Pronunciation Guide:

Chenau'ek – sheh-NAW-eck

Orus – OR-russ

Sa'era – saa-EIR-rah – I love you

Tharak – THAH-ruhk

Uskenthsa – UU-skenth-suh

Sa'era

Auran clutched Ahandra's limp body against his chest, his face buried in the crook of her shoulder, unable to let go. Her life heat was fading, her once glowing skin slowly becoming ebon and cold. There'd been no last words, no chance to say good-bye. He didn't think he'd ever forget the sickening sound of her bones snapping as he'd twisted her neck.

Seinu's cries pulled him from his numb stupor and he looked up to see him wriggling in Ajenke's arms. She looked uncomfortable and exhausted as she shifted the squalling infant to her shoulder. Even that reminded him of Ahandra.

The last time he'd seen his mate, she'd been tired and if he'd asked, she would've stayed in his arms the rest of the night and given their son to one of the care givers just outside. But she'd suckled their son instead. Then he'd left for N'varak. He hadn't said goodbye. He hadn't said anything. The memory tightened his chest and sent a fresh wave of pain through his skull, but Auran forced himself to focus on the present. He had to be strong. For Seinu.

Carefully, he laid Ahandra to the side, his hearts aching as he took one last, lingering look at her frozen form. If he could trade places with her, he would. Regret threatened to overwhelm him anew and Auran turned away, choking back a sob with a harsh growl. He stood, gingerly taking his son from Ajenke.

Auran clumsily adjusted Seinu in his arms, realizing that this was the first time he'd held him. A grim resolve filled him then as he tucked the thin blanket's loose ends around him, Seinu's tiny mandibles grasping hungrily at Auran's fingers. He would not lose his son.

Auran stepped down the dais stairs, slowly making for the exit. He did not look back.

"Auran. Auran, wait! Where are you going?" said Ajenke.

"I have a ship. If you're smart, you'll come with us, Ajenke Shan'ra."

Harsan complained, but Ajenke overruled him, hauling him up and throwing one of his arms over her shoulder. "I'm dying, dammit. Just leave me."

"Yak'sallah," she hissed through her clenched fangs as she supported his limping frame.

The small group was halfway across the great hall when a sharp crack and moan made everyone freeze. Seconds ticked by, the thick musk of tension mingling with the copper tang of the blood-soaked air. A loud wail and the hissing snap of bones shattered the heavy silence.

Harsan dropped to his knees and Ajenke drew her gun and spun around, muscles taut as she searched for the source of blood chilling noise. "Oh, sjauk'rin hells you've got to be kidding me," she whispered, slightly lowering her gun. "A-Auran."

He remained frozen in place, each echoing scream another lash that tore through his already bleeding hearts. Yan.

"Aaaaauuugghhh!"

I killed her. I killed her!

Harsan charged his plasma rifle. "Auran, take Seinu and get out of here. You too, shan'ra."

"Sheshai'e! I'm not leaving! Ahandra was my friend. I will not let her become a monster!"

"Daka! You are the leader of Kuuroch. You do not have the luxury of indulging in personal vendettas."

"I'll say what luxuries I have and don't have, grey head!"

A piercing shriek silenced Harsan's retort and the trio watched in horror as Ahandra's small form was consumed by a dark monstrosity. Razor sharp spikes exploded from her two arms and back, her tan flesh roiling and distorting. Her skull burst through the back of her elongated neck, the black shards arching between her fanning shoulder spikes. A massive crest spread over her bulging head, her face replaced with four writhing mandibles tipped with massive fangs. The xashi stumbled to its feet, wailing in pain as organs and bones continued to shift beneath its smooth, supple skin, its dark green scales glistening in the crimson lowlight.

"Oh Goddess, is that a…"

"That's a queen." Even Harsan was stunned.

"Chjit! We can't fight that!"

"Both of you need to run. Now." Harsan aimed his sniper rifle, his tri-laser slowly angling down the xashi's massive crest. "It's stunned. If you're quiet, you can make it out." His focused his scope, the tip of the monstrous queen's head coming into sight. It was one of the few weak spots unprotected by its crown. If he could get a round through there, they might have a chance.

Ajenke tugged on Auran's arm, hissing for him to move. He didn't hear her, his horrified gaze locked on the thing that had been his mate. She'd died. He'd watched her die. This was impossible.

"Auran!" Ajenke jerked his arm, jarring the warrior. The violent gesture ripped Seinu from his half-dream state and he flinched, terrified. He screamed, afraid he was going to be shaken again. Everyone froze as his keening wail broke the silence, their eyes snapping back to the queen.

She shuddered and swung her massive head towards the sound, mandibles flaring. Harsan's plasma bolt smashed into the side on her crest and she squealed in rage, extending to her full height.

"Run!" Harsan shouted. Plasma bolts tore through the queen's chitin, the acrid stench of burnt flesh filling the air.

She howled in rage and charged, ready to rend her attacker in two. The small creature that had caused her pain fell back and she knocked its weapon away, her foot crushing its chest before it could flee. It squirmed, clawing at her toes. The sensation was irritating. She spread her jaws, ready to feast on the tiny morsel.

Come on, kill me! End my misery!

She froze, listening for the strange sounds to reappear. The two other creatures forgotten, she lifted her foot and lowered her face until it was inches from the prey-thing's body. The only sound she detected was the thunder of its twin hearts and hot-flowing blood. The scent of its warm flesh sent sharp pangs of hunger through her chest. She must eat.

Her hand pressed the rasping creature against the floor, squeezing its arms together to make sure it couldn't throw fire like it had last time. She spread her jaw, drool dripping from her mandibles as her body secreted fluids to help break down the nutrients about to enter her mouth. Her inner jaws flexed, ready to grab the meat and pull it down her long throat.

Forgive me Auran. It's all my fault.

An image flashed in her mind. A creature. A warrior. Born of shadow. Amber-eyed death. She felt the creature's emotions seep into her. Pride. Sorrow. Regret. She flinched as a strange consciousness overrode her instinctual need to feed.

Yan!

She hissed and clawed at her crest, the sensation growing stronger. It hurt. It was wrong. Kill it! She roared and turned her sights on the warm-blooded creature staring up at her. Poisonous. Kill it. Shred it!

YAN!

Ahandra's consciousness exploded to the surface, the serpent's instincts shattering for a moment, overwhelmed by the burst of intelligence and iron will. She stumbled, unused to such a large body. The electric glow of Harsan squirmed beneath her thundering steps. She thanked God she hadn't killed him. The transformation had gone too fast. She'd blacked out for a moment.

A high-pitched cry made her perk up. Seinu. Food.

Her anger instantly evaporated the thought. She lurched forward. Yan. Offspring. Mine. She already felt herself losing control, her hunger searing into her very bones. Ahandra glanced down at the dead bodies. Food.

She recoiled at the thought. Yan, she wouldn't eat anyone, dead or alive.

Instead, she followed the echoing wails of her infant, the desperate cries a lifeline to her tattered sanity. Other voices, impressions, began to filter into her consciousness as the xashi poured onto the surface. Pain. Hunger. Help me! She pushed them all aside, striding down the stairwells, desperately searching for her baby.

She quickly found him. He was guarded by creatures— Yan! Auran and Ajenke. Auran and Ajenke. Chjit, she needed to hurry. She could practically taste their flesh as she drew near, their nervous systems lit up like Christmas trees in her mind's eye. Every muscle fiber and organ glowed with incredible energy. Energy she needed. She'd grown too fast. Oh, God, the hunger.

Auran. A sibilant hiss escaped her throat and Ajenke brought up her weapon, her shouts lighting up her throat and lungs.

"Go Auran! I can buy you time." He grabbed her shoulder before she could fire the first shoot. "What? What are you doing? Run!"

"Look."

Ajenke watched as the serpent queen crouched on all fours, dragging its tail across the floor as it slowly approached, a strange moan escaping its fangs. "What-what's it doing?"

"Take Seinu."

"Auran!"

He growled. "Take him! If anything happens, run and don't stop."

"Are you insane?!" Ajenke took the hiccupping infant and slowly backed down the hall. The queen hissed and she froze, her hearts stuck in her throat as he approached the rasping monster.

Auran stared at the thing that had been his mate. He'd never seen a serpent, a queen for that matter, submit itself to a yautja. It sunk its massive head even lower, the creature's belly nearly pressed against the floor. Trails of viscous drool dripped from its trembling jaws as it slid its head closer, practically frothing now that he was mere centimeters away. But still it did not strike.

He should be dead. But he wasn't.

Auran took a deep breath and, very slowly, rested his hand on the queen's smooth forehead. The instant his skin touched the dark green chitin, an electric shock jolted his arm and he convulsed in pain, collapsing to the floor.

When he came to, he was sprawled on the floor, the queen's eyeless face staring down at him. Her leering maw hovered over his chest, scythe-like mandibles grazing his body. He flinched as hot, acidic drool singed his exposed skin. She raised her massive head and hissed at something.

Auran craned his neck to look behind. Ajenke. "Forget what I said before," he whispered. "Don't move."

"Why?" Her terrified eyes were locked on the xashi.

"Because she'll come after you."

"Auran."

"What?"

"I really hope you know what you're doing."

"Saa." He returned his attention the queen crouched over him, her tail curling his prone form. I really hope I know what I'm doing too. He braced himself as the queen's armored claws slid over his skin and grasped his chest, grimacing as an electric current seared through him, every muscle in his body going rigid with pain. Chjit, why does it hurt?!

Auran.

He froze. He could hear her. Ahandra?

I need to tell you something.

Ahandra, I'm sorry. Harsan tried to warn me. I didn't listen—

It's not your fault. You were protecting me. Kill it!

Auran felt Ahandra's consciousness flinch and she let out a pained groan.

What's wrong?!

I-I'm… it's… hungry. Oh God, it's so hungry. I don't think I can do this much longer.

I don't understand… you shouldn't be alive… I-I killed you.

I know. I—

Ahandra was suddenly gone, replaced with primeval intelligence that hungered for his flesh. Nausea filled Auran as the creature's endless hunger seized his mind, probing him for weaknesses.

Ahandra?!

Aaaaaahhhh! Skeeeeer!

Auran howled as the queen threw herself back against the wall, her claws ripping through his flesh and tossing him aside. He scrambled to his feet, ducking as the creature's tail whipped through the air. She writhed, squealing in pain.

"Auran, what in the hells is going on? It was just sitting there, holding you and now it's in pain and—"

"It's Ahandra!"

"What?"

"The queen is Ahandra."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know, alright!"

Ajenke muttered a string of curses. "This is insane. You're insane. I'm insane for listening to you…"

The squealing subsided as the queen collapsed to the floor, ragged groans filling the long corridor. Auran ignored Ajenke's hissed warning and slowly approached, his empty fingers instinctively flexing for his darkblade. His breath came in labored gasps and he looked down to see the jagged cuts splitting his chest. Distracted, he flinched as the queen suddenly lunged, a bony hand grabbing his legs and dragging him towards her gaping maw.

"Auran!" Ajenke cried out.

Auran! Listen!

By the God's Sword, I thought you were going to eat me!

…I almost did. I'm… its hungry. Auran, I need you to listen to everything I tell you.

Foreign memories of a warm beach and a priest flickered through Auran's mind.

I am the starborn. There's no time to explain how or why I know that, just know that in order to save Kuuroch, I had to become a queen.

Starborn? I don't understand. More memories appeared, most a jumble of emotions and faces. Others were very clear. Mutated children trapped in vats. Asharah and Gaidulus interrogating her. Are these your dreams?

It's complicated. What's important is that I can lure the xashi away from Kuuroch.

Where?

To N'tharralis. Natharrak planted bombs in the heart of the city. They're going to detonate soon. Hopefully, they will be strong enough to destroy them all. If not, the Thousand Towers are right above the underground city. If the support structures collapse, the center of Kuuroch will sink into the earth.

Ahandra's gnawing hunger seeped into bones and his stomach clenched in pain.

Make sure the Shan hears this.

He's dead. The image of Shaidra appeared before his mind's eye, broken and bloody, and shame filled Auran. There'd been no honor in their battle. Ajenke's the Shan'ra now.

Her surprise sent an agonizing jolt through his limb and chest.

Ennnghh!

I'm sorry! Are you alright?

I think… I think my chest is going numb.

Silence filled the dark void between them, unspoken words hanging in the air. Auran tried to find the words he'd wanted to say, but his mate beat him to it.

Auran, before I go, I want to tell you how I feel, so you'll never have to wonder.

Heat flared through his arm, coursing through his veins and hearts until Ahandra's memories flooded his thoughts.

The first time we met. An alien sunrise. Three warriors with serrated armor and wicked blades. The pain as he'd grabbed her arm. His disapproving gaze from across the ship when he'd found her out of her room.

The ceremony. Her fear as she considered her future. Was she beautiful? Did it matter? The slice of the blade across her palm and his rough hand being tied to hers as their blood burned in a copper basin.

The sha'oul. Her desperation to escape. The fear and despair as he approached her, naked and stiff, his strong arms pressing her against the bed. Her trembling acceptance as she lay beneath him, holding her breath as his rod slid between her thighs and inside her, reminding herself of the reasons for sacrificing her humanity each time the pain became unbearable.

When you saved me from Tchath'ka. The thunder of the nightmarish club as Jaul dragged her down the cramped hallways. Tchath'ka's leering face hovering over her, his breath foul as his mandibles brushed against the side of her face. He grabbed her jaw, raising the dagger, ready to plunge it into her eye socket. His head exploding in a shower of gore. Then Auran was there, holding her, shielding her.

The memories poured into him, an unstoppable torrent of sorrow, fear, confusion and hope.

The day I realized I loved you. Auran gasped and arched as molten heat poured into his body. He felt it, her joy when she turned around and saw that he wasn't dead. He was alive. And he cared about her. They'd mated and for the first time she'd felt pleasure in his embrace.

I missed you so much. He'd been gone for an entire cycle, but she counted on him returning. To keep his promise.

Seinu's birth. She cried out in pain as her contractions strengthened, explosions ripping through the air as the Thousand Blades invaded the Midnight Blossom. The final agonizing push. Her joy at his warbling mewls and seeing him for the first time.

I know you'll be a good father.

The golden warmth drained from Auran, his skull pounding with each throb of his aching hearts. He couldn't speak. He couldn't find the words. Instead, he ripped the silver necklace from his belt with his free hand and looped it around her fingers. Your necklace. I took it. Ahandra, I-I can't. I can't do this. I can't let you go.

Sa'era Auran.

The link was suddenly severed and Auran fell back against the cool floor, too weak to move as Ahandra rose above him and slipped away. Ajenke was suddenly by his side, shaking him. "Auran? Auran?! You better tell what the fak'sha sjauk'rin she'shai was going on!"

"Ahandra… she's going to lure the xashi into the Tunnels. To N'tharralis."

"This is utter insanity!"

"He's not insane," Harsan limped down the stairs, groaning and clutching his side.

"What?!"

"I heard her, when the queen touched me. Just for a moment. But I knew it was her. I've felt Ahandra's mind touch before."

"You need to evacuate the central city," Auran groaned as he stood. "If N'tharralis falls, so will the Thousand Towers."

"Oh, so I just announce that I'm the shan'ra and a dead thras'ka transformed into a serpent queen and mind spoke to a Shadow Stalker about a plot to blow up the Star Tower." She snorted. "Nobody will believe me!"

Thet's voice suddenly piped up. "I believe you."

Everyone stared Ajenke's midriff. "Thet?"

"Shaidra planted a comm link on you so I could stay in touch with you. Without it, I would have been very skeptical of your claims. There were some technical issues with the device, but everything appears to be working normally again. I'm sending my guards to escort you to the command center."

Harsan grunted. "The Shan was smarter than I gave him credit for."

"What are your orders, shan'ra?"

Ajenke glanced between the two males. Eyes wide, she swallowed and said, "Evacuate the center of the city and..." she cleared her throat, mustering up the most imperious voice she could. "No one may shoot the xashi queen. To do so will be considered treason."

"As you wish."

As soon as Thet signed off, Auran's wrist computer flashed to life.

"Hey, Auran… I know you said stay in the docking bay buuut—"

"Like I'm letting you have all the glory, you sonuvabitch!"

"I'aquin."

"Tell me where you are so I can kill you."

"Just below the Star Court." He grunted in pain as he lowered himself back to the ground. His blood loss was beginning to catch up to him. "You better hurry. I'm bleeding a lot." He could hear I'aquin berating Hetarrak to hurry up before the signal cut off.

Ajenke huffed as she sat down beside him, Seinu squirming in her lap. She adjusted the grumpy infant, looking over at Auran. He was covered in blood and looked as if he'd aged a decade. She wondered what she looked like. "Lak'shura."

He glanced over at her then continued to stare at the cracked stone floor. He didn't respond when she tried to offer him Seinu and she hoisted the mewling infant over her shoulder, patting his back, wishing there was something she could do other than sit here and hope.

'/- |/- ,-; \',

Ahandra tore through the tower, her long legs easily carrying her down the spiraling staircase. She was at the bottom in minutes, sprinting through the arching entryway. Rain pelted her chitin skin and lightning crashed across the smoke-choked sky as she slid to a stop, the glowing city spread out before her.

She raised her head and let out a piercing shriek that echoed across the entire city.

The xashi's response was almost instantaneous. Mother. The knowledge spread like wildfire through the hive. They had a queen. And she had summoned them. Their collective consciousness nearly drowned her own as their thoughts and needs poured in. She now saw the city, hot and glowing with energy, the memories of the xashi pooling together to create a living map of surrounding area. Ahandra in turn, searched through their minds, seeking a way underground. She found it and rushed forward, crying out for her children to follow. Down. Hide. Safe.

As she surged forward, her children converged, a dark tide of writhing monstrosities. She flinched as a tidal wave of hunger smashed into her and her children cried out, sensing her pain. But she pushed forward. Not safe. Need to get away. N'tharralis. She pulled up the image of the underground city. Nest.

The xashi now had a purpose and they swarmed, pouring through the grates and hidden passages that led into the Tunnels, ignoring the hail of gun blasts and terrified howls that followed them. They swept through the gloom, at one with the eternal twilight, the hundreds of tunnels flowing before the horde as their clicks and shrieks echoed through the passages, bouncing back to provide a perfect view of what lay ahead.

Ahandra gave into instinct as she ran forward, the thought of somehow crushing one of her children unbearable. They wove around her feet like a dark mist, confident now that she was there to guide them.

Raienthril's screams shocked her back to the surface and she sensed his awful death as the xashi tore through him once they reached the center of the dead city. They dragged his carcass to her, proud of their kill. The older ones brushed around her legs like cats, insisting she eat with warbling hisses. Ahandra couldn't stop herself and inwardly sobbed as she tore into the fresh kill, the warm blood soothing her dry throat. Once her inner jaw had ground him up, it pulled the pieces of Raienthril down her throat, bone and all. But it wasn't enough.

Yan!

Her children flinched, but continued with their work, albeit cautiously. She was upset. They wanted to please her. She sensed some start to work harder, especially the xashi that were small.

Oh God, those are children, she yautja pups, warped and twisted, skittered through the adults' legs as they played and cleared the ground of debris.

The nesting area slowly began to coalesce, fleshy webs consuming the stone walls as bacteria secreted from special pouches in the xashi's jaws accelerated the nightmarish growths, consuming any waste left behind and converting it into warmth.

Ahandra stood amongst the xashi, waiting for the end. She could sense where the bombs were with each one they found, all placed strategically throughout the crumbling city. The countdown was quickly nearing the zero mark and she settled on the ground, letting her children groom her and clean her wounds.

Strange voices cried out, jarring her from her apathy. They were at odds with the singlemindedness of the hive and the xashi lashed out at the pariahs, killing the ones that fought back.

She concentrated on the chaotic voices, a new purpose seized her. Ahandra rose and began hissing orders to the older xashi in charge.

There wasn't much time.

-|' /- '|/- -,'

Thousands fled the center of the city as the xashi converged on the central towers. Reports soon flooded into the command center from air patrols that all traces of the serpents had disappeared from the surface. The crimson light of the hologram shadowed Ajenke's face as she stared at the outline of Kuuroch, unable to process the devastation. But it could have been so much worse. The xashi had just started their killing spree when Ahandra had called them away.

A strange tremor caught her eye and the hologram flickered. Rumbles spread amongst the warriors as their instruments glitched. All were on edge. Most systems could survive an electromagnetic pulse, but no one knew how powerful the bombs were.

She stared at the Star Tower, waiting for the inevitable.

The ground shivered and rolled, the earth rippling like water. Towers writhed and tumbled as the ground bubbled and split, the cascading explosions tossing earth and stone into the air, consuming the Thousand Towers and shattering their glistening crystals. Ajenke covered the sides of her head as a high-pitched shriek filled the air, the sound drowning out even the thunder. A concussive whoosh slammed into the side of the building, knocking her into one her guards. She pulled away and grabbed the side of the table, watching as the center of the city collapsed back to the earth, swallowed by the gaping void that had opened up beneath it. Earth, metal, stone and water poured into the massive crater.

Ajenke bowed her head, pain searing the corner of her eyes. It was done. Her friend was dead.

|/- -;- '|,

Author's Note: Only two more to go :) I hate to leave you guys hanging, but alas, it must be done. I'll update as soon as I can.