Chapter 32

No matter how hard I push this speeder, I feel like I am moving in slow motion. There are moments when breathing is even a struggle, as I swear, I am feeling Tessa fade in the distance. In all my rotations, I have tried my best not to get attached to another, and this is why because the thought of losing Tessa is rendering me apart.

Weall fly back into the docking bay. The moment my speeder comes to a stop I yank my cloak off and head towards the armory. Tessa doesn't have time for us to gather forces, she needs me now. I stop in my tracks when I see practically every guard I have gathered in front of me.

"What the frack is going on here? Who is guarding the walls?"

Rayaand the Orc female walk out of the center of the crowd. "Father, Tordan told us to gather the warriors at the armory. We are awaiting further instructions."

IfSCOUT had not materialized right in front of me at that moment, I believe I would have brought the stone walls down upon us. "Everyone, please gather around. We are in the process of redesigning some of the units you have available in the armory. I will need several volunteers to recalibrate these chosen weapons to fire the new projectiles that SoL and Alana are trying to stabilize as we speak. Every able body will be needed if we are to win this battle against the Waldrin. We only have a limited amount of time to train or show you how to use some of these, so pay attention. AfterI walk you through how to load and fire these fragile projectiles. There will be a practice shoot, and then you all need to prepare to leave and head to your assigned stations. This time, we're taking the battle to them."

Istand here watching as the armory doors open and older weapons are brought forward. SCOUT sections my people off into teams explaining everything he wants them to do.

Thesound of footsteps has me turning around and I duck when a drone flies over my head splitting into much smaller ones. SoL's tiny mate is watching them as she controls them from a small handheld controller. SoL is packing a massive weapon over his shoulder that looks hollow on each end. I have no idea where these things have come from.

Tordanis the first one to reach me. "TheWonderer has landed, and we have several of your people grinding the large crystals down into smaller particles. We have been brainstorming the entire time you have been gone, and I think we finally have a plan."

"SiN should be back anytime. He is investigating a tunnel system where we believe we can take the battle to the Waldrin. Our main goal is to keep your people safe and to do the least amount of damage possible here.

"Once the Wonderer returned with the salt. SoL and Alana were able to come up with a solid projectile that is durable enough to be shot at a rapid rate, but delicate enough to explode on impact. The outer shell is completely salt based, with just a few glues to shape it correctly. Once that design was tested, the variations of how it could be used is endless.

"The thing you see SoL toting around is a design we stole from Earth. It's a grenade launcher. Its weight makes it a hard weapon to use, but the amount of damage it can do is well worth it. We are going to put two of yours with him. One to pack the ammunition and one to help load it. SoL is the only one here strong enough to handle the ricochet of it firing and keep moving. He will lead the battle with that weapon head on.

"Right now, Alana is testing how much weight the drones can carry. If we can get her up high enough, she can contaminate the pools that protect their Royals, possibly killing them with one strike. SiN will be responsible for getting the other females into locations that it's not easily accessible to the Waldrin, but still have a good firing range.

"MyLuna will have one other with her, possibly Kira. Those two will take out any individuals that get above us while we go at them from below. Luna is an excellent shot; all she needs is someone to help reload. Kira is the calmest of all the girls, she will be the one relaying what they are seeing from above back to us. We will all be wearing portable communication devices in our ear so she can communicate with us easily."

"Tordan, there are thousands of them. What have we got, forty or so?"

"Yeah, but we are only taking about half of that number into the battle with us. The rest will remain here, guarding your homes and your people. ZoD, the odds are better than you think. The ammunition should be effective, before you were fighting an opponent that couldn't be killed, now the odds will be in our favor."

"DaR, you haven't said a word?"

"I trust Tordan with my life, if he is putting his own mate in the line of fire without worrying, then mine too will stay safe. Now just because I am not fighting over it, doesn't mean I like it, though."

"How long will all of this take to put together?"

"A few hours. The planet scan was completed by the Explorer. The information it provided has given us a few places to enter and a sense of direction once we are inside. SiN is the quickest of us, once we have them distracted, he will go in after your mate. Once he locates her, he will take her to the med center on the Wonderer. That ship will be stationed just outside their main entrance. It will continually keep producing the salt packets and projectiles so that we can easily resupply. SiN will be the one keeping us stocked in the middle of this battle, but his first priority is Tessa."

"What about me? I have heard a plan for everyone here but me."

"RaZ, I didn't forget you. I need you and Katherine to head back to the Explorer. I can give her the command to shoot anything that leaves this planet, but that might not be wise. We need a set of eyes in the sky and someone who can make sure none of these things leave this planet only to survive and invade another at a later time."

"On it." RaZ grabs his little mate up in his arms and heads back towards the dock.

"I take it the rest of us are on the front line?"

"ZoD, that's correct, I figured you wouldn't have it any other way. Now everyone grab you a bite to eat and gear up. As soon as SiN returns, we will be moving out. Oh, before I forget, anyone on the ground will need a respirator. The salt is not poisonous to us, but the amount that we will have falling all around us is not good for the lungs. SCOUT has several of yours gathering up all that you have here now."

Tordan'smate approaches and the moment she lays a small hand on his arm he turns from us. They talk softly to each other while heading towards the guards, who are watching SCOUT show them how to use the reconstructed weapons. I rub my chest, my heart heavy as I look around. As good as this all sounds, I know some of us won't make it back and the loss has become such a burden upon my soul. Others are moving all around me, and it's like I am standing still. It takes me a movement to realize that DaR is right next to me, watching them as well.

Heis risking his own to help mine. How do you thank someone for that? DaR's little mate has joined Tordan who is holding the sniper weapon like it's an extension of her arm. WhenI look closer, I can actually see that her arm has reformed around the gun. It seems like all these human females are more than they appear.

DaRspeaking up pulls me out of my thoughts. "I see you have finally come to understand why we are fighting so hard to keep our human mates out of harm's way. The information I am about to tell you goes no further than your own ears ZoD do you understand me." I nod my head. "The human females are the only species that we know of that can mate and reproduce with multiple other species besides their own. We didn't start looking into this until XuL mated with Brit. Like your own species, Orcs have a hard time conceiving with any other, but Brittany was with child quickly once his Kismet marks appeared upon her skin. If this information got out about them, they would be hunted relentlessly to be used as breeders. That's why I allowed the information to leak that their blood was poisonous. I was hoping to deter others from wanting them.

"Unfortunately, that has not gone to plan. Some who were hiding humans. Or bought them as slaves and are either dumping them or destroying them. That's how Jade was found. She was abandoned in the DarkForest. It was only by the will of the Lord of Light that she made it until Mystic took her in.

"That's another reason as to why EvO is out in the outer quadrants. He is trying to intercept anyone who might have them on board. We are also hoping he will be able to locate the pods that were launched the day Earth imploded. If your world was not so brutal on the surface, I would have suggested we bring any new ones found here, but they couldn't handle the conditions. In the event that we find a larger group that needs to be settled, I have been searching for a place they can call their own. I would like your help and knowledge if this comes to pass."

"I will assist in any way needed, DaR. Never again will I be foolish enough to not ask for help, and I sincerely hope that starting now, we cease to act like we are on two different sides. This entire galaxy is ours to protect and lead."

"ZoD, I am beginning to believe it might be slightly too large for the two of us. I have thought about petitioning the Elders for assistance but have not worked it through in my mind as of yet." He pauses. "I can feel SiN; he will be here soon."

"Speaking of SiN, that's a story I would love to hear. I thought he was your biggest enemy. That's why I interacted with him so often, I was trying to keep an eye on what he was doing."

"He is more like me than any of the others, and not just in appearance. To make a long story short, as my Kira says, we were both lied to, and it took Orbital rotations for the truth to be brought forth. I can stand here all rising wishing things had been different, but it seems our destinies play out just the way they are supposed to. With that being said, we will save your people ZoD, and get your female. TheLord of Light would not bring you this far to forsake you now, don't lose your faith."