OK lets give it a go. Here is my next book in the epic (hey I can call it epic if I want) Glass Dagger series. I plan for this to be a co-author project with Lil-Maniac its set about three months after the end of the first story. (Note I will write one more chapter before I turn it over to you Lil-Manic)

Erik

May 17th 2011

8:22 am

War never really leaves your heart. No matter how much you try. You can cover your ears but the screams of those you killed will still echo. You can shut your eyes but you still see the carnage you caused. It's like losing your virginity, a part of you is gone forever and it will never be returned, unlike virginity, however, it is not something you want to lose, or wait to lose to a person who truly deserves it.

You make excuses: the enemy is worse than us, the suffering of one is nothing compared to the suffering of many. No matter how much you use them a part of you always knows that you're lying to yourself. I don't want to meet the man who could do what is done in war and not feel it.

There are times when I think that what I describe on these pages is a punishment for what I did during the Yerk War. Then I realized that while what happened to me was tragic and it hurt, I had received something to help make up for it. Maybe it was fate, or maybe it was just dumb luck but as I write this from shore of Australia I know I have just begun another chain of events.

Senate Chamber, Washington DC

January 14th 2009

1:36 pm.

My name is Erik Bishop. I am a veteran of the Yerk war. A war that involved an invading force of parasitic slugs that could control human beings. In order to fight this war better I was trained in stealth by a man from a race of androids called Chee. About a year into my and my teams fighting by stealth, Becky Thornton was able to build a box that bestowed upon us the power to morph into anything we could touch. It gave us an edge in the war, but it came at the greatest of prices…

My team was created mainly because of the Applegate project, an underground attempt to warn the world of the Yerk's invasion. The project was infiltrated however and it's creators (the Animorphs a group similar to ours) were forced into hiding. By pure chance our two teams united and we staged an invasion of the Yerk Pool the main base of the enemy. We won the battle, and destroyed the pool, it ended that invasion, but the victory came not without sacrifice. I lost my sister and brother-in-law as well as a good friend in that battle.

That was about two years ago but in the time of the US senate it might as well have been a century ago. I had been elected to the senate in a special election to replace a senator who was killed in the attack on the Yerk pool. (A fact that was used by my opponent to attempt to defeat me.). My first act there was to make sure that the US entered the Collation of Planets, an organization that went to fight the Yerks. I also convinced the president to found the Space Force, and with the help of Chanberain (I never can spell that name right) scientists we were able to have ten fully fictional, Z-space capable, war ships as well as four transports.

More were being made, but I knew that we would need to do more as of yet we had only joined as consultants of the Coalition of Planets, the Yerk war bill that I had authored would change that and make us full members, it would also deploy all our ships to the Gurwon home world to aid in the fight to save that planet.

However such an action would be:

"Outlandish, foolish and dangerous," Senate Minority Leader David Miller said. "It is a war that is not ours to fight we must tend to our own interests and none other." Vice president Lesley Barnes turned to me.

"Gentleman from North Carolina your response." He said. I sighed.

"It bewilders me what the gentleman from California finds foolish about my bill. Our space force is not very big but it has no defensive purpose it's only use is to attack enemy planets, both the British and the Spanish have already sent their forces to battle the Yerks, the threat of these creatures is never ending senator, for us to close our eyes and try to ignore the threat is foolish." The debate carried on for an hour, then a well crafted maneuver by the Democrats in Congress sent the motion back to the armed services committee. A six month set back at least since this was the last day of session for five months. I left the senate chamber in a fury.

I had always admired politics but ever since I was elected I found it to be a very stressful job, I still loved it but it was annoying to have so many people oppose any measure that would lead to fighting. I had had my dealings with the peaceniks in my life I ran into them when I teamed up with the Animorphs… But I had expected a little more support from those who had so much to lose.

I was murmuring to myself as I walked to my car flanked by two secret service agents as well as a Hork-Baijar honor guard then I noticed something, the Chanberian Embassy had two guards standing by the door as an afterthought I walked over to the door.

"Is the ambassador in?" I asked. One of the guards nodded and waved me through. I saw the secretary writing on a note pad. I walked over,

"Ma'am." I said. She looked up and smiled.

"Senator Bishop, what a surprise, I assume you want to speak to Jade." I was hard for me to get used to having everyone know my name, but I was learning to accept it.

"Yes Ma'am I would, can you put me through?"

"Sure" She picked up the phone and told Jade she had a visitor Jade was sitting in her office with her finger on the sides of her head.

"Rough day?" I asked.

"Yeah," She said, she was rather short with shoulder length brown hair, she was a very pretty girl. Jade and I had met during the Yerk war we had fought together on a few missions, and saved each others lives a number of times. Jade had been the maid of honor at my wedding. "American/Chanerbain trade is becoming difficult, I hate this job sometimes I have to referee the two most stubborn species in the universe. Not to mention Ian told me he's having the same problems you are getting aid the Gurwons" Her phone rang again.

"Hello, yeah that's ok send him in." The door opened and Jake Bernson walked into the room. He was about a head shorter than me with black hair. When I saw him I almost attacked him right there. He didn't look that happy to see me either.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He said.

"You know I could ask you the same question, you know you've got guts showing up in Washington again, after what you did…" Jake ignored me.

"Jade, I've been trying to get in touch with you, I need to talk with you later." I could tell by the tone of this voice he was going to ask her to join him in some kind of battle.

"Hey Bernson, you know Jade has a life now, you should stop having her fight with you, doesn't your platoon do enough of that."

"As you well know senator," He said senator with a venom that made me want to snap his neck. "anyone with access to ships are now allowed to aid in combat, I've procured a ship and I plan to use it to go and fight with my platoon on the Gurwon home world, or anyway I would if you would do your job senator."

"Don't bullshit me Bernson, you sure didn't help me get this job."
"I was concerned for the country I was defending."

"You had a fine way of showing it!"
"You are not worthy of your job senator"

"Fuck you! I earned this job, and I'm doing a hell of a better job than you general if anyone doesn't deserve their job it's you. War involves killing, or did you not know that."

"Yeah well at least the people who work with me do what I want, instead of tabling it." I moved to strike him put Jade put a hand on my shoulder.

"Stop it you two!" She snapped. "I know you don't like each other but if you must fight do it outside my office I just got it the way I like it."

"Very well, I have no more to do here," I gave her a two fingered salute. "Ambassador." I gave Jake a middle finger salute. "General." I walked out and got in my car, my SS agents followed. I turned the radio to my wife's show. A voice came over the radio.

"Live from the banks of the Potomac river it's the Karen Bishop show…" There was a brief musical interlude and my wife's wonderful voice filled the car.

"Glad you could join me today, it's the Karen Bishop show. What a day it's been, the senate has adjourned for 5 months but before they did senate democrats sent the Yerk War bill back to committee that means aid to the Andalite forces is delayed even further. Also we just got news that the final vote from the Chanberain war council has been delayed again. We'll talk to our old friend Ithiell about it. Also Carlos Santos the probable Republican nominee for president will join us, has he picked a vice president yet we'll find out soon. I'd be glad to here from you to (800) 555-kbis. Back in a minute." When she came back on she took a call.

"Hello to Steven out of Salt Lake City."

"Hello Mrs. Bishop, I have a question."
"Fire away."

"I would like to know if the reason you support the Yerk war bill is because your husband does."

"Well that's a fair question but no, I'll always support the Yerk War bill because I fought in the first part of it and I know if you don't keep these slugs on the run…"

"Well I don't think you have a right to talk about this and claim to be objective!"

"Ok I never claimed to be an objective commentator, there's no such thing, and…" I had my fists clenched it always infuriated me to here my wife be bullied by a bunch of morons whose political experience is limited to yelling at the TV. I knew Karen could take care of herself though.

"Senator, we're here." The Hork-Baijar stepped out of the car first blocking any potential sniper's view of me I stepped out and the two secret service agents flanked me while the Hork-Baijar brought up the rear.

My house was two stories it was a fine wood painted green with blue trim. There was a large window on the second story (bullet proof of course) that gave a good view of the Potomac river. Karen's radio station was only a few miles down the road. I went in followed by one secret service agent. (the Hork-Baijar and other agent stood outside the door) the first thing I did was check my messages, the only one on their as still being recorded, it was a familiar voice.

"… call me as soon as…" I picked up.

"Hey Marco how are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm glad you picked up, hey I'm fine but I need to talk to you."

"If it's about Jake then you can forget it."
"Look Erik, I know you two have your differences."

"That's an understatement."

"But you need to let it go, ok, I heard about your little spat in Jade's office, Erik man, get a grip…"
"I'm not going to get a grip Marco, do I have to remind you what the bastard did to me.

My roll in the Yerk war opened me up to lots of attention, I used that to carve out a niche and help Me politically, most of my policies were popular since the conservative population of my state was still strong. Most of the people liked my war record too. A week before the election a set of political ad's came out. They claimed I was a "Loose cannon, who let a young girl die so he could live." This bit of information was hard to explain away.

Jordan Bernson, Jakes cousin died in the battle, but she died because she set off a set of charges that would not have gone off otherwise. I was going to do it but she wanted to and she made her case pretty forcefully (meaning she knocked me flat on my ass.) I never forgave myself for what happened, but I knew I couldn't change it, Jordan wanted to die, I never said that aloud but she did, her dad had died in a Yerk attack and just couldn't carry on.

I knew that the leak came from Jake, only the Animorphs and my few remaining teammates knew about it. When I confronted Jake on it he did not deny it, in fact he flaunted it. The ad's put me two points behind in the polls, the only reason I won was because I was able to get some support from the NRA and the NRLC. Jake had almost crushed my dream and I would not be able to forgive that.

"Yeah I do remember but, Jade and I don't plan on doing this, we've settled down, we're…"

"Done fighting," I said. "Don't blame you."

"I don't want my buddy to have to go it alone though, I mean we've been friends since…"

"Marco Jake is a general, a pussy general but a general none the less, you're a comedian, you're on Saturday Night Live, this is not your fight, you stick to your own guns, and Karen and I will make sure aid gets to the Yerk fights, you can stop fighting Marco. Let Jake do as he pleases."

"Guess your right, well see you later I've got rehearsal."

"Oh and make sure to do your impersonation of Miller I need to see that asshole be brought down a peg or two." Marco laughed slightly.

"Yeah I will, gotta run."

"Bye." I hung up. At that moment Karen's new car pulled into the driveway. She stepped out and the sun caught her jet black hair making it shine. She was home early, must have gotten Evan to cover her. The door opened and she stepped in taking off her green coat, a sort of trademark that her fans knew her by.

"Well, look who's back early," I said. "what's the occasion." Karen smiled her wonderful smile and her green/blue eyes sparkled.

"I got Evan to cover for me, Jade called me and told me about Jake, do you think he knows about…"

"No, he couldn't I paid top dollar to make sure he was the last person who would know anything about the Anna-James. He was trying to get Jade to help him out, which shows what an ass he really is, Jade's been through enough in he war, she doesn't need to be dragged back into the…" The phone rang, I picked it up. "Bishop." Carlos Santos a man I had saved in the attack on the Yerk Pool was on the other end of the line.

"Hey there Erik, how goes the good fight?" He said.

"Shitty as usual." I said back.

"Yeah I heard about the bill, that's too bad man."

"Too bad that's all you have to say normally you have a few more adjectives to add to it."
"Not to bad about the bill, that's a fucking travesty, but it's too bad you're going to be leaving the senate next year." I was confused, and a little worried.

"You OK Carlos, want me to call in NSA."

"No Erik, I'm trying to tell you I want you to be my running mate." I froze.

"You're kidding me!" I said.

"I kid you not, I'm making the announcement next week enjoy your last few weeks in the senate cause you'll be vice president soon. See ya!" I hung up the phone.

"What was that about?" Karen asked.

"Oh nothing, I'm running for vice-president but that's all." Karen jumped into my arms (she wasn't much shorter than me so it wasn't easy to catch her.)

"Oh Erik that's great, when do you start campaigning?"

"I don't know." I said. "But I want you to go with me, that is if…"

"Yeah, sure I'll go, I can't miss out on my husbands campaign, I'll have a speech ready for…"

"Hey you're not going to be doing any of that, you're just a trophy wife for now." I said jokingly. Karen smiled a naughty smile.

"I'll show you what a trophy wife can do." She ripped open her shirt and tackled me onto a nearby couch. We made love, as always when we did I felt the world melt away, it was just Karen and me, I didn't think about a distant war, or anything else but her. I knew then that there was nothing that would make me rejoin the war. I was wrong.