Simple Things, page 16
part #13 of The Valens Legacy Series
"We want to send our people out to your infantry units to look for suitable volunteers to infect with lycanthropy."
Steve was surprised at how quiet it suddenly got.
"I thought that was against the rules?" Kensington, the first to recover, asked.
Tisha looked over at him. "We've agreed to a loosening of the rules for now. We'll vet those who are to be infected before they are, of course."
"What led to this decision?" the president asked next.
"Simply put," Steve said, picking back up, "the number of lycans we have who are trained in modern weapons is not as great as we would like. Also, we're losing people. We may be hard to kill, but we can be killed. Unlike the demons, who just reincarnate a week or two later and attack us again.
"And lastly, the information we're getting indicates there are a lot more demons preparing to invade, when the main gate opens, than anyone previously expected."
"What sort of numbers are we talking here?" General Baker asked. "Tens of thousands? A hundred thousand? More?"
"Millions," Tisha said. "We're talking millions. Humanity has grown so far and so fast in the fifteen hundred years since we repulsed their last attempt to cull the human race, that now the demons are all salivating at the thought of several billion happy meals running around, waiting to be consumed."
"Which means," Steve added, "they're cooperating like never before, according to what Sean's been able to learn."
"I don't know," the president said, "I'll have to talk to my advisors about that."
"Mr. President?" Senator Conway said, raising his hand.
"Yes, Senator Conway?"
"In all fairness, Mr. President, if they're just asking, this really isn't anything that concerns you. The 'Freedom for All' act specifically states that citizens who are enlisted in the military retain all rights and obligations, regardless of race, and cannot be discriminated against, even if their race should change. If our soldiers decide they want to become lycans, there's not a damn thing you or I can say about it. As long as they continue to follow the law and the orders their superiors give them."
Steve almost laughed. Senator Conway's state had a high percentage of veterans. No doubt he was planning to run on the lycan ticket.
"And what do you know about lycans, Conway?" the Speaker said.
"I am one," Senator Conway said, and suddenly there was a werewolf sitting at the table. "And it behooves me to see that the interests and rights of any lycans in our military are protected, and our country defended from this threat.
"Any soldier who wishes to become a lycan to protect our country in this time of need will have my full and unwavering support."
Steve smiled and nodded to the Senator. It was one of the most masterful political moves he'd seen since he got here. Conway had probably just guaranteed his position for life, and when the war was over and pro lycan sentiment was still high, he'd be a definite contender for the Whitehouse.
It took the president several minutes to regain control of the meeting after that, but there had definitely been a shift in the mood of the room. Steve was fairly certain the president was going to get the backing he needed, and both Scheckley and Molson were looking very thoughtful.
When the press was finally let in for a photo opportunity, Conway stayed in his hybrid form, as did Tisha, at Steve's prompting. Steve felt it was about time people got used to seeing lions with the people in power. Especially since Senator Conway was outing himself as a werewolf.
When the press portion of the meeting was done, Steve and Tisha snuck out the back, and she returned to her human form once they were out of sight.
"I think we need to have someone investigate the Speaker," she told him once they'd gotten back in their car.
"I do believe you're right," Steve agreed. "Also, we need to do something nice for Conway. That was a ballsy thing for him to do. And while I know he did it for his own self interest, it still helps us."
"Oh, I know exactly what he wants," Tisha said, giving a short laugh. "He wants his wife infected, and both of his kids."
"Huh, guess I was right."
"About what?"
"About these guys getting out in front of the whole lycan thing so they could run on it. If someone finds out his wife isn't a lycan, they're going to wonder how he had kids."
"I hadn't looked at it that way," Tisha mused. "Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't grant his wish."
"Oh, we'll just let him know we're wise to him, but as long as he helps us out, we'll help him out." Steve smiled, "After all, we hold his leash, and that's the ultimate trump card."
Tisha smiled and nodded. "True, very true."
Watching and Waiting
"Another gateway just opened," Sean said, coming over to Estrella, who was dealing with some administrative function or other. She hadn't given up her keep; there were still gnashers back there, maintaining it for her, harvesting what passed for 'food', and bringing it here for the local gnashers helping to guard the hellige.
So far there had been one attempt by some other demon group to take it from them, but between Sean and Estrella, they hadn't lasted more than the time it took to talk about it.
"I better send Tredje and his scouts out to see what they can learn."
Sean leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "What I need is for you to stand watch while I go work on stuff."
"I can just assign a couple of the gnashers to do that, Sean."
"Sorry, but I don't exactly trust them with my life." He chuckled. "Plus I can sit watch on you, when you go talk to Dad and the others."
Estrella nodded. "Okay, okay. Shall we go back to our room?"
"Then we won't get any work done, will we?" Sean teased. "Besides, I need to be sitting where the ley lines converge. That's where the power is."
"Alright, alright," Estrella smiled, "just give me a moment to finish up here."
Nodding, he left her to finish up her audience, or whatever you called it, went out to the point where the lines crossed, and sat down to think about what he wanted to do today. He'd learned he could get his hands on copper, so he could make a battery out of that, albeit a small one. But each one he made would allow him to make a slightly bigger one, until he got to a point where the last one he made, plus all the previous ones, would be enough to do what he had to do.
Ideally he could just make two of the last one, but with the limits on casting times and materials, it would waste more time than he wanted to. The goal was to fix Estrella's necklace, so if they had to make a run for another hellige, no one would see her. He wouldn't have enough power to make a second one, but he figured he could do something magically to at least get close enough.
"So, kill anybody?" he teased.
"Not this time." She sighed. "I hope I'm out of here before I have to kill another one."
"I was only joking," Sean said, surprised.
"This place has so many things wrong with it," Estrella said, shaking her head, "I suspect it's going to take me decades to even begin to adapt to normal society."
"Eh, I wouldn't worry too much about that," Sean said and, leaning over, he gave her a kiss.
"Why?" Estrella asked, giving a soft growl as she looked at him.
"Because the world isn't anything like what you left. Things have changed a lot in the last fifteen hundred years."
"Well, I wouldn't have expected them to remain the same! I know it's been a long time."
Sean smiled at her and shook his head. "You're going to think you're in wonderland. Now, go contact dad," Sean said as he brought his frameworks up and checked his stats sheet. He wanted to see if her going through caused a drop in points again.
"You know, you could go yourself."
Sean shook his head. "It'll take me twice what it takes you. You've got more experience and more power than I do."
Estrella grinned at him. "I like how you danced around my being older than you."
Sean rolled his eyes. "Hush, you. Go say hi to the folks."
"I'm going, I'm going," Estrella said with a smile and closed her eyes.
Sean watched, and as he'd suspected, the numbers didn't drop at all. Apparently if you did it once, you were good from then on. That made him wonder about a few other things. But for now, it could all wait. What was most important was finding out what was going on at home. He wanted out of this place as much as Estrella did. How she'd managed to survive all this time was a miracle, one he sometimes wondered if he'd be paying for at a later date.
Estrella was gone for almost an hour. When she opened her eyes, she was smiling, and looking about the happiest Sean could ever remember seeing her.
"You look happy."
"It's just so nice to be free of this place again! And to see my mother, my father, my friends." She sighed. "It was nice, very nice."
Sean nodded and gave her a hug. "Well, I'm glad you're happy. Did they have any news?"
"Oh! Did they! First of all, Father told me your wives discovered iron bullets, and have been using them to devastating effect."
Sean facepalmed. "Dammit! Why didn't I think of that! All the work I did to protect everyone against silver bullets, and it never once occurred to me to use iron bullets against these guys."
Estrella laughed. "Mother said Father had about the same reaction."
"I feel so stupid," Sean said, shaking his head.
"Well, while you're feeling stupid, what's a bullet?"
Sean looked at her, then started laughing. "Okay, okay, I don't feel so bad now!" he said as she started to growl at him.
"A bullet is a piece of metal propelled at a high rate of speed, from a device called a 'firearm', by the use of an explosion."
"Oh. I guess you can show me when we get home."
"Of course. What else?"
"Well, my younger brother Adam has been sent to fill in for you while you're gone, and…"
Sean stood up and growled; there was another lion around his women, and he wasn't there?
Estrella smacked him in the shin, hard. "Not that way! Adam's a lot of things, but he would never go after your women. 'Cause he knows Father would kill him. He told me Roxy set him up with some tiger named 'Ryla'."
Sean blinked and dropped back down to sit.
"She did what?"
"Fixed him up with some gal who runs a bar in this place called 'Begas'? Father was sure you'd remember her."
"It's called 'Vegas'," Sean said, trying not to snicker. "Wow, Roxy must really hate him!"
Estrella smirked. "He does have that affect on some people. But apparently they've both become quite smitten with each other. Birds of a feather and all that, Father said. Adam's there mostly as a figurehead anyway; Mother's always been disappointed in him."
"What about Dad?"
"Oh, he's got a different father. Mom had him when she was with another male."
Sean thought about that a moment. "How does that work, anyway?"
Estrella shrugged. "I haven't been through it myself yet. But Mother always said eventually you drift apart and go your separate ways, and end up with someone else. When you're immortal, it's kind of hard to stay with the same partner after a while."
"Wait," Sean held up his hand, "what do you mean you haven't been through it yourself?"
Estrella blushed and looked down at the ground.
"I'm your first mate?" Sean said, eyes widening.
"Ummm..."
Sean grabbed her and laid a long kiss on her.
"What was that for?" she asked, still looking a little embarrassed after they'd parted.
"All this time I was worried that I'd never even slept with a lioness, much less been mated to one! I figured you'd probably been mated, had kids, the whole nine yards!"
"Nine yards?" She looked at him curiously.
"Just an expression," Sean said with a smile. "So now I get to be the one to ruin you for all other lions for the rest of eternity!"
"Big words," Estrella said, laughing.
"Go big, or go home!" Sean said, laughing back at her. "Okay, so what else?"
"Well, your friend Chad is trying to find out if your 'firearms' will work on this side of a gateway. He wants to launch a rescue mission. He also wants us to see if we can scout around and provide him with some reports on the size of the armies gathering on this side. I did tell Father what I already knew, of course."
Sean nodded. "That's all good news, alright, anything else?"
"Oh, yes. Chad wants the lions to allow lycans to infect volunteers in your country's army."
"What?"
"He's worried about having enough soldiers."
"I thought not infecting the humans was one of the biggest rules there is?"
Estrella nodded. "It is. But Father told me he's inclined to allow it, with some restrictions. He gave Adam permission to infect the local Guard, but he wants to hear from me what they're up against before he allows anything beyond that."
"Damn. I wonder why he's so worried?"
"Because I told him King Sladd is running the attacks now."
"Yeah, I guess that would do it. You already told me he's got a pretty big army."
Sean thought about that a moment, then came to a decision.
"You know, I think I'm going to put my armor on and venture out there with your scouts to see things with my own two eyes."
Estrella shook her head and gave a low growl.
"You are not going anywhere! King Sladd and his people know exactly what a lion looks like! I'll go look. They know about me, some have even met me, so they'll discount me. But if they find out about you…" she shook her head, ears down, eyes closed to slits, and growled louder. "His entire army will come here to kill you, and I will not lose my first mate to stupidity! Do you hear me!"
"Alright, okay! I won't go! It was a bad idea! I admit it!" Sean said, waving his hands in the air placatingly. She was even worse than Roxy when she got scared.
"Better!" she said and sighed heavily, then, purring, she leaned forward and kissed him. "I was not looking forward to that fight; you're a lot bigger and stronger than I am."
Sean gave her a goofy smile. "If you're willing to have a knock down drag out, I know it must be important. So when are you leaving?"
"Immediately. I already sent Tredje on his way. I'll grab Anden and a few of his to go with me."
"What do I do if anyone shows up here?"
"Keep your cloak on, let Første deal with them. I'll tell him any demands will have to await my return. If they won't listen, or if worse comes to worst, kill them."
"Won't that cause problems?"
Estrella shook her head. "I kill most of the messengers they send me. They've come to expect it."
"Just don't expect to keep doing that once we get home. Okay?"
"I'll try to restrain my hand, I promise!" she said, smiling. "Now, let me get my things and go."
Nodding, Sean got up and followed her back to the building. Just to be safe, he was going to put his armor back on, then spend the rest of the day working on their defenses. There wasn't much he really could do, without going into his workshop. However, there were some small enchanting spells he knew he could easily use the ley line here for. Simple things, like rocks that would explode and create a small fireball. He didn't think it would kill anyone, but it would definitely do some damage to the lesser demons and give them something to think about.
He could salt the perimeter with them, then, if and when the time came, he could set them off with a simple trigger spell.
Besides, if he just sat around and did nothing while waiting for Estrella to return, he'd go stir crazy.
Sean had felt it when the gateway closed; it had only been open for twelve hours, so it was only a small gateway. He looked at the large pile of pebbles he'd created and, gathering them all up, he distributed them around the perimeter just outside the palisade. After he finished, she still hadn't returned, and he was seriously considering going after her, when she finally showed up.
"What took you so long?" Sean asked her.
"King Sladd's amassing a large force. A very large force. It looks like he's setting up to invade when the next large gate opens. He's taken over all the small helliges I was able to investigate. The one that opened had so many of his soldiers around it, I couldn't get within a thousand yards.
"If a gate doesn't open here soon, we're going to be forced out when he gets around to taking this one."
"How soon do you think that will be?"
"A week at most. I suspect we'll have an envoy from him any day now."
"Why would he send an envoy?"
"Because if he can push us off with threats, he can send his army elsewhere."
"Well, I guess we'll just have to see what tomorrow brings." Sean sighed.
"So it would seem," Estrella agreed.
The next morning they were up early and waiting. Sean was on the roof with the others, standing watch, when he saw the small party walking up to their palisade. Words were exchanged, and one of the guards ran inside to where Estrella was waiting, then came out a moment later to let one of the members of the party through the small gate.
Sean slipped down the back stairway, but rather than join Estrella in her small audience chamber, he waited, out of sight of those in the hall. Estrella had made it clear it would be too great a risk for them to see him close up, even with the robe on.
Fortunately there was a place he could observe the events without himself being seen. He watched as the emissary was shown inside. Surprisingly, it was a raseri. Estrella said normally they'd send a ridder, or perhaps just a råge if it wasn't too important.
Estrella looked at the raseri, who only gave the briefest of bows as it came before her. She didn't have the throne of skulls with her, and she was wondering now if not having it was a mistake. Demons were an insolent and forgetful bunch, and raseri were, at times, the worst of the lot.
"Speak," she said, looking down at it.
"Den Brune Dame, I did not suspect to find the likes of you here."
"Oh, so you know who I am?" Estrella asked with a bored expression.
"All of us know who you are! Which is why I am so surprised to see you here. All thought you lacking in ambition—or perhaps it was a lack of spine?—that you'd not joined in any hunts until now."
