Hello Lovelies! I know, it's only been two weeks! I'm doing my best to get more of this story out for you guys. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 14 – Surprise

Tyriks set his tools to the side as the door to his private lab slid open expectedly. Admittedly he was surprised when two Vandals, both helms down and properly deferential, moved through the doorway instead of just the one. He figured his guard had followed Kreesis in, but a quick glance showed him outside the door where he knew to wait when this particular report was given.

Both Vandals were the same to his eyes with identical frames and armor given their spawned origins. He could distinguish them only by their demeanors. Kreesis, he was sure, had led the way into the lab. His presence was calmer, arms lax by his sides, while the other was clearly unaccustomed to being in his presence. Tyriks would find this development interesting if he hadn't already lost patience with this entire situation. He needed all of this to be over.

He waited until they were standing before him and the door fully closed before he said, "Speak."

The reaver stepped forward, lifting his head in the process. "Captain Tyriks, investigation has concluded."

He waited a moment for the reaver to continue, but nothing was forthcoming. "Yes?" he asked impatiently.

The reaver hesitated and with it, subtle arm flicks let him know Kreesis had grown nervous. "A complication exists."

That was not what he wanted to hear. "I surmise this is the Vandal under investigation."

"Yes."

"You bring him here, why? Orders were clear," he said, voice trailing into a low growl. He had given explicit orders that the reaver was supposed to investigate and terminate the lesser Vandal immediately if anything suspicious was found. There was no reason to bring him here.

"Suspicious activity was discovered. He understands his life is forfeit," said the reaver gesturing at the lesser Vandal who still stared at the floor obediently. "He believes he discovered something of value. Desires to explain."

"You know of this object of value?"

"Yes. He showed it to me. Captain Tyriks, I decided to bring him here. It is my judgement. I know not what to think of this. I have not your wisdom, knowledge. I think it worth the moments to listen."

Tyriks considered this request and decided it was a small thing. The lesser Vandal apparently understood his situation; he must think the object worth a great deal to believe it would save his life. "This is accepted," he finally said gesturing at the other. "I will listen."

The lesser Vandal, of which he still did not know the designation, stepped forward. "Captain Tyriks, I discovered a female."

Tyriks froze. A female? How could that be possible? All known females were with House Wolves and they were not currently on this planet. Where could she have come from? Perhaps a defector from House Wolves. It was plausible although unlikely. Still, if she was alone on this planet, she might seek to join another house.

That would be a boon like no other. Tyriks could only imagine the prestige if his crew was responsible for bringing a female into House Devils. For the first time in more moments then he could count, he felt a sliver of excitement. How many moments had it been since he had even seen a female? He couldn't remember, but it must have been around the exodus. Tyriks almost cringed at the thought. Too many moments.

Possibilities aside, he first needed to confirm her existence and resolve this situation. Simply viewing a female would not explain how these spawned Vandals would know her for what she was, so they must have conversed. He needed to understand these interactions and find out exactly what she told them. "Vandal," he said sharply, "explain this occurrence with the female. Fully."

"Yes, Captain. Female was discovered in Forgotten Shore. Shadowing was attempted. Intention was to find lair, then report. Female disappeared without trace. The area was scouted again after following patrols. Female was glimpsed again. I attempted shadowing, always unsuccessful. I noted afterwards our roles reversed. Female attempted shadowing. She initiated contact. Female appeared innocuous, I remained suspicious. Contact, conversation was maintained. I desired to understand the female's purpose. Female divulged much information: planet, history, time, hu'ins, nuur'khu—"

"You failed to report this," he growled. This Vandal had been interacting with the female for what seemed many moments and had said nothing. At any point they could have lost her and Tyriks would never have known she existed. "This is traitorous behavior. Information was traded with female, yes?"

"No. Fallen intel not given."

"Information is never given freely. Female desires something."

"My thoughts were the same. I asked directly. Female insisted, desires only mating."

"Mating?" he repeated because he couldn't believe what he had just heard. Perhaps, he mused, it wasn't actually that surprising. To mate successfully with this Vandal the female must also be Vandal class and they were known to be promiscuous, at least on the home planet they had been.

"Yes, mating is when—"

"I know what mating is, Vandal," he said cutting through the other's words icily.

"Of course, Captain Tyriks," the Vandal stated quickly while lowering his gaze.

Rightly so. Tyriks was angry. This Vandal had no idea what he had stumbled upon or how fortunate he was. If the female truly mated with him it was a gift from the servitors that he certainly didn't deserve.

Females were rare. It hadn't always been that way, but it was their reality now. Worse yet, was the knowledge that this problem was of their own making, the Fallen's that is, and they had been trying to find a way to correct it for as many moments as he could remember.

As rare as females were though, mating opportunities were even more so. As the ratio of their population had skewed further and further in favor of males, competition had become more extreme. Fights for dominance became more prevalent and more brutal as males took every opportunity to vie for a female's attention.

The females themselves became more and more outlandish in their standards and demands of a mate. Those that were still left, were haughty creatures, not that he blamed them given the amount of attention they received on a constant basis.

Females were revered and not because of their rarity. Not only did they match males in terms of physicality, but they were often more cunning and better at both espionage and manipulation. What little power plays there were left in Fallen society, the females played them well. Above all else though, females were life givers, and for that reason alone, destroying one unjustly had always meant death to the one who had done it.

Returning his attention to the other Vandal, Tyriks asked, "Reaver, you mated the female, yes?"

"No. I have seen it done. The act… results in unbidden feelings. I am conflicted."

"You also failed to report," he said in a tone that left no doubt about his anger.

"All blame is mine," interrupted the other Vandal. "I bid him silence. I owe him loyalty and he, I. I believed the female valuable, desired to aid crew. Requested moments to obtain proof. I bid him see the female, judge her. Captain Tyriks, I bid you same."

"Enough. You do not make such decisions. You observe, report," he growled. "However, judgement is reserved, for both. I will evaluate this female."

Tyriks had barely finished uttering the last word when a shimmer caught his eye and a creature suddenly appeared in front of his worktable. His surprised trill was echoed by the Vandals, but it changed in the middle to an outraged warble as he recognized the creature for what it was. He was on his feet and had his shock blades out in an instant for he knew he had but a few moments to react.

As always, reviews are much appreciated. BTW, I edited and reposted chapters 1-35. Hopefully I found and fixed all the grammar errors. I also just generally polished them up a bit for any of you who tend to reread stories you favor (I know I do).

Fallen Language. Listed in order of appearance:

Nuur'khu – literally means lightbearers. This is what Fallen call guardians.