Hi everyone! Okay, once again we go into the breach. So be ready for a whopper. Ack! No! Izzy! Down girl I didn't mean a LITERAL whopper! Gah!

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This is what I get for feeding my dog Burger King scraps...

Anyways, onto the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 3: A Shattered World

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Spyro waited patiently in the council room watching with mingled pride and exhasperation at human politics. One the one paw, his daughter-in-law Magothera was handling herself quite well as ambassador of Avalon. On the other paw, even with her father, James de Launces, and her two younger brothers Josh and Bertram lending their voices, the human council and senate didn't want to budge. Ignitus lay nearby and gazed at Thera with a worried expression and didn't hear whatever was said, but its effect on James was instant. His face grew red and he gripped the bannister with near-draconic strength, he heard the wood cracking and creaking under his grip.

"We do not have time for this senseless bickering! The fact remains that we have been attacked! Four-thousand dead or missing and twice that wounded! The King, mind you, pledged to support the Tellanians and you jackasses belay that order because of the bad blood that existed between us for the past few centuries?! I had thought we were past all that! I honestly don't know whether I'm more shocked that you lot allow such petty grievences to cloud your judgement or that you dared to veto a declaration of war signed by the King and several of his Generals, myself included!"

A rather rotund man, Samuel Kropp, leaned back in his chair and sneered at James.

"First off, milord, you may be Archduke of Syllia now, but remember that even you can be outvoted on this matter and stripped of whatever 'pull' you think you have. A declaration of war is a national matter. You and for that matter, the King, cannot simply give one of our longest standing enemies one of our most powerful armies and expect us, the civilian and merchant council to not even bat an eye. They may be soldiers but they are our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives. You have no right-"

"I bloody well have the right! Do you think you're honoring their choice to serve their country if you veto a bill that will allow us to aid an ally? If the Tellanians do not recieve aid and they fall to a expansionist enemy, we will have lost face with the world government. Praetoria, Anozira, Espan, Avalon, even our protectorates may turn against us! Is this what you want?"

Kropp laughed nasely and looked down at James and his daughter.

"Praetoria is in the middle of the worst recession they've ever suffered. According to the reports there is open revolt in the streets. The Praetorian military is occupied trying to restore order to their crumbling empire. They've already had to grant their buffer states: Espan and Anozira, their independance because of this and I suspect that without Imperial aid, we may yet have two new territories to declare as 'protectorates'. As for the Blue Isles and Northumbria, is they revolt, we crack the whip at them. Place them under martial law, and as for Avalon. Perhaps we may stop thinking of them as an independant realm and start thinking of them as a southern territory of the Crown."

Thera snarled at this, as did Spyro, Ignitus, and the dragons on the military council. For all his bluster, the sight of several dragons growling specifically at him, forced the rotund wind bag to retract his statement and return to his seat. As Kropp sat down, a merchant councilman stood.

"Lord de Launces, please restrain the dragons so that Lord Kropp doesn't topple over from apoplexy. What he said was out of turn, yes, but still, this declaration means we have sent ten percent of our military might into a nation that if they wanted to, could declare us an invading threat and still bring about ruin." James took a deep breath and stared at the merchant.

"Why and to what end would they do this? They are already being invaded by Rotiart. We have been attacked by Rotiart! You lot have not seen the devastation wrought in Sanijo; I have. My sons were in the thick of the attack fighting off enemies from sea and air and distinguished themselves. If not for the Federation fleet intervening when they did, I have no doubt the casualties would have been much, much greater." The merchant nodded.

"Indeed, we have all see the reports that the Federation fleet happened along and assisted. But think, according to an officer on board a battleship engaging this 'Rotiart Fleet', their ships bore a striking resemblance to Federation and Callinar naval vessels. There is no proof whatsoever that Rotiart was responsible. In fact, we have recieved a letter from the Chancellor of Rotiart stating that he has made no aggressive actions at all and that this is simply a Federation ploy to get you to help them conquer Rotiart so that they may have only one possible threat left on this continent: us." James snarled at how it was obvious what the outcome would be. Ignoring him, the councilor continued.

" I believe there is an old saying we all know: 'The devil you know is better than the devil you don't,' I believe is how it goes. Rotiart has shown us their hand so they are the devil we know. However, the Federation has undergone massive reform in the past few years, in no small part thanks to those two brothers you trained as mechanists and then allowed them to return home to the Federation. Tellanos is the unknown here. Until we recieve irrefutable proof that this request for aid is genuine, our soldiers stay put."

James sighed, knowing that this was one brick wall he couldn't plow through. On his throne in front of him, James cousin King Edward, sat crestfallen. Beside him, Edward's wife, Queen Anita, a native of Praetoria and granddaughter to the Empress, fumed at what was said about her beloved homeland. James looked from the King and Queen to the council. He spoke in a clear and calm voice that made everyone listen. It was a complete reversal from the hellfire and brimstone he was unloading just a few moments ago. Again he knew what the outcome would be, but if it secured support for an ally against an aggressor, he had to try something, say anything.

"Gentlemen, I will ask you once more: will you withdraw your veto?" As one, the merchant and civilian councils shouted 'No!' He looked down.

"Then I shall no longer waste my breath. All I have to say is this: If you are wrong, and I am right about this, then you have signed the death warrant for the Federation, and you have opened the door for an enemy that we may have to face alone. Just remember this: In times of invasion and times of war, everyone, from the highest noble, the wealthiest merchant, to the lowest and poorest commoner will be called to take up arms. That is one thing that no amount of political bullshit can stop or stall. I just pray that there will be no need for that to happen. I bid you all good day."

At that moment, a wide-eyed messenger came running into the proccedings. James looked at the messenger as he stopped before him and took a steadying breath.

"Milord, the 435th has returned to Royalis with their wounded. I-I must inform you sir that your son, Captain George Nicholas de Launces is among the wounded-"

Thera, Josh, Bertram, and Lysa bolted from the room. James eyed the messenger sternly.

"Where is he?"

"Royalis General, sir, being treated for a concussion, some shrapnel injuries and a few minor burns. I have the after action report here."

James looked over the report with a swift eye then motioned for the report to be handed to the King and he left the podium and took off after his family. Spyro and Ignitus followed him. James heard the announcement speakers turn on as Edward cleared his throat. What he had to say had to be for everyone's ears, not just the councils.

"At 1425 hours two days ago, elements of the 435th Armored Corps, on a reinforcement mission to the Tellanos city of Ursa, led by Captain George Nicholas de Launces, encountered a hostile enemy force using captured Federation weapons and vehicles. The 435th were engaged in a short battle, lasting some three hours, but were ultimately forced to retreat."

James passed some castle servants who had dropped what they were doing to listen to the King's address.

"The rumors have been confirmed: Rotiart has invaded Tellanos and as of midnight last night, the Federation city of Ursa is now under Rotiart occupation and their forces now threaten the Tellanian capital city of Retorinc. Furthermore, a report from one of our submarines, A-22, indicates that the Callinar Island Nations have taken advantage of the choas and have begun invading the islands south of Tellanos and have launched a simultaneous attack on the Blue Islands protectorate.

Castle guards stood sharply at attention as he passed them. Several of them he recognized as wearing the uniforms of Blue Islands guardsmen. As he neared the exit to the castle, the King's speech continued.

"As of this moment, I am overruling the council's veto of the declaration of war against Rotiart and I am expanding it to encompass the Callinar Islands as well. All citizens from nobles to commoners must submit draft cards to the recruiters of the branch of service they wish to join. When their cards are called, I expect all to report for duty. This message will be transmitted to all cities in Syllia itself and our protectorates at 3:00 P.M. today: eastern standard time."

James looked at his pocketwatch and saw that it was now 2:30 P.M. Outside, he found his family waiting. Bertram was getting into the car along with the family steward, Victor, against the protests of his mother.

"You know that the hospital is on the opposite side of the city and that traffic at this time is severe. Bertram please." Bertram sighed, having heard this conversation before.

"Mother, I am simply not comfortable with my dragon form is all. Besides, even if I shifted, I'd still have to walk there and I doubt even the King would forgive a de Launces dragon walking through the streets. I will go in the car, even though it may take some time."

With that, Bertram shut the door and the car took off with a whoosh. Lysa looked at James with a pleading expression while Spyro and the others looked after Bertram curiously. Spyro spoke, voicing the question.

"James, what's wrong with Bertram? Why didn't he shift and what was that about walking?" James sighed, remembering that Bertram had never adopted his dragon form around his sister and his brother-in-law, Spyro, Cynder, or the kids. He nodded and looked to Spyro.

"To put it simply Spyro, Bertram cannot fly. When he was first born and shifted, his wings refused to open. I thought it unusual but not unheard of, him trying to get used to his dragon body. Then when he turned five which, as you know is when dragons begin learning how to glide, his wings wouldn't open no matter how hard he tried. He tried so hard that he nearly popped them out of their sockets. Concerned for both his health and his safety, I checked his wings and discovered the joints of his wings were fused; most likely when he was still in the womb. He is self-consious about his dragon form because of that. In his adult form, though his wings are properly formed, they are still fused and it is unlikely that he will ever fly in dragon form. That is the reason he joined the Royal Air Force instead of the Dracocorps or the Navy. He reasoned: If I cannot fly in dragon form, I will still fly as a human."

Thera stood shocked and gazed after her baby brother who was, by now, clear out of sight. No wonder when, years ago, Zafra had challenged him to a flying race, he had declined and ran inside the castle. She watched her father sigh and then made a surprising move. He went to the steam runner Josh had ridden here and started it up.

"I'll go after him. He just heard his brother's been injured. It wouldn't do for anger to replace worry. You lot go on ahead." Spyro nodded and looked at Thera and Ignitus.

"I'll head back to the manor and stay with Cynder and the children. Ignitus, look after Thera, you know how to calm her down." Ignitus nodded as Spyro leapt into the air and took off towards the de Launces manor house in Royalis. James meanwhile, started the engine on the steam runner and took off after the car. Lysa and Josh shifted and took off, followed by Thera and Ignitus.

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James caught up to the car at 3rd and Royal, roughly a quarter of the way to the hospital, and predictably, stuck in traffic. He stopped the runner, set the machine onto the empty rack behind the vehicle which he had made for transporting a runner, and climbed into the car, surprising Bertram. He tapped Victor on the shoulder.

"Sound the siren please Victor, that should clear the way."

"As you wish milord." Victor flipped a switch and a siren sounded from the vehicle. The result was instant as vehicles quickly moved to the standby lanes and allowed the vehicle to proceed forward. Bertram looked at his father.

"Dad, I needed time to think. I didn't mean to make Mom made, you know I'd never do that. On purpose anyway." James nodded but said nothing as he was deep in thought. Bertram relaxed a little and watched the city fly by as the car sped towards the hospital. Finally, he heard his father take a steadying breath.

"Do you remember that time, about oh, seven years ago? You know when I was returning from Northumbria after an extended buisness meeting?" Bertram nodded.

"I remember Mom yelling at you for catching a cold and having to take a train back instead of flying because you didn't want to get any sicker. When we heard the train approaching, Nick and me, we got on our runners and rode out to the station to meet you. Before I knew it, we were racing along the road that runs by the train tracks and I had to show Nick how much better I was than him at it. I decided to gun the throttle, shut off the limiter, and I soared past him and-" James shook his head as he chuckled.

"And you hit an incline, launched the runner into the air, did a backflip, and landed on the train platform just as I happened to step out of the passenger car. You took one look at me and knew you were in trouble." Bertram laughed as he remembered.

"Truth be told Dad, I was more excited about that time than anything else. For the first time ever, I felt like I was flying. The only other time I got such a thrill was the first time I went up in one of those old P-6 Trainers during my solo flight at the Academy. For the first time in my life, I was free. Free from the world, my disability, the jokes, the mocking me behind my back, the names. The day I joined the Royal Air Force, I was determined to show them that I may be a 'flightless lizard', but I'm a flightless lizard that can easily out fly them. Heh, Nick still can't believe I beat him in that race to the station. Even if I did turn the limiter off...He'll be all right, won't he?" James shrugged slightly and looked to see the hospital coming up fast.

"I won't know until I see him. I wonder though, how could this have happened?" Bertram shook his head as the car came to stop.

"I don't know, but all I can say is that the Rotarians are going to have hell to pay if Nick's hurt real bad." James nodded and, with his son beside him, walked into the hospital.

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James found Lysa, Ignitus, Thera, and Josh already in the room. Nick lay back in the bed and spoke to his sister and brother. He saw James and Bertram come in, he smiled weakly. He had burns and cuts on his arms, two or three cuts on his face, one above his right eye, and another at the corner of his mouth. A large gash in his shoulder had been stitched up with standard Army stitching.

"Hey Dad. Well little brother, it seems I was the only one among us to be clobbered eh? Josh was telling me of yours and his heroics over Sanijo." Bertram took a seat near Lysa as James examined the wounds. After a while, he nodded.

"Well, you'll pull through it looks like. I wish I had a blasted healing crystal with me now so that I could heal you immediately." Nick coughed and chuckled.

"Wishful thinking Dad, but you know that while in human form crystals have no effect on me; and at the moment, I'm too damn weak to shift." James nodded and sat down as well. After taking a second, he looked Nick straight in the eyes.

"So, son. What happened?" Nick took a breath and answered.

"It was the worst case scenario. The Federation force we were supposed to meet with was annihalated some twenty minutes before we arrived. The Rotarians...they opened with a volley of artillery fire. They got seven of our tanks in the initial barrage and then fired another. Tank crews whose tanks were burning or knocked out were trying to get out. Some would get out but the second they went to aid another tank crew, they'd be gunned down by snipers in the hills. Once they were sure their artillery had done most of the damage, they sent in their own tanks. My tank was the only heavy left by that point. I ordered the Mediums to form up and then I ordered the light tanks to retreat and get help. I don't think the enemy expected those little tanks to move as fast as they did-"

He fell into a coughing fit for a moment, worrying James but he waved him off.

"Got a little smoke in my lungs but I'll live. Anyway, the Rotarians sent in their tanks. Dad, I swear I've never seen tanks of their sort before. They looked like copies of the Praetorian dreadnaught tanks and some of them looked like our heavies. The difference was the weapons, we'd send a sixty millimeter shell at them, they'd return either a seventy-five, an eighty-eight, or a ninety. We were completely out gunned and our armor wasn't worth shit. They ripped through us like paper. I think we got one or two of them before my tank took a hit to the engine. She started burning and I ordered my crew to evacuate through the lower hatch. I cycled the turret onto the hillside and began firing into the hills while my crew escaped. Then my gunner, Victor, jumped onto the wreck of another heavy tank and fired into the hill, yelling for me to get out. As I climbed out through the hatch, a seventy-five struck the side and blew me off the turret. Got this gash in me from shrapnel, my back's scratched up too. I-I wouldn't have made it out alive if not for Jakes dragging me to safety. The Rotarians stopped and retreated when they saw the bulk of the army moving towards us. They patched me us and sent me back here with the rest of the wounded."

Lysa remembered the names he said and looked at him.

"Jakes? Victor? Weren't they your old friends from school?" Nick nodded.

"Yeah. I got paired with them and with three others. Jakes, Victor, Mac and I were the only survivors. Michael and Briggs were killed when the tank they were evacuating got hit with six ninety millimeter shells at once. Th-There wasn't anything left of them but their boots." James nodded and rose, Lysa looked at him curiously.

"Love, where are you going?"

"I've got to make a call. You stay here with Nick, I'll head back to the manor and also check on the grandkids while I'm there." Bertram nodded.

"Yeah, sorry I can't stick long either Nick. Reyson only allowed me off base to deliver my report to the hearing then he expected me back. Tommorow, I meet the rest of my new squadron." Nick chuckled at this.

"So, Reyson is finally placing you in charge of a squadron. All things considered, it's about damn time. Quit your grinning Josh. Need I remind you that militarily I still out rank the both of you. The only thing is that now all three of us are officers. Still though Josh, glad to see you're in charge of something other than the brig." Josh grinned at this and leaned back as Bertram and James left the room.

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As Bertram got into the car after James, he turned to his father, a curious and worried expression on his face.

"What's wrong Dad? You seem worried."

"It's what he said:' We'd send a sixty, they'd return a seventy-five, eighty-eight, or ninety. Our intel on Rotiart is antiquated. It is obvious they have reverse engineered Praetorian and Tellanian technology. Praetoria uses the eighty-eight as their standard cannon, Tellanos uses the ninety for their heavy tanks. The tanks we have now are ill-equipped and poorly armored. I have no illusions of creating weapons like I used to, but I still have to do something." Bertram nodded, understanding how his Father felt.

"Who are you planning on calling?" James smiled as the vehicle started towards the manor house.

"I have two calls actually, one to an old friend, and the other is a...'favor' to call in." Bertram looked at him curiously.

"A...favor?"

James smiled even wider as the car sped along the main road.

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James got out of the car at the manor and went inside. In the study, he saw Spyro, Cynder and the grandkids reading some books there. Once he entered; Kaia, the youngest of Thera's four kids at nine, spotted him and she charged forward, drawing the attention of her siblings. Zafra, the eldest at eighteen, looked up from her book and nodded, chuckling at her little sister's overzealousness. Zane, the second oldest at sixteen, joined Ryu, the third oldest at fifteen in walking over and trying to pry Kaia off their grandfather.

After extracting himself from Kaia's dragon hug, James sat in his chair and picked up the phone, and tested the connection.

"Operator. Please connect me to Peninsula City, please...thank you, I'll hold."

James waited for a moment, humming a song to himself while all the grandkids except Kaia, who stayed next to him, went back to their books. James chuckled and patted her on the head and then returned his attention to the phone.

"Carver? Yeah, it's me. Listen. It's official, we're at war...Yeah...That's right...Okay, you know what to do?...Good. Ready all prototypes to be transferred to the eastern workshops, I'll let them know you're coming. Also, on another note. Is it ready?...Hmm...right...of course...right. Okay, here's what I need you to do. Prototypes 234, 262, 280, 32/5, and 4432 are to be the first to be moved. Call the naval yard and get the Leviathan and her sisters underway, Eastport can finish them...I don't care what the harbormaster says, the Federation has taken Ursa, this means that Port Grand Vista is now behind enemy lines. I don't need to tell you what this means...Good. Now I need these instructions carried out immediately...Good bye."

James placed the phone on the reciever, waited a moment, then picked it back up and again tested the connection. This time when the operator came on, he said something different.

"Operator, this is James de Launces...confirmation number 9972544...Hello? Yes, this is James de Launces, I need to place a call into the Federation city of Retorinc...That's right, the Capital of Tellanos...No do not connect to the Coucil Building, I need you to connect me to the Federal Academy of Military Science, South Wing, Office 216. Thank you."

Again James waited as the phone lines were connected. Finally, he heard a click and a voice came on over the phone. James smiled as he remembered the voice.

"Albert Reed? James de Launces...yes I've heard...I know...Hmm, I'm sorry to hear that...I hope you get better...Listen, Albert, I'm in a bit of a pickle here and I need that favor you owe me...Okay, listen. My son, Nick, remember him? ...Yeah, the one who constantly got into fights with Xavier...He was wounded at Ursa by Rotiart...He's okay, not okay but he's talking and breathing...He told me the HT-27 proved inadequate...He said they'd send a sixty at the enemy and have a seventy-five, eighty-eight, or even a ninety dropped on them...I'm working on this new tank...yes, yes, I know I'm supposed to be retired...Anyway, I need a copy of the new prototype 90mm you've been telling me about...Let's just say it's something I've got up my sleeve. Right...goodbye and for goodness sake take care, you know Lysa considers you and Xavier part of the family...Alright, take care."

James hung up the phone and rested back into his chair. Spyro and Cynder looked at him curiously.

"James? What was that all about?" James looked at Spyro and sighed.

"Hope. Spyro. I am giving my country and my country's allies hope for the future. If I can get the prototypes finished and in mass production, we can end the war quickly before it begins in earnest. If not, then I fear we are doomed to a long and bloody war the likes of which we haven't seen before. I just hope that they can be finished in time. I have a bad feeling this war will get worse before it gets better."

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Okay everybody! Here is chapter 3. Now then Like I promised, the tech guide is finished and it is up if you want to view it. By the way, can anyone spot the number reference in the prototypes? There are two references in the list of prototpyes to plans I didn't include in the tech guide. You'll have to work at them to find them. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter and I'll be back soon with the next chapter.

Next Chapter: Into the Wild Blue Yonder.