Rash'Tor'Ri (Soulguard Book 4), page 11
"Our Kresh forces do not control Parlais," Gorvelis returned.
"That's another thing," I said. "Our new additions will be tasked with that right after the Mark tomorrow. I intend for them to move in and take Parlais."
"If we control both facilities, we can begin work in the open on both," Gorvelis nodded. "Without the Mark, we can't guarantee the same sort of response as there was here."
"No Mark," I said. "I don't intend to mark another human. People want freedom, even if they don't know it yet. Once they taste it, they'll want more."
"I agree," Sam stated. "The mark may well end the war, but it isn't what I or any of my people see as a good thing."
"It is all the Kresh know," Gorvelis said. "It was all the Shak'Tar knew until we met Rourke. It was still what we thought was right until recently. I can see the appeal of freedom to any people now."
"Using the mark may be a peaceful resolution," I said. "But the mark is all that I am and I love freedom. Those that get marked by me will probably feel the same, at some point."
"I can see that," Sam said.
"Have we got everyone ready to move out to Hub tomorrow?" I asked.
"Ready to go," he said.
"Lyrica doesn't like it," I said. "I'd just have Kil'Sin'Deres do it, but the new ones want it done by me. They don't want to be marked by him. If I am involved or the Shak'Tar, then humans get the mark along with the Kresh."
"I'd try not to piss that one off if you can help it, Colin," Sam said. "I still can't believe what she did in the courtyard. Even with my focus I couldn't keep up with that. Just a couple seconds from welcome party to a very heavy softball."
"I'll be the first to admit," I said, "there's no way I could have survived without her quick reaction."
"The Kresh keep playing with it. They've even got some of the Guards out there playin' some hybrid of shuffleboard and soccer."
"It's never boring around the woman."
"I don't doubt that for a second."
Chapter 21
I stood near the gate and watched the line of Soulguards leaving the planet for Hub. We were uncertain how far my mark would cover so we were sending them all. The majority of the planet had my mark so it wasn't going to be a problem but those that came from Earth to start the Academy needed to go to Hub, as well as the folks who had come in with Rictor.
"A lot more people than I expected," I said.
"Your Prophet brought us several thousand of his people to train with your new Academy. They were already past the stage where they tied their knots. They needed instruction in the martial skills. I think he kept the ones who already know how to fight."
"He's a lot closer to the front lines than Cerres," I said. "Probably a good thing to get his new folks some training. I understand these folks here on Cerres already have quite a few who can use a sword."
"The colonies have a lot more people skilled in arms. They aren't directly under the thumbs of the Kresh so they aren't held back as far. Those on Kresh in the many small villages are more restricted. I'm surprised the Prophet found as many as he has with some skill."
"Humans are a tricky bunch, Touran, You'd be surprised what can be done in secret. Shak'Tar had it tougher hidin' anything," I returned. "Look what you managed, even with masters who could read you with telepathy. Imagine what you could have done if they couldn't read you at all."
"True, Rash'Tor'Ri, very true."
Lyrica was the last in the line of folks crossing to Hub.
"I should stay," she said. "In case they get out of hand."
"I won't put this mark on you."
"You marked me years ago."
"Not like this," I said. "I'd let the world burn before I put this on you."
"I don't trust them."
"They don't believe it will work on them," I said. "They'll find out different. Then they'll be no danger."
"What if they do like the other one?"
"They won't, look at their souls."
"I know but I'll still worry about it."
"That's your job baby."
She ran her hand along the side of my face, "Be careful."
"I will," I answered. "Try not to start anything over there while I get this done."
"Make it quick or I might."
"It won't take long."
She nodded and walked through the gate. I turned back to the others left in the plaza.
"Let's get this done," I said.
I walked over to stand, facing the six Farrara'Ti, "I know some of you don't believe this will work. It will, and now is the time to leave if it isn't what you want."
None of them chose to leave but I could still see the disbelief in their auras. I guessed that would change soon enough. Turning back to the others, I faced three Farrara'Ti, thirty eight Ma'Nar, and four hundred Shak'Tar packed into the plaza.
"I am the focus," I said. "On three, we go."
I turned back to face the six Farrara'Ti, "One… Two… Three!"
The mental strength of all of them slammed into me and I focused it all into the Mark, everything that made me who I am. My duty, honor, and loyalty went into the Mark. My joys, my sadness, my love, my hate, and my rage poured into the Mark and blasted forward. Every Kresh has born the Mark, from the day they were born. Even those that grow into Kresh'Farrara'Ti bear the remnants of the Mark from before.
The blast of mental power ripped those remnants away and left my Mark on them. Perhaps the remnants of previous Marks was the reason the Kresh hadn't been able to evolve past the point they seemed to be stuck at. Perhaps something new was what they needed to become more than they were. I had high hopes for the Kresh under my Mark but there were no guarantees, my Mark may not be that different from those before. Only the future would reveal that.
All six of the Farrara'Ti staggered backwards and two stumbled and fell. Kil'Sin'Deres and Pos'Far'Nadir were there in seconds.
"Welcome," Kil'Sin'Deres rumbled as he pulled Sin'For'Natal back to his feet. I knew the name because he was there in my head.
The link formed by the Mark is a bond like none I have ever found anywhere else. I knew where they were, who they were, and how they felt. Just like every person on this whole planet. If we counted the thirty million people on Cerres, my clan ranked up with the largest clans, in number, on Kresh. This was an enormous step toward ending the war with those clans.
"I will send someone to tell the others to return, Rash'Tor'Ri," Gorvelis said from beside me, as we watched the new members of my clan studying the new Mark that they carried.
"Thank you, Touran."
***
"According to Sam," I said, "Hub is in chaos after the death of Jas'Tor'Kalamet. Apparently, his clan is running around, crazed. Any suggestions?"
"There are nine Farrara'Ti, here," Kil'Sin'Deres said. "We can enter Hub and mark as many as we can and pull them off of the streets."
"That's a good idea," I nodded. "But I need a couple of the new guys to do something else. That should leave you seven to round up Jas'Tor'Kalamet's clan."
"What do you wish, Rash'Tor'Ri?" asked Sin'For'Natal.
"The two strongest clans need to move in and take the Parlais facility and the one facility between them and Cerres. I think its name is Krongis. Gorvelis tells me that Krongis is held by a mid-level strength clan. If he can be Marked and taken that way, all the better. I understand that Sin'For'Natal has a large enough clan to take the Krongis facility without bloodshed."
"This can be done," Sin'For'Natal nodded.
"Are you strong enough to Mark him?"
"I am uncertain."
"Don't try unless you're sure," I said. "I'm not sure how you guys do your thing to take a facility but Gorvelis says it is more diplomatic than violent."
"If a clan is stronger, the weaker clan tends to move on."
"The control of the facilities have never been an interest of the elder clans," Gorvelis said. "They always know that they can take it if they want it. That won't hold true for much longer, though."
"Their noninterest or their ability to take it if they want?" I asked with a grin.
"Both," Kil'Sin'Deres said. "This is the most delicate time of our war, Rash'Tor'Ri. The time when an Elder can still take us. They could not Mark any of us with your Mark so powerful upon us, but they could overwhelm us with numbers."
"Not without losing their clan as well," Sin'For'Natal added.
"They would not believe it if it was told to them," Kaz'Kor'Ratin, another of my new Farrarra'Ti added. "I would not have believed what is happening here if I was not part of it."
"What of Hal'For'Radolin?" I asked. "Is there still a danger from that quarter?"
"Yes," Kil'Sin'Deres answered. "He has been stirring and some of his forces have been seen gathering. He will gather the warriors of the clan before moving toward Hub, if that is where he is headed. There are some conflicts on Kresh that do not involve humans. Let us hope this is one."
"I wouldn't hold my breath," I said. "If he comes, pull back into the facilities and worlds we hold and get ready to defend yourselves. Unlike the way things were done before, we don't give up what we hold. We defend it to our last breath, if necessary. He should be focused on Earth, so let him come."
"And if he succeeds?"
"Then you kill what's left of his clans, and continue doing what we're doing here. Build the clan so that none can stand up to it, and then take the war to them. We don't have the numbers yet, but we're close. If you see opportunity to help, do it. Just like you did last time."
"If we combined the forces you have on Earth with what we have here…" started Sin'For'Natal.
"Unfortunately, three quarters of the forces on Earth don't know or give a shit about what happens here. It'll take some time and effort to change that. It's one of the unfortunate side effects of Kil'Sin'Deres letting us grow without the knowledge of Kresh."
"There may be a time in the future when that's a strong possibility," I continued. "Right now? Wouldn't work. Over here there's always been some sort of 'authority' over any human government. There was always the Kresh. Over there, each country is in charge of itself and gettin' those governments to place themselves under a central authority would be impossible at this time."
"It would be easier if you just Marked them all," Kaz'Kor'Ratin said.
"Easier? Yeah, it would be easier. Wouldn't make it right, though."
"It galls me to sit here while you're fighting for your lives back home," Sam said.
"I know," I answered. "But, like Kil'Sin'Deres said, this is a most delicate time for the clan. They could step in and stop Hal'For'Radolin. But we'd lose so many, another clan could walk in and take it all. We have to have enough forces to meet the second clan when it comes, and the third, and the twenty-third."
"Oh, I get it, Boss," he said. "Doesn't mean I'm gonna like it any more than I do now."
"If you have to do somethin'," I said, "send forces to help Ric get Parlais on track, and we'll need some people to approach the leaders on Krongis, as well. The Kresh should be moved out fairly quickly, so you can start somethin' up."
"And if we start up an Academy?"
"Darrel is plenty capable to run this one or a new one and you the other."
He nodded and I turned to Gorvelis, "I'll want some of the Shak'Tar provided for that one too. We need the skills of the Soulguard spread to the other worlds as quickly as possible. If I thought we could do it safely, I'd sneak people into all of the colonies but with Kresh that aren't with us in charge of the places, it would be problematic at best."
"It would spread us thin," Sam returned.
"Keep building here and get a good foothold in Parlais and Krongis," I said. "When we feel solid enough, we'll move on to the others."
There were nods around the table.
Hub was in for something it hadn’t seen in millennia. Revolution.
Chapter 22
"I feel like I should be out there with 'em," I said.
"We are on a pre honeymoon," Lyrica answered, kissing my head. She sat behind me in the massive tub, my head resting on her chest. "The others wouldn't let you out to play yet, anyway. Last time, you went on a spree in Hub and killed several Farrara'Ti. Plus you put graffiti on the walls of one of the buildings."
"Don't try to put all of the unrest in Hub off on me. You turned their Farrara'Ti into a soccer ball. I had nothin' to do with it."
"Maybe this time. But only because you hadn't reacted yet. You would have stopped him."
"He was moving too fast."
"Then you need to work on your focusing skills, Love."
"You're probably right there," I agreed. "I never was as good at that as I should have been."
"We don't need it to do what we were taught to do," she said. "But the scope of the things you and I can do need more focus than even the best Mages need. We have to have it or people can die."
"I guess you use it a great deal in healing."
"Terry started me out with some of the focusing exercises he used as a surgeon. They were a lot like the exercises done at the Academy. But you have to continue them instead of just doing it to pass a class."
"Focusing exercises?"
I felt her surprise as she realized what I had said.
"You never got those classes?"
"They were in the early stages of Mage training. I was put in well into the training and missed those. I got some training from Kyra like any Soulguard gets but she didn't even have to go too deeply into it because of my other abilities."
"But you talked about the focus you use, before."
"Oh, it's there. I use focus when I dance the blades. The world seems to slow down but I've only reached that deep focus once. It was at first Kansas. I can usually reach a certain level while in the grips of the rage, but that time was different. It was like I had all the time in the world to make my decisions."
"Can you show me?"
I projected the memory of the run through the horde of Kresh with my group from the battle. It was just when I had seen the group of Wraiths. Time had seemed to almost stop for a moment. But then it was gone again and I was back in the world of slow motion that was my normal level of focus.
"That's crazy," she said. "How did you reach it then?"
"I spend a lot of my attention trying not to let what's inside me out. I can set it loose for short periods, but never really set it free. It's even harder now. It's stronger than it was before. That time I got past the rage for a second and found that focus."
"We need to work on it more," she said. "The first thing we need to do is get you started on the exercises to improve your focus. Then we can worry about the rest."
"Yes, Ma'am."
She pinched my side, then her fingers slipped around my stomach, "First, I have a few other plans for you."
"Oh really? What sort of plans?"
"Really fun plans," she answered. "In this bath tub, right now."
"I like these plans," I returned as I slid forward and turned around to face her.
"I thought you might," she said with a grin as she moved forward to embrace me.
***
"Master!"
The voice came from behind us. Which was understandable. We both sat on the edge of the roof of the Citadel. Our feet dangled over the edge and we were, simply, admiring the view. There wasn't any of the squared landscaping left when man cut into forests and planted crops. It looked pristine. I knew the other direction would look just the opposite. They had built the Academy on the west side of the Citadel. We stared over the wilderness on the east side of the building.
"Master, there is a problem in Hub," Sami said from a bit further away from the edge than we sat.
I hopped to my feet and went to Sami. He was one of the Shak'Tar I had converted in the base we had destroyed in Romania.
"What is it, Sami?"
"Hal'For'Radolin is there!"
"What?" I returned. They had said it would take months for his forces to get there.
"He's in Hub, Master. He's marking the loose clans left from Jas'Tor'Kalamet."
"How did he get his forces here so quickly?"
"He did not bring them. He came and he is taking the clans of Jas'Tor'Kalamet."
"Shit!"
"We have to get back to Earth," Lyrica said from behind me. "We have to leave, now."
"Tell them we're leaving, Sami," I said, then shook my head. "Never mind, we'll tell 'em. Thank you, Sami."
I turned and dove off the top of the Citadel. I could feel his shock as he saw me jump. I watched through his eyes as he saw Lyrica grin and dive off the building right behind me. As the ground neared, I opened the shield chute I had designed after the first time I dived out of a plane. My descent changed from high speed to a near stop with a bone-jarring jerk. Then I cut power to the chute and dropped the last twenty or thirty feet to land at the base of the Citadel. Lyrica landed seconds after me.
"Damn it!" she cursed, "I left my dress up there!"
"You wanna go back and get it?" sarcasm dripped from the words.
She looked back up for a second. I could tell she was thinking about it. Her eyes dropped back to me and narrowed.
"Let's go home," she said, followed by a long sigh.
"Sorry, baby."
"I guess it's ok," she said. "At least I won't have to tell Paige I left my dress uniform and medals on another world."
"Ah, Crap."
Her melodic laugh filled the air as she shot around the edge of the building to reach the plaza. I followed her with a grin on my face.
I entered the plaza and the gate was closed.
"Uh oh."
"Can they open it from this side?" Lyrica asked.
"I have no idea. Give me a second."
Gorvelis! My thought boomed through the plaza.
He was out the door to the Citadel quicker than I expected. With the Soulguard knot, he was a lot faster than before. He had a sword in his hand and I could feel his mind poised to Lash.
