Lacerta

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

Lacerta is a gardener’s dream come to life. There are five continents on this small world, but none of them are within the arctic regions. The vast majority of land masses are nestled about the equatorial regions, with some reaching to the 50 degrees latitude lines. Above 50 degrees latitude are several island archipelagos, but no appreciable land for populating on any scale.

The equatorial land masses are dominated by jungle and rain forest everywhere except on Aikkon. Aikkon’s equatorial areas are almost exclusively desert.

There are 5 major land masses or continents; they are called Aikkon, Meson, Tavar, Danikos and Istania. Seven island archipelagos inhabit the seas above the 50th parallel, and 12 smaller island chains inhabit the southern oceans.

Aikkon is located on both sides of the equator of Lacerta, and is approximately 10,810,000 square kilometers of land. Of that mass, about 14% is arable land, 23% is permanent forest, and 17% is pasture or grass land prairie terrain. The population of Aikkon is roughly 7.1 million people, who are clustered along the eastern coastal areas.

The coastal areas of Aikkon boast some of the whitest sand I have ever seen. The beaches almost appear to be made of snow because the sand glistens like freshly fallen snow against a rich azure sea. The continental shelf extends quite some distance from the eastern and northern sides of Aikkon and attracts a great many vacationing Lacertians. The southern and western sides of the continent have a continental shelf that drops steeply down 8 – 10 km deep into a vast abyssal plain. Here the deep, cold water upwells and brings vital nutrients to the surface, but the water is very cold and not conducive to vacationers desires. These cold waters are however abundant with deep water fishes and krill like organisms which form the basis for the pelagic food chains.

Although the rugged coastline is stunningly beautiful for rock climbing and bird watching, the sheer cliffs provide wonderful sanctuary for a wide variety of sea birds where land based predators cannot reach them. The upwelling currents below the rocky cliffs provided a plethora of algae, krill, and fishes to feed fast growing babies. But these cliffs also face some staggeringly fierce winter storms that cause rock to collapse into the surf, and lash nesting birds with gale force winds and rain or sleet. It is a tough place to grow up and learn how to fly.

The color of the sea is a deep sapphire blue due to the extreme depth of the water, and the light plays in dancing sparkles on sunny days, but on stormy days, these coasts become dangerous for all to navigate as the skies turn leaden gray and the water becomes a seething cauldron of darkest gray. To risk this coast in a storm is to risk death at the hands of Poseidon himself.

Rain moved across the continent predominantly from west to east, so these western shores are more like rain forest than the eastern forests which are predominantly palms. The west side has the giants of the plant kingdom. Here the metasequoia glyptostroboides can grow up to 200 meters tall, and reach over 8 meters in diameter. Some have been dated as living over 3000 years before they were cut down. I do not think anyone actually knows how long they can truly live. The coastal trees are predominantly coniferous and proto-conifers for about 50 kilometers inland where they begin to give way to the true rainforest species.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

As one moves inland, the forest takes on the appearance of an Amazon jungle. Great mahogany, teak, and cashew trees dominate the upper canopy of the forests, and in the under-story are the milk trees, figs, and unnamed fruit trees. The clouds literally form in the tree tops from the evapotranspiration of this immeasurable biomass.

The Lacertians who live in this part of Aikkon make their livings farming trees and the fruits of the forest. They have found harmony with nature here, and they protect their land zealously. The idea of clear cutting their forests is an alien and destructive idea that they will never allow. Speaking to the rare few who will take to an outsider demonstrates their love of this place that I have seldom found anywhere else in my travels. They have become part of these forests as much as their arms are a part of their bodies. I wonder if in time they might become more like their trees in appearance and mannerisms. Evolution does strange and wondrous things.

As travelers continue eastward, there is a range of mountains, called the Riphean Mountains that bisect the continent. They are analogous to the Ural Mountains of Eurasia in size and rock type. They rise sharply from the jungle plateau as gigantic teeth, biting into the blue skies above. Indeed, the highest peak is named for its counterpart, Mount Narodnaya. It reaches over 1905 meters into the skies above the rainforests.

These are the oldest mountains on Aikkon, and were formed over 300 million years ago, in what is called the Carboniferous period. These mountains also contain most of the larger mineral deposits such as gold, platinum, coal, iron, nickel, silver and precious stones such as beryl and topaz. While the Lacertians will mine these resources, they are very strictly controlled on how much can be recovered and then most of that is used to trade off world for what little they cannot produce for themselves.

The mountains are usually snow covered all year long, and there are 156 recorded glaciers in this chain of mountains. They divide the rainforest region of Aikkon from the desert and savannahs of the eastern part of the continent.

The Olanna desert sits in the rainshadow of the Riphean Mountains. The desert gets less than 10 cm of rain each year, and temperatures can soar to over 48 degrees Celsius during the height of summer. There is a small permanent settlement at the edge of the mountains where a river winds its way through this arid land called Vorkuta. Approximately 200 people call this harsh land home, and earn a living from the desert.

There are few plants hardy enough to survive the heat and the dryness, but they are simply amazing plants. The largest of these is the saguaro like cactus that can grow to a height of 14 meters, and diameters of just over 3 meters. These giants are very slow growing and produce multiple “arms” to help these huge plants store up enough water to survive the heat and arid nature of the Olanna desert. They are night blooming cacti, and are pollinated by the desert bats. The flowers are stunningly beautiful, in contrast to the heavy recurved spines this cactus grows to keep animals from taking a bite out of the juicy flesh! Needless to say, this plant does not provide an easy meal for hungry herbivores.

In the short rainy season of the desert, this giant cactus makes the most of the water by producing flowers that are over 20 centimeters long, and when fully open in the night air, are over 25 cm across! They produce one of the true delicacies of the Olanna desert, the fruit from the pollination of these unique flowers. The seed pods are bright crimson red and about the size of a small pomegranate nestled deeply within the wicked spines. If they are harvested just before the fruit is ready to burst open, it is a juicy and rather tasty treat that can only be enjoyed around March. The sweet strawberry like flavor has a faint undertone of red raspberry which is too delicate to ship far from the source, and the cactus is protected due to its slow growing nature. The seeds are very fine, and remind me of poppy seeds. It can take over 75 years for a seed to become a fruiting plant, which is why these are so strongly protected by the Lacertians. They must assure that enough seeds are released to continue the species in a healthy population and with sufficient genetic diversity. But that does not dissuade me from advising you to try these fruits if you ever have an opportunity to savor the fruit of the Olanna desert!

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

The desert is also home to one of the most poisonous of all serpents. The Sand Asp is a master of desert camouflage as it buries its body under the sand to keep out of the dangerous sun, where it waits with only it’s eyes on the surface of the sand. This serpent will strike at any warm blooded prey, including humans, horses, stray cattle and even the giant desert esons. This snake’s venom will kill a human in as little as five minutes if a full dose is injected by the snake. There is never enough time to get someone who has been bitten to medical help. Death is by neurotoxin and paralyzes the diaphragm, which results in suffocation.

The sand asp is also the largest snake on Aikkon with adult females reaching 3 meters in length, and nearly as big around as a man’s arm. The Lacertian’s lose an average of 28 people a year to the Sand Asp.

Gradually the Olanna desert merges into short grass prairie as the effects of the Riphean Mountains diminish and rain once again falls. Here the Lacertians practice animal husbandry as they make use of the plentiful grazing for herbivorous livestock. Even the giant Eson is domesticated on these planes and sold in the market places as a source of meat.

These prairies stretch for hundreds of kilometers as far as the eye can see. The abundant grasses are resilient and grow rapidly for most of the year with only a slight respite in winter when the days shorten. Deer and antelope mix with the domestic herds, but so far there have been no documented cases of disease transferring from the wild stock to the domestic stock.

Annual rainfall continues to improve and the short grass prairies give way to the tall grass prairies where the deepest, richest soil is found. Here the agrarian farmers are centered, and the ‘bread basket’ of Aikkon provides all of the grains and legumes consumed by the people of Aikkon. There are niche farming areas in different climates, but here is where the biggest, most productive farms are located.

Eventually the grasslands give way to forest again, only this time the forest is mostly deciduous hardwoods. The grand hickory and walnut trees blend with maple and oak species. The northern forests are home to the hazelnut and butternut trees and the southern forests are more pistachio and pecan. This side of the continent has the majority of Aikkon’s population base, but the simple life style has kept all of Lecerta’s population centers fairly small. Fewer people want to embrace this agrarian life style while the rest of the worlds around them move into the future. It is hard work and there are not many frills, which is not the way most people today want to live.

The eastern shores are lined with palm species, including a date palm that produces the most succulent dates I have ever tasted. A gentle slope of white sand leads you into the warm blue waters of the Tethys Sea. There are small fishing boats bobbing on the gentle swells on most days, and sea food is the dominant diet of people who live near the ocean.

I could spend days on Aikkon, soaking up the sun and dining on fresh seafood complimented with a dessert of fresh, ripe dates and cream. Alas, time does not currently permit me such leisure activities!

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

South and east of Aikkon about 1200 kilometers begins the northern reaches of Tavar. This is the largest continent on Lacerta, and it covers 11 time zones! It contains 33% of the planet’s entire land mass and has the greatest population centers. Although, by Rigelian standards, these population centers are fairly small, for Lacerta, they are huge. The capital of Tavar is Trent on Hillside, which has a population of slightly greater than 800,000 inhabitants. The capital is located in the heart of Tavar, amidst the rolling hills of New Festungmaurer. Many of the current Lacertians emigrated from Rigel or Rigelian territories and brought along the familiar names of places they left behind, or have family still remaining behind when they began new lives on Lacerta.

Tavar is so vast, it encompasses almost every imaginable climate, microclimate, terrain, or scenery. There are three major mountain ranges which were raised by plate tectonics when smaller land masses were pushed together and collided along a subduction zone. The uplift caused by these collisions resulted in raising the rock high into the air in a ceaseless dance between orogenesis and erosion. The highest mountain on the planet is located on Tavar. Mount Olympion soars 6.328 kilometers above sea level and attracts off-worlders who love to mountain climb. There is an entire industry centered around these climbers, as well as a concerted effort to keep them focused on their climb rather than having off worlders wandering too far from the capital.

The mountain range that is home to Mount Olympon is called “Spine of the World” by many of the inhabitants of Tavar because it runs for 7,166 kilometers across the landscape before disappearing into the ocean at the subduction seam just to the east. Here the great ocean plates collide, and one dives beneath another, resulting in heating of mantle material that results in the volcanic rise of The Spine. Awesome forces result from these collisions, and these forces must be relieved, either through volcanism or earth quakes. Both are manifest in this growing mountain range.

Trent on Hillside is located at the junction of 2 large landmasses that have been relatively stable for many years, although scientists do warn that the quiescence can mean catastrophic release at some point in the future. Small releases more often are always safer than catastrophic release of pent up forces. But for now, life in the capital city moves along peacefully.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

The main products from Tavar are grains and meat production in the east and central lands with major mineral mining in the west along with logging. The land and climate are conducive to agrarian needs, and essentially Tavar is the bread basket of Lacerta. Gentle rolling hills, mild climate with sufficient rainfall have produced fabulous prairie lands that lend themselves either to grazing or cultivation.

The largest space port is located in Trent on Hillside, and this is usually where I land when arriving on Lacerta. My company is located outside the capital about 80 kilometers away in the town of Stafford on Tyne. This was chosen because of the proximity to one of the largest rail systems and terminal complexes on the planet. Rail is the best means of transportation for bulk goods on Lacerta, and being at the hub of the system ensures timely delivery and receipt of goods. Obtaining raw materials and shipping finished goods became less of a logistical concern by locating here.

I have leased a home about 10 kilometers from the plant. It is not as formal or as grand as my other homes, but it is well built and meets my needs when I am in Stafford on Tyne.

Stafford on Tyne is a picturesque town straddling the Tyne River. The city has an old world charm to it because there are no skyscrapers or ultra modern style buildings. As I’ve said, the Lacertians left Rigel to form a simple, more pastoral life, which also means forsaking many of the modern conveniences and vices.

My home here is a two story affair made of brick and stone with a fabulous thatched roof. It is straight out of another time and place, complete with walled enclosure forming the front yard and it is planted with a myriad of flowers in every color imaginable. A stone path weaves its way through the flowers behind the low stone wall connecting the street to the front entry of the house. All in all, as the Lacertian sun sets over Stratford on Tyne; my home looks very much like a painting by Thomas Kincaid.

I hired four to staff the house, and so far they have done a fine job of keeping out the curious and making the place appear to be lived in at all times. They have also accepted my computer system and security devices much better than I had anticipated. This is fortuitous as I have brought in some technology that I know would be rejected by the Elder Council. I will remove it after hostilities are resolved, but for now, the Lacertians are safer if I maintain my secrets.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

Most of the defenses I have currently in place are sourced from Tavar, which is most logically the place the Cepheans have to gain control over when they make their move. All off world trade is centered in Tavar, and since this is the largest and most populous landmass, it is here the Cepheans must ultimately come in their quest to conquer Lacerta.

Danikos is probably the next most obvious target for Cephea. This continent is located south of the equator, and about 5800 kilometers east of Tavar. Danikos is a rugged, mostly mountainous country that due to the processes of igneous activity has a high preponderance of mineral wealth. This will attract a great deal of attention from the Cepheans.

While the Lacertians strictly regulate mining, the Cepheans would commit rapine of the land. Plundering as much as possible as fast as possible in their quest to become a power house in the system is the way the Cephean leaders have worked in the past. Their ways may be barbaric and savage, but they have high aspirations which could be significantly supported with the riches of Danikos.

Fortunately, the population of Danikos is composed of a tough breed. The people there have built the mining industry from nothing. They will give the Cephean’s more than they bargained for if they attack there first. I have set up a geostationary satellite observation system above Lacerta, and keep a keen watch on Danikos.

Danikos has a surface area of approximately 7.2 million square kilometers, but most of this is rugged mountains or strong foothills. The southern half of the continent is south of the tropical latitudes and the elevation means much of the continent experiences winter and frozen periods. The snow covers most of the higher peaks most of the year, and in some years, never leaves the mountains above tree line. Mining is done under some difficult weather conditions, and these people are no strangers to adversity and hard work.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

A traveler continuing in an easterly direction from Tavar, only this time in the northern hemisphere will encounter the continent of Meson next. Meson has a land area of approximately 4.6 million square kilometers and is inhabited by the true purists of Lacerta.

These people on Meson keep the old ways of farming and animal husbandry right down to using no artificial means what so ever. There is no use of machinery and all work is done by animal and by hand. They use no artificial products in their homes or clothing. There is no power beyond sunlight or water dams with water wheels, and even transportation is accomplished using wagons, or buggies or some beast of burden.

These people will be the most difficult to protect because they do not allow visitors to bring any of the ‘evils’ of the outside world within their borders. They will not permit any of the outside Lacertians to bring defensive means onto their land, but they cannot stop the Cepheans who will come with high technology weapons, and so it will be up to the rest of the Lacertian people to do their best to keep Meson safe. It is a statement of solidarity that the rest of Lacerta will defend the people on Meson despite how difficult the Mesonians are making it for them to accomplish.

I am not permitted to land the Star Dragon there, and getting to the continent means going by sail boat. No motored craft are allowed to moor on Meson’s shores. We have no time for a leisurely sail and I will have to rely on satellite intelligence to know what is happening there. I tried to make contact with the ruling leaders of Meson to send them at least rudimentary communication devices, and even that was rebuffed. I do not think they believe that Cephea could conquer Lacerta, but the situation is dire.

The Duke of Sorwind is the leading military contact for me here on Lacerta. He has been educated on Rigel and chosen to take this posting of his own accord. That means that he has a keener interest in protecting Lacerta than any of the other Rigelian Warlords. This is more than just a territory belonging to the Empire. This is his home. Right now, we will take any and all advantages we can accrue.

I have provided some of the more advanced weaponry which I know the Duke will use to best advantage, but still I worry that what they have is not enough. I ponder ways to drive the Cephean’s away before they can begin their attack here, and have still not found a good way of accomplishing that task, but there has to be a way to convince the Cepheans that Lacerta is not a bit of fluff they can take simply because they desire to do so.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

Time grows short as the Cephean presence can now be seen when the sun sets. Hundreds of moving ‘stars’ cruise above Lacerta, and still no communications are made between Lacerta and the congregating Cepheans. That worries me the most. No demands, no negotiations, no threats voiced. It is as though they intend to invade Lacerta, and slaughter every person, man, woman and child, as they have done several times in their past, rather than simply conquer the planet and incorporate these people into their rule. Unless something changes dramatically, we will fight to the death it would seem.

The island archipelago of St. Albans is the northern most land mass in Lacerta. This series of islands extends from the 12th up to the 8th parallel, which puts these islands well to the north of any inhabitants of Lacerta. The frozen wastes are not home to any permanent residents because the climate is not amenable to farming or ranching. The archipelago is home only to small groups of seals and arctic type birds. It is the perfect place to set up the satellite feed station where it will cause the least impact to the Lacertians, and where I can most effectively hide it from prying eyes.

The Duke has granted my request to use the archipelago as my base of operations. I have spent the last several weeks having equipment delivered to the remote islands and now my communication link beeped. The station was set up and ready to begin testing. It was time for me to leave Tavar and go to St. Albans.

Renting transportation on Lacerta that is outfitted for the extreme cold of St. Alban’s was impossible, and so I had Baumann send the craft from Rigel. It had landed earlier in the wee hours and was waiting for me in the hangar beside the Star Dragon.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

Azjah gave another look around her rooms at the Palazzo. Unease slithered with clammy chills along her spine. Nothing was out of place. Nothing missing, nothing overtly wrong, and yet the distinct restlessness that she had learned to heed in her youth continued to nag incessantly at her. Something was wrong, she only needed to identify it.

A soft knock tapped at her door, and she glanced at the time. It was only 2:00 AM, well before they were scheduled to leave for the hangar where the Star Dragon sat prepared and ready for its flight back to Lacerta. They would make the 4:20 AM departure window if Rena arrived on schedule. If Azjah knew her guest at all, Rena would be slightly early rather than late. She also knew before she opened the door who stood on the other side of it. It would do no good to pretend she was asleep or hadn’t heard the soft rap of knuckles on the carved door. “Enter.” She didn’t need to say any more.

Gabriel slid the door open quietly and stepped inside her rooms in utter silence. His movements as soundless as a hunting owl in flight brought him inside the room before he turned and closed the door with the faintest whisper of a click as the latch snicked into place. Fathomless black eyes considered her an immeasurable moment. “You are restless, and your unease can be felt from one end of the Palazzo to the other. What preys so upon your thoughts tonight?” His concern was genuine, even though it lacked any emotion.

Azjah paced around the elegant private space like a caged tiger that had known freedom and had it removed from her in the recent past. She had a restless energy that bristled inside of her and required an outlet but could not find a constructive way to vent. “I cannot put anything specific to what I’m feeling Gabriel. Something is wrong, but I cannot resolve precisely what.” She wrapped both arms around her waist as she paced across the Aubusson carpet, leaving foot prints in the plush wool.

Gabriel remained where he had been standing when the door closed. He no longer bothered with appearances in front of her, and so no rise and fall of his chest to imitate life stirred within his chest. He could have been made of marble for all of the movement he exhibited. At one time, that stillness had troubled Azjah, but she had grown accustomed to Gabriel’s stillness. And he had grown comfortable enough to be himself at all times.

“Do you believe this is your innate senses or is it concern because you have a passenger on this trip?” Gabriel tried most of the time to leave Azjah’s thoughts to herself, but tonight her unease had brought him to her side long before they would need to leave for the hangar. He could pick her thoughts without asking her, but out of respect for their relationship, he usually did not intrude. Instead, he waited patiently for her to sort through her thoughts and impressions.

Azjah paused in mid-stride and turned toward Gabriel with a deeply reflective expression. “I am, of course concerned about Rena. I do not know how she will adapt to the emptiness of space and so much time in artificial gravity. But, this is not her presence that is causing this disquiet.” Rena’s presence on board would create other concerns, but not the kind of anxiety that haunted the Marchioness and caused her this sleepless night. Guests she could accommodate, even the most difficult of Court guests never caused her this kind of angst. It was not having Rena along for the flight, of that Azjah was certain.

Another hushed rap of knuckles came at the heavy door, and Azjah gave Gabriel an astonished glance. She had never allowed Dominik to take her blood. He should have no special connection to her that would bring him from the rooms she had afforded him when he had arrived the previous month. One look at Gabriel confirmed that it was indeed Dominik who stood on the other side of that door. She motioned for Gabriel to admit him despite not knowing what had brought him so early to her door.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

“What brings you here so early Dominik?” Azjah cut right to the point, her ice blue gaze meeting the brilliant metallic green of the mage.

The elderly Dragonseeker stepped inside with the same silence that marked Gabriel’s arrival, and closed the door gently behind him before giving her a formal bow. “Forgive my intrusion Marchioness. I could not ignore the distress I feel in the air, and came to see if there was something I could do to alleviate it.” The mage’s eyes held ages old secrets, but no solution for the Marchioness. He too was perplexed by the stress that radiated off of the Rigelian woman before him.

“Only if you can find the source of this feeling milord,” came her frustrated reply to his query. She reached for the small bag she planned to take with her to the ship, but Gabriel reached it first using his preternatural speed and picked it up carefully. She gave them an assessing glance, “shall we go early and make sure everything is stowed away and ready so that when Rena arrives we can launch with all alacrity?” There was no point in remaining at the Palazzo now. All three of them were awake and there was nothing more to do at the house. She gave the suite of rooms on last look before moving toward the door, which Dominik now held open for her.

The trio headed for the garage at the other side of the estate. They were surprised to find Dyson awaiting them with the keys to the Maybach in one hand, and a wrapped package for Azjah in the other. “I chose not to awaken Eoin tonight. I will drive.” He turned and opened the doors that led into the garage, where he opened the rear door opposite the driver’s seat for the Marchioness. He handed her into the back seat before walking around to the driver’s side and settling in behind the steering wheel of the big car.

Gabriel took the front passenger seat beside Dyson, and Dominik settled comfortably into the seat behind the driver in silence. The mage held his ubiquitous hat in his lap as they pulled out of the garage and traversed the driveway to emerge into the silent public streets of Rhydin.

The ride through RhyDin was accomplished in a tense silence, and Azjah’s thoughts chased themselves round and round, but still came up with no solution for the unease. Dominik’s unusual green gaze slid over her twice during the drive, but he remained silent as she continued to seek answers for the intuition alarms that would not relent.

They walked up the ramp single file into the Star Dragon and headed for their sleeping quarters to stow last minute things they had each brought onboard. Azjah took the package that Dyson had brought for her and walked into her tiny quarters. She paused as the door slid shut behind her with a soft ‘whoosh’ and she was alone again. The ship was a private craft, and for all its luxuries, it was still small, and everything had a defined place. If anything was left out, it would make the entire room look cluttered. Her space was absolutely organized at all times. Even the single image of Klinton that she kept onboard had a fixed place on the small shelf near the bed. She looked at his image a long time. There still had not been any contact from the ship he had taken, its homing beacon had been silent, nor had there been any word from the search parties she had sent out months ago. It was as though he had vanished into a black hole, ship and all.

Azjah unwrapped the package from Dyson and smiled at his thoughtfulness. He had sent along an extra bottle of her favorite scotch. She knew that when they reached the arctic satellite base, the alcohol would be a welcome taste of home. The base was sparsely populated, and just as sparsely appointed with amenities. There hadn’t been time to bring in some of the creature comforts. They had done well just to get the essentials there and the base up and functioning in the time they had been allotted.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

She sat on the edge of the bed in silence. She could hear Dominik’s rich baritone in the room next to hers. He was singing a poignant song in Ancient Romanian. She could not understand the words, but the lament of the tune was unmistakable, and she discovered that she had become so wrapped up in the melody that tears were sliding down her cheeks. She dashed them away abruptly and rose. Her flight suit was hanging in the small closet and she slipped into the body forming suit that was designed to keep her warm in space, and to prevent her blood from pooling in her extremities during lift off, gravity free flight, and landings. It fit a bit too loosely now she noticed as she peered into the mirrored door. Dominik’s lament could have been for anything, but tonight, the haunting melody sang to her of the daughter she would never know. She turned away from the reflective surface and picked up the flight gloves from the shelf above the hook where the flight suit had hung.

She could begin the preflight checks while they waited for Rena to arrive. That would give her something constructive to do while they waited for the launch window time to arrive. She slid the door open and headed for the cockpit with that goal in mind. Azjah settled into the Left seat, laying the gloves on the console beside her as she radioed the facility security office and advised them of their expected guest. They would radio her when Rena entered the security check point. Gabriel would go to escort her to their bay and make her comfortable aboard ship.

Rena’s evening prior to departure: After the incident with Piper, and whatever it was that had "played" with her Piper's mind, Rena had resolved to take the potter home with her for the night, she did not want Piper to spend the night alone in her own cottage. Once entering her house, Rena made sure Piper was comfortable in the spare bedroom before going to speak with Byron. Rena gave him instructions that would assure that her guest had an escort home in the morning, ostensibly to make absolutely certain nothing more happened to the potter.

Rena then moved into the bedroom she was using, and glanced at the two bags she had been packing and repacking for the last couple of days. She mused that once again, she was leaving the city-this time she was going further away than any of the previous times-but this trip was for a different reason, or so she imagined. Azjah had invited her to make the next trip to Lacerta and Rena jumped at the chance. They had discussed Azjah's trips while both had made use of the new Teas N Tomes place and the trips had sounded interesting to Rena.

This trip promised to make Rena forget all the things that were bothering her here, or at least push them to the back of her mind. Azjah had mentioned that Rena would have a chance to organize information gathered by the computers at the remote compound where they would be staying. Rena had agreed, but was repeatedly wondering why she was asked; there had to be folks more skilled in such work that were already on location. While Rena was putting the finishing touches on her packing, her conversation on the Isle with Gabriel came back to mind, and Rena discovered that she was looking forward to the training sessions on board the space ship using a new weapon-Rena couldn't remember ever holding a gun. There were also books and manuals she needed to read to be able to do the job that was waiting for her. All in all, there was going to be a lot to keep her busy in both body and mind.

Since she had been warned not to bring heavy outerwear because it would be provided, Rena removed all but one heavy coat that she had packed before and replaced them with more sweaters and jeans, along with some long sleeve shirts and the ever comfortable sneakers and a second pair of boots. Her backpack contained some personal items, along with some books she had planned to read, and a journal she was told to write in. Hefting the pack onto her shoulder, Rena picked up the second bag and stepped out the room, pausing to close the door behind her. She peeked in on Piper and saw that she was sleeping comfortably then sought out Byron. Rena gave him instructions to manage while she was gone, she spoke to Stalker as if he really could understand what she was saying, then she moved out the front door.

The cab she had requested was waiting and she slid onto the back seat, giving the driver the address of the space port where the Star Dragon waited. All she could do now was sit back and wait until she arrived at the port. This would be her first off world flight and to say she wasn't worried would be a huge misstatement, but she was also excited for the same reason. Azjah and she weren't the best of friends, but of late they had been conversing, starting out with small talk then venturing into longer and deeper talks about a lot of things. The bitterness between them was long gone by now and the anger she felt towards the other lady was buried deep inside her: what happened between them was nobody's fault.

The ride to where the ship was docked didn't take very long. Sliding out of the cab, Rena paid the driver his fare and an appropriate tip, then she picked up the second bag that she’d brought along, took a deep breath, and then moved to the front gate. Rena gave the security guard in the booth her name and asked for Azjah Caer. She was ahead of the appointed time, but Rena had remembered from former conversations about flight plans and time windows and she didn't want that messed up because she was late. A radio call was placed by the guard, and it wasn't very long before Gabriel arrived at the gate to escort her to the ship. Rena wasn't one on small talk and the few times she had seen him on the Isle knew he wasn't either, but Gabriel explained a bit about the ship and what was to be expected on the take-off. Rena heard all that but her eyes were darting back and forth among the other docked ships and spying the workers who were maintaining the vessels to keep them space worthy. Rena would have to come back to this part of town and explore one day: it seemed to be a part she had missed in her extensive wanderings.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

Azjah was finished filing their flight plan when the radio crackled to life at 3:35 AM. “Miss Rena Cronin has arrived.” The security operator advised them, so Gabriel rose from his co-pilot’s seat to get their flight guest while Azjah finished the check list. Everything checked out fine, but still the specter of unease refused to relent.

Rena and Gabriel soon arrived at the Star Dragon. Rena had read up on it some but it still amazed her to actually see it up close and personal. It was an impressive sight to see the vessel that would be her dwelling for the next two weeks. It was a shame she didn't allow enough time to actually walk around the ship, to see how well it was put together, how maintained it was: maybe when they got to the location there would be time to indulger her curiosity.

Taking the ramp to the inside of the ship, Rena glimpsed the ground for last time until they landed on Lacerta then turned her gaze to the interior.

Azjah heard Gabriel’s return only because of the sound of footsteps from Rena alighting onto the entry ramp, and his black velvet voice explaining the ship to Rena. Azjah rose and left the captain’s seat to greet her. “Welcome aboard the Star Dragon, Rena. I do apologize for the earliness of the hour, but we are limited for departure times based on our flight trajectories.”

A smile was offered to Azjah. "Thank you for inviting me. There is no need for apologies as we've had this discussion before and I understand the limited amount of time you have to make the flight work. I really hope I won't be a bother."

Gabriel motioned for Rena to follow him as he led her down a hall on their left to the private quarters corridor on the ship. Dominik exited from his room as the pair passed and came to join Azjah in the common room. “She hides her feelings deeply, does she not?” Dominik’s gaze followed Rena and Gabriel until they vanished around a bend in the passageway.

Azjah gave Dominik a knowing smile. “You have no idea.” She then pulled a tall glass of sparkling water from the replicator and sat down to await Rena’s return. Azjah hoped she would be able to talk with Rena before they had to launch, but if not, there would be plenty of time during the flight. Four periods of twenty four hour segments to be exact lay before them for conversing.

She then followed Gabriel to what would be her home away from home for the duration of the flight. There was a nod offered to Dominik who she had met once in the Tomes. Dominik proceeded forward while Rena continued to follow Gabriel until they stopped at a door that the Carpathian explained was hers until they arrived back to RhyDin. The door opened and she walked inside, having been told to just place her bags into the closet for now: the flight was set for departure at 4:20 and Rena needed to put on the flight suit also located in the closet and be back up in the cockpit for takeoff instructions. He also said any other questions Rena had would be answered then but for now he needed to return forward to finish the preflight checklists. Rena thanked him then turned to change clothes, storing what she had been wearing into the cabinets that were for her use. She glanced around the room and even though it was small it was livable and rather nice. After zipping up the suit and buckling the boots on, she did as requested with the bags, looked over the room to make sure nothing was out of place then exited the living quarters. In the hallway, she was a little disoriented but remembered the way they had arrived so the steps were retraced until she found herself back at the cockpit. The ramp had been raised and the ship was getting ready for departure. She offered a smile to Dominik, who was the one to give her instructions on how to strap herself into the chairs behind Azjah and Gabriel before he did the same in the other chair. She leaned back in the chair, hands gripping the armrests just a little and stiffing her back. The voices between the control tower and the two in the cockpits flowed over her and she closed her eyes, deciding she would watch the landing when they returned. This was a different flight than the one Jesiah took her on: that one took her above the city and allowed her to look down upon it, away from the sounds and smells that saturated the city. This flight would take her up even higher, through the clouds and stars that she looked at when she walked the streets at night on her way to the place she laid her head.

Azjah headed for the cockpit as lift-off time approached, leaving Dominik and Rena to settle into comfortable launch chairs in the common room. Dominik had been through this ritual twice since his arrival at the Palazzo, and he would assure that Rena was properly secured in the chair before they moved from the docking bay. They would have to be strapped in for the escape velocities required, but once they did escape into the vastness of space, the artificial gravity would allow them to maintain a semblance of normal life activities for the next couple of days.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

Gabriel was already strapped into the Right seat. The cockpit lights were dimmed to enhance the indicators on the glass cockpit, and Azjah strapped herself in securely as Gabriel powered up the Star Dragon’s primary engines. The rumble of impulse engines hummed throughout the ship and Azjah received clearance from the tower for departure. The ship rolled smoothly out of the bay and onto the launch ramp. They would leave RhyDin behind for two weeks if everything went according to plan, but still the sense of agitation gnawed on Azjah’s nerves.

She listened to the computer’s countdown. Escape velocity required the use of powerful thruster engines in addition to the impulse engines that would power most of their flight. The roar of ignition obliterated all other sound inside the ship as the sleek craft turned its nose toward the heavens and lifted from the launch ramp in a laboriously slow climb into the night.

Launch went completely according to plan. Not a warning light illuminated during the launch. The Star Dragon lifted into the blackness of early morning sky and headed toward the stratosphere without the slightest glitch. As they passed through the upper limits of the atmosphere, the drag of gravity and air caused the ship to buck and fight the grasp gravity held over the ship and its occupants. Azjah briefly wondered how Rena was taking the roughness of exit, but she had warned her in advance. Dominik was also there to reassure her if needed, and she refocused on watching the monitors as they slipped the planetary boundary to escape into the endless vacuum before them.

It was good her stomach was empty: even though Azjah had warned her beforehand that the liftoff could be rough Rena wasn't expecting this. No reading about it or talking about what to expect could beat first hand experience-it was like a first sword or fist fight: you could talk about the incoming cuts and bruises all you wanted, but nothing compares to receiving the first thrust or jab. Words still do not do justice to the experience of feeling the ship leave the ground and fly higher than she had ever been before. But, no sound escaped her throat as the noises of the takeoff exploded around her. They were different noises than any she had heard before: the loud engines revving up, the rumbling as the ship rolled over the pavement to reach the necessary speed, the voices still transmitting though the radio. She could feel eyes on her and she was grateful for the concern but Rena kept her eyes closed until she was told everything was alright.

Forty minutes later, they were free of RhyDin’s gravitational field and its atmosphere, and the planet was rapidly receding into the distance. They now had four days of cold, dark space ahead of them. Azjah gave the autopilot a second check before unbuckling herself from the Left seat. She glanced at Gabriel, who was inputting flight coordinates and checking shipboard systems before stepping through the hatch and heading for the common room where she found Rena and Dominik in discussion.

“How did you like launch Rena?” Azjah retrieved another tall glass of sparkling water, to which she added a slice of lime before she curled up in a chair near Rena and Dominik. “Just so you know; re-entry will be more of the same, only we’ll be re-entering in a ball of fire due to our velocity and angle of entry. Our heat shields will protect us, but it’s quite a fireworks display if you’ve never seen it before.”

Azjah sipped the water as Gabriel appeared unexpectedly from the cockpit. “Power banks are charged and ready, Marchioness. We will not be surprised this trip.” With that, Gabriel returned to the cockpit without another word. He would keep vigil throughout most of the trip, and very little of the Carpathian would be seen by any of them.

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

Azjah glanced at Rena, who watched Gabriel vanish once more into the cockpit, and Azjah hoped fervently that the Cepheans would not make this trip a rough one, but hostilities were inevitable. The only question in anyone’s mind was when they would attack Lacerta. There had been a rising number of small scale attacks on vessels passing close to Lacerta, but the main invasion had yet to take place.

“Has Dominik shown you how to use the replicator?” Azjah queried Rena. “Let me show you my fleet’s pride and joy if you’ve found your space legs yet.” The smile was friendly, but Azjah knew some people had trouble in the artificial gravity that was not nearly as strong as what most humanoids were used to living in. But, the sooner Rena was up and moving around in the partial gravity, the better it would be for her enjoyment of the journey.

The passageways wound through the ship in curved sections with hatchways spaced periodically through out the curving maze. Every passage seemed ultimately to return to the central common room, which they did, but the number of sub-passages could be confusing since they all looked the same at first glance. The clean lines of the ship were augmented by the high tech composite skin that made up the walls of the ship’s interior. They were all a pale silvery shade, and the doors were marked with small panels that responded to touch. Some were sealed, but most of the hatches remained unsealed given the occupants of the craft not requiring security from one another. Azjah showed Rena where the cockpit was, and two small viewing rooms in the wing sections where a person could go to watch the stars sail by in the obsidian sky, or find a private place to read. There was a storage room and the cargo bay, which was sealed, but that was due to the fact that the munitions were boxed and stowed there. For safety reasons Azjah had sealed the cargo area off from accidental entry.

She did not show Rena where Gabriel and Dominik were resting. These were their private spaces, and Azjah wasn’t certain how Rena would take seeing crates of earth instead of beds. Dominik’s door was beside Azjah’s own, and Gabriel’s was at the far end of the arc of the passageway. The Dragonseeker and the Carpathian’s habits were no secret, but that didn’t mean Azjah had to confront Rena with the reality. Rena knew that Gabriel was Carpathian, and that he lived on living blood, but Azjah had assured her that neither Gabriel nor Dominik would be dining on her blood during this trip. That left only one other source of living blood, but perhaps Rena wouldn’t ponder things along those lines on this trip.

Azjah paused at a door that appeared to be no different from the others they had opened, her hand hovering over the touch screen. “I know Gabriel suggested that you and he get some practice with laser weapons on board during the flight. I hope it won’t be needed, but this is the room where you can safely practice.” She touched the screen and it illuminated with a pale bluish glow, reading her fingerprint and comparing it to the shipboard files before sliding open. This room was completely different from any of the others. The walls were a dark gray, almost a rubbery look to them as the lights came up slowly to take the room from near blackness to a twilight kind of intensity. There was no furniture of any kind in the room, no view ports either. Azjah led Rena toward the right and a cabinet slid toward them as they approached, and the lighting above the cabinet increased further to allow them to see the selection of weapons laid out inside the drawer in detail. “All of these are locked on stun only to avoid damaging the coating on the walls. You can safely practice in here. There are targets in the next drawer down that can be set up to pop up, or be at a fixed distance for you.” Azjah’s fingers slid over the weapons where they lay in specialized pockets that held the weapons secure during flight. “Gabriel is very good as an instructor. I practice with him myself.”

The next days passed in amiable discussion, and in sharing some of the beauty of space with Rena. They flew toward the constellation Cygnus first before they would make the next course correction that would take them to The Lizard as Lacerta was known. It was on the second twenty four hour segment that Azjah called Rena into the observation room on the left side of the ship, “That is the Owl Nebula, to my mind, one of the prettiest deep space objects we will pass on our flight. I thought you might like to see it.” Azjah pointed out the bright point in the sky, “it’s a 12th magnitude planetary nebula located in what most on RhyDin would call the constellation Ursa Major, but it’s over 1300 light years away from RhyDin.” Azjah studied the nebula a moment, “if you like, I have a small portable telescope that I can set up in here. If you look closely, you can see the ‘eyes’ of the owl’s head in the nebula.” Azjah knew all of the constellations in that sector of space, and many hours had been spent peering through a telescope into the vastness of space. She hoped that Rena would enjoy the views.

Gabriel came looking for Azjah in the early hours of their fourth ‘day’. He found her in her room catching a bit of sleep. His touch on the door activation panel brought the door sliding open with a quiet hiss, and Azjah was instantly awake. “We have picked up a distress beacon Marchioness, but it does not feel right.”

[Azjah von Drachen Walde]

That had Azjah’s instant attention. If Gabriel didn’t feel right about it, it was almost a guarantee that something was horribly wrong with this distress beacon. She excused herself from Dominik and Rena as she passed quickly through the common room en route to the cockpit. Azjah did not want to alert either of them to the concern she felt in Gabriel, but somehow she knew Dominik would sense it. Hopefully he wouldn’t share that bit of information with Rena just yet. She would have to thank Dominik for spending so much time with Rena on this flight. He could talk about anything it seemed to Azjah, and he made for good traveling companion it seemed. His centuries of magical study should prove entertaining to Rena, who spent a fair amount of time around mages at the school, and on Twilight Isle.

As Azjah settled into the Left seat and Gabriel reseated himself in the Right seat, the distress beacon was relaying location and coordinates only for the vessel allegedly seeking assistance. But the beacon was notably failing to define the kind of emergency they were experiencing. She listened to the distress call as it repeated every few minutes, but the voice seemed off. Synthesized almost, which was not uncommon, but still, it had the small hairs on the nape of her neck standing up as she listened to the repetitive message. It wasn’t the contents of the message that had both of them on edge. She wondered if this was this it? Was this the nagging sense of unease that had plagued her for the entire trip? No answer presented itself as they listened to the message again.

Azjah debated responding, but failure to respond to an emergency beacon was not an option in her view either. “Power up the weapons Gabriel,” she didn’t need to look at the Carpathian to know he understood that she agreed that this felt all wrong. The weapons had been on standby, power ready, but not armed. Now she wanted them armed and ready to fire. Rigelian’s as a race have some tendency for telepathy or empathy. It’s not a strong trait, but most have an innate ability to pick up empathically some things around them, and to pick up sensations rather than reading minds per se. Azjah is a mild telepath, and a mediocre empath. But right now, her intuition was shrieking at her.

She opened a hailing channel to match the distress beacon’s frequency, “Lindamann, this is Star Dragon, please state your emergency.” She waited for a response, but none was forthcoming, which also did not surprise her. The distress information simply repeated and the open channel remained silent. She frowned at the radio. “Vessel Lindamann, this is Star Dragon, please state your emergency. I repeat, please state your emergency.” Still nothing but silence greeted her hail.

“Make for the coordinates Gabriel, but keep your senses peeled for a set up.” The weapons were activated and double checked as she put out an alert to Dominik and Rena. They should be strapped in just in case this was a trap, and they had to make evasive maneuvers, or worse, took hostile fire. The Star Dragon banked toward the coordinates relayed in the distress beacon. They were less than half a day from Lacerta, and the Cephean’s had created several bands of raiders outlying the planet. She watched the screens rather than out the window because the sensors would pick up another ship sooner than her eyes would see it against the stellar background. A prickling sensation settled between her shoulder blades as they approached the coordinates.