in his grasp.

Suddenly Tiet felt peace in his soul like he had not known since kneeling with Aija in the assembly hall back on Kosiva. Whatever must happen, Elithias remained in control and they were safe in him forever.

VOCK cast a cold glance toward his Agonotti brothers standing downcast before him. "You left your post and we lost a hundred breeders."

The Agonotti warriors said nothing and did not meet his gaze. "What do you say for yourselves?" asked Vock.

Out of five, one spoke up. "We only meant to respond to the attack back at the compound."

"What you meant to do is exactly what they wanted you to do. They meant to rescue some of their own by creating a diversion." Vock stood right in front of the Agonotti warrior that had answered. "And you were diverted, weren't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Humans outwitting a great host of Mithri-this must stop now!"

He looked up to see his scouts returning to the front of the main group in the arena. "And, what have you learned?"